Acclaim (n., v.

): enthusiastic approval, applause, praise, revere, commend, extol, admire, appreciate, laud,
applaud, approval, compliment

He is revered as national hero.

His work was acclaim as art critics.

The paper was highly commanded in the UK Press Award.

Extol the virtues/ benefit of something

The local business community was loud in its support for scheme.

Bob complimented me on my new hairstyle.

They clap their hand in their approval.

Adverse (adj.): displeasing or bad, objectionable, unfavorable, harmful, hurtful, pernicious, detrimental,
disadvantageous, hostile, antagonistic, opposing

Planes are being kept on the ground because of the adverse weather.

The pernicious effect of poverty – The media pernicious influence

Smoking is detrimental to your health.

The antagonistic between her two grown sons was almost too much for Celia to beer.

Sales increased last year despite the hostile economic environment.

Adversary (n.): enemy, foe, competitor, dissenter, opponent, rival

Political dissenters were imprisoned.

The peace talk proved that even great adversaries were capable of cooperation.

He finished 48 seconds ahead of his main rival.

Autonomous (adj.): by itself, with no association, independent, self-ruling, self-governing, self-determined,

released, free, extricated, sovereign

The councils, which are locally autonomous, act as courts for the whole area.

It was a number of years before Canada was accepted by the world as a sovereign state.

Disruptive (adj.): causing confusion and interruption, interruption, unruly, disorderly, troublesome,
disturbing

Haphazard (adj.): having no pattern, by chance, arbitrary, carelessly, casual, fortuitous, unsystematic,
unplanned, patternless, random, indiscriminate, incidental

Bushes are growing haphazardly here and there.

-1-
Arbitrary decision - The arbitrary arrested of political opponent

A fortuitous meeting

Soldiers fired indiscriminately into crowd.

Carry extra cash for taxi, tips and other incidental.

A casual drug user

Advent (n.): the coming or arrival of something, commencement, genesis, launch, initiation, inauguration,
onset, embarkation, outbreak

Outbreak of World War II

The advent of the computer

Let me know the date and time of your arrival.

The commencement of the building work

The genesis of the myth

A new product launch

Initiation ceremony

The Turner prize was inaugurated in 1984.

The onset of winter

He embarked on a new career as teacher.

Agile (adj.): able to move in quick way, nimble, swift, brisk, spry, sprightly, and rapid

Harvey is very agile and quick for a big man

Nimble finger – A nimble climber

A swift runner

A brisk walk

The old dog was so spry. It was half way up the stairs before we could stop it.

A sprightly young girl

The patient made rapid recovery.

Albeit (conj.): in spite of the facts, regardless of the facts, although, nevertheless, nonetheless

He accepted the job albeit with some hesitation.

-2-
Chris went with her, albeit reluctantly.

Appealing (adj.): attractive or interesting, charismatic, spellbinding, enchanting, intriguing, charming,

fascinating, alluring

Helen was an alluring beauty whom few men could resist. The alluring magic of Hong Kong

What she reveal in her novel id a spellbinding tale of her life in China.

Intriguing mixture of musical styles

As enchanting tale

A charming little Italian restaurant

Celebrated (adj.): acclaimed, well-known, popular, prominent, eminent, outstanding, distinguished, well-
reputed, distinctive, popular, eminent, recognize, noted, conspicuous ~notorious, infamous

I felt very conspicuous in my red coat.

She‟s an eminent psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School.

The conference was attended by both government officials and prominent academics.

Celebrity (n.): luminary, person of noted, dignitary, personality, VIP

Guests included show business luminaries such as Bob Hope.

Most of the local dignitaries attended the event.

Contemporary (adj.): current, concurrent, concur, coincident, simultaneous, existent, coexisting,

contemporaneous, synchronous, coincident

Contemporary art/ dance/music

The exhibition reflected concurrent development abroad.

All life is contemporaneous, is now.

The rise of novel was coincident with decline of storytelling.

Frail (adj.): fragile, tenuous, infirm, insubstantial, puny, delicate, flimsy, feeble, breakable, brittle,
vulnerable

Frail body/physique – mentally/physically frail – the country frail economy

A puny little guy – puny arm

She was too feeble to leave her room.

A flimsy wooden building

-3-
The branches were dry and brittle.

Small vulnerable child in need of protection

Tenuous link/connection

Anticipate (v.): predict, foreshadow, foretell, forecast, prophecy, intercept, expect, foresee, prognosticate,
forestall, and look forward to

Anticipate changes/development – Anticipate problem/difficulties

Sales are better than anticipated. We don‟t anticipate any problems.

The events in Spain, in the 1930s, foreshadowed the rise of Nazi Germany.

I‟ve put your name on list and I don‟t foresee any problems.

Weather forecast – profit/sales/growth forecast

The prophecy that David would become king was fulfilled.

Confirm (v.): adapt, abide by, comply with, accord with, assent to, consent to, agree with, follow, regard,
observe, and obey

The students can be expelled for refusing to confirm the rules.

A basketball player may know he did not foul, but he must abide by the referee's decision.

All companies must comply with the regulations.

Parliament gave its assent to war

Her father reluctantly consented to the marriage

Vital (adj.): indispensable, required, requisite, called-for, critical, consequential, imperative, important,
material, urgent, necessary, essential, significant, substantial, fundamental, primary, integral

The work she does is absolutely vital.

This book is indispensable to anyone interested in space exploration.

He lacks the requisite qualifications.

That kind of abuse is really not called for (=it is unnecessary and unwelcome).

A consequential decision

It is imperative that politicians should be good communicators.

The storms caused material damage.

Statistics are integral to medical research. Vegetables are an integral part of our diet.

-4-
Bear (bore, born): produce, generate, yield, multiply, procreate

She might never be able to bear children.

This orchard bears many fine harvested of apples.

Our research has only recently begun to yield important results.

Most young women feel a biological feel to procreate.

Bear (bore, born): carry, conduct, transfer, convey

A messenger arrived, bearing a letter from ambassador.

The US Constitution states that the people have a right to bear arms.

Your luggage will be conveyed to the hotel by taxi.

Aluminum, being a metal readily, conducts heat.

Bear (bore, born): represent, manifest, demonstrate, exhibit, portray

The shareholders have manifested their intention to sell the shares.

Bear (bore, born): persevere, put up with, take, tolerate, last, sustain, suffer, stand, withstand, abide,
undergo, survive, persist, and endure

The hostages were eventually released after undergoing a terrifying ordeal.

She has endured ten years of painful back operation.

If the pain persists you must see a doctor.

I can‟t abide that man. He is so self-satisfied.

