Words

Pronunciation

 (part of speech)

Word Charge

Word Group

Vacant

\VAY kent\ (adj.)

– charge ALONE

empty, unoccupied

Although several rooms at the motel were vacant, the owner refused to allow the suspicious couple to rent a room for the night.

Vacillate

\VAS uh layt\ (v.)

– charge INDECISIVE

to waver, show indecision

The customer held up the line as he vacillated between ordering chocolate or coffee ice cream.

Vague

\VAYG\ (adj.)

– charge INDECISIVE

inexplicit, ambiguous, indistinct

We had to go back to the professor for further directions because the ones posted at the class website were too vague to follow.

Varied

\VAR eed\ (adj.)

= charge UNUSUAL

diverse; modified

We usually get a varied crowd at our meetings; different types of people from all over the city show up each week.

Variegated

\VAR ee uh gay tid\ (adj.)

= charge UNUSUAL

varied; marked with different colors

The variegated foliage of the jungle allows it to support thousands of different animal species.

Vast

\VAST\ (adj.)

= charge SIZE

immense, enormous, great in size or intensity

Because of her vast knowledge of random trivia, Margaret was an expert game show contestant.

Veer

\VEER\ (v.)

= charge MOVING

alter direction, turn

“After the next traffic light, make a left and then veer right,” I instructed the cabdriver as he drove me home.

Venerable

\VEN er a bul\ (adj.)

+ charge EXPERIENCED

respected because of age

All the villagers sought the venerable old woman’s advice whenever they had a problem.

Venerate

\VEN uh rayt\ (v.)

+ charge EXPERIENCED

respect, admire, revere

Her classmates venerated Cheryl after she won the statewide writing contest three years in a row.

Vengeance

\VEN jinss\ (n.)

– charge HOSTILE

retribution

While their actions against the homeowner were wrong, his act of vengeance was uncalled for and overdone.

Verdant

\VUR dnt\ (adj.)

= charge ORGANISMS

green with vegetation; inexperienced

He wandered deeply into the verdant woods in search of mushrooms and other edible flora.

Verify

\VER ih fiy\ (v.)

= charge TRUE

substantiate, confirm

Before we can go any further with the experiment, we need to verify that the results we’ve obtained are in fact accurate.

Verisimilitude

\ver uh SIH mil ih tood\ (n.)

+ charge TRUE

quality of appearing true or real

The TV show’s verisimilitude led viewers to believe that the characters it portrayed were real.

Vestige

\VES tij\ (n.)

= charge TAKE AWAY

trace, remnant

Vestiges of the former tenant still remained in the apartment even though he hadn’t lived there for years.

Vex

\VEKS\ (v.)

– charge HOSTILE

to irritate, annoy; confuse, puzzle

The data began to vex the scientist; despite her many years of experience, she could not draw a single conclusion from the findings before her.

Vicarious

\viy KAYR ee us\ (adj.)

= charge INACTIVE

secondhand experience, endured on behalf of another

Although Yuri had never traveled outside his hometown, he felt vicarious thrills of adventure through the many novels he read.

Vigilant

\VIJ uh lent\ (adj.)

+ charge DILIGENT

attentive, watchful

Our community members must remain vigilant if we are to discover the identities of the vandals.

Vignette

\vin YET\ (n.)

= charge COMMUNICATION

decorative design; short literary composition

The writer’s clever little vignette was published in a respected literary magazine.

Vigorous

\VIG uh rus\ (adj.)

= charge ENERGETIC

energetic, robust; healthy; active

Following a vigorous workout at the gym, Shelley liked to treat herself to a cold iced tea.

Vile

\VIYL\ (adj.)

– charge UNATTRACTIVE

loathsome, disgusting, offensive, wretched

When we worked in the chemistry lab we needed to mix many of the chemicals in a special airshaft that protected us from the vile odors the chemicals produced.

Villainous

\VIL uh nus\ (adj.)

– charge HOSTILE

offensive, obnoxious, wicked

When the public learned of the duke’s villainous plot to overthrow the king, they stormed his home and dragged him straight to the royal palace.

Vindictive

\vin DIK tiv\ (adj.)

– charge BLAME

spiteful, vengeful, unforgiving

After her husband left her for a young model, the vindictive ex-wife plotted to destroy their relationship.

Virtuoso

\VUR choo oh so\ (n.)

+ charge EXPERIENCED

someone with masterly skill; expert musician

The conductor is a virtuoso and has performed in all the most prestigious concert halls.

Virulent

\VIR yu lint\ (adj.)

– charge HOSTILE

extremely infectious; irritating, harsh or hateful

Alarmed at the virulent hate mail she was receiving, the movie star decided to hire a bodyguard.

Viscous

\VIS kus\ (adj.)

= charge MESSY

thick, syrupy, and sticky

The viscous sap trickled slowly down the trunk of the tree.

Vital

\VIY tul\ (adj.)

= charge IMPORTANT

urgently necessary, critical

The nurse sat with the patient checking her heart rate and blood pressure until all the vital signs were back to normal.

Vitiated

\VISH ee ay tid\ (adj.)

– charge WORSEN

corrupted; impaired

The country was so corrupt and poor that no one was surprised when a revolution broke out to replace the vitiated government.

Vivid

\VIV id\ (adj.)

+ charge ENERGETIC

bright and intense in color; strongly perceived

The vivid colors of the rose garden were visible from miles away.

Vulgar

\VUL ger\ (adj.)

– charge UNATTRACTIVE

crudely indecent; boorish; ostentatious

Samantha refused to eat a meal with Howard again; she found his vulgar jokes to be offensive.