by Damon Suede
CURB (←): -abort, baffle, bar, block, bottleneck, brake, bridle, bung, burden, catch, check, choke, clog, complicate, confound, congest, constipate, constrain, constrict, contain, control, counter, cramp, crimp, cripple, dam, dampen, daunt, delay, demotivate, -deny, depress, detain, -deter, discourage, dishearten, disincline, dissuade, drag, encumber, entangle, entrap, fetter, foul, -frustrate, gag, -halt, hamper, hamstring, handicap, hinder, hobble, hogtie, hold, housebreak, housetrain, ice, impair, impede, inhibit, interrupt, jam, leash, lumber, manacle, minimize, mire, moderate, muzzle, obstruct, occlude, oppose, oppress, paralyze, pause, plug, quiet, reduce, rein, repress, resist, restrain, restrict, retard, shackle, shelve, short-circuit, silence, snag, snarl, stall, stay, stem, stifle, still, stop, straightjacket, stymie, subdue, suppress, tame, tangle, throttle, -thwart, tie (≠ abet, accelerate, accent, accentuate, accrue, actuate, affirm, aid, allow, amp, amplify, assert, assist, brainstorm, brew, bring, catalyze, effectuate, emphasize, encourage, energize, engender, exhort, foment, foster, frogmarch, generate, help, incite, incur, induce, instigate, invigorate, invoke, liven, loosen, make, march, maximize, midwife, nudge, permit, prod, promote, propel, provoke, punt, quicken, stampede, stimulate, tolerate, uncomplicate, uncork, unleash, unlock, vent, vitalize)
CURE (+): allay, alleviate, ameliorate, assuage, bandage, better, brace, correct, depress, diagnose, doctor, dose, dress, drug, ease, fix, fortify, heal, help, hospitalize, improve, lighten, medicate, mend, moderate, nurse, palliate, physic, quarantine, realign, rectify, redress, regenerate, rehabilitate, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, relieve, remedy, renew, repair, restimulate, restore, resuscitate, revitalize, revive, right, salve, soothe, temper, treat (≠ afflict, aggravate, ail, cripple, damage, debilitate, depress, disable, enervate, enfeeble, harm, hurt, impair, indispose, infect, injure, lacerate, lame, maim, mangle, misdiagnose, mutilate, overdose, palsy, poison, sap, shrivel, sicken, spike, undermine, waste, weaken, wither, wizen, worsen, wound)
CURSE (/): abuse, admonish, afflict, anathematize, anguish, bedevil, beset, bespell, bewitch, blame, blast, blight, censure, chastise, chide, condemn, confound, criticize, cuss, damn, dash, denounce, doom, drat ensorcel, execrate, fault, fulminate, harm, haunt, hex, imprecate, insult, jinx, judge, maledict, plague, profane, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, revile, ruin, scapegoat, scourge, smite, threaten, torment, voodoo, whammy, witch, zap (≠ applaud, bless, commend, compliment, congratulate, consecrate, enshrine, expiate, extol, glorify, gold-star, hail, hallow, high-five laud, magnify, praise, salute, sanctify, worship)
CURTAIL (/): abate, abbreviate, abridge, abstract, chop, clip, compress, constrict, contract, cramp, cut, decrease, de-escalate, deflate, digest, diminish, dock, downsize, elide, encapsulate, epitomize, guillotine, lessen, limit, lop, lower, minimize, moderate, modify, pare, prune, recapitulate, reduce, restrict, retrench, shorten, shrink, slash, slim, subtract, summarize, syncopate, taper, trim, truncate (≠ accent, accentuate, accrue, add, affirm, aggrandize, allow, amplify, assert, augment, balloon, boost, dilate, distend, elongate, emphasize, enlarge, escalate, exacerbate, expand, extend, heighten, increase, inflate, lengthen, maximize, prioritize, prolong, protract, raise, stretch, supplement, swell)
