by Damon Suede
PUNISH (/): afflict, assess, avenge, bang, batter, beat, belt, bench, blacklist, blister, cane, castigate, charge, chasten, chastise, condemn, convict, correct, criticize, critique, crucify, damn, defrock, demote, denounce, disadvantage, discipline, dismiss, dock, execute, exile, expel, fine, flagellate, flog, ground, hang, harm, hide, hurt, immure, impose, imprison, incarcerate, injure, institutionalize, intern, jail, judge, keelhaul, kneecap, lash, lather, lecture, levy, lick, maltreat, misuse, oppress, paddle, penalize, rebuke, reprimand, reprove, revenge, scold, scour, scourge, sentence, sideline, slap, slipper, slug, smack, spank, starve, stiff, stint, strafe, strap, strike, switch, tan, thrash, thwack, torture, train, trounce, wallop, whack, whip, wreak (≠ absolve, acquit, baby, blame, coddle, commute, compensate, condone, cosset, defend, excuse, exonerate, forfeit, forgive, honor, incriminate, indemnify, lionize, -neglect, overindulge, -overlook, pamper, pardon, patronize, pay, praise, protect, ransom, release, remunerate, reward, shield, spare, vindicate)
PURCHASE (←): accumulate, achieve, acquire, add, amass, annex, assume, attain, bag, bid, buy, capture, catch, claim, collect, cop, corner, download, earn, fetch, finance, gain, garner, get, harvest, incur, invest, land, lure, negotiate, net, obtain, offer, outbid, outlay, overpay, overspend, palm, patronize, pay, pick, pocket, procure, reap, receive, retrieve, score, secure, select, source, stockpile, take, trade, truck, underpay, win, wrangle (≠ bandy, barter, bootleg, borrow, broker, commercialize, commodify, deal, discard, dispense, dole, exchange, forfeit, freeboot, give, hawk, -ignore, import, loan, lose, market, merchandize, miss, monetize, peddle, pilfer, pirate, poach, presell, remainder, renegotiate, retail, sell, spare, spend, steal, stiff, stint, swap, swipe, vend, volunteer, withhold)
PURGE (/): abolish, absolve, acquit, amend, annihilate, annul, anonymize, barf, blackball, blot, -cancel, clarify, cleanse, clear, deep-six, delete, depose, destroy, disgorge, dismiss, doom, efface, eject, elevate, empty, enhance, ennoble, eradicate, erase, excrete, exonerate, exorcise, expel, expiate, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, forgive, heal, improve, kill, liquidate, obliterate, oust, pardon, -prevent, protest, purify, raze, refine, regenerate, regurgitate, remove, restore, rid, sanctify, spew, spit, splutter, unload, unpack, uplift, vindicate, vomit, wash, weed, wipe (≠ accumulate, bastardize, bear, bestialize, build, collect, compile, construct, corrupt, create, debase, debauch, defile, degrade, demean, deprave, dirty, gather, gestate, glean, herd, hold, incorporate, incriminate, institute, invite, keep, maintain, pervert, plant, poison, possess, profane, prostitute, recycle, rehabilitate, retain, salvage, scavenge, spike, stain, stockpile, suborn, sully, survive, sustain, tarnish, warp, weather, welcome, withstand)
PURIFY (+): aerate, bolt, chasten, clarify, clean, cleanse, clear, decontaminate, delouse, deodorize, disinfect, distill, expurgate, extract, filter, freshen, fumigate, leach, process, purge, quarantine, rarefy, rectify, refine, sanitize, screen, scrub, sieve, sift, sterilize, wash (≠ bedraggle, begrime, besmirch, cloud, contaminate, dirty, dull, foul, infect, muddy, poison, pollute, soil, spike, stain, sully, taint, tarnish)
PURIFY (+): absolve, acquit, amend, cleanse, clear, consecrate, dedicate, devote, elevate, ennoble, exonerate, expiate, hallow, heal, improve, moralize, perfect, purge, rarefy, rectify, redeem, refine, regenerate, restore, sanctify, shrive, uplift, vindicate (≠ bestialize, corrupt, debase, debauch, defile, degrade, demean, deprave, disgrace, incriminate, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, stain, suborn, sully, taint, tarnish, violate, warp)
