TOEFL Vocabulary — Set 78

Set 78 of TOEFL Vocabulary covers 5 words: preposterous, plaintive, coercive, ignominious, meager. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. preposterous · adjective/prɪˈpɑːstərəs/

   contrary to reason or common sense utterly absurd or ridiculous

   The idea that we could solve all of the world's problems in a day is preposterous.

   Synonyms: absurd, ridiculous, implausible

   Origin: from Latin 'praeposterus', meaning 'putting the last first'

2. plaintive · adjective/ˈpleɪn.tɪv/

   sounding sad or mournful

   The dog let out a plaintive howl in the stillness of the night, echoing its loneliness.

   Synonyms: sorrowful, mournful, wistful

   Origin: Middle English plaintif, from Old French plaintif, from the verb plaindre, meaning 'to lament'.

3. coercive · adjective/koʊˈɜːrsɪv/

   characterized by the use of force or threats to persuade someone to do something

   The management adopted a coercive strategy to ensure that employees met their performance targets, leaving little room for negotiation.

   Synonyms: compulsive, forceful, intimidating

   Origin: from Latin 'coercere', meaning 'to confine, restrain, or control'

4. ignominious · adjective/ˌɪɡnəˈmɪniəs/

   deserving or causing public disgrace or shame

   The politician faced ignominious defeat in the election, which left his reputation in tatters.

   Synonyms: disgraceful, shameful, humiliating

   Origin: from Latin 'ignominiosus', from 'ignominia', meaning 'disgrace, shame'

5. meager · adjective/ˈmiɡər/

   lacking in quantity or quality

   Despite his efforts, the meager resources available for the project meant that little progress could be made.

   Synonyms: scant, sparse, inadequate

   Origin: from Middle English 'megger', from Old French 'megre', from Latin 'macrus' meaning 'lean' or 'thin'