The film was completed on schedule despite the ______ circumstances regarding the location and extreme weather conditions.

The postcard advertised a free cruise to anyone who bought a magazine subscription, but after reading the fine print Sasha found the cruise was just a ______.

Many employers like to visit college campuses and ______ college seniors to work for their companies.

I could tell by Konrad’s ______ manner that he was really sorry for how he had treated Annette.

The company officials felt the rising cost of health coverage was ______ enough to raise their employees’ insurance premiums.

The ______ of the sheriff’s department ended at the county line.

Ralph plays golf every chance he gets; even a weeklong golfing vacation could not ______ his appetite for the game.

We could not describe the scene before us; it was filled with such ______ beauty.

The subject matter was ______ because the mumbling professor spoke too quickly.

Arnie becomes so ______ when he talks about painting that it is hard not to be infected by his enthusiasm.

The cruise ship’s deliciously appetizing dinner buffets encouraged ______ among the vacationing passengers.

As the pressures of her business became overwhelming, Charlotte chose to ______ her role as PTA president.

Don’t let Julie’s enthusiasm fool you; she’s just a ______, not a professional dancer.

Normally, Maya would not have made so many spelling mistakes in her essay; she is usually ______ about her spelling.

It took four men two hours to move the ______ sofa up three flights of stairs into our apartment.

In the Roman myth, Artemis made a pilgrimage to the ______, hoping to learn the answer to her dilemma.

Orson was truly a(n) ______: towering over others at six feet nine inches, he was also one of the most influential and successful producers in the feature film industry.

Brian was an ______ child, he was sent to the principal’s office on numerous occasions for his rude classroom behavior.

The defendant waited anxiously for the jury to ______ the decision that would seal his fate.

We must ______ the information about the agenda changes immediately so that the conference attendees have time to adjust their schedules.

During the time of the plague in the little village, the forlorn ______ of the church bells was an almost daily sound.

If you can adhere to the ______ rules of a military society, the Marines may be an excellent career choice.

The natural ______ of the canyon cause it to be an everlasting source of new adventures and beauty.

A life-long vegetarian, Xiomara ______ when she learned that the sauce she’d just eaten was made with chicken broth.

At the beginning of the ceremony, the high school band ______ the arrival of the graduates by playing the alma mater loudly and with enthusiasm.

Although Sophie was afraid of heights, she seemed to have no ______ about driving over bridges.

I will write a rough draft of the proposal, and then you can edit it for any ______ material so that it is as convincing and concise as possible.

I had to call the repairman because the washing machine was off ______—it began making terrible sounds and failed to clean the clothes thoroughly.

Minnie finally ______ to her sister’s constant barrage of questions and revealed the identity of her new boyfriend.

The meeting is ______; everyone must attend.

Through the ______ act of volunteering, it is possible to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate.

The proposed design includes many ______ features that are not functional and can be eliminated to cut costs.

Carly’s ______ spending on shoes and clothing caused her parents a great deal of concern because she was no longer saving money for college.

The cop was in a ______: Should he chase the criminal or help the victim?

The professor studied the ______ physics of ballet dancers and even published a study on the topic of dancers and movement.

Kyle was able to ______ the difficulties of an uncooperative staff, an impossible deadline, and a complicated project in order to present the report to the client.

Philbert’s ______ manner fit in well with the atmosphere of the posh country club.

Elian tried his ______ on the wrong person, and it has finally landed him in jail.

There were several ______ buildings on the street, making it difficult for Margaret to determine which one was the dentist’s office.

Inflated by his fans’ ______, Evan lost sense of his small-town roots and began traveling with an entourage.

To ______ a congressional bill, the president must use his official seal on all documents.

The drama workshop’s efforts ______ in the final production of a play written, directed, and acted by the students for the entire school.

There is no way around it: plagiarism is ______ to thievery.

For ______ deeds during her mission overseas, Tyesha was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Adam read the employee manual so that he might ______ himself with his new responsibilities at the company.

I am ______ of the problems that this solution will cause, but I still believe that this is the best possible solution.

The spectacular presentation by a rainforest adventurer ______ Simon with the desire to travel to South America to see the jungles for himself.

When the senator’s popularity suffered in the polls, he ______ his decision to raise taxes.

Because of the ______ of reliable information, Quentin’s report was comprised mostly of speculation.

