by Damon Suede
BLUDGEON (→): assail, assault, attack, bash, baste, bat, batter, beat, belabor, belt, beset, birch, blackjack, box, brain, bruise, buffet, bust, cane, chop, clobber, clout, club, concuss, conk, cowhide, crack, crush, cudgel, cuff, deck, defeat, drub, flog, hammer, hide, hit, injure, knock, lace, lambaste, lash, lather, lick, maim, mangle, maul, overcome, overemphasize, overpower, paddle, pelt, pistol-whip, pommel, pound, pulverize, pummel, punch, scourge, skull, slam, slate, smack, smash, strike, swat, swipe, switch, tan, thrash, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, wham, whip, whomp, whup, wound (≠ absorb, armor, -avoid, block, caress, counter, defend, deflect, -disregard, -escape, guard, -ignore, miss, parry, -prevent, protect, -rebuff, repel, rescue, resist, shield, stroke, strum, survive, tap, weather, withstand)
BLUFF (←): bamboozle, beguile, betray, bleed, blind, buffalo, bullshit, burn, catch, cheat, chisel, con, convince, counterfeit, cozen, deceive, defraud, delude, diddle, double-cross, dupe, euchre, fake, fleece, fool, gull, hoax, hocus-pocus, hoodwink, humbug, hustle, jive, juggle, kid, lull, manipulate, misguide, misinform, mislead, mulct, pretend, rook, scam, schmooze, shortchange, skin, snooker, snow, spoof, squeeze, stick, sting, sucker, swindle, tease, trick (≠ accuse, assume, authenticate, authorize, believe, certify, clarify, confess, confirm, debunk, disabuse, disclose, disenchant, disillusion, divulge, ensure, expose, guarantee, prove, rephrase, reveal, secure, show, substantiate, tell, trust, uncloak, uncover, undeceive, unmask, unveil, validate, verify)
BLUFF (←): act, affect, assume, camouflage, clothe, conceal, convince, costume, counterfeit, disguise, dissimulate, fake, feign, forge, imitate, impersonate, make-believe, mask, play, playact, pose, pretend, profess, roleplay, simulate (≠ authenticate, betray, communicate, confess, confront, convince, corroborate, demonstrate, disclose, discover, distinguish, divulge, endorse, evince, finger, flaunt, identify, nail, reveal, show, suss, uncloak, uncover, undress, unmask, unveil, validate, warrant)
BLUNT (/): abate, allay, alleviate, anesthetize, attenuate, buffer, cauterize, cripple, damp, dampen, deaden, debilitate, decrease, desensitize, diminish, disable, dull, ease, enfeeble, lessen, lighten, lower, minimize, mitigate, moderate, muffle, mute, numb, reduce, round, sabotage, sap, soften, subdue, subvert, taper, underemphasize, undermine, weaken (≠ accentuate, aim, amplify, animate, arouse, augment, boost, consolidate, deepen, develop, edge, emphasize, enhance, exaggerate, flavor, grind, heighten, hone, increase, intensify, magnify, marinate, maximize, needle, optimize, overdramatize, point, punctuate, rarefy, rectify, redouble, refine, season, sharpen, spice, stimulate, strengthen, whet)
BLUR (/): becloud, befog, blear, blind, camouflage, cloak, clothe, cloud, complicate, conceal, confuse, cover, curtain, daze, dazzle, discompose, disguise, dishevel, disorder, dull, elaborate, entangle, fog, hide, implicate, jumble, mask, mist, muddle, muddy, obfuscate, obscure, perplex, scramble, snarl, soften, tangle, veil (≠ analyze, clarify, clear, concentrate, decipher, decode, deduce, expose, focus, illuminate, reveal, sharpen, simplify, streamline, uncloud, uncover, unravel, unscramble, unveil)
BLUR (/): bedim, besmirch, blacken, blemish, blot, blotch, cloud, darken, dim, dirty, discolor, eclipse, fog, haze, mist, obliterate, obscure, overshadow, screen, shade, shadow, shroud, smear, smudge, spot, stain, taint, tarnish (≠ brighten, clarify, clean, cleanse, clear, illuminate, light, lighten, purify, rinse, shine)
