by Damon Suede
RIVAL (/): adopt, approach, battle, challenge, contest, copy, displace, duplicate, echo, emulate, engage, equal, fight, imitate, impersonate, jockey, jostle, maneuver, match, meet, mimic, mirror, oppose, parallel, parrot, play, race, reflect, replicate, roleplay, simulate, tie, touch, train, work (≠ aid, alleviate, assist, boost, champion, defend, follow, help, mind, obey, prioritize, promote, protect, support, uphold)
RIVET (←): absorb, amaze, arrest, bewitch, captivate, compel, concern, consume, employ, enchant, engage, engross, entertain, enthrall, entice, excite, fascinate, fasten, fill, freeze, grab, grip, hold, hypnotize, immerse, interest, intrigue, involve, mesmerize, monopolize, nail, obsess, occupy, paralyze, petrify, pin, preoccupy, seduce, spellbind, spike, stimulate, stun, transfix (≠ annoy, appall, baffle, bewilder, bore, bother, bug, confuse, dampen, deaden, demotivate, depress, detach, disappoint, disconnect, discourage, disgust, distract, drain, dull, enrage, exhaust, fatigue, frustrate, infuriate, irk, irritate, knacker, mystify, nauseate, numb, offend, outrage, paralyze, perplex, repel, ruin, stagnate, stale, tire, underwhelm, weary) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
ROAST (+): bake, barbecue, braise, broil, burn, caricature, chide, cook, crucify, deflate, demean, deride, disparage, flout, griddle, grill, heat, heckle, hound, humble, humiliate, insult, jeer, knock, lampoon, mock, needle, neg, pillory, poke, rag, razz, rib, ridicule, satirize, sauté, scold, scorch, sear, shrivel, taunt, tease, wither (≠ applaud, approve, blandish, butter, commend, congratulate, douse, drench, flannel, flatter, glorify, gold-star, gratify, heroicize, honor, idealize, idolize, praise, respect, support, wet)
ROB (←): appropriate, blackmail, burglarize, burgle, capture, cheat, confiscate, cop, defraud, deprive, despoil, embezzle, extort, filch, fleece, freeboot, grab, haul, heist, hijack, hotwire, lift, loot, misappropriate, mug, nab, nip, palm, pilfer, pillage, pinch, pirate, plagiarize, pluck, plunder, poach, pocket, purloin, ransack, remove, rustle, seize, shanghai, shoplift, snag, snatch, sneak, steal, swindle, swipe, take (≠ bank, bestow, defend, donate, give, guard, hoard, keep, leave, offer, patrol, police, protect, recover, rescue, restore, return, secure, shield, stash, tender, tithe, undercharge)
ROCK (+): alleviate, appease, assuage, calm, cant, comfort, console, cradle, ease, hush, jiggle, lull, mellow, mollify, oscillate, pacify, pitch, placate, quiet, reassure, relieve, roll, sedate, shake, soothe, stagger, subdue, sway, swing, tilt, tip, toss, wag, wiggle, wobble (≠ attack, bang, bash, bump, crash, dash, disturb, hit, jar, jolt, knock, nail, pin, pinion, pound, rap, rattle, slap, smack, stamp, strap, strike, tap, thump, tie, upset)
ROCK (/): agitate, alarm, amaze, astonish, astound, bewilder, blindside, boggle, bother, daze, deafen, discombobulate, disconcert, disquiet, disturb, dumbfound, frighten, gobsmack, harrow, haunt, horrify, intimidate, jog, jolt, jounce, panic, petrify, roil, ruffle, scare, shake, shock, stagger, startle, stun, surprise, terrify, threaten, undermine, unnerve, unsettle (≠ alleviate, anchor, baby, bore, calm, clarify, coddle, contextualize, explain, gratify, help, hold, humor, indulge, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacify, pamper, placate, relax, sedate, stabilize, steady)
ROMANCE (←): blandish, charm, chase, court, date, desire, embellish, encourage, escort, exaggerate, fancy, fantasize, flatter, overdramatize, overstate, poeticize, pursue, push, romanticize, serenade, target, urge, win, woo, wow (≠ abuse, assault, attack, -avoid, -cut, -deter, -disregard, -elude, foil, -ignore, -neglect, -rebuff, -refuse, -reject, repel, -shun, -snub, -spurn, terrorize)
