by Damon Suede
MISLAY (/): clutter, confound, confuse, disarrange, discompose, dishevel, disorder, disorganize, displace, dissipate, disturb, drop, forfeit, forget, jumble, lose, misapply, misassign, misfile, misplace, miss, mix, muddle, muss, -overlook, remove, scatter, scramble, strew, toss, unsettle, untidy, upset (≠ adjust, array, assort, classify, collect, compose, detect, dispose, enjoy, find, gather, group, hold, keep, leave, locate, maintain, neaten, occupy, order, organize, own, place, possess, retain, scout, sort, systematize, tidy, track)
MISLEAD (←): baffle, bait, bamboozle, beard, beat, befuddle, beguile, betray, bilk, bleed, blind, blindfold, bluff, bottom-deal, buffalo, bullshit, bunk, burn, candy-coat, catch, cheat, chisel, clip, cloud, con, confuse, convince, cook, cozen, deacon, deceive, defraud, delude, diddle, disinform, doctor, double-cross, double-talk, dupe, enmesh, ensnare, entangle, entice, euchre, fake, fleece, flimflam, fool, fox, frame, fudge, gas, gaslight, gouge, gull, gyp, hoax, hocus-pocus, hoodwink, hook, hornswoggle, hose, humbug, hustle, hype, ice, inveigle, juggle, lure, manipulate, misdirect, misguide, misinform, misrepresent, mousetrap, mystify, outfox, outwit, overreach, perplex, pervert, plant, pluck, presell, pretend, puzzle, rephrase, rook, rope, salt, sandbag, scam, screw, seduce, shaft, shortchange, skin, snooker, snow, soak, spoof, squeeze, stick, stiff, sting, stonewall, sucker, swindle, take, tempt, trick, two-time, underpay, vamp, victimize, whitewash, wrong (≠ acknowledge, advise, assume, assure, believe, concede, confess, confide, confirm, confront, counsel, debunk, defend, -deny, disabuse, disclose, disenchant, disillusion, divulge, expose, guard, lead, out, protect, respect, reveal, show, trust, uncloak, uncover, undeceive, unmask, unveil, verify)
MISMANAGE (/): abuse, betray, blackjack, blackmail, bobble, bomb, botch, browbeat, bugger, bully, bungle, cheat, damage, deceive, dissipate, exploit, fake, flub, flunk, fritter, fudge, fumble, half-ass, harm, hurt, ill-treat, intimidate, jumble, lavish, maltreat, mar, mishandle, misjudge, misrule, misspend, mistreat, misuse, muff, muscle, -neglect, overestimate, -overlook, pretend, railroad, -shirk, skip, squander, trash-talk, trick, underestimate, violate, waste (≠ aid, coach, follow, govern, handle, help, husband, lead, manage, mentor, mind, navigate, nurture, obey, pilot, preserve, protect, rescue, rule, save, secure, serve, shield, steer, win)
MISPLACE (/): clutter, confound, confuse, disarrange, discompose, dishevel, disorder, disorganize, displace, dissipate, disturb, drop, forfeit, forget, jumble, lose, misapply, misassign, misfile, mislay, miss, mix, muddle, muss, -overlook, remove, scatter, scramble, strew, toss, unsettle, untidy, upset (≠ adjust, array, assort, classify, collect, compose, detect, dispose, enjoy, find, gather, group, hold, keep, leave, locate, maintain, neaten, occupy, order, organize, own, place, possess, retain, scout, sort, systematize, tidy, track)
MISREPRESENT (←): ballyhoo, beard, belie, bend, blarney, bluff, bowdlerize, bullshit, camouflage, censor, cloak, clothe, cloud, color, complicate, con, confound, confuse, contort, cook, costume, disguise, distort, doctor, embellish, embroider, exaggerate, falsify, fudge, garble, gloss, heighten, heroicize, heroize, idealize, idolize, jolly, manipulate, mask, minimize, miscommunicate, misconstrue, misdescribe, mishear, misinterpret, misquote, misread, misreport, misstate, mistake, mistranslate, mystify, obscure, -omit, overdramatize, oversell, paint, pervert, poeticize, promote, puff, rephrase, romanticize, scam, sentimentalize, slant, snooker, snow, sucker, twist, veil, warp, whitewash (≠ affirm, bare, betray, clarify, clear, contextualize, decipher, deduce, demonstrate, detect, disclose, discover, elaborate, evince, exhibit, explain, expose, flaunt, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, out, parade, represent, reveal, showcase)
