Activate

by Damon Suede

  PRESCRIBE (→): advise, appoint, arrange, assign, bid, charge, choose, coerce, command, compel, conduct, constrain, control, decree, define, demand, dictate, direct, enjoin, fix, foist, force, force-feed, govern, impose, insist, instruct, lead, limit, manage, obligate, oblige, ordain, order, promulgate, require, rule, select, set, settle, specify, stipulate, tell (≠ abolish, -avoid, ban, bar, -cancel, disallow, disorganize, enjoin, -exclude, -forbid, -halt, hamper, hinder, invalidate, mislead, -negate, -neglect, -nullify, -prevent, -prohibit, proscribe, -refuse, -reject, -rescind, strike, unsettle, -veto)

  PRESENT (→): administer, aid, assist, award, benefit, bestow, comp, confer, contribute, dish, dispense, dole, dollop, donate, dower, endow, entrust, extend, force-feed, fork, furnish, give, grant, hand, help, impart, issue, lard, lavish, mete, offer, overfeed, proffer, provide, push, regale, render, sacrifice, slather, spitball, submit, supply, tender, tithe, unspool, volunteer (≠ advance, beg, coopt, demand, -deny, grab, hold, keep, lend, loan, poach, pocket, preserve, request, require, retain, save, sell, snag, steal, swipe, withhold)

  PRESENT (→): act, announce, carry, compère, demonstrate, display, dramatize, emcee, enact, exhibit, expose, extend, flaunt, give, host, impersonate, mount, offer, organize, parade, perform, play, playact, portray, preview, proffer, render, represent, roleplay, show, showcase, stage, tender, unveil (≠ bury, -cancel, close, conceal, costume, disguise, ensconce, hide, mask, niche, obscure, -omit, shutter, stash, stow, tuck, veil, withhold)

  PRESENT (→): characterize, define, delineate, depict, describe, distinguish, elaborate, identify, picture, portray, profile, propound, represent, specify, typecast (≠ color, distort, embellish, embroider, falsify, garble, miscommunicate, misrepresent, misstate, pervert, twist, warp) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  PRESENT (→): acquaint, address, advertise, announce, communicate, connect, enlighten, greet, hail, inform, introduce, join, link, meet, notify (≠ affront, cloak, clothe, cloud, -cut, embrace, -ignore, invite, mortify, -rebuff, receive, -shun, -slight, -snub, -spurn, welcome)

  PRESERVE (+): accommodate, accumulate, anchor, appease, archive, armor, assist, bolster, budget, bury, camouflage, cloak, clothe, cloud, cocoon, colonize, commemorate, conceal, conserve, continue, cover, cure, cushion, defend, deflect, disguise, embalm, ensconce, fence, fix, fortify, foster, guard, harbor, heal, help, hide, hoard, hog, house, husband, indemnify, insulate, insure, keep, maintain, manage, mask, mend, mind, mothball, mummify, nourish, nurse, nurture, obscure, obstruct, outlast, patch, patronize, perpetuate, placate, police, protect, rebuild, reconstruct, recycle, rehabilitate, rejuvenate, remedy, rescue, reserve, restore, retain, retrieve, return, reward, safeguard, salvage, save, screen, secure, service, shelter, shield, shroud, stockpile, stonewall, store, strengthen, support, sustain, tolerate, uphold, ward, watch, weather, withstand (≠ -abandon, abuse, assail, assault, attack, besiege, betray, break, compromise, crack, crucify, damage, defile, demolish, -desert, destroy, -disregard, disrupt, dissipate, doom, double-cross, endanger, erase, expose, forfeit, forget, -forsake, fracture, fragment, harm, hurt, -ignore, impair, imperil, impugn, injure, jeopardize, liquidate, lose, malign, malnourish, mangle, menace, molest, monkey-wrench, -neglect, nuke, obliterate, persecute, pervert, provoke, pulverize, ravish, raze, release, relinquish, risk, ruin, sabotage, scotch, scupper, scuttle, shatter, shelve, sicken, spend, squander, storm, subvert, target, tear, threaten, torment, torture, traumatize, undermine, upset, vandalize, victimize, vilify, violate, wound, wreck, wrong)

