1. Stagnant
   Sterile
2. Cultivated
   Anaerobic

Stagnant water has no flow or current and often develops pond-like symptoms like underwater growth and a muddy appearance. It can also refer to the air in a stuffy, confined space.

1. Incognito
   Frivolous
2. Rouge
   Amiable

Going incognito means that you are being totally anonymous. This spy term has gone far out of the James Bond world to mean anonymity or using VPNs online and is largely used in that context.

1. Spinnet
   Languish
2. Vortex
   Chaos

If you see a vortex of water, it is in your best interest to stay far away from it. Vortexes are tiny whirlpools that can drag you under the water in a lightning-quick blink of an eye.

1. Benevolence
   Charisma
2. Belligerence
   Entropy

Hostile behavior is also referred to as belligerence. If someone is exhibiting belligerence, we refer to them as being belligerent, hostile or otherwise very unpleasant to be around.

1. Faux pas
   Conundrum
2. Deja vu
   Meta

If you have ever felt as if you've experienced something before when you know you haven't, you're enjoying a strange sensation called "deja vu." This feeling is common but hard to explain.

1. There needs to be a comma after "Mary."
   "Sarah" should be capitalized.
2. "Movie theater" should be capitalized.
   The sentence misuses the word "thoroughly."

"Sarah" needs to be capitalized because it is a proper noun. All names of people or places need to be capitalized regardless of whether they occur at the beginning of the sentence or not.

1. Translucent
   Morose
2. Obscure
   Vivid

We generally use the word "obscure" to refer to something that is not well known, like an obscure band that only you and your friends know about. It can also be used as a synonym for "vague."

1. Blancmange
   Deja vu
2. Acrid
   Faux pas

It happens all the time to even the most well-intentioned people. Faux pas are little social missteps that we make without thinking and wind up apologizing for in order to be forgiven.

1. It was far too hot in the house.
   I wanted to avoid having strangers come inside.
2. A storm was coming.
   So I could clean them properly

"Tempest" is another word for a strong storm, and if one is coming, you would be wise to shut the windows against it. It can also be used to describe someone with a stormy type of personality.

1. He's extremely sad.
   He's busy.
2. He's angry.
   He's sleeping.

"Incensed" is a synonym for "angry". If Aaron is incensed, he is extremely angry and it is best to avoid interacting with him. Like many words for anger, "incensed" references smoke or fire.

1. Epiphany
   Resonance
2. Stamina
   Ornate

Epiphanies are usually what precedes a burst of brilliance; whether it's an idea that will change the world, a realization about one's own life, or a breakthrough to a stubborn problem.

1. Indigenous
   Cumbersome
2. Flagrant
   Tectonic

Tectonic activity refers to movement in the Earth's crust. Our continents sit on a series of tectonic plates, and when they shift, we get natural events like tsunamis and earthquakes.

1. Chasm
   Idyllic
2. Arduous
   Sinewy

If you're looking for a quiet place where a softly falling waterfall is the only sound, you're looking for an idyllic paradise. This word is the perfect term for those quiet, restorative places.

1. Clandestine
   Sophomoric
2. Cacophony
   Lustrous

When you're trapped in a room with a bunch of sounds that are all clashing together, you are stuck inside of a cacophony of clashing sounds. It's all a little headache-inducing, isn't it?

1. Empathy
   Apathy
2. Arrogance
   Candor

Apathy is usually a term that is applied to teenagers who show little or no interest in anything, but it can be used to talk about anyone who is acting disinterested in something.

1. Stoic
   Indifferent
2. Loquacious
   Charlatan

When someone is talking seemingly to fill the air with mindless chatter, we consider them to be loquacious. It's almost the opposite of stoic and usually associated with frivolity.

1. Bourgeois
   Bravado
2. Emulate
   Phantasma

If you don't actually have courage, but you really wish that you did (or are trying to play as if you did), you are exhibiting bravado. Bravado is a show of fake courage put on for show.

