Intermediate Vocabulary Words

A person appointed to act on behalf of another; an assistant with official authority. Often used in ...

Neglected or abandoned, especially property. It can also describe someone who fails in their duties.

To ridicule or mock someone or something with contempt.

Something that is based on or derived from another source. Often used in language, art, or finance.

To obtain or develop something from a source. It can also mean to trace the origin of something.

The process of removing salt from seawater to make it drinkable or usable for irrigation.

To move downward, either physically or in rank, condition, or lineage.

A person, plant, or animal descended from a particular ancestor.

The origin or background of a person in terms of family or nationality.

To catch sight of something, especially something distant or obscure.

To violate the sacredness of a place or thing; to profane.

A barren, dry region with little vegetation, or to abandon someone or something.

Empty of people or abandoned; forsaken.

To be worthy of something, typically a reward or punishment.

To remove moisture from something; to dry out thoroughly.

To officially assign or appoint someone to a role, or to indicate something for a purpose.

Worth having or wanting; attractive.

A strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.

To stop doing something; cease.

Lonely and unhappy because of being alone; bleak and empty.

Feeling or showing a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to overcome.

In a manner showing despair or urgency; extremely.

To feel intense dislike or contempt for someone or something.

To plunder or lay waste to a place; to spoil or destroy.

A person or thing that spoils, plunders, or lays waste to something.

A sweet course typically eaten at the end of a meal.

The place to which someone or something is going.

To be intended for a particular purpose or fate.

The events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future.

Extremely poor; lacking basic resources.

The act or process of destroying or being destroyed.

Causing great damage or harm.

Lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm; wandering.

To separate or disconnect something from something else.

To keep someone from proceeding; to hold in custody.

To discover or identify the presence of something.

Capable of being detected or noticed.

A police officer or private individual trained to investigate and solve crimes.

To discourage or prevent someone from doing something by making them fear the consequences.

A cleaning substance, typically one that breaks down oils and grease, used for washing clothes or di...

To become progressively worse in quality or condition.

Firmness of purpose; the quality of being resolved to do or achieve something.

To establish or ascertain something exactly, typically through reasoning or calculation.

A thing that discourages or prevents an action through fear of its consequences.

To dislike intensely; to feel extreme repugnance toward.

Harm or damage that negatively affects something or someone.

Tending to cause harm or damage; injurious.

To destroy or ruin something severely; to shock or deeply sadden someone.

Highly destructive or emotionally overwhelming.

Widespread destruction or ruin; intense emotional sorrow.

To depart from an established course or accepted standard.

A thing made or adapted for a particular purpose, especially a technological tool or instrument.

Showing cunning or skillful planning, often in a deceitful way.

To plan or invent something using skill and cleverness.

Completely lacks or is without something that is necessary or usual.

To give up one's time, energy, or resources to a particular cause or activity.

Loyalty, love, or enthusiasm for someone or something.

To eat something hungrily or quickly; also used figuratively to describe intense absorption.

Having or showing deep religious feeling or commitment.

Skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands; mental quickness.