Laudable is a somewhat formal word used to describe something as worthy of praise. It is a synonym of commendable. // Thanks to the laudable efforts of dozens of volunteers, the town's Spring Festival was an enjoyable event for everyone.

The verb cotton is used with on or on to to mean “to begin to understand something; to catch on.” Cotton used with to alone means “to begin to like someone or something.”

// It took a while, but they are finally starting to cotton on.

// She quickly cottoned on to why her friend was nudging her, and stopped talking just before their teacher entered the room.

// We cottoned to our new neighbors right away.

Adroit describes someone or something that has or shows skill, cleverness, or resourcefulness in handling situations.

// We marveled at how adroit the puppeteers were, the marionettes responding to each precise shift of their hands, each flick of their wrists.

To fawn over or on someone (usually someone important or powerful) is to try to get their approval through praise, special attention, or flattery. Fawn is also sometimes used—especially but not exclusively of dogs—to mean “to show affection.”

// Still new to celebrity, the musician blushed at the restaurant staff fawning over her during her recent hometown visit.

// I’d only been gone five minutes but the puppy fawned on me like I’d been away for hours.

Genteel means “of or relating to people who have high social status” and can be used as a somewhat old-fashioned synonym of aristocratic. It can also be used to describe something with a quietly appealing or polite quality, as in “genteel manners.”

// Their genteel upbringing shaped the way they viewed the world.

To cadge something is to persuade someone to give it to you for free. Cadge can also mean “to take, use, or borrow (something) without acknowledgment.”

// I don’t know how, but my brother always manages to cadge an extra scoop of ice cream on his sundaes.

// The last line of the poem is cadged from Shelley’s “Ozymandias.”

Zany describes people or things that are very strange and silly.

// The cartoon series centers around two zany characters, best friends who also happen to be space aliens, constantly amusing each other with outrageous antics.

Cadence is used to refer to various rhythmic or repeated motions, activities, or patterns of sound, or to the way a person's voice changes by gently rising and falling while they are speaking.

// Ivy relaxed at the beach, listening to the cadence of the surf.

// He speaks with a soft Southern cadence.

Something described as frenetic is filled with excitement, activity, or confusion. The word is a synonym of frantic.

// The event was noisy and frenetic, which prompted us to leave early.

To scrutinize something is to examine it carefully especially in a critical way.

// I closely scrutinized my opponent's moves before making my own.

As an interjection, eureka is used to express excitement when a discovery has been made. When used as an adjective, eureka describes something (typically a moment) that is characterized by a usually sudden triumphant discovery. 

// After years of trying to piece together a concrete business idea, I had a eureka moment and everything made sense.  

Jejune is a formal word that means "uninteresting" or "boring." It is also used as a synonym of juvenile to describe things (such as behaviors, attitudes, etc.) that are immature, childish, or simplistic.

// The movie adaptation employed surreal visual effects to tell the story, making the plot, jejune in the novel, archetypal rather than artless.

// The professor made rude and jejune remarks about the students' artwork.

Tranche refers to a division or portion of a whole.

// A tranche of leaked documents was delivered to the newspaper anonymously, with more promised to come.

Rash describes something done or made quickly and without thought about what will happen as a result. It can also describe someone who is doing something rash.

// I later regretted having made such a rash promise in a moment of chaos.

// Don't be rash about this decision. Take your time.

To immure something is to enclose it within or as if within walls. Immure is also sometimes used synonymously with imprison.

// Scientists at the research station in Antarctica are immured by the frozen wild that surrounds them.

A gambit is something done or said in order to gain an advantage or to produce a desired effect.

// The workers’ opening gambit in the negotiations was to demand a wage hike.

To hector someone is to criticize or question them in a threatening way.

// The judge ordered the attorney to stop hectoring the witness.

Vaunted describes someone or something that is often spoken of or described as very good or great.

// The team’s vaunted defense faltered in the second half of the game.

Deem is a somewhat formal word used when someone comes to think something or to have something as an opinion after some consideration.

