Toefl Vocabulary N-O-P
N
NAUTICAL: Pertaining to ships or navigation - a nautical career.
Synonyms: marine, naval, maritime
NETTLE: To irritate or provoke - nettled by his critics.
Synonyms: vex, pique, goad
NOCTURNAL: Pertaining to, or occurring in, the night - awakened by the sounds of a nocturnal prowler.
Antonym: diurnal
NOISOME: Foul-smelling; harmful-the swamp gave off a noisome odor.
Synonyms: malodorous, fetid, disgusting; noxious, deleterious
Antonym: salubrious
NONCHALANT: Unmoved or indifferent; casual - reacted to the news in a nonchalant manner.
Synonym: apathetic
Antonyms: enthusiastic, zealous
NOSTALGIA: Homesickness - felt nostalgia for the old homestead.
NOTORIOUS: Widely known (in a bad sense) - a notorious gambler.
NOVICE: A beginner - conducted himself in politics like a novice.
Synonyms:tyro, neophyte
Antonym:virtuoso
OBDURATE: Hard-hearted; stubborn - an obdurate, unrepentant criminal.
Synonyms:adamant, unyielding, inflexible
Antonyms:submissive, docile, compliant
OBLIVIOUS (noun: OBLIVION): Forgetful; absent-minded - walking oblivious of his surroundings.
Synonyms:unmindful, heedless, abstracted
OBSESSION: A persistent feeling, idea, activity, etc., which dominates a person; the state of being exclusively preoccupied by a fixed idea - Now that he has learned bowling, it has become his obsession.
Synonyms:mania, infatuation (a foolish passion), monomania
OBSOLETE: No longer in use - an obsolete word, not even included by most dictionaries.
Synonyms:archaic, antiquated
OBTRUSIVE (verb: OBTRUDE): Thrusting oneself or itself into undue prominence - made himself obnoxiouslyobtrusive.
Synonyms:intrusive, aggressive
OBVIATE: To prevent, dispose of, or make unnecessary by appropriate actions - an act which obviated all objections.
Synonyms:preclude, forestall
OMNIPOTENT: All-powerful - an omnipotent despot.
ONUS: Burden; duty; obligation - bore the onus of his difficult office creditably.
OSTENSIBLE: Apparent; pretended - his ostensible, though not actual, purpose.
Synonyms:professed, plausible (that is, appearing true, reasonable, or fair), specious
OSTRACIZE: To banish; to exclude from public favor or privileges - a former premier ostracized by popular vote.
Synonym: outlaw
P
PANACEA: A remedy for all ills - seeking a panacea to cure our social troubles.
Synonym: nostrum
PANEGYRIC: A speech or writing of extravagant praise - delivered a panegyric at his friend's testimonial dinner.
Synonyms:eulogy, adulation, tribute, laudation (adj. laudatory), encomium
Antonyms:censure, disparagement, derogation, castigation, depreciation
PARADOX: A self -contradictory statement; something 'that appears to be absurd and yet may be true -"Life is too important a matter to he taken seriously." - a paradox by Oscar Wilde.
Synonym: anomaly
PARAPHRASE: To restate the meaning of a passage in other words - paraphrased the poem in a few lines of prose.
PARODY (noun): A humorous imitation of an author's style and mannerisms - wrote a parody on Kipling's "GungaDin."
Synonym: burlesque
(verb): To write a parody - parodied the popular authors of the (lay to his audience's amusement.
Synonym: Mimic
PECCADILLO: A petty fault-possesses one peccadillo among his many virtues.
Synonyms: frailty, foible, flaw, blemish
PECUNIARY: Pertaining to money - involved in pecuniary difficulties.
Synonyms; financial, fiscal, monetary
PEDANT (adj.: PEDANTIC): One who proudly shows off his learning or who overrates his knowledge - like apedant glorying in his scholarly trifles.
PENSIVE: Sadly thoughtful - softly sang his pensive song.
Synonyms: reflective, meditative, contemplative, musing
PEREMPTORY: Positive in expressing an opinion - gave a peremptory judgment.
Synonyms:decisive, resolute, imperious, positive, dogmatic
Antonyms:indecisive, tentative
PERTINACIOUS: Clinging doggedly to an opinion or purpose - pertinacious in his efforts.
Synonyms:obdurate, tenacious, persistent, persevering, intractable, inflexible
PERUSE: To read carefully - perused the important letter.
PERVERSE: Willfully bent on doing the wrong thing - a perverse lad, always disobeying his parents.
Synonyms:headstrong, froward, refractory, wayward, fractious
PETRIFY: To paralyze with horror, fear, or surprise - petrified by the enemy bombardment.