ROMANTICIZE (+): adulate, aggrandize, amplify, apotheosize, canonize, celebrate, deify, dignify, dramatize, elevate, embellish, encourage, ennoble, enshrine, enthrone, eulogize, euphemize, exaggerate, fantasize, fetishize, flatter, glamorize, glorify, hail, heighten, heroicize, heroize, idealize, idolize, immortalize, intensify, lionize, magnify, overdramatize, overemphasize, oversell, overstate, panegyrize, poeticize, praise, sensationalize, sentimentalize, soften, sweeten, treasure, varnish, venerate, worship (≠ bare, belittle, chide, condemn, criticize, decry, deemphasize, defile, deglamorize, demean, denigrate, deprecate, deride, diminish, disparage, downplay, humble, humiliate, judge, knock, marginalize, minimize, mock, pan, regret, repent, ridicule, rue, scold, shame, -shun, slam, slate, -spurn, trash, trivialize, underemphasize, vilify)
ROOK (←): bamboozle, beat, beguile, bemuse, betray, bilk, bluff, buffalo, bullshit, cajole, cheat, con, convince, counterfeit, deceive, defraud, delude, diddle, dupe, embellish, embroider, euchre, exploit, falsify, fiddle, finagle, fleece, flimflam, fool, forge, fox, fudge, gouge, gull, hoax, hocus-pocus, hoodwink, hornswoggle, hustle, manipulate, mislead, outwit, overcharge, palaver, persuade, scam, schmooze, screw, shaft, snooker, snow, stiff, sting, sucker, swindle, trick, underpay, upset, victimize, wrong (≠ accuse, assume, assure, believe, compensate, confess, confide, confirm, confront, disabuse, disclose, discredit, disillusion, divulge, exonerate, expose, indemnify, pillory, protect, prove, punish, reassure, -repudiate, restore, reveal, reward, substantiate, support, trust, unmask, verify, vindicate)
ROOT (→): affix, anchor, arrest, attach, balance, base, bed, brace, cage, catch, check, clamp, clinch, compose, control, curb, deactivate, dock, embed, empower, entrench, equalize, establish, fasten, fix, freeze, ground, -halt, hamstring, hitch, hobble, hold, immobilize, impact, implant, inactivate, incapacitate, infuse, ingrain, instill, juxtapose, leash, lodge, moor, nourish, nurture, paralyze, pinion, place, plant, position, postpone, put, restrain, secure, set, settle, soothe, stabilize, stay, steady, stick, still, stop, subdue, support, transfix, wedge (≠ accelerate, animate, blackball, boost, destroy, detach, discombobulate, disconnect, disengage, dislodge, displace, doom, drive, eject, eliminate, eradicate, erode, expel, extract, force, grease, hasten, launch, loose, loosen, mobilize, move, prioritize, prize, propel, pry, pull, punt, quicken, release, remove, roil, root, rush, send, shake, shift, shunt, speed, tear, terminate, thrust, unfasten, unleash, untie, uproot, weed, wiggle, wobble, wrench, wrest, yank)
ROOT (←): deep-six, displace, eliminate, eradicate, erase, exorcise, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, extract, haul, heave, jerk, mine, obliterate, pluck, prize, pry, pull, remove, snatch, spud, tear, tug, uninstall, uproot, weed, withdraw, wrench, wrest, wring, yank (≠ cram, embed, fix, implant, insert, install, instill, jam, place, plant, ram, root, seed, sow, stabilize, steady, stuff, wedge)
ROPE (←): bind, capture, catch, chain, engage, enlist, fasten, fetter, -halt, harness, hitch, hogtie, immobilize, involve, lash, lasso, leash, moor, persuade, rein, seize, snag, stop, tether, tie, trap, truss, yoke (≠ deliver, disengage, disentangle, drop, free, liberate, loose, release, slip, unbind, unhitch, unknot, unwrap)
ROUGHEN (/): abrade, adapt, adjust, blunt, brutalize, callous, chafe, chap, coarsen, deaden, debase, dehumanize, demoralize, deprave, desensitize, develop, dull, embitter, granulate, graze, habituate, harden, harshen, indurate, inure, numb, paralyze, rasp, scuff, season, steel, stiffen, strengthen, thicken, toughen, vitiate, vulgarize, warp (≠ baby, buff, burnish, civilize, clean, cultivate, file, fix, groom, gussy, help, improve, indulge, manicure, neaten, oil, pamper, perfect, polish, primp, protect, pumice, rectify, refine, sensitize, shine, smarten, smooth, soften, spoil, tenderize, tidy, titivate, wax)
