Similar words. Different jobs.

A communicator can imply an idea; a reader or listener can infer a conclusion from evidence. This distinction concerns the direction of the reasoning, not certainty.

Credible describes something believable; credulous describes a person too ready to believe. A believable story and a gullible listener are different things.

Eminent means distinguished or prominent; imminent means about to happen. Status and nearness in time are different dimensions.

Adverse describes unfavorable conditions; averse describes opposition or reluctance, commonly followed by to.

Here disinterested means impartial, while uninterested clearly means lacking interest. Disinterested also has an established not-interested use; these prompts deliberately specify the distinction instead of declaring that use impossible.

Discrete emphasizes separate units; disparate emphasizes substantial differences in kind. The meanings can overlap, so each prompt states which contrast it tests.

Allude means refer indirectly, normally with to. Elude means evade or escape someone or their grasp, literally or figuratively.

Flaunt means display ostentatiously; flout means openly disregard or defy a rule or convention. Showing off is not the same action as disobeying.

Complacent describes self-satisfaction that may overlook risks; complaisant describes a willingness to please or accommodate others.

Callous describes insensitivity; callow describes youthful inexperience or immaturity. Lack of experience does not imply lack of compassion.

Definitive stresses authority or final settlement; definite stresses certainty or clear determination. They can overlap, so the prompts make the intended emphasis explicit.

Veracious means truthful; voracious describes an intense appetite, including a figurative appetite for reading.

Specious emphasizes a deceptive appearance of soundness; spurious emphasizes falsity or lack of authenticity. An argument may be both, but the stated cues distinguish these uses.

Reprove means rebuke or express disapproval. Reprieve, as a verb, grants relief or a delay from a sentence or unwanted consequence.

Effusive concerns unrestrained expression of emotion. Elusive concerns difficulty finding, catching, or defining something.

Waive means relinquish a right or requirement. Waver means hesitate between alternatives or become unsteady.

A precedent provides an earlier example or guide for later decisions. A precursor comes before and may prepare the way for something else; it need not be a decision-making rule.

Ingenuous describes innocent candor; disingenuous describes insincerity or a deceptive pretense of candor. Neither means inventive, which is ingenious.

Empirical concerns observation or experience; hypothetical concerns a supposition used for reasoning. A hypothesis may later be tested empirically.

Apathy is absence of interest or feeling; antipathy is a positive aversion or dislike. Indifference is not the same as hostility.

Reluctant emphasizes unwillingness to act. Reticent especially describes restraint in speaking; it also has an established broader reluctance sense. The prompts contrast action with disclosure.

Exacerbate means worsen a problem. Exasperate means irritate or frustrate a person intensely.

Enervate means weaken or drain energy, despite its energetic sound. Invigorate means energize or strengthen.

Eclectic concerns selection from varied sources. Esoteric concerns knowledge restricted to a small or specialized circle.

Prodigal means wastefully extravagant or lavish. Prodigious means extraordinarily large, impressive, or remarkable.

Perfunctory describes routine or cursory action with little interest or care. Meticulous emphasizes close attention to detail.

Ostensible means apparent or professed, possibly different from the real purpose. Ostentatious means showy or designed to attract admiration.

Conjecture means infer or propose without sufficient proof. Corroborate means supply supporting evidence. Support strengthens a claim without necessarily proving it conclusively.

Dissemble means conceal one's true feelings or motives. Disseminate means distribute or spread information widely.

Subtle concerns fine, elusive, or unobvious distinctions. Sublime concerns exalted beauty or greatness; it is not simply another word for slight.