Ostentatious (adjective) Showing off wealth or achievement in a way meant to impress or draw attention.
Example: He drove the most ostentatious car in the parking lot, just to make sure everyone noticed.
Mnemonic: Contains 'ostent-,' related to Latin 'ostendere,' to show — ostentatious behavior is all about showing off.
Palpable (adjective) So intense or obvious that it can almost be physically felt or touched.
Example: When the exam results were posted, the tension in the classroom was palpable.
Mnemonic: Palpable relates to 'palm' - something palpable is so strong you could almost hold it in your palm.
Paradigm (noun) A typical pattern or model of thinking that shapes how people understand an entire subject.
Example: The discovery of DNA's structure created a new paradigm for understanding genetics.
Mnemonic: Picture a pair of dimes lined up as a matched set - a paradigm is the standard model that every later example gets measured against.
Pedantic (adjective) Overly concerned with minor details or rules, especially in a way meant to show off knowledge.
Example: The pedantic editor rejected the essay over a single misplaced comma.
Mnemonic: Comes from 'pedant,' a schoolteacher obsessed with rules — pedantic people lecture over trivial details like the strictest teacher you ever had.
Penchant (noun) A strong, recurring liking or inclination for something.
Example: She has a penchant for spicy food that few of her friends can match.
Mnemonic: From French 'pencher,' to lean — a penchant is the direction you naturally lean toward.
Perfunctory (adjective) Done with minimal care or effort, as a routine formality rather than genuine engagement.
Example: He gave a perfunctory nod before returning his attention to his phone.
Mnemonic: Picture a bored clerk stamping form after form without ever looking up — a perfunctory action is that same going-through-the-motions.
Pervasive (adjective) Spreading through and present in every part of something.
Example: A pervasive smell of smoke hung in the air long after the fire was put out.
Mnemonic: From Latin 'per-' (through) plus 'vadere' (to go) — pervasive things go all the way through, reaching every corner.
Phenomenon (noun) A fact, event, or situation that is noticeable, especially one that is not yet fully understood.
Example: Climate change is a global phenomenon that scientists continue to study in great detail.
Mnemonic: A phenomenon is something 'phenomenal,' so remarkable that people stop to notice and study it.
Plight (noun) A difficult, unfortunate, or dangerous situation that someone is facing.
Example: The documentary drew international attention to the plight of refugees fleeing the conflict.
Mnemonic: Plight rhymes with 'flight' - people are sometimes forced into flight because of their difficult plight.
Poignant (adjective) Producing a sharp, deeply felt emotion, usually sadness or tenderness.
Example: The soldier's final letter home was so poignant that even the archivist reading it aloud had to pause.
Mnemonic: Shares a root with 'point,' a sharp tip — a poignant moment feels like it pokes straight into your heart.
Pragmatic (adjective) Dealing with things sensibly and realistically.
Example: She took a pragmatic approach, choosing the cheaper option that actually worked.
Mnemonic: Think 'practical' — pragmatic decisions focus on what works, not just ideals.
Predicament (noun) A difficult or embarrassing situation that is hard to find a good solution for.
Example: Losing her passport the night before the flight left her in a stressful predicament.
Mnemonic: Predicament sounds like it has 'predict' inside it - a situation so tricky it feels like fate predicted trouble for you.
Prolific (adjective) Producing a large quantity of something, especially creative work.
Example: The prolific novelist published nearly a book a year for three straight decades.
Mnemonic: 'Pro-' (forward) plus a root shared with 'proliferate' — a prolific creator keeps pushing new work forward without slowing down.
Qualm (noun) A brief, uneasy feeling of doubt about whether an action is the right thing to do.
Example: She had no qualms about returning the extra change the cashier had given her by mistake.
Mnemonic: Picture a sudden queasy stomach-flip right before doing something you're not sure about — that queasiness is a qualm.
Quaint (adjective) Charmingly old-fashioned or unusual in a pleasant, picturesque way.
Example: The quaint little bookshop still used a hand-cranked cash register from the 1950s.
Mnemonic: Picture a small, old painting so charming it deserves its own frame — that's the feeling 'quaint' captures.
Quirky (adjective) Having unusual or slightly odd characteristics that make something distinctive and interesting.
Example: The cafe was known for its quirky decorations, including a collection of mismatched vintage teapots.
Mnemonic: Quirky comes from 'quirk,' a small odd habit - a quirky person is full of little quirks.
Radical (adjective) Relating to a fundamental, thorough change, often far from what is usual or traditional.
Example: The government introduced radical reforms that completely restructured the national healthcare system.
Mnemonic: Radical relates to 'root' (the Latin word radix) - a radical change goes all the way down to the root of things.
Rampant (adjective) Spreading or growing quickly and uncontrollably, usually referring to something negative.
Example: Corruption was rampant in the region before the new anti-bribery laws were enforced.
Mnemonic: Rampant sounds like a wild animal on a rampage - out of control and spreading fast.
Rapport (noun) A close, friendly relationship in which people understand each other's feelings well.
Example: The new teacher quickly built a strong rapport with her students by listening to their concerns.
Mnemonic: Rapport sounds like feelings being 're-ported' back and forth - a good rapport means feelings flow easily between people.
Ratify (verb) To give formal, official approval to an agreement, making it valid and binding.
Example: The senate needed a two-thirds vote to ratify the treaty before it could take effect.
Mnemonic: 'Ratify' contains 'rate,' suggesting something is rated as acceptable - once ratified, a deal earns its final stamp of approval.
Rationale (noun) The set of reasons or logical basis behind a decision, belief, or course of action.
Example: The author explains her rationale for choosing a qualitative research method in the introduction.
Mnemonic: Notice ratio hiding inside it - a rationale is the reasoning that adds up behind a choice.
Ravage (verb) To cause severe and widespread damage or destruction to something.
Example: The wildfire ravaged thousands of acres of forest before firefighters finally contained it.
Mnemonic: Ravage sounds like 'savage' - a savage force ravages everything in its path.
Rebuke (verb) To criticize someone sharply, usually because they have done something wrong.
Example: The referee rebuked the player for arguing every call during the match.
Mnemonic: Picture a stern coach 're-booking' a player straight into the penalty box with a sharp rebuke.
Reckon (verb) To think or believe something after some consideration, or to calculate an amount.
Example: I reckon we will need at least two more hours to finish painting the entire fence.
Mnemonic: Reckon sounds like 'reckoning,' a moment of calculation - you reckon by mentally working out your honest opinion.
Rejuvenate (verb) To make someone or something feel or look young, fresh, and full of energy again.
Example: A short walk in the park at lunchtime always seems to rejuvenate her for the rest of the workday.
Mnemonic: Rejuvenate contains 'juvenile' (young) - to rejuvenate is to become young and fresh again.