by Damon Suede
RETAIN (←): advance, assume, commission, contract, employ, engage, enlist, headhunt, hire, keep, maintain, occupy, overpay, partner, pay, place, promote, recruit, reserve, scout, sign, subcontract, upgrade (≠ axe, can, -deny, discharge, dismiss, fire, furlough, -rebuff, -refuse, -reject, sack, scrap, -spurn, stiff, stint, terminate, transfer)
RETARD (←): arrest, baffle, boobytrap, bottleneck, brake, check, constrain, curb, decelerate, delay, detain, disqualify, encumber, foil, -frustrate, -halt, hamper, hamstring, handicap, hinder, hobble, impede, incapacitate, inhibit, monkey-wrench, obstruct, pause, postpone, rein, restrain, restrict, sabotage, scotch, shelve, short-circuit, slacken, slow, stall, stop, subvert, -thwart, undercut, undermine (≠ accelerate, advance, aid, augment, boost, brainstorm, catalyze, dispatch, drive, ease, encourage, enhance, expedite, facilitate, fast-forward, feed, forward, fuel, further, goad, grease, hasten, help, hurry, nurture, optimize, prioritize, propel, punt, push, quicken, revolutionize, rush, speed, spur, stimulate, stir, urge)
RETRACT (←): -abandon, abjure, abnegate, back, bolt, -cancel, contradict, controvert, countermand, debate, deep-six, -deny, disallow, disavow, disclaim, -disown, disprove, dispute, eliminate, -exclude, -forsake, forswear, gainsay, invalidate, -negate, -nix, rebut, recall, recant, refute, relinquish, -renounce, repeal, -repudiate, -rescind, reverse, revoke, sheathe, -spurn, surrender, suspend, withdraw (≠ accent, accentuate, accept, admit, adopt, advance, advocate, affirm, amplify, approve, assert, avow, back, belabor, boost, cherish, claim, confess, corroborate, court, embrace, emphasize, endorse, enforce, espouse, extend, favor, forge, keep, maintain, profess, protect, prove, reaffirm, repeat, sanction, seek, support, unspool, uphold, verify, vindicate, vow, welcome, woo)
RETRIEVE (←): acquire, download, fetch, gain, mend, obtain, procure, reacquire, recall, recapture, reclaim, recollect, recoup, recover, recruit, redeem, regain, remedy, repair, replenish, repossess, repurchase, rescue, restore, retake, return, salvage, save, secure, seize, source (≠ -abandon, -desert, -disown, -ditch, dump, -forsake, give, lose, mislay, misplace, offer, relinquish, resign, surrender, tender, volunteer)
REVEAL (+): acknowledge, admit, advertise, air, announce, avow, bare, betray, blab, blaze, blurt, broadcast, bulletin, circulate, clue, communicate, concede, confess, confide, confirm, confront, debunk, decipher, declare, disclose, discover, disinter, display, disseminate, divulge, elaborate, evince, exhibit, expose, express, exteriorize, externalize, impart, inform, leak, manifest, own, placard, post, proclaim, promulgate, publicize, publish, relate, share, show, showcase, spill, spud, squeal, talk, telegraph, tell, tender, uncloak, unclothe, uncloud, uncover, undeceive, undrape, unearth, unfold, unmask, unveil, verbalize, vocalize, volunteer, vouchsafe (≠ alter, bleep, bluff, blur, box, bullshit, bury, camouflage, cheat, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, costume, cover, curtain, darken, deceive, -deny, disguise, distort, double-cross, double-talk, embellish, embroider, enshroud, entomb, erase, eyeball, falsify, fence, fool, fudge, garble, hide, hood, impersonate, mask, miscommunicate, mislead, misrepresent, muddy, notice, obscure, occlude, pretend, -refuse, scramble, screen, shadow, shroud, spackle, trick, varnish, veil, watch, whitewash, wrap)
REVENGE (/): avenge, castigate, chasten, chastise, compensate, correct, counter, defend, discipline, even, exact, exonerate, fix, get, incriminate, justify, lynch, match, penalize, persecute, punish, recompense, rectify, redress, repay, retort, return, right, scourge, sentence, square, torment, torture, vindicate, wreak (≠ absolve, allow, approve, brook, comfort, condone, defend, -disregard, encourage, endure, excuse, exonerate, forgive, pardon, permit, remit, spare, stomach, tolerate)
