by Damon Suede
ABSORB (←): allure, amuse, attract, beguile, bemuse, bewitch, busy, captivate, catch, charm, concern, consume, distract, divert, employ, enchant, engage, engross, entertain, enthrall, fascinate, fill, grip, hog, hold, hypnotize, immerse, interest, intrigue, involve, mesmerize, monopolize, obsess, occupy, possess, preoccupy, rivet, stimulate (≠ annoy, bore, disgust, displease, distract, frustrate, irk, jade, offend, repel, revolt, tire, vex, weary) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
ABSORB (+): assimilate, catch, collect, compile, comprehend, coopt, digest, discover, follow, gain, gather, glean, grasp, grok, incorporate, integrate, internalize, learn, master, overhear, realize, receive, sense, study, suss, understand (≠ -deny, forget, misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misdiagnose, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, miss, mistake, misunderstand, -neglect, -reject, -spurn) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
ABSORB (+): acclimatize, accommodate, acculturate, accustom, adapt, adjust, adopt, amalgamate, assimilate, blend, combine, commingle, condition, coopt, embody, enculturate, fuse, habituate, include, incorporate, integrate, intermingle, merge, mingle, mix, naturalize, reunite, unite (≠ alienate, banish, bar, contrast, diffuse, eliminate, -exclude, exile, expel, isolate, juxtapose, -omit, orphan, oust, -prevent, -prohibit, replace, -repudiate, resist, scatter, seclude, segregate)
ABUSE (←): bamboozle, bleed, bully, cheat, coerce, commandeer, commercialize, commodify, compel, con, deceive, dragoon, embezzle, exploit, extort, fleece, gazump, gull, harass, impose, leverage, manipulate, milk, mistreat, overcharge, play, pressure, presume, skin, soak, stick, tap, use, work (≠ aid, assist, benefit, guard, help, honor, -neglect, nurture, preserve, protect, respect, restore, save, support)
ABUSE (/): bastardize, bestialize, cannibalize, consume, corrupt, debase, degrade, depredate, desecrate, dissipate, exhaust, exploit, fritter, misapply, mishandle, mismanage, misuse, overburden, overtax, overwork, pervert, profane, prostitute, ruin, spoil, squander, taint, twist, waste (≠ apply, benefit, bless, defend, employ, esteem, guard, preserve, prize, respect, revere, support, use, utilize)
ABUSE (/): anguish, assault, attack, batter, beat, brutalize, bully, burn, club, corrupt, crucify, damage, defile, degrade, deprave, desecrate, exploit, harass, harm, hit, hurt, ill-treat, impair, injure, maim, maltreat, manhandle, mar, menace, mishandle, mistreat, misuse, molest, oppress, outrage, persecute, pollute, rape, ruin, sandbag, soil, spoil, sully, taint, torment, torture, total, trample, use, victimize, violate, wound, wrong (≠ adore, baby, cherish, coddle, defend, favor, foster, gratify, heal, help, honor, humor, indulge, mollycoddle, nurse, nurture, pamper, pity, preserve, protect, rescue, respect, revere, spoil, treasure)
ABUSE (/): abase, affront, antagonize, assail, attack, backbite, badmouth, bait, bash, belabor, belittle, berate, besmirch, betray, blackguard, blaspheme, blast, blemish, browbeat, bully, bullyrag, calumniate, castigate, chastise, chide, criticize, curse, damn, debase, decry, defame, demean, demonize, denigrate, diminish, -discount, discredit, disfavor, disgrace, dishonor, disparage, excoriate, execrate, flannel, flatter, harangue, harass, harry, humble, humiliate, imprecate, impugn, insult, knock, lambaste, libel, malign, minimize, mortify, nag, offend, oppress, persecute, pillory, profane, rail, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, revile, ride, ridicule, savage, scathe, scold, shame, slam, slander, slap, slate, -slight, slur, smear, -snub, taunt, traduce, trash, upbraid, victimize, vilify, vituperate, whip, wrong, zing (≠ acclaim, admire, adore, adulate, amuse, approve, boost, cajole, charm, cherish, commend, compliment, court, deify, delight, dignify, esteem, exalt, glorify, hail, hero-worship, idolize, laud, lionize, pity, praise, retort, revere, reverence, soap, support, sweet-talk, venerate, woo, worship)