CUSHION (+): absorb, allay, alleviate, armor, assuage, baffle, blunt, bolster, buffer, buttress, cradle, dampen, deaden, defend, diminish, dull, ease, gentle, insulate, lessen, lighten, lubricate, midwife, minimize, mitigate, moderate, modulate, muffle, pad, pillow, prop, protect, quiet, reduce, relieve, seclude, shield, soften, soundproof, stifle, sugarcoat, support, suppress, temper (≠ accent, accentuate, amplify, boost, chafe, discomfit, emphasize, harm, heighten, intensify, irritate, jab, maximize, penetrate, pierce, poke, puncture, sharpen, transmit)
CUSTOMIZE (+): accommodate, adapt, adjust, alter, attune, balance, calibrate, change, contrive, convert, custom-make, design, equalize, fashion, fine-tune, improvise, modify, personalize, reconceive, reconceptualize, reconstruct, refine, reimagine, reinvent, rejigger, remodel, rephrase, reshuffle, restyle, rethink, retool, revamp, reverse, revise, sculpt, shuffle, suit, tailor, tailor-make, transform, tune, tweak, vary, weaponize (≠ adopt, copy, depersonalize, duplicate, emulate, formalize, homogenize, leave, mimic, normalize, pace, preserve, regularize, regulate, restore, retain, standardize)
CUT (→): amputate, anatomize, bite, butcher, carve, chip, chisel, chop, circumcise, cleave, clip, crop, crosscut, dice, dismember, dissect, divide, dock, excise, gash, gouge, hack, hacksaw, hew, hurt, incise, knife, lacerate, lance, lop, mangle, mince, nick, nock, notch, perforate, pierce, prick, prune, raze, razor, rend, rip, rive, saw, scissor, score, scratch, scythe, section, segment, separate, sever, shank, shear, shiv, shred, slash, slice, slit, snip, split, stab, sting, strike, sunder, tear, vivisect, wound (≠ armor, bandage, block, defend, doctor, fuse, grow, guard, heal, integrate, join, meld, mend, nurse, protect, reintegrate, seal, sew, shield, stitch, suture, unify, unite, weld)
-CUT (/): -avoid, -blank, -boycott, -cold-shoulder, deflect, -disdain, -disregard, forget, high-hat, humiliate, -ignore, insult, isolate, -neglect, -ostracize, -overlook, -rebuff, -reject, repel, repulse, -scorn, seclude, -shun, -slight, -snub, -spurn (≠ acknowledge, approve, attend, compliment, contact, embrace, favor, flatter, glad-hand, greet, heed, high-five, host, include, invite, note, praise, respect, reunite, welcome)
CUT (/): abbreviate, abridge, alienate, alleviate, axe, bob, clip, concentrate, condense, crop, curb, curtail, decrease, delete, detach, diminish, disburden, discharge, divide, dock, dump, ease, edit, estrange, excise, expurgate, halve, lessen, lighten, lop, lower, nip, -omit, pare, part, poll, précis, prune, reduce, relieve, remove, shave, shear, shorten, skive, slash, snip, split, subdivide, summarize, trim, whittle (≠ amplify, augment, boost, elongate, enlarge, expand, extend, heighten, increase, inflate, lengthen, maximize, permit, raise, strengthen, stretch, supplement, unspool, unwind)
D
DAMAGE (/): annihilate, bash, batter, blemish, blight, boobytrap, botch, break, clobber, compromise, crab, cripple, crucify, crush, dash, decimate, deface, demolish, dent, desolate, destroy, deteriorate, devastate, ding, disable, disfigure, emasculate, enervate, enfeeble, erode, flaw, fracture, fragment, hamstring, harm, harshen, hurt, impair, infect, injure, lacerate, lame, maim, mangle, mar, mutilate, nock, poison, pulverize, queer, raze, ruin, sabotage, scalp, scotch, scour, scourge, scupper, shatter, smash, spike, spoil, subvert, tarnish, torment, torture, total, trounce, undercut, undermine, vitiate, waste, weaken, wear, welt, wound, wreck (≠ alleviate, ameliorate, bemoan, better, defend, edit, endure, enhance, enrich, fix, improve, lament, mend, mourn, optimize, overhaul, patch, perfect, protect, quarantine, rarefy, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, rectify, refine, regret, rehabilitate, remedy, remodel, renovate, repair, restore, rethink, retool, revamp, revise, survive, weather)
