English vocabulary Ripples in a Pond

baleful

/ˈbeɪɫfəɫ/

adjective

*** having a harmful effect

Examples

cardinal

/ˈkɑɹdənəɫ/, /ˈkɑɹdɪnəɫ/

adjective

serving as an essential component

Examples

concomitant

/ˌkɑnˈkɑmətənt/, /ˌkɑnkəˈmɪtənt/

adjective

occurring with or following as a consequence

Examples

counterproductive

/ˈkaʊntɝpɹəˌdəktɪv/

adjective

tending to hinder the achievement of a goal

Examples

feckless

/ˈfɛkɫɪs/

adjective

generally incompetent and ineffectual

Examples

immaterial

/ˌɪməˈtɪɹiəɫ/

adjective

of no importance or relevance especially to a law case

Examples

inchoate

/ˌɪnˈkoʊət/

adjective

only partly in existence; imperfectly formed

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Examples

What is "inchoate"?

inconsequential

/ˌɪŋˌkɑnsəˈkwɛntʃəɫ/

adjective

lacking worth or importance

Examples

transitory

/ˈtɹænzəˌtɔɹi/

adjective

lasting a very short time

Examples

trifling

/ˈtɹaɪfɫɪŋ/

adjective

not worth considering

Examples

plastic

/ˈpɫæstɪk/

adjective

capable of being influenced or formed

Examples

portentous

/pɔɹˈtɛntəs/

adjective

of momentous or ominous significance

Examples

retrospective

/ˌɹɛtɹəˈspɛktɪv/

adjective

concerned with or related to the past

Examples

to aggrandize

/əˈɡɹænˌdaɪz/

verb

*** to make great or greater

Examples

to appease

/əˈpiz/

verb

cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of

Examples

to attenuate

/əˈtɛnjuˌeɪt/

verb

*** to lessen the amount, force, magnitude, or value of

Examples

to burgeon

/ˈbɝdʒən/

verb

grow and flourish

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Examples

Each Eternal has watched civilizations burgeon and die from their domain of Olympia.

Britain touted its burgeoning piano industry at the Great Exhibition in 1851.

to constrict

/kənˈstɹɪkt/

verb

*** to limit what somebody is able to do

Examples

to culminate

/ˈkəɫmɪˌneɪt/

verb

reach the highest or most decisive point

Examples

to deflect

/dɪˈfɫɛkt/

verb

prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening

Examples

to elevate

/ˈɛɫəˌveɪt/

verb

to provide a person or thing with a better position or higher rank, often undeservingly

Examples

to exacerbate

/ɪɡˈzæsɝˌbeɪt/

verb

make worse

Examples

to foment

/ˈfoʊmɛnt/

verb

*** to promote the growth or development of

Examples

to galvanize

/ˈɡæɫvəˌnaɪz/

verb

to stimulate to action

Examples

to lull

/ˈɫəɫ/

verb

make calm or still

Examples

to wax

/ˈwæks/

verb

to increase in size, intensity, strength, etc.

Examples

to misattribute

verb

*** to incorrectly indicate the cause, origin, or creator of something; to attribute wrongly

Examples

to obtain

/əbˈteɪn/

verb

be valid, applicable, or true

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Examples

Rain filled lakes and rivers where they could obtain water to drink and catch fish to eat.

The heat obtained from the mirrors is used to boil water.

Ferris finally obtained Burnham's approval in December 1892 and began construction immediately.

to oscillate

/ˈɑsəˌɫeɪt/

verb

be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action

Examples

to overshadow

/ˈoʊvɝˈʃædoʊ/

verb

to cause someone or something to seem less important

Examples

to permeate

/ˈpɝmiˌeɪt/

verb

spread or diffuse through

Examples

to proliferate

/pɹoʊˈɫɪfɝˌeɪt/

verb

to cause something to rapidly increase in numbers or grow in size

Examples

to squelch

/ˈskwɛɫtʃ/

verb

suppress or crush completely

Examples

to supersede

/ˌsupɝˈsid/

verb

take the place or move into the position of

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Examples

Today, Harryhausen's stop-motion animation technique has been superseded by more sophisticated computer-generated imaging and performance-capture animations.

deterrent

/dɪˈtɝɹənt/

noun

something that makes people decide not to do something because of its consequences

Examples

nadir

/ˈneɪdɝ/

noun

an extreme state of adversity; the lowest point of anything

Examples

precursor

/pɹiˈkɝsɝ/

noun

something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone

Examples

status quo

/stˈæɾəs kwˈoʊ/

noun

the existing state of affairs

Examples

to check

/ˈtʃɛk/

verb

to keep something bad under control in order to prevent deterioration or to slow down its spread or development