Activate

by Damon Suede

  PINCH (←): appropriate, bag, burglarize, burgle, carjack, collar, cop, crib, filch, glom, grab, grasp, heist, hijack, hook, lift, loot, misappropriate, mooch, nab, nail, nick, nip, nobble, pick, pilfer, pillage, plunder, poach, pocket, purloin, rifle, rob, rustle, sack, seize, shoplift, snaffle, snag, snatch, snitch, sponge, steal, swipe, take, thieve (≠ bestow, buy, comp, contribute, donate, give, hand, offer, present, purchase, receive, refund, reimburse, repay, restore, save, secure, tender, volunteer)

  PINCH (←): afflict, budget, conserve, cut, -deny, deprive, distress, economize, famish, hoard, husband, maintain, malnourish, manage, oppress, preserve, press, reserve, save, scant, scrape, scrimp, skimp, spare, starve, stiff, stint, underfeed, withhold (≠ blow, dissipate, force-feed, fritter, fuel, give, grant, host, lard, lavish, misspend, offer, overfeed, shower, slather, spare, spend, squander, syrup, volunteer, waste)

  PINCH (/): chafe, check, clasp, clutch, compress, confine, cramp, crimp, crush, grasp, grip, harm, hold, hurt, injure, lace, mark, nip, pain, pincer, press, shut, squeeze, tweak, twitch, wrench, wrest, wring (≠ aid, calm, comfort, dilate, drop, ease, enlarge, expand, free, loose, loosen, open, release, slacken, spring, uncompress)

  PINPOINT (+): ascertain, betray, calculate, check, clock, compute, deduce, define, detect, determine, diagnose, discern, disclose, discover, distinguish, establish, evaluate, examine, find, finger, identify, inspect, investigate, isolate, learn, locate, notice, observe, orient, place, position, recall, recognize, remember, reveal, scan, scope, scrutinize, situate, specify, spot, suss, uncloud, uncover (≠ addle, -avoid, baffle, bewilder, blur, bury, camouflage, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, confound, confuse, counterfeit, deceive, disguise, -disregard, fake, feign, fudge, half-ass, hide, -ignore, lose, mask, misdiagnose, misread, miss, mistake, misunderstand, muddle, muddy, mystify, obscure, -overlook, perplex, puzzle, scatter, simulate, trick, veil, wonder)

  PIONEER (+): anticipate, arrange, author, bankroll, begin, brainstorm, coin, colonize, conceive, concoct, constitute, construct, contrive, create, develop, devise, discover, endow, enlarge, establish, expand, explore, fabricate, father, finance, foreshadow, foster, found, fund, generate, hatch, head, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, instigate, institute, introduce, invent, launch, lead, map, open, organize, originate, patent, plant, prepare, produce, sire, spearhead, start, subsidize, systematize, trail-blaze, underwrite (≠ abolish, abrogate, annihilate, annul, axe, -cancel, close, copy, deep-six, defund, destroy, -discontinue, doom, dump, duplicate, eliminate, end, eradicate, finish, follow, -halt, invalidate, mind, -nullify, obey, obliterate, overthrow, overturn, quash, repeal, -rescind, revoke, scrap, shut, sink, stop, subvert, suppress, terminate, wrap) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  PIRATE (←): annex, appropriate, arrogate, assume, attach, borrow, claim, collar, commandeer, confiscate, convert, copy, crib, despoil, embezzle, freeboot, grab, grasp, hack, hijack, impound, infringe, invade, lift, loot, misapply, misappropriate, misuse, nick, occupy, pillage, pinch, plagiarize, poach, preempt, press, purloin, reap, repossess, reproduce, scavenge, seize, sequester, snatch, steal, trespass, usurp, wrench, wrest (≠ authenticate, block, defend, disclose, expose, guard, notarize, preserve, protect, reclaim, recoup, recover, redeem, rescue, restore, retain, safeguard, salvage, shield, validate, verify)

  PITCH (→): assemble, boost, brace, buttress, crane, elevate, erect, fix, heave, heft, heighten, hike, hoist, jack, lift, locate, place, plant, prop, raise, rear, settle, station, support, upend, uphold, uplift (≠ annihilate, compress, crush, -cut, demolish, destroy, devastate, dismantle, flatten, level, raze, ruin, squash, topple, wreck)

