19 November 2018

• Minatory:  Expressing or conveying a threat 
• In this minatory respect, at least, Zizek has strong affinities with a contemporary philosopher to whom he's otherwise diametrically opposed: John Gray. (Will Self).

3 November 2018

• Morass:  An area of muddy or boggy ground; a complicated or confused situation. 
• The days ahead will reveal weather the dysfunction and uncertainty at the heart of government are carrying the country deeper into the morass of extremist violence. (Dawn Editorial: Another Surrender)

25 October 2018

• Scruple: A feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of a course of action 
• European countries show rising scruples over arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
   (Dawn)

21 October 2018

Forestall:  Prevent or obstruct (an anticipated event or action) by taking advance action. 

• Russians and Syrians warplanes pounded towns in Syria's opposition-held Idlib province on Saturday, a day after a summit of the presidents of Turkey, Iran and Russia failed to agree on a ceasefire that would forestall a Russian-backed offensive. (Dawn)

Perfunctory: Characterized by routine or superficiality

• My house filling up with familiar faces coming up to me again and again, delivering the perfunctory kiss on the cheek followed by those same words: "I am sorry for your loss." (Sheryl Sandberg)

18 October 2018

• Erstwhile: Former 
• The provinces will have to reduce their share in National Finance Commission (NFC) Award to give a three percent share for the development of erstwhile FATA.   (Dawn)

24 September 2018

• Gratuitously: Without good reason, unjustifiably 
• A moment of hope has been gratuitously extinguished by India. (Dawn)
• Over five years of Mr. Modi's rule, India has suffered variously from his raw wisdom, most gratuitously in November 2016, when his government abruptly withdrew nearly 90 percent of currency notes from circulation. (Pankaj Mishra) Added 25 May 2019.  

14 June 2018

• Mercenary: Primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics.
• While this may seem mercenary, it’s important to know from the outset who can help and hurt your career.  (Amy Gallo).

14 November 2017

• Sclerotic: Becoming rigid and unresponsive; losing the ability to adapt.
• He says he plans to liberalize and modernize his sclerotic society, expand the civil rights of women, reduce the economic power of the Saudi fossil fuel industry, and loosen the grip of the 5,000-member royal cousins club that has bled the country dry for generations. (Zev Chafeta). 

31 May 2017

Stupor: Suspension or great diminution of sensibility. 

• Men and women need not fall into a stupor of mind and spirit by the time they are middle-aged. (John W. Gardner)  

1 May 2017

• Facetious: Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor 
• I am being somewhat facetious here in my wordings, but this underlying sentiment is nonetheless common and important to tackle. (Cal Newport in Deep Work) 

27 April 2017

• Paroxysm: A sudden attack or outburst of a particular emotion or activity.
• I also have some issues with over-the-top behavior of Pakistani women-yes, we are hospitable and quite effusive on some occasion but these paroxysms of delight go a little too far too fast for my taste (excuse the awful pun here). (Marylou Andrew) 

15 March 2017

• Panegyric: A public speech or published text in praise of someone or something. 
• In a lovely little panegyric for the distinguished European philosopher Slavoj Zizek , published recently on Al Jazeera we read, (Hamid Dabashi).  

19 October 2016

• Apparatchik: A member of an apparat especially in a communist party.
• Her controlling apparatchik mother. (Carl Swanson)