Vocabulary Puzzles The Fun Way to Ace Standardized Tests

Part 2 


Overstudying
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DEFINITION
SAMPLE SENTENCE
_____ ever awake and alert
A.) Nowadays, many a DESTITUTE per-
son can be seen sleeping on city streets.
_____ show disrespect for something
B.) He felt DESPONDENT after losing
the big game.
_____ discourage from acting
C.) Night watchmen must learn to be 
VIGILANT no matter how tired they
feel.
_____ lacking food, clothing, and 
D.) They DESECRATEd the church when 
shelter
they spray-painted graffiti on its walls.
_____ feeling hopeless, dejected, or 
E.) Even without radar, a police car parked 
very sad
at the side of the road can DETER
speeders.
_____ wild and reckless
F.) Her disappointing SAT scores
DIMINISHed her chances of getting
into a college of her choice.
_____ dreadful, terrible
G.) In the nasty political race, the two can-
didates made DISPARAGING remarks
about each other’s abilities.
_____ lessen; reduce
H.) Tigers aren’t DOMESTICATED, so
they don’t make good house pets.
_____ shy; timid
I.) When the tornado destroyed their
house, they were truly in a DIRE 
situation.
_____ unfairly characterizing as 
J.) Because he was so DIFFIDENT, he 
unimportant
couldn’t bring himself to ask her to
dance.
_____ tame
K.) The angry mob was responsible for
WANTON destruction of store 
windows.
Vocabulary Puzzles
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DEFINITION
SAMPLE SENTENCE
_____ steadfast in opinion; firm
A.) The marchers’ PROFICIENCY
improved steadily due to their daily
drills.
_____ talk down to; treat as an 
B.) Politicians are known for their 
inferior
RHETORIC.
_____ of rural life or simplicity
C.) We are so used to modern comforts that
it’s hard to imagine what the RIGORs
of pioneer life must have been like.
_____ skill; expertness
D.) My boss never treated the workers 
as equals; he seemed to enjoy
PATRONIZing them instead.
_____ overblown speech; undue use 
E.) Many old New England towns have a 
of exaggeration
RUSTIC look about them.
_____ hardship; severity of living 
F.) She was RESOLUTE in her decision to 
conditions
go to college, even if it meant borrow-
ing money to pay tuition.
_____ take more than your fair share
G.) Because she was a straight-A student,
she had SANGUINE expectations
about being accepted by a good college.
_____ serious and dignified
H.) Only a SAVANT can truly understand
the complexities of nuclear physics.
_____ cheerfully optimistic
I.) To assure himself as much money as
possible, the professional athlete
planned to sign a long-term contract at
the PINNACLE of his career.
_____ person of profound learning; 
J.) The Easter service in honor of Christ 
scholar
was a SOLEMN event.
_____ peak, top
K.) Whenever she was at a party with Jim,
she MONOPOLIZED his attention.
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