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. Sociable; fond of the company of others






2. To injure or destroy the surface or appearance of; to damage the value - influence - or effect of; to face down - outshine






3. Appease/mollify/to soothe or pacify






4. Sway/dither/flutter/fluctuate






5. To act confusedly or without a purpose - waver - falter - hesitate - vacillate






6. Excess






7. Inertia/standstill/ stagnation






8. Caution/thrift/widom






9. An amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge






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






11. To expand like a woman in labor






12. Unsettled - swaying - fluctuate - vacillate - wandering from one place to another - waver






13. Sluggish/listless/apathetic






14. Earthbound - commonplace - down-to-earth - tellurian - quotidian






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






16. Long harsh speech or verbal attack - diatribe - fulmination - harangue - vilification - obloquy






17. Clever - deceptive






18. Deceptive scheme; clever trick






19. Blocked path - dilemma with no solution - cul-de-sac - deadlock - stalemate






20. A song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person






21. Deep hole






22. Coming into being; in early developmental stages






23. Dormant - unused - unseeded - idle






24. An expert in matters of culture - food - or wine






25. Self-evident truth - adage - maxim - apothegm






26. Purposeful exaggeration for effect - embellishment - inflation






27. Extremely careful; particular about details - scrupulous - picky - finicky - similar to articulate






28. Bell tower - room where bell is hung - steeple - spire






29. Eject/discard like in excess fuel






30. Commute/replace/superceded






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






32. Growth process from conception to birth - pregnancy - gravidity






33. Airtight; secret; obscure; magical; mysterious






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






35. Well-spoken; expressive; articulate - meticulous






36. Temporary; lasting a brief time






37. To attack or assault - beset






38. Clearly and directly stated - opposite of implicit






39. Easily aroused






40. Having bad connotation - disparaging - belittling - insulting






41. Rebellion - mutiny






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






43. Pertaining to beauty






44. Turmoil/disorder






45. Commonplace - everyday occurrence - banal






46. Fearless - adventurous - audacious - plucky - gallant






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






48. The highest point (of something) - zenith - pinnacle






49. Expressing yourself easily or characterized by clear expressive language






50. Equivalent to - alike - parallel