Vocabulary #1

1. deplorable: wretched, terrible, bad, regrettable

That smell is deplorable; take out the trash now!

2. discern: to detect by looking carefully

He was unable to discern the exact size of the object because it was so far away.

3. frivolous: not serious, unworthy of serious attention

The frivolous girl worried more about what to wear to the test than studying for it.

4. imprudent: unwise, foolish

To run in front of a bullet is a very imprudent thing to do.

5. indolent: habitually lazy, idle

A sloth is indolent. The indolent teenager never woke up before noon.

6. opaque: not transparent, can’t see through it

Windows are transparent, but doors are opaque.

7. oppressive: hard to endure, heavy, difficult to bear

Ms. Taylor gave us 20 hours of homework one week—it was oppressive.

8. palpable: capable of being touched

The fear in the room was so great it was almost palpable.

9. precarious: unsteady, unstable, dangerously lacking in security

Don’t stand so close to the edge of the cliff; it is precarious.

10. scruples: feeling of doubt or guilt about a suggested action, an uneasy feeling arising from conscience or principle

The man had no scruples; he would steal from anyone without feeling any guilt.