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1. hone
make perfect or complete
2. torpid 1.inactive, sluggish, dull, apathetic inert,lethargic, quiescent, sleepy, 2.dormant
3. accentuate (v.) - to emphasize, to highlight
4. approximate — adj1. almost accurate or exact2. inexact; rough; loose: only an approximatefit3. much alike; almost the same4. near; close together
— vb5. ( usually foll by to ) to come or bring near orclose; be almost the same (as)
5. pinpoint v. to say exactly what the facts about somethingreally are
6. ingenuity cleverness, inventiveness, resourcefulness
7. principal Most important; main; leading, arch, big,capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant,first, grand, great, greatest, highest, key,master, number one (also No. 1), numero uno,overbearing, overmastering, overriding,paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier,primal, primary, foremost, prior, sovereign(also sovran), supreme
8. obsidian
A usually black or banded, hard volcanic glassthat displays shiny, curved surfaces when
fractured and is formed by rapid cooling of lava
9. irrigation
the process of supplying water to land togrow crops
10. shrine a place of worship hallowed by associationwith some sacred thing or person
11. corridor
a long, narrow hallway
12. ice sheet
another name for a continental glacier
13. paleoecologist person who finds and indentifies fossils toreconstruct the environment that hominidslived in
14. glacial
devoid of warmth and cordiality
GRE&TOEFLStudy online at quizlet.com/_eukue
15. flourish
v. to blossom; to grow vigorously; prosper;to besuccessful; to make dramatic, sweeping gestures
16. paucity an inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth
17. arid
lacking sufficient water or rainfall,barren,
18. balmy soothing, mild, pleasant, refreshing
19. chilly mildly cold or producing a sensation of cold;causing shivering; chill: a chilly breeze.2.feeling cold; sensitive to cold: Her hands werechilly.3.without warmth of feeling; cool: a chilly reply.4.producing or likely to produce a feeling of fear;frightening: He told a chilly story of ghosts andmurder.
20. dank unpleasantly cool and humid
21. dew
moisture from the air that forms drops on coolsurfaces, water that has condensed on a cool surface
overnight from water vapor in the air
22. drought
a long period without rain
23. frigid aloof, standoffish, distant, frosty, chilly,cool.stiff, chilling, icy,lacking a warmmanner; unfriendly,
24. meteorology
the earth science dealing with phenomena ofthe atmosphere (especially weather)
25. moisture A small amount of water or other liquid, oftenin the form of small drops.
26. precipitation the falling to earth of any form of water (rainor snow or hail or sleet or mist)
27. saturate to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfyfully
28. tempest a violent windstorm usually with snow, rain,or hail
29. serene
(adj.) peaceful, calm; free of emotional upset;clear and free of storm; majestic, grand
30. vintage classic; of excellent quality and from a pastera
31. voraciously greedy, ravenous
32. abash to destroy the self-confidence, poise, or self-possession of; disconcert; make ashamed orembarrassed
33. abate decrease, weaken,subside.
34. abdicate to step down from a position of power orresponsibility
35. aberration n something not typical; a deviation from thestandard;mental irregularity or disorder
36. abhor loathe, execrate; despise. Hate, detest,abominate
37. abject utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, orwretched,debasing, degrading; miserable
38. abnegate To deny oneself things; to reject; to renounce
39. abortive unsuccessful; fruitless
40. abridge to shorten; to condense;
41. absolve to forgive or free from blame; to free from sin;to free from an obligation
42. geometry the pure mathematics of points and lines andcurves and surfaces
43. statue
a sculpture representing a human or animal
44. depict represent, portray, describe, delineate
45. twist V. wrench, wrest, yank, revolve,
N. an unexpected event, revelation, or otherdevelopment
46. twistsomeone'sarm
to persuade or coerce someone
47. not so muchas
rather than
48. restless uneasy, disturbed, agitated, excited, restive,fretful.
49. overcast
cloudy, dark, gloomy, dismal
50. preposterous absurd; ridiculous; senseless; irrational
51. stationary standing still; not moving
52. compensate adjust or make up for
53. planetarium
an optical device for projecting images ofcelestial bodies and other astronomicalphenomena onto the inner surface of a
hemispherical dome
54. flutter move back and forth very rapidly,
to throw into nervous or tremulous excitement;cause mental agitation; confuse.
55. impose to set up, or to force something (or oneself) onothers; to take unfair advantage of someone,
to make an impression on the mind
56. trial an attempt or effort to do something.
experiment.
57. abstinent abstaining; voluntarily not doing something,especially something pleasant that is bad foryou or has a bad reputation
58. nauseate revolt,to cause to feel extreme disgust
59. abstruse difficult to penetrate
60. abysmal extremely hopeless or wretched; bottomless
61. accolades an expression of approval, praise; a specialaward
62. accost to approach and speak to first; to confront in achallenging or aggressive way
63. acerbic having a sour or bitter taste or character,acrid
acerbic criticism
64. acquiesce assent; agree passively; comply without protest
65. acrimonious marked by strong resentment or cynicism
66. acumen quickness, accuracy, and keenness ofjudgment or insight
67. corrode
erode
68. verify confirm, prove, certify, testify
69. habitat the type of environment in which anorganism or group normally lives or occurs
70. hibernate sleep during winter
71. temperate mild; moderate; restrained
72. frost
the formation of frost or ice on a surface
73. meadow
an area of level land where grass is grownand usually cut for hay
74. tawdry tastelessly showy
75. profligate excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant
76. parsimonious stingy, miserly; meager, poor, small
77. pedestrian ordinary or dull
78. embryonic undeveloped; rudimentary; N. embryo:organism in the early stage of development
79. precocious unusually advanced or talented at an earlyage
80. disinterested impartial; unbiased candid, dispassionate,equal, equitable, evenhanded, fair,indifferent, just, nonpartisan, objective,square, unbiased, unprejudiced
81. synoptic providing a general overview; summary; N.synopsis
82. pettiness of little importance; trivial
83. cataclysm disaster, catastrophe
84. foreshadow to indicate or suggest beforehand; to give awarning of
85. caricature
exaggerated portrait, cartoon
86. contaminate defile, pollute, taint, infect, poison, corrupt
87. noxious hurtful, unwholesome, unhealthy, nocuous,detrimental, deleterious.
corruptive.
88. nuisance an obnoxious or annoying person, thing,condition, practice, etc.
89. adherent
supporter; follower, disciple, devotee, fan,partisan,
90. admonish to scold gently,rebuke, censure, upbraid; towarn
91. adroit skillful; dexterous; clever; shrewd; socially atease, deft, apt, adept.
92. gauche maladroit,clumsy, inept;
93. adulation flattery
94. aphorism a short pithy saying expressing a generaltruth; maxim
95. instigate to urge on; to stir up, provoke, start, incite
96. conspicuously obviously
97. pronounced distinct; very noticeable;
98. vicinity a surrounding or nearby region
99. optical visual
100. obscure 1. doubtful, dubious. mysterious. 4.blurred, veiled. 6. undistinguished,unnoted, unknown. 7. secluded,inconspicuous, unnoticeable, unnoticed.8. cloudy, dusky, somber.
101. sparsely barely, thinly
102. begrudge v. to resent another's success; to envy
103. booze any form of alcohol, especially beer
104. sycophantic flattering
105. escalation an increase, intensification
106. verbose wordy, very talkative
107. celestial of heaven or the spirit
108. disperse To scatter, spread far and wide
109. elaborate complex, detailed, intricate
110. adroit proficient, adept, expert, apt
111. preponderance predominance
112. ludicrous absurd; ridiculous,preposterous,farcical
113. salivate produce saliva, be envious, desirous, eagerfor, or extremely happy about something
114. etch engrave
115. solipsistic believing that oneself is all that exists
116. sectarian relating to a religious faction or subgroup;narrow-minded; limited
117. facetious humorous,comical; jocose,jocular;flippant
118. disparage ridicule, discredit, mock, demean,denounce, derogate.
119. milieu the setting, surroundings, environment
120. satirist a humorist who uses ridicule and ironyand sarcasm
121. cavalier haughty, insolent, arrogant, contemptuous
122. crust
the outer layer of the Earth
123. retinal
Pertaining to the retina
124. nucleus
the core of an atom
125. centaurs
half man, half horse
126. anguish
torment, woe, agony, suffering
127. sadism enjoyment in being cruel
128. adulterous describing marital infidelity
129. trepidation fear, apprehension, trembling
130. autopsy the examination of a corpse to determine thecause of death
131. litany any long, repetitive, or dull recital
132. alibi an excuse that shows someone was not at acrime scene
133. snobbery behavior where one puts down others
134. roost to perch or settle, especially for the night
135. sabbaticals temporary leaves of absence from anorganization, usually at reduced pay
136. cul-de-sac
blind alley; dead end
137. retort to reply, especially in a quick, sharp, or wittyway
138. antiquarian of or relating to persons who study or deal inantiques or antiquities
139. backwater stagnating or spiritless
140. squalor filth; degradation; sordidness
141. irredeemably Cannot be bought back or paid off; hopeless.
142. baleful harmful, malign, injurious, detrimental; evil,wicked; deadly,maleficent
143. blunder lapse, faux pas
144. cessation a bringing or coming to an end; a halt
145. upshot the conclusion; result; outcome,windup,
146. frolic play boisterously
147. scintillating brilliantly clever
148. roam wander, rove, gad, drift
149. warrant to justify or deserve
150. atheist
someone who denies the existence of god
151. supersede replace, take the place of
152. relinquish give up; abandon; let go; release; surrender;cede
153. raise sb.'shackles
infuriate
154. ostentatious
showy, flashy, pretentious, overdone
155. sedition Any speech or action that encouragesrebellion,insurrection, mutiny,treason,
156. recrimination a reply to one charge with a countercharge
157. worn-out no longer fit for use
158. limousine
large luxurious car
159. harness
control, utilize,bestride, manage, exploit
160. surmountable Conquerable
161. homily a sermon, or a moralistic lecture
162. audacity boldness, daring, impudence,nerve, spunk,grit, temerity, foolhardiness.impertinence,brashness.
163. grudge
dislike, ill will, malice, spite,bitterness,rancor, malevolence, enmity, hatred. envy
164. debilitate weaken, enfeeble, deplete, enervate,devitalize.
165. engulf
to swallow up, overwhelm,devour, flood,inundate
166. insurgent rebel, rioter, revolter, agitator
167. bonhomie good natured, atmosphere of good cheer
168. cosset
to coddle, pamper,humor, favor, indulge,
169. ascent
rise, ascension, upward slope, acclivity, climb,rising, soar
170. flounder struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily orfalter
171. deplore regret; disapprove of
172. simulation an imitation of a possible situation
173. verifiable provable
174. minor lesser
175. grazer An animal that eats low growing grasses orplants
176. alga
seaweed
177. repellent a chemical substance that repels animals,driving away; disgusting; offensive; repulsive;unattractive;
178. magnitude greatness of importance or size
179. postulate a proposition that is accepted as true in orderto provide a basis for logical reasoning,hypothesize, propose
180. abundance profusion, plenty, copiousness, plenteousness
181. bog a swamp or marsh, get stuck while doingsomething
182. anatomy the branch of morphology that deals with thestructure of animals
183. nuance a subtle difference in meaning or opinion orattitude
184. habitual customary; usual; done or caused by habit
185. vacillate hesitate, fluctuate, be indecisive orirresolute,totter; stagger.waver;
186. wariness cautiousness
187. veneration respect,reverence
188. grandiose
impressive; showy; magnificent
189. prosaic ordinary, everyday; vapid, humdrum, tedious,tiresome, uninteresting.
190. electrify stir, rouse, dazzle
191. auspicious promising success; propitious; opportune;favorable, fortunate, promising, timely
192. iconoclastic attacking cherished traditions
193. insipid flat, dull, uninteresting,tasteless, bland.
194. propagate
produce, increase, breed, multiply,
195. truculent brutal, savage, belligerent, vitriolic
196. digress turn aside; get off the main topic; deviate
197. confer to consult; to present as a gift or honor
198. bicker
disagree, squabble, argue, quarrel, haggle,dispute, spar, spat.
199. dismember
divide into pieces,disjoint, dissect, skeletonize,amputate
200. novice beginner, newcomer, tyro,freshman,neophyte,rookie,fledgling,greenhorn
201. connoisseur critic, aesthete., expert
202. engaging interesting, absorbing, fascinating,alluring,inviting, tempting
203. opaque murky, cloudy, muddy, hazy, foggy, dull, obtuse
204. hypochondriacal suffering from hypochondria;chronic andabnormal anxiety about imaginary symptomsand ailments
205. gregarious living together in a herd or group; sociable,seeking the company of others
206. elegiac sorrowful, plaintive, mournful, sad, lamenting
207. craven cowardly, dastardly, recreant,contemptiblytimid; pusillanimous. dastardly, fearful,timorous.
208. laggard lingerer; loiterer,
209. misanthrope someone who dislikes people in general
210. credulity belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivete
211. gracious benign, friendly, favorable, polite. tender,clement, mild, gentle, pleasant; courteous;kindly,affable
212. petulant irritable, peevish, fretful, pettish, touchy.irascible
213. disdainful contemptuous, scornful, insolent,jeering,haughty, contumelious.
214. nonchalance unconcern, indifference, apathy,lukewarmness
215. gloom dejection, despondency, sadness.
216. diligent industrious, assiduous, sedulous, energetic,indefatigable, untiring, tireless,unremitting.
217. intermittent periodic, recurrent, sporadic, broken
218. archetypal representing or constituting an originaltype after which other similar things arepatterned
219. gluttony excessive eating or drinking
220. assortment a collection containing a variety of sorts ofthings
221. frailty delicacy, weakness, fragility.susceptibility,suggestibility. flaw, defect.
222. maladaptive unable to adjust properly
223. tentative experimental in nature; uncertain, hesitant
224. wavelength the distance between two correspondingparts of a wave
225. infrared Electromagnetic waves of frequencies lowerthan the red of visible light.
226. uninterrupted continuous
227. porous penetrable, pervious, sievelike, riddled.
228. mineral
a naturally formed, inorganic solid with acrystalline structure
229. gorge
the passage between the pharynx and thestomach,
To eat or swallow greedily, glut, cram,fill.devour,bolt, gulp, gobble.
a narrow passage between steep cliffs,defile,ravine, notch, gap,
230. expediency a regard for what is advantageous or politicrather than for what is right
231. regimented strictly controlled
232. puritanical morally rigorous and strict,rigidly austere
233. formality the rigid observance of rules of convention oretiquette
234. euphonious melodious, musical, harmonious, dulcet,sweet. ,tuneful
235. furrow plough
236. indigenous autochthonous, aboriginal, natural,native
237. cultivate till,train,refine
238. exotic foreign, unfamiliar
239. descent a downward inclination or slope. decline,grade, declivity; slant. decrease, drop, plunge,lessening, contraction, downturn.
derivation from an ancestor; lineage;extraction. ancestry, parentage, origin.
240. decent proper
241. ancestor antecedent,forefather, forbear, progenitor,primogenitor
242. innate congenital,hereditary,inborn
243. panorama scene, vista, prospect.
244. intensity great energy, strength, concentration,vehemence
a high or extreme degree
245. radiate to emit rays, as of light or heat
to project or glow with cheerfulness, joy
246. transparent clear, pellucid, limpid, crystalline.
manifest; obvious
247. acoustic pertaining to sound or hearing
248. chafe to warm by rubbing
to irritate; annoy, exasperate, vex, trouble,provoke.
249. dilute weaken, reduce, thin, cut
250. clutter mess, disorder, jumble.
251. diffuse scatter,spread, disseminate; disperse
252. thaw melt, defrost, dissolve,fuse
253. dialect tongue,vernacular,
jargon,cant, terminology, lingo,
254. succinct pithy, compendious, laconic,terse,
255. aerolite meteorite
256. equator An imaginary line around the middle of theearth
257. peel strip, pare, skin
258. sprout spring, bud, burgeon,develop,germinate,pullulate,
259. domesticate tame
260. docile obedient, willing, compliant, receptive
261. veiled covered or concealed, muted orunclear,masked; disguised; hidden; obscure
262. thermal pertaining to heat; producing heat; warm
263. discreetly cautiously, Tactfully, Prudently
264. elevate lift, hoist,advance, upgrade, dignify,exalt
to raise to a higher intellectual or spirituallevel:
265. instruct to furnish with knowledge, teach; train;educate. tutor, coach; drill, discipline;indoctrinate; school,enlighten
to furnish with orders or directions; direct;order; command,prescribe
266. accord grant; bestow,award
harmony
267. assessment appraisal; evaluation
268. ore mineral,
269. oxide any compound of oxygen with anotherelement or a radical
270. yield produce,furnish, supply, render, bear
abandon, abdicate, waive, forgo, give in,comply, bow
271. deposit bank, save, store.
lode, vein, pocket.
272. heuristic encouraging a person to learn, discover,understand, or solve problems on his or herown, as by experimenting, evaluating possibleanswers or solutions, or by trial and error
273. elicit to bring out; to call forth,educe; evoke
to elicit the truth; to elicit a response with aquestion.
274. alumna a female graduate
275. aggregate a sum, mass, or assemblage of particulars; atotal or gross amount
assemble, amass, accumulate, gather.
276. affluence abundance,profusion,
277. reimburse recompense, remunerate, indemnify, redress,recoup,refund
278. contaminate defile, pollute, taint, infect, poison, corrupt.
279. infringe break,disobey,trespass,contravene,breach.offend
280. annul abolish; cancel; invalidate,nullify; rescind,repeal.
to annul a marriage.
281. arbitration mediation
282. sue to institute a process in law againstto woo or court.beg, petition, plead, pray.
283. substantiate prove, confirm, verify, validate.
284. condone pardon,forgive ,excuse,remit,
By his silence, he seemed to condone theirbehavior.
285. refrain forbear, desist.
"Restrain" is a transitive verb: it needs anobject. Although "refrain" was once asynonym for "restrain" it is now anintransitive verb: it should not have an object.Here are examples of correct modern usage:"When I pass the doughnut shop I have torestrain myself" ("myself" is the object)."When I feel like throwing something at myboss, I usually refrain from doing so." Youcan't refrain yourself or anyone else.
286. restrain bridle, suppress, constrain, restrict,circumscribe, confine, hinder, hamper.
287. vanguard leading position
288. metabolism The combination of chemical reactionsthrough which an organism builds up orbreaks down materials
289. unequivocal plain; clear; obvious,certain, direct,unmistakable.
290. ascertain to find out definitely; learn with certainty orassurance; determine
to ascertain the facts.
291. untangle disentangle; unsnarl.
straighten out or clear up
292. kaleidoscope
a variegated colorful pattern or scene
293. buffet slap, cuff, box, hit, sock, wallop.
294. oscillate swing,fluctuate, waver
295. erratic eccentric; queer: erratic behavior.
unpredictable, unstable, capricious
296. aquatic growing or living in or on water
297. hind at the back or rear,posterior
298. pertinacious persevering,dogged.
a pertinacious salesman from whom I couldnot escape.
299. credulous tending to believe too readily; gullible
300. rapacious
greedy; plundering; avaricious,ravenous,voracious, grasping; preying.
301. inhibit repress, discourage, obstruct,restrain, hinder,arrest, checksuppress, curb
prohibit; forbid
302. pout
brood, mope, glower, scowl, sulk.
303. discreet prudent; circumspect. decorous
a discreet silence.
304. elated ecstatic, elevated, enrapt, enraptured,entranced, euphoric, exhilarated, giddy,heady, intoxicated, rapt, rapturous, rhapsodic
305. sullen
black, bleak, cheerless, chill, Cimmerian,cloudy, cold, comfortless, dark, darkening,
depressing, depressive, desolate, dire,disconsolate, dismal, drear, dreary, dreich[chiefly Scottish], elegiac (also elegiacal),forlorn, funereal, glum, godforsaken, gray(also grey), lonely, lonesome, lugubrious,
miserable, morbid, morose, murky,plutonian, saturnine, sepulchral, solemn,
somber (or sombre), gloomy, sunless,tenebrific, tenebrous, wretched
306. specious beguiling, deceitful, deceiving, deluding,delusive, delusory, fallacious, false,misleading, deceptive
307. astute shrewd, canny, clear-eyed, clear-sighted,hard-boiled, hardheaded, heady, knowing,savvy, sharp, sharp-witted, smart
308. scorn contemptuousness, despisement, despite,despitefulness, disdain, misprision,contempt
309. scathing acerb, acerbic, acid, acidic, acidulous, acrid,barbed, biting, caustic, corrosive, cutting,mordant, pungent, sardonic, satiric (orsatirical), scalding, sarcastic, sharp, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, smart-mouthed,snarky, tart
310. pertinent applicable, apposite, apropos, germane,material, pointed, relative, relevant, to thepoint
311. unfathomable bottomless, boundless, endless, fathomless,horizonless, illimitable, immeasurable,immensurable, indefinite, limitless,measureless, unbounded, infinite, unlimited
312. belie misrepresent,
Her cruelty belied her kind words.
