-ous
possessing the nature of
Usage
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impecunious
Someone who is impecunious has very little money, especially over a long period of time.
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circuitous
A circuitous route, journey, or piece of writing is long and complicated rather than simple and direct.
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supercilious
If you behave in a supercilious way, you act as if you were more important or better than everyone else.
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homologous
Things that are homologous are similar in structure, function, or value; these qualities may suggest or indicate a common ancestor or origin.
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superfluous
Something that is superfluous is unnecessary; it is more than what is wanted or needed at the current time.
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scurrilous
Scurrilous accusations, stories, or articles contain untrue, unkind, and unfair statements about someone that could spoil that person's reputation.
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ludicrous
If you describe something as ludicrous, you mean that it is extremely silly, stupid, or just plain ridiculous.
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obstreperous
Someone who is obstreperous is noisy, unruly, and difficult to control.
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meticulous
Someone is considered meticulous when they act with careful attention to detail.
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propitious
Something that is propitious shows favorable conditions.
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ingenuous
People who are ingenuous are excessively trusting and believe almost everything that people tell them, especially because they have not had much life experience.
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impervious
If you are impervious to things, such as someone's actions or words, you are not affected by them or do not notice them.
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disingenuous
Someone who is disingenuous is not straightforward or is dishonest in what they say or do.
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raucous
A raucous sound is unpleasantly loud, harsh, and noisy.
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amorphous
Something that is amorphous has no clear shape, boundaries, or structure.
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mellifluous
A mellifluous voice or piece of music is gentle and pleasant to listen to.
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garrulous
A garrulous person talks a lot, especially about unimportant things.
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vociferous
Someone who is vociferous expresses their opinions loudly and strongly because they want their views to be heard.
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decorous
Decorous appearance or behavior is respectable, polite, and appropriate for a given occasion.
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arduous
Something that is arduous is extremely difficult; hence, it involves a lot of effort.
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solicitous
A person who is solicitous behaves in a way that shows great concern about someone's health, feelings, safety, etc.
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pusillanimous
To be pusillanimous is to be cowardly.
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incongruous
Something that is incongruous is strange when considered along with its group because it seems very different from the other things in its group.
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nebulous
If you describe something as nebulous, you mean that it is unclear, vague, and not clearly defined; a shape that is nebulous has no clear boundaries.
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callous
A callous person's attitude is cruel, uncaring, and shows no concern for others whatsoever.
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ambidextrous
When a person is ambidextrous, they can use their left or right hand with equal skill.
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chivalrous
A chivalrous man behaves in a polite, kind, generous, and honorable way, especially towards women.
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credulous
A credulous person is very ready to believe what people tell them; therefore, they can be easily tricked or cheated.
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diaphanous
A diaphanous cloth is thin enough to see through.
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fatuous
If you think something, such as a statement or idea, is fatuous, you consider it stupid or extremely silly; a fatuous hope is unrealistic.
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vaporous
Something that is vaporous is not completely formed but foggy and misty; in the same vein, a vaporous idea is insubstantial and vague.
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glutinous
Something that is glutinous is thick and very sticky, often in an unpleasant way.
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fortuitous
Something fortuitous happens purely by chance and produces a successful or pleasant result.
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indigenous
Living things are indigenous to a region or country if they originated there, rather than coming from another area of the world.
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gratuitous
If something is gratuitous, it is freely given; nevertheless, it is usually unnecessary and can be harmful or upsetting.
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analogous
If one thing is analogous to another, a comparison can be made between the two because they are similar in some way.
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numinous
Numinous objects or places seem holy, spiritual, and possess a mysterious power, which make you feel that a spirit or god may be present.
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autonomous
An autonomous person makes their own decisions without being influenced by anyone else; an autonomous country or organization is independent and has the power to govern itself.
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ubiquitous
If something is ubiquitous, it seems to be everywhere.
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ravenous
If you are ravenous, you are extremely hungry.
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spurious
A spurious statement is false because it is not based on sound thinking; therefore, it is not what it appears to be.
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rapturous
A rapturous feeling or reaction shows extreme pleasure, excitement, or happiness.
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querulous
Someone who is querulous often complains about things in an annoying way.
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anonymous
When someone wishes to remain anonymous, they do not reveal their name.
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extraneous
Something that is extraneous is not relevant or connected to something else, or it is not essential to a given situation.
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heterogeneous
A heterogeneous grouping is made up of many differing or unlike parts.
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ominous
An ominous sign predicts or shows that something bad will happen in the near future.
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posthumous
A posthumous award, often given to an author, is given only after the recipient has already died.
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precipitous
A precipitous cliff or drop is very steep or falls sharply.
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synchronous
Two acts that are synchronous occur at the same time.
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unanimous
All people involved in a unanimous decision agree or are united in their opinion about something.
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vainglorious
If you are vainglorious, you are very proud of yourself and let other people know about it.
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voluminous
Something that is voluminous is long, large, or vast in size.
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rigorous
A rigorous teacher expects a lot from their students; therefore, they can be strict with rules and demand that their students learn a lot of information.
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simultaneous
Two events that are simultaneous happen at the same time.
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devious
A devious person can act in a dishonest, tricky, or secretive way for their own purposes.
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porous
A porous substance has many holes through which liquid can be absorbed, such as a sponge.
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fastidious
Someone who is fastidious cares excessively about small details and wants to keep everything correct, tidy, very clean, and in perfect order.
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androgynous
The adjective androgynous describes traits or characteristics that could be feminine or masculine; as a result, gender is not readily distinguishable.
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autochthonous
Something autochthonous to an area is native or indigenous to it.
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adventurous
An adventurous person loves trying new things or taking risks to make their life more exciting.
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obvious
Something obvious is easy to see or simple to understand.
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enormous
Something that is enormous is huge, giant, or very big.
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previous
Something that happened at a previous time happened earlier or before the present time.
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tremendous
Something tremendous is very big, really strong, amazing, or excellent.
Related Word Sums
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