-ous

possessing the nature of

Usage

  • impecunious

    Someone who is impecunious has very little money, especially over a long period of time.

  • circuitous

    A circuitous route, journey, or piece of writing is long and complicated rather than simple and direct.

  • supercilious

    If you behave in a supercilious way, you act as if you were more important or better than everyone else.

  • homologous

    Things that are homologous are similar in structure, function, or value; these qualities may suggest or indicate a common ancestor or origin.

  • superfluous

    Something that is superfluous is unnecessary; it is more than what is wanted or needed at the current time.

  • scurrilous

    Scurrilous accusations, stories, or articles contain untrue, unkind, and unfair statements about someone that could spoil that person's reputation.

  • ludicrous

    If you describe something as ludicrous, you mean that it is extremely silly, stupid, or just plain ridiculous.

  • obstreperous

    Someone who is obstreperous is noisy, unruly, and difficult to control.

  • meticulous

    Someone is considered meticulous when they act with careful attention to detail.

  • propitious

    Something that is propitious shows favorable conditions.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • disingenuous

    Someone who is disingenuous is not straightforward or is dishonest in what they say or do.

  • raucous

    A raucous sound is unpleasantly loud, harsh, and noisy.

  • amorphous

    Something that is amorphous has no clear shape, boundaries, or structure.

  • mellifluous

    A mellifluous voice or piece of music is gentle and pleasant to listen to.

  • garrulous

    A garrulous person talks a lot, especially about unimportant things.

  • vociferous

    Someone who is vociferous expresses their opinions loudly and strongly because they want their views to be heard.

  • decorous

    Decorous appearance or behavior is respectable, polite, and appropriate for a given occasion.

  • arduous

    Something that is arduous is extremely difficult; hence, it involves a lot of effort.

  • solicitous

    A person who is solicitous behaves in a way that shows great concern about someone's health, feelings, safety, etc.

  • pusillanimous

    To be pusillanimous is to be cowardly.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • callous

    A callous person's attitude is cruel, uncaring, and shows no concern for others whatsoever.

  • ambidextrous

    When a person is ambidextrous, they can use their left or right hand with equal skill.

  • chivalrous

    A chivalrous man behaves in a polite, kind, generous, and honorable way, especially towards women.

  • credulous

    A credulous person is very ready to believe what people tell them; therefore, they can be easily tricked or cheated.

  • diaphanous

    A diaphanous cloth is thin enough to see through.

  • 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.

  • vaporous

    Something that is vaporous is not completely formed but foggy and misty; in the same vein, a vaporous idea is insubstantial and vague.

  • glutinous

    Something that is glutinous is thick and very sticky, often in an unpleasant way.

  • fortuitous

    Something fortuitous happens purely by chance and produces a successful or pleasant result.

  • indigenous

    Living things are indigenous to a region or country if they originated there, rather than coming from another area of the world.

  • gratuitous

    If something is gratuitous, it is freely given; nevertheless, it is usually unnecessary and can be harmful or upsetting.

  • analogous

    If one thing is analogous to another, a comparison can be made between the two because they are similar in some way.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • ubiquitous

    If something is ubiquitous, it seems to be everywhere.

  • ravenous

    If you are ravenous, you are extremely hungry.

  • spurious

    A spurious statement is false because it is not based on sound thinking; therefore, it is not what it appears to be.

  • rapturous

    A rapturous feeling or reaction shows extreme pleasure, excitement, or happiness.

  • querulous

    Someone who is querulous often complains about things in an annoying way.

  • anonymous

    When someone wishes to remain anonymous, they do not reveal their name.

  • extraneous

    Something that is extraneous is not relevant or connected to something else, or it is not essential to a given situation.

  • heterogeneous

    A heterogeneous grouping is made up of many differing or unlike parts.

  • ominous

    An ominous sign predicts that something bad will happen in the near future.

  • posthumous

    A posthumous award, often given to an author, is given only after the recipient has already died.

  • precipitous

    A precipitous cliff or drop is very steep or falls sharply.

  • synchronous

    Two acts that are synchronous occur at the same time.

  • unanimous

    In a unanimous decision about something, all people involved agree or are united in their opinion.

  • vainglorious

    If you are vainglorious, you are very proud of yourself and let other people know about it.

  • voluminous

    Something that is voluminous is long, large, or vast in size.

  • rigorous

    A teacher who is rigorous expects a great deal from their students; therefore, they can be strict and demanding.

  • simultaneous

    Two events that are simultaneous happen at the same time.

  • devious

    Someone who is being devious is purposefully being dishonest, tricky, not straightforward, or secretive for an underhanded purpose.

  • porous

    A porous substance has many holes through which liquid can be absorbed, such as a sponge.

  • fastidious

    Someone who is fastidious cares a lot about small details and wants to keep everything correct, tidy, and in perfect order.

  • androgynous

    Someone or something that is androgynous has traits or characteristics that could be feminine or masculine; as a result, gender is not readily distinguishable.

  • autochthonous

    Something autochthonous to an area is native or indigenous to it.

  • adventurous

    An adventurous person loves trying new things or taking risks in order to make their life more exciting.

  • obvious

    Something that is obvious is easy or simple to see or understand.

  • enormous

    Something that is enormous is huge, giant, or very big.

  • previous

    The word previous describes something that came before something else.

  • tremendous

    Something tremendous is very big, really strong, huge, amazing, or excellent.

Related Word Parts

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