ROUSE (+): activate, agitate, anger, animate, arouse, awaken, bestir, boost, brighten, call, charge, conjure, disturb, drive, egg, elate, electrify, elevate, encourage, energize, enliven, enthuse, evoke, excite, exhilarate, fan, foment, force, freshen, galvanize, generate, hearten, incite, incur, induce, inflame, infuriate, inspire, instigate, invigorate, jolt, kindle, move, needle, nerve, persuade, power, prioritize, provoke, quicken, raise, rally, razzle-dazzle, recharge, reinvigorate, restimulate, resuscitate, revive, rout, shock, spark, start, stimulate, stir, strengthen, summon, thrill, trigger, uplift, vitalize, wake, waken (≠ appease, block, bore, cage, calm, check, curb, dampen, deactivate, deaden, demotivate, -deter, disappoint, discourage, dissuade, dull, fail, freeze, -frustrate, -halt, hamper, hamstring, hinder, hobble, hush,
hypnotize, immobilize, impede, inactivate, intoxicate, knacker, lull, mellow, mesmerize, mollify, numb, pacify, paralyze, placate, please, -prevent, -prohibit, quash, quiet, retard, sedate, slow, soothe, stall, stifle, tranquilize)
ROUT (→): axe, banish, boot, bounce, can, cashier, chase, defenestrate, deport, discharge, dismiss, dispel, displace, dispossess, eject, evict, exile, exorcise, expatriate, expel, extrude, fire, -ostracize, oust, out, pink-slip, release, remove, repulse, retire, sack, scatter, scuttle, terminate (≠ accept, admit, entertain, harbor, house, lodge, nurture, protect, receive, shelter, take, treasure, welcome)
ROUT (/): annihilate, bash, beat, best, better, blitzkrieg, bomb, break, bulldoze, bury, chase, checkmate, clobber, conquer, cream, cripple, crush, decimate, defeat, demolish, desolate, despoil, destroy, devastate, discomfit, dispatch, doom, drub, dust, eclipse, eradicate, erase, exceed, exterminate, extinguish, finish, flatten, gut, hammer, hunt, hurdle, kill, kneecap, lambaste, larrup, lick, maraud, master, murder, nuke, obliterate, orphan, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outmaneuver, outperform, outsell, outshine, outstrip, overcome, overpower, overrun, overtake, overthrow, overwhelm, paste, pillage, plunder, pulverize, ravage, raze, ruin, sack, savage, scourge, shatter, shellac, shred, sink, skin, skunk, slaughter, smash, snuff, splinter, subdue, subjugate, surmount, surpass, swamp, sweep, take, target, thrash, throw, top, topple, torpedo, total, trample, transcend, trash, trounce, undercut, undermine, unhorse, unseat, upend, upset, vanquish, vaporize, wallop, waste, wax, whip, whomp, whup, wrack, wreck, zap (≠ aid, appease, arm, assemble, assist, bear, build, cede, coddle, concede, conserve, construct, craft, create, defend, develop, encourage, endure, erect, establish, fabricate, face, fashion, forfeit, forge, form, foster, found, generate, hatch, help, improve, initiate, lose, mend, mold, nurture, obey, pacify, placate, preserve, produce, protect, raise, rear, rebuild, reconstruct, recover, renovate, repair, repel, rescue, resign, resist, restore, revamp, save, secure, shape, shield, sire, soothe, spawn, strengthen, support, surrender, survive, sustain, -thwart, tolerate, weather, withstand, yield)
RUB (→): apply, brush, buff, caress, fondle, grip, knead, manipulate, massage, pat, pummel, roll, scratch, shampoo, stroke (≠ aggravate, beat, cut, displease, harm, hit, injure, irritate, wound)
RUB (→): anoint, beeswax, brush, buff, burnish, clean, coat, daub, dress, dust, furbish, glaze, gloss, grind, lap, moisturize, polish, pomade, scour, scrape, scrub, shine, sleek, slick, smooth, sponge, wax, wipe (≠ abrade, blemish, callous, chafe, coarsen, dehydrate, dent, desiccate, dim, dirty, dry, harden, harm, harshen, mar, mark, nick, nock, roughen, score, scrape, scratch, scuff, sully, tarnish)