MISS (←): bemoan, covet, crave, demand, desire, fetishize, grieve, lament, lose, mourn, recall, recollect, regret, remember, target, want, wish (≠ -avoid, -detest, -discount, -disregard, forget, -hate, misremember, -scorn, -shun, skirt, -spurn)
MISS (/): blow, bobble, botch, bungle, -bypass, -cut, detour, disbelieve, -discount, dismiss, -disregard, drop, fail, flub, fluff, forget, fumble, -ignore, juggle, lose, louse, miscarry, mislay, misplace, mistake, misunderstand, muff, -neglect, -omit, -overlook, overshoot, pass, skip, -slight, trip, undershoot (≠ achieve, aim, attain, attend, balance, claim, conquer, crest, find, get, hit, locate, manage, outguess, realize, recollect, regret, remember, score, steady, suss, target, waylay)
MISTAKE (/): addle, botch, bungle, confound, confuse, flub, fluff, flunk, goof, jumble, louse, misapprehend, miscalculate, misconceive, misconstrue, miscount, misdiagnose, mishear, misinterpret, misjudge, mislabel, misprize, misread, miss, misunderstand, muddle, muff, -omit, overestimate, -overlook, snarl, tangle, underestimate (≠ appreciate, apprehend, catch, compare, comprehend, diagnose, evaluate, fathom, get, grasp, grok, interpret, learn, outguess, perceive, regret, savvy, seize, survey, suss, understand)
MISTREAT (/): -abandon, abuse, alienate, attack, backbite, bash, batter, betray, blackjack, blackmail, browbeat, brutalize, bully, burn, crucify, damage, dehumanize, depersonalize, devalue, disaffect, discredit, disfavor, disgrace, dump, exploit, gaslight, hamstring, harass, harm, humiliate, hurt, ill-treat, injure, intimidate, isolate, maltreat, manhandle, maul, mishandle, misuse, molest, muscle, -neglect, objectify, oppress, -ostracize, outrage, penalize, persecute, railroad, -reject, rip, sandbag, savage, shaft, shake, shortchange, sicken, taunt, torment, torture, trample, trash, trash-talk, tyrannize, upstage, vex, victimize, violate, wound, wrong (≠ accommodate, advantage, aid, amuse, appease, assist, baby, benefit, cherish, coddle, cosset, cotton, cure, delight, entertain, favor, featherbed, foster, gratify, guard, heal, help, humor, indulge, infantilize, mollycoddle, nourish, nurture, oblige, overindulge, overprotect, pacify, pamper, pet, pity, placate, please, protect, reward, satiate, satisfy, soothe, spoil, spoon-feed, thrill, treat, woo)
MITIGATE (+): abate, allay, alleviate, ameliorate, amend, appease, assuage, better, blunt, buffer, calm, candy-coat, check, control, cool, correct, curb, cure, cushion, decrease, diminish, dulcify, dull, ease, emend, enhance, enrich, fix, heal, help, humor, improve, lessen, lighten, lull, mellow, mend, moderate, modify, mollify, pace, pacify, palliate, perfect, placate, qualify, quiet, realign, rectify, reduce, refine, reform, regulate, relieve, remedy, remit, repair, right, sedate, slake, soften, soothe, still, subdue, sugarcoat, sweeten, temper, tranquilize, weaken (≠ aggravate, agitate, alarm, amplify, deepen, exacerbate, exaggerate, exasperate, harden, harm, heighten, hurt, impair, increase, inflame, injure, intensify, irritate, overdramatize, oversell, sharpen, troll, worry, worsen)
MIX (+): add, adulterate, alloy, amalgamate, associate, blend, braid, churn, coalesce, combine, commingle, composite, compound, concrete, conflate, cross, crossbreed, cross-fertilize, cross-pollinate, fold, froth, fuse, homogenize, hybridize, incorporate, infiltrate, infuse, instill, integrate, interbreed, intermingle, intermix, intertwine, interweave, introduce, join, jumble, knead, knit, link, lump, mash, meld, merge, mingle, mongrelize, raddle, saturate, scramble, stir, suffuse, synthesize, tangle, toss, transfuse, unite, weave, whisk (≠ cleave, detach, diffuse, disconnect, disengage, disjoin, disperse, dissolve, disunite, divide, divorce, part, remove, rupture, scatter, separate, sever, split, sunder, unmix)
