by Damon Suede
RECTIFY (+): adapt, adjust, align, alter, ameliorate, amend, better, blue-pencil, calibrate, change, coordinate, correct, cure, cut, debug, develop, doctor, edit, emend, enhance, fix, improve, mend, modify, modulate, moralize, pace, patch, perfect, polish, punctuate, rarefy, realign, red-pen, red-pencil, redraft, redraw, redress, refine, reform, regulate, remedy, repair, rephrase, restore, restyle, retool, revamp, revise, rework, rewrite, right, shine, shorten, tune, tweak (≠ aggravate, botch, bungle, callous, coarsen, compromise, contaminate, corrupt, damage, destroy, eradicate, erase, flub, harm, hurt, impair, injure, jumble, mar, muddle, pervert, poison, pollute, ruin, scramble, spoil, taint, tarnish, warp, worsen)
RECYCLE (+): conserve, convert, preserve, process, reclaim, reconceive, reconceptualize, recover, redeem, redefine, refine, reimagine, reinvent, repair, reprocess, rescue, restore, retain, rethink, retool, retrieve, reuse, salvage, save (≠ -abandon, discard, -ditch, dump, endanger, harm, hurt, junk, lose, ruin, scrap, squander, toss, trash, waste)
REDEEM (←): bail, buy, cash, change, claim, collect, convert, deliver, emancipate, exchange, expense, glean, liberate, nab, offset, outweigh, preserve, ransom, recapture, reclaim, recoup, recover, recuperate, regain, release, repossess, repurchase, rescue, restore, retrieve, salvage, save, swap, switch, trade (≠ -abandon, chuck, -desert, discard, -disown, -ditch, drop, dump, endanger, -eschew, forfeit, -forsake, imperil, jeopardize, junk, lose, offload, -reject, risk, scrap, squander, stiff, stint, surrender, waste, yield)
REDEEM (+): absolve, acquit, amend, balance, bless, buy, cleanse, compensate, consecrate, correct, counterbalance, counterpoise, countervail, defray, deliver, discharge, emancipate, expiate, forgive, free, fulfill, hallow, improve, indemnify, keep, liberate, meet, mend, moralize, offset, outweigh, pardon, perfect, propitiate, purify, ransom, realign, reclaim, recompense, rectify, redress, reeducate, refine, reform, refund, regenerate, rehabilitate, reimburse, reinstate, release, remit, remunerate, repay, reprieve, rescue, restore, right, sanctify, sanitize, satisfy, save, shrive, spare (≠ abase, accuse, allege, attaint, bestialize, blame, blemish, blotch, bribe, canker, cheat, contaminate, corrupt, debauch, deceive, defraud, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, -disregard, double-talk, fault, foul, -ignore, implicate, incriminate, indict, lower, nobble, pervert, poison, profane, prosecute, prostitute, steal, suborn, subvert, sully, taint, tarnish, trick, trouble, warp, wound)
REDIRECT (→): -avert, bend, bounce, channel, concentrate, curve, deflect, distract, divert, dribble, focus, funnel, jog, move, nudge, rechannel, refract, reroute, reverse, rotate, shift, shove, shunt, sidetrack, sway, swerve, swing, switch, swivel, transfer, turn, twist, wheel, whip, whirl, withdraw, wriggle, zigzag (≠ advance, conserve, continue, defend, demand, develop, finish, grow, hold, initiate, keep, lose, maintain, perpetuate, preserve, retain, shield, start, stay, stop, straighten, sustain, terminate, upset)
REDUCE (/): abate, abbreviate, abridge, attenuate, bob, cheapen, chop, clip, compact, compress, concentrate, condense, contract, crop, cull, curtail, -cut, decrease, deduct, deflate, deplete, depress, digest, dilute, diminish, -discontinue, -discount, dock, downgrade, downsize, drain, elide, erode, fragment, impair, lessen, lighten, lose, lowball, lower, melt, miniaturize, minimize, moderate, nip, pare, prune, pucker, quash, rarefy, refine, repress, restrict, retrench, shave, shear, shorten, shrink, simplify, slash, slim, strip, subdue, subjugate, subtract, taper, thin, tighten, trim, truncate, underbid, underemphasize, weaken, weed (≠ accent, accentuate, accrue, amplify, assert, boost, broaden, compound, develop, elaborate, emphasize, encourage, enhance, enlarge, exaggerate, expand, expound, extend, flavor, foster, increase, inflate, intensify, invigorate, lengthen, magnify, marinate, maximize, overdramatize, oversell, prioritize, promote, punctuate, raise, reinforce, season, spice, strengthen, stretch, supplement)
