Activate

by Damon Suede

  SUSPEND (/): -abort, abrogate, adjourn, annul, -blank, call, close, conclude, defer, depose, dethrone, disband, disbar, -discontinue, dismiss, disperse, dissolve, drop, end, -exclude, exile, expel, ground, -halt, interrupt, invalidate, -negate, -nullify, -ostracize, oust, postpone, quash, recall, recess, remove, repeal, -rescind, reserve, revoke, sack, shelve, stop, table, terminate, unfrock, -void, wrap (≠ assemble, brainstorm, call, continue, convene, convoke, extend, inaugurate, launch, muster, nominate, open, prolong, rally, renew, reopen, resume, summon)

  SUSTAIN (→): board, cater, cloy, feed, fill, fortify, fuel, furnish, nourish, nurse, nurture, provide, provision, ration, replenish, sate, satiate, satisfy, strengthen, suckle, supply, surfeit, victual (≠ appropriate, burgle, confiscate, -deny, deprive, dispossess, divest, famish, malnourish, -refuse, rob, starve, steal, strip, underfeed, withhold)

  SUSTAIN (←): abide, absorb, accept, allow, assimilate, bear, brave, brook, countenance, digest, endure, experience, face, feel, hack, handle, know, meet, pass, permit, pocket, receive, respect, see, stand, stomach, suffer, support, swallow, sweat, take, taste, tolerate, weather, witness (≠ -avoid, -bypass, -circumvent, combat, contest, -decline, dismiss, -dodge, -elude, -escape, -evade, fight, miss, oppose, -refuse, -reject, -repudiate, resist, -spurn)

  SUSTAIN (+): aid, assist, augment, back, bear, bolster, brace, buoy, buttress, carry, comfort, delay, elongate, embolden, encourage, endorse, extend, foster, gestate, help, hold, increase, invigorate, lengthen, maintain, maximize, prolong, prop, protract, provide, reassure, recommend, relieve, stand, stay, steady, stretch, support, truss, undergird, underpin, uphold (≠ abbreviate, -abort, abridge, accelerate, circumvent, combat, compress, contradict, curtail, -cut, decrease, diminish, drop, lessen, minimize, -negate, oppose, reduce, -refuse, resist, shorten, -spurn)

  SWALLOW (←): absorb, accept, assimilate, await, believe, consume, devour, dispatch, down, drink, eat, enfold, engulf, envelop, expect, gobble, gorge, gulp, guzzle, imbibe, incorporate, ingest, inhale, quaff, sip, slurp, swig, swill, take, trust, wolf (≠ assemble, belch, brew, concoct, cook, create, -decline, disgorge, eject, excrete, expel, hunt, make, offer, prepare, -refuse, regurgitate, -reject, spew, spit, splutter, -spurn, steep, vomit)

  SWAMP (→): avalanche, besiege, consume, deluge, douse, drench, drown, engulf, envelop, flood, flush, gush, inundate, marinate, mire, overcome, overflow, overload, overrun, overwhelm, pour, saturate, sink, sluice, smother, soak, splatter, spout, submerge, syrup, wet (≠ -abandon, dehydrate, desiccate, diffuse, drain, drizzle, dry, empty, leach, liberate, outlast, parch, rescue, scatter, scorch, sear, staunch, towel, trickle)

  SWAT (→): backhand, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, blow, bop, box, buffet, bump, clip, clobber, clock, clout, conk, cuff, ding, hit, knock, lash, lick, paste, punch, rap, slap, slog, slug, smack, smash, smite, sock, spank, strike, swipe, thwack, wallop, whack (≠ -avert, block, coddle, counterpunch, defend, deflect, -dodge, -duck, guard, miss, parry, protect, repel, shield, soothe, tap)

