Meaning Match
Very productive; producing a lot
prolific
She decided to _____ junk food to stay healthy.
eschew
Is the emotion effusive or reserved
Someone expresses excitement in an over the top way
effusive
The teacher was censorious because she praised everyone equally.
Fix: censorious means critical or fault-finding
A public uproar spreads quickly after a controversial event.
furor
A state of shock, confusion, or dismay
consternation
There was a sudden _____ of emails after the announcement.
spate
Is the detail marginal or central
It is not important to the main idea
marginal / peripheral
The speech was peripheral because it was the main focus.
Fix: peripheral means not central
A person avoids something completely while trying to calm others.
eschew + placate
A large sudden amount or surge of something
spate
The writer is incredibly _____, publishing multiple books each year.
prolific
Is the behavior captious or paranoid
Someone constantly finds faults in others
censorious / captious
She was flummoxed because she understood everything perfectly.
Fix: flummoxed means confused
A speech is filled with excessive emotion and dramatic exaggeration.
effusive OR histrionic
To make something clear by explaining it
elucidate
The manager attempted to _____ the angry customer with a refund.
placate
Is the reaction histrionic or ineffable
The person is overly dramatic and theatrical
histrionic / overwrought
He was placated because he became more angry.
Fix: placate means calm or soothe
A person feels irrational fear that others are against them and reacts with emotional intensity.
paranoia
A feeling so overwhelming it cannot be expressed in words
ineffable
The politician tried to _____ the issue by using overly complex language so no one understood it.
obfuscate
Is the speech didactic or effusive
It teaches a moral lesson and sounds preachy
didactic
The explanation clarified the topic by obfuscating it.
Fix: elucidating
A leader avoids criticism by confusing the audience, while acting overly dramatic when challenged. Name TWO words.
obfuscate + histrionic