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. Deceptive scheme; clever trick






2. Bourgeois/ vulgarian/ boor/ materialistic not appreciating artistic or intellectual value






3. The trait of lacking enthusiasm for or interest in things generally






4. Dictatorial in one's opinion - imperious






5. Excess






6. Mournful speech - funeral hymn - elegy






7. Having bad connotation - disparaging - belittling - insulting






8. Rude and bad-tempered - grumpy






9. Airtight; secret; obscure; magical; mysterious






10. Determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason






11. Hackneyed - trite - commonplace - quotidian






12. Meal or mealtime - feast - banquet






13. An orator who appeals to the passions and prejudices of his audience - false leader






14. Imbue - permeate - penetrate - suffuse






15. Growing in number quickly/spawn






16. Not controlled by conscience; unscrupulous






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






18. Clever - deceptive






19. Perceptive/sharp






20. Purposeful exaggeration for effect - embellishment - inflation






21. Fearless - intrepid - venturesome - valiant - valorous - game - gallant - plucky






22. Funeral bell/ omen of death






23. Brilliant/glowing






24. A puzzle - a mystery - conundrum - perplexity






25. Capricious; randomly chosen; tyrannical






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






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






28. To taint or tarnish - besmirch - defile






29. Altruism/ charity






30. Lacking energy or enthusiasm - lethargic - indolent - languid - like ready in spanish






31. A subtle expression of meaning or quality - gradation - tone






32. Social outcast






33. Tolerant - broad-minded






34. Express grieve - deplore - bewail






35. Sharp and irritating to the senses - acrid - acrimonious - piquant - caustic - poignant






36. Ductile/easily shaped/pliable/adaptable






37. Dormant - unused - unseeded - idle






38. Cooperation - mutual helpfulness - interdependence






39. Impossible to see through - preventing the passage of light - obscure






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






41. Stubborn; hardheaded; uncompromising - adamant - intransigent - intractable






42. Consistent/uniform in composition/ opposite of heterogeneous






43. Inertia/standstill/ stagnation






44. Extremely generous or extravagant - exuberant - opulent - prodigal - profuse - bombastic






45. Bucolic - rural






46. A trace of something that once was present






47. Dirge - lament - a sorrowful speech or poem






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






49. Suffused with light: luminous - clear to the understanding: intelligible - sane. Ex - His ... history of this grim subject is scrupulously accurate - so far as I am able to judge ...






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