ISEE Middle Level Vocabulary > Group 34
comprehensive
complete; including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something
credible
able to be believed; convincing
cursory
hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
cynic
a person who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest rather than acting for honorable or unselfish reasons
dearth
a scarcity or lack of something
debilitating
tending to weaken something
deficient
insufficient or inadequate
demonstrate
show or express (a feeling or quality) by one’s actions
detract
reduce or take away the worth or value of
digress
leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing
dilemma
a difficult situation or problem
distort
give a misleading or false account or impression of
diversion
an instance of turning something aside from its course
elation
great happiness
elicit
evoke or draw out (a response, answer, or fact) from someone in reaction to one’s own actions or questions
establish
show (something) to be true or certain by determining the facts
exacerbate
make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse
expansion
the action of becoming larger or more extensive
expectation
a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future
explicit
stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt
express
convey (a thought or feeling) in words or by gestures and conduct
falter
start to lose strength or momentum
familiar
having a good knowledge of
feign
pretend to be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury)
fluctuate
rise and fall irregularly in number or amount
formulate
create or devise methodically (a strategy or a proposal)
gist
the substance or essence of a speech or text
hypothetical
supposed but not necessarily real or true
implausible
(of an argument or statement) not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince
implication
a likely consequence of something
