bewildered, prevalence, pep talk, pledge, entail: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Advanced Plus set 19. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. bewildered · adjective/bɪˈwɪldərd/

   confused and puzzled by something unexpected

   She felt bewildered by the sudden change in plans.

   Synonyms: confused, puzzled, baffled

   Origin: The word 'bewildered' originates from the combination of 'be-' (a prefix) and 'wilder', which means to lead astray or confuse.

2. prevalence · noun/ˈprɛvələns/

   the commonness or widespread occurrence of a particular characteristic or condition within a population

   The prevalence of obesity in children is increasing every year.

   Synonyms: frequency, commonness, ubiquity

   Origin: Late Middle English, from Latin 'praevalentia', from 'praevalere' meaning 'to be stronger or more powerful'

3. pep talk · noun/ˈmoʊ.tɪ.veɪ.ʃənl spiːch/

   a short, motivational speech intended to encourage and inspire someone

   Before the big game, the coach gave a pep talk to motivate the team.

   Synonyms: motivational speech

   Origin: The term 'pep talk' comes from the word 'pep', meaning energy or enthusiasm, which originally derived from the word 'pepper'.

4. pledge · noun/plɛdʒ/

   a solemn promise or commitment to do something

   He made a pledge to help his community every Saturday.

   Synonyms: promise, vow, commitment

   Origin: from Middle English pledgen, from Old French plede, of Germanic origin

5. entail · verb/ɪnˈteɪl/

   to involve or require as a necessary part or consequence

   Getting a driver's license will entail passing a test to show you can drive safely.

   Synonyms: involve, require, necessitate

   Origin: The word 'entail' comes from the Latin 'intailare,' meaning to 'fasten' or 'to restrict.'