ABANDON: To give up completely - abandoned the sinking ship.
Synonyms: relinquish, forgo, forsake
ABASH: To lose self-confidence; to confuse, put to shame – abashed before the assembled dignitaries.
Synonyms: fluster, disconcert, discomfit, discompose
Antonym: (adj.) self-possessed
ABDICATE: To give up claim to - abdicated the throne
Synonyms: renounce, abandon, relinquish
ABET: To encourage -or support - treacherously abetted the enemy.
Synonyms: spur, incite
Antonym: deter
ABRIDGE: To shorten - abridged his lengthy speech.
Synonyms: curtail, diminish, retrench
Anthonyms: protract, elongate, amplify
ABROGATE: To abolish or render void - a treaty abrogated by mutual consent.
Synonyms: annul, nullify, rescind, void
ABSTEMIOUS: Moderate in the use of food or drink - abstemious in his habits.
Synonym: temperate
ACADEMIC: Pertaining to school; theoretical academic interests; an academic discussion, with no practical implications.
Synonym: scholastic
ACCEDE: To agree to -accede to a request.
Synonym: assent
Antonym: demur
ACCELERATE: - To quicken, speed tip - took an accelerated course in order to graduate early.
Synonym: expedite (adj. expeditious)
Antonym: retard
ACCOLADE: An award or salute - a tremendous accolade for a returning hero.
Synonyms: tribute, ovation
ACCORD: Agreement or harmony - in full accord with his view.
Synonyms: concord, concurrence
Antonyms:dissension, discord
ACRIMONIOUS: 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: Keenness of mind or insight - showing exceptional business acumen.
Synonyms:perspicacity, discernment, perception
Antonym:obtuseness
ADMONISH (noun: ADMONITION): To warn or find fault gently - admonishing the unruly child.
Synonyms:chide, caution, reprimand, reprehend, reproach
ADVERSARY: (adj.: ADVERSE): An opponent - his adversary in a bitter debate.
Synonym:antagonist
Antonyms:cohort, confederate, ally, accomplice
ADVERSITY: Misfortune - calm in the face of adversity.
Synonyms:affliction, mischance, reverses
AESTHETIC: Pertaining to the beautiful - interested in aesthetic values rather than in purely practical affairs.
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: Prosperous, flourishing; copious - a large bequest from an affluent grandfather.
Synonyms:opulent, profuse
Antonyms:destitute, impecunious
AGGRESSIVE (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: Eagerness; cheerful promptness - responded to the flattering offer with alacrity.
Synonyms:celerity, briskness, energy, animation
Antonyms:apathy, nonchalance, sluggishness, lethargy, phlegmatism
ALIENATE: To estrange - altenated by his gruff manner.
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
ALLUDE (noun: ALLUSION): To refer to indirectly - alluded quite subtly to his friend's misfortune.
Synonyms:insinuate, intimate, imply
Antonyms:refer, cite
ALLURE: 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: 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: Obedient; willing to submit - amenable to the suggestion.
Synonyms:tractable, docile, responsive
Antonyms:intractable, refractory, recalcitrant
AMIABLE: Good-natured; friendly - attracted friends by his amiable disposition.
Synonym:complaisant
ANACHRONISM: A thing placed or occurring out of its normal time - A machine gun at the Battle of Yorktown would be an anachronism.
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: State of confusion or lawlessness - a country brought to utter anarchy by civil war.
Synonyms: chaos, pandemonium
ANIMUS: A feeling of hatred-felt no animus, even against the enemy.
Synonyms: enmity, rancor, malevolence, animosity
Antonym: amity
ANNALS: Historical records - in the annals of literature.
ANONYMOUS: Of unknown authorship-an anonymous publication.
ANTHOLOGY: A collection of choice literary works – an anthology of modern poetry.
ANTITHESIS (adj.: ANTITHETICAL): Contrast; the direct opposite - His selfish attitude seemed to me the antithesis o patriotism.
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 (verb: APPREHEND): Fearful - Being unprepared, John is apprehensive of the examination.
APPRISE: To inform -apprisedhis lieutenants of the new situation.
APPROBATION: Approval; praise -a plan that met with hearty approbation.
Synonyms:sanction, commendation
Antonym:disapprobation
APT (noun: APTITUDE, APTNESS):
(1) Likely; inclined or disposed - apt to succeed. Synonym: prone
(2) Fit, suitable - an apt remark.
Synonyms: appropriate, felicitous
(3) Skillful, expert - apt at woodcarving.
Synonyms: deft, dextrous, adept. Antonym: inept
ARBITER: A person who has authority to decide matters in dispute - a fair decision rendered by the arbiter.
Synonyms: mediator, arbitrator
ARCHETYPE: An original pattern - copies reproduced from the archetype.
Synonym: prototype
Antonyms: Stereotype, facsimile, replica
ARID: Dry; barren - the arid desert land.