313. tally census, tale, count
314. discard
cashier, cast (off), chuck, deep-six, ditch, dump,eighty-six (or 86), exorcise (also exorcize), fling(off or away), jettison, junk, lay by, lose, pitch,reject, scrap, shed, shuck (off), slough (off) alsosluff (off), throw away, throw out, toss, unload,
dispose of, set aside
315. assiduous active, busy, bustling, diligent, employed,engaged, hopping, industrious, laborious,occupied, sedulous, tied-up, working
316. indigent
beggared, beggarly, broke, destitute, dirt-poor,down-and-out, famished, hard up, impecunious,impoverished, poor, necessitous, needful, needy,
pauperized, penniless, penurious, poverty-stricken, skint [chiefly British], threadbare
317. harbinger
angel, foregoer, forerunner, herald, outrider,precursor
318. austere severe, authoritarian, flinty, hard, harsh, heavy-handed, ramrod, rigid, rigorous, stern, strict,tough
319. conspicuous arresting, bodacious, bold, brilliant, catchy,commanding, noticeable, dramatic,emphatic, eye-catching, flamboyant, grabby,kenspeckle [chiefly Scottish], marked, noisy,prominent, pronounced, remarkable, showy,splashy, striking
320. tenacious dogged, insistent, patient, persevering,pertinacious, persistent
321. antithetical antipodal, antipodean, contrary,contradictory, opposite, diametric (ordiametrical), polar
322. deprecate bad-mouth, belittle, cry down, denigrate,decry, depreciate, derogate, diminish, dis(also diss) [slang], discount, dismiss,disparage, kiss off, minimize, play down,poor-mouth, put down, run down, talk down,trash, trash-talk, vilipend, write off
323. discern behold, catch, descry, see, distinguish, espy,eye, look (at), note, notice, observe, perceive,regard, remark, sight, spot, spy, view, witness
324. terse aphoristic, apothegmatic, brief, capsule,compact, compendious, crisp, curt, elliptical(or elliptic), epigrammatic, laconic,monosyllabic, pithy, sententious, succinct,summary, telegraphic, concise, thumbnail
325. verbose circuitous, circumlocutory, diffuse, garrulous,logorrheic, long-winded, pleonastic, prolix,rambling, wordy, windy
326. florid
bedizened, ornate, fussy, gingerbread,gingerbreaded, gingerbready, overdecorated,
overwrought
327. equivocal debatable, disputable, dodgy [chiefly British],doubtable, dubious, dubitable, doubtful, fishy,problematic (also problematical), queer,questionable, shady, shaky, suspect,suspicious
328. loath cagey (also cagy), disinclined, dubious,indisposed, hesitant (also loth or loathe),reluctant, reticent
She was loath to admit her mistakes.
329. foolhardy audacious, brash, daredevil, madcap,overbold, overconfident, reckless, temerarious
330. decry bad-mouth, belittle, cry down, denigrate,deprecate, depreciate, derogate, diminish, dis(also diss) [slang], discount, dismiss,disparage, kiss off, minimize, play down, poor-mouth, put down, run down, talk down, trash,trash-talk, vilipend, write off, dump on
331. vaunt blow, brag, bull [slang], crow, gasconade,swagger, vapor, boast
332. gregarious boon, clubbable (also clubable), clubby,companionable, extroverted (also extraverted),convivial, outgoing, sociable, social
333. shun avoid, dodge, duck, elude, eschew, evade,finesse, get around, scape, shake, shirk, shuffle(out of), escape, weasel (out of)
334. withdrawn backward, bashful, coy, demure, diffident,introverted, modest, recessive, retiring, self-effacing, sheepish, shy,reclusive
335. armor
aegis (also egis), ammunition, defense, buckler,cover, guard, protection, safeguard, screen,
security, shield, wall, ward
336. rugged cast-iron, hard, hard-bitten, hardened, inured,hardy, stout, strong, sturdy, tough, toughened,vigorous
rugged individualism
337. brittle brickle [dialect], crisp, crispy, crumbly,embrittled, flaky (also flakey), friable, short
338. concave hollow, dented, depressed, dished, indented,recessed, sunken
339. convex bulging, cambered, protruding, protrusive,protuberant
340. inordinate baroque, devilish, exorbitant, extravagant,extreme, fancy, immoderate, excessive, insane,intolerable, lavish, overdue, overextravagant,overmuch, overweening, plethoric, steep, stiff,towering, unconscionable, undue, unmerciful
341. candor bluntness, candidness, directness,forthrightness, frankness, honesty,openheartedness, openness, outspokenness,plainness, plainspokenness, plumpness,straightforwardness, unguardedness,unreserve, unreservedness
342. disquiet agitate, ail, alarm (also alarum), bother,concern, derail, discomfort, discompose,dismay, disturb, distemper, distract, distress,exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss,hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle,upset, weird out, worry
343. degenerate decadent, decayed, effete, overripe, washed-up,regress
344. timeliness opportune, seasonable, well-timed
345. ostensible assumed, evident, apparent, ostensive,presumed, prima facie, putative, reputed,seeming, supposed
346. blend amalgamate, combine, comingle, commingle,commix, composite, concrete, conflate, fuse,homogenize, immingle, immix, incorporate,integrate, interfuse, intermingle, intermix,meld, merge, mingle, mix
347. belly appetite, hunger, emptiness, famishment,munchies, stomach
348. suspenseful cold storage, deep freeze, doldrums, dormancy,holding pattern, latency, moratorium,quiescence, suspended animation, abeyance,suspension
349. suspend prorogate, prorogue, recess, adjourn
350. fumble blow, bobble, boggle, bollix (up), boot, bugger(up), bumble, bungle, butcher, dub, flub, fluff,foozle, foul up, botch, goof (up), louse up,mangle, mess (up), muck up, muff, murder,screw up
351. nail-biter cliff-hanger, hair-raiser, suspenser, thriller
352. eclectic assorted, miscellaneous, heterogeneous,indiscriminate, kitchen-sink, magpie, mixed,motley, patchwork, piebald, promiscuous,raggle-taggle, ragtag, varied
353. divert disport, amuse, entertain, regale, solace
354. defuse remove the fuse of a bomb; reduce or eliminatea threat
355. superficial skin-deep, surface
356. immaculate clean, decent, G-rated, chaste, modest, pure,vestal, virgin, virginal
357. iridescent nacreous, opalescent, pearlescent
358. palpable appreciable, apprehensible, detectable,discernible (also discernable),distinguishable, perceptible, sensible
359. muddy miry, mucky, oozy, slimy, sludgy, slushymake turbidmuddy thinking
360. overawe subdue, restrain, or overcome by affecting with afeeling of awe
361. heathen barbarian, barbaric, barbarous, savage,heathenish, natural, Neanderthal (orNeandertal), rude, uncivil, uncivilized,uncultivated, wild
362. rigorous austere, authoritarian, flinty, hard, harsh,heavy-handed, ramrod, rigid, severe, stern,strict, tough
363. solicitous attentive, considerate, kind, thoughtful
I appreciated his solicitous inquiry about myhealth.
364. bombastic rhetorical, flatulent, fustian, gaseous, gassy,grandiloquent, oratorical, orotund, windy
365. soporific
drowsy, narcotic, opiate, sleepy, slumberous (orslumbrous), somniferous, somnolent, hypnotic
366. irresolute hesitating, uncertain, unsure, indecisive
367. moribund dying, at death's door
368. shrug off blink (at), brush (aside or off), condone,discount, disregard, forgive, gloss (over), gloze(over), ignore, overlook, overpass, paper over,pardon, pass over, remit, excuse, whitewash,wink (at)
369. wince blench, cringe, quail, recoil, shrink, squinch,flinch
370. omen augury, auspice, boding, foreboding,foreshadowing, portent, prefiguring, presage,straw in the wind
371. sabotage An action taken to destroy something or toprevent it from working properly; to take suchdestructive action
372. blur becloud, befog, cloud, fog, muddy,obfuscatebecloud, bedim, befog, blacken,blear, darken, dim, dislimn, fuzz (up),haze, mist, obscure, overcast, overcloud,overshadow, shadow, shroud
373. corroborate argue, attest, authenticate, bear out, certify,confirm, substantiate, support, validate,verify, vindicate
374. calumny aspersing, blackening, calumniation,slander, character assassination,defamation, defaming, libel, libeling (orlibelling), maligning, smearing, traducing,vilification, vilifying
375. commensurate commensurable, proportional,proportionate
376. churlish boorish, clownish, classless, cloddish,loutish, uncouth
377. castigate baste, bawl out, berate, call down, scold,chastise, chew out, dress down, flay,hammer, jaw, keelhaul, lambaste (orlambast), lecture, rag, rail (at or against),rant (at), rate, ream (out), rebuke,reprimand, reproach, score, tongue-lash,upbraid
378. chary alert, cautious, careful, circumspect,conservative, considerate, gingerly,guarded, heedful, safe, wary
379. configuration architecture, armature, cadre, frame,edifice, fabric, framework, framing,infrastructure, shell, skeleton, structure
380. velocity celerity, fastness, fleetness, haste, hurry,quickness, rapidity, rapidness, speediness,swiftness, speed
381. incorporate absorb, assimilate, co-opt, embody,integrate
382. couch articulate, clothe, phrase, express,formulate, put, say, state, word
the comments were couched in strongterms
383. inhibitor a substance that retards or stops an activity
384. offset balance, canceler (or canceller), corrective,counter, counteraction, counterforce,counterpoise, counterweight, equipoise,neutralizer, counterbalance
385. sporadic aperiodic, casual, catchy, choppy,discontinuous, episodic (also episodical),erratic, intermittent, irregular, occasional,spasmodic, spastic, fitful, spotty, unsteady
386. replenish refill, restock, refresh, restore
387. interminable tiresome and long; seemingly endless
388. elicit educe, evoke, inspire, raise
389. forage the act of searching for food and provisions
390. intruder break in, chime in, chip in [chiefly British], cutin, interpose, interrupt
391. submission compliance, conformity, obedience,subordination
392. unleash to free from or as if from a leash
to throw, shoot, or set in motion forcefully The editorial unleashed a torrent of angryresponses.
393. spotty
aperiodic, casual, catchy, choppy,discontinuous, episodic (also episodical),erratic, intermittent, irregular, occasional,
spasmodic, spastic, sporadic, fitful, unsteady
394. numb asleep, benumbed, dead, insensitive, numbed,torpid, unfeeling
395. boast glory, credit, crown jewel, honor, jewel, pride,treasure, trophy
396. braggart blower, blowhard, boaster, brag, braggadocio,bragger, cockalorum, cracker [chiefly dialect],gascon, gasconader, swaggerer, vaunter
397. glutton cormorant, gorger, gormandizer, gourmand,hog, overeater, pig, stuffer, swiller
398. autocrat monarch, potentate, ruler, sovereign (alsosovran)
399. sacred hallowed, holy, inviolable, sacrosanct,unassailable, untouchable
400. cryptic arcane, mysterious, deep, enigmatic (alsoenigmatical), impenetrable, inscrutable,mystic, occult, uncanny
401. protract drag (out), draw out, elongate, lengthen,outstretch, prolong, extend, stretch
402. swerve turn sharply,break, cut, sheer, veer, yaw, zag,zig
403. plebiscite referendum
404. assimilate to absorb or become absorbed; to make orbecome similar,analogize, compare, bracket,equate, liken,
405. exculpate absolve, acquit, clear, exonerate, vindicate
406. epitaph A brief statement written on a tomb orgravestone
407. tycoon baron, captain, czar (also tsar or tzar),king, lion, lord, mogul, monarch,Napoleon, prince, magnate
408. disciple acolyte, adherent, convert, follower,epigone, liege man, partisan (alsopartizan), pupil, votarist, votary
409. inverse reversed, transposed, reverse, converse,inverted;opposite; the opposite
410. digression straying from main point,aside, tangent,divagation, excursion
411. recuperation come back, gain, heal, mend, pull round[chiefly British], rally, recoup, recover,convalesce, snap back
412. recidivist frequent lawbreaker
413. reticent close, closemouthed, dark, secretive, tight-mouthed, uncommunicative
414. sanguine confidently optimistic and cheerful
bloody, bloody-minded, homicidal,murdering, murderous, sanguinary,bloodthirsty, sanguineous
415. insufferable unbearable, insupportable, intolerable,unendurable, unsupportable
416. impertinent arch, audacious, bold, bold-faced, brash,brassbound, brassy, brazen, brazen-faced,cheeky, cocksure, cocky, fresh, nervy,impudent, insolent, sassy, saucy, wise
417. frivolity facetiousness, flightiness, flippancy,frivolousness, frothiness, levity, light-headedness, light-mindedness, lightness,silliness
418. unconscionable baroque, devilish, exorbitant, extravagant,extreme, fancy, immoderate, inordinate,insane, intolerable, lavish, overdue,overextravagant, overmuch, overweening,plethoric, steep, stiff, towering, excessive,undue, unmerciful
419. smear stain, soil, tarnish, smudge
420. immaterial of no importance or relevance especially toa law case
bodiless, ethereal, formless, incorporeal,insubstantial, nonmaterial, nonphysical,spiritual, unbodied, unsubstantial,
421. inflammable burnable, combustive, fiery, flammable,ignitable (also ignitible), combustible,touchy
422. incendiary firebug, arsonist, torch
a person who excites factions, quarrels, orsedition : agitator,demagogue (also demagog),exciter, firebrand, fomenter, incendiary, inciter,instigator, kindler, provocateur, rabble-rouser
423. unnerve demoralize, emasculate, paralyze, undo,unman, unstring
424. plethora abundance, cornucopia, feast, plenitude,plentitude, plenty, superabundance, wealth
425. dense compact, crowded, close, jam-packed, packed,serried, thick, tight
426. minutia a small, minor, or trivial detail
427. specimen sample, representative, type, example
428. uptake absorption
429. soluble capable of being dissolved
answerable, explainable, explicable, resolvable,solvable
430. arctic algid, cold, bitter, bone-chilling, chill, chilly,coldish, cool, coolish, freezing, frigid, frosty,gelid, glacial, ice-cold, icy, nipping, nippy,numbing, polar, shivery, snappy, wintry (alsowintery)
431. miniscule very small, tiny; a lowercase letter
432. analogous akin, alike, cognate, comparable, connate,correspondent, corresponding, ditto, like,matching, parallel, resemblant, resembling,similar, such, suchlike
433. invariably aye (also ay), consistently, constantly,continually, ever, forever, incessantly, always,night and day, perpetually, unfailingly
434. supplant cut out, displace, displant, relieve, substitute,supersede, replace
435. fecundity cornucopian, fat, fertile, fructuous, fruitful,lush, luxuriant, productive, prolific, rich
436. virus
package of nucleic acid wrapped in a proteincoat that must use a host cell's machinery to
reproduce itself
437. encase box (in), cage, closet, coop (up), corral,encage, enclose, envelop, fence (in), hedge,hem (in), house, immure, include, mew (up),pen, wall (in)
438. vigilant Argus-eyed, attentive, awake, observant,open-eyed, tenty (also tentie) [Scottish],alert, watchful, wide-awake
439. deleterious adverse, bad, baleful, baneful, damaging,dangerous, harmful, detrimental, evil,hurtful, ill, injurious, mischievous, nocuous,noxious, pernicious, prejudicial, wicked
440. apprehensive viewing the future with anxiety oralarm,capable of understanding or quick todo so ,having awareness or knowledge ofsomething
441. ill-advised brash, graceless, ill-advised, imprudent,inadvisable, indelicate, injudicious, tactless,undiplomatic, unwise
442. alight land, light, perch, roost, settle, touch down
443. sterilize make free from germs, make incapable ofreproduction
444. arid
boring, colorless, drab, dreary, drudging,dry, dull, dusty, flat, heavy, ho-hum,
humdrum, jading, jejune, leaden, mind-numbing, monochromatic, monotonous,
numbing, old, pedestrian, ponderous, slow,stale, stodgy, stuffy, stupid, tame, tedious,tiresome, tiring, uninteresting, wearisome,
weary, wearying
445. flora all the plant life in a particular region
446. ceramic baked clay, pottery
447. woeful aching, agonized, anguished, bemoaning,bewailing, bitter, deploring, doleful,dolesome, dolorous, funeral, grieving,heartbroken, lamentable, lugubrious,plaintive, plangent, regretful, rueful,sorrowful, sorry, wailing, weeping, mournful
448. qualify to limit or modify the meaning of
449. mount accelerate, accumulate, appreciate, balloon,boom, build up, burgeon (also bourgeon),climb, enlarge, escalate, expand, gain,increase, multiply, mushroom, proliferate,rise, roll up, snowball, spread, swell, wax
450. subvert abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt,debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize,deprave, deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison,profane, prostitute, debase, vitiate, warp
451. bind chain, enchain, enfetter, fetter, gyve,handcuff, manacle, pinion, shackle,trammel
452. progeny fruit, get, issue, posterity, offspring, seed,spawn
Their work is the progeny of many earlierstudies.
453. strain lineage, ancestry
inherited or inherent character, quality, ordisposition <a strain of madness in thefamily>
454. versatile changing or fluctuating readily : variable
embracing a variety of subjects, fields, orskills
adaptable, all-around (also all-round),protean, universal
455. frugal economical, economizing, provident,scrimping, sparing, thrifty
456. intemperance alcoholism, drunkenness, insobriety,intemperateness
457. capricious fickle, changeable, changeful, flickery,fluctuating, fluid, inconsistent, inconstant,mercurial, mutable, skittish, temperamental,uncertain, unpredictable, unsettled,unstable, unsteady, variable, volatile
458. cautious alert, careful, chary, circumspect,conservative, considerate, gingerly, guarded,heedful, safe, wary
459. anomalous aberrant, aberrated, abnormal, exceptional,atypical, especial, exceeding, extraordinaire,extraordinary, freak, odd, peculiar,phenomenal, preternatural, rare, singular,uncommon, uncustomary, unique, unusual,unwonted
460. relinquish cede, cough up, deliver, give up, hand over,lay down, surrender, render, turn in, turnover, yield
461. superfluous excess, extra, redundant, supererogatory,spare, supernumerary, surplus
462. incessant ceaseless, continual, continued, continuing,continuous, nonstop, perpetual, running,unbroken, unceasing, uninterrupted,unremitting
463. virtual almost, for all practical purposes, beingsomething in effect but not actuallycomputer-generated, but real to the senses
464. propitiate to gain or regain the favor or goodwillof,appease, assuage, conciliate, disarm,gentle, mollify, placate, pacify
465. redeem to buy back ,to change for the better, to atonefor
466. evenhanded candid, disinterested, dispassionate, equal,equitable, fair, impartial, indifferent, just,nonpartisan, objective, square, unbiased,unprejudiced
467. edify enlighten, educate, illume, illuminate,illumine, inspire, nurture
468. precarious depending on the will or pleasure ofanother,dependent on uncertain premises :dubious, characterized by a lack of security orstability that threatens with danger
469. hardheaded astute, canny, clear-eyed, clear-sighted, hard-boiled, shrewd, heady, knowing, savvy,sharp, sharp-witted, smart
470. parody burlesque, caricature, do, imitate, mock,mimic, send up, spoof, travesty
471. intricate baroque, byzantine, complicate, complicated,convoluted, daedal, elaborate, complex,involute, involved, knotty, labyrinthian,labyrinthine, sophisticated, tangled
472. execute administer, apply, enforce, implement
473. discernment wisdom, insight, perception, perceptiveness,perceptivity, sagaciousness, sagacity,sageness, sapience
474. frivolous fiddling, foolish, unimportant, incidental,inconsequential, inconsiderable,insignificant, little, Mickey Mouse, minor,minute, negligible, nugatory, slight, small,small-fry, trifling, trivial
475. collude plot, compass, connive, conspire, contrive,intrigue, machinate, put up, scheme
476. surrogate a person appointed to represent or act onbehalf of others, substitute
477. inimical adversarial, adversary, antagonistic,antipathetic, inhospitable, hostile, jaundiced,mortal, negative, unfriendly, unsympathetic
478. conducive facilitative
the claim that the state's long-standingantitax attitude is conducive toentrepreneurship
479. censor bowdlerize, clean (up), expurgate, launder,red-pencil
His report was heavily censored.