DAMAGE (/): abuse, afflict, aggrieve, assault, batter, bedraggle, blemish, blight, bloody, blow, break, bruise, burn, callous, canker, castrate, club, coarsen, contaminate, contuse, corrode, corrupt, crack, crease, cripple, cut, deface, defame, defile, desecrate, destroy, dirty, disable, discolor, disfigure, disintegrate, dismantle, disqualify, efface, fade, fissure, gash, gnaw, gore, graze, hamstring, harm, hit, hurt, impair, incapacitate, indispose, infect, injure, lacerate, lame, maim, maltreat, mangle, mar, mistreat, monkey-wrench, mutilate, nick, pollute, ravage, razor, rend, rot, ruin, rust, sabotage, savage, scald, scar, scathe, scorch, scrape, scratch, sear, shank, shiv, sicken, singe, slash, slice, smash, split, spoil, stab, stain, sting, strain, subvert, taint, tarnish, tear, torment, torture, undercut, undermine, vandalize, vitiate, weaken, wound, wreck, wrinkle, wrong, zap (≠ advantage, armor, bandage, benefit, bless, comfort, correct, cure, decontaminate, doctor, enhance, fix, flavor, guard, heal, help, improve, inoculate, mend, nourish, nurse, nurture, optimize, overhaul, patrol, polish, realign, remedy, repair, revolutionize, right, season, shelter, shield, shine, spice)
DAMN (/): abuse, admonish, anathematize, attack, ban, banish, berate, blackball, blacken, blame, blast, boo, censure, ch
ide, convict, criticize, curse, cuss, decry, denigrate, denounce, denunciate, discredit, drat, -excommunicate, excoriate, execrate, expel, flame, imprecate, jinx, knock, pan, penalize, proscribe, punish, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, revile, sentence, slam, slate, wrong (≠ applaud, approve, commend, compliment, defend, endorse, exalt, exonerate, exorcise, favor, glorify, idolize, laud, lionize, magnify, praise, protect, reward, salute)
DAMN (/): abhor, abominate, admonish, attack, belittle, berate, blacklist, blame, blaspheme, blast, castigate, censure, chastise, chide, condemn, criticize, curse, decry, denounce, deprecate, -detest, disfavor, disgrace, disparage, disrespect, diss, -excommunicate, execrate, fault, -hate, imprecate, knock, lambaste, -loathe, maledict, -ostracize, pan, rake, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, revile, scapegoat, scold, slam, upbraid, vituperate, zap (≠ acclaim, anoint, applaud, bless, cherish, commend, congratulate, consecrate, eulogize, exalt, expiate, extol, glorify, hail, hallow, high-five, honor, idolize, laud, praise, redeem, respect, revere, salute, sanctify, sanction, tout, treasure, value, venerate, worship)
DAMN (/): adjudge, castigate, censure, chasten, chastise, conclude, condemn, correct, decide, decree, determine, discipline, doom, find, judge, penalize, punish, resolve, rule, sentence (≠ absolve, acquit, clear, excuse, exonerate, forgive, free, pardon, reprieve, spare, vindicate)
DAMPEN (/): abate, allay, alleviate, blunt, buffer, castrate, cauterize, check, chill, cloud, cool, curb, damp, dash, daunt, deactivate, deaden, debilitate, decrease, dehydrate, demoralize, demotivate, depress, desiccate, -deter, devitalize, diminish, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, drain, dull, ease, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, fatigue, humble, inactivate, inhibit, lessen, lighten, lobotomize, lower, minimize, moderate, muffle, mute, numb, petrify, reduce, restrain, sap, smother, stem, stifle, subdue, taper, tucker, underemphasize, undermine, weaken, wear, wither (≠ accent, accentuate, accrue, affirm, amplify, arouse, assert, augment, boost, brace, buoy, charge, cheer, deepen, electrify, emphasize, encourage, energize, enhance, enliven, excite, exhilarate, fire, flavor, foment, fortify, galvanize, heighten, incite, increase, inflame, inspire, instigate, intensify, invigorate, kindle, lift, magnify, marinate, maximize, perfect, prioritize, promote, provoke, redouble, refine, rouse, season, sharpen, spark, spice, stimulate, stir, strengthen, trigger, uplift, vitalize, whet)