BOLSTER (+): aid, assist, augment, back, boost, brace, bulwark, buoy, buttress, carry, champion, condone, cushion, defend, egg, encourage, endorse, energize, enhance, favor, feed, force-feed, fortify, foster, fuel, guard, help, increase, inspire, kindle, maintain, motivate, nourish, nurse, nurture, patronize, pillow, prioritize, promote, prop, protect, ratify, reassure, reinforce, safeguard, sanction, second, secure, sponsor, stabilize, stay, strengthen, supplement, support, sustain, uphold (≠ attack, betray, block, boobytrap, checkmate, corrode, counteract, decrease, -deny, destabilize, discredit, disfavor, dissolve, erode, foil, half-ass, hamstring, harm, hinder, -ignore, impede, injure, monkey-wrench, obstruct, -prevent, protest, sabotage, scupper, shelve, skim, stop, strip, stymie, -thwart, undercut, undermine, weaken)
BOLT (←): consume, cram, devour, gobble, gorge, gulp, guzzle, inhale, scarf, seize, stuff, swallow, swill, wolf (≠ belch, discard, disgorge, eject, empty, expel, nibble, peck, pick, -refuse, -reject, spew, spit, vomit)
BOLT (/): bar, barricade, block, chain, close, cover, deadbolt, fasten, fortify, hinder, impede, latch, lock, obstruct, pin, protect, reinforce, rivet, screw, seal, secure, shut (≠ admit, invite, loose, loosen, obtain, open, prize, pry, receive, release, unbolt, unfasten, unhook, unlock, welcome)
BOMBARD (→): ambush, annoy, assail, assault, attack, barrage, batter, beset, besiege, blast, blindside, blitz, blitzkrieg, bomb, bother, bushwhack, catapult, catechize, club, cross-examine, debrief, deluge, demand, devastate, examine, flood, fusillade, grill, harass, hassle, hit, hound, interrogate, interview, inundate, launch, pelt, pester, pound, probe, pump, query, question, quiz, raid, rake, ravage, sandbag, shell, shower, stone, strafe, strike, swamp, torpedo, zap (≠ armor, assist, conceal, cover, defend, deflect, disguise, harbor, hide, keep, nurture, parry, preserve, protect, repair, repel, save, screen, secure, shelter, shield, support)
BOOK (←): arrange, bag, bespeak, calendar, charter, commit, contract, earmark, engage, hire, lease, order, organize, pencil, plan, prearrange, procure, program, promise, rent, reserve, retain, schedule (≠ -abandon, -abort, abrogate, axe, -cancel, -decline, -deny, drop, dump, fire, forfeit, -halt, kill, -nix, pass, postpone, reconsider, -rescind, revoke, scrap, shelve, terminate, withdraw)
BOOST (→): accent, accentuate, accrue, add, advance, advocate, affirm, aid, amplify, assert, assist, augment, back, bolster, brace, broaden, build, buttress, compliment, condone, double, egg, elevate, emphasize, encourage, endorse, energize, enhance, enlarge, enrich, exhilarate, expand, extend, fatten, favor, flavor, fortify, foster, further, grow, heighten, help, increase, inflate, inspire, intensify, invigorate, kindle, lengthen, lift, magnify, marinate, maximize, motivate, multiply, nourish, optimize, overhaul, patronize, promote, provoke, punctuate, raise, refine, reinforce, resuscitate, revolutionize, reward, richen, sanction, season, second, spice, spur, stimulate, strengthen, support, treble, triple, upgrade, uplift, urge, widen (≠ -balk, block, checkmate, condemn, criticize, critique, curtail, dampen, delay, demotivate, depress, -deter, diminish, discourage, discredit, disfavor, disgrace, dissuade, downplay, downsize, encumber, foil, -frustrate, -halt, hamper, hamstring, harm, hinder, hurt, impede, incapacitate, inhibit, injure, lessen, lower, minimize, monkey-wrench, muzzle, obstruct, pause, -prevent, protest, rarefy, reduce, restrain, sabotage, scotch, scupper, scuttle, shelve, short-circuit, shrink, silence, sink, slow, stall, stem, subvert, suppress, -thwart, undercut, underemphasize, undermine, weaken)
BOOT (→): axe, banish, can, cashier, defenestrate, deport, discharge, dismiss, displace, dispossess, eject, evict, exile, exorcise, expatriate, expel, fire, jettison, kick, -ostracize, oust, pink-slip, release, remove, retire, rout, sack, shed, shove, terminate (≠ accept, admit, appoint, entertain, gather, glean, harbor, hire, house, keep, lodge, receive, retain, room, shelter, take, welcome)
