Activate

by Damon Suede

  OVERCOME (→): amaze, annihilate, beat, best, better, bomb, break, bury, cap, climb, clobber, conquer, convince, cream, crush, defeat, dispatch, drub, eclipse, enslave, exceed, finish, flatten, foil, hammer, lick, master, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outlast, outlive, outmaneuver, outplay, outsell, outshine, outslick, outsmart, outstrip, outthink, outwit, overpower, overtake, overthrow, overwhelm, prostrate, reduce, rout, ruin, score, shellac, shock, skin, skunk, slaughter, smoke, steamroller, stop, stun, subdue, subjugate, surmount, surpass, survive, sweep, take, thrash, top, topple, transcend, trounce, trump, unseat, upend, upset, vanquish, wallop, weather, whip, whup, wrack, wreck (≠ -abandon, abdicate, assist, augment, boost, botch, bungle, elevate, endure, fail, flunk, follow, forfeit, half-ass, help, lose, mind, muff, obey, relinquish, -renounce, resign, serve, stomach, strengthen, suffer, surrender, tolerate, weather, withstand)

  OVERHAUL (+): adapt, adjust, automate, calibrate, check, computerize, copy, cure, darn, debug, doctor, examine, fix, gentrify, heal, improve, inspect, investigate, mend, modernize, optimize, patch, perfect, reassemble, rebuild, recondition, reconstitute, reconstruct, recreate, rectify, reexamine, refashion, refurbish, rehabilitate, reimagine, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, remake, remodel, renew, renovate, reorganize, repair, replace, reproduce, reprogram, reshape, reshuffle, restimulate, restore, restructure, retool, retread, revamp, revive, revolutionize, rework, service, sew, tune, tweak, update, upgrade (≠ afflict, annihilate, blemish, blight, boobytrap, break, crack, damage, deep-six, degrade, demolish, destroy, diminish, disadvantage, doom, eradicate, erase, fracture, fragment, impede, mar, monkey-wrench, -neglect, nuke, obliterate, pulverize, raze, ruin, sabotage, scotch, scupper, scuttle, shatter, shelve, undercut, undermine, vandalize, vaporize, wreck)

  OVERHEAR (←): apprehend, attend, bug, catch, descry, devour, discern, discover, find, hear, heed, mark, mind, monitor, note, observe, perceive, read, receive, spy, surveil, tap, wire, wiretap (≠ conceal, debate, -deny, disobey, dispute, -disregard, forget, hide, hush, -ignore, keep, lose, mishear, miss, misunderstand, -neglect, -omit, -refuse, -reject, silence) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  OVERINDULGE (+): accommodate, baby, caress, cherish, coddle, corrupt, cosset, cotton, cradle, cuddle, debauch, deluge, engulf, exceed, favor, featherbed, fondle, glut, gratify, humor, indulge, infantilize, inundate, mollycoddle, nurse, nurture, oblige, overdose, overprotect, pamper, pet, smother, spoil, spoon-feed, treat (≠ anger, control, -deny, disappoint, discipline, disfavor, hurt, -ignore, munch, -neglect, nibble, oppress, -overlook, punish, -refuse, reserve, restrain, -slight, starve, stint, straightjacket, torment, upset, withhold)

  OVERLOAD (→): burden, clog, constipate, encumber, hamper, handicap, hinder, impede, inconvenience, lumber, oppress, overburden, overcharge, overextend, overtax, retard, saddle, strain, tax, trammel, weigh (≠ alleviate, drop, dust, lessen, lift, lighten, pull, relieve, remove, scant, skimp, sprinkle, stint, trim, unburden, unload, withhold)

  -OVERLOOK (→): accept, -avoid, -blank, blind, blindfold, -bypass, confuse, convince, -cut, deceive, -disdain, disguise, -disregard, drop, eliminate, -exclude, fail, forget, -ignore, leave, mask, miss, -neglect, -omit, pass, pooh-pooh, -reject, -repudiate, scant, -scorn, -shirk, skimp, skip, -slight, -snub, -spurn (≠ acknowledge, appreciate, attend, bemoan, cherish, clock, cultivate, follow, foster, greet, heed, honor, indulge, lament, mark, mind, mourn, note, notice, nurse, nurture, observe, pamper, prize, regard, regret, remark, remember, scan, scope, scrutinize, tend, treasure, value, watch, weigh)

