Analogous words IV Flashcards
dismal dreary bleak gloomy cheerless desolate
mean devoid of cheer or comfort.
dismal indicates extreme and utterly depressing gloominess: dismal weather.
dreary, often interchangeable with dismal, emphasizes discouragement resulting from sustained dullness or futility: a dreary job.
bleak suggests chill, dull, and barren characteristics that utterly dishearten: the bleak years of the depression.
gloomy often suggests lack of hope or promise: gloomy war news.
cheerless stresses absence of anything cheering: a drab and cheerless office.
desolate adds an element of utter remoteness or lack of human contact to any already disheartening aspect: a desolate outpost.
solitude
isolation
seclusion
mean the state of one who is alone.
solitude may imply a condition of being apart from all human beings or of being cut off by wish or circumstances from one’s usual associates: a few quiet hours of solitude.
isolation stresses detachment from others often involuntarily: the isolation of the village in winter.
seclusion suggests a shutting away or keeping apart from others often connoting deliberate withdrawal from the world or retirement to a quiet life: lived in pastoral seclusion.
eager avid keen anxious athirst
mean moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest.
eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint: eager to get started.
avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed: avid for new thrills.
keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action: keen on the latest fashions.
anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment: anxious not to make a social blunder.
athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action: athirst for adventure.
stick adhere cohere cling cleave
mean to become closely attached.
stick implies attachment by affixing or by being glued together: couldn’t get the label to stick.
adhere is often interchangeable with stick but sometimes implies a growing together: antibodies adhering to a virus.
cohere suggests a sticking together of parts so that they form a unified mass:’eggs will make the mixture cohere.
cling implies attachment by hanging on with arms or tendrils: clinging to a capsized boat.
cleave stresses strength of attachment: the wet shirt cleaved to his back.
abandon
desert
forsake
mean to leave without intending to return.
abandon suggests that the thing or person left may be helpless without protection: abandoned children.
desert implies that the object left may be weakened but not destroyed by one’s absence: a deserted town.
forsake suggests an action more likely to bring impoverishment or bereavement to that which is forsaken than its exposure to physical dangers: a forsaken lover.
intimidate cow bulldoze bully browbeat
mean to frighten into submission.
intimidate implies inducing fear or a sense of inferiority into another: intimidated by so many other bright freshmen.
cow implies reduction to a state where the spirit is broken or all courage is lost: not at all cowed by the odds against making it in show business.
bulldoze implies an intimidating or an overcoming of resistance usually by urgings, demands, or threats: bulldozed the city council into approving the plan.
bully implies intimidation through threats, insults, or aggressive behavior: bullied into giving up their lunch money.
browbeat implies a cowing through arrogant, scornful, or contemptuous treatment: browbeat the witness into a contradiction.
vicious villainous iniquitous nefarious corrupt degenerate
mean highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct.
vicious may directly oppose virtuous in implying moral depravity, or may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence: a vicious gangster.
villainous applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic: a villainous assault.
iniquitous implies absence of all signs of justice or fairness: an iniquitous system of taxation.
nefarious suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct: the nefarious rackets of organized crime.
corrupt stresses a loss of moral integrity or probity causing betrayal of principle or sworn obligations: city hall was rife with corrupt politicians.
degenerate suggests having sunk to an especially vicious or enervated condition: a degenerate regime propped up by foreign powers.
hard
difficult
arduous
mean demanding great exertion or effort.
hard implies the opposite of all that is easy: farming is hard work.
difficult implies the presence of obstacles to be surmounted or puzzles to be resolved and suggests the need of skill or courage: the difficult ascent of the mountain.
arduous stresses the need of laborious and persevering exertion: the arduous task of rebuilding.
empty vacant blank void vacuous
mean lacking contents which could or should be present.
empty suggests a complete absence of contents: an empty bucket.
vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants: a vacant apartment.
blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface: a blank wall.
void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine: a statement void of meaning.
vacuous suggests the emptiness of a vacuum and especially the lack of intelligence or significance: a vacuous facial expression.
fair just equitable impartial unbiased dispassionate objective
mean free from favor toward either or any side.
fair implies a proper balance of conflicting interests: a fair decision.
just implies an exact following of a standard of what is right and proper: a just settlement of territorial claims.
equitable implies a less rigorous standard than just and usually suggests equal treatment of all concerned: the equitable distribution of the property.
impartial stresses an absence of favor or prejudice: an impartial third party.
unbiased implies even more strongly an absence of all prejudice: your unbiased opinion.
dispassionate suggests freedom from the influence of strong feeling and often implies cool or even cold judgment: a dispassionate summation of the facts.
objective stresses a tendency to view events or persons as apart from oneself and one’s own interest or feelings: I can’t be objective about my own child.
calm tranquil serene placid peaceful
mean quiet and free from disturbance.
