by Damon Suede
SMEAR (→): anoint, apply, bedaub, bedraggle, befoul, begrime, besmear, besmirch, blacken, blur, butter, coat, cover, dab, daub, defile, dirty, discolor, foul, grease, grime, gum, lard, mire, moisturize, muck, muddy, oil, overlay, paint, patch, pigment, pitch, plaster, pomade, rub, slap, slop, smirch, smudge, soil, spatter, spray, spread, sprinkle, stain, streak, sully, taint, tar (≠ bathe, chafe, clean, cleanse, clear, dehydrate, desiccate, dry, erase, mop, purify, remove, rinse, scour, sterilize, swab, towel, uncloud, wash, wipe)
SMEAR (/): abase, abuse, badmouth, bait, befoul, belittle, besmirch, bestialize, blacken, blackguard, blister, boo, calumniate, debase, defame, defile, degrade, denigrate, detract, dirty, discolor, discredit, -disdain, disgrace, dishonor, disparage, disrespect, diss, hit, humble, humiliate, incriminate, injure, insult, knock, libel, malign, neg, pan, rubbish, scorch, -scorn, shame, slam, slander, slur, soil, stain, sully, taint, tar, tarnish, traduce, trash, vilify, wrong (≠ acclaim, admire, adore, alibi, applaud, augment, benefit, boost, commend, congratulate, defend, esteem, exalt, exonerate, flatter, glorify, gratify, help, honor, idealize, idolize, praise, promote, protect, regard, respect, revere, upgrade, venerate, worship)
SMELL (←): anticipate, ascertain, assume, breathe, conjecture, detect, discern, discover, distinguish, divine, expect, feel, find, guess, identify, inhale, learn, nose, note, notice, observe, perceive, presume, realize, recognize, regard, savor, scent, sense, sniff, snuff, spoor, suppose, surmise, suspect, taste, whiff (≠ -avoid, block, -bypass, choke, cloak, clog, clothe, cloud, cologne, conceal, -discount, disguise, -disregard, hide, -ignore, launder, miss, -overlook, perfume, plug, rinse, scour, smother, wash) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
SMITE (→): afflict, assault, bang, bash, bat, batter, bean, beat, behead, belt, biff, blitzkrieg, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, brain, buffet, bung, bunt, bust, butt, cane, chop, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, club, conk, crack, cream, crush, cudgel, cuff, curse, deck, destroy, doom, down, drub, eliminate, eradicate, execute, fell, flail, flog, floor, hammer, harm, hit, hurt, inflict, jab, jostle, kick, kill, knee, knock, lace, lambaste, lash, level, lick, mangle, massacre, maul, nail, overthrow, pain, paste, pelt, pepper, plague, poke, pommel, pound, prod, pummel, punch, punish, push, rabbit-punch, rap, raze, rough, sap, scuff, shove, skull, slam, slap, slash, slaughter, sledge, sledgehammer, slog, slug, smack, sock, spear, stab, stamp, strike, sucker-punch, swat, swipe, switch, tag, thrash, thump, thwack, torment, torture, trouble, wallop, whack, whale, whip, wound, wreck, zap (≠ aid, armor, assist, -avoid, boost, cheer, comfort, compliment, console, defend, encourage, fail, flatter, guard, harbor, heal, help, inspirit, lose, miss, nurse, praise, protect, repair, revive, shelter, shield, succor, support, tap)
SMOOTH (→): bob, bone, brighten, buff, burnish, card, clear, clip, coat, comb, crop, dress, even, face, file, finish, flatten, flush, furbish, glaze, gloss, grade, grind, iron, japan, lacquer, lay, level, pare, perfect, plane, plaster, polish, pomade, press, prune, pumice, rake, rasp, refine, resurface, roll, round, rub, sand, sandblast, sandpaper, scour, scrape, scrub, shave, shine, sleek, slick, spackle, spread, surface, trim, varnish, veneer (≠ bend, blemish, break, callous, coarsen, crack, crosshatch, dent, ding, harshen, kink, nick, nock, notch, pit, plow, rough, roughen, ruffle, rumple, scratch, scuff, serrate, wrinkle)
