Apprehension
she had some apprehensions about the filming
his first apprehension of such large issues
"They acted with intent to prevent lawful apprehension"
Anxiety / Alarm / Worry | fear of something bad will happen
Understanding
Arrest / Capture/
Commute
commuting foreign currency to domestic
(V) Exchange/trade/ change/ swap/ substitute
to give up something and take smth else in return
(N) flight/ trip/ journey/ tour/ ride
Defiance
any defiance of the authoritarian regime would have dire consequences
the troubled youth seems to have an ingrained defiance to authority of any sort
a deeply troubled person who seemed the very soul of defiance
Rebellion/ disrespect/disobedience| Refuse to obey
Opposition/ resistance/ objection| inclination to resist
Aggression/ aggressive/ hostility| inclination to fight
Frenetic
the frenetic rush to get every member of the cast in place before the curtain went up
Frantic/ Fierce/mad/intense / intensive| Marked by great and often stressful excitement or activity
Glean
the information is gleaned from press cuttings"
Gather / obtain / take / get
Integrate
integrate the new developments into our understanding of cancer
integrate the powders thoroughly before adding them to the liquid
Combine/ mix/ merge/ blend/ amalgamate
to turn into a single mass ornately that is more or the same as throughout
incorporate/to make a part of the body or system
Queer
"She had a queer feeling that they were being watched"
Reg didn't want someone meddling and queering the deal at the last minute
(adj) odd/ strange/ unusual
(v) spoil/ damage / harm| ruin agreement or event
Reluctance
"she sensed his reluctance to continue"
hesitance/ doubt/ hesitation
acculturation
still, there was an acculturation process — particularly for Mr. Feldman, who is not really the dance-like-no-one-is-watching type.
assimilation to a different culture, typically the dominant one
Propound
Her new book expands upon the theory propounded in her first book.
Propose/ pose/ suggest
to set before the mind for consideration
ingrain
Entrench/ Establish/ Fix/ implant/ root
firmly fix or establish (a habit, belief, or attitude) in a person:
impartial
Equitable/ equal/ objective
marked by justice, honesty, and freedom from bias
Litigant
defendant/ party/ plaintiff
a person involved in a lawsuit
myopic
Shortsighted/ Nearsighted
able to see near things more clearly than distant ones
Careless/ Reckless/ wasteful/ improvident
not thinking about and providing for the future
Abase
Humble/ Degrade/ belittle/ lower/ humiliate
behave in a way that belittles or degrades (someone)
Abate
Subside/ lessen
(of something unpleasant or severe) become less intense or widespread:
Lessen/decrease
make (something) less intense:
abdicate
Resign/ Relinquish/ renounce
to give up (as a position of authority) formally
Abduct
Kidnap
to carry away (as a person) forcibly or unlawfully
aberration
Hysteria / Madness/ Insanity/ Instability
a serious mental disorder that prevents one from living a safe and normal life
anomaly/ abnormality/ exception/ rarity
something that is different from what is ordinary or expected
Abet
Provoke/ Promote/ Encourage
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
Aid/ Assist/ Help
to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end
extrapolate
Derive/ Understand/ Decide/ infer
to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information
resemble
Feel/ suggest/recall/seem/ appear/ look/ approach
to look or be like (someone or something)
ambivalence
Uncertainty/ unsureness/ doubt/ inconclusiveness
the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone:
Provision
(N) Requirement/ qualification
something upon which the carrying out of an agreement or offer depends
Food/ bread
substances intended to be eaten
(v) supply/ furnish/ equip
to provide (someone) with what is needed for a task or activity
Feed /board/ crater/ Sustain
to provide food or meals for
incur
suffer / sustain / attract
become subject to (something unwelcome or unpleasant) as a result of one's own behavior or actions
intact
entire/complete/whole / full / perfect/ comprehensive
not lacking any part or member that properly belongs to it
abide
remain/ stay/ wait/ dwell
to continue to be in a place for a significant amount of time
live/ reside
to have a home
tolerate/ accept/ handle/ bear/ stand/ endure/ take
to put up with (something painful or difficult)
