Barron’s V word list

vacillate
waver (in opinion); fluctuate; sway to and fro; N. vacillation

He always vacillates from making decisions

vacuous
empty; lacking in ideas; inane; stupid;

She made a vacuous expression

vagabond
wanderer (without a permanent home); tramp

He lived the life of a vagabond

vagary
capricious happening; caprice; whim; CF. wander

The vagaries of their life are hard to define

vagrant
wandering from place to place; roving; stray; moving in a random fashion

It’s hard to control these vagrant thoughts

vainglorious
boastful; excessively conceited; N. vainglory: great vanity

His speech was vainglorious

valedictory
pertaining to farewell; N: farewell address (esp. at graduation exercises)

She could not attend the valedictory function

valid
logically convincing; sound; legally acceptable; effective

That is not valid reasoning

validate
make valid; confirm; ratify

The argument was validated

valor
bravery; ADJ. valiant: possessing valor; brave

They demonstrated unusual valor

vampire
ghostly being that sucks the blood of the living

A vampire haunts the [palace

vanguard
forerunners; foremost position of an army; advance forces; foremost position in a trend or movement; CF. rearguard

The most efficient were made the vanguards

vantage
position giving an advantage (such as a strategic point); CF. vantage point

She shot from the vantage point

vapid
lacking liveliness; dull and unimaginative; insipid and flavorless

She made a vapid lecture

vaporize
turn into vapor (steam, gas, fog, etc.)

The chemical vaporizes in no time

variegated
(esp. of a flower or leaf) many-colored

A variegated leaf

vassal
in feudalism, one who held land of a superior lord; subordinate or dependent

A vassal to the duke

vaunted
boasted; bragged; highly publicized; V. vaunt: boast; brag

That was a vaunted issue

veer
change in direction; swerve

The vehicle veered to the left

vegetate
live in a monotonous way (without interests or activity); CF. vegetation: plants of an area; CF. vegetarian; CF. vegan

They vegetated in the fort years together

vehement
forceful; intensely emotional; with marked vigor; strong; N. vehemence

She made a vehement speech

velocity
speed

The automobile has far greater velocity than expected

venal
capable of being bribed; corrupt; CF. vernal

He has a venal attitude

vendetta
blood feud (esp. between two families); CF. Nina Williams

She sought a vendetta

vendor
seller

She bargained with the vendor

veneer
thin surface layer (of good quality wood, glued to a base of inferior material); cover; surface show

His veneer of honesty is a deceptive one

venerable
deserving high respect; commanding respect; CF. command: deserve and get

She is a venerable writer

venial
(of a fault or sin) forgivable; trivial

That’s a venial mistake

venison
meat of a deer; CF. cow: beef; CF. pig: pork, ham, bacon; CF. calf: veal; CF. sheep: mutton; CF. lamb: lamb

They served venison to the royal guests

venom
poison (of an animal); hatred

Her remarks were full of venom

vent
small opening; outlet (as of fumes or a gas)

He gave vent to his anger by kicking the chair.

vent
release or discharge through a vent; express (esp. unfairly); utter

He vented his wrath on his family.

ventilate
admit fresh air into to replace stale air

The room was ventilated

ventral
abdominal

The dissection displays the ventral view

ventriloquist
someone who can make his or her voice seem to come from another person or thing (without moving lips or jaws); N. ventriloquism, ventriloquy

He specializes in ventriloquism

venture
risk; expose to risk; dare; undertake a risk; N

He did not want to be part of the venture

venue
location; place (of a crime, trial, gathering, etc.); CF. come

The venue was easy to locate

veracious
(of a person) truthful

A veracious judgment

veracity
truthfulness; adherence to the truth

The king’s known for his veracity

verbalize
put into words; ADJ. verbal: of words; spoken rather than written; oral; of a verb

The plan was verbalized

verbatim
word for word; in the same words; repeating the actual words exactly

She reproduced verbatim

verbiage
pompous array of words; too many unnecessary words; wordiness

The novel has nothing but some unnecessary verbiage

verbose
wordy; N. verbosity

His speeches are usually verbose

verdant
green; covered with green plants or grass; lush in vegetation;

They walked through the verdant meadows

verdigris
green coating or patina on copper which has been exposed to the weather

The verdigris on copper has to be removed

verge
border; edge, rim, or margin; Ex. on the verge of: very near to; V: border on

The species is on the verge of extinction

verisimilar
having the appearance of truth or reality; probable or likely to be true; plausible

Verisimilar statements

verisimilitude
appearance of truth; quality of appearing to be true or real; likelihood