REVERE (+): acknowledge, admire, adore, advance, aggrandize, apotheosize, applaud, appreciate, award, canonize, cheer, cherish, congratulate, consecrate, defend, deify, delight, dignify, elevate, enjoy, ennoble, enshrine, esteem, exalt, extol, fetishize, glorify, gratify, guard, honor, idolize, laud, lionize, love, magnify, please, praise, prize, promote, protect, regard, respect, reverence, reward, sanctify, satisfy, support, toast, treasure, value, venerate, worship (≠ abhor, abominate, affront, blackguard, blaspheme, castigate, condemn, criticize, critique, decry, defame, demean, demonize, denounce, denunciate, deride, desecrate, -despise, -detest, dishonor, disparage, displease, -disregard, disrespect, execrate, insult, libel, malign, mock, offend, outrage, pillory, pique, profane, ridicule, -scorn, slander, -slight, slur, smear, violate) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
REVIEW (←): amend, analyze, bemoan, categorize, check, correct, debrief, detect, determine, emend, eyeball, prioritize, readdress, reanalyze, reappraise, reassess, recall, recap, recapitulate, recollect, reconceive, reconceptualize, reconsider, rectify, redefine, reenvision, reevaluate, reexamine, reexplore, reform, regret, rehash, reimagine, reinvestigate, remedy, remember, rethink, revamp, revise, revisit, reweigh, sample, slot, sort (≠ aid, assert, assist, assume, condone, defend, discover, excuse, forgive, give, guess, help, -ignore, lessen, maintain, -neglect, pardon, preview, uphold) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
REVIEW (←): analyze, appraise, assess, audit, badmouth, benchmark, check, comb, commend, compare, con, correct, criticize, critique, discuss, dissect, evaluate, examine, explore, eye, eyeball, inspect, investigate, judge, knock, learn, mark, neg, notice, observe, oversee, pan, parse, peruse, plumb, praise, probe, prowl, rank, read, recapitulate, reference, research, rip, sample, scan, scope, scrutinize, slam, study, survey, trash, view, watch, weigh, zap (≠ approve, baffle, blind, -bypass, confound, confuse, deceive, disguise, -disregard, forget, fudge, half-ass, -ignore, leave, mask, miss, mistake, -neglect, -omit, -overlook, perplex, peruse, praise, puzzle, quiet, -shirk, -shun, silence, skim, skip)
REVILE (/): abuse, admonish, assail, berate, blackguard, blame, boo, calumniate, castigate, censure, chide, criticize, defame, denigrate, denounce, deride, -despise, discredit, disfavor, disgrace, disparage, disrespect, execrate, fault, finger, frame, fulminate, -hate, lambaste, lecture, libel, malign, maltreat, persecute, ream, reprimand, reproach, reprove, resent, scapegoat, scold, -scorn, shame, slander, smear, tongue-lash, traduce, upbraid, vilify, vituperate, wrong (≠ acclaim, admire, applaud, blandish, cheer, cherish, commend, compliment, congratulate, consider, eulogize, exalt, extol, favor, flatter, glorify, hail, honor, laud, praise, promote, protect, regard, respect, shield, sustain, vindicate, worship)
REVISE (+): accommodate, adapt, adjust, align, alter, amend, blue-pencil, calibrate, change, clean, commute, compare, convert, coordinate, correct, cut, debug, deform, develop, edit, emend, exchange, expurgate, fine-tune, improve, launder, mend, metamorphose, modify, mutate, overhaul, perfect, peruse, polish, punctuate, realign, recalibrate, recast, reconceive, reconceptualize, reconsider, rectify, redefine, redo, red-pen, redraft, redraw, reexamine, refashion, refine, regenerate, rehash, reimagine, reinvent, rejigger, remake, remodel, reorganize, repair, rephrase, reshape, reshuffle, restyle, retool, revamp, review, revolutionize, reword, rework, rewrite, right, scan, scrub, scrutinize, shuffle, square, study, substitute, supersede, supplant, swap, switch, tighten, transfigure, transform, transmute, tune, tweak, update, upgrade, vary (≠ -abandon, blemish, blight, -cancel, chuck, coarsen, compromise, corrupt, damage, diminish, disarrange, discard, disorganize, -ditch, draft, dump, fix, freeze, -halt, harm, hurt, -ignore, impair, jettison, keep, lock, maintain, mangle, mar, preserve, repeal, replace, ruin, salvage, save, scrap, set, sketch, spoil, stabilize, suspend, tarnish, toss, trash, upset, vitiate, vulgarize, weaken, worsen)
REVITALIZE (+): animate, assure, automate, cheer, comfort, console, embolden, encourage, fire, fortify, freshen, gentrify, hearten, incite, inflame, inspire, invigorate, jump-start, kick-start, modernize, nerve, overhaul, rally, reactivate, reanimate, reassure, recharge, reclaim, reconceive, reconceptualize, recondition, reconstitute, recreate, redesign, redevelop, redo, reengineer, refill, refresh, refurbish, regenerate, rehab, rehabilitate, reinvent, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, rekindle, remake, remodel, renew, renovate, repair, replenish, reshuffle, rest
art, restimulate, restore, resupply, resurrect, resuscitate, revive, revolutionize, rouse, stiffen, stimulate, stir, strengthen, sustain, trigger, update, upgrade, vitalize (≠ attenuate, burden, cannibalize, checkmate, conquer, consume, cripple, crush, damage, debilitate, defeat, deplete, destroy, drain, enervate, erode, exhaust, extinguish, hamstring, handicap, harm, hurt, impair, incapacitate, infect, injure, kill, leech, murder, overpower, overwhelm, quench, sap, sicken, subjugate, suppress, tire, weaken, weary, wither, wizen)
REVIVE (+): aid, animate, arouse, assist, awaken, brighten, charge, cheer, comfort, console, encourage, energize, exhilarate, freshen, gladden, invigorate, lift, overcome, please, quicken, rally, reactivate, reanimate, recondition, recover, refresh, regenerate, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, rekindle, relieve, renew, renovate, repair, restimulate, restore, resurrect, resuscitate, revitalize, rouse, strengthen, supercharge, wake (≠ -abandon, anesthetize, cannibalize, chloroform, consume, cripple, dampen, deaden, debilitate, deplete, dose, drain, drug, dull, exhaust, exterminate, hypnotize, infect, injure, leech, murder, -negate, neutralize, numb, offset, overdose, ruin, sedate, stupefy, subdue, suppress, tire, torpefy, tranquilize, weary, wither, wizen)
REVOKE (←): -abandon, abjure, abolish, -abort, abrogate, annul, call, -cancel, countermand, -deny, disclaim, -discontinue, dismantle, dismiss, -disown, drop, end, erase, expunge, forswear, -halt, interrupt, invalidate, lift, -negate, -nix, -nullify, obliterate, overrule, quash, recall, recant, relinquish, remove, -renounce, repeal, -repudiate, -rescind, retract, reverse, scrap, scrub, stop, surrender, suspend, terminate, vacate, -void, withdraw (≠ affirm, allow, approve, authorize, begin, bequeath, certify, commence, confirm, continue, enact, enforce, engage, establish, initiate, keep, launch, legalize, permit, pledge, promise, ratify, regulate, sanction, start, stipulate, support, undertake, validate)
REVOLT (/): afflict, affront, agitate, appall, discomfit, disgust, dismay, displease, disquiet, distress, harm, horrify, indispose, infect, inflict, insult, nauseate, offend, outrage, pain, rattle, repel, repulse, scandalize, shake, shock, sicken, terrorize, traumatize, unhinge, unnerve, unsettle, upset, weary, wound (≠ allure, attract, bed, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, comfort, console, delight, disarm, draw, entertain, entice, entrance, fascinate, gratify, heal, intrigue, lure, please, pull, restore, seduce, steady, tantalize, taunt, tease, tempt, thrill, tickle, woo, wow) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
