English Vocabulary - Words Start from Letter 'P'

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English Vocabulary
Words Start from Letter 'P'

1. PANACEA: A remedy for all ills.
   Sentence:
   * Seeking a panacea to cure our social troubles.
   Synonym: Nostrum.
   
   
2. PANEGYRIC: A speech or writing of extravagant praise.
   Sentence:
   * Delivered a panegyric at his friend's testimonial dinner.
   Synonyms: Eulogy, Adulation, Tribute, Laudation (adj. laudatory), Encomium.
   Antonyms: Censure, Disparagement, Derogation, Castigation, Depreciation.
   
   
3. PARADOX: A self -contradictory statement; something 'that appears to be absurd and yet may be true -"Life is too important a matter to he taken seriously."
   Sentence:
   * A paradox by Oscar Wilde.
   Synonym: Anomaly.
   
   
4. PARAPHRASE: To restate the meaning of a passage in other words.
   Sentence:
   * Paraphrased the poem in a few lines of prose.
   
   
5. PARODY:
   (Noun): A humorous imitation of an author's style and mannerisms.
   Sentence:
   * Wrote a parody on Kipling's "Gunga Din."
   Synonym: Burlesque.
   (Verb): To write a parody
   Sentence:
   * Parodied the popular authors of the (lay to his audience's amusement.
   Synonym: Mimic.
   
   
6. PECCADILLO: A petty fault.
   Sentence:
   * Possesses one peccadillo among his many virtues.
   Synonyms: Frailty, Foible, Flaw, Blemish.
   
   
7. PECUNIARY: Pertaining to money.
   Sentence:
   * Involved in pecuniary difficulties.
   Synonyms; Financial, Fiscal, Monetary.
   
   
8. PEDANT (adj.: PEDANTIC): One who proudly shows off his learning or who overrates his knowledge.
   Sentence:
   * Like a pedant glorying in his scholarly trifles.
   
   
9. PENSIVE: Sadly thoughtful.
   Sentence:
   * Softly sang his pensive song.
   Synonyms: Reflective, Meditative, Contemplative, Musing.
   
   
10. PEREMPTORY: Positive in expressing an opinion.
    Sentence:
    * Gave a peremptory judgment.
    Synonyms: Decisive, Resolute, Imperious, Positive, Dogmatic.
    Antonyms: Indecisive, Tentative.
    
    
11. PERTINACIOUS: Clinging doggedly to an opinion or purpose.
    Sentence:
    * Pertinacious in his efforts.
    Synonyms: Obdurate, Tenacious, Persistent, Persevering, Intractable, Inflexible.
    
    
12. PERUSE: To read carefully.
    Sentence:
    * Perused the important letter.
    
    
13. PERVERSE: Willfully bent on doing the wrong thing.
    Sentence:
    * A perverse lad, always disobeying his parents.
    Synonyms: Headstrong, Forward, Refractory, Wayward, Fractious.
    
    
14. PETRIFY: To paralyze with horror, fear, or surprise.
    Sentence:
    * Petrified by the enemy bombardment.
    Synonyms: Stupefy, Stun, Bewilder, Amaze.
    
    
15. PLAGIARISM: Adopting and reproducing, without acknowledgment, the writings or ideas of another and passing them off as one's own.
    Sentence:
    * Denied the charge of deliberate plagiarism.
    
    
16. PLATITUDE: A dull and commonplace remark.
    Sentence:
    * Bored people by his pompous phrases and platitudes.
    Synonyms: Bromide, Truism, Axiom.
    
    
17. PLEBEIAN: Pertaining to the common people; hence, common or vulgar.
    Sentence:
    * Plebeian in his tastes and outlook.
    Antonyms: Patrician, Aristocratic.
    
    
18. PLEBISCITE: A direct vote by the people.
    Sentence:
    * The decision to confederate was ratified by plebiscite.
    
    
19. POIGNANT:
    (1) Gripping and moving the feelings powerfully
    Sentence:
    * A poignant grief.
    (2) Piercing, biting, pointed.
    Sentence:
    * A poignant cry; poignant wit.
    