RUB (/): abrade, bite, canker, chafe, chew, corrode, decompose, disintegrate, dissolve, eat, erase, erode, excoriate, file, fray, frazzle, fret, gall, gnash, gnaw, grate, graze, grind, hone, nibble, obliterate, pinch, rasp, reduce, sandblast, sandpaper, scour, scrape, scratch, scuff, sharpen, shave, wear, whet, wipe (≠ buff, buffer, burnish, cushion, guard, polish, preserve, protect, repair, restore, seal, shield, shine, smooth, soften, wax)
RUFFLE (/): aggravate, agitate, anger, annoy, bother, bug, confuse, crease, crumple, daze, discomfit, discomfort, discompose, disconcert, dishevel, disturb, dizzy, earbash, exasperate, fluster, fret, hassle, heckle, irk, irritate, nag, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, perturb, pucker, rankle, rattle, rile, rumple, shake, tangle, tousle, troll, trouble, unsettle, upset, vex, wrinkle (≠ appease, assuage, calm, comfort, compose, gratify, help, humor, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, order, organize, pacify, placate, please, propitiate, quiet, regiment, regulate, satisfy, settle, smooth, soothe, straighten, tranquilize, uncrumple)
RUIN (/): annihilate, atomize, bankrupt, beat, beggar, best, betray, blast, bleed, boobytrap, botch, break, bulldoze, bust, canker, cannibalize, clobber, conquer, consume, corrode, corrupt, crack, cream, cripple, crumple, crush, damage, debauch, debilitate, decimate, deface, defeat, defile, deform, demolish, deplete, deplore, depredate, desecrate, desolate, despoil, destroy, deteriorate, detonate, devastate, devour, dilapidate, disassemble, disfigure, disintegrate, dismantle, dissolve, doom, drain, drub, dynamite, efface, eradicate, erase, erode, exhaust, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, finish, fracture, fragment, gut, half-ass, harm, harry, impair, injure, kneecap, leech, lick, liquidate, loot, maim, mangle, mar, maraud, master, monkey-wrench, mortar, mow, mutilate, nuke, obliterate, overcome, overpower, overrun, overthrow, overturn, overwhelm, pillage, plunder, pulverize, rape, ravage, ravish, raze, remove, rout, sabotage, sack, savage, scotch, scour, scourge, scupper, shatter, shiver, shred, skunk, smash, snuff, splinter, spoil, strip, subdue, subvert, surmount, tatter, tear, thrash, topple, total, trample, trash, trounce, unbuild, undercut, undermine, unmake, vandalize, vaporize, vitiate, wallop, waste, whip, wrack, wreak, wreck (≠ aid, appease, arm, assemble, bronze, build, coddle, conserve, constitute, construct, craft, create, defend, develop, doctor, embalm, encourage, endure, erect, establish, fabricate, fashion, father, fix, forfeit, forge, form, foster, found, frame, generate, hatch, heal, help, improve, institute, invent, machine, make, manufacture, mend, mold, nurture, obey, organize, pacify, patch, patent, pickle, placate, preserve, produce, protect, raise, rear, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, recover, redeem, rehabilitate, remodel, renovate, repair, repel, rescue, resist, restore, revamp, save, sculpt, secure, shape, shield, sire, soothe, spawn, strengthen, support, survive, sustain, uncrumple, weather, withstand)
RUIN (/): bankrupt, beggar, break, bust, cripple, defund, deplete, deprive, devastate, diminish, disinherit, drain, exhaust, fleece, impoverish, pauperize, reduce, straiten, waste, wreck (≠ augment, bankroll, budget, capitalize, develop, dower, endow, enrich, fund, furnish, indulge, keep, leech, maintain, subsidize, supplement, supply, underwrite)