Synonyms. jejune, parched
Antonyms: arable, fertile
ARISTOCRACY: Government by the best people; a privileged class -special privileges enjoyed by the aristocracy.
Synonym: oligarchy
Antonym: democracy
ARMISTICE: A temporary suspension of hostilities. The armistice halted the war.
Synonym: truce
ARTFUL: Sly; crafty - attained his mean objective by artful measures.
Synonyms: cunning, wily, adroit, ingenious, guileful
Antonyms: guileless, ingenuous, artless
ARTICULATE (verb): To speak clearly or distinctly - articulated slowly so that he could not be misunderstood.
(adj.): Capable of speech; distinct, clear – an articulate man, always ready to give his views.
ASCETIC: Rigorously self-denying - pursued the ascetic life of a monk.
Synonyms: austere, abstinent
Antonyms: wanton, self-indulgent
ASKANCE: With distrust - looked askance at the forged signature.
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: Industrious - an assiduous worker, toiling long hours.
Synonyms:sedulous, attentive, diligent, indefatigable
Antonyms:indolent, slothful
ASYLUM: A place offering shelter and retreat -found asylum from persecution.
Synonyms:sanctuary, refuge
ATHEIST: One who denies that God exists - The atheist declared, "There is no God."
Synonyms:infidel, agnostic, skeptic
ATTRIBUTE (verb): Assign -attributed his success to bard work.
Synonym: ascribe
(noun): An inherent quality -Generosity was his outstanding attribute.
AUGMENT: To increase or enlarge - an army augmented by numerous enlistments.
Synonyms: enhance, amplify - Antonyms: abate, curtail
AUSPICIOUS: Indicating a happy outcome - The prospect for this project appears auspicious.
Synonyms:propitious, fortunate
Antonyms:ominous, foreboding
AUTHENTIC: Genuine -proved to be an authentic document.
Synonyms:veritable, bona fide
Antonyms;apocryphal, counterfeit, spurious, bogus
AUTOCRATIC: Despotic - feared by the masses as an autocratic ruler.
Synonym:tyrannical
Antonym:benevolent
AVARICE: Excessive greed - a fortune accumulated by avarice and miserliness.
Synonyms:covetousness, cupidity, avidity
Antonym:magnanimity
AWRY: Unsymmetrical; not straight - the picture, hanging awry on the wall.
Synonym:askew
BANAL: Lacking in freshness, originality, or vigor-bored by his banal remarks.
Synonyms:commonplace, hackneyed, prosaic, trite, stereotyped, vapid
Antonyms:racy, original, vivid
BANEFUL (noun: BANE: poison; source of harm): Destructive, poisonous - a baneful effect, causing serious injury.
Synonyms: deleterious, pernicious, virulent, noxious, toxic
Antonym:beneficent
BANTER: Good-natured teasing or ridicule-The two wits I exchanged banter, to the amusement of the audience.
Synonyms:raillery, chaff
BATON: A stick or staff - The conductor wielded his baton gracefully.
BELIE: To give a false idea of - His gracious manner belled his. evil purpose.
Synonym:misrepresent
BELLICOSE; Inclined to quarrel; warlike - His bellicose attitude often got John into fights.
Synonyms: pugnacious, contentious, disputatious
Antonyms: pacific, conciliatory
BELLIGERENT: Engaged in war - two belligerent nations warring fiercely.
BENEVOLENT: Kindly; charitable - like a benevolent monarch, bestowing many favors.
Synonyms: benign, benignant, gracious, magnanimous
Antonyms: malevolent, malignant
BEREAVE: To deprive or leave desolate by loss - a widow just bereaved of her husband.
BESMIRCH: To soil or dirty - besmirched his opponent's good name with vile epithets.
Synonyms: stilly, defile, smirch, bespatter
BIASED: Prejudiced - misled by a biased point of view.
Synonyms:bigoted, arbitrary, partial, partisan
Antonyms:disinterested, equitable
BIBLIOPHILE: A lover of books - The bibliophile fingered the old book fondly.
Antonym: bibliophobe
BIZARRE: Queer; unusual in appearance- bizarre clothes, outlandish in the extreme.
Synonyms:odd, fantastic, grotesque, eccentric
BLAND: Gentle; polite; agreeable - a bland diet, without irritating foods.
Synonyms: mild, suave (affable or persuasive in manner), soothing, non-irritating
Antonyms: piquant, tart, racy, caustic, acrid, pungent
BLANDISHMENT: A flattering speech or act - attracted people by his blandishments.
BLEMISH (verb): To scar or spoil - Bad associates blemished his character
(noun): A disfigurement, defect - a character without a blemish.
BLIGHT: To ruin or decay - the rotting wheat-, blighted by incessant rain.
Synonyms:wither, blast
BLITHE: Gay and light-hearted in spirit or mood - spread cheer with her blithe spirit.
Synonyms: jocund, merry, joyous
Antonyms: dejected, forlorn, abject
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