Activate

by Damon Suede

  WARN (→): admonish, adumbrate, advise, alarm, alert, apprise, augur, buzz, caution, counsel, direct, discourage, dissuade, exhort, -forbid, forebode, forecast, foreshadow, foretell, forewarn, harbinger, hint, inform, motion, notify, outguess, portend, predetermine, predict, prepare, presage, prognosticate, prompt, prophesy, rebuke, recommend, remind, reprimand, reprove, signal, suggest, tell, threaten, tip, urge, wake (≠ abet, allow, applaud, approve, brook, cheer, commend, compliment, compromise, conceal, congratulate, countenance, encourage, endanger, hide, -ignore, impel, imperil, incite, instigate, mislead, -neglect, -omit, permit, pity, praise, -prevent, regret, risk, seek, tolerate, withhold)

  WARP (/): abase, bastardize, bedraggle, befoul, begrime, bestialize, blemish, brutalize, castrate, cheapen, contaminate, corrupt, damage, debase, debauch, deface, defile, degrade, dehumanize, demean, dement, demoralize, deprave, depreciate, derange, destroy, deteriorate, dilute, dirty, disgrace, dishonor, doom, downgrade, emasculate, flaw, harm, humble, humiliate, hurt, impair, lessen, mar, pervert, poison, pollute, profane, prostitute, ruin, sabotage, shame, spike, spoil, stain, suborn, subvert, sway, taint, tarnish, thin, vitiate, water, weaken, wreck (≠ ameliorate, amend, better, clean, cleanse, dignify, elevate, enhance, ennoble, enrich, exalt, honor, improve, moralize, optimize, overhaul, perfect, purify, redeem, refine, reform, rehabilitate, respect, restore, upgrade, uplift)

  WARP (/): alter, bend, break, buckle, coil, compress, contort, corrugate, crease, crinkle, crook, crumple, curl, deface, deform, disfigure, distort, fold, gnarl, kink, loop, mar, misshape, modify, rotate, screw, shift, spiral, squinch, stretch, torture, turn, twine, twist, weight, wind, wreathe, wrench, wrest, wriggle, wring, wrinkle (≠ align, beautify, equalize, even, extend, flatten, hold, iron, keep, press, render, right, smooth, straighten, unbend, uncrumple, uncurl, unfold, untwist, unwrinkle)

  WARP (/): alter, belie, bend, bowdlerize, camouflage, censor, change, cloud, color, complicate, confound, confuse, cook, disguise, distort, embellish, embroider, falsify, fudge, garble, gloss, half-ass, mask, miscommunicate, misdescribe, mishear, misinterpret, misread, misrepresent, misstate, mistake, mistranslate, modify, mystify, obscure, pervert, redact, skew, slant, sway, twist, veil, whitewash (≠ clarify, clear, decipher, deduce, detect, display, educate, elucidate, explain, expose, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, read, rephrase, reveal, school, simplify, streamline, teach, translate, unskew)

  WARRANT (→): affirm, allege, announce, argue, assert, attest, avow, back, broadcast, certify, claim, confirm, contend, declare, defend, insist, justify, maintain, proclaim, profess, promise, protest, purport, rationalize, reaffirm, reason, reassert, second, substantiate, support, swear, uphold, validate, verify, vindicate (≠ -abandon, betray, challenge, confute, contradict, counter, debate, denounce, -deny, disavow, disbelieve, disclaim, -disown, disprove, dispute, distrust, doubt, -forsake, gainsay, -negate, negative, oppose, question, rebut, refute, -reject, -repudiate, -scorn, scruple) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  WARRANT (→): adhere, affirm, answer, assert, assure, attest, authenticate, avow, back, bond, certify, contract, corroborate, covenant, crosscheck, declare, deserve, earn, endorse, ensure, guarantee, indemnify, insist, insure, notarize, pledge, promise, prove, stipulate, support, swear, testify, undertake, underwrite, uphold, vouchsafe, vow, witness (≠ allege, breach, break, contradict, debate, debunk, -deny, disavow, -disown, disprove, invalidate, -neglect, oppose, refute, -reject, -repudiate, -rescind, sabotage, scotch, scupper, shelve, -thwart, undermine)