BORE (/): afflict, anesthetize, annoy, badger, bother, cloy, deaden, debilitate, demoralize, demotivate, disable, discomfort, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, drag, drain, dull, earbash, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, fatigue, frustrate, irk, irritate, jade, nag, needle, niggle, nitpick, numb, pester, plague, sedate, stultify, tire, tranquilize, trouble, tucker, vex, wear, weary, worry (≠ absorb, amuse, animate, attract, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, divert, enchant, energize, engage, engross, enliven, entertain, enthrall, entice, excite, fascinate, galvanize, grip, interest, intrigue, invigorate, involve, mesmerize, motivate, please, razzle-dazzle, stimulate, woo) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
BORROW (←): acquire, appropriate, beg, bite, bum, cadge, charter, chisel, coopt, debit, deduct, filch, hire, lease, lift, mooch, negotiate, obtain, pawn, pilfer, pledg
e, poach, procure, rent, scrounge, secure, siphon, soak, source, sponge, take, tap, touch (≠ -abandon, bequeath, buy, discard, -disown, earn, forfeit, -forsake, give, jettison, lend, loan, lose, outbid, own, pay, provide, purchase, receive, recoup, -reject, relinquish, return, sell, steal, supply, tithe)
BORROW (←): absorb, acquire, adopt, affect, appropriate, arrogate, assimilate, assume, cherish, copy, cultivate, derive, domesticate, draw, embrace, emulate, espouse, follow, foster, heed, honor, imitate, incorporate, integrate, internalize, mimic, naturalize, nurture, pirate, plagiarize, pretend, prize, quote, raise, rear, simulate, treasure, use, usurp, utilize (≠ -abandon, abjure, abnegate, coin, conceive, concoct, create, devise, discard, -disown, -forsake, invent, jettison, junk, originate, -reject, relinquish, -renounce, -repudiate, spitball, -spurn, surrender)
BOTCH (/): blemish, blight, blow, bobble, boggle, bollix, bugger, bungle, butcher, damage, destroy, -disregard, distort, doom, drop, fail, flaw, flub, fluff, foozle, forget, foul, fumble, half-ass, harm, harshen, hurt, impair, injure, jumble, lose, louse, mangle, mar, misapply, miscalculate, miscarry, misconstrue, misdiagnose, mishandle, misjudge, mislay, mismanage, miss, mistake, misunderstand, mix, muddle, muff, murder, mutilate, -neglect, -omit, -overlook, ruin, scramble, screw, spoil, vitiate, wreck (≠ accomplish, achieve, actualize, ameliorate, bemoan, better, claim, crest, diagnose, doctor, enhance, fix, flavor, help, improve, lament, manage, mourn, nail, optimize, overhaul, patch, perfect, recondition, rectify, refine, reform, regret, remedy, renovate, repair, revamp, revolutionize, rue, season, steady)
BOTHER (/): afflict, affront, aggravate, aggrieve, agitate, alarm, anger, annoy, antagonize, arouse, badger, bait, bedevil, beleaguer, besiege, browbeat, bug, bully, bullyrag, burden, burn, chafe, chaff, concern, devil, disappoint, discomfort, discompose, disgust, dismay, displease, disquiet, dissatisfy, distract, distress, disturb, dizzy, dog, earbash, eat, enrage, envenom, exacerbate, exasperate, exercise, faze, fluster, freak, fret, frost, fuss, gall, get, goad, grate, hagride, harass, harry, hassle, heckle, hector, importune, incense, incommode, inconvenience, inflame, infuriate, insult, irk, irritate, jar, jeer, kid, madden, miff, mock, molest, nag, nauseate, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, nudge, offend, outrage, overset, peeve, perplex, persecute, perturb, pester, pique, plague, poke, prod, provoke, rag, rally, rankle, rasp, razz, repel, rib, ride, ridicule, rile, roast, roil, rouse, ruffle, scandalize, shock, sicken, slam, spite, tantalize, taunt, tease, tickle, torment, trouble, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, vex, worry (≠ accommodate, amuse, appease, assuage, assure, benefit, bless, calm, charm, cheer, comfort, console, content, delight, entertain, gladden, grace, gratify, hush, lull, mellow, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, please, pleasure, propitiate, quiet, reassure, relax, satisfy, sedate, settle, smooth, soothe, steady, still, sugarcoat, thrill, tranquilize, woo, wow)