  OVERLOOK (+): absolve, acquit, brook, clear, condone, countenance, disbelieve, -discount, dismiss, disobey, -disregard, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, explain, forgive, gloss, handle, -ignore, justify, pardon, rationalize, remit, spare, vindicate, waive, whitewash (≠ accuse, admonish, await, blame, condemn, -deny, discipline, fault, finger, follow, frame, heed, incriminate, mark, mind, note, penalize, punish, -refuse, resent, scapegoat, -veto, weigh)

  OVERPOWER (/): affect, amaze, astonish, astound, baffle, bewilder, blindside, boggle, break, bushwhack, confound, confuse, crush, daze, dazzle, deafen, defeat, deluge, demoralize, devastate, distress, disturb, drown, dumbfound, flabbergast, floor, gobsmack, hypnotize, move, nauseate, oppress, overcome, overrule, overwhelm, paralyze, perplex, prostrate, pulverize, razzle-dazzle, repulse, rock, shake, shatter, shock, sink, stagger, stun, stupefy, surprise, swamp, throw, torpefy, touch, unman, unnerve, upset, wow (≠ amuse, annoy, bore, bother, buffer, bug, calm, clarify, cushion, explain, irk, lull, mitigate, moderate, nag, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, numb, pester, poke, tickle, weary)

  OVERPOWER (/): annihilate, beat, break, bulldoze, burke, bury, capture, checkmate, clobber, confound, conquer, cream, crush, decimate, defeat, dominate, domineer, drown, drub, enslave, immobilize, lick, master, murder, oppress, outlast, overcome, overtake, overthrow, overwhelm, pacify, prostrate, quash, quell, railroad, reduce, repress, rout, ruin, shellac, silence, skunk, slaughter, smash, smother, snuff, squash, squelch, squench, steamroller, subdue, subject, subjugate, subordinate, suppress, swamp, thrash, torpedo, total, trash, trounce, vanquish, wallop, waste, whip, wrack, wreck (≠ cede, discharge, emancipate, enfranchise, forfeit, free, liberate, manumit, release, spring, subvert, survive, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter)

  OVERRIDE (→): abrogate, accent, accentuate, amplify, annul, assert, -cancel, contradict, count, counter, countercheck, defeat, displace, -disregard, dominate, emphasize, exceed, invalidate, -negate, -nullify, oppose, outreach, outweigh, overcome, overrule, quash, rectify, replace, reverse, revoke, supersede, surpass, trample, usurp, -veto, void (≠ aid, allow, approve, assist, back, champion, concede, encourage, endorse, enforce, follow, grant, greenlight, keep, legalize, maintain, observe, permit, ratify, sanction, second, support, validate)

  OVERRULE (→): abrogate, annul, break, -cancel, command, countermand, demand, disallow, erase, invalidate, invert, lift, -negate, -nullify, override, overthrow, overturn, quash, -reject, repeal, -rescind, reverse, revoke, revolutionize, strike, subvert, tip, topple, turn, upset, vacate, vanquish, -veto, void (≠ allow, approve, authorize, certify, endorse, enforce, establish, follow, guarantee, keep, mind, obey, permit, promise, promote, ratify, sanction, support, validate, verify)

  OVERSEE (→): administer, boss, bridle, captain, chair, command, contain, control, curb, determine, dictate, direct, discipline, dominate, front, govern, guide, handle, harness, head, inhibit, lead, manage, master, micromanage, order, organize, pace, pilot, quarterback, restrain, rule, run, shepherd, show, spearhead, steer, steward, superintend, supervise (≠ aid, allow, assist, begrudge, botch, bungle, -deny, deregulate, follow, -frustrate, fumble, help, liberate, loose, mismanage, misrule, -neglect, obey, overrule, permit, -refuse, release, serve, subvert, unleash, vent)