  PITCH (→): bowl, buck, bung, cant, cast, catapult, chuck, dash, eject, fire, fling, flip, gun, heave, hook, hurl, hurtle, impel, launch, lob, loft, pass, peg, pelt, precipitate, project, propel, roll, shoot, sling, throw, thrust, toss, wing (≠ accept, block, bring, carry, catch, clutch, collect, convey, gain, gather, give, grab, grasp, grip, hand, hold, keep, obtain, receive, restrain, retain, save, schlep, seize, snatch, take, welcome)

  PITCH (→): acclaim, advertise, announce, ballyhoo, bark, broadcast, cold-call, commercialize, commodify, describe, endorse, hail, hard-sell, hawk, hype, laud, limelight, market, merchandize, offer, peddle, pimp, plug, praise, presell, promote, publicize, publish, push, recommend, review, sell, shill, telegraph, tout (≠ accept, acquire, buy, contract, demand, import, procure, purchase, -reject, secure, solicit, take)

  PITCH (→): -abandon, abdicate, abolish, annihilate, boot, cant, cashier, chuck, -desert, discard, dismiss, -ditch, dump, eject, eliminate, eradicate, exorcise, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, -forsake, jettison, junk, liquidate, lose, -reject, remove, root, scrap, shed, shuck, slough, squander, toss, unload, unseat (≠ adopt, appropriate, arrogate, assume, back, choose, embrace, employ, endorse, espouse, follow, hold, keep, recycle, rescue, retain, salvage, save, select, support, use, utilize)

  PITY (+): accept, allow, appreciate, bemoan, bewail, comfort, comprehend, console, deplore, encourage, fathom, get, grasp, grok, lament, love, mourn, recognize, regret, rue, spare, tolerate, understand (≠ belittle, celebrate, -despise, -disregard, -hate, -ignore, -neglect, -overlook, -rebuff, -reject, relish, -scorn, -slight, -snub, -spurn, torment, torture, undervalue) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  PLACATE (←): allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, baby, blandish, cajole, calm, coax, coddle, comfort, compose, conciliate, console, content, delight, demilitarize, disarm, dulcify, ease, featherbed, flannel, flatter, gentle, gladden, gratify, harmonize, heal, help, humor, hush, indulge, infantilize, ingratiate, lighten, lull, mellow, mitigate, mollify, mollycoddle, overindulge, overprotect, pacify, palliate, pamper, placate, please, propitiate, quell, quiet, reconcile, relax, relieve, salve, satisfy, sedate, settle, smooth, soften, soothe, spoil, spoon-feed, still, stroke, sugarcoat, sweeten, sweet-talk, temper, tranquilize, wheedle (≠ affront, aggravate, agitate, anger, antagonize, bug, burn, chafe, cross, distress, disturb, earbash, enrage, exasperate, gall, harass, henpeck, incense, inflame, infuriate, irritate, militarize, nag, nettle, niggle, noodge, offend, outrage, persecute, pester, provoke, rankle, rile, troll, unsettle, upset, vex)

  PLACE (→): affix, align, anchor, arrange, array, assemble, berth, carry, clap, collect, contextualize, coordinate, depose, deposit, dispose, ensconce, establish, fix, garrison, install, juxtapose, lay, leave, locate, lock, lodge, move, niche, orient, park, plank, plant, plonk, plop, plump, plunk, position, put, queue, rank, rearrange, rejigger, reorder, rest, set, settle, shift, site, situate, slap, stand, station, stick, wedge (≠ -abandon, banish, change, discard, dislodge, displace, drop, forget, lose, relegate, relocate, remove, replace, shed, supersede, supplant, take, uninstall, unsettle, upset)

