Review this list of words and context sentences to find the word that matches the definition below.
Wise; sensible
affinity (ə-fĭnĭ-tē) -noun
- Tea is the preferred hot drink in many parts of the world, but Americans have more of an affinity for coffee.
- My cat has an affinity for small, dark hiding places—I’ve often found her asleep in my dresser drawer, under the footstool, and inside my suitcase.
fledgling (flĕjlĭng) -noun- The short-story class is full of fledgling writers. They’re all enthusiastic, but since they’re beginners, they’re shy about sharing their work.
- Myra and her sisters are excited about their fledgling catering service, which was booked for three parties during its first week of business.
hackneyed (hăknēd) -adjective
- The hackneyed phrase “Have a nice day!” is heard so often that it has become almost meaningless.
- The worst part of our family reunions is hearing my uncle’s hackneyed jokes—the ones he’s been telling for at least ten years.
incessant (ĭn-sĕsənt) -adjective- Mrs. Soto finally insisted that her husband see a doctor about his incessant snoring. It didn’t bother him, but she wasn’t getting any sleep.
- The children nearly drove their parents crazy on the long car trip with their incessant questions: “Are we there yet?” “Is it much further?” “When can we get out of the car?”
opulence (ŏpyə-ləns) -noun- The opulence of the magnificent, luxurious resort was in stark contrast to the poverty of the little fishing village at its gates.
- The writer Thoreau had no liking for opulence. He wrote in his journal, “That man is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.”
proximity (prŏk-sĭmĭ-tē) -noun
- The proximity of the railroad tracks worries neighborhood parents when their children play outside.
- My brother doesn’t drive a car, so when he was apartment hunting, he had to consider the proximity of public transportation.
sagacious (sə-gāshəs) -adjective- The Bible tells the story of King Solomon, who was so sagacious that he knew what to do when two women came to him, both claiming to be the mother of the same child.
- Often when you are faced with a difficult situation, the most sagacious response is to do nothing right away, but wait to see what happens.
supplant (sə-plănt) -verb
- Increasingly, robots are able to perform skilled tasks. It is estimated that by 2030, robots will supplant a third of all US workers.
- An idealistic young revolutionary overthrew the dictator and set up a democratic government. But he too was soon supplanted when a military strongman seized power.
unassailable (ŭn′ə-sālə-bəl) -adjective- The Bradleys’ claim that their house is the oldest in town is unassailable. They have a deed dated 1804, and a copy was filed in the county courthouse that same year.
- “My opponent may try to attack me,” said the candidate, “but my record is unassailable. On every issue, I’ve voted for the benefit of this city."
voluminous (və-lmə-nəs) -adjective
- Denise chose a wedding dress in a “Cinderella” style, with a long, voluminous skirt. Now she’s worried she’ll trip over all those yards of material.
- Boeing's airplane factory building is so voluminous that it houses a fire department, restaurants, and childcare facilities for 30,000 workers—and has been known to produce indoor rain clouds!
