Norman Schur's 1000 Most Important Words
This is Norman Schur's list of the 1,000 "most important" words. There are actually 1,019 here because of those that are similarly spelled, opposites of one another, etc. I've gone through and marked with asterisks the ones (*) that I'm somewhat uncomfortable with (177 of these), as in I'd be slightly apprehensive if you challenged me to pinpoint their meaning, and the ones (**) that I'm basically clueless about (26 of these). I feel roughly fluent with the rest.
- abashed
- *abate
- abdicate
- aberrant
- abominate
- abrasive
- abrogate
- abstemious
- abstinent
- abstruse
- accolade
- acerbic
- acme
- acolyte
- acquiesce
- acrimonious
- acronym
- adage
- admonitory
- adroit
- adulation
- adversity
- *aegis
- affable
- aficionado
- affinity
- aggrandize
- alacrity
- allay
- allegory
- alleviate
- alliteration
- *amanuensis
- ambience
- ambiguous
- ambivalent
- ambulatory
- ameliorate
- amenable
- amenity
- amorous
- amorphous
- anachronism
- anagram
- analogy
- anathema
- ancillary
- animus
- annals
- anomaly
- antecedents
- anthropology
- anthropomorphic
- antic
- antipathy
- antiquity
- antithesis
- aphorism
- aplomb
- apocalypse
- apocryphal
- apogee
- *apostate
- apotheosis
- appellation
- apposite
- apprehend
- appropriate
- apt
- arbiter
- arcane
- arch
- arduous
- argot
- arid
- Armageddon
- *arrant
- arrogate
- arsenal
- artful
- artless
- ascetic
- asperity
- aspersion
- assiduous
- assuage
- atavistic
- atrophy
- attenuate
- augment
- augur
- auspicious
- autonomous
- *avuncular
- awry
- axiom
- *badinage
- *bailiwick
- *baleful
- banal
- bastion
- *bathos
- behemoth
- beleaguer
- bellicose
- belligerent
- bemused
- bestow
- bibliophile
- bibulous
- *blandishment
- blatant
- bovine
- bravado
- *brickbat
- *bromide
- brook
- brouhaha
- brusque
- bucolic
- burgeon
- cabal
- cachet
- cacophony
- cadaverous
- *cadge
- cajole
- *callow
- *calumny
- canard
- candor
- canon
- *cant
- cantankerous
- capitulate
- capricious
- *captious
- carnal
- carnivorous
- *carp
- carrion
- castigate
- casuistry
- cataclysm
- catharsis
- *catholic
- caveat
- *cavil
- celibacy
- champion
- charlatan
- *chary
- chasm
- *chicanery
- chide
- chimera
- churlish
- cipher
- circuitous
- circumlocution
- circumspect
- clamorous
- clandestine
- claptrap
- cleave
- clemency
- *cloy
- cogent
- cognizant
- collation
- colloquy
- compendium
- complacent
- *complaisant
- complement
- compliant
- concomitant
- concrete
- conduit
- congenital
- consensus
- consortium
- consummate
- contentious
- context
- contiguous
- contretemps
- contrite
- *contumacious
- conundrum
- co-opt
- copious
- corollary
- corporeal
- correlate
- *coruscate
- *cosset
- coterie
- craven
- *craw
- credible
- creditable
- credulous
- crestfallen
- culpable
- curmudgeon
- cursory
- curt
- *cynosure
- dalliance
- *daub
- dauntless
- dearth
- debacle
- debase
- debilitate
- debunk
- decimate
- declasse
- decorous
- decorum
- decry
- deduce
- deem
- deferential
- definitive
- delectation
- deleterious
- demonic
- denigrate
- denizen
- deprecate
- *deracinate
- derelict
- deride
- derisive
- derogatory
- *descry
- desecrate
- desiccate
- *desuetude
- desultory
- detrimental
- *detritus
- dexterous
- dextrous
- diaphanous
- diatribe
- dichotomy
- didactic
- *diffident
- digress
- dilettante
- diminution
- disaffection
- disconsolate
- discursive
- disdain
- disingenuous
- disparate
- dissemble
- dissertation
- *dissimulate
- dissolute
- distraught
- doff
- dogged
- *doggerel
- dogmatic
- *doleful
- dolt
- don
- dormant
- dossier
- *doughty
- *dour
- *doyen
- draconian
- droll
- dudgeon
- duplicity
- ebullient
- eclectic
- edify
- effective
- effectual
- effectuate
- efficacious
- efficient
- *effrontery
- effulgent
- egregious
- egress
- elegy
- elicit
- elide
- elucidate
- emblazon
- emend
- emeritus
- emote
- empirical
- emulate
- encomium
- endemic
- enervate
- enigmatic
- enmity
- ennui
- entity
- **enure
- envisage
- ephemeral
- epicure