Verisimilitude of her performance as Lady Macbeth

veritable
being truly so; real or genuine; actual; not false or imaginary

A veritable premise

verity
quality of being true; lasting truth or principle

The verity of his testimony was undisputable

vernacular
living language (as compared to the official language); language spoken in a country or region; natural style; Ex. lapse into the vernacular

It was hard to understand their vernacular

vernal
pertaining to spring

The beauty of vernal woods as depicted by the romantic poets

versatile
having many talents; capable of working in many fields; having many uses or functions; N. versatility

She is a versatile genius

vertex
summit; highest point; PL. vertices

She reached the vertex of performance

vertigo
severe dizziness; giddiness

She suffers from vertigo

verve
enthusiasm (as in artistic performance or composition); liveliness; vigor

The verve of her performance was remarkable

vestige
trace; remains

Vestiges of some ancient religion

veto
vested power to reject a bill; exercise of this right; V: prevent or forbid by exercising the power of veto

The legislature has the veto

vex
annoy; distress

The child vexed his parents

viable
capable of maintaining life; feasible; practical or workable

It was apparently a viable scheme

viand
food; CF. live

They offered viands and victuals to the deity

vicarious
experienced as if one were taking part in the experience of another; done by a deputy for other people; acting as a substitute

She experiences vicarious thrill at the movies

vicar
parish priest; representative

He is the vicar of the county

vicissitude
change (esp. from good to bad); change of fortune; CF. the last emperor of China

vie
contend; compete

They vied for the position

vigilant
watchful; on the alert; watchfully awake; alert to spot danger; N. vigilance

She has a vigilant eye over her children

vigilante
one who without authority assumes law enforcement powers

The hero in the novel is a vigilante

vigor
active strength; energy; enthusiasm; ADJ. vigorous

His performance had vigor

vignette
small drawing placed at the beginning or end of a chapter; picture; short literary sketch; short written description of a character or scene

The book has many vignettes

vilify
slander; speak evil of; N. vilification

It was hard to bear the vilification of the enraged public

vindicate
clear from blame; free from blame or accusation (with supporting proof); exonerate; substantiate; justify or support; avenge; Ex. vindicate one’s client

Vindicate one’s claim

vindictive
disposed to revenge; vengeful; out for revenge; spiteful; intended to cause harm; malicious

She has a vindictive streak

vintner
wine merchant; winemaker; seller of wine

They bought the wine from the vintner

viper
poisonous snake

A viper is a poisonous snake

virile
manly; having masculine spirit or strength; full of strength

She has a virile energy

virtual
in essence; existing in essence though not in actual form; for practical purposes; She is a virtual celebrity

virtue
goodness; moral excellence; good quality; advantage; Ex. by virtue of;

Make a virtue of necessity

virtuoso
highly skilled artist (esp. in music)

She is a piano virtuoso

virulent
(of a disease or poison) extremely harmful or poisonous; (of a feeling) hostile; bitter; N. virulence; CF. virus; CF. venom

They extracted the virulent form of the bacterium

virus
disease communicator

Virus is a deadly parasite

visage
face; appearance

She has a gorgeous visage

visceral
felt in one’s inner organs; N. viscera: internal body organs; CF. eviscerate

She has a visceral hatred for him

viscid
adhesive; gluey

A viscid liquid

vise
vice; tool for holding work in place; clamping device

A vise is a clamping device

visionary
produced by imagination; fanciful; mystical; showing foresight; N: one having foresight; one given to speculative impractical ideas

He was a visionary

vital
full of life; animated; vibrant and lively; critical; of great importance; necessary to stay alive; of life; living; breathing; N. vitality; V. vitalize

Protein is one of the vital body building substances

vibrant
full of vigor or energy; vibrating

He has a vibrant personality

vitiate
spoil the effect of; make inoperative; corrupt morally

A vitiated bureaucracy

vitreous
of glass; pertaining to or resembling glass; V. vitrify: change into glass; CF. petrify

A vitreous substance

vitriolic
causing sharp pain to the mind; caustic; corrosive; sarcastic; of vitriol; N. vitriol: sulphuric acid (which burns flesh deeply); bitterly abusive expression; caustic expression; CF. glass

A vitriolic expression

vituperative
abusive; scolding; V. vituperate: berate; scold; rail against abusively

He used against her a vituperative language

vivacious
lively or animated; sprightly

A vivacious young lady

vivisection
act of dissecting living animals

The vivisection of frog

vixen
female fox; ill-tempered woman; CF. shrew

An obnoxious vixen

vociferous
clamorous; noisy; V. vociferate: cry out loudly (when complaining)

His vociferous tone caught my attention

vogue
popular fashion