opulence noun Great wealth or luxury, especially as shown through lavish possessions or surroundings. The hotel lobby's marble floors and gold fixtures radiated opulence. + extravagant adjective Spending much more money than necessary, or excessively elaborate and lavish in style. They threw an extravagant party with fireworks, a live band, and an ice sculpture. + disillusionment noun A feeling of disappointment that follows discovering something is not as good as previously believed. His disillusionment with politics grew after years of broken promises. + elusive adjective Difficult to find, catch, achieve, or fully understand, despite repeated attempts. Lasting peace between the two nations remained elusive despite years of negotiation. + incorruptible adjective Unable to be bribed or morally corrupted, or not subject to decay. The auditor was known as incorruptible, refusing every offer of money or favors. + aristocracy noun A class of people holding hereditary titles and high social rank, often with political power. The aristocracy once controlled most of the nation's land and political influence. + bootlegger noun A person who makes, transports, or sells illegal alcohol or other goods, especially during Prohibition. During Prohibition, bootleggers smuggled whiskey across the border in hidden truck compartments. + decadence noun Moral or cultural decline caused by excessive indulgence in luxury and pleasure. Historians often point to decadence as one cause of the empire's decline. + melancholy noun A deep, thoughtful sadness, often without an obvious cause. A gentle melancholy settled over her as she packed up her childhood home. + wistful adjective Feeling or showing a vague longing, often tinged with sadness, especially for something in the past. She gave a wistful smile as she looked through her old photographs. + unattainable adjective Not able to be reached, achieved, or obtained, no matter how much effort is made. Critics said the company's growth targets were simply unattainable within a single year. + facade noun The front exterior of a building, or a false, misleading appearance someone presents to others. Workers spent months restoring the crumbling facade of the old theater. + hedonism noun The pursuit of pleasure and self-indulgence as the most important goal in life. Critics accused the resort's advertising of celebrating pure hedonism over rest or culture. + ambition noun A strong desire to achieve success, power, or a particular goal. Her ambition was to open her own bakery before turning thirty. + ostentatious adjective Designed to impress others by showing off wealth, knowledge, or possessions in an obvious way. The couple's ostentatious mansion had gold fixtures in nearly every room. + gaudy adjective Extremely showy or bright in a tasteless, overdone way. The hotel lobby was decorated with gaudy gold fixtures and flashing neon lights. + languid adjective Lacking energy or vitality; moving or acting in a slow, relaxed way. They spent a languid afternoon lying in hammocks by the lake. + supercilious adjective Behaving as though one is superior to others; arrogantly contemptuous. The waiter's supercilious tone made the diners feel quite unwelcome. + fastidious adjective Very attentive to detail and difficult to please, especially about accuracy, cleanliness, or correctness. The fastidious editor caught every small typo before the article went to print. + reckless adjective Acting without thinking about the danger or harmful consequences of one's actions. The reckless driver sped through the red light without slowing down. + longing noun A strong, persistent feeling of wanting someone or something, often something distant or unattainable. He felt a deep longing for his hometown after years abroad. + nostalgia noun A sentimental longing for the past, especially for a happy time or place remembered fondly. The old song filled her with nostalgia for summers at her grandmother's house. + turbulent adjective Marked by conflict, disorder, or sudden violent movement, whether in weather, water, or events. The plane shook violently as it flew through turbulent air over the mountains. + corrupt adjective Willing to act dishonestly, especially by abusing power or accepting bribes, in exchange for personal gain. Investigators uncovered a corrupt official who had been accepting bribes for years. + idealize verb To regard or represent something or someone as perfect or better than it actually is. It is easy to idealize your childhood home once you have moved far away from it. + symbolism noun The use of symbols or images to represent ideas, qualities, or feelings beyond their literal meaning. The novel is full of religious symbolism, especially in its final chapter. + irony noun A situation or expression in which the intended or actual meaning is the opposite of what is said or expected. It was pure irony that the fire station burned down during a fire safety inspection. + unreliable adjective Not able to be trusted to behave, perform, or produce results consistently as expected. The old car was too unreliable to drive on a long road trip. + narrator noun A person who tells or reads aloud the story or events in a book, film, or performance. The narrator's calm voice guided listeners through the documentary's tragic history. + careless adjective Not giving enough attention or thought to what one is doing, resulting in mistakes or harm. A careless mistake in the calculations caused the bridge design to fail inspection. +