Words

Pronunciation

 (part of speech)

Word Charge

Word Group

Ebb

\EBB\ (v.)

= charge TAKE AWAY

to fade away, recede

Melissa realized that she had been studying too long, because her ability to concentrate had begun to ebb.

Eccentric

\ek SEN trik\ (adj.)

– charge UNUSUAL

abnormal, unconventional

Many people like to joke that poor people are called crazy while rich people are only referred to as eccentric.

Eclectic

\ee KLEK tik\ (adj.)

= charge COLLECTED

made up of elements from different sources

Roberta always had an eclectic taste in music; she enjoyed listening to both rap and opera.

Ecstasy

\EK stuh see\ (n.)

+ charge HAPPY

intense joy or delight

Joan was in ecstasy when she discovered that she would be traveling to Europe for the summer.

Ecstatic

\ek STAT ik\ (adj.)

+ charge HAPPY

joyful

Mortimer’s parents were ecstatic when they learned of his perfect SAT® score.

Efficacious

\ef ih KAY shus\ (adj.)

+ charge PRODUCTIVE

effective, efficient

Penicillin was one of the most efficacious drugs on the market when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered.

Efficient

\ee FISH int\ (adj.)

+ charge PRODUCTIVE

effective with a minimum of unnecessary effort or waste

When designing an electrical system, engineers seek to achieve the most efficient design possible, to ensure that they don’t waste any power.

Egotist

\EE go tist\ (n.)

– charge PROUD

self-centered person

Harvey, a known egotist, did not surprise anyone when he spent the entire evening talking about himself.

Egregious

\i GREE jiss\ (adj.)

– charge INAPPROPRIATE

conspicuously bad

The English textbook contained several egregious spelling errors.

Elate

\ee LAYT\ (v.)

+ charge HAPPY

to make joyful

The announcement that school was cancelled due to the snowstorm elated the children.

Elevated

\EL uh vay tid\ (adj.)

= charge INCREASE

raised, increased

The chemists made sure that the lab was well air-conditioned because the compounds they were studying tended to be explosive at elevated temperatures.

Eliminate

\ee LIM uh nayt\ (v.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

get rid of; remove

One of television’s first reality shows placed a group of strangers on an island and forced them to eliminate a contestant each week until there was only one person left.

Elocutionist

\el oh KYOO shun ist\ (n.)

= charge EXPERIENCED

trained public speaker

The senator, a longtime elocutionist, always made a good impression on her audiences with her crisp speaking voice and practiced gestures.

Eloquent

\EL uh kwent\ (adj.)

+ charge EXPERIENCED

strongly expressing emotion

Sean, discussing a topic very dear to him, addressed the room with a vivid, eloquent speech.

Elude

\ee LOOD\ (v.)

– charge MOVING

evade, escape

The gang responsible for the bank robbery was finally caught last Wednesday after eluding the police for several months

Elusive

\ee LOO siv\ (adj.)

– charge MOVING

tending to evade

Despite significant advances in theoretical physics, scientists are finding a common unifying theory for the universe to be more elusive than ever.

Embellish

\em BELL ish\ (v.)

= charge ORNATE

to ornament; make attractive with decorations or details; add details to a statement

Sanjev’s story is too short: It needs to be embellished with more details about life among the penguins.

Embezzle

\em BEZ ul\ (v.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

to steal money in violation of a trust

The accountant embezzled millions of dollars from the company before management discovered what he was up to.

Embittered

\em BIT urd\ (adj.)

– charge HOSTILE

resentful, cynical

Gregory was embittered after ten years of working at the same job with no promotion or raise.

Emend

\ih MEND\ (v.)

+ charge IMPROVE

to correct a text

The catalog was emended so the correct prices were given for the products on sale.

Emigrate

\EM ih grayt\ (v.)

= charge MOVING

to leave one country to live in another

When the potato famine hit Ireland, many families were forced to leave their homes and emigrate to the United States.

Emissary

\EM ih ser ee\ (n.)

= charge PEOPLE

an agent sent as a representative

The president’s emissaries were instructed not to discuss their mission with anyone other than the prime minister.

Emollient

\ih MOL yent\ (adj.)

+ charge SOOTHE

having soothing qualities, especially for skin

After using the emollient lotion for a couple of weeks, Donna’s skin changed from scaly to smooth.

Empathy

\EM pu thee\ (n.)

+ charge IMPROVE

identification with the feelings of others

Having taught English herself, Julie felt a strong empathy for the troubled English teacher in the film.