ACCELERATE (→): advance, aid, bundle, dispatch, drive, ease, encourage, expedite, facilitate, fast-forward, fast-track, forward, frogmarch, further, goad, gun, hasten, hurry, impel, march, midwife, precipitate, prod, promote, propel, push, quicken, race, railroad, rev, rush, spur, stimulate, stir, urge, whisk (≠ -abort, brake, burden, choke, conclude, cripple, decelerate, delay, encumber, hamper, hamstring, hinder, hobble, impede, kill, obstruct, postpone, prolong, restrain, retard, shelve, short-circuit, slow, stall, stay, stifle, still, stop, tax, terminate, -thwart, weight)
ACCENTUATE (+): accent, advertise, amplify, assert, belabor, bolster, boost, center, concentrate, deepen, display, elevate, emphasize, escalate, exaggerate, exhibit, favor, feature, flaunt, focus, foreground, heighten, highlight, hype, identify, illuminate, increase, intensify, magnify, mark, maximize, overemphasize, overplay, oversell, overstate, overstress, pinpoint, plug, present, press, prioritize, promote, publicize, punctuate, push, reinforce, sharpen, show, spotlight, strengthen, stress, underline, underscore, weight (≠ abate, -avoid, belittle, bury, conceal, cover, curb, decrease, deemphasize, diminish, -discount, disparage, -disregard, downplay, -eschew, hide, -ignore, lessen, lighten, marginalize, mask, minimize, miss, mitigate, moderate, muffle, -neglect, obscure, obstruct, -omit, -overlook, quiet, reduce, sideline, silence, stifle, subdue, subordinate, temper, undercut, underemphasize, undermine, underrate, understate, weaken)
ACCEPT (←): abide, absorb, access, acquire, admit, adopt, assimilate, authenticate, authorize, bear, brook, confirm, corroborate, countenance, devour, eat, embrace, endure, engorge, gain, gather, get, gobble, grasp, greenlight, gulp, import, incorporate, ingest, inhale, inspire, integrate, internalize, legalize, obtain, okay, permit, pocket, procure, ratify, receive, sanction, secure, shoulder, stand, stomach, support, sustain, swallow, sweat, take, tolerate, underwrite, warrant, welcome (≠ accord, adjure, bestow, challenge, combat, comp, contest, counteract, countercheck, -decline, -deny, disallow, disapprove, discard, donate, eliminate, fight, give, oppose, protest, -refuse, -reject, repel, resist, scrap, -spurn, tender, tithe, -veto, withstand, yield)
ACCEPT (+): acclaim, admire, adore, applaud, approve, back, bear, bless, commend, congratulate, countenance, endure, enjoy, favor, laud, love, okay, praise, recommend, respect, salute, stomach, support, sustain, tolerate, uphold (≠ blacklist, boo, censure, condemn, criticize, damn, denounce, deprecate, depreciate, -detest, disfavor, disparage, fulminate, -hate, -loathe, malign, mind, mock, oppose, ridicule)
ACCEPT (+): acknowledge, admit, affirm, allow, approve, assert, assume, assure, attest, believe, buy, certify, claim, conclude, contend, corroborate, credit, declare, deduce, endorse, express, gather, hold, infer, maintain, pledge, presume, proclaim, profess, promise, prove, ratify, sanction, state, stipulate, submit, support, suppose, sustain, swallow, take, testify, trust, understand, validate, verify, warrant, welcome (≠ allege, challenge, consult, convince, cross-examine, debate, debunk, demonize, demonstrate, disbelieve, discredit, dispute, distrust, doubt, grill, impugn, interrogate, interview, mistrust, -negate, -nullify, pillory, question, -reject, -renounce, ridicule, scruple, suspect, wonder)
ACCEPT (+): accede, adopt, advocate, assume, back, bear, champion, condone, embrace, endorse, espouse, integrate, obey, observe, shoulder, support, undertake, uphold (≠ -abandon, abjure, -avoid, condemn, -decline, detour, disavow, disclaim, -disown, -forsake, -negate, offer, recant, -refuse, -reject, relinquish, -renounce, -repudiate, retract, spitball, -spurn, volunteer, withdraw)
