English December/November Vocab

altruistic

unselfish; concerned with the welfare of others

altruistic

Synonyms: selfless, compassionate

Antonyms: selfish, sacrificing

benevolent

kindly; charitable

benevolent

Synonyms: caring; compassionate

Antonyms: cruel, hateful, miserly

clemency

mercy; humaneness; mildness

clemency

Synonyms: leniency; compassion

Antonyms: cruelty

commend

to praise; express approval

commend

Synonyms: applaud; compliment

Antonyms: criticize, blame

galvanize

to excite, to invigorate, to energize someone to take action

galvanize

Synonyms: motivate, provoke, spur

Antonyms: bore, calm, discourage

placate

to ease the anger of, to soothe

placate

Synonyms: appease; pacify; mollify

Antonyms: agitate, incite, irritate

redress

to set right; remedy; relief from wrong or injury

redress

Synonyms: make amends; restore

Antonyms: penalty, destruction

sanguine

optimistic, cheery

sanguine

Synonyms: buoyant, confident

Antonyms: depressed, down, gloomy

surreptitious

stealthy, kept secret, especially because it would not be approved

surreptitious

Synonyms: clandestine, covert

Antonyms: forthright, honest, open

trite

not original, overused

trite

Synonyms: banal, cliche

Antonyms: fresh, new, original