PURLOIN (←): abduct, appropriate, boost, burglarize, burgle, carjack, cheat, collar, defalcate, defraud, embezzle, filch, glom, grab, grasp, heist, hijack, hook, kidnap, lift, loot, misappropriate, mooch, nab, nail, nick, nip, nobble, pick, pilfer, pillage, pinch, pluck, plunder, poach, pocket, ransack, remove, rifle, rob, rustle, sack, seize, shanghai, shoplift, snaffle, snag, snatch, sneak, snitch, spirit, sponge, steal, swindle, swipe, take, thieve (≠ add, bestow, buy, comp, contribute, defend, donate, earn, give, guard, hand, increase, keep, offer, present, protect, purchase, receive, recover, -refuse, -reject, replace, rescue, restore, return, save, secure, shield, tender, volunteer)
PURSUE (→): accompany, attend, backtrack, badger, bait, bird-dog, bug, chaperone, chase, chivy, court, desire, dog, entice, escort, eye, ferret, fish, follow, forage, harass, harry, haunt, hound, hunt, investigate, learn, mob, observe, oppress, persecute, plague, retrace, ride, romance, root, run, scent, search, seek, shadow, spoor, stalk, study, tag, tail, target, trace, track, trail, watch, win, woo (≠ -abandon, aid, assist, -avoid, banish, blind, -boycott, cease, conceal, deceive, direct, -discontinue, disguise, -dodge, -duck, -eschew, expel, -flee, forget, -forsake, guide, -halt, head, help, hide, -ignore, lead, leave, lose, miss, muddle, -neglect, pilot, shake, -shun, spearhead, stop, support, -thwart, trick)
PUSH (→): accelerate, bore, budge, bulldoze, bump, butt, compress, constrain, cram, crash, crowd, crush, depress, dig, drive, elbow, fast-forward, force, frogmarch, gore, grease, hasten, hurry, hustle, impel, jam, jolt, jostle, knock, launch, manhandle, march, move, muscle, nudge, plunge, poke, press, pressure, prod, propel, punt, railroad, ram, shift, shoulder, shove, shunt, sideswipe, squash, squeeze, squish, squoosh, steamroll, stir, strong-arm, thrust (≠ bridle, check, constrain, contain, curb, delay, discourage, dissuade, drag, end, finish, hamper, hinder, hold, impede, inhibit, keep, pace, pause, postpone, pull, regulate, rein, repress, restrain, shelve, short-circuit, slow, stall, stop, weight)
PUSH (→): advance, advertise, boost, commercialize, commodify, float, hawk, hype, leverage, limelight, market, monetize, offer, peddle, pimp, plug, presell, prioritize, promote, propagandize, publicize, puff, sell, shill, spitball, tout, traffic (≠ acquire, attack, buy, camouflage, cloak, cloud, combat, conceal, disguise, hide, import, mock, procure, purchase, ridicule, scathe, -scorn, secure, seek, -shun)
PUSH (+): bribe, browbeat, bulldoze, catalyze, champion, coerce, compel, constrain, convince, dragoon, egg, encourage, escalate, expedite, fast-track, force, frogmarch, further, goad, goose, hasten, hurry, impel, influence, inspire, march, motivate, muscle, oblige, persuade, press, pressure, prod, promote, railroad, speed, spur, squeeze, steamroll, strong-arm, urge (≠ -cancel, cripple, daunt, demotivate, -deter, discourage, hamper, hamstring, hinder, kneecap, nobble, postpone, -prevent, protest, quell, scotch, shelve, stifle, stymie, suppress, -thwart)
PUZZLE (/): abash, addle, agitate, amaze, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, beguile, bemuse, bewilder, block, boggle, bother, buffalo, chagrin, cloud, confound, confuse, cozen, daze, deceive, delude, discombobulate, discomfit, discomfort, discompose, disconcert, dismay, disorient, disquiet, distress, disturb, double-talk, dumbfound, dupe, embarrass, encode, faze, floor, flummox, fluster, foil, fool, fox, frustrate, gaslight, gull, harass, hoax, hobble, hocus-pocus, hoodwink, humbug, impede, jumble, manipulate, misguide, mislead, mismatch, mortify, muddle, muddy, mystify, nonplus, obscure, obstruct, outwit, perplex, perturb, rattle, scatter, snow, stick, stump, stun, stupefy, surprise, tangle, throw, -thwart, trick, trouble, unhinge, unsettle, upset, vex (≠ assure, clarify, decipher, decode, deduce, derange, detect, distract, edify, educate, -elude, enlighten, explain, floodlight, illuminate, inform, instruct, profile, reassure, satisfy, school, simplify, solve, teach, train, tutor, untangle)