ACCEPT (+): abide, absorb, allow, bear, brave, brook, condone, countenance, endure, face, follow, hack, handle, meet, obey, permit, pocket, reconcile, respect, stand, stomach, suffer, support, sustain, swallow, sweat, take, tolerate, wear (≠ -avoid, bandy, -bypass, -circumvent, combat, contest, counteract, -decline, dismiss, -dodge, -elude, -escape, -evade, fight, miss, oppose, -refuse, -reject, -repudiate, resist, -spurn)
ACCESS (→): crack, crash, decode, discover, enter, gate-crash, infiltrate, infringe, invade, locate, open, penetrate, pierce, reach, read, retrieve, solve, trespass, uncover, unearth, unlock, use, utilize (≠ -avoid, banish, block, botch, bury, cordon, depart, -exclude, hide, hinder, -ignore, leave, lose, miss, oust, shut)
ACCLAIM (+): accredit, acknowledge, admire, adore, adulate, aggrandize, applaud
, appreciate, approve, ballyhoo, beatify, blandish, boost, celebrate, cheer, commend, compliment, congratulate, deify, dignify, distinguish, elevate, emblazon, encourage, endorse, ennoble, eulogize, exalt, extol, favor, fête, flannel, flatter, glorify, gold-star, gratify, hail, heighten, high-five, honor, hype, idealize, idolize, laud, lift, lionize, magnify, plug, praise, promote, raise, recognize, recommend, respect, revere, reverence, reward, romanticize, salute, sanction, stroke, support, thank, toast, tout, trumpet, uplift, value, venerate, welcome (≠ abuse, admonish, badmouth, belittle, berate, blame, blast, boo, castigate, censure, chastise, chide, condemn, criticize, damn, debase, decry, demean, demonize, denigrate, denounce, deride, -detest, diminish, discredit, disgrace, disparage, disrespect, excoriate, fault, finger, frame, fulminate, heckle, humiliate, insult, jeer, keelhaul, knock, lambaste, malign, minimize, mock, neg, pan, pillory, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, revile, ridicule, rue, savage, scold, -scorn, -shun, skewer, slag, slam, -snub, vilify, wrong)
ACCOMMODATE (+): acclimate, acclimatize, accustom, acquaint, adapt, adjust, align, alter, arrange, array, attune, balance, bend, blend, calibrate, combine, compose, conciliate, condition, connect, convert, coordinate, correct, correlate, customize, defray, doctor, dovetail, edit, enable, equalize, equip, establish, even, facilitate, familiarize, fashion, fiddle, fine-tune, fit, fuse, gear, habituate, harden, harmonize, integrate, inure, join, key, match, merge, midwife, model, modify, naturalize, orchestrate, order, orient, orientate, pace, pair, pattern, phase, prepare, prime, proportion, put, readapt, readjust, ready, recast, reclaim, reconceive, reconceptualize, reconcile, recycle, redesign, redevelop, redo, reengineer, refashion, refit, refocus, register, regularize, regulate, rehearse, reintegrate, reinvent, rejigger, remake, remodel, reorient, restore, rethink, retool, reunite, revamp, revise, rework, rig, right, root, season, settle, shape, smooth, square, standardize, suit, synchronize, synthesize, tailor, time, toughen, transform, tune, unify, unite (≠ alienate, botch, challenge, confuse, contradict, counteract, damage, disaffect, disarray, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, estrange, hamper, harm, impede, inconvenience, isolate, mar, misadjust, obstruct, occlude, -omit, oppose, sabotage, scupper, skew, tax, -thwart, trouble, undermine, upset)
ACCOMMODATE (+): abet, aid, appease, assist, attend, boost, cheer, coddle, comfort, conciliate, delight, empower, encourage, equip, favor, gladden, grace, gratify, help, humor, indulge, mollify, mollycoddle, nurture, oblige, overindulge, pacify, pamper, placate, please, propitiate, provide, reassure, relieve, satisfy, soothe, succor, supply, support (≠ bother, burden, constrain, -desert, disappoint, discommode, disfavor, disoblige, disturb, encumber, fail, -frustrate, hamper, hamstring, hinder, hobble, impede, incommode, inconvenience, obstruct, orphan, -ostracize, oust, restrain, sabotage, subvert, -thwart, trouble)