480. reenact to repeat the actions of (an earlier event orincident)
The group reenacted a famous American CivilWar battle.
481. idiosyncrasy crotchet, curiosity, eccentricity, erraticism,individualism, kink, mannerism, oddity,peculiarity, quiddity, quip, quirk, singularity,tic, trick, twist
Her habit of using "like" in every sentencewas just one of her idiosyncrasies.
482. refute contradict, disaffirm, disallow, disavow,disclaim, disconfirm, disown, gainsay,negate, negative, deny, reject, repudiate
But for every study that shows acid rain isdamaging frogs, another one refutes it.
483. sceptic chiefly British variant of skeptic, skeptical,skepticism
484. deduce conclude, decide, infer, derive, extrapolate,gather, judge, make out, reason, understand
I can deduce from the simple observation ofyour behavior that you're trying to hidesomething from me
485. detain to hold or keep in or as if in custody,withhold,restrain
He claimed he had been illegally detained.
486. abeyance cold storage, deep freeze, doldrums,dormancy, holding pattern, latency,moratorium, quiescence, suspendedanimation, suspense, suspension
487. decimate annihilate, cream, destroy, demolish,desolate, devastate, do in, extinguish, nuke,pull down, pulverize, raze, rub out, ruin,shatter, smash, tear down, total, vaporize,waste, wrack, wreck
Budget cuts have decimated public services insmall towns.
488. ravage destroy, devastate, ruin, scourge
the ravages of inflation
489. penchant affection, affinity, aptitude, bent, bias, bone,devices, disposition, genius, habitude,impulse, leaning, partiality, inclination,predilection, predisposition, proclivity,propensity, tendency, turn
a penchant for sitting by the window andstaring moodily off into space
490. aversion disgust, distaste, horror, loathing, nausea,repugnance, repulsion, revulsion
They regarded war with aversion.
491. evasive tending or intended to evade : equivocal<evasive answers>elusive, fugitive, slippery
492. congenial having the same nature, disposition, ortastes ,existing or associated togetherharmoniously
sociable, genial <a congenial host>
She moved on, leaving behind the world ofpolitics for the more congenial sphere of thearts
493. transitory brief, deciduous, ephemeral, evanescent,flash, fleeting, fugacious, fugitive,impermanent, passing, short-lived,temporary, transient, momentary
the transitory nature of earthly pleasures
494. immutable fixed, hard-and-fast, inflexible, inalterable,incommutable, invariable, unalterable,unchangeable
the immutable laws of nature
495. susceptible endangered, exposed, open, sensitive,subject (to), liable, vulnerable
some people are more susceptible todepression during the winter because ofreduced exposure to sunlight
496. intransigence bullheadedness, doggedness,hardheadedness, obstinacy, mulishness,obduracy, obdurateness, obstinateness,opinionatedness, pertinaciousness,pertinacity, pigheadedness, self-opinionatedness, self-will, stubbornness,willfulness
497. brook abide, absorb, accept, bide [chiefly dialect],bear, countenance, endure, go, hack,handle, meet, pocket, stand, stick out,stomach, support, sustain, sweat out, take,tolerate, wear [British]
I will not brook insults from my ownemployees.
498. intimate allude, imply, indicate, infer, insinuate,hint, suggest
499. forbear abjure, abstain (from), forgo (also forego),keep (from), refrain (from), withhold (from)
He carefully forbore any mention of hername for fear of upsetting them.
500. emend amend, debug, correct, rectify, red-pencil,reform, remedy
501. quash to suppress or extinguish summarily andcompletely <quash a rebellion>
502. engender beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on,catalyze, cause, create, do, draw on,effectuate, effect, generate, induce, invoke,make, occasion, produce, prompt, result(in), spawn, translate (into), work, yield
503. instigate abet, brew, ferment, foment, incite, pick,provoke, raise, stir (up), whip (up)
504. insular illiberal, narrow, Lilliputian, little, narrow-minded, parochial, petty, picayune,provincial, sectarian, small, small-minded
505. magnanimous big, chivalrous, elevated, gallant, great,greathearted, high, high-minded, lofty,lordly, noble, natural, sublime
She was too magnanimous to resent all thethings others had said to her.
506. bestow give, contribute, donate, give away, present,volunteer
The university bestowed on her an honorarydegree.
507. oblivion forgetfulness, nirvana, obliviousness
508. vanity amour propre, bighead, complacency,conceit, conceitedness, ego, egotism,pomposity, pompousness, pride,pridefulness, self-admiration, self-assumption, self-conceit, self-congratulation, self-esteem, self-glory, self-importance, self-love, self-opinion, self-satisfaction, smugness, swelled head,swellheadedness, vaingloriousness,vainglory, vainness, complacence
509. relegate deport, displace, exile, expatriate, banish,transport
The bill has been relegated to committee fordiscussion.
510. consign send, dispatch, pack (off), ship, shoot,transfer, transmit, transport
511. prodigious amazing, astonishing, astounding,awesome, awful, eye-opening, fabulous,miraculous, portentous, marvelous,staggering, stunning, stupendous, sublime,surprising, wonderful, wondrous
512. tremendous astronomical (also astronomic),Brobdingnagian, bumper, colossal, cosmic(also cosmical), cyclopean, elephantine,enormous, galactic, gargantuan, giant,gigantesque, gigantic, grand, herculean,heroic (also heroical), Himalayan,humongous (also humungous), immense,jumbo, king-size (or king-sized), leviathan,mammoth, massive, mega, mighty, monster,monstrous, monumental, mountainous,oceanic, pharaonic, planetary, prodigious,super, super-duper, supersize, supersized,titanic, huge, vast, vasty, walloping,whacking, whopping
513. commodious ample, capacious, spacious, roomy
514. minuscule atomic, bitsy, bitty, infinitesimal, itty-bitty (oritsy-bitsy), little bitty, microminiature,microscopic (also microscopical), miniature,tiny, minute, teensy, teensy-weensy, teeny,teeny-weeny, wee, weeny (alsoweensy),petite,
515. trifling fiddling, foolish, frivolous, incidental,inconsequential, inconsiderable,insignificant, little, Mickey Mouse, minor,minute, negligible, nugatory, slight, small,small-fry, unimportant, trivial
516. copious profuse, galore, gushing, lavish, riotous
It was no surprise that spin was more copiousthan ever during the election campaign.
517. sparse exiguous, hand-to-mouth, light, niggardly,poor, scant, scanty, scarce, skimp, skimpy,slender, slim, spare, sparing, meager, stingy
518. induce beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on,catalyze, cause, create, do, draw on,effectuate, engender, generate, effect, invoke,make, occasion, produce, prompt, result (in),spawn, translate (into), work, yield
519. ration allocate, allow, apportion, assign, distribute,lot, allot
520. borderline being in an intermediate position or state : notfully classifiable as one thing or its opposite <aborderline state between waking and sleeping>
In borderline cases like these, the best course ofaction is difficult to determine.
521. rear breed, foster, nourish, nurse, raise, bring up
birds rearing their young
522. optic ocular, visual, optical
523. denote to serve as an indication of : betoken <theswollen bellies that denote starvation>
to serve as an arbitrary mark for <red flaresdenoting danger>
mean, express, import, intend, signify, spell
524. defiance balkiness, contrariness, contumacy,disobedience, frowardness, insubordination,intractability, obstreperousness, rebellion,rebelliousness, recalcitrance, refractoriness,unruliness, waywardness, willfulness
525. locus the place where something is situated or occurs: site, location
a center of activity, attention, or concentration<in democracy the locus of power is in thepeople — H. G. Rickover>
axis, base, capital, central, core, cynosure,epicenter, eye, focus, ground zero, heart, hub,center, mecca, navel, nerve center, nexus,nucleus, omphalos, seat
526. manifold divers, multifarious, myriad
The benefits of this approach are manifold.
527. cerebral of or relating to the brain or the intellect
a very cerebral jurist who has given muchthought to what makes our nation'sconstitution work
528. bind to combine or be taken up especially bychemical action <antibody binds to a specificantigen>
529. derision butt, laughingstock, jest, joke, mark, mock,mockery, sport, target
530. incredulity disbelief, nonbelief, unbelief
The news of his death was met withexpressions of incredulity.
531. synchronize accompany, attend, coexist, concur, co-occur, coincide
The dancers practiced until theysynchronized their movements.
532. jocular clever, facetious, humorous, witty, smart
533. corroborative argue, attest, authenticate, bear out, certify,confirm, substantiate, support, validate,verify, vindicate
Studies that are wrong will be superseded bybetter studies with different results. Studiesthat are right will be corroborated by othergood studies.
534. approbation approval, blessing, favor, imprimatur, OK
535. superfluous excess, extra, redundant, supererogatory,spare, supernumerary, surplus
cleared off all the superfluous stuff on hisdesk to make room for the new computer
536. exigency boiling point, breaking point, clutch,conjuncture, crisis, crossroad(s), crunch,crunch time, Dunkirk, emergency, extremity,flash point, head, juncture, tinderbox, zerohour
537. coup a brilliant, sudden, and usually highlysuccessful stroke or act
538. effusion an act of effusing unrestrained expression of words or feelings
539. congruity commonality, common denominator,similarity, correspondence, parallel,resemblance, similitude
540. avert prevent, forestall, head off, help, obviate,preclude, stave off
The diplomatic talks narrowly averted a war.
541. nonplus abash, confound, confuse, discomfit,disconcert, discountenance, faze, fluster,mortify, embarrass, rattle
542. caustic acerb, acerbic, acid, acidic, acidulous, acrid,barbed, biting, sarcastic, corrosive, cutting,mordant, pungent, sardonic, satiric (orsatirical), scalding, scathing, sharp, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, smart-mouthed, snarky,tart
She wrote a caustic report about thedecisions that led to the crisis.
543. discomfit baffle, balk, beat, checkmate, frustrate, foil,thwart
constant interruptions discomfited her in herattempt to finish the speech, and she finally gaveup
544. delude bamboozle, beguile, bluff, buffalo, burn, catch,con, cozen, deceive, dupe, fake out, fool, gaff,gammon, gull, have, have on [chiefly British],hoax, hoodwink, hornswoggle, humbug, juggle,misguide, misinform, mislead, snooker, snow,spoof, string along, sucker, suck in, take in, trick
545. disgrace abase, chasten, cheapen, debase, degrade,demean, discredit, humble, dishonor, foul,humiliate, lower, shame, sink, smirch, takedown
He felt he had disgraced himself by failing atschool.
546. tantalize to torment or tease by showing somethingdesirable while keeping it out of reach
547. reclaim to recall from wrong or improper conduct :reform
to make available for human use by changingnatural conditions
548. arable fit for or used for the growing of crops
549. outgrowth a process or product of growing out <anoutgrowth of hair>
consequence, by-product <crime is often anoutgrowth of poverty>
550. arbiter a person with power to decide a dispute,adjudicator, judge, arbitrator, referee, umpire
The mayor will act as the final arbiter in anydisputes between board members.
551. forfeit damages, fine, forfeiture, mulct, penalty
to lose or lose the right to especially by someerror, offense, or crime
He forfeited his right to a trial by jury.
552. divest to deprive or dispossess especially of property,authority, or title
dispossess, expropriate, oust
553. regal kingly, monarchal (or monarchial), princely,queenly, monarchical, royal
554. debase abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt,debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave,deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison, profane,prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warp
555. heretical dissentient, dissenting, dissident, heterodox,iconoclastic, maverick, nonconformist,nonorthodox, out-there, unconventional,unorthodox
556. supplant cut out, displace, displant, relieve, substitute,supersede, replace
old traditions that were fading away and beingsupplanted by modern ways
557. preeminent arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief,dominant, first, grand, great, greatest, highest,key, leading, main, master, number one (alsoNo. 1), numero uno, overbearing,overmastering, overriding, paramount,predominant, foremost, premier, primal,primary, principal, prior, sovereign (alsosovran), supreme
The poem is a preeminent example of his work.
558. topple overthrow <topple a dictator>
slip, stumble, fall, trip, tumble
559. sabotage destruction of an employer's property (as toolsor materials) or the hindering ofmanufacturing by discontented workers
560. obstinacy bullheadedness, doggedness, hardheadedness,intransigence, mulishness, obduracy,obdurateness, obstinateness, opinionatedness,pertinaciousness, pertinacity, pigheadedness,self-opinionatedness, self-will, stubbornness,willfulness
561. embroider color, elaborate (on), embellish, exaggerate,hyperbolize, magnify, pad, stretch
562. indolence idleness, laziness, inertia, shiftlessness, sloth
563. iniquitous black, dark, evil, immoral, bad, nefarious,rotten, sinful, unethical, unlawful,unrighteous, unsavory, vicious, vile, villainous,wicked, wrong
564. impiety an impious act
defilement, desecration, blasphemy,irreverence, profanation, sacrilege
565. trample champ, stamp, stomp, tramp, tromp
566. hoard cache, stash, stockpile, store
567. retrieve get back, reacquire, recapture, reclaim, re-collect, recoup, regain, repossess, retake,recover
568. circumstantial belonging to, consisting in, or dependenton circumstances <a circumstantial case><circumstantial factors>
pertinent but not essential : incidental
The evidence is purely circumstantial.
569. dislodge to force out of a secure or settled position
570. perfunctory apathetic, casual, complacent,disinterested, incurious, insensible,insouciant, nonchalant, indifferent,pococurante, unconcerned, uncurious,uninterested
571. feign to give a false appearance of : induce as afalse impression <feign death>
act, affect, assume, bluff, counterfeit,dissemble, fake, pass (for), pretend,profess, put on, sham, simulate, makebelieve
572. successive back-to-back, sequent, sequential, straight,succeeding, successional, consecutive
573. pioneer colonial, colonist, colonizer, homesteader,frontiersman, settler,trailbalazer
574. carnage bloodbath, butchery, massacre, death,holocaust, slaughter
575. animosity enmity, animus, antagonism, antipathy,bad blood, bitterness, gall, grudge,hostility, jaundice, rancor
We put aside our personal animosities sothat we could work together.
576. attrition corrosion, erosion, undermining, waste
Attrition is high among social workersbecause of the difficult work and poor pay.
577. stiffen harden, harshen, strengthen, toughen
578. impair blemish, bloody, break, compromise, crab,cripple, cross (up), deface, disfigure,endamage, flaw, harm, hurt, damage,injure, mar, spoil, vitiate
His memory was so impaired by age that heoften forgot where he was.
579. haphazard aimless, arbitrary, catch-as-catch-can,desultory, erratic, random, helter-skelter,hit-or-miss, scattered, slapdash, stray
We were given a haphazard tour of the city.
580. spur boost, encouragement, goad, impetus, incentive,incitation, incitement, instigation, momentum,motivation, provocation, impulse, stimulant,stimulus, yeast
581. discrete detached, disconnected, separate, free,freestanding, single, unattached, unconnected
582. yield submit, capitulate, succumb, relent, defer
to be fruitful or productive
These apple trees yield plenty of fruit this year.
583. anecdotal based on or consisting of reports or observationsof usually unscientific observers <anecdotalevidence>
584. dividend cumshaw, bonus, donative, extra, gratuity, gravy,gravy train, lagniappe, perk, perquisite, throw-in, tip
Profits are distributed to shareholders asdividends.
585. enigma closed book, conundrum, mystery, head-scratcher, mystification, puzzle, puzzlement,riddle, secret
Despite the enigma of the singularity, the bigbang theory is unquestionably one of the mostsuccessful ideas in the history of science.
586. rigor adversity, asperity, hardness, hardship, difficulty
strict precision : exactness <logical rigor>a scholar known for her intellectual rigor
587. perennial ageless, continuing, dateless, enduring, eternal,everlasting, immortal, imperishable, lasting,ongoing, abiding, perpetual, timeless, undying
The problem ... is inherent and perennial in anydemocracy, but it has been more severe in oursduring the past quarter-century because of thenear universal denigration of government,politics and politicians.
588. archetype antecedent, ancestor, daddy, foregoer,forerunner, granddaddy (also grandaddy),precursor, predecessor, prototype
He is the archetype of a successful businessman.
589. captious marked by an often ill-natured inclination tostress faults and raise objections <captiouscritics>
critical, carping, caviling (or cavilling),faultfinding, hypercritical, judgmental,overcritical, rejective
590. reverberate echo, reecho, resonate, resound, sound
the sound of thunder reverberated from one endof the mountain pass to the other
591. clamor howl, hubbub, hue and cry, hullabaloo, noise,outcry, roar, tumult, uproar, vociferation
There is growing clamor for reform.
592. tangle catch up, enmesh (also immesh), ensnare,ensnarl, entoil, entrap, mesh, net, snare,entangle, trap
was at last tangled in the web of lies that hehad told to everyone
593. adversity misfortune, ill, knock, misadventure,mischance, mishap, tragedy
He showed courage in the face of adversity.
594. bereave abate, deprive, divest, strip
news of a death in the family bereaved them ofthe unmitigated joy that normally prevails at awedding
595. theatrical dramatic, hammy, histrionic, melodramatic,stagy (or stagey)
a politician who has a highly theatricalmanner of speaking
596. gravity earnest, graveness, earnestness, intentness,serious-mindedness, seriousness, soberness,sobriety, solemnity, solemnness, staidness
the hospital waiting room was filled with thekind of gravity that inevitably accompaniesworry
597. poise balance; especially : to hold or carry inequilibrium <carried a water jar poised on herhead>
to put into readiness :brace, forearm, nerve,fortify, psych (up), ready, steel, strengthen
598. intimidate blackjack, bogart, browbeat, bulldoze, bully,bullyrag, cow, hector, mau-mau, strong-arm,pick on
He tries to intimidate his opponents.
599. accord check, agree, answer, chord, cohere, coincide,comport, conform, consist, correspond,dovetail, fit, go, harmonize, jibe, rhyme (alsorime), sort, square, tally
He was accorded certain favors because of hisage.
600. encourage to give help or patronage to : foster<government grants designed to encourageconservation>
601. forestall avert, prevent, head off, help, obviate,preclude, stave off
He forestalled critics by offering a defenseof the project.
602. disregard despise, scorn, flout
Some students completely disregard therules of the school.
603. whimsy bee, caprice, crank, fancy, freak, humor,kink, maggot, megrim, notion, vagary,vagrancy, whim (also whimsey)
604. elucidate clarify, clear (up), construe, demonstrate,demystify, explain, explicate, expound, getacross, illuminate, illustrate, interpret,simplify, spell out, unriddle
colored charts that really help to elucidatethe points made in the text
605. elusive hard to comprehend or define,evasive,fugitive, slippery
The truth may prove elusive.
606. apparition ghost, bogey (also bogie or bogy), familiarspirit, hant [dialect], haunt [chieflydialect], materialization, phantasm (alsofantasm), phantom, poltergeist, shade,shadow, specter (or spectre), spirit, spook,sprite, vision, visitant, wraith
607. amalgam admixture, alloy, blend, amalgamation,cocktail, combination, composite,compound, conflation, emulsion, fusion,intermixture, meld, mix, mixture, synthesis
a church that is an amalgam of traditionaland modern architectural styles
608. stratagem an artifice or trick in war for deceiving andoutwitting the enemy
artifice, device, dodge, fetch, flimflam,gambit, gimmick, jig, juggle, knack, play,ploy, scheme, shenanigan, sleight, trick,wile
609. appropriation allocation, allotment, annuity, entitlement,grant, subsidy, subvention
The economy has been weakened by theappropriation of the country's resources bycorrupt officials.
610. conversion changeover, metamorphosis, transfiguration,transformation
The company is undergoing a conversion to anew computer system.
611. rueful aching, agonized, anguished, bemoaning,bewailing, bitter, deploring, doleful,dolesome, dolorous, funeral, grieving,heartbroken, lamentable, lugubrious,plaintive, plangent, regretful, mournful,sorrowful, sorry, wailing, weeping, woeful
612. vindictive revengeful, vengeful
613. avenge redress, requite, retaliate, revenge, venge[archaic], get even (for)
The brothers vowed to avenge the death oftheir father.
614. codify assort, break down, categorize, class, classify,compartment, compartmentalize, digest,distinguish, distribute, grade, group, peg,place, range, rank, relegate, separate, sort,type
615. substantiate demonstrate, prove, show, establish
616. primeval ancient, primal, early, primitive, primordial
primeval forests slowly disappearing as theclimate changed
617. deviation deflection, departure, detour, divergence,divagation, divergency, diversion
Having juice instead of coffee was a deviationfrom his usual routine.
