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1. abreast
(adverb, adjective)
DEFINITION
(adv.) alongside each other, moving in one direction; (adj.) well informed, up to date on a subject
SYNONYMS
alongside, aligned, adjacent, informed, apprised
ANTONYMS
unaware, uninformed
USAGE EXAMPLES
Keeping abreast of developments in the crisis allowed the Police Chief to act appropriately when the opportunity arose. (informed, up to date)
With so many news web sites on the internet, it is much easier to keep abreast of current events. (apprised)
2. benchmark
(noun)
DEFINITION
1. a standard used to evaluate similar things; 2. a point of reference
SYNONYMS
standard, criterion, touchstone, measure, reference point, yard stick, baseline
USAGE EXAMPLES
Sara’s work on the project set a new benchmark for us all. (standard)
Many people look to their role models as benchmarks for their own success. (reference points, touchstones)
3. capitalize
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to benefit from or take advantage of something; 2. to finance something; 3. to exchange debt for stock; 4. to write in capital letters
SYNONYMS
benefit, profit, exploit, finance, bankroll
USAGE EXAMPLES
I’m capitalizing on my company’s great benefits package by investing in the 401k plan. (taking advantage of, benefiting)
Most investors are weary of companies that have an excessively high market capitalization. (valuation)
4. caveat
(noun)
DEFINITION
1. a warning against certain acts; 2. in law, an official request to a court not to proceed with a case without notice to the person making the request
SYNONYMS
caution, warning, admonition, sign, condition
USAGE EXAMPLES
Holding out for a higher salary before accepting a job offer has one major caveat: someone else might get the job instead. (caution)
My office distributed a memo with a caveat against using the fax machine for personal business. (warning)
5. command
(noun, verb)
DEFINITION
(n.) 1. an order; 2. control over somebody or something; 3. in-depth knowledge or great skill (especiallywith a language);
(v.) 1. to give an order; 2. to have authority or control over someone or something; 3. to demand or be entitled to something; 4. to look over something (such as a view)
SYNONYMS
(n.) order, demand, rule, mandate, request, instruction, authority, power, do
mination, understanding, knowledge, grasp, mastery, (v.) tell, direct, require, overlook
ANTONYMS
(n.) incertitude, (v.) follow, obey, comply
USAGE EXAMPLES
The officer was given a command, and he followed it. (order, demand)
His complete command over his staff comes from his ability to use authority in a respectful, not domineering, manner. (authority, power)
6. compartmentalize
(verb)
DEFINITION
to separate or organize into categories or compartments
SYNONYMS
separate, organize, partition, isolate, assign
ANTONYMS
bundle, unify
USAGE EXAMPLES
Good leaders are able to review several critical issues and compartmentalize each one without being overwhelmed or distracted. (separate, organize)
I know you have a lot on your plate, so you should compartmentalize each project and derive a systematic approach to completing each one. (separate, isolate)
7. context
(noun)
DEFINITION
1. a set of facts and circumstances pertaining to a situation or event; 2. the linguistic sense of a word that helps explain its meaning — the words before and after the word in question
SYNONYMS
circumstance, timing, locale, environment, setting
USAGE EXAMPLES
I know you think that my comments were meant to be critical, but you heard them out of context, and you don’t know the full story behind what I said. (circumstance, setting)
It’s important to use vocabulary words in the proper context, because a word’s usage doesn’t always correspond to its literal meaning. (setting)
8. crux
(noun )
DEFINITION
1. an essential point requiring resolution (in an argument); 2. a main or central feature
SYNONYMS
basis, essence, gist, core, point
ANTONYMS
sidebar, add-on
USAGE EXAMPLES
While she has made many good points which may be debated later, the crux of the Senator’s argument is that taxes should be lowered for middle-income taxpayers. (gist, point)
The crux of the problem is that our experiments simply don’t seem to prove our theory. (basis, most important aspect)
9. demographic
(noun, adjective)
DEFINITION
(n.) a statistic, like sex, age, or income, that characterizes human populations; (adj.) relating to demography
SYNONYMS
(n.) characteristic, statistic (with regard to population), group
ANTONYMS
psychographic
USAGE EXAMPLES
Our target demographic for this product is active females between the ages of 17 and 25. (characteristic, group)
The geographic segment is the Southern United States, and the demographic segment is farmers between the ages of 35 and 60. (statistic, characteristic)
10. dictate
(verb, noun)
DEFINITION
(v.) 1. to give orders or demands with authority; 2. to speak into a tape recorder for later transcription of the text or to speak text to somebody writing it down; (n.) 1. guiding principals that govern how you behave; 2. an order telling people what they must do.