Block: obstruct, clog, inhibit, hamper, hinder, bar, ban, constrain, restrain, stop up, halt, impede, deter,
and stall

Clogged highway- Tourists whose car clogs the roads each summer

The column obstructed our view of the stage.

An unhappy family life may inhibit children‟s learning.

She tried to run, but hamper with heavy suitcase.

His career has been hinder by injury.

Storm at sea impeded our progress.

May be we can stall the sell until the price go up.

All his efforts had failed to halt the increase in street crimes.
-5-
Blur: cloudy, foggy, misty, hazy, fuzz, faint, ambiguous, vague, indistinct, uncertain, indefinite,
unfocused, unclear, murky, dim, obscure, enigmatic, equivocal, and opaque

His novels tend to blear the distinctions between reality and fantasy.

The language in minister‟s statement was highly ambiguous.

Misty people in overcoats stood against the wall.

The room was hazy with smoke.

Police have only a fuzzy videotape of the bank robbery.

I only have a vague idea of where the place was.

Murky water, the murky and ambiguous world of spying

It was impossible to read by the dim light of fire.

Parts of the coast were obscured by fog.

Brilliant: shiny, bright, dazzling, lustrous, luminous, lucid, lucent

The sun was so dazzling that it was impossible even to look at its reflection in the water.

You must write in clear and lucid style.

It‟s good idea to paint your car with luminous paint so that you are more visible for motorists.

You must write in clear and lucid style.

Glow: shin, glint, gleam, glimmer, glisten, glitter, shimmer

The coal in the fireplace was still glowing.

Her jewelry glinted in the sun.

She polished the car until it gleamed.

The wet streets glistened.

The river glitter in sunlight.

The lake shimmered in the moonlight.

Enhance: strengthen, extend, intensify, improve, enrich, reinforce, amplify, upgrade, boost, raise, promote,
fortify, elevate, increase, enlarge, augment, heighten, hoist

The publicity enhanced his reputation.

Most people agree that immigrants enrich our culture.

His mother‟s death intensified his loneliness.

-6-
These stories only amplified her fears.

Her position was fortified by election successes and economy recovery.

The crew hurried to hoist the flag.

Intrigue: connive, conspire, collaborate, scheme, and plot

While King Richard was abroad, the barons had been intriguing against him.

They connive with their mother to deceive me.

There are some evidences that he is conspiring against the government.

He's always coming up with these dumb schemes for making money that just land us in trouble.

A plot to assassinate the president

He still denies that he collaborate with Nazis.

Unique: rare, special, exclusive, exceptional, particular, distinctive, peerless, matchless, unmatched,
unrivaled, unsurpassed, unparalleled, unequaled

The book is certainly very rare and possibly is unique.

The peerless blues musician B.B. King

Astound: stun, stagger, startle, amaze, be taken aback, flabbergast

What staggered us was the sheer size of her salary.

I was startle to see Amanda.

When I heard how much money we made, I was flabbergasted.

I was completely taken back by his aggressive and unreasonable attitude.

The judge decision astounded everyone.

Relinquish: give up, abdicate, sacrifice, forfeit, surrender, forego, yield, resign, sign away, quit, leave,
abandon, desert, cede, and concede

The prince was persuaded to relinquish his claim to thorn.

They promised to abide by the peace agreement and surrender all their weapons to the occupying forces.

The king was force to abdicate the throne.

By being absent from the trial, he forfeited the right to appeal.

I had to forego lunch.

The price ride caused many readers to desert the magazine.

-7-
He may yield the control of …. .

Hong Kong was ceded to Britain in1992.

Petition: appeal, solicit, importune, call for, plead, make a plea for, request, demand, beg, apply,
requisition

Pleading voice

A petition signed by 1000 hospital doctors will be handed to the minister of health at lunch time today.

The war continues as a fresh UN appeal for a ceasefire has been rejected.

Morgan is accused of illegally soliciting campaign contributions.

“Please forgive me.” She pleaded.

All food in the city had been relinquished by the army.

Tempt: entice, induce, seduce, allure, lure, invite

Leaders are people who can seduce other people into sharing their dream.

Noting would induce me to vote for him again.

Our special offers are intended to entice people to buy.

People may be lured into buying thicket by cleaver advertising.

Resilient: tenacious, mighty, vigorous, potent, stout, durable, unbreakable, solid, robust, substantial,
sturdy

The company proved remarkably resilient during the recession.

Amy will soon be out of hospital. Children in her age are very resilient.

Though he is over seventy, he is still robust and active.

Sturdy young man

Mighty army

Vigorous efforts are being made to find solution to the problem.

Tenacious negotiator

Advertising is potent force in showing smoking as social acceptable habit.

Bronze is harder and more durable than thin.

A short stout man

That chair doesn‟t look like very sturdy.

-8-
Coarse: rough, unsmooth, indelicate, rugged, jagged, serrated, craggy, hard

The craggy cliffs

The broken bottle jagged edge

A jacket of coarse wool

The car bumped up and down as we drove across the rough ground.

A rugged coastline

Use knife with serrated edge.

Coarse: unrefined, crude, raw, impure, unprocessed

Unrefined sugar

Coarse metal

In the raw state coca is very bitter

Drug dealer selling impure heroin

Coarse: crude, impudent, indecent, crude, pejorative, vulgar, offensive, abusive

She tried to ignore his coarse jokes and crude innuendoes.

He ruined the evening with his vulgar talk about women and about how much he could drink.

Drunken football fans began directing a stream of abusive language at the policemen.

He was found guilty of possessing indecent photographs.

Complex: sophisticate, elaborate, complicated, tortuous, convoluted, involved, intricate

British voter had become much more sophisticated.

Mike had worked out an elaborate system for categorizing his collection of CDs.

The book began with a tortuous introduction.

He always uses a lot of convoluted arguments to support his theories but no one‟s ever impressed.

Adapting a child can be a very long involved process.

Lasers are used to cut intricate designs in wood.

Commonplace: ordinary, standard, conventional, stereotypical, common, routine, dominate, predominate,

universal, everyday, mundane, customary, prevalent, prevailing, widespread, ubiquitous, unusual, current

Car thefts are common place in part of this town.

-9-
Flue is most prevalent during the winter months.

The prevailing mood of public opinion remained hostile.

Coffee shops are ubiquitous these days.

One-parent family is now a commonplace in society.

Internet connections throw conventional phone lines are fairly slow.

The stereotypical Californian tall, fit, and tanned

Pine trees predominate in this area of forest.

Free universal health-care

Initially the work was pretty mundane.

In some cultures it is customary for the bride to wear white.

Exclusively: restrictively, only, merely, barely, solely, purely, just

This offer is available exclusively to people who call now.

