- ABANDON Dictionary lookup
: To give up completely - abandoned the sinking ship.
Synonyms: relinquish, forgo, forsake
- ABASH Dictionary lookup
: To lose self-confidence; to confuse, put to shame – abashed before the assembled dignitaries./P>
Synonyms: fluster, disconcert, discomfit, discompose Antonym: (adj.) self-possessed
- ABDICATE Dictionary lookup
: To give up claim to - abdicated the throne
Synonyms: renounce, abandon, relinquish
- ABET Dictionary lookup
: To encourage -or support - treacherously abetted the enemy.
Synonyms: spur, incite
Antonym: deter
- ABRIDGE Dictionary lookup
: To shorten - abridged his lengthy speech.
Synonyms: curtail, diminish, retrench
Anthonyms: protract, elongate, amplify
- ABROGATE Dictionary lookup
: To abolish or render void - a treaty abrogated by mutual consent.
Synonyms: annul, nullify, rescind, void
- ABSTEMIOUS Dictionary lookup
: Moderate in the use of food or drink - abstemious in his habits.
Synonym: temperate
- ACADEMIC Dictionary lookup
: Pertaining to school; theoretical academic interests; an academic discussion, with no practical implications.
Synonym: scholastic
- ACCEDE Dictionary lookup
: To agree to -accede to a request.
Synonym: assent
Antonym: demur
- ACCELERATE Dictionary lookup
: - To quicken, speed tip - took an accelerated course in order to graduate early.
Synonym: expedite (adj. expeditious)
Antonym: retard
- ACCOLADE Dictionary lookup
: An award or salute - a tremendous accolade for a returning hero.
Synonyms: tribute, ovation
- ACCORD Dictionary lookup
: Agreement or harmony - in full accord with his view.
Synonyms: concord, concurrence
Antonyms:dissension, discord
- ACRIMONIOUS Dictionary lookup
: Sharp or harsh in language or temper - stung by the acrimonious remark.
Synonyms:caustic, acerb, pungent, tart, mordant, acrid; (noun) asperity
Antonyms:suave, affable
- ACUMEN Dictionary lookup
: Keenness of mind or insight - showing exceptional business acumen.
Synonyms:perspicacity, discernment, perception
Antonym:obtuseness
- ADMONISH Dictionary lookup
(noun: ADMONITION): To warn or find fault gently - admonishing the unruly child.
Synonyms:chide, caution, reprimand, reprehend, reproach
- ADVERSARY Dictionary lookup
: (adj.: ADVERSE): An opponent - his adversary in a bitter debate.
Synonym:antagonist
Antonyms:cohort, confederate, ally, accomplice
- ADVERSITY Dictionary lookup
: Misfortune - calm in the face of adversity.
Synonyms:affliction, mischance, reverses
- AESTHETIC Dictionary lookup
: Pertaining to the beautiful - interested in aesthetic values rather than in purely practical affairs.
19. AFFABLE: Sociable, courteous, and agreeable in manner a much admired, affable gentleman.
Synonyms: civil, complaisant, benign, gracious, genial, urbane, cordial
Antonyms:curt, brusque, rude, boorish, surly
- AFFLUENT Dictionary lookup
: Prosperous, flourishing; copious - a large bequest from an affluent grandfather.
Synonyms:opulent, profuse
Antonyms:destitute, impecunious
- AGGRESSIVE Dictionary lookup
(noun: AGGRESSION. an unprovoked attack): self-assertive; attacking, offensive - annoyed people by his aggressive attitude;
Synonyms:bumptious, officious, obtrusive
Antonyms:meek, humble, retiring, diffident
- ALACRITY Dictionary lookup
: Eagerness; cheerful promptness - responded to the flattering offer with alacrity.
Synonyms:celerity, briskness, energy, animation
Antonyms:apathy, nonchalance, sluggishness, lethargy, phlegmatism
- ALIENATE Dictionary lookup
: To estrange - altenated by his gruff manner.
24. ALLAY: To calm; to lessen in severity - at ease now that his fears have been allayed.
Synonyms:appease, alleviate, pacify, assuage, abate, mitigate, propitiate, mollify, placate
Antonyms:intensify, aggravate
- ALLURE Dictionary lookup
: To tempt by flattery or an attractive offer - allured by the prospect of a new job.
Synonyms:lure, decoy, inveigle, entice, seduce, wheedle, beguile, cajole
Antonym:repel
- AMBIGUOUS Dictionary lookup
: Uncertain, vague, capable of being inter- in more than one way - puzzled by the ambiguous statement.
Synonyms:hazy, obscure, equivocal, dubious, nebulous
Antonyms:explicit, unquestionable
- AMENABLE Dictionary lookup
: Obedient; willing to submit - amenable to the suggestion.
Synonyms:tractable, docile, responsive
Antonyms:intractable, refractory, recalcitrant
- AMIABLE Dictionary lookup
: Good-natured; friendly - attracted friends by his amiable disposition.
Synonym:complaisant
- ANACHRONISM Dictionary lookup
: A thing placed or occurring out of its normal time - A machine gun at the Battle of Yorktown would be an anachronism.
