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General vocabulary · Topic 10 of 14

General Vocabulary: Describing Words

General Vocabulary: Describing Words — Set 1

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Vocabulary · general describing words

General Vocabulary: Describing Words — Set 1

The most-tested describing words here: ubiquitous (everywhere), overt (open), prudent (careful), contingent (depends on) and assiduous (hardworking).

01 · Most testedubiquitous = seems to be everywhere
02 · Most testedovert = open, not hidden
03 · Most testedprudent = wise and careful
01

Most-tested words

ubiquitous (adjective) — found everywhere; very common
overt (adjective) — open and plainly visible, not hidden
prudent (adjective) — wise and careful; avoids needless risk
contingent (adjective) — depends on something else happening
assiduous (adjective) — careful, steady and hardworking
02

More words

impervious (adjective) — lets nothing through; unaffected
innocuous (adjective) — harmless
salient (adjective) — most noticeable or important
tenacious (adjective) — holds on firmly; won't give up
obscure (adjective) — little known, or hard to see or grasp
ambiguous (adjective) — has more than one possible meaning
brazen (adjective) — bold and shameless
boisterous (adjective) — loud, lively and rowdy
covert (adjective) — secret or hidden (the opposite of overt)
diligent (adjective) — hardworking and careful
nebulous (adjective) — vague, hazy, unclear
prolific (adjective) — produces a lot
exemplary (adjective) — so good it sets an example
pragmatic (adjective) — practical and realistic
primary (adjective) — first or most important; main
03

Overt vs covert

Commonly confused
overtcovert
MeaningDone openly; anyone can see itKept secret or hidden
Synonymsopen, obvious, apparenthidden, secret, concealed
Oppositecovertovert
04

In a sentence

Show 20 example sentences
ubiquitous: Hand-sanitizer stations are ubiquitous in the hospital, with one beside nearly every door.
impervious: The gown is impervious to fluids, so the nurse's scrubs stay dry.
overt: The patient showed no overt signs of pain, so the nurse asked directly about discomfort.
innocuous: The rash looked alarming but turned out to be innocuous and faded within a day.
prudent: It is prudent to double-check a patient's name before handing over any paperwork.
contingent: Her acceptance into the program is contingent on passing the entrance exam.
salient: The nurse summed up the salient points of the shift report in three short sentences.
tenacious: The tenacious student retook the math section until she passed it.
obscure: The instructor explained an obscure term that none of the students had heard before.
ambiguous: The order was ambiguous, so the nurse called to ask which arm to use.
assiduous: An assiduous note-taker, he recorded every reading on the flow sheet.
brazen: He told a brazen lie about finishing his homework while the blank pages sat on his desk.
boisterous: The boisterous crowd in the waiting room grew quiet when the doctor came out.
covert: The manager made a covert check of hand washing by watching quietly from the hallway.
diligent: Diligent charting helps the next shift understand exactly what happened.
nebulous: His career plan was nebulous until he shadowed a nurse for a day.
prolific: The prolific author has written more than thirty study guides.
exemplary: The new graduate earned an award for her exemplary care of patients on the night shift.
pragmatic: Taking a pragmatic approach, the team moved the supply cart closer to the busiest rooms.
primary: The primary reason for the visit was a cough that had lasted two weeks.
Pearl

Overt is out in the open; covert is kept under cover.

Sources · Cambridge Dictionary — ubiquitous · Cambridge Dictionary — impervious · Cambridge Dictionary — overt · Cambridge Dictionary — innocuous · Cambridge Dictionary — prudent · Cambridge Dictionary — contingent · Cambridge Dictionary — salient · Cambridge Dictionary — tenacious · Cambridge Dictionary — obscure · Cambridge Dictionary — ambiguous · Cambridge Dictionary — assiduous · Cambridge Dictionary — brazen · Cambridge Dictionary — boisterous · Cambridge Dictionary — covert · Cambridge Dictionary — diligent · Cambridge Dictionary — nebulous · Cambridge Dictionary — prolific · Cambridge Dictionary — exemplary · Cambridge Dictionary — pragmatic · Cambridge Dictionary — primary · Vocabulary.com — word list "HESI A2" (HESI review-book list) · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "U's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "I's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "O's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "P's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "C's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "S's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "T's" · Brainscape — "Hesi vocab" flashcards · NurseHub — free HESI A2 Vocabulary diagnostic test · NurseStudy.net — HESI A2 study guide: vocabulary list · McGraw-Hill "500 Evolve Reach (HESI) A2 Questions", ch. 2 Vocabulary (EasyNotecards transcription) · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "B's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 vocab YT vids" flashcards · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "D's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "N's" · Brainscape — "HESI A2 Vocabulary" flashcards · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "E's" · Built from the verified NurseSavvy HESI A2 fact map (facts reviewed 2026-10-16). HESI is a trademark of Elsevier; NurseSavvy is not affiliated with Elsevier.

