Biology/Health & Science 🧬💊

Ward off

She carried and umbrella to _____ ____ the sun

He tried to ______ ____ the cold with a warm coat

A strong immune system helps ______ ____ illness

Synonyms: Avert, repel, deflect (danger, harm or an attack)

Formality: Neutral ⚪

Strain

Don’t ________ your eyes by reading in the dark

He suffered a muscle ________ in his leg

The constant noise began to _______ her patience

Synonyms: Overexert, overstretch, damage; Tension, stress, injury

Formality: Neutral ⚪

Bulk up

He’s been working out to _____ ___ for the football season

You can ______ ___ the soup by adding more vegetables

The company needs to ______ ___ its online presence

Synonyms: Grow, enlarge, develop (muscles)

Formality: Informal 🔴

Concussion

He suffered a severe ________ after hitting his head in the fall.

* The doctor diagnosed her with a mild ________.

* Symptoms of a ________ can include headaches and dizziness.

* Synonyms: Head injury, brain trauma, jar (of the brain)

* Definition: Temporary unconsciousness or confusion caused by a blow to the head.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral

Acute

Examples:

* He experienced an ________ pain in his side, requiring immediate medical attention.

* The situation requires ________ awareness and quick thinking.

* There is an ________ shortage of water in the affected area.

* Synonyms: Severe, sharp, perceptive, critical

* Definition: (Of a bad, difficult, or unwelcome situation or phenomenon) present or experienced to a severe or intense degree; (Of a disease or condition) short-term and typically severe; (Of a person) having or showing a perceptive understanding or insight.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral

Artery

Examples:

* The doctor explained how blood flows through the ________.

* A major ________ runs through the city, connecting the north and south.

* Hardening of the ________ can lead to heart disease.

* Synonyms: Blood vessel, main road (figurative)

* Definition: Any of the muscular-walled tubes forming part of the circulation system by which blood (mainly that which has been oxygenated) is conveyed from the heart to all parts of the body; a main road or river.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral (technical in biology)

Backbone

Examples:

* The human ________ consists of many vertebrae.

* She showed incredible ________ during the difficult times.

* The small businesses are the ________ of the local economy.

* Synonyms: Spine, courage, foundation (figurative)

* Definition: The series of vertebrae extending from the skull to the pelvis, forming the main support of the body; strength of character; the chief support or basis of something.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral

Blister

Examples:

* New shoes often cause ________ on your feet.

* The paint began to ________ in the intense heat.

* He got a nasty ________ on his hand from touching the hot pan.

* Synonyms: Bubble, sore, boil

* Definition: (Noun) A small bubble on the skin filled with serum and caused by friction, burning, or other damage. (Verb) To form blisters.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral

Bloodstain

Examples:

* There was a large ________ on the suspect's shirt.

* The detective meticulously examined the ________ on the carpet.

* She tried to wash out the ________ but it wouldn't come out.

* Synonyms: Blood mark, gore mark

* Definition: A stain made by blood.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral

Bedridden

Examples:

* After the accident, he was ________ for several months.

* The elderly woman became permanently ________ due to her illness.

* Being ________ can lead to muscle atrophy.

* Synonyms: Housebound, confined to bed, incapacitated

* Definition: Confined to bed by illness or infirmity.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral

Catatonic

Examples:

* After the shock, she remained in a ________ state for hours.

* The patient was virtually ________, unresponsive to any stimuli.

* His expression was blank and almost ________.

* Synonyms: Unresponsive, motionless, stuporous

* Definition: Of or in an immobile or unresponsive stupor, especially one associated with a mental disorder.

* Formality: 🔵 Formal (medical/psychological)

Cathartic

Examples:

* Crying can be a very ________ experience.

* Writing in a journal was a ________ way for her to process her emotions.

* The loud concert felt incredibly ________ after a stressful week.

* Synonyms: Purging, releasing, therapeutic

* Definition: Providing psychological relief through the open expression of strong emotions; purgative.

* Formality: 🔵 Formal

Cavity

Examples:

* The dentist found a small ________ in her tooth.

* The explorers discovered a hidden ________ in the mountain.

* The building has a hollow ________ in its walls for insulation.

* Synonyms: Hole, hollow, void

* Definition: A hollow space within a solid object or body.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral (technical for dental, general for space)

Clot

Examples:

* The cut was small, but it produced a significant blood ________.

* The blood began to ________ to stop the bleeding.

* A serious health risk can be a blood ________ in the leg.

* Synonyms: Coagulation, lump (noun), coagulate (verb)

* Definition: (Noun) A thick, soft mass formed from a liquid, especially blood, by coagulation. (Verb) To form into clots.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral (medical/biological)

Gangrenous

Examples:

* The doctor had to amputate the ________ limb.

