Divergent: Chapters 17–24

by Veronica Roth
Tris lives in a society divided into strictly separated factions. Given the chance to change her life, she must keep a dangerous secret from those in power.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–9, Chapters 10–16, Chapters 17–24, Chapters 25–31, Chapters 32–39

Here are links to our lists for the trilogy: Divergent,Insurgent, Allegiant
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. contagious
    (of disease) capable of being spread by infection
    A look I can only describe as Dauntless mania enters his eyes, but rather than recoil from it, as I might have a few weeks ago, I catch it, like it’s contagious.
  2. hoist
    raise or haul up with or as if with mechanical help
    I can’t make any mistakes; I throw myself sideways, grabbing the handle on the side of the car, and hoist myself into the car.
  3. disheveled
    in disarray; extremely disorderly
    I grin at the sight of Uriah’s disheveled hair, and the elevator doors open.
  4. devoid
    completely wanting or lacking
    At first, all I see is the marsh, wide and brown and everywhere, touching the horizon, devoid of life.
  5. exhilaration
    the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
    I pick up speed and a shout of exhilaration rises within me, stopped only by the wind that fills my mouth the second my lips part.
  6. camaraderie
    the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability
    He didn’t—couldn’t—understand the kind of camaraderie that forms only after you’ve all risked your lives together.
  7. beckon
    summon with a wave, nod, or some other gesture
    He beckons to her, and she walks down the hallway, the blue light at the end making her bare head glow.
  8. dwindle
    become smaller or lose substance
    Gradually, our numbers begin to dwindle, and it’s just me and Uriah and Drew.
  9. visceral
    coming from deep inward feelings rather than from reasoning
    Simulations aren’t real; they pose no real threat to me, so logically, I shouldn’t be afraid of them, but my reaction is visceral.
  10. resolute
    firm in purpose or belief
    I cry out, more frustrated than pained, and hit the crow with both hands, but it stays in place, resolute, one eye on me, feathers gleaming in the yellow light.
  11. carcass
    the dead body of an animal
    I let the flapping of wings and the squawking and the pecking and the prodding continue, relaxing one muscle at a time, resigning myself to becoming a pecked carcass.
  12. protege
    a person who receives support from an influential patron
    Bet you can’t guess who the leaders’ new protégé is.
  13. coincidence
    an accidental event that seems to have been arranged
    “The mass exodus of the children of Abnegation leaders cannot be ignored or attributed to coincidence,” he reads.
  14. bereft
    lacking or deprived of something
    However, perhaps the answer lies not in a morally bereft man, but in the corrupted ideals of an entire faction.
  15. proselytize
    convert or try to convert someone to another religion
    Perhaps the answer is that we have entrusted our city to a group of proselytizing tyrants who do not know how to lead us out of poverty and into prosperity.
  16. unscathed
    not injured
    I can’t imagine anyone emerging from the Erudite unscathed, though Will seems all right.
  17. integral
    existing as an essential constituent or characteristic
    They are a part of life here, just as integral to my initiation as learning to fight.
  18. manipulate
    control or influence skillfully, usually to one's advantage
    You manipulated the simulation; you’re Divergent.
  19. selfless
    showing concern for the welfare of others
    The second article discusses the failings of choosing government officials based on their faction, asking why only people who define themselves as selfless should be in government.
  20. infuse
    fill, as with a certain quality
    Peter turns slowly, every limb infused with tension.
  21. congratulatory
    expressive of sympathetic pleasure or joy on account of someone's success or good fortune
    And I figured your friends might not be so congratulatory, since their ranks aren’t as high.
  22. wry
    humorously sarcastic or mocking
    Probably exhausted from resenting me so much, I think with a wry smile.
  23. contorted
    twisted, especially as in pain or struggle
    His pale face is contorted and his teeth are gritted, and he holds me over the chasm as spots appear on the edges of my vision, crowding around his face, green and pink and blue.
  24. hover
    hang in the air; fly or be suspended above
    Before he pulls away, I reach out to touch the cut on the side of his lip but stop when I realize what I am about to do, my hand hovering.
  25. vulnerable
    capable of being wounded or hurt
    “You think I have to pretend to be vulnerable?”
  26. artifice
    the use of deception or trickery
    My eyes burn, and it’s not artifice, unlike the wincing.
  27. lenient
    characterized by tolerance and mercy
    But my mother would tell me that people are flawed and I should be lenient with them.
  28. giddy
    lacking seriousness; given to frivolity
    The thought makes me almost giddy with relief.
  29. repentant
    feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds
    I swear she exists, and she hurts for the repentant boy I see in front of me.
  30. maneuver
    act in order to achieve a certain goal
    A crowd has gathered around the ledge, but everyone stands a few feet from one another, so there is enough space for me to maneuver past Christina and around a tall, middle-aged man to the front.
  31. morbid
    suggesting the horror of death and decay
    “Don’t be so morbid. Could have been an accident.”
  32. somber
    serious and gloomy in character
    At home, a funeral is a somber occasion.
  33. primal
    having existed from the beginning
    It sounds like the primal scream of an ancient race.
  34. depressed
    filled with melancholy and despondency
    “He wasn’t brave! He was depressed and a coward and he almost killed me! Is that the kind of thing we respect here?”
  35. viable
    capable of being done with means at hand
    Everyone who now sees hurling themselves into the chasm as a viable option. I mean, why not do it if everyone calls you a hero afterward?
Created on Sat Jan 10 18:49:54 EST 2015 (updated Wed Sep 05 15:17:38 EDT 2018)

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