618. hieroglyph
a writing system using picture symbols
619. landlocked enclosed or nearly enclosed by land <alandlocked country>
620. slippery furtive, shady, shifty, sneaky, sly, sneaking,stealthy
Fish are slippery to hold.
621. revere adore, deify, glorify, worship, reverence,venerate
The family reveres old traditions.
622. revile to criticize with harsh language, verballyabuse,vituperate,rail
623. taunt bait, hassle, haze, heckle, needle, ride, tease
taunted the newly arrived immigrants abouttheir broken English
624. peevish choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, crotchety, fiery,grouchy, grumpy, irascible, irritable, perverse,pettish, petulant, prickly, quick-tempered,raspy, ratty, short-tempered, snappish,snappy, snarky, snippety, snippy, stuffy, testy,waspish
625. unworldly aw-shucks, dewy, dewy-eyed, green,ingenuous, innocent, naïf (or naif), primitive,simple, simpleminded, uncritical, unknowing,unsophisticated, unsuspecting, unsuspicious,unwary, naive, wide-eyed
626. sailthrough
pass easily, succeed
627. pitfall booby trap, catch, catch-22, gimmick, gotcha,hitch, joker, land mine, snag
628. debilitate weaken, devitalize, enervate, enfeeble, etiolate,prostrate, sap, soften, tire, waste
The virus debilitates the body's immunesystem.
629. freight burden, cargo, draft, load, haul, lading,loading, payload, weight
630. exorbitant baroque, devilish, excessive, extravagant,extreme, fancy, immoderate, inordinate,insane, intolerable, lavish, overdue,overextravagant, overmuch, overweening,plethoric, steep, stiff, towering,unconscionable, undue, unmercifuldThey were charged exorbitant rates for phonecalls.
631. detachment the action or process of detaching : separation
disinterest, disinterestedness, equity,evenhandedness, fair-mindedness, fairness,impartiality, justice, neutralism, neutrality,nonpartisanship, objectiveness, objectivity
632. adamant obstinate, adamantine, bullheaded, dogged,hard, hardened, hardheaded, hard-nosed,headstrong, immovable, implacable,inconvincible, inflexible, intransigent,mulish, obdurate, opinionated, ossified, pat,pertinacious, perverse, pigheaded, self-opinionated, self-willed, stiff-necked,stubborn, unbending, uncompromising,unrelenting, unyielding, willful (or wilful)
We've tried to talk him into coming with us,but he's adamant about staying here.
633. exonerate to relieve of a responsibility, obligation, orhardship
absolve, acquit, clear, exculpate, vindicate
634. acquaintance cognizance, familiarity
He seemed cold at first, but on closeracquaintance I realized that he was just shy.
635. rift heck, chink, cleft, cranny, crevice, fissure,crack, split
636. incipient aborning, budding, inceptive, inchoate,nascent
The project is still in its incipient stages.
637. obviate avert, forestall, head off, help, prevent,preclude, stave off
The new medical treatment obviates the needfor surgery.
638. reproach dishonor, opprobrium, reflection, disgrace,scandal
Accusations and reproaches from bothparties made it difficult to pursuediscussions.
639. prompt beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on,catalyze, cause, create, do, draw on,effectuate, engender, generate, induce,invoke, make, occasion, produce, effect,result (in), spawn, translate (into), work,yield
to serve as the inciting cause of <evidenceprompting an investigation>
640. qualm a sudden attack of illness, faintness, ornausea
a feeling of uneasiness about a pointespecially of conscience or propriety
641. monotony humdrum, monotone, monotonousness,sameness
The brief storm was a relief from themonotony of the hot summer afternoon.
642. octogenarian someone whose age is in the eighties
643. savor to have experience of : tasteto delight in : enjoy <savoring themoment>The team is still savoring its victory.
644. inure to accustom to accept somethingundesirable <children inured to violence>
to become of advantage <policies that inureto the benefit of employees>
645. condescension voluntary descent from one's rank ordignity in relations with an inferior
646. ovation acclamation, cheer, cheering, applause,plaudit(s), rave(s), réclame
647. extrapolate conclude, decide, deduce, derive, infer,gather, judge, make out, reason,understand
With such a small study it is impossible toextrapolate accurately.
648. waggish arch, devilish, elvish, espiègle, impish,knavish, leprechaunish, pixie (also pixy),pixieish, prankish, puckish, rascally,roguish, scampish, sly, tricksy,mischievous, wicked
649. cryogenic of or relating to the production of very lowtemperatures
650. forebode foretell, portend
augur, bode (also forbode), promise
651. disarray chance-medley, confusion,disarrangement, chaos, dishevelment,disorder, disorderedness, disorderliness,disorganization, free-for-all, havoc, heck,hell, jumble, mare's nest, mess, messiness,misorder, muddle, muss, shambles, snakepit, tumble, welter
652. jeopardy distress, endangerment, harm's way,imperilment, danger, peril, risk, trouble
653. moratorium cold storage, deep freeze, doldrums,dormancy, holding pattern, latency,abeyance, quiescence, suspendedanimation, suspense, suspension
The treaty calls for a nuclear testingmoratorium.
654. plethora abundance, cornucopia, feast, plenitude,plentitude, plenty, superabundance, wealth
A plethora of books have been written onthe subject.
655. inoffensive anodyne, benign, hurtless, innocent,innocuous, harmless, safe, white
656. imperturbable unflappable, nerveless, unshakable
the chef was absolutely imperturbable—even when the kitchen caught on fire
657. bespeak indicate, signify <her performancebespeaks considerable practice>
Her newest album bespeaks a great talentfor writing songs.
658. chivalrous big, noble, elevated, gallant, great,greathearted, high, high-minded, lofty,lordly, magnanimous, natural, sublime
659. dilute cut, adulterate, extend, lace, sophisticate,thin, water down, weaken
diluting the quality of our products
660. contrived having an unnatural or false appearance orquality : artificial, labored <a contrivedplot>
affected, assumed, bogus, artificial,factitious, fake, false, feigned, forced,mechanical, mock, phony (also phoney),plastic, pretended, pseudo, put-on, sham,simulated, spurious, strained, unnatural
661. clumsy lacking dexterity, nimbleness, or grace<clumsy fingers>
awkward, butterfingered, cack-handed[British], graceless, ham-fisted, ham-handed, handless, heavy-handed, left-handed, maladroit, unhandy, all thumbs
662. ludicrous amusing or laughable through obviousabsurdity, incongruity, exaggeration, oreccentricity
antic, chucklesome, comedic, comic,comical, droll, farcical, hilarious,humoristic, humorous, hysterical (alsohysteric), killing, laughable, funny,ridiculous, riotous, risible, screaming,sidesplitting, uproarious
663. premeditated characterized by fully conscious willfulintent and a measure of forethought andplanning <premeditated murder>
664. evince bespeak, betray, communicate, declare,demonstrate, display, show, expose, give away,manifest, reveal
She evinced an interest in art at an early age.
665. rejoice crow, delight, exuberate, glory, jubilate, joy,kvell, exult, triumph
We all rejoiced over our friend's good luck.
666. exclaim blat, blurt (out), bolt, cry (out), ejaculate
The children exclaimed with wonder when theysaw the elephant.
667. vestige (1) : a trace, mark, or visible sign left bysomething (as an ancient city or a condition orpractice) vanished or lost (2) : the smallestquantity or trace
echo, ghost, relic, shadow, trace
668. tailor acclimate, acclimatize, accommodate, adjust,condition, conform, doctor, edit, fashion, fit, put,shape, suit, adapt
I had my suit tailored.
669. tidy adequately satisfactory : acceptable, fair <a tidysolution to their problem>
methodical, precise <a tidy mind>
antiseptic, bandbox, crisp, groomed, kempt,orderly, picked up, prim, shipshape, smug, snug,tidied, neat, trig, trim, uncluttered, well-groomed
670. assertive disposed to or characterized by bold or confidentstatements and behavior <an assertive leader>
If you want people to listen to your opinions,you'll need to learn to be more assertive.
ambitious, aggressive, enterprising, fierce, go-getting, high-pressure, in-your-face, militant,pushy, self-asserting, self-assertive
671. conflate to bring together : fuse
confuse, confound, mistake, mix (up)
be careful not to conflate gossip with real news
672. aggravate irritate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat,exasperate, frost, gall, get, grate, gripe, hack(off), irk, itch, nark [British], nettle, peeve,persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite,vex
They're afraid that we might aggravate an alreadybad situation.
673. buttress anchor, dependence, mainstay, pillar, reliance,standby
674. convoluted involved, intricate <a convoluted argument>
<a convoluted explanation that left thelisteners even more confused than they werebefore>
baroque, byzantine, complicate, complicated,complex, daedal, elaborate, intricate, involute,involved, knotty, labyrinthian, labyrinthine,sophisticated, tangled
675. distort to twist out of the true meaning or proportion<distorted the facts>
Her face was distorted by pain.The story was distorted by the press.
bend, color, cook, garble, falsify, fudge,misinterpret, misrelate, misrepresent, misstate,pervert, slant, twist, warp
676. amorphous formless, shapeless, unformed, unshaped,unstructured
677. tepid halfhearted, lukewarm, uneager,unenthusiastic
678. bucolic rural, country, pastoral, rustic (also rustical)
679. placid collected, composed, cool, coolheaded, equal,level, limpid, peaceful, calm, possessed,recollected, sedate, self-composed, self-possessed, serene, smooth, together, tranquil,undisturbed, unperturbed, unruffled,unshaken, untroubled, unworried
a person with a sunny, placid disposition
680. devoid bankrupt, bare, barren, bereft, destitute, void
the so-called comedy is totally devoid ofintelligence, originality, and even laughs
681. disabuse to free from error, fallacy, or misconception
<let me disabuse you of your foolish notionsabout married life>
disillusion, disenchant, undeceive
682. unfeigned not feigned or hypocritical : genuine,heartfelt,sincere
She looked at him with unfeigned admiration.
683. rife abounding, abundant, awash, flush, fraught,lousy, replete, swarming, teeming, thick,thronging
a city government that is rife withmalfeasance and corruption
684. incongruous amiss, graceless, improper, inapposite, inapt,inappropriate, incorrect, indecorous, inept,infelicitous, malapropos, perverse, unapt,unbecoming, unfit, unhappy, unseemly,unsuitable, untoward, wrong
His outburst seemed incongruous to thosewho know him well.
685. fortuitous occurring by chance
fortunate, lucky <from a cost standpoint, thecompany's timing is fortuitous — BusinessWeek>
686. fastidious choosy (or choosey), dainty, delicate,demanding, exacting, finicky, finical,finicking, fussbudgety, fussy, nice, old-maidish, particular, pernickety [chieflyBritish], persnickety, picky
She was too fastidious to do anything thatmight get her dirty.
687. didactic sermonic, homiletic (or homiletical),moralistic, moralizing, preachy, sententious
the poet's works became increasingly didacticafter his religious conversion
688. aside from apart from, except, bar, barring, beside,besides, but, except for, excluding, exclusiveof, other than, outside, outside of, save,saving
aside from the C in geometry, he made all A'sthis term
689. capricious ickle, changeable, changeful, flickery,fluctuating, fluid, inconsistent, inconstant,mercurial, mutable, skittish, temperamental,uncertain, unpredictable, unsettled, unstable,unsteady, variable, volatile
The court ruled that the punishment wasarbitrary and capricious.
690. corroborate argue, attest, authenticate, bear out, certify,confirm, substantiate, support, validate,verify, vindicate
<my personal experience does not corroborateyour faith in the essential goodness ofpeople>
691. debunk belie, confound, confute, disprove, disconfirm,discredit, falsify, rebut, refute, shoot down
The article debunks the notion that life existson Mars.
692. bogus artificial, imitation, dummy, ersatz, factitious,fake, false, faux, imitative, man-made, mimic,mock, pretend, sham, simulated, substitute,synthetic
The evidence was completely bogus.
693. obsolete antiquated, archaic, dated, démodé, demoded,fossilized, kaput (also kaputt), medieval (alsomediaeval), moribund, mossy, moth-eaten,neolithic, Noachian, outdated, outmoded, out-of-date, outworn, passé, prehistoric (alsoprehistorical), rusty, Stone Age, superannuated
694. erroneous false, inaccurate, incorrect, inexact, invalid, off,unsound, untrue, untruthful, wrong
695. exacting choosy (or choosey), dainty, delicate,demanding, finicky, fastidious, finical,finicking, fussbudgety, fussy, nice, old-maidish,particular, pernickety [chiefly British],persnickety, picky
He has very exacting standards.
696. meticulous marked by extreme or excessive care in theconsideration or treatment of details <ameticulous researcher>
careful, conscientious, fussy, loving,painstaking, scrupulous
697. scathing bitterly severe <a scathing condemnation>
acerb, acerbic, acid, acidic, acidulous, acrid,barbed, biting, caustic, corrosive, cutting,mordant, pungent, sardonic, satiric (orsatirical), scalding, sarcastic, sharp, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, smart-mouthed, snarky,tart
698. thrift frugality, husbandry, parsimony, penny-pinching, providence, scrimping, skimping,economy
Through hard work and thrift they sent all oftheir children to college.
699. stingy cheap, chintzy, close, closefisted, mean, mingy,miserly, niggard, niggardly, parsimonious,penny-pinching, penurious, pinching,pinchpenny, spare, sparing, stinting, tight,tightfisted, uncharitable, ungenerous
The company was too stingy to raise salaries.
700. diffident hesitant in acting or speaking through lack ofself-confidence
backward, bashful, coy, demure, shy,introverted, modest, recessive, retiring, self-effacing, sheepish, withdrawn
She was diffident about stating her opinion.
701. convoluted baroque, byzantine, complicate, complicated,complex, daedal, elaborate, intricate, involute,involved, knotty, labyrinthian, labyrinthine,sophisticated, tangled
a convoluted explanation that left the listenerseven more confused than they were before
702. disquiet agitate, ail, alarm (also alarum), bother,concern, derail, discomfort, discompose,dismay, disturb, distemper, distract, distress,exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss,hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle,upset, weird out, worry
we were disquieted by the strange noises weheard outside our tent at night
703. accede acquiesce, agree, assent, come round, consent,subscribe
704. belie to give a false impression of,misrepresent
to show (something) to be false or wrong
705. injudicious brash, graceless, ill-advised, imprudent,inadvisable, indelicate, indiscreet, tactless,undiplomatic, unwise
He made several injudicious comments to thepress.
706. penitence contriteness, contrition, guilt, regret, remorse,remorsefulness, repentance, rue, self-reproach,shame
707. unsparing not merciful or forbearing : hard, ruthless <anunsparing satire> <an unsparing critic>
708. imperious authoritarian, authoritative, autocratic (alsoautocratical), despotic, dictatorial,domineering, bossy, masterful, overbearing,peremptory, tyrannical (also tyrannic),tyrannous
an imperious movie star who thinks she's somesort of goddess
709. prolix circuitous, circumlocutory, diffuse, garrulous,logorrheic, long-winded, pleonastic, wordy,rambling, verbose, windy
The speech was unnecessarily prolix.
710. prodigal extravagant, high-rolling, profligate,spendthrift, squandering, thriftless, unthrifty,wasteful
711. taciturn closemouthed, dumb, laconic, reserved, reticent,silent, tight-lipped, uncommunicative
a taciturn man, he almost never initiates aconversation
712. voluble characterized by ready or rapid speech : glib,fluent
713. pellucid easy to understand
crystal, crystal clear, crystalline, limpid, liquid,lucent, clear, see-through, transparent
714. adolescent teenaged, underage, minor, young
715. onset attack, assault <withstand the onset of thearmy>
beginning, commencement <the onset ofwinter>
716. pertinent having a clear decisive relevance to the matter inhand
applicable, apposite, apropos, germane,material, pointed, relative, relevant, to the point
717. discern to recognize or identify as separate and distinct :discriminate <discern right from wrong>
The reasons behind this sudden change aredifficult to discern.
behold, catch, descry, see, distinguish, espy,eye, look (at), note, notice, observe, perceive,regard, remark, sight, spot, spy, view, witness
718. betray to reveal unintentionally <betray one's truefeelings>
show, indicate
719. intact untouched especially by anything that harms ordiminishes : entire, uninjured
After 25 years, their friendship remained intact.
720. discrete consisting of distinct or unconnected elements
detached, disconnected, separate, free,freestanding, single, unattached, unconnected
721. economy thrifty and efficient use of material resources
We must learn to practice economy.
frugality, husbandry, parsimony, penny-pinching, providence, scrimping, skimping,thrift
722. enmesh catch up, entangle (also immesh), ensnare,ensnarl, entoil, entrap, mesh, net, snare, tangle,trap
deeply enmeshed in the plot
723. fervent exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling: zealous <fervent prayers>
ardent, blazing, burning, charged,demonstrative, emotional, fervid, feverish, fiery,flaming, glowing, hot-blooded, impassioned,incandescent, intense, passional, passionate,perfervid, red-hot, religious, superheated, torrid,vehement, warm, warm-blooded, on fire
724. naïveté artlessness, greenness, guilelessness,ingenuousness, innocence, naiveness, naivety(also naïvety) [chiefly British], naturalness,simplemindedness, simpleness, simplicity,unsophistication, unworldliness, viridity
725. dormancy cold storage, deep freeze, doldrums, abeyance,holding pattern, latency, moratorium,quiescence, suspended animation, suspense,suspension
some volcanoes have eruptive cycles marked bylong stretches of dormancy
726. gauge a measurement (as of linear dimension)according to some standard or system
The amount of money one makes is not the onlygauge of one's success.
The servant tried to gauge his master's mood.
727. negate contradict, disaffirm, disallow, disavow,disclaim, disconfirm, disown, gainsay, deny,negative, refute, reject, repudiate
The fact that she lied about her work experiencenegated the contract.
728. proclivity an inclination or predisposition towardsomething; especially : a strong inherentinclination toward something objectionable
affection, affinity, aptitude, bent, bias, bone,devices, disposition, genius, habitude, impulse,leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection,predisposition, inclination, propensity,tendency, turn
729. arcane known or knowable only to the initiate
abstruse, profound, deep, esoteric, hermetic (alsohermetical), recondite
730. cant secret jargon or slang
731. adulation worship, deification, hero worship, idolatry,idolization, worshipping (also worshiping)
732. infuriate enrage, incense, inflame (also enflame),anger, ire, madden, outrage, rankle, rile,roil, steam up, tick off
I was infuriated by his arrogance.
733. venerate adore, deify, glorify, revere, reverence,worship
She is venerated as a saint.
734. consternation amazement or dismay that hinders orthrows into confusion
The candidate caused consternation amonghis supporters by changing positions on akey issue.
735. pervasive existing in or spreading through every partof something
television's pervasive influence on ourculture
736. consummate of the highest degree <consummate skill><consummate cruelty>
to make perfect
Their happiness was consummated whentheir son was born.
737. precipitate to bring about especially abruptly<precipitate a scandal that would end withhis expulsion — John Cheever>
to throw violently : hurl <the quandariesinto which the release of nuclear energy hasprecipitated mankind — A. B. Arons>
to move or act with violent or unwise speed
The budget problem was precipitated bymany unexpected costs.
738. impostor charlatan, fake, faker, fakir, fraud, hoaxer,humbug, mountebank, phony (alsophoney), pretender, quack, quacksalver,ringer, sham
739. delicacy the quality or state of being dainty : fineness
fineness or subtle expressiveness of touch
740. euphemism the expression so substituted
using "eliminate" as a euphemism for "kill"
741. circumlocution the use of an unnecessarily large numberof words to express an idea
evasion in speech
742. enthrall to hold in or reduce to slavery
to hold spellbound : charm
for years these master magicians havebeen enthralling audiences with theirastounding illusions
arrest, bedazzle, catch up, enchant,fascinate, grip, hypnotize, mesmerize,spellbind
743. opium an addictive narcotic extracted from seedcapsules of the opium poppy
744. fickle capricious, changeable, changeful,flickery, fluctuating, fluid, inconsistent,inconstant, mercurial, mutable, skittish,temperamental, uncertain, unpredictable,unsettled, unstable, unsteady, variable,volatile, up in the air
He is a fickle lover.