  PRESERVE (/): bottle, brine, bronze, can, candy, chill, cure, desiccate, dry, embalm, freeze, jar, pickle, process, refrigerate, salt, season, smoke, store, stow, wrap (≠ consume, contaminate, damage, distribute, eat, pollute, ruin, squander, thaw, use, waste, wither)

  PRESS (→): accelerate, afflict, assail, beg, beset, besiege, bribe, buttonhole, coerce, compel, constrain, convince, demand, encourage, enjoin, entreat, exhort, fast-talk, force, goad, grease, harass, hasten, impel, implore, importune, induce, muscle, nudge, panhandle, persuade, petition, plague, plead, pressure, push, railroad, rush, sell, soft-sell, soft-soap, spur, sue, sweet-talk, thrust, torment, trouble, urge, vex, worry (≠ block, coax, convince, daunt, delay, demotivate, -deter, discourage, -disregard, dissuade, foil, -halt, hamper, hinder, impede, monkey-wrench, nobble, pause, postpone, -prevent, protest, restrain, shelve, short-circuit, stall, stem, stop, straightjacket, stymie, suppress, -thwart)

  PRESS (→): bear, bulldoze, compact, compel, compress, condense, constrict, contract, cram, crowd, crush, deflate, depress, drive, flatten, force, iron, jam, jam-pack, knead, level, mangle, mash, muscle, pack, pinch, pressure, propel, punch, push, railroad, ram, roll, scrunch, shove, smooth, squash, squeeze, squish, squoosh, steamroll, stuff, swarm, throng, thrust, trample, wedge, weigh, wring (≠ amplify, bend, bulge, crack, crimp, crinkle, decompress, dent, distend, enlarge, expand, extend, fill, grow, increase, inflate, kink, loose, loosen, puff, release, restore, roughen, rumple, sharpen, swell, uncompress, wiggle)

  PRESS (←): caress, clasp, clench, clutch, contact, crush, cuddle, embrace, enfold, envelop, fold, grapple, grasp, greet, grip, hold, hug, keep, knead, lock, massage, retain, seize, squeeze, squish, squoosh, welcome, wrap (≠ bequeath, bestow, deliver, discharge, disparage, drop, liberate, loose, lose, miss, open, receive, -reject, release, relinquish, -shun, unclasp, unfasten, unhand)

  PRESSURE (→): antagonize, badger, blackjack, blackmail, bludgeon, bluff, bribe, browbeat, brutalize, bug, bulldoze, bully, buttonhole, coerce, compel, constrain, convince, cow, daunt, drag, dragoon, drive, earbash, enforce, fast-talk, force, gaslight, goad, harass, hector, hound, impel, impress, insist, intimidate, lobby, make, menace, muscle, nag, obligate, oblige, overcommit, palaver, press, push, railroad, rush, sandbag, sell, shame, squeeze, steamroller, stress, sway, terrorize, threaten, trash-talk, urge, victimize (≠ allow, argue, block, cajole, coax, convince, demotivate, -deter, discourage, dissuade, ease, free, help, hinder, impede, induce, leave, let, loosen, lubricate, midwife, mitigate, move, nobble, permit, persuade, -prevent, protest, pull, relax, release, restrain, satisfy, slow, soft-sell, soft-soap, stall, stem, stymie, suggest, sweet-talk, -thwart, win)

  PRETEND (→): act, adopt, affect, emulate, ghostwrite, imagine, imitate, impersonate, make-believe, mime, mimic, play, playact, portray, pose, purport, represent, reproduce, roleplay, simulate, suppose (≠ admit, concede, confess, confide, confirm, confront, disclose, divulge, expose, face, humiliate, lampoon, leak, reveal, unmask, unveil)

