Help us build the new Word Dynamo app! Take this quick survey now.

Picture of Dorian Gray [2]

Word List with 149 words
By Dictionary.com

Play

Words in This List

prolepsis

the anticipation of possible objections in order to answer them in advance

antiphrasis

the use of a word in a sense opposite to its proper meaning

syncrisis

the comparison of opposites

trial

the examination before a judicial tribunal of the facts put in issue in a cause, often including issues of law as well as those of fact

paradox

a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth

See all words ‣

refute

to prove to be false or erroneous, as an opinion or charge

mundane

pertaining to this world or earth as contrasted with heaven; earthly, common, ordinary, banal or unimaginative

advocate

to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly

extant

still existing, not destroyed or lost

equivocate

to use ambiguous or unclear expressions, usually to avoid commitment or in order to mislead

imperturbable

incapable of being upset or agitated; not easily excited, calm

qualify

to modify or limit in some way; make less strong or positive

irony

the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning; an outcome of events contrary to what was expected

ambiguous

having several possible meanings or interpretations; difficult to distinguish or classify

ensure

to secure or guarantee; to make certain

eccentric

a person who has an unusual, peculiar, or odd personality, set of beliefs, or behavior pattern

subsequent

occurring or coming later or after; following in order or succession

intrinsic

belonging to a thing by its very nature

connotation

the set of attributes constituting the meaning of a term, determining the range of objects to which that term may be applied

principle

a fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived

principal

first or highest in rank, importance, value

aggregate

to combine and form a collection of something

viable

capable of becoming actual, useful; practicable

premise

to set forth beforehand, as by way of introduction or explanation; to assume, either explicitly or implicitly, as a premise for a conclusion

prominent

standing out so as to be seen easily; conspicuous; particularly noticeable

contingent

dependent on something conditional that may or may not happen

anomaly

a deviation from the common rule or arrangement; an odd condition

indigenous

originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country

impetus

a moving force, impulse or stimulus

implication

something implied or suggested as naturally to be inferred or understood

eschew

to abstain or keep away from; shun or avoid

necessary

something requisite such that a denial of it involves a self-contradiction

preclude

to prevent the presence, existence, or occurrence of; to make impossible

contrary

in opposition, counter

sustain

to support, hold, or bear up from below

phenomenon

a fact, occurrence, or circumstance observed; something that is impressive or extraordinary

hypothetical

assumed by hypothesis; when unproven factors are assumed to exist

fallacy

a deceptive, misleading, or false notion, belief, or an unsound argument

contingency

dependence on chance or on the fulfillment of a condition

inference

the process of deriving conclusions or facts by reasoning

coherent

logically connected and consistent

analytic

skilled in determining the elements or essential features and critically examine an element or argument

sedentary

accustomed to sitting a great deal and to take little exercise

conform

to act in accordance to rules

entail

involve by necessity or as a consequence

circumvent

to avoid defeat by artfulness or deception, or to avoid by anticipating or outwitting

contention

a point made in an argument

cryptic

mysterious in meaning, abrupt, terse or short

correlation

mutual relation of two or more things

proposition

the act of offering or suggesting something to be considered, accepted or adopted; an offer of terms for a transaction, as in business

emphasis

special stress laid upon, or importance attached to, anything; the intensity or force of expression or action

assertion

a positive statement or declaration, often without support or reason

sufficient

adequate for the purpose; enough

compel

to drive to a course of action or to force to submit

ample

more than adequate for the purpose or needs; plentiful

oblige

to require or constrain, as by law, command, conscience, or force of necessity

impediment

obstruction, hindrance or obstacle

prevaricate

to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression

temporal

pertaining to time

undermine

to injure or destroy by insidious activity or imperceptible stages, sometimes tending toward a sudden dramatic effect

impose

to be put upon by an authority, such as a penalty

crucial

involving an extremely important decision or result; critical

claim

a demand for something, an assertion of a right or an assertion of something as a fact

endorse

to approve, support, or sustain

subsidiary

serving to assist or supplement; auxiliary or supplementary

unequivocal

not equivocal; unambiguous; clear; having only one possible meaning or interpretation

liability

debts or pecuniary obligations as opposed to assets; something disadvantageous

constitute

to establish or give legal form

converse

something opposite or contrary; a proposition obtained from another proposition by conversion

alternative

a choice limited to one of two or more possibilities, the selection of which precludes any other possibility

derive

to come from a source or origin; originate

justify

to show to be right; to defend or uphold as warranted or well-grounded

particular

an individual or distinct part, as an item of a list or enumeration; a specific point, detail or circumstance

incoherent

without logical or meaningful connection

rebuttal

an act of refuting or responding to an argument, as in a debate

pundit

a learned person, expert, or authority who makes comments or judgments in an authoritative manner

posit

to lay down or assume as a fact or principle; postulate

verify

to prove the truth of, as by evidence or testimony; confirm

induction

a conclusion drawn from asserted or established propositions on the basis of observations on a number of particular facts