ACCOMMODATE (+): barrack, bestow, billet, board, bunk, carry, chamber, contain, domicile, embattle, enclose, encompass, enfold, ensconce, fit, foster, garrison, harbor, help, hold, home, house, lodge, niche, place, quarter, roof, room, seat, secure, shed, shelter, stable, take, tent, welcome (≠ alienate, ban, banish, bar, blackball, deport, eject, evict, exorcise, expel, isolate, -ostracize, oust, quarantine, -reject, remove, seclude, -shun)
ACCOMPANY (+): accessorize, add, adorn, affix, attach, attend, bring, chaperone, chauffeur, conduct, convey, convoy, defend, escort, follow, garnish, guard, guide, lead, partner, pilot, protect, second, see, shadow, shepherd, squire, steer, supplement, tag, tail, usher, walk (≠ -abandon, -desert, -ditch, drop, dump, -flee, follow, -forsake, jilt, leave, maroon, oppose, -quit, -reject, -shun, skip, -snub, strand, withdraw)
ACCOST (→): address, ambush, annoy, approach, attack, bother, brace, buttonhole, challenge, confront, cross, dare, detain, entice, face, flag, greet, hail, -halt, high-five, importune, inveigle, molest, proposition, salute, solicit, stop, strike, waylay (≠ accompany, aid, assure, befriend, defend, deflect, -dodge, -elude, encourage, -evade, guard, help, -ignore, insulate, invite, protect, rescue, retort, safeguard, save, -sidestep, support, welcome)
ACCUMULATE (←): accrue, acquire, aggregate, amalgamate, amass, archive, arrange, assemble, ball, band, batch, bunch, cache, cluster, collate, collect, combine, compile, concentrate, congregate, connect, corral, double, download, expand, gain, garner, gather, glean, group, grow, heap, herd, hive, hoard, incorporate, increase, join, link, lump, mass, merge, multiply, muster, organize, pack, pile, pool, press, procure, profit, raise, rally, scavenge, stack, stockpile, store, swarm, systematize, throng, treble, triple, unite, wrangle (≠ decrease, diffuse, diminish, disband, disintegrate, dismiss, dispel, disperse, dissipate, dissolve, divide, lessen, parcel, portion, scatter, send, separate, sever, spend, split, squander, waste)
ACCUSE (/): allege, arraign, arrest, attack, attribute, betray, blame, book, brand, castigate, censure, challenge, charge, chastise, chide, cite, condemn, confront, criticize, damn, defame, denounce, disparage, expose, fault, finger, frame, impeach, implicate, impugn, incriminate, inculpate, indict, libel, litigate, name, out, prosecute, rebuke, report, reproach, reprove, resent, scapegoat, scold, slander, slur, sue, summon, tax (≠ absolve, acquit, appeal, champion, clear, defend, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, forgive, justify, legalize, pardon, protect, release, remit, shrive, spare, support, vindicate)
ACCUSTOM (+): accommodate, acquaint, adapt, adjust, advise, anchor, apprise, attune, balance, brief, calibrate, case-harden, center, coach, condition, discipline, educate, enlighten, expose, familiarize, ground, habituate, housebreak, housetrain, inform, initiate, instruct, introduce, inure, mentor, orient, orientate, present, reacquaint, school, season, subject, tame, tell, train, warn (≠ addle, alarm, baffle, bother, brutalize, bug, confuse, deceive, discombobulate, distort, distress, fabricate, gaslight, hide, misinform, mislead, panic, perplex, puzzle, savage, terrorize, unnerve, upset, vex, withhold, worry)
ACE (→): beat, best, clobber, conquer, dazzle, dominate, impress, master, outguess, outmaneuver, outperform, outsmart, outwit, overcome, overwhelm, rout, steamroller, stun, trounce, trump, vanquish (≠ bobble, bomb, botch, bugger, bungle, choke, disappoint, fail, flub, flunk, fumble, lose, miss, muff, pass, skip, subvert)
ACHIEVE (→): accomplish, acquire, actualize, answer, attain, claim, complete, conclude, consummate, crest, deliver, discharge, dispatch, earn, effect, effectuate, enact, end, execute, fill, finish, fulfill, gain, get, implement, keep, manage, manifest, meet, negotiate, obey, observe, obtain, perfect, perform, please, procure, produce, qualify, reach, realize, resolve, satisfy, score, seal, settle, sign, solve, suit, win (≠ -abandon, -abort, -avoid, begin, breach, -cancel, commence, concede, destroy, displease, -disregard, dissatisfy, drop, fail, forfeit, forget, -halt, -ignore, leave, lose, miss, -neglect, -overlook, pass, question, scant, scrimp, skimp, start, stop, surrender, violate) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