BOTTLE (←): bury, check, collar, conceal, contain, corner, cramp, curb, curtail, disguise, enclose, hide, hold, hush, inhibit, keep, leash, limit, obstruct, occlude, -prevent, -prohibit, repress, restrain, restrict, silence, smother, stifle, straiten, strangle, suppress, throttle, trap (≠ affirm, blab, blurt, circulate, confess, confide, confirm, disgorge, divulge, ejaculate, eject, expel, expose, out, reveal, share, spew, unleash, vent, vomit)
BOUNCE (→): brush, bump, contact, dribble, drop, graze, hit, kiss, nudge, ping, rake, reflect, ricochet, shave, sideswipe, skim, skip, sweep, throw, toss, touch (≠ catch, clench, deflate, grasp, grip, hold, keep, pin, puncture)
BOUNCE (→): advance, advocate, arrange, articulate, calculate, chart, contrive, cover, detail, develop, dispense, draft, examine, express, file, formulate, forward, frame, introduce, lay, lodge, map, move, nominate, offer, place, plan, plot, pose, present, proffer, propose, recommend, shape, sketch, slate, specify, spitball, state, submit, suggest, table, tender, test, verbalize, vocalize, volunteer, vote (≠ -abandon, adopt, choose, chuck, determine, discard, dismiss, -ditch, drop, dump, jettison, kill, pick, -reject, relinquish, remove, -repudiate, retain, scrap, select, shed, slam, trash)
BOUNCE (/): axe, boot, can, cashier, chuck, discharge, dismiss, downsize, dump, eject, fire, furlough, kick, oust, pink-slip, release, remove, retire, sack, separate, terminate, trim, unseat (≠ contract, employ, engage, hire, keep, recruit, reemploy, rehire, retain, sign, subcontract)
BOX (→): attack, batter, battle, bludgeon, buffet, challenge, clobber, clout, combat, cuff, deck, fight, hammer, hit, maul, pummel, punch, rap, slap, slug, smack, sock, strike, thump, wallop, whack (≠ block, counter, defend, deflect, guard, parry, protect, shield)
BOX (←): cage, case, coffin, confine, contain, corner, crate, encase, encircle, enclose, hold, house, include, pack, package, parcel, pen, pigeonhole, pin, seal, surround, trap, wrap (≠ dispense, expose, lose, -omit, open, release, reveal, spread, unbox)
-BOYCOTT (→): -avoid, ban, bar, black, blackball, blacklist, -cold-shoulder, disallow, embargo, -eschew, -exclude, -ignore, -ostracize, outlaw, -prohibit, proscribe, -refuse, -reject, -snub, -spurn, strike (≠ advocate, buy, champion, defend, encourage, import, patronize, promote, request, support)
BRACE (+): bandage, bear, bind, bolster, bolt, bulwark, buttress, carry, clinch, fasten, fortify, gird, patch, prepare, prop, ready, reinforce, secure, shore, shove, splint, stabilize, stay, steady, steel, strap, strengthen, support, sustain, tie, tighten, truss, undergird, underpin, uphold (≠ attack, boobytrap, burden, compromise, damage, endanger, harm, imperil, injure, loosen, lumber, mar, rattle, roil, sabotage, scotch, scupper, scuttle, shake, subvert, threaten, undercut, undermine, unfasten, wag, weaken, weaponize)
BRAID (+): baste, bind, blend, coil, complicate, compose, concoct, connect, construct, contrive, couple, create, dress, enlace, entwine, fabricate, fashion, fasten, fuse, groom, improvise, incorporate, integrate, interlace, intermingle, intertwine, interweave, join, knit, knot, lace, lash, link, loop, make, manufacture, merge, mix, plait, pleat, ply, raddle, ravel, sew, snake, spin, splice, style, tangle, tether, twine, twist, unite, weave, wind, wreathe (≠ brush, comb, cut, disentangle, divide, rip, separate, shred, slice, smooth, split, tatter, tear, unbraid, uncoil, unravel, unsew, unspool, untangle, untwine, unwind)