SMOOTH (+): abet, accelerate, advance, aid, allay, alleviate, appease, assist, assuage, bribe, calm, comfort, cool, disentangle, ease, encourage, expedite, facilitate, fast-track, forward, further, gratify, grease, hasten, help, humor, hurry, improve, loosen, mellow, mend, mitigate, moderate, mollify, oil, pacify, palliate, pat, patch, placate, promote, quicken, right, rush, simplify, soften, soothe, speed, straighten, streamline, stroke, unclog, uncomplicate, untangle (≠ aggravate, agitate, complicate, confound, exacerbate, hinder, impede, incite, intensify, irk, muddy, nobble, obscure, perplex, postpone, provoke, retard, shelve, sophisticate, upset, worsen)
SMOTHER (/): asphyxiate, burke, check, choke, coddle, cosset, cover, deaden, devoice, douse, envelop, extinguish, gag, garrote, heap, inhibit, kill, muffle, overpower, overwhelm, quash, quell, quench, rein, repress, restrain, shroud, shush, silence, snuff, squeeze, squelch, squench, squoosh, stifle, strangle, subdue, suffocate, suppress, surround, swathe, throttle (≠ aerate, brighten, encourage, energize, free, loose, oxygenate, refresh, release, resuscitate, revitalize, strengthen, uncover, ventilate)
SMUGGLE (←): bootleg, cache, commodify, conceal, consign, convey, cover, deal, deliver, dispense, distribute, dump, exchange, export, fence, filch, freight, furnish, hide, monopolize, obscure, peddle, pirate, push, resell, run, schlep, secrete, sell, ship, snake, sneak, stash, stow, supply, swap, trade, traffic, transfer, transport, tuck (≠ arrest, ban, bar, blackball, block, -boycott, bust, criminalize, donate, -exclude, exhibit, expose, -forbid, nab, nick, offer, outlaw, -prevent, -prohibit, reveal, show, withhold)
SNAG (←): abduct, apprehend, arrest, bag, capture, catch, clasp, clutch, collar, cop, corner, corral, detain, disappear, enmesh, ensnare, entangle, entrap, get, glom, glove, grab, grapple, grasp, grip, halter, hold, hook, kidnap, land, lasso, nab, nail, net, nobble, pinch, poach, rap, rend, rope, rustle, secure, seize, snaffle, snare, snatch, steal, swipe, take, trap, wrest (≠ bestow, contribute, discharge, drop, free, furnish, give, grant, guard, liberate, loosen, miss, offer, protect, release, repay, replace, replenish, reserve, restore, spare, starve, steal, stiff, stint, supply, tender, unhand, volunteer, withhold)
SNAP (←): capture, chronicle, document, film, photo, photograph, picture, record, retake, shoot, take, videotape, witness (≠ bury, conceal, ensconce, hide, -ignore, loose, misrepresent, -neglect, screen, shroud)
SNAP (/): break, burst, chop, collapse, crack, explode, fissure, fracture, fragment, mangle, pop, pulverize, rend, rive, separate, shatter, splinter, split (≠ affix, attach, brace, dissolve, fuse, glue, join, melt, mend, patch, repair, splint, steady, strengthen)
SNARE (←): arrest, bag, birdlime, capture, catch, collar, corral, decoy, embroil, enmesh, ensnare, entangle, entrap, hook, implicate, involve, land, lasso, lure, mire, net, rope, seduce, seize, snaffle, tangle, tantalize, taunt, tease, tempt, trap (≠ clear, detach, disengage, disentangle, extricate, free, liberate, loose, miss, untangle)
SNATCH (←): abduct, bogart, bundle, burgle, capture, disappear, entrap, filch, glom, grab, hijack, kidnap, lift, lure, nab, nobble, pilfer, pluck, poach, pocket, purloin, ransom, remove, rob, seize, shanghai, snag, sneak, steal, swipe, take, waylay (≠ bestow, comp, defend, discharge, donate, drop, free, give, liberate, loosen, lose, miss, offer, protect, push, receive, recover, release, rescue, return, secure, shield, target, tender, unhand, volunteer)
