veracious, cognizant, rampant, perfunctory, hackneyed: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Word Master set 10. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. veracious · adjective/vəˈreɪ.ʃəs/

   truthful and accurate

   The veracious report from the scientist helped everyone understand the new findings.

   Synonyms: truthful, honest, accurate

   Origin: from Latin 'verax', meaning 'truthful'

2. cognizant · adjective/ˈkɑɡ.nɪ.zənt/

   having knowledge or awareness of something

   She was cognizant of the rules before starting the game.

   Synonyms: aware, conscious, informed

   Origin: From Latin 'cognizans', present participle of 'cognoscere' meaning 'to know'.

3. rampant · adjective/ˈræmpənt/

   growing or spreading unchecked

   The weeds in the garden are growing rampant this summer.

   Synonyms: uncontrolled, widespread, prevalent

   Origin: Middle English 'rampant,' from Old French 'rampe' meaning 'to ramp' or 'to rear up'

4. perfunctory · adjective/pərˈfʌŋk.təˌri/

   performed merely as a routine duty without interest or enthusiasm

   The teacher gave a perfunctory smile to the students as they entered the classroom.

   Synonyms: cursory, superficial, routine

   Origin: early 18th century from Latin 'perfuctorius' meaning 'done with, performed'

5. hackneyed · adjective/ˈhæknid/

   lacking originality or freshness because of overuse

   The movie was full of hackneyed phrases that made it hard to enjoy.

   Synonyms: trite, cliché, stale

   Origin: The word 'hackneyed' originates from the term 'Hackney', which refers to a horse used for ordinary riding or a horse-drawn carriage. Over time, 'hackneyed' came to mean something that is worn out or made commonplace through excessive use.