* The wound became infected and started to turn ________.

* The tissue samples showed signs of being ________.

* Synonyms: Necrotic, decaying, putrefied

* Definition: Affected by gangrene (localized death and decomposition of body tissue).

* Formality: 🔵 Formal (medical)

Gestate

Examples:

* Humans ________ for approximately nine months.

* The idea had been ________ing in his mind for years.

* The project will need time to ________ before it's ready.

* Synonyms: Develop, carry (pregnancy), incubate (figurative)

* Definition: (Of a female mammal) carry a fetus in the womb; (of an idea or plan) develop over a period of time.

* Formality: 🔵 Formal

Hoofing

Examples:

* We were ________ it all the way up that hill.

* He spent the whole day ________ around the city.

* (Dance) She started ________ it on the dance floor.

* Synonyms: Walking, traipsing (informal), dancing (informal)

* Definition: (Informal) Walking, especially for a long distance or with effort; (informal) dancing.

* Formality: 🔴 Informal

Inoculation

Examples:

* Mass ________ campaigns helped eradicate diseases like smallpox.

* The doctor recommended an annual flu ________.

* ________ helps the body build immunity to diseases.

* Synonyms: Vaccination, immunization, shot

* Definition: The action of inoculating or of being inoculated; vaccination.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral (medical/scientific)

Larynx

Examples:

* The surgeon performed an operation on the patient's ________.

* The ________ is often called the voice box.

* Damage to the ________ can affect one's ability to speak.

* Synonyms: Voice box, vocal organ

* Definition: The muscular and cartilaginous structure in the throat, responsible for sound production; the voice box.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral (medical/anatomical)

Leech

Examples:

* The doctor used a ________ in medieval medicine for bloodletting.

* (Figurative) Don't let that person ________ off your hard work.

* The little boy clung to his mother like a ________.

* Synonyms: Bloodsucker (literal), parasite (figurative), exploit (verb, figurative)

* Definition: (Noun) An aquatic segmented worm that attaches itself to the skin of animals and sucks their blood; (Figurative) a person who exploits or sponges off others. (Verb, figurative) To exploit or benefit from someone or something.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral (for animal), 🔴 Informal/Derogatory (for figurative)

Lacerate

Examples:

* The jagged piece of metal could easily ________ his skin.

* His careless words had a tendency to ________ her feelings.

* The doctor had to stitch up the deeply ________d wound.

* Synonyms: Tear, cut, mangle, wound (literally), distress (figurative)

* Definition: To tear or make deep cuts in (flesh or skin); (figurative) to wound (feelings or mind) deeply.

* Formality: 🔵 Formal

Leprosy

Examples:

* In ancient texts, ________ was a much-feared disease.

* Modern medicine has made great strides in treating ________.

* A colony was established for people suffering from ________.

* Synonyms: Hansen's disease, chronic infectious disease

* Definition: A chronic infectious disease affecting the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves, caused by Mycobacterium leprae.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral (medical term)

Marrow

Examples:

* Bone ________ is essential for producing blood cells.

* She extracted the ________ from the roasted bones.

* (Figurative) The cold wind chilled him to the ________.

* Synonyms: Bone pulp, essence (figurative), squash (vegetable, British English)

* Definition: (Noun) A soft fatty substance in the cavities of bones, where blood cells are produced; (British English) a large, oblong gourd.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral

Medevac

Examples:

* The injured soldier was transported by ________ to the nearest hospital.

* A helicopter arrived for the urgent ________ of the critically ill patient.

* The remote clinic relies on ________ for serious cases.

* Synonyms: Medical evacuation, air ambulance, emergency transport

* Definition: (Noun) Medical evacuation; the rapid transport of people in need of urgent medical care, typically by helicopter. (Verb) To evacuate (a patient) by medical helicopter.

* Formality: ⚪ Neutral (technical/military/emergency services)

Petri dish

1. Examples:

   • Scientists grew bacteria cultures in the ________.

   • The experiment required a sterile ________ for observation.

   • (Figurative) The small town became a social ________ for their research.

2. Synonyms: Culture plate, laboratory dish

3. Definition: A shallow, circular, transparent dish with a flat lid, used for the culture of microorganisms.

4. Formality: ⚪ Neutral (scientific term)

Perish

1. Examples:

   • Many ancient languages have completely ________ed over time.

   • Thousands of people ________ed in the earthquake.

   • Food will ________ quickly if not refrigerated.

2. Synonyms: Die, expire, decay, rot, vanish

3. Definition: To die; to suffer complete ruin or destruction.

4. Formality: 🔵 Formal

Pubescent

1. Examples:

   • The clinic specializes in the health of ________ adolescents.