Emphatic

\em FAT ik\ (adj.)

= charge BOLD

forceful and definite

When asked if they wanted to come to school over the weekends, the class answered with an emphatic “NO!”

Emulate

\EM yoo layt\ (v.)

= charge GROUPED

to copy, imitate

The son sought to emulate his father in every way possible; he joined the same clubs and studied for the same jobs.

Enchant

\en CHANT\ (v.)

+ charge ATTRACTIVE

attract and delight

Lorna was dazzled by her first visit to the Museum of Modern Art; the brilliant colors and bold paintings enchanted her.

Encompass

\en COM pass\ (v.)

= charge GROUPED

to constitute, include, encircle

The syllabus for Professor Grumman’s upcoming course will encompass all American political history, from Teddy

Roosevelt to FDR.

Encroach

\en KROHCH\ (v.)

– charge MOVING

to impinge, infringe, intrude upon

Some environmentalists are concerned that as the human population expands, we continually encroach on natural habitats like the rainforests.

Endemic

\en DEM ik\ (adj.)

= charge TYPICAL

belonging to a particular area, inherent

The health department determined that the outbreak was endemic to the small village, so they quarantined the inhabitants before the virus could spread.

Endorse

\en DORSS\ (v.)

+ charge ENCOURAGE

to give approval to, sanction

The politician refused to endorse any group that wouldn’t grant equal rights to all people.

Endurance

\en DOOR uns\ (n.)

+ charge STRONG

ability to withstand hardships

To prepare for the marathon, Bekki built up her endurance by running ten miles every day.

Endure

\en DYOOR ing\ (v.)

+ charge STRONG

carry on despite hardships

Skiing is an exciting and invigorating sport for those who can endure being out in the cold all day.

Enduring

\en DYOOR ing\ (adj.)

= charge STRONG

lasting, continuing

Isaac Newton has established an enduring legacy that continues even today, as millions of students be physics with his three laws that describe motion.

Enervate

\EN er vayt\ (v.)

– charge WEAK

to weaken, sap strength from

The guerillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would enervate the regular army.

Enforce

\en FORS\ (v.)

= charge BOSSY

to compel others to adhere or observe

While it is the job of the legislative branch of government to create the laws, it is the job of the judicial branch to enforce them.

Enfranchise

len FRAN chiyz\ (v.)

+ charge ADD

to give the right to vote to

American women were not enfranchised until the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.

Enhance

\in HANSS\ (v.)

+ charge ADD

to improve, bring to a greater level of intensity

They can sure use a hand in enhancing the quality of the food in the cafeteria.

Enigmatic

\en ig MAT ik\ (adj.)

– charge UNCLEAR

puzzling

The professor answered the questions about the upcoming exam in enigmatic terms, leaving the class more confused than they had been before.

Enmity

\EN mi tee\ (n.)

– charge HOSTILE

hostility, antagonism, ill will

The enmity between the rival families continued for hundreds of years.

Enormous

\ee NOR muss\ (adi.)

= charge SIZE

very great in size or degree

The enormous sculpture of the elephant dwarfed the delighted children.

Ensemble

\en SOM bul\ (n.)

= charge GROUPED

group of parts that contribute to a whole single effect

Everyone admired Louis’s ensemble as he came into work today; his hat and suit made him look like a character in an old detective movie.

Entangle

\en TANG ul\ (v.)

– charge UNCLEAR

to complicate, entwine into confusing mass, involve in

Minnie regretted entangling herself in the poorly-organized project.

Ephemeral

\i FEM er il\ (adj.)

= charge TIME

momentary, transient, fleeting

The lives of mayflies seem ephemeral to us, since their average life span is a matter of hours.

Epilogue

\EP uh log\ (n.)

= charge COMMUNICATION

concluding section of a literary work

In the epilogue of the novel, the author described the main character’s ultimate fate.

Epistolary

\eh PIS tuh ler ee\ (n.)

= charge COMMUNICATION

associated with letter writing

The author’s latest novel was written in the form of epistolary discourses; the characters told the entire story in letters to each other.

Epitaph

\EH pih taf\ (n.)

= charge COMMUNICATION

engraving on a tombstone, literary piece for a dead person

Following George Washington’s death, Henry Lee uttered the fitting epitaph: “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.”

Equitable

\EH qui tah buhl\ (adj.)

