by Damon Suede
-IGNORE (/): absolve, acquit, clear, condone, -discount, -disregard, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, explain, forgive, gloss, justify, -overlook, pardon, rationalize, remit, spare, underemphasize, vindicate, waive, whitewash, wipe (≠ accent, accentuate, amplify, assert, belabor, blame, emphasize, heed, highlight, incriminate, mark, mind, note, punctuate, regret, -scorn, spotlight, stress, underline)
ILLUMINATE (→): accent, accentuate, advertise, assert, belabor, bolster, boost, concentrate, deepen, emphasize, exaggerate, feature, focus, foreground, heighten, highlight, hype, identify, magnify, overemphasize, overplay, oversell, pinpoint, plug, press, prioritize, promote, publicize, punctuate, push, reinforce, sharpen, spotlight, stress, underline, underscore (≠ belittle, bury, conceal, cover, decrease, deemphasize, diminish, -discount, disparage, -disregard, downplay, hide, -ignore, lessen, marginalize, minimize, miss, obscure, obstruct, -omit, -overlook, quiet, reduce, silence, subdue, tune, underemphasize, understate)
ILLUMINATE (+): bathe, beacon, beam, bedazzle, blind, brighten, burn, daze, dazzle, flame, flash, floodlight, halo, highlight, ignite, illumine, incinerate, irradiate, kindle, light, lighten, limelight, radiate, spotlight (≠ blacken, block, bury, cloud, cover, curtain, darken, dim, douse, dull, ensconce, entomb, extinguish, obfuscate, obscure, quench, shade, shadow, shroud, snuff, veil)
ILLUMINATE (+): analyze, annotate, clarify, clear, construe, contextualize, decipher, decode, define, demonstrate, demystify, depict, disentangle, edify, elucidate, enlighten, explain, explicate, expose, expound, gloss, illustrate, inform, instruct, interpret, pictorialize, resolve, reveal, school, show, simplify, solve, specify, teach, train, translate, uncloud, uncomplicate, unravel, unriddle, unscramble, untangle (≠ befog, blur, cloud, complicate, conceal, confound, confuse, cypher, distract, encode, encrypt, garble, hide, jumble, misconstrue, mishear, misinterpret, misread, mistake, misunderstand, mix, muddle, mystify, obfuscate, obscure, perplex, puzzle, scramble, suppress)
ILLUMINATE (+): better, boost, buoy, canonize, dignify, distinguish, edify, educate, elevate, enlighten, ennoble, enrich, enshrine, ensoul, exalt, glorify, illume, illumine, improve, inspire, lift, magnify, nurture, promote, purify, raise, regenerate, renew, sanctify, transfigure, transform, uplift (≠ abase, becloud, cloud, condemn, confuse, contaminate, corrupt, damn, darken, degrade, demean, discourage, humiliate, lessen, lower, mar, mystify, obscure, perplex, pervert, pollute, puzzle, reduce, weaken)
ILLUSTRATE (→): adduce, analyze, annotate, ape, attest, authenticate, cast, certify, chart, cite, clarify, clear, confirm, connote, construe, convince, copy, corroborate, decipher, declare, decode, define, demonstrate, demystify, depict, depose, describe, detail, determine, disentangle, display, document, doodle, draw, duplicate, edify, elaborate, elucidate, embellish, embroider, enlighten, enumerate, establish, etch, evince, exemplify, exhibit, explain, explicate, expose, expound, externalize, flaunt, flourish, gloss, graph, illuminate, image, imitate, instance, interpret, list, manifest, map, mention, model, name, observe, outline, paint, parade, photograph, pictorialize, picture, portray, present, profile, prove, quote, render, replicate, represent, resolve, show, showcase, silhouette, simplify, simulate, sketch, solve, specify, spell, state, substantiate, support, testify, trace, uncover, unmask, unravel, unriddle, unscramble, untangle, unveil, validate, visualize, witness (≠ baffle, becloud, befog, belie, blur, cloak, clothe, cloud, complicate, conceal, confound, confuse, confute, contort, costume, darken, debunk, disguise, disprove, distort, erase, expunge, expurgate, falsify, fog, garble, hide, mask, misinterpret, misread, misrepresent, misstate, muddle, muddy, obfuscate, obliterate, obscure, perplex, puzzle, rebut, refute, scramble, screen, veil)