SYNONYMS
(v.) state, order, command, direct, instruct, (n.) principal, guideline, directive, mandate
ANTONYMS
(v.) request, ask
USAGE EXAMPLES
Devout Catholics follow the dictates handed down by the Vatican. (guiding principals)
I had to dictate letters and e-mails to my assistant while my arm was in a cast, and I couldn’t type myself. (speak aloud)
11. expenditure
(noun)
DEFINITION
1. the act of spending money;
2. money spent; 3. the consuming or using up of something
SYNONYMS
expense, cost, investment, consumption, use
USAGE EXAMPLES
It’s true that we should avoid any unnecessary expenses, but we will incur some unavoidable expenditures in order to get this business off the ground. (expenses, costs)
Our monthly expenditures are exceeding our budget, so we’ll have to make some cutbacks. (expenses, costs)
12. impress
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to cause positive admiration or respect; 2. to fix ideas or facts deeply in the mind
SYNONYMS
affect, move, instill, influence, imprint, strike, engrave, persuade, amaze, dazzle
USAGE EXAMPLES
My sales manager impressed upon me the importance of closing the deal. (instilled, imprinted)
The chief of police will try to impress the urgency of the situation upon the officers. (affect, instill)
13. esteem
(v.) 1. to respect; (n) 1. respect for someone
SYNONYMS
(v.) value, appreciate, respect, regard, (n.) admiration, high-regard, respect
ANTONYMS
(v.) disrespect, disparage, (n.) disdain, contempt, irreverence
USAGE EXAMPLES
Although I esteem your opinion, I am afraid that I do not agree with you. (respect)
After the teachers went on strike, there was a drop in the esteem that people had for teachers. (respect, admiration)
14. exact
(verb, adjective)
DEFINITION
(v.) to demand and obtain something often through force or threats; (adj.) correct or precise in quantity
SYNONYMS
(v.) demand, obtain, take, extort, (adj.) precise, accurate, correct
ANTONYMS
(v.) provide, ask, (adje.) inaccurate, wrong, incorrect
USAGE EXAMPLES
Plastic surgery exacts tremendous skill and dexterity. (demands)
I will do you this favor, but I am going to exact a big favor in return. (demand, obtain)
15. disposition
(noun)
DEFINITION
1. personality or temperament, including a person’s typical mood and attitude; 2. a natural tendency; 3. arrangement, organization, or control; 4. a settlement or resolution
SYNONYMS
personality, temperament, temper, character, settlement, nature, tendency, inclination, arrangement, control
USAGE EXAMPLES
Few things could upset Mary’s cheerful disposition. (character, personality, mood)
Harry has a well-known disposition for getting himself into trouble. (tendency, inclination)
16. falter
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to lose effectiveness, confidence, or ability; 2. to stumble; 3. to speak haltingly
SYNONYMS
stumble, waver, vacillate, hesitate, stammer
ANTONYMS
steady, persist, hold [strong] USAGE EXAMPLES
Her voice faltered as she tried to confess through her tears. (wavered)
She was resolute, and nothing could cause her to falter from her commitment. (waver)
17. harness
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to control and direct something for a purpose; 2. to keep something in check; 3. to put a harness (straps) on an animal
SYNONYMS
tame, control, reign in, subdue, suppress, restrain, yoke, hitch
USAGE EXAMPLES
You’ve got to find a way to harness your temper, because you can’t go flying off the handle in meetings the way you have been. (control, suppress)
We harnessed our joint resources to create a truly innovative product. (reigned in)
18. induce
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to cause or produce; 2. to influence or persuade; 3. to reason and make a statement based on observation and fact
SYNONYMS
persuade, influence, move, impel, cause, produce, stimulate, incite
ANTONYMS
repress, hinder, prevent
USAGE EXAMPLES
If you weren’t already planning to enter the contest, the prize money is sure to induce you. (persuade)
He is a true hero; whenever he sees injustice, he is induced to action. (impelled, moved)
19. allot
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to give out in small portions; 2. to allow to have
SYNONYMS
allocate, apportion, dispense, distribute, dole out, give out
ANTONYMS
withhold, keep, retain
USAGE EXAMPLES
Each candidate was allotted five minutes for his speech and three minutes for a rebuttal. (apportioned, given)
The bus driver allotted all of the front seats to the best-behaved children. (gave out, allocated)
20. contrive
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to accomplish something by being clever and creative; 2. to make or invent something clever; 3. to create a plan or scheme
SYNONYMS
devise, concoct, formulate, design, invent, engineer, manipulate, scheme
ANTONYMS
chance, hazard, destroy
USAGE EXAMPLES
We should contrive a new plan of action, since the old one doesn’t seem to be working. (devise)
The Internet craze produced a slew of contrived dot-com businesses. (concocted)
21. incur
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to experience something unpleasant; 2. to become burdened with something, such as a debt
SYNONYMS
sustain, encounter, experience
ANTONYMS
avoid, elude, evade, escape
USAGE EXAMPLES
They had to incur penalty fees because they sent the payment in late. (sustain)
If we don’t find a way to cut operating costs, we will incur significant losses. (experience)
22. mull
(verb)
DEFINITION
to reflect deeply on a subject
SYNONYMS
ponder, reflect, meditate, think, weigh
USAGE EXAMPLES
Before choosing a final candidate for the position, he mulled over the list of interviewees. (thought, reflected)
Rumor has it, the retired athlete is mulling a return to the NBA. (pondering, thinking over)
23. savvy
(adjective, noun)
DEFINITION
(adj.) 1. sophisticated and intuitive; 2. having practical knowledge and ability; (n.) keen understanding
SYNONYMS
(adj.) resourceful, astute, sharp, shrewd, informed, experienced, (n.) understanding, discernment
ANTONYMS
(adj.) stupid, uninformed, obtuse
USAGE EXAMPLES
It is not enough to create a wonderful product; an entrepreneur must have business savvy as well. (understanding, intelligence)
The art center’s new controller displayed her financial savvy by correcting the budget deficit within her first year. (understanding, shrewdness)
24. streamline
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to make more economical or efficient; 2. to make something more contoured so that it may move more fluidly through air or water
SYNONYMS
improve, organize, simplify, modernize, contour, shape, smooth
ANTONYMS
complicate
USAGE EXAMPLES
A major goal of the review process is to help streamline operations, which should, in turn, boost profits. (modernize, simplify, improve)
When aircraft designers aim to streamline their planes, they are striving for a model that creates less air resistance, thereby lowering fuel consumption. (contour, improve)
25. subjective
(adjective)
DEFINITION
1. modified by individual bias, rather than based on facts; 2. based on views, experience, or background particular to a givenperson; 3. existing only in the mind and not independently of it.
