Vocab list 21

remorseful

ex: She was immediately remorseful for saying it, however, and apologize

feeling sad and guilty

repentant

ex: He was repentant after realizing the impact of his actions and sought to make amends.

feeling sorry for something that you have done

penitent

ex: It was hard to be angry with him when he looked so penitent.

showing that you are sorry for something you have done because you feel it was wrong

contrite

ex: She seemed genuinely contrite when she apologized .

feeling regret and guilt for something bad that you have done

amend

ex: The terms of the contract were amended in later years .

to change a text or a law .

atone

ex: The director of the company has expressed a wish to atone for her past sins.

to do something that shows you are sorry for something bad that you did or for something that you failed to do..

rectify

ex: I hadn’t meant to cause trouble, and asked what i could do to rectify the situation.

to correct or make right / to deal with a problem or mistake so that it no longer exists.

remedy

ex: This mistake must be remedied immediately.

a method of legally solving a problem or disagreement.

ameliorate

ex: Foreign aid is badly needed to ameliorate the effects of the drought.

to make a bad or unpleasant situation better.

conciliatory

ex: Fitzwater struck a conciliatory tone, saying he didn’t think anybody was to blame

trying to make someone less angry / to show that you care about the feelings or opinions of someone who is angry or upset with you.

condolence

ex: The mayor offered his condolences.

sympathy expressed / an expression of sympathy for the family of a person who has recently died.

empathy

ex: He loves children and has a certain empathy with them.

the ability to share someone else’s feelings or experiences by imagining what it would be like to be in that person’s situation.

allay

ex: I was nervous, but seeing her allayed my fears.

to make a negative emotion less strong or a problem less difficult.

alleviate

ex: The medicine did nothing to alleviate her discomfort.

to make pain or problems less severe.

assuage

ex: The government has tried to assuage the public’s fears.

to make unpleasant feelings less strong.

mollify

ex: She was not mollified by his apology.

to make someone less angry or upset or to make something less severe or more gentle.

mitigate

ex: The company was criticized for failing to mitigate risks at the plant.

to make something less harmful, unpleasant, or bad.

placate

ex: She’s more easily placated than her husband.

to stop someone from feeling angry.

quell

ex: The police were called in to quell the riot.

to stop something by force / to calm doubts, fears, etc..

appease

ex: She claimed that the government had only changed the law in order to appease their critics.

to get rid of unpleasant feelings or make them less strong / to prevent further disagreement or fighting by letting the opposing side have something that they want.

console

ex: Her friends tried to condole her, telling her “Everything will be fine .”

to make someone who is sad or disappointed feel better by giving them comfort or sympathy.

salvage

ex: After the fire, there wasn’t much furniture left worth salvaging.

to succeed in achieving or saving something that is in a difficult situation / to try to make a bad situation better.

cope

ex: Inside homes, many residents coped with broken glass and collapsed walls and chimney.

to deal with problems or difficulties with a degree of success.

resolve

ex:

I faced many challenges that week which all served to strengthen my resolve. (determination)

The couple resolved their differences. (solve)

to solve or end a problem or difficulty / to make a determined decision.

reconcile

ex: It’s difficult to reconcile such different points of view. (2nd meaning)

He has reconciled himself to the loss of the election and is moving on. (to accept)

to accept it even if it is unpleasant or painful, because it cannot be changed / to find a way in which two situations or beliefs that are opposed to each other can agree and exist together.

mediate

ex:

We are currently trying to mediate a solution to save the health-insurance program.

to try to end a disagreement by helping the two sides to talk about and agree on a solution.

intervene

ex:

The minister intervened personally to stop the museum from being closed.

to intentionally become involved in a difficult situation in order to improve it or prevent it from getting worse / to happen between two times or between other events or activities.

culpable

ex:

The landowner could be proved culpable for starting the fire.

deserving to be blamed or considered responsible for something bad.

liable

ex: He is still liable for repaying his student loan.

having legal responsibility for something / likely to do, happen, or experience something.

accountable

ex: Our board will hold me accountable if anything goes wrong.

responsible for what you do and able to give a satisfactory reason for it.

detain

ex: We were detained in traffic and arrived at the theater a little late.

to force someone officially to stay in place esp. prison / to delay person for a short period of time.

restrain

ex: Higher interest rates appear to be restraining consumer spending.

to limit the growth or force of something / to control someone’s actions or behaviour by stopping them from doing something.

restrict

ex: If they want to restrict access to their pages, privacy controls are available.

to limit someone’s actions or movements or prevent something from increase.

relinquish

ex: She relinquished control of the family investments to her son.

to give up a responsibility or claim / to unwillingly stop holding or keeping something.

waive

ex: The bank waived the charge, because the mistake was their fault.

to not demand something you have a right to or not cause a rule to be obeyed.

forgo

ex: I shall have to forgo the pleasure of seeing you this week.

to give up or do without esp. something pleasant.

cede

ex: New Orleans was ceded to Spain in 1763.

to give someone something or to give a control or right to someone else unwillingly or because forced to do so.

prohibit

ex: Loud music prohibited serious conversation. (2nd meaning)

to officially forbid something / to prevent something by making it impossible.

justified

ex: I accept that the criticism is completely justified.

having a good reason for something

warranted

ex: I think we’re causing fear that I’m not sure is warranted.

there is a good reason and can be accepted / been given official authority to do something

merited

ex: We discussed the merits of herbal tea.

to deserve to be treated or considered in a particular way / the advantages something has compared to something else.

pardon

The innocent man was pardoned after 5 years in jail.

officially forgiven and punishment is stopped.

absolve

ex: She was absolved of responsibility when someone else admitted that they’d asked her to perform the task.

to officially remove guilt or responsibility for something wrong that someone has done or might have done.

exonerate

ex: Footage from security cameras exonerated him by showing that someone else had committed the task.

to show or say officially that someone or something is not guilty of something.

vindicate

ex: They said they welcomed the trial as a chance to vindicate themselves.

to prove that someone is not guilty or is free from blame, after other people blamed them / to prove something trues after others said is wrong.

exempt

ex: Local drivers are exempted from paying the tolls.

to allow someone not to do something, pay something, etc. that others have to do or pay.

tolerate

ex: Athletes often have to tolerate a lot of pain.

to accept behavior and beliefs that are different from your own, although you may not agree with or approve of them / to bear something annoying or unpleasant despite difficulties.

abide

ex: The boss could not abide the employee’s foul luggage at work, and gave him a stern warning.

to live or stay somewhere / you dislike something or someone very much.

condone

ex: If the government is seen to condone violence, bloodshed will never stop.

to ignore or accept behavior that some people consider wrong.

transcend

ex: The group makes music that transcends traditional pop categories.

to go beyond or rise above limit, or to be greater than something ordinary.

overcome

ex: He was overcome by smoke before he could get out of the apartment.

to defeat or succeed in controlling or dealing with something / to prevent someone from being able to act or think in the usual way.