SNOOKER (←): baffle, bait, -balk, bamboozle, beguile, bilk, bleed, bluff, buffalo, burn, candy-coat, cheat, chisel, con, confound, convince, cozen, deceive, defeat, defraud, delude, diddle, doctor, double-cross, double-talk, dupe, enmesh, ensnare, entangle, entice, entrap, euchre, fake, fleece, flimflam, flummox, foil, fool, frame, gouge, gull, hamper, hinder, hoax, hocus-pocus, hoodwink, hornswoggle, humbug, hustle, impede, inveigle, juggle, lure, maneuver, manipulate, misdirect, misguide, misinform, mislead, nonplus, outfox, outwit, puzzle, rook, rope, sandbag, scam, schmooze, shortchange, skin, snow, spoof, squeeze, stick, stiff, stonewall, stump, sucker, swindle, tantalize, tempt, -thwart, trap, trick, two-time, underpay, vamp, victimize, whitewash, wrong (≠ assume, assure, believe, blab, blurt, confess, confide, confirm, confront, debunk, disabuse, disclose, disenchant, disillusion, divulge, expose, face, honor, protect, regret, restore, reveal, show, tell, trust, uncloak, uncover, undeceive, unmask, unveil)
SNOW (←): act, allure, attract, bamboozle, beguile, bewitch, bleed, bluff, buffalo, burn, cajole, captivate, catch, charm, cheat, con, convince, counterfeit, deceive, defraud, delight, delude, diddle, draw, dupe, enamor, enchant, enrapture, exaggerate, fabricate, fake, falsify, fascinate, feign, fleece, fool, forge, hoax, hocus-pocus, hoodwink, hornswoggle, hustle, imitate, intrigue, manipulate, mesmerize, misinform, m
islead, please, pretend, rook, seduce, shortchange, simulate, sucker, swindle, take, tease, trick, win (≠ believe, compel, confess, confront, disclose, disenchant, disgust, disillusion, divulge, enlighten, expose, repel, repulse, reveal, trust, uncloak, uncover, undeceive, unmask, unveil)
-SNUB (→): -abandon, abhor, abominate, affront, alienate, belittle, -blank, -boycott, censure, chill, -cold-shoulder, contemn, cool, -cut, deplore, deprecate, -desert, -despise, -detest, -disdain, disfavor, disparage, -disregard, disrespect, -ditch, -duck, execrate, forget, -hate, high-hat, humble, humiliate, ice, -ignore, insult, isolate, -loathe, mortify, -neglect, offend, -ostracize, -overlook, -rebuff, rebuke, -reject, repel, repulse, scold, -scorn, scout, scratch, seclude, shame, -shun, -slight, slur, -spurn, squash, squelch, upstage (≠ accept, admire, appreciate, approve, brook, cherish, commend, contact, countenance, embrace, endure, entertain, esteem, face, favor, greet, hail, hallow, high-five, honor, host, include, invite, lionize, okay, praise, prize, respect, revere, salute, stomach, tolerate, treasure, value, venerate, welcome, worship)
SOAK (→): absorb, bathe, bloody, braise, brine, dampen, dip, douse, drench, drown, humidify, hydrate, imbrue, immerse, impregnate, infiltrate, infuse, inundate, macerate, marinate, moisten, mop, penetrate, permeate, saturate, slather, sop, souse, spatter, splatter, sponge, steep, submerge, swamp, swill, syrup, wash, water, wet (≠ bake, barbecue, broil, burn, dehumidify, dehydrate, desiccate, drain, dry, empty, leach, leech, parch, scorch, sear, staunch)
SOAP (←): adulate, applaud, blandish, blarney, bribe, butter, cajole, coax, commend, compliment, congratulate, court, eulogize, extol, flannel, flatter, glad-hand, glorify, gratify, grease, hero-worship, honey, honor, humor, idealize, idolize, laud, massage, oil, overpraise, palaver, praise, puff, romance, schmooze, soft-sell, soft-soap, stroke, sweet-talk, wheedle, woo, worship, wow (≠ badmouth, belittle, boo, chaff, criticize, decry, demean, deprecate, deride, disparage, disrespect, diss, insult, knock, mock, neg, pan, ridicule, -scorn, slam, slate, vilify)