REVOLUTIONIZE (+): adapt, adjust, automate, calibrate, change, computerize, convert, electrify, gentrify, improve, inspire, jolt, metamorphose, modernize, outdo, outgrow, outperform, outsell, outshine, outstrip, overhaul, overtake, overthrow, overturn, patch, perfect, pioneer, rebuild, recast, reconceive, reconceptualize, reconstruct, recreate, rectify, refashion, reform, refurbish, reimagine, reinvent, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, remake, remodel, renew, renovate, reorganize, reprogram, reshape, reshuffle, restructure, retool, retread, revamp, rework, surpass, top, transfigure, transform, transmogrify, tune, tweak, update, upgrade (≠ annihilate, blemish, blight, boobytrap, conserve, continue, deep-six, demolish, destroy, diminish, doom, duplicate, echo, eradicate, erase, fracture, impede, maintain, mar, monkey-wrench, -neglect, nuke, obliterate, paralyze, perpetuate, preserve, pulverize, raze, ruin, sabotage, scotch, shatter, shelve, sustain, undercut, undermine, vandalize, vaporize, wreck)
REWARD (→): acclaim, applaud, appreciate, award, boost, celebrate, cherish, cite, commemorate, commend, compensate, compliment, congratulate, crown, decorate, enrich, enshrine, favor, glorify, gold-star, gratify, hail, honor, indulge, laud, memorialize, observe, outlay, overpay, pay, praise, prioritize, recognize, recompense, refund, reimburse, remember, remunerate, repay, return, revere, salute, stroke, thank, treasure (≠ belittle, blame, boo, castigate, chasten, chastise, correct, criticize, denounce, deprive, disavow, discipline, discount, discredit, disfavor, disgrace, dishonor, dispute, -disregard, disrespect, excuse, fault, fine, forget, forgive, frame, -neglect, -omit, -overlook, pardon, penalize, pooh-pooh, punish, resent, scold, -scorn, shame, -slight, starve, steal, stiff, stint, take, withhold)
RIDE (→): board, carry, control, cruise, direct, drive, float, guide, handle, manage, move, pedal, post, progress, restrain, roll, straddle, tour, travel (≠ -avoid, brake, debark, dismount, -flee, leave, stop)
RIDE (+): badger, cajole, chaff, deride, earbash, fool, harass, harry, hassle, haunt, heckle, hound, irk, jive, josh, kid, nag, needle, noodge, palaver, pester, rag, rally, razz, rib, roast, tease, vex (≠ abuse, attack, -avoid, berate, chastise, injure, punish, -shun, -snub, terrorize, wrong)
RIDE (/): abuse, aggravate, assail, castigate, chasten, chastise, compensate, correct, counter, defend, discipline, even, exact, exonerate, fix, impugn, justify, match, penalize, persecute, punish, recompense, rectify, redress, repay, return, right, scourge, sentence, square, torment, torture, vindicate, wreak, wrong (≠ allay, assist, assuage, benefit, comfort, free, help, ingratiate, lull, mitigate, mollify, placate, please, release, right)
RIDICULE (/): ape, badmouth, bait, belittle, boo, bug, burlesque, caricature, cartoon, catcall, chaff, crucify, decry, deflate, demean, deride, disparage, disrespect, diss, expose, flout, harass, harry, hassle, haze, heckle, humiliate, imitate, insult, jeer, josh, kid, knock, lampoon, mimic, mock, needle, neg, pan, parody, parrot, patronize, pester, pillory, poke, pooh-pooh, rag, razz, rib, ride, roast, satirize, -scorn, shame, skewer, -slight, target, taunt, tease, torment, travesty, tweak, twit, unmask (≠ applaud, approve, blandish, commend, congratulate, endorse, exalt, flannel, flatter, glorify, gold-star, gratify, honor, idolize, lionize, praise, respect, sanction, support)