Q
QUAFF (←): belt, consume, down, drain, drink, empty, gulp, guzzle, hoist, imbibe, ingest, kill, lap, lick, mouth, nip, pledge, pound, sip, slug, slurp, suck, swallow, swig, swill, toast (≠ barf, belch, crave, decant, -decline, disgorge, eject, expel, fill, pour, puke, -refuse, regurgitate, -reject, spew, spill, spit, vomit)
QUALIFY (←): adapt, alleviate, alloy, alter, assuage, circumscribe, classify, color, define, delimit, diminish, distort, ease, lessen, limit, minimize, misrepresent, misstate, mitigate, moderate, modify, modulate, narrow, pace, pervert, reduce, regulate, restrain, restrict, soften, temper, twist, underemphasize, warp, weaken (≠ accent, accentuate, affirm, align, amplify, assert, boost, broaden, emphasize, exacerbate, expand,
magnify, maximize, prioritize, punctuate, raise, supplement, widen) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
QUALIFY (+): accredit, accustom, adapt, adjust, affirm, allow, approve, authorize, calibrate, certify, clear, coach, commission, compare, condition, confirm, credential, educate, empower, enable, endorse, enfranchise, entitle, equip, fit, graduate, groom, ground, habituate, inaugurate, indoctrinate, induct, initiate, install, instate, instruct, invest, legalize, legitimize, let, license, okay, pass, permit, prepare, privilege, ratify, ready, rubber-stamp, sanction, school, season, shape, tailor, teach, train, tutor, validate, vest, warrant (≠ ban, bar, block, constrain, decertify, delegitimize, -deny, disable, disallow, disbar, discourage, disenfranchise, disqualify, enjoin, -exclude, -forbid, hinder, hold, impede, inhibit, -interdict, invalidate, -nullify, obstruct, -omit, oppose, outlaw, -prevent, -prohibit, proscribe, protest, stop, -veto)
QUANTIFY (←): appraise, ascertain, assess, benchmark, calculate, calibrate, caliper, check, compare, compute, count, deduce, detect, determine, enumerate, evaluate, figure, gauge, measure, number, numerate, rank, rate, read, size, specify, time, value, weigh (≠ assume, distrust, estimate, fudge, grill, guess, half-ass, -ignore, interrogate, misgauge, mistrust, -omit, -overlook, question, suspect, wonder)
QUASH (/): abrogate, annihilate, annul, beat, -cancel, checkmate, conquer, crush, decimate, deep-six, defeat, demolish, desolate, destroy, devastate, dissolve, dominate, doom, douse, eradicate, erase, exterminate, extinguish, invalidate, -negate, nuke, obliterate, outlast, outwit, overcome, overpower, override, overrule, overthrow, overturn, overwhelm, quell, quench, repeal, repress, -rescind, reverse, revoke, ruin, scotch, silence, smash, smother, snuff, squash, squelch, squench, steamroller, stifle, strangle, subdue, subjugate, suppress, throttle, vanquish, -veto, -void, waste, weed, wreck (≠ abet, advance, aid, approve, assist, back, bolster, buttress, confirm, cultivate, encourage, enforce, establish, foment, forward, foster, further, help, incite, instigate, maintain, nourish, nurture, perpetuate, promote, prop, provoke, rabble-rouse, stir, support, survive, sustain, uphold, urge, validate, withstand)