calm often implies a contrast with a foregoing or nearby state of agitation or violence: the protests ended, and the streets were calm again.
tranquil suggests a very deep quietude or composure: the tranquil beauty of a formal garden.
serene stresses an unclouded and lofty tranquillity: watched the sunset of a serene summer’s evening.
placid suggests an undisturbed appearance and often implies a degree of complacency: remained placid despite the criticism.
peaceful implies a state of repose in contrast with or following strife or turmoil: grown peaceful in old age.
keep retain detain withhold reserve
mean to hold in one’s possession or under one’s control.
keep may suggest a holding securely in one’s possession, custody, or control: keep this while I’m gone.
retain implies continued keeping, especially against threatened seizure or forced loss: managed to retain their dignity even in poverty.
detain suggests a delay in letting go: detained them for questioning.
withhold implies restraint in letting go or a refusal to let go: withheld information from the authorities.
reserve suggests a keeping in store for future use: reserve some of your energy for the last mile.
keep
observe
celebrate
commemorate
mean to notice or honor a day, occasion, or deed.
keep stresses the idea of not neglecting or violating: kept the Sabbath by refraining from work.
observe suggests marking the occasion by ceremonious performance: not all holidays are observed nationally.
celebrate suggests acknowledging an occasion by festivity: traditionally celebrates Thanksgiving with a huge dinner.
commemorate suggests that an occasion is marked by observances that remind one of the origin and significance of the event: commemorate Memorial Day with the laying of wreaths.
defend protect shield guard safeguard
mean to keep secure from danger or against attack.
defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack: defend the country.
protect implies the use of something (as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure: a hard hat to protect your head.
shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack: shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand.
guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger: White House entrances are well guarded.
safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger: our civil liberties must be safeguarded.
forbid
prohibit
interdict
inhibit
mean to debar one from doing something or to order that something not be done.
forbid implies that the order is from one in authority and that obedience is expected: smoking is forbidden in the building.
prohibit suggests the issuing of laws, statutes, or regulations: prohibited the sale of liquor.
interdict implies prohibition by civil or ecclesiastical authority usually for a given time or a declared purpose: practices interdicted by the church.
inhibit implies restraints or restrictions that amount to prohibitions, not only by authority but also by the exigencies of the time or situation: conditions inhibiting the growth of free trade.
shake
agitate
rock
convulse
mean to move up and down or to and fro with some violence.
shake often carries a further implication of a particular purpose: shake well before using.
agitate suggests a violent and prolonged tossing or stirring: an ocean agitated by storms.
rock suggests a swinging or swaying motion resulting from violent impact or upheaval: the whole city was rocked by the explosion.
convulse suggests a violent pulling or wrenching as of a body in a paroxysm: spectators were convulsed with laughter.
memory
remembrance
recollection
reminiscence
mean the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered.
memory applies both to the power of remembering and to what is remembered: gifted with a remarkable memory / that incident was now just a distant memory.
remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered: any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful.
recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort: after a moment’s recollection he produced the name.
reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past: my grandmother’s reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood.
tire weary fatigue exhaust jade fag
mean to make or become unable or unwilling to continue.
tire implies a draining of one’s strength or patience: the long ride tired us out.
weary stresses tiring until one is unable to endure more of the same thing: wearied of the constant arguing.
fatigue suggests great lassitude from excessive strain or undue effort: fatigued by the day’s chores.
exhaust implies complete draining of strength by hard exertion: shoveling snow exhausted him.
jade suggests the loss of all freshness and eagerness: appetites jaded by overindulgence.
fag implies a drooping with fatigue: shoppers all fagged out by the Christmas rush.
injustice
injury
wrong
grievance
mean an act that inflicts undeserved hurt.
injustice applies to any act that involves unfairness to another or violation of one’s rights: the injustices suffered by the lower classes.
injury applies in law specifically to an injustice for which one may sue to recover compensation: libel constitutes a legal injury.
wrong applies also in law to any act punishable according to the criminal code; it may apply more generally to any flagrant injustice: determined to right society’s wrongs.
grievance applies to a circumstance or condition that constitutes an injustice to the sufferer and gives just ground for complaint: a list of employee grievances.
indecorous improper unseemly unbecoming indelicate
mean not conforming to what is accepted as right, fitting, or in good taste.
indecorous suggests a violation of accepted standards of good manners: indecorous behavior.
improper applies to a broader range of transgressions of rules not only of social behavior but of ethical practice or logical procedure or prescribed method: improper use of campaign contributions.
unseemly adds a suggestion of special inappropriateness to a situation or an offensiveness to good taste: remarried with unseemly haste.
unbecoming suggests behavior or language that does not suit one’s character or status: conduct unbecoming to an officer.
indelicate implies a lack of modesty or of tact or of refined perception of feeling: indelicate expressions for bodily functions.
