0 Most important 500 Word List for TOEFL Test (C)

CABAL: A small group of persons engaged in plotting - a cabal of prominent persons united to overthrow the government. Synonyms: junto, faction.

CACOPHONOUS: Unharmonious sounding - a cacophonous blare of trumpets, noisy and discordant. Synonyms: dissonant, discordant, blatant, strident, raucous. Antonyms: mellifluous, euphonious, dulcet.

CADAVEROUS: Corpselike; hence, haggard, pale -His face appeared cadaverous from long imprisonment. Synonyms: ghastly, gaunt, pallid (noun: pallor), wan, ashen. Antonyms: rubicund, florid.

CALLOUS: Unfeeling or insensitive - made callous by long suffering. Synonyms: insensible, obdurate.

CALUMNIATE: To accuse falsely or maliciously in order to injure another's reputation; slander - calumniated his political opponent by spreading false rumors. Synonyms: asperse, vilify, defame, scandalize.

CANDID (noun: CANDOR): Frank, outspoken; impartial a candid reply that could hardly be more forthright. Synonyms: artless, ingenuous, unbiased. Antonyms: guileful, evasive.

CANTANKEROUS: Ill-natured; quarrelsome – showed a cantankerous and sullen disposition. Synonyms: petulant, peevish, contentious, pugnacious, testy, choleric, fretful. Antonyms: amiable, affable, equable.

CAPRICIOUS: Inclined, through some whim or fancy change the mind, purpose, or actions suddenly - a capricious person, undependable in mood or temper. Synonyms: fickle, fitful, changeable, erratic, inconstant, crotchety, whimsical, mercurial. Antonyms: steadfast, constant, even-tempered.

CAPTIOUS: Quick to find fault about trifles- a captious critic pouncing on slight laws. Synonyms: hypercritical, carping, carviling, censorious.






CARICATURE: A picture or other description of a person which exaggerates ludicrously one or more of his distinctive features - not a realistic portrait but a malicious caricature.

CASTIGATE: To punish or criticize severely - castigated for using improper language. Synonyms: reprove, upbraid, reprehend, censure, reprimand, chasten. Antonyms: commend, eulogize, laud.

CELESTIAL: Pertaining to the sky; heavenly-a celestial pageant of bright stars. Synonyms: ethereal; (noun) firmament.

CHAUVINIST. An extreme patriot-a chauvinist with most pride in his country. Synonym: jingoist.

CHICANERY: Trickery, deception,- practised chicanery all his shady dealings. Synonyms: duplicity, craft, stratagem, wile, subterfuge.

CHRONIC: Continuing a long time; habitual-a. chronic complaint, persisting for years. Synonyms: persistent, unremitting, inveterate, incessant, constant. Antonyms: intermittent, sporadic, infrequent.

CIRCUMSPECT: Cautious - looked about him circumspectly. Synonyms: prudent, vigilant, discreet, wary. Antonyms: rash, indiscreet, reckless, precipitate, foothardy, temerarious, headstrong.

CIRCUMVENT: To gain an advantage by the use of trick to evade by the use of deception; to go around - circumvented the law by evasive practices. Synonyms: thwart, balk, outwit, delude.

CIVIL: (1) Of or having to do with citizens or the state - civil duties as well as civil liberties. 2) Polite, courteous - answered in a civil fashion. Synonyms: respectful, gracious.

CLAMOROUS: Loud and noisy - a clamorous outburst the crowd outside. Synonyms: vociferous, obstreperous, blatant, raucous, strident. Antonyms: muted, quiet.

CLANDESTINE: Secret; stealthy - a clandestine meeting known only to a few. Synonyms: furtive, covert, surreptitious. Antonyms: overt, manifest, above-board.

CLEMENT: Merciful; gentle - a clement judge who tempered justice with leniency. Synonyms: compassionate, forbearing. Antonyms: relentless, ruthless.

COALITION (verb: COALESCE): Alliance; merging of various units into one unit - three parties forming a coalition to rule the country. Synonyms: amalgamation, consolidation, fusion.

COERCION: Compelling a person by physical force or other means to do something against his will - rendered his services without the slightest coercion. Synonyms: constraint, restraint, impelling.

COGENT: Having the force to compel, usually by appealing to reason - persuaded by cogent arguments. Synonym: persuasive.

COLLUSION: Working together secretly for an evil purpose - acted in collusion to overthrow the government. Synonyms: collaboration, conspiracy, conniving, machination.

COMMODIOUS: Roomy - a commodious apartment. Synonyms: spacious, capacious, ample.

COMPATIBLE: Harmonious; able, to get along together parted company because they were not compatible. Synonyms: congruous, consistent. Antonyms: incongruous, discordant, incompatible.

COMPENDIUM (adj.: COMPENDIOUS): A brief summary of the main ideas of a larger work - a compendium of chemistry in a slim volume. Synonyms: synopsis, digest, precis, abstract, epitome.

COMPENSATION: Payment for services - just compensation for his labor. Synonyms: stipend, remuneration, recompense, emolument.

COMPLACENT: Self-satisfied - looked on his own performance with a complacent smile. Synonym: smug.

COMPUNCTION: Regret for wrongdoing - displayed slight compunction for his misdeed. Synonyms: contrition, penitence, atonement, remorse, qualm.