  SWAY (←): affect, afflict, agitate, allure, attract, bewitch, bias, bother, bribe, cajole, captivate, charm, coax, coerce, color, con, concern, convert, convince, dazzle, deceive, direct, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, disturb, dominate, enchant, engage, enrapture, enthrall, entrance, fascinate, fluster, govern, harass, harry, impact, impress, induce, influence, inspire, interest, inveigle, involve, move, nudge, override, overrule, palaver, penetrate, persuade, perturb, pester, pierce, plague, predetermine, prejudge, prejudice, prompt, ravish, reach, rule, scam, schmooze, smite, stir, strain, stress, strike, sucker, taint, tantalize, tarnish, taunt, tease, tempt, touch, transport, trick, trouble, try, upset, wheedle, worry, wring (≠ -avoid, bore, bully, coerce, command, compel, daunt, demand, demotivate, -deter, discourage, dissuade, dragoon, force, frighten, hamper, hinder, hobble, jade, muscle, nobble, oppress, overpower, overwhelm, railroad, restrain, stall, stymie, subvert, terrorize, -thwart, tire, underwhelm, weary)

  SWEAR (+): accede, affirm, assert, attest, avow, betroth, contract, convince, covenant, declare, depose, engage, ensure, forswear, guarantee, insist, maintain, pledge, promise, prove, testify, trust, undertake, verify, vow, warrant, witness (≠ break, condemn, contradict, contravene, debate, deceive, -deny, discredit, disprove, dispute, distrust, double-talk, doubt, gainsay, invalidate, mistrust, oppose, refute, -renounce, -repudiate, retract, scruple, suspect, waive) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  SWEETEN (→): alleviate, ameliorate, appease, assuage, candy, cushion, ease, embellish, enhance, enrich, flavor, honey, improve, magnify, marinate, maximize, mellow, mitigate, mollify, optimize, overhaul, pacify, placate, propitiate, relieve, season, soften, soothe, spice, temper, thaw (≠ acidify, alienate, bug, canker, disaffect, displease, embitter, envenom, exacerbate, exasperate, isolate, offend, poison, repel, sour, spike, spoil, taint, tarnish, trouble)

  SWEET-TALK (←): beg, beguile, beseech, blandish, blarney, bribe, bullshit, butter, cajole, charm, coax, con, convince, court, cozen, diddle, dupe, enchant, entice, euchre, finagle, flannel, flatter, glad-hand, gratify, grease, honey, humbug, humor, importune, inveigle, jolly, juggle, leverage, lure, manipulate, massage, mislead, nudge, oil, outsmart, outwit, palaver, persuade, salve, schmooze, seduce, sell, serenade, snooker, snow, soften, soft-sell, soft-soap, soothe, stroke, sucker, sway, tantalize, tease, tempt, urge, wangle, wheedle, woo (≠ accuse, blackjack, blackmail, bludgeon, browbeat, bug, bulldoze, bully, chide, coerce, command, compel, condemn, constrain, cow, criticize, daunt, demand, force, harass, hassle, intimidate, irritate, knock, make, menace, muscle, nag, nobble, noodge, oblige, offend, outrage, pester, -prevent, railroad, repel, require, sandbag, scold, slam, slate, tease, trash-talk, traumatize, victimize, wound, wrong)

  SWINDLE (←): bamboozle, beguile, betray, bilk, blackmail, bleed, bluff, burn, cajole, cheat, chisel, clip, con, convince, cozen, deceive, defraud, delude, diddle, double-cross, double-deal, dupe, embezzle, euchre, exploit, extort, fake, fast-talk, fiddle, finagle, finesse, fleece, flimflam, fool, fox, fudge, gazump, goldbrick, gouge, gull, hoax, hoodwink, hornswoggle, hustle, manipulate, milk, mislead, mulct, nick, outwit, overcharge, peculate, pretend, rob, rook, rope, sandbag, scam, screw, shaft, short, shortchange, shuck, skin, snooker, snow, soak, squeeze, stick, stiff, sting, sucker, trick, underpay, victimize, wrench, wrest, wring, wrong (≠ accuse, afford, assume, audit, authenticate, bankroll, believe, confess, corroborate, disabuse, discredit, disgrace, dispute, document, donate, doubt, earn, evince, expose, fund, give, indemnify, malign, offer, pillory, protect, provide, refund, regret, reimburse, repay, respect, restore, reveal, shame, stigmatize, substantiate, supply, support, trust, verify)

  SWING (→): bend, circle, circulate, coil, corner, crank, curve, dial, incline, loop, manipulate, negotiate, orbit, oscillate, pass, pivot, reel, revolve, roll, rotate, round, screw, shunt, spin, sway, swirl, swivel, turn, twiddle, twirl, twist, unscrew, weave, wheel, whip, whirl, wind (≠ bind, correct, direct, fasten, freeze, hobble, hold, level, lock, nail, paralyze, pin, smooth, stabilize, steady, stop, straighten, tie, unbend)