  PRETEND (←): act, affect, allege, assume, beguile, bluff, cheat, claim, convince, counterfeit, cozen, deceive, delude, dissimulate, double-talk, dupe, fabricate, fake, feign, fish, fool, fudge, half-ass, hoodwink, imagine, jazz, jive, mislead, profess, purport, roleplay, simulate, stonewall, sucker, suppose, whitewash (≠ authenticate, confess, confide, confirm, confront, corroborate, debunk, dismantle, disprove, notarize, prove, ruin, substantiate, testify, validate, verify, wreck) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  -PREVENT (→): -abort, anticipate, arrest, -avert, -avoid, baffle, -balk, ban, banish, bar, block, bottleneck, brake, bung, burden, catch, censor, chain, check, checkmate, chill, choke, clog, complicate, condemn, congest, constipate, constrain, cordon, counter, counteract, cramp, crimp, cripple, curb, dam, damn, dampen, daunt, delay, demotivate, depress, detain, -deter, disadvantage, disallow, discourage, dishearten, disincline, disqualify, disrupt, dissuade, drag, embargo, encumber, enjoin, entangle, entrap, -exclude, -excommunicate, fetter, foil, -forbid, forestall, foul, freeze, -frustrate, -halt, hamper, hamstring, handicap, hinder, hogtie, impair, impede, inconvenience, inhibit, intercept, interrupt, invalidate, jam, -kibosh, kneecap, knot, limit, lumber, mire, monkey-wrench, muzzle, obstruct, occlude, oppose, -ostracize, outlaw, overload, paralyze, pause, plug, preempt, -prohibit, proscribe, redact, resist, restrain, restrict, retard, scotch, shackle, shelve, short-circuit, slow, snag, snarl, stagnate, stall, staunch, stay, stem, stifle, stop, straightjacket, stultify, stunt, stymie, s
uppress, taboo, tangle, throttle, -thwart, trammel, -veto, wing (≠ accelerate, accommodate, advance, aid, allow, assist, boost, brainstorm, catalyze, clear, compel, cultivate, decongest, disencumber, disentangle, ease, enable, encourage, expedite, extricate, facilitate, fast-forward, fast-track, foster, free, frogmarch, fuel, further, grease, hasten, heal, help, hurry, improve, incite, instigate, legalize, liberate, loosen, lubricate, march, mend, midwife, nurture, oblige, open, permit, prioritize, promote, prompt, propel, protect, push, quicken, release, relieve, remedy, rush, smooth, spark, speed, spur, steady, stimulate, stir, stoke, strengthen, support, transact, transcend, unclog, uncomplicate, unleash, unlock, untangle, untie, urge)

  PRICE (←): adjudge, appraise, arrange, ascertain, assess, charge, collect, compare, cost, decide, define, demand, determine, discount, estimate, evaluate, exact, figure, finalize, fix, impose, levy, mark, name, rate, reduce, resolve, set, settle, specify, sticker, tax, toll, valuate, value (≠ abate, acquire, assume, bestow, bury, conceal, diminish, -disregard, donate, hide, lessen, mistake, -neglect, obtain, outlay, pay, predetermine, purchase, secure)

  PRICK (→): bite, bore, cut, drill, enter, gash, gore, hurt, impale, jab, lance, nick, penetrate, perforate, pierce, pink, point, poke, prod, punch, puncture, scratch, slash, slit, spike, spur, stab, sting, wound (≠ bandage, block, close, deflect, doctor, eject, extract, guard, heal, preserve, seal, sew, shield, smooth, withdraw)

  PRICK (/): afflict, aggravate, agonize, anguish, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, cramp, discomfort, distress, gall, gravel, harass, harry, hurt, inflame, irk, irritate, nag, needle, nettle, nitpick, pain, plague, sting, torment, torture, trouble, vex, worry, wrack, wrench (≠ aid, alleviate, amuse, assuage, buffer, calm, comfort, console, defend, delight, ease, entertain, gratify, help, lighten, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacify, placate, please, protect, quiet, relieve, rescue, salve, soften, soothe)

  PRIME (+): arm, brief, coach, cock, cram, drill, energize, equip, excite, fit, galvanize, groom, inform, mentor, motivate, move, notify, prep, prepare, provoke, ready, rehearse, season, stimulate, tell, train (≠ -abandon, block, -disregard, fool, forget, -forsake, hamper, mislead, -neglect, -overlook, -rebuff, short-circuit, -spurn, stymie)

  PRIMP (+): adorn, barber, beautify, brush, clip, costume, dandify, decorate, dress, embellish, enhance, fancify, garnish, glamorize, glitter, glitz, grace, groom, gussy, improve, manicure, optimize, ornament, overhaul, pomade, smarten, tidy, tinsel, titivate, trim, wax (≠ bedraggle, blemish, damage, deface, deform, dirty, disfigure, draggle, efface, flaw, harshen, maim, mar, muddy, ruin, scar, soil, spoil, untidy)