General Vocabulary: Describing Words — Set 2

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Vocabulary · general describing words

General Vocabulary: Describing Words — Set 2

The most-tested describing words here: benevolent (kind), onerous (burdensome), terse (brief, curt) and contrite (truly sorry).

01 · Most testedbenevolent = kind, wants to do good
02 · Most testedonerous = a heavy burden
03 · Most testedterse = short, few words
01

Most-tested words

benevolent (adjective) — kind and well-meaning
onerous (adjective) — burdensome; takes great effort
terse (adjective) — brief, using few words; can seem curt
contrite (adjective) — truly sorry for a wrong
02

More words

austere (adjective) — plain and severe; no comforts
vacuous (adjective) — empty of thought or meaning
capacious (adjective) — roomy; holds a lot
venerable (adjective) — respected for age or long service
callous (adjective) — cold and uncaring toward others
fortuitous (adjective) — happening by lucky chance
mercurial (adjective) — moods change quickly
notorious (adjective) — famous for something bad
precocious (adjective) — developed unusually early
raucous (adjective) — loud and harsh
serene (adjective) — calm and peaceful
superfluous (adjective) — more than needed; extra
trite (adjective) — overused and stale
indigent (adjective) — very poor, in need
accurate (adjective) — correct and exact; no errors
paramount (adjective) — most important of all
03

In a sentence

Show 20 example sentences
austere: The austere waiting room had only metal chairs and bare walls.
vacuous: The ad made vacuous promises but gave no facts about the product.
capacious: The capacious tote bag held her textbooks, her lunch and a spare pair of shoes.
venerable: The venerable professor had taught anatomy at the college for forty years.
benevolent: A benevolent donor paid for new wheelchairs for the clinic.
callous: Laughing at the injured runner was a callous thing to do.
fortuitous: Their meeting was fortuitous: both had missed the same bus.
mercurial: Her mercurial temper made it hard to predict how she would react to the news.
notorious: The intersection is notorious for accidents during the morning rush.
onerous: Copying every chart by hand was an onerous task for the night clerk.
precocious: The precocious four-year-old could already read chapter books.
raucous: Raucous cheers from the stadium could be heard from the parking lot.
serene: After the storm passed, the lake looked serene again.
superfluous: The editor cut the superfluous words so the instructions fit on one page.
terse: His terse reply, a single "Fine," ended the conversation.
trite: The speech was full of trite phrases like "think outside the box."
indigent: The free clinic serves indigent families who cannot afford insurance.
contrite: The contrite teenager apologized for breaking the window and offered to pay for it.
accurate: An accurate weight is needed, so the patient steps on the scale without shoes.
paramount: Patient safety is paramount, so the team pauses to confirm the plan before every procedure.
Pearl

A contrite person is sorry for a wrong; a callous one doesn't care.

Sources · Cambridge Dictionary — austere · Cambridge Dictionary — vacuous · Cambridge Dictionary — capacious · Cambridge Dictionary — venerable · Cambridge Dictionary — benevolent · Cambridge Dictionary — callous · Cambridge Dictionary — fortuitous · Cambridge Dictionary — mercurial · Cambridge Dictionary — notorious · Cambridge Dictionary — onerous · Cambridge Dictionary — precocious · Cambridge Dictionary — raucous · Cambridge Dictionary — serene · Cambridge Dictionary — superfluous · Cambridge Dictionary — terse · Cambridge Dictionary — trite · Cambridge Dictionary — indigent · Cambridge Dictionary — contrite · Cambridge Dictionary — accurate · Cambridge Dictionary — paramount · Vocabulary.com — word list "HESI A2" (HESI review-book list) · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "A's" · McGraw-Hill "500 Evolve Reach (HESI) A2 Questions", ch. 2 Vocabulary (EasyNotecards transcription) · Brainscape — "Hesi vocab" flashcards · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 vocab YT vids" flashcards · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "V's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "B's" · Brainscape — "HESI A2 Vocabulary" flashcards · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "C's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "F's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "M's" · NurseHub — free HESI A2 Vocabulary diagnostic test · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "O's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "P's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "R's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "S's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "T's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "I's" · NurseStudy.net — HESI A2 study guide: vocabulary list · Built from the verified NurseSavvy HESI A2 fact map (facts reviewed 2026-10-16). HESI is a trademark of Elsevier; NurseSavvy is not affiliated with Elsevier.