  PLACE (+): alphabetize, array, ascertain, assort, attune, calculate, catalog, categorize, class, classify, clump, cluster, codify, compartment, compartmentalize, compute, cull, deduce, detect, determine, digest, direct, discern, dispose, distinguish, distribute, establish, evaluate, familiarize, file, grade, grok, group, hierarchize, identify, index, list, map, marshal, order, organize, orient, peg, pigeonhole, pinpoint, prioritize, range, rank, recategorize, reclassify, recognize, refer, regiment, regroup, relegate, screen, separate, set, shelve, sieve, sift, slot, sort, subcategorize, systematize, type, winnow (≠ addle, baffle, bewilder, bury, churn, clutter, confound, confuse, disarrange, disguise, disperse, jumble, lump, mess, misclassify, mislabel, missort, mistype, mix, muddle, mystify, obscure, perplex, puzzle, scatter, scramble, shuffle)

  PLAGUE (/): afflict, aggravate, anguish, annoy, antagonize, assail, attack, badger, bedevil, beleaguer, besiege, bother, brutalize, bug, burden, chafe, crucify, curse, cuss, destroy, distress, disturb, dog, earbash, exasperate, expose, frequent, fret, gall, gnaw, hamper, harass, harry, hassle, haunt, heckle, hector, hinder, hound, impugn, infest, irk, irritate, molest, nag, needle, nettle, nitpick, oppress, overextend, pain, persecute, pester, pursue, ride, tease, terrorize, torment, torture, trouble, upset, vex, weary, worr
y, wound (≠ advantage, aid, amuse, appease, assist, benefit, bless, charm, cheer, comfort, console, content, defend, delight, delouse, divert, entertain, gratify, guard, heal, medicate, mend, placate, please, protect, relieve, remedy, satisfy, shield, solace, soothe, support, thrill, tickle, titillate, treat, wow)

  PLAN (+): adumbrate, aim, arrange, blueprint, brainstorm, budget, calculate, chart, choreograph, concert, contemplate, contrive, daydream, design, develop, devise, draft, dream, figure, formulate, frame, graph, intend, intrigue, invent, machinate, map, mastermind, meditate, number, numerate, orchestrate, organize, outline, overcommit, patent, plot, premeditate, prepare, program, project, ready, regulate, rehearse, schedule, scheme, shape, sketch, strategize, synchronize, time (≠ addle, ad-lib, adopt, baffle, blow, bobble, bomb, botch, bugger, bungle, butcher, clone, copy, copycat, disorganize, disrupt, duplicate, emulate, fake, flub, forget, fudge, fumble, gamble, gum, half-ass, hazard, imitate, improvise, jumble, louse, mangle, mess, mimic, mishandle, -neglect, reduplicate, replicate, reproduce, risk, scramble, wing)

  PLAN (+): accomplish, achieve, aim, attempt, await, calculate, consider, contemplate, debate, design, destine, effect, envisage, execute, foresee, hope, intend, meditate, mull, perform, plot, ponder, propose, purport, resolve, scheme, seek, spitball, target, want, wish (≠ -abandon, -bypass, disbelieve, dismiss, -disregard, -eschew, forget, half-ass, hasten, -ignore, misuse, -neglect, rush, squander, use, waste) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  PLANT (→): broadcast, bury, cover, cultivate, culture, develop, double, drill, embed, engender, evoke, farm, fertilize, germinate, ground, grow, implant, nourish, nurture, originate, pitch, pot, produce, promote, propagate, provoke, quicken, raise, rear, replant, reseed, scatter, seed, sow, start, stock, tend, transplant, turf (≠ afflict, blight, choose, collect, cull, defoliate, deforest, devour, dig, diminish, eat, gather, glean, harvest, hay, kill, mow, -neglect, pick, pluck, poison, pull, raze, reap, recycle, ripen, ruin, salvage, scavenge, scorch, select, shrivel, sicken, sprout, squander, stunt, uproot, waste, weed, wither, yield)

  PLANT (→): breed, cram, deposit, drive, ease, embed, entrench, establish, fix, found, hammer, imbue, implant, inculcate, infuse, ingrain, inoculate, inseminate, insert, install, instill, institute, invest, juxtapose, lodge, park, place, plank, plop, plunk, position, pound, put, ram, root, set, settle, situate, sow, station, steep, stuff, suffuse, thrust (≠ delete, disorder, disorganize, erase, excise, jar, jolt, lift, move, pull, push, remove, shift, shoulder, shove, shunt, unsettle, upset)

