Activate

by Damon Suede

  WHET (→): activate, actuate, animate, appetize, arouse, awaken, boost, buoy, catalyze, challenge, charge, drive, electrify, enhance, enkindle, excite, ferment, foment, fortify, galvanize, hearten, impel, incite, increase, inflame, infuse, inspire, instigate, kindle, motivate, move, pique, propel, provoke, quicken, raise, rally, reanimate, reawaken, recharge, reenergize, refresh, reinvigorate, rejuvenate, rekindle, renew, restimulate, resurrect, resuscitate, revitalize, revive, rouse, spark, spur, steel, stimulate, stir, stoke, strengthen, tantalize, tease, tempt, titillate, trigger, wake, waken (≠ blunt, calm, check, choke, crush, curb, dampen, daunt, deaden, debilitate, decrease, demotivate, depress, -deter, discourage, dishearten, drain, dull, enfeeble, exhaust, hamper, hinder, hush, inhibit, kill, lose, mitigate, numb, quell, quench, repress, restrain, sap, satisfy, slake, slow, smother, spoil, stifle, still, stunt, stymie, subdue, suppress, throttle, undermine, weaken)

  WHET (/): burnish, edge, file, finish, grind, hone, polish, refine, serrate, sharpen, stone, stroke, strop (≠ blunt, blur, buff, buffer, burnish, cushion, dull, gloss, polish, round, shine, smooth, soften)

  WHIP (→): bash, beat, belt, birch, blackjack, blister, bludgeon, cane, castigate, chastise, clobber, clout, club, cowhide, cudgel, cuff, discipline, drub, flagellate, flail, flog, hide, hit, horsewhip, lace, lambaste, lash, lather, lick, maul, paddle, pelt, pound, pulverize, pummel, punish, scourge, slap, slate, smack, smite, spank, strap, strike, swat, swipe, switch, tan, thrash, thwack, trash, wallop, whack, whup (≠ aid, assist, block, caress, coddle, compliment, defend, deflect, guard, heal, help, indulge, mollycoddle, nurse, parry, praise, protect, reward, shield, spoil, stroke, support, tend)

  WHIP (/): ace, annihilate, assault, attack, beat, best, better, bomb, break, bury, cap, checkmate, clobber, conquer, cow, cream, crush, decimate, defeat, demolish, destroy, devastate, discomfit, dispatch, doom, drub, dust, eclipse, edge, engulf, enslave, exceed, excel, finish, flatten, hammer, lick, master, obliterate, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outsell, outshine, outstrip, overcome, overpower, overthrow, overwhelm, paste, quash, quell, reduce, rout, ruin, shellac, sink, skin, skunk, slaughter, smash, smoke, smother, subdue, subjugate, surmount, surpass, sweep, take, tame, thrash, throw, top, topple, transcend, trim, trounce, upend, upset, vanquish, wallop, wax, whomp, whup (≠ admit, aid, assist, build, cherish, conserve, construct, defend, elevate, encourage, fix, follow, forfeit, free, guard, help, institute, invite, liberate, maintain, mend, nourish, nurture, obey, preserve, promote, protect, release, relinquish, renew, repair, rescue, restore, revamp, revive, save, serve, shield, support, survive, sustain, upgrade, welcome)

  WHITEWASH (←): absolve, acquit, alibi, alleviate, bleach, bleep, blur, camouflage, candy-coat, clear, cloak, clothe, cloud, conceal, costume, cover, decorate, deemphasize, disguise, downplay, ease, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, explain, gloss, hide, justify, launder, lessen, liberate, lighten, mask, minimize, mitigate, moderate, obscure, -omit, paint, palliate, rationalize, screen, soften, soft-pedal, spackle, sugarcoat, suppress, temper, underemphasize, varnish, veil, veneer, vindicate, whiten (≠ accent, accentuate, accost, address, admit, affirm, amplify, assert, betray, blab, blacken, blame, condemn, confess, confide, confirm, confront, criticize, darken, debunk, defame, denounce, discredit, disprove, dispute, divulge, doubt, emphasize, exaggerate, expose, eyeball, fault, finger, frame, fulminate, incriminate, judge, libel, out, punctuate, reveal, shame, slander, unmask)

