Refute (verb) To prove that a statement or argument is false or mistaken by using evidence or logic.
Example: The scientist presented new data to refute the claim that the medication had no side effects.
Mnemonic: Picture a courtroom 're-fight' where new evidence knocks out the other side's argument entirely.
Reinforce (verb) To make something stronger by adding extra support, material, or evidence.
Example: The teacher used a second example to reinforce the point she had just made.
Mnemonic: Re- plus in force - you bring extra force back in to make something sturdier.
Reiterate (verb) To say something again, usually to add emphasis or make sure it is understood.
Example: The professor reiterated the deadline at the end of every lecture.
Mnemonic: Like a loop in a computer program that iterates again, reiterate means to run through the same statement once more.
Relentless (adjective) Continuing with great intensity and refusing to stop, slow down, or ease up.
Example: The coach's relentless training schedule left no room for excuses or days off.
Mnemonic: A relentless force will not 'relent,' so it never lets up or takes a break.
Relinquish (verb) To give up a right, position, or possession, often reluctantly.
Example: The aging king was finally forced to relinquish his throne to his daughter.
Mnemonic: Sounds like 're-link-quit' — you unlink your grip on something even though part of you still wishes you could keep it.
Renowned (adjective) Famous and widely respected for a particular skill or achievement.
Example: The university is renowned for its research in marine biology.
Mnemonic: Renowned sounds like re-known - so many people know of this person that their fame keeps being renewed.
Repercussion (noun) An indirect and often unwelcome consequence of an action that may only appear later.
Example: Cutting the funding had serious repercussions for the local schools.
Mnemonic: Think of percussion, like a drumbeat echoing outward - an action's impact echoes forward long after it happens.
Reputable (adjective) Having a good reputation and generally considered trustworthy.
Example: Always buy medicine from a reputable pharmacy.
Mnemonic: Reputable simply carries reputation inside it - a reputable source has built a solid reputation over time.
Resilient (adjective) Able to recover quickly from difficulty, damage, or hardship.
Example: The small business proved resilient, bouncing back within months of the flood that destroyed its storefront.
Mnemonic: Like a rubber band, a resilient person or object 're-springs' back into shape after being stretched or stressed.
Resolute (adjective) Firmly determined and unlikely to change course despite pressure or difficulty.
Example: Despite three rejections, she remained resolute in her plan to reapply to medical school.
Mnemonic: Think of it as 're-solved-and-set' — a resolute person has already solved the question of what to do and will not reopen the case.
Reticent (adjective) Inclined to stay quiet and keep one's thoughts, feelings, or plans to oneself.
Example: Even after winning the award, she remained reticent about the personal struggles that led to her success.
Mnemonic: Notice the word 'silent' almost hiding inside the sound of 'reticent' -- a reticent person holds words back the way a dam holds back water.
Rigorous (adjective) Extremely thorough, strict, and demanding in method or standards.
Example: The lab required a rigorous testing process before any new drug could move to human trials.
Mnemonic: Related to 'rigor,' as in rigor mortis — a rigorous process is so exacting and unbending it leaves no slack anywhere.
Rudimentary (adjective) Basic, undeveloped, or existing only in an early, simple form.
Example: His rudimentary grasp of Spanish let him order food but not hold a real conversation.
Mnemonic: Rudimentary comes from 'rudiment,' the first crude sketch of something -- a rudimentary skill is still stuck at that rough, unfinished draft stage.
Ramification (noun) A complex or far-reaching consequence that follows from an action or decision.
Example: The new tax law had ramifications for small businesses across the country.
Mnemonic: Rami- means branch in Latin, like ramify - one decision branches out into many unexpected consequences.
Refrain (verb) To stop yourself from doing something, especially something you feel tempted to do.
Example: Please refrain from using your phone during the examination.
Mnemonic: Refrain sounds like rein - you pull in the reins on a horse to hold yourself back from moving forward.
Salient (adjective) Standing out as the most noticeable or important feature of something.
Example: The lawyer summarized the salient points of the contract before her client signed it.
Mnemonic: Salient comes from Latin 'salire,' to leap -- the salient detail is the one that leaps out at you first.
Sanction (verb) To officially approve or authorize an action -- confusingly, the related noun can also mean a penalty imposed for breaking a rule.
Example: The athletic board voted to sanction the new training program for next season.
Mnemonic: Sanction comes from Latin 'sanctus,' holy or binding -- an official ruling can bless a plan by approving it, or bind an offender by punishing them, so always check the context.
Scrupulous (adjective) Extremely careful and thorough about doing what is right, down to the smallest detail.
Example: The accountant was scrupulous about documenting every expense, no matter how small.
Mnemonic: Scrupulous comes from 'scruple,' a tiny sharp pebble the Romans imagined as an uncomfortable weight on the conscience -- a scrupulous person feels every little pebble of doubt and deals with it.
Scrutinize (verb) To examine something very closely and critically.
Example: Journalists scrutinized the minister's speech for any factual errors.
Mnemonic: Picture squinting your tiny eyes tightly, scanning every inch of something under close inspection.
Skeptical (adjective) Having doubts about whether a claim is true and not easily convinced.
Example: Investors remained skeptical about the startup's ambitious growth projections.
Mnemonic: Skeptical starts like suspect - a skeptical person suspects a claim may not hold up.
Sparse (adjective) Thinly scattered or distributed, with only a small amount present.
Example: Only a sparse crowd showed up for the midweek matinee.
Mnemonic: Looks like 'spare' with an extra letter — when something is sparse, there's only a spare amount to go around.
Speculate (verb) To form a guess or theory about something without having complete information.
Example: Analysts speculated that the merger would be announced before the end of the year.
Mnemonic: Related to spectacles, or seeing - to speculate is to peer ahead, trying to see an answer you don't fully have.
Spontaneous (adjective) Happening naturally and suddenly, without being planned in advance.
Example: The audience broke into spontaneous applause before the speech even ended.
Mnemonic: Think of a spring popping up on its own - a spontaneous reaction springs out unplanned.
Sporadic (adjective) Happening occasionally and at irregular intervals rather than continuously.
Example: The region experiences sporadic rainfall throughout the dry season.
Mnemonic: Picture spores scattered randomly by the wind - sporadic events pop up here and there unpredictably.
Stagnant (adjective) Not growing, changing, or moving; stuck in the same state for too long.
Example: Wages remained stagnant for nearly a decade despite rising living costs.
Mnemonic: Picture stagnant water sitting still in a pond with no current - nothing moves, nothing improves.