Teachers should not only be knowledgeable but also ______; students should feel comfortable approaching them with questions or problems.

The pain medication Kristy received after surgery offered relief; however, the overwhelming feeling of ______ was an unexpected side effect, and she didn’t like being groggy.

The ski lodge had a window that looked out upon a beautiful mountain ______.

The palace’s great hall was rich in history and splendor, the walls hung with ______ tapestries.

After weeks of heavy rains, the earth gave way; mud and trees ______ down the mountain swallowing cars and houses in their path.

The ______ butter had been left in the refrigerator for years.

Several weeks of extremely hot, dry weather ______ the land, so instead of rowing across a river, we walked across a cracked, parched riverbed.

The pitcher’s ______ workout regimen was the most grueling of all his teammates, and he never took a day off.

Ethan’s responses when he spoke on the telephone were ______ and he nearly always made his customers think he was rude.

I was bored with the ______ conversation of my roommates and longed for some intellectual stimulation.

Ned’s fear was ______ as he watched the 60-foot waves approach his little boat.

Moving swiftly and gracefully through the backyard, the cat suddenly ______ when she hit the thorny bush.

Although others were fooled by “Doctor” Winston’s speech, Lily knew him for what he was: a(n) ______.

The task of building the cabin was a ______ one, but Rob was up to the challenge.

After the neighbor’s stereo woke her up for the fifth night in a row, Brenda felt ______ to complain.

Carter is writing a letter of recommendation that I can include in my ______ for prospective employers.

______ laughter came from the upstairs apartment where Trang was having a graduation party.

In the middle of his eloquent ______, the audience suddenly broke into applause.

I like the ______ style of these essays; they make complex issues accessible by presenting them in everyday language.

A diamond ring is the ______ symbol of love and affection.

Allen’s ______ distanced him from his family, but he was still unwilling to apologize.

Nothing will ______ my memory of the night we first met; the images are forever burned in my mind.

With the curtains drawn back, the room was ______ with warm sunlight.

The devastating drought forced the ______ tribes of the rainforest to leave their homes and venture into the modern world.

Jason’s ______ approach to management included narrowing the salary gap between the CEOs and office workers.

If people continue to ______ the rainforests, soon they will disappear from the earth.

My parents always seem to worry and ______ more about money when tax season is approaching.

While the king and the members of his court lived in the most opulent luxury, the peasants in his kingdom lived in the most ______ poverty.

Samantha had an ______ trust in her grandfather, who was an honorable man and kind to everyone he met.

Antonello searched the forest around his campsite for small branches to ______ the fire, so he could eventually cook his dinner.

Although I meant it as a compliment, Zander ______ my remark as an insult.

The sailor’s ______ complexion bespoke his many sunny days at the lookout post.

Tanya is a ______ person, trusted by all who know her.

After the third relative was hired to an upper-level position, several people quit the company, claiming that ______ caused a decline in employee morale.

Genevieve’s stunning debut performance at the city opera has earned her ______ from some of the city’s toughest critics.

The shaggy neon couch was a(n) ______ in the conservative room decorated with earth tones.

Harris tried to ______ his fear of flying when he boarded the plane, but he could not curb his anxiety.

Gabi found that whenever she was confused about an idea or issue, writing about it would help ______ her true feelings.

After the powerful windstorm, Marie discovered a splintered and fallen tree limb had ______ the vinyl lining of her swimming pool.

Johnny’s good behavior in class yesterday was ______ by his disruptive outbursts in Math this morning.

Jason and Joshua made ______ plans to meet in the cafeteria to study for the test, provided Jason’s class ended on time.

The professor’s lectures were filled with excessive ______, lasting much longer than was necessary to convey his ideas.

Ming’s blatant lie revealed that he suffered no ______ about being dishonest to his parents.

Diane, always teasing, was known for her ______, but as a result, nobody knew when to take her seriously.

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely,” said Haines. “There is no such thing as a(n) ______ who is not a corrupt and cruel ruler.”

During his ______ in office the mayor made several controversial decisions about city planning.

Recovering from the tragedy, Helena found the ______ sunrise reassuring, as it gave her something to rely on each and every morning.

Flaws in Claire’s opponent’s chess game showed him to be ______, and Claire knew her victory was assured.

The ad didn’t mention a specific salary; it just said “compensation ______ with experience.”

The ______ she felt for shopping made it impossible for her to walk by a sale window without stopping.