a. matchless; not able to be imitated
E.g. We admire Auden for his inimitable use of language; he is one of a kind.
a. wicked or sinful; immoral; unrighteous
E.g. Whether or not King Richard III was responsible for the murder of the two young princes in the Tower, it was an iniquitous deed.
n. absence of, or deviation from, just dealing; want of rectitude or uprightness; gross injustice; unrighteousness; wickedness
E.g. He thought of New York as a den of iniquity.
a. exceeding reasonable limits; excessive; not regulated; disorderly
E.g. She had an inordinate fondness for candy, eating two or three boxes in a single day.
n. entrance of an enemy into a country with purposes of hostility; sudden or desultory incursion or invasion; raid; encroachment
E.g. I learnt so much from him in an inroad I once, despite his reserve, had the daring to make on his confidence.
a. bankrupt; unable to repay one's debts
E.g. Although young Lord Widgeon was insolvent, he had no fear of being thrown into debtors' prison, for he was sure that if his creditors pressed him for payment his wealthy parents would repay what he owed.
a. of isolated people, especially having a narrow viewpoint
E.g. It was a shock for Kendra to go from her small high school, with her insular group of friends, to a huge college with students from all over the country.
n. narrow-mindedness; isolation; state of being isolated or detached
E.g. The insularity of the islanders manifested itself in their suspicion of anything foreign.
v. make an island of; place in a detached situation, or in a state having no communication with surrounding objects; isolate; separate
E.g. It is important to insulate the furnace from any neighboring woodwork with brick and asbestos.
a. incapable of being excelled; unbeatable
E.g. Though the odds against their survival seemed insuperable, the Apollo 13 astronauts reached earth safely.
a. rising in revolt against established authority; rebelling against leadership of political party
E.g. Because the insurgent forces had occupied the capital and had gained control of the railway lines, several of the war correspondents covering the uprising predicted a rebel victory.
a. understandable; clear to the mind
E.g. This reproach of my dependence had become a vague sing-song in my ear: very painful and crushing, but only half intelligible.
a. not temperate or moderate; excessive, especially in use of alcoholic beverages
E.g. In a temper, Tony refused to tone down his intemperate remarks.
n. one who speaks in dialogue or takes part in conversation
E.g. That said, do you find, in your own experience, that insulting your interlocutor is the best way to convince them of your own point of view?
a. mutually destructive; equally devastating to both sides
E.g. Though it looked as though there was a victor, the internecine battle benefited no one.
v. place between; thrust; intrude; be between, either for aid or for troubling
E.g. They interpose themselves between us to stop our fighting.
n. temporary halting of usual operations of government or control; time between two reigns
E.g. The new king began his reign by restoring order that the lawless interregnum had destroyed.
v. cross; meet; meet at a point
E.g. At the 6th traffic light, Rose Street will intersect Limestone Street.
v. stimulate or excite; stupefy or excite by the action of a chemical substance such as alcohol
E.g. Marijuana's emergence as the drug of choice of the '60s had little to do with medicinal and industrial applications and everything to do with its profound power to intoxicate an entire generation.
a. difficult to manage or govern; stubborn; unyielding
E.g. Charlie Brown's friend Pigpen was intractable: he absolutely refused to take a bath.
n. refusal of any compromise; stubbornness
E.g. The negotiating team had not expected such intransigence from the striking workers, who rejected any hint of a compromise.
n. complication; complexity; state or quality of being intricate or entangled; perplexity; involution
E.g. Again and again another layer of intricacy is revealed, proving that something as small as a story can be as satisfying and moving as a Russian novel.
a. relating to essential nature of a thing; inherent; built-in
E.g. Although my grandmother's china has little intrinsic value, I shall always cherish it for the memories it evokes.
v. overwhelm; cover with water, especially floodwaters
E.g. Until the great dam was built, the waters of the Nile used to inundate the river valley like clockwork every year.
a. accustomed; made tough by habitual exposure
E.g. She became inured to the Alaskan cold.
n. abusive language used to express blame or ill will
E.g. He had expected criticism but not the invective that greeted his proposal.
a. opposite; reversed in order, nature, or effect; turned upside down
E.g. There is an inverse ratio between the strength of light and its distance.
v. turn upside down or inside out; reverse the position, order, or condition of
E.g. When he tried to invert his body in a handstand, he felt the blood rush to his head.
n. animal, such as an insect, that lacks backbone or spinal column
E.g. Worms are an example of invertebrate animals.
a. deep-rooted; firmly and long established; habitual
E.g. An inveterate smoker, Bob cannot seem to break the habit, no matter how hard he tries.
a. designed to create ill will or envy
E.g. We disregarded her invidious remarks because we realized how jealous she was.
v. watch diligently; keep watch over examination candidates to prevent cheating
E.g. Last week I had to invigilate another exam at work.
v. give vigor to; give life and energy to; strengthen; animate
E.g. A quick dip in the pool could invigorate Meg, and with renewed energy she got back to work.
a. secure from corruption, attack, or violation; unassailable
E.g. Batman considered his oath to keep the people of Gotham City inviolable: nothing on earth could make him break this promise.
n. prayer for help; calling upon as reference or support
E.g. The service of Morning Prayer opens with an invocation during which we ask God to hear our prayers.
a. irritable; easily angered; excited by or arising from anger
E.g. Miss Minchin's irascible temper intimidated the younger schoolgirls, who feared she'd burst into a rage at any moment.
a. exhibiting or giving out colors like those of rainbow; gleaming or shimmering with rainbow colors
E.g. She admired the iridescent hues of the oil that floated on the surface of the water.
a. causing annoyance, weariness, or vexation; tedious
E.g. He found working on the assembly line irksome because of the monotony of the operation he had to perform.
v. expose to radiation; cast rays of light upon
E.g. It's the fourth U.S. plant built by SureBeam, which uses electron beams and X-rays to irradiate food.
a. incompatible; not able to be resolved
E.g. Because the separated couple were irreconcilable, the marriage counselor recommended a divorce.