Vocabulary Word Meanings: From Amorphous, Atrophy to Apathy

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Amorphous

adj- without form or shape

Liquid water is amorphous; it always takes on the shape of its container.

Atrophy

verb- waste away; wither falling down

Note: The word atrophy usually refers to the muscles waste away when they haven՚t been used.

Also used as: Atrophy (noun)

Within a week after the accident, his muscles had begun to atrophy.

Audacious

adj- brazen; brash; nervy, very bad

Also used as: Audacity (noun) ; audaciously (adv)

He had the audacity to demand a refund on pants he՚d bought two years ago

Abstruse

adj- difficult to understand

Also used as: Abstrusely- adv; abstruseness- noun

Her abstruse explanation of the accident was bewildering.

Acrimony

noun- words or behaviour filled with harshness or anger

Also used as: Acrimonious- adj; acrimoniously- adv

Unfortunately, divorce proceedings are often filled with acrimony.

Ambidextrous

adj- able to use both hands with equal skill

Dexterity

Juggling must be easier for people who are ambidextrous.

Amity

friendship

Also used as: Amicable- adj; amigo (Spanish)

Complete amity among bordering nations is always difficult.

Anathema

noun- a religious curse, or the thing or person being cursed

Also used as: Anathematize- verb

For many people in India the killing of cows is anathema.

Antagonistic

adj- in hostile competition; opposing

Also used as: Antagonist, antagonism- nouns; antagonize- verb

Political parties are often antagonistic toward each other.

Antiquated

adj- too old to be useful; outdated; obsolete

Also used as: Antique, antiquity- nouns

The wiring in some old houses is too antiquated to handle modern appliances.

Antithesis

noun- opposite

Also used as: Antithetical- adj

Ignorance is the antithesis of knowledge.

Apathy

noun- lack of interest or concern

Also used as: Apathetic- adj

Many citizens are apathetic about electrons and don՚t bother to vote.