QUELL (/): allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, beat, calm, capture, checkmate, compose, conciliate, conquer, console, cool, crush, deaden, defeat, defuse, demilitarize, demolish, destroy, doom, ease, extinguish, foil, humble, hush, lull, master, mellow, minimize, mitigate, moderate, mollify, monkey-wrench, muzzle, overcome, overpower, pacify, placate, quash, quiet, reconcile, relieve, repress, reunite, rout, sedate, silence, smooth, soften, soothe, squash, stabilize, stifle, still, subdue, subject, subjugate, suppress, tranquilize, trounce, trump, vanquish (≠ accentuate, advance, affirm, aggravate, agitate, amplify, assert, assist, back, cultivate, deepen, disturb, emphasize, encourage, exacerbate, excite, foment, foster, incite, instigate, intensify, irritate, magnify, maximize, militarize, nourish, nurture, prolong, promote, prompt, provoke, punctuate, rabble-rouse, reinvigorate, revive, start, stimulate, stir, strengthen, support, tease, unnerve, upset)
QUENCH (←): allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, check, content, engorge, fill, glut, gorge, gratify, lighten, mitigate, relieve, sate, satiate, satisfy, saturate, slake, stuff, surfeit (≠ arouse, entice, exacerbate, excite, frustrate, ignite, inflame, kindle, light, provoke, stimulate, tantalize, taunt, tease, tempt, trigger)
QUENCH (/): annihilate, burke, choke, cool, crush, dampen, decimate, demolish, dismantle, douse, end, hush, kill, moisten, muffle, quash, quell, raze, repress, ruin, shatter, smother, snuff, stifle, strangle, suppress, throttle, wreck (≠ bake, barbecue, broil, burn, fire, ignite, inflame, kindle, light, scorch, sear, survive, withstand)
QUESTION (→): assail, attack, berate, censure, challenge, combat, contest, criticize, critique, defy, discredit, disprove, dispute, distrust, doubt, fight, impeach, impugn, malign, mistrust, oppose, protest, query, resist, revile, traduce, vilify, vituperate (≠ abide, accept, advocate, await, back, believe, champion, defend, embrace, endure, promote, stomach, support, swallow, tolerate, withstand)
QUESTION (←): annoy, ask, besiege, blitz, bombard, canvass, catechize, challenge, check, consult, contest, cross-examine, cross-question, debate, debrief, disbelieve, dispute, distrust, doubt, examine, explore, grill, hammer, harass, hector, hound, interrogate, interview, investigate, nag, needle, niggle, nitpick, pester, poll, probe, pump, query, quiz, research, survey, suspect, test (≠ answer, assert, attest, -avoid, conceal, confide, -duck, -evade, hide, -ignore, mislead, -neglect, observe, remark, retort, silence, stifle, validate, verify)
QUESTION (←): absorb, analyze, assimilate, believe, chew, conceive, conclude, consider, contemplate, debate, deliberate, digest, entertain, examine, explore, eye, eyeball, incorporate, integrate, learn, mull, ponder, reason, reinvestigate, review, second-guess, study, turn, weigh, wrestle (≠ disbelieve, -discount, discredit, dismiss, -disregard, distrust, -ignore, invalidate, mistrust, -neglect, -overlook, pooh-pooh, -reject, -repudiate, -scorn, scruple, -slight, -spurn, suspect)
QUESTION (/): challenge, debunk, -deny, disavow, disbelieve, -discount, discredit, distrust, doubt, dread, fear, invalidate, mistrust, -negate, -rebuff, rebut, refute, -reject, -repudiate, scruple, suspect, wonder (≠ accept, adjudge, anticipate, assume, assure, await, believe, credit, debunk, detect, determine, expect, fancy, presume, prove, suppose, trust, verify)
QUICKEN (→): accelerate, activate, advance, aid, bundle, catalyze, dispatch, drive, ease, encourage, expedite, facilitate, fast-forward, fast-track, frogmarch, goad, grease, hasten, hurry, lubricate, march, midwife, oil, precipitate, press, prod, propel, push, race, rush, speed, spur, supercharge, urge, whisk (≠ arrest, brake, check, cripple, decelerate, delay, disqualify, dull, encumber, enervate, fetter, hamper, hinder, hobble, hold, impede, incapacitate, manacle, obstruct, pause, postpone, rein, restrain, retard, shackle, shelve, short-circuit, slow, stall, stay, still, stop, stymie, -thwart, tie, trammel)