REDUCE (/): bankrupt, bastardize, beggar, bench, break, cannibalize, cheapen, consume, cripple, deaden, debase, debilitate, degrade, demote, deplete, depress, deprive, devalue, diminish, disable, drain, enervate, exhaust, humble, impair, impoverish, leach, lower, overextend, pauperize, ruin, salvage, sap, scant, sideline, starve, straiten, subjugate, subordinate, vanquish, weaken (≠ augment, boost, cultivate, elevate, energize, enhance, enrich, expand, extend, feed, fuel, galvanize, improve, increase, magnify, motivate, nourish, nurture, prioritize, refill, replenish, restore, revitalize, stimulate, sustain, unspool, upgrade, value)
REFEREE (+): adjudge, adjudicate, arbitrate, ascertain, broker, chair, command, conclude, consider, control, decide, determine, direct, equalize, examine, handle, inspect, judge, manage, mediate, moderate, mull, negotiate, pacify, ponder, propitiate, prosecute, reconcile, renegotiate, resolve, reunite, rule, scrutinize, settle, size, solve, transact, umpire, unskew, weigh (≠ baffle, bias, challenge, cheat, confound, confront, confuse, debate, defy, demand, dismiss, -disregard, exacerbate, favor, fight, -ignore, inflame, instigate, manipulate, misrepresent, miss, mistake, muddle, oppose, -overlook, predetermine, prejudge, prejudice, provoke, skew, skirt, slant, twist)
REFINE (+): clarify, cleanse, clear, decontaminate, delouse, disinfect, distill, filter, freshen, polish, process, purge, purify, rarefy, rectify, sanitize, shine, sift, sterilize, strain, sublimate, treat (≠ bedraggle, besmirch, blend, callous, coarsen, contaminate, corrupt, dirty, foul, infect, infiltrate, mix, muddy, poison, pollute, soil, spoil, spot, stain, sully, taint, tarnish)
REFINE (+): advance, ameliorate, amend, better, boost, civilize, clarify, correct, cultivate, deepen, develop, edit, educate, elaborate, elevate, embellish, emend, enhance, enrich, exalt, explain, fine-tune, flavor, fortify, further, garnish, help, hone, improve, intensify, magnify, marinate, maximize, mend, minimize, moralize, optimize, overhaul, perfect, polish, prioritize, punctuate, realign, rectify, redraft, reform, refurbish, rehab, rehabilitate, reinforce, remedy, renovate, rephrase, retouch, revamp, revise, revolutionize, rework, right, round, season, sleek, slick, smooth, spice, strengthen, temper, treat, upgrade (≠ barbarize, bestialize, blemish, blight, callous, canker, coarsen, compromise, damage, deface, diminish, disfigure, efface, flaw, hamper, harm, harshen, hurt, impair, injure, lessen, lower, mar, reduce, ruin, spoil, stain, taint, tarnish, vitiate, worsen)
REFLECT (→): allow, articulate, communicate, conjecture, demonstrate, depict, display, evince, exhibit, express, externalize, guess, manifest, note, observe, portray, remark, reveal, show, showcase, speak, state, suppose, surmise, talk, tell, verbalize, vocalize, voice (≠ camouflage, censor, choke, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, costume, disguise, gag, hide, hush, mask, muffle, mute, muzzle, quiet, redact, screen, silence, stifle, strangle, suppress, veil) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
REFLECT (→): adopt, approximate, cast, catch, clone, copy, duplicate, echo, emulate, equalize, follow, ghostwrite, image, imitate, match, mimic, mirror, reduplicate, repeat, replicate, reproduce, reverse, scatter (≠ absorb, conceal, cover, discard, dismiss, -disregard, forget, generate, hide, -ignore, mismatch, miss, -neglect, originate, request, take, withhold)