745. fanatic marked by excessive enthusiasm and oftenintense uncritical devotion <they're fanaticabout politics>
<because of her fanatical views, herfriends know better than to discussreligion with her>
extremist, extreme (or fanatical), rabid,radical, revolutionary, revolutionist, ultra
746. salient standing out conspicuously : prominent;especially : of notable significance
747. outmoded not being in style
<outmoded computers that can berecycled>
antiquated, archaic, dated, démodé,demoded, fossilized, kaput (also kaputt),medieval (also mediaeval), moribund,mossy, moth-eaten, neolithic, Noachian,outdated, obsolete, out-of-date, outworn,passé, prehistoric (also prehistorical),rusty, Stone Age, superannuated
748. enamor to cause to feel a strong or excessiveinterest or fascination —usually used inthe passive with of or with <baseball fansenamored of statistics>
749. reconnaissance a preliminary survey to gain information;especially : an exploratory military surveyof enemy territory
They did a reconnaissance of the enemy'sposition.
750. intact compleat, comprehensive, entire, full,grand, complete, integral, perfect, plenary,total, whole
After 25 years, their friendship remainedintact.
751. sedentary doing or requiring much sitting
not physically active <a sedentarylifestyle>
Editing the dictionary is a sedentary job.
752. treacherous disloyal, false, fickle, inconstant,perfidious, recreant, traitorous, faithless,unfaithful, untrue
He was cruel, treacherous andunscrupulous.
providing insecure footing or support<treacherous quicksand>My memory istreacherous.
753. flaccid not firm or stiff; also : lacking normal oryouthful firmness <flaccid muscles>
lacking vigor or force <flaccid leadership>
droopy, limp, floppy, lank, yielding
754. espouse to take up and support as a cause : becomeattached to
The new theory has been espoused bymany leading physicists.
755. imperious authoritarian, authoritative, autocratic(also autocratical), despotic, dictatorial,domineering, bossy, masterful,overbearing, peremptory, tyrannical (alsotyrannic), tyrannous
intensely compelling : urgent <theimperious problems of the new age — J. F.Kennedy>
756. procure The CIA believes the group is procuringweapons.
acquire, attain, bag, bring in, capture,carry, come by, draw, gain, garner, get,knock down, land, make, obtain, earn,pull down, realize, reap, secure, win
757. deign to condescend reluctantly and with a strongsense of the affront to one's superiority that isinvolved
I wouldn't deign to answer that absurdaccusation
758. scruple to show reluctance on grounds of conscience :hesitate
a tabloid journalist who has never scrupled toreveal the most intimate details about the livesof celebrities
balance, dither, falter, halt, hang back,hesitate, shilly-shally, stagger, teeter,vacillate, waver, wobble (also wabble)
759. feigned affected, assumed, bogus, contrived, factitious,fake, false, artificial, forced, mechanical,mock, phony (also phoney), plastic, pretended,pseudo, put-on, sham, simulated, spurious,strained, unnatural
the feigned applause that polite people giveafter a bad concert
760. encumber to impede or hamper the function or activity of :hinder <negotiations encumbered by a lack oftrust>
clog, cramp, embarrass, hamper, fetter,handcuff, handicap, hinder, hobble, hog-tie,hold back, hold up, impede, inhibit, interfere(with), manacle, obstruct, shackle, short-circuit, stymie, tie up, trammel
761. detrimental adverse, bad, baleful, baneful, damaging,dangerous, deleterious, harmful, evil, hurtful,ill, injurious, mischievous, nocuous, noxious,pernicious, prejudicial, wicked
there were serious concerns that the factory'swaste was detrimental to the localenvironment
762. ascendancy ascendance (also ascendence), supremacy(also ascendency), dominance, domination,dominion, hegemony, imperium,predominance, predominancy, preeminence,reign, sovereignty (also sovranty)
a book chronicling the ascendancy of fascismin Europe after World War I>\
763. resurrect reanimate, recharge, regenerate, rejuvenate,rekindle, renew, revive, resuscitate, revitalize,revivify, rewake, rewaken
The story is about a scientist who claimed thathe could resurrect the dead.
764. denigrate bad-mouth, belittle, cry down, decry, deprecate,depreciate, derogate, diminish, dis (also diss)[slang], discount, dismiss, disparage, kiss off,minimize, play down, poor-mouth, put down,run down, talk down, trash, trash-talk,vilipend, write off
No one is trying to denigrate the importance ofa good education. We all know that it is crucialfor success.
765. pristine not spoiled, corrupted, or polluted (as bycivilization) : pure <a pristine forest>
fresh and clean as or as if new <used books inpristine condition>
brand-new, mint, fresh, span-new, virgin,virginal
766. fabricate invent, create,make, fashion, form, frame,manufacture, produce
to make up for the purpose of deception<accused of fabricating evidence>
767. resuscitate to revive from apparent death or fromunconsciousness; also : revitalize
freshen, recharge, recreate, refresh, refreshen,regenerate, rejuvenate, repair, restore, renew,revitalize, revive, revivify
she hopes to resuscitate the currently defunctcharity organization
768. flag to decline in interest, attraction, or value<flagging stock prices>
769. jockey to deal shrewdly or fraudulently with
There was a lot of political jockeying at thefund-raiser.
770. regiment to organize rigidly especially for the sake ofregulation or control <regiment an entirecountry>
She criticized the way the school regiments itsstudents by having strict rules.
771. decorum decency, form, propriety
high standards of decorum are usually requiredwhen attending the opera
772. riveting having the power to fix the attention :engrossing, fascinating <a riveting story>
absorbing, arresting, consuming, engaging,engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, gripping,immersing, intriguing, involving, interesting
773. underrate underestimate, undervalue
774. contravene breach, break, violate, fracture, infringe, offend,traduce, transgress
the unauthorized reproduction of the imagecontravenes copyright laws
775. grudging done, given, or allowed unwillingly, reluctantly,or sparingly <grudging compliance>
Her theories have begun to win grudgingacceptance in the scientific community.
776. errant straying outside the proper path or bounds
behaving wrongly <an errant child>
bad, contrary, naughty, froward, misbehaving,mischievous
777. depraved marked by corruption or evil; especially :perverted
He acted with depraved indifference to humansuffering.
debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate,degraded, demoralized, corrupt, dissipated,dissolute, jackleg, libertine, loose, perverse,perverted, rakehell (or rakehelly), rakish,reprobate, sick, unclean, unwholesome, warped
778. allusion the act of making an indirect reference tosomething : the act of alluding to something
The lyrics contain biblical allusions.
779. tout ballyhoo, blow up, crack up, cry up, glorify,trumpet, tub-thump
The company is running advertisements toutingthe drug's effectiveness.
780. crossfire altercation, argle-bargle [chiefly British], argy-bargy [chiefly British], battle royal, bicker,brawl, contretemps, controversy, argument,disagreement, dispute, donnybrook, falling-out,fight, hassle, imbroglio, kickup,misunderstanding, quarrel, rhubarb, row,scrap, set-to, spat, squabble, tiff, wrangle
viewers tune in to witness the weekly cross firebetween the liberal and conservativecommentators
781. tussle to struggle roughly,grapple, rassle, scuffle,wrestle
The two basketball players tussled for the ball.
782. recede to move back or away : withdrawto grow less or smaller : diminish, decrease
the flood waters gradually receded
783. lethargic of, relating to, or characterized by laziness orlack of energy : feeling or affected by lethargy :sluggish
You'll need to move your lure as slowly aspossible to tempt the lethargic fish intofeeding...
dull, inert, inactive, quiescent, sleepy, sluggish,torpid
784. aggrandize to make great or greater,exalt, canonize, deify,dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, ensky,enthrone, glorify, magnify
A country should not aggrandize itself at theexpense of its neighbors.
785. embellish color, elaborate (on), embroider, exaggerate,hyperbolize, magnify, pad, stretch
He embellished his speech with a fewquotations.
786. jeopardize adventure, compromise, gamble (with), hazard,imperil, jeopard, endanger, menace, peril, risk,venture
His health has been jeopardized by poornutrition.
787. ferret to find and bring to light by searching —usuallyused with out <ferret out the answers>
788. haughty blatantly and disdainfully proud
He rejected their offer with a tone of haughtydisdain.
assumptive, bumptious, cavalier, chesty,arrogant, highfalutin (also hifalutin), high-and-mighty, high-handed, high-hat, huffish,huffy, imperious, important, lofty, lordly,masterful, overweening, peremptory, pompous,presuming, presumptuous, pretentious, self-asserting, self-assertive, sniffy, stiff-necked,supercilious, superior, toplofty (alsotoploftical), uppish, uppity
789. enmity animosity, animus, antagonism, antipathy, badblood, bitterness, gall, grudge, hostility,jaundice, rancor
We need to put aside old enmities for the sake ofpeace.
790. garrulous given to prosy, rambling, or tedious loquacity :pointlessly or annoyingly talkative
He became more garrulous after drinking acouple of beers.
blabby, chatty, conversational, gabby, talkative,loquacious, motormouthed, mouthy, talky
791. excoriate abuse, assail, bash, belabor, blast, castigate,attack, jump (on), lambaste (or lambast),potshot, savage, scathe, slam, trash, vituperate
The candidates have publicly excoriated eachother throughout the campaign.
792. bombast pretentious inflated speech or writing
you need less bombast and more substance inthis speech on human rights
bluster, brag, braggadocio, bull [slang],cockalorum, fanfaronade, gas, gasconade,grandiloquence, hot air, magniloquence, rant,rodomontade (also rhodomontade)
793. benign of a gentle disposition : gracious <a benignteacher>
anodyne, harmless, hurtless, innocent,innocuous, inoffensive, safe, white
794. excel beat, better, eclipse, exceed, surpass, outclass,outdistance, outdo, outgun, outmatch, outshine,outstrip, overtop, top, tower (over), transcend
the special effects in this new sci-fi extravaganzaexcel any that we've seen previously
795. emulate to strive to equal or excelimitate; especially : to imitate by means of anemulator
artists emulating the style of their teachers
796. befuddle addle, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, confuse,bemuse, bewilder, buffalo, confound,discombobulate, disorient, flummox, fox, fuddle,get, gravel, maze, muddle, muddy, mystify,perplex, pose, puzzle, vex
most of the applicants were befuddled by thewording of one of the questions on the drivingtest
797. presage augur, call, forecast, predict, foretell,prognosticate, prophesy, read, vaticinate
Many investors are worried that the currentslowdown could presage another recession.
798. preclude avert, forestall, head off, help, obviate, prevent,stave off
Bad weather precluded any further attempts toreach the summit.
799. epitome a typical or ideal example : embodiment <theBritish monarchy itself is the epitome oftradition — Richard Joseph>
the golden rule is often cited as the epitome ofmoral conduct: "Do unto others as you wouldhave them do unto you"
800. coarse crude or unrefined in taste, manners, orlanguage
Don't use such coarse language.
801. urbane notably polite or polished in manner
The dialogue is witty and urbane.
debonair, smooth, sophisticated, svelte, suave
802. dissipation wasteful expenditure
He lived a life of dissipation.
803. squander to spend extravagantly or foolishly : dissipate,waste <squandered a fortune>
He vowed not to squander this opportunity.
blow, dissipate, fiddle away, fritter (away),lavish, lose, misspend, run through, spend,waste, throw away, trifle (away)
804. vagrant having a fleeting, wayward, or inconstantquality <a vagrant impulse>
ambulant, ambulatory, errant, fugitive,gallivanting (also galavanting), nomad,nomadic, perambulatory, peregrine,peripatetic, ranging, roaming, roving,vagabond, itinerant, wandering, wayfaring
805. implicate to fold or twist together : enlace, entwine,intertwine [archaic], interlace, intertwist,interweave, inweave, lace, ply, twist, weave,wreathe, writhe
to bring into intimate or incriminatingconnection <evidence that implicates him inthe bombing>
806. impel to urge or drive forward or on by or as if by theexertion of strong moral pressure : force <feltimpelled to correct the misconception>
actuate, drive, move, propel, work
807. intent aim, ambition, aspiration, bourne (alsobourn), design, dream, end, idea, ideal, goal,intention, mark, meaning, object, objective,plan, point, pretension, purpose, target,
The intent of the law is to protect consumers.
808. venerable calling forth respect through age, character,and attainments <a venerable jazzmusician>; broadly : conveying animpression of aged goodness and benevolence<encouraged by the venerable doctor's head-nodding>
a venerable tradition that colleges have beenmaintaining for centuries
hallowed, revered, reverend, sacred, venerated
809. inopportune inconvenient, unseasonable
He always shows up at the most inopportunetimes.
810. despicable deserving to be despised : so worthless orobnoxious as to rouse moral indignation<despicable behavior>
cheap, cruddy, deplorable, contemptible,dirty, grubby, lame, lousy, mean, nasty,paltry, pitiable, pitiful, ratty, scabby, scummy,scurvy, sneaking, sorry, wretched
811. adjunct something joined or added to another thingbut not essentially a part of it
In "They ate heartily," the word heartily is anadjunct and in "We left at noon," the phraseat noon is an adjunct.
812. derive to take, receive, or obtain especially from aspecified source
Much of the book's appeal derives from thepersonality of its central character.
813. tacit expressed or carried on without words orspeech <the blush was a tacit answer — BramStoker>
implied or indicated (as by an act or bysilence) but not actually expressed <tacitconsent> <tacit admission of guilt>
There was a tacit agreement that he wouldpay off the loan.
implied, implicit, unexpressed, unspoken,unvoiced, wordless
814. duplicate to make a copy of <a cell duplicates itself whenit divides>
clone, copycat, copy, imitate, reduplicate,render, replicate, reproduce
815. divulge bare, disclose, discover, reveal, expose, let on(about), spill, tell, unbosom, uncloak, uncover,unmask,
we tried to make him divulge the name of thewinner, but he wouldn't budge
816. prudery moralism, nice-nellyism, prudishness,puritanism
817. demise check out, conk (out), croak [slang], decease,die, depart, drop, end, exit, expire, fall,flatline, go, kick in [slang], kick off [slang],pass (on), pass away, part, peg out [chieflyBritish], perish, pop off, step out, succumb
818. unruly not readily ruled, disciplined, or managed <anunruly crowd>
balky, contrary, contumacious, defiant,froward, incompliant, insubordinate,intractable, obstreperous, rebel, rebellious,recalcitrant, recusant, refractory, restive,ungovernable, disobedient, untoward,wayward, willful (or wilful)
819. interim ad interim, impermanent, temporary,provisional, provisionary, provisory, short-term
putting up some students in local motels isobviously just an interim solution to thecollege's housing shortage
820. resplendent shining brilliantly : characterized by a glowingsplendor <meadows resplendent withwildflowers — Outdoor World>
a bird with resplendent yellow feathers
821. complacent self-satisfied <a complacent smile>
complaisant
apathetic, casual, indifferent, disinterested,incurious, insensible, insouciant, nonchalant,perfunctory, pococurante, unconcerned,uncurious, uninterested
The strong economy has made peoplecomplacent.
822. supersede cut out, displace, displant, relieve, substitute,replace, supplant
Former stars were being superseded by youngeractors.
823. trenchant vigorously effective and articulate <a trenchantanalysis>; also : caustic <trenchant remarks>
sharply perceptive : penetrating <a trenchantview of current conditions>
cutting, edged, edgy, ground, honed, keen,sharpened, stropped, sharp, whetted
824. plaintive aching, agonized, anguished, bemoaning,bewailing, bitter, deploring, doleful, dolesome,dolorous, funeral, grieving, heartbroken,lamentable, lugubrious, mournful, plangent,regretful, rueful, sorrowful, sorry, wailing,weeping, woeful
We could hear the plaintive cry of a woundedanimal in the woods.
825. tangential touching lightly : incidental, peripheral<tangential involvement>; also : of littlerelevance <arguments tangential to the mainpoint>
Their romance is tangential to the book's mainplot.
826. spurious bogus, fake, false, forged, inauthentic, phony(also phoney), queer, sham, snide, counterfeit,unauthentic
a spurious Picasso painting that wouldn't havefooled an art expert for a second
827. devotion religious fervor : piety
the fact or state of being ardently dedicated andloyal <her devotion to the cause>
She has cared for the poor with selfless devotion.
828. assail abuse, attack, bash, belabor, blast, castigate,excoriate, jump (on), lambaste (or lambast),potshot, savage, scathe, slam, trash, vituperate
politicians assailed by the media
829. berate baste, bawl out, scold, call down, castigate,chastise, chew out, dress down, flay, hammer,jaw, keelhaul, lambaste (or lambast), lecture,rag, rail (at or against), rant (at), rate, ream(out), rebuke, reprimand, reproach, score,tongue-lash, upbraid
there's no need to berate someone for making amistake during the first day on the job
830. condone blink (at), brush (aside or off), excuse,discount, disregard, forgive, gloss (over), gloze(over), ignore, overlook, overpass, paper over,pardon, pass over, remit, shrug off, whitewash,wink (at)
a government that has been accused ofcondoning racism
831. perpetrate to produce, perform, or execute (somethinglikened to a crime)
The men were planning to perpetrate a robbery.
832. erode to diminish or destroy by degrees:
The shoreline has eroded badly.
833. obsess to haunt or excessively preoccupy the mind of<was obsessed with the idea>
You need to stop obsessing and just deal withthe problem.
834. subsume to include or place within something larger ormore comprehensive : encompass as asubordinate or component element <red, green,and yellow are subsumed under the term"color">
835. precedence priority of importance <your safety takesprecedence>
his merchandise order takes precedencebecause we received it first
836. crop harvest <crop trout>
to cut off short : trim <crop a photograph>Thepicture was cropped badly.
837. intrepid bold, courageous, dauntless, doughty, fearless,gallant, greathearted, gutsy, gutty, heroic (alsoheroical), brave, lionhearted, manful, stalwart,stout, stouthearted, undauntable, undaunted,valiant, valorous
an intrepid explorer who probed parts of therain forest never previously attempted
838. alternate occurring or succeeding by turns <a day ofalternate sunshine and rain>
constituting an alternative <took the alternateroute home>
839. extemporaneous (1) : composed, performed, or uttered onthe spur of the moment : impromptu <anextemporaneous comment> (2) :carefully prepared but delivered withoutnotes or text
ad hoc, ad-lib, down and dirty,extemporary, extempore, impromptu,improvisational, improvised, offhand,offhanded, off-the-cuff, snap, spur-of-the-moment, unconsidered, unplanned,unpremeditated, unprepared,unrehearsed, unstudied
840. mundane characterized by the practical, transitory,and ordinary : commonplace <themundane concerns of day-to-day life>
everyday, nitty-gritty, prosaic, terrestrial,workaday
prayer and meditation helped her put hermundane worries aside
841. stifle choke, smother, strangle, suffocate
Too many regulations stifle innovation.
842. conceal bury, cache, hide, ensconce, secrete
The editorial accused the government ofconcealing the truth.
843. unfold to open to the view : reveal; especially : tomake clear by gradual disclosure andoften by recital
We'll have more news as events unfold.
844. incongruity dichotomy, contradiction, paradox
845. quirky unusual; strange; odd; eccentric
846. finicky extremely or excessively particular,exacting, or meticulous in taste orstandards <a finicky eater>
choosy (or choosey), dainty, delicate,demanding, exacting, fastidious, finical,finicking, fussbudgety, fussy, nice, old-maidish, particular, pernickety [chieflyBritish], persnickety, picky
847. enervate to reduce the mental or moral vigor of
a lifetime of working in dreary jobs hadenervated his very soul
castrate, damp, dampen, deaden,desiccate, devitalize, dehydrate, geld,lobotomize, petrify
848. frantic emotionally out of control <frantic with angerand frustration>
agitated, delirious, distracted, distrait,distraught, frenzied, hysterical (also hysteric),beside oneself
They made a frantic search for the missingchild.
849. ameliorate improve, amend, better, enhance, enrich,help, meliorate, perfect, refine, upgrade
trying to ameliorate the suffering of peoplewho have lost their jobs
850. decimation ...
851. intrusive busy, interfering, intruding, meddlesome,meddling, nosy (or nosey), obtrusive,officious, presuming, presumptuous,protrusive, prying, pushing, pushy, snoopy
Intrusive reporters disturbed their privacy.
852. platitude banality, bromide, chestnut, cliché (alsocliche), groaner, homily, commonplace,shibboleth, trope, truism
His speech was filled with familiar platitudesabout the value of hard work and dedication.
853. labyrinthine of, relating to, or resembling a labyrinth :intricate, involved
the labyrinthine politics of Central Europe leftus totally befuddled
baroque, byzantine, complicate, complicated,convoluted, daedal, elaborate, intricate,involute, involved, knotty, labyrinthian,complex, sophisticated, tangled
854. foil to prevent from attaining an end : defeat<always able to foil her enemies>
855. poignant affecting, emotional, impactful, impressive,moving, stirring, touching
a poignant story of a love affair that ends intragedy
856. gallantry bottle [British slang], bravery,courageousness, daring, daringness,dauntlessness, doughtiness, fearlessness,courage, greatheartedness, guts, gutsiness,hardihood, heart, heroism, intestinalfortitude, intrepidity, intrepidness, moxie,nerve, pecker [chiefly British], prowess,stoutness, valor, virtue
Many women were charmed by his old-fashioned gallantry.