  PRIORITIZE (+): adjust, align, arrange, assess, balance, benchmark, book, budget, calculate, catalog, categorize, class, classify, codify, compile, compute, coordinate, design, dispose, distribute, estimate, figure, file, filter, formulate, grade, group, handle, hierarchize, index, itemize, juxtapose, list, manage, marshal, methodize, operate, pace, poll, position, prearrange, process, range, rank, rate, register, regulate, reorganize, restructure, schedule, set, settle, sift, slate, slot, sort, structure, systematize, tidy (≠ botch, bungle, confuse, disorder, disorganize, disperse, flub, fluff, jumble, mismanage, muddle, -neglect, overcommit, -refuse, scatter, scramble, shuffle, unsettle)

  PRIORITIZE (+): accent, accentuate, adulate, advertise, assert, belabor, blandish, bolster, boost, butter, charm, concentrate, count, court, deepen, display, elevate, emphasize, encourage, energize, escalate, exaggerate, exhibit, favor, feature, flaunt, floodlight, focus, foreground, foster, heighten, highlight, hype, identify, illuminate, increase, intensify, lift, limelight, magnify, mark, maximize, overemphasize, overplay, oversell, overstate, overstress, pinpoint, plug, power, praise, present, press, promote, publicize, punctuate, push, reinforce, sharpen, show, spotlight, stimulate, strengthen, stress, support, underline, underscore, upgrade, uplift, weight (≠ attack, -avoid, belittle, blame, blast, blister, boo, bury, -cancel, conceal, condemn, cover, criticize, curb, decrease, deemphasize, delegate, denounce, deride, diminish, -discount, dismiss, disparage, -disregard, downgrade, downplay, erase, -eschew, forget, half-ass, hide, -ignore, knock, lessen, malign, marginalize, mask, minimize, miss, neg, -neglect, obscure, obstruct, -omit, -overlook, pan, quiet, reduce, ridicule, rubbish, -scorn, -shun, sideline, silence, skip, slam, slate, -snub, stifle, subdue, temper, trash, trivialize, undercut, underemphasize, underestimate, undermine, underrate, understate, undervalue, weaken)

  PRIORITIZE (+): accommodate, baby, bolster, coax, coddle, compliment, cosset, favor, featherbed, flannel, flatter, follow, fondle, gratify, grease, heed, honor, humor, indulge, inveigle, mollify, mollycoddle, obey, overindulge, pamper, permit, pet, placate, please, praise, romance, satisfy, soap, soft-soap, soothe, spoil, spoon-feed, stroke, sweet-talk, tolerate, treat, woo (≠ abase, abuse, banish, belittle, bench, bereave, challenge, debase, declass, degrade, demean, demote, -deny, deport, deprecate, deprive, disfavor, disgrace, downgrade, eject, -exclude, exile, expatriate, expel, humble, humiliate, injure insult, lower, oppose, -refuse, relegate, resist, sideline, transfer, vulgarize, withhold)

  PRIZE (←): draw, eradicate, excavate, extract, extricate, fish, harvest, haul, mine, pluck, pry, pull, remove, select, snatch, take, tear, tow, tug, uproot, weed, withdraw, wrench, wrest, wring, yank (≠ cram, embed, implant, insert, install, instill, jam, ram, stuff, wedge)

  PRIZE (+): accumulate, admire, adore, affirm, amass, appreciate, archive, cherish, coffer, count, covet, enjoy, enshrine, esteem, fancy, fetishize, gather, guard, heap, idolize, love, preserve, rate, regard, relish, revere, save, savor, seek, squirrel, stash, stockpile, store, treasure, value, worship (≠ blackguard, chide, -despise, dismiss, disparage, disrespect, -loathe, minimize, mock, ridicule, scold, -scorn, -spurn, squander, undervalue, waste) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  PROBE (←): analyze, browse, check, compute, consult, cross-examine, cruise, detect, dig, disclose, discover, dissect, examine, explore, eye, eyeball, fathom, feel, grill, hunt, inspect, interrogate, investigate, learn, penetrate, peruse, pierce, plumb, poke, police, prod, prospect, prowl, pump, query, question, quiz, reconnoiter, reference, research, reveal, rifle, scan, scout, scrutinize, search, seek, sift, skim, sound, study, surf, suss, test, thumb, unearth, verify (≠ -abandon, bury, -bypass, -circumvent, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, detour, -discount, disguise, -disregard, drop, forget, hide, -ignore, miss, -neglect, obscure, -overlook, screen, -sidestep, skim, skip)