REFORM (+): align, ameliorate, amend, better, clean, cleanse, convert, correct, cure, depersonalize, improve, mend, purify, realign, rearrange, rebuild, reclaim, reconceive, reconceptualize, reconstitute, reconstruct, rectify, redeem, redefine, reeducate, refashion, refine, regenerate, rehabilitate, reimagine, reinvent, rejigger, remake, remedy, remodel, renew, renovate, reorganize, repair, reshape, reshuffle, resolve, restore, rethink, retool, revamp, revise, revolutionize, rework, right, standardize, transform (≠ blemish, bribe, bungle, canker, coddle, corrupt, damage, degrade, demean, hamper, harm, impair, injure, lower, mangle, mar, mutate, nobble, pervert, poison, pollute, prostitute, -refuse, spoil, suborn, subvert, undermine, warp, worsen)
REFRESH (+): assist, brace, cheer, cool, encourage, energize, enliven, exhilarate, fortify, freshen, galvanize, gentrify, heal, invigorate, liven, modernize, prod, prompt, quicken, rally, reanimate, recharge, recondition, recoup, recover, recreate, recuperate, refurbish, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, renew, renovate, repa
ir, replenish, restimulate, restore, restructure, resuscitate, revamp, revitalize, revive, revolutionize, rouse, steady, stimulate, strengthen, update, upgrade (≠ age, antique, blemish, break, canker, castrate, corrode, cripple, damage, dampen, deaden, depress, desiccate, destroy, disable, discourage, dissuade, drain, dull, energize, enervate, eradicate, erase, erode, fatigue, fray, gnaw, -halt, hamstring, harass, harm, hurt, incapacitate, injure, jade, kill, leech, mangle, mar, outwear, paralyze, ruin, scar, scuff, stagnate, stale, tire, wear, weary, wreck)
REFURBISH (+): automate, clean, computerize, enhance, fix, gentrify, improve, mend, modernize, overhaul, recondition, redecorate, redo, reequip, refit, refresh, rehab, rehabilitate, rejuvenate, remodel, renew, renovate, repair, reshuffle, restore, retread, revamp, revolutionize, service, spiff, spruce, tool, update, upgrade, wallpaper (≠ break, damage, demolish, dent, destroy, -disregard, eradicate, erase, harm, hurt, kill, level, mar, -neglect, nock, ruin, scar, scrape, scratch, wreck)
-REFUSE (→): -balk, ban, check, constrain, curb, -decline, -deny, disallow, disapprove, -dodge, enjoin, -evade, -forbid, hinder, hold, impede, keep, -negate, -nix, obstruct, -prohibit, proscribe, -rebuff, -reject, repel, repress, restrain, restrict, -spurn, -veto, withhold (≠ accede, accept, accord, afford, allow, authorize, commission, concede, disburse, dispense, furnish, give, grant, invite, let, license, offer, okay, permit, provide, sanction, solicit, spare, spitball, supply, tender, volunteer, vouchsafe, warrant, welcome)
-REFUSE (/): abjure, -avoid, -balk, -bypass, challenge, contradict, controvert, countermand, debate, -decline, -deny, deselect, detour, disallow, disapprove, disavow, disclaim, -disdain, dismiss, -disown, disprove, dispute, disrespect, -exclude, -forbid, forswear, gainsay, -ignore, -negate, negative, -nix, -omit, oppose, -ostracize, oust, overrule, pass, -prohibit, proscribe, protest, -rebuff, rebut, recall, recant, refute, regret, -reject, -renounce, -repudiate, retract, revoke, -scorn, scout, -shun, -spurn, stick, -veto, withdraw (≠ accede, accept, admit, adopt, approve, assert, brook, choose, condone, countenance, defend, embrace, espouse, face, handpick, incur, maintain, permit, receive, select, support, swallow, take, tolerate, uphold, welcome)