IMAGINE (+): anticipate, assume, await, believe, conceive, conclude, conjecture, deduce, dread, dream, expect, fancy, fear, feel, gather, guess, hypothesize, infer, judge, presume, reckon, suppose, surmise, suspect, theorize, think, wonder (≠ adjudge, ascertain, conclude, corroborate, deduce, demonstrate, detect, determine, discern, discover, document, establish, know, learn, prove, substantiate, validate, verify) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
IMBUE (+): animate, bathe, blend, brine, charge, deluge, diffuse, drown, enliven, ensoul, fill, flavor, flood, implant, impregnate, inculcate, infuse, ingrain, inject, inoculate, inspire, instill, interpenetrate, inundate, invest, invigorate, leaven, marinate, overwhelm, permeate, pervade, plant, presoak, saturate, steep, submerge, suffuse, tinge, tint (≠ bleed, clear, deplete, deprive, distill, divest, drain, draw, eliminate, empty, expel, extract, filter, flush, jettison, leach, leech, offload, pour, purge, purify, remove, screen, separate, siphon, spew, strain, strip, take, tap, unload, unpack, withdraw, withhold)
IMITATE (←): adopt, ape, approximate, burlesque, caricature, clone, copy, copycat, counterfeit, ditto, duplicate, echo, emulate, fake, falsify, feign, forge, ghostwrite, impersonate, lampoon, match, mime, mimic, mirror, mock, pantomime, parallel, parody, parrot, perform, play, playact, pretend, reconstruct, recreate, reflect, regurgitate, render, repeat, replicate, reproduce, roleplay, simulate, spoof, travesty (≠ battle, coin, combat, conceal, concoct, construct, contradict, contrive, counter, create, design, develop, devise, -disdain, disguise, -disregard, -eschew, fabricate, flip, initiate, introduce, invent, mismatch, -negate, oppose, originate, patent, reverse, -shun, -spurn)
IMMOBILIZE (/): anchor, arrest, attenuate, cripple, crush, damage, deactivate, debilitate, disable, disqualify, enervate, fix, freeze, -halt, hamstring, hobble, impair, inactivate, incapacitate, kneecap, lame, maim, mangle, mutilate, numb, palsy, paralyze, petrify, pin, pinion, prostrate, rivet, root, sabotage, sap, scotch, shelve, splint, stop, stun, torpefy, transfix, undercut, undermine, weaken, wither, wound (≠ accelerate, animate, boost, catalyze, empower, energize, fortify, galvanize, grease, hasten, heal, invigorate, mobilize, quicken, rally, recline, refresh, regenerate, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, restore, revitalize, revive, sedate, shift, speed, stimulate, strengthen, tranquilize, vitalize, weaponize)
IMMORTALIZE (+): apotheosize, beatify, bronze, canonize, celebrate, cherish, commemorate, consecrate, conserve, defend, deify, ennoble, enshrine, eternalize, eulogize, exalt, fetishize, glorify, guard, honor, idealize, idolize, laud, maintain, memorialize, perpetuate, preserve, protect, revere, romanticize, safeguard, support, sustain, treasure, venerate, worship (≠ abuse, annihilate, betray, crush, decimate, decry, defile, demean, demolish, demonize, denounce, desecrate, destroy, devastate, disparage, eradicate, erase, expunge, extinguish, extirpate, forget, -ignore, malign, -neglect, obliterate, regret, repent, rue, -scorn, shame, snuff, -spurn, vilify, wrong)