remain/ last/continue/persist
to remain indefinitely in existence or in the same state
abject
humble/ servile /meek
showing, expressing, or offered in a spirit of humility or unseemly submissiveness
abjure
renounce/ withdraw/ deny/ retract
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to)
avoid/ forego/ keep(from)/ deny
to resist the temptation of
abnegation
refusal/ denial/ renunciation/ renouncement
the act or practice of giving up or rejecting something once enjoyed or desired
contemporary
"The tension and complexities of our contemporary society"
"he was a contemporary of Darwin"
Modern/ present day
belonging to or occurring in the present:
living or occurring at the same time:
Peer/ fellow/ compeer/ coeval
a person or thing living or existing at the same time as another:
confined
"her fear of confined spaces"
Small/ narrow/ constricted/ limited /tight
(of a space) restricted in area or volume; cramped:
Attain
he attained the rank of Brigadier
dolphins can attain speeds in water which man cannot yet emulate
Achieve/ accomplish
succeed in achieving (something that one has worked for):
Reach/ come to/ make
reach (a specified age, size, or amount):
bolster
(v)
used additional beams to bolster the ceiling
a couple of tournament wins would bolster the extravagant claims that have been made on behalf of the young golfer
(V)
Sustain/ support/ carry/ uphold
to hold up or serve as a foundation for
reinforce
to provide evidence or information for (as a claim or idea)
(n) arch/ pillar /support /pedestal
Pertinent
he impressed the jury with his concise, pertinent answers to the attorney's questions
Relevant/ applicable
having to do with the matter at hand
blemish
(N)the first mirror had a blemish on its surface, so we took it back to the store
(v) a scratch blemished the finish on the car
(N) fault/ imperfection
a small mark or flaw which spoils the appearance of something:
(V) spoil. impair/ damage
spoil the appearance or quality of (something):
Abort
had to abort the mission to Mars when they lost contact with the satellite
Cancel/ abandon / revoke/ scrap
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)
Abrogate
the U.S. Congress can abrogate old treaties that are unfair to Native Americans
Abolish/ cancel/ repeal
to put an end to by formal action
abscond
the burglar was trying to abscond with the jewels when he tumbled down the stairs
Escape/ flee/ fly
to get free from a dangerous or confining situation
absolution
Once all the facts were known, the jury gave Angela absolution by giving a verdict of not guilty.
Forgiveness/ pardon/ amnesty
release from the guilt or penalty of an offense
thwart
a coalition of grassroots organizations thwarted the company's efforts to get approval for a new power plant
Prevent/frustrate/ hamper
to prevent from achieving a goal
Versatile
a versatile baseball player can play any position
adaptable
able to do many different kinds of things
muddling
(v)
a car shopper thoroughly muddled by too much well-meaning advice
some mischievous brat had muddled the household accounts
(adj) Confusing/ upsetting
(v) puzzling/ perplexing/ confusing/ baffling
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty
Disrupting/ confusing/ shuffling/ disturbing
to undo the proper order or arrangement of
tumult
In the tumult of the evacuation from the coast, we accidentally left on the television, which was of course tuned to the local newscast breathlessly reporting on the hurricane we were fleeing
The political tumult that swept the American colonies in the late 1700s
went to the window to see what the great tumult was and discovered a crowd of demonstrators marching down the street
Commotion/ noise/ fuss/ disturbance
a state of noisy, confused activity
upheaval/ unrest
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
roar/ howl/ noise
a violent shouting
Disclosure
he offered full disclosure of the government files on the assassination
Revelation/ exposure
the act or an instance of making known something previously unknown or concealed
truncated
some of the quotations from the movie had to be truncated to fit on tie-in products
Shortened
to make less in extent or duration
Dynamic
a dynamic new challenger for the title of heavyweight champion
a dynamic speech expressing her party's goals and values
Energetic/ powerful/ robust/ lively
having active strength of body or mind