REFUTE (/): abnegate, argue, break, burn, -cancel, challenge, contradict, contravene, convict, counter, crush, debate, deflect, demolish, -deny, disallow, disavow, disclaim, discredit, -disown, disprove, dispute, doubt, expose, gainsay, invalidate, -negate, oppose, overthrow, parry, quash, rebut, -reject, -repudiate, retort, silence, squelch (≠ accept, acknowledge, admit, adopt, affirm, authenticate, avow, concede, confess, confirm, corroborate, declare, embrace, endorse, maintain, notarize, own, prove, ratify, sanction, substantiate, support, validate, verify)
REGAIN (←): discover, find, locate, reacquire, recapture, reclaim, recollect, recoup, recover, recruit, redeem, rediscover, replenish, repossess, repurchase, rescue, retake, retrieve, salvage, save, win (≠ -abandon, deep-six, destroy, fail, forfeit, forget, -forsake, lose, mislay, misplace, obliterate, ruin)
REGENERATE (+): change, charge, cure, energize, exhilarate, heal, invigorate, mend, produce, reanimate, reawaken, reconstitute, reconstruct, recreate, reestablish, reform, refresh, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, rekindle, remedy, renew, renovate, reproduce, restimulate, restore, resuscitate, revitalize, revive, stimulate, uplift (≠ damage, degrade, demoralize, destroy, eradicate, erase, extinguish, hamstring, injure, kill, lower, pervert, poison, ruin, stagnate, stale, stifle, stultify, subvert, suppress, warp)
REGISTER (→): chronicle, clock, engrave, enter, inscribe, jot, journalize, list, log, mark, minute, notch, note, record, report, scan, score, scrutinize, trademark, transcribe (≠ annihilate, anonymize, censor, conceal, -cut, edit, eradicate, erase, expunge, expurgate, hide, -ignore, -nullify, obliterate, -omit, redact, rephrase, strike)
REGISTER (→): arrange, book, calendar, card, catalog, classify, compile, docket, enroll, enter, file, index, inscribe, list, notate, note, organize, record, reschedule, schedule, slate, tabulate, tally (≠ -cancel, delete, -exclude, expunge, -omit, -overlook, -reject, scratch, terminate, wait-list, withdraw)
REGISTER (←): book, cast, conscript, draft, enlist, enroll, induct, inscribe, list, muster, overcommit, schedule (≠ banish, blackball, -exclude, expel, expunge, -omit, oust, -overlook, -refuse, -reject, wait-list)
REGISTER (+): absorb, appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, catch, compass, comprehend, conceive, decipher, decode, deduce, detect, diagnose, dig, digest, discern, eye, eyeball, fathom, get, grasp, incorporate, integrate, internalize, intuit, know, make, penetrate, perceive, pierce, realize, recognize, savvy, see, seize, sense, suss, understand (≠ -blank, -bypass, -disregard, forget, -ignore, lose, misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misdiagnose, mishear, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, miss, mistake, misunderstand, -omit, -overlook) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
REGRET (←): bemoan, berate, bewail, blame, castigate, censure, condemn, confess, criticize, denounce, deplore, deprecate, disparage, grieve, lament, miss, mourn, recant, repent, reproach, reprove, resent, revile, rue, slam, slate, sorrow, upbraid (≠ absolve, accept, adore, applaud, appreciate, blame, celebrate, commend, desire, embrace, enjoy, excuse, forget, hope, invite, justify, love, -overlook, pardon, relish, sanction, savor, welcome) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
REGULATE (→): administer, chair, conduct, control, direct, govern, guard, guide, handle, keep, lead, manage, mastermind, micromanage, mind, operate, oversee, patrol, pilot, police, protect, run, safeguard, stage-manage, steer, steward, superintend, supervise, tend, watch (≠ challenge, contradict, counter, counteract, debate, defy, -deny, disobey, dispute, flout, follow, gainsay, heed, hold, mind, mismanage, misrule, obey, observe, oppose, resist, -scorn, serve)