- epigram
- epitaph
- epithet
- epitome
- equable
- equanimity
- equitable
- equivocal
- errant
- ersatz
- erudite
- eschew
- esoteric
- ethereal
- etymology
- eulogy
- euphemism
- euphonius
- euphoric
- exacerbate
- *excoriate
- excrement
- exculpate
- *execrable
- exegesis
- exemplary
- exhort
- exigency
- exonerate
- exorcise
- *expatiate
- *expiate
- expostulate
- expropriate
- expunge
- extempore
- extenuate
- *extirpate
- extrapolate
- exuberant
- facet
- facile
- facilitate
- fallacious
- *fallow
- falter
- *farrago
- fatuous
- feasible
- feckless
- fecund
- feisty
- felicitate
- felicitous
- felicity
- *feral
- ferret
- *festoon
- fetid
- foetid
- *fey
- fiasco
- fiat
- fiduciary
- figurative
- finite
- flaccid
- flagellate
- flamboyant
- flatulent
- flay
- fledgling
- flippant
- flout
- foible
- foment
- font
- foray
- *force majeure
- forensic
- formidable
- fortuitous
- founder
- *fractious
- fruition
- *fulminate
- *fulsome
- *furtive
- *fusillade
- *gadfly
- garrulous
- gauche
- generic
- genesis
- genre
- *gentry
- germane
- googol
- *gormandize
- *gossamer
- grandiloquence
- gratuitous
- gratuity
- **gravamen
- gregarious
- guise
- habituate
- hackneyed
- halcyon
- harbinger
- **harridan
- hedonist
- hegemony
- **hegira
- heinous
- herbivorous
- hermaphrodite
- heterogeneous
- heuristic
- hiatus
- **hie
- *homily
- homogeneous
- honorarium
- hubris
- hyperbole
- hypothesis
- iconoclast
- idyllic
- ignominy
- illicit
- illusory
- imbibe
- *imbroglio
- immemorial
- immutable
- impassive
- impecunious
- impede
- *imperious
- imperturbable
- implacable
- implement
- implicate
- implicit
- imponderable
- importunate
- importune
- impugn
- impute
- inauspicious
- incarnate
- inchoate
- *incipient
- inclement
- incognito
- incongruous
- increment
- incredulous
- *incubus
- inculcate
- incumbent
- indecorous
- indigenous
- indigent
- indolent
- ineffable
- ineluctable
- ineptitude
- ingenue
- ingenuous
- innate
- innocuous
- innuendo
- inordinate
- *inscrutable
- *insouciant
- insular
- intangible
- integument
- *interdict
- interlocutor
- interpolate
- intractable
- intransigent
- intransigeant
- intrepid
- intuit
- inundate
- *inure
- invective
- inviolable
- inviolate
- *irascible
- issue
- iterate
- *jejune
- jettison
- jingoism
- jocular
- *journeyman
- juxtapose
- karma
- keen
- ken
- kinetic
- kite
- *kitsch
- *knell
- kowtow
- kudos
- **lachrymose
- laconic
- lacuna
- *lagniappe
- *lambent
- lament
- languish
- lascivious
- lassitude
- latent
- laudatory
- lax
- lay
- lethargic
- leviathan
- lexicon
- *licentious
- *limn
- linchpin
- limpid
- **lissome
- **lissom
- litany
- *lithe
- litigious
- logy
- loquacious
- **lothario
- lugubrious
- lurid
- macrocosm
- maladroit
- malaise
- malapropism
- malfeasance
- malign
- malleable
- *manque
- *martinet
- *masticate
- matriculate
- *maw
- *mawkish
- megalomania
- *melange
- mellifluous
- mendacious
- mendicant
- *mercurial
- meretricious
- messianic
- metamorphosis
- metaphor
- metaphysics
- mete
- miasma
- microcosm
- *mien
- milieu
- militate
- minutiae
- misanthrope
- misapprehension
- misappropriate
- miscreant
- misnomer
- misogyny
- mitigate
- mnemonic
- modicum
- molt
- morass
- *mordant
- *moribund
- motif
- *mottled
- *mountebank
- **mulct
- mundane
- *munificent
- nadir
- nascent
- nebulous
- nefarious
- nemesis
- neophyte
- nether
- *niggardly
- *niggling
- nihilism
- nirvana
- nomenclature
- non sequitur
- *nostrum
- noxious
- nuance
- nubile
- **nugatory
- obdurate
- obeisance
- obfuscate
- oblivion
- obloquy
- obscurantism
- *obsequies
- obsequious
- *obstreperous
- obtrude
- obtrusive
- obtuse
- obviate
- occlude
- odious
- *offal
- Olympian
- *ombudsman
- omniscient
- omnivorous
- onerous
- onomatopoetic
- *opprobrium
- ordure
- ostensible
- ostentatious
- ostracize
- otiose
- *paean
- palliative
- pallid
- palpable
- panacea
- panache
- *panegyric
- panoply
- pantheon
- paradox
- paragon
- parameter
- *pariah
- *parlous
- parochial
- paroxysm
