Activate

by Damon Suede

  DISABUSE (/): adduce, advise, apprise, attest, belie, chagrin, confess, confide, confirm, confound, confront, crush, dampen, debate, debunk, deflate, demoralize, disappoint, disclose, disconcert, discourage, discredit, disenchant, dishearten, disillusion, dispirit, disprove, dispute, dissatisfy, divulge, document, enlighten, expose, gainsay, invalidate, jade, pooh-pooh, rebut, recant, refute, -repudiate, retract, shake, sophisticate, spill, tell, testify, uncloak, uncover, undeceive, unmask, unveil (≠ bamboozle, bluff, bullshit, cheat, con, convince, deceive, delude, dupe, fool, gull, hoax, hocus-pocus, hoodwink, kid, manipulate, misguide, misinform, mislead, misrepresent, snooker, snow, stiff, sucker, trick)

  DISAPPOINT (/): -abort, aggrieve, anger, annoy, baffle, -balk, betray, bother, bugger, bungle, chagrin, -circumvent, crush, dampen, dash, deceive, deflate, delude, demoralize, demotivate, disabuse, disconcert, discourage, disenchant, disgruntle, disgust, dishearten, disillusion, dismay, dispirit, displease, dissatisfy, disturb, dumbfound, embitter, enlighten, fail, foil, -frustrate, grate, hamper, hinder, irritate, jade, jar, louse, miscarry, mislead, monkey-wrench, offend, provoke, repel, rile, sabotage, sadden, scandalize, scupper, shake, shelve, shock, subvert, tease, -thwart, torment, undercut, undermine, vex, wrong (≠ accommodate, advantage, allow, assist, benefit, cheer, content, delight, encourage, endorse, excite, explain, fill, forward, fulfill, gladden, glut, grace, gratify, help, inspire, oblige, patronize, permit, please, rubber-stamp, sate, satiate, satisfy, surfeit, thrill, wow)

  DISARM (←): allure, amaze, amuse, attract, beguile, bewitch, cajole, captivate, charm, coax, convince, delight, distract, divert, enchant, engross, entertain, enthrall, entice, fascinate, implore, induce, invite, lighten, magnetize, palaver, persuade, please, refresh, relax, schmooze, seduce, stimulate, sway, thrill, unarm, urge, win (≠ affront, aggravate, antagonize, appall, bother, bug, chafe, cross, disgust, enrage, exasperate, gall, grate, harass, infuriate, irk, irritate, jar, nauseate, nettle, offend, provoke, rankle, repel, repulse, rile, roil, rouse, sicken, tire, troll, upset, vex, worry)

  DISARM (/): abrogate, anesthetize, botch, cramp, cripple, deactivate, deaden, debilitate, de-escalate, defang, demilitarize, demobilize, disable, disband, disqualify, dull, enfeeble, hamper, hamstring, handicap, hinder, hobble, immobilize, impair, inactivate, incapacitate, invalidate, lame, neutralize, occupy, pacify, paralyze, prostrate, remove, sap, scotch, skin, strip, stun, stupefy, subdue, subjugate, unarm, undermine, vitiate, weaken (≠ alarm, alert, arm, defend, enable, equip, furnish, militarize, mobilize, outfit, prepare, provide, ready, reequip, rouse, steel, strengthen, supply, unnerve, weaponize)

  DISBAND (/): alienate, ban, banish, bar, demob, demobilize, diffuse, dismiss, dispel, disperse, disseminate, dissipate, dissolve, estrange, expel, isolate, part, prorogue, scatter, segregate, separate, split, spread (≠ accompany, assemble, cluster, collect, compile, congregate, consolidate, convene, gather, incorporate, join, muster, reintegrate, reunite, unify, unite, weaponize)

