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






2. Impossible to penetrate - impregnable






3. Fundamentally distinct or dissimilar






4. Commonplace - everyday occurrence - banal






5. Rude and bad-tempered - grumpy






6. Know or understood by only a few - abstruse - arcane






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






8. Sociable; fond of the company of others






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






10. Truthfulness






11. Passion - excitement - fervor - ardency






12. Not harmful or injurious; harmless






13. Differing in kind; dissimilar; varied






14. Meal or mealtime - feast - banquet






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






16. Recklessly wasteful; extravagant; profuse; lavish






17. Brilliant/glowing






18. Eject/discard like in excess fuel






19. Courageous; brave; valiant; valorous - audacious - intrepid






20. Appease/mollify/to soothe or pacify






21. To polish






22. A puzzle - a mystery - conundrum - perplexity






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






24. Capricious; randomly chosen; tyrannical






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






26. Nonsensical talk - specialized language - argot - cant - slang






27. Set fire/excite






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






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






30. Extreme devotion/frenzied/zealous






31. Ductile/easily shaped/pliable/adaptable






32. Airtight; secret; obscure; magical; mysterious






33. Mournful speech - funeral hymn - elegy






34. Deep hole






35. To attack or assault - beset






36. Mark of disgrace






37. Cooperation - mutual helpfulness - interdependence






38. Respected because of age






39. Speech in praise of someone - laud - extol - commend






40. A ghost of a living person seen just before his or her death - apparition - bogeyman - phantasm






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






42. Something bringing change to something else indirectly - impetus - goad - stimulant






43. Clear and easily understood - limpid - intelligible






44. A firmly held opinion - especially a religious belief






45. Old/antique/bygone/stale






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






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






48. Well-spoken; expressive; articulate - meticulous






49. Having bad connotation - disparaging - belittling - insulting






50. Plastic/phony/pretentious