He is merely a boy – you can‟t expect him to understand.

Scholarships are given solely on the basis of financial needs

A decision made for purely political reason.

Immense: massive, vast, giant, gigantic, colossal, bulky, enormous, astronomical, monstrous, mammoth,
tremendous, ponderous, titanic, stupendous, gargantuan, prodigious, mortal, monumental

People who travel by rail still read an immense amount.

Vast area of rainforest

There was colossal statue of the king in middle of square.

The boxes were very bulky and difficult to move.

An elephant ponderous walk

Stupendous achievement

Gargantuan tasks

Some galaxies seem to release prodigious amount of energy

There was a monumental traffic jam on the free way.

Rigid: inflexible, firm, stiff, stringent, unbending, inelastic, strict, rigorous

- 10 -
She maintained rigid control over her emotional and sexual life.

The leaves of plants are very stiff.

There are now stringent controls on the pollution from all power stations.

The rigorous army training

Sufficiently: adequately, enough

Clarify: explain, depict, illustrate, illuminate, delineate, shed light on, outline, account, recount, portray,
demystify, simplify, elaborate, elucidate, enlighten, clear up

Alan recounted how he and Joyce had met.

In this new biography she is depicted as lonely and unhappy woman.

The document delineates your rights and your obligations.

Recent research has shed the light on the causes of diseases.

Recent pressure at work may account for his behavior.

This book demystifies the male worlds of plumbing and carpentry.

He said he had new evidence, but he refused to elaborate any further.

The studies elucidate the history of alcohol problems in men.

Convenient: practical, accessible, available, helpful, handy, appropriate, suitable

Is tree o‟clock convenient for you?

Skirts are very practical in my work.

There is a church which is easily accessible from my home.

Distort: deform, disfigure, misshape, twist, and warp

Tall building can distort radio signals.

The door must be warp. It won‟t close properly.

Distort: misrepresent, falsify, belie, and corrupt

The file was altered to falsify evidence.

Your reporter has completely misrepresented my opinions about immigration.

Her pleasant manner belied her true character.

The culture has been corrupted by western influences.

- 11 -
Critical: dangerous, precarious, perilous, jeopardous, treating, hazardous, unsafe, insecure, treacherous,
chancy, risky

The fighting has stopped but the situation is still critical.

No one would lend money to a company in such precarious situation.

Refugees cross the rugged San Ysidro mountains and it is always a perilous trip.

A scandal like this can jeopardous his political career.

All of us know that expedition was likely to be extremely hazardous.

Strong winds and loose rocks made climbing treacherous.

Critical: harsh, dire, radical, grave, intense, heightened, crushing, severe, forceful

The hostages had been held in harsh conditions.

A second income that is critical to the family‟s well-being.

The US faces severe economic problems.

They are purposing radical changes to the way the company is run.

The jobs need intense concentration.

Fears of an invasion were heightened by the long-range of bomb attacks.

Republicans in the state suffered a crushing defeat in last month's elections.

Criticize: critique, censure, review

Ron dose noting but criticize and complain all the time.

The committee gave the report a thorough critique and found it both informed and intelligent.

The governor could be pressured to resign by a vote of censure.

The film opened to rave reviews.

Creep: crawl, slither, wiggle, sneak

John unlocked the back door and crept out into the yard.

We tried to sneak off from work place early.

There‟s bug crawling up your leg.

Henry wiggled his toes.

A snake slithered across the grass.

- 12 -
Crush (n.): mass, horde, throng

There‟s always such a crush on train in the morning.

A mass of people stood before the courthouse.

This time of year is perfect to visit New York because it isn‟t overrun with hordes of tourists.

Animals and carts moved along the dusty road with the throng of refugees.

Crush (v.): smash, mash, squeeze, squash, pulverize, grind

His leg was crushed in the accident.

He wouldn‟t even squash a fly, let alone a murder someone.

Boil the potatoes and then mash them up.

These huge stones were once used for grinding wheat into the flour.

I heard something smashed. What broke?

Squeeze the lemons and pour the juice into a jug.

The seeds can be used whole or pulverize into flour.

Diverse: different, various, varied, differing, dissimilar, varying, miscellaneous, heterogeneous, disparate,
discrepant, divergent, distinct, distinctive, assorted, mixed, multifarious, sundry

People enter the organization from a diverse range of social, economic, and educational background.

List your miscellaneous expenses in the right-hand column.

The U.S. has a very heterogeneous population.

The difficulties of dealing with disparate groups of people

Two discrepant stories

Divergent views/ opinions

The European Union is made up of 15 nations with distinct cultural, linguistic and economic roots.

Prosperous: well-off, substantial, well-to-do, affluent, moneyed

After the war, Germany became one of European‟s most prosperous countries.

They were sufficiently well-off to buy their own apartment.

As people become more affluent so their standard and style of living improves.

Educational facilities are best in the more well-to-do areas.

- 13 -
But intelligent could not possibly be reserved for washed and moneyed classes.

Prosper: thrive, bloom, blossom, burgeon, flower, flourish, succeed, well, grow

Over the next few years, our little bar prospered and grew in popularity.

The IT explosion means that telecommunication companies are thriving.

The children bloomed in the Devonshire air.

The idea blossomed into a mail order business.

The burgeoning market for digital camera

The economic and social conditions that will allow democracy to flower

The economy is blooming and small businesses are flourishing.

A sense of hurt and outrage welled up inside him.

Reveal: to uncover, to expose, disclose, break, divulge, manifest, unearth, betray, lay bare, and unveil

What actually happened to the gold has never been revealed.

Detectives have uncovered a plan to smuggle illegal weapons into the country.

The Security Service is unlikely to disclose any information.

It is not company policy to divulge personal details of employees.

Her criminal activities were finally exposed in the Washington Post.

His illness began to manifest at around this time.

The inquiries unearth some disturbing evidence.

His words were calm, but his voice betrayed his very real concern and anxiety.

During his testimony the witness laid bare the whole story of his involvement with the accused.

The club has unveiled the plans to build a new stadium.

Drab: uninteresting, boring, tedious, dull, monotonous, uneventful, flat, lackluster, dry, stultifying, arid,
bromidic, prosaic, wearisome, tiresome, dispirited, and lifeless

You enter the drab office building half-expecting it to be abandoned.

Life in the farm was slow and monotonous.

The work was tiring and tedious.

My mind is arid, all inspiration gone.

- 14 -
A lackluster performance

A stultifying office environment

Bromidic gags in sitcoms

The reality however is probably more prosaic.

A wearisome task _A lifeless party

The whole tiresome business of filling out the forms

At last, dispirited and weary, they gave up the search.