+ charge UNBIASED

fair; just and impartial

When both students claimed to own the handbag, their teacher took responsibility for finding an equitable solution to the problem.

Eradicate

\ih RAD ih kayt\ (v.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

to erase or wipe out

It is unlikely that poverty will ever be completely eradicated in this country, though the general standard of living has significantly improved in recent decades.

Erasure

\ih RAY shur\ (n.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

the act or instance of erasing

Dave’s erasure from the company database was performed as soon as he was fired, so he was unable to return the office building that same afternoon.

Erosion

\ih ROW zhin\ (n.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

the process or condition of wearing away

When we bought our beach house ten years ago, it was half a mile from the water, but erosion has shortened the beach so we are now considerably closer.

Erratic

\ih RAT ik\ (adj.)

– charge CHANGING

unpredictable, inconsistent

Many directors refused to work with the famous comedian because his erratic behavior made them nervous.

Erroneous

\ih ROWN ee us\ (adj.)

– charge FALSE

mistaken, inaccurate

Instead of methodically analyzing the outcomes of the experiment, the group constantly jumped to erroneous conclusions about the results.

Espouse

\eh SPOWZ\ (v.)

= charge BOSSY

to support or advocate; to marry

The vice-president could not espouse the plot to fire the store manager.

Essential

\ee SEN shul\ (n.)

+ charge IMPORTANT

something fundamental or indispensable

When preparing for her trip to Europe, Claudia made sure to pack her toothbrush, deodorant, and other essentials.

Ethical

\ETH ih kul\ (adj.)

+ charge APPROPRIATE

moral, right-minded

Many professionals adopt ethical codes of conduct forbidding discussion of their clients’ cases.

Ethos

\EH thos\ (n.)

= charge BELIEF

beliefs or character of a group

In accordance with the ethos of his people, the teenage boy underwent a series of initiation rituals.

Eulogy

\YOO lu jee\ (n.)

= charge COMMUNICATION

high praise for a person who has died

His best friend gave the eulogy at his funeral, outlining his many achievements and talents.

Euphoria

\yoo FOR ee uh\ (n.)

+ charge HAPPY

a great feeling of happiness or well-being

Euphoria swept through the crowd of astronomers as they watched the solar eclipse.

Evade

\ee VAYD\ (v.)

– charge MOVING

to avoid, dodge

He evaded answering my question by pretending not to hear me and changing the subject.

Evaluate

\ee VAL yoo ayt\ (v.)

= charge EVALUATE

to examine or judge carefully

The judge instructed the jury to carefully evaluate all the evidence before coming to a conclusion.

Evanescent

\ev in ESS nt\ (adj.)

= charge CHANGING

momentary, transient, short-lived

Her moment of fame proved evanescent, as she quickly vanished from the public view.

Evaporate

\ee VAP uh rayt\ (v.)

= charge TAKE AWAY

to vanish quickly

You need to watch the pot carefully, since the sauce will begin to burn once the water evaporates.

Evenhanded

\ee ven HAND id\ (adj.)

+ charge UNBIASED

fair, impartial

Both lawyers respected the judge for his evenhanded treatment of the case, showing neither side more favor than the other.

Exacerbate

\ig ZAS ur bayt\ (v.)

– charge WORSEN

to aggravate, intensify the bad qualities of

It is unwise to take aspirin to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only exacerbate the problem.

Exacting

\eg ZAK ting\ (adj.)

= charge ORGANIZATION

requiring a lot of care or attention

Baking bread is an exacting task, since air temperature and humidity are as important to the final product as the blend of ingredients.

Exaggerate

\eg ZAJ uh rayt\ (v.)

– charge PROUD

to represent something as greater than it actually is

Roger knew that there must have been several thousand people at the rally because Sandra had been there and she never exaggerates.

Exalt

\eg ZALT\ (v.)

+ charge PRAISE

to glorify or honor

The officer was exalted for his role in apprehending the leader of a notorious street gang.

Exasperation

\ig zas pe RAY shun\ (n.)

– charge DISAPPROVE

irritation

The catcher couldn’t hide his exasperation when the pitcher refused to listen to his advice and the opposing team took the lead.

Exception

\ek SEP shun\ (n.)

= charge ALONE

a case that doesn’t conform to a generalization

With the exception of Yolanda, none of the students in the class had previously seen Death of a Salesman.

Exclude

\ek SKLOOD\ (v.)

