Hush Hush
adjective
vague; cloudy; lacking a clear form
"The nebulous wording of the student's proof made it difficult for the professor to grant it full marks."
stoic
adjective
indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast
"A seasoned warrior, she was always stoic even in the face of mortal danger."
proliferate
verb
to grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
"Invasive species have been proliferating across the continent ever since the first European settlers landed."
impunity
noun
immunity from punishment or penalty
"With the declaration of martial law, the army was able to detain citizens with impunity."
halcyon
adjective
denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful
"George thought back to the halcyon days of elementary school, back when math still made sense."
clandestine
adjective
kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit
"With a clandestine flick of the wrist, the hooded man snatched the wallet from the pocket of a passerby."
gregarious
adjective
sociable; outgoing; enjoying the company of other people
"The lockdown affected the more gregarious among us to a greater degree than the introverts."
implacable
adjective
not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
"The implacable progress of time is a source of existential dread for many."
intransient
adjective
refusing to compromise
"This study group is so ridiculously intransient that we never end up getting anything done."
recalcitrant
adjective
having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority
"Many of the Capitol rioters appeared recalcitrant even when police arrived on the scene."
sordid
adjective
characterized by filth, grime, or squalor
"The sight of the sordid wastes of the ghetto back-alleys turned her stomach."
predilection
noun
a disposition in favour of something; a preference
"I've always had a predilection for Chinese food."
ephemeral
adjective
brief; fleeting
"The ephemeral nature of vacuum energy fluctuations made it elude the observations of physicists for decades."
insipid
adjective
lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate, or challenge
"The content of the GRE seems particularly insipid."
maudlin
adjective
self-pityingly or tearfully sentimental (often through drunkenness)
"She sat in the darkest corner of the bar, her thoughts maudlin as she stared at her reflection at the bottom of her empty glass."
inveigle
verb
to obtain by deception or flattery
"I am not above inveigling my way to the top if I don't believe in the merits of the system."
ebullience
noun
the quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
"Her introverted nature made it difficult for her to match her friend's ebullience."
torpid
adjective
lethargic; sluggish; dormant
"The torpid flow of the molasses reminded him of the aching pace of his own day-to-day life."
impecunious
adjective
lacking funds; without money
"It is the lot of the college student to be forever impecunious."
iconoclast
noun
a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions; a person who destroys images used in religious worship
"Anti-semetic iconoclasts burned the Star of David in effigy."
prevariate
verb
to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
"He tried his best to prevariate as the committee grilled him on his ethics malpractices."
magnanimity
noun
the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, especially forgiving
"Though she was the heir of a fortune that would make many jealous, she was well-liked by her peers for her clear magnanimity."
quiescence
noun
stillness; motionlessness
"The surface of the lake was the image of quiescence."
infelicitous
adjective
unfortunate; inappropriate
"His infelicitous remarks always managed to start an argument."
limpid
adjective
(of a liquid) clear, unclouded
(of music or writing) accessible, melodious
"The limpid notes of the recorder sang in the still morning air."