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

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

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

Empathy; Empathetic [em·pa·thet·ic] 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.”

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.”