proportion

comparative relation between things or magnitudes as to size, quantity or number; ratio

solely

exclusively or only

valid

sound, just, well-founded; effective and authoritative

intention

an instance of determining upon some action or result; purpose or attitude toward the effect of one's actions or conduct

accumulate

to gather or collect, often in gradual degrees; heap up

aggravate

to make more severe or intensify; to annoy or irritate

skeptic

a person who questions the validity or authenticity of something purporting to be factual

afford

to be able to do, manage, or bear without serious consequence or adverse effect

inflation

a persistent, substantial rise in the general level of prices related to an increase in the volume of money, resulting in a loss of value

synthetic

involving the combining of the constituent elements of separate material or abstract entities into a single, unified entity

betray

expose to an enemy by treachery; to disappoint the hopes or expectations of

condition

a stipulation in an agreement transferring property that provides for a change consequent on the occurrence of an event

placebo

a substance having no pharmacological effect but given merely to satisfy a patient who supposes it to be a medicine

indicate

evidence; to point out or point to

deduction

something that is or may be concluded by deriving from something known or inferred

correspond

to be in agreement or conformity; to be similar or analogous, equivalent in function, position or amount

advance

to move forward, suggest or propose; to improve or to promote

opposition

the action of resisting, or combating; a person or group of people opposing, criticizing, or protesting something

property

the possession or possessions of a particular owner including goods and land

improbable

not probable; unlikely to be true or to happen

jurisprudence

the science or philosophy of law, a body or system of laws

hearsay

unverified, unofficial information gained or acquired from another and not part of one's direct knowledge

inconsistent

lacking in harmony between the different parts or elements; self-contradictory or lacking agreement

generalization

asserting that something is true of all members of a certain class or of an indefinite part of that class, leaving distinctions within the class aside

presuppose

to suppose or assume beforehand; to require or imply as an antecedent condition

predispose

to give an inclination or tendency to beforehand; make susceptible

incompatible

not compatible; unable to exist together in harmony

consequent

following as an effect or result; following as a logical conclusion

categorical

without exceptions or conditions; absolute; unqualified and unconditional

circular

reasoning in which the conclusion is ostensibly proved, but in actuality it has been assumed as a premise

aporia

the expression of a simulated or real doubt, as about where to begin or what to do or say

superordinate

of higher degree in condition or rank; related to a particular proposition of the same quality and containing the same terms in the same order

concinnity

a close harmony of tone and logic among the elements of a discourse

vicious circle

the use of each of two terms to define the other, neither fully able to be sustained without the other

obversion

an act or instance of obverting, or turning something around

biconditional

a proposition asserting that the existence or occurrence of one thing is dependent on the existence of another, as ?A if and only if B?

decidable

having the property that its consistency or inconsistency with the axioms of a given logical system is determinable

law of contradiction

the law that a proposition cannot be both true and false or that a thing cannot both have and not have a given property

antilogism

a group of three inconsistent propositions, two of which are premises of a syllogism that contradict the third

antecedent

a preceding circumstance or event; the history, events and characteristics of one's earlier life

oligarchy

a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique; government by the few.

profound

penetrating or entering deeply into subjects of thought or knowledge; having deep insight or understanding

prohibitive

sufficing to prevent the use, purchase, etc., of something

provident

having or showing foresight; providing carefully for the future.

puissant

powerful; mighty; potent.

punctilious

extremely attentive to punctilios strict or exact in the observance of the formalities or amenities of conduct or actions.

purport

to present, especially deliberately, the appearance of being; profess or claim, often falsely

pusillanimous

lacking courage or resolution; cowardly; faint-hearted; timid.

quagmire

a situation from which extrication is very difficult

quail

to lose heart or courage in difficulty or danger; shrink with fear.

qualm

a sudden feeling of apprehensive uneasiness; misgiving

query

to ask questions of.

quorum

the number of members of a group or organization required to be present to transact business legally, usually a majority.

raconteur

a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly.

rail

to utter bitter complaint or vehement denunciation (often followed by or )

raiment

clothing; apparel; attire.

ramification

a related or derived subject, problem, etc.; outgrowth; consequence; implication

rationale

the fundamental reason or reasons serving to account for something.

rebus

a representation of a word or phrase by pictures, symbols, etc., that suggest that word or phrase or its syllables

recluse

a person who lives in seclusion or apart from society, often for religious meditation.

redoubtable

that is to be feared; formidable.

refulgent

shining brightly; radiant; gleaming

regale

to entertain lavishly or agreeably; delight.

remonstrate

to say or plead in protest, objection, or disapproval.

renege

to go back on one's word

reparation

compensation in money, material, labor, etc., payable by a defeated country to another country or to an individual for loss suffered during or as a result of war.

repine

to be fretfully discontented; fret; complain.

resolve

firmness of purpose or intent; determination.

riposte

a quick, sharp return in speech or action; counterstroke

debonair

courteous, gracious, and having a sophisticated charm