  DISBELIEVE (/): contradict, counter, cross-examine, -discount, discredit, dismiss, -disregard, distrust, -eschew, grill, -ignore, interrogate, mistrust, -overlook, question, -reject, -repudiate, -scorn, scout, suspect (≠ accept, acknowledge, affirm, analyze, believe, consider, consult, follow, judge, recognize, regard, support, sway, trust, weigh) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  DISCARD (→): -abandon, abdicate, abjure, betray, can, -cancel, chuck, deep-six, -desert, discharge, disclaim, dislodge, dismiss, -disown, dispatch, -ditch, divorce, drop, dump, eject, eliminate, evacuate, expel, forfeit, -forsake, jettison, junk, leave, offload, oust, plonk, -reject, release, relinquish, remove, -renounce, repeal, -repudiate, sack, sacrifice, scrap, shed, -spurn, surrender, waive, withdraw, wrong, yield (≠ accumulate, acquire, amass, brine, claim, collect, defend, embrace, foster, guard, harvest, hoard, hog, hold, keep, maintain, monopolize, obtain, pickle, possess, preserve, protect, pursue, ration, remainder, rescue, retain, save, shield, stash, stockpile, store, stow, support, sustain, tend)

  DISCERN (←): analyze, ascertain, attend, catch, categorize, check, clock, consider, deduce, descry, detect, determine, diagnose, differentiate, discover, distinguish, espy, examine, explore, eye, eyeball, get, heed, identify, inspect, judge, learn, mark, mind, note, notice, observe, perceive, pinpoint, profile, recognize, regard, remark, sample, scan, scope, scrutinize, see, sight, specify, spot, spy, study, survey, test, view, watch, witness (≠ addle, baffle, -blank, blind, -bypass, churn, confound, confuse, deceive, disguise, -disregard, doubt, forget, -ignore, lose, lump, mask, mingle, misconstrue, misdiagnose, mishear, misinterpret, misread, miss, mistake, misunderstand, mix, muddle, mystify, -neglect, -overlook, puzzle, scruple, suspect, trick) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  DISCHARGE (→): blast, blaze, cast, catapult, detonate, explode, fire, fling, heave, hurl, hurtle, launch, lob, loose, pelt, pepper, pitch, project, shoot, skitter, sling, snipe, throw, toss, wing, zap (≠ catch, clasp, clutch, deflect, field, grab, grasp, grip, guard, hold, holster, load, protect, receive, repel, seize, shield, snag, snatch)

  DISCHARGE (→): clear, disencumber, empty, evacuate, free, lighten, offload, relieve, remove, send, unburden, unload, unpack, vacate, void (≠ archive, burden, charge, cram, fill, heap, jam, jam-pack, load, overstuff, pack, stash, store, stow, stuff, tuck, wedge)

  DISCHARGE (→): bandy, belch, cast, disgorge, dispense, drizzle, effuse, ejaculate, eject, eliminate, emit, empty, erupt, evacuate, evolve, excrete, exhale, expel, exude, gush, irradiate, issue, jet, leak, ooze, pour, radiate, release, secrete, send, shoot, spew, splutter, spout, spray, spurt, squirt, throw, trickle, upchuck, vent, void, vomit (≠ absorb, bleed, block, check, dam, decant, drain, draw, drink, impede, inhale, leach, leech, milk, plug, pull, quaff, sip, siphon, sniff, soak, sponge, staunch, stem, suck)

  DISCHARGE (→): axe, banish, boot, bounce, bump, bust, can, cashier, chuck, discard, dislodge, dismiss, displace, dispossess, downsize, drum, eject, excuse, exempt, exorcise, expel, fire, furlough, -nix, oust, pink-slip, release, relieve, remove, replace, retire, rout, sack, separate, spare, supersede, supplant, suspend, terminate, toss, trim, turf, unload, unseat (≠ appoint, assign, contract, delegate, employ, engage, hire, invite, keep, promote, protect, recruit, reemploy, rehire, retain, sign, subcontract, task)

  DISCHARGE (→): ante, balance, clear, compensate, defray, equalize, expense, foot, honor, indemnify, liquidate, meet, offset, outlay, overpay, pay, -quit, rebate, recompense, rectify, redress, refund, reimburse, relieve, remedy, remit, remunerate, repay, satisfy, settle, square, stand, swing (≠ -abandon, abrogate, annul, -cancel, challenge, cheat, contest, disinherit, dispute, -dodge, lend, loan, oppose, owe, poach, protest, refute, -repudiate, scant, skimp, skirt, steal, stiff, stint, underpay, void)