  SWING (→): acquire, afford, back, bankroll, bid, capitalize, contribute, cover, defray, endow, expend, facilitate, finance, float, foot, fuel, furnish, grant, guarantee, lend, loan, obtain, offer, outlay, patronize, pay, pony, procure, proffer, provide, purchase, secure, sponsor, stake, stand, subsidize, supply, support, sustain, take, underwrite (≠ bankrupt, borrow, cadge, consume, cost, defund, demand, -deny, deplete, deprive, disappoint, drain, earn, exhaust, exploit, foil, -frustrate, hinder, leech, -neglect, pauperize, -refuse, request, ruin, sabotage, sap, scant, scotch, scupper, shelve, skimp, squander, stiff, stint, straiten, -thwart, waste, withhold)

  SWING (+): accept, accomplish, achieve, address, assume, brave, broker, command, complete, control, direct, endure, engineer, execute, face, field, finagle, finesse, finish, fix, grapple, guide, hack, handle, jockey, manage, maneuver, manipulate, micromanage, negotiate, pace, play, pull, realize, regulate, rig, run, steer, stomach, tackle, take
, treat, undertake, wangle, weather, work, wrangle (≠ -abandon, abdicate, bobble, bomb, botch, bugger, bungle, fail, fake, flub, flunk, foozle, forfeit, -forsake, fudge, fumble, goof, half-ass, lose, louse, mess, mishandle, miss, muff, -neglect, -omit, overestimate, -overlook, -refuse, scamp, -shirk, skimp, skip)

  SWING (/): -avert, bend, curve, deflect, divert, move, rechannel, redirect, reverse, shift, shunt, sidetrack, sway, swerve, switch, swivel, transfer, turn, twist, wheel, whip, whirl, zigzag (≠ anchor, balance, correct, direct, level, root, simplify, smooth, stabilize, steady, steel, straighten)

  SWIPE (→): backhand, bang, bash, bat, batter, bean, beat, belt, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, brain, buffet, bump, bung, bunt, bust, butt, cane, chop, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, club, concuss, conk, crack, cream, cudgel, cuff, deck, drub, fell, flail, flick, flog, floor, hammer, hit, jab, jostle, kick, knee, knock, lace, lambaste, lash, level, lick, mangle, maul, nail, paste, pelt, pepper, poke, pommel, pound, prod, pummel, punch, push, rap, sap, scuff, shove, skull, slam, slap, slash, sledge, sledgehammer, slug, smack, smite, sock, spear, stab, strike, stroke, sucker-punch, swat, switch, tap, thrash, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale, whip, wipe, zap (≠ armor, defend, deflect, -dodge, -duck, guard, harbor, heal, help, nurse, parry, preserve, protect, repel, safeguard, save, shelter, shield, uphold)

  SWIPE (←): appropriate, bogart, burglarize, burgle, collar, filch, grab, hijack, hook, hotwire, lift, loot, misappropriate, mooch, nab, nobble, pick, pilfer, pillage, pinch, pluck, plunder, poach, pocket, purloin, remove, rifle, rob, rustle, seize, shanghai, shoplift, snag, snatch, sneak, steal, swindle, take (≠ bestow, buy, comp, contribute, defend, donate, earn, furnish, give, grant, guard, offer, present, protect, purchase, recover, rescue, restore, return, secure, shield, stash, store, supply, tender, tuck, volunteer)

  SWITCH (/): adjust, alter, bandy, barter, cede, change, commute, convert, deflect, displace, divert, exchange, interchange, invert, move, rearrange, rejigger, reorder, replace, reverse, shift, shunt, sidetrack, substitute, supersede, supplant, surrender, swap, trade, transfer, transpose, turn, yield (≠ affix, cement, clasp, clutch, demand, freeze, grip, guard, hold, keep, leave, paralyze, pinion, preserve, reserve, retain, trap, withhold)

