Activate

by Damon Suede

  -NULLIFY (/): abate, abolish, -abort, abrogate, annihilate, annul, -avoid, ban, -blank, call, -cancel, checkmate, counteract, countermand, counterpoise countervail, deactivate, defeat, delegitimize, destroy, disallow, -discontinue, dismiss, dissolve, doom, drop, efface, eliminate, enjoin, eradicate, erase, expense, foil, -forbid, inactivate, invalidate, liquidate, monkey-wrench, -negate, null, offset, outlaw, override, overrule, overturn, -prohibit, quash, recall, -reject, remove, -renounce, repeal, -rescind, retract, reverse, revoke, suspend, vacate, -veto, -void, withdraw (≠ allow, approve, authorize, boost, cherish, clear, command, craft, create, decree, enact, endorse, establish, formalize, found, institute, legalize, legislate, legitimate, legitimize, mandate, order, pass, permit, prescribe, promote, propose, ratify, recommend, restore, rubber-stamp, sanction, survive, sustain, validate, warrant, withstand)

  NUMB (/): abate, alleviate, anesthetize, arrest, blunt, buffer, cauterize, chill, chloroform, cushion, damp, dampen, daze, deactivate, deaden, debilitate, decrease, desensitize, diminish, dose, drug, dull, ease, enfeeble, freeze, hypnotize, immobilize, inactivate, lessen, lighten, lower, medicate, mesmerize, minimize, moderate, muffle, mute, narcotize, paralyze, reduce, sedate, stultify, stun, stupefy, subdue, torpefy, tranquilize, weaken (≠ accentuate, activate, agitate, amplify, animate, arouse, augment, boost, consolidate, deepen, energize, enhance, enliven, heighten, increase, intensify, invigorate, magnify, maximize, prod, redouble, rouse, sensitize, sharpen, stimulate, stir, strengthen, wake, whet)

  NURSE (+): abet, aid, assist, attend, baby, babysit, bolster, boost, bottle-feed, cherish, clean, cleanse, coddle, conserve, cradle, cultivate, cure, decontaminate, doctor, dose, drug, encourage, feed, foster, further, harbor, heal, help, hospitalize, humor, immunize, indulge, infantilize, inoculate, medicate, mollycoddle, mother, nourish, nurture, overprotect, pamper, preserve, prioritize, promote, provide, relieve, remedy, serve, splint, spoil, sterilize, strengthen, succor, support, sustain, tend, treat, vaccinate, wash (≠ abuse, afflict, aggravate, anguish, assault, attack, -avoid, contaminate, forget, gore, harm, hurt, -ignore, infect, injure, lacerate, malnourish, menace, nauseate, -neglect, overdose, -overlook, persecute, plague, poison, pollute, shock, -shun, sicken, -slight, terrorize, threaten, torment, torture, traumatize, trouble, victimize, violate, wound, wrong)

  NURTURE (+): abet, accommodate, advance, advertise, advocate, aid, assist, back, bankroll, bolster, boost, buttress, champion, cherish, coach, cultivate, culture, develop, discipline, edify, educate, elevate, encourage, endorse, endow, enhance, enlighten, entertain, father, favor, feed, finance, foment, force-feed, forward, foster, fuel, fund, further, groom, guide, harbor, hatch, help, hold, improve, incubate, inform, mentor, mother, nourish, nurse, optimize, overfeed, pastor, patronize, plug, preserve, prioritize, promote, protect, publicize, raise, rear, school, serve, sire, stake, stimulate, stoke, strengthen, subsidize, support, sustain, teach, tend, touch, tout, train, underwrite, uphold, uplift, victual (≠ abuse, arrest, ban, bar, battle, betray, brutalize, check, checkmate, counter, defund, degrade, dehumanize, demotivate, discourage, discredit, disfavor, disgrace, disinherit, -disown, encumber, enjoin, fetter, -forbid, -frustrate, -halt, harm, hinder, hobble, hurt, impede, inhibit, injure, -interdict, manacle, -neglect, obstruct, oppose, outlaw, -prevent, -prohibit, proscribe, repress, retard, sabotage, scotch, scupper, scuttle, shackle, shelve, snuff, squash, squelch, stifle, stymie, subdue, suppress, -thwart, undermine, -veto, wrong)