  DISCHARGE (+): accomplish, achieve, actualize, answer, claim, complete, conclude, consummate, dispense, effect, execute, fill, finish, fulfill, implement, keep, meet, obey, observe, perfect, perform, qualify, realize, satisfy (≠ -abandon, abnegate, abrogate, breach, -disregard, fail, forfeit, forget, -forsake, lose, miss, -neglect, -overlook, quash, skimp, -slight, slur, stint, vacate, violate)

  DISCHARGE (+): absolve, acquit, alibi, bail, clear, deliver, disencumber, disengage, disentangle, dismiss, emancipate, enfranchise, enlarge, exculpate, exonerate, extricate, free, liberate, loose, loosen, manumit, pardon, parole, ransom, redeem, release, relieve, rescue, save, spare, spring, unbind, unburden, uncage, unchain, unfetter, unshackle, untie (≠ arrest, bind, commit, confine, conquer, convict, detain, enchain, enslave, fetter, handcuff, hogtie, hold, immure, imprison, incarcerate, institutionalize, intern, jail, keep, lock, manacle, restrain, seal, shackle, straightjacket, subdue, subjugate, trammel, trap)

  DISCIPLINE (→): assess, beat, break, cane, castigate, charge, chasten, chastise, check, civilize, coach, condemn, control, convict, correct, criticize, critique, cultivate, curb, damn, denounce, develop, dock, drill, edify, educate, enlighten, exercise, fine, flagellate, flog, foster, govern, ground, hide, housebr
eak, housetrain, hurt, impose, inculcate, indoctrinate, inform, instruct, inure, keelhaul, lash, lather, levy, lick, limit, mold, mulct, paddle, pain, penalize, punish, realign, rebuke, regulate, reprimand, reprove, restrain, restrict, school, sentence, slap, slipper, slug, smack, spank, straightjacket, strap, strike, subjugate, tame, tan, teach, thrash, thwack, torment, train, tutor, wallop, whack, whip, wreak (≠ absolve, acquit, alibi, baby, barbarize, commute, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, forfeit, indulge, infantilize, -neglect, pamper, pardon, permit, praise, ransom, release, reprieve, reward, spare, spoil, vindicate)

  DISCLAIM (/): -abandon, abdicate, abjure, challenge, confute, contradict, criticize, debate, debunk, -decline, -deny, disallow, disavow, discard, discredit, -disown, disprove, dispute, gainsay, invalidate, -negate, question, rebuke, rebut, recant, -refuse, refute, -reject, -renounce, -repudiate, retract, -spurn (≠ accept, acknowledge, admit, adopt, affirm, announce, assert, authenticate, avow, claim, concede, confess, confirm, consult, convince, corroborate, declare, embrace, espouse, grant, maintain, notarize, own, profess, recognize, submit, substantiate, validate, verify)

  DISCLOSE (→): acknowledge, admit, advertise, announce, avow, bare, betray, blab, blast, blurt, broadcast, bulletin, circulate, communicate, confess, confide, confirm, confront, convince, declare, develop, discover, disinter, display, disseminate, divulge, exhibit, expose, hype, impart, leak, light, open, placard, post, presell, proclaim, promulgate, publicize, publish, relate, reveal, share, show, showcase, sound, spill, spotlight, telegraph, tell, uncloak, uncover, unearth, unfold, unfurl, unlock, unmask, unveil, utter, vouchsafe (≠ bleep, camouflage, candy-coat, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, costume, cover, darken, disguise, eclipse, enshroud, gild, gloss, hide, mask, obscure, secrete, shroud, spackle, varnish, veil, whitewash, withhold)

  DISCOMBOBULATE (/): abash, addle, agitate, alarm, amaze, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, beguile, bemuse, bewilder, blindside, bother, buffalo, bug, chagrin, confound, confuse, cozen, craze, daze, deafen, deceive, delude, discomfit, discomfort, discompose, disconcert, dismay, disorient, disquiet, distress, disturb, dizzy, double-talk, dupe, embarrass, faze, flummox, fluster, fool, fox, gaslight, gull, hoax, hocus-pocus, hoodwink, humbug, indispose, intoxicate, jangle, manipulate, misguide, mislead, mortify, muddle, muddy, mystify, nonplus, perplex, perturb, puzzle, rattle, ruffle, shake, snooker, snow, startle, stick, stump, stun, surprise, throw, trick, trouble, unbalance, unhinge, unnerve, unsettle, upset, vex (≠ aid, assist, assure, bolster, brace, buoy, calm, cheer, clarify, comfort, encourage, enlighten, explain, floodlight, hallucinate, hearten, help, hush, illuminate, inform, lull, mellow, mollify, nerve, order, organize, rally, reassure, regiment, regulate, satisfy, soothe, steady, support)

