Vocabulary Words Starting With P

Done with great care and thoroughness, sparing no effort.

Acceptable or agreeable enough to be tolerated, or literally pleasant to taste.

To ease the symptoms of a problem without curing its underlying cause.

So intense or obvious that it can almost be physically felt or touched.

A panacea is a single fix that is believed, often naively, to solve every kind of problem at once.

A typical pattern or model of thinking that shapes how people understand an entire subject.

A statement or situation that seems to contradict itself yet may still hold some truth.

A person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality.

Ranking above everything else in importance.

Something parochial reflects a limited, small-scale perspective that ignores broader or more diverse viewpoints.

Extremely reluctant to spend money; excessively frugal.

Strongly and often unfairly favoring one side, party, or cause over another.

A small or insufficient amount of something.

Overly concerned with minor details or rules, especially in a way meant to show off knowledge.

Something pellucid is so transparent or plainly expressed that it can be understood or seen through without any effort.

A strong, recurring liking or inclination for something.

Penury describes a state of severe want, in which a person lacks even basic necessities.

Done with minimal care or effort, as a routine formality rather than genuine engagement.

A peripatetic person or lifestyle involves constant movement between different locations rather than staying in one place.

Relating to a minor or less central part of something rather than its main focus.

Causing gradual, often unnoticed harm; insidiously destructive.

Continuing forever or for a very long time without stopping.

To cause something, often a belief or condition, to keep continuing without end.

To confuse someone so much that they cannot easily understand or explain something.

To continue trying to do something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

Having sharp insight and good judgment; quick to notice what others miss.

Directly relevant and closely connected to the matter being discussed.

Spreading through and present in every part of something.

Childishly irritable and impatient, quick to sulk over small annoyances.

A fact, event, or situation that is noticeable, especially one that is not yet fully understood.

Calm, unemotional, and slow to react, even under stress.

The highest point of achievement, success, or development.

Something piquant has an appealingly sharp quality, whether it's a zesty taste or a lively, thought-provoking idea.

Extremely important because everything else depends on it.

To reduce someone's anger by offering a soothing gesture or concession.

Calm and peaceful, undisturbed by strong emotion or conflict.

Sounding sad or mournful, expressing sorrow.

A stale, overused remark presented as though it were a fresh insight.

Reasonable enough to seem likely true, even without solid proof yet.

An excessive or overwhelming abundance of something.

A difficult, unfortunate, or dangerous situation that someone is facing.

Producing a sharp, deeply felt emotion, usually sadness or tenderness.

A sign or warning that something significant, often disastrous, is about to happen.

Something portentous carries a heavy sense of foreboding, as if it were a sign of a significant event to come.

To suggest that something is true as a starting assumption for further reasoning.

Dealing with things sensibly and realistically.

Unstable or insecure, likely to collapse or fail at any moment.

An earlier action, decision, or event used as an example or guide for later similar cases.

To prevent something from happening or someone from doing something.

Showing unusually advanced ability or maturity at a young age.

A difficult or embarrassing situation that is hard to find a good solution for.

Being the most common, powerful, or noticeable among several things.

A statement or idea that is assumed to be true and used as the starting point for an argument.

Something that must exist or be completed before something else can happen.

A prescient observation is one that correctly anticipates future events before they occur.

Overly bold or confident in a way that oversteps proper limits, without the right or permission to do so.

Existing or occurring very commonly in a particular place or at a particular time.

To speak evasively or misleadingly in order to avoid telling the truth.

Perfectly clean or untouched, appearing exactly as new or original as possible.

Probity is the quality of being completely honest and principled, especially in situations that test one's character.

A proclivity is an ingrained preference or habitual leaning toward a particular kind of behavior.

Remarkably great in size, extent, or ability.

Skilled and competent at doing something.

A profligate person spends resources so carelessly and excessively that ruin often follows.

To increase rapidly in number or spread quickly.

Producing a large quantity of something, especially creative work.

A prolix speech or piece of writing drags on excessively, burying its point under unnecessary length.

Widely known and important, or so noticeable that it stands out physically.

A natural tendency to behave or think in a particular way.

A propitious sign or moment suggests conditions are right for something to go well.

A person who publicly supports or argues in favor of an idea or cause.

Plain and unimaginative, lacking any spark of excitement or beauty.

The main character in a story, or the leading figure in a real situation.

Something protean can shift easily between many different forms, roles, or styles.

The state of being near or close to something in distance or time.

Careful and sensible when making decisions, especially about money or risk.

Eager to argue or fight; combative by nature.

Showing extreme, careful attention to precise detail and correct behavior.

Having a strong, sharp smell or taste that immediately grabs your attention.