CSS/PMS Vocabulary List Set 4
Set 1 | Set 2 |Set 3 |Set 4 | Set 5
- Ostracize — exclude from society
- Overt — open; obvious
- Overwrought — extremely upset
- Pacify — calm down
- Painstaking — thorough; diligent
- Palatable — acceptable; pleasant
- Palatial — grand; luxurious
- Palliate — reduce severity
- Pallid — pale; weak
- Palpable — obvious; tangible
- Paltry — insignificant
- Panacea — universal solution
- Pandemic — widespread disease
- Panegyric — formal praise
- Paradigm — model or standard
- Paradox — contradictory truth
- Paragon — perfect example
- Paramount — most important
- Pariah — outcast
- Parochial — narrow-minded
- Parody — humorous imitation
- Parsimonious — extremely frugal; stingy
- Partition — division into parts
- Paucity — scarcity; small quantity
- Peccadillo — minor offense
- Pecuniary — related to money
- Pedagogy — teaching methods
- Pedantic — overly concerned with details
- Peerless — unmatched; superior
- Pejorative — expressing disapproval
- Penance — self-punishment for wrongdoing
- Penchant — strong liking or preference
- Penitent — repentant; regretful
- Pensive — thoughtful; reflective
- Penury — extreme poverty
- Perceptible — noticeable
- Peremptory — leaving no room for refusal
- Perennial — lasting for a long time
- Perfidious — deceitful
- Perfunctory — done without interest; routine
- Perilous — dangerous
- Perimeter — boundary line
- Peripatetic — traveling from place to place
- Peripheral — of minor importance
- Perish — to die; come to an end
- Pernicious — extremely harmful
- Perpetrate — commit (a crime or wrongdoing)
- Perpetuate — make something continue
- Perplex — to confuse
- Perquisite — privilege or benefit
- Persevere — continue despite difficulty
- Perspicacious — mentally sharp
- Pertinent — relevant
- Perturb — to disturb or upset
- Peruse — to read thoroughly
- Pervade — spread through
- Pessimistic — expecting the worst
- Petrify — paralyze with fear
- Petulant — irritably childish
- Phenomenon — observable fact or event
- Philanthropy — charitable giving
- Philistine — hostile to culture or art
- Phlegmatic — calm; unemotional
- Piquant — stimulating or interesting
- Pithy — concise and meaningful
- Placate — soothe; appease
- Plaintive — sad; mournful
- Plaudit — strong praise
- Plausible — believable
- Plethora — excessive amount
- Pliable — easily bent or influenced
- Plight — difficult situation
- Plutocracy — rule by the wealthy
- Poignant — emotionally touching
- Polarize — divide into contrasting groups
- Ponderous — heavy; dull
- Pontificate — express opinions pompously
- Porous — allowing things to pass through
- Portend — signal danger; foreshadow
- Pragmatic — practical; realistic
- Precarious — unstable; risky
- Precedent — example for future cases
- Precept — rule guiding behavior
- Precipitous — dangerously steep; sudden
- Precocious — advanced for age
- Precursor — forerunner
- Predilection — preference
- Predominant — strongest; most influential
- Preeminent — superior; outstanding
- Prejudice — preconceived opinion
- Premise — statement forming basis of reasoning
- Premonition — strong feeling something will happen
- Preposterous — absurd; ridiculous
- Prerogative — exclusive right
- Prescient — having foresight
- Prestige — respect and admiration
- Presume — suppose without proof
- Pretentious — showy; claiming undeserved importance
- Prevalent — widespread
- Prevaricate — avoid telling the truth
- Pristine — pure; unspoiled
- Privation — hardship; lack of necessities
- Probity — integrity
- Proclivity — natural tendency
- Prodigal — wastefully extravagant
- Prodigious — enormous; impressive
- Prodigy — highly talented child
- Profane — irreverent; disrespectful
- Proffer — offer for acceptance
- Proficient — skilled
- Profligate — wastefully extravagant
- Profound — deep or intense
- Profusion — large quantity
- Progenitor — ancestor; originator
- Prognosis — predicted outcome
- Proliferate — multiply rapidly
- Prolific — highly productive
- Prologue — introduction
- Prominent — well-known; important
- Promulgate — announce officially
- Propagate — spread ideas or beliefs
- Propensity — inclination; tendency
- Propitiate — appease; win favor
- Propitious — favorable; promising
- Proponent — supporter; advocate
- Proscribe — forbid
- Prose — ordinary written language
- Proselytize — convert someone to a belief
- Prosperity — wealth; success
- Protagonist — main character; leader
- Protean — adaptable; versatile
- Protract — prolong
- Provocative — stimulating or challenging
- Provoke — to arouse or incite
- Prudent — careful and wise
- Prurient — having lustful desires
- Pseudonym — false name
- Puerile — childish; immature
- Pugnacious — eager to fight
- Punctilious — extremely attentive to detail
- Pundit — expert; authority
- Pungent — sharp or strong (taste/smell)
- Punitive — intended to punish
- Purport — claim to be (often falsely)
- Purveyor — supplier
- Quagmire — complex, difficult situation
