Features and Attributes: English Vocabulary List

an insincere and unnatural manner of speaking, behaving, or writing that is intended to impress

"Her accent was an affectation."

"His British accent was an affectation since he had grown up in Texas and never lived abroad."

an unpleasant and loud noise that could be heard for an extended amount of time

"The din was very loud."

"The constant din of construction outside her window made it impossible to concentrate on her work."

an artful cleverness used to perform trickery, deception, and manipulation

"She used guile to get what she wanted."

"The cunning fox used guile to trick the rabbit into leaving its safe burrow unprotected."

the lack of seriousness that is wrongly suited to or respectful of the circumstances

"His levity was inappropriate during the serious meeting."

"The professor disapproved of any levity during his lectures believing that humor distracted from serious learning."

to loudly complain about something or demand something

"The children clamor for attention loudly."

"The children clamored for attention when their mother walked through the door after being away on a business trip for a week."

to do something that lessens someone's anger or sadness

"Kind words mollify angry people."

"The manager tried to mollify the angry customer by offering a full refund and a sincere apology."

different from the usual and accepted way

"His behavior is aberrant."

"His behavior is aberrant and not typical for someone of his age and background."

to behave in a wild, uncontrolled, and often violent manner

"A wild animal ran amok in the village."

"The children ran amok in the supermarket while their mother tried to finish her shopping."

behaving or acting in a way that is funny, energetic, or silly, it is usually annoying or strange

"The child was antic."

"The clown made antic movements that made the children laugh and clap their hands."

(of clothes, colors, hairstyles etc.) enhancing the wearer's appearance and making them more attractive

"The hat is becoming on you."

"The hat is becoming on you and matches the color of your eyes perfectly."

(of people) feeling very lonely and sorrowful, particularly as a result of a loss

"She is bereft of hope."

"She is bereft of hope after her husband died and she does not know how to go on."

(of a person) young and behaving in a manner that displays one's inexperience or immaturity

"He is a callow person."

"He is a callow youth who lacks the wisdom and experience of older adults."

easily angered or irritated

"He has a choleric temperament."

"He has a choleric temperament and gets angry very easily over small and unimportant things."

having a distrustful or negative outlook, often believing that people are motivated by self-interest

"He has a cynical view of politics."

"His cynical attitude about love made him doubt that true romance could ever exist in real life."

inseparable essential part or quality of someone or something that is in their nature

"The risk is inherent."

"The inherent risk of skydiving is that the parachute might fail but most jumps are safe when proper equipment is used."

belonging to something or someone's character and nature

"The value is intrinsic."

"The intrinsic value of the artwork was not monetary but sentimental to the family."

new and unlike anything else

"A novel approach was taken."

"The engineer came up with a novel solution to the problem that nobody had ever tried before and it worked perfectly."

most favorable or effective under specific conditions

"This is the optimal solution."

"The scientists worked hard to find the optimal temperature for growing bacteria in the lab."

peaceful and calm, not easily excited, irritated, angered, or upset

"The horse is placid."

"The horse is placid and calm and has never thrown a rider in all its years."

based on reasonable and practical considerations rather than theory

"He is pragmatic."

"The pragmatic solution was not perfect but it solved the immediate problem and the team could fix the rest later."

shy and not fond of being with others or being noticed

"He is a retiring person."

"He is a retiring person who avoids social situations and prefers to be alone with his books."

behaving in a playful, fun, and light-hearted way

"The puppy is sportive."

"The puppy is sportive and loves to chase balls and run around the yard all day."

never having existed or happened before

"The event is unprecedented."

"The unprecedented heat wave broke records that had stood for over a hundred years and caused widespread drought and crop failures across the entire region."

so detailed and complex that understanding becomes difficult

"The rules are byzantine."

"The tax code is so byzantine that even accountants have difficulty understanding all of the rules and regulations without specialized training."

a combination or blend of different things

"It's an amalgam of styles."

"The dish was a strange amalgam of different cuisines from around the world."

(of situations) not giving any or much hope or encouragement

"The future looks bleak."

"The future looks bleak for the company because sales have been falling for five consecutive quarters."

not displayed or acknowledged openly

"Their plan was covert."

"The operation was covert and only a few people in the government knew about it."

lacking a regular or fixed pattern of movement

"His driving is erratic."

"His driving is erratic and he often swerves between lanes without using his turn signals."

lacking deep thought and true understanding thus being superficial

"The argument was facile."

"The solution is facile and does not address the deeper problems beneath the surface."

(of senses) sharp and highly-developed

"Her hearing is keen."

"With her keen eyesight and sharp hearing, the tracker could detect the slightest movement in the dense forest."

new and unlike anything else

"This is a novel idea."

"The scientist proposed a novel method for purifying water that had never been tried before in this region."

outdated and gone out of style, often replaced by more current trends or advancements

"This technology is obsolete."

"The old computer is obsolete now because newer machines are much faster and have more memory."

happening at exactly the best time possible

"That was a timely idea."

"The intervention was remarkably timely, preventing a potential disaster by addressing the critical issue before it escalated."

(of things) old but highly valued for the quality, excellent condition, or timeless design

"The car is vintage."

"The vintage car from the nineteen fifties was restored to its original condition."

prone to unexpected and sudden changes, usually gets worse or dangerous

"The situation is volatile."

"The stock market is volatile and prices can rise or fall dramatically within a single day so investing carries significant risk for inexperienced traders."

driven by impulses and desires rather than logical necessity or reasoning

"The artist has a whimsical style."

"The artist has a whimsical style and paints imaginary creatures and magical landscapes that spark the imagination."