  OVERSEE (←): analyze, appraise, assess, audit, categorize, check, classify, comb, con, consider, dissect, estimate, evaluate, examine, explore, gauge, grade, inspect, investigate, judge, notice, observe, parse, peruse, pigeonhole, plumb, police, prioritize, probe, research, review, scan, scope, scrutinize, slot, study, survey, view, watch, weigh (≠ addle, -avoid, baffle, blind, blindfold, cheat, con, confuse, deceive, defraud, disguise, -disregard, euchre, fake, fudge, half-ass, -ignore, mask, miss, mistake, muddle, mystify, -neglect, outwit, -overlook, perplex, poach, puzzle, scam, skim, steal, sucker, swipe, trick, worry)

  OVERSEE (+): arbitrate, attend, baby, babysit, chaperone, conduct, guard, keep, mind, monitor, mother, nanny, operate, pace, patrol, police, proctor, protect, referee, regulate, safeguard, sentinel, shield, stage-manage, tend, umpire, watch (≠ -abandon, -avoid, -blank, -desert, -disregard, -ditch, fail, forget, -forsake, -ignore, leave, lose, maroon, misplace, miss, -neglect, -overlook, skip, starve)

  OVERSHADOW (→): ail, assert, beat, becloud, bedim, befog, belittle, best, bite, blear, clobber, cloud, coarsen, command, contaminate, cost, damage, darken, deemphasize, dehumanize, dent, depreciate, dim, diminish, dominate, doom, downgrade, downplay, dwarf, eclipse, extinguish, finagle, govern, harm
, haze, hide, impair, marginalize, minimize, -negate, neutralize, -nullify, obfuscate, obscure, offset, one-up, outclass, outdo, outgrow, outgun, outperform, outrank, outsell, outshine, outstrip, outweigh, overcloud, overtake, poison, rule, shade, shroud, skew, soft-pedal, spoil, surpass, taint, top, transcend, trivialize, underplay, understate, veil (≠ boost, brighten, cede, commend, concede, confront, defer, disclose, discover, divulge, -elude, expose, floodlight, illuminate, light, prioritize, relinquish, reveal, spotlight, survive, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unveil)

  OVERTAKE (→): attain, beat, better, -bypass, capture, catch, clear, engulf, exceed, fulfill, gain, outdistance, outdo, outflank, outgrow, outpace, outperform, outrun, outsell, outshine, outstrip, outwit, overcome, overhaul, overrun, overshoot, overstep, overwhelm, pass, race, reach, rival, strike, subdue, surmount, surpass, target, top, transcend, transgress (≠ -abandon, cede, chase, -desert, -disregard, dog, exhaust, fail, follow, forfeit, -ignore, leave, lose, miss, -neglect, pursue, quit, release, relinquish, shadow, surrender, tail, withdraw)

  OVERTHROW (/): abolish, beat, best, capture, checkmate, confound, conquer, crush, defeat, demolish, depose, dethrone, dominate, evict, foil, humble, master, oust, outdo, outplay, overcome, overpower, overturn, overwhelm, quash, quell, replace, rout, subdue, subvert, supersede, supplant, surmount, topple, trounce, trump, unhorse, unseat, upset, usurp, vanquish, whip, win (≠ authorize, boost, build, confirm, crown, defend, elect, establish, guard, install, institute, maintain, preserve, protect, reinstate, renew, repair, restore, revive, settle, stimulate, uphold)

  OVERTURN (/): abolish, abrogate, annul, beat, -cancel, cant, capsize, capture, change, check, checkmate, conquer, contradict, contravene, counterbalance, countercheck, countermand, crush, debate, defeat, demolish, -deny, disavow, disclaim, discredit, disprove, dispute, efface, foil, invalidate, invert, monkey-wrench, -negate, -nullify, oppose, overcome, overpower, override, overset, overthrow, parry, quash, quell, rebut, recall, refute, -renounce, repeal, -repudiate, retract, reverse, revoke, revolutionize, rout, spill, subdue, subject, subvert, surmount, topple, transpose, trounce, trump, unhorse, unseat, upend, upset, vanquish, -veto, -void, whip (≠ accept, allow, back, bless, build, coin, conceive, construct, continue, create, defend, devise, enact, erect, establish, initiate, institute, legislate, maintain, make, ordain, permit, preserve, promote, propose, protect, raise, reinforce, repair, restore, right, shield, spitball, strengthen, support)

