Abstinent (adj): abstaining; voluntarily not doing something, especially something pleasant that is bad for you or had a bad reputation 

Abstract (adj): theoretical; impersonal

He does not like abstract art;

Abstruse (adj): hard to understand

The professor’s article, on the meaning of meaning, was abstruse. Michael could not even pronounce the words in it.


Abysmal (adj): extremely hopeless or wretched; bottomless.

An abyss is a bottomless pit, or something so deep that it seems bottomless.

Accolade ( n): an award; an honor

This word is generally used in the plural.

Accost (n): to approach and speak to someone aggressively

The stranger who accosted her in the street and was embarrassed to find he was an old, blind man.

Acerbic (v):  sour; severe; like acid in temper, mood or tone.


Acquiesce (v) to comply passively; to accept; to assent; to agree

The pirates asked Pete to walk the plank; he took and look at their swords and then acquiesce.

Acrid (adj): (harshly pungent; bitter)

The cheese we had at the party had an acrid taste.

Acrimonious (adj): full of spite: bitter; nasty

Relations between the competing candidates were so acrimonious that each refused to acknowledge the presence of the other.

Acumen (n): keenness of judgment; mental sharpness

A woman who knows how to turn one dollar into a million overnight might be said to have a lot of business acumen, but it is not business acumen she is running prostitute house.