My uncle has had some embarrassing MISHAPS, such as backing his car into the side of his boss's Cadillac and trying to walk through a glass door.
Mistakes/accidents
100
A transaction, such as buying or selling a product, is the most basic part of an economy.
Transaction means buying or selling
100
A temporary cough is nothing to worry about, but a CHRONIC one can be a sign of a serious illness.
Chronic means "continuing for a long time".
100
My mother refuses to DIVULGE the secret ingredients she uses in her fried chicken recipe.
Divulge means to tell or reveal
100
Janice often asks IMPERTINENT questions such as "Where did you get that ugly shirt?" or "Did you cut your own hair?"
Impertinent means rude.
200
Religious RITUALS like baptisms, church weddings, and funeral services give many people a sense of peace an comfort.
Rituals are ceremonies
200
Everyone turned to look at the ARROGANT customer who spoke to the manager in a self-important voice.
Arrogant means self-important
200
In warfare, as in chess, IMPULSIVE actions will fail. To win in either case, carefully thought-out moves are needed.
Impulsive means unplanned
200
Taking the expression "raining cats and dogs" LITERALLY, the child looked for little animals on the ground after the storm.
Literally means symbolically
200
The wolf was WARY, circling around the camp until he felt sure that all the hikers were asleep.
Wary means cautious
300
The death of a child and the death of a spouse are two of life's most TRAUMATIC experiences.
Traumatic is painful or sad
300
The medicine that Nina is taking is very POTENT. It is so powerful that she must not take it for more than a week.
Potent means "powerful".
300
The class was in TURMOIL when only the substitute teacher was there, but it quickly came to order once the principal entered the room.
Turmoil means out of order
300
It's too late to ALTER the plans for the party. Reservations have been made for the restaurant and the band, and all the invitations have been sent out.
Alter means change
300
Don't be NAIVE enough to believe commercials and e-mail ads that promise instant riches, effortless weight loss, and valuable free prizes.
Naïve means unsuspecting
400
The DEBRIS in the stadium stands included numerous paper cups, ticket stubs, sandwich wrappings, and cigarette butts.
Debris is trash
400
You cannot COERCE people into learning. If they are not interested, it is impossible to force them.
Coerce means "force"
400
"What we need is an INNOVATIVE idea!" cried the chairman. "All I've heard so far are the same old ones."
Innovative means new
400
My aunt is so OBSTINATE that once she makes up her mind, nothing any of her family says can change it.
Obstinate means stubborn or not willing to change
400
Greg wanted to become PROFICIENT on the saxophone, so he practiced every day for several hours.
Proficient means good.
500
There are hundreds of different kinds of RETAILERS, ranging from car dealerships and department stores to frozen-yogurt stands and online drugstores.
Retailers means businesses that sell directly to users
500
Several tests are necessary to VERIFY that a virus is present. One is never enough to prove a virus exists.
Verify means "prove".
500
In ordinary life, people's facial expressions are SPONTANEOUS. However, actors must learn to use planned ways of showing emotions.
Spontaneous means not planned.
500
When I couldn't fall asleep last night, I realized I had been IMPRUDENT to drink so much coffee after dinner.
imprudent means unwise
500
After a baby is born, an older child may become jealous. Wanting the attention the newborn is receiving, the child may REGRESS to such behavior as sucking a thumb or crying.