Synonyms:stupefy, stun, bewilder, amaze
PLAGIARISM. Adopting and reproducing, without acknowledgment, the writings or ideas of another and passing them off as one's own - denied the charge of deliberate plagiarism.
PLATITUDE: A dull and commonplace remark - bored people by his pompous phrases and platitudes.
Synonyms:bromide, truism, axiom
PLEBEIAN: Pertaining to the common people; hence, common or vulgar - plebeian in his tastes and outlook.
Antonyms:patrician, aristocratic
PLEBISCITE. A direct vote by the people - The decision to confederate was ratified by plebiscite.
POIGNANT:
(1) Gripping and moving the feelings powerfully - a poignant grief.
(2) Piercing, biting, pointed - a poignant cry; poignant wit.
PONDEROUS: Very heavy; clumsy; dull - a ponderous speech, extremely boring.
PRECARIOUS: Uncertain or risky - earning a precarious livelihood, providing no luxuries.
PRECIPITOUS:
(1) Very steep - a precipitous cliff.
(2) Descending rapidly - a precipitous decline in popularity.
PRECOCIOUS: Remarkable for early mental development a precocious genius.
PREDATORY:
(1) Inclined to plunder or rob; - predatory bands roaming the countryside.
(2) Preying on, others - predatory animals prowling about.
Synonyms: predacious, looting, pillaging
PREDILECTION: Partiality or preference for; a favorable opinion arrived at beforehand - a predilection for theatricals.
Synonyms: prepossession, proclivity, predisposition, penchant
Antonyms: aversion, antipathy, repugnance
PRELUDE: An introduction, forerunner, or preliminary step - a short prelude to the play.
Synonyms: preface, prologue, preamble.
Antonym: epilogue
PREROGATIVE: A privilege or power attaching to a position - It is a woman's prerogative to refuse to tell her age.
Synonym: license
PRESTIGE: Esteem or influence accorded for recognized achievements or reputation - As Senator he enjoyed greatprestige.
Synonym: distinction
PRECOCIOUS: Remarkable for early mental development a precocious genius.
PREDATORY:
(1) Inclined to plunder or rob; - predatory bands roaming the countryside.
(2) Preying on, others - predatory animals prowling about.
Synonyms: predacious, looting, pillaging
PREDILECTION: Partiality or pr eference for; a favorable opinion arrived at beforehand - a predilection for theatricals.
Synonyms: prepossession, proclivity, predisposition, penchant
Antonyms: aversion, antipathy, repugnance
PRELUDE: An introduction, forerunner, or preliminary step - a short prelude to the play.
Synonyms: Preface, prologue. Preamble
Antonym: epilogue
PREROGATIVE: A privilege or power attaching to a position - It is a woman's prerogative to refuse to tell her age.
Synonym: license
PRESTIGE: Esteem or influence accorded for recognized achievements or reputation - As Senator he enjoyed greatprestige.
Synonym: distinction
PRESUMPTION:
(1) Something taken for granted - acted on a reasonable presumption.
(2) Going beyond proper bounds; impudent boldness - His question was downright presumption.
Synonyms: effrontery, forwardness, arrogance
PREVARICATE: To disguise or conceal the truth to lie - prevaricated in order to avoid detection.
Synonyms: quibble, equivocate; (adj.) mendacious
Antonyms: (noun) veracity, verity; (adj.) forthright
PROCRASTINATE: To postpone or put off to another time - missed his opportunity by procrastinating too long.
Synonyms: defer, delay
PROGNOSTICATE (noun: PROGNOSIS): To forecast - The Weather Bureau prognosticates daily.
Synonyms:presage, portend, augur, forebode
PROLETARIAT: The wage-earning class - a truckman, humble member of the proletariat.
PROMONTORY: A cliff - an imposing promontory along the coast.
Synonyms:headland, precipice
PROMULGATE: To publish or proclaim; to spread abroad The President promulgated a decree.
Synonym:disseminate
PROTUBERANT: Bulging or swelling out - a protuberant jaw.
Antonyms:receding, recessive
PROVISIONAL: Temporary; for the time being - a provisional plan until a permanent decision is reached.
Synonym:tentative
PROXIMITY: Nearness-worked in close proximity to his home.
Synonyms :propinquity, vicinity
Antonym:remoteness
PSEUDONYM: A false name assumed by a writer - concealed his identity by a pseudonym.
Synonyms:alias, pen name, nom de plume
PUNITIVE: Inflicting, or concerned with, punishment - took punitive measures against deserters.