1. Lynx
   Sphinx
2. Latex
   Leopard

Lynxes are a breed of large cats that live on almost every northern continent. They are medium-sized predators that are distinguished by their large, very furry ears and thick coats.

1. Utopias
   Industrial
2. Agrarian
   Progressive

The term "agrarian" has "agriculture" built right into it, so it's easy to remember that it refers to societies that live off the land and utilize farming as a main source of food and income.

1. The activity that the subject is doing
   The person/thing affected by the actions of the subject
2. The thoughts of the subject
   The tense of the sentence

There are two important parts of a sentence; the subject and the object. The subject is the hero of the sentence, and the object is at the whim of what the subject is doing at the time.

1. Acumen
   Philanthropy
2. Charm
   Apathy

If you have a high amount of acumen, you are able to make intelligent and informed decisions quickly. People who are shrewd have this quality in bulk and often use it to their advantage.

1. Xenophobia
   Claustrophobia
2. Arachnophobia
   Coulrophobia

If you have a fear of foreigners, you have xenophobia. We call people who exhibit these traits xenophobic, or xenophobes. Xeno is the Greek word for "stranger," and phobia is the Greek word for "fear."

1. Venerable
   Atrophied
2. Vacuous
   Resplendent

If something doesn't have any matter, we refer to it as vacuous. This term is usually used in the scientific community, but it can also be applied to people who are shallow or vain.

1. Frantic and scatterbrained
   Calm and collected
2. Someone who is cool under pressure
   Levelheaded and relaxed

If Alan has a placid demeanor, he is able to stay calm under pressure. People who share this quality tend to do very well and think clearly in situations that are extremely stressful.

1. Chaste
   Ambivalent
2. Churlish
   Sanguine

Churlish is a descriptive phrase for someone who has a sour, or a bad disposition. It's not a very popular word in our lexicon, but it did have its heyday a few decades ago and it's time for a comeback!

1. Pun
   Simile
2. Satire
   Metaphor

Puns, or play on words, are humor devices that rely on double entendre or similar sounding words to make jokes. They are a popular comedic device for different types of performers.

1. Capsule
   Biome
2. Indigenous
   Permafrost

Biomes are combinations of flora and fauna. They are used to differentiate between certain areas of our world. For example, there are arctic, tundra and taiga biomes, just to name a few.

1. Angela is waking up early, she couldn't meet you out at the party.
   Angela can't meet you at the party, Angela has to wake up early.
2. Angela has to wake up early she can't meet you out at the party.
   Angela has to wake up early; she can't meet you out at the party.

When you have two independent clauses that could technically stand on their own, you need to use a semicolon to separate them. Alternately, you could separate them into two sentences.

1. Hegemony
   Equilibrium
2. Malevolence
   Sentience

Hegemonies are groups that have demonstrable power over other groups. It's usually used in the context of how countries relate to each other. Hegemonic countries are "superpowers."

1. Sanguine
   Choleric
2. Astute
   Sordid

Sanguine personalities are those who delight in being optimistic and cheerful. These people always see the glass as being half-full and they exude sunshine wherever they tend to go.

1. Subservience
   Nihilism
2. Cynicism
   Pragmatism

Nihilism is the practice of rejecting institutions and authority and is often associated with the famous philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. It is commonly associated with anarchy, although the two aren't technically the same.

1. Self starters Brian and Bella like to get work done quickly.
   Brian and Bella are self starters who like to get work done quickly.
2. Bella and Brian like to get work done quickly. Self starters.
   Bella and Brian are self-starters who like to get work done quickly.

Terms like "self-starter" require a hyphen. In fact, most terms that start with "self" need a hyphen to be grammatically correct. Similarly, "ex" is almost always followed by a hyphen.

1. Apex
   Theta
2. Parabola
   Momentum

We usually think of parabolas as they relate to graphs, but parabolas can be created simply by tossing a ball in the air and watching it come down in a curve. How do you like that math?

1. Oligarchy
   Despotic
2. Monarchy
   Parliament

An oligarchy is a political system where the government and laws are controlled by a few powerful people, instead of many people, which is how things are supposed to work in a democracy.