by Damon Suede
CONSTRAIN (←): arrest, ban, bar, bind, bottle, bound, box, bridle, cage, chain, check, confine, constrict, control, convict, cork, cramp, curb, -deny, deprive, disallow, encumber, fetter, fix, hamper, hinder, hogtie, immure, imprison, incarcerate, inhibit, institutionalize, intern, jail, limit, obligate, pace, package, pause, pigeonhole, press, pressure, regulate, restrain, restrict, stereotype, stifle, stop, straightjacket, straiten, tie, withhold (≠ authorize, circulate, disseminate, emancipate, encourage, endorse, facilitate, free, legalize, liberate, lubricate, motivate, permit, sanction, spur, unleash, unlock, urge)
CONSTRICT (←): bind, chain, check, choke, circumscribe, clench, close, compress, concentrate, condense, confine, constrain, contract, cramp, curb, encumber, fetter, hamper, hinder, impede, inhibit, limit, narrow, obstruct, occlude, pinch, pucker, restrain, restrict, shrink, squeeze, straightjacket, strangle, tauten, tense, tighten, tuck (≠ aerate, decompress, diffuse, dilate, disperse, dissipate, enlarge, expand, extend, free, grow, increase, inflate, lengthen, liberate, loose, loosen, open, oxygenate, release, scatter, slack, slacken, stretch, swell, unspool, ventilate)
CONSTRUCT (+): assemble, automate, begin, build, carpenter, coin, combine, compose, concoct, constitute, contour, contrive, cook, craft, create, elevate, engineer, erect, establish, fabricate, fashion, father, forge, form, found, frame, generate, hammer, handcraft, jerry-build, jerry-rig, machine, make, manufacture, mechanize, model, mold, motorize, organize, patch, piece, prefabricate, produce, raise, rear, reassemble, rebuild, reconstruct, redevelop, repair, retrofit, rig, sculpt, sew, shape, stitch, structure, suture, unify, unite, weave, weld (≠ atomize, bulldoze, bust, clone, demolish, destroy, detach, devastate, disassemble, disconnect, disengage, disjoin, dismantle, dismember, disunite, divide, doom, explode, flatten, fracture, fragment, level, pulverize, raze, reproduce, reshape, restructure, ruin, separate, shatter, smash, strike, topple, wreck)
CONSTRUCT (+): ad-lib, brainstorm, brew, coin, conceive, concoct, contrive, design, devise, dream, envisage, envision, extemporize, fabricate, fantasize, formulate, hatch, imagine, improve, improvise, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, invent, originate, picture, produce, visualize (≠ adopt, ape, clone, copy, copycat, demoralize, duplicate, emulate, forget, -ignore, imitate, mimic, mock, reduplicate, replicate, reproduce, sabotage, scotch, scupper, scuttle, shelve, undermine)
CONSUME (←): absorb, accept, access, acquire, admit, appreciate, appropriate, assimilate, banquet, bolt, chew, corrode, cram, demolish, devour, digest, dispatch, dissolve, down, drink, eat, engorge, engulf, enjoy, envelop, feast, finish, get, glut, gnaw, gobble, gorge, gulp, gum, guzzle, hoover, imbibe, incorporate, ingest, inhale, inspire, integrate, internalize, lap, lick, manage, metabolize, mouth, munch, nibble, nosh, nurse, overwhelm, pick, pocket, procure, quaff, raven, receive, regale, relish, ruminate, savor, scarf, sip, slop, slurp, snarf, sniff, stuff, suck, surfeit, swallow, swig, swill, take, taste, try, vacuum, welcome, wolf (≠ -avoid, barf, belch, brew, -bypass, concoct, content, cook, covet, crave, create, -decline, desire, disgorge, disperse, -ditch, drop, dump, eject, excrete, expel, exude, famish, fancy, favor, feed, fetishize, force-feed, forgo, fuel, furnish, grace, gratify, heave, hunt, jettison, make, malnourish, miss, nourish, offer, order, overfeed, pass, please, prepare, puke, quench, -refuse, regurgitate, -reject, request, satisfy, serve, skimp, skip, slake, spew, spit, splutter, starve, stint, supply, toss, trash, underfeed, victual, vomit, withhold)
