1. EXPOSITORY (ADJECTIVE): intended to explain or describe something Synonyms: explicative, elucidative Antonyms: inexpressive, undemonstrative
Example Sentence: The film suffers from too many expository dialogues.
2. CHAGRIN (NOUN): a feeling of annoyance or mortification
Synonyms: disappointment, humiliation
Antonyms: happiness, pleasure
Example Sentence: Much to his chagrin, she didn’t remember him at all.
3. CLANDESTINE (ADJECTIVE): kept or done in secret Synonyms: secret, private
Antonym: open, overt
Example Sentence: They are said to have been holding clandestine meetings for years.
4. HEEDLESS (ADJECTIVE): paying no attention
Synonyms: careless, inconsiderate
Antonyms: heedful, attentive
Example Sentence: She scattered the letters about in her heedless haste.
5. INORDINATE (ADJECTIVE): exceeding reasonable limits
Synonyms: excessive, unreasonable
Antonyms: moderate, limited
Example Sentence: They spent an inordinate amount of time talking.
6. INSIDIOUS (ADJECTIVE): working harmfully in a subtle or stealthy manner Synonyms: deceptive, slick
Antonyms: straightforward, artless
Example Sentence: They focus on overt racism rather than insidious aspects of racism. 7. PESTER (VERB): to annoy persistently Synonyms: irritate, annoy
Antonyms: pacify, comfort
Example Sentence: He’s always hanging round and pestering me.
8. PUERILE (ADJECTIVE): immature, especially in being silly or trivial
Synonyms: childish, silly
Antonyms: mature, sensible
Example Sentence: I must confess that this puerile explanation gave me great pleasure.
9. PUSILLANIMOUS (ADJECTIVE): lacking courage Synonyms: timorous, chicken-hearted Antonyms: fearless, presumptuous Example sentence: The authorities are too pusillanimous to deal with this situation.
10. SANGUINE (ADJECTIVE): cheerfully confident
Synonyms: optimistic, buoyant
Antonyms: pessimistic, gloomy
Example Sentence: He’s remarkably sanguine about the problems involved.