In school since is often present in dry and uninteresting manner.

Drab: colorless, pale, faded, pallid, shady

The walls were painted a drab green.

Sunlight had faded the picture.

It was nice and shady under tree.

Bill looked pallid and sick.

Sharon went deadly pale and looked as if she might faint.

Dormant: asleep, inactive, sluggish, slothful, hibernating, latent, inert, indolent, lethargic, humdrum,
listless

A huge dormant volcano

Alex woke up late feeling tired and sluggish.

The virus remained latent in body for many years.

An indolent tumor

Fatigue had made him slothful and now he‟d let his enemies get dangerously closed.

The government was inert and inefficient.

The hot weather was making us all lethargic.

We spent a languid afternoon by the pool.

Going to night school might improve your chances of getting out of that humdrum job.

The heat was making me listless.

Accurate: exact, careful, precise, faultless, flawless, impeccable, unerring, indefectible, errorless,
meticulous, perfect
- 15 -
Our accountant is very meticulous about his work. I can‟t imagine him ever making a mistake.

He was meticulous in his use of words.

“She is a lot older than you, isn‟t she?” “Fifteen years, to be précis.”

As I expected, her house was decorated with impeccable taste.

He passes the ball with unerring accuracy.

Lasting: forever, without end, endless, continuous, continual, abiding, persistent, sustained, inveterate,
ongoing, incessant, ceaseless, unceasing, immortal, undying, permanent, perennial, perpetual, constant,
steady, chronic, lingering, boundless, eternal, everlasting, imperishable

The speech could do lasting damage to US- Germany relations.

Imperishable food

As a boy, he had had an abiding curiosity about how things worked.

China has a chronic shortage of capital, so it must encourage saving.

Inveterate gambler

The child‟s incessant talking started to irritate her.

My mother‟s perpetual nagging

The possibility of eternal life is principle belief of many religions.

Mortal: short-lived, transient, evanescent, ephemeral, perishable, impermanent

Her father‟s death reminded that she was mortal.

Transient response – transient failure

Talk is evanescent but writing leaves footprint.

No dictionary can really capture something as fleeting and ephemeral as slang.

Perishable goods such as butter, milk, fruit and fish

Buddhism stresses that life is impermanent and full of suffering.

Vibrant: vital, vivid, vigorous, lively, dynamic, energetic, animated, spirited, vivacious

She was sixteen, young and vibrant.

Rogers and Hart‟s music sounds as vital and fresh as the day it was written.

I‟ve got vivid memories about that summer.

According to the recent survey, a quarter of people over twelve get no vigorous exercise at all.
- 16 -
Peter was engaged in an animated conversation at bar.

A spirited performance

He married a vivacious girl called Sara who he met at university.

Dominate: primary, principle, major, capital, leading, key, main, arch, chief, basic, fundamental, superior,
supreme, paramount, pivotal, staple, dwarf

The fortress on the top of the hill still dominates Barcelona harbor.

The ship came slowly into the harbor, dwarfing all the surrounding boats.

The Bank of England has a pivotal role in London money market.

Oil is Nigeria‟s staple export.

Public safety and security are matters of paramount important.

It required a supreme effort to stay awake.

Our aim is to provide our clients with a superior service at all the time.

Dominate: ruling, governing, preponderant, and prevailing

The industry is dominated by five multinational companies.

The ruling party is confidante of winning the election.

The Democrats are now the governing party in the country.

In balancing his faults with his perfections, the latter seemed rather to preponderate.

The prevailing mood of public opinion remained hostile.

Rudimentary: simple, basic, undeveloped, unsophisticated, embryonic, primitive, preliminary, elementary,

fundamental, primary

The tools that ancient Egyptian used to build their temples were extremely rudimentary.

The plans are still only in the embryonic form.

Preliminary market research has shown that most Americans prefer environmentally-friendly products.

Prime (v.): inform, notify, clue in, fill in, keep, posted

Did you prime her with what to say?

Somebody must have clue him in on our sales strategy.

I think you better fill me in on what‟s been happening.

Prime: top-notch, first-class, first rate

- 17 -
Smoking is prime reason of lung diseases.

I was lucky and got myself a job with a top-notch company.

Minuscule: insignificant, of little consequence, insubstantial, inconsequential, immaterial, unimportant,

microscopic, diminutive, fractional, frivolous, trivial, trifling, negligible, infinitesimal, petty, paltry,
nominal

The pool was surrounded with by bronzed girls wearing minuscule bikinis.

Peter was a shy, diminutive man who seldom said anything to anyone.

The meeting spent too much time on the petty issues and didn‟t address in real problem.

Many workers in the company receives a paltry 2$ a day.

I‟d say the chances of your catching the disease are infinitesimal.

The cost of maintained the machine is negligible.

Matters of trifling importance

No, I don‟t think your question is trivial at all.

Work time is too valuable to spend on the frivolous games.

A fractional increase in price

Select (v.): pick out, opt for, and single out

His story was picked out as the best by the judges.

About 40 percent of Mazda MX-3 buyers opted for the V-6 engine.

Could you single out one factor that is more important than the others?

Selective (adj.): discriminating, organized, systematic, methodical, meticulous, planned

Discriminating readers

Selective access

Meticulous attention

He always checks every detail in a methodical way.

Feigned (adj.): affected, fake, counterfeit, sham, made up, phony, artificial, contrived, malinger

Feigned sympathy

An affected laugh

I gave a fake name.

- 18 -
Police have warned stories to look out for counterfeit 50$ bills.

A sham marriage

Phony credit card

There‟s something contrived about whole story.

He accused frank of malingering.

Feign (v.): simulate, to pretend, affect, counterfeit, sham, made up, fabricate, invent

Enact (v.): to pass a law, legislate, okay, ratify, approve, confirm, endorse

Congress refused to enact the bill.

Only Parliament has the power to legislate on the constitutional matters.

The plans have been okayed, so let‟s get start it as soon as possible.

The US Senate refused to ratify the agreement on the weapons reduction.

Congress voted is not to approve the President‟s plan for cutting the arm budget.

US official said they could not confirm the reports.

The President‟s position was endorsed by a large majority of the Senate.

Defy (v.): resist, flout, disobey, ignore, neglect, overlook

John defied his mother, and smoked openly in the house.

She resisted the temptation to laugh.

Many bars owner flout the laws on under-age drinking.

Protesters disobeyed the law and blocked the city‟s main road.

You can‟t the fact that many criminals never go to prison.

Maria decided not to move, but she neglected to inform the rental agency.

I‟ll overlook your mistake this time.

Arid (adj.): dry, thirsty, droughty, drought-stricken, barren, infertile, parched, sere

The region is an arid wasteland.

