TODAY'S WORD
serendipity
noun | /serendipity/
- the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way
Example:
"Finding the old photograph in the attic was pure serendipity."
vagrant
wandering from place to place, typically without means of support
Example:
"The town's streets were sometimes used by vagrant beggars seeking shelter."
sacrilege
an act of treating a holy place or object with disrespect
Example:
"The vandalism was condemned as an act of sacrilege by the community."
inveigle
to persuade someone to do something by deception or flattery
Example:
"They inveigled him into signing the contract with generous promises."
propitiate
to make someone pleased or less angry by giving or saying something desired; to appease
Example:
"They offered gifts to propitiate the offended community."
amelioration
the act of making something better or more tolerable
Example:
"Social reforms led to the amelioration of living conditions."
anodyne
not likely to provoke dissent or offense; soothing; something that relieves pain
Example:
"His anodyne comments kept the discussion peaceful."
profligate
carelessly and foolishly wasting money or resources; wildly extravagant
Example:
"The profligate spending ruined the company's reserves."
hegemony
influence, dominance, or control by one country or group over others
Example:
"Regional hegemony allowed the state to shape trade routes and alliances."
recalcitrant
having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline
Example:
"The recalcitrant student refused to follow the school rules."
tantamount
equivalent in value, significance, or effect; virtually the same as
Example:
"Her silence was tantamount to an admission of guilt."
bucolic
relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life
Example:
"The poem evokes a bucolic landscape of rolling hills and grazing sheep."
adulation
excessive admiration or praise, often insincere
Example:
"The celebrity was used to constant adulation from her fans."
garrulous
excessively or annoyingly talkative, especially about trivial matters
Example:
"The garrulous guide kept the bus entertained with endless anecdotes."
lassitude
a state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy
Example:
"After the marathon he felt an overwhelming lassitude for days."
fractious
irritable and quarrelsome; difficult to control
Example:
"The fractious child refused to sit still during the ceremony."
invective
insulting, abusive, or highly critical language
Example:
"The column was full of invective against the government."
beleaguer
to surround with military forces; to beset with difficulties or annoyances
Example:
"The town was beleaguered for months during the conflict."
ameliorate
to make something better or less severe; improve
Example:
"The new policy helped ameliorate the housing shortage."