civil polite courteous gallant chivalrous
mean observant of the forms required by good breeding.
civil often suggests little more than the avoidance of overt rudeness: owed the questioner a civil reply.
polite commonly implies polish of speech and manners and sometimes suggests an absence of cordiality: if you can’t be pleasant, at least be polite.
courteous implies more actively considerate or dignified politeness: clerks who were unfailingly courteous to customers.
gallant and chivalrous imply courteous attentiveness especially to women.
gallant suggests spirited and dashing behavior and ornate expressions of courtesy: a gallant suitor of the old school.
chivalrous suggests high-minded and self-sacrificing behavior: a chivalrous display of duty.
lively animated vivacious sprightly gay
mean keenly alive and spirited.
lively suggests briskness, alertness, or energy: a lively debate on the issues.
animated applies to what is spirited and active: an animated discussion of current events.
vivacious suggests an activeness of gesture and wit, often playful or alluring: a vivacious party host.
sprightly suggests lightness and spirited vigor of manner or wit: a tuneful, sprightly musical.
gay stresses complete freedom from care and overflowing spirits: the gay spirit of Paris in the 1920s.
bare naked nude bald barren
mean deprived of naturally or conventionally appropriate covering.
bare implies the removal of what is additional, superfluous, ornamental, or dispensable: an apartment with bare walls.
naked suggests absence of protective or ornamental covering but may imply a state of nature, of destitution, or of defenselessness: poor half-naked children.
nude applies especially to the unclothed human figure: a nude model posing for art students.
bald implies actual or seeming absence of natural covering and may suggest a conspicuous bareness: a bald mountain peak.
barren often suggests aridity or impoverishment or sterility: barren plains.
law rule regulation precept statute ordinance canon
mean a principle governing action or procedure.
law implies imposition by a sovereign authority and the obligation of obedience on the part of all subject to that authority: obey the law.
rule applies to more restricted or specific situations: the rules of the game.
regulation implies prescription by authority in order to control an organization or system: regulations affecting nuclear power plants.
precept commonly suggests something advisory and not obligatory communicated typically through teaching: the precepts of effective writing.
statute implies a law enacted by a legislative body: a statute requiring the use of seat belts.
ordinance applies to an order governing some detail of procedure or conduct enforced by a limited authority such as a municipality: a city ordinance.
canon suggests in nonreligious use a principle or rule of behavior or procedure commonly accepted as a valid guide: the canons of good taste.
blameworthy
blamable
guilty
culpable
mean deserving reproach or punishment.
blameworthy and blamable apply to any degree of reprehensibility: conduct adjudged blameworthy / an accident for which no one is blamable.
guilty implies responsibility for or consciousness of crime, sin, or, at the least, grave error or misdoing: guilty of a breach of etiquette.
culpable is weaker than guilty and is likely to connote malfeasance or errors of ignorance, omission, or negligence: culpable neglect.
steal
pilfer
filch
purloin
mean to take from another without right or without detection.
steal may apply to any surreptitious taking of something and differs from the other terms by commonly applying to intangibles as well as material things: steal jewels / stole a look at the gifts.
pilfer implies stealing repeatedly in small amounts: pilfered from his employer.
filch adds a suggestion of snatching quickly and surreptitiously: filched an apple from the tray.
purloin stresses removing or carrying off for one’s own use or purposes: printed a purloined document.
ensure
insure
assure
secure
mean to make a thing or person sure.
ensure insure, and assure are interchangeable in many contexts where they indicate the making certain or inevitable of an outcome, but ensure may imply a virtual guarantee: the government has ensured the safety of the refugees / while
insure sometimes stresses the taking of necessary measures beforehand: careful planning should insure the success of the party / and
assure distinctively implies the removal of doubt and suspense from a person’s mind: I assure you that no harm will be done.
secure implies action taken to guard against attack or loss: sent reinforcements to secure their position.
extend
lengthen
prolong
protract
mean to draw out or add to so as to increase in length.
extend and
lengthen imply a drawing out in space or time but extend may also imply increase in width, scope, area, or range: extend a vacation / extend welfare services / lengthen a skirt / lengthen the workweek.
prolong suggests chiefly increase in duration especially beyond usual limits: prolonged illness.
protract adds to prolong implications of needlessness, vexation, or indefiniteness: protracted litigation.
mean
ignoble
abject
sordid
mean being below the normal standards of human decency and dignity.
mean suggests small-mindedness, ill temper, or cupidity: mean and petty satire.
ignoble suggests a loss or lack of some essential high quality of mind or spirit: an ignoble scramble after material possessions.
abject may imply degradation, debasement, or servility: abject poverty.
sordid is stronger than all of these in stressing physical or spiritual degradation and abjectness: a sordid story of murder and revenge.
pose air airs affectation mannerism
mean an adopted way of speaking or behaving.
