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. Turmoil/disorder






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






3. (of someone) suspicious; wary; cautious






4. Brilliant/glowing






5. Fearless - adventurous - audacious - plucky - gallant






6. Coming into being; in early developmental stages






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






8. Cooperation - mutual helpfulness - interdependence






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






10. Theft of property






11. Appease/mollify/to soothe or pacify






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






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






14. Airtight; secret; obscure; magical; mysterious






15. Excess






16. Controversy - argument - verbal attack - refutation






17. Capricious; randomly chosen; tyrannical






18. Wandering and unpredictable






19. A puzzle - a mystery - conundrum - perplexity






20. To perceive or recognize






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






22. Clearly and directly stated - opposite of implicit






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






24. Set fire/excite






25. A trace of something that once was present






26. Using an inoffensive word instead of an offensive one






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






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






29. Meal or mealtime - feast - banquet






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






31. Dormant - unused - unseeded - idle






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






33. Pertaining to beauty






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






35. To taint or tarnish - besmirch - defile






36. Recklessly wasteful; extravagant; profuse; lavish






37. Ungrateful person - cad - churl






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






39. Truthfulness






40. Eject/discard like in excess fuel






41. Plastic/phony/pretentious






42. Wordy/not succinct/ineloquent






43. Perceptive/sharp






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






45. Assuage - relieve - to make more bearable - placate






46. Differing in kind; dissimilar; varied






47. An investigation or inquiry






48. Expressing yourself easily or characterized by clear expressive language






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






50. To overwhelm - to cover with water - to deluge - submerge..etc