DANGLE (→): balance, drape, festoon, flap, flutter, garland, hang, hook, mount, pin, poise, sling, string, suspend, sway, swing, tack, trail, wave (≠ affix, anchor, coil, conceal, hide, loop, pin, pinion, reel, retract, withdraw)
DANGLE (←): bait, brandish, bribe, convince, encourage, entice, flaunt, flourish, lure, motivate, offer, parade, persuade, prod, seduce, showcase, spur, sway, tantalize, tease, tempt, unsheathe, urge, wag (≠ alarm, alert, caution, chill, -deter, disenchant, disgust, dissuade, holster, pin, repel, repulse, sheathe, warn)
DARE (→): bet, brave, chance, compromise, defy, endanger, gamble, hazard, imperil, jeopardize, lay, play, put, risk, stake, target, venture, wager (≠ block, defend, guard, keep, preserve, protect, rescue, resume, save, shelter, shield)
DARE (→): accost, affront, approach, battle, beard, brave, brazen, breast, challenge, combat, confront, corner, counteract, defy, face, fight, flout, front, goad, invite, meet, oppose, provoke, race, repel, resist, stand, stump, taunt, troll, withstand (≠ accept, -avoid, -deny, -dodge, -duck, -elude, -escape, -eschew, -evade, follow, frighten, funk, hide, -ignore, preserve, scare, shake, -shirk, -shun, -sidestep)
DARKEN (/): adumbrate, becloud, bedim, befog, blacken, blear, blot, blur, camouflage, cloak, cloud, conceal, cover, curtain, dim, disguise, eclipse, fade, fog, fuzz, haze, hide, mask, mist, obliterate, obscure, overcloud, overshadow, screen, shade, shadow, shroud, veil (≠ brighten, clean, expose, floodlight, illuminate, illumine, light, lighten, polish, reveal, shine, uncloud, uncover, unveil, wash)
DARKEN (/): afflict, agitate, ail, bother, bum, burden, concern, dash, daunt, demoralize, demotivate, depress, discomfort, discompose, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, disquiet, distress, disturb, freak, oppress, perturb, sadden, sorrow, torment, torture, trouble, undo, unhinge, unnerve, unsettle, upset, weigh, worry (≠ animate, assure, boost, brighten, buoy, cheer, comfort, console, delight, elate, elevate, encourage, enliven, excite, exhilarate, gladden, grace, gratify, hearten, inspire, invigorate, lift, lighten, please, reassure, rejoice, solace, soothe, stimulate, thrill, uplift)
DASH (→): batter, beat, bowl, buck, cant, cast, catapult, chuck, crash, eject, fire, fling, heave, hurl, hurtle, impel, lash, launch, lob, loft, peg, pelt, pitch, pound, precipitate, project, propel, rifle, roll, shoot, skitter, slam, sling, strike, throw, thrust, toss, wing (≠ armor, block, catch, defend, deflect, endure, face, guard, help, nurture, parry, protect, receive, shield, sustain, weather)
DASH (/): afflict, agitate, ail, appall, blight, bother, break, burden, concern, confound, crush, dampen, daunt, demoralize, demotivate, depress, destroy, devastate, disappoint, discomfort, discompose, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, disquiet, distress, disturb, fracture, fragment, freak, frustrate, oppress, perturb, pulverize, ruin, sadden, shatter, smash, spoil, -thwart, torment, torture, trouble, undo, unhinge, unnerve, unsettle, upset, worry, wreck (≠ animate, assure, boost, brighten, buoy, cheer, comfort, console, delight, elate, elevate, encourage, enliven, excite, exhilarate, gladden, gratify, hearten, inspire, invigorate, lift, lighten, please, prioritize, reassure, rejoice, soothe, stimulate, thrill, uplift)
