Activate

by Damon Suede

  FLATTER (+): adorn, advance, amplify, augment, balance, beautify, bejewel, benefit, better, boost, complement, deck, decorate, dignify, elevate, embellish, enhance, enlarge, ennoble, enrich, exaggerate, fancify, finish, fit, glamorize, glitter, glitz, glorify, grace, harmonize, heighten, heroicize, heroize, honor, idealize, idolize, improve, inflate, magnify, match, ornament, perfect, poeticize, polish, prioritize, rectify, romanticize, sensationalize, sentimentalize, suit, supplement (≠ blacken, blemish, chide, clash, compromise, damage, deface, disfigure, distort, efface, flaw, harshen, humble, humiliate, impair, jar, mangle, mar, mismatch, ruin, -scorn, shame, -shun, spoil, -spurn, stain, sully, taint, tarnish)

  FLAUNT (→): accent, accentuate, advertise, air, announce, assert, bare, belabor, bellow, boast, bolster, boost, brandish, broadcast, circulate, confess, confirm, confront, dangle, declare, disclose, discover, display, disseminate, divulge, elevate, emphasize, escalate, exaggerate, exhibit, expose, favor, feature, flash, flourish, flutter, focus, foreground, heighten, herald, highlight, hype, illuminate, insist, intensify, limelight, magnify, mark, out, overemphasize, overplay, oversell, overstate, overstress, parade, plug, post, present, prioritize, proclaim, produce, promote, pronounce, publicize, push, reinforce, reveal, shill, shout, show, showcase, sound, sport, spotlight, state, stress, telegraph, trumpet, uncloak, uncover, underline, underscore, unmask, unsheathe, unveil, wag, wave, wield (≠ -avoid, belittle, bury, camouflage, censor, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, costume, cover, curb, curtain, deemphasize, diminish, -discount, disguise, disparage, -disregard, downplay, enshroud, -eschew, hide, holster, -ignore, lessen, marginalize, mask, minimize, miss, -neglect, obscure, obstruct, occlude, occult, -omit, -overlook, quiet, reduce, screen, sheathe, shroud, sideline, silence, spackle, stow, subdue, temper, underemphasize, undermine, underrate, understate, veil, withhold)

  FLAVOR (+): animate, appetize, brighten, dress, drizzle, dulcify, energize, enhance, enliven, enrich, entice, garnish, ginger, honey, imbue, impart, improve, infuse, invigorate, lace, leaven, liven, marinate, mix, optimize, overhaul, pepper, perfume, prepare, revolutionize, richen, rouse, salt, saturate, sauce, savor, season, sour, spice, spike, stimulate, stir, sugar, sweeten, syrup, vitalize, zest, zing (≠ blunt, bore, dampen, deaden, disenchant, dull, homogenize, muddle, poison, simplify, sully, taint)

  FLAY (/): abuse, admonish, anathematize, assail, attack, badmouth, baste, belittle, berate, blame, blast, blister, castigate, censure, chastise, chide, condemn, criticize, crucify, demean, demonize, denounce, deride, discipline, disparage, disrespect, diss, excoriate, execrate, fault, hammer, harangue, impugn, incriminate, keelhaul, knock, lambaste, lash, lecture, mock, pan, pillory, punish, rag, rate, ream, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, revile, ridicule, scalp, scold, -scorn, scourge, slam, slate, upbraid, vituperate, wrong (≠ absolve, approve, bless, commend, defend, endorse, excuse, extol, laud, pardon, praise, sanction, spare, support, vindicate)

  FLAY (/): bare, bark, denude, excoriate, expose, flog, hull, husk, pare, peel, scale, scourge, shell, shuck, skin, strip, uncover, whip (≠ alleviate, armor, block, cloak, cover, envelop, guard, heal, nurse, protect, remedy, shield, veil, wrap)