MIX (+): associate, circulate, gather, include, integrate, invite, join, meet, mingle, reintegrate, socialize, unify, unite, welcome (≠ -avoid, divide, -eschew, -exclude, -omit, oust, segregate, separate, -shun, -slight, -snub, split) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
MOBILIZE (→): activate, actuate, animate, arrange, assemble, brainstorm, call, catalyze, circulate, collect, conscript, convene, corral, drive, encourage, energize, enlist, galvanize, gather, group, herd, impel, incite, influence, inspire, instigate, marshal, midwife, motivate, muster, order, organize, prepare, prompt, propel, provoke, punt, rally, ready, rouse, spark, spur, stimulate, summon, weaponize (≠ check, curb, deactivate, demobilize, demotivate, detain, -deter, disband, discourage, dismiss, disorganize, disperse, disrupt, dissolve, dissuade, disturb, divide, end, -halt, hamper, hinder, hold, inactivate, repress, retard, sca
tter, separate, short-circuit, slow, split, stall, stop, stymie, -thwart)
MOCK (←): act, adopt, amplify, ape, burlesque, caricature, copycat, counterfeit, deride, duplicate, embellish, embroider, emulate, enhance, exaggerate, expand, fake, feign, imitate, impersonate, lampoon, magnify, mime, mimic, overdramatize, overdraw, overstate, pad, pantomime, parody, parrot, perform, play, pretend, replicate, reproduce, ridicule, satirize, simulate, spoof, stretch, travesty (≠ counter, create, follow, heed, invent, mark, mind, note, notice, obey, observe, oppose, originate, oversell, poeticize, -prevent, reverse, romanticize, sentimentalize, serve)
MOCK (/): ape, badmouth, bait, belittle, blackguard, blast, blister, bug, burlesque, caricature, cartoon, catcall, chaff, crucify, decry, deflate, demean, deride, disparage, disrespect, diss, expose, flout, harass, harry, hassle, haze, heckle, hound, humiliate, imitate, insult, josh, kid, knock, lampoon, mimic, needle, neg, pan, parody, parrot, patronize, pester, pillory, poke, pooh-pooh, quiz, rag, razz, rib, ride, ridicule, roast, satirize, -scorn, scout, shame, skewer, -slight, target, taunt, tease, torment, travesty, tweak, twit, unmask (≠ admire, applaud, approve, blandish, commend, compliment, encourage, endorse, esteem, exalt, flannel, flatter, glad-hand, heroicize, honor, idealize, idolize, -ignore, praise, recommend, respect, revere, sanction, support, sweet-talk, venerate)
MOCK (/): battle, breach, break, buck, challenge, combat, contest, defy, discredit, dismiss, disobey, disoblige, dispute, -disregard, fight, flout, -ignore, infringe, oppose, -overlook, pooh-pooh, protest, question, -reject, resist, revolt, -scorn, subvert, tax, test, transgress, violate, withstand (≠ attend, follow, hear, heed, honor, keep, mark, mind, note, notice, obey, oblige, observe, regard, respect, serve, watch)
MODERATE (+): abate, allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, attenuate, calm, chasten, check, compress, condense, constrain, constrict, contract, control, cool, curb, decrease, de-escalate, deflate, diminish, domesticate, drain, dull, ease, help, humor, leash, lessen, limit, lower, lull, mellow, mitigate, modify, modulate, mollify, pace, pacify, palliate, pen, placate, qualify, quiet, reduce, regulate, relax, relieve, repress, restrain, shrink, slacken, slow, soften, soft-pedal, subdue, tame, taper, temper (≠ aggravate, amplify, brighten, build, darken, deepen, embellish, embroider, enlarge, escalate, exacerbate, exaggerate, exasperate, expand, flub, harden, incite, increase, inflate, intensify, irritate, lengthen, provoke, sharpen, swell, toughen, unleash, vex)