  WARRANT (←): ask, bear, beg, challenge, claim, command, compel, demand, enjoin, entail, exact, insist, involve, merit, oblige, press, request, require, stipulate, take, want (≠ -decline, eliminate, hold, -obviate, own, possess, -prevent, -refuse, -reject, stop, -thwart)

  WARRANT (+): accept, accredit, acknowledge, affirm, allow, approve, authorize, bless, canonize, certificate, certify, clear, commission, confirm, credential, empower, enable, endorse, enfranchise, entitle, excuse, finalize, formalize, inaugurate, induct, initial, initiate, install, instate, invest, justify, legalize, let, license, okay, pass, permit, privilege, qualify, ratify, require, rubber-stamp, sanctify, sanction, sign, support, validate, vest (≠ abolish, annul, ban, bar, block, -cancel, constrain, -decline, -deny, disallow, disapprove, disbar, discourage, disenfranchise, disqualify, enjoin, -exclude, -forbid, hinder, impede, inhibit, -interdict, invalidate, -nullify, obstruct, oppose, oust, outlaw, -prevent, -prohibit, proscribe, -rebuff, rebut, -refuse, -reject, -spurn, stop, -veto)

  WASH (+): bathe, clean, cleanse, decontaminate, dip, disinfect, douse, drench, flush, freshen, immerse, inundate, lather, launder, moisten, mop, rinse, scour, scrub, shampoo, shower, soak, soap, spatter, splatter, sponge, steam, swab, wet, wipe (≠ bedraggle, befoul, begrime, besmirch, contaminate, corrupt, defile, dehydrate, dirty, dry, foul, muddy, parch, pollute, pour, roll, scorch, sear, soil, spoil, stagnate, stain, stream, sully, taint, tarnish)

  WASTE (/): blow, consume, decrease, deplete, depredate, destroy, devastate, disburse, dissipate, divert, doom, drain, empty, enfeeble, erode, exhaust, expend, fritter, impoverish, indulge, lard, lavish, leech, lose, misapply, misspend, misuse, overextend, overfeed, overindulge, overspend, sap, shoot, sink, slather, spend, spoil, squander, straiten, thin, undermine, wither (≠ bankroll, budget, conserve, contribute, economize, endow, famish, fill, fund, furnish, grant, hoard, increase, keep, malnourish, offer, preserve, protect, retain, save, scant, scrimp, skimp, supply, underfeed, underwrite, withhold)

  WASTE (/): annihilate, atomize, beat, best, blast, blot, break, clobber, conquer, cream, cripple, crush, damage, decimate, deface, defeat, demolish, desolate, despoil, destroy, deteriorate, devastate, dilapidate, disassemble, disfigure, disintegrate, dismantle, dissolve, doom, drub, dynamite, efface, eradicate, erode, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, gut, harm, impair, injure, lick, liquidate, loot, mangle, mar, master, mortar, mutilate, nuke, obliterate, outlast, overcome, pillage, plunder, pulverize, ravage, raze, remove, root, rout, ruin, sack, scotch, scour, shatter, skunk, smash, snuff, spoil, subdue, surmount, sweep, thrash, topple, total, trample, trash, trim, trounce, unbuild, undo, unmake, vandalize, vaporize, vitiate, wallop, whip, wrack, wreck (≠ assemble, brine, build, conserve, constitute, construct, craft, create, doctor, erect, establish, fabricate, fashion, father, fix, forge, form, found, frame, generate, hatch, initiate, institute, invent, make, manufacture, mend, mold, organize, patch, pickle, preserve, produce, protect, raise, rear, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, remodel, renovate, repair, restore, revamp, save, sculpt, shape, sire, start, survive, sustain, weather, withstand)

  WASTE (/): cannibalize, consume, cripple, damage, debilitate, deplete, depress, devitalize, disable, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, grind, hamstring, harm, hurt, impair, impoverish, incapacitate, injure, invalid, overextend, paralyze, prostrate, sap, soften, tire, unman, weaken, wither (≠ brace, cure, energize, fortify, harden, heal, help, invigorate, preserve, protect, recruit, rejuvenate, remedy, season, strengthen, sustain, tone, toughen, vitalize)

  WAYLAY (→): accost, ambush, assail, assault, attack, blindside, bother, box, bushwhack, buttonhole, capture, catch, charge, corner, detain, ensnare, entrap, hound, hunt, intercept, jump, mousetrap, mug, net, prowl, sandbag, seize, snare, stalk, storm, strike, surprise, tackle, trap, trouble, wrestle (≠ alert, allow, caution, defend, forward, give, guard, -ignore, inform, miss, notify, patrol, permit, -prevent, protect, secure, tolerate, waive, warn)

  WEAKEN (/): afflict, attenuate, blight, boobytrap, break, cannibalize, castrate, consume, cripple, damage, dampen, deaden, debilitate, decrease, demilitarize, demoralize, demotivate, deplete, depress, deprive, destabilize, destroy, -deter, deteriorate, devitalize, diminish, disable, disarm, disconcert, discourage, disorganize, disperse, dissuade, divide, doom, drain, dull, emasculate, enervate, enfeeble, etiolate, exhaust, fade, fatigue, -halt, hamper, hamstring, harm, hobble, hurt, impair, impoverish, inactivate, incapacitate, injure, kneecap, leech, lessen, lose, lower, malnourish, mar,
monkey-wrench, overextend, overthrow, palsy, paralyze, prostrate, restrict, ruin, sabotage, sap, scatter, scotch, scupper, scuttle, separate, short-circuit, shrivel, sink, soften, starve, subvert, tire, trouble, undercut, undermine, unman, vitiate, waste, wither, wizen, worsen, wound (≠ activate, agitate, aid, animate, assist, beef, better, bolster, boost, buttress, develop, emphasize, encourage, energize, enhance, enlarge, exacerbate, excite, expand, extend, fix, fortify, foster, grow, harden, help, improve, incite, invigorate, magnify, maximize, militarize, nurture, optimize, overhaul, praise, prioritize, prolong, raise, rally, recruit, refresh, reinforce, rejuvenate, revitalize, revolutionize, season, stabilize, steel, strengthen, toughen, vitalize)

  WEAKEN (/): adulterate, attenuate, befoul, cheapen, contaminate, corrupt, counterfeit, cut, debase, decrease, defile, degrade, diffuse, dilute, diminish, dirty, doctor, dose, envenom, extend, fake, falsify, foul, fudge, half-ass, infect, invalidate, lace, lessen, load, lose, lower, manipulate, mar, minimize, misrepresent, mitigate, moderate, modify, poison, pollute, qualify, reduce, soil, sophisticate, spike, spoil, sully, taint, temper, thin, water (≠ accentuate, accrue, augment, better, boost, clarify, clean, cleanse, compact, compliment, concentrate, condense, decontaminate, deepen, distill, embattle, enhance, enrich, fertilize, filter, flavor, flush, fortify, gain, improve, increase, lard, leach, magnify, marinate, maximize, pasteurize, punctuate, purge, purify, refine, reinforce, richen, season, spice, strengthen, supplement)

  WEAN (/): alienate, -deny, deprive, detach, divest, divide, isolate, orphan, remove, scant, scrimp, separate, sequester, skimp, starve, stint, withdraw, withhold (≠ bottle-feed, breastfeed, feed, force-feed, indulge, nourish, nurse, offer, overfeed, suckle, supply, tender, volunteer)

  WEAPONIZE (+): accelerate, accentuate, activate, adapt, adjust, aggravate, alter, ambush, amplify, arm, bomb, boobytrap, change, charge, convert, corroborate, customize, deepen, equip, exacerbate, exaggerate, exploit, fashion, harness, hone, increase, intensify, load, match, maximize, mechanize, militarize, mine, modify, plant, plug, poison, prepare, prime, qualify, raise, rearm, reconceive, reimagine, reinvent, remodel, restore, shape, sharpen, snare, strengthen, suit, tailor, transform, trap, trigger, tweak, wire (≠ armor, buffer, counteract, cushion, deactivate, decelerate, defeat, defuse, demilitarize, disable, disarm, erase, -frustrate, ground, immobilize, incapacitate, invalidate, minimize, -negate, neutralize, -nullify, offset, overcome, override, personalize, relieve, remedy, shield, soften, standardize, subdue, unload, weaken)

