Tumult [tu·mult] n. Confusion or disorder. A loud, confused noise, esp. one caused by a large mass of people. “He quickly became aware of the violent tumult behind the trees.”

Protagonist n. The main figure or one of the most prominent figures in a real situation. The leading character or a major character in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text. “The unnamed protagonist was the hit of the film.”

Amorous [am·o·rous] adj. Showing, feeling, or relating to intimate desire. “She did not appreciate his amorous advances.”

Maniacal adj. Characterized by excessive enthusiasm or excitement. “A maniacal grin on his face.”

Sartorial adj. Of or relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress. “Sartorial taste; “Sartorial elegance.”

Circumspect adj Wary and unwilling to take risks. “His circumspect approach to investing.”

Apocryphal adj. Of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true. “Apocryphal stories dating from Hollywood’s golden age.”

Coltish adj. Energetic but awkward in one’s movements or behavior. Playful, not trained or disciplined. “Coltish horseplay to celebrate their graduation.”

Glower v. Have an angry or sullen look on one’s face; scowl. “The librarian glowered at her for talking too loud.”

Luddite n. A person opposed to increased industrialization or new technology, and is often someone who is incompetent when using new technology. “He was a luddite that preferred his typewriter over a computer.”

Conflate v. Combine two or more texts, ideas, etc. into one. “Their ideas were conflated in ways that were not helpful.”

Machinate v. Engage in plots and intrigues; scheming. “To machinate the overthrow of the government.”

Untenable adj. Not able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection. “She was in an untenable situation that was difficult to get out of.”

Boorish adj. Resembling or characteristic of a boor; rude and clumsy in behavior. “His boorish behavior was unacceptable to the directors.”

Penitent n. Feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentant. “After the robbery, the thief was penitent and returned the property.”

Mellifluous [mel·lif·lu·ous] adj. Sweet or musical; pleasant to hear. “She had a mellifluous voice.”

Peripatetic adj. Traveling from place to place, esp. working or based in various places for relatively short periods. “He maintained a peripatetic lifestyle.”

Canard n. A false or unfounded rumor or story. “The tabloid included some of Hollywood’s oldest canards.”

Peckish adj. Ill-tempered; irritable; Chiefly British feeling slightly hungry. “He felt rather peckish close to bedtime.”

Hyperbole; Hyperbolic n. Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. “The company chairman may have been guilty of too much hyperbole during the shareholders meeting.”

Rapier n. Quick and incisive. A sharp-pointed sword used for thrusting. “Rapier combat was not for the meek.” “Rapier wit.”

acuity n. Sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or hearing. “The sun’s glare can cause discomfort and reduces visual acuity.”

Ruminate v. Think deeply about something. “We sat ruminating on the nature of existence.”

Sycophant; Sycophantic [sy·co·phan·tic] Attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery; A servile self-seeking flatterer. “There was sycophantic laughter from the audience at their bosses jokes.”

Nuance n. A subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound. “Subtle nuances of her on-screen character.”

Recidivate; Recidivism intr. v. To return to a previous pattern of behavior. Relapse: go back to bad or criminal behavior. “The convictions for those over sixty are unlikely to recidivate.”

Potentate n. One who has the power and position to rule over others: A monarch or ruler. “Industrial potentates.”

Nascent adj. Recently coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential. Not yet fully developed; emerging. “The business remains nascent but very promising.”

Surreptitious adj. Kept secret, particularly because it would not be approved of. “His surreptitious drug habit could land him in jail.”

Peevish adj. Easily irritated, particularly by unimportant things. “He was peevish around smokers.”

Brusque adj. Abrupt and curt in manner or speech; discourteously blunt. “Her boss gave a brusque reply.”

Congruent; Congruous adj. In agreement or harmony. Suitable; appropriate. “The company’s operations were congruent with its business plan.”

Churlish adj. Rude in a mean-spirited and surly way. “It was rather churlish of him to complain about the small donations.”

Empathy; Empathetic adj. The action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another. “Her doctor was empathetic to her condition.”

Efficacy n. The ability to produce a desired or intended result. “The efficacy of the new marketing plan has not been proven.”

Amorphous adj. Without a clearly defined shape or form. Vague; ill-organized; unclassifiable. “The amorphous package caused alarm to many people in the terminal.”

Gourmand n. A person who enjoys eating and often eats too much; gluttonous. A connoisseur of good food. “The traveling gourmand seldom passed up a restaurant.”

Melancholy n. A deep, pensive, and long-lasting sadness. adj. Sad, gloomy, or depressed. “She was in a melancholy mood.”

Disparate adj. Essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison. markedly distinct in quality or character. “He is a strong leader capable of managing a disparate team to achieve their goals.”

Demonstrative adj. Tending to show feelings, especially the open expression of emotion. “A demonstrative argument.”

Atrophy n. A decrease in size or wasting away or progressive decline, as from disuse. “Misleading and infrequent reporting have facilitated the atrophy of self-sufficiency.”

Bellicose adj. Hostile in manner or temperament. Demonstrating aggression or a willingness to fight. “His bellicose behavior concerned authorities.”

Accolade n. An expression of praise or admiration. An award or privilege granted; an acknowledgment of merit. “The scientist was given many accolades for his research.”

Benign adj. Mild or favorable (result). Gentle, kind, good. “The results were benign and required no treatment.”

Amicable adj. Having a spirit of friendliness; without arguments or serious disagreement. “An amicable agreement between the two firms.”

Patronize v. Treat with an apparent kindness that betrays a feeling of superiority. “She detests being patronized.” Frequent an establishment as a customer. “He always patronizes the same restaurant.”

Incessant adj. Continuing without pause or interruption. “The incessant noise kept him awake.”

Ardent adj. Enthusiastic or passionate. “He is an ardent sports fan.”

Servile adj. Having or showing an excessive willingness to serve or please others. “She wrote a servile letter to her upset neighbor.”

Phalanx n. A group of people or things of a similar type forming a compact body or brought together for a common purpose. “A phalanx of lawyers took charge of the case.”