  -FLEE (→): -avert, -avoid, ban, bar, blow, bolt, break, -bypass, -circumvent, debar, deflect, depart, -desert, -ditch, divert, -dodge, -duck, eliminate, -elude, -escape, -eschew, evacuate, -evade, -exclude, finesse, fly, foil, fox, -frustrate, leave, lose, miss, -obviate, outfox, outrun, outsmart, outwit, overreach, parry, -preclude, -prevent, -quit, rush, shake, -shirk, -shun, skip, skirt, split, -thwart, withdraw (≠ accept, accost, beard, brave, brook, catch, chase, confront, contact, contract, court, covet, crave, dare, defy, embrace, endure, face, hunt, incur, meet, pursue, seek, stand, stay, stomach, target, weather, welcome)

  FLEECE (←): bamboozle, beat, betray, bilk, blackmail, bleed, buffalo, bullshit, burn, cadge, cheat, chisel, clip, con, convince, cozen, deceive, defalcate, defraud, despoil, diddle, double-cross, dupe, embezzle, euchre, exploit, extort, fast-talk, fiddle, flimflam, fool, gouge, gull, gyp, hocus-pocus, hose, hustle, manipulate, milk, mislead, outwit, overcharge, pluck, plunder, poach, ream, rifle, rob, rook, screw, shaft, short, shortchange, skin, skunk, snooker, snow, soak, squeeze, steal, stick, stiff, sting, strip, sucker, swindle, thimblerig, trick, underpay, victimize, wheedle, wrench, wring, wrong (≠ accuse, afford, allege, assume, assure, audit, authenticate, believe, bestow, blame, comp, confess, credit, defend, disabuse, disclose, discredit, disgrace, dispute, distrust, donate, doubt, evince, expose, fault, frame, fund, give, guard, offer, pillory, pity, protect, prove, provide, regret, -repudiate, respect, restore, reveal, scruple, shame, stigmatize, supply, support, trust, undercharge, validate, verify, vilify)

  FLIMFLAM (←): bamboozle, beat, betray, bilk, bleed, bluff, bullshit, burn, cadge, cheat, chisel, clip, con, convince, cozen, deceive, defraud, diddle, double-cross, double-talk, dupe, exploit, extort, fake, fast-talk, feign, fiddle, fleece, fool, gazump, gouge, gull, hoodwink, hornswoggle, hose, hustle, impersonate, manipulate, milk, mislead, mooch, mulct, nick, outwit, overcharge, play, playact, pluck, poach, pretend, ream, roleplay, rook, rope, sandbag, scam, schnorr, screw, shaft, short, shortchange, skin, snooker, snow, soak, squeeze, steal, stick, stiff, sting, sucker, swindle, trick, victimize, wrench, wrest, wring, wrong (≠ accuse, assume, assure, believe, confess, confirm, confront, crosscheck, defend, deserve, divulge, earn, expose, merit, refund, reimburse, repay, respect, restore, reveal, support, trust)

  FLING (→): bowl, buck, cant, cast, catapult, chuck, dart, dash, dump, eject, fire, flip, gun, heave, hook, hurl, hurtle, impel, jerk, launch, lob, loft, pass, peg, pelt, pitch, precipitate, project, propel, rifle, roll, send, shoot, shy, skitter, sling, throw, thrust, toss, wing (≠ bring, carry, catch, clutch, convey, give, grab, grasp, grip, hand, hold, keep, pull, receive, retain, schlep, seize, snag, snatch, tug, yank)

  FLIP (→): cant, careen, cast, change, chuck, click, exchange, flap, flick, fling, hurl, interchange, invert, jerk, overset, overturn, pitch, reverse, riffle, rotate, shift, skittle, snap, spin, substitute, supersede, supplant, swap, switch, throw, topple, toss, transpose, turn, twirl, twist, unhorse, unseat, upset, yank (≠ affix, balance, bolster, brace, buttress, calm, cement, center, embed, fix, freeze, glue, harden, hold, keep, level, maintain, nail, paralyze, pin, plant, preserve, secure, stabilize, steady, sustain)

  FLOG (→): bash, bat, batter, beat, belabor, belt, birch, bludgeon, buffet, cane, castigate, chastise, clout, discipline, drub, flagellate, flay, hammer, hide, hit, lambaste, lash, lather, maul, paddle, penalize, pound, pummel, punish, scourge, slap, slug, smack, smite, spank, strap, strike, stripe, switch, tan, thrash, wallop, whack, whip (≠ aid, block, caress, coddle, defend, guard, heal, nurture, protect, shield)