31. ANALOGY (adj.: ANALOGOUS): A relation between two things shown in the resemblance not of the things themselves but of their characteristics- He indicated points of analogy between the two situations.
Synonyms:correspondence, affinity
Antonym: anomaly (a deviation from the general rule)
- ANARCHY Dictionary lookup
: State of confusion or lawlessness - a country brought to utter anarchy by civil war.
Synonyms: chaos, pandemonium
- ANIMUS Dictionary lookup
: A feeling of hatred-felt no animus, even against the enemy.
Synonyms: enmity, rancor, malevolence, animosity
Antonym: amity
- ANNALS Dictionary lookup
: Historical records - in the annals of literature.
35. ANONYMOUS: Of unknown authorship-an anonymous publication.
36. ANTHOLOGY: A collection of choice literary works – an anthology of modern poetry.
37. ANTITHESIS (adj.: ANTITHETICAL): Contrast; the direct opposite - His selfish attitude seemed to me the antithesis o patriotism.
38. APATHY (adj.: APATHETIC): Lack of feeling, emotion, or interest - attributed his failure to apathy, rather than lack of ability.
Synonyms: torpor, lethargy, sluggishness, listlessness, languor, lassitude, dispassion; (verb) languish
Antonyms:zeal, animation
- APPREHENSIVE Dictionary lookup
(verb: APPREHEND): Fearful - Being unprepared, John is apprehensive of the examination.
40. APPRISE: To inform -apprisedhis lieutenants of the new situation.
41. APPROBATION: Approval; praise -a plan that met with hearty approbation.
Synonyms:sanction, commendation
Synonyms:sanction, commendation
Antonym:disapprobation
- APT Dictionary lookup
(noun: APTITUDE, APTNESS):
(1) Likely; inclined or disposed - apt to succeed. Synonym: prone
(2) Fit, suitable - an apt remark.
Synonyms: appropriate, felicitous
- ARBITER Dictionary lookup
: A person who has authority to decide matters in dispute - a fair decision rendered by the arbiter.
Synonyms: mediator, arbitrator
- ARCHETYPE Dictionary lookup
: An original pattern - copies reproduced from the archetype.
Synonym: prototype
Antonyms: Stereotype, facsimile, replica
- ARID Dictionary lookup
: Dry; barren - the arid desert land.
Synonyms. jejune, parched
Antonyms: arable, fertile
- ARISTOCRACY Dictionary lookup
: Government by the best people; a privileged class -special privileges enjoyed by the aristocracy.
Synonym: oligarchy
Antonym: democracy
- ARMISTICE Dictionary lookup
: A temporary suspension of hostilities. The armistice halted the war.
Synonym: truce
- ARTFUL Dictionary lookup
: Sly; crafty - attained his mean objective by artful measures.
Synonyms: cunning, wily, adroit, ingenious, guileful
Antonyms: guileless, ingenuous, artless
- ASCETIC Dictionary lookup
: Rigorously self-denying - pursued the ascetic life of a monk.
Synonyms: austere, abstinent
Antonyms: wanton, self-indulgent
- ASKANCE Dictionary lookup
: With distrust - looked askance at the forged signature.
52. ASSEVERATE: To declare positively; to confirm - asseverated his views with conviction.
Synonyms:assert, avouch, aver, avow, allege
Antonyms:gainsay, controvert, recant, rescind, abjure, disavow
- ASSIDUOUS Dictionary lookup
: Industrious - an assiduous worker, toiling long hours.
Synonyms:sedulous, attentive, diligent, indefatigable
Antonyms:indolent, slothful
- ASYLUM Dictionary lookup
: A place offering shelter and retreat -found asylum from persecution.
Synonyms:sanctuary, refuge
- ATHEIST Dictionary lookup
: One who denies that God exists - The atheist declared, "There is no God."
Synonyms:infidel, agnostic, skeptic
- ATTRIBUTE Dictionary lookup
(verb): Assign -attributed his success to bard work.
Synonym: ascribe
- AUGMENT Dictionary lookup
: To increase or enlarge - an army augmented by numerous enlistments.
Synonyms: enhance, amplify - Antonyms: abate, curtail
- AUSPICIOUS Dictionary lookup
: Indicating a happy outcome - The prospect for this project appears auspicious.
Synonyms:propitious, fortunate
Antonyms:ominous, foreboding
- AUTHENTIC Dictionary lookup
: Genuine -proved to be an authentic document.
Synonyms:veritable, bona fide
Antonyms;apocryphal, counterfeit, spurious, bogus
- AUTOCRATIC Dictionary lookup
: Despotic - feared by the masses as an autocratic ruler.
Synonym:tyrannical
Antonym:benevolent
- AVARICE Dictionary lookup
: Excessive greed - a fortune accumulated by avarice and miserliness.
Synonyms:covetousness, cupidity, avidity
Antonym:magnanimity
- AWRY Dictionary lookup
: Unsymmetrical; not straight - the picture, hanging awry on the wall.
Synonym:askew