Ripples in a Pond: English Vocabulary List

simultaneously occurring with something else as it is either related to it or an outcome of it

"Pain is concomitant with injury."

"Pain is concomitant with injury so you should expect to feel some discomfort after breaking your arm."

producing results that are contrary to what was intended

"His action is counterproductive."

"His action is counterproductive and actually makes the problem worse instead of better."

of no determination, competence, or strength

"He is feckless."

"His feckless attempts to fix the car only made the problem worse, demonstrating his lack of skill."

not relevant or significant to the current situation, discussion, etc.

"The detail is immaterial."

"The witness's testimony was immaterial to the case because it did not provide any evidence about whether the defendant had committed the crime."

just beginning to take shape

"The idea is still inchoate."

"The idea is still inchoate and needs to be developed further before we can present it to the board."

lacking significance or importance

"The loss is inconsequential."

"The inconsequential detail about what color napkins to use at the party was not worth arguing about at all."

lasting for only a brief period

"Fame is transitory."

"Fame is transitory and today celebrities are often forgotten tomorrow."

without any value or importance

"It is a trifling matter."

"The trifling amount of money that she owed him was not worth arguing about so he told her to forget it."

made or consisting of plastic, a substance produced in a chemical process

"The cup is plastic."

"The plastic bag was not strong enough to hold all of the heavy groceries so it ripped open in the parking lot."

extraordinary and serving as a warning or sign of future events, often suggesting something bad or threatening

"The silence was portentous."

"The silence was portentous and everyone knew that something terrible was about to happen."

to have a rapid development or growth

"Her talent burgeoned at a young age."

"The small startup began to burgeon into a huge multinational corporation within just a few years of its founding."

to end by coming to a climactic point

"The festival culminates in a huge fireworks display."

"The festival will culminate in a huge fireworks display on the final night of the celebration weekend."

to raise someone or something to a higher rank or better position

"The promotion will elevate his status."

"The new position will elevate her status within the company and give her more decision making authority."

to encourage or provoke something, especially trouble or conflict

"The leader foments rebellion among followers."

"The rebel leader was accused of trying to foment revolution among the poor and dissatisfied workers in the city."

to push someone into taking action, particularly by evoking a strong emotion in them

"The speech galvanized the crowd into action."

"The inspiring speech by the leader helped to galvanize the crowd into taking action for their cause."

to help someone feel relaxed and calm or to help them fall asleep

"The song will lull her."

"The gentle sound of the rain helped to lull the baby into a deep and peaceful sleep within minutes."

to incorrectly state what or who created or caused something

"Scholars misattribute this painting to Rembrandt."

"Scholars often misattribute famous quotes to the wrong historical figures because of poor record keeping in the past."

to forcefully bring the development or growth of something that is troubling to an end

"The army squelches the rebellion brutally."

"The principal tried to squelch the rumor before it could spread to the rest of the students in the school."

to take something or someone's position or place, particularly due to being more effective or up-to-date

"The new law supersedes the old one."

"The new safety regulations will supersede the old ones which are now considered outdated and ineffective in preventing accidents."

the moment in which a situation or life is at its lowest or worst

"This is the nadir."

"After losing his job and his home, he felt he had reached the nadir of his life."

someone or something that comes before another of the same type, acting as a sign of what will come next

"The cough was a precursor to the illness."

"The invention was an important precursor to the development of modern computers and technology."

the situation or condition that is currently at hand

"Maintain status quo."

"Many people want to maintain the status quo instead of making necessary changes."

to help reduce the severity of an unpleasant feeling

"He assuaged her fears with kind words."

"She tried to assuage her guilty feelings by donating money to the charity that helps homeless animals find new homes."

able to bring about dangerous or destructive consequences

"He gave a baleful stare."

"He gave a baleful stare that made me feel like he wished me harm."

possessing the quality of being the most important or basic part of something

"Honesty is cardinal."

"The cardinal rule of wilderness survival is to always carry enough water because dehydration can kill you faster than hunger or cold."

capable of easily being molded or shaped into taking another form

"The clay is plastic."

"The young artist found the pliable clay to be incredibly plastic, allowing for intricate sculpting."

referring or relating to a past event

"The exhibit is retrospective."

"The retrospective exhibition featured paintings from every period of the artist's long career."

to make a person or thing seem more important or impressive than they actually are

"He aggrandized his own importance constantly."

"The politician used his position to aggrandize himself instead of actually helping the people who elected him."

to end or lessen a person's anger by giving in to their demands

"He appeased the angry customer."

"The manager tried to appease the angry customer by offering him a full refund and a discount on future purchases."

to take away from something's effect, value, size, power, or amount

"Cold attenuates the signal."

"The medication is designed to attenuate the severity of the patient's symptoms without causing significant side effects."

to restrict the things someone can or wants to do

"Don't constrict my dreams."

"Bureaucratic regulations can often constrict innovation and stifle entrepreneurial spirit within an organization."

to stop a person from doing what they initially intended

"Deflect the attacker's blow."

"The goalkeeper managed to deflect the powerful shot with his fingertips and push the ball away from the goal."

to grow in strength, size, intensity, etc.

"The moon will wax."

"As the summer progressed, the intense heat began to wax, making outdoor activities increasingly uncomfortable."

to be widely common, applied, or recognized

"The rule will obtain."

"It is widely accepted that the principle of fair play should obtain in all competitive sports."

to move back and forth in a regular rhythm between two or more states, positions, or opinions

"The needle oscillates back and forth."

"The needle on the gauge began to oscillate rapidly back and forth indicating an unstable reading from the engine sensor."

to cause a person or thing to come across as less significant

"His fame overshadows his brother's achievements."

"The tragic news of the accident overshadowed the positive achievements of the organization during the same period."

to expand to every part of a thing

"Water permeates the soil."

"The strong smell of freshly brewed coffee permeated the entire house and made everyone feel warm and cozy in the morning."

to cause something to increase rapidly in number or size

"We will proliferate."

"The internet has allowed misinformation to proliferate at an alarming rate, making critical evaluation essential."

a thing that reduces the chances of someone doing something because it makes them aware of its difficulties or consequences

"The alarm is a deterrent."

"The presence of armed guards served as a significant deterrent against potential thieves attempting to enter the museum."

to keep something bad under control in order to prevent deterioration or to slow down its spread or development

"Check the spread."

"The authorities are working to check the spread of misinformation online through fact-checking initiatives."

(of roads, paths, lines, etc.) to lead toward a point that connects them

"The two rivers converge downstream."

"The three rivers converge at this point to form one large and powerful waterway that flows toward the sea."

the highest point that a certain celestial body reaches, directly above an observer

"The sun is at its zenith."

"As the sun reached its zenith, the desert landscape shimmered with an intense, almost unbearable heat."