< V > TOEFL Vocabulary (148)

Municipal (adjective) 

belonging to a city

Although aluminum is less than one percent of the nation's municipal solid waste stream,

it remains one of the most valuable recyclable materials.

Murkiness (noun) 

a heavy dimness or obscurity caused by or like that caused by overhanging fog or smoke; 

the act of being darkly vague or obscure 

But the idea of securing a "critical mass" of underrepresented students, which the court

endorsed, may create more murkiness about limits of race-based school policies, critics

say. 

Mushroom (verb) 

to well up and spread out laterally from a central source; to become enlarged or extended; 

to spring up suddenly or multiply rapidly

As the Earth’s population continues to mushroom, can ways be found to manage

natural resources without causing ecological collapse? 

Muster (verb) 

to come together; to assemble, prepare, or put into operation

While in France, he would sometimes go to the café that James Joyce would frequent, but

the interminably shy Faulkner never mustered the nerve to speak to him.

Mutation (noun) 

the process or result of making or becoming different

Driven by dizzying mutations in medical costs, program directors and staff ponder the

disruptive dynamism of these new reforms.

Muzzle (noun) 

a device, as of straps, fastened over the mouth of an animal to prevent its biting or eating

Dogs should wear muzzles when they are certain to have contact with other dogs and

children.

Mystical (adjective) 

difficult to explain or understand 

Coconut trees possess the mystical ability to conjure up a tropical paradise atmosphere

wherever they may be found.

Mythology (noun) 

a body of traditional beliefs and notions accumulated about a particular subject 

In Roman mythology, Mercury is the god of commerce, travel and thievery, the Roman

counterpart of the Greek god Hermes, the messenger of the Gods. 

Nag (verb) 

to scold or find fault constantly 

Nagging another person can cause resentment, ultimately resulting in a destroyed

friendship.

Naked (adjective) 

not wearing any clothes; without the aid of a microscope or telescope

If the inclusions are not visible to the naked eye, a higher clarity does not really improve

the appearance of a diamond but rather the rarity and price. 

Natal (adjective) 

of or connected with one’s birth

Both villages show a similar level of in-marriage among women currently resident

within the village, 67% for Sakaltutan and 63% for Elbasi, indicating an approximate

ratio of two women marrying and resident within their natal village for every one who

marries out.