Acme

n

The highest point; peak

Blatant

adj

Glaringly conspicuous or obtrusive; offensively noisy

Casuistry

n

Subtle but misleading or false reasoning, especially about moral issues

Deleterious

adj

Harmful to one’s health or well-being; injurious

Encomium

n

A formal expression of high praise; eulogy

Flaccid

adj

Flabby; soft and limp; lacking force; feeble

Aficionado

n

A devoted follower of some sport, art etc; a devotee

Hubris

n

Excessive pride

Impugn

v

To attack by argument or criticism; to oppose or challenge as false or questionable

Lissome

adj

Bending or moving gracefully with ease and lightness; lithe; supple; limber; agile

Mendacious

adj

Not truthful; lying or false

Nuance

n

A slight or delicate variation in color, tone, meaning, etc.; a shade of difference

Onerous

adj

Burdensome; laborious

Paucity

n

Fewness; small number; scarcity; dearth; insufficiency

Redolent

adj

Sweet-smelling; fragrant; suggestive or evocative (of)

Schism

n

A split or division in an organized group or society, esp. a church, as a result of difference of opinion or doctrine

Apocryphal

adj

Of doubtful authorship or authenticity; no genuine; spurious; counterfeit

Augur

n, v

A fortuneteller or prophet; to foretell or prophesy from omens

Verisimilitude

n

The appearance of being true or real

Cogent

adj

Compelling; convincing; forceful and to the point, as a reason or argument