Black Boy — Vocabulary
Richard Wright
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	198	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 Many of their mannerisms, pronunciations, and turns of speech had been consciously copied from white Communists whom they had recently met.†197 more communism → communists:people who support an economic system that abolishes private ownership of property with the goal of a classless society
	24	top 1000
naivenaive → naïve:lacking the understanding or sophistication that comes from experience She criticized America's naïve foreign policy.more Show sample from book Naively I wanted to go and see how the whites looked while sitting in their part of the train.†23 more naive → naively:lacking experience or sophistication, and the understanding that comes from them Show general definition lacking experience or sophistication, and the understanding that comes from them -- often too trusting or optimistic
	17	top 500
motivereason (for doing something) She believes the profit motive encourages people to satisfy other people's needs.more Show sample from book Prompted by some obscure motive, he would lure his victims into this room and then throw an electric switch.†16 more Show general definition for motive (as in: What is her motive?) a reason for doing something
	9	top 500
evokeevoke → evoked:aroused Her story evoked sympathy.more Show sample from book Their faces possessed the power of evoking in me a million memories that I longed to forget, and instead of my leaving drawing me to them in communion, it had flung me forever beyond them.†8 more evoke → evoking:calling forth or causing Show general definition to call forth or cause -- typically to arouse an emotion or bring a memory to mind
	11	top 1000
yearnstrongly desire or wish I yearn for her return.more Show sample from book There was the yearning for identification loosed in me by the sight of a solitary ant carrying a burden upon a mysterious journey.†10 more yearn → yearning:strongly desiring; or a strong desire Show general definition have a strong desire -- often for something difficult or impossible to have
	10	top 1000
cynicalsomeone who expects the worst The experience made her overly cynical.more Show sample from book My cynicism slid from me.†9 more cynical → cynicism:believing that things usually go poorly and that selfish and insincere Show general definition someone who expects the worst -- especially of people (such as expecting them to be selfish and lie)
	6	top 10
implyimply → implied:hinted or suggested She wouldn't make a direct statement, but she implied that she supported our position.more Show sample from book Pride of personal and racial worth implied.†5 more imply → implied:suggested (said indirectly) Show general definition to suggest or say indirectly -- possibly as a logical consequence
	8	top 500
trivialunimportant We're in agreement on the main issues. We just have some trivial details to work out.more Show sample from book Every happening in the neighborhood, no matter how trivial, became my business.†7 more Show general definition of little importance -- sometimes more specifically describing a challenge as easy and uninteresting
	10	top 1000
futilepointless because it cannot produce anything useful Resistance is futile.more Show sample from book Rebelling against futile hope and embracing flight.†9 more effort that is pointless because it is unproductive or unsuccessful Show general definition effort that is pointless because it is unproductive or unsuccessful
	11
militantsomeone who uses extreme or violent methods to achieve a political goal The Taliban militant said he was fighting for his religion and way of life.more Show sample from book Appreciation of the thoroughness of white militancy.†10 more militant → militancy:the quality of using extreme or violent actions to achieve a political goal Show general definition using extreme or violent methods to achieve a political goal; or someone who uses such methods
	7	top 200
indignantindignant → indignantly:with anger or annoyance at something unjust or wrong "I am not a fool," she said indignantly.more Show sample from book Hardheaded, sensible, a reader of magazines and books, he was proud of his race and indignant about its wrongs.†6 more angered or annoyed at something unjust or wrong Show general definition angered or annoyed at something unjust or wrong
	8	top 1000
continuousconstant (uninterrupted) The national power grid is under almost continuous attack.more Show sample from book The children were silent, hostile, vindictive, continuously complaining of hunger.†7 more continuous → continuously:continuing in time or space without interruption or irregularity Show general definition continuing in time or space without interruption or irregularity
	9	top 2000
denouncedenounce → denounced:strongly criticized or accused publicly She denounced him as a liar.more Show sample from book The tremendous upheaval that my words had caused made me know that there lay back of them much more than I could figure out, and I resolved that in the future I would learn the meaning of why they had beat and denounced me.†8 more denounce → denounced:strongly criticized or accused publicly OR (more rarely) informed against someone Show general definition to strongly criticize or accuse publicly or more rarely: to inform against someone (turn someone into the authorities)
	9	top 1000
tauntintentionally anger, challenge, or upset someone She used Twitter to taunt the opposing candidate.more Show sample from book I stood panting, egging them on, taunting them to come on and fight.†8 more taunt → taunting:intentionally angering, challenging, or upsetting Show general definition to intentionally anger, challenge, or upset someone -- especially by mocking them or hurling insults or (as a noun): an insult or other action intended to anger, challenge, or upset someone
	3	top 500
materialistictoo concerned with wealth and possessions She thinks Americans are too materialistic.more Show sample from book This was how America had embraced Communism; this was America's first green fruit of materialistic rebellion.†2 more Show general definition overly concerned with wealth and possessions at the expense of other interests
	5
bourgeoistypical middle class Our lifestyle upsets their bourgeois sensibilities.more Show sample from book And that was enough to condemn me forever as bourgeois.†4 more typical of the middle class or their values and habits Show general definition typical of the middle class or their values and habits - typically used disapprovingly or (in Marxist theory): typical of the property-owning class Show editor's word notes Bourgeois is often used to refer to the values of the upper middle class. You may also see the term petit bourgeois to describe very small business owners. Note that bourgeois, bourgeoisie, and bourgeoise are often interchanged. Bourgeois is most common and can be used as an adjective or a noun. Bourgeoisie is typically used only as a noun, and bourgeoise is occasionally used as an alternate spelling of bourgeois.
	3	top 500
lapseend or terminate She allowed her membership at the club to lapse.more Show sample from book Whenever a black family moved or suffered a slight reverse in fortune, it usually let its policy lapse and later bought another policy from some other company.2 more Show general definition for lapse (as in: allowed the policy to lapse) end or terminate -- often of legal rights or of a person's association with an organization
	2	top 500
refuterefute → refuted:argued against The speaker refuted his opponent's arguments.more Show sample from book He refuted Young's wild charges, but the majority of the club's members were bewildered, did not know whether to believe him or not.†1 more refute → refuted:disproved or argued against Show general definition to disprove or argue against
	2	top 500
latentpotentially existing but not presently active She is unschooled, but I think she has latent talent as an engineer.more Show sample from book But under all our talk floated a latent sense of violence; the whites had drawn a line over which we dared not step and we accepted that line because our bread was at stake.†1 more potentially existing but not presently evident or active Show general definition potentially existing but not presently evident or active
	2	top 1000
repugnantdisgusting Her behavior is shocking and repugnant.more Show sample from book The mere idea of stealing had been repugnant.†1 more Show general definition disgusting