CONSUME (←): abate, absorb, access, bankrupt, beggar, blow, burn, cannibalize, clean, cripple, debilitate, decrease, de-escalate, deplete, devour, diminish, disable, dissipate, downsize, drain, draw, eat, empty, enfeeble, exhaust, expend, fritter, guzzle, impoverish, lavish, leech, lessen, lower, misspend, reduce, sap, spend, squander, undermine, use, waste, weaken, wither (≠ augment, bolster, boost, budget, buttress, charge, conserve, dent, deprive, drizzle, enforce, enlarge, fill, fortify, fuel, increase, pickle, preserve, rebuild, recoup, refill, reinforce, reinvigorate, reload, renew, repair, replace, replenish, restimulate, restore, revive, save, scant, skimp, stimulate, stint, stock, strengthen, trickle, withhold)
CONSUME (←): absorb, allure, arrest, beckon, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, court, delight, disarm, draw, enchant, engage, engross, enrapture, enthrall, entice, entrance, fascinate, floor, gratify, grip, hold, interest, intrigue, invite, involve, kill, lure, magnetize, monopolize, obsess, occupy, please, preoccupy, pull, rivet, seduce, solicit, tempt, thrill, woo, wow (≠ annoy, -balk, bore, bother, bug, burden, dampen, deaden, depress, disappoint, disenchant, disgust, displease, dull, frustrate, irk, irritate, nag, needle, nettle, nitpick, numb, offend, repel, replace, revolt, satisfy, sedate, slake, stifle, tire, weary) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
CONSUME (+): annihilate, burn, corrode, damage, decimate, demolish, deplete, depredate, desolate, destroy, devastate, devour, disintegrate, dissipate, dominate, doom, drain, eat, employ, eradicate, erase, erode, exhaust, expend, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, finish, fritter, gut, leach, obliterate, pulverize, ravage, raze, remove, ruin, shatter, slather, smash, spend, squander, topple, utilize, waste, wear, wreck (≠ assemble, build, conserve, construct, erect, fortify, lard, manufacture, pickle, preserve, protect, raise, renew, repair, restore, revive, save, stimulate, strengthen, survive, sustain, weather)
CONTAIN (←): accept, accommodate, carry, confine, corral, embody, embrace, encircle, enclose, encompass, envelop, hold, include, incorporate, integrate, involve, orbit, possess, seat, subsume, surround, take, wrap (≠ alienate, banish, bar, block, -deny, eject, eliminate, estrange, evict, -exclude, hinder, inconvenience, obstruct, -omit, oppose, -ostracize, oust, -refuse, -reject, relocate, -shun) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
CONTAIN (←): attach, bandage, bind, bottle, chain, check, clamp, close, collect, control, cool, cork, cover, curb, dress, fasten, fetter, hamper, harness, hinder, hogtie, hold, impede, inhibit, leash, limit, lock, rein, repress, restrain, restrict, secure, shackle, smother, stifle, stop, straightjacket, strap, suppress, tether, tie, truss, wrap (≠ allow, detach, disconnect, emancipate, excuse, free, liberate, loose, loosen, lose, open, permit, release, remove, rescue, separate, unbind, uncover, unlace, unleash, unshackle, untangle)
CONTAMINATE (/): abase, adulterate, alloy, bastardize, bedraggle, befoul, begrime, besmear, besmirch, blacken, blight, canker, corrupt, damage, debase, debauch, decay, defile, degrade, demean, demote, deprave, desecrate, devalue, dilute, diminish, dirty, disgrace, dishonor, doctor, foul, harm, humble, humiliate, impair, incriminate, infect, injure, lower, mortify, muddy, overdose, pervert, poison, pollute, profane, reduce, rot, shame, smear, smudge, soil, spike, spoil, stain, suborn, sully, taint, tarnish, violate, vulgarize (≠ clarify, clean, cleanse, cure, decontaminate, delouse, disinfect, distill, filter, fumigate, immunize, inoculate, moralize, purge, purify, quarantine, refine, sanctify, sanitize, sterilize, vaccinate, wash)