// The covered bridge was closed to automobile traffic for the winter because town officials deemed it a hazard to motorists.

Exhilarate means "to cause (someone) to feel very happy and excited." It is usually used in the passive voice as (be) exhilarated.

// She was exhilarated by the prospect of attending her dream school.

Paean is a literary word that refers to a song of joy, praise, or victory. It can also be used as a synonym of tribute for a work that praises or honors its subject.

// Her retirement party featured many paeans for her long years of service to the company.

// Critics considered the movie both a thrilling Western and a paean to the natural beauty of the Rockies.

Something described as congruous is in agreement, harmony, or correspondence with something else. Congruous can also describe something that is appropriate for a particular circumstance or requirement, or a thing that is marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among its constituent elements.

// Their professional achievements were congruous with their academic abilities.

// The low bookshelf forms a congruous barrier between the spaces.

// It is a congruous, plausible story, consistent in all its details.

To nettle someone is to make them angry or annoyed.

// Though he tried to maintain a friendly tone, the town official was clearly nettled by the reporter's suggestion that the town was at fault.

Umpteen is an informal adjective meaning "very many" or "indefinitely numerous."

// The artist has painted the same subject umpteen times, yet each piece has its own unique quality.

To culminate is to reach the end or the final result of something. Culminate is usually used with in or with.

// Their efforts have culminated in the discovery of a new treatment.

Encapsulate literally means “to enclose in or as if in a capsule,” but the word is more often used figuratively as a synonym of summarize, to talk about showing or expressing a main idea or quality in a brief way.

// Can you encapsulate the speech in a single paragraph?

// The first song encapsulates the mood of the whole album.

// The contaminated material should be encapsulated and removed.

Syllogism refers to a formal argument in logic that is formed by two statements and a conclusion which must be true if the two statements are true.

// An example of a syllogism is “All men are mortal; no gods are mortal; therefore no men are gods.”

1. the period of time from one new moon to the next (about 29½ days); a lunar month.

Abdicate usually means “to renounce a position of power, such as a throne, high office, dignity, or function.” It can also mean “to fail to do what is required by (a duty or responsibility).”

// I know many challenges lie ahead, but I take this role on willingly, and will not abdicate my responsibility.

Vertiginous is a formal adjective used to describe something that causes or is likely to cause a feeling of dizziness especially because of great height.

// As a window washer for some of the city’s tallest skyscrapers, Victor had to quickly master working at vertiginous heights.

rife \ raɪf \ adjective

1. excessively abundant

2. frequent, common or widespread

1. South Midland and Southern U.S., a mire; mudhole.

2. a thick gruel.

When used for a plant or animal species, endemic describes something that grows or exists in a certain place or area, and often specifically something restricted to a particular locality or region. Endemic is also used to describe diseases that persist over time in a particular region or population. It can also mean “common in a particular area or field.”

// Our children were excited to finally see wild giant pandas—endemic to just three provinces in south-central China—during our family vacation.

// He eventually learned that low wages were endemic to his line of work, but he continued nevertheless to pursue his passion.

a slip or blunder in etiquette, manners, or conduct; an embarrassing social blunder or indiscretion.

To besmirch the reputation, name, honor, etc. of someone or something is to cause harm or damage to it.

// The allegations have besmirched the company's reputation.

Fortuitous is a formal word that usually describes something that comes or happens by a lucky chance. It can also mean “happening by chance” and “fortunate, lucky.”

// The fact that we were both there was a fortuitous coincidence.

// You could not have arrived at a more fortuitous time.

Imbue has two common meanings: "to permeate or influence as if by dyeing" and "to provide with something freely or naturally." In the second use it is usually used with with.

// A deep sense of history imbues the artist's work.

// The children were imbued with a passion for nature by their parents, both biologists.

Sartorial broadly means “of or relating to clothes,” but it often more specifically means “of or relating to a tailor or tailored clothes.”

// This particular English teacher is known both for engaging students deeply in literature and for her eccentric sartorial tastes.