IMPAIR (/): abuse, aggrieve, bash, batter, blemish, blight, bloody, blunt, botch, break, castrate, cloud, club, compromise, contaminate, corrupt, crab, cripple, crush, damage, dash, debase, debilitate, decrease, deface, defile, deform, dement, demoralize, dent, deplete, deprive, derange, deteriorate, diminish, ding, disable, disfigure, emasculate, enervate, enfeeble, erode, flaw, half-ass, hamper, hamstring, handicap, harm, harshen, hinder, hurt, injure, kneecap, lacerate, lame, lessen, maim, mangle, mar, maul, modify, mutilate, overextend, palsy, reduce, retard, ruin, sap, scotch, short-circuit, shrivel, sorrow, spoil, taint, tarnish, undermine, unman, vitiate, warp, weaken, wing, wither, worsen, wound (≠ aid, align, allay, alleviate, ameliorate, assist, assuage, better, conserve, correct, cure, debug, decontaminate, develop, doctor, embattle, enhance, enrich, fix, fortify, foster, heal, help, improve, increase, invigorate, maintain, mend, mitigate, mollify, optimize, overhaul, patch, perfect, preserve, purify, raise, realign, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, rectify, refine, reform, rehabilitate, relieve, remedy, renovate, repair, revamp, revolutionize, strengthen, sugarcoat, tone, toughen, upgrade)
IMPALE (→): bayonet, bore, broach, burst, core, crack, cut, disembowel, drill, drive, enter, fill, gaff, gash, gimlet, gore, gouge, groove, gut, harpoon, hollow, honeycomb, insert, invade, jab, kebab, knife, lance, peck, penetrate, perforate, pick, pierce, pike, pin, pink, poke, poniard, prick, probe, prong, punch, puncture
, ream, rend, riddle, rupture, screw, shank, shiv, skewer, spear, spike, spindle, spit, split, stab, stake, stick, tap, tear, thrust, transfix (≠ armor, bandage, block, buffer, close, cover, defend, deflect, draw, eject, extract, fill, guard, heal, mend, parry, patch, plaster, plug, protect, pull, remove, repair, seal, secure, shield, withdraw)
IMPEDE (←): -abort, arrest, baffle, -balk, ban, bar, barricade, bind, block, blockade, boobytrap, brake, burden, chain, check, checkmate, choke, clog, confine, constipate, constrain, constrict, cramp, curb, delay, demotivate, derail, -deter, discourage, disrupt, embarrass, encumber, faze, fetter, foil, freeze, -frustrate, -halt, halter, hamper, hamstring, handcuff, handicap, hem, hinder, hobble, hogtie, hold, impair, inconvenience, inhibit, intercept, -interdict, interrupt, leash, lumber, manacle, mire, monkey-wrench, muzzle, obstruct, occlude, oppress, overload, paralyze, pause, postpone, -prevent, protest, rein, repress, restrain, restrict, retain, retard, roadblock, sabotage, saddle, scotch, shackle, shelve, short-circuit, slow, smother, stall, stem, stifle, stop, strangle, stultify, stump, stymie, subvert, suffocate, suppress, tether, -thwart, tie, trammel, undercut, undermine (≠ accelerate, accommodate, advance, aerate, aid, assist, boost, brainstorm, catalyze, clear, compel, disencumber, disentangle, ease, encourage, expedite, extricate, facilitate, fast-forward, fast-track, free, frogmarch, fuel, further, grease, hasten, heal, help, hurry, improve, inspire, legalize, liberate, loosen, lubricate, march, mend, midwife, oblige, open, oxygenate, prioritize, prod, promote, prompt, propel, quicken, release, relieve, remedy, rush, slacken, smooth, speed, spur, steady, stimulate, stir, stoke, strengthen, support, transcend, unclog, uncomplicate, unleash, unlock, untangle, untie, urge, ventilate)
IMPERIL (/): boobytrap, bully, chance, compromise, corrupt, cripple, damage, endanger, enfeeble, expose, gamble, hamstring, hazard, implicate, intimidate, jeopardize, menace, out, risk, sabotage, scupper, subject, subvert, taint, target, threaten, undercut, undermine, venture, wager, weaken (≠ aid, analyze, armor, assist, bolster, brace, comfort, defend, embalm, guard, harbor, help, maintain, nurture, patrol, preserve, protect, rescue, resume, retain, save, secure, shelter, shield, store, support, sustain, weigh)
IMPERSONATE (←): act, adopt, ape, caricature, copy, costume, depict, disguise, ditto, dramatize, duplicate, emulate, enact, fake, ghostwrite, hoke, imitate, interpret, mask, mime, mimic, mirror, mock, pantomime, parody, perform, play, playact, portray, pretend, render, replicate, represent, roleplay, travesty (≠ buck, challenge, confess, confront, contradict, counter, direct, -disregard, divulge, expose, gainsay, -halt, -ignore, oppose, originate, -prevent, reverse, stop)
