Adjective
Obsequious
IPA /əbˈsiːkwɪəs/
Excessively eager to please or obey; overly submissive and flattering.
See example sentence: Obsequious
The obsequious waiter laughed at every joke the wealthy man told.
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Adjective
Inexorable
IPA /ɪnˈɛksərəbl/
Impossible to stop, prevent, or persuade; relentless.
See example sentence: Inexorable
Time marches forward with an inexorable force, indifferent to human desires.
Adjective
Inscrutable
IPA /ɪnˈskruːtəbl/
Difficult to understand or interpret, especially because someone’s expression, motives or intentions reveal little. An inscrutable face gives you few clues about what the person is thinking; it does not necessarily mean that the person is dishonest.
See example sentence: Inscrutable
Her inscrutable expression gave us no clue whether she liked the surprise.
Adjective
Contumacious
IPA /ˌkɒntjuˈmeɪʃəs/
Stubbornly or willfully disobedient to authority.
See example sentence: Contumacious
The contumacious witness refused to answer the judge’s questions.
Adjective
Truculent
IPA /ˈtrʌkjʊlənt/
Aggressively defiant; eager to fight or argue.
See example sentence: Truculent
The truculent teenager challenged every rule set by his parents.
Noun
Obfuscation
IPA /ˌɒbfʌsˈkeɪʃən/
The act of making something unclear or difficult to understand, often deliberately.
See example sentence: Obfuscation
The company’s financial report was full of jargon and obfuscation.
Noun
Avarice
IPA /ˈævərɪs/
Extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
See example sentence: Avarice
The tycoon’s avarice drove him to exploit his workers for greater profit.
Adjective
Pugnacious
IPA /pʌɡˈneɪʃəs/
Eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight.
See example sentence: Pugnacious
His pugnacious attitude often got him into unnecessary trouble.
Noun
Candor
IPA /ˈkændə/
The quality of being open, honest, and straightforward in expression.
See example sentence: Candor
She spoke with refreshing candor about the challenges she faced.
Noun
Inefficiency
IPA /ˌɪnɪˈfɪʃənsi/
A failure to use time, effort or resources effectively, so that work takes longer or costs more than it should.
See example sentence: Inefficiency
The report highlighted serious inefficiency in the company’s supply chain.
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