SOBER (+): adjust, align, allay, assuage, awaken, balance, calm, center, civilize, compose, control, cool, depress, energize, fix, govern, harmonize, leash, mellow, mitigate, moderate, pace, palliate, regulate, relieve, restrain, right, sedate, settle, stabilize, steady, support, tame, temper, wake (≠ agitate, amaze, befuddle, confuse, daze, derange, dizzy, dose, drug, enrage, hallucinate, indulge, inebriate, infuriate, intoxicate, numb, pickle, rattle, shake, stimulate, stun, stupefy, unhinge)
SOFTEN (+): abate, allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, baffle, blunt, buffer, calm, castrate, compose, conciliate, cool, cushion, dampen, deaden, defuse, desensitize, diminish, disintegrate, dull, ease, enfeeble, gentle, hush, knead, lessen, lighten, lower, lull, mash, mellow, mitigate, moderate, modify, modulate, mollify, muffle, pacify, pad, palliate, placate, qualify, quell, quicken, quiet, reconcile, relax, relieve, restrain, sedate, smooth, soothe, stabilize, stifle, still, subdue, temper, tranquilize, weaken (≠ aggravate, agitate, chafe, deepen, disrupt, disturb, embattle, embitter, exacerbate, exasperate, fortify, heighten, incite, increase, intensify, invigorate, irritate, militarize, provoke, roil, ruffle, serrate, sharpen, strengthen, trouble, upset, vex, worry, worsen)
SOFTEN (/): bend, dissolve, liquefy, loosen, marinate, melt, moisten, presoak, reduce, slack, slacken, soak, steep, tenderize, thaw, weaken (≠ calcify, coagulate, congeal, freeze, harden, reinforce, set, solidify, starch, stiffen, toughen)
SOIL (/): bastardize, bedraggle, befoul, begrime, besmirch, bespatter, blacken, callous, coarsen, compromise, confuse, contaminate, crumb, damage, daub, debase, defile, degrade, dirty, disarrange, disarray, discolor, disgrace, dishevel, disorder, draggle, foul, grime, jumble, mess, muddle, muddy, muss, pollute, puddle, shame, smear, smirch, smudge, spatter, spoil, spot, stain, sully, taint, tar, tarnish, untidy (≠ brighten, brush, clean, cleanse, decontaminate, delouse, disinfect, dust, freshen, launder, polish, purge, purify, rinse, sanitize, scour, scrub, shine, sponge, sterilize, swab, sweep, tidy, wash, wet, wipe)
SOLICIT (←): ask, beg, beseech, cadge, canvass, claim, coerce, command, compel, conjure, court, covet, crave, demand, desire, drum, enjoin, entreat, exact, fetishize, force, implore, importune, insist, invite, invoke, mooch, petition, plead, pray, press, reclaim, recoup, recover, request, require, requisition, retrieve, scavenge, scrounge, seek, sponge, sue, target, tout, urge, wish, woo (≠ appease, comfort, compel, conciliate, console, constrain, content, deliver, force, furnish, gratify, hand, hint, imply, intimate, mollify, oblige, offer, pacify, placate, please, quiet, require, satisfy, suggest, supply, tender, volunteer)
SOLICIT (←): accost, allure, bait, bash, beguile, betray, bewitch, bribe, captivate, catch, charm, decoy, enchant, enmesh, ensnare, entice, entrap, fascinate, hustle, importune, inveigle, lure, magnetize, mesh, persuade, proposition, rope, schmooze, seduce, snare, snooker, snow, tangle, tantalize, taunt, tease, tempt, trap (≠ alert, -avert, block, caution, disallow, drive, -forbid, forewarn, hamper, hamstring, hobble, nobble, outlaw, -prevent, -prohibit, repulse, turn, ward, warn)
SOLVE (+): answer, assume, break, clarify, clear, conclude, conjecture, crack, decide, decipher, decode, deduce, detect, determine, diagnose, disentangle, divine, educe, explain, expound, fathom, gather, glean, guess, infer, interpret, judge, presume, profile, read, reason, rectify, remedy, resolve, riddle, settle, suss, translate, uncomplicate, undo, unfold, unravel, unriddle, unscramble, untangle, untie, work (≠ baffle, befuddle, bewilder, bug, complicate, confound, confuse, defer, destroy, dumbfound, encode, encrypt, fail, frustrate, gaslight, hide, lose, mend, misconstrue, misdiagnose, misrepresent, miss, misunderstand, -neglect, obscure, perplex, pose, predetermine, puzzle, question, search, stump, tangle, twist, unsettle, wonder)
