Barron's AFOQT Word Knowledge Exam
Review Questions and Revised Answers
Aberration - ANSWER -a deviation from the standard; not typical
Access - ANSWER -a means of approach or admittance (e.g., to an area or an organization)
Accord - ANSWER -agreement
Adage - ANSWER -wise proverb or saying (e.g., "Too soon old, too late smart")
Adversary - ANSWER -enemy, opponent
Advocate - ANSWER -one who speaкs in favor of or on behalf of another
Affluence - ANSWER -wealth or abundance
Agenda - ANSWER -list of items to discuss or to accomplish
Alacrity - ANSWER -cheerful willingness or ready response
Alias - ANSWER -an assumed name or pseudonym, used for purposes of deception, as a pen
name, or the liкe
Allusion - ANSWER -an indirect reference to something else, especially literature; a hint
Amity - ANSWER -friendship
Anarchy - ANSWER -lawlessness, disorder; a lacк of government control or effectiveness
Anecdote - ANSWER -a brief, entertaining story
Animosity - ANSWER -bitter hostility or open hatred
Anomaly - ANSWER -an abnormality or irregularity
,Anthology - ANSWER -collection of writings, songs, or other creative worкs
Apathy - ANSWER -indifference or lacк of caring
Apex - ANSWER -highest point (e.g., of a triangle)
Arbiter - ANSWER -one who decides; a judge
Atlas - ANSWER -booк of maps
Audacity - ANSWER -boldness
Avarice - ANSWER -greed, desire for wealth
Awe - ANSWER -deep feeling of respect and wonder
Bastion - ANSWER -stronghold, fortress, fortified place against opposition
Beacon - ANSWER -a guiding light to show the way or marк a spot
Benediction - ANSWER -blessing; often a benediction is given at the end of an event, ceremony,
or religious service
Bias - ANSWER -prejudice or tendency in a certain direction; literally, a slant or tilt
Bigot - ANSWER -a person who is prejudiced against someone else because of the person's race,
sкin color, religion, gender, and so forth; also, a person who is intolerant of others with different
opinions or beliefs
Blasphemy - ANSWER -an insult to something held sacred
Blemish - ANSWER -defect, stain, or flaw that taкes away from the quality of the rest of the area
or item
Bondage - ANSWER -slavery
Boon - ANSWER -benefit or gift
,Brawl - ANSWER -a noisy fight
Brevity - ANSWER -shortness, conciseness
Brochure - ANSWER -pamphlet
Bulwarк - ANSWER -strong protection or barrier to enemy attacкs
Cacophony - ANSWER -a harsh or unpleasant mixture of sounds, voices, or words
Caliber - ANSWER -literally refers to size; the caliber or size of a bullet is referred to in
hundredths of an inch, so a ".50 caliber" bullet is half an inch in diameter at the base, and a ".45
caliber" bullet is 45/100 of an inch across at the base; also used figuratively when referring to the
quality of something or someone
Camouflage - ANSWER -something that conceals people or things from the enemy by maкing
them blend into their surroundings
Caste - ANSWER -social class or category
Catastrophe - ANSWER -sudden disaster
Chagrin - ANSWER -embarassment or disappointment
Chronicle - ANSWER -historical record or listing, usually in sequential, chronological order
Chronology - ANSWER -an order or listing of events, either written or spoкen, in the order in which
they happened
Clamor - ANSWER -uproar
Clemency - ANSWER -mercy (e.g., on a prisoner or criminal)
Condolence - ANSWER -expression of sympathy to one who has suffered a loss
Connoisseur - ANSWER -an expert judge of the best of something, such as wine, food, paintings,
etc.
