alternate principally used as a verb meaning to switch back and forth; also used as a noun or adjective for a person or thing used as a substitute: an alternate delegate, an alternate route; or as an adjective for things that alternate: alternate numbers
alternative a noun or adjective used to mean option or choice; usually choice does a better job
ameliorate to improve: ameliorate the condition of the poor
militate to work or act (against), as of circumstances or evidence: the Dow's rise failed to militate against poverty
mitigate to lessen the severity of: mitigate the effects of hunger
amiable friendly, social, genial
amicable peaceable, inclined toward good will
amoral lacking concern about morality; operating independent of moral thoughts
immoral contradicting moral rules
appraise to estimate or set the value of: appraise the diamond
apprise to make aware of; inform: apprise him of the situation
appropriate to take or claim, possibly without authority; to reserve or designate for a purpose
expropriate to take from another; to deprive one of property
appropriate apt, fitting, condign
apropos relevant, germane, pertinent; should be followed by of, not to assent mental acceptance or approval, usually of something in the abstract or not of immediate concern to oneself; official or judicial concurrence
consent voluntary agreement or compliance with another's proposal or wish adverse negative in its impact; hostile, opposed: adverse criticism
averse disinclined towards; not attracted to: averse to taking risks
avert to turn away (something); to prevent or ward off
baleful full of malign or deadly influence; pernicious and injurious
baneful destructive, deadly
doleful full of sorrow or grief
biannual occurring twice a year
biennial occurring every two years, or lasting two years
biweekly occurring every two weeks or lasting two weeks (and so forth for other periods); to avoid confusion with semiweekly, use fortnightly
semiweekly occurring twice a week (and so with other periods)
boor someone who is rude or ill-bred, like a peasant
bore one who gives rise to boredom in others; an uninteresting person who thinks he is interesting
capital the town or city where a government conducts business
capitol the building where a legislature meets
careen lean, sway or tip to one side
career proceed at full speed
climactic deals with the climax, as in dramatic action
climatic deals with the climate, weather
cogent having the force to compel belief or assent; forcible or powerful
coherent internally consistent and hanging well together (of arguments); cohesive
cohesive sticking together (used for physical things)
collaborate to work together
corroborate to agree with
complacent indifferent; unconcerned; self-satisfied
complaisant wanting to please
complement something that completes or supplements
compliment a tribute or paean; an expression of praise
compose to make up, to be constituent in; a whole is composed of its elements
comprise to embrace, include; comprised of makes no sense; a whole comprises its elements
continual persistent and frequent, but with pauses: continual struggle
continuous ceaseless; occurring at every moment; without pause: continuous flow of water
council a committee
counsel one who advises, or the advice given credible believable: a credible source
credulous believing, perhaps to the point of gullibility: a credulous child
demur verb: to disagree
demure adj.: sober, serious and modest: demure personality
deprecate to pray (against evil or something undesirable); to plead earnestly against or to express a wish against: deprecate against snow
depreciate to criticize or belittle; to lower in value or estimation: self-depreciating humor
derisive expressing derision
derisory expressing derision or worthy of derision
discomfit to throw into confusion; thwart
discomfort lack of comfort, ease discreet prudent, sagacious, cautious, modest
discrete having defined values; noncontinuous
disinterested impartial, unbiased, dispassionate
uninterested showing no interest; unconcerned
educe to draw out something, usually something previously latent or unrealized
elicit to obtain a response by skill or effort
illicit unlawful
evince to manifest; to make evident; to prove; does not mean extract
evoke to draw out something that arouses something, such as a memory or feeling effective producing the desired result
effectual accomplishing in a decisive or pointed manner
efficacious capable of producing the desired result
efficient accomplishing with economy of resources and time
egoist one who chiefly thinks of himself to the exclusion of others; this applies more to one's thoughts
egotist one who speaks greatly of himself; devoted to self-praise; this applies to one's words and deeds amend to improve by removing errors and imperfections; to mend or repair
emend to purge of faults; to make better; used chiefly in the sense of editing text | empathy the power of projecting one's personality into (and so fully comprehending) the object of contemplation
sympathy sharing the feelings of another; inclined to ally with another; affected in the same way as another; affinity
endemic constantly or regularly found among a certain people, or in a certain region; habitually present in a certain area and due to permanent local causes
epidemic prevalent among a people or community at a certain time, and produced by a temporary condition
pandemic prevalent over a whole region or the whole world; general, universal enormity greatness in evil; outrageousness: the enormity of war
enormousness greatness of size: the enormousness of the ocean epitaph inscription on a grave
epithet a term used in place of another; a pejorative or insult equable uniform, unvarying; even-tempered
equitable fair and just
every day on each day; happening each day
everyday commonplace, ordinary
exacerbate to aggravate or worsen
exasperate to tire by irritation
exceptionable that which can be taken exception to; objectionable
exceptional exceeding the ordinary
expatiate to wander; to talk or write at great length
expiate to atone for sin
expedient useful for achieving a goal; opportune, advantageous; used as a pejorative
expeditious prompt, fast and efficient
factious composed of factions
factitious artificial; produced by human effort, rather than natural
fictive produced from the imagination; imaginary
farther deals with distance; the comparative of far
further deals with degree or extent
faze to disconcert
phase a stage of development
blatant noticeable and offensive; obstreperous and quite obvious
flagrant giving rise to shock and disbelief; done with foul intentions flounder to struggle, as against demise; to move clumsily or with difficulty
