E, F, G, H, I
Enigma
(n.) person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand
- Scientists continue to research cancer to solve the enigma of its primary cause, which will hopefully lead to a cure.
Sublime (not chemistry kind)
(adj.) of very great excellence or beauty
Synonyms: awe-inspiring, awesome, majestic
“Yet life in the ocean can still mount sublime spectacles.”
Fervid
(adj.) intensely enthusiastic or passionate
Bombastic
(adj.) High-sounding but with little meaning; inflated
Synonyms: pompous, blustering, turgid
“Cynics may ascribe Mr. Rubio’s mild tone to the diverse population of his home state, and the fact that bombastic Mr. Trump trails in the polls there.”
Obdurate
(adj.) stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion
Facetious
(adj.) Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor
Synonyms: flippant, glib, tongue-in-cheek
“'More disturbing,' says Mr. Hart, I didn't note that his column was facetious. In tone, it was indeed, and I should have noted that.”
Morose
(adj.)Sullen and ill-tempered
Synonyms: sullen, sulky, gloomy
“Mr. Macron’s can-do political energy stands out in morose France, home to 10% unemployment and growth last year of just 1.1%.”
Capricious
(adj.) given to sudden changes of mood or behavior
Assuage
(v.) to make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense
Aberration
(n.) a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected
“The Fed will probably need convincing that the latest labour-market report was an aberrationbefore tightening policy.”
Gossamer
(adj.) Used to refer to something very light, thin, and insubstantial or delicate
Synonyms: gauzy, gossamery, fine
“Like a saintly relic, the gossamer threads that tie the two halves offer the promise of miraculous healing by evoking the vulnerability of the suffering body.”
Overwrought
(adj.) (of a piece of writing or a work of art) too elaborate or complicated in design or construction
Synonyms: overblown, contrived, exaggerated
“She made prodigious strides as a writer and learned to temper her overwrought outpourings.”
Laudable
(adj.) deserving praise and commendation
Blowhard
(n.) a person who blusters and boasts in an unpleasant way
Synonyms: boaster, bragger, show-off
“His name conjured up associations such as ‘arrogant’ and ‘blowhard’ ...”
Venerate
(v.) regard with great respect
Harangue
(n.) a lengthy and aggressive speech
Synonyms: tirade, diatribe, rant
“State-run China Central Television (CCTV) has broadcast harsh criticisms of some multinationals, including an absurd harangue over Starbucks’ prices...”
Lurid
(adj.) Presented in vividly shocking or sensational terms
Synonyms: melodramatic, exaggerated, overdramatized
“Their absence from the public eye, especially in a Western country with an abundant supply of good hospitals, tends to spark lurid rumours of illness and even death.”
Agog
(adj.)Very eager or curious to hear or see something
Synonyms: excited, impatient, in suspense
“We are now agog to know when, on the basis of its forecasts, the Bank will push up interest rates...”
Posit
(v.) Put forward as fact or as a basis for argument
Synonyms: postulate, propound, submit
“Mr. Ansar and his co-authors assume this margin is 40%: they posit a ratio of expected benefits to costs of 1.4 for every project.”
Prevaricate
(v.) avoid telling the truth by not directly answering a question
Insipid
(adj.) Lacking vigour or interest
Synonyms: boring, vapid, dull
“It was a stultifying procession of patriotic songs... insipid skits and bald propaganda.”
Tawdry
(adj.) Showy but cheap and of poor quality
Synonyms: gaudy, flashy, garish
“A team of 21 organisers resigned from the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (NPBCU), throwing the festival of tawdry pop into doubt.”
Blithe
(adj.) showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper
Synonyms: indifferent, unconcerned, blasé
“Mr. Cameron’s government was too posh, too cocky, too blithe about globalization’s merits, too metropolitan. Too Notting Hill.
Winsome
(adj.) Attractive or appealing in appearance or character
Synonyms: engaging, charming, winning
“By the time Mr. Pattinson came along as the winsome vampire in “Twilight”, the teenage rebels were starting the movie already dead.”
Artless
(adj.) without guile or deception
Synonyms: candid, direct, forthright
“He is loveably artless and embarrassingly awkward in his unstoppably cheerful attempts to win over the frosty members of the band...”