ACKNOWLEDGE (→): accede, accept, address, admit, affirm, allow, announce, approve, avow, betray, blab, blurt, break, broadcast, bulletin, certify, communicate, concede, confess, confirm, declare, defend, disclose, divulge, endorse, expose, grant, greet, hail, high-five, impart, inform, leak, mark, notice, out, own, proclaim, profess, publish, rate, ratify, receive, recognize, reveal, spill, squeal, support, talk, telegraph, tell, thank, unburden, unload, unveil, warn, welcome (≠ belittle, conceal, contradict, cover, debate, -deny, disallow, disavow, disclaim, -discount, dismiss, -disown, dispute, -disregard, distrust, doubt, forget, gainsay, hide, -ignore, impugn, -negate, obscure, -omit, -overlook, rebut, refute, -reject, -repudiate, scruple, -snub, -spurn, suspect, veil) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
ACQUAINT (→): accustom, advertise, advise, announce, appraise, apprise, befriend, brief, clue, coach, communicate, confess, disclose, divulge, educate, enlighten, familiarize, habituate, inform, instruct, notify, reveal, school, season, teach, tell, train, tutor (≠ -avoid, baffle, befuddle, conceal, confuse, disguise, -disregard, forget, hide, -ignore, mask, misinform, mislead, obliterate, obscure, -overlook, pass, -reject, veil)
ACQUIRE (←): access, accomplish, accumulate, achieve, amass, annex, appropriate, attain, bag, buy, capture, carry, catch, clear, collect, colonize, compile, cop, corral, debit, draw, earn, gain, garner, gather, get, glean, grab, gross, hustle, import, inherit, invade, land, make, net, notch, obtain, occupy, pick, procure, promote, pull, purchase, realize, reap, recapture, receive, regain, scavenge, score, secure, snag, source, stockpile, take, wangle, win (≠ -abandon, accord, bandy, comp, contribute, -ditch, drop, dump, forfeit, forgo, -forsake, furnish, give, grant, hand, hard-sell, jettison, junk, leverage, lose, misplace, miss, offer, pay, peddle, pimp, prostitute, relinquish, sell, spare, stock, supply, surrender, tithe, toss, volunteer, yield)
ACQUIT (+): absolve, cleanse, clear, defray, deliver, discharge, dismiss, exculpate, excuse, exempt, exonerate, forgive, free, justify, liberate, pardon, purge, purify, redeem, release, relieve, spare, vindicate, wash, whitewash (≠ accuse, blame, castigate, condemn, convict, denounce, discipline, fault, frame, implicate, imprison, impugn, incriminate, indict, litigate, prosecute, punish, reprove, revile, scapegoat)
ACTIVATE (→): accelerate, actuate, advance, animate, arouse, awaken, beget, begin, breed, bring, catalyze, charge, crank, create, cue, cultivate, deploy, develop, discharge, drive, electrify, enact, encourage, energize, engender, enliven, establish, excite, expedite, father, fire, forward, foster, found, fuel, further, galvanize, generate, ignite, impel, inaugurate, incite, induce, initiate, innovate, instigate, institute, introduce, invigorate, invoke, jump-start, kick-start, launch, make, mobilize, motivate, move, nourish, nurture, pioneer, power, prioritize, produce, promote, prompt, propel, prostrate, provoke, push, quicken, reactivate, reboot, recharge, release, render, revitalize, rouse, run, rush, set, spark, spawn, speed, spur, start, stimulate, stir, switch, trigger, trip, vitalize, wake (≠ abolish, arrest, -avoid, block, brake, check, control, cripple, crush, curb, cut, dampen, deactivate, decelerate, delay, demolish, demotivate, destroy, -deter, disable, discourage, dissuade, end, extinguish, -halt, hamper, hamstring, hinder, hobble, impair, impede, inactivate, inhibit, jam, kill, limit, liquidate, -prevent, quash, quell, quench, repress, restrain, restrict, sabotage, shelve, short-circuit, slake, slow, smother, snuff, squash, squelch, stale, stall, stick, stifle, still, stop, stunt, stymie, subdue, suppress, terminate, -thwart, undermine)