REGULATE (→): adapt, adjust, administer, align, allocate, arbitrate, arrange, array, balance, calibrate, cast, categorize, center, chair, chart, choreograph, class, classify, collate, compose, conduct, control, coordinate, correct, customize, defray, depersonalize, design, determine, devise, direct, dispose, establish, fit, fix, form, frame, govern, grade, ground, group, guide, handle, harmonize, harness, improve, integrate, legislate, machinate, maintain, manage, marshal, measure, mediate, methodize, moderate, modulate, monitor, normalize, orchestrate, order, organize, oversee, pace, pigeonhole, place, plan, plot, police, prepare, prioritize, program, rank, rate, rationalize, readjust, ready, realign, reconcile, rectify, referee, regiment, regularize, reintegrate, reunite, right, rule, run, schedule, schematize, scheme, score, screen, script, separate, set, settle, shape, sift, slot, sort, square, stabilize, standardize, stratify, structure, subordinate, superintend, supervise, support, synchronize, systematize, tame, temper, time, tune, type, unify, unsnarl, weaponize (≠ break, brew, bungle, clutter, confuse, damage, deprogram, deregulate, diffuse, dishevel, disorder, disorganize, disperse, disrupt, disturb, divide, express, flout, -ignore, jumble, liberate, loosen, mismatch, muddle, -neglect, overcommit, ruin, scatter, scramble, separate, spoil, tousle, trouble, unleash, upset)
REGULATE (/): arrest, block, bottle, bridle, check, choke, constrain, contain, control, curb, gag, govern, hamper, handcuff, hinder, hold, housebreak, housetrain, impede, inhibit, interrupt, keep, measure, mince, muffle, muzzle, obstruct, pace, pocket, rein, repress, restrain, rule, silence, sink, smother, squelch, stifle, stop, straightjacket, strangle, suppress, swallow, tame (≠ air, evince, express, foment, incite, instigate, liberate, loose, loosen, lose, propel, provoke, rabble-rouse, slacken, uncork, unleash, vent, verbalize, vocalize)
REHABILITATE (+): adjust, align, amend, calibrate, cleanse, clear, convert, darn, elevate, enhance, furbish, gentrify, improve, mend, normalize, nourish, nurse, nurture, overhaul, purify, rebuild, reclaim, recondition, reconstitute, reconstruct, recover, rectify, redeem, reeducate, reestablish, refine, reform, refurbish, regenerate, rehab, reinstate, reintegrate, reinvent, remodel, renew, renovate, restore, tune, tweak (≠ -abandon, abase, anguish, bestialize, bribe, canker, corrupt, damage, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, destroy, doom,
eradicate, erase, harm, hurt, injure, lower, mutate, nobble, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, ruin, scathe, suborn, subvert, threaten, torment, torture, traumatize, victimize, warp, wound, wrong)
REHABILITATE (+): alleviate, attend, bandage, cure, develop, doctor, exercise, fix, fortify, heal, hospitalize, medicate, mend, nurse, patch, physic, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, relieve, remedy, renew, repair, restimulate, resuscitate, revitalize, revive, save, splint, train, treat (≠ afflict, ail, cripple, damage, debilitate, disable, drain, enervate, enfeeble, harm, hurt, impair, infect, injure, kneecap, lacerate, lame, leech, maim, mangle, mutilate, overextend, palsy, sap, savage, shrivel, sicken, waste, weaken, wither, wound)
REIN (←): arrest, bind, brake, bridle, check, collect, compose, contain, control, cool, curb, govern, -halt, halter, hamper, hinder, hold, impede, inhibit, lash, leash, limit, master, moderate, repress, restrain, restrict, retard, slow, smother, snaffle, stall, stop, straightjacket, stymie, subdue, suppress, tether (≠ abet, boost, encourage, foster, free, incite, instigate, liberate, loose, prod, spur, unleash, untether)