Test your basic knowledge |

Challenging Words

Subjects : english, vocabulary
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Hackneyed - trite - commonplace - quotidian






2. Dirge - lament - a sorrowful speech or poem






3. Express grieve - deplore - bewail






4. Credulous/ easily deceived/ simple minded/ingenuous/gullible






5. Finely sensitive to feelings or in perception. Ex - ... of the danger posed by the approaching hurricane






6. Set fire/excite






7. Social outcast






8. Impossible to penetrate - impregnable






9. Expressing yourself easily or characterized by clear expressive language






10. To disavow/reject validity of/deny/disown






11. Make impure/debase






12. Funeral bell/ omen of death






13. To inspire; to permeate; to fill with a mood or tone - to pervade






14. To calm down or moderate - to temperate - quench - satisfy






15. To expand like a woman in labor






16. To grow together and form a single whole - amalgamate - fuse - condense






17. Self contradictory






18. Frolicsome/ playful






19. Elaborated to excess: overdone - extremely excited: agitated - hectic - frenzied - heated Ex - She became ... when she heard that her child was missing






20. Pretentious/grandiloquent/pompous






21. Fearless - adventurous - audacious - plucky - gallant






22. Uncompromising - refusing to reconcile - obstinate - stubborn - intractable






23. To penetrate through spaces; to spread throughout - imbue - pervade






24. Characterized by severe suffering or sorrow - serious or grave






25. An investigation or inquiry






26. Caution/thrift/widom






27. Wordy/not succinct/ineloquent






28. Sway/dither/flutter/fluctuate






29. To please someone so as to gain an advantage. Ex - ... themselves with the leaders.






30. Turmoil/disorder






31. Equivalent to - alike - parallel






32. Rebellion - mutiny






33. A woman making a debut in high society/lady






34. Not apparent/dormant/quiescent/inert like hidden energy






35. Sociable; fond of the company of others






36. Absolute - certain - explicit - categorical






37. Peripheral - irrelevant - digressive - extraneous diverting - inconsequential






38. Old/antique/bygone/stale






39. Differing in kind; dissimilar; varied






40. Fluctuate between choices - to dither - vacillate - oscillate






41. Airtight; secret; obscure; magical; mysterious






42. A gradual increase or the peak of a gradual increase. Ex - complaints about stifling smog conditions reached a ...






43. To judge a dispute - adjudge - adjudicate - intervene - referee - rule






44. Speak - plead - or argue in favour of






45. To anger - to provoke - incite - vex - or pester






46. To perceive or recognize






47. Dictatorial in one's opinion - imperious






48. Abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will.. opposite of euphemism possibly






49. Submission to another's will; respect; courtesy






50. Respected because of age