120 Words Every 10th Grader Should Know: List 1

Learn these essential words that you'll encounter in literature, textbooks, class discussions, and more.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. acquiesce
    agree or express agreement
    Don’t just acquiesce to things if you disagree, but demonstrate openness to different alternatives. Seattle Times (Jan 23, 2019)
  2. ardent
    characterized by strong enthusiasm
    Papa was an ardent Democrat but mama just didn’t care. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
  3. bravado
    a swaggering show of courage
    His was a face full of challenge and bravado. The Marrow Thieves
  4. complacent
    contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions
    We understood, in other words, how ridiculously fortunate we were, and we both felt an obligation not to be complacent. Becoming
  5. conscientious
    characterized by extreme care and great effort
    Because he thought of himself as careful and conscientious, he spent considerable time looking for his assistants. The Haunting of Hill House
  6. cynicism
    a pessimistic feeling of distrust
    We rejected cynicism and bigotry and chose hope and progress. The Guardian (Sep 15, 2021)
  7. docile
    willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed
    They were both so docile and willing to help that Úrsula took them on to help her with her household chores. One Hundred Years of Solitude
  8. err
    make a mistake
    Marshall said he believes a judge erred when he ruled the law unconstitutional. Seattle Times (Feb 15, 2019)
  9. frivolous
    not serious in content, attitude, or behavior
    With the economy in rough shape, Barack’s team was constantly guarding against any image coming out of the White House that might be seen as frivolous or light, given the somberness of the times. Becoming
  10. frugal
    avoiding waste
    He’s extremely frugal, the kind of guy who drives the same car for twenty years. Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
  11. inept
    generally incompetent and ineffectual
    Most were inept at it, but some had clearly been trained in combat. Scythe
  12. meander
    move or cause to move in a winding or curving course
    We have to meander like a Mars rover to forge our way through the woods, weaving a slow and unpredictable path. Dry
  13. mnemonic
    of or relating to the practice of aiding the memory
    In one of the new episodes, Sherlock mentally retreats into his “memory palace,” a mnemonic device by which one creates a mental map of a building in which to store remembrances. Time (May 4, 2012)
  14. ostentatious
    intended to attract notice and impress others
    Every garden needs a showoff — a plant so ostentatious that it demands to be stared at and discussed. Los Angeles Times (Jun 22, 2018)
  15. palpable
    capable of being perceived
    But the sorrow was still so palpable; she could almost taste it. Dactyl Hill Squad
  16. pervade
    spread or diffuse through
    Today pictures from our digital cameras pervade our social media feeds—and our attention. Scientific American (Jul 8, 2020)
  17. repudiate
    reject as untrue, unfounded, or unjust
    “We reject and repudiate this act,” he wrote on Twitter. Seattle Times (Jan 2, 2018)
  18. slovenly
    negligent of neatness especially in dress and person
    All were terribly unkempt and slovenly, and all were in tatters. Steinheil, Marguerite
  19. supersede
    take the place or move into the position of
    That plan was superseded by the plan filed Tuesday, which includes substantial changes and additions. Seattle Times (Sep 15, 2021)
  20. vanquish
    defeat in a competition, race, or conflict
    “I just need to be able to vanquish my enemies. That’s all.” The Cruel Prince
Created on Wed Oct 27 12:13:54 EDT 2021 (updated Fri Nov 05 09:26:07 EDT 2021)

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