colossal, captivity, mediocre, sanity, coerce: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Advanced Plus set 7. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. colossal · adjective/kəˈlɑː.səl/

   extremely large or great in size, extent, or degree

   The colossal building stood tall in the city, making it easy to see from far away.

   Synonyms: huge, enormous, gigantic

   Origin: from Latin 'colossalis', from 'colossus' meaning 'giant'

2. captivity · noun/kæpˈtɪv.ɪ.ti/

   the state of being kept imprisoned or confined

   The animals in captivity often do not behave like those in the wild.

   Synonyms: imprisonment, confinement, detention

   Origin: from Latin 'captivitas', from 'captivus', meaning 'taken prisoner'

3. mediocre · adjective/ˌmiː.diˈoʊ.kɚ/

   of only average quality; not very good

   The movie was mediocre, and the acting was not very good.

   Synonyms: average, middling, ordinary

   Origin: from Latin 'mediocris' meaning 'ordinary, moderate'

4. sanity · noun/sæn.ə.ti/

   the state of having a healthy and rational mind

   He questioned his sanity after thinking about the strange dream.

   Synonyms: soundness, rationality, reason

   Origin: from Latin 'sanitas', meaning health

5. coerce · verb/koʊˈɜrs/

   to compel or force someone to act or think in a certain way

   The manager was accused of trying to coerce employees into working unpaid overtime.

   Synonyms: force, compel, pressure

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