  O

  OBEY (+): abide, accept, admit, aid, allow, answer, assist, attend, cede, discharge, embrace, enthrone, execute, favor, follow, fulfill, hear, heed, help, hold, honor, imitate, keep, maintain, mark, mind, note, notice, oblige, observe, perform, preserve, protect, recognize, regard, respect, retain, serve, submit, support, surrender, survive, sustain, take, watch, welcome, worship, yield (≠ break, buck, bulldoze, bully, challenge, command, contest, dare, debate, decree, defy, demand, depose, dictate, dismiss, disobey, dispute, -disregard, disrespect, enslave, fight, flout, mock, muscle, oppose, oppress, -overlook, overstep, pooh-pooh, railroad, -refuse, -renounce, -repudiate, resist, -scorn, steamroll, subjugate, subvert, test, topple, transgress, violate)

  OBLIGATE (→): bind, bludgeon, browbeat, bulldoze, bully, charge, coerce, commit, compel, constrain, enforce, engage, excise, force, impel, make, mandate, muscle, oblige, overcommit, press, pressure, railroad, require, restrain, restrict, sandbag, stipulate (≠ absolve, acquit, advise, allow, bribe, clear, convince, discharge, exculpate, excuse, exempt, exonerate, forgive, free, imply, liberate, pardon, permit, persuade, release, spare)

  OBLIGE (→): badger, blackjack, blackmail, browbeat, bulldoze, bully, coerce, command, compel, constrain, cow, demand, drag, dragoon, drive, force, harass, hector, hound, impel, impress, intimidate, make, menace, muscle, nobble, obligate, overcommit, press, pressure, railroad, require, sandbag, shame, terrorize, threaten, tie (≠ allow, argue, bribe, coax, convince, ease, encourage, facilitate, hint, induce, let, lubricate, midwife, move, permit, persuade, request, satisfy, suggest)

  OBLIGE (+): abet, accommodate, advantage, aid, appease, assist, attend, benefit, coddle, comfort, contribute, delight, favor, gladden, gratify, help, humor, indulge, infantilize, mind, mollify, mollycoddle, obey, offer, pacify, pamper, placate, please, pledge, profit, relieve, satisfy, serve, succor, support, volunteer (≠ alienate, bother, burden, constrain, -desert, disaffect, disappoint, discommode, disfavor, disoblige, disturb, encumber, fail, -frustrate, hamper, hamstring, hinder, hobble, impede, incommode, inconvenience, obstruct, oppose, -ostracize, restrain, sabotage, saddle, scotch, subvert, -thwart, trouble, weigh)

  OBSCURE (/): adumbrate, becloud, bedim, befog, belie, blacken, blanket, blear, blind, blindfold, block, blur, bury, camouflage, censor, cloak, clothe, cloud, complicate, conceal, confound, confuse, costume, cover, curtain, darken, dim, disguise, eclipse, ensconce, enshroud, extinguish, falsify, fog, fuzz, gild, gloss, haze, hide, holster, hood, hush, mask, misrepresent, mist, muddle, muddy, niche, obfuscate, obliterate, obstruct, occlude, occult, outperform, overcast, overcloud, overlap, overshadow, redact, screen, shade, shadow, sheathe, shroud, smother, stonewall, suppress, varnish, veil, whitewash, wrap (≠ advertise, air, bare, blab, blaze, blazon, blurt, boost, brandish, brighten, broadcast, clarify, clock, confess, disclose, discover, display, divulge, edify, exalt, expose, extol, flaunt, floodlight, flutter, glorify, heighten, highlight, hype, illuminate, illumine, light, lighten, observe, parade, plug, present, proclaim, promote, publicize, publish, reveal, scan, scope, scrutinize, show, showcase, spotlight, spread, uncloak, uncloud, uncomplicate, uncover, unmask, unveil)

