Adjectives - positive
She was __________ when she saw her test score, unable to hide her excitement.
elated
The comment he made during the debate was completely __________ to the topic, adding nothing useful to the discussion.
irrelevant
Owls are __________ creatures, rarely seen during the day.
nocturnal
Firefighters rushed to contain the massive __________ before it spread to the nearby homes.
conflagration
The villain’s __________ disregard for others made him one of the most hated characters in the novel.
Callous, acrid, or trenchant?
Callous
Callous works best here because we need a word that means "doesn't care about others' feelings." Acrid means harsh, which is close, it's just that it usually only refers to a SMELL or SMOKE. Trenchant doesn't work here because the villain's disregard isn't particularly smart, wise, or detailed. It's just unfeeling--making callous the best answer.
The experience left an __________ impression on him, one he knew he would never forget.
indelible
Her __________ remark about the injured player shocked everyone, as it showed no sympathy at all.
callous
He was an __________ procrastinator, always putting things off no matter how many times he promised to change.
inveterate
His speech was full of the same tired __________ that everyone had heard a hundred times before.
platitudes
After realizing how harmful the group’s actions were, he decided to __________ his former beliefs and walk away from them entirely.
Compunction or abjure?
Abjure
Compunction would almost work here, because he might feel guilt, but compunction is a feeling = thing = noun. We need a verb in this sentence that means to give up something you previously supporting. Because he is doing the act of giving up his beliefs, he is abjuring.
The evidence was __________ enough that the jury reached a decision quickly.
conclusive
The smoke from the burning rubber filled the air with an __________ smell that made everyone cough.
acrid
After hours of chaos, the classroom finally grew __________ as the students settled into their independent reading.
quiescent
Even after apologizing, she still felt a sharp sense of __________ for how she had treated her friend.
compunction
Even though she apologized, she still felt a deep sense of __________ for snapping at her friend during class.
Compunction or abjure?
Compunction
The friend feels guilt, but she is not doing a verb. She is not actively speaking out against what she said before. She is not actively saying out loud that she takes back what she said to her friend.
The students fell silent as the judge entered the room, his presence so __________ that even the teachers straightened up.
august
His grandmother was so __________ that she never said no to his requests for extra dessert.
indulgent
The two friends exchanged a __________ agreement with just a nod, no words needed.
tacit
The principal stepped in to __________ the rising tension before the argument turned into a full‑blown fight.
quell
The journalist uncovered a __________ plan to manipulate the election, hidden from the public for months.
Tacit or clandestine?
Clandestine
The emphasis here is that the plan was hidden from public view. Something took place behind closed doors instead of out in the open. If it were a tacit plan, it would mean that two people understood the plan without talking about it openly.
Even though this adjective is USUALLY negative, occasionally restaurants use it in a positive way.
The menu at the restaurant called its ________ cake "Chocolate Overload."
indulgent
The group held a __________ meeting in the basement, hoping no one would discover their plans.
clandestine
Her __________ criticism cut straight to the heart of the issue, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
trenchant
After witnessing the harm caused by his actions, he decided to __________ his former beliefs and start fresh.
abjure
There was a __________ understanding among the students that they wouldn’t mention the surprise to their teacher.
Tacit or clandestine?
Tacit
The emphasis here is that the secret is UNSAID. The students understand each other WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT IT. The students might have had a clandestine (secret) meeting before this to develop the tacit understanding, but we don't know that for sure.