Lesson 2 Word Pairs I

Lesson 2 Word Pairs I

Have you ever felt ambivalent or irresolute? Did you ever smell something noisome or noxious? These words are almost exactly the same in meaning, and they are called word pairs. 

ambivalent (am·biv·a˘·le˘nt) adj. having mixed or conflicting feelings about a person, thing, or situation; uncertain.

She was ambivalent about the proposal for the shopping center because she understood the arguments both for and against its construction.

ephemeral (i·fem·e˘·ra˘l) adj. lasting only a very short time; transitory.

Numerous ephemeral ponds and pools can be found in the desert during the rainy season.

garrulous (gar·u˘·lu˘s) adj. talkative.

Andrew had the unfortunate luck of being seated next to a garrulous young woman for his 12-hour flight.

inchoate (in·koh·it) adj.

1. just begun; in an initial or early stage of development; incipient.

2. not yet fully formed; undeveloped, incomplete.

During the inchoate stage of fetal growth, it is difficult to distinguish between a cow, a frog, and a human; it is not until they mature that the developing embryos take on the characteristics of their own particular species.

irk (urk) v. to annoy, irritate, or vex.

Teenagers are continually irked by their parents—and vice versa.

irresolute (i·rez·o˘·loot) adj. feeling or showing uncertainty; hesitant, indecisive.

Sandra is still irresolute, so if you talk to her, you might help her make up her mind.

loquacious (loh·kway·shu˘s) adj. talkative, garrulous.

The loquacious woman sitting next to me on the six-hour flight talked the entire time.

mitigate (mit·˘ayt) v.

1. to make less intense or severe.

2. to moderate the force or intensity of, soften; diminish, alleviate.

The unusual extenuating circumstances mitigated her punishment.

nascent (nas·e˘nt) adj. coming into existence, emerging.

The nascent movement gathered strength quickly and soon became a nationwide call to action.

noisome (noi·so˘m) adj.

1. offensive, foul, especially in odor; putrid.

2. harmful, noxious.

What a noisome odor is coming from that garbage can!

noxious (nok·shu˘s) adj. unpleasant and harmful, unwholesome.

The noxious smell drove everyone from the room.

palliate (pal·i·ayt) v.

1. to make something less intense or severe; mitigate, alleviate; to gloss over, put a positive spin on.

2. to provide relief from pain, relieve the symptoms of a disease or disorder.

The governor tried to palliate his malfeasance, but it soon became clear that he would not be able to prevent a scandal.

rapacious (ra˘·pay·shu˘s) adj. excessively greedy and grasping (especially for money); voracious, plundering.

The rapacious general ordered his soldiers to pillage the town.

sordid (sor·did) adj.

1. dirty, wretched, squalid.

2. morally degraded.

This sordid establishment should be shut down immediately.

squalid (skwol·id) adj.

1. filthy and wretched.

2. morally repulsive, sordid.

The housing inspectors noted such deplorable and squalid living conditions in the decrepit building on Water Street that they were forced to evacuate the tenants.

stoical (stoh·i·ka˘l) adj. seemingly unaffected by pleasure or pain; indifferent, impassive.

He remained stoical as his wife told him she was leaving.

stolid (stol·id) adj. not feeling or showing emotion, impassive; not easily aroused or excited. Maxine is a very stolid person, so it is very difficult to tell how she feels.

transient (tran·zhe˘nt) adj. lasting only a very short time; fleeting, transitory, brief. Their relationship was transient, but profound.

vex (veks) v.

1. to annoy, irritate.

2. to cause worry to.

I was completely vexed by his puerile behavior.

voracious (voh·ray·shu˘s) adj. excessively greedy, rapacious; having a great appetite for something, devouring greedily.

I have always been a voracious reader, consuming dozens of books every month.