CONTEMPLATE (←): anticipate, await, clock, compare, consider, deliberate, design, envisage, evaluate, examine, expect, eye, eyeball, foresee, gauge, inspect, measure, mull, note, observe, plan, ponder, propose, regard, scan, scope, scrutinize, spitball, study, survey, time, view, weigh, witness (≠ -avoid, baffle, blind, confound, disbelieve, discard, -discount, dismiss, -disregard, -eschew, forget, -ignore, -neglect, -overlook, pooh-pooh, -reject, -scorn, -slight, -spurn, trick) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
CONTENT (+): amuse, appease, assuage, bewitch, calm, captivate, charm, coddle, comfort, credit, delight, divert, enrapture, entertain, excite, feast, fulfill, galvanize, gladden, gratify, humor, hush, indulge, lull, mellow, mollify, mollycoddle, pacify, pamper, placate, please, quench, reconcile, rejoice, relieve, sate, satiate, satisfy, slake, soothe, spoil, sugarcoat, suit, thrill, tickle, titillate, treat, warm, welcome (≠ aggravate, agitate, anger, annoy, bother, bug, chaff, challenge, cross, displease, distress, disturb, enrage, exasperate, harass, heckle, incense, infuriate, irk, irritate, nag, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, outrage, pee
ve, pester, provoke, rankle, rile, ruffle, sadden, tantalize, tease, tempt, troll, upset, vex, weary, worry)
CONTEST (→): abnegate, abrogate, antagonize, argue, blast, challenge, combat, confront, confute, consult, contend, contradict, contrast, counter, counteract, debate, debunk, -deny, disavow, discredit, -disown, disprove, dispute, doubt, face, fight, hassle, impeach, impugn, invalidate, litigate, mistrust, -negate, oppose, oppugn, protest, push, query, question, rebut, refute, -repudiate, resist, scruple, suspect, tangle, withstand, wrestle (≠ abide, accept, accord, advocate, allow, approve, authorize, back, believe, certify, champion, concede, consult, corroborate, defend, embrace, endure, further, indulge, permit, persuade, promote, sanction, shoulder, stomach, support, swallow, sway, tolerate, uphold, validate, weather)
CONTORT (/): bend, corrugate, crimp, crumple, crush, curve, deform, disfigure, distort, gnarl, knot, mangle, misshape, mutate, ripple, rotate, torture, twist, warp, wiggle, wind, wrench, wriggle, yank (≠ align, beautify, flatten, iron, mend, press, rectify, repair, right, smooth, soothe, straighten, unbend, uncrumple, uncurl)
CONTRACT (+): appoint, arrange, covenant, employ, engage, enlist, hire, negotiate, promise, retain, settle, sign, stipulate, subscribe, underwrite (≠ argue, -cancel, contest, debate, dismiss, dispute, dissolve, fire, object, release, remove, revoke, terminate)
CONTRACT (/): abbreviate, abridge, concentrate, consolidate, cram, crowd, curtail, decrease, diminish, distill, downsize, jam, jam-pack, lessen, pack, shorten, shrink, simplify, streamline (≠ bulge, decompress, diffuse, dilate, disperse, dissipate, distend, expand, increase, inflate, open, outstretch, scatter, spread, swell)
CONTRADICT (/): abnegate, abrogate, annul, antagonize, belie, buck, -cancel, challenge, check, confront, confute, contrast, contravene, controvert, counter, counteract, counterattack, counterbalance, cross, dare, debate, debunk, defend, defy, -deny, differentiate, disallow, disavow, disclaim, discredit, -disown, disprove, dispute, distrust, doubt, efface, fight, gainsay, hinder, impede, impugn, inhibit, intercept, invalidate, invert, juxtapose, -negate, neutralize, -nullify, object, obstruct, offset, oppose, oppress, override, overturn, parry, protest, question, -rebuff, rebut, refute, -reject, rejoin, -renounce, repeal, repel, repress, -repudiate, repulse, resist, retort, reverse, scruple, subvert, suspect, void (≠ accept, acknowledge, admit, adopt, affirm, allow, announce, assert, authenticate, avow, back, champion, claim, concede, confess, confirm, consult, convince, corroborate, crosscheck, declare, defend, detect, determine, embrace, espouse, maintain, notarize, own, profess, prove, second, submit, substantiate, validate, verify)