IMPLANT (→): bed, bury, connect, embed, ensconce, entrench, establish, fix, graft, imbue, impact, inculcate, infiltrate, infuse, ingrain, initiate, inject, insert, inset, insinuate, install, instate, instill, interpose, introduce, invest, juxtapose, locate, lodge, modify, penetrate, pierce, place, plant, position, put, root, settle, sow, steep, stick, suffuse, transplant (≠ blackball, budge, detach, disconnect, disengage, dislocate, dislodge, displace, disturb, eject, eliminate, eradicate, expel, leach, relegate, relocate, remove, reposition, transfer, transpose, uninstall, uproot, weed, withdraw, wrest, wring)
IMPLICATE (→): accuse, affect, allege, arraign, associate, attaint, blackmail, blame, book, castigate, censure, charge, chide, cite, compromise, concern, condemn, connect, criticize, damn, denounce, embarrass, embroil, endanger, enmesh, entangle, fault, finger, frame, impeach, impugn, include, incriminate, inculpate, indict, inform, insinuate, involve, link, mire, name, prosecute, rebuke, report, reproach, reprove, scapegoat, stigmatize, sue, suggest, summon, tangle, target, tax, threaten (≠ absolve, acquit, advocate, alibi, champion, clear, defend, disconnect, disentangle, distinguish, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, extricate, forgive, justify, pardon, protect, remit, remove, separate, shrive, spare, support, untangle, vindicate)
IMPLORE (←): accost, address, ask, beg, beseech, besiege, buttonhole, cadge, claim, coerce, command, compel, conjure, covet, crave, demand, desire, entreat, exhort, force, importune, insist, invoke, mooch, panhandle, petition, plead, pray, press, request, require, resent, scrounge, seek, solicit, sponge, supplicate, target, urge (≠ answer, appease, comfort, command, conciliate, console, content, -deny, extort, fulfill, grace, gratify, hint, imply, intimate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, please, -refuse, satisfy, -scorn, -spurn, suggest)
IMPLY (→): allege, allude, clue, confide, convey, couch, denote, entail, hint, impart, indicate, infer, insinuate, intimate, involve, mention, propose, require, rumor, scandalize, signal, signify, suggest, whisper, withhold (≠ announce, assert, broadcast, clarify, confirm, declare, define, delineate, describe, elucidate, explain, express, proclaim, profile, reveal, spill, state, telegraph, voice) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
IMPOSE (→): apply, assess, blackmail, bleed, burden, charge, coerce, compel, decree, dock, encumber, enforce, establish, exact, excise, extort, fine, fix, fleece, foist, force, gouge, inflict, institute, introduce, lay, levy, milk, penalize, put, saddle, set, skin, squeeze, tax, thrust, wreak, wrest, wring (≠ abate, carry, condone, diminish, discourage, -disregard, excuse, forgive, gloss, haul, -ignore, lessen, overlook, pardon, release, relieve, remit, spare, tackle, undertake, volunteer)
IMPOUND (←): abduct, acquire, amass, annex, appropriate, arrogate, attach, bag, capture, catch, collect, commandeer, confiscate, deprive, dragoon, gather, get, grab, harvest, levy, monopolize, nab, pound, procure, reap, remove, repossess, requisition, rob, salvage, seize, select, sequester, take, usurp (≠ afford, assign, bestow, contribute, dispense, donate, extend, give, grant, lavish, lend, offer, present, provide, replace, restore, return, secure, share, spare, supply, tender, volunteer, yield)