In Arizona, the air is often extremely dry.

A severe drought has caused most of the corn crop to fail.

The earth was so parched that there were huge cracks in it.
- 19 -
The thirsty soil

Thousands of years ago the surface was barren desert.

Sere vegetation at the age of desert

Ample (adj.): sufficient, abundant, copious, prolific, bountiful, plentiful, liberal, generous, fertile

The hotel‟s main dining room has ample room for both dining and dancing.

Latin America has abundant labor force and natural resources.

During the summer tomatoes are plentiful and cheap.

The prolific goal score ion this decade.

He could drink copious amounts of beer without ill effect.

A bountiful supply of fresh food

A liberal supply of drinks

A generous glass of win

Fertile farmland

Facet (n.): element, component, aspect, ingredient, phase, side, angle, dimension

I see helping the community as one of the key elements of my work.

He has traveled extensively into the China, recording every facet of his life.

The factory makes aircraft engine components.

Acetic acid is the chief active ingredient in vinegar.

There are three phases in the life cycle of butterfly.

The political dimensions of incident are clear.

Disperse (v.): scatter, spread, disseminate, emit, send out/off, propagate, diffuse, circulate, and give
out/off

Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The sound of gunfire made the crowd scatter in all directions.

Revolution quickly spread from France to Italy.

The Health Education Council is the central agency for disseminating information about diseases
privation.

Sounds emitted by dolphins were recorded with an underwater microphone.

- 20 -
The radar sends out the waves and listens for the echoes from enemy craft.

The stun gun, when applied to the body, gives out a sharp electric shock.

The plant gives off a delicate smell of lemons.

The group lunched a website to propagate its ideas.

Their ideas defused quickly across Europe.

Rumors began circulating that the Prime Minster was seriously ill.

Erratic (adj.): inconsistent, uneven, unsteady, unstable, fickle, capricious, moody, sporadic, intermittent,
occasional, whimsical, impulsive, fanciful, mercurial

He breathing was becoming erratic.

Rose was impulsive and sometimes regretted things she‟d done.

Regimes governed by violence are always unstable.

The library‟s record collection is of uneven quality.

An unsteady peace

Teenagers are fickle and switch brands quickly.

Employees need legal protection against capricious and unfair actions by their employers.

She has been really moody and emotional.

Sporadic gunfire continued through the night.

The weather forecast is for sun with intermittent showers.

The team‟s performance has been highly inconsistence this season.

A whimsical personality

Mercurial nature

Exaggerate (v.): embellish, dramatize {belittle}, overstate {understate}, overestimate {underestimate},

maximize {minimize}, inflate, play up {under play}, magnify {humiliate}

She gave an embellish account of what happened.

Why do you have to dramatize everything?

The company says that the dangers of driving while using cell phones have been overstate.

He tends to overestimate his own abilities.

The numbers of people involved have been grossly inflated by the media.
- 21 -
At the interview, remember to play up your experience of teaching in Japan.

The problem gets magnified.

Conspicuous (adj.): eye catching, noticeable, apparent, clear, clear-cut, obvious, distinct, evident, plain,
palpable, manifest, discernible, visible, blatant, patent, exposed, observable, vivid

The notice must be display in the conspicuous place.

The posters come in several eye-catching designs.

There is always a clear-cut distinction between right and wrong.

From the look in Jill‟s face, it was evident that the news came as complete shock.

Let me make it plane. We do not want you here.

Tension in the city as palpable as dust in the air

A manifest error of judgment

A discernable improvement in the patient condition

A blatant lie

Patent lie/nonsense/impossibility

Vivid memory

Erode (v.): deteriorate, wear down, corrode, and eat away at

Caves are formed by water eroding the rocks.

Air quality is rapidly deteriorating in our city.

My shoes have worn down at the heel.

Is the batteries leak they can corrode the case of your flashlight.

His gambling is eating away at their income.

Elude (v.): evade, flee, abscond, dodge, circumvent

She took the exam again, but again success eluded her.

She managed to evade the police.

Many German artists fled to America at the beginning of the World War II.

He dodged his military service.

The company opened an account abroad, in order to circumvent the tax laws.

- 22 -
Exhaust (v.): deplete, devour, use up, consume, and expend

What will happen when we have all exhausted our nature resources?

As oil reserves are depleted, its price will continue to rise.

After the tennis match the boy devoured the sandwiches in seconds.

People of different ages expend different amounts of energy.

Exhaustive (adj.): comprehensive, all- inclusive, sweeping

The rescue team made an exhaustive search of the area.

This is the largest and most comprehensive study ever made of the city's public transportation system.

An all-inclusive vacation cruise

They want to make sweeping changes to education polices.

Agitate (v.): alarm, worry, stir up, unnerve, unsettle, put on, edge, perturb, and ruffle

I must warn you that any mention of Clare agitate your grandmother.

We don‟t wish to alarm people unnecessarily, but it would be wise to avoid drinking the tap water here.

Bob stirred up a fight between John and Jim.

He was unnerved by the way Silvia kept staring at him.

The treat of the war has been enough to unsettle international oil traders.

My unexpected arrival didn‟t perturb him at least.

The senator‟s speech ruffled a few feathers in the business world.

Discreet (adj.): attentive, heedful, tactful, wary, considerate, circumspect, subtle, advertent, and cautious

People might gossip if we arrived together. It would be much discreet for us to go there separately.

The crew were extremely attentive to the passengers‟ safety.

Heedful of wearing

I wish you‟d be more tactful. Didn‟t you realize that she was divorced?

I am a bit wary of driving in this fog.

It was very considerate of you to let us know you were going to be late.

The governor was usually circumspect when dealing with media.

- 23 -
I think we need a more subtle approach.

If we‟re too cautious, we might lose a good business opportunity.

Inordinate (adj.): excessive, extravagant, extortionate, undue, immoderate, unreasonable, steep,

outrageous, lavish

Testing is taking up an inordinate amount of teachers‟ time.

15$ for two beers seems a little excessive.

An extravagant lifestyle

Many local taxi drivers charge extortionate rates.

Exercise gently and avoid putting yourself under undue strain.

Immoderate drinking

Steep rents

Spends an outrageous amount on entertainments

They lived in very lavish lifestyle. It was one of the most lavish weddings I‟ve ever been to.

Intrinsic (adj.): inherent, innate, inbred, inborn, indigenous, essential, natural, native, congenital,
constitutional

Parents need to teach children the intrinsic value of good behavior.

Every business has its own inherent risk.

Children have innate ability to learn language.

There is an inbred racism in some parts of the country.

Negroes were all transported from Africa and are not indigenous or proper natives of America.