  WHITTLE (→): carve, chip, contour, cut, fashion, form, hew, model, mold, pare, scrape, sculpt, shape, shave, trim (≠ augment, buff, build, construct, create, develop, enlarge, expand, fill, increase, inflate, keep, pad, polish, shine, smooth, swell)

  WHITTLE (/): bleed, cannibalize, consume, cripple, damage, debilitate, decrease, deplete, destroy, devour, diminish, drain, eat, erode, exhaust, impair, injure, kneecap, leach, lessen, mar, sabotage, sap, subvert, undercut, undermine, use, weaken (≠ broaden, earn, expand, feed, fuel, grow, heal, increase, nourish, nurture, remedy, repair, replenish, restore, stock)

  WIELD (→): apply, brandish, command, conduct, control, employ, exercise, exert, flourish, handle, hold, maintain, manage, maneuver, manipulate, operate, ply, possess, shake, swing, throw, unsheathe, use, utilize, wave, work (≠ abuse, conceal, discard, drag, drop, forget, forgo, hide, holster, lose, misapply, misplace, misuse, -neglect, -reject, sheathe, stay, store, suppress)

  WIN (→): accomplish, achieve, actualize, beat, best, carry, colonize, conquer, crest, outlast, overcome, overwhelm, sweep, trump, whip, whup (≠ -abandon, bomb, concede, fail, flunk, forfeit, -forsake, leave, lose, miss, -neglect, -nullify, skimp, start, stop, waste)

  WIN (←): achieve, acquire, allure, annex, approach, attain, attract, bag, captivate, capture, carry, catch, charm, collect, convince, derive, disarm, draw, earn, enamor, enchant, equal, gain, garner, get, harvest, hit, land, log, make, match, meet, net, notch, obtain, outdo, outperform, persuade, procure, reach, realize, receive, rival, score, secure, select, source, surpass, top (≠ -abandon, accord, bequeath, bestow, bore, demand, -deny, disappoint, give, grant, lose, miss, pay, relinquish, repel, steal, stiff, stint, surrender, tithe, undershoot, waste, withhold, yield)

  WIND (→): bend, coil, contort, corkscrew, curl, dial, distort, encircle, entwine, fold, loop, reel, roll, rotate, screw, skew, snake, spin, turn, twine, twirl, twist, weave, wrap, wreathe, wring (≠ bind, free, grind, loose, loosen, release, smooth, stick, straighten, uncoil, unravel, unspool, untwist, unwind, unwrap)

  WING (→): bowl, buck, bung, bunt, butt, cant, cast, catapult, chuck, compel, dart, dash, direct, dispatch, distract, drive, eject, fire, flick, fling, flip, floor, goad, gun, heave, hook, hurl, hurtle, impel, launch, lob, loft, loose, pass, peg, pelt, pitch, precipitate, prod, project, propel, push, rifle, roll, send, shoot, shy, skitter, sling, throw, thrust, toss (≠ absorb, accept, acquire, bring, carry, catch, clasp, clutch, convey, cover, drag, gain, garner, give, grab, grasp, grip, hand, hold, keep, obtain, procure, pull, receive, request, retain, secure, snag, tow, tug, welcome, yank)

  WING (+): ad-lib, bluff, brainstorm, coin, con, concoct, contrive, counterfeit, deceive, devise, double-talk, extemporize, fake, falsify, feign, forge, form, fudge, half-ass, hatch, imitate, improve, improvise, invent, jive, misrepresent, pretend, scam, spin, vamp (≠ choreograph, compose, crosscheck, orchestrate, order, organize, plan, prepare, prove, rehearse, study, substantiate, test, validate, verify)

  WING (/): barrage, bash, batter, beat, bench, blast, bludgeon, bombard, break, bruise, buffet, burn, clip, club, crack, cripple, damage, deactivate, debilitate, disable, disfigure, dispatch, disqualify, drill, drub, fracture, fry, fusillade, hammer, hamper, hamstring, handicap, harm, hinder, hit, hobble, hurt, immobilize, impair, impede, incapacitate, injure, kneecap, lacerate, lame, maim, mangle, maul, mutilate, paralyze, paste, pelt, pepper, plug, pop, prostrate, sabotage, scar, scotch, shatter, shoot, short-circuit, shrivel, sideline, smash, snipe, spoil, strafe, target, thump, torpedo, trigger, undercut, undermine, wallop, weaken, whip, wither, wizen, wound, zap (≠ absorb, aid, armor, assist, bolster, brace, brave, cover, cure, defend, disarm, doctor, draw, enable, face, fix, guard, heal, help, mend, militarize, nurse, outlast, overcome, patch, rehabilitate, reintegrate, rejuvenate, remedy, renew, repair, restore, secure, shield, splint, steady, strengthen, support, suture, tolerate, unify, unite, weaponize, weather, weld, withstand)