MODERNIZE (+): amend, automate, computerize, correct, enhance, gentrify, improve, mechanize, modify, motorize, network, optimize, overhaul, realign, rebuild, recast, reconceive, reconceptualize, reconstruct, redefine, redesign, redevelop, redo, reengineer, refashion, refine, reform, refresh, refurbish, regenerate, reimagine, reinvent, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, remake, remodel, renew, renovate, restimulate, restore, restructure, rethink, retool, revamp, revise, revive, revolutionize, rework, streamline, transform, update, upgrade, wire (≠ -abandon, antique, conserve, corrode, damage, date, destroy, doom, dump, -forsake, hurt, kill, maintain, outmode, preserve, resist, ruin, sabotage, scotch, scupper, scuttle, shelve, toss, trash, undermine, wear, wreck)
MODIFY (+): abate, accrue, adapt, adjust, affect, align, alter, amend, amplify, calibrate, case-harden, change, contort, contour, convert, correct, customize, degrade, diversify, doctor, downgrade, edit, enhance, flavor, gnarl, harden, impair, improve, increase, invert, jack, magnify, marinate, maximize, minimize, mitigate, moderate, mutate, optimize, overhaul, override, overrule, pervert, punctuate, realign, recast, redesign, reduce, refashion, reform, reimagine, rejigger, remodel, remold, reorganize, repair, rephrase, reshape, reshuffle, restore, retool, retrofit, revamp, revise, revolutionize, rework, right, rotate, sculpt, season, shift, shuffle, soften, spice, strengthen, switch, temper, touch, transfigure, transform, transmogrify, transmute, tune, turn, tweak, twist, upgrade, vary, warp, weaken, weaponize (≠ abide, conserve, continue, defend, endure, freeze, grow, -halt, hold, incite, increase, intensify, keep, leave, maintain, paralyze, pickle, preserve, retain, set, spoil, stabilize, stagnate, stale, stop, sustain)
MODULATE (+): adjust, align, alter, attune, balance, calibrate, center, change, commute, compose, convert, exchange, fine-tune, harmonize, lower, minimize, moderate, modify, pace, recast, redo, refashion, regenerate, regulate, rejigger, remake, remodel, restrain, retool, revamp, reverse, revise, revolutionize, rework, soften, supplant, swap, switch, temper, tone, transfigure, transform, transmogrify, transmute, tune, tweak, vary (≠ abuse, accentuate, aggravate, amplify, attack, boost, compound, emphasize, exacerbate, exaggerate, fight, fix, force, freeze, heighten, heroicize, idealize, inflate, intensify, maximize, -neglect, overdramatize, paralyze, poeticize, punctuate, push, resist, romanticize, sentimentalize, set, stabilize, steady, unleash, weaponize)
MOISTEN (→): bathe, braise, damp, dampen, dip, douse, drench, drizzle, drown, flood, hose, humidify, imbue, irrigate, lick, marinate, moisturize, permeate, presoak, rinse, saturate, slake, sluice, soak, soften, sop, spatter, splash, splatter, spray, sprinkle, steep, swamp, wash, water, wet (≠ abrade, bake, barbecue, broil, chafe, congeal, dehydrate, desiccate, dry, harden, mop, parch, scorch, sear, staunch, toughen, towel)
MOLD (→): assemble, bend, bronze, build, carve, cast, coin, compose, concoct, configure, construct, contour, craft, crease, create, design, devise, erect, fashion, forge, form, frame, integrate, knead, make, model, pat, plan, plant, plot, pour, round, scheme, script, sculpt, shape, stamp, structure, whittle, work (≠ -abandon, annihilate, atomize, break, crack, demolish, destroy, dismantle, dissolve, eradicate, erase, forget, fracture, fragment, melt, -neglect, nuke, pulverize, raze, ruin, shatter, split, strip, vaporize, wreck)
MOLD (+): affect, alter, better, bias, brainwash, cleanse, coach, condition, control, convince, corrupt, direct, dominate, educate, form, guide, impart, improve, induce, influence, infuse, inject, instruct, manipulate, mentor, nobble, persuade, predetermine, prejudice, purify, refresh, renew, restore, retrain, school, shape, suborn, sway, teach, transform (≠ attack, -bypass, -circumvent, dissuade, gaslight, -ignore, impede, inhibit, -neglect, -prevent, sabotage, -sidestep, subvert, undermine)
