Tawdry (adjective) - of little value The merchant did not lie about the tawdry jewelry. He knew it was made from plastic and fake stones. My wife did not want the tawdry chair in our living room.

Abstain (verb) - to go without or withdraw During the fasting month, people abstain from food from sunrise to sunset. I cannot vote on this matter. I must abstain.

Reprieve (noun) - a short period of rest or postponement of a sentence Since a reprieve was granted at the last moment, the man was not executed. I have been working long hours. I need a reprieve from

Plausible (adjective) - can be believed or reasonable Although unlikely, the man's explanation is plausible. I am filtering through all of the plausible causes to determine what really happened.

Laceration (noun) - a cut The doctor covered the man's laceration with a bandage. People are more likely to die from infection than the actual laceration.

Ensconce (verb) - establish firmly in a position After her reelection, the politician was ensconced as the opposition party leader. The business man plans to ensconce his son as the newest vice president

Blatant (adjective) - obvious His blatant disregard for traffic laws caused the accident. The blatant lie caused more distrust between the members of the family.

Absolution (noun) - forgiveness, pardon, or release The people of the kingdom protested when the King offered absolution to the criminal. Absolution may remove the punishment, but it does not guarantee

Tardy (adjective) - slow or late Due to party last night, the college student was tardy to his final exam. I will not accept you being tardy, unless you can explain why you showed up late.

Reprehensible (adjective) - shameful or very bad The entire family refused to forgive the uncle for his reprehensible acts. In many places around the word, a person's reprehensible acts create shame for

Plaudit (noun) - statement giving strong praise The President received one plaudit after another. She is greatly loved by her people. The man felt uncomfortable when he received the plaudit from his commander.

Tangible (adjective) - can be touched Although many people prefer storing their photos on their computer, there are people who still prefer tangible prints. Some people prefer quality time with their family.

Words are not just meant to be read. Check out this video practice listening, speaking, and comprehension!

Enigma (noun) - a puzzle or mystery The missing gold is still the greatest enigma of the small California town. Even though the actor was famous, his life is still an enigma. Not much is know about him.

Plaintiff (noun) - petitioner (in court of law) The plaintiff asked for a divorce because she believed her husband was unfaithful. The plaintiff's lawyer asked that his client be awarded one million dollars.

Blasphemy (noun) - speech which offends religious sentiments The man was accused of blasphemy for speaking against the well-known prophet. Many people struggle with doubt, but that does not mean that they

Abrogate (verb) - to deny or cancel The parents abrogated their rights to the child when they placed him for adoption. The business man did not abrogate his employees' benefits during the pandemic.

Our New Year's Eve Words of the Week Video is ready!

Grandstand (noun) - the main seating area for spectators New York City had to modify their grandstands due to the pandemic. The stadium's new VIP box is considered a premier grandstand.

We have new words each week. Last week was Christmas word. This week is New Year's! In case you missed it, check out this Words of the Week video for our Christmas-themed words!