  PROCESS (+): absorb, acculturate, accustom, adapt, adjust, alphabetize, alter, amalgamate, array, assimilate, attend, automate, blend, catalog, categorize, change, class, classify, clump, cluster, codify, combine, commingle, compartmentalize, condition, convert, coopt, cull, digest, dispose, distinguish, distribute, embody, enculturate, file, fuse, grade, group, habituate, handle, hybridize, identify, incorporate, index, initiate, integrate, intermingle, internalize, list, marshal, mechanize, merge, metabolize, metamorphose, mingle, modify, motorize, naturalize, order, organize, peg, place, prepare, prioritize, range, rank, recast, recategorize, reclassify, recognize, redefine, redesign, redo, reengineer, refashion, refer, refine, regenerate, regroup, reimagine, relegate, remake, remodel, rethink, retool, revamp, revise, rework, screen, separate, set, sieve, sift, slot, sort, synthesize, systematize, transfigure, transform, transmute, treat, type, vary, winnow (≠ -blank, -bypass, confuse, disarrange, -disregard, elaborate, -ignore, jumble, lump, misclassify, missort, mistype, mix, muddle, -neglect, -omit, -overlook, -refuse, -reject, scramble, -shun, -spurn) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  PROCURE (←): accomplish, accumulate, achieve, acquire, amass, annex, appropriate, attain, bag, beg, buy, capture, carry, catch, claim, clear, compass, cop, corral, download, draw, earn, effect, enlist, finagle, find, gain, garner, get, grab, gross, harvest, import, induce, land, lobby, lubricate, make, manage, net, nobble, notch, obtain, occupy, persuade, pick, pull, purchase, reacquire, realize, reap, recapture, recruit, regain, requisition, rescue, rustle, score, secure, select, smuggle, snag,
solicit, source, steal, stockpile, wangle, win, wrangle (≠ accord, bequeath, bestow, bootleg, commit, comp, confer, contribute, donate, forfeit, furnish, give, grant, hand, lose, market, offer, outbid, outlay, overpay, overspend, own, pay, peddle, pimp, possess, relinquish, sell, -shun, spare, -spurn, squander, starve, stiff, stint, supply, surrender, tender, tithe, volunteer, withhold, yield)

  PROD (→): bore, butt, chuck, crowd, dig, drill, drive, elbow, goad, goose, jab, jog, knock, nudge, perforate, pierce, poke, press, prick, probe, propel, punch, puncture, push, ram, remind, shove, spur, stab, stick, thrust (≠ -avoid, bar, block, -bypass, -circumvent, -elude, -evade, guard, hamper, impede, pull, shield, -sidestep, skip, skirt, yank)

  PROD (→): adjure, animate, arouse, beseech, blandish, bribe, cajole, coax, convince, drive, egg, encourage, excite, exhort, fast-forward, foment, frogmarch, galvanize, goad, goose, hurry, hustle, impel, implore, importune, incite, inspire, instigate, kindle, march, motivate, move, nag, needle, nudge, persuade, pique, press, pressure, prompt, propel, provoke, push, rabble-rouse, remind, rouse, rush, sic, soft-soap, sound, spark, spur, stimulate, sting, stir, trigger, urge, wheedle (≠ brake, calm, check, checkmate, constrain, curb, deactivate, delay, demotivate, depress, -deter, discourage, dissuade, foil, -frustrate, -halt, hold, hush, inactivate, inhibit, mellow, mitigate, moderate, monkey-wrench, nobble, pacify, pause, placate, postpone, -prevent, pull, quiet, repress, restrain, schmooze, shelve, short-circuit, slow, soft-sell, stall, stop, stymie, suppress, -thwart)