A Thousand Splendid Suns — Vocabulary
Khaled Hosseini
(Auto-generated)

Word Set

Samples

Sort By

Further limit words

by part of first use

to Show all

by difficulty

to (9 is most difficult)

by interest

underline any show only

Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	25	top 2000
communisman economic system that abolishes private ownership of property with the goal of a classless society A challenge with communism is that it is harder to know how to allocate capital when prices are subjective rather than the product of individual valuations.†more Show sample from book These communists, what is it that they believe?†p.98.624 more communism → communists:people who support an economic system that abolishes private ownership of property with the goal of a classless society
	12	top 1000
factionfaction → factions:sub-groups It was a fight between the moderate and progressive factions of the Democratic Party.more Show sample from book An Islamic Jihad Council, formed in Peshawar by several of the Mujahideen factions, would oversee things for two months, led by Sibghatullah Mojadidi.†p.164.811 more Show general definition a sub-group with some interests not shared by the entire group
	7	top 500
adjacentside-x-side (very near) We stayed in adjacent hotel rooms.more Show sample from book ...a plane appears from the corner of the screen. It crashes into the adjacent tower, exploding into a fireball that dwarfs any ball of fire that Laila has ever seen.p.384.26 more nearby Show general definition very near -- often directly beside
	2	top 1000
resignationa document expressing that someone is quitting a job I know you're unhappy there, but don't submit your resignation until you find a better job.more Show sample from book the American president Richard Nixon had resigned over a scandal.p.64.63 more resignation → resigned:given up a position or job Show general definition for resignation (as in: submitted her resignation) to quit -- especially a job or position; or a document expressing such an act
	2	top 1000
resignation#2(accepted) something undesired as unavoidable or the lesser of evils It wasn't her first choice, but she accepted it with resignation.more Show sample from book And so Laila has resigned herself to moving on.p.411.23 more resignation → resigned:accepted something undesired as unavoidable Show general definition for resignation (as in: accepted it with resignation) acceptance of something undesired as unavoidable or the lesser of evils
	7	top 500
parcheddried out Nothing will grow in this parched soil.more Show sample from book And here she was now, over those boulders and parched hills, with a home of her own, a husband of her own, heading toward one final, cherished province: Motherhood.†p.88.96 more dried out by heat or excessive exposure to sunlight; or very thirsty Show general definition dried out by heat or excessive exposure to sunlight; or very thirsty
	9	top 2000
refugeerefugee → refugees:people who fled their homeland to getaway from a dangerous or difficult situation We're asking for humanitarian aid to assist and resettle the refugees.more Show sample from book Already burdened with nearly two million Afghan refugees, Pakistan had closed its borders to Afghans in January of that year.p.260.38 more refugee → refugees:people who fled their homeland Show general definition someone who has fled their homeland to getaway from a dangerous or difficult situation; or related to such people
	6	top 500
agitateagitate → agitating:stirring up emotions to increase unrest We are agitating public unrest, so there will be a cry for change.more Show sample from book When he was agitated, which happened frequently, the slurring got worse.†p.158.25 more agitate → agitated:not calm; or stirred up (often emotionally) Show general definition to stir up or shake -- emotionally (as when people are angered or upset) or physically (as when a washing machine cleans clothes)
	5	top 200
scornscorn → scorned:rejected Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.more Show sample from book It wasn't easy tolerating him talking this way to her, to bear his scorn, his ridicule, his insults, his walking past her like she was nothing but a house cat.†p.98.84 more disrespect or reject as not good enough Show general definition disrespect or reject as not good enough
	5	top 500
earnestearnest → in earnest:in a serious manner I began training in earnest the summer before high school.more Show sample from book "People who've been injured because of war," Giti said earnestly, oblivious to Hasina's toying.†p.115.74 more earnest → earnestly:sincerely or seriously Show general definition characterized by sincere belief or: intensely or excessively serious or determined
	6	top 1000
