- ENNUI (Noun)
Meaning: boredom arising from a lack of interest or activity.
Synonym: boredom, tedium, listlessness.
Antonym: animation, contentment.
Usage: The course was once full of ennui, but the professor later spiced up our lectures with engaging classroom discussion. - PAGAN (Noun)
Meaning: an individual who doesn’t follow one of the world’s main religions.
Synonyms: heathen, agnostic, heretic, apostate.
Antonyms: religious, devout, monotheistic, believer.
Usage: If Sarah were truly a pagan, she wouldn’t attend the services at the local church. - RESORT (Verb)
Meaning: option; alternative
Synonyms: expedient, recourse, makeshift, substitute.
Antonyms: abstain, dodge, halt, shun.
Usage: As a last resort, the oncologist suggested a trial drug that might send the cancer into remission. - DETENTE (Noun)
Meaning: the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries.
Synonyms: agreement, peace, amity, concord.
Antonyms: disruptive, antagonism, antipathy, hostility.
Usage: Peter spent years working on negotiations which resulted in a lasting détente. - INCHOATE (Adjective)
Meaning: just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary.
Synonyms: budding, inceptive, incipient, nascent.
Antonyms: developed, full-fledged, evolved, ripened.
Usage: Because our company just recently opened its doors, we are inchoate and are not offering all of our services yet. - THEOLOGICAL (Adjective)
Meaning: relating to the study of the nature of God and religious belief
Synonyms: religious, scriptural, doctrinal
Antonyms: atheism, blasphemy, godlessness
Usage: The seminar is open to people involved in mass communication and theological training from around the world. - CLINCH (Verb, Noun)
Meaning: confirm or settle (a contract or bargain).
Synonyms: grip, clasp, settle
Antonyms: unlock, release
Usage: Our company’s CEO flew to Paris to clinch the deal. - VETERAN (Noun)
Meaning: a person who has had long experience in a particular field.
Synonyms: experienced, seasoned, expert, skilled
Antonyms: inexperienced, rookie, amateur, unskilled
Usage: Considered a veteran in her field, the defense attorney is one of the most experienced lawyers in the city. - LINGER (Verb)
Meaning: stay in a place longer than necessary.
Synonyms: loiter, stay, remain, wait
Antonyms: rush, hurry, leave
Usage: After school some students always linger around the building to talk to their friends. - De facto (Adverb , Adjective)
Meaning: in fact, whether by right or not. (Adverb)
Synonyms: actually, in fact, in reality, in effect
Antonyms: de jure, non-realistic, allegedly, hypothetically
Usage: Since my sister abandoned her children, I am now the kids’ de facto guardian. - IDIOMS
“Bear fruit”
FOOD IDIOM
Meaning: Get favorable results from something.
Usage: In the end, her hard work bore fruit and she was accepted into the college of her dreams.“Buy a lemon”
FOOD IDIOM
Meaning: Buy something worthless.
Usage: She bought a lemon and always had problems with the car.“Compare apples and oranges”
FOOD IDIOM
Meaning: To compare things that are very different.
Usage:
You can’t compare a race car with a skateboard, that’s like comparing apples to oranges.