Aggressive/violent/energetic
marked by or uttered with forcefulness
benign
around campus he's known as a real character, but one whose eccentricities are entirely benign
basking under a benign sun on a day in early spring
Harmless/ safe
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
gentle/ soothing/ soft/ mild/ mellow
not harsh or stern especially in nature or effect
Bearing
"a man of precise military bearing"
"the case has no direct bearing on the issues being considered"
"school was bad enough, but now it's past bearing"
Posture/ comportment
a person's way of standing or moving:
Relevance/ relevancy
relation; relevance:
Endurance/ endurability
the ability to tolerate something bad or to be tolerated:
nuanced
a nuanced, shaded representation of a hot-button issue that is too often depicted in black and white
a sauce with a nuanced lemon flavor that doesn't overwhelm the taste of the fish
Nice/delicate/subtle
made or done with extreme care and accuracy
subtle/ elegant/ delicate/ exquisite
satisfying or pleasing because of fineness or mildness
Dogmatic
The dogmatic dog refused to release the little boy hand from its mouth.
Opinionated/ Stubborn
given to or marked by the forceful expression of strongly held opinions
vacillate
vacillated for so long that someone else stepped in and made the decision
unsure/ uncertain/ hesitate/ faltering
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
banal
"songs with banal, repeated words"
ordinary/ cliched/ commonplace/ boring
so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring:
situate
the new industrial complex is situated near the highway
Put/ place/ position/ lay/ locate
to arrange something in a certain spot or position
juxtaposition
The juxtaposition of contrasting colors gives the painting a chaotic effect.
Proximity
the state of being next to one another
woefully
woefully recounted the many injustices that the family had endured at the hands of the dictator
sadly/ bitterly/ hard
with feelings of bitterness or grief
instill
a charismatic leader who instilled in his followers a passionate commitment to the cause
Plant/ breed/ root/ embed
to set permanently in the consciousness or mind-set
inadvertent
an inadvertent encounter with a rattlesnake in the brush
accidental
happening by chance
vicinity
"the number of people living in the immediate vicinity was small"
"the abundance and vicinity of country seats"
neighborhood/ locality
the area near or surrounding a particular place:
nearness/ closeness
proximity in space or relationship:
Adorn
the Sultan's tent was richly adorned with thick tapestries and gleaming gold candlesticks
decorate
to make more attractive by adding something that is beautiful or becoming
Jargon
(N) I don't understand a lot of computer jargon
(V) the birds who began jargoning to greet the dawn
(n) terminology/ language/ dialect/ slang/ vocabulary
the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field
(V) chirp
to make a short sharp sound like a small bird
concession
when trying to get a raise in your salary, it's good to know the art of concession
an abject concession of guilt from the governor is the only thing that will save her political career
a concession to sell their T-shirts at the village fair
Negotiation / compromise
the act or practice of each side giving up something in order to reach an agreement
admission/ confession
an open declaration of something (as a fault or the commission of an offense) about oneself
privilege
something granted as a special favor
ordeal
the hikers were finally rescued after a three-day ordeal in the wilderness
Fire/ trail/ cross
a test of faith, patience, or strength
Dread
(adj) every ship on the Spanish Main was terrified of running into the dread pirate
(n) the dread felt by people awaiting bad news
(adj) terrifying/ scary/ horrible
causing fear
(n) worry / anxiety/ fear
suspicion or fear of future harm or misfortune
(v) fear
repercussion
your decision not to go to college will have repercussions you'll feel for years to come
effect/ impact/ influence
the power to bring about a result on another
pretension
"His pretensions to the imperial inheritance"
"He spoke simply, without pretension"
claim/ aspiration
a claim or assertion of a claim to something:
affectation
the use of affectation to impress; pretentiousness:
eccentric
(adj) his eccentric decorating style isn't going over well with the neighbors
