unassuming adj. (un uh SOOM ing) modest; unpretentious. Mary was so unassuming, she truly could not believe that her painting had been awarded first prize.
uncanny adj. (un CAN ee) weird and mysterious; something of or resembling the supernatural. Her knack for guessing our ages and weights was absolutely uncanny.
undermine vb. (UN dur myne) to cause damage, weaken, or sabotage. It's OK to protest, but use care not to break the law or your efforts may actually backfire and undermine our efforts to pass new legislation.
unequivocal adj. (un uh KWIV uh kul) unambiguous; clear. The governor was unequivocal; he would lower taxes by the end of the year.
unflappable adj. (un FLAP uh bul) calm and difficult to upset. Advocates of controversial issues may face a firestorm of protest; therefore they must be absolutely unflappable.
unmitigated adj. (un MIT uh gay tid) not diminished or diluted in any way; out-and-out. If you have the unmitigated gall to come in here and ask for a raise, then I have no choice but to say yes.
unorthodox adj. (un ORTH uh doks) unconventional; nonstandard. Their form of worship is unorthodox and vociferously protested by the head of the church.
unscrupulous adj. (un SKROOP yuh lus) unprincipled. The unscrupulous used car dealer could spot a sucker a mile away.
upbraid vb. (up BRAYD) to scold. The drill sergeant took great pleasure in upbraiding new recruits for the most trivial of infractions.
urbane adj. (ur BAYN) suave; refined; smooth. The
movie star was not only glamorous but urbane; she shook hands and chatted graciously with everyone she met.
usurp vb. (yoo SURP) to overthrow and take over a position of power. The terrorists attempted to usurp the prime minister's office.
utilitarian adj. (yoo til uh TAIR ee un) useful or practical. I prefer cars that are more utilitarian than showy.
utopia n. (yoo TOH pee uh) an ideal world; a perfect society. It's easy to imagine a utopia; it's quite another to build one that works.
vacillate vb. (VAS uh layt) to go back and forth or be indecisive. I can never make up my mind about what ice cream to eat; I tend to vacillate forever between vanilla and chocolate.
vanguard n. (VAN gard) the leading or front members of a movement, institution, army, etc. Our local university is at the vanguard of medical research.
vehement adj. (VEE uh munt) fervent; passionate. He made a vehement protest to the police officer, but he was given a speeding ticket anyway.
vendetta n. (ven DET uh) a feud fueled by a cycle of vengeance. The Mafia members had their own version of population control through personal vendettas.
veneer n. (ven EER) a topmost layer; a facade; a cover-up. Under his polished veneer stood a man with innumerable self-doubts.
venerable adj. (VEN ur uh bul) esteemed due to age or character. The venerable judge Jacob Jones will preside over tomorrow's murder trial.
venturesome adj. (VENT chur sum) courageous and adventurous; enterprising. Don't try to stop Sally from attempting to climb Mt. Everest; she's always had venturesome blood.
veracity n. (vur ASS uh tee) truthfulness and accuracy. The officer doubted the veracity of the drunk's statements about seeing a pink elephant.
verbatim adj. (vur BAYT um) word for word; exactly as spoken or written. I will not quote from his speech verbatim.
vernacular n. (vuh NAK yuh lur) everyday or informal language. Her vernacular was rich in regional slang.
viable adj. (VYE uh bul) workable; doable; capable of surviving. Your invention is not only viable but also has a ready market; let's patent it immediately.
vicarious adj. (vi KAIR ee us) experienced indirectly or imagined through the experiences of others. I never rode the roller coaster myself, but I get a vicarious thrill hearing others describe its twists and turns.
vicissitudes n. (vi SIS i TOODS) the ups and downs and changes experienced in life. Don't be caught off guard by the vicissitudes of life; learn to expect them and be prepared.
Victorian adj. (vic TOR ee un) of the period of Queen Victoria's reign in the second half of the 19 th century, characterized by its prudishness and puritanical viewpoints. Also, an ornate style or architecture from this time. Mary is so prim and proper, she is positively Victorian.
vigilance n. (VIJ uh lens) attentiveness and watchfulness. To catch a deer munching in your garden requires great vigilance.
vilify vb. (VIL i FYE) to defame and put down harshly. This newspaper will not vilify any politician without sound reasons.
vindicate vb. (VIN di kayt) to clear or absolve one of guilt or blame. This new evidence should vindicate my client.
vindictive adj. (vin DIK tiv) seeking revenge. Just because you lost the race doesn't mean you should throw eggs at the winner's house; that's being childishly vindictive.
visceral adj. (VISS uh rul) intuitive, instinctive; from one's gut. The predator's drive to hunt is purely visceral.
vitriolic adj. (vi tree OL ik) bitter and sarcastic. I know Joe lost the race, but if he continues to be so vitriolic I'm going to have to leave.
vivacious adj. (vi VAY shus) lively. Her vivacious personality lit up the room every time she entered.
vociferous adj. (voh SIF ur us) loud, noisy. The workers made a vociferous complaint about too much overtime work.
vogue n. (VOHG) in vogue; in fashion. Nose rings aren't likely to stay in vogue long, or are they?
volatile adj. (VOL uh tul) unstable; likely to explode. I would not advise investing in the stock market when it is this volatile.