General Vocabulary: Describing Words — Set 3

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Vocabulary · general describing words

General Vocabulary: Describing Words — Set 3

The most-tested describing words here: wary (cautious), laconic (says little), impetuous (rash) and untenable (cannot be defended).

01 · Most testedwary = cautious, on guard
02 · Most testedlaconic = says very little
03 · Most testedimpetuous = rash, impulsive
01

Most-tested words

laconic (adjective) — uses very few words
untenable (adjective) — can't be defended or kept up
impetuous (adjective) — acts on impulse, without thought
wary (adjective) — cautious; on guard
02

More words

enigmatic (adjective) — mysterious, puzzling
deleterious (adjective) — harmful, damaging
zealous (adjective) — very eager and enthusiastic
palatable (adjective) — pleasant to taste; acceptable
burgeoning (adjective) — growing quickly
boorish (adjective) — rude and ill-mannered
tertiary (adjective) — third in order or level
magnanimous (adjective) — generous and forgiving
vicarious (adjective) — felt through someone else's experience
affable (adjective) — friendly, warm and approachable
expedient (adjective) — convenient, though not always right
devoid (adjective) — completely lacking (devoid of)
obsolete (adjective) — out of date; no longer used
banal (adjective) — dull and unoriginal
adroit (adjective) — skillful and quick
sanguine (adjective) — cheerful and optimistic
03

In a sentence

Show 20 example sentences
laconic: The laconic farmer answered every question with a nod or a single word.
untenable: Once the lab results came back normal, his theory about the illness was untenable.
impetuous: In an impetuous moment, she quit her job before finding a new one.
enigmatic: The patient gave an enigmatic smile and would not say what was funny.
deleterious: Smoking has deleterious effects on the lungs and the heart.
zealous: The zealous volunteer arrived early every Saturday to sort donations.
wary: The child was wary of the stethoscope until the nurse let him hold it.
palatable: Mixing the medicine with applesauce made it palatable for the toddler.
burgeoning: The burgeoning town needed a second clinic within five years.
boorish: His boorish habit of talking on the phone during class annoyed everyone.
tertiary: After primary and secondary school, many students go on to tertiary education at a college.
magnanimous: In a magnanimous gesture, the winner praised her opponent's effort.
vicarious: Reading his sister's travel blog gave him a vicarious thrill.
affable: The affable receptionist greeted every patient by name.
expedient: Taping the broken box shut was expedient, but a new box was needed later.
devoid: The room was devoid of furniture except for a single bed.
obsolete: Fax machines are nearly obsolete in offices that now send records online.
banal: The movie had a banal plot that everyone guessed in the first ten minutes.
adroit: The adroit phlebotomist found the vein on the first try.
sanguine: Despite the setback, the coach stayed sanguine about the team's chances.
Pearl

Wary means on guard; impetuous means acting before thinking.

Sources · Cambridge Dictionary — laconic · Cambridge Dictionary — untenable · Cambridge Dictionary — impetuous · Cambridge Dictionary — enigmatic · Cambridge Dictionary — deleterious · Cambridge Dictionary — zealous · Cambridge Dictionary — wary · Cambridge Dictionary — palatable · Cambridge Dictionary — burgeoning · Cambridge Dictionary — boorish · Cambridge Dictionary — tertiary · Cambridge Dictionary — magnanimous · Cambridge Dictionary — vicarious · Cambridge Dictionary — affable · Cambridge Dictionary — expedient · Cambridge Dictionary — devoid · Cambridge Dictionary — obsolete · Cambridge Dictionary — banal · Cambridge Dictionary — adroit · Cambridge Dictionary — sanguine · Vocabulary.com — word list "HESI A2" (HESI review-book list) · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "L's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "U's" · Brainscape — "Hesi A2 Vocab" deck "I's" · Brainscape — "Hesi vocab" flashcards · Serrari Group — Common HESI A2 Vocabulary Words You Need to Know · NurseHub — free HESI A2 Vocabulary diagnostic test · Vocabulary.com — word list "HESI" · NurseStudy.net — HESI A2 study guide: vocabulary list · McGraw-Hill "500 Evolve Reach (HESI) A2 Questions", ch. 2 Vocabulary (EasyNotecards transcription) · Brainscape — "HESI A2 Vocabulary" flashcards · Built from the verified NurseSavvy HESI A2 fact map (facts reviewed 2026-10-16). HESI is a trademark of Elsevier; NurseSavvy is not affiliated with Elsevier.

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