- parsimonious
- *parvenu
- pastiche
- pastoral
- patent
- pathological
- pathos
- patrician
- paucity
- peccadillo
- pecuniary
- pedagogue
- pedant
- pedestrian
- pejorative
- penchant
- penultimate
- *penurious
- **peregrination
- *peremptory
- *perfidious
- perfunctory
- peripatetic
- peripheral
- pernicious
- *peroration
- perquisite
- *persiflage
- persona
- perspicacious
- peruse
- pervasive
- petulant
- philistine
- phlegmatic
- *piquant
- pithy
- placate
- placebo
- placid
- plaintive
- *plangent
- platitude
- *plaudits
- plethora
- poignant
- polemic
- polyglot
- ponderous
- pontificate
- portend
- portmanteau
- postulate
- potpourri
- *potter
- pragmatic
- **prate
- *prattle
- precipitate
- precipitous
- precursor
- predilection
- *preen
- prehensile
- presage
- prescience
- presentiment
- *prestidigitator
- **prevaricate
- *priapic
- *primogeniture
- primordial
- privation
- privy
- *probity
- proclivity
- procreate
- prodigal
- prodigious
- prodigy
- profane
- profligate
- prognosis
- prognosticate
- proliferate
- prolific
- *prolix
- prone
- propensity
- prophylactic
- *propinquity
- *propitiate
- *propitious
- proprietary
- prosaic
- proselytize
- *protean
- protracted
- proviso
- prowess
- prurient
- *puckish
- puerile
- pugnacious
- **pulchritude
- *pummel
- *punctilious
- pundit
- **purgative
- *purloin
- *pusillanimous
- putative
- quaff
- quagmire
- quail
- qualm
- quandary
- *quarry
- quash
- **quaver
- **quay
- *quell
- *querulous
- query
- queue
- quiescent
- quintessence
- quixotic
- quizzical
- *raconteur
- **raffish
- *rake
- rambunctious
- *rancor
- rankle
- rapacious
- rapt
- recalcitrant
- recant
- recapitulate
- recidivism
- reclusive
- recondite
- reconnoiter
- rectify
- rectitude
- redolent
- redoubtable
- redress
- *refractory
- *refulgent
- *regale
- rejoinder
- remand
- *remonstrate
- renegade
- renege
- repartee
- repertoire
- replete
- reprehensible
- reprobate
- reprove
- resolute
- reticent
- retrograde
- retrogress
- retrospective
- rhetoric
- ribald
- rife
- rigors
- *riposte
- *risible
- **roue
- **rubicund
- *rue
- ruminate
- sacrosanct
- sagacity
- salacious
- salient
- salubrious
- salutary
- salvo
- sanctify
- sanctimonious
- sang-froid
- sanguine
- *sapient
- sardonic
- sartorial
- **saturnine
- savoir-faire
- savor
- saw
- *scabrous
- schism
- **scion
- score
- scourge
- scurrilous
- *scuttle
- *seamy
- secular
- seminal
- sententious
- sentient
- septic
- sequel
- sequester
- serendipity
- *serpentine
- servile
- shibboleth
- *sibilant
- simile
- simulate
- *sinecure
- *sinuous
- skeptic
- sceptic
- skittish
- slake
- slew
- *slue
- smug
- *sobriquet
- sodden
- solecism
- soliloquy
- solipsism
- sop
- *sophism
- sophomore
- soporific
- *soupcon
- spate
- spleen
- sporadic
- spurious
- squalid
- **stentorian
- stolid
- strident
- stultify
- sublimate
- *sub rosa
- succor
- succubus
- succulent
- succumb
- sully
- supercilious
- supine
- supplicate
- surfeit
- surmise
- surreptitious
- *sybarite
- sycophant
- **sylph
- symbiosis
- syntax
- synthesis
- tacit
- taciturn
- tactile
- tangential
- tangible
- tautology
- tawdry
- tedious
- *temerity
- temporal
- tendentious
- tenet
- tenuous
- terse
- testy
- *timorous
- *titular
- *toady
- torpid
- tortuous
- traduce
- transcend
- travesty
- *tremulous
- *trenchant
- trepidation
- *truculent
- truism
- truncate
- turgid
- *tyro
- ubiquitous
- *umbrage
- unconscionable
- *unctuous
- unfathomable
- unflagging
- unmitigated
- *unpropitious
- unseemly
- unsullied
- untenable
- *untrammeled
- *uxorious
- vacillate
- vacuous
- vagary
- vapid
- variegated
- vehement
- *venal
- veneer
- venerate
- venial
- veracious
- verisimilitude
- veritable
- vertigo
- vicissitude
- vignette
- vilify
- **virago
- virtuoso
- virulent
- visage
- visceral
- vitriolic
- vituperative
- vociferous
- voluble
- voracious
- votary
- votive
- waft
- wag
- wanton
- waspish
- *welter
- winnow
- winsome
- wizened
- *wont
- wry
- xenophobia
- *yen
- zealot
- zenith