This I Believe II — Vocabulary
Jay Allison, et al.
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	14	top 500
integritystrong moral principles They agreed to have her judge the contest because everyone admires her integrity.more Show sample from book They did it with rare courage and integrity.13 more strong moral principles -- especially honesty Show general definition for integrity (as in: a person of high integrity) having strong moral principles -- especially honesty
	13	top 500
intuitionintuition → intuitive:able to understand things from feeling or instinct rather than conscious reasoning They were perfect partners--one highly intuitive and the other highly analytical.more Show sample from book When we are honest with children, we also validate their intuition.12 more ability to known instinctively rather than through reasoning Show general definition something known based on feeling or instinct rather than conscious reasoning; or the ability to know things in such a manner
	2	top 1000
determinedfirmly planning I'm determined to become a lawyer.more Show sample from book In my alternately formed body, I have learned lessons about patience, determination, frustration, and success.2 more determined → determination:firmness of purpose Show general definition for determined (as in: is determined to succeed) firm in purpose
	1	top 500
determinedetermine → determines:controls The research paper determines 50% of the class grade.more Show sample from book They believed the development of the mind, heart, and soul determines who you are and who you will become.2 more determine → determines:controls (how something will turn out) Show general definition for determine (as in: this game determines the champion) to control (how something will turn out)
	6	top 200
optimisticexpecting the best I'm optimistic that I'll get into a good college.more Show sample from book I wish that everyone could see the world from my perspective; I believe that more people would be optimistic about our future.†5 more expecting the best; OR focusing on the good part of things Show general definition expecting the best; or focusing on the good part of things
	2	top 500
reconcilereconcile → reconciled:made peace or restored friendship After months of not speaking, the two friends finally reconciled over coffee.more Show sample from book A chorus sang of "peace on earth and mercy mild" and promised "God and sinners reconciled."2 more reconcile → reconciled:brought into agreement (bad feelings and disagreements removed) Show general definition for reconcile (as in: reconciled their differences) to make peace between people or bring different ideas into agreement
	1	top 500
reconcile#2come to terms with After the accident, she had to reconcile herself to life without loving parents.more Show sample from book I couldn't reconcile the suffering of children with the idea of a merciful God.2 more make compatible (make fit together or bring to terms) Show general definition for reconcile (as in: reconciled herself to) to accept something difficult or unwanted -- especially when it can’t be changed
	4	top 100
conventionconvention → conventional:normal It was once conventional wisdom that the earth is flat.more Show sample from book I don't thoroughly understand the conventions of each tradition and...3 more convention → conventions:things that are normal Show general definition for convention (as in: conventional behavior) something regarded as normal or typical
	4	top 100
contextcontext → out of context:in a misleading manner (because the quote left out additional words that changed the meaning of what was quoted) She said she was quoted out of context and that anyone who read her full speech would know it.more Show context notes When someone is quoted "out of context" it means that selected words were quoted that misrepresent the meaning of all their words. For example, if you said "I admire their effort, but they are dead wrong if they think this will work," and someone implied that you supported their plan by quoting you as only saying, "I admire their effort," they would be quoting you out of context. Show sample from book The whole collection creates a context in which to ponder your own personal philosophy.†3 more the setting or situation in which something occurs Show general definition the setting or situation in which something occurs
	5	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 As I grew older, I discovered that this reverence for life was not shared by all of humanity.4 more revere → reverence:deep respect Show general definition regard with feelings of deep respect and admiration -- sometimes with a mixture of wonder and awe or fear
	5	top 1000
immigrateimmigrate → immigrated:came to live (from another country) About 1 of each 8 people in the United States immigrated from somewhere else.more Show sample from book I am an immigrant, and I still believe in the basic right to be fully American and fully Muslim.†4 more immigrate → immigrant:a person who came to live in a new country Show general definition come to live in a new country
	3	top 100
contradictdisagree with Does the sentence contradict the main claim of the essay?more Show sample from book The kind that lets you embrace those internal contradictions that make up an entire, oxymoronic, complex, complete human being.†2 more contradict → contradictions:things that disagree with themselves; or (more rarely) acts of disagreeing Show general definition disagree in various senses, including: to say something is not true -- as in "She contradicted his testimony." to say something else is true when both can't be true -- as in "I don't believe her. She contradicted herself as she told us what happened." to be in conflict with -- as in "Her assertions contradict accepted scientific principles."
	6	top 2000
diagnoseidentify Did the doctor diagnose the problem?more Show sample from book I was diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease.5 more diagnose → diagnosed:found to have an illness Show general definition determine or identify the nature of a problem or an illness
	2	top 100
analyticallogical and systematic in seeking understanding She has an analytical mind.more Show sample from book As my career progressed, so did the analytics.†1 more analytical → analytics:a system of logical examination of something to better understand it Show general definition relating to logical and systematic examination of something to better understand it -- often implying some kind of quantitative analysis
	2	top 500
aggregatecombined Aggregate expenses include expenses of all the divisions of our company for the entire year.more Show sample from book But This I Believe is more concerned with the individual than the aggregate.†1 more Show general definition a whole formed by combining several parts or amounts; or the act of bringing things together into a whole
	3	top 2000
equilibriuma stable situation in which forces are in balance Panic threw the stock market out of equilibrium.more Show sample from book At equilibrium—the middle—all the substances are present.†2 more balance Show general definition a stable situation in which forces are in balance or: a person's sense of physical or emotional balance
	2	top 1000
indigenousoriginally from there Los Angeles replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.†more Show sample from book As a Latina, I come from a culture that acknowledges the supernatural and is rooted in indigenous traditions aligned closely with nature.†1 more of local origin Show general definition of local origin
	2	top 2000
fortitudestrength of mind She has physical strength and mental fortitude.more Show sample from book Opinions can be picked up cheap in the marketplace, while such commodities as courage and fortitude and faith are in alarmingly short supply.†1 more strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage Show general definition strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage
	1
existentialcharacterized by threatening existence Israel faces an existential threat from some of its neighbors.more Show sample from book For the first time in my life, I know how it feels to face an existential menace.1 more threatening existence Show general definition for existential (as in: existential threat) relating to or dealing with existence -- especially with human existence
	1
existential#2relating to knowing what is important It was a moment of existential angst when nothing made sense anymore.more Show sample from book Each morning when I walk through the house on the way to make coffee, I turn on the music, hit the "shuffle" button, and it's Dance Time! I dance alone to whatever is playing. It's a form of existential aerobics, a moving meditation.1 more relating to what is important in life Show general definition for existential (as in: existential philosophy) Relating to existentialism — a philosophical movement where each person is free to determine their own meaning and purpose, not bound by convention, God, or authority Show editor's word notes Existentialist belief is varied. All such beliefs stress the need for each individual to find their own way, but most stress that there is no rational way of finding it. Atheistic existentialists often stress isolation of the individual in a hostile or indifferent universe. Some stress life without meaning. Others stress loss of a shared morality, uninhibited exercise of power, and/or hedonism. Existentialism is often associated with philosophers and writers such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Jaspers, Marcel, Sartre, Camus, Dostoevsky and Kafka.