CONCEDE: To yield; to admit as true; to grant - conceded victory to a superior force. Synonyms: acquiesce, capitulate.

CONDIGN: Well-deserved (applied chiefly to punishment) - received condign punishment for his crime.

CONDOLE (noun: CONDOLENCE): To express sympathy with another in sorrow, pain, or misfortune - condoled with each other in their grief. Synonyms: commiserate, show compassion, solace.

CONDONE: To forgive or overlook (an offense) - condoned the deed, in view of the offender's age. Synonyms: extenuate, palliate, mitigate, gloss.
CONFEDERATE (noun): A person allied with others for a special purpose (frequently a bad one) - joined his confederate in secret enterprise. Synonyms: collaborator, accomplice. (adj.): United or allied in a conspiracy - two confederate groups hurrying to their rendezvous.

CONGENIAL: ((1) Possessing similar interests and tastes; able to get on well with others - congenial people with similar backgrounds. Synonym: compatible. (2) Agreeable - congenial to his taste.

CONJECTURE: To guess - Without facts, we can only conjecture about his guilt. Synonyms: surmise, presume.

CONSECRATE: ((1) To set apart as sacred - consecrate the battlefield with a monument to the dead heroes. Synonyms: hallow, sanctify. Antonym: desecrate. (2) To devote or dedicate to some aim - consecrated his life to teaching.

CONSENSUS. General agreement - The consensus of the committee was that no action should be taken. Synonym: accord.

CONSTERNATION: Amazement; lack of courage caused by fearful prospect - The threat struck deep consternation into John. Synonyms: dismay, bewilderment.

CONSTRUE (noun: CONSTRUCTION): To interpret, explain the sense of, or analyze - construed the statement to his own advantage.

CONSUMMATE (adj.): Perfect or highly accomplished - achieved with consummate skill. Antonyms: botched. bungled, inept (verb): To complete, bring to perfection - consummated the deal without delay.

CONTEMPTUOUS: Expressive of contempt (an emotion involving anger and disgust) - cast a contemptuous look at his subordinate. Synonyms: supercilious, scornful, disdainful, contumelious.

CONVIVIAL: Festive; gay - a convivial party. Synonyms: jovial, jocund, mirthful. Antonyms: lugubrious, dolorous, mirthless.

COPIOUS: Plentiful - shed copious tears at the bad news. Synonyms: profuse, bountiful, abundant. Antonyms: meager, scant.

CORPULENT: Fat - corpulent due to excessive eating. Synonyms: obese, portly. Antonyms: gaunt, lank, emaciated, peaked.

COSMOPOLITAN (noun): One who is at home in all countries - A cosmopolitan can feel at ease anywhere in the world. (adj.): Free from local prejudices - a world-wide traveler, cosmopolitan in tastes and attitudes. Synonyms: Catholic. Antonyms: parochial, provincial.

COTERIE: A group of people joined by common interests a coterie of select friend. Synonym: clique.

COUNTENANCE (noun): A face - His countenance expressed his complete disgust. Synonym: visage. (verb): To approve - refused to countenance disrespectful conduct. Synonym: sanction.

CRASS: Coarse and stupid - displayed crass ignorance. Synonym: gross.

CRAVEN (noun): Coward - the deed of a craven, motivated by fear. Synonym. Poltroon. (adj.): Cowardly - a craven act which shocked the world. Synonyms: pusillanimous, dastardly. Antonyms: stalwart, intrepid, valiant, stout-hearted.

CREDENCE: Trust or belief - gave little credence to the rumor. Synonym: conviction. Antonym: skepticism.

CREDIBLE: Worthy of belief - a credible story, true to life. Antonym: incredible.

CREDITABLE: Deserving or reflecting Credit or honor - applauded for his creditable performance. Synonyms: praiseworthy, meritorious, commendable. Antonyms: discreditable, infamous, opprobrious, ignominious.

CREDULOUS: Inclined to believe anything; easily imposed upon - a credulous fool whom anyone can dupe. Synonym: gullible. Antonyms: incredulous, skeptical.

CRINGE: To shrink in fear - cringing before superior force. Synonyms: cower, flinch, fawn, truckle, wince.

CRUCIAL: Decisive or critical; difficult - the crucial event that decided the outcome. CRYPTIC: Containing hidden meaning - a cryptic message, difficult to decipher. Synonyms: occult, enigmatic. Antonyms: palpable, manifest.

CULPABLE: Deserving blame or censure - removed from office for culpable negligence. Synonyms: censurable, reprehensible.

CUMBROUS: Burdensome and clumsy - a cumbrous knapsack, impeding his march. Synonyms: cumbersome, unwieldy, bulk. CURB: To control, check, or restrain - forcibly curbed the people's protest. Synonyms: repress, subdue.

CURSORY: Hurried; hence, superficial - Time permitted only a cursory examination. Antonyms: painstaking, meticulous. CURT: Rudely abrupt -offended by the curt response. Synonyms: blunt, brusque, bluff. Antonyms: affable, civil.

CYNICAL: Sneeringly distrustful of the good motives or conduct of others - belittled the hero with a cynical remark. Synonyms: sarcastic, surly.


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