DAUNT (/): abash, afflict, alarm, appall, bluff, bother, browbeat, bug, bully, chill, cow, damp, dampen, deaden, debilitate, demoralize, demotivate, depress, -deter, discomfit, disconcert, discourage, dishearten, disillusion, dismay, dispirit, distress, emasculate, enfeeble, faze, flummox, frighten, frustrate, funk, horrify, intimidate, irk, muscle, overawe, psych, railroad, rattle, ruffle, sadden, scare, shake, spook, steamroller, trash-talk, trouble, try, undermine, unman, unnerve, vex, weaken, weigh, worry (≠ animate, assure, bolster, boost, buoy, buttress, cheer, embolden, encourage, energize, enforce, enliven, excite, fortify, galvanize, gladden, hearten, inspire, invigorate, lift, nerve, prioritize, provoke, quicken, rally, reassure, reinforce, spark, steel, stimulate, stir, strengthen, troll)
DAZE (/): amaze, anesthetize, astonish, astound, baffle, bemuse, bewilder, blind, boggle, confuse, dazzle, deaden, deafen, desensitize, distract, drug, dull, dumbfound, faze, flabbergast, floor, flummox, gobsmack, impress, narcotize, numb, overwhelm, paralyze, perplex, puzzle, shock, stagger, startle, steamroller, stun, stupefy, subdue, surprise, torpefy, wow (≠ alarm, alert, anchor, arouse, balance, center, concentrate, energize, focus, ground, reinvigorate, revive, rouse, stabilize, steady, stimulate, stir, wake)
DAZZLE (→): amaze, astonish, astound, awe, bedazzle, bewitch, blind, blur, captivate, confound, confuse, daze, dumbfound, energize, excite, fascinate, flabbergast, flummox, gobsmack, hypnotize, impress, overawe, overpower, overwhelm, razzle-dazzle, shock, stagger, startle, strike, stun, stupefy, surprise, wow (≠ anger, annoy, bore, bother, buffer, bug, calm, deaden, depress, dim, distress, dull, enrage, exhaust, irk, irritate, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, sadden, sedate, tire, upset, vex, weary, worry)
DEACTIVATE (/): abolish, -abort, anesthetize, arrest, brake, cut, disable, disarm, disband, dismantle, disqualify, dissolve, eighty-six, end, erase, extinguish, -halt, immobilize, incapacitate, jam, kill, mothball, paralyze, prostrate, retire, snuff, stall, stick, stop, terminate (≠ activate, charge, crank, drive, electrify, energize, fuel, launch, move, power, propel, reactivate, reboot, spark, start, trigger)
DEADEN (/): castrate, damp, dampen, daunt, daze, deactivate, deafen, debilitate, dehydrate, demoralize, demotivate, depress, desiccate, destroy, devitalize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, disqualify, drain, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, fatigue, freeze, frustrate, impair, inactivate, incapacitate, injure, leech, lobotomize, paralyze, petrify, sap, smother, stagnate, stale, stun, stupefy, tire, torpefy, tucker, undermine, unnerve, weaken, wear (≠ arouse, boost, brace, buoy, c
harge, cheer, electrify, energize, enliven, excite, foment, fortify, galvanize, ignite, incite, inflame, inspire, instigate, invigorate, kindle, prioritize, provoke, quicken, raise, rouse, spark, stimulate, stir, trigger, vitalize, vivify)
DEADEN (/): abate, allay, alleviate, anesthetize, assuage, blunt, buffer, cauterize, check, chloroform, consume, cushion, damp, dampen, daze, debilitate, decrease, deprive, desensitize, dim, diminish, dope, drown, dull, ease, enfeeble, etherize, exhaust, gas, harden, hush, lessen, lighten, lower, minimize, mitigate, moderate, muffle, mute, numb, quell, quiet, reduce, repress, retard, sedate, slow, smother, soften, soothe, stifle, stultify, subdue, suppress, taper, torpefy, tranquilize, weaken, wither (≠ accent, accentuate, accrue, affirm, aggravate, amplify, animate, arouse, augment, beef, boost, consolidate, deepen, emphasize, enhance, exacerbate, flavor, heighten, increase, intensify, magnify, marinate, maximize, prioritize, redouble, rouse, season, sensitize, sharpen, spice, stimulate, strengthen, whet)