Merriam-Webster Official

grok

verb

ˈgräk 

grokked; grokking

Synonyms of grok

transitive verb

quorum

noun

quo·​rum ˈkwȯr-əm 

plural quorums or quora ˈkwȯr-ə 

1

: the minimum number of officers or members of a body that is required to be present at a given meeting (as to transact business)

In order to adopt articles, according to the rules, the assembly will need a quorumof two thirds.—Ciara Nugent

A minyan is a quorum of 10 adult Jews necessary for public prayer services.—Jeannine F. Hunter

2

: a select group

… speaking to a quorum of young and ambitious lawyers …—Lewis H. Lapham

… the gala's guests, who typically include a quorum of … Hollywood A-listers and supermodels.—Annie Karni

3

lionize

verb

li·​on·​ize ˈlī-ə-ˌnīz 

lionized; lionizing

Synonyms of lionize

transitive verb

: to treat as an object of great interest or importance

lionization 

ˌlī-ə-nə-ˈzā-shən 

 noun

lionizer 

ˈlī-ə-ˌnī-zər 

tenebrous

adjective

ten·​e·​brous ˈte-nə-brəs 

Synonyms of tenebrous

1

: shut off from the light : DARK, MURKY

tenebrous depths

2

: hard to understand : OBSCURE

a tenebrous affair

3

mesmerize

verb

mes·​mer·​ize ˈmez-mə-ˌrīz  

 also  ˈmes-

mesmerized; mesmerizing

Synonyms of mesmerize

transitive verb

1

: to subject to mesmerism

also  : HYPNOTIZE

2

: SPELLBIND

I found myself mesmerized by the grandiosity of it all—Arnold Plotnick

The crowd was mesmerized by the acrobats.

noun

reg·​i·​men ˈre-jə-mən  

alsoˈre-zhə- 

Synonyms of regimen

1

a

: a systematic plan (as of diet, therapy, or medication) especially when designed to improve and maintain the health of a patient

b

: a regular course of action and especially of strenuous training

the daily regimen of athletes

2

: GOVERNMENT, RULE

3

churlish

adjective

churl·​ish ˈchər-lish 

Synonyms of churlish

1

: of, resembling, or characteristic of a churl : VULGAR

2

: marked by a lack of civility or graciousness : SURLY

he didn't like the churlish tone in his voice—Margaret Truman

outrage is among your more churlish emotions—Robert Goldsborough

It would be churlish not to congratulate her.

3

: difficult to work with or deal with : INTRACTABLE

churlish soil

churlishly adverb

pontificate

1 of 2

verb

pon·​tif·​i·​cate pän-ˈti-fə-ˌkāt 

pontificated; pontificating

Synonyms of pontificate

intransitive verb

1

: to speak or express opinions in a pompous or dogmatic way

He does not pontificate about whether one ought to choose, if forced to it, to betray one's country rather than one's friends …—Robin W. Winks

What these interviews generally come down to is an invitation to writers to pontificate upon things for which it is either unseemly for them to speak (the quality of their own work) or upon which they are unfit to judge (the state of the cosmos).—Joseph Epstein

2

a

: to officiate as a pontiff

b

: to celebrate pontifical mass

pontification 

(ˌ)pän-ˌti-fə-ˈkā-shən 

 noun

pontificator 

pän-ˈti-fə-ˌkā-tər 

 noun

pontificate2 of 2

noun

pon·​tif·​i·​cate pän-ˈti-fi-kət  

-ˌkāt

Zenith

ze·​nith ˈzē-nəth  

 Canadian also and British usually  ˈze-nəth,

-nith

Synonyms of zenith

1

: the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the nadir and vertically above the observer  see azimuth illustration

2

: the highest point reached in the heavens by a celestial body

3

: culminating point : ACME

shofar

noun

sho·​far ˈshō-ˌfär  

-fər

plural shofroth shō-ˈfrōt  

-ˈfrōth, -ˈfrōs

mellifluous

adjective

mel·​lif·​lu·​ous me-ˈli-flə-wəs  

mə-

Synonyms of mellifluous

1

: having a smooth rich flow

a mellifluous voice

2

: filled with something (such as honey) that sweetens

mellifluous confections

mellifluously adverb

demure

adjective

de·​mure di-ˈmyu̇r 

Synonyms of demure

1

: RESERVED, MODEST

2

: affectedly modest, reserved, or serious : COY

demurely adverb

harbinger

1 of 2

noun

har·​bin·​ger ˈhär-bən-jər 

Synonyms of harbinger

1

a

: something that foreshadows a future event : something that gives an anticipatory sign of what is to come

robins, crocuses, and other harbingers of spring

b

: one that initiates a major change : a person or thing that originates or helps open up a new activity, method, or technology : PIONEER

the great legal harbinger of the New Deal revolution—Time

a harbinger of nanotechnology

the harbingers of peace to a hitherto distracted … people—David Livingstone

2

abstain

verb

ab·​stain əb-ˈstān  

ab-

abstained; abstaining; abstains

Synonyms of abstain

intransitive verb

1

: to choose not to do or have something : to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice

abstain from drinking

2

: to choose not to vote

Ten members voted for the proposal, six members voted against it, and two abstained.

fallible

adjective

fal·​li·​ble ˈfa-lə-bəl 

Synonyms of fallible

1

: liable to be erroneous

a fallible generalization

2

: capable of making a mistake

we're all fallible

fallibly 

ˈfa-lə-blē 

injunction

noun

in·​junc·​tion in-ˈjəŋ(k)-shən 

Synonyms of injunction

1

: a writ granted by a court of equity whereby one is required to do or to refrain from doing a specified act

2

: the act or an instance of enjoining : ORDER, ADMONITION

injunctive 

in-ˈjəŋ(k)-tiv