To jeopardize something or someone is to put them at risk or in danger.

// The wrong decision could seriously jeopardize the success of the project.

An apologia is a defense especially of one's opinions, position, or actions.

// The opinion piece reads like an apologia for the industry's reckless behavior.

Progeny refers to the child or descendant of a particular parent or family. Progeny can also refer to the offspring of an animal or plant, or broadly to something that is the product of something else. The plural of progeny is progeny.

// Many Americans are the progeny of immigrants.

// The champion thoroughbred passed on his speed, endurance, and calm temperament to his progeny, many of whom became successful racehorses themselves.

To impute something, such as a motive, act, or emotion, to a person or thing is to assert that the person or thing is guilty of that motive, act, emotion, etc.

// It is shocking that they would impute such awful motives to me.

Minutia refers to a small or minor detail. It is usually used in its plural form minutiae.

// Unaccustomed to legalese, I was bewildered by the contract's minutiae.

An eloquent speaker or writer expresses ideas forcefully and fluently; an eloquent speech or piece of writing likewise expresses ideas in such a way. Eloquent can also describe something that is vividly or movingly expressive.

// She received high marks for her eloquent essay about gardening with her grandmother.

// Their success serves as an eloquent reminder of the value of hard work.

Cataract refers to a clouding of the lens of the eye, or of its surrounding transparent membrane, that obstructs the passage of light. Cataract is also used, often in literature, to refer to a waterfall, steep rapids in a river, or to a downpour or flood.

// Cataracts are common but can be corrected with surgery.

// The roaring cataract is one of the park’s most majestic sights

Festoon usually means "to cover or decorate (something) with many small objects, pieces of paper, etc.," or "to appear here and there on the surface of." It can also mean "to hang decorative chains or strips on."

// Tiny wildflowers festooned the meadow.

// We festooned the halls with ribbons and garland.

Sea change refers to a big and sudden change or transformation.

// The early 2000s witnessed a sea change in public opinion about smoking in public places.

Tutelage is a formal word that refers to the instruction or guidance especially of an individual student by a teacher. Tutelage may also refer to an act or process of serving as guardian or protector.

// Under the tutelage of his high school swim coach, Luis has greatly improved his times at meets.

// The company is relying on the expert tutelage of its new director to increase profits.

Something described as Herculean (often uncapitalized as herculean) is characterized by extraordinary power, extent, intensity, or difficulty.

// Although starting a garden sounded fun in theory, the constant weeding and pest control turned it into a herculean task.

Proscribe is a formal word meaning “to condemn or forbid something as harmful or unlawful.” More broadly, it can mean simply “to not allow something.”

// The town has passed an ordinance that proscribes the ownership of snakes and other exotic pets.

Gust refers to a sudden strong wind. It is also used figuratively for a sudden outburst of something, such as a feeling.

// Today’s weather will be windy, with gusts of up to 40 miles per hour.

A fiasco is a complete failure or disaster.

// The entire fiasco could have been avoided if they'd simply followed the instructions.

Interminable describes things that have or seem to have no end, especially because they continue for a very long time.

// The family played games to pass the time during the interminable wait for their delayed flight.

Something, such as a plaque, statue, or parade, is said to commemorate an event, person, etc. when it serves as a memorial; it exists or is done in order to recall the event or person. A person or group commemorates an event, person, etc. by doing something special in order to remember and honor that event or person.

// The plaque commemorates the battle that took place here 200 years ago.

// Each year on this date we commemorate our ancestors with a special ceremony.

A bastion is a place or system in which something (such as an idea) is protected and continues to survive.

// The restaurant is a bastion of the region’s ancient culinary traditions.

Someone may be described as voluble if they are talking a lot in a rapid, energetic way.

// Bri knew something was bothering her normally voluble friend when he was reluctant to talk about his day.

Chagrin refers to a feeling of frustration or annoyance caused by failure or disappointment.

// I decided to take a gap year to the chagrin of my parents.

Antithetical typically describes something that is in direct and unambiguous opposition to another thing. It is often used with to.