  DISCOMFIT (←): arrest, -avert, baffle, -balk, bar, beat, block, check, checkmate, clog, confound, conquer, counteract, defeat, encumber, faze, fetter, foil, forestall, frustrate, gravel, -halt, hamper, handicap, hinder, hobble, hold, impede, inhibit, manacle, -negate, neutralize, -nullify, obstruct, -obviate, offset, outlast, outwit, overcome, -preclude, -prevent, shackle, short-circuit, stall, stop, -thwart, trammel, trump (≠ abet, advance, aid, assist, buoy, cede, cultivate, ease, enable, encourage, expedite, explain, facilitate, forfeit, forward, foster, further, help, inspire, lose, nurture, organize, promote, rush, smooth, stimulate, support)

  DISCOMFIT (/): abash, agitate, annoy, bother, chagrin, confound, confuse, debase, debunk, degrade, demean, demoralize, discomfort, discompose, disconcert, discountenance, disgrace, dishonor, dismay, displease, disquiet, distress, disturb, embarrass, expose, faze, fluster, gaslight, heckle, humble, humiliate, irk, malign, mock, mortify, nag, needle, nettle, nitpick, nonplus, -ostracize, perplex, perturb, pillory, queer, rattle, ridicule, ruffle, scandalize, shame, stigmatize, unhinge, unsettle, upset, vex, vilify, worry (≠ appease, assure, buoy, calm, cheer, comfort, compose, console, delight, embolden, encourage, enlighten, hearten, help, hush, lull, mellow, mollify, order, pacify, placate, please, reassure, relax, relieve, settle, soothe, stabilize, sugarcoat, thrill)

  DISCONCERT (/): abash, agitate, alarm, baffle, -balk, bewilder, blindside, bug, chagrin, confound, confuse, deflate, dement, demoralize, derange, disappoint, discombobulate, discomfit, discompose, dismay, distract, distress, disturb, embarrass, faze, floor, fluster, frighten, frustrate, gaslight, hinder, humiliate, mismatch, muddle, nonplus, perplex, perturb, puzzle, rattle, rile, ruffle, shake, shame, startle, surprise, throw, trouble, unbalance, unnerve, unsettle, upset, worry (≠ approve, assist, assure, buoy, calm, cheer, clarify, comfort, console, encourage, enlighten, explain, hearten, help, hush, inspirit, lull, mellow, mollify, order, pacify, permit, placate, please, quiet, rally, reassure, relax, relieve, soothe, support)

  DISCONNECT (/): bisect, break, chunk, cleave, cut, decompose, de-energize, detach, disassemble, disassociate, disengage, disentangle, disintegrate, disjoin, disjoint, dissect, dissolve, disunite, divide, divorce, estrange, fracture, halve, insulate, isolate, orphan, part, partition, pull, quarter, rend, resolve, rip, rive, rupture, seclude, segment, segregate, separate, sequester, sever, split, subdivide, sunder, tear, uncouple, undo, unhitch, unhook, unlink, unplug, unravel, untie, unyoke (≠ accumulate, assemble, associate, attach, bind, blend, cement, close, combine, connect, couple, fasten, fuse, integrate, join, knit, link, mingle, mix, mortar, network, reintegrate, reunite, stick, unify, unite, weld)

  DISCOUNT (/): abate, cheapen, curtail, cut, decrease, deduct, depreciate, diminish, lessen, lowball, lower, minimize, modify, rebate, redeem, reduce, remove, slash, subtract, underbid, underemphasize, undersell (≠ accent, accentuate, accrue, amplify, augment, boost, bump, elevate, emphasize, escalate, heighten, hike, increase, inflate, intensify, jack, list, maximize, pad, prioritize, raise, up)

