abash cause to be embarrassed
abate become less in amount or intensity
abdicate give up power, duties, or obligations
aberration a state or condition markedly different from the norm abhor feel hatred or disgust toward abject of the most contemptible kind abnegate deny or renounce abortive failing to accomplish an intended result abridge lessen, diminish, or curtail absolute perfect or complete or pure absolve grant remission of a sin to abstinent self-restraining abstract existing only in the mind abstruse difficult to understand abysmal exceptionally bad or displeasing accolade a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction accost approach and speak to someone aggressively or insistently acerbic sour or bitter in taste acquiesce agree or express agreement acrid strong and sharp, as a taste or smell acrimonious marked by strong resentment or cynicism acumen shrewdness shown by keen insight acute ending in a sharp point adamant insistent; unwilling to change one's mind or opinion address speak to adherent someone who believes and helps to spread a doctrine admonish warn strongly; put on guard adroit quick or skillful or adept in action or thought adulation exaggerated flattery or praise adulterate make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance adverse in an opposing direction aesthetic characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste affable diffusing warmth and friendliness affectation a deliberate pretense or exaggerated display affinity a natural attraction or feeling of kinship affluent having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value agenda a list of matters to be taken up, as at a meeting aggregate a sum total of many heterogeneous things taken together agnostic a person who claims the existence of God is unknowable agrarian relating to rural matters alacrity liveliness and eagerness allege report or maintain alleviate provide physical relief, as from pain allocate distribute according to a plan or set apart for a purpose alloy a mixture containing two or more metallic elements allusion passing reference or indirect mention aloof distant, cold, or detached in manner altruism the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others ambience the atmosphere of an environment ambiguous having more than one possible meaning ambivalent uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow ameliorate make better amenable disposed or willing to comply amenity something that provides value, pleasure, or convenience amiable diffusing warmth and friendliness amnesty a warrant granting release from punishment for an offense amoralism the doctrine that moral distinctions are invalid amorous inclined toward or displaying love amorphous having no definite form or distinct shape anachronism locating something at a time when it couldn't have existed analogy drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity anarchy a state of lawlessness and disorder anecdote short account of an incident anguish extreme distress of body or mind animosity a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility anomaly deviation from the normal or common order, form, or rule antecedent a preceding occurrence or cause or event antipathy a feeling of intense dislike antithesis exact opposite apartheid a social policy of racial segregation apathy an absence of emotion or enthusiasm aphorism a short pithy instructive saying apocalypse a cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the powers of evil apocryphal being of questionable authenticity apotheosis model of excellence or perfection of a kind appease make peace with appreciate increase the value of apprehensive in fear or dread of possible evil or harm approbation official acceptance or agreement appropriate take possession of by force aptitude inherent ability arbiter someone chosen to judge and decide a disputed issue arbitrary based on or subject to individual discretion or preference arcane requiring secret or mysterious knowledge archaic so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period archetype something that serves as a model ardent characterized by intense emotion arduous characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion aristocratic belonging to or characteristic of the nobility artful marked by skill or cunning in achieving a desired end artifice the use of deception or trickery ascendancy the state when one person or group has power over another ascetic someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline assiduous marked by care and persistent effort assimilate take up mentally assuage provide physical relief, as from pain astute marked by practical hardheaded intelligence atheist someone who denies the existence of god attrition a wearing down to weaken or destroy audacity aggressive or outright boldness augment enlarge or increase auspicious indicating favorable circumstances and good luck austere of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor autocratic characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule autonomous existing as an independent entity avarice reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth avow declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true avuncular being or relating to an uncle awry turned or twisted to one side axiom a proposition that is not susceptible of proof or disproof