- Quaint — charmingly old-fashioned
- Qualitative — related to qualities
- Quantify — measure numerically
- Quarantine — isolate to prevent disease
- Quarry — prey; something pursued
- Querulous — complaining; irritable
- Quibble — raise trivial objections
- Quintessential — most typical example
- Quixotic — unrealistic; idealistic
- Quizzical — puzzled; questioning
- Quotidian — everyday; ordinary
- Raconteur — skilled storyteller
- Radical — extreme; revolutionary
- Ramble — talk or walk aimlessly
- Rampant — widespread and uncontrolled
- Ramshackle — in poor condition
- Rancor — deep resentment
- Rapture — intense joy
- Rarefied — understood by few; elevated
- Rational — based on reason
- Ravage — destroy violently
- Rave — speak wildly; praise enthusiastically
- Rebut — argue against with evidence
- Recant — withdraw previous statement
- Recede — move back; retreat
- Receptive — willing to consider new ideas
- Recessive — going backward; less dominant
- Reciprocal — mutual; shared
- Reconcile — restore harmony
- Recondite — obscure; difficult to understand
- Reconnaissance — preliminary survey
- Recount — narrate
- Recoup — recover (losses)
- Recourse — source of help
- Rectify — correct
- Redolent — suggestive; fragrant
- Redress — remedy; compensation
- Redundant — unnecessary repetition
- Reiterate — repeat
- Rejuvenate — refresh; restore
- Relinquish — give up
- Relish — enjoy greatly
- Remedial — intended to correct
- Remiss — negligent
- Remorse — deep regret
- Remote — distant
- Remonstrate — protest forcefully
- Renaissance — revival; rebirth
- Rend — tear violently
- Render — provide or depict
- Renowned — famous
- Reparation — compensation for wrongdoing
- Repatriate — return to one’s country
- Repeal — cancel a law
- Repel — drive back
- Repercussion — consequence
- Replenish — refill
- Replete — full; abundant
- Replica — exact copy
- Repress — restrain; suppress
- Reproach — express disapproval
- Reprobate — immoral person
- Reproof — mild criticism
- Repudiate — reject; disown
- Repugnant — offensive
- Reputable — trustworthy
- Rescind — revoke; cancel
- Resilient — able to recover quickly
- Resonant — echoing; emotionally powerful
- Respite — short break; relief
- Resplendent — shining brightly
- Restitution — restoring something lost
- Restive — restless; difficult to control
- Restrain — hold back
- Resurgent — rising again
- Reticent — reserved; not talkative
- Retract — withdraw statement
- Retrench — reduce expenses
- Retribution — punishment for wrongdoing
- Retrograde — moving backward
- Revel — enjoy loudly
- Revere — respect deeply
- Reversal — complete change
- Revile — criticize harshly
- Revise — edit and improve
- Revitalize — give new life
- Rhapsodize — speak enthusiastically
- Rhetorical — related to persuasive language
- Ridicule — mock; make fun of
- Rigorous — extremely thorough
- Rile — irritate; annoy
- Rivulet — small stream
- Robust — strong; healthy
- Rococo — highly ornamental
- Rogue — dishonest or unprincipled person
- Ruminate — think deeply
- Rustic — rural; simple
- Saccharine — overly sweet; sentimental
- Sacrosanct — too important to interfere with
- Sagacious — wise; shrewd
- Salutary — beneficial
- Sanctimonious — pretending to be morally superior
- Sanguine — optimistic
- Sardonic — mocking; cynical
- Satiate — satisfy completely
- Saturate — fill completely
- Savant — learned person
- Scathing — severely critical
- Schism — division between groups
- Scrupulous — extremely careful and honest
- Scurrilous — scandalous; spreading rumors
- Seclude — isolate
- Secrete — produce or hide
- Sectarian — rigidly following one’s group or sect
- Secular — not connected with religion
- Sedentary — sitting; inactive
- Sedition — speech inciting rebellion
- Sedulous — diligent; hardworking
- Seethe — to boil with emotion
- Seminal — highly influential
- Sensibility — capacity to feel or perceive
- Sensual — related to physical pleasures
- Sententious — moralizing; self-righteous
- Sentinel — guard
- Sequester — isolate (usually legally)
- Serendipity — fortunate coincidence
- Serenity — calmness
- Servile — overly submissive
- Sever — cut off
- Shrewd — sharp judgment
- Shrill — high-pitched and piercing
- Simper — smile foolishly
- Sinecure — easy job with little work
- Sinister — giving impression of harm
- Skeptic — doubter
- Skirmish — minor fight
- Sleight — skillful trick
- Slovenly — messy; careless
- Smattering — small amount
- Smolder — burn slowly; show repressed emotion
- Sojourn — temporary stay
- Solace — comfort in sorrow
- Solemn — serious; dignified
- Solicit — ask for; request
- Soliloquy — speech to oneself
- Solvent — able to pay debts
- Somber — dark; gloomy
- Somnolent — sleepy; drowsy
- Sonorous — deep, full sound
- Sordid — immoral; dirty
- Spasmodic — irregular; sudden bursts
- Specious — seeming true but false
- Specter — ghost; looming threat
- Speculate — guess based on incomplete info
Set 1 | Set 2 |Set 3 |Set 4 | Set 5