  -DISCOUNT (/): absolve, acquit, belittle, -bypass, clear, condone, depreciate, disbelieve, discredit, dismiss, -disregard, doubt, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, explain, fail, forget, forgive, gloss, -ignore, interrogate, justify, minimize, misprize, miss, mistake, mistrust, -neglect, -omit, -overlook, pardon, pooh-pooh, question, rationalize, -reject, remit, scruple, -slight, spare, suspect, underestimate, undervalue, vindicate, waive, whitewash (≠ accept, acknowledge, adjudge, affirm, analyze, appraise, assert, assume, attend, believe, check, compare, consider, consult, contemplate, critique, evaluate, examine, eyeball, heed, honor, inspect, investigate, judge, learn, mark, mind, note, prize, prowl, recognize, regard, respect, scrutinize, study, test, value, weigh)

  DISCOUNT (/): abuse, badmouth, belittle, blame, blast, boo, censure, condemn, cow, criticize, critique, cross-examine, decry, defame, denigrate, denounce, deprecate, depreciate, diminish, discredit, disfavor, disgrace, dismiss, disparage, diss, incriminate, malign, minimize, rip, scold, slander, slur, traduce, trash, trash-talk, vilify, vilipend, wrong (≠ acclaim, applaud, approve, brave, brook, commend, compliment, congratulate, countenance, endorse, eulogize, exalt, extol, face, favor, glorify, gold-star, gratify, laud, magnify, praise, recommend, sanction, stomach, support, tolerate)

  DISCOURAGE (←): -abort, baffle, bar, block, bottleneck, brake, bung, burden, -cancel, catch, caution, check, chill, choke, clog, complicate, congest, constipate, constrain, control, crimp, curb, dam, dampen, daunt, defeat, delay, demolish, demotivate, deprecate, depress, detain, -deter, dishearten, disincline, dissuade, divert, drag, encumber, entangle, entrap, fetter, foul, freeze, frighten, -frustrate, hamper, hinder, impede, indispose, inhibit, interrupt, jam, mire, obstruct, paralyze, pause, plug, -preclude, preempt, -prevent, quiet, repress, restrain, restrict, scare, shake, shelve, short-circuit, snag, snarl, stay, stem, stifle, stop, stymie, tangle, throttle, -thwart, warn, weaken, withhold (≠ advance, assist, bolster, boost, brace, buoy, buttress, calm, egg, encourage, facilitate, fortify, galvanize, goad, help, impel, induce, inspire, invigorate, invite, lull, mellow, midwife, nerve, permit, prioritize, prod, prompt, provoke, rally, reassure, reinforce, spur, steady, steel, stimulate, stir, strengthen, support, uncomplicate, urge, welcome)

  DISCOURAGE (/): abash, admon
ish, afflict, agitate, alarm, appall, -avert, awe, ban, bar, blackmail, bother, browbeat, bug, bulldoze, bully, caution, check, chill, confuse, cow, damp, dampen, dash, daunt, deflect, demoralize, demotivate, deprecate, depress, derail, -deter, disappoint, disconcert, dishearten, disillusion, disincline, dismay, disparage, dispirit, dissuade, distress, disturb, divert, forebode, frighten, harass, harrow, haunt, hint, horrify, inhibit, intimidate, irk, nobble, panic, petrify, -preclude, -prevent, prostrate, protest, rattle, repress, restrain, scare, terrify, threaten, -thwart, torment, trash-talk, trouble, unnerve, vex, warn, weigh (≠ animate, assure, cheer, comfort, commend, compliment, congratulate, encourage, energize, enliven, excite, facilitate, galvanize, gladden, gold-star, hasten, hearten, high-five, inspire, legalize, motivate, please, praise, soothe, spark, uplift)

  DISCOVER (←): ascertain, bare, catch, debunk, descry, detect, determine, dig, disclose, disinter, dredge, educe, elicit, espy, explore, expose, fathom, ferret, find, get, hit, hunt, identify, investigate, learn, locate, plumb, probe, prowl, recognize, reveal, root, rout, rummage, scout, search, seek, sight, solve, spot, track, uncover, unearth, unmask, unravel, unriddle, unsheathe, unveil, unwrap (≠ bury, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, costume, deceive, disguise, double-talk, ensconce, hide, lose, mislay, misplace, miss, niche, obscure, -overlook, pass, spackle, varnish, veil, whitewash)