  OVERWHELM (→): amaze, astonish, astound, beat, best, bewilder, blindside, blitzkrieg, boggle, bulldoze, bury, clobber, confuse, conquer, consume, cream, crush, daze, dazzle, deafen, defeat, deluge, destroy, devastate, drown, drub, engulf, envelop, floor, flummox, flush, gobsmack, hammer, impress, infest, inundate, lick, massacre, mob, move, oppress, outlast, outplay, outsmart, outwit, overburden, overcome, overpower, overrun, overthrow, quash, quell, railroad, razzle-dazzle, rout, seize, slaughter, smash, stagger, steamroller, stun, subdue, subjugate, submerge, surprise, swamp, thrash, touch, trounce, vanquish, wallop, wow (≠ assist, baby, build, coddle, comfort, conceal, defend, discover, guard, handle, hide, humor, investigate, invite, placate, protect, seek, strengthen, support, suss, underwhelm, welcome)

  OWE (+): acknowledge, appreciate, bond, borrow, charge, guarantee, hazard, hock, honor, hook, incur, mortgage, obligate, offload, pawn, pledge, promise, recognize, require, risk, swear (≠ advance, defray, deprive, deserve, lend, loan, overpay, overspend, pay, recoup, refund, reimburse, repay, resolve, settle, square, steal, stiff, stint) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  OWN (←): acquire, appropriate, boast, claim, colonize, control, corner, dominate, enjoy, get, grab, hog, hold, inhabit, inherit, keep, maintain, monopolize, obtain, occupy, possess, procure, reserve, retain, secure, seize, settle, snag, take, tenant, use, withhold (≠ borrow, circulate, commend, consign, deliver, discard, -disown, disseminate, drop, entrust, -forsake, gainsay, give, hand, lease, lose, maroon, mislay, misplace, -refuse, -reject, remainder, -renounce, rent, require, sell, toss) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  P

  PACE (←): arrest, baffle, -balk, bench, block, blockade, bottleneck, catch, check, choke, clog, conclude, dam, defer, delay, detain, -discontinue, divert, end, -evade, fence, filibuster, -halt, hamper, hinder, hold, impede, interrupt, obstruct, parry, pause, postpone, rein, repress, shelve, sideline, slow, snag, squash, squelch, stagnate, staunch, stay, stem, still, stonewall, stop, stunt, suppress, suspend, terminate, -thwart (≠ accelerate, actuate, advance, aid, allow, assist, boost, budge, catalyze, coerce, drive, enable, encourage, facilitate, further, goad, grease, hasten, help, hurry, impel, instigate, muscle, prioritize, propel, push, quicken, railroad, rush, smooth, spur, stir, trigger)

  PACE (+): adjust, administer, arrange, assess, balance, calculate, conduct, control, determine, direct, estimate, evaluate, govern, guard, guide, handle, judge, keep, lead, manage, micromanage, mind, moderate, monitor, operate, order, organize, oversee, pilot, prioritize, protect, rule, run, safeguard, set, settle, square, stage-manage, steer, steward, superintend, supervise, synchronize, tend, tune, watch, weigh (≠ challenge, contradict, counter, counteract, cramp, debate, defy, -deny, disobey, dispute, flout, follow, gainsay, heed, hold, keep, mind, mismanage, obey, observe, obstruct, oppose, resist, -scorn, serve)

  PACIFY (←): allay, ameliorate, appease, assist, assuage, baby, blandish, butter, cajole, calm, coax, coddle, comfort, compose, conciliate, console, content, cool, cosset, counteract, crush, defuse, delight, demilitarize, diminish, disarm, domesticate, dulcify, dull, ease, facilitate, flannel, gentle, gladden, glad-hand, gratify, grease, housebreak, housetrain, humor, hush, indulge, infantilize, ingratiate, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, mollycoddle, neutralize, offset, pamper, placate, please, propitiate, quell, quiet, quieten, reconcile, relax, relieve, satisfy, settle, silence, smooth, soften, soft-pedal, soothe, stabilize, steady, still, subdue, sugarcoat, sweeten, sweet-talk, tame, temper, thrill, tranquilize, wheedle (≠ affront, aggravate, agitate, anger, annoy, antagonize, bother, brutalize, bug, chafe, cross, distress, disturb, earbash, enrage, exasperate, fret, gall, harass, harry, heckle, incense, inflame, infuriate, insult, irk, irritate, lynch, madden, militarize, nag, needle, nettle, nitpick, offend, outrage, peeve, persecute, perturb, pester, provoke, rankle, rile, roil, rouse, ruffle, -slight, terrorize, troll, unhinge, unsettle, upset, vex, worry)