(n) an eccentric who designed his house to look like a Scottish castle
(adj) bizarre/ strange/ odd
different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion
(n) character/ oddball/ weirdo
a person of odd or whimsical habits
aversion
I simply have this ingrained aversion to the sight of bloodshed
couldn't overcome her aversion to her brother-in-law and pointedly avoided his company
clichés should be the pet aversion of every good writer
disgust/ hatred/ horror
a dislike so strong as to cause stomach upset or queasiness
dislike/ hatred/ distaste
a strong feeling of not liking or approving
enemy/ phobia/ hate
something or someone that is hated
merit
(n)"composers of outstanding merit"
"(v)the results have been encouraging enough to merit further investigation"
(N)excellence/ goodness
the quality of being particularly good or worthy, especially so as to deserve praise or reward:
(V) deserve /earn
deserve or be worthy of (reward, punishment, or attention):
arbitrary
"an arbitrary decision"
random/ unreasoned
based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system:
impending
(ADJ) an impending celebration of the 100th anniversary of the college's founding
an aura of impending doom hung over the city
(V) for confirmed pessimists some disaster always seems to be impending
(Adj) upcoming/ coming/ approaching
being soon to appear or take place
looming/ imminent
giving signs of immediate occurrence
(V) looming / brewing
to be about to happen
replenish
My dad had to replenish the car’s fuel in the middle of journey
refill/ load/ refresh/ pack
to fill or build up (something) again
Mutant
(adj) Mutant ninja turtle
(n) mutation/ monster
a plant or animal that is different from other plants or animals of the same kind because of a change in the structure of its genes; something produced by genetic mutation
(adj) abnormal/ asymmetrical
reminisce
they reminisced about their summers abroad
remember/ recall/ recollect
indulge in enjoyable recollection of past events
Pity
(N) it's a pity the woodchuck ate all the flowers after you put so much effort into the garden
a woman of boundless pity who tried to care for every abandoned animal she found
(V) I always pity the people who have to work in this freezing weather
(N) shame
a regrettable or blameworthy act
sympathy/ kindness/ heart/ compassion
the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune
(V) love/ sympathize with/ bleed for/ feel for/ understand
to have sympathy for
Affinity
always had an affinity for nurturing living things
a study showing an affinity between obesity and socioeconomic status
aptitude/ tendency/ inclination
a study showing an affinity between obesity and socioeconomic status
kinship/ connection/ relationship/ correlation/ connection
the fact or state of having something in common
wary
kept a wary eye out for signs of the enemy
cautious/ careful/ alert
having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble
enjoin
-police enjoined the community's full cooperation in getting rid of the drug dealers
- undeterred, the captain enjoined his crew to sail at full speed into the mine-filled harbor
- Islam enjoins pork meat
- demand/ ask/ request/ claim/ require
to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority
- tell/ instruct/ order/ ask
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority
- prohibit/ forbid/ ban/ outlaw
to order not to do or use or to be done or used
magnanimous
a magnanimous donation to the town's animal shelter
noble/ honorable/ great/high/gallant/ sublime
having, characterized by, or arising from a dignified and generous nature
exalted
- popular support and media hype have exalted Super Bowl Sunday to the level of a national holiday
- monstrous, gaudy gambling palaces that seem to exalt the very notion of excess
-(adj) glorious/ famous/ honored/ celebrated/ famed
-(v) elevated
to assign a high status or value to
- Praised/ celebrated/ blessed/ worshiped
to proclaim the glory of
adherence
- you'd think these refrigerator magnets would have better adherence—they fall off every time I open the door
- adherence to convention requires that the couple send out formal wedding invitations
- adhesion/ cling
a physical sticking to as if by glue
- compliance/ observance/ conformity/ observation/ conformance
the following of a custom, rule, or law
virtue