QUICKEN (→): abet, activate, actuate, amp, animate, arouse, awaken, boost, brace, buoy, charge, cheer, drive, electrify, embolden, energize, enkindle, enliven, excite, exhilarate, ferment, fire, foment, fortify, galvanize, ginger, hearten, impel, incite, inflame, infuse, inspire, instigate, invigorate, jazz, juice, jump-start, kindle, lift, liven, motivate, move, prioritize, provoke, raise, rally, reactivate, reanimate, reawaken, recharge, recreate, reenergize, refresh, regenerate, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, rekindle, renew, resurrect, resuscitate, revitalize, revive, rouse, spark, spike, steel, stimulate, stir, strengthen, tantalize, tease, tempt, trigger, vitalize, vivify, wake (≠ cage, check, cripple, curb, damp, dampen, daunt, deactivate, deaden, debilitate, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, drain, dull, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, fatigue, freeze, hamper, handicap, harass, hinder, impair, impede, inhibit, jade, kill, overextend, paralyze, quell, quench, repress, restrain, sap, slake, slow, stagnate, stall, still, straightjacket, stunt, suppress, tucker, undermine, weaken, wear, weary)
QUIET (←): allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, calm, comfort, compose, curb, deaden, diminish, dose, drug, dull, ease, gag, hush, hypnotize, lower, lull, mellow, mesmerize, mitigate, moderate, mollify, muffle, mute, muzzle, narcotize, pacify, placate, quell, quieten, reduce, relax, sedate, settle, shush, silence, smooth, sober, soften, soothe, squelch, squench, stifle, still, subdue, suppress, throttle, tranquilize (≠ agitate, alarm, alert, disturb, exacerbate, excite, goad, harass, heckle, hound, incite, irk, irritate, jab, nettle, noodge, panic, pester, prod, provoke, rankle, rattle, roil, rouse, shake, spur, stimulate, stir, tease, torment, traumatize, vex, wake)
QUIZ (←): annoy, ask, besiege, bombard, canvas, canvass, catechize, challenge, check, consult, contemplate, cross-examine, cross-question, debate, debrief, deride, dispute, earbash, examine, explore, gibe, grill, harass, hector, hound, interpolate, interrogate, interview, investigate, mock, nag, needle, niggle, nitpick, pester, poll, probe, prove, pump, puzzle, query, question, scrutinize, seek, survey, test (≠ answer, -avoid, bury, cheat, conceal, deceive, disguise, -disregard, -duck, forget, hide, -ignore, -neglect, observe,
-omit, retort, solve, study, trick)
R
RACE (→): battle, beat, best, better, challenge, confront, defeat, double, eclipse, -elude, engage, escalate, exceed, excel, face, fight, hasten, hurry, increase, jockey, jostle, maneuver, match, multiply, oppose, outclass, outdo, outmatch, outperform, outplay, outrank, outrun, outshine, outstrip, overtake, pass, play, pound, raise, resist, rival, rush, surpass, test, train, win, work (≠ -abandon, brake, bungle, cede, concede, cripple, delay, drop, follow, forfeit, hamper, help, hinder, hobble, impede, lose, relinquish, -renounce, ruin, sacrifice, slow, stall, waive, wreck)
RAID (→): ambush, assail, assault, attack, battle, beleaguer, beset, besiege, blindside, blitz, blockade, bomb, bombard, breach, bum-rush, burglarize, burgle, bushwhack, bust, charge, combat, conquer, crush, despoil, devastate, dominate, envelop, fight, flank, forage, garrison, gate-crash, harass, harry, heat, infringe, invade, invest, loot, maraud, mob, mug, nuke, occupy, overcome, overpower, overrun, overwhelm, pillage, pirate, plunder, press, rake, ransack, ravage, rifle, rob, rush, sack, sandbag, seize, shell, steamroller, storm, strafe, strike, strip, subdue, subject, subjugate, surprise, swarm, sweep, torpedo, trash, trespass, vanquish, waste, waylay (≠ aid, assist, build, cede, construct, convince, cover, defend, defy, guard, help, invite, oppose, patrol, persuade, police, protect, repel, resist, restore, safeguard, save, screen, secure, sentinel, shelter, shield, support, survive, ward, welcome, withstand)