400 Must Have Words for the TOEFL LESSON 36 - Social Rebels Vocabulary Test
Word List
adolescent [ˌædəʊˈlesnt] adj.
Characteristic of a teenager; not fully grown up
→ In policy meetings, George refuses to reason with anyone and just scowls in an adolescent way.
Parts of speech adolescent n., adolescence n.
cause [kɔːz] n.
A political or social goal that one believes is right and works to achieve
→ Our river cleanup effort would be more effective if someone famous spoke out for the cause.
conflict [kənˈflɪkt] v.
To fit so poorly together that the differences cause a problem
→ A teenager’s need for security can conflict with his desire for independence from his family.
Parts of speech conflict n.
delinquency [dɪˈlɪŋkwənsɪ] n.
Serious misbehavior; not doing what one should do
→ Because of his laziness and delinquency, Lefty was an unreliable friend.
Usage tips A common combination is juvenile delinquency, meaning “criminal behavior by a teenager.”
Parts of speech delinquent n., delinquent adj.
fringe [frɪndʒ] n.
Edge; in social contexts, parts of society that look or act very different from most people
→ Punk music got its start at the fringe of London’s rock music culture.
Usage tips Fringe implies an edge that is uneven and not very solid.
Parts of speech fringy adj.
hedonistic [ˌhiːdəˈnɪstɪk] adj.
Excessively interested in seeking pleasure
→ Suddenly wealthy, Allen fell into a hedonistic life of parties, expensive dinners, and heavy drinking.
Usage tips Hedonistic usually implies that the pleasures are wrong.
Parts of speech hedonist n., hedonism n., hedonistically adv.
hypocritically [ˌhɪpəˈkrɪtɪkəlɪ] adv.
In a way that accuses other people of weaknesses that the speaker also possesses
→ Henry spent $2,500 on a new suit and then hypocritically accused me of spending too much on clothes.
Parts of speech hypocrite n., hypocrisy n., hypocritical adj.
manipulation [məˌnɪpjʊˈleɪʃən] n.
Quietly moving or influencing people or things in order to get what you want
→ Bob’s manipulation of the boss’s feelings led to his promotion.
Parts of speech manipulate v., manipulator n., manipulative adj.
rebel [ˈrebl] v.
To go against an established system or authority
→ The people of Ghurdia rebelled against the dictator and set up a new government.
Usage tips Rebel works well in political contexts and in contexts of personal relationships.
Parts of speech rebel n., rebellion n.
status quo n.
The systems and conditions that exist now
→ Let’s just maintain the status quo until we can think of a better way.