curtbrief (using few words) Her response was so curt it was almost rude.more Show sample from book Beneath the burqa, the doctor shook her head curtly.†p.290.75 more curt → curtly:in a manner that uses few words or is abrupt and perhaps discourteous or rude Show general definition brief to the point of rudeness
	5	top 1000
brandishbrandish → brandished:waved or exhibited aggressively She brandished her cane at him.more Show sample from book Women brandished platters of sweets.†p.80.74 more Show general definition the act of waving something or exhibiting it aggressively
	4	top 500
reveredeeply respect and admire Many fans revere Michael Jordan as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.more Show sample from book There is both a reverential and fearful tone when the taxi driver who takes them to Muwaffaq Hotel mentions Ismail Khan's name.p.393.63 more revere → reverential:deeply respectful Show general definition regard with feelings of deep respect and admiration -- sometimes with a mixture of wonder and awe or fear
	70
mullaha Muslim religious teacher or leader Do as the mullah says, not as he does.more Show sample from book She remembered something Mullah Faizullah used to say about hunger when Ramadan started: Even the snakebitten man finds sleep, but not the hungry.p.306.769 more Show general definition a Muslim religious teacher or leader
	2	top 10
demonstratedemonstrate → demonstrated:showed The salesperson demonstrated features of both phones so I could compare them.more Show sample from book He showed her his hammers, demonstrated how the sandpaper wheel worked, his voice ringing high and proud-p.232.64 more Show general definition for demonstrate (as in: It demonstrates my point.) to show The exact meaning of this sense of demonstrate can depend upon its context. For example: "I will demonstrate how to throw a Frisbee." -- show how to do something "I will demonstrate how much quicker the new computer is than the old one." -- show how something works "Her questioned demonstrated that she was listening and thinking deeply about what was said." -- showed to be true or proved
	3	top 1000
demonstrate#2demonstrate → demonstrated:joined with others in a public protest The students demonstrated against hate speech.more Show sample from book On April 17, 1978, the year Mariam turned nineteen, a man named Mir Akbar Khyber was found murdered. Two days later, there was a large demonstration in Kabul. ... Rasheed said that Mir Akbar Khyber had been a prominent communist, and that his supporters were blaming the murder on President Daoud Khan's government.p.97.24 more demonstrate → demonstration:public protest Show general definition for demonstrate (as in: demonstrate to protest) a public display supporting a cause -- usually joining with others in a political protest
	14
jihada holy war waged by Muslims against infidels They urged jihad against the Americans in Afghanistan.more Show sample from book Did you fight jihad?p.177.313 more Show general definition a holy war waged by Muslims against infidels; or any relentless battle for a belief or more rarely: a holy struggle or striving by a Muslim for a moral, spiritual, or political goal
	1
progressivegradually getting more severe It is a progressive disease.more Show sample from book By "out there," he didn't mean Kabul, which had always been relatively liberal and progressive.p.135.81 more favoring liberal political change or ideas Show general definition for progressive (as in: progressive decline) gradually advancing or becoming more severe
	1
progressive#2favoring liberal political change or ideas The school is known for its progressive views.more Show sample from book And everyone in Afghanistan would be happy too, she said, once the antiprogressives, the backward bandits, were defeated.p.112.11 more progressive → antiprogressives:opposing people who favor liberal political change or ideas Show context notes The prefix "anti-" in antiprogressives means against or opposite. This is the same pattern you see in words like antiviral, antiaircraft, and antisocial. Show general definition for progressive (as in: progressive ideas) supporting new ideas and reforms, especially in politics, and less concerned about unintended consequences of changing evolved institutions
	4
mêléedisorganized mass of people The riot police were able to contain the mêlée.more Show sample from book Later that evening, Laila thought of how the melee had toppled over, with men falling on top of one another, amid yelps and cries and shouts and flying punches, and, in the middle of it, a grimacing Tariq, his hair disheveled, his leg come undone, trying to crawl out.†p.171.63 more Show general definition a disorganized mass of people -- especially engaged in hand-to-hand combat, or rioting, or all going different directions and bumping into each other