// The district's new policy is fundamentally antithetical to the school's values.

a person who is extremely neat about their surroundings or appearance

Junket refers to a trip that is paid for by someone else, such as a promotional trip made at another's expense, or an official's trip made at public expense.

// The cast of the widely-acclaimed movie is making press junkets to major cities.

Impervious describes that which does not allow something (such as water or light) to enter or pass through. It is also used formally to mean “not bothered or affected by something.” Both senses of impervious are usually used with to.

// The material is impervious to water.

// The mayor seems impervious to criticism.

Something described as apotropaic is designed or intended to avert evil.

// The etchings are believed to be associated with ancient apotropaic rituals.

Uncanny is typically used to describe something that is strange or unusual in a way that is surprising or difficult to understand. It can also describe something that seems to have a supernatural character or origin.

// The child has an uncanny ability to recognize streets and locations she's seen only once or twice before.

// The lights suddenly flickered, and we were both overcome with an eerie, uncanny feeling.

Modicum is a formal word that means “a small amount.” It is almost always used with of.

// The band enjoyed a modicum of success in the early 2010s before becoming an international sensation.

Bumptious describes people who are rudely and often noisily confident or over-assertive. It can also be applied to actions or behaviors that show this same attitude.

// Our host apologized for the bumptious party guest who caused a scene before being asked to leave.

Risible is a formal word used disapprovingly to describe things that deserve to be mocked or laughed at because they are absurd or unreasonable.

// Although the teachers derided the students’ slang as risible nonsense, the same had been said about their own generation’s lingo.

A ziggurat is an ancient Mesopotamian temple consisting of a pyramidal structure built in successive stages with outside staircases and a shrine at the top. The word ziggurat is also sometimes used for a similarly shaped structure.

// Ancient ziggurats were always built with a core of mud brick and an exterior covered with baked brick. They had no internal chambers and were usually square or rectangular.

Something described as convoluted is very complicated and difficult to understand, or has many curves and turns.

// The speaker’s argument was so convoluted that most of the audience had trouble determining whether they were for or against the new policy.

// The route from the airport to the village was long and convoluted.

Argot is language particular to a specific group. It can mean a kind of slang, a technical language or a code. In high school, only those who spend their time studying computer manuals could understand the argot of the computer lab kids.

Alacrity refers to a quick and cheerful readiness to do something.

// She accepted the invitation to go on the trip with an alacrity that surprised her parents, who had assumed she wouldn’t be interested.

Decimate can mean both “to destroy a large number of (plants, animals, people, etc.)” or “to severely damage or destroy a large part of (something).”

// The bay’s lobsters have been decimated by disease.

// Budget cuts have decimated public services throughout the state.

Travail is a formal word, usually used in the plural, that refers to a difficult experience or situation.

// The book describes the political travails of the governor during her first year in office.

Ostensible is used to describe something that seems or is said to be true or real, but is possibly not true or real. In other words, it is plausible rather than demonstrably true or real.

// The ostensible purpose of a filibuster is to extend debate, but in reality, it is used to delay or prevent action.

Slough is a formal verb used for the action of getting rid of something unwanted. It is usually used with off. Slough can also mean "to lose a dead layer of (skin)" or "to become shed or cast off."

// The editorial urges the mayor not to slough off responsibility for the errors in the report.

// The exfoliating cleanser promises to gently slough away dead skin cells.

Bodacious is used as an informal synonym of remarkable and noteworthy, as well as sexy and voluptuous. In some dialects of the Southern and Midland US, bodacious is used in its oldest meaning: "outright, unmistakable."

// The bodacious decor of the boutique hotel is intended to appeal to the young and the hip.

In Christian theology, Resurrection (typically capitalized in this use) refers to the event in which Jesus Christ returned to life after his death. In general contexts, resurrection refers to the act of causing something that had ended or been forgotten or lost to exist again, to be used again, etc.

// Church members look forward to celebrating the Resurrection every Easter.

// The community applauded the resurrection of the commuter rail system.