  OBSERVE (←): attend, bird-dog, catch, clock, consider, consult, descry, detect, discern, discover, distinguish, espy, examine, eye, eyeball, follow, glimpse, guard, heed, identify, inspect, learn, mark, mind, monitor, note, notice, patrol, perceive, police, proctor, read, recognize, regard, remark, scan, scope, scrutinize, see, sight, spot, spy, study, survey, view, ward, watch, witness (≠ -blank, bury, cloak, conceal, -discount, dismiss, disprove, dispute, -disregard, doubt, ensconce, forget, gloss, handle, hide, -ignore, miss, -neglect, niche, obscure, obstruct, occlude, -overlook, -repudiate, -scorn, scruple, skim, skip, tackle, touch, wrestle) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  OBSERVE (+): bemoan, bless, celebrate, ceremonialize, commemorate, consecrate, fête, honor, keep, lament, laud, memorialize, mourn, praise, regret, remember, ritualize, sanctify, solemnize, venerate (≠ break, -disregard, forget, -ignore, -neglect, -overlook, regret, rue, transgress, violate)

  OBSERVE (+): accept, acknowledge, attend, concede, disoblige, follow, fulfill, hear, heed, honor, mark, mind, note, notice, obey, regard, remember, respect, satisfy, take, watch (≠ breach, break, buck, challenge, combat, contest, debate, defy, deride, discredit, dismiss, disobey, dispute, -disregard, doubt, fight, flout, gainsay, mock, oppose, refute, -repudiate, resist, -scorn, subvert, violate)

  OBSTRUCT (/): anticipate, arrest, baffle, -balk, bar, barricade, block, blockade, bottle
neck, brake, burden, cage, catch, check, checkmate, choke, -circumvent, clog, complicate, confront, confuse, congest, constipate, constrain, cordon, counter, crab, cramp, crimp, cripple, cross, curb, dam, dampen, daunt, defeat, deflect, defy, delay, demotivate, detain, -deter, disappoint, discourage, dissuade, divert, double-cross, -duck, -elude, encumber, entangle, entrap, -exclude, fetter, flummox, foil, forestall, foul, -frustrate, -halt, hamper, hamstring, handicap, hinder, hogtie, impair, impede, inhibit, intercept, interrupt, jam, -kibosh, kneecap, limit, lumber, mire, monkey-wrench, muzzle, obscure, oppose, oust, outwit, paralyze, parry, pause, plug, postpone, preempt, -prevent, -prohibit, protest, resist, restrain, restrict, retard, ruin, sandbag, scotch, shelve, short-circuit, skin, slow, snag, snarl, snooker, spite, stagnate, stall, stem, stifle, stop, straightjacket, stultify, stump, stunt, stymie, taboo, tangle, throttle, -thwart, trammel, waylay (≠ accelerate, accommodate, advance, aerate, aid, assist, boost, brainstorm, catalyze, clear, compel, decongest, ease, encourage, enhance, excavate, expedite, facilitate, fast-forward, fast-track, forward, free, fuel, further, grease, hasten, help, hollow, hurry, inspire, liberate, lighten, loosen, lubricate, midwife, oblige, observe, open, optimize, oxygenate, prioritize, prod, promote, prompt, propel, quicken, release, relieve, remedy, revolutionize, rush, scoop, slacken, smooth, speed, spur, stimulate, stir, stoke, strengthen, support, transcend, unblock, unclog, uncomplicate, unleash, unlock, untie, urge, ventilate, watch)

  OBTAIN (←): abduct, accomplish, accumulate, achieve, acquire, add, amass, annex, apprehend, appropriate, arrest, assume, attain, bag, bilk, bogart, borrow, buy, cadge, capture, carry, catch, claim, clear, clinch, collar, collect, corner, download, draw, earn, enlist, fetch, gain, garner, get, grab, gross, harvest, heap, import, incur, inherit, land, lease, lure, make, net, nobble, notch, occupy, palm, pilfer, poach, pocket, possess, preempt, procure, purchase, rack, reacquire, realize, reap, reattain, recapture, receive, reclaim, recoup, recover, recycle, redeem, regain, remake, rent, rescue, retrieve, rustle, salvage, scavenge, score, scrounge, secure, seize, select, snaffle, snag, snare, snatch, steal, stockpile, swipe, take, weasel, wheedle, win, wrangle (≠ -abandon, accord, bankroll, bequeath, bestow, commend, comp, confer, contribute, deliver, disburse, dispense, donate, dower, drop, endow, equip, fail, forfeit, fumble, fund, furnish, give, grant, lose, miss, offer, pay, present, -quit, relinquish, send, spare, starve, stiff, stint, supply, surrender, tender, tithe, transfer, underwrite, volunteer, yield)