pose implies an attitude deliberately assumed in order to impress others: her shyness was just a pose.
air may suggest natural acquirement through environment or way of life: a traveler’s sophisticated air.
airs always implies artificiality and pretentiousness: snobbish airs.
affectation applies to a trick of speech or behavior that strikes the observer as insincere: the posh accent is an affectation.
mannerism applies to an acquired eccentricity that has become a habit: gesturing with a cigarette was her most noticeable mannerism.
fast rapid swift fleet quick speedy hasty expeditious
mean moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity.
fast and rapid are very close in meaning, but fast applies particularly to the thing that moves: fast horses. / and
rapid to the movement itself: rapid current.
swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement: returned the ball with one swift stroke.
fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness: fleet runners.
quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time: a quick wit.
speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment: speedy delivery of mail / and may also suggest unusual velocity.
hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness: a hasty inspection.
expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment: the expeditious handling of an order.
random
haphazard
casual
mean determined by accident rather than design.
random stresses lack of definite aim, fixed goal, or regular procedure: a random selection of books.
haphazard applies to what is done without regard for regularity or fitness or ultimate consequence: a haphazard collection of rocks.
casual suggests working or acting without deliberation, intention, or purpose: a casual collector.
spoil plunder booty prize loot
mean something taken from another by force or craft.
spoil, more commonly spoils, applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or political contest: the spoils of political victory.
plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling: a bootlegger’s plunder.
booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates: thieves dividing up their booty.
prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy: the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea.
loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe: picked through the ruins for loot.
devote
dedicate
consecrate
hallow
mean to set apart for a special and often higher end.
devote is likely to imply compelling motives and often attachment to an objective: devoted his evenings to study.
dedicate implies solemn and exclusive devotion to a sacred or serious use or purpose: dedicated her life to medical research.
consecrate stresses investment with a solemn or sacred quality: consecrate a church to the worship of God.
hallow, often differing little from dedicate or consecrate, may distinctively imply an attribution of intrinsic sanctity: battlegrounds hallowed by the blood of patriots.
courage mettle spirit resolution tenacity
mean mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship.
courage implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty: the courage to support unpopular causes.
mettle suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience: a challenge that will test your mettle.
spirit also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one’s own or keep up one’s morale when opposed or threatened: her spirit was unbroken by failure.
resolution stresses firm determination to achieve one’s ends: the resolution of pioneer women.
tenacity adds to resolution implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat: held to their beliefs with great tenacity.
occurrence event incident episode circumstance
mean something that happens or takes place.
occurrence may apply to a happening without intent, volition, or plan: an encounter that was a chance occurrence.
event usually implies an occurrence of some importance and frequently one having antecedent cause: the events following the assassination.
incident suggests an occurrence of brief duration or secondary importance: a minor wartime incident.
episode stresses the distinctiveness or apartness of an incident: a brief romantic episode in a life devoted to work.
circumstance implies a specific detail attending an action or event as part of its setting or background: couldn’t recall the exact circumstances.
gracious cordial affable genial sociable
mean markedly pleasant and easy in social intercourse.
gracious implies courtesy and kindly consideration: the gracious award winner thanked her colleagues.
cordial stresses warmth and heartiness: our host was cordial as he greeted us.
affable implies easy approachability and readiness to respond pleasantly to conversation or requests or proposals: though wealthy, she was affable to all.
genial stresses cheerfulness and even joviality: a genial companion with a ready quip.
sociable suggests a genuine liking for the companionship of others: sociable people who enjoy entertaining.
deplete drain exhaust impoverish bankrupt
mean to deprive of something essential to existence or potency.
deplete implies a reduction in number or quantity so as to endanger the ability to function: depleting our natural resources.
drain implies a gradual withdrawal and ultimate deprivation of what is necessary to an existence: personal tragedy had drained him of all spirit.
exhaust stresses a complete emptying: her lecture exhausted the subject.
impoverish suggests a deprivation of something essential to richness or productiveness: impoverished soil.
bankrupt suggests impoverishment to the point of imminent collapse: war had bankrupted the nation of resources.
compare
contrast
collate
mean to set side by side in order to show differences and likenesses.
compare implies an aim of showing relative values or excellences by bringing out characteristic qualities whether similar or divergent: compared the convention facilities of the two cities.
contrast implies an emphasis on differences: contrasted the computerized system with the old filing cards.
collate implies minute and critical inspection in order to note points of agreement or divergence: data from districts around the country will be collated.
honesty
honor
integrity
probity
mean uprightness of character or action.
honesty implies a refusal to lie, steal, or deceive in any way.
honor suggests an active or anxious regard for the standards of one’s profession, calling, or position.
integrity implies trustworthiness and incorruptibility to a degree that one is incapable of being false to a trust, responsibility, or pledge.
probity implies tried and proven honesty or integrity.
