ABANDON: To give up completely – abandoned the sinking ship.
Synonyms: relinquish, forgo, forsake
ABASH: To lose self-confidence; to confuse, put to shame – abashed before the
assembled dignitaries.
Synonyms: fluster, disconcert, discomfit, discompose
Antonym: (adj.) self-possessed
ABDICATE: To give up claim to – abdicated the throne
Synonyms: renounce, abandon, relinquish
ABET: To encourage -or support – treacherously abetted the enemy.
Synonyms: spur, incite
Antonym: deter
ABRIDGE: To shorten – abridged his lengthy speech.
Synonyms: curtail, diminish, retrench
Anthonyms: protract, elongate, amplify
ABROGATE: To abolish or render void – a treaty abrogated by mutual consent.
Synonyms: annul, nullify, rescind, void
ABSTEMIOUS: Moderate in the use of food or drink – abstemious in his habits.
Synonym: temperate
ACADEMIC: Pertaining to school; theoretical academic interests; an academic
discussion, with no practical implications.
Synonym: scholastic
ACCEDE: To agree to -accede to a request.
Synonym: assent
Antonym: demur
ACCELERATE: – To quicken, speed tip – took an accelerated course in order to
graduate early.
Synonym: expedite (adj. expeditious)
Antonym: retard
ACCOLADE: An award or salute – a tremendous accolade for a returning hero.
Synonyms: tribute, ovation
ACCORD: Agreement or harmony – in full accord with his view.
Synonyms: concord, concurrence
Antonyms:dissension, discord
ACRIMONIOUS: Sharp or harsh in language or temper – stung by the acrimonious
remark.
Synonyms:caustic, acerb, pungent, tart, mordant, acrid; (noun) asperity
Antonyms:suave, affable
ACUMEN: Keenness of mind or insight – showing exceptional business acumen.
Synonyms:perspicacity, discernment, perception
Antonym:obtuseness
ADMONISH (noun: ADMONITION): To warn or find fault gently – admonishing the
unruly child.
Synonyms:chide, caution, reprimand, reprehend, reproach
ADVERSARY: (adj.: ADVERSE): An opponent – his adversary in a bitter debate.
Synonym:antagonist
Antonyms:cohort, confederate, ally, accomplice
ADVERSITY: Misfortune – calm in the face of adversity.
Synonyms:affliction, mischance, reverses
AESTHETIC: Pertaining to the beautiful – interested in aesthetic values rather
than in purely practical affairs.
AFFABLE: Sociable, courteous, and agreeable in manner a much admired, affable
gentleman.
Synonyms: civil, complaisant, benign, gracious, genial, urbane, cordial
Antonyms:curt, brusque, rude, boorish, surly
AFFLUENT: Prosperous, flourishing; copious – a large bequest from an affluent
grandfather.
Synonyms:opulent, profuse
Antonyms:destitute, impecunious
AGGRESSIVE (noun: AGGRESSION. an unprovoked attack): self-assertive; attacking,
offensive – annoyed people by his aggressive attitude;
Synonyms:bumptious, officious, obtrusive
Antonyms:meek, humble, retiring, diffident
ALACRITY: Eagerness; cheerful promptness – responded to the flattering offer
with alacrity.
Synonyms:celerity, briskness, energy, animation
Antonyms:apathy, nonchalance, sluggishness, lethargy, phlegmatism
ALIENATE: To estrange – altenated by his gruff manner.
ALLAY: To calm; to lessen in severity – at ease now that his fears have been
allayed.
Synonyms:appease, alleviate, pacify, assuage, abate, mitigate, propitiate,
mollify, placate
Antonyms:intensify, aggravate
ALLUDE (noun: ALLUSION): To refer to indirectly – alluded quite subtly to his
friend’s misfortune.
Synonyms:insinuate, intimate, imply
Antonyms:refer, cite
ALLURE: To tempt by flattery or an attractive offer – allured by the prospect of
a new job.
Synonyms:lure, decoy, inveigle, entice, seduce, wheedle, beguile, cajole
Antonym:repel
AMBIGUOUS: Uncertain, vague, capable of being inter- in more than one way –
puzzled by the ambiguous statement.
Synonyms:hazy, obscure, equivocal, dubious, nebulous
Antonyms:explicit, unquestionable
AMENABLE: Obedient; willing to submit – amenable to the suggestion.
Synonyms:tractable, docile, responsive
Antonyms:intractable, refractory, recalcitrant
AMIABLE: Good-natured; friendly – attracted friends by his amiable disposition.
Synonym:complaisant
ANACHRONISM: A thing placed or occurring out of its normal time – A machine gun
at the Battle of Yorktown would be an anachronism.