  SYNTHESIZE (+): align, alloy, amalgamate, arrange, articulate, blend, brainstorm, brew, cast, choreograph, coalesce, coin, combine, compose, compound, conceive, concoct, conflate, coordinate, create, define, design, detail, develop, devise, express, fashion, form, formulate, fuse, harmonize, hybridize, incorporate, integrate, invent, itemize, meld, merge, mingle, mix, orchestrate, organize, originate, patent, plan, prepare, propose, reintegrate, script, sculpt, specify, state, unify, unite, weld (≠ analyze, -avoid, crush, demolish, destroy, detach, disconnect, dismantle, disperse, dissect, dissolve, distill, divide, doom, eradicate, erase, estrange, filter, forget, mangle, -omit, oust, -overlook, part, resolve, ruin, sabotage, scotch, scupper, separate, shelve, sift, split, vivisect, wreck)

  T

  TACKLE (→): accept, accost, address, approach, attack, attempt, begin, brave, broach, confront, consider, defy, engage, face, grasp, handle, intercept, introduce, launch, learn, manage, meet, oppose, pursue, resist, seize, study, treat, undertake, withstand (≠ -avoid, -bypass, complete, conclude, continue, delay, detour, -dodge, end, -evade, finish, forget, miss, mistake, misunderstand, -neglect, pause, postpone, propose, raise, -reject, shelve, -shun, stall, -thwart)

  TACKLE (→): ambush, assault, attack, bash, batter, blindside, block, bushwhack, catch, challenge, charge, check, checkmate, clip, clutch, combat, confront, counter, crush, down, flip, -frustrate, grab, grapple, grasp, -halt, intercept, jump, nail, obstruct, ram, rush, sack, sandbag, seize, shove, slam, smash, smear, smite, stop, take, throw, topple, unhorse, unseat, upend, upset, waylay, wrestle (≠ armor, assist, -avoid, block, brave, -circumvent, defend, deflect, -dodge, -duck, -elude, embrace, endure, -evade, face, free, guard, help, invite, liberate, loose, protect, receive, release, rescue, shelter, shield, -shirk, -sidestep, skip, skirt, weather, welcome, withstand)

  TAIL (→): accompany, bird-dog, chaperone, chase, dog, escort, eye, follow, hound, hunt, mark, observe, pursue, retrace, run, search, seek, shadow, stalk, tag, target, trace, track, trail, watch (≠ -abandon, -avoid, -desert, direct, -disregard, -ditch, drop, -duck, -elude, -evade, guide, head, -ignore, lead, leave, lose, maroon, -neglect, pilot, shake)

  TAILOR (+): accommodate, adapt, adjust, alter, calibrate, camouflage, convert, coordinate, customize, cut, dovetail, fashion, fit, modify, mold, personalize, reconcile, sculpt, shape, square, style, trim, tune, tweak, uncomplicate, weaponize (≠ botch, bungle, depersonalize, force, freeze, half-ass, hamper, hinder, maintain, mar, misadjust, preserve, retain, ruin, spoil, standardize)

  TAINT (/): abase, adulterate, bastardize, bedraggle, befoul, begrime, besmear, besmirch, bestialize, blacken, blackguard, blemish, blight, blot, cheapen, cloud, color, contaminate, corrupt, damage, darken, debase, debauch, defame, defile, degrade, demean, demoralize, demote, deprave, desecrate, devalue, dilute, diminish, dirty, discolor, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, distort, doctor, foul, grime, harm, humble, humiliate, infect, injure, insult, libel, lower, malign, mar, mire, mortify, muddy, offend, outrage, pervert, poison, pollute, profane, reduce, ridicule, rot, ruin, shame, sink, slander, smear, smirch, smudge, smut, soil, spike, spoil, stagnate, stain, stale, suborn, subvert, sully, tar, tarnish, trample, twist, violate, vitiate (≠ admire, benefit, bless, boost, cherish, clarify, clean, cleanse, clear, congratulate, decontaminate, dignify, disinfect, distill, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, expiate, filter, flatter, glorify, gratify, hallow, honor, idealize, idolize, inoculate, isolate, launder, magnify, praise, purge, purify, quarantine, rarefy, rectify, refine, respect, revere, sanctify, sanitize, sterilize, treasure, upgrade, uplift, wash, worship)