   • She was just entering her ________ years.

   • The study focused on the physiological changes in ________ boys.

2. Synonyms: Adolescent, developing, maturing

3. Definition: (Of a person or animal) having reached puberty or in the process of reaching puberty.

4. Formality: 🔵 Formal (scientific/medical term)

Retarded

1. Examples:

   • Note: While historically a neutral term, "retarded" is now widely considered offensive and has largely been replaced by terms like "intellectually disabled" or "developmentally delayed." Use with extreme caution, if at all, and only for historical context where absolutely necessary.

   • (Outdated usage example for context, not recommendation) The growth of the plants was ________ by the lack of sunlight.

   • (Offensive usage example) The film depicted characters who were described as mentally ________.

2. Synonyms: Slowed, delayed, hindered (growth/development); (offensive) mentally disabled

3. Definition: (Past tense/participle of retard) Delayed or held back in development or progress; (offensive, dated) having a mental disability.

4. Formality: 🔴 Highly Offensive (for people), ⚪ Neutral (for physical/chemical process, but still use with caution due to association)

Runt

1. Examples:

   • The smallest puppy in the litter was often called the ________.

   • (Figurative, informal) He was always picked on as the ________ of the group.

   • The old machine was the ________ of the factory, always breaking down.

2. Synonyms: Smallest (animal), weakling (informal), inferior (informal)

3. Definition: (Informal, often derogatory) The smallest or weakest of a litter, especially of pigs; a person who is small and insignificant.

4. Formality: 🔴 Informal / Potentially Derogatory

Scab

1. Examples:

   • He picked the ________ off his knee, making it bleed again.

   • A thick ________ formed over the wound.

   • (Derogatory) The striking workers yelled at the ________s crossing the picket line.

2. Synonyms: Crusting (wound), strikebreaker (derogatory), disease (plant)

3. Definition: (Noun) A dry, rough protective crust that forms over a cut or wound during healing; (derogatory, informal) a person who refuses to strike or work while others are on strike. (Also, a plant disease).

4. Formality: ⚪ Neutral (medical), 🔴 Derogatory (labor)

Scintillating

1. Examples:

   • She gave a ________ performance that captivated the audience.

   • His wit and charm made for a truly ________ conversation.

   • The diamond had a ________ sparkle.

2. Synonyms: Sparkling, brilliant, dazzling, lively, witty

3. Definition: Sparkling or shining brightly; brilliantly and excitingly clever or skillful.

4. Formality: 🔵 Formal / Literary

Senile

1. Examples:

   • The old man had become quite ________ in his later years.

   • My grandfather's memory is a bit ________ these days.

   • The disease can lead to premature ________ dementia.

2. Synonyms: Decrepit, doddery, aged, mentally frail

3. Definition: (Of a person) having or showing the weaknesses or diseases of old age, especially a loss of mental faculties.

4. Formality: ⚪ Neutral (clinical), often used with caution due to negative connotations outside of clinical context.

Slobber

1. Examples:

   • The dog began to ________ all over the floor when he saw the treat.

   • There was a trail of ________ from the hungry puppy.

   • (Figurative) He tends to ________ over any new gadget.

2. Synonyms: Drool, salivate, dribble (verb/noun), gush (figurative)

3. Definition: (Verb) To let saliva or liquid run from the mouth; (Noun) Saliva or liquid running from the mouth.

4. Formality: ⚪ Neutral

Sniff out

1. Examples:

   • The dog was trained to ________ illegal substances.

   • (Figurative) Journalists managed to ________ the corruption in the city council.

   • He's got a knack for ________ing out good deals.

2. Synonyms: Detect, discover, uncover, find (by smell or intuition)

3. Definition: (Phrasal verb) To detect by smell; (figurative) to discover (something) by careful searching or intuition.

4. Formality: ⚪ Neutral

Withdrawal

1. Examples:

• He experienced _____ symptoms after stopping the medication.

• The sudden _____ of funding forced the project to close.

• Social _____ is common after a traumatic loss.

2. Synonyms: retreat, removal, abstinence (when medical)

3. Definition: The act of taking something away or oneself back; in medicine/psychology, the symptoms and process that follow stopping use of an addictive substance.

4. Formality: 🔵Formal

Wound

1. Examples:

• The nurse cleaned the _____ before putting on a bandage.

• The soldier received a serious _____ in the battle.

• Emotional _____ from betrayal can last a long time.

2. Synonyms: injury, cut, lesion

3. Definition: An injury to the body (often involving a break in the skin) or, figuratively, an emotional hurt.

4. Formality: ⚪Neutral