A Likely Story: "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin

When Louise hears that her husband has died in a train accident, she contemplates how her life will change. Read the full text here.

Here is a link to our lists for The Awakening by Kate Chopin.
25 words 11335 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. afflicted
    grievously affected especially by disease
    Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death.
  2. hasten
    act or move at high speed
    He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message.
  3. forestall
    deal with ahead of time
    He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message.
  4. peddler
    someone who travels about selling wares
    In the street below a peddler was crying his wares.
  5. ware
    commodities offered for sale
    In the street below a peddler was crying his wares.
  6. repression
    a state of forcible subjugation
    She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength.
  7. suspension
    temporary cessation
    It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought.
  8. elusive
    difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
    She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name.
  9. strive
    attempt by employing effort
    She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will--as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been.
  10. tumultuous
    characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination
    Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously.
  11. keen
    intense or sharp
    They stayed keen and bright.
  12. exalted
    of high moral or intellectual value
    A clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial.
  13. trivial
    of little substance or significance
    A clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial.
  14. procession
    the act of moving forward, as toward a goal
    But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely.
  15. persistence
    the act of continuing or repeating
    There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature.
  16. impose
    inflict something unpleasant
    There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature.
  17. assertion
    the act of affirming or stating something
    What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being!
  18. impulse
    an instinctive motive
    What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being!
  19. implore
    beg or request earnestly and urgently
    Josephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the keyhold, imploring for admission
  20. elixir
    a substance believed to cure all ills
    No; she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window.
  21. fancy
    imagination, especially of a casual or whimsical kind
    Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her.
  22. importunity
    insistent solicitation and entreaty
    She arose at length and opened the door to her sister's importunities.
  23. unwitting
    not aware or knowing
    There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory.
  24. composedly
    in a self-collected or self-possessed manner
    It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella.
  25. pierce
    sound sharply or shrilly
    He stood amazed at Josephine's piercing cry; at Richards' quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife.
Created on Mon Feb 25 16:22:53 EST 2013 (updated Thu Aug 16 16:03:54 EDT 2018)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.