  FLOG (→): advertise, circulate, cold-call, commercialize, commodify, deal, deliver, handle, hawk, hustle, hype, leverage, limelight, market, monetize, offer, peddle, pimp, plug, presell, publicize, push, sell, shill, solicit, tout, trade, traffic, vend (≠ bury, buy, cloud, conceal, cover, discard, disguise, give, hide, hold, import, keep, limit, obscure, purchase, restrict, steal, suppress, withhold)

  FLOOD (→): avalanche, deluge, douse, drench, drown, engulf, fill, immerse, inundate, marinate, overcome, overflow, overrun, overwhelm, rinse, saturate, smother, soak, spatter, splatter, submerge, swamp, swell, syrup, transgress, wash, wet (≠ check, curb, dehydrate, drain, dry, hold, leach, leech, parch, reserve, restrain, staunch, withhold)

  FLOOR (→): affright, alarm, amaze, appall, astonish, astound, awe, baffle, beat, bewilder, chill, confound, conquer, daunt, defeat, demoralize, discomfit, discomfort, discompose, disconcert, disgust, dismay, dispirit, displease, disquiet, distress, disturb, dumbfound, emasculate, flabbergast, flummox, freak, frighten, frustrate, gobsmack, horrify, indispose, level, nauseate, nonplus, offend, outrage, overawe, overpower, overwhelm, panic, perplex, perturb, prostrate, puzzle, repel, revolt, scandalize, scare, scarify, shake, sicken, spook, startle, stump, stun, stupefy, terrify, throw, undo, unman, unnerve, unsettle,
upset (≠ assure, buffer, calm, charm, cheer, comfort, console, cushion, delight, enlighten, entice, explain, gratify, help, humor, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacify, placate, please, reassure, rejoice, satisfy, settle, solace, soothe, steady, tempt, thrill, tickle)

  FLOOR (→): bang, bash, beat, belt, bludgeon, clobber, concuss, conk, deck, defeat, down, drop, fell, flatten, ground, hammer, hit, jab, knock, level, overthrow, paste, poke, pound, prostrate, punch, raze, slam, slap, slug, smack, smite, sock, swat, swipe, thump, thwack, topple, wallop, whack, whale, wrack (≠ aid, assist, bolster, brace, build, construct, erect, guard, help, lift, nurture, preserve, protect, raise, shelter, shield, steady, strengthen, support, sustain, toughen)

  FLOOR (/): annihilate, boggle, break, crush, daze, deaden, defeat, deluge, demoralize, devastate, distress, disturb, drown, numb, oppress, overcome, overpower, overwhelm, paralyze, prostrate, pulverize, refute, rock, shatter, sink, stagger, stupefy, swamp, throw, unhorse, unman, unnerve, unseat, upset (≠ anchor, bore, buoy, calm, clarify, comfort, encourage, enlighten, enliven, explain, inspire, mellow, mollycoddle, organize, reassure, root, sedate, settle, stabilize, steady, survive, tire, underwhelm, withstand)

  FLOURISH (→): brandish, convince, dangle, demonstrate, display, evince, exhibit, expose, flaunt, illustrate, indicate, manifest, mark, parade, present, reveal, shake, show, swing, swish, thrash, twirl, uncover, unmask, unveil, vaunt, wag, wave, wield (≠ bury, conceal, cover, disguise, drop, forget, hide, lose, mask, -omit, reserve, -scorn, sheathe, shroud, -spurn, withdraw, withhold)

  FLOUT (/): affront, belittle, break, defy, demean, deprecate, deride, -despise, -disdain, dismiss, disobey, disparage, -disregard, disrespect, forget, gate-crash, gibe, gird, insult, jeer, mock, -neglect, offend, outrage, -overlook, pillory, -reject, -repudiate, ridicule, -scorn, -slight, -spurn, subvert, taunt, upset, violate (≠ accept, advocate, approve, back, compliment, defend, endorse, follow, honor, maintain, mind, obey, observe, praise, promote, regard, respect, restore, save, sustain, uphold)