    
20. PONDEROUS: Very heavy; clumsy; dull.
    Sentence:
    * A ponderous speech, extremely boring.
    
    
21. PRECARIOUS: Uncertain or risky.
    Sentence:
    * Earning a precarious livelihood, providing no luxuries.
    
    
22. PRECIPITOUS:
    (1) Very steep
    Sentence:
    * A precipitous cliff.
    (2) Descending rapidly
    Sentence:
    * A precipitous decline in popularity.
    
    
23. PRECOCIOUS: Remarkable for early mental development.
    Sentence:
    * A precocious genius.
    
    
24. PREDATORY:
    (1) Inclined to plunder or rob;
    Sentence:
    * Predatory bands roaming the countryside.
    (2) Preying on, others.
    Sentence:
    * Predatory animals prowling about.
    Synonyms: Predacious, Looting, Pillaging.
    
    
25. PREDILECTION: Partiality or preference for; a favorable opinion arrived at beforehand.
    Sentence:
    * A predilection for theatricals.
    Synonyms: Prepossession, Proclivity, Predisposition, Penchant.
    Antonyms: Aversion, Antipathy, Repugnance.
    
    
26. PRELUDE: An introduction, forerunner, or preliminary step.
    Sentence:
    * A short prelude to the play.
    Synonyms: Preface, Prologue, Preamble.
    Antonym: Epilogue.
    
    
27. PREROGATIVE: A privilege or power attaching to a position.
    Sentence:
    * It is a woman's prerogative to refuse to tell her age.
    Synonym: License.
    
    
28. PRESTIGE: Esteem or influence accorded for recognized achievements or reputation.
    Sentence:
    * As Senator he enjoyed great prestige.
    Synonym: Distinction.
    
    
29. PRESUMPTION:
    (1) Something taken for granted
    Sentence:
    * Acted on a reasonable presumption.
    (2) Going beyond proper bounds; impudent boldness
    Sentence:
    * His question was downright presumption.
    Synonyms: Effrontery, Forwardness, Arrogance.
    
    
30. PREVARICATE: To disguise or conceal the truth to lie
    Sentence:
    * Prevaricated in order to avoid detection.
    Synonyms: Quibble, Equivocate; (adj.) mendacious.
    Antonyms: (noun) veracity, verity; (adj.) forthright.
    
    
31. PROCRASTINATE: To postpone or put off to another time.
    Sentence:
    * Missed his opportunity by procrastinating too long.
    Synonyms: Defer, Delay.
    
    
32. PROGNOSTICATE (noun: PROGNOSIS): To forecast.
    Sentence:
    * The Weather Bureau prognosticates daily.
    Synonyms: Presage, Portend, Augur, Forebode .
    
    
33. PROLETARIAT: The wage-earning class.
    Sentence:
    * A truckman, humble member of the proletariat.
    
    
34. PROMONTORY: A cliff
    Sentence:
    * An imposing promontory along the coast.
    Synonyms: Headland, Precipice..
    
    
35. PROMULGATE: To publish or proclaim; to spread abroad.
    Sentence:
    * The President promulgated a decree.
    Synonym: Disseminate.
    
    
36. PROTUBERANT: Bulging or swelling out
    Sentence:
    * A protuberant jaw.
    Antonyms: Receding, Recessive
    
    
37. PROVISIONAL: Temporary; for the time being.
    Sentence:
    * A provisional plan until a permanent decision is reached.
    Synonym: Tentative.
    
    
38. PROXIMITY: Nearness.
    Sentence:
    * Worked in close proximity to his home.
    Synonyms: Propinquity, Vicinity.
    Antonym: Remoteness.
    
    
39. PSEUDONYM: A false name assumed by a writer.
    Sentence:
    * Concealed his identity by a pseudonym.
    Synonyms: Alias, Pen name, Nom de plume.
    
    
40. PUNITIVE: Inflicting, or concerned with, punishment.
    Sentence:
    * Took punitive measures against deserters