857. fatuous complacently or inanely foolish : silly <afatuous remark>
airheaded, birdbrained, bonehead,boneheaded, brain-dead, brainless,bubbleheaded, chuckleheaded, dense, dim,dim-witted, doltish, dopey (also dopy), dorky[slang], dull, dumb, dunderheaded, empty-headed, stupid, gormless [chiefly British],half-witted, knuckleheaded, lamebrain (orlamebrained), lunkheaded, mindless, oafish,obtuse, opaque, pinheaded, senseless, simple,slow, slow-witted, soft, softheaded, thick,thickheaded, thick-witted, unintelligent,unsmart, vacuous, weak-minded, witless
858. idolatry adulation, deification, hero worship,worship, idolization, worshipping (alsoworshiping)
859. confidential private, secret <confidential information>entrusted with confidences
behind-the-scenes, private, esoteric, hushed,hush-hush, inside, intimate, nonpublic,privy, secret
860. candid free from bias, prejudice, or malice : fair <acandid observer>
He was quite candid about his past.
frank, direct, forthcoming, forthright,foursquare, freehearted, free-spoken, honest,open, openhearted, out-front, outspoken,plain, plainspoken, straight, straightforward,unguarded, unreserved, up-front
861. idiosyncrasy a peculiarity of constitution or temperament :an individualizing characteristic or quality
crotchet, curiosity, eccentricity, erraticism,individualism, kink, mannerism, oddity,peculiarity, quiddity, quip, quirk, singularity,tic, trick, twist
862. culmination acme, apex, apogee, capstone, climax,crescendo, crest, crown, height, head, highnoon, high tide, high-water mark, meridian,ne plus ultra, noon, noontime, peak, pinnacle,sum, summit, tip-top, top, zenith
863. impend to be about to occur
for confirmed pessimists some disaster alwaysseems to be impending
864. perpetuate to make perpetual or cause to last indefinitely<perpetuate the species>
eternalize, immortalize
865. ossify to become hardened or conventional andopposed to change
866. stratagem artifice, device, dodge, fetch, flimflam, gambit,gimmick, jig, juggle, knack, play, ploy,scheme, shenanigan, sleight, trick, wile
tried various stratagems to get the cat into thecarrier, but the feisty feline was wise to themall
867. tractable amenable, biddable, compliant, conformable,docile, law-abiding, submissive, obedient
This new approach should make the problemmore tractable.
868. overhaul (1) : repair (2) : to renovate, remake, revise, orrenew thoroughly
Lawmakers are overhauling the welfareprogram.
869. calibrate to measure precisely; especially : to measureagainst a standard
carefully calibrate the dosage of a medicine
870. ferocious exhibiting or given to extreme fierceness andunrestrained violence and brutality <aferocious predator>
The competition among the students wasferocious.
acute, almighty, blistering, deep, dreadful,excruciating, explosive, exquisite, fearful,fearsome, intense, fierce, frightful, furious,ghastly, hard, heavy, heavy-duty, hellacious,intensive, keen, profound, terrible, vehement,vicious, violent
871. ameliorate to make better or more tolerable; improve,amend, better, enhance, enrich, help, meliorate,perfect, refine, upgrade
trying to ameliorate the suffering of people whohave lost their jobs
This medicine should help ameliorate the pain.
872. eradicate to do away with as completely as if by pulling upby the roots <programs to eradicate illiteracy>
His ambition is to eradicate poverty in hiscommunity.
abolish, black out, blot out, cancel, clean (up),efface, annihilate, erase, expunge, exterminate,extirpate, liquidate, obliterate, root (out), rubout, snuff (out), stamp (out), sweep (away),wipe out
873. evoke to bring to mind or recollection <this placeevokes memories>elicit, educe, inspire, raise
His photographs evoke the isolation andsolitude of the desert.`
874. flout despise, disregard, scorn
Despite repeated warnings, they have continuedto flout the law.
875. embody to make concrete and perceptible
they must embody their ideas in substantialinstitutions if they are to survive
876. cunning dexterous or crafty in the use of specialresources (as skill or knowledge) or in attainingan end <a cunning plotter>
displaying keen insight <a cunningobservation>
prettily appealing : cute <a cunning little kitten>
characterized by wiliness and trickery <cunningschemes>
877. parable a usually short fictitious story that illustrates amoral attitude or a religious principle;apologue,fable, allegory
He told the children a parable about theimportance of forgiveness.
878. obsequious characterized by or showing servilecomplaisance or deference; fawning: anobsequious bow.
servilely compliant or deferential:obsequious servants.
obedient; dutiful.
879. primitive not derived : original, primary
assumed as a basis; especially : axiomatic<primitive concepts>
belonging to or characteristic of an earlystage of development : crude, rudimentary<primitive technology>
elemental, natural <our primitive feelingsof vengeance — John Mackwood>
self-taught, untutored <primitivecraftsmen>
880. instinctive prompted by natural instinct or propensity: arising spontaneously <an instinctivefear of innovation — V. L. Parrington>
the instinctive reaction of a mother is toprotect her children
automatic, instinctual, involuntary, knee-jerk, mechanic, mechanical, robotic,spontaneous
881. transient passing especially quickly into and out ofexistence : transitory <transient beauty>
<had transient thoughts of suicide butnever acted upon them>
brief, deciduous, ephemeral, evanescent,flash, fleeting, fugacious, fugitive,impermanent, passing, short-lived,temporary, momentary, transitory
882. complementary correlative, reciprocal, supplemental,supplementary
My spouse and I have complementarygoals.
883. dictate to speak or act domineeringly : prescribe
call, decree, command, direct, mandate,ordain, order
Tradition dictates that the youngestmember should go first.
884. virtuosity great technical skill (as in the practice of afine art)
Her virtuosity on the piano is amazing.
885. alleviate allay, help, assuage, ease, mitigate,mollify, palliate, relieve, soothe
finding ways to alleviate stress
886. ordeal a severe trial or experience
the hikers were finally rescued after a three-day ordeal in the wilderness
887. unscathed wholly unharmed : not injured
The administration was left relativelyunscathed by the scandal.
888. revert retrogress, return, regress
He advocated reverting to old ways.
889. petulant characterized by temporary or capricious illhumor : peevish
choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, crotchety,fiery, grouchy, grumpy, irascible, peevish,perverse, pettish, irritable, prickly, quick-tempered, raspy, ratty, short-tempered,snappish, snappy, snarky, snippety,snippy, stuffy, testy, waspish
a petulant and fussy man who is alwaysblaming everyone else for his problems
890. modulate to adjust to or keep in proper measure orproportion : temper
891. presumptuous overstepping due bounds (as of propriety orcourtesy) : taking liberties
it's a little presumptuous of you to assumethat I'm your new best friend just because Iinvited you along
892. valedictory expressing or containing a farewell
a valedictory address given by the collegepresident upon his retirement
He received a very warm valedictory for hislong career.
893. gloss a surface luster or brightness : shine
a deceptively attractive appearance<selfishness that had a gloss ofhumanitarianism about it>
894. valiant possessing or acting with bravery orboldness : courageous <valiant soldiers>
She died last year after a valiant battle withcancer.
bold, courageous, dauntless, doughty,fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, gutty,heroic (also heroical), intrepid, lionhearted,manful, stalwart, stout, stouthearted,undauntable, undaunted, brave, valorous
895. breach break, violate, contravene, fracture,infringe, offend, traduce, transgress<breachan agreement>
The army breached the castle wall.
896. surmise a thought or idea based on scanty evidence :conjecture, guess, shot, supposition,
897. innocuous anodyne, benign, hurtless, innocent,harmless, inoffensive, safe, white
those innocuous lies we must tell every day ifsociety is to remain civil
898. repudiate contradict, disaffirm, disallow, disavow,disclaim, disconfirm, disown, gainsay,negate, negative, refute, reject, deny
a generation that has repudiated the valuesof the past
899. remuneration something that remunerates : recompense,pay,disbursement, giving, paying,remitment, remittance, payment
She was given generous remunerations forher work.
900. statute a law enacted by the legislative branch of agovernment,act, bill, constitution,enactment, ordinance, law
business practices that are prohibited bystatute
901. futile abortive, barren, bootless, empty, fruitless,ineffective, ineffectual, inefficacious, otiose,profitless, unavailing, unproductive,unprofitable, unsuccessful, useless, vain, invain, no dice, not worth the candle, of noavail
All our efforts proved futile.
902. elate elevate, enrapture, exhilarate, intoxicate,transport
The discovery has elated researchers.
903. martinet a strict disciplinarian
a person who stresses a rigid adherence to thedetails of forms and methods
904. acolyte one who attends or assists : follower, adherent,convert, disciple, epigone, liege man, partisan(also partizan), pupil, votarist, votary
905. maniacal characterized by ungovernable excitement orfrenzy : frantic <a maniacal mob>
balmy, barmy [chiefly British], bats, batty,bedlam, bonkers, brainsick, bughouse [slang],certifiable, crackbrained, cracked, crackers,crackpot, cranky [dialect], crazed, crazy,cuckoo, daffy, daft, demented, deranged, fruity[slang], gaga, haywire, kooky (also kookie),loco [slang], loony (also looney), loony tunes(or looney tunes), lunatic, mad, insane (alsomaniac), mental, meshuga (or meshugge alsomeshugah or meshuggah), moonstruck, noncompos mentis, nuts, nutty, psycho, psychotic,scatty [chiefly British], screwy, unbalanced,unhinged, unsound, wacko (also whacko),wacky (also whacky), wud [chiefly Scottish]
906. excess undue or immoderate indulgence :intemperance; also : an act or instance ofintemperance <prevent excesses and abuses bynewly created local powers — Albert Shanker>
bellyful, fat, overabundance, overage, overflow,overkill, overmuch, overplus, oversupply,plethora, plus, redundancy, superabundance,superfluity, surfeit, surplus, surplusage
907. sordid bedraggled, befouled, begrimed, bemired,besmirched, black, blackened, cruddy, dingy,draggled, dusty, filthy, foul, grimy, grotty[chiefly British], grubby, grungy, mucky,muddy, nasty, smudged, smutty, soiled, dirty,stained, sullied, unclean, uncleanly
He shared the sordid details of his past.
908. cognizance knowledge, awareness <had no cognizance ofthe situation>
jurisdiction, responsibility
advertence, advertency, awareness, attention,consciousness, ear, eye, heed, knowledge,mindfulness, note, notice, observance,observation
909. smug highly self-satisfied
It's OK to celebrate your success, but try not tobe too smug about it.
assured, biggety (or biggity) [Southern &Midland], bigheaded, complacent,consequential, egoistic (also egoistical),egotistic (or egotistical), important,overweening, pompous, prideful, proud, self-conceited, self-important, self-opinionated,self-satisfied, conceited, stuck-up,swellheaded, vain, vainglorious
910. fickle capricious, changeable, changeful, flickery,fluctuating, fluid, inconsistent, inconstant,mercurial, mutable, skittish, temperamental,uncertain, unpredictable, unsettled, unstable,unsteady, variable, volatile, up in the air
He blames poor sales on fickle consumers.
911. hunch a strong intuitive feeling concerning especiallya future event or result
"How did you know I'd be here?" "It was just ahunch."
912. reassure to restore to confidence <felt reassured by theirearnest promise to do better>
Experts reassured the public that the accidentwouldn't happen again.
913. trepidation a nervous or fearful feeling of uncertainagitation : apprehension <trepidation aboutstarting a new job>
alarm (also alarum), anxiety, dread,fearfulness, fright, horror, panic, scare, terror,fear
914. endear to cause to become beloved or admired <hergenerosity has endeared her to the public>
915. majestic classy, courtly, fine, graceful, handsome,elegant, refined, stately, tasteful
a majestic Egyptian pyramid that hasenthralled travelers for aeons
916. apprise to give notice to : acquaint, advise, enlighten,brief, catch up, clear, clue (in), familiarize, fillin, hip, inform, instruct, tell, verse, wise (up)
let me apprise you of the current situation
917. withheld to hold back from action : check
forbear, refrain <withhold from commenting>
decline, disallow, disapprove, negative, nix,refuse, reject, reprobate, deny
918. scrupulous having moral integrity : acting in strict regardfor what is considered right or properLess scrupulous companies find ways to evadethe law.
conscionable, ethical, honest, honorable, just,moral, principled, conscientious
punctiliously exact : painstaking The work requires scrupulous attention todetail.
919. abject expressing or offered in a humble and ofteningratiating spirit <abject flattery> <an abjectapology>
920. etiquette manner, form, mores, proprieties
Her failure to respond to the invitation was aserious breach of etiquette.
921. quirk a peculiar trait : idiosyncrasy
crotchet, curiosity, eccentricity, erraticism,individualism, kink, mannerism, oddity,peculiarity, quiddity, quip, idiosyncrasy,singularity, tic, trick, twist
922. salutary producing a beneficial effect : remedial<salutary influences>
the low interest rates should have a salutaryeffect on business
advantageous, benefic, beneficent, benignant,favorable, friendly, good, helpful, kindly,profitable, beneficial
923. surly menacing or threatening in appearance <surlyweather>
arrogant, imperious
irritably sullen and churlish in mood ormanner : crabbed
She is always so surly; she never smiles atanyone.
924. vitriol something felt to resemble vitriol especially incaustic quality; especially : virulence of feelingor of speech
His speech was full of political vitriol.
acidity, acidness, acridity, acridness, asperity,bile, bitterness, cattiness, corrosiveness,mordancy, tartness, virulence, virulency,acrimony
925. dispirit chill, daunt, demoralize, dishearten, dismay,discourage, frustrate, unman, unnerve
dispirited by the overwhelming amount ofinformation needed to write the report
926. composure a calmness or repose especially of mind,bearing, or appearance : aplomb, calmness,collectedness, composedness, equanimity, cool,coolness, countenance, equilibrium,imperturbability, placidity, repose, sangfroid,self-composedness, self-possession, serenity,tranquillity (or tranquility), tranquilness
After the initial shock she regained hercomposure.
927. contravene to go or act contrary to : violate <contravene alaw>
The overcrowded dance club contravened safetyregulations.
breach, break, violate, fracture, infringe,offend, traduce, transgress
928. delimit to fix or define the limits of
Strict guidelines delimit his responsibilities.
bound, circumscribe, define, limit, demarcate,demark, mark (off), terminate
929. acquittal a setting free from the charge of an offense byverdict, sentence, or other legal process
The case resulted in acquittal of the defendant.
clearing, exculpation, exoneration, vindication
930. exorcise cashier, cast (off), chuck, deep-six, ditch,dump, eighty-six (or 86), discard (alsoexorcize), fling (off or away), jettison, junk, layby, lose, pitch, reject, scrap, shed, shuck (off),slough (off) also sluff (off), throw away, throwout, toss, unload
The movie is about a priest who tries to exorcisedemons from a young girl.
931. surmount to prevail over : overcome <surmount anobstacle>
to get to the top of : climb
best, conquer, defeat, dispatch, do down[British], get, get around, lick, master, overbear,overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), skunk, stop,subdue, beat, take, trim, triumph (over), upend,win (against), worst
932. buttress to furnish or shore up with a buttress; also :support, strengthen <arguments buttressed bysolid facts>
The treaty will buttress the cause of peace.
bear, bolster, brace, support, carry, prop (up),shore (up), stay, sustain, undergird, underpin,uphold
933. foible a minor flaw or shortcoming in character orbehavior : weakness <admired their teacherdespite his foibles>
demerit, dereliction, failing, fault, frailty,shortcoming, sin, vice, want, weakness
934. mores the fixed morally binding customs of a particulargroup
the mores of academic life as opposed to those ofthe business world
935. clinical involving direct observation of the patient
analytical or coolly dispassionate
Three hundred patients were involved in theclinical study.
936. blatant noisy especially in a vulgar or offensive manner :clamorous
completely obvious, conspicuous, or obtrusiveespecially in a crass or offensive manner : brazen<blatant disregard for the rules>
vociferous, caterwauling, clamant, clamorous,obstreperous, squawking, vociferant,vociferating, yawping (or yauping), yowling
937. repugnant incompatible, inconsistent
exciting distaste or aversion <repugnantlanguage> <a morally repugnant practice>
technically speaking, it may not be a violation,but it is certainly repugnant to the spirit of thelaw
abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful,disgusting, distasteful, dreadful, evil, foul,fulsome, gross, hideous, horrendous, horrible,horrid, loathsome, nasty, nauseating, nauseous,noisome, noxious, obnoxious, obscene, odious,rancid, repellent (also repellant), offensive,repulsive, revolting, scandalous, shocking,sickening, ugly
938. court to seek to gain or achieve <court power>
(1) : allure, tempt (2) : to act so as to invite orprovoke He courted disaster by getting mixed upwith criminal types.
939. anathema a vigorous denunciation : curse, ban, execration,imprecation, malediction, malison, winze[Scottish]
someone or something intensely disliked orloathed —usually used as a predicate nominative<this notion was anathema to most of hiscountrymen — S. J. Gould>
940. umbrage a feeling of pique or resentment at some oftenfancied slight or insult <took umbrage at thespeaker's remarks>
dudgeon, huff, miff, offense (or offence), peeve,resentment, pique
941. potshot a shot taken from ambush or at a random oreasy target,A sniper was on the roof takingpotshots at passing cars.
a critical remark made in a random or sporadicmanner
942. antedate to date as of a time prior to that of execution
dinosaurs antedate cavemen by millions of years
antecede, precede, forego, predate, preexist
943. omit to leave out or leave unmentioned <omits oneimportant detail>,fail, forget, neglect
you must not omit mentioning the sources youused in researching your paper
944. onerous involving, imposing, or constituting a burden :troublesome <an onerous task>
The government imposed onerous taxes onimports.
itter, brutal, burdensome, cruel, excruciating,grievous, grim, hard, hardhanded, heavy,inhuman, murderous, harsh, oppressive, rough,rugged, searing, severe, stiff, tough, trying
945. folly absurdity, asininity, bêtise, fatuity, foolery, foppery,idiocy, imbecility, inanity, insanity, lunacy,stupidity
the follies of the modern world
946. affect have an effect upon,The amount of rain affects the growth of crops.
to aim at
to put on a pretense of : feign <affect indifference,though deeply hurt>,
947. rail criticize severely
948. spurn to reject with disdain or contempt : scorn
fiercely independent, the elderly couple spurned alloffers of financial help
balk (at), deselect, disapprove, negative, nix, pass,pass up, refuse, reject, reprobate, repudiate,decline, throw out, throw over, turn down
949. placate to soothe or mollify especially by concessions :appease
The administration placated protesters by agreeingto consider their demands.
appease, assuage, conciliate, disarm, gentle,mollify, pacify, propitiate
950. gouge to subject to extortion or undue exaction :overcharge, soak, sting, surcharge
They feel that they are being gouged by the oilcompanies.
951. precede antecede, antedate, forego, predate, preexist
The chairman preceded the meeting with a briefwelcoming speech.
952. steep abrupt, bold, precipitous, sheer
The store's prices are too steep for me.
953. deterrent serving to deter <a deterrent effect>
relating to deterrence <a deterrent view ofpunishment>
954. antidote something that relieves, prevents, orcounteracts
For him, racing motorcycles is a greatantidote to boredom.
cure, corrective, curative, rectifier, remedy,therapeutic, therapy
955. drab a dull, lifeless, or faded appearance or quality
956. distort to twist out of the true meaning or proportion<distorted the facts>
to twist out of a natural, normal, or originalshape or condition <a face distorted by pain>;also : to cause to be perceived unnaturally<the new lights distorted colors>
pervert <distort justice>
The loss of both her parents at an early agedistorted her outlook on life.
bend, color, cook, garble, falsify, fudge,misinterpret, misrelate, misrepresent,misstate, pervert, slant, twist, warp
957. pertain (1) : to belong as a part, member, accessory,or product (2) : to belong as an attribute,feature, or function <the destructionpertaining to war> (3) : to belong as a duty orright <rights that pertain to fatherhood>
appertain, belong
958. obsolescence the process of becoming obsolete or thecondition of being nearly obsolete <thegradual obsolescence of machinery><reduced to obsolescence>
959. ingrain to work indelibly into the natural texture ormental or moral constitution,endue (orindue), imbue, inculcate, infuse (alsoengrain), inoculate, invest, steep, suffuse
the journalism professor has long ingrainedhis students with a deep respect for theirchosen profession
the third-world privation he had witnessedforever ingrained itself upon the youngdoctor's memory
960. relieve to set free from an obligation, condition, orrestriction
rob, deprive <relieved us of our belongings>
allay, alleviate, assuage, ease, mitigate, mollify,palliate, help, soothe
What's the best way to relieve stress?