  PLANT (/): archive, bury, cache, coffer, conceal, disguise, ensconce, hide, hoard, insert, inter, lodge, nestle, niche, place, secrete, sheathe, situate, squirrel, stash, store, stow, submerge, tuck, wedge (≠ bare, brandish, disclose, display, exhibit, expose, extract, flaunt, parade, remove, reveal, show, showcase, uncover, unearth, unmask, unveil, unwrap, yank)

  PLAY (→): attempt, bet, bid, chance, endanger, gamble, hazard, imperil, jeopardize, lay, offer, put, stake, venture, wager (≠ bank, defend, guard, hoard, keep, preserve, protect, save, secure, shield, store)

  PLAY (→): address, brave, command, control, direct, engineer, face, field, finagle, finesse, grapple, guide, hack, handle, jockey, manage, maneuver, manipulate, micromanage, negotiate, outsmart, outthink, outwit, regulate, run, steer, swing, take, treat, weather (≠ -avoid, bobble, bomb, botch, bungle, -bypass, -circumvent, foozle, fumble, half-ass, louse, mishandle, muff, scamp, skip)

  PLAY (→): act, adopt, ape, copy, depict, dramatize, emulate, enact, hoke, imitate, impersonate, interpret, mime, mimic, mock, overplay, pantomime, parody, perform, playact, portray, render, represent, roleplay, travesty, underplay (≠ color, conceal, costume, disguise, distort, falsify, garble, hide, mask, miscommunicate, misrepresent, misstate, obscure, pervert, twist, warp)

  PLEASE (←): amuse, animate, applaud, attract, beguile, bewitch, bolster, boost, brighten, buoy, captivate, charm, cheer, comfort, congratulate, console, content, delight, distract, divert, elate, elevate, embolden, enchant, encourage, energize, engage, enliven, enrapture, entertain, enthrall, entrance, excite, exhilarate, fascinate, fire, fortify, galvanize, gladden, gratify, grip, hearten, honor, humor, hypnotize, indulge, inspire, intrigue, invigorate, lighten, mesmerize, monopolize, occupy, placate, pleasure, rally, reassure, refresh, reinvigorate, relax, revive, rouse, satiate, satisfy, seduce, spellbind, stimulate, stir, strengthen, sustain, thrill, tickle, uplift, vitalize, warm, woo, wow (≠ abuse, affront, aggravate, agitate, alarm, anger, annoy, appall, blame, blast, boo, bore, bother, bug, busy, chafe, cross, dampen, deaden, demoralize, demotivate, depress, disappoint, discourage, dismay, displease, disquiet, distract, distress, disturb, enrage, exasperate, exhaust, fatigue, fret, frustrate, gall, get, harass, harry, heckle, hound, hurt, incense, inflame, infuriate, insult, irk, irritate, knacker, madden, nag, nauseate, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, noodge, numb, offend, outrage, pain, peeve, perturb, pester, pique, provoke, rankle, repulse, revolt, rile, roil, rouse, ruffle, sadden, sicken, tire, troll, trouble, underwhelm, upset, vex, weary, worry, wound, wrong)

  PLEDGE (+): bond, commit, contract, covenant, dedicate, deposit, engage, ensure, guarantee, hock, mortgage, oblige, pass, pawn, promise, secure, soak, swear, undertake, vow (≠ breach, break, buy, disavow, disobey, falsify, flout, forswear, redeem, -reject, release, resist, subvert, violate, win)

  PLOT (+): adumbrate, angle, brainstorm, brew, calculate, conceive, concoct, contrive, design, devise, draft, finagle, frame, hatch, imagine, lay, machinate, maneuver, map, operate, organize, outline, plan, project, promote, regiment, script, sketch, structure, wangle (≠ addle, ad-lib, baffle, botch, bugger, bungle, demolish, disorganize, disrupt, forget, gamble, half-ass, improvise, jumble, -neglect, risk, scramble, wing)

  PLOW (→): break, bulldoze, cultivate, dig, fallow, farm, furrow, harrow, harvest, hoe, list, push, rake, reap, ridge, rototill, rush, shove, smash, spade, till, trench, turn, work (≠ blight, -bypass, deaden, fill, freeze, harden, -ignore, leave, miss, -neglect, -omit, -overlook, -shirk, skip)