CONTRIVE (+): ad-lib, arrange, brainstorm, coin, conceive, concoct, construct, cook, create, daydream, design, devise, dream, envisage, envision, extemporize, fabricate, fantasize, half-ass, hallucinate, hatch, imagine, improvise, invent, machine, manage, manufacture, picture, produce, visualize (≠ adopt, clone, copy, copycat, duplicate, emulate, ghostwrite, imitate, mimic, reduplicate, replicate, reproduce)
CONTRIVE (+): arrange, brew, broker, captain, chart, choreograph, command, compass, concert, conclude, concoct, conduct, construct, cook, create, design, devise, direct, engineer, fabricate, finagle, finesse, frame, gerrymander, handle, hatch, invent, jerry-build, jerry-rig, jockey, machinate, manage, maneuver, manipulate, map, mastermind, negotiate, orchestrate, plan, plot, quarterback, renegotiate, run, scheme, script, shape, stage-manage, time, wangle (≠ blow, bobble, botch, bungle, butcher, flub, fumble, mangle, mishandle, muddle, muff, ruin, screw, wreck)
CONTROL (→): administer, advise, angle, arrange, blackmail, bluff, boss, brew, browbeat, bully, call, captain, chair, command, compass, concert, conclude, concoct, conduct, conquer, contrive, dictate, direct, discipline, dominate, domineer, engineer, finagle, finesse, frame, govern, hammer, handle, head, instruct, intimidate, intrigue, lead, lobby, machinate, manage, maneuver, manipulate, master, mastermind, micromanage, muscle, negotiate, oppress, order, oversee, pace, plan, plot, police, quarterback, railroad, regiment, regulate, rule, run, scheme, shepherd, steamroll, subdue, subject, subjugate, superintend, supervise, tend, time, tyrannize, wangle (≠ abdicate, botch, bugger, bungle, butcher, -disregard, flub, follow, forfeit, -forsake, fumble, -ignore, loose, loosen, lose, mangle, mind, mishandle, misrule, muff, -neglect, obey, relinquish, -renounce, resign, -shirk, -sidestep, slacken, subvert)
CONTROL (→): check, choreograph, command, conduct, direct, drive, employ, engineer, exert, fly, guide, handle, juxtapose, maneuver, manipulate, moderate, monitor, operate, orchestrate, order, organize, pace, pilot, ply, position, program, regiment, regulate, run, script, steer, steward, tend, turn, use, wield, work (≠ -abandon, baffle, bewilder, confuse, crash, deprogram, deregulate, discombobulate, lose, -neglect, ruin, sideswipe, smash, unleash, vent, wreck)
CONTROL (←): -abort, adjust, arrest, awe, block, bottle, bridle, calibrate, calm, check, choke, collect, compose, constrain, contain, cool, corner, cow, curb, daunt, gag, govern, hamper, handcuff, hinder, hold, housebreak, housetrain, hush, impede, inhibit, intercept, interrupt, keep, leash, limit, lull, measure, mellow, mince, moderate, mollify, monopolize, muffle, muzzle, obstruct, occlude, pace, pause, pocket, possess, punctuate, quell, quiet, rally, recover, regiment, regulate, rein, repress, restrain, rule, settle, silence, sink, smother, soothe, squelch, stabilize, steady, stifle, still, stop, straightjacket, strangle, subdue, suppress, swallow, tame, time, tranquilize, tune (≠ air, chance, churn, encourage, evince, exacerbate, express, flip, initiate, instigate, liberate, loose, loosen, lose, prompt, release, rile, risk, rush, slack, slacken, spur, unleash, unsettle, upset, urge, vent)
CONVENE (+): amass, assemble, call, collect, congregate, convoke, corral, gather, group, herd, meet, muster, open, rally, summon, unite, wrangle (≠ adjourn, ban, bar, -cancel, disband, disperse, dissolve, expel, prorogue, recess, repel, scatter, separate, split)
