11+ vocabulary list 5: Top-of-paper words
65 words at top-of-paper words level, each with a child-friendly meaning, a synonym and an antonym.
| Word | Meaning | Same as | Opposite |
|---|---|---|---|
| ubiquitous | found absolutely everywhere | widespread | rare |
| ephemeral | lasting for only a very short time | fleeting | permanent |
| meticulous | taking great care over every detail | thorough | careless |
| obstinate | refusing to change your mind | stubborn | flexible |
| prudent | careful and sensible about the future | sensible | reckless |
| arid | very dry with little or no rain | parched | humid |
| austere | Very strict, plain and without luxury or comfort | severe | lenient |
| balmy | pleasantly warm and comfortable | clement | harsh |
| blustery | windy with strong sudden gusts | gusty | still |
| circuitous | having a long winding route, not direct | roundabout | direct |
| converge | move together toward the same point | merge | diverge |
| destitute | having no money or possessions at all | penniless | wealthy |
| embark | begin a journey, especially by boat | depart | disembark |
| exorbitant | much more expensive than it should be | excessive | reasonable |
| expedite | make a journey or process happen faster | hasten | delay |
| extravagant | spending far more money than needed | lavish | sparing |
| fastidious | very fussy about being neat and clean | finicky | slapdash |
| fortify | to make something or someone stronger | reinforce | undermine |
| frugal | careful not to waste money | thrifty | wasteful |
| garish | Too bright and colourful in a tasteless way | flashy | subtle |
| glacial | extremely cold, like ice | frigid | scorching |
| hazardous | Very dangerous and likely to cause harm | dangerous | harmless |
| impeccable | without any faults or mistakes | flawless | flawed |
| incessant | continuing without any pause | constant | intermittent |
| indignant | feeling angry because something seems unfair | outraged | unruffled |
| iridescent | Showing many colours that shimmer and change | shimmering | plain |
| linger | stay or move slowly, delaying departure | dawdle | hurry |
| lucrative | producing a lot of profit | profitable | unprofitable |
| luminous | Giving off or reflecting a lot of light | glowing | dark |
| lustrous | Having a soft shine, like polished metal | gleaming | matte |
| migrate | move to another place, often with seasons | relocate | remain |
| miserly | unwilling to spend or share money | tightfisted | charitable |
| munificent | extremely generous with money or gifts | bountiful | stingy |
| nomadic | moving from place to place, not settled | wandering | sedentary |
| opulent | very rich and grand in style | luxurious | poor |
| painstaking | Done with great care and effort | conscientious | sloppy |
| pallid | Pale, especially because of illness or fear | pale | ruddy |
| paltry | too small to be worth noticing | trifling | substantial |
| perilous | Full of great danger or risk | risky | secure |
| perpetual | continuing forever without stopping | eternal | finite |
| pragmatic | Dealing with things in a sensible, practical way | practical | idealistic |
| precarious | Not safe and likely to fail or collapse | unstable | stable |
| protracted | lasting much longer than expected | lengthy | short |
| proximate | very close in space or time | nearby | remote |
| recessed | set back or sunk into a surface | sunken | protruding |
| resplendent | Dazzlingly bright and gorgeous to look at | magnificent | shabby |
| safeguard | To protect something from harm or danger | shield | harm |
| stagnant | still and not moving, especially air | motionless | circulating |
| sweltering | extremely hot and uncomfortable | torrid | freezing |
| tenacious | Holding firmly on and not giving up easily | persistent | irresolute |
| torrential | falling very heavily and fast | pouring | light |
| transient | lasting only a short time | temporary | enduring |
| traverse | travel across an area or distance | cross | bypass |
| vigilant | Watching closely for danger or trouble | watchful | inattentive |
| vulnerable | Easily hurt, harmed or attacked | exposed | protected |
| dogmatic | certain your opinion is right, ignoring others' | opinionated | openminded |
| flippant | not taking something seriously when you should | frivolous | earnest |
| mottled | marked with patches of different colours | speckled | uniform |
| obstreperous | noisy and difficult to control | unruly | docile |
| pedantic | too concerned with small details or rules | fussy | casual |
| sallow | having a pale, slightly yellow complexion | wan | rosy |
| surreptitious | done secretly to avoid being noticed | stealthy | overt |
| taciturn | saying very little and not chatting much | reticent | loquacious |
| tarnished | having lost shine or brightness, dulled | discoloured | polished |
| variegated | having streaks or patches of different colours | multicoloured | monochrome |