- the virtue of wool as a clothing material is that it can provide insulation from the cold even when wet
- a lady of honor and virtue
- a military hero whose virtue inspired a nation
- distinction/ value/ merit/ advantage/ excellence/ grace
a quality that gives something special worth
- morality/ honesty/ goodness/ integrity
conduct that conforms to an accepted standard of right and wrong
- heroism/ courage/ bravery/ gallantry/ courageousness/ prowess
strength of mind to carry on in spite of danger
ennoble
- the heroic actions of firefighters during the terrorist attack did much to ennoble the profession of fire fighting in the public mind
- elevate/ promote
to assign a high status or value to
vice
- that section of the city is legendary for crime and vice
- curiosity in children is not a vice, but something to be encouraged
- a seedy section of the city where vice is rampant and very much out in the open
- corruption/ sin/ evil
immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society
- weakness/ sin/ fault/ shortcoming
a defect in character
- prostitution
the practice of engaging in sexual activities for money
inveterate
- he has an inveterate tendency to tell some very tall tales
- the man is an inveterate liar who only rarely tells the truth
- deep/ hard-core/ rooted/ lifelong/ confirmed
firmly established over time
- chronic
being such by habit and not likely to change
fondness
- my fondness for you will never fail
- I have a fondness for expensive chocolate
- love/ passion/ affection
a feeling of strong or constant regard for and dedication to someone
- liking/ like/ preference/ love/ appetite
positive regard for something
indulge
- the grandparents indulged the child's wishes to an extent that they never did with their own children
- conventioneers who were obviously eager to indulge themselves in all of the vices that Las Vegas might offer
- you indulge those grandkids in ways you never did with your own kids
- gratify/ please/ humor/ spoil/ satisfy
to give in to (a desire)
- surrender/ abandon
to give (oneself) over to something especially unrestrainedly
- spoil/ please/ pamper
to treat with great or excessive care
antipathy
-"his fundamental antipathy to capitalism"
- hostility/ animosity
a deep-seated feeling of aversion:
haughty
- a haughty British aristocrat
- proud/ arrogant/ pompous
arrogantly superior and disdainful:
annihilation
- idealists who seek the annihilation of all forms of prejudice
destruction/ havoc/ loss/ demolition/ devastation/ extinction
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
emulate
"most rulers wished to emulate Alexander the Great"
"hers is not a hairstyle I wish to emulate"
imitate/ copy
match or surpass (a person or achievement), typically by imitation:
Imitate/ mimic/ ape
imitate
convene
he had convened a secret meeting of military personnel
gather/ summon / gather
come or bring together for a meeting or activity; assemble:
expenditure
-you'll have to drastically cut back on your clothing expenditures if you hope to save anything
-the expenditure of the nation's military might on wars that may or may not involve the national interest
- Expense/ cost
a payment made in the course of achieving a result
-Effort/ work
the active use of energy in producing a result
Averse
as a former CIA director, he is not averse to secrecy
Against/ unwilling /disinclined
having a strong dislike of or opposition to something:
Contemplate
she contemplated the problem for several hours before reaching a decision
he waited patiently, contemplating revenge all the while
Ponder/ study/ entertain/ question/ debate
to give serious and careful thought to
intend/ plan/ hope/ mean
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
reproachful
"She gave him a reproachful look"
disapproving/ critical/ disparaging/ disappointed
expressing disapproval or disappointment:
ambitious
an ambitious child actor and his even more ambitious mother, who will do anything to get him in commercials
cleaning up the vacant lot in one weekend was an ambitious undertaking
aspiring
having a strong desire for personal advancement
aggressive/ adventurous/ fierce
having or showing a bold forcefulness in the pursuit of a goal
agile
the expressive movements of agile dancers
graceful
moving easily
Witty
a witty and sardonic blogger who never fails to amuse his legion of readers
humorous/ clever
given to or marked by mature intelligent humor