ANALOGY (adj.: ANALOGOUS): A relation between two things shown in the
resemblance not of the things themselves but of their characteristics- He
indicated points of analogy between the two situations.
Synonyms:correspondence, affinity
Antonym: anomaly (a deviation from the general rule)
ANARCHY: State of confusion or lawlessness – a country brought to utter anarchy
by civil war.
Synonyms: chaos, pandemonium
ANIMUS: A feeling of hatred-felt no animus, even against the enemy.
Synonyms: enmity, rancor, malevolence, animosity
Antonym: amity
ANNALS: Historical records – in the annals of literature.
ANONYMOUS: Of unknown authorship-an anonymous publication.
ANTHOLOGY: A collection of choice literary works – an anthology of modern poetry.
ANTITHESIS (adj.: ANTITHETICAL): Contrast; the direct opposite – His selfish
attitude seemed to me the antithesis o patriotism.
APATHY (adj.: APATHETIC): Lack of feeling, emotion, or interest – attributed his
failure to apathy, rather than lack of ability.
Synonyms: torpor, lethargy, sluggishness, listlessness, languor, lassitude,
dispassion; (verb) languish
Antonyms:zeal, animation
APPREHENSIVE (verb: APPREHEND): Fearful – Being unprepared, John is apprehensive
of the examination.
APPRISE: To inform -apprisedhis lieutenants of the new situation.
APPROBATION: Approval; praise -a plan that met with hearty approbation.
Synonyms:sanction, commendation
Synonyms:sanction, commendation
Antonym:disapprobation
APT (noun: APTITUDE, APTNESS):
(1) Likely; inclined or disposed – apt to succeed. Synonym: prone
(2) Fit, suitable – an apt remark.
Synonyms: appropriate, felicitous
(3) Skillful, expert – apt at woodcarving.
Synonyms: deft, dextrous, adept. Antonym: inept
ARBITER: A person who has authority to decide matters in dispute – a fair
decision rendered by the arbiter.
Synonyms: mediator, arbitrator
ARCHETYPE: An original pattern – copies reproduced from the archetype.
Synonym: prototype
Antonyms: Stereotype, facsimile, replica
ARID: Dry; barren – the arid desert land.
Synonyms. jejune, parched
Antonyms: arable, fertile
ARISTOCRACY: Government by the best people; a privileged class -special
privileges enjoyed by the aristocracy.
Synonym: oligarchy
Antonym: democracy
ARMISTICE: A temporary suspension of hostilities. The armistice halted the war.
Synonym: truce
ARTFUL: Sly; crafty – attained his mean objective by artful measures.
Synonyms: cunning, wily, adroit, ingenious, guileful
Antonyms: guileless, ingenuous, artless
ARTICULATE (verb): To speak clearly or distinctly – articulated slowly so that
he could not be misunderstood.
(adj.): Capable of speech; distinct, clear – an articulate man, always ready to
give his views.
ASCETIC: Rigorously self-denying – pursued the ascetic life of a monk.
Synonyms: austere, abstinent
Antonyms: wanton, self-indulgent
ASKANCE: With distrust – looked askance at the forged signature.
ASSEVERATE: To declare positively; to confirm – asseverated his views with
conviction.
Synonyms:assert, avouch, aver, avow, allege
Antonyms:gainsay, controvert, recant, rescind, abjure, disavow
ASSIDUOUS: Industrious – an assiduous worker, toiling long hours.
Synonyms:sedulous, attentive, diligent, indefatigable
Antonyms:indolent, slothful
ASYLUM: A place offering shelter and retreat -found asylum from persecution.
Synonyms:sanctuary, refuge
ATHEIST: One who denies that God exists – The atheist declared, “There is no God.”
Synonyms:infidel, agnostic, skeptic
ATTRIBUTE (verb): Assign -attributed his success to bard work.
Synonym: ascribe
(noun): An inherent quality -Generosity was his outstanding attribute.
AUGMENT: To increase or enlarge – an army augmented by numerous enlistments.
Synonyms: enhance, amplify – Antonyms: abate, curtail
AUSPICIOUS: Indicating a happy outcome – The prospect for this project appears
auspicious.
Synonyms:propitious, fortunate
Antonyms:ominous, foreboding
AUTHENTIC: Genuine -proved to be an authentic document.
Synonyms:veritable, bona fide
Antonyms;apocryphal, counterfeit, spurious, bogus
AUTOCRATIC: Despotic – feared by the masses as an autocratic ruler.
Synonym:tyrannical
Antonym:benevolent
AVARICE: Excessive greed – a fortune accumulated by avarice and miserliness.
Synonyms:covetousness, cupidity, avidity
Antonym:magnanimity
AWRY: Unsymmetrical; not straight – the picture, hanging awry on the wall.
Synonym:askew