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. Make impure/debase






2. Brilliant/glowing






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






4. Effective writing or speaking






5. A puzzle - a mystery - conundrum - perplexity






6. Growing in number quickly/spawn






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






8. To polish






9. Philistine/bourgeois/superficial/materialistic






10. Ungrateful person - cad - churl






11. Fresh and clean; uncorrupted ex - A ... beach






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






13. Appease/mollify/to soothe or pacify






14. Perceptive/sharp






15. Intricate and complicated - byzantine - labyrinthine - tangled






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






17. Wordy/not succinct/ineloquent






18. Pertaining to beauty






19. Beliefs or character of a group - ethics - philosophy






20. Fearless - adventurous - audacious - plucky - gallant






21. Funeral bell/ omen of death






22. Sway/dither/flutter/fluctuate






23. Truthfulness






24. Well-spoken; expressive; articulate - meticulous






25. Old/antique/bygone/stale






26. Controversy - argument - verbal attack - refutation






27. Altruism/ charity






28. Self contradictory






29. Eject/discard like in excess fuel






30. Set fire/excite






31. Bucolic - rural






32. Unclear or doubtful in meaning






33. Inertia/standstill/ stagnation






34. Equivalent to - alike - parallel






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






36. Differing in kind; dissimilar; varied






37. Undecorated - stern in appearance - bleak - grim






38. Impossible to penetrate - impregnable






39. Wandering and unpredictable






40. No variation; tediously the same in sound






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






42. Fundamentally distinct or dissimilar






43. Meal or mealtime - feast - banquet






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






45. Express grieve - deplore - bewail






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






47. Temporary; lasting a brief time






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






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






50. Social outcast