IMPOUND (/): bridle, cage, capture, catch, collar, condemn, confine, contain, convict, coop, corral, cover, detain, embrace, encircle, enclose, encompass, entrap, envelop, fence, fetter, gain, grab, handcuff, harness, hold, immure, imprison, incarcerate, institutionalize, intern, jail, keep, land, manacle, pen, pluck, secure, seize, sentence, shackle, snag, snatch, straightjacket, surround, take, tether, trap, wrest (≠ -abandon, bail, bestow, deliver, discharge, drop, emancipate, free, furnish, give, liberate, loose, manumit, mislay, misplace, miss, offer, pardon, ransom, redeem, release, rescue, supply, tender, unhand, volunteer)
IMPOVERISH (/): bankrupt, beggar, blight, break, bust, cannibalize, consume, cripple, debilitate, deplete, depredate, deprive, diminish, drain, enervate, exhaust, famish, fleece, harm, injure, leech, malnourish, overextend, pauperize, reduce, ruin, sap, starve, straiten, tap, tax, underfeed, weaken (≠ advantage, award, benefit, bequeath, bestow, capitalize, compensate, enrich, finance, force-feed, fuel, fund, furnish, grant, offer, overfeed, pay, profit, reward, subsidize, supplement, supply, sustain, volunteer)
IMPREGNATE (→): bathe, brine, charge, color, conceive, dampen, dip, douse, drench, drown, fertilize, fill, flood, humidify, hydrate, imbue, immerse, implant, infiltrate, infuse, inoculate, inseminate, interpenetrate, inundate, macerate, marinate, moisten, penetrate, perfume, permeate, pervade, presoak, saturate, scent, soak, sop, souse, spread, steep, submerge, suffuse, swamp, swill, transfuse, wash, water (≠ -abort, blight, clear, close, dehumidify, dehydrate, deplete, deprive, desiccate, divest, drain, dry, eliminate, empty, extract, leach, parch, remove, sear, strip, void, withdraw, wring)
IMPRESS (→): affect, afflict, agitate, allure, amaze, arouse, astonish, astound, attract, awe, bewilder, bewitch, bias, bother, buffalo, bulldoze, captivate, carry, charm, color, concern, daze, dazzle, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, disturb, drive, dumbfound, electrify, enchant, enforce, engage, enrapture, enthrall, enthuse, entrance, excite, fascinate, faze, fluster, galvanize, gobsmack, grab, harass, harry, hocus-pocus, impact, influence, inspire, interest, involve, kill, move, overawe, overwhelm, penetrate, perturb, pester, pierce, pique, plague, possess, predetermine, prejudge, prejudice, prepossess, provoke, ravish, razzle-dazzle, reach, rouse, score, slay, smite, stimulate, stir, strain, stress, strike, s
tun, stupefy, surprise, sway, thrill, touch, transport, trouble, try, upset, worry, wow, wring (≠ affront, annoy, appall, baffle, -balk, bobble, bomb, bore, bungle, confound, depress, disappoint, disenchant, disgust, dismay, displease, earbash, embarrass, flunk, fumble, heckle, irk, jade, lower, muff, nag, nauseate, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, offend, repel, revolt, shame, tire, underwhelm, weary) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
IMPRESS (→): brand, carve, copy, deboss, dent, draw, drill, emboss, engrave, etch, fix, imbue, implant, imprint, inculcate, indent, infuse, ingrain, inscribe, instill, mark, nock, outline, pound, print, reproduce, set, stamp, strike, tool (≠ anonymize, blot, -cancel, delete, erase, expunge, fill, flatten, iron, obliterate, plaster, polish, pumice, remove, sand, scour, shine, smooth, spackle)
IMPRISON (/): apprehend, arrest, bar, bind, book, bust, cage, can, capture, catch, chain, closet, commit, confine, constrain, contain, convict, detain, dungeon, enchain, enclose, enslave, fetter, -halt, hamper, handcuff, harbor, hinder, hogtie, hold, ice, immure, impound, impress, incarcerate, institutionalize, intern, jail, keep, limit, lock, manacle, nab, pen, pinch, pinion, remand, restrain, restrict, secure, seize, sentence, shackle, shanghai, shut, snaffle, stockade, straightjacket, tie, trammel, trap (≠ accuse, acquit, allow, bail, clear, deliver, discharge, emancipate, enfranchise, excuse, exonerate, free, liberate, manumit, pardon, parole, release, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter)