| circumvent | go around | The drunk driver attempted to circumvent the sobriety checkpoint. |
| sanctioned | authorized, officially approved | The use of some forms of torture was sanctioned by the Secretary of Defense. |
| stealthy | secret;concealed | Stealthy use of wiretapping may be used to catch the mobster. |
| adverse | negative, bad | The adverse effect of torture is that the information you get may not e true. |
| sadist | one who takes pleasure in hurting others | He was clearly a sadistic dictator. |
| rationalized | justified (implies false justification) | He rationalized that stealing the money was okay because the store owed him for his overtime work. |
| lacerations | deep long cuts in flesh | She had lacerations on her back as a result of the auto accident. |
| lethal | deadly | Some non-lethal weapons end up lethal if used incorrectly. |
| opportunistic | taking advantage of an opportunity with little concern about ethics or principles | Opportunistic diseases will take over a body with low defense mechanisms. |
| myth | in this passage, a false but commonly held belief | A common myth perpetrated in the media is that the media is liberal. |
| atrocities | shockingly brutal acts | Sadam Hussein is accused of atrocities involving the Kurds living in Iraq. |
| invective | abusive language | Invective is not a substitute for reasoned discussion. |
| reprieve | temporary relief | The prisoner was granted a reprieve from the death sentence. |
| feigning | faking | He feigned sickness to get out of going to the wedding. |
| neophyte | a beginner | The neophyte instructor could not control the class. |
| a "ticking bomb" | a problem that will become dangerous in not addressed quickly | they say that the young man is a ticking bomb, if he doesn't get the needed medication. |
| liquidate | to kill | The Nazis attempted to liquidate the Jewish people. |