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






2. Effective writing or speaking






3. Dirge - lament - a sorrowful speech or poem






4. Ornament against evil/talisman/fetish






5. Expressing yourself easily or characterized by clear expressive language






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






7. Ductile/easily shaped/pliable/adaptable






8. Not harmful or injurious; harmless






9. Eject/discard like in excess fuel






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






11. Plastic/phony/pretentious






12. Make impure/debase






13. Suggest - propose an explanation






14. To taint or tarnish - besmirch - defile






15. Fearless - adventurous - audacious - plucky - gallant






16. Book - usually large and academic






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






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






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






20. An investigation or inquiry






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






22. A puzzle - a mystery - conundrum - perplexity






23. Funeral bell/ omen of death






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






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






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






27. Sway/dither/flutter/fluctuate






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






29. Altruism/ charity






30. Relaxation - tranquility






31. Innocent - simple - frank - sincere - naiive - credulous - gullible






32. Brilliant/glowing






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






34. Equivalent to - alike - parallel






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






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






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






38. Differing in kind; dissimilar; varied






39. Coming into being; in early developmental stages






40. Commute/replace/superceded






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






42. Inertia/standstill/ stagnation






43. 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 ...






44. Wordy/not succinct/ineloquent






45. Humble oneself in a demeaning way - cringe - fawn - toady - kowtow - bootlick






46. Ungrateful person - cad - churl






47. A firmly held opinion - especially a religious belief






48. Clearly and directly stated - opposite of implicit






49. Express grieve - deplore - bewail






50. Wandering and unpredictable