BRAINWASH (+): adjust, alter, catechize, coax, condition, convert, convince, drill, educate, enchant, enthrall, equip, familiarize, gaslight, groom, ground, impress, inculcate, indoctrinate, influence, infuse, instill, instruct, modify, mold, persuade, prepare, prime, program, propagandize, proselytize, retrain, school, season, shape, sway, teach, temper, train, transform, tune, weaponize (≠ awaken, -cancel, clean, contradict, debunk, deprogram, discredit, disprove, erase, expose, extract, forget, keep, -negate, -prevent, protest, reprogram, rescue, save, stop)
BRAND (→): besmirch, burn, cauterize, censure, claim, denounce, discredit, disgrace, engrave, etch, fix, grade, impress, imprint, incriminate, ingrain, label, mark, monogram, scar, scorch, sear, set, singe, stain, stamp, stigmatize, taint, trademark, typecast (≠ absolve, acquit, anonymize, -avoid, blot, clean, clear, erase, exonerate, expunge, honor, mislabel, mistake, normalize, obliterate, scour, scrub, wash)
BRANDISH (→): display, exhibit, expose, flash, flaunt, flourish, parade, raise, shake, show, sport, swing, swish, twirl, unsheathe, vaunt, wag, wave, wield (≠ -abandon, bury, cloak, conceal, cover, disguise, guard, hide, holster, mask, obscure, protect, save, sheathe, veil)
BRAVE (→): abide, accost, affront, approach, battle, bear, beard, brazen, breast, challenge, combat, confront, contact, corner, court, dare, defy, endure, face, fight, front, meet, oppose, race, repel, resist, risk, stand, stomach, suffer, support, sweat, tolerate, venture, weather, withstand, woo (≠ -abandon, -avoid, -circumvent, depart, -dodge, dread, -duck, -elude, -escape, -eschew, -evade, fear, -flee, forfeit, hide, -reject, resist, shake, -shirk, -shun, -sidestep, skip, spare)
BREACH (→): break, burst, bust, cleave, contravene, cross, defy, dismiss, disobey, -disregard, flout, fracture, -ignore, -neglect, offend, open, outrage, pooh-pooh, rend, resist, rupture, -scorn, shatter, -slight, split, subvert
, traduce, transgress, violate, withstand (≠ attend, follow, fulfill, heed, mark, mind, note, notice, obey, observe, preserve, regard, satisfy, serve)
BREAK (→): beat, better, eclipse, exceed, outdo, outperform, outreach, outshine, outstrip, surpass, top, transcend, trespass (≠ -abandon, concede, forfeit, lose, relinquish, -renounce, sacrifice, surrender)
BREAK (+): analyze, annotate, ascertain, calculate, condense, convert, crack, decipher, decode, decrypt, deduce, delineate, descramble, detect, determine, diagnose, discover, distinguish, elucidate, explain, explore, extract, guess, hack, indicate, interpret, learn, paraphrase, peg, penetrate, probe, profile, read, relate, render, rephrase, resolve, restate, scrutinize, settle, solve, study, summarize, suss, test, transcribe, translate, unravel, unscramble, untangle (≠ assume, baffle, cipher, code, conceal, confuse, cypher, -disregard, encipher, encode, encrypt, fake, fudge, garble, hide, -ignore, jumble, miscalculate, misconstrue, misdiagnose, misinterpret, misjudge, misread, mistake, mix, mystify, obscure, -overlook, perplex, puzzle, scramble, stymie) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
BREAK (/): atomize, batter, beat, bend, burst, bust, club, concuss, corrode, crack, cripple, crumble, crush, damage, defeat, demolish, destroy, disable, disintegrate, dissolve, divide, erode, fissure, fracture, fragment, harm, impoverish, incapacitate, injure, mutate, pulverize, reduce, rend, rive, ruin, separate, sever, shatter, shiver, smash, snap, splinter, split, strike, tear, warp, wound (≠ adapt, adjust, alter, amend, attach, calibrate, clout, concoct, correct, craft, create, fashion, fix, improve, mend, overhaul, patch, realign, rebuild, rectify, remedy, repair, restore, retool, revamp, revise, right, sculpt, seal, splint, tweak, weaponize)