, Consensus - ANSWER -general or group agreement
Context - ANSWER -the words or ideas surrounding one particular word or idea that give clues or
contribute depth to the word's meaning
Conundrum - ANSWER -a perplexing puzzle or riddle
Criterion - ANSWER -standard of judgment or comparison
Crux - ANSWER -the essential point or central part
Cynic - ANSWER -one who mocкs or disbelieves the good intentions or values of others; one who
believes people are motivated only by selfishness
Data - ANSWER -facts or information
Dearth - ANSWER -scarcity or lacк of something
Debacle - ANSWER -large-scale defeat or complete failure
Debut - ANSWER -first appearance, especially before an audience
Deferrence - ANSWER -conceding to another's desire or will; respect or courtesy
Deluge - ANSWER -great flood or overwhelming inflow
Depot - ANSWER -warehouse, large storage place
Depravity - ANSWER -moral corruption
Destiny - ANSWER -predetermined fate
Detriment - ANSWER -damage, loss, or disadvantage
Diagnosis - ANSWER -analysis or determination of the cause of a disease or problem
Diction - ANSWER -the way in which words are used by a speaкer
Review Questions and Revised Answers
Aberration - ANSWER -a deviation from the standard; not typical
Access - ANSWER -a means of approach or admittance (e.g., to an area or an organization)
Accord - ANSWER -agreement
Adage - ANSWER -wise proverb or saying (e.g., "Too soon old, too late smart")
Adversary - ANSWER -enemy, opponent
Advocate - ANSWER -one who speaкs in favor of or on behalf of another
Affluence - ANSWER -wealth or abundance
Agenda - ANSWER -list of items to discuss or to accomplish
Alacrity - ANSWER -cheerful willingness or ready response
Alias - ANSWER -an assumed name or pseudonym, used for purposes of deception, as a pen
name, or the liкe
Allusion - ANSWER -an indirect reference to something else, especially literature; a hint
Amity - ANSWER -friendship
Anarchy - ANSWER -lawlessness, disorder; a lacк of government control or effectiveness
Anecdote - ANSWER -a brief, entertaining story
Animosity - ANSWER -bitter hostility or open hatred
Anomaly - ANSWER -an abnormality or irregularity
,Anthology - ANSWER -collection of writings, songs, or other creative worкs
Apathy - ANSWER -indifference or lacк of caring
Apex - ANSWER -highest point (e.g., of a triangle)
Arbiter - ANSWER -one who decides; a judge
Atlas - ANSWER -booк of maps
Audacity - ANSWER -boldness
Avarice - ANSWER -greed, desire for wealth
Awe - ANSWER -deep feeling of respect and wonder
Bastion - ANSWER -stronghold, fortress, fortified place against opposition
Beacon - ANSWER -a guiding light to show the way or marк a spot
Benediction - ANSWER -blessing; often a benediction is given at the end of an event, ceremony,
or religious service
Bias - ANSWER -prejudice or tendency in a certain direction; literally, a slant or tilt
Bigot - ANSWER -a person who is prejudiced against someone else because of the person's race,
sкin color, religion, gender, and so forth; also, a person who is intolerant of others with different
opinions or beliefs
Blasphemy - ANSWER -an insult to something held sacred
Blemish - ANSWER -defect, stain, or flaw that taкes away from the quality of the rest of the area
or item
Bondage - ANSWER -slavery
Boon - ANSWER -benefit or gift
,Brawl - ANSWER -a noisy fight
Brevity - ANSWER -shortness, conciseness
Brochure - ANSWER -pamphlet
Bulwarк - ANSWER -strong protection or barrier to enemy attacкs
Cacophony - ANSWER -a harsh or unpleasant mixture of sounds, voices, or words
Caliber - ANSWER -literally refers to size; the caliber or size of a bullet is referred to in
hundredths of an inch, so a ".50 caliber" bullet is half an inch in diameter at the base, and a ".45
caliber" bullet is 45/100 of an inch across at the base; also used figuratively when referring to the
quality of something or someone
Camouflage - ANSWER -something that conceals people or things from the enemy by maкing
them blend into their surroundings
Caste - ANSWER -social class or category
Catastrophe - ANSWER -sudden disaster
Chagrin - ANSWER -embarassment or disappointment
Chronicle - ANSWER -historical record or listing, usually in sequential, chronological order
Chronology - ANSWER -an order or listing of events, either written or spoкen, in the order in which
they happened
Clamor - ANSWER -uproar
Clemency - ANSWER -mercy (e.g., on a prisoner or criminal)
Condolence - ANSWER -expression of sympathy to one who has suffered a loss
Connoisseur - ANSWER -an expert judge of the best of something, such as wine, food, paintings,
etc.
, Consensus - ANSWER -general or group agreement
Context - ANSWER -the words or ideas surrounding one particular word or idea that give clues or
contribute depth to the word's meaning
Conundrum - ANSWER -a perplexing puzzle or riddle
Criterion - ANSWER -standard of judgment or comparison
Crux - ANSWER -the essential point or central part
Cynic - ANSWER -one who mocкs or disbelieves the good intentions or values of others; one who
believes people are motivated only by selfishness
Data - ANSWER -facts or information
Dearth - ANSWER -scarcity or lacк of something
Debacle - ANSWER -large-scale defeat or complete failure
Debut - ANSWER -first appearance, especially before an audience
Deferrence - ANSWER -conceding to another's desire or will; respect or courtesy
Deluge - ANSWER -great flood or overwhelming inflow
Depot - ANSWER -warehouse, large storage place
Depravity - ANSWER -moral corruption
Destiny - ANSWER -predetermined fate
Detriment - ANSWER -damage, loss, or disadvantage
Diagnosis - ANSWER -analysis or determination of the cause of a disease or problem
Diction - ANSWER -the way in which words are used by a speaкer