  WINNOW (/): categorize, choose, classify, clean, clear, comb, compartmentalize, cull, distinguish, divide, examine, filter, glean, grade, hierarchize, identify, organize, part, pigeonhole, prioritize, rank, refine, screen, select, separate, sieve, sift, slot, sort, systematize, type (≠ addle, baffle, blend, churn, combine, confuse, disarrange, dishevel, disorganize, fuse, garble, jumble, knot, lump, meld, mingle, misclassify, missort, mistype, mix, muddle, muddy, perplex, scramble, shuffle, stir, tangle)

  WIPE (/): abolish, annihilate, anonymize, -blank, blot, brush, -cancel, clean, cleanse, clear, -cut, dab, decimate, delete, demolish, destroy, devastate, discard, dismantle, -ditch,
doom, dry, dust, efface, eject, eradicate, erase, excise, expel, expunge, exterminate, extirpate, flatten, jettison, liquidate, mop, mow, -nullify, obliterate, oust, purge, ravage, raze, remove, rub, ruin, smear, snuff, sponge, swab, sweep, total (≠ bedraggle, begrime, besmirch, build, conserve, construct, contaminate, create, dirty, fabricate, fashion, fix, forge, form, foul, frame, make, manufacture, mend, muddy, patch, pollute, preserve, protect, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, renew, renovate, repair, replace, restore, revamp, save, sculpt, shape, soil, spoil, spot, stain, sully, taint, tarnish)

  WIRE (+): angle, bend, bow, coil, contract, crimp, crook, curve, double, establish, fit, fix, fold, insert, insinuate, install, introduce, lay, locate, lodge, loop, network, place, plant, ply, position, settle, situate, station, stretch, thread, tighten, twist (≠ cut, detach, disconnect, eradicate, extract, fish, isolate, pull, relocate, remove, separate, sever, strip, unplug, unwire, yank)

  WISH (←): accept, allow, anticipate, ask, assume, await, beg, believe, bid, choose, command, conjure, contemplate, covet, crave, desire, direct, envy, expect, fancy, fetishize, instruct, invite, order, plead, prefer, presume, request, require, seek, solicit, summon, target, trust, want, welcome, will (≠ -avoid, begrudge, bestow, -decline, -despise, discard, dump, envy, furnish, give, -hate, -loathe, offer, -refuse, -reject, remove, repel, -repudiate, resent, stint, withdraw, withhold) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  WITHDRAW (←): abstract, budge, clear, -cut, debit, derive, dislocate, dislodge, displace, disturb, draw, elicit, exact, excavate, extract, extricate, gather, glean, move, obtain, place, pluck, position, pull, put, quarry, recover, remove, shift, slurp, suck, take, transfer, transpose, vacuum, worm, wrench, wrest, wring (≠ anchor, clamp, deposit, earn, embed, entrench, fix, hitch, implant, ingrain, lodge, moor, mount, plonk, recoup, replace, restore, return, root, secure, set, situate, spitball, stick)

  WITHER (/): afflict, bake, barbecue, blight, broil, canker, castrate, corrode, corrupt, cripple, crumble, debilitate, decay, -decline, decrease, degrade, demolish, destroy, deteriorate, devastate, dilapidate, diminish, disfigure, disintegrate, doom, dry, emasculate, fade, foil, hamstring, harm, harshen, hurt, impair, incapacitate, injure, lessen, lower, mummify, reduce, rot, ruin, scorch, scupper, scuttle, shrink, shrivel, taint, undermine, unman, waste, weaken, wilt, wizen, worsen, wound, wreck (≠ advance, ameliorate, augment, better, boost, develop, enhance, enrich, fortify, foster, freshen, grow, heighten, improve, increase, nourish, nurture, optimize, overhaul, prioritize, reinvigorate, restimulate, revive, strengthen, upgrade, wax)