961. figment something made up or contrived
thus far, the invisible human being has beennothing more than a figment of fantasy writers
chimera, conceit, daydream, delusion, dream,fancy, fantasy, hallucination, illusion,nonentity, phantasm (also fantasm), pipedream, unreality, vision
962. palatable agreeable to the palate or taste
agreeable or acceptable to the mind
agreeable, all right, alright, copacetic (alsocopasetic or copesetic), ducky, fine, good,hunky-dory, jake [slang], OK (or okay),satisfactory
963. demarcate delimit
to set apart : distinguishThe bounardy between the countries must beclearly demarcated.
bound, circumscribe, define, delimit, limit,demark, mark (off), terminate
964. clannish tending to associate only with a select group ofsimilar background or status <a clannishcommunity>
The college faculty can be pretty clannish, so it'sdifficult to be an outsider there.
close-knit, cliquey, cliquish
965. antiquated outmoded or discredited by reason of age : beingout of style or fashion <antiquated methods offarming>
He has some pretty antiquated opinions aboutpolitics.
obsolete, archaic, dated, démodé, demoded,fossilized, kaput (also kaputt), medieval (alsomediaeval), moribund, mossy, moth-eaten,neolithic, Noachian, outdated, outmoded, out-of-date, outworn, passé, prehistoric (alsoprehistorical), rusty, Stone Age, superannuated
966. salvage to rescue or save especially from wreckage orruin
He is trying to salvage his marriage.
967. beleaguer besiege, blockade, invest
trouble, harass <beleaguered parents> <aneconomically beleaguered city>
968. estrange to remove from customary environment orassociations
to arouse especially mutual enmity orindifference in where there had formerly beenlove, affection, or friendliness : alienate
969. emulate to strive to equal or excelShe grew up emulating her sports heroes.
imitate; especially : to imitate by means of anemulator
970. contrition the state of being contrite :contriteness, guilt,penitence, regret, remorse, remorsefulness,repentance, rue, self-reproach, shame
Were her tears a true sign of contrition?
971. certitude the state of being or feeling certain
believes with certitude that he is the bestcandidate for the job
assurance, assuredness, certainty, confidence,cocksureness, conviction, doubtlessness, face,positiveness, satisfaction, sureness, surety
972. proprietary of, relating to, or characteristic of an owner ortitle holder <proprietary rights>
used, made, or marketed by one having theexclusive legal right <a proprietary process><proprietary software>
privately owned and managed and run as aprofit-making organization <a proprietaryclinic>
The journalist tried to get access to proprietaryinformation.
973. recant to make an open confession of errorChurch officials asked the minister to recant.
to withdraw or repudiate (a statement or belief)formally and publicly : abnegate, forswear(also foreswear), abjure, renege, renounce,repeal, repudiate, retract, take back, unsay,withdraw
Witnesses threatened to recant their testimonywhen the court released their names to thepaper.
974. banish to require by authority to leave a countryHe was banished from the country.
to clear away : dispelHe tried to banish gloom from his thought.
deport, displace, exile, expatriate, relegate,transport
975. scourge a cause of wide or great affliction
The disease continues to be a scourge in thedeveloping world.
976. boon advantage, aid, asset, benefit, help
the couple's generous donation was a greatboon to the charity's fund-raising campaign
977. consolidate to join together into one whole : unite
to make firm or secure : strengthen
merge <the two companies consolidated>
center, compact, concenter, concentrate,centralize, polarize, unify, unite
978. imposture the act or practice of deceiving by means of anassumed character or name
He was accused of imposture.
979. mimicry the action, practice, or art of mimicking
I suggested "mimicry" as a method forimproving pronunciation for a English as asecond language student.
980. pungent marked by a sharp incisive quality : caustic <apungent critic> <pungent language>
being sharp and to the point
having an intense flavor or odor <a pungentchili>
981. fortress bastion, castle, citadel, fastness, fortification,fort, hold, redoubt, stronghold
982. facade the front of a building
a false, superficial, or artificial appearance oreffectI could sense the hostility lurking behind herpolite facade.
983. cumbersome burdensome, troublesome,awkward,bunglesome, clumsy, clunky, cranky,cumbrous, ponderous, ungainly, unhandy,unwieldy
The application process is cumbersome andtime-consuming.
984. contrive devise, plan <contrive ways of handling thesituation>
to bring about by stratagem or with difficulty :manage <he contrived to win their support>
The prisoners contrived a way to escape.
concoct, construct, invent, cook (up), devise,drum up, excogitate, fabricate, make up,manufacture, think (up), trump up, vamp (up)
985. conjecture guess, shot, supposition, surmise, shot in thedark
Most of the book is conjecture, not fact.
986. novice abecedarian, apprentice, babe, colt, cub,fledgling, freshman, greenhorn, neophyte,newbie, newcomer, beginner, novitiate, punk,recruit, rook, rookie, tenderfoot, tyro, virgin
987. conjure to charge or entreat earnestly or solemnly
(1) : to affect or effect by or as if by magic (2) :imagine, contrive —often used with up <weconjure up our own metaphors for our ownneeds — R. J. Kaufmann> (3) : to bring tomind <words that conjure pleasant images>—often used with up <conjure up memories>
a magician who conjures live doves from silkscarves
988. oblique neither perpendicular nor parallel : inclined
not straightforward : indirect; also : obscure
989. ascetic practicing strict self-denial as a measure ofpersonal and especially spiritual discipline
austere in appearance, manner, or attitude
990. unpretentious free from ostentation, elegance, oraffectation : modest <unpretentious homes><an unpretentious celebrity>
a casual and unpretentious restaurant
artless, genuine, honest, ingenuous,innocent, naive (or naïve), natural, real,simple, sincere, true, unaffected,unpretending, guileless
991. sumptuous extremely costly, rich, luxurious, ormagnificent <sumptuous banquets> <asumptuous residence>; also : magnificent
Babylonian, deluxe, lavish, Lucullan (alsoLucullian), luxe, luxuriant, luxury, opulent,palace, palatial, plush, plushy, silken,luxurious
992. sobriety the quality or state of being sober
earnest, graveness, gravity, intentness,serious-mindedness, seriousness,soberness, earnestness, solemnity,solemnness, staidness
993. teem to become filled to overflowing : abound
to be present in large quantity
994. brim to be or become full often to overflowing<eyes brimming with tears>
Her heart was brimming with happiness.
The show brims with excitement.
995. untapped not drawn upon or utilized <as yet untappedmarkets>
996. lax not tense, firm, or rigid : slack
deficient in firmness : not stringent <laxcontrol> <a lax foreman>
997. laconic using or involving the use of a minimum ofwords : concise to the point of seeming rudeor mysterious
the sportscaster's color commentary tendsto be laconic but very much to the point
aphoristic, apothegmatic, brief, capsule,compact, compendious, crisp, curt, elliptical(or elliptic), epigrammatic, concise,monosyllabic, pithy, sententious, succinct,summary, telegraphic, terse, thumbnail
998. maddening abrasive, aggravating, bothersome, carking,chafing, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating,galling, irksome, irritating, annoying,nettlesome, nettling, peeving, pesky,pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, pesty,plaguey (also plaguy), rankling, rebarbative,riling, vexatious, vexing
He has a maddening habit of interruptingother people.
999. enchanting alluring, appealing, attractive, bewitching,captivating, charismatic, charming, elfin,fascinating, engaging, entrancing, fetching,glamorous (also glamourous), luring,magnetic, seductive
visitors have long found the Highlands ofScotland to be an enchanting place
1000. relentless showing or promising no abatement ofseverity, intensity, strength, or pace :unrelenting <relentless pressure> <arelentless campaign>
Her relentless optimism held the teamtogether.
determined, dogged, grim, implacable,unyielding, unappeasable, unflinching,unrelenting
1001. hasten accelerate, bundle, fast-track, hurry, quicken,rush, speed (up), whisk
His death was hastened by alcohol abuse.
1002. beset trouble, harass <inflation besets theeconomy>
to set upon : assail <the settlers were beset bysavages>
he's been beset by a lack of self-confidencevirtually his entire life
agonize, anguish, bedevil, afflict, besiege,curse, excruciate, harrow, persecute, plague,rack, torment, torture
1003. arcane known or knowable only to the initiate : secret<arcane rites>; broadly : mysterious, obscure<arcane explanations>
a theory filled with arcane details
abstruse, profound, deep, esoteric, hermetic(also hermetical), recondite
1004. defy disobey, mock, rebel (against)
The group has continued to defy all efforts tostop them.
1005. sanctuary (1) : a place of refuge and protection (2) : arefuge for wildlife where predators arecontrolled and hunting is illegal
The refugees found sanctuary when theycrossed the border.
1006. inveterate bred-in-the-bone, habitual ,confirmed, deep,deep-rooted, deep-seated, entrenched (alsointrenched), hard-core, rooted, settled
his inveterate tendency to overlook the obvious
1007. retire to withdraw from action or danger : retreat
to move back : recede
to go to bed
1008. inadvertent unintentional <an inadvertent omission>
casual, chance, fluky (also flukey), fortuitous,accidental, incidental, unintended,unintentional, unplanned, unpremeditated,unwitting
1009. schism division, separation; also : discord,disharmony <a schism between politicalparties>
The church was divided by schism.
conflict, disaccord, discordance, discordancy,disharmony, dissension (also dissention),dissent, dissidence, dissonance, disunion,disunity, division, friction, infighting,inharmony, discord, strife, variance, war,warfare
1010. demur to take exception : object —often used with toor at
object, except, expostulate, kick, protest,remonstrate
They demurred at the proposal.
1011. fulsome characterized by abundance : copious
exceeding the bounds of good taste : overdone
excessively complimentary or flattering :effusive
1012. platitude the quality or state of being dull or insipid
a banal, trite, or stale remark
His speech was filled with familiar platitudesabout the value of hard work and dedication.
banality, bromide, chestnut, cliché (alsocliche), groaner, homily, commonplace,shibboleth, trope, truism
1013. proponent one who argues in favor ofsomething:advocate, advocator, apostle,backer, booster, champion, expounder,espouser, friend, gospeler (or gospeller),herald, hierophant, high priest, paladin,promoter, exponent, protagonist, supporter,true believer, tub-thumper, white knight
1014. dogged marked by stubborn determination <a doggedcompetitor> <dogged devotion>
a dogged pursuit of power
persistent, insistent, patient, persevering,pertinacious, tenacious
1015. debut a first appearance <made her singing debut>
a formal entrance into society
1016. motif a usually recurring salient thematic element (asin the arts); especially : a dominant idea orcentral theme
the motif of mute figures standing in lonelyisolation is a recurrent one in the artist's works
1017. brood to think anxiously or gloomily about : ponder
to sit quietly and thoughtfully : meditate
to be in a state of depression
He brooded over his mistake.
1018. giddy birdbrained, ditzy (or ditsy), dizzy,featherbrained, flighty, frivolous, frothy, futile,goofy, harebrained, light-headed, light-minded, puerile, scatterbrained, silly, yeasty
1019. innuendo an oblique allusion : hint, insinuation;especially : a veiled or equivocal reflection oncharacter or reputation
His reputation has been damaged by innuendosabout his drinking and gambling.
imputation, insinuation
1020. blunt slow or deficient in feeling : insensitive
obtuse in understanding or discernment :dull
having an edge or point that is not sharp
abrupt, bluff, brusque (also brusk), crusty,curt, downright, short, short-spoken,snippy, unceremonious
He was blunt about needing more privacy.
1021. veiled obscured as if by a veil : disguised <veiledthreats>
She looked at him with barely veiledcontempt.
The report makes veiled references to hiscriminal activities.
1022. boisterous hell-raising, knockabout, rambunctious,raucous, robustious, roisterous,rollicking, rowdy, rumbustious [chieflyBritish], wild and woolly
the fans at the baseball game becameparticularly boisterous after the home run
1023. fallacious illogical, illegitimate, inconsequent,inconsequential, invalid, irrational,nonrational, unreasonable, unreasoning,unsound, weak
it's fallacious to say that something mustexist because science hasn't proven itsnonexistence
1024. evanescent tending to vanish like vapor
beauty that is as evanescent as a rainbow
brief, deciduous, ephemeral, momentary,flash, fleeting, fugacious, fugitive,impermanent, passing, short-lived,temporary, transient, transitory
1025. predetermined doom, fate, foredoom, foreordain, ordain,predestine, destine, preordain
religious sects that believe that anindividual's salvation has beenpredetermined by God
1026. spoilage the act or process of spoiling; especially :the process of decay in foodstuffs
The milk should be refrigerated to preventspoilage.
breakdown, decay, decomposition,festering, putrefaction, putrescence, rot,corruption
1027. inexact not rigorous and careful <an inexactthinker>
not precisely correct or true : inaccurate <aninexact translation>
approximate, approximative, ballpark,imprecise, inaccurate, loose, squishy
1028. renowned big-name, celebrated, famed, noted,notorious, prominent, famous, star, visible,well-known
a restaurant renowned for its wine list
1029. misnomer a use of a wrong or inappropriate name
"International Airport" is something of amisnomer, since almost all the arriving anddeparting flights are local.
1030. anomaly aberration, abnormality, exception, oddity,oddment, rarity
We couldn't explain the anomalies in thetest results.
1031. confrontation ball game, battle, combat, competition,conflict, contest, contention, dogfight, duel,face-off, grapple, match, rivalry, strife,struggle, sweepstakes (also sweep-stake),tug-of-war, war, warfare
1032. tenuous having little substance or strength : flimsy,weak <tenuous influences>
shaky <tenuous reasons>
1033. lucidity clearness of thought or style,clarity,explicitness, simplicity, lucidness,perspicuity, perspicuousness
a presumed capacity to perceive the truthdirectly and instantaneously : clairvoyance
1034. hard-nosed
adamant, adamantine, bullheaded, dogged,hard, hardened, hardheaded, hard-nosed,headstrong, immovable, implacable,inconvincible, inflexible, intransigent, mulish,obdurate, opinionated, ossified, pat,pertinacious, perverse, pigheaded, self-opinionated, self-willed, stiff-necked, stubborn,unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting,unyielding, willful (or wilful)
1035. solicit to make petition to : entreat
to entice or lure especially into evil
They are busy soliciting votes.
The organization is soliciting newmemberships.
1036. eschew to avoid habitually especially on moral orpractical grounds : shun
They now eschew the violence of their past.
avoid, dodge, duck, elude, escape, evade, finesse,get around, scape, shake, shirk, shuffle (out of),shun, weasel (out of)
1037. abnormal aberrant, aberrated, exceptional, anomalous,atypical, especial, exceeding, extraordinaire,extraordinary, freak, odd, peculiar, phenomenal,preternatural, rare, singular, uncommon,uncustomary, unique, unusual, unwonted
a completely abnormal school day, because halfof the kids were out sick
1038. dismay to cause to lose courage or resolution (asbecause of alarm or fear)
upset, perturb
Her choice of career dismays her parents.
chill, daunt, demoralize, dishearten, discourage,dispirit, frustrate, unman, unnerve
1039. volume a considerable quantity
Huge volumes of park visitors come throughevery weekend.
an increase in traffic volume
1040. reputed having a good repute : reputable
She was hired for her reputed talents as amanager.
assumed, evident, ostensible, ostensive,presumed, prima facie, putative, apparent,seeming, supposed
1041. annotate to make or furnish critical or explanatorynotes or comment
He annotated the text at several places.
1042. daunting tending to overwhelm or intimidate <adaunting task>
Few things are more daunting than having tospeak in front of a large crowd.
Shakespeare's plays can be daunting for ayoung reader.
1043. vitriol acidity, acidness, acridity, acridness,asperity, bile, bitterness, cattiness,corrosiveness, mordancy, tartness, virulence,virulency, acrimony
His speech was full of political vitriol.
1044. authenticate to prove or serve to prove the authenticity of
a jeweler authenticated the diamond as real
attest, certify, avouch, testify (to), vouch(for), witness
1045. imbue to permeate or influence as if by dyeing <thespirit that imbues the new constitution>
to tinge or dye deeply
A feeling of optimism imbues her works.
endue (or indue), infuse, inculcate, ingrain(also engrain), inoculate, invest, steep,suffuse
1046. mutable prone to change : inconstant
the government's mutable economic policiesa politician with very mutable positions onall the issues
capricious, changeable, changeful, flickery,fluctuating, fluid, inconsistent, inconstant,mercurial, fickle, skittish, temperamental,uncertain, unpredictable, unsettled, unstable,unsteady, variable, volatile
1047. headway motion or rate of motion in a forward direction
the ant was making little headway carrying acrumb that was about five times his size
advancement, furtherance, going, advance,march, onrush, passage, process, procession,progress, progression
1048. shore up to hold up or serve as a foundation for <ahighway tunnel shored up by massive columnsof concrete>bear, bolster, brace, buttress, carry,prop (up), shore (up), stay, sustain, undergird,underpin, uphold
to provide evidence or information for (as aclaim or idea) <used an avalanche of statisticsto shore up his claim that the state's economy isin fine shape>back, bolster, buttress,corroborate, reinforce (also reenforce), shore(up), substantiate
1049. custodian one that guards and protects or maintains;especially : one entrusted with guarding andkeeping property or records or with custody orguardianship of prisoners or inmates
caretaker, guardian, janitor, keeper, warden,watchman
1050. mute inarticulate, speechless, voiceless
They hugged each other in mute sympathy.
I could see a mute plea for help in his eyes.
1051. self-assured
assured, secure, self-asserting, self-assured,self-confident
1052. mercurial characterized by rapid and unpredictablechangeableness of mood <a mercurial temper>
the boss's mood is so mercurial that we neverknow how he's going to react to anything
capricious, changeable, changeful, flickery,fluctuating, fluid, inconsistent, inconstant,fickle, mutable, skittish, temperamental,uncertain, unpredictable, unsettled, unstable,unsteady, variable, volatile
1053. blithe cheerful, blithesome, bright, buoyant, canty[British dialect], cheery, chipper, eupeptic, gay,gladsome, lightsome, sunny, upbeat, winsome
lacking due thought or consideration : casual,heedless
He showed blithe disregard for the rights ofothers.
1054. phlegmatic having or showing a slow and stolidtemperament
affectless, apathetic, cold-blooded,emotionless, impassible, numb, passionless,impassive, stoic (or stoical), stolid,undemonstrative, unemotional
Some people are phlegmatic, some highlystrung. Some are anxious, others risk-seeking.Some are confident, others shy. Some arequiet, others loquacious. We call thesedifferences personality ... —Matt Ridley,Genome, 1999
1055. composure a calmness or repose especially of mind,bearing, or appearance : self-possession
kept his composure in spite of the repeatedprovocations
aplomb, calmness, collectedness,composedness, equanimity, cool, coolness,countenance, equilibrium, imperturbability,placidity, repose, sangfroid, self-composedness, self-possession, serenity,tranquillity (or tranquility), tranquilness
1056. auspicious showing or suggesting that future success islikely : propitious <made an auspiciousbeginning>
attended by good fortune : prosperous <anauspicious year>
hopeful, bright, encouraging, fair, golden,heartening, likely, optimistic, promising,propitious, roseate, rose-colored, rosy, upbeat
1057. promulgate to make (as a doctrine) known by opendeclaration : proclaim
Her ideas have been widely promulgated onthe Internet.The law was promulgated in April 1988.
advertise, annunciate, blare, blaze, blazon,broadcast, declare, enunciate, flash, give out,herald, placard, post, proclaim, announce,publicize, publish, release, sound, trumpet
1058. atrophy decrease in size or wasting away of a body partor tissue
a wasting away or progressive decline
The doctor is concerned about possibleatrophy of the shoulder muscles.
1059. succumb to yield to superior strength or force oroverpowering appeal or desire <succumb totemptation>
They will pressure you, and you must try notto succumb.
blink, bow, budge, capitulate, concede, givein, knuckle under, quit, relent, submit, yield,surrender
1060. infertile barren, fruitless, impotent, sterile, unfruitful
only parched, infertile fields remained aftermonths of drought
1061. disseminate broadcast, circulate, spread, propagate
The Internet allows us to disseminateinformation faster.
