Advanced Vocabulary List 11

anachronism

(noun) someone or something that belongs in another place in time

Everything seemed normal except for the anachronism of the man riding a horse down the street. One country colonizing another country is an anachronism in today's global environment.

antecedent

(noun) something that precedes another thing, especially the cause of the second thing

Pronouns usually refer to antecedents.

debacle

(noun) a terrible failure

By most accounts, the war in Iraq has been a tremendous debacle.

exonerate

(verb) to absolve from blame, to prove innocent

I am confident that I will be fully exonerated if I'm given a fair trial.

lucid

(adjective) clear, clear headed

I am the most lucid right after a cup of coffee. His style of writing was very clear and lucid.

pernicious

(adjective) harmful, deadly

The current concentration of ownership of media has had a pernicious effect on democracy in the US.

wily

(adjective) sly, clever, cunning (usually deceitfully).

Many politicians employ teams of wily advisors to help them skirt the law.