| banal |
lacking originality or liveliness; disappointingly ordinary; commonplace; trite. |
| calumny |
a harmful statement, known by the maker to be false. |
| centripetal |
forced or moving inward toward a center point or axis. |
| cognizant |
aware; informed (usually followed by "of"). |
| condone |
to pardon, disregard, or overlook voluntarily or without condemning. |
| dearth |
a shortage or scarcity of something; lack. |
| deposition |
a sworn statement, usually in writing, for use as testimony by an absent witness in a court of law. |
| duress |
intimidation or coercion. |
| highbrow |
one who has or pretends to have highly sophisticated intellectual and cultural interests and tastes (often used disparagingly). |
| hirsute |
covered with hair or stiff hairs; hairy or shaggy. |
| imbroglio |
a difficult, confused, or complicated situation, often involving a misunderstanding, disagreement, or quarrel. |
| laconic |
using very few words; succinct; terse. |
| obfuscate |
to make (something) seem or be difficult to understand; obscure or darken. |
| solecism |
a gross violation of convention in grammar, etiquette, or the like; impropriety. |
| stridulate |
to produce a shrill grating, creaking, or chirping sound by rubbing certain parts of the body together, as some insects do. |