1062. excuse to make apology for
to forgive entirely or disregard as of trivialimport : regard as excusable <graciouslyexcused his tardiness>
to serve as excuse for : justify <nothing canexcuse such neglect>
1063. discursive moving from topic to topic without order :rambling
of or relating to discourse <discursivepractices>
the speaker's discursive style made it difficultto understand his point
desultory, digressional, digressionary,digressive, excursive, leaping, maundering,meandering, rambling, wandering
1064. hedonism the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is thesole or chief good in life
carnality, debauchery, sensuality, sybaritism,voluptuousness
1065. unctuous smooth and greasy in texture or appearance
full of unction; especially : revealing ormarked by a smug, ingratiating, and falseearnestness or spirituality
Profusely polite, especially unpleasantly soand insincerely earnest.
1066. obsequious characterized by or showing servilecomplaisance or deference; fawning: anobsequious bow.
sycophantic, flattering
1067. brazen marked by contemptuous boldness <a brazendisregard for the rules>
arch, audacious, bold, bold-faced, brash,brassbound, brassy, nervy, brazen-faced,cheeky, cocksure, cocky, fresh, impertinent,impudent, insolent, sassy, saucy, wise
1068. covet ache (for), desire, crave, desiderate, die (for),hanker (for or after), hunger (for), itch (for),jones (for) [slang], long (for), lust (for orafter), pant (after), pine (for), repine (for),salivate (for), sigh (for), thirst (for), want,wish (for), yearn (for), yen (for)
His religion warns against coveting materialgoods.
1069. dismal black, bleak, cheerless, chill, Cimmerian,cloudy, cold, comfortless, dark, darkening,depressing, depressive, desolate, dire,disconsolate, gloomy, drear, dreary, dreich[chiefly Scottish], elegiac (also elegiacal),forlorn, funereal, glum, godforsaken, gray(also grey), lonely, lonesome, lugubrious,miserable, morbid, morose, murky, plutonian,saturnine, sepulchral, solemn, somber (orsombre), sullen, sunless, tenebrific, tenebrous,wretched
1070. falter to walk unsteadily : stumble
to speak brokenly or weakly : stammer <hervoice faltered>
to hesitate in purpose or action : waver <henever faltered in his determination>
to lose drive or effectiveness <the business wasfaltering>
1071. conciliate appease
to make compatible : reconcileaccommodate,attune, harmonize, conform, coordinate, key,reconcile
The company's attempts to conciliate thestrikers have failed.
it will be hard to conciliate the views of laborand management regarding health benefits
1072. appalling inspiring horror, dismay, or disgust <livingunder appalling conditions>
abhorrent, abominable, offensive, awful,disgusting, distasteful, dreadful, evil, foul,fulsome, gross, hideous, horrendous, horrible,horrid, loathsome, nasty, nauseating,nauseous, noisome, noxious, obnoxious,obscene, odious, rancid, repellent (alsorepellant), repugnant, repulsive, revolting,scandalous, shocking, sickening, ugly
1073. render to cause to be or become : makeThe virus rendered the computer useless.Depression can render a person helpless.
give up, yield
1074. attune to bring into harmony
to make aware or responsive <attunebusinesses to changing trends>
after years spent in academia, he's finding itdifficult to attune himself to the corporateculture
accommodate, harmonize, conciliate,conform, coordinate, key, reconcile
1075. circumvent to make a circuit around
to manage to get around especially byingenuity or stratagem
We circumvented the problem by using adifferent program.
He found a way to circumvent the law.
1076. vandalism willful or malicious destruction or defacementof public or private property
defacement, defacing, trashing, vandalization
1077. prank a mildly mischievous act
He enjoys playing pranks on his friends.
antic, caper, capriccio, dido, escapade, frolic,gag, jest, knavery, monkeyshine(s), practicaljoke, rag [chiefly British], roguery, shavie[Scottish], shine(s), trick, waggery
1078. contemplate to look at or view with continued attention;observe or study thoughtfully: to contemplatethe stars.
to consider thoroughly; think fully or deeplyabout: to contemplate a difficult problem.
to have as a purpose; intend.
to have in view as a future event: tocontemplate buying a new car.
chew over, cogitate, consider, ponder, debate,deliberate, entertain, eye, kick around,meditate, mull (over), perpend, pore (over),question, revolve, ruminate, study, think(about or over), turn, weigh, wrestle (with)
1079. uphold to give support to
He took an oath to uphold the Constitution.
defend, justify, support, maintain
1080. sketchy of the nature of a sketch : roughly outlined
wanting in completeness, clearness, orsubstance : slight, superficial <the details aresketchy>
questionable, iffy <got into a sketchysituation> <a sketchy character>
I have only a sketchy idea of how it works.
1081. dissect to separate into pieces : expose the severalparts of (as an animal) for scientificexamination
to analyze and interpret minutely <dissect aproblem>
She dissected each point of his argument.
anatomize, assay, break down, cut,deconstruct, analyze
1082. improvise to compose, recite, play, or singextemporaneously
to make or fabricate out of what isconveniently on hand <improvise a meal>
Good jazz musicians know how to improvise.
1083. reticent inclined to be silent or uncommunicative inspeech : reserved
close, closemouthed, dark, secretive, tight-mouthed, uncommunicative
1084. equanimity evenness of mind especially under stress<nothing could disturb his equanimity>
right disposition : balance <physicalequanimity>
aplomb, calmness, collectedness,composedness, composure, cool, coolness,countenance, equilibrium, imperturbability,placidity, repose, sangfroid, self-composedness, self-possession, serenity,tranquillity (or tranquility), tranquilness
1085. abjure to renounce upon oath
to reject solemnly
to abstain from : avoid <abjureextravagance>
a strict religious sect that abjures theluxuries, comforts, and conveniences of themodern world
abnegate, forswear (also foreswear), recant,renege, renounce, repeal, repudiate, retract,take back, unsay, withdraw
1086. bewail to express deep sorrow for usually by wailingand lamentation
Many people bewailed the changes to thehistoric building.
bemoan, lament, deplore, grieve (for),mourn, wail (for)
1087. predicament condition, state; especially : a difficult,perplexing, or trying situation
The governor has gotten himself into quite apredicament.
1088. despair Things look bad now, but don't despair.
despond, lose heart
1089. protestation the act of protesting : a solemn declarationor avowal
affirmation, assertion, asseveration,avouchment, avowal, claim, declaration,insistence, profession
the governor went on television to make apassionate protestation of his innocence inthe bribery scandal
1090. exasperation aggravation, aggro [British], bother,botheration, bugbear, annoyance,frustration, hair shirt, hassle, headache,inconvenience, irk, irritant, nuisance, peeve,pest, rub, ruffle, thorn, trial, vexation
add people who use cell phonesinconsiderately to the list of dailyexasperations
1091. put up with tolerate
1092. emblematic symbolic (also emblematical),representational, representative
the dove is emblematic of the organization'smission to bring some peace to a troubledworld
1093. indecorous not decorous : conflicting with acceptedstandards of good conduct or good taste
an indecorous joke for a solemn moment inthe marriage ceremony
amiss, graceless, improper, inapposite,inapt, incongruous, incorrect,inappropriate, inept, infelicitous,malapropos, perverse, unapt, unbecoming,unfit, unhappy, unseemly, unsuitable,untoward, wrong
1094. opulent amply or plentifully provided or fashionedoften to the point of ostentation
an opulent mansion filled with priceless artand antiques
affluent, deep-pocketed, fat, fat-cat, flush,loaded, moneyed (also monied), rich, silk-stocking, wealthy, well-endowed, well-fixed, well-heeled, well-off, well-to-do
1095. ramshackle appearing ready to collapse : rickety
carelessly or loosely constructed <aramshackle plot>
The movie's ramshackle plot is confusingand not believable.
1096. ungainly having an awkward appearance
hard to handle : unwieldy <an ungainlycontraption>
lacking in smoothness or dexterity : clumsy<ungainly movements>
awkward, bunglesome, clumsy, clunky,cranky, cumbrous, ponderous, cumbersome,unhandy, unwieldy
1097. blight something that impairs or destroys
a deteriorated condition <urban blight>
blemish, blotch, defect, deformity,disfigurement, excrescence, excrescency, fault,flaw, imperfection, mar, mark, pockmark, scar
1098. tawdry cheap and gaudy in appearance or quality; also: ignoble <a tawdry attempt to smear hisopponent>
1099. indenture a contract binding one person to work foranother for a given period of time
1100. duplicate clone, copycat, copy, imitate, reduplicate,render, replicate, reproduce
Unfortunately, the results of the first studycould not be duplicated.
1101. contiguous next or near in time or sequence
Connecticut and Massachusetts are contiguousstates.
abutting, adjoining, bordering, conterminous,adjacent, flanking, flush, fringing, joining,juxtaposed, neighboring, skirting, touching,verging
1102. inhale to draw in by breathingShe inhaled the fresh country air.
to take in eagerly or greedily
bolt, cram, devour, glut [archaic], gorge,gormandize, gulp, ingurgitate, gobble, raven,scarf, scoff, slop, wolf
1103. evocative evoking or tending to evoke an especiallyemotional response <settings ... so evocativethat they bring tears to the eyes — EricMalpass>
He wrote a powerful and evocative biography.
suggestive, reminiscent
1104. pitiful full of pity : compassionate
exciting pitying contempt (as by meanness orinadequacy)I hate his pitiful act.
1105. attest certify, authenticate, avouch, testify (to),vouch (for), witness
The certificate attests the authenticity of thepainting.
1106. contend battle, compete, face off, fight, race, rival, vie
These people contend that they have earnedthe right to the land.
to strive in debate : argue
maintain, assert <contended that he wasright>
1107. encapsulate epitomize, summarize <encapsulate an era inan aphorism>
can you encapsulate the president's speech inabout a paragraph?
abstract, boil down, brief, digest, summarize,epitomize, outline, recap, recapitulate,reprise, sum up, synopsize, wrap up
1108. designate to indicate and set apart for a specificpurpose, office, or duty <designate a group toprepare a plan>
to point out the location of <a markerdesignating the battle>
the designated time for the meeting
appoint, fix, name, set
1109. intriguing very interesting because of being unusual ornot having an obvious answer
The book is intriguingly titled, 'The Revengeof the Goldfish'.
1110. unremitting never slackening or stopping; unceasing;constant
A poor farm couple, their six children and aset of grandparents live a life of unremittingchaos in a one-room house.
constant, continuous, relentless, perpetual,continual, unbroken, incessant, diligent,unabated, unwavering, indefatigable,remorseless, assiduous, unceasing, sedulous,unwearied,
1111. insular of, relating to, or resembling an island
remote, detached, or aloof
isolated or separated
narrow-minded, prejudiced, provincial,closed, limited, narrow, petty, parochial,blinkered, circumscribed, inward-looking,illiberal, parish-pump,
The most remarkable thing has happenedpost September 11. The most insular nation inthe world has put the blinkers on.TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES (2002)
1112. humdrum arid, colorless, drab, dreary, drudging, dry,dull, dusty, flat, heavy, ho-hum, boring,jading, jejune, leaden, mind-numbing,monochromatic, monotonous, numbing, old,pedestrian, ponderous, slow, stale, stodgy,stuffy, stupid, tame, tedious, tiresome, tiring,uninteresting, wearisome, weary, wearying
The humdrum , quotidian concerns of theworkplace are wearisome; they chip slowlybut resolutely away at one's soul.Alex George, LOVE YOU MADLY (2002)
1113. superfluous excess, surplus, redundant, remaining, extra,spare, excessive, unnecessary, in excessneedless, left over on your hands surplus torequirements, uncalled-for, unneededresiduary, supernumerary, superabundant,pleonastic, unrequired supererogatory,
The warning not to stand on the glass floor issuperfluous.GLASGOW HERALD (2002)
1114. haphazard = unsystematic, disorderly, disorganized,casual, careless, indiscriminate, aimless,slapdash, slipshod, hit or miss,unmethodical,= random, chance, accidental, arbitrary,fluky,
aimless, arbitrary, catch-as-catch-can,desultory, erratic, random, helter-skelter, hit-or-miss, scattered, slapdash, stray
It would seem that nothing here is haphazard, or left to chance.
1115. discretion the quality of having or showing discernmentor good judgment : the quality of being discreet :circumspection; especially : cautious reserve inspeech
ability to make responsible decisions
He always uses care and discretion whendealing with others.
discreetness, common sense, gumption [chieflydialect], horse sense, levelheadedness, nous[chiefly British], policy, prudence, sense,sensibleness, wisdom, wit
1116. border to touch at the edge or boundary
to lie on the border
to approach the nature of a specified thing :verge
bound, edge, frame, fringe, margin, rim, skirt
1117. ineptitude the quality or state of being inept; especially :incompetence
The team's poor play is being blamed on theineptitude of the coaching staff.
impotence, inadequacy, incapability,incapacity, incompetence, incompetency,inability, insufficiency, powerlessness
1118. decline to refuse to undertake, undergo, engage in, orcomply with <decline battle>
to refuse especially courteously <decline aninvitation>
I invited him, but he declined.
balk (at), deselect, disapprove, negative, nix,pass, pass up, refuse, reject, reprobate,repudiate, spurn, throw out, throw over, turndown, turn one's back on
1119. apropos being both relevant and opportune <aproposcomments>
applicable, apposite, pertinent, germane,material, pointed, relative, relevant
1120. exuberant = high-spirited, spirited, enthusiastic, lively,excited, eager, sparkling, vigorous, cheerful,energetic, animated, upbeat, buoyant,exhilarated, elated, ebullient, chirpy, sprightly,vivacious, effervescent, full of life full of beans,zestful,= luxuriant, rich, lavish, abundant, lush,overflowing, plentiful, teeming, copious,profuse, superabundant, plenteous,= fulsome, excessive, exaggerated, lavish,overdone, superfluous, prodigal, effusive,
1121. restive restless, nervous, uneasy, impatient, agitated,unruly, edgy, jittery, recalcitrant, on edge,fractious, ill at ease, jumpy, fretful, fidgety,refractory, unquiet, antsy,
At least 3,000 people were killed here, thecapital of the politically restive Aceh province.
1122. belie belied belied "belying"
to show to be untrue; contradictTheir actions belie their claim to be innocent.
to misrepresent; disguise the nature of ⇒ thereport belied the real extent of the damage ;a tree whose delicate beauty belies its realtoughness
to fail to justify; disappoint
1123. erstwhile in the past : formerly, once, onetime
there's now a store where erstwhile lay greenand pleasant pastures
1124. absent not present or attending : missing
not existing : lacking
a gene that occurs in mammals but that isabsent in birds
1125. extant currently or actually existing,alive, around,existent, existing, living
one of the oldest buildings still extant
1126. capitulate blink, bow, budge, yield, concede, give in,knuckle under, quit, relent, submit, succumb,surrender
The teacher refused to capitulate: no calculatorswere to be used during the exam.
The country still refuses to capitulate despite itsweakening army and dwindling resources.
1127. resurgence a rising again into life, activity, or prominence<a resurgence of interest>
There has been some resurgence in economicactivity recently.
reanimation, rebirth, regeneration,rejuvenation, rejuvenescence, renewal, revival,resurrection, resuscitation, revitalization,revivification
1128. decelerate brake, slow, retard, slacken
she decelerated the car as we entered theschool zone
1129. ruse a wily subterfuge
His act was just a clever ruse to get me to goout with him.
trick, deception, ploy, hoax, device,manoeuvre, dodge, sham, artifice, blind,subterfuge, stratagem, wile, imposture,
1130. minute very small : infinitesimal
of small importance : trifling
marked by close attention to detailsa minute examination of the evidence
blow-by-blow, circumstantial, elaborate, full,detailed, particular, particularized, thorough
1131. seductive tending to seduce : having alluring or temptingqualities
<people always remarked on the cult leader'sseductive personality
alluring, appealing, attractive, bewitching,captivating, charismatic, charming, elfin,enchanting, engaging, entrancing, fetching,glamorous (also glamourous), luring,magnetic, fascinating
1132. fleeting brief, deciduous, ephemeral, evanescent, flash,momentary, fugacious, fugitive, impermanent,passing, short-lived, temporary, transient,transitory
I caught a fleeting glimpse of the comet.
1133. chuckle to laugh inwardly or quietly
everyone dutifully chuckled at the professor'sintended jokes
1134. guffaw a loud or boisterous burst of laughter
I ask her if she was always funny and shetilts back her head and lets out an enormousguffaw.
1135. audible heard or capable of being heard
Her voice was barely audible over the noise.
1136. quaint marked by skillful design
unusual or different in character orappearance : odd;The writer talks about thequaint customs of the natives.
pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned orunfamiliar <a quaint phrase>
bizarre, bizarro, cranky, crazy, curious,eccentric, erratic, far-out, funky, funny,kinky, kooky (also kookie), offbeat, off-kilter, off-the-wall, outlandish, out-of-the-way, outré, peculiar, odd, queer, queerish,quirky, remarkable, rum [chiefly British],screwy, spaced-out, strange, wacky (alsowhacky), way-out, weird, weirdo, wild
1137. astronomical of or relating to astronomy <astronomicalobservations>
enormously or inconceivably large or great<astronomical numbers>
The cost of the office building wasastronomical.
huge (also astronomic), Brobdingnagian,bumper, colossal, cosmic (also cosmical),cyclopean, elephantine, enormous, galactic,gargantuan, giant, gigantesque, gigantic,grand, herculean, heroic (also heroical),Himalayan, humongous (also humungous),immense, jumbo, king-size (or king-sized),leviathan, mammoth, massive, mega,mighty, monster, monstrous, monumental,mountainous, oceanic, pharaonic,planetary, prodigious, super, super-duper,supersize, supersized, titanic, tremendous,vast, vasty, walloping, whacking, whopping
1138. necessitate to make necessary : require
force, compel
Doing this will not only necessitate upfrontinvestment, it will also help understandmarket requirements better.
1139. incisive impressively direct and decisive (as inmanner or presentation) <an incisiveanalysis> <an incisive unsentimentalwriter>
She's known for her incisive mind and quickwit.
penetrating, sharp, keen, acute, piercing,trenchant, perspicacious,
1140. definite = specific, exact, precise, clear, particular,express, determined, fixed, black-and-white,explicit, clear-cut, cut-and-dried, clearlydefined= clear, explicit, black-and-white, clear-cut,unequivocal, unambiguous, guaranteed, cut-and-dried,= noticeable, marked, clear, decided,striking, noted, particular, obvious,dramatic, considerable, remarkable,apparent, evident, distinct, notable,manifest, conspicuous,= certain, decided, sure, settled, convinced,positive, confident, assured,
1141. suppression an act or instance of suppressing : the stateof being suppressed
the conscious intentional exclusion fromconsciousness of a thought or feeling
continence, discipline, discretion, inhibition,refrainment, repression, reserve, restraint,self-command, self-control, self-restraint,constraint
1142. cursory rapidly and often superficially performed orproduced : hasty <a cursory glance>
hasty, drive-by, flying, gadarene, headlong,helter-skelter, hurried, overhasty, pell-mell,precipitate, precipitous, rash, rushed
1143. somatic of, relating to, or affecting the body especiallyas distinguished from the germplasm or thepsyche
a somatic disorder that was once thought tobe "all in the patient's head"
animal, bodily, carnal, corporal, corporeal,fleshly, material, physical
1144. figurative expressing one thing in terms normally denoting another with which it may be regarded as analogous : metaphorical<figurative language>
The phrase "know your ropes" means literally "to know a lot about ropes," while its figurative meaning is "to know a lotabout how to do something."
the figurative use of "allergy" to mean "a feeling of dislike"
extended, figural, metaphoric (or metaphorical), tropical, tropological
1145. denotation meaning; especially : a direct specific meaning as distinct from an implied or associated idea
The word has one literal denotation but several different connotations.
The definition provides the word's denotation.
1146. portentous = pompous, solemn, ponderous, self-important, pontifical,= significant, alarming, sinister, ominous, important, threatening, crucial, forbidding, menacing, momentous, fateful,minatory, bodeful= remarkable, amazing, extraordinary, phenomenal, astounding, miraculous, prodigious, wondrous, awe-inspiring,
1147. perturbation the action of perturbing : the state of being perturbed
a disturbance of motion, course, arrangement, or state of equilibrium; especially : a disturbance of the regular andusually elliptical course of motion of a celestial body that is produced by some force additional to that which causes itsregular motion
a perturbation in the planet's orbit
1148. reminiscence recall to mind of a long-forgotten experience or fact
we wondered whether she could trust her reminiscence of events that happened so long ago
anamnesis, recall, recollection, remembrance, memory