  PACIFY (/): annihilate, beat, break, clobber, conquer, crush, defeat, dominate, drub, enslave, lick, overcome, overpower, quash, quell, reduce, repress, rout, silence, skunk, smash, smother, snuff, squash, squelch, squench, subdue, subject, subjugate, subordinate, suppress, tame, thrash, trounce, vanquish, wallop, whip (≠ discharge, emancipate, enfranchise, free, liberate, manumit, release, spring, subvert, survive, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter, weather)

  PACK (→): bloat, bulk, charge, compact, compress, cram, crate, crowd, crush, fill, heap, honeycomb, jam, jam-pack, load, mat, mob, overcharge, overcrowd, overfill, overflow, overstuff, penetrate, press, ram, refill, refresh, reload, repack, replenish, sardine, saturate, shove, squash, squeeze, stow, stuff, wedge (≠ bleed, clean, clear, consume, deplete, depredate, drain, draw, dump, eliminate, empty, evacuate, exhaust, flush, leech, lighten, purge, scour, sweep, unload, unpack, vacate, void)

  PACK (→): block, bung, bury, caulk, chink, choke, clog, close, clot, congest, constipate, dam, drench, fill, flood, glut, inundate, jam, obstruct, occlude, overfill, plug, seal, stem, stop, stuff, surfeit, swamp (≠ clear, core, drain, empty, excavate, extract, hollow, leach, loosen, remove, scoop, shovel, vacate, void)

  PACK (+): bale, bind, box, bundle, cluster, cover, crate, fasten, gather, package, parcel, pickle, prep, stash, store, stow, tie, truss, wrap (≠ bare, crack, diffuse, distribute, expose, open, reveal, scatter, share, shed, spread, strew, uncover, unwrap)

  PAD (+): accent, accentuate, accrue, amplify, assert, augment, belabor, caricature, color, elaborate, embellish, embroider, emphasize, enhance, enlarge, exaggerate, expand, fudge, hedge, heighte
n, heroicize, heroize, honor, hyperbolize, idealize, idolize, increase, inflate, intensify, lengthen, magnify, maximize, overdo, overdramatize, overdraw, overemphasize, overplay, oversell, overstate, poeticize, romanticize, satirize, sentimentalize, spin, stress, stretch (≠ belittle, deemphasize, deprecate, diminish, -discount, dismiss, disparage, downplay, lessen, marginalize, minimize, shrink, soft-pedal, trivialize, underemphasize, underestimate, underplay, understate)

  PAD (+): allay, alleviate, assuage, baffle, blanket, blunt, buffer, cushion, dampen, deaden, dull, ease, fill, gentle, lighten, line, mitigate, moderate, modulate, pack, protect, relieve, soften, stuff, temper, upholster, wad, weaken, wrap (≠ compromise, endanger, exacerbate, expose, heighten, imperil, intensify, jeopardize, risk, sharpen, strip, threaten)

  PAINT (→): characterize, conjure, define, delineate, demonstrate, depict, describe, display, draft, draw, elaborate, evoke, exhibit, hint, illustrate, image, label, limn, narrate, outline, picture, portray, profile, qualify, recite, recount, rehearse, relate, render, report, represent, show, showcase, silhouette, sketch, suggest, summarize, tell, trace (≠ alter, color, confuse, contort, distort, embellish, embroider, falsify, garble, miscommunicate, mislabel, misrepresent, misstate, pervert, twist, warp) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  PAINT (+): apply, brighten, coat, color, cover, dapple, darken, daub, decorate, dye, fleck, glaze, lacquer, lard, lighten, marble, mottle, pigment, plaster, redecorate, slather, smear, spackle, speck, speckle, spray, stain, streak, striate, stripe, syrup, tincture, tinge, tint, variegate, varnish, wash, whitewash (≠ blanch, bleach, clean, cleanse, decolorize, rinse, scour, scrub, smear, strip, wash, whiten, wipe)