Vocabulary Heard at the 2016 Republican National Convention

Here is a list of 20 words spoken at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Speakers ranged from the Presidential nominee himself, Donald J. Trump, to four of his children as well as candidates Trump defeated in the primaries. Whether they were talking about dark times for America or the bright future they hope lies ahead, these speakers used some interesting and powerful vocabulary to get their messages across. Here are 20 vocabulary words by various convention speakers.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. metastasize
    spread throughout the body
    It is about we, the people, and Thomas Jefferson said that we would reach this point because we the people would not be paying attention and it would allow the government to grow, to expand, and to metastasize and to try to rule us.
    -Dr. Ben Carson
  2. antithetical
    sharply contrasted in character or purpose
    And I hate political correctness because it’s antithetical to the founding principles of this country and the secular progressives use it to make people sit down and shut up while they change everything.
    -Dr. Ben Carson
  3. meritocracy
    a social system in which power goes to superior intellects
    When run properly, construction sites are true meritocracies.
    - Ivanka Trump
  4. ineptitude
    unskillfulness resulting from a lack of training
    Disgusted by government incompetence and ineptitude, he invested $2 million of his own money in order to complete the project.
    - Eric Trump
  5. incompetence
    lack of physical or intellectual ability or qualifications
    ...a man who judges people based on their performance regardless of your gender, race, ethnic or religious background. We do not need to settle for less. We cannot reward incompetence and deceit. We need to demand more than what Hillary Clinton offers for America.
    -Donald Trump, Jr.
  6. denigrate
    attack the good name and reputation of someone
    Not only that, but she would continue with a system that denigrates the educates of our young people, puts them in a place where they’re never going to be able to get a job, where they’re always going to be dependent and where they can therefore be cultivated for their votes.
    - Dr. Ben Carson
  7. beholden
    under a moral obligation to someone
    Rather than being energy independent, our country will be forced to remain beholden to her buddies in the Middle East.
    - Donald Trump, Jr.
  8. iconic
    relating to a symbolic figure
    Throughout my father's career, he has been repeatedly called on by government to step in, save delayed, shuttered, and and grossly over-budget public projects, everything from the exterior of Grand Central Terminal in New York to the iconic old post office in Washington, D.C., just to name a few.
    - Eric Trump
  9. unwavering
    marked by firm determination or resolution
    Without his unwavering support and care for me during such a challenging time, I don’t know how I would have made it through.
    -Tiffany Trump
  10. dereliction
    willful negligence
    Her dereliction of duty and failure to keep her people safe played a major role in the horrific Islamic terrorist murders on September 11-12, 2012 in Benghazi which claimed the lives of four brave Americans;
    - Rudy Guiliani
  11. mentor
    a wise and trusted guide and advisor
    That president can only be my mentor, my best friend, my father, Donald .
    - Donald Trump, Jr.
  12. deleterious
    harmful to living things
    She would appoint Supreme Court justices, she would appoint federal judges, and that would have a deleterious effect on what happens for generations to come.
    - Dr. Ben Carson
  13. discerning
    having or revealing keen insight and good judgment
    That we are, as we have always been, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Should I have the awesome privilege to serve as your vice president, I promise to keep faith with that conviction, to pray daily for a wise and discerning heart, for who is able to govern this great people without it?
    - Gov. Mike Pence
  14. stifling
    forceful prevention; putting down by power or authority
    In 2010, we were tired of high unemployment, budget deficits, stifling taxes, and rising college tuition. Most of all, we were tired of the big government union bosses running our state and local governments. We had enough. So we did something about it.
    -Gov. Scott Walker
  15. rancor
    a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
    We stand here tonight a nation divided. Partisan rancor, anger, even hatred are tearing America apart. And citizens are furious—rightly furious—at a political establishment that cynically breaks its promises and ignores the will of the people.
    - Sen. Ted Cruz
  16. credo
    any system of principles or beliefs
    The most important difference between our plan and that of our opponents, is that our plan will put America First. Americanism, not globalism, will be our credo. As long as we are led by politicians who will not put America First, then we can be assured that other nations will not treat America with respect.
    - Donald Trump
  17. egregious
    conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
    In fact, her single greatest accomplishment may be committing such an egregious crime and getting away with it – especially when others have paid so dearly. When that same Secretary of State rakes in millions of dollars trading access and favors to special interests and foreign powers I know the time for action has come.
    - Donald Trump
  18. feigning
    pretending with intention to deceive
    Barack Obama’s foreign-policy of leading from behind, moving red lines, feigning resets with Russia, and the rise, rule, and reign of ISIS are a testament to the truth of history. We cannot have four more years apologizing to her enemies and abandoning our friends.
    - Gov. Mike Pence
  19. epitome
    a standard or typical example
    At a time when people at the pinnacle of their career like my father would have held fast to a lifestyle that has truly become the epitome of the American dream, my father instead chose to give that dream back to the people it had eluded for so long.
    - Eric Trump
  20. malign
    speak unfavorably about
    It is Islamic extremist terrorism. I did not say all of Islam. I said Islamic extremist terrorism. Failing to identify them properly maligns decent Muslims around the world. It also sets up a fear of being politically incorrect that can have serious consequences. And it has.
    - Rudy Giuliani
Created on Thu Jul 21 23:44:39 EDT 2016 (updated Fri Jul 22 08:45:03 EDT 2016)

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