Vocabulary Puzzles The Fun Way to Ace Standardized Tests

DEFINITION
SAMPLE SENTENCE
_____ cure-all
A.) It’s not healthy for an adult to
REGRESS to childhood by crying and
carrying on when he doesn’t get what 
he wants.
_____ take more than your fair 
B.) To Muslims, Mecca is a SACRED 
share; hog
place.
_____ peaceful; charmingly simple
C.) When she suffered scrapes in a fall, her
mom’s tender loving care helped to
MOLLIFY her discomfort.
_____ having a dreamlike quality
D.) The New York Yankees’ LEGACY of
World Series victories may never be sur-
passed.
_____ soothe or relieve
E.) He enjoyed an IDYLLIC life on the
small island.
_____ wild and reckless
F.) Instead of holding it in, she showed
OVERT anger by yelling and screaming.
_____ open to view; not secret
G.) The angry mob was responsible for
WANTON destruction of store 
windows.
_____ something passed down to 
H.) Whenever she was at a party with Jim, 
following generations
she always MONOPOLIZEd his 
attention.
_____ retreat to an earlier stage; 
I.) Many horror movie scenes have an eerie, 
progress backwards
SURREAL quality about them.
_____ dedicated to some religious 
J.) Scientists have yet to find a PANACEA 
purpose; holy
for cancer.
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Part 1 


Learning Definitions and Using Words in Context
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Step 3: Write Sentences
For each word write two sentences that indicate you know the meaning of the word. Then
read aloud quickly three times each set of sentences that came to you. If you hesitated
before coming up with the sentences or had to look up a word, say each of those sen-
tences six times and write the vocabulary word you are studying at least three times. You
can write them anywhere—on the lines after the sentences, in the margin, or on a piece of
paper—as long as you write them.
Word:
ABSTRUSE
Sentence 1: