by Damon Suede
UNTIE (+): disengage, disentangle, emancipate, free, liberate, loose, loosen, release, unbind, unchain, undo, unfasten, unfetter, unhitch, unknot, unleash, unravel, unshackle, unwrap (≠ bind, braid, connect, entangle, fasten, hogtie, knot, lace, lash, restrain, snarl, tangle, tie, twist, wind)
UNVEIL (→): advertise, air, announce, bare, bellow, betray, blab, blaze, blurt, brandish, broadcast, circulate, communicate, confess, confide, confront, debunk, declare, demonstrate, disclose, discover, disinter, display, disseminate, divulge, evince, exhibit, exhume, expose, flash, flaunt, flourish, herald, illustrate, impart, inform, leak, light, manifest, parade, post, present, proclaim, produce, promulgate, publicize, publish, rake, relate, reveal, share, show, showcase, spill, sport, squeal, telegraph, trumpet, uncloak, unclothe, uncover, undrape, unearth, unmask, unsheathe, unwrap, wave (≠ bury, camouflage, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, costume, cover, curtain, darken, disguise, drape, eclipse, ensconce, enshroud, hide, holster, mask, obscure, occlude, occult, overshadow, screen, shadow, sheathe, shroud, spackle, varnish, veil, whitewash)
UNZIP (←): bare, detach, expose, free, loosen, open, pull, release, separate, tug, unfasten, unhook, unlace, unwind, yank (≠ button, cinch, close, clothe, confine, cover, dress, obscure, seal, veil, zip)
UPBRAID (/): abuse, admonish, advise, assail, attack, badmouth, belittle, berate, blackguard, blame, blast, browbeat, castigate, caution, censure, chastise, chide, condemn, correct, counsel, criticize, critique, crucify, decry, demean, denigrate, denounce, discipline, disparage, disrespect, diss, excoriate, exhort, fault, flay, fulminate, hammer, harangue, hector, henpeck, impugn, jaw, jeer, judge, keelhaul, knock, lambaste, lash, lecture, lesson, mock, nag, pan, pillory, punish, rag, rate, ream, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, revile, ridicule, roast, savage, scold, scorch, score, -scorn, scourge, slam, slate, tongue-lash, trash, trash-talk, vituperate, zap, zing (≠ admire, allow, applaud, approve, bless, boost, buoy, celebrate, cheer, commend, compliment, congratulate, countenance, defend, delight, encourage, endorse, esteem, eulogize, exalt, expiate, extol, favor, flannel, flatter, glorify, gratify, honor, idealize, idolize, ingratiate, laud, lionize, praise, protect, rescue, respect, revere, sanction, venerate, vindicate, worship)
UPDATE (+): amend, automate, computerize, correct, improve, mechanize, modernize, modify, motorize, realign, rebuild, recast, reconceive, reconceptualize, redesign, redevelop, redo, reengineer, refashion, reform, refresh, refurbish, regenerate, reimagine, reinvent, rejuvenate, remake, remodel, renew, renovate, reprogram, restore, rethink, retool, revamp, revise, revolutionize, rework, right, streamline, transform, upgrade (≠ break, confound, damage, date, diminish, disable, freeze, hamper, harm, hurt, impair, injure, keep, lose, maintain, monkey-wrench, -neglect, outmode, paralyze, ruin, stabilize, vandalize, weaken, wear, worsen, wreck)
UPGRADE (+): accentuate, accrue, add, advance, advocate, ameliorate, amend, amplify, augment, back, beef, better, boost, broaden, champion, confirm, correct, decontaminate, deepen, defend, edit, elaborate, elevate, embellish, emend, emphasize, endorse, enhance, enlarge, enrich, expand, extend, fatten, fine-tune, fortify, further, garnish, gentrify, grow, heighten, help, hike, hone, improve, increase, inflate, intensify, justify, keep, lengthen, magnify, maximize, multiply, optimize, overhaul, perfect, polish, prioritize, progress, raise, realign, reconceive, reconceptualize, rectify, redraft, refine, reform, refurbish, rehab, rehabilitate, reimagine, reinforce, reinvent, rejigger, remedy, renovate, reshuffle, restore, rethink, retool, retouch, revamp, revise, revolutionize, rework, shine, strengthen, sustain, tweak, update, widen (≠ abase, afflict, bench, blemish, blight, callous, coarsen, compromise, contaminate, damage, declass, deface, degrade, demote, diminish, disfigure, downgrade, efface, flaw, harm, harshen, hurt, impair, injure, lessen, lower, maintain, mar, minimize, misdiagnose, monkey-wrench, poison, pollute, preserve, reduce, relegate, retain, ruin, sideline, spike, spoil, sustain, tarnish, vitiate, vulgarize, worsen, wreck)
UPGRADE (+): acclaim, advance, aggrandize, applaud, boost, celebrate, cite, commend, commission, compliment, congratulate, decorate, elevate, endorse, ennoble, eulogize, exalt, extol, forward, further, glorify, hail, heighten, honor, improve, knight, laud, lift, lionize, praise, prioritize, promote, raise, salute, support, uplift, vindicate (≠ abase, bench, censure, chastise, condemn, degrade, demean, demote, denounce, depose, dethrone, disgrace, dishonor, dismiss, downgrade, expel, humble, humiliate, impeach, lower, mortify, oust, overthrow, reduce, remove, ruin, shame, sideline, unmake, unseat)
UPLIFT (+): advance, animate, better, boost, brighten, cheer, civilize, cultivate, edify, elate, elevate, enlighten, exalt, excite, exhilarate, freshen, heave, hoist, improve, inspire, invigorate, lift, nurture, raise, refine, regenerate, rejuvenate, rouse, upgrade, vitalize (≠ appall, burden, demoralize, demotivate, depress, descend, discourage, dismay, drop, lower, pitch, plunge, press, push, sink, submerge)
UPROOT (←): abolish, annihilate, deep-six, destroy, eliminate, eradicate, erase, expunge, exterminate, extract, isolate, mine, obliterate, orphan, pluck, prize, pry, pull, purge, remove, root, take, tear, uninstall, weed, withdraw, wrest, wring, yank (≠ add, cram, graft, implant, insert, install, instill, jam, place, plant, position, ram, reunite, seed, set, settle, sow, stabilize, stuff, survive, wedge)
UPSET (/): abash, aggravate, agitate, ail, alarm, anger, annoy, appall, bedevil, bother, bug, chafe, chivy, concern, confound, confuse, craze, daunt, demoralize, demotivate, derail, derange, discombobulate, discomfit, discomfort, discompose, disconcert, discountenance, discourage, dishearten, dismay, disorganize, dispirit, disquiet, disrupt, dissatisfy, distemper, distract, distress, disturb, embarrass, exasperate, exercise, faze, fluster, frazzle, freak, fret, fuss, gall, get, grieve, harass, harry, haunt, irk, irritate, jangle, jar, madden, mismatch, mortify, nag, needle, nettle, nitpick, nonplus, offend, peeve, perturb, pester, pique, plague, rattle, rile, ruffle, sadden, shake, troll, trouble, undo, unhinge, unnerve, unsettle, vex, worry (≠ allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, calm, comfort, compose, encourage, gratify, hearten, help, humor, hush, lull, mellow, mitigate, moderate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate, quiet, relax, settle, smooth, soothe, stabilize, steady, sugarcoat, tranquilize)
UPSET (/): cant, capsize, careen, collapse, convulse, destabilize, heel, invert, jog, knock, lean, list, overset, overthrow, overturn, shove, shunt, spill, tilt, tip, topple, unhorse, unman, unseat, unsteady, upend (≠ bolster, brace, build, buttress, erect, fortify, raise, reinforce, right, stabilize, steady, steel, straighten, strengthen)
UPSET (/): agitate, churn, clutter, confuse, derange, disarrange, disarray, discompose, dishevel, disjoint, dislocate, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, embroil, entangle, garble, hash, jumble, mess, mingle, mix, muddle, muss, overset, perturb, rumple, scramble, shuffle, snarl, stir, tangle, tousle, tumble, unsettle, untidy (≠ adjust, align, arrange, array, attune, calibrate, classify, codify, coordinate, dispose, fix, groom, line, marshal, methodize, order, organize, pace, queue, range, regiment, regulate, straighten, systematize, systemize, tidy, tune, tweak, unscramble)
UPSTAGE (→): beat, best, better, cap, clobber, conquer, control, crush, defeat, display, dominate, drub, dwarf, eclipse, exceed, finagle, lick, maneuver, master, one-up, outclass, outdistance, outdo, outgrow, outgun, outpace, outperform, outrace, outrank, outreach, outsell, outshine, outstrip, outthink, outweigh, overshadow, pass, rout, shame, skunk, subdue, supersede, supplant, surmount, surpass, thrash, top, transcend, trounce, trump, undercut, undermine, whip (≠ accent, accentuate, cede, conceal, concede, defend, defer, disguise, -elude, emphasize, feature, hide, highlight, honor, illuminate, mask, obscure, relinquish, respect, spotlight, stress, subvert, support, underline)
URGE (→): adjure, animate, beseech, blandish, boost, bribe, cajole, coax, coerce, compel, constrain, convince, dragoon, drive, encourage, enforce, entreat, exhort, fast-forward, fast-track, foment, force, forward, frogmarch, fuel, goad, grease, hasten, hurry, hustle, impel, implore, importune, incite, incur, induce, infl
uence, instigate, march, midwife, motivate, muscle, nag, needle, nudge, palaver, persuade, press, pressure, prioritize, prod, prompt, propel, provoke, push, quicken, rabble-rouse, railroad, rush, schmooze, soft-soap, spur, stimulate, strengthen, strong-arm, wheedle (≠ brake, check, constrain, curb, daunt, demotivate, -deter, discourage, dissuade, -halt, hamper, hamstring, hinder, impair, impede, inhibit, nobble, postpone, -prohibit, restrain, slow, soft-sell, stall, stem, stop, suppress, -thwart)
URGE (+): advise, advocate, back, buttonhole, champion, counsel, defend, egg, encourage, endorse, espouse, exhort, favor, justify, lobby, patronize, plug, preach, prescribe, promote, propose, recommend, rubber-stamp, second, support, uphold (≠ -avoid, block, check, curb, daunt, demotivate, -deter, discourage, dissuade, frighten, hamper, hamstring, hinder, impede, inhibit, intimidate, -nix, -nullify, -prevent, -prohibit, restrain, threaten, -thwart, -veto)
USE (→): adapt, apply, cannibalize, deploy, direct, employ, exercise, exert, exploit, handle, harness, manipulate, operate, recycle, reuse, run, tap, utilize, weaponize, wield, work (≠ conceal, conclude, discharge, displace, disturb, end, finish, fire, hide, -ignore, misapply, misuse, -neglect, retire, withhold)
USE (/): abuse, appropriate, beguile, bleed, cheat, coerce, commercialize, commodify, con, defraud, embezzle, exploit, fleece, leverage, manipulate, milk, misappropriate, mistreat, misuse, outsmart, outthink, outwit, overcharge, rob, scam, skim, skin, soak, stick, stiff, sucker, swindle, trick, work (≠ aid, bankroll, bestow, comp, defend, donate, elevate, endow, esteem, fund, furnish, give, grant, help, honor, offer, promote, protect, provide, respect, supply, support, underwrite, value, volunteer)
USHER (+): accompany, attend, chaperone, conduct, control, direct, escort, guide, herald, initiate, institute, introduce, launch, lead, manage, marshal, navigate, originate, pilot, receive, route, see, show, steer (≠ -abandon, -desert, discard, -ditch, dog, drop, finish, follow, -forsake, hound, leave, retrace, shadow, -spurn, tail, trail)
USURP (←): annex, appropriate, arrogate, assume, attach, bogart, claim, collar, colonize, commandeer, confiscate, convert, despoil, displace, embezzle, grab, grasp, hijack, impound, invade, loot, misapply, misappropriate, misuse, nobble, occupy, overthrow, pillage, pirate, poach, preempt, press, repossess, requisition, seize, sequester, snag, snatch, steal, supersede, supplant, swipe, take, vanquish, wrench, wrest (≠ -abandon, abdicate, abnegate, bequeath, bestow, cede, forfeit, -forsake, give, grant, keep, leave, offer, -refuse, -reject, release, relinquish, -renounce, resign, surrender, survive, tender, volunteer)
UTILIZE (→): account, adapt, apply, appropriate, bestow, cannibalize, deploy, direct, employ, engage, exercise, exert, exploit, handle, harness, manipulate, operate, promote, recycle, reuse, run, unsheathe, use, weaponize, wield, work (≠ -abandon, cease, drop, -eschew, -halt, hinder, -ignore, impede, invalid, misapply, misuse, -neglect, -overlook, -renounce, skip, -spurn, stop)
V
VACCINATE (+): cure, doctor, dose, immunize, infuse, inject, inoculate, jab, mainline, medicate, mitigate, -prevent, protect, quarantine, remedy, shield, treat, worm (≠ afflict, blight, contaminate, corrupt, indispose, infect, pass, pollute, sicken, sully, taint, transmit, weaken)
VALIDATE (+): accredit, affirm, argue, assert, attest, authenticate, authorize, avow, certify, confirm, consult, corroborate, crosscheck, declare, demonstrate, detect, determine, document, endorse, ensure, establish, eye, eyeball, formalize, guarantee, interview, justify, legalize, legitimize, notarize, okay, permit, profess, prove, ratify, reinforce, rubber-stamp, sanction, scrutinize, sponsor, substantiate, support, testify, underwrite, verify, vindicate, warrant, witness (≠ annul, challenge, condemn, contest, contradict, debate, debunk, decry, delegitimize, -deny, disagree, disavow, disclaim, discredit, disprove, dispute, distrust, doubt, gainsay, invalidate, -nix, -nullify, -omit, oppose, question, rebut, refute, suspect, void)
VALUE (←): account, add, appraise, ascertain, assess, audit, benchmark, calculate, categorize, classify, compute, conclude, consider, count, critique, deduce, detect, determine, divide, educe, enumerate, estimate, evaluate, examine, figure, gauge, grade, infer, inspect, judge, learn, measure, multiply, price, prioritize, quantify, quantize, rank, rate, rationalize, reckon, review, schedule, scheme, score, slot, study, sum, suppose, surmise, survey, systematize, tally, think, total, valuate, weigh (≠ assume, -disregard, distrust, doubt, forget, guess, -ignore, miss, mistrust, -neglect, -overlook, question, suspect)
VALUE (+): acclaim, admire, adore, applaud, appreciate, approve, blandish, cherish, commend, compliment, congratulate, covet, dignify, endorse, enjoy, enshrine, esteem, estimate, eulogize, exalt, extol, fetishize, flatter, glorify, gratify, honor, idealize, idolize, love, praise, prefer, prize, recommend, relish, respect, revere, sanction, treasure (≠ abhor, bastardize, belittle, boo, cheapen, condemn, criticize, debase, defame, deflate, degrade, demean, -despise, -detest, devalue, diminish, discount, disrespect, execrate, -hate, -loathe, lowball, mock, pillory, -reject, ridicule, -scorn, shame, smear, underbid, underestimate, underrate, undervalue, vilify) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!
VAMP (←): absorb, allure, arouse, attract, bait, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, coax, convince, court, dazzle, delight, draw, enchant, engross, enrapture, ensnare, enthrall, entice, entrance, entrap, fascinate, hook, hypnotize, interest, intrigue, inveigle, invite, lure, mesmerize, persuade, razzle-dazzle, rivet, snare, snooker, snow, solicit, spellbind, sway, tangle, tempt, thrill, titillate, transfix, trap, woo, wow (≠ alarm, anger, annoy, bore, bother, bug, disgust, distract, enrage, exasperate, henpeck, -ignore, infuriate, irk, irritate, nag, nauseate, needle, nettle, nitpick, plague, repel, repulse, revolt, sicken, unnerve, upset, vex, weary, worry)
VANDALIZE (/): annihilate, bash, boobytrap, break, burn, crack, damage, deface, demolish, depredate, desecrate, despoil, destroy, devastate, disfigure, efface, fracture, graffiti, harm, hurt, impair, loot, mar, maraud, monkey-wrench, pillage, plunder, pulverize, ransack, ravage, raven, ravish, raze, rend, ruin, sabotage, sack, scorch, scourge, shatter, shred, sink, slash, smash, splinter, spoil, tatter, tear, torpedo, total, trash, undermine, violate, waste, wrack, wreck (≠ bronze, build, clean, cleanse, conserve, construct, defend, embalm, erect, guard, maintain, mend, patrol, preserve, protect, rebuild, rectify, recycle, renovate, repair, rescue, restore, salvage, save, shield, sustain, wall, wash)
VANQUISH (→): annihilate, beat, break, checkmate, clobber, confound, conquer, crush, defeat, demolish, destroy, devastate, dominate, doom, drub, enslave, eradicate, hammer, humble, lick, master, outlast, outmaneuver, outthink, overcome, overpower, overwhelm, pacify, quash, quell, reduce, repress, rout, silence, skunk, slaughter, smash, smother, snuff, squash, squelch, subdue, subject, subjugate, subordinate, suppress, thrash, thump, trounce, trump, wallop, whip, whup (≠ assist, bolster, defend, discharge, emancipate, encourage, enfranchise, free, guard, liberate, manumit, offer, promote, protect, rebuild, release, rescue, restore, revive, save, shield, spring, subvert, support, survive, sustain, tender, unbind, uncage, unchain, unfetter, volunteer, withstand)
VAPORIZE (/): annihilate, atomize, beat, best, blast, blow, break, clobber, condense, conquer, cream, cripple, crush, damage, decimate, deface, defeat, demolish, derive, desolate, despoil, destroy, deteriorate, devastate, dilapidate, disassemble, disfigure, disintegrate, dismantle, dissolve, drub, dynamite, efface, eradicate, erode, evaporate, express, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, extract, gut, harm, impair, injure, leak, level, lick, liquidate, loot, mangle, mar, master, mortar, mutilate, nuke, obliterate, overcome, pillage, plunder, pulverize, purify, ravage, raze, refine, remove, root, rout, ruin, sack, scotch, scour, shatter, skunk, smash, snuff, splinter, spoil, subdue, sublimate, surmount, thrash, topple, total, trample, trash, trim, trounce, unbuild, undo, unmake, vandalize, vitiate, wallop, waste, whip, wrack, wreck, zap (≠ assemble, bronze, build, conserve, constitute, construct, craft, create, doctor, embalm, erect, establish, fabricate, fashion, father, fix, forge, form, found, frame, institu
te, invent, make, manufacture, mend, mold, organize, patch, preserve, produce, protect, raise, rear, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, remodel, renovate, repair, restore, revamp, save, sculpt, shape, survive, sustain, withstand)
VARNISH (+): adorn, caulk, coat, cover, decorate, enamel, finish, gild, glaze, gloss, japan, lacquer, paint, pave, plaster, polish, shellac, shine, spackle, sugarcoat, surface, veneer, wax, whitewash (≠ air, bare, blast, coarsen, dull, excoriate, expose, open, peel, reveal, roughen, sand, scour, shuck, strip, uncover, unmask)
VEIL (/): becloud, bedim, befog, belie, blanket, block, blot, bury, camouflage, circle, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, costume, cover, curtain, darken, dim, disguise, drape, eclipse, encircle, enshroud, envelop, gild, gloss, hide, launder, mask, obscure, obstruct, occlude, occult, overshadow, pall, screen, secrete, shade, shadow, shield, shroud, smother, spackle, stonewall, suppress, varnish, whitewash, wrap (≠ accost, advertise, air, bare, blast, brandish, broadcast, circulate, clarify, concede, confess, confirm, confront, denude, disclose, display, disseminate, divulge, excoriate, expose, flaunt, hype, illuminate, light, parade, peel, plug, present, proclaim, publicize, publish, reveal, show, showcase, spread, strip, telegraph, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unveil)