The Sunlight Dialogues — Vocabulary
John Gardner
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Exemplary sample	Uses	ACT/SAT
	32	top 200
scornscorn → scorned:rejected Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.more Show sample from book Kozlowski, for one, was mildly scornful of, and mildly amused by, the uniform he wore.†31 more scorn → scornful:full of strong disrespect or rejection Show general definition disrespect or reject as not good enough
	24
trifletrifle → trifling:unimportant We all agree with the goal, but how to achieve it is not a trifling matter.more Show sample from book Trifling little thing you'd never think about twice, nine times out of ten.†23 more trifle → trifling:something of small importance; OR a small quantity Show general definition for trifle (as in: a trifling matter) something of small importance; or a small quantity
	13	top 100
irrelevantnot relevant The sentence should be deleted because it introduces information that is irrelevant to the passage.more Show sample from book Irrelevant to the careening of the car, the whirling lights.†12 more not relevant (not related to the subject being considered, or not important enough to want to consider) Show general definition not relevant (not related to the subject being considered, or not important enough to want to consider)
	18	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 He's darn near a Communist, that's what people say.†17 more communism → communist:someone who supports an economic system that abolishes private ownership of property with the goal of a classless society
	12	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 The absolutes of human intuition took on the weight and form of reality.†11 more the ability to known instinctively rather than through reasoning; or the thing that is known in such a way Show general definition something known based on feeling or instinct rather than conscious reasoning; or the ability to know things in such a manner
	13	top 1000
tyrannya form of government where some people control others in a harsh, unfair manner The U.S. constitution was designed with checks and balances and limited government to protect Americans from tyranny.more Show sample from book He sounded now incredibly like one of those lawyers summing up, tyrannical and grandiose.†12 more tyranny → tyrannical:harsh and unjust Show general definition harsh and unjust rule
	10	top 200
malicemalice → malicious:evil; or made with the intent to make others suffer I am not interested in hearing malicious gossip.more Show sample from book Not malice, exactly—but more like malice than what went before, the wreck of the Volkswagen.†9 more the desire to hurt others or see them suffer Show general definition the intention or desire to see others suffer
	13	top 1000
democracya system of government in which citizens have power with equal votes The United States has a representative democracy.more Show sample from book You know how democracy works, son?†12 more
	10	top 500
aestheticaesthetic → aesthetically:related to beauty or good taste It was not aesthetically pleasing.more Show context notes Aesthetically is the British spelling. Americans spell it esthetically. Show sample from book How the annihilation is accomplished is an irrelevant detail, a matter of aesthetics.†9 more aesthetic → aesthetics:related to beauty or good taste; or the study of what is beautiful or tasteful Show context notes Aesthetics is the British spelling. Americans spell it esthetics. Show general definition related to beauty or good taste -- often referring to one's appreciation of beauty or one's sense of what is beautiful or: beautiful or tasteful
	11	top 1000
cunningclever and deceitful She came up with a cunning scheme to cheat him.more Show sample from book Still the old eyes searched him, cunning and baffled and something else too; after an instant Hodge caught what it was: wounded.†10 more good at achieving goals through cleverness and deception Show general definition for cunning (as in: a cunning thief) being good at achieving goals through cleverness -- and typically through deception as well (tricking others)
	11	top 1000
cynicalsomeone who expects the worst The experience made her overly cynical.more Show sample from book But Hodge too, or the part of his mind that wasn't busy, had managed cynicism.†10 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)
	12	top 1000
wrathextreme anger She could hardly contain her wrath when she learned he had betrayed her.more Show sample from book The drunk—he was pale and effeminate and quick to wrath—would stop singing at this, as though the name Herr Robert had some meaning the others didn't catch.†11 more Show general definition extreme anger or angry punishment
	10	top 1000
furtivedone in a way that attempts to avoid notice Despite her attempt to look interested, her teacher did not miss her furtive glances at the clock.more Show sample from book At the bathroom door he paused, scowling; then, furtively, he went on to the head of the stairs.†9 more furtive → furtively:while taking pains to avoid being observed; or in a nervous manner (as though hoping not to be seen) Show general definition taking pains to avoid being observed or: in a manner indicating nervousness (being cautious or appearing suspicious)
	8
anarchistsomeone who opposes government or authority At the protest, one anarchist set off fireworks and shouted that all rules were meant to be broken.more Show sample from book Whether he was actually a student (he was an anarchist, all right) there was no way of telling.†7 more someone who favors eliminating all government or authority Show general definition someone who favors eliminating all government or authority
	3	top 2000
minutetiny Don't eat a lot of poppy seeds for a few days before a drug test. They have a minute amount of a chemical that can cause a false positive when testing for heroin use.more Show sample from book But afterward Clive Paxton walked in his garden, scrutinizing his lilacs and althea for minute flaws, giving orders, critically turning loose earth with his foot.3 more small Show general definition for minute (as in: minute size) small, exceptionally small, or insignificant
	1
minuteswritten record of what happens at a meeting The secretary keeps the minutes of the meeting.more Show sample from book He shall attend all meetings of stock-holders and of the Board of Directors and keep the minutes thereof.3 more formal notes (of a meeting) Show general definition for minutes (as in: keep the minutes) a written record of what happened at a meeting
	6	top 2000
pedanticoverly concerned with book learning Her lectures were too pedantic for my taste.more Show sample from book She was as angry as the river, repelled by his pettiness and pedantry, his flight from the furious truth of the place to the name of a paltry trickle.†5 more pedantic → pedantry:being too concerned with formal rules, details, or book learning Show general definition too concerned with formal rules, details, or book learning
	6
invulnerableunable to be wounded or harmed In the myth, the warrior was invulnerable, untouched by arrows or blades.more Show sample from book He was Hodge the immune and invulnerable, comfortable in the cage of his limitations.†5 more impossible to harm Show general definition impossible to harm Show editor's word notes Standard prefix: "-in" at the beginning of a word often means "not" as in "insufficient" or "impossible" or "incapable".
	6
senile(into) mental weakness caused by old age Her memory is getting worse and she's afraid of going senile.more Show sample from book Only later would he realize that he was afraid, that moment, that he was seeing his father's first lapse into real senility.†5 more senile → senility:mental weakness caused by old age Show general definition weakness from old age (especially mental weakness); or describing a medical condition as caused by old age
	5
paltryinsignificant She was frustrated by the paltry raise she got after a year of growing on the job.more Show sample from book She was as angry as the river, repelled by his pettiness and pedantry, his flight from the furious truth of the place to the name of a paltry trickle.†4 more insignificant in amount or quality Show general definition insignificant in amount or quality