  OCCUPY (←): absorb, allure, amuse, attend, attract, beguile, bemuse, bewitch, busy, captivate, charm, distract, divert, employ, enchant, energize, engage, engross, entertain, enthrall, excite, fascinate, fill, galvanize, grip, hog, hold, hypnotize, immerse, interest, intrigue, involve, mesmerize, monopolize, obsess, possess, preoccupy, retain, soak, stimulate, wow (≠ annoy, appall, bore, bother, bug, dampen, deaden, desensitize, distract, drain, dull, exasperate, exhaust, fatigue, frustrate, irk, jade, knacker, nag, nauseate, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, numb, paralyze, pester, sicken, tire, trouble, underwhelm, vex, weary) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  OCCUPY (+): abide, billet, colonize, cover, embattle, embed, ensconce, establish, fill, fortify, hold, house, impregnate, infiltrate, inhabit, keep, lodge, maintain, own, penetrate, permeate, pervade, populate, possess, quarter, saturate, settle, stay, tenant (≠ -abandon, -desert, dislodge, displace, evict, exile, forfeit, -forsake, leave, maroon, -omit, -ostracize, oust, relegate, relocate, strand)

  OFFEND (/): abase, abuse, affront, aggrieve, anger, annoy, antagonize, bait, belittle, besmear, besmirch, bestialize, bother, confound, debase, defame, deflate, degrade, demean, demote, devalue, diminish, disappoint, disgrace, disgust, dishonor, displease, disturb, exasperate, gravel, harass, hassle, heckle, humble, humiliate, hurt, incense, injure, insult, irritate, jar, jeer, libel, lower, malign, miff, mock, mortify, muckrake, nag, nauseate, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, outrage, provoke, -rebuff, reduce, repel, repulse, revolt, ridicule, rile, ruffle, scandalize, shame, shock, sicken, sideline, slander, -slight, slur, -snub, soil, spoil, stain, sully, taint, taunt, trample, troll, upset, violate, wound, wrong (≠ admire, amuse, appease, assuage, beguile, boost, buoy, butter, captivate, charm, comfort, compliment, content, court, delight, disarm, enchant, entertain, expiate, fascinate, flannel, flatter, forgive, glad-hand, gratify, honor, inveigle, mollify, pacify, placate, please, prioritize, propitiate, repent, revere, rue, satisfy, settle, steady, sweet-talk, thrill, woo)

  OFFER (→): advance, commercialize, commodify, contribute, extend, forward, give, introduce, leverage, market, monetize, present, proffer, recommend, remainder, sell, submit, suggest, supply, tender, volunteer (≠ accept, -decline, -deny, -rebuff, receive, -refuse, -reject, retract, -spurn, take, -veto, withdraw)

  OFFER (→): advance, arrange, bid, bounce, calculate, chart, contrive, cover, frame, lodge, map, nominate, plan, plot, pose, posit, present, proffer, propose, recommend, shape, spare, spitball, submit, suggest, tender, volunteer, vote (≠ answer, condemn, -deny, disbelieve, discourage, -disregard, dissuade, forget, -ignore, -neglect, oppose, -refuse, -reject, repulse)

  OFFER (→): celebrate, consecrate, dedicate, devote, forfeit, give, hand, immolate, martyr, present, sacrifice, slaughter, spare, surrender, volunteer, worship, yield (≠ -abandon, -deny, desecrate, -ignore, misapply, misuse, -neglect, profane, withhold)

  OFFER (→): act, attempt, brandish, carry, depict, display, dramatize, enact, exhibit, expose, express, extend, flaunt, give, impersonate, mount, parade, perform, play, playact, portray, present, preview, proffer, render, represent, roleplay, show, showcase, stage, tender, try, unveil (≠ bury, camouflage, cloak, cloud, conceal, cover, deprive, disguise, ensconce, hide, mask, obscure, screen, shroud, stint, suppress, veil, withhold)