The essential difference between Sam and me was the fact that I took life seriously.

He is congenital liar.

A constitutional inability to tell the truth

Extrinsic (adj.): acquired, environmental, unnatural

A combination of extrinsic and intrinsic factors

Inundate (v.): engulf, submerge, drown, dip, immerse, deluge, overwhelm

After the broadcast, we were inundated with requests for more information. Floodwaters periodically
inundate the lowlands of state.

- 24 -
The building was engulfed in flames.

The tunnel entrance was submerged by raising sea water.

Many people drown when the boat overturned.

Dip the strawberries into melted chocolate.

Immerse your foot in ice cold water to reduce the swelling.

He was deluged with phone calls from his friends and colleges, congratulation him.

The wave broke through the wall and overwhelmed town.

Inundation (n.): multitude, surfeit, plethora, myriad, sheer number

An inundation of tourist

I have never seen such multitude stars before.

A surfeit of food and dink

Plethora of suggestions

We‟re still studying a myriad of options.

Nominal (adj.): so-called, formal, moderate

Nominal value/rate/income

My so-called friends were gossiping again about me.

Presume (v.): suppose, assume

Many scientists presumed the new damage to the forests to be the result of higher levels of pollution.

We have no reason to suppose that the girl is dead.

You shouldn‟t just assume things without getting all the facts.

Presumably (adv.): supposedly, maybe, perhaps, likely, hypothetically, conceivably, reportedly, allegedly

Several of the villagers disappeared, presumably killed by enemy soldiers.

How could a supposedly intelligent person be so stupid?

Hypothetical situation/example/question

Conceivably, interest rates could rise very high indeed.

Her husband‟s assets are reportedly worth about 15 million dollars.

A sport car, allegedly stolen in Manchester

- 25 -
Absurd (adj.): ridiculous, implausible, laughable, ludicrous, preposterous, foolish, silly, illogical

It seems quite absurd to expect anyone to drive for 3 hours for a 20 minutes meeting.

This is ridiculous. You only known him three days and you are going on holiday with him.

Jill says she can earn 50000$ from the job, but that is a implausible figure.

The government's attempt to privatize the prison service has been simply laughable.

The telephone lines are only open during office hours, which is ludicrous in these days.

It‟s preposterous a claim that government is trying to poison its citizens.

Harbor (v.): shelter, support, protect, guard, shield, house, safeguard

For harbor at thousand doors they knocked. Harbor refugees- Harbor a fugitive

They risked their own lives sheltering Jews from Nazis.

Soldiers have been called in to guards the embassy against further attacks.

He held up his hands, shielding his eyes from the sun.

The refugees are being housed in the temporary accommodation.

Unless we fight pollution now, we can‟t safe guard our children‟s future.

Conscientious (adj.): meticulous, diligent, painstaking, scrupulous, hardworking, industrious, earnest,

rigorous, assiduous, sedulous, arduous, high-minded

I wish everyone was as conscientious as you are getting to work on time.

This beautiful piece of jewelry is the work of a meticulous craftsman.

After years of diligent research, he had concluded that this was the only copy still in existence.

Chris described in painstaking detail what had happened.

He was not very scrupulous about keeping himself clean.

She‟d not our best employee, but at least she‟s hardworking.

Most of students I knew at the college were serious and industrious.

Matthew was in earnest conversation with young girl.

Every new drug has to pass a series of rigorous safety check before it is put on sale.

He was assiduous in his attendance in church.

Sedulous attention to details

- 26 -
An arduous task

Encompass (v.): to envelop, to surround, encircle, circle around, ring, engulf, besiege, and embrace

The fog soon encompassed the whole valley. The houses encompassed 100 squares meters.

At sun set, darkness envelope the town.

Football fans run onto the field and surrounded the referee.

The island was encircled by dusty road.

The building was engulfed in flames.

The capital has been besieged by the opposition militia for two months now.

Jack warmly embraced his son.

Encompass (v.): embrace, embody, include, constitute, contain, cover, span, comprise, comprehend,
consist of, composed of, involve

This course embraces several different aspects of psychology.

The study encompasses social, political, and economic aspects of the situation.

The latest model embodies many new improvements.

Alaska is the largest of fifty states that constitute the USA.

The Mongol Empire spanned much of Central Asia.

The house comprises a kitchen, two bedrooms and a living room.

My field of study comprehends several disciplines.

Inadvertent (adj.): involuntary, unwanted, unintended, unintentional, unconscious, instinctive

With an advertent gesture, she swept the vase off the table.

Though mirages are natural phenomena, the illusion of my standing in a dish was an involuntary product
of the imagination.

I know she upset you, but I‟m sure it‟s unintentional.

Many women are victims of unconscious discriminations by men.

A mother‟s instinctive love

Inadvertent (adj.): inconsiderate, careless, heedless, tactless, reckless, negligent, neglectful, inattentive,
unwary, remiss, and oblivious

An inadvertent step may crush the snail that crawls at evening at the public path.

- 27 -
It was very inconsiderate of you to keep us waiting.

Hobbling down stairs with heedless haste, I set my foot full in a pail of water.

How could he be so tactless as to make jokes about funerals when her father's just died?

He was accused of causing death by reckless driving.

An accident caused by a negligent driver.

She became more and more neglectful of her responsibilities.

In spite of the inattentive servers and the bad decor, it's worth eating at Leon's for the great cheap food.

Strong currents can sweep unwary swimmers out to sea.

Remiss of you not to pay the bill

Congress was seemingly oblivious to these events.

Miraculous (adj.): incredible, unbelievable

A teenager had a miraculous escape last night when the car she was traveling in overturned.

Retrieve (v.): win back, recover, recoup, reclaim, restore, repossess, regain, redeem

It took four days to retrieve all bodies from the crash.

How can I win back her trust?

Four painting stolen from gallery have been recovered.

She put 50$ on the next race in an attempt to recoup her lost.

China reclaimed Hong Kong from Britain in 1997.

After decades of colonial rule, the land was finally restored to its rightful owners.

His car was eventually repossessed by the auto loan agency.

When she regained consciousness (=woke up after being unconscious), she was lying on the floor.

He finally redeemed his watch from the pawnbroker.

Unwarranted (adj.): unjustified, inappropriate, impertinent, inapplicable, uncalled- for, unjustifiable,

unexplainable, wanton, senseless, groundless, gratuitous

He warned members of the public not to jump to any unwarranted conclusions about the tragedy.

I think your criticisms of Mr. Ward are completely in justified.

It is morally unjustifiable to punish a whole class for the actions of one or two of its members.

- 28 -
He has criticized the film industry for its use of gratuitous sex and violence.

Could I ask how old you are, or would that be impertinent?