  WEARY (/): annoy, bore, bug, burden, cloy, debilitate, demoralize, depress, disable, discourage, disgust, dishearten, dispirit, drain, earbash, enervate, enfeeble, exasperate, exhaust, fail, fatigue, frustrate, glut, harass, irk, irritate, jade, nag, needle, nettle, niggle, nitpick, numb, oppress, plague, sap, sicken, strain, stultify, tax, tire, trouble, tucker, vex, wear (≠ absorb, allure, amuse, animate, arouse, attract, beguile, bewitch, busy, captivate, charm, enchant, energize, engage, engross, entertain, enthrall, excite, fascinate, galvanize, grip, immerse, inspire, interest, intrigue, invigorate, mesmerize, monopolize, obsess, occupy, please, preoccupy, stimulate, stir) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  WEARY (/): break, bust, cripple, debilitate, drain, enervate, enfeeble, exhaust, fatigue, finish, frazzle, harass, kill, leech, overextend, overwhelm, ruin, sap, sicken, strain, stress, tax, tire, tucker, waste, weaken, wear (≠ activate, boost, energize, feed, fuel, heal, help, invigorate, nourish, rally, rejuvenate, relax, resuscitate, revive, rouse, stimulate, strengthen, vitalize, wake)

  WEASEL (←): bilk, borrow, -bypass, cadge, cheat, -circumvent, con, disguise, -dodge, -duck, -elude, -eschew, euchre, -evade, fudge, scam, schnorr, scrounge, shake, -shirk, shuck, -shun, -sidestep, skirt, slip, sneak, stiff, straddle, wheedle (≠ afford, bestow, comp, confront, contribute, deliver, donate, face, furnish, give, grant, honor, meet, offer, provide, subsidize, supply)

  WEATHER (+): abide, accept, allow, bear, brave, brook, concede, condone, countenance, endure, experience, face, harden, incur, indulge, know, outlast, outlive, overcome, permit, receive, sanction, season, shoulder, stand, stomach, suffer, support, surmount, survive, sustain, swallow, sweat, take, tolerate, withstand (≠ -abandon, -avoid, battle, cease, challenge, combat, croak, denounce, depart, -elude, end, -escape, -eschew, -evade, fight, -flee, flout, oppose, pass, -prevent, -prohibit, -refuse, -reject, resist, skip, stop, -thwart)

  WEAVE (+): blend, braid, build, complicate, compose, concoct, construct, contrive, create, enlace, entwine, fabricate, fashion, fuse, hybridize, improvise, incorporate, interlace, intermingle, intertwine, interweave, join, knit, knot, lace, link, loop, make, manufacture, merge, mix, plait, ply, raddle, sculpt, sew, shape, snake, spin, splice, synthesize, twine, twist, unite, wind, wreathe (≠ cut, disentangle, divide, razor, rip, separate, shred, slice, split, synthesize, tatter, tear, unbraid, uncoil, unknot, unravel, unsew, unspool, untangle, untwine, unwind)

  WED (+): affiance, betroth, commit, dedicate, engage, espouse, marry, match, mate, pledge, promise, splice, vow (≠ -abandon, alienate, distance, divorce, estrange, mismatch, -ostracize, oust, -reject, separate, split, sunder)

  WEDGE (→): affix, block, chock, cram, crowd, crush, fill, fit, fix, force, heap, jam, jam-pack, load, lodge, overcrowd, overstuff, pack, push, ram, sandwich, sardine, shoehorn, splice, squeeze, stuff, tamp, thrust (≠ detach, dislodge, dissolve, ease, expand, extend, free, loosen, open, release, remove, stretch, unblock, unclog, unlock, wrest, wring, yank)

  WEED (/): abolish, annihilate, cull, deep-six, delouse, destroy, eliminate, eradicate, erase, expunge, exterminate, gather, groom, isolate, kill, manicure, pick, pluck, pull, purge, remove, uproot, yank (≠ add, cultivate, encourage, farm, fertilize, grow, -ignore, -neglect, nurture, plant, produce, propagate, protect, raise, seed, sow, sprout, survive, tend)

