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40 terms with meanings and examples. Tick each one you know; cover the meaning column to test yourself.
Paginepagineapp.com| ✓ | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ambivalent adjective | having mixed feelings | The author is ambivalent about the reform. | |
| analogous adjective | comparable in certain respects | The heart is analogous to a pump. | |
| arbitrary adjective | based on random choice rather than reason | The cutoff date seemed arbitrary. | |
| attenuate verb | to weaken or reduce in force | The new evidence attenuates the critic’s objection. | |
| bifurcate verb | to divide into two branches | The debate bifurcated into economic and moral questions. | |
| circumscribe verb | to restrict within limits | The ruling circumscribed the agency’s power. | |
| concede verb | to admit something is true, often reluctantly | The author concedes that the data are limited. | |
| contend verb | to assert as a position | Some historians contend that the treaty failed. | |
| contingent adjective | dependent on something else | The offer is contingent on a background check. | |
| dichotomy noun | a division into two opposed parts | The essay challenges the dichotomy between nature and nurture. | |
| discrepancy noun | a difference between things that should match | There is a discrepancy between the two reports. | |
| elucidate verb | to make clear; explain | The second paragraph elucidates the theory. | |
| explicate verb | to analyze and explain in detail | The critic explicates the poem line by line. | |
| extrapolate verb | to extend known data to unknown situations | It is risky to extrapolate from one small study. | |
| heuristic noun | a rule of thumb for solving problems | “Read the question first” is a useful heuristic. | |
| hypothetical adjective | based on a supposed situation | The author poses a hypothetical case. | |
| implicit adjective | suggested but not directly stated | There is an implicit criticism in her tone. | |
| impartial adjective | treating all sides equally | Judges must remain impartial. | |
| incontrovertible adjective | impossible to deny | The footage provided incontrovertible proof. | |
| inherent adjective | existing as a natural, permanent part | Risk is inherent in any investment. | |
| juxtapose verb | to place side by side for contrast | The passage juxtaposes two theories of memory. | |
| mandate noun | an official order or authority to act | The agency has a mandate to protect wetlands. | |
| nuance noun | a subtle difference in meaning or tone | The summary missed the nuance of her argument. | |
| objective adjective | not influenced by personal feelings | An objective observer would reach the same result. | |
| paradigm noun | a model or pattern of thinking | The discovery shifted the paradigm in physics. | |
| preclude verb | to make impossible in advance | The rule precludes late submissions. | |
| presuppose verb | to require as a precondition | The argument presupposes that people act rationally. | |
| proponent noun | a person who argues in favor of something | Proponents say the law will reduce crime. | |
| qualify verb | to limit a claim by adding conditions | The author qualifies her claim in the final paragraph. | |
| reconcile verb | to make two ideas consistent | The scholar tries to reconcile the two accounts. | |
| salient adjective | most noticeable or important | The salient difference is the sample size. | |
| skeptical adjective | doubtful about a claim | The author is skeptical of the new method. | |
| speculative adjective | based on guesswork rather than evidence | The link is speculative. | |
| subordinate adjective | lower in rank or importance | Cost is subordinate to safety in the author’s view. | |
| substantiate verb | to support with evidence | The passage does not substantiate the claim. | |
| superficial adjective | existing only on the surface; shallow | The similarity between the cases is superficial. | |
| tenuous adjective | weak or slight | The connection is tenuous at best. | |
| unprecedented adjective | never done or known before | The court’s decision was unprecedented. | |
| untenable adjective | not able to be defended | The original position became untenable. | |
| warrant verb | to justify or necessitate | The evidence does not warrant such a strong conclusion. |