Inane
(adjective) empty and pointless.
Mary could not stand Max's inane questions any longer, so she left.
Indict
(verb) to charge with a crime.
Many politicians have been indicted recently, and many more will probably be indicted soon.
Petty
(adjective) unimportant or trivial.
Max was convicted of petty theft.
Sedentary
(adjective) inactive; spending much time seated
Fast-food and sedentary lifestyles are major factors in the obesity problem in the US.
Facetious
(adjective) in a joking manner; treating serious matters with deliberately inappropriate humor
When I said that I agreed with the President's policies, I was just being facetious.
Discord
(noun) disagreement or conflict
There was a tremendous amount of discord among the PTA officers.
Ostracize
(verb) to exclude from a group
As a child, Max was ostracized by the other kids in his school because he wore different clothes.
Pensive
(adjective) deep in thought or reflection.
Max must be in a very pensive mood today. He hasn't said anything all day.
Placid
(adjective) tranquil, peaceful, calm
My dog has a very placid temperament. She does not get upset easily.
Salient
(adjective) Most noticeable, important, prominent, or conspicuous
The most salient feature of Mary's appearance is her Purple hair.
Tacit
(adjective) understood or implied but not specifically expressed.
When Max and Mary moved in together as roommates, they had a tacit agreement that they would share expenses.
Zeal
(noun) passion, or enthusiasm (usually in pursuit of a cause or objective)
Because of her zeal for chocolate, Mary got a job at the chocolate factory as a chocolate taster.
Cryptic
(adjective) mysterious, secret, or obscure in meaning
Mary's comments were so cryptic that I had no idea what she was saying.
Dichotomy
(noun) a division into two groups or parts or two opposing viewpoints
There is a sharp dichotomy of opinion on Max's ability to lead the government.
Disdain
(noun) contempt
Max has nothing but disdain for people like Mary.
Impugn
(verb) criticize; dispute the truth; call into question
The politician was very upset as she felt that her character had been impugned.
Malice
(noun) the desire to hurt others
Max has a great amount of malice towards the government.
Staunch
(adjective) strong, loyal and committed in attitude
Mary is one of Max's staunchest supporters.
Vilify
verb) to write or speak badly or abusively about
Max was vilified in all of the newspapers.
conundrum
(noun) a confusing problem or question
For some hot dog aficionados, why there are many different varieties of mustard but relatively few varieties of ketchup is a conundrum to ponder.
exploit
(verb) to make use of, take advantage of (unfairly profit from)
The policy of some corporations is to hire employees right out of school in order to exploit their eagerness and enthusiasm.
gullible
(adjective) easily persuaded to believe something
Max is so gullible. He believed me when I told him that I was running for president of the US.