That comment was totally uncalled for.

She rolls her eyes, and gets this wanton look on her face whenever she tells me how sexy he is.

Zenith (n.): apex, acme, tip, top, pinnacle, summit, head, peak, crown, crest, ridge, climax, culmination,
apogee, brow

The Roman Empire reached its zenith around the year 100.

The king was at the apex of society.

Reached the acme of her career

He kissed the tip of her nose.

The bank was then at the pinnacle of England's financial system.

In the distance we could see the snow-covered summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

It took us over an hour to reach the crest of the hill.

The ridge of a wave

We must look higher for the climax of earthly good.

This little book represented the culmination of 15 years' work.

His political career reached its apogee in the 1960s.

The path disappeared over the brow of the hill

Accentuate (v.): highlight, emphasize, underline, underscore, stress, play up, put emphasize on

The director uses music to accentuate the rising dramatic tension.

Disguise (v.): conceal, camouflage, cover, cloak, veil, masquerade, mask

Kali gave a cheerful smile, somehow managing to disguise her embracement.

We camouflaged the plane by covering it with leaves.

Cloaked in secrecy/mystery- The talk have been cloaked in secrecy.

The women were veiled from head to foot.

He was masquerading under false name.

Small children find it hard to mask their emotions.

- 29 -
Initiate (v.): launch, commence, embark on, set out on, inaugurate, set in motion, get moving, get under
way

The tournament got under way on Friday.

Innovative (adj.): novel, fresh, inventive, creative

A novel idea\approach\method

Outlandish (adj.): bizarre, strange, weird, queer, odd, eccentric, peculiar, different, curious, exotic,
unconventional, singular

Parts of Lisa‟s story sounded outlandish, and no one would believe her.

The marriage between the two stars was as bizarre as it was short-lived.

Our neighbor is an eccentric old lady who has about 25 cats.

It‟s seems very peculiar that no one noticed Kate had gone.

She gave a queer laugh.

Exotic palace\plant\animal

He felt a curious mixture of panic and excitement.

Unconventional weapons

I wondered why she‟s behaving in so singular fashion.

Portray (v.): to act, star

Submit (v.): propose, turn in, hand in, forward, offer for evaluation

All application must be submitted by Monday.

I propose that we discuss this at the next meeting.

The United Nations has put forward a peace plan that it hopes will form the basis for discussions.

Placid (adj.): calm, quiet, serene, sedate, laid-back, pacify, composed, still, tranquil

The lack was placid and still under moonlight.

Glen was calm and composed at funeral.

We continue to walk at the sedate pace.

I don‟t know how you can be so laid back about your exams.

In summer, the normally calm, tranquil streets fill with crowds of tourists.

Abuse (v.): misuse, misapply

- 30 -
People who abuse the system

He is accused of misusing public funds.

In your case the rules has been misapply.

Allocate (v.): earmark, allot, apportion, assign, set aside, divide, distribute

You should allocate the same amount of time for each question.

20% of budget has already been earmarked for new computer system.

Everyone who works for the company has been allotted 10 shares.

It‟s not easy to apportion blame when a marriage breaks up.

How much time have you assigned for the meeting?

Try to set aside some time each day for exercise.

Conserve (v.): preserve, keep, retain, maintain, sustain

We must conserve our woodlands for the future generations.

We must encourage the planting of new trees and preserve our existing woodlands.

A lot of information can be retained on your computer.

Feasible (adj.): attainable, possible, viable, practicable, workable, and plausible

Perfect democracy isn‟t attainable, nor is perfect freedom or perfect justice.

Do you think this is viable proposition?

A practicable method

His story certainly sounds plausible.

Limber (adj.): flexible, resilient, lithe, supple, pliant, bendable, elastic, plastic

I‟m not even limber enough to touch my toes.

Children are often resilient.

The strong lithe body of gymnasts

She exercises everyday to keep her body supple.

Isabel was pliant in his arms.

Preconceive (v.): prejudice, prejudgment, bias

- 31 -
Any preconceived image she had of James and Elaine was instantly forgotten when they walked towards
her.

Students were evaluated without bias.

Antiquated (adj.): outmoded, old-fashioned, out-of-date, unfashionable, archaic, obsolete, bygone,

démodé

Archaic words

The old 5¼ inch floppy disks are now obsolete.

Bygone age\era\days – The building reflects the elegance of a bygone era.

Analogous (adj.): identical, comparable, corresponding, resembling, akin, alike

The report‟s findings are analogous with our own.

Comparable figures\data\results for the same period of time last year

Compared with the corresponding period last year, average temperatures have been low.

Something akin to panic overwhelm him.

Compel (v.): oblige, require, necessitate, impel, force, make, obligate, constrain

The law will compel employee to provide health insurance.

Circumstances had obliged him to sell the business.

The lack of democracy and equality impelled the oppressed to fight for independence.

Tenants are obligated to pay their rent on time.

Formidable (adj.): scary, horrendous, daunting, creepy, dreadful, dreaded

Russia still has a formidable nuclear arsenal.

Climbing Everest is daunting task for any climber.

I got a real creepy feeling on the way over there, as if someone was watching me.

A dreadful mistake

Cancer and other dreaded diseases

Formidable (adj.): strenuous, arduous, laborious, challenging, uphill, rigorous

The team faces some formidable opponents next week.

The doctor advised Ken to avoid strenuous exercise.

The arduous task of loading all boxes into the van

- 32 -
A laborious business of drying the crops

Teaching young children is challenging and rewarding job.

An uphill battle\ struggle\ task

Rigorous army training

Intrude (v.): trespass, transgress, encroach, contravene, break in, violate, infringe

Would I be intruding if I came with you?

Get out of the yard! Can't you see the sign? It says "No Trespassing."

Encroach on the neighbor„s land

The company was found guilty of contravening safety regulations.

A stranger broke in on the meeting without knocking.

Enemy jets have repeatedly violated the Allied no-fly zone.

A backup copy of a computer program does not infringe copyright. The infringement of human rights

Prone (adj.): inclination, pliability, tendency, trend, aptitude, bent, willingness, inclined to, leaning

Some plants are very prone to disease.

Neither of my children showed the slightest inclination to follow me onto journalism.

Some people may inherit a tendency to alcoholism.

The current trend is towards more part-time employment.

A trainee with normal aptitude can learn these techniques in few days.

I am inclined to fall asleep after a heavy meal.

Reluctant (adj.): perfunctory, loath, disinclined, uninterested, and hesitant

Maddox was reluctant to talk about it.

She gave him a perfunctory smile.

His mother was still asleep and he was loath to weak her.

I was disinclined to talk to Sam about it.