  TAKE (→): accompany, attend, bear, bootleg, bring, buck, carry, cart, chauffeur, conduct, convey, convoy, courier, deliver, dispatch, distribute, drive, drop, escort, ferry, fetch, give, guide, hand, hand-carry, haul, heel, help, lead, lug, move, pack, pass, piggyback, pilot, remit, ride, schlep, send, shepherd, shoulder, show, shuttle, smuggle, steer, supply, tote, tour, transport, trek, truck, usher, waft, whisk (≠ -abandon, covet, -desert, -ditch, drop, dump, -forsake, guard, hoard, hold, -ignore, keep, leave, lose, maroon, meet, -neglect, -refuse, retain, -shirk, -shun, skip, stash, stint, tuck, withhold)

  TAKE (←): accept, acquire, adopt, arrest, assume, attain, capture, catch, choose, clasp, clutch, collar, collect, compile, decide, derive, download, earn, ensnare, entrap, gain, gather, get, glean, grab, grasp, grip, handle, hold, inherit, obtain, overtake, pick, procure, reach, reap, receive, recycle, salvage, scavenge, scrounge, secure, seize, select, snag, snatch, source, strike, win (≠ -abandon, bequeath, bestow, cast, -desert, discard, disperse, distribute, -ditch, divide, drop, dump, entrust, fling, forfeit, forgo, furnish, give, grant, hand, jettison, junk, lose, miss, pass, pay, present, -refuse, -reject, release, relinquish, -renounce, resell, sacrifice, scatter, scrap, sell, shuck, slough, spend, steal, stiff, stint, surrender, throw, unload, waive, withhold, yield)

  TAKE (←): absorb, accept, bolt, chew, consume, devour, digest, dispatch, down, drink, eat, engulf, gnaw, gobble, gorge, gulp, gum, guzzle, imbibe, ingest, inhale, lap, lick, metabolize, mouth, munch, nibble, nosh, nurse, pop, quaff, relish, ruminate, savor, scarf, sip, slurp, snarf, sniff, suck, swallow, swig, swill, taste, wolf (≠ belch, brew, collect, concoct, cook, covet, crave, -deny, desire, disgorge, expel, famish, fancy, feed, force-feed, fuel, furnish, gratify, hoard, malnourish, preserve, -refuse, regurgitate, -reject, save, serve, spew, spit, starve, supply, underfeed, victual, vomit, withhold)

  TAKE (←): abduct, annex, appropriate, arrogate, bogart, borrow, carry, colonize, commandeer, confiscate, debit, deduct, draw, eliminate, extract, filch, hotwire, kidnap, lift, misappropriate, nab, nick, nobble, pinch, pluck, poach, pocket, preempt, purloin, remove, rustle, salvage, seize, sequester, snaffle, snag, snare, snatch, snitch, steal, subtract, swipe (≠ -abandon, ad
d, bequeath, bestow, comp, disperse, distribute, donate, earn, forfeit, forgo, furnish, give, grant, hand, lose, miss, offer, pay, plant, provide, recoup, release, relinquish, -renounce, replace, restore, sacrifice, scatter, sell, spare, spend, spitball, squander, substitute, supply, surrender, tender, tithe, volunteer, waste, withhold, yield)

  TAKE (←): bamboozle, beat, bilk, bluff, burgle, cheat, con, cozen, deceive, defraud, dupe, embezzle, exploit, fleece, flimflam, gull, hoodwink, manipulate, milk, outwit, rob, rook, sandbag, scam, screw, shortchange, steal, stiff, sucker, swindle, trick (≠ assume, assure, believe, blab, confess, expose, give, indemnify, provide, refund, reimburse, repay, respect, restore, trust, validate, verify)

  TAKE (+): abide, accept, accommodate, bear, brave, brook, contain, control, endure, experience, face, hack, handle, harbor, hold, house, lodge, manage, receive, room, shelter, stand, stomach, suffer, supervise, swallow, tackle, tolerate, weather, welcome, withstand (≠ abuse, alienate, anger, -avoid, battle, block, bother, bug, denounce, -deny, -desert, -dodge, eject, estrange, evict, fight, -flee, flout, hinder, impede, irk, isolate, molest, obstruct, oppose, orphan, -prevent, -refuse, -reject, resist, retort, seclude, stop)

  TALLY (←): add, calculate, chalk, chronicle, compute, count, figure, notch, note, number, reckon, record, score, total (≠ confuse, estimate, exaggerate, miscount, mistake, -overlook, oversell, overstate, undersell, understate)