  OFFSET (+): abrogate, alleviate, annul, assuage, balance, -cancel, center, checkmate, compose, correct, counteract, counterbalance, counterpoise, countervail, ease, equalize, erase, expense, -frustrate, ground, incapacitate, invalidate, minimize, mitigate, -negate, neuter, neutralize, normalize, -nullify, outbalance, outweigh, overcome, override, overrule, pacify, realign, rectify, redeem, redress, relax, relieve, remedy, right, square, subdue, undo (≠ accent, accentuate, aggravate, amplify, animate, assert, complicate, compound, corroborate, deepen, emphasize, exacerbate, exaggerate, expand, extend, heighten, increase, inflate, inspire, intensify, magnify, maximize, overdramatize, punctuate, raise, restore, resurrect, revive, stimulate, strengthen)

  OIL (←): anoint, bathe, beeswax, blandish, brownnose, butter, cajole, candy-coat, charm, coat, commend, compliment, con, court, douse, drench, dulcify, flannel, flatter, glad-hand, grease, humor, hustle, inveigle, jolly, lard, lube, lubricate, marinate, massage, moisturize, palaver, pomade, praise, salve, schmooze, sell, slick, smear, smooth, snooker, snow, soak, soften, soft-soap, souse, stroke, sucker, sugarcoat, sweeten, sweet-talk, syrup, wash, water, wax, wet, wheedle, win, woo, wow (≠ abrade, berate, blackjack, bully, callous, chafe, coarsen, compel, condemn, criticize, dehydrate, desiccate, dry, force, harden, harshen, insult, intimidate, jeer, mock, muscle, offend, parch, railroad, repel, ridicule, rough, roughen, sear, sharpen, toughen)

  -OMIT (/): -avoid, -bypass, delete, -disregard, -ditch, drop, dump, edit, eliminate, erase, except, -exclude, expel, expunge, fail, forget, -ignore, miss, -neglect, -ostracize, -overlook, pass, -preclude, -refuse, -reject, -shirk, -shun, -sidestep, skimp, skip, stint, withhold (≠ add, admit, assimilate, combine, contain, cover, embrace, enclose, encompass, hold, include, incorporate, insert, integrate, introduce, involve, mention, mix, span, subsume, unite)

  OPEN (→): break, broach, burst, bust, clear, crack, disclose, disengage, display, disrupt, expose, force, jimmy, lacerate, lance, penetrate, perforate, pierce, pop, prize, puncture, push, release, reveal, rupture, separate, sever, slide, slip, slit, slot, split, tap, unbar, unblock, unbolt, unbuckle, unbutton, unclasp, unclench, unclothe, uncork, uncover, undo, unfasten, unlatch, unlock, unseal, untie, unzip, ventilate (≠ bar, barricade, bolt, button, cinc
h, clasp, clench, clinch, close, cordon, deadbolt, fasten, latch, lock, padlock, plug, seal, secure, shut, stopper, zip)

  OPEN (→): broaden, diffuse, dilate, enlarge, expand, extend, fan, flare, outstretch, part, scatter, separate, split, spread, stretch, unfold, unfurl, unroll, widen (≠ close, compact, compress, concentrate, condense, contract, crease, fold, narrow, pucker, reduce, tighten, wrinkle)

  OPEN (+): access, adopt, begin, commence, convene, create, embrace, enter, establish, father, found, generate, hatch, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, invent, jump, launch, meet, organize, originate, pioneer, sire, spawn, start (≠ -abandon, abolish, -abort, cease, close, complete, conclude, -discontinue, end, extinguish, finish, -forsake, -halt, leave, pause, -quit, stop, terminate)

  OPEN (+): aerate, clean, clear, decongest, disentangle, ease, expose, extricate, facilitate, fissure, free, loosen, oxygenate, release, rid, slack, slacken, smooth, strip, unblock, unclog, unclutter, uncork, unplug, unstop, vent, ventilate, wash (≠ barricade, block, blockade, clog, close, clutter, constipate, constrict, cork, dam, encumber, fill, hamper, hinder, impede, obstruct, occlude, plug, seal, shut, stem, stop, stopple)

  OPERATE (→): administer, align, apply, balance, channel, command, conduct, control, deploy, dial, direct, drive, employ, exert, fly, guide, handle, implement, influence, man, manage, maneuver, manipulate, marshal, pilot, realign, run, steer, synchronize, use, utilize, wield, work (≠ -abandon, -avoid, break, damage, -desert, destroy, discard, -disdain, drop, -eschew, -halt, hinder, -ignore, lose, misapply, mismanage, misuse, -neglect, -overlook, -refuse, -reject, ruin, stop, withdraw, wreck)