Gail gave me a hesitant little smile.

Scenic (adj.): picturesque, spectacular, magnificent

We traveled to the coast by a very scenic route.

- 33 -
He rents a small house in the picturesque old quarter of town.

The location of the town along the river is magnificent.

A mountainous area with spectacular scenery

Accountable (adj.): answerable, amenable, and liable

Amenable to the law

Account (n.): report, story, and chronicle

He was too shocked to give an account of what had happened.

A chronicle of his life during the war years

Hue (n.): tinge, shade, cast, tone, tint

The Prince wore majestic robes of a rich purple hue.

The sun shining on her head gave her hair an attractive red tint.

When buying make-up, choose the right shade to match your skin.

This glass has greenish ting.

The granite columns give a pinkish cast to the base of the building.

Different tones of green

Magnitude (n.): dimension, extent, amplitude, proportion

I can‟t emphasize too strongly the magnitude of this problem.

We‟ll need to know the exact dimensions of the room.

Considering the extent of his injuries, he‟s lucky to be alive.

Amplitude of vibration

Try to reduce your tasks to more manageable proportions.

Sacrifice (n.): concession

The workforce was willing to make sacrifices in order to preserve jobs.

Pensioners and disabled people get special concessions on buses and trains.

Triumph (n.): victory, success, achievement, conquest, attainment, accomplishment

Winning the championship is great personal triumph.

The palace was built in Cordoba, Spain, following the Arab conquest.
- 34 -
The attainment of his ambitions was still a dream.

Contaminate (v.): pollute, defile, impair, taint, corrupt, soil, spoil, tarnish, stain, smear, mar

Drinking water supplies are believed to have been contaminated.

Defile the river with sewage

The illness impaired his ability to think and concentrate.

The water had been tainted with a deadly toxin.

A virus which corrupt the data on your hard drive

The baby had soiled her diaper again.

We didn‟t let the incident spoil our day.

A tragedy that tarnish my hopes

Be careful, you don‟t stain the carpet.

The rain had dribbled on his glasses and smeared them.

Their wedding was marred by the death of Jenny‟s mother a week earlier.

Mediocre (adj.): second-rate, third-rate, run-of-the-mill, average

Tourists crowd the gift shops to buy mediocre products at high prices.

People are not willing to pay lot of money for second-rate works of art.

All they could afford was a room in a second-rate hotel about a mile from the beach.

A run-of-the-mill performance

Chaos (n.): disorder, turmoil, disarray, tumult, turbulence, upheaval, anarchy

Zbitski said the reform coalition must find a way to steer the country out of its political and economic
chaos.

The entire apartment was in disorder but noting seemed to have been stolen.

Ashley gazed at him, her thought in turmoil.

The Democrats were on complete disarray after last year disastrous election.

The whole country is in the tumult.

A period of political turbulence followed the civil war.

Moving house is major upheaval.

- 35 -
The nation is in danger of falling into anarchy.

Controversial (adj.): debatable, arguable, disputable, contentious

A recent government paper on education contains some controversial new ideas.

It‟s debatable whether this book is as good as her last.

Whether or not Webb is the best person for the job is arguable.

The contentious issue of arms sales to non-democratic country

Controversy (n.): discord, conflict, disagreement, dissent

There has been a huge controversy over where to put the city's new sports stadium and who should build it.

Money is a single biggest cause of discord in marriage.

These voices of dissent grew louder.

Spontaneous (adj.): instinctive, improvised, unpremeditated, ad hoc, ad lib, impromptu, unplanned,

uncontrolled

The crowd gave a spontaneous cheer when the news was announced.

A mother‟s instinctive love

I forgot to bring my notes, so I had to improvise.

Ask an unpremeditated

Decision mad on ad hoc basis

I never used a script; I just ad lib the whole program.

Striking (adj.): remarkable, stellar, majestic, dazzling, impressive, captivating, noticeable, awesome

Striking contrast/ similarity/ parallel –a striking contrast between wealth and poverty

Remarkable feat/ achievement/ accomplish

McClellan gave a stellar performance.

Aggravate (v.): worsen, fuel, compound, deteriorate, exacerbate

Any talk of price rises now will only aggravate an already serious situation.

I don‟t want to exacerbate the situation.

Helmut's problem was compounded by lack of concentration.

The US trade position was deteriorated over the past few years.

- 36 -
Fuel speculation/ rumors/controversy

Interfering now could worsen the problem.

Aggravate (v.): irritate, annoy

What really aggravates me was the way she won‟t listen.

Curative (adj.): healing, remedial, medicinal, restorative, therapeutic

Curative power of herbal remedies

Remedial mental health therapist

Some claim that herb has therapeutic value for treating health.

Debilitate (v.): weaken, attenuate, enfeeble, sap, cripple, blunt, impair, impoverish

Progress has been debilitated by a refusal to share ideas.

Medicine attenuated the fever's effect.

Indeed, it was out of the question given the dollar's enfeebled position.

The constant tension was sapping my energy.

Industry has been crippled by high interest rates.

His senses were blunted by the whisky.

The illness had impaired his ability to think and concentrate.

Falling coffee prices have impoverished many Third World economics.

Toxic (adj.): poisonous, fatal, lethal, mortal, venomous, deadly, virulent

Toxic chemical were spilled into the river.

Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas, mostly produced by cars.

A sudden shock could be fatal to anyone with a weak heart.

Almost any sharp or pointed object can potentially be a lethal weapon.

A venomous snake

A particularly virulent form of influenza

Tranquility (n.): calm, quietness

Nothing ever happens to disturb the tranquility of this little town, hidden in the Tuscan hills.

Acknowledge (v): accept, admit, concede, confess, avow

- 37 -
He acknowledges when he‟s tired he gets bad-temper.

I conceded that I had made a number of errors.

My husband confessed he'd been having an affair with a woman in his office.

His avowed his commitment to Marxist ideals.

Assimilate (v.): merge, mix, bond, connect, combine, affiliate, and incorporate

The person we are looking for must be flexible, creative, and able to assimilate new ideas.

The society isn‟t affiliate with any political party.

We've incorporated many environmentally-friendly features into the design of the building.

Caliber (n.): quality, characteristic, trait, feature, property

Where will find another man with his caliber?

Genetic/ inherited/ personality/character traits

The hotel's most attractive feature is its magnificent view of Mount Hood.

We test the chemical and biological properties of the samples.

Unravel (v.): separate, discover, solve

Detectives are still trying to unravel the mystery surrounding his death.

The company started to unravel when two of the directors were arrested.

Witticism (n.): humor

Woo (v.): attract

Supermarkets are trying to woo customers by cutting prices.

- 38 -