Word Master — Set 70

Set 70 of Word Master covers 5 words: resonant, tawdry, pompous, acrid, credulous. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. resonant · adjective/ˈrɛzənənt/

   having the ability to evoke strong feelings or memories

   The old song was very resonant for me because it reminded me of my childhood.

   Synonyms: evocative, meaningful, stirring

   Origin: from Latin 'resonare', meaning 'to resound or echo'

2. tawdry · adjective/ˈtɔːdri/

   showy but cheap and of poor quality

   She wore a tawdry dress that looked cheap and fake.

   Synonyms: gaudy, flashy, showy

   Origin: The word 'tawdry' originates from 'God's Awful', a corruption of 'St. Audrey's lace', which was considered cheap and showy.

3. pompous · adjective/ˈpɑːm.pəs/

   having excessive self-importance or arrogance

   The teacher's pompous attitude made the students feel uncomfortable in class.

   Synonyms: arrogant, conceited, self-important

   Origin: from Latin 'pomposus', meaning 'full of pomp, ostentatious'

4. acrid · adjective/ækrɪd/

   having an irritatingly strong and unpleasant taste or smell

   The acrid smoke from the fire made it hard to breathe.

   Synonyms: sharp, pungent, bitter

   Origin: from Latin 'acridus' meaning 'sharp or sour'.

5. credulous · adjective/ˈkrɛdʒ.əl.əs/

   having a tendency to believe too readily

   The credulous buyer believed every story the salesman told him about the product.

   Synonyms: gullible, naïve

   Origin: from Latin 'credulus', meaning 'believing, trusting'