– charge ALONE

to prevent from being accepted or included

The rowing team was unwilling to change their practice times to fit Yaniv’s schedule and decided to exclude him from the upcoming race.

Exculpate

\EK skul payt\ (v.)

– charge BLAME

to clear of blame or fault, vindicate

The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and to exculpate those who are innocent.

Excursion

ek SKUHR zhen\ (n.)

+ charge MOVING

short journey, usually for pleasure

Billy followed James on his excursions to the park, trying to understand why bird watching so excited him.

Exemplary

\egg ZEM pluh ree\ (adj.)

+ charge PRAISE

outstanding, an example to others

His exemplary behavior was a model for the rest of the class.

Exemplify

\eg ZEMP lih fiy\ (v.)

= charge CLEAR

to show by example

Mark Twain’s stories exemplify his ability to portray the common man with both humor and pathos.

Exhaust

\eg ZOST\ (v.)

– charge DECREASE

to wear out; use up completely

Advocates of solar power claim that continuing our current rate of oil consumption will exhaust the world’s resources in the near future.

Exhortation

\eg zor TAY shun\ (n.)

+ charge ENCOURAGE

speech that advises or pleads

The minister’s exhortation convinced the king to show mercy to his enemies and spare their lives.

Exorbitant

\eg ZORB ih tant\ (adj.)

– charge SIZE

extravagant, greater than reasonable

After freezing temperatures destroyed the harvest, shops charged exorbitant prices for oranges.

Expedite

\EK spe diyt\ (v.)

+ charge SPEED

to speed up the progress of

 The lawyers worked judiciously to expedite the release of their client from prison.

Expertise

\ek spur TEEZ\ (adj.)

+ charge EXPERIENCED

skill or knowledge in a particular area

In questions about grammar, I usually defer to Eileen; her expertise in the area outweighs my own.

Explanatory

\ek SPLAN uh tor ee\ (adj.)

= charge CLEAR

serving to make clear

Before going into detail about her project, Leeann wrote an explanatory section to outline her ideas.

Exploit

\ek SPLOYT\ (v.)

– charge HARMFUL

take advantage of

The brilliant tactician studied his enemy’s methods to discover a weakness that he could easily exploit in battle.

Expropriate

\ek SPRO pree ayt\ (v.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

forcibly take one’s property

Historically, feudal lords expropriated the landowners who refused to pay taxes.

Expurgate

\EK spur gayt\ (v.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

to censor

Government propagandists expurgated all negative references to the dictator from the film.

Extant

\EK stant\ (adj.)

+ charge OPEN

still in existence

Although most of the documents were lost, archeologists recently discovered many extant manuscripts from ancient civilizations.

Extensive

\ek STEN siv\ (adj.)

+ charge SIZE

large in range, comprehensive

After reading a short article about String Theory in physics, she wanted to study the topic in extensive detail.

Extenuating

\ek STEN yoo ayt ing\ (adj.)

= charge FORGIVE

partially excusing

Mr. Szen, due to the extenuating circumstances, allowed Brian an extra week to finish the assignment.

Exterminate

\ek STUR mu nayt\ (v.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

destroy completely, annihilate

When the office manager noticed that the building was infested with vermin, he hired an expert to exterminate them.

External

\ek STUR nel\ (adj.)

= charge ALONE

exterior, relating to an outer part

Instead of focusing on the external characteristics of a person, you should also get to know their innermost self.

Extol

\ek STOL\ (v.)

+ charge PRAISE

to praise

The salesman extolled the virtues of the used car he was trying to convince the customer to buy.

Extravagant

\ek STRAV uh gent\ (adj.)

– charge ORNATE

lavish; unreasonably high, exorbitant

Among other extravagant demands, the hotel guest insisted upon bathing in natural spring water.

Extreme

\ek STREEM\ (adj.)

= charge SIZE

very intense, of the greatest severity

When the army officer discovered that his unit was getting lazy, he took extreme measures to get them back into shape, instituting mandatory weight training and early morning runs.

Extricate

\EK stri kayt\ (v.)

+ charge TAKE AWAY

to free from, disentangle

The fly was unable to extricate itself from the spider’s web.

Extroverted

\EK stro ver tid\ (adj.)

+ charge COMMUNICATION

outgoing, easily talks to others

Cynthia, the most extroverted student in the class, was the popular frontrunner for president.

Exultant

\eg ZUL tent\ (adj.)

+ charge HAPPY

triumphant

The exultant investor cheered gleefully as he watched his stock prices skyrocket.