  WEIGH (←): absorb, analyze, anatomize, appraise, assimilate, balance, brainstorm, calculate, chew, compare, compute, conclude, consider, consult, contemplate, critique, debate, deliberate, digest, dissect, entertain, estimate, evaluate, examine, explore, eye, eyeball, gauge, measure, mind, mull, ogle, ponder, question, read, rehash, review, sample, scrutinize, second-guess, study, sweat, time (≠ abdicate, -avoid, -blank, -bypass, -discount, dismiss, -disregard, -ditch, -dodge, drop, -duck, forget, -forsake, guesstimate, -ignore, invalidate, lose, misgauge, misjudge, -neglect, -nullify, -omit, -overlook, pooh-pooh, -reject, -shirk, -slight) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  WEIGHT (←): afflict, angle, ballast, bias, burden, clog, clutter, encumber, fill, freight, hamper, handicap, heap, load, lumber, mound, oppress, overburden, overload, overtax, pack, pile, predetermine, prejudge, prejudice, press, pull, rephrase, sadden, saddle, skew, slant, stack, strain, surcharge, sway, task, tax, tip, trouble, twist, unbalance, weigh, worry (≠ alleviate, calibrate, cheer, detach, discharge, discredit, disencumber, disgrace, dishonor, -disregard, divest, dump, ease, lighten, offload, part, relieve, remove, unburden, unload, unskew)

  WELCOME (+): accept, acclaim, accost, admit, adopt, applaud, befriend, cherry-pick, choose, compère, cull, drink, eat, elect, embrace, emcee, enjoy, entertain, espouse, flag, glad-hand, greet, hail, handpick, high-five, host, hug, invite, meet, name, pick, please, prefer, receive, reunite, salute, select, take (≠ alienate, ban, banish, bar, blackball, boo, -boycott, -decline, disaffect, -disregard, disrespect, diss, -eschew, estrange, exorcise, expel, -ignore, insult, isolate, -neglect, oppose, -ostracize, oust, pass, picket, protest, -refuse, -reject, resent, -scorn, seclude, -shun, -spurn)

  WELD (+): affix, attach, bind, bond, cement, combine, connect, fix, fuse, heat, hybridize, join, link, melt, mortar, seal, solder, synthesize, unite (≠ break, cleave, crack, cut, disconnect, dissolve, divide, fracture, mangle, rupture, scatter, separate, shatter, split, sunder)

  WET (→): bathe, damp, dampen, deluge, dip, douse, drench, drown, flood, hose, imbrue, imbue, irrigate, marinate, moisten, presoak, puddle, rinse, saturate, sluice, soak, sop, spatter, splash, splatter, spray, sprinkl
e, steep, swamp, wash, water (≠ bake, burn, dehydrate, desiccate, dry, harden, mop, parch, scorch, staunch, towel, waterproof, wipe, wring)

  WHACK (→): backhand, bang, bash, bat, batter, bean, beat, belt, biff, bludgeon, bob, bonk, bop, box, brain, buffet, bump, bust, butt, cane, chop, clap, clip, clobber, clock, clout, club, conk, crack, cudgel, cuff, deck, drub, fell, flail, flog, floor, hammer, hit, jab, jostle, kick, knee, knock, lace, lambaste, lash, level, lick, nail, paste, poke, pound, prod, pummel, punch, push, rabbit-punch, rap, sap, shove, skull, slam, slap, sledgehammer, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, spank, stamp, strike, sucker punch, swat, swipe, tag, thrash, thump, thwack, wallop, whale (≠ aid, baby, block, coddle, deflect, -dodge, -duck, guard, massage, miss, mollify, parry, pet, placate, please, protect, repel, shelter, shield, -sidestep, skim, stroke, tap)

  WHACK (/): ambush, annihilate, assassinate, bury, butcher, claim, croak, decimate, defeat, destroy, dispatch, doom, eliminate, eradicate, erase, execute, exterminate, fell, hit, ice, kill, liquidate, massacre, murder, neutralize, off, shoot, slaughter, slay, smite, snuff, terminate, waste, weed, zap (≠ animate, assist, defend, guard, heal, help, preserve, protect, raise, rescue, restore, resurrect, resuscitate, revive, safeguard, save, secure, shield)

  WHEEDLE (←): adulate, beg, beguile, beseech, blandish, blarney, bribe, butter, cadge, cajole, charm, coax, cozen, entice, finagle, flannel, flatter, gratify, importune, induce, inveigle, juggle, lure, massage, overpraise, palaver, panhandle, praise, schmooze, scrounge, seduce, soft-sell, soft-soap, sweet-talk, tempt, urge, wangle, woo (≠ blackjack, blackmail, bludgeon, browbeat, bug, bulldoze, bully, coerce, command, compel, constrain, cow, daunt, demand, force, harass, intimidate, make, muscle, nag, nobble, oblige, pester, require, sandbag, tease)