Abolish
do away with
v. to destroy completely: do away with entirely
syn. annihilate, extinguish,
Abstemious
self-restraining
adj. sparing, especially in eating or drinking; restricted to bare necessities
syn. ascetic, self-denying, temperate
ant. overindulgent, unrestrained, gluttonous
Accolade
award
n. a mark of acknowledgment, award
syn. praise, acclaim, tribute
ant. denigration, curse
Affirmation
declaration
n. assertion, a declaration, a positive statement
syn. avowal, assertion, pronouncement
ant. denial, refutation
Amass
accumulate
v. to collect for oneself, accumulate
syn. aggregate, assemble
ant. disperse, distribute, scatter
Ambivalence
uncertainty
n. the coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings; uncertainty, indecisiveness about which course to follow
syn. irresolution, uncertainty, fluctuation
ant. certainty, resolution
Ambulatory
able to walk
adj. relating to walking, able to walk
syn. nomadic, peripatetic, pedestrian
ant. bedridden, bedfast, stationary
Amity
goodwill
n. peaceful relations, as between nations ; friendship
syn. goodwill, benevolence, comity
ant. amnity, antipathy, hostility, animosity
Anchor
secure
v. to fasten, to secure firmly
syn. moor, secure, fix, fasten
ant. loosen, detach, free
Antediluvian
antiquated
adj. relating to the period before the flood described in the bible; antiquated
syn. obsolete, ancient, archaic
ant. fresh, new, innovative
Atrophy
deterioration
n. or v. decrease in size, wasting away of a body part or tissue from the lack of use or disease
syn. deteriorate, decline, wither
ant. strengthen, grow
Baneful
ruinous
adj. creating destruction or woe
syn. ruinous, pernicious, noxious, deadly
ant. salubrious, advantageous, beneficial
Bizzare
unusual
adj. strikingly out of the ordinary
syn. odd, eccentric, atypical, curious
ant. normal, ordinary, usual, commonplace
Blunder
goof up
n. or v. to make mistake through utter stupidity, ignorance, confusion or carelessness; a mistake
syn. bumble, botch, bungle; goof
ant. flawlessness, accuracy, perfection
Burgeon
flourish
v. to sprout, sendforth branches; expand, flourish
syn. prosper, surge, mushroom
ant. diminish, shrink, lessen, decline
Clemency
leniency
n. disposition to be merciful; act of leniency
syn. indulgence, pardon, absolution
ant. condemnation, mercilessness
Coalesce
cooperate
v. to unite into a whole; to grow together
syn. meld, bond, merge, ally
ant. separate, segregate, disjoin
Confound
perplex
v. to cause to become confused
syn. bewilder, perplex, puzzle
ant. discriminate, distinguish, clarify
Congeal
harden
v. change from a fluid to a solid state, coagulate
syn. clot, gel, solidify
ant. liquefy, dissolve, melt
Contaminate
infect
v. soil, stain, or infect by contact or association to introduce unwholesome elements
syn. taint, pollute, defile, befoul
ant. purify, cleanse
Elusive
evasive
adj. tending to avoid grasp, perception, description, or mental retention
syn. evasive
Expedient
self-serving
adj. serving to promote one’s interest; something that is a means to an end
syn. suitable, useful, strategy, scheme
ant. inconvenient
Fastidious
precise
adj. displaying careful and meticulous attention to detail; difficult to please
syn. punctilious, scrupulous
ant. imprecise, unexact
Dubious
skeptical
adj. causing doubt or uncertainty; skeptical, questionable
syn. suspicious, doubtful
ant. confident, certain
Immutable
constant
adj. not subject or susceptible to change
syn. constant
ant. changeable
Converge
meet
v. meet, come together; move toward one point or common interest
syn. focus, merge, concentrate
ant. disperse, diverge
Copious
plentiful
adj. yielding an abundance, lavish, plentiful
syn. profuse, ample, bounteous, liberal
ant. meager, scanty, sparse
Corroborate
confirm
v. to support with evidence or authority; confirm
syn. authenticate, justify, substantiate, validate
ant. contradict, question, invalidate
Corrugated
crinkled
adj. shaped into ridges, folds, wrinkles, or grooves
syn. furrowed, creased, crinkled
ant. smooth, flat
Daunt
intimidate
v. to lessen the courage of, intimidate
syn. intimidate, dismay, appall, frustrate
ant. enhearten
Debilitate
enfeeble
v. impair the strength of, enfeeble
syn. weaken, attenuate, cripple, disable, devitalize
ant. invigorate, reinforce, energize, vitalize, rejuvenate, rally
Discrepancy
difference
n. difference, disagreement
syn. dissimilarity, divergence, dissimilitude
ant. similarity, sameness
Disentangle
unscramble
v. to free from entanglement, unravel
syn. extricate, disembroil, disencumber, unscramble, untwine
ant. tangle, mingle
Disputatious
argumentative
adj. inclined to dispute, controversial
syn. contentious, argumentative, controversial, litigious, polemical
ant. agreeable
Distend
swell
v. to enlarge from internal pressure, swell, become expanded
syn. amplify, dilate, inflate, enlarge
ant. constrict, deflate, atrophy
Efface
erase
v. to make indistinct by rubbing out, erase
syn. obliterate, delete, blot out, cancel, expunge
ant. mark, soil, deface
Enhance
make greater
v. to make greater
syn. intensify, aggravate, deepen, magnify
ant. reduce, lessen, shrink
Equilibrium
balance
n. a static or dynamic state of balance between opposing forces or actions
syn. balance, equipoise, poise, stasis
ant. imbalance
Credulous
gullible
adj. disposed to believe too readily
syn. gullible
ant. suspicious, doubtful
Evacuate
relocate/vacate
v. to remove or withdraw from a dangerous area; to make empty
syn. emigrate, relocate, vacate
ant. advance, fill
Expendable
replaceable
adj. normally used up or consumed in service
syn. consumable, exhaustible, perishable
ant. irreplaceable, unique
Exclude
ostracize
v. to shut out, to bar from participation
syn. eliminate, suspend, ostracize
ant. admit, include
Facilitate
ease
v. to free from difficulties or obstacles; make easier
syn. aid, assist, ease, promote, speed
ant. hinder, impede, retard, stymie
Fallow
idle
adj. allowed to lie idle; untilled or unsown, dormant, inactive
syn. dormant, inactive, unrealized
ant. active, sown, planted, productive
Fertile
productive
adj. capable of reproducing or sustaining growth'; continuously productive
syn. fecund, fruitful, spawning, inventive
ant. infertile, sterile, barren
Cryptic
puzzling
adj. having an ambiguous or hidden meaning
syn. mystifying, secret, enigmatic
ant. unambiguous
Censure
criticism
n. or v. an expression of blame or disapproval; to criticize severely
syn. aspersion, indictment, reproach
ant. praise, compliment, applaud, extol
Stagnate
grow stale
v. grow stale from lack of activity; to fail to develop or progress
syn. vitiate, depreciate
ant. invigorate, refresh
Innate
inherent
adj. possessed at birth
syn. inborn, inherent
ant. foreign, extraneous
Esoteric
little-known
adj. intended for or understood by only a particular group
syn. confidential, cabalistic
ant. exoteric, understandable