SOOTHE (+): aid, align, allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, assure, balance, beguile, boost, buoy, calm, center, charm, cheer, coddle, comfort, compose, conciliate, console, cradle, cuddle, defang, dulcify, ease, elevate, harmonize, heal, help, hush, inspire, lift, lighten, lull, massage, mellow, mitigate, mollify, pacify, palliate, pet, placate, propitiate, quell, quiet, reassure, relax, relieve, salve, sedate, settle, smooth, soften, stabilize, steady, still, stroke, sugarcoat, sweeten, temper, tranquilize, uplift (≠ aggravate, agitate, anger, anguish, annoy, antagonize, arouse, bother, crucify, demoralize, depress, distress, disturb, dizzy, earbash, enrage, exacerbate, exasperate, excite, fluster, gall, harass, harm, hassle, haunt, heckle, hound, hurt, incense, incite, inflame, infuriate, injure, intensify, irk, irritate, kindle, nag, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, noodge, outrage, pester, provoke, ruffle, sadden, stimulate, stir, torment, torture, troll, trouble, upset, vex, worry)
SOPHISTICATE (+): adorn, better, burnish, civilize, coach, complexify, complicate, confound, confuse, correct, cultivate, develop, edify, educate, elaborate, embarrass, embroider, emend, enlighten, entangle, expand, fancify, glitz, groom, housebreak, housetrain, humanize, improve, instruct, intensify, magnify, manicure, mature, mentor, muddle, ornament, perfect, perplex, polish, rarefy, realign, refine, school, shine, snarl, socialize, tame, tangle, teach, train (≠ abbreviate, barbarize, callous, coarsen, compromise, cut, degrade, dehumanize, disentangle, ease, facilitate, oversimplify, roughen, ruin, shorten, simplify, spoil, straighten, streamline, uncomplicate, unravel, untangle, vulgarize)
SORT (+): align, alphabetize, arrange, array, assort, catalog, categorize, class, classify, clump, cluster, codify, compartment, compartmentalize, cull, digest, dispose, distinguish, distribute, divide, docket, file, grade, group, hierarchize, identify, index, list, marshal, order, organize, peg, pigeonhole, place, prioritize, range, rank, recategorize, reclassify, recognize, refer, regiment, regroup, relegate, screen, segregate, separate, set, shelve, sieve, sift, slot, stereotype, systematize, type, typecast, winnow (≠ churn, clutter, confuse, disarrange, dishevel, garble, intermix, jumble, lump, misclassify, missort, mistype, mix, randomize, rearrange, rummage, scramble, shuffle)
SOUR (/): acidify, canker, contaminate, curdle, embitter, ferment, poison, pollute, spike, spoil, t
aint, turn (≠ candy, dulcify, ease, flavor, honey, marinate, mellow, season, soothe, spice, sugar, sugarcoat, sweeten, syrup, temper)
SOUR (/): aggravate, alienate, anger, antagonize, disaffect, disappoint, disenchant, disgruntle, disillusion, disunite, divide, embitter, enrage, envenom, estrange, exacerbate, exasperate, incense, inflame, infuriate, irritate, madden, outrage, rankle, rile, roil, separate, sever, split, sunder, uncouple, unlink, unyoke (≠ alleviate, appease, comfort, conciliate, disarm, endear, impress, ingratiate, inspire, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate, reconcile, sweeten)
SOURCE (←): accumulate, acquire, amass, annex, attain, bag, capture, carry, catch, download, draw, fish, gain, garner, get, harvest, land, locate, mine, notch, obtain, occupy, pick, procure, pull, reacquire, realize, reap, recapture, score, secure, seize, select, stockpile, win (≠ accord, ban, bequeath, bestow, forfeit, fritter, give, grant, hand, lose, pay, -prohibit, relinquish, squander, starve, steal, stiff, stint, surrender, take, waste, withhold, yield)