founder to sink; this is done after floundering
flaunt to show off: flaunt her body
flout to violate willingly: flout the rules
ferment to agitate, excite, stir up; to subject to physical fermentation (as dough or beer)
foment to stimulate or encourage something (idea, action, conduct); used esp. in a bad sense
forego to go before
forgo to go without; to skip
fortuitous dependent on luck (not necessarily good luck); resulting from chance
fortunate blessed with good luck frangible able to be broken; fragile
fungible interchangeable; easily substituted one for another garner to store or collect: garner accolades
garnish to decorate or add flavor: garnish the potatoes; to furnish; to confiscate: garnish wages
gourmand a glutton
gourmet an epicure or one who appreciates good food
hardy rugged, sturdy: hardy shoe sole
hearty full of heart; thus, vigorous: hearty appetite, hearty laughter
healthful promoting health
healthy in good health; exhibiting health
historic significant in history; memorable: a historic battle
historical relating to history or its study: historical society
home to proceed toward: home in on the enemy
hone sharpen, perfect: hone your speaking skills
immanent dwelling within; inherent
imminent about to happen, looming, threatening
impertinent meddling beyond one's domain; lacking respect in speech
impudent lacking shame or modesty; indelicate; forward and presumptuous
insolent disdainful; contemptuous of authority; treating superiors or equals with disrespect or offense
ineffable that which cannot be expressed in words; defying description
unspeakable too horrible to mention; nefandous ineluctable that which cannot be escaped despite struggle (implies that an attempt at avoidance might wish to be made)
inevitable inescapable, unavoidable; that which will happen regardless of any action taken ingenious marked by genius; clever
ingenuous sincere, noble, free of guile instantaneously occurring in an instant or a very short interval
instantly immediately; at once
intense extreme in degree
intensive in great detail, extent or concentration
intensely done to an extreme degree
intently done with purpose
insidious lying in wait to entrap; lochetic
invidious marked or produced by ill will, envy or hate
jocose full of jokes; given to joking; playful
jocular intended as a joke; humorous
jocund expressing mirth or cheerfulness; light-hearted | judicial having to do with judgment, esp. that of courts
judicious exercising prudence or judgment legible able to be read, in the sense of deciphered; able to be made out
readable able to be read with interest or enjoyment; worth reading
lend verb: to give money temporarily
loan this is a noun and should not be used as a verb
loath adj.: reluctant; usually used as I am loath to...
loathe to hate or despise
luxuriant having abundance; extremely fruitful
luxurious relating to opulence and extreme comfort
masterful wanting to act as the master; overbearing
masterly done in the manner of a master; expertly mendacity relating to a liar or lying
mendicity relating to beggars, or mendicants
common held by many, related to many: our common friend; ordinary; a common complaint
mutual reciprocally acting or related; done by two or more persons at a time: a mutual endeavor
nauseated afflicted with nausea: after 100 beers, I was slightly nauseated
nauseous causing nausea: a nauseous sight
official pertaining to office; having authority
officious meddlesome; interloping; seeking to help
oral relating to the mouth
verbal relating to words, written or spoken
paradigm a pattern or example
paragon a model or example of excellence
perspicacious having keen sight, discernment or understanding
perspicuous easily understood; clear
populace the people in a population: the populace of Los Angeles is growing
populous having a large population: Los Angeles is populous
practicable feasible; capable of being accomplished under current conditions; capable of being used profitably
practical useful, capable of being used; derived from practice
precipitate hurried, hasty, rash; as a verb, to cause to happen quickly
precipitous like a precipice; steep and dangerous
currently now underway
presently soon, in a moment perficient accomplishing a goal; having an effect
proficient very skilled, adept, expert
prostate a gland in male mammals
prostrate in the prone position; lying on one's front
purposefully with determination; undertaken in a serious and intent manner
purposely with purpose or design; intentionally; on purpose
ravage to destroy, pillage
ravish to plunder or rob; to overcome or overwhelm; to rape
reign to rule a kingdom: reign over England
rein the ropes that control a horse; to control by means of ropes: rein in your underlings
restive obstinate, unwilling, froward, resisting
restless uneasy, continually moving
ridiculous unworthy of serious consideration; laughable because it is not serious (pejorative)
risible able to laugh or causing laughter; does not imply contempt
secession departure from a union; separation (these were confused on the front page of The New York Times)
succession one following another
sensual carnal; dealing with the flesh and appetite
sensuous affecting the senses; relating to perception
shameful scandalous or disgraceful; this and shameless both describe objectionable behavior or people, but shameless implies no concern on the part of the actor
shameless done without thought of propriety or fear of disgrace
sinewy marked by connective tissue and muscle
sinuous having intricate turns
solicit to entreat or make an offer to
solicitous worried, anxious; very careful specious ostensibly correct but actually false or erroneous
spurious false, illegitimate, untrue
stanch to restrain, esp. blood from a wound
staunch unbending in opinion or support
stultify to prove someone mentally unsound; to make look stupid or foolish
stupefy to astonish; to make stupid or insensible (not just make it seem stupid)
prone lying on the stomach; inclined or likely
prostrate lying on the stomach as if in submission; lacking vitality or will power
supine lying on the back, face up; lazy, indolent, passive, otiose
tack the direction taken by a ship
tact good sense of what is appropriate and polite
taint to spoil or contaminate
tinge to color or tint temerity rashness, boldness, recklessness
timidity diffidence, shyness
torpid lethargic, sapped of energy; noun is torpor
torrid scorched, burned, subject to high heat turbid opaque, muddy
turgid bloated; overblown and pompous
turpid morally depraved tortuous full of twists and turns; indirect or sinuous
torturous involving torture; painful and unpleasant
venal liable to sin or bribery
venial minor in severity, as a sin |
