Abrogate | To repeal or do away with (a law, right, or formal agreement). | The government sought to abrogate the outdated treaty. |
Acrimony | Bitterness or ill-feeling. | Their debate was marked by considerable acrimony. |
Cacophony | A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds. | The city street was a cacophony of car horns and shouting. |
Capricious | Given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior. | Her capricious decisions made it difficult to plan. |
Clandestine | Kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit. | They held a clandestine meeting to discuss the coup. |
Dichotomy | A division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different. | There’s a clear dichotomy between theory and practice. |
Egregious | Outstandingly bad; shocking. | The company made an egregious error in its financial reporting. |
Ephemeral | Lasting for a very short time. | Fashion trends are often ephemeral. |
Equivocate | To use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself. | When asked about the scandal, the politician began to equivocate. |
Fastidious | Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail. | He was a fastidious researcher, ensuring every detail was correct. |
Gregarious | Fond of company; sociable. | She was a gregarious person, always surrounded by friends. |
Hegemony | Leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others. | The cultural hegemony of Hollywood is evident worldwide. |
Insidious | Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects. | The insidious disease spread without any obvious symptoms. |
Mendacious | Not telling the truth; lying. | The witness gave mendacious testimony to protect the suspect. |
Obfuscate | To make something obscure, unclear, or unintelligible. | He tried to obfuscate the truth with complicated explanations. |
Pernicious | Having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way. | The pernicious effects of pollution on the environment are becoming clear. |
Quixotic | Extremely idealistic; unrealistic and impractical. | His quixotic quest to save all the stray animals was admirable but challenging. |
Recalcitrant | Having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline. | The recalcitrant student refused to follow the school rules. |
Sycophant | A person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage. | The CEO was surrounded by sycophants who always praised his every idea. |
Ubiquitous | Present, appearing, or found everywhere. | Mobile phones are now ubiquitous in modern society. |