RULE (→): administer, boss, bridle, browbeat, captain, chair, choreograph, coach, coerce, command, conduct, conquer, control, coordinate, crush, curb, decree, defeat, demand, dictate, direct, discipline, dominate, domineer, eclipse, enslave, govern, grasp, grip, guide, handle, harness, head, influence, inform, instruct, intimidate, lead, manage, manipulate, master, micromanage, monopolize, muscle, nobble, officiate, oppress, orchestrate, order, outmaneuver, outrank, outshine, outthink, overcome, overpower, override, overrule, oversee, overshadow, pace, pacify, pilot, police, railroad, regulate, restrain, rout, run, sandbag, spearhead, steamroller, steer, subdue, subject, subjugate, subordinate, superintend, supervise, sway, thrash, threaten, train, trounce, trump, tyrannize, vanquish (≠ -abandon, accept, attack, baby, back, battle, bobble, bolster, botch, bungle, challenge, collapse, combat, concede, constrain, contest, contradict, counteract, defer, defy, -disdain, -disregard, disrespect, emancipate, enfranchise, fluff, follow, forfeit, forget, free, fumble, hamper, heed, humor, -ignore, indulge, invalidate, liberate, lull, mellow, mind, mishandle, mismanage, misrule, miss, muff, -neglect, obey, observe, obstruct, oppose, override, pacify, pamper, placate, release, relinquish, resist, serve, short-circuit, soften, spring, submit, subvert, support, topple, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter, weaken)
RULE (←): arrest, block, bottle, bridle, cage, check, choke, constrain, contain, control, cuff, curb, curtail, foil, gag, govern, hamper, hamstring, handcuff, hinder, hold, impair, impede, inhibit, interrupt, keep, leash, limit, measure, mince, muffle, muzzle, obstruct, pace, pocket, pull, quash, quell, regulate, rein, repress, restrain, restrict, scotch, shackle, shrink, silence, sink, skunk, smother, snuff, squash, squelch, stifle, stop, strangle, subdue, suppress, swallow, tame (≠ air, blab, blaze, blurt, boost, brandish, broadcast, develop, discharge, disclose, elevate, emit, enlarge, exalt, exhibit, expand, express, extend, extol, flaunt, glorify, heighten, highlight, hype, increase, liberate, loose, loosen, lose, magnify, maximize, nurture, parade, plug, promote, publicize, reveal, spill, sport, spotlight, trumpet, unleash, vent, voice, wreak)
RUMOR (→): advertise, air, allege, announce, appall, bandy, bare, beam, bear, broadcast, bulletin, buzz, carry, circulate, clue, communicate, conduct, confess, confide, confirm, contr
adict, convey, corroborate, couch, defame, -deny, diffuse, disclose, dish, dispatch, disseminate, distribute, divulge, expose, forward, hint, impart, imply, insinuate, intimate, libel, mediate, muckrake, -negate, out, pass, proclaim, promulgate, propagate, publicize, publish, relay, remit, report, reveal, scandalize, scatter, send, shame, shock, slander, spill, spread, suggest, telegraph, televise, tell, transfer, transmit, transport, verbalize, vocalize, voice, whisper (≠ bury, censor, conceal, contain, cover, defuse, disclaim, disguise, ensconce, gag, hide, hush, mute, muzzle, prove, quash, quell, recall, recant, retract, revoke, secrete, silence, smother, stifle, suppress, verify, withhold)
RUMPLE (/): contract, corrugate, crease, crimp, crinkle, crumple, crush, derange, dishevel, disorder, fold, furrow, knit, mess, muss, pleat, pucker, ripple, ruck, ruffle, scrunch, tousle, untidy, wrinkle (≠ barber, beautify, even, flatten, groom, iron, launder, neaten, order, organize, press, primp, shine, smooth, straighten, tidy, uncrumple, unfold, unwrinkle)
RUN (→): administer, boss, bridle, captain, chair, command, conduct, control, coordinate, decree, dictate, direct, discipline, dominate, drive, execute, govern, guide, handle, harness, head, helm, lead, manage, master, micromanage, officiate, operate, oppress, orchestrate, order, organize, override, overrule, oversee, own, pace, pilot, police, regiment, regulate, restrain, rule, spearhead, steer, subdue, subjugate, superintend, supervise, sway, tyrannize (≠ -abandon, bobble, bomb, botch, bungle, challenge, collapse, contest, contradict, defer, destabilize, -disdain, -disregard, disrespect, disrupt, fluff, follow, forget, fumble, half-ass, heed, -ignore, mind, mishandle, mismanage, misrule, miss, muff, -neglect, obey, observe, oppose, relinquish, sabotage, serve, subvert, undercut, undermine)