  WITHHOLD (←): amass, bear, boast, cherish, command, conceal, conserve, control, -deny, detain, direct, enjoy, guard, harbor, hide, hoard, hog, hold, hug, keep, maintain, manage, mass, own, possess, preserve, protect, reserve, retain, rule, safeguard, save, shelter, shield, squirrel, stockpile, treasure (≠ -abandon, accord, bequeath, bestow, cede, circulate, comp, contribute, -decline, discard, disseminate, -ditch, donate, drop, dump, eject, forfeit, -forsake, give, grant, hand, jettison, lose, -reject, release, relinquish, -repudiate, scrap, scuttle, spend, -spurn, squander, surrender, tender, tithe, yield)

  WITHHOLD (/): -balk, ban, bridle, budget, check, conceal, constrain, control, curb, -decline, deduct, -deny, deprive, disadvantage, disallow, disapprove, drizzle, enjoin, -forbid, hamper, hide, hinder, hoard, hold, impede, inhibit, keep, malnourish, -nix, obstruct, -omit, -prohibit, proscribe, -rebuff, recall, -refuse, -reject, remove, repel, repress, reserve, resist, restrain, restrict, retain, retract, revoke, skimp, spike, -spurn, stall, starve, steal, stiff, stint, stymie, suppress, trickle, -veto, withdraw (≠ accord, afford, allow, authorize, bestow, commission, comp, concede, contribute, cosset, deliver, disburse, dispense, donate, furnish, give, grant, greenlight, humor, indulge, let, license, offer, okay, outbid, outlay, overpay, overspend, pamper, patronize, pay, permit, provide, release, sanction, spare, spitball, spoil, supply, tender, tithe, treat, volunteer, vouchsafe, warrant)

  WITHSTAND (+): abide, accept, allow, battle, bear, brace, brave, brook, buck, combat, concede, condone, confront, contest, countenance, debate, defend, defy, dispute, duel, endure, experience, face, fight, -forbid, handle, harden, incur, indulge, know, oppose, outlast, overcome, permit, preserve, -rebuff, receive, regularize, repel, repulse, resist, sanction, season, -snub, stabilize, stand, stick, stomach, suffer, support, surmount, survive, sustain, swallow, sweat, take, -thwart, tolerate, traverse, violate, weather (≠ accept, accost, aid, allow, assist, -avoid, battle, budge, combat, concede, -dodge, -duck, enjoy, forfeit, -forsake, grant, gratify, help, hound, humor, indulge, mind, obey, oblige, permit, -prevent, -refuse, -reject, resist, spoil, suffer, support, surrender)

  WITNESS (←): advise, affirm, analyze, anatomize, ascertain, assess, attest, audit, authenticate, avow, backtrack, benchmark, certify, chaperone, chart, check, chronicle, clock, comb, con, conclude, confirm, connect, consider, consult, contemplate, contextualize, contrast, correlate, corroborate, criticize, critique, crosscheck, debunk, deconstruct, deduce, detect, determine, differentiate, discern, dissect, distill, document, double-check, endorse, ensure, establish, examine, explore, eye, eyeball, follow, gauge, glimpse, graph, guarantee, guesstimate, heed, inspect, investigate, judge, learn, mind, monitor, nanny, notarize, note, notice, number, numerate, observe, oversee, parse, patrol, perceive, plumb, police, prioritize, probe, proctor, profess, prove, read, reconnoiter, record, referee, reference, regard, reinforce, research, retrace, review, rifle, sample, scan, scope, scout, scrutinize, search, settle, spy, study, substantiate, supervise, support, surveil, survey, suss, test, testify, trace, track, validate, verify, vet, view, vindicate, visit, vivisect, warrant, watch (≠ -abandon, baffle, believe, bewilder, -blank, blind, blindfold, bury, challenge, conceal, confound, confuse, contest, contradict, cross-examine, debate, deceive, defraud, -deny, disavow, disbelieve, disclaim, -discount, discredit, disguise, disprove, dispute, -disregard, distrust, doubt, erase, expunge, fake, fancy, forget, fudge, gainsay, grill, half-ass, hide, -ignore, imagine, invalidate, lose, mask, mislead, miss, mistake, muddle, mystify, -neglect, obfuscate, obliterate, obscure, -omit, oppose, -overlook, perplex, pretend, puzzle, question, rebut, refute, -reject, scam, scruple, skim, skip, suspect, trick, warn, wonder) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  WOLF (←): bolt, consume, cram, demolish, devour, eat, finish, gobble, gorge, gulp, guzzle, ingest, inhale, overeat, pack, ravage, raven, scarf, slop, slosh, stuff, swallow, swill (≠ -avoid, concoct, cook, -decline, hunt, nibble, peck, pick, prepare, -refuse, -reject, skip, spew, spit, splutter, vomit)

  WONDER (+): admire, anticipate, assume, attribute, await, believe, conceive, conclude, conjecture, consider, deduce, disbelieve, distrust, doubt, dread, dream, estimate, evaluate, examine, guess, infer, judge, mistrust, mull, ponder, presume, project, puzzle, query, question, rationalize, reckon, scruple, suppose, surmise, survey, suspect, theorize, think, weigh (≠ adjudge, affirm, anticipate, ascertain, assert, assume, assure, await, believe, corroborate, demonstrate, detect, determine, discern, discover, document, establish, expect, explain, guarantee, insist, insure, know, learn, orient, presume, prove, substantiate, validate, verify, warrant) (¿) ABSTRACTION ALERT. Concrete goals essential!

  WOO (←): attract, beg, beguile, bewitch, cajole, captivate, charm, chase, coax, court, cuddle, cultivate, date, encourage, entice, entreat, escort, flannel, flatter, gratify, hunt, importune, ingratiate, invite, magnetize, please, praise, propose, provoke, pursue, romance, schmooze, search, seduce, seek, serenade, solicit, sway, sweet-talk, tantalize, target, tempt, welcome, win, wow (≠ abuse, alienate, annoy, assault, attack, -avoid, bore, brutalize, chastise, chide, -cut, daunt, -despise, discourage, disgust, disrespect, dissuade, -elude, -ignore, insult, irk, irritate, lesson, menace, nauseate, -neglect, offend, -omit, oppose, -ostracize, -overlook, pass, punish, rebuke, -refuse, -reject, repel, repulse, -scorn, -shun, sicken, -snub, -spurn, terrorize, threaten, troll)

  WORK (→): arrange, command, control, cultivate, dial, direc
t, drive, engineer, execute, farm, fashion, form, guide, handle, influence, man, manage, maneuver, manipulate, model, mold, operate, perform, pilot, ply, process, run, sculpt, shape, shift, steer, use, wield (≠ -abandon, botch, bungle, -disregard, flub, flunk, fumble, half-ass, -neglect, -omit, -overlook, -shirk, spoil)

  WORK (+): advance, beget, begin, breed, bring, catalyze, concoct, create, cultivate, decide, determine, develop, effect, effectuate, enact, encourage, engender, establish, father, forward, foster, found, further, generate, hatch, inaugurate, induce, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, invoke, launch, make, nourish, nurture, pioneer, produce, promote, prompt, render, set, sire, spawn, start, yield (≠ abolish, arrest, check, control, crush, curb, dampen, demolish, destroy, exterminate, extinguish, hamper, impede, inhibit, limit, liquidate, -prevent, quash, quell, quench, repress, restrain, restrict, retard, smother, squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress)

  WORK (/): abuse, arrange, beguile, bilk, bleed, bluff, buffalo, bullshit, cadge, cheat, chisel, commercialize, commodify, con, contrive, convince, cozen, deceive, defraud, delude, devise, dupe, engineer, exploit, finagle, finesse, fleece, fool, gazump, gull, gyp, hoax, hocus-pocus, hoodwink, hustle, impose, inveigle, jockey, kid, leverage, maneuver, manipulate, mastermind, milk, mistreat, misuse, outsmart, outthink, outwit, overcharge, play, prostitute, schnorr, shanghai, skin, snooker, snow, soak, stick, stiff, sucker, swindle, trick, use (≠ accuse, confess, defend, discredit, expose, guard, honor, maintain, protect, provide, repay, respect, restore, save, secure, shame, support)