paramount [ ˈper.ə.maʊnt ] Everybody agrees that education is the paramount issue.

patrician [ pəˈtrɪʃ.^ən ] He was born into a patrician family with a long history of political influence

prestidigitation [ ˌpres.tɪ.dɪdʒ.ɪˈteɪ.ʃ^ən ]

rancor [ ˈræŋ.kə^r ] He spoke with rancor about the betrayal, unable to hide his anger and bitterness.

refute [ rɪˈfjuːt ] The scientist refuted the claim that the experiment had been tampered with.

revile [ rɪˈvaɪl ] The crowd reviled the politician for his dishonest actions.

rife [ raɪf ] The streets were rife with litter after the festival.

sanctimonious [ ˌsæŋk.təˈmoʊ.ni.əs ] He acted in a sanctimonious way, constantly judging others for their actions

scrupulous [ ˈskruː.pjə.ləs ] His scrupulous attention to detail makes him a valuable employee.

sybarite [ ˈsɪb.ər.aɪt ] The sybarite spent his days in luxury, indulging in fine food and exotic vacations

taut [ tɔːt ] His muscles were taut after the intense workout

tentative [ ˈten.tə.tɪv ] She gave a tentative answer, unsure if it was correct.

trounce [ traʊns ] The team trounced their opponents in the final match.

underscore [ ˌʌn.dəˈskɔː^r ] His speech underscored the need for unity in the community.

undulate [ ˈʌn.djʊ.leɪt ] The hills undulated gently in the distance.

unilateral [ ˌjuː.nɪˈlæt.^ər.^əl ] The unilateral approach to the problem did not consider the needs of the community.

unprecedented [ ʌnˈpres.ɪ.den.tɪd ] This situation is unprecedented in 21st-century life.

usury [ ˈjuː.ʒər.i ] Usury is illegal in most countries, but it still happens in some parts of the world.

winsome [ ˈwɪn.səm ] His winsome personality made him popular at school.

wry [ raɪ ] He gave a wry smile after hearing the bad news.

hubris [ ˈhjuː.brɪs ] Hubris brought him down in the end.