< V > TOEFL Vocabulary (93)

Demographic (adjective) 

relating to the dynamic balance of a population  

These demographic peculiarities reveal a pattern of upward marriage or hypergamy

which is quite different from endogamy and reflects an acknowledged status difference

between communities.

Denouncing (verb) 

to find fault with; to make an accusation against

A pamphlet entitled A Dissertation on the Canon and the Feudal Law and town

instructions denouncing the Stamp Act (1765) marked him as a vigorous, patriotic

penman, and, holding various local offices, he soon became a leader among

Massachusetts radicals.

Densely (adverb) 

with all parts or elements in extremely close proximity

Particles within the cloud's center (core) became so densely packed that they often

collided and stuck (fused) together.

Dependent (noun) 

a person who relies on another for support

It is one of the more remarkable feats of American literature, how a young man who

never graduated from high school, never received a college degree, living in a small town

in the poorest state in the nation, all the while balancing a growing family of

dependents and impending financial ruin, could during the Great Depression write a

series of novels all set in the same small Southern county that would one day be

recognized as among the greatest novels ever written by an American.

Depict (verb) 

to present a lifelike image of 

St. Francis is depicted wearing a brown habit worn by Franciscan Monks and by the

stigmata over the heart. 

Deposit (noun) 

matter that settles on a bottom or collects on a surface by a natural process 

Several tools have been developed to help land users identify unstable slopes. Slope maps,

geology maps, and landslide deposit maps are available for public inspection at the

Santa Cruz County Planning Department.

Derive (verb) 

to obtain from another source

Like German, English is derived from some common original Germanic or Teutonic

parent speech, although this original language is no longer in existence.

Derange (verb) 

to disturb the health or physiological functioning of

The writer became deranged due to his heavy consumption of alcohol and drugs.

Derogatory (adjective) 

tending or intending to belittle

Derogatory language is not permitted in the workplace.

Descend (verb) 

to become lower in quality, character, or condition

The absolute finest colorless stone carries a D rating, descending through each letter of

the alphabet to Z, designating a diamond of light yellow, brown, or gray.