Word List U

ubiquitous being everywhere; omnipresent; N. ubiquity
ulcer sore place appearing on the skin inside or outside the body; Ex. stomach ulcer; ADJ. ulcerous; V. ulcerate
ulterior intentionally hidden; beyond what is evident; situated beyond; unstated and often questionable; Ex. ulterior motive
ultimate final; not susceptible to further analysis; fundamental; Ex. The sun is the ultimate source of energy.
ultimatum last demand; last warning; last statement of conditions that must be met; Ex. They have ignored our ultimatum.
umbrage resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult; Ex. take umbrage at his rudeness
unaccountable unexplicable; impossible to account for; unreasonable or mysterious
unanimity complete agreement; ADJ. unanimous
unassailable not open to attack; impregnable; not subject to question
unassuaged unsatisfied; not soothed
unassuming modest; Ex. the champion’s unassuming manner
unbridled violent; uncontrolled; Ex. unbridled rage/greed
uncanny strange; mysterious; Ex. uncanny knack
unceremonious not done politely without due formalities
unconscionable unscrupulous; not guided by conscience; excessive; beyond reason; Ex. unconscionable demand
uncouth boorish; clumsy in speech or behavior; outlandish
unction the act of anointing with oil; Ex. extreme unction
unctuous oily; bland; insincerely suave
underhand(underhanded) done slyly and secretly (being dishonest)
underlying lying below; fundamental
undermine weaken gradually; sap; dig a mine beneath
underscore underline; emphasize
understate state with less truth than seems warranted by the facts; Ex. He understated the seriousness of the crime; N. understatement; OP. overstate
undertaker funeral director; one whose business is to arrange burials
undulating moving with a wavelike motion; V. undulate; CF. und: wave
unearth dig up; discover (facts) by careful searching; Ex. He unearthed some secrets about her; OP. conceal
unearthly not earthly; supernatural; weird; ghostly
unequivocal plain; clear; obvious
unerringly infallibly; ADJ. unerring: making no mistakes
unexceptionable entirely acceptable; not offering any basis for criticism
unfaltering steadfast; firm; not changing
unfeigned genuine; real
unfetter liberate; free from chains; V. unfetter
unfledged immature; not having the feathers necessary to fly; CF. fledgling
unfrock defrock; strip a priest or minister of church authority
ungainly (of someone) awkward in movement; clumsy; (of something) unwieldy; Ex. ungainly dancer/instrument
unguent ointment
uniformity sameness; monotony; ADJ. uniform: the same all over
unilateral one-sided; involving or affecting only one side; Ex. unilateral declaration
unimpeachable that cannot be impeached; beyond doubt or question; blameless and exemplary
uninhibited unrepressed; free in behavior and feelings
unintimating unfrightening
unique without an equal; single in kind
unison unity of pitch (in musical performance); complete accord; Ex. The choir sang in unison.
universal characterizing or affecting all; general; present everywhere; of the universe; cosmic; Ex. universal agreement; Ex. a subject of universal interest
unkempt disheveled; uncared for in appearance; not combed; CF. comb
unmitigated (of something bad) not moderated; unrelieved or immoderate; without qualification; absolute; Ex. unmitigated disaster
unobtrusive inconspicuous; not blatant
unprecedented having no previous example; novel; unparalleled
unprepossessing unattractive
unravel disentangle; solve
unregenerate making no attempt to change one’s bad practices
unrequited not requited; not reciprocated; Ex. unrequited love
unruly disobedient; lawless; difficult to control
unsavory distasteful; disagreeable; morally offensive; Ex. unsavory activity/reputation
unscathed unharmed; Ex. escape the accident unscathed
unseemly unbecoming; not proper in behavior; indecent; Ex. leave with unseemly haste
unsightly ugly; unpleasant to look at
unsullied untarnished; CF. sully
untenable (of a position, esp. in an argument) indefensible; not able to be maintained
untoward unexpected and adverse; unfortunate or unlucky; Ex. untoward encounter
unwarranted unjustified; having no justification; groundless; baseless; undeserved
unwieldy awkward (to carry or move); cumbersome; unmanageable
unwitting not knowing; unaware; unintentional; Ex. She was their unwitting accomplice; Ex. unwitting insult; CF. wit: know
unwonted unaccustomed; unusual; Ex. He arrived with unwonted punctuality.
upbraid reprimand; severely scold
upright (sitting or standing) straight up; honest; moral
uproar noisy confusion
uproarious marked by commotion or uproar; very noisy (esp. with laughter); hilarious; causing loud laughter; extremely funny
upshot outcome; final result
urbane suave; refined in manner; elegant
urchin mischievous child (usually a boy); CF. urchin: hedgehog; CF. porcupine: pig with spikes ?; CF. sea urchin
urge drive or force forward (by causing impulses); drive to take action; impel; entreat earnestly; Ex. urge horses; N: impulse that prompts action
urgent compelling immediate action; pressing; persistent; importunate; Ex. urgent in his demands
ursine bearlike; pertaining to a bear
usage act or manner of using; accepted practice; way in which words are actually used
usurp seize another’s power or rank (without legal authority); supplant; appropriate; N. usurpation; CF. take for one’s own use
usury lending money at illegal high rates of interest
utopia ideal place, state, or society; ADJ. utopian
uxorious excessively submissive or devoted to one’s wife; CF. uxor: wife