MOLEST (→): abuse, accost, adulterate, assail, assault, attack, befoul, besmirch, contaminate, debase, debauch, deflower, degrade, dirty, disgrace, dishonor, displace, disturb, fondle, harm, hinder, hurt, ill-treat, injure, maltreat, manhandle, mistreat, misuse, profane, rape, ravish, seduce, shame, smear, soil, stain, sully, tar, tarnish, trash, vitiate, wrong (≠ cherish, defend, guard, heal, help, honor, preserve, protect, purify, respect, shelter, shield, support)
MOLEST (/): abuse, afflict, aggravate, agitate, alarm, annoy, appall, assault, badger, bait, bash, bedevil, berate, blast, blister, bore, bother, browbeat, bug, bust, charge, chivy, concern, confuse, criticize, cross, discommode, discompose, disconcert, disgust, dismay, displease, disquiet, distress, disturb, eat, embarrass, exacerbate, exasperate, fluster, frighten, gate-crash, goad, grieve, harass, harry, hassle, heckle, hector, hound, impede, impugn, inconvenience, insult, interrupt, invade, irk, irritate, lambaste, malign, maltreat, mistreat, nag, needle, nudge, pain, perplex, persecute, perturb, pester, plague, provoke, pursue, revile, ride, scare, spite, tantalize, taunt, tease, terrify, torment, trash-talk, troll, trouble, upset, vex, worry, wrong (≠ alleviate, appease, assist, assuage, baby, calm, cheer, coddle, comfort, defend, guard, help, humor, indulge, lull, mellow, mitigate, mollify, mollycoddle, pacify, pamper, placate, please, protect, quiet, reassure, relax, rescue, save, shield, soothe)
MOLLIFY (+): abate, aid, allay, alleviate, anesthetize, appease, assuage, blunt, calm, comfort, compose, conciliate, console, content, cool, cushion, defuse, demilitarize, dulcify, ease, help, humor, hush, indulge, lessen, lighten, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, modify, overindulge, pacify, placate, propitiate, quell, quiet, quieten, reconcile, relax, relieve, rock, sedate, settle, silence, smooth, sober, soften, soothe, stabilize, steady, still, stroke, subdue, sugarcoat, sweeten, syrup, temper, tranquilize (≠ affront, aggravate, agitate, alienate, anger,
annoy, antagonize, appall, disaffect, distress, disturb, earbash, enrage, exacerbate, exasperate, excite, gravel, harden, hurt, incense, infuriate, insult, irritate, lynch, maim, militarize, nag, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, noodge, offend, -ostracize, outrage, persecute, pester, provoke, rankle, rile, roil, rouse, ruffle, shock, troll, unhinge, upset, vex, worry)
MONETIZE (→): alter, amass, apply, appropriate, cannibalize, cash, change, claim, collect, earn, employ, exploit, garner, garnish, harness, manipulate, mint, pocket, raise, reclaim, recoup, recover, recycle, skim, tap, transfigure, transform, transmute, utilize (≠ bequeath, break, comp, contribute, demolish, destroy, dismantle, donate, -ignore, lose, misapply, misuse, -neglect, raze, ruin, take)
MONITOR (←): advise, analyze, anatomize, assess, audit, backtrack, benchmark, calculate, categorize, chaperone, chart, check, chronicle, clock, conclude, consult, contextualize, control, correlate, counsel, cover, crosscheck, deconstruct, deduce, detect, dissect, double-check, eye, eyeball, follow, gauge, glimpse, graph, guesstimate, inspect, judge, mind, nanny, note, notice, observe, organize, oversee, patrol, perceive, plot, police, proctor, quarterback, rank, read, record, referee, regard, retrace, review, safeguard, sample, scan, scope, scrutinize, shepherd, spy, superintend, supervise, surveil, survey, trace, track, umpire, usher, verify, watch, witness (≠ -abandon, baffle, -blank, blind, blindfold, confound, confuse, deceive, disguise, -disregard, erase, fake, forget, fudge, -ignore, lose, mask, miss, mistake, muddle, mystify, -neglect, obliterate, -omit, -overlook, perplex, puzzle, skim, skip, trick) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!