  PLUCK (←): acquire, capture, catch, clutch, collect, crop, cull, discover, drag, draw, extract, finger, garner, gather, glean, grab, grasp, grip, harvest, haul, hitch, hunt, jerk, locate, mine, net, obtain, pick, pincer, procure, pull, reap, remove, salvage, scavenge, scrounge, secure, seize, select, snag, snare, snatch, source, strip, strum, take, tow, tug, tweak, twitch, wrench, yank (≠ -abandon, deprive, diffuse, discard, dissipate, donate, drop, -eschew, fill, fling, furnish, give, grow, heave, implant, insert, junk, lavish, leave, lose, offer, plant, push, ram, -reject, scatter, scrap, seed, shove, skip, sow, squander, stint, supply, thrust, toss, trash, waste, withhold)

  PLUG (→): advance, advertise, aggrandize, aid, announce, assist, auction, back, bait, ballyhoo, barter, boost, broadcast, bulletin, carry, champion, circulate, commend, commercialize, commodify, condone, declare, display, disseminate, distribute, elevate, encourage, endorse, exchange, export, favor, feature, further, handle, hawk, highlight, hustle, hype, inform, inspire, keep, kindle, laud, leverage, license, limelight, lobby, lure, mainstream, market, mention, merchandize, monetize, motivate, notify, offer, overestimate, overstate, peddle, pimp, pitch, popularize, praise, presell, prioritize, proclaim, promo, promote, promulgate, propagandize, provide, publicize, publish, puff, push, recommend, retail, sanction, sell, shill, spark, spotlight, spur, stimulate, stock, supply, support, telegraph, tout, trade, traffic, upgrade, wholesale (≠ attack, ban, battle, -boycott, bury, buy, camouflage, conceal, condemn, criticize, critique, demean, demonize, denigrate, denounce, deride, discourage, discredit, disguise, dismiss, disparage, -eschew, foil, hide, insult, knock, mock, monkey-wrench, muffle, muzzle, neg, pan, picket, pillory, -prohibit, protest, purchase, recall, recant, -refuse, -reject, reserve, ridicule, -scorn, -shun, slam, -snub, -spurn, suppress, -thwart, undersell, understate, withhold)

  PLUG (→): block, bung, caulk, chink, choke, clog, close, clot, congest, constipate, cork, cover, dam, fill, jam, mute, muzzle, obstruct, occlude, pack, plast
er, ram, repack, restuff, seal, secure, silence, spackle, stem, stifle, stop, stopper, stopple, stuff, wedge (≠ clear, decongest, dig, excavate, extract, extricate, hollow, open, remove, scoop, shovel, unclog, uncork, unplug, unseal, unstopper)

  PLUNDER (←): appropriate, burglarize, burgle, comb, demolish, despoil, devastate, filch, fleece, forage, grab, harry, hijack, hunt, lift, loot, maraud, misappropriate, nab, pilfer, pillage, pinch, pluck, poach, pocket, purloin, raid, rake, ransack, ravage, ravish, remove, rifle, rob, rummage, sack, seize, shanghai, shoplift, snatch, sneak, steal, strip, swindle, take, waste, wreck (≠ aid, bank, bankroll, bestow, buy, compensate, covet, defend, deposit, donate, earn, endow, finance, fund, furnish, gift, give, guard, help, hoard, offer, pay, preserve, protect, receive, reclaim, recoup, recover, rescue, restore, return, save, secure, shield, spare, stash, stockpile, store, supply, tender, underwrite, volunteer, yield)

  POACH (←): appropriate, bag, bogart, boost, borrow, burgle, copy, crib, embezzle, filch, heist, hijack, hoist, hunt, knap, lift, loot, misappropriate, nick, nobble, peculate, pilfer, pinch, pocket, purloin, rob, seek, shoplift, snaffle, snag, snatch, sneak, steal, swipe, take, thieve (≠ conserve, contribute, defend, give, guard, hoard, keep, maintain, preserve, protect, purchase, receive, recoup, recover, replace, replenish, restore, save, secure, shelter, shield, stash, stock, tuck)