RIFLE (←): ascertain, audit, browse, burgle, capture, check, comb, descry, despoil, detect, determine, dig, discover, dredge, examine, explore, ferret, filch, find, frisk, get, grab, grub, hijack, hit, hunt, inspect, investigate, learn, lift, locate, loot, misappropriate, nab, peruse, pilfer, pillage, pinch, pluck, plunder, poach, pocket, poke, probe, purloin, rake, ransack, remove, review, rob, rummage, scan, scour, scrutinize, search, seek, seize, shanghai, shoplift, snatch, sneak, sort, steal, study, survey, swindle, swipe, take, track (≠ -abandon, bury, conceal, defend, donate, earn, ensconce, fix, give, hide, -ignore, lose, -neglect, offer, protect, recover, rescue, restore, return, secure, shield, stash, stow, tuck, wedge, withhold)
RIG (→): allocate, allot, appoint, apportion, arm, array, assign, attire, bestow, clothe, contribute, costume, dispense, distribute, dole, donate, dress, endow, equip, fortify, furnish, gear, gird, give, mete, outfit, portion, prepare, present, prorate, provide, provision, ready, reequip, refit, refurnish, stock, store, supply, uniform (≠ appropriate, bogart, boobytrap, burgle, cheat, confiscate, -deny, deprive, dispossess, divest, embezzle, expose, hinder, -ignore, impair, impede, pilfer, -refuse, remove, rob, sabotage, skim, skimp, steal, stint, strip, swipe, undermine, withdraw, withhold)
RIG (/): arrange, cheat, con, cook, deceive, defraud, distort, doctor, double-talk, embellish, embroider, engineer, fake, falsify, fiddle, fix, forge, gerrymander, jerry-build, jerry-rig, juggle, manipulate, massage, misrepresent, outsmart, outwit, pervert, pretend, scam, stiff, sucker, swindle, trick, twist (≠ audit, authenticate, confirm, corroborate, document, establish, evince, prove, substantiate, validate, verify, witness)
RILE (/): affront, aggravate, agitate, anger, annoy, antagonize, badger, bait, bother, bug, bullyrag, burn, chafe, cross, devil, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, disturb, eat, embitter, enrage, envenom, exasperate, exercise, freak, fret, frost, gall, get, gravel, hagride, harass, harry, hassle, heckle, incense, inflame, infuriate, insult, irk, irritate, itch, madden, miff, nag, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, offend, outrage, peeve, persecute, perturb, pester, pique, plague, provoke, rankle, rasp, roil, rouse, ruffle, spite, spur, taunt, tease, troll, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, vex, worry (≠ allay, appease, assuage, calm, captivate, charm, cheer, comfort, console, court, delight, disarm, enchant, gratify, help, humor, hush, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacify, placate, please, propitiate,
quiet, reassure, relieve, romance, satisfy, settle, soothe, thrill, woo)
RINSE (+): bathe, clean, cleanse, decontaminate, deluge, dip, douche, douse, drench, engulf, flood, flush, hose, inundate, irrigate, marinate, presoak, saturate, slosh, sluice, soak, spatter, splash, splatter, swamp, wash, water, wet (≠ bake, barbecue, bedraggle, besmirch, broil, contaminate, desiccate, dirty, dry, foul, infect, muddy, parch, pollute, scorch, soil, sully, tarnish)
RIP (/): amputate, anatomize, break, burst, butcher, carve, chop, claw, cleave, crosscut, cut, dice, dismember, dissect, fray, frazzle, gash, hack, hacksaw, incise, lacerate, maim, mangle, maul, mince, notch, pierce, razor, rend, ribbon, rive, rupture, saw, scissor, score, section, separate, sever, shank, shear, shiv, shred, slash, slice, slit, split, stab, tatter, tear, unsew, vivisect (≠ attach, close, connect, fuse, heal, join, mend, nurse, overhaul, repair, restore, reunite, seal, secure, sew, solder, stitch, suture, unite, weld)
RISK (→): ante, back, beard, bet, bid, brave, chance, compromise, confront, dare, defy, endanger, face, gamble, hazard, imperil, invest, jeopardize, lay, menace, play, spitball, stake, tackle, target, threaten, venture, wager, wrestle (≠ block, certify, crosscheck, defend, design, ensure, guarantee, harbor, indemnify, insure, plan, preserve, protect, prove, script, secure, shelter, shield, sustain)