apostate: a person who forsakes his religion, cause, party, etc.
The apostate was forever shunned.
effusive: unduly demonstrative; lacking reserve; pouring out
For such a trivial matter, the effusion of emotion was quite off putting.
impasse: a position or situation from which there is no escape
"Ah, it seems we have reached an impasse," said the conniving evil mastermind.
euphoria: a state of intense happiness and self-confidence
Victory flooded him with euphoria.
lugubrious: mournful, dismal, or gloomy
The dreary Monday morning was lugubrious at best.
bravado: a pretentious, swaggering display of courage
However deserved, the epic's hero displayed bravado far too often.
consensus: majority of opinion; general agreement
The group reached a consensus to order pizza instead of going out.
dichotomy: divisions into parts, kinds; division into two mutually exclusive groups
The employee dichotomy left the organization in shambles.
constrict: to draw or press in; cause to contract or shrink
As the creature constricted its body, breathing became more difficult.
Gothic: pertaining to the Middle Ages, or the artistic style of the 12-16th centuries
The Gothic cathedral had a distinct aura of foreboding about it.
punctilio: a fine point; strictness or exactness in observance of formalities
To the politician, punctilio was of utmost importance to maintaining good relationships.
metamorphosis: a complete change in form, structure, or substance
After spending the year doing grueling mental exercises, the student seemed to have undergone a metamorphosis.
raconteur: a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly
Although he had a propensity for tall tales, he was undoubtedly a raconteur.
sine qua non: an indispensable condition, element, or factor
The valuable book was the sine qua non of any serious hobbyists' collection.
quixotic: extravagantly chivalrous or romantic, impractically so
His overly eager quixotic manner was humorously foolish in the modern age.
vendetta: any prolonged and bitter feud or rivalry, esp. seeking to avenge
A single misdeed led to a lifelong vendetta.
non sequitur: a statement containing an illogical conclusion
Despite having a valid argument, the peppering of non sequiturs made him unconvincing.
mystique: an aura of mystery or mystical power surrounding a person or thing
The unknown is inherently cloaked in mystique.
quagmire: an area of boggy ground, or a situation that is metaphorically so
As the night progressed, his mind increasingly became a quagmire of jumbled thoughts.
parlous: perilous; dangerous
The forest was not just eerie -- it was filled with parlous animals.
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