CONVERT (→): adapt, adjust, alter, apply, appropriate, automate, calibrate, change, commute, customize, deform, disfigure, displace, distort, download, exchange, interchange, make, mechanize, metamorphose, modify, motorize, mutate, rebuild, recast, reconceive, reconceptualize, reconstruct, redefine, redesign, redo, reengineer, refashion, refine, reform, regenerate, reimagine, reinvent, remake, remodel, reorganize, replace, reshape, reshuffle, restore, restructure, restyle, rethink, retool, revamp, revise, rework, sculpt, substitute, supersede, supplant, swap, switch, transfer, transfigure, transform, translate, transmogrify, transmute, transpose, tune, turn, vary, weaponize (≠ block, conserve, embalm, endure, freeze, hold, keep, maintain, paralyze, preserve, protect, resist, retain, stand, sustain, uphold, withstand)
CONVERT (←): actuate, adopt, allure, alter, assimilate, baptize, beguile, bend, bias, blandish, blarney, brainwash, bribe, bring, budge, cajole, coax, convince, drill, entreat, evangelize, exhort, fast-talk, gain, get, ground, impel, impress, incline, incorporate, inculcate, indoctrinate, induce, influence, instill, instruct, integrate, lead, lure, move, persuade, predetermine, prejudice, prompt, propagandize, propagate, proselytize, redeem, reform, regenerate, retrain, satisfy, save, school, seduce, sell, snow, sway, teach, tempt, train, turn, urge, wheedle (≠ believe, challenge, debunk, demotivate, -deter, discourage, disprove, dissuade, doubt, hold, interrogate, invalidate, mistrust, mock, nobble, question, scruple, unsell)
CONVEY (←): beam, bear, bring, carry, cart, channel, chauffeur, conduct, courier, deliver, dispatch, distribute, drive, ferry, fetch, forward, funnel, give, guide, hand, hand-carry, haul, lug, move, pack, pass, pipe, remove, schlep, send, shift, ship, smuggle, supply, take, tote, transfer, transmit, transport, truck, waft (≠ -abandon, -bypass, catch, detour, drop, forget, hoard, hold, keep, lose, misplace, retain, stash, stint, withhold)
CONVICT (/): accuse, admonish, arraign, arrest, castigate, censure, charge, chastise, condemn, damn, denounce, discipline, impeach, imprison, incarcerate, incriminate, indict, intern, jail, judge, penalize, punish, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, sentence (≠ absolve, acquit, alibi, approve, bless, cite, clear, commend, dism
iss, endorse, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, forgive, pardon, permit, sanction, spare, vindicate)
CONVINCE (→): allure, argue, assure, beguile, blandish, blarney, brainwash, bribe, bring, cadge, cajole, coax, convert, egg, entreat, exhort, fast-talk, gain, gaslight, get, incline, induce, influence, lead, lobby, lure, move, palaver, persuade, prepossess, promise, prompt, prove, retrain, satisfy, schmooze, scrounge, seduce, sell, snooker, snow, sway, swear, tempt, urge, vow, wheedle, win, woo (≠ baffle, befuddle, believe, bewilder, block, check, confuse, daunt, demoralize, demotivate, -deter, discourage, disincline, dissuade, doubt, fluster, -forbid, frustrate, hinder, mystify, obscure, overwhelm, -prohibit, repel, restrain, spook, unsell, wonder)
COOK (+): bake, barbecue, blanch, boil, braise, brew, broil, brown, burn, churn, crisp, curry, deep-fry, devil, doctor, fix, flavor, fricassee, frizzle, froth, fry, griddle, grill, heat, imbue, marinate, melt, microwave, mix, nuke, panfry, parboil, parch, percolate, poach, prep, prepare, ready, reduce, roast, ruin, sauté, scald, scorch, sear, simmer, singe, sizzle, spoil, steam, steep, stew, toast, warm (≠ -abandon, botch, bungle, clean, consume, cool, devour, eat, feast, feed, force-feed, freeze, gobble, grow, -ignore, ingest, -neglect, snarf, swallow, victual, wet)
COOK (/): belie, bend, bowdlerize, camouflage, censor, color, complicate, confound, confuse, disguise, distort, falsify, fudge, garble, gloss, mask, misdescribe, misinterpret, misrepresent, misstate, mistake, mistranslate, obscure, pervert, rephrase, slant, twist, veil, warp, whitewash (≠ clarify, clear, confess, decipher, deduce, explain, expose, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, reveal, straighten, tidy)