  FLUB (/): blemish, blight, blow, bobble, boggle, boot, botch, bugger, bungle, butcher, damage, destroy, doom, flaw, fluff, foozle, foul, fumble, goof, half-ass, harm, hurt, impair, injure, louse, mangle, mar, mess, mishandle, mismanage, miss, muddle, muff, murder, mutilate, ruin, spoil, waste, wreck (≠ ace, ameliorate, bemoan, better, correct, doctor, enhance, fix, help, improve, lament, manage, nail, perfect, realign, rectify, refine, reform, regret, remedy, repair, revamp, right, sophisticate)

  FLUMMOX (/): addle, amaze, astonish, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, bemuse, bewilder, buffalo, confound, confuse, daze, defeat, discombobulate, disconcert, disorient, dumbfound, faze, floor, fox, gaslight, gobsmack, hocus-pocus, manipulate, mismatch, muddle, muddy, mystify, nonplus, perplex, pose, puzzle, stump, stymie, throw, vex (≠ assure, clarify, coach, edify, educate, enlighten, explain, floodlight, guide, help, illuminate, inform, reassure, satisfy, school, settle, simplify, solve, steady, teach, tutor, uncomplicate, untangle)

  FLUNK (→): assess, benchmark, compare, evaluate, fail, gauge, grade, judge, mark, pigeonhole, rank, rate, scold, value (≠ accept, allow, approve, coach, commend, educate, esteem, pass, praise, school, teach, tutor, validate, verify)

  FLUNK (/): blow, bobble, bomb, botch, bungle, chagrin, cheat, close, collapse, crash, deceive, delude, disappoint, discontent, disenchant, disgruntle, disillusion, displease, dissatisfy, distress, fail, flub, fold, fumble, half-ass, implode, miss, mock, muff, sink, tank, upset (≠ content, deliver, fulfill, gladden, gratify, handle, learn, manage, master, pass, prove, satisfy, study, test, validate, verify, win)

  FLUSH (→): cleanse, clear, deluge, douse, drench, eject, empty, engulf, evacuate, exorcise, expel, flood, gush, hose, inundate, irrigate, rinse, rush, saturate, scour, slosh, sluice, soak, splash, stream, swab, swamp, void, wash (≠ bake, burn, dehydrate, desiccate, dirty, dry, fill, foul, pack, parch, soil, staunch, stuff, taint)

  FLUSTER (/): agitate, baffle, bewilder, bother, bug, chagrin, churn, cloud, confound, confuse, craze, discombobulate, discomfit, discompose, disconcert, discountenance, disquiet, distract, distress, disturb, dizzy, embarrass, excite, faze, flap, flip, frustrate, gaslight, harass, hassle, heckle, hurry, jar, jolt, misconstrue, mistake, muddle, mystify, nonplus, obscure, overset, palpitate, panic, perplex, perturb, psych, puzzle, quiver, rattle, rile, ruffle, shake, spook, stir, trouble, unhinge, unnerve, unsettle, upset, vex (≠ appease, assure, calm, comfort, compose, console, embolden, encourage, enlighten, explain, help, humor, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, order, organize, pacify, placate, quiet, reassure, regiment, relieve, sedate, settle, soothe, stabilize, steady)

  FOCUS (+): adapt, adjust, aim, attend, attract, calibrate, center, centralize, chair, concentrate, convene, direct, equalize, fasten, fix, ground, heed, join, level, meet, mind, nail, orient, pinpoint, point, refocus, reorient, rivet, set, sharpen, spotlight, sweat, target, train, tune, turn, tweak, uncloud (≠ blur, cloud, confuse, dim, discombobulate, -ignore, miss, -neglect, obfuscate, obscure, obstruct, puzzle, secrete, smudge, veil)

  FOIL (←): -abort, anticipate, arrest, -avert, baffle, -balk, bar, beat, bilk, block, bollix, buffalo, check, checkmate, -circumvent, clog, complicate, conquer, constipate, counter, counteract, countervail, crab, cramp, crimp, curb, dash, daunt, defeat, deflect, disappoint, discomfit, disconcert, -ditch, -dodge, -duck, -elude, encumber, faze, fetter, forestall, foul, -frustrate, -halt, hamper, handicap, hassle, heckle, hinder, hobble, hocus-pocus, impede, indispose, inhibit, manacle, monkey-wrench, -negate, neutralize, -nullify, obstruct, -obviate, occlude, offset, outlast, outmaneuver, outslick, outsmart, outwit, overcome, override, parry, -preclude, -prevent, protest, rattle, restrain, retort, scupper, scuttle, shackle, shake, short-circuit, skip, stall, stop, straightjacket, stump, stymie, -thwart, tie, trammel (≠ abet, accelerate, advance, aid, assist, boost, brainstorm, catalyze, cultivate, ease, encourage, facilitate, forward, foster, further, grease, hasten, help, midwife, nurture, prioritize, promote, quicken, smooth, support, uncomplicate)

  FOIST (→): burden, camouflage, compel, con, counterfeit, disguise, distort, doctor, embellish, encumber, entail, extort, fake, falsify, fleece, force, forge, fudge, gouge, impose, inflict, introduce, juggle, manipulate, mask, misrepresent, obscure, oversell, palm, ram, saddle, scam, slant, snooker, snow, squeeze, sucker, thrust, unload, whitewash, wreak (≠ allow, attest, authenticate, block, confess, confirm, convince, corroborate, crosscheck, debunk, detect, diminish, divulge, excuse, expose, forgive, impede, pardon, permit, -refuse, -reject, -shun, -spurn, substantiate, suggest, -thwart, validate, verify)

  FOLLOW (→): accompany, attend, bird-dog, chaperone, chase, convoy, dog, escort, eye, harry, haunt, hound, hunt, monitor, observe, orbit, persecute, pursue, retrace, scent, search, seek, shadow, shag, spook, spoor, stalk, tag, tail, tailgate, target, trace, track, trail, undertake, watch (≠ -abandon, -avoid, -desert, direct, -disregard, -elude, -escape, -forsake, guide, head, -ignore, lead, leave, lose, miss, -neglect, -overlook, pass, pilot, -shun, skip, spearhead, steer)

  FOLLOW (←): accept, adopt, align, ape, attend, clock, consider, contemplate, coopt, copy, cultivate, emulate, harmonize, hear, heed, imitate, keep, mark, match, mimic, mind, mirror, mull, note, notice, notify, obey, observe, ponder, practice, reflect, regard, repeat, replace, respect, retrace, serve, succeed, supersede, supplant, support, take, watch, weigh (≠ breach, break, buck, chair, challenge, choreograph, combat, command, contest, dare, defy, -deny, deride, direct, -discount, discredit, dismiss, disobey, dispute, -disregard, doubt, fight, flout, -ignore, infringe, institute, lead, mismatch, mock, -neglect, oppose, orchestrate, order, originate, -overlook, pooh-pooh, -refuse, -reject, -renounce, -repudiate, resist, -scorn, scruple, steer, subvert, suggest, transgress, violate) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  FOLLOW (+): accept, appreciate, apprehend, catch, comprehend, dig, fathom, gather, get, grasp, grok, know, master, perceive, realize, savvy, see, suss, twig, understand, visualize (≠ confuse, -disregard, forget,
misconstrue, mishear, misinterpret, misread, miss, mistake, misunderstand, -overlook, perplex, study) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  FOMENT (→): abet, activate, advance, agitate, arouse, brew, cultivate, detonate, encourage, energize, enliven, excite, ferment, fire, forward, foster, further, galvanize, goad, incite, inflame, inspire, instigate, invigorate, kindle, motivate, nourish, nurse, nurture, pick, promote, prompt, provoke, quicken, raise, rouse, set, sow, spur, start, stimulate, stir, trigger, vitalize (≠ -abort, allay, block, bridle, calm, cease, check, constrain, curb, deactivate, demotivate, discourage, dissuade, hamper, hold, inactivate, inhibit, leash, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pace, pacify, placate, quash, quell, quiet, regulate, restrain, settle, soothe, squench, still, stop, straightjacket, subdue, suppress, tame, tranquilize)