SYNONYMS
prejudiced, personal, arbitrary, biased, individual
ANTONYMS
objective, non-subjective
USAGE EXAMPLES
My subjective evaluation of the situation calls for an outside point of view, for balance.(personal, biased)
His brother did not testify due to his highly subjective point of view. (prejudiced, biased, arbitrary)
26. systematically
(adverb)
DEFINITION
done in a consistent and systematic manner
SYNONYMS
orderly, methodically, consistently
ANTONYMS
randomly
USAGE EXAMPLES
After being systematically passed up for a promotion 3 years in a row, Mike finally quit his job. (consistently)
We’ll have to systematically go through our old invoices to find the billing discrepancy. (orderly, methodically)
27. devise
(verb)
DEFINITION
to create, invent or creatively think up an idea or plan
SYNONYMS
plan, arrange, design, invent, dream up, concoct, plot, collude, conspire
USAGE EXAMPLES
Last night I devised a plan to help turn this company around. (created, invented)
My assistant is devising the agenda for our next board meeting. (creating)
28. foremost
(adjective)
DEFINITION
1. the most important; 2. before all else
SYNONYMS
first, highest, leading, chief, principle, best, prominent, predominant
ANTONYMS
last, behind, unimportant
USAGE EXAMPLES
First and foremost, we will try to have fun, but our secondary goal is winning. (most important, mostprominently)
Professor Jackson was the university’s foremost expert in the field of biology. (prominent, best)
29. incentive
(noun)
DEFINITION
something that encourages action
SYNONYMS
inducement, enticement, instigation, stimulus, motivation, impetus, encouragement, inspiration
USAGE EXAMPLES
The promise of a promotion and raise gave her the incentive she needed to bring in more sales. (stimulus, motive)
Newly single, he suddenly had incentive to begin a self-improvement program. (motive, inspiration)
30. novel
(adjective)
DEFINITION
new and original
SYNONYMS
new, original, innovative, unprecedented, unusual
ANTONYMS
old, outdated, antiquated, obsolete
USAGE EXAMPLES
His novel ideas helped turn the company in a new, more successful direction. (new, original)
He came up with a novel solution that was the first of its kind. (new, unprecedented)
31. onus
(noun)
DEFINITION
1. burden, duty, or responsibility; 2. the blame for something; 3. burden of proof
SYNONYMS
burden, responsibility, load, obligation, duty, blame, stigma
ANTONYMS
acclaim, commendation
USAGE EXAMPLES
When the economy is in a recession, many believe the onus is on the President and Congress to pull the country out of it. (burden, obligation)
He’ll always bear the onus of having made bad investment decisions and losing most of the family’s retirement savings. (blame, responsibility)
32. opportune
(adjective)
DEFINITION
suitable for a purpose or occurring at the right time
SYNONYMS
appropriate, fitting, apt, auspicious, fortuitous, timely, fortunate
ANTONYMS
inopportune
USAGE EXAMPLES
The family dinner was an opportune time for the young couple to announce their engagement. (appropriate)
Our morning meeting will provide an opportune time to discuss our strategic plan. (convenient, apt)
33. overt
(adjective)
DEFINITION
open to view, not hidden
SYNONYMS
open, apparent, obvious, unconcealed, clear, evident, manifest, palpable
ANTONYMS
hidden, concealed, covert
USAGE EXAMPLES
Although he didn’t criticize me overtly, I could tell that he wasn’t happy with my job performance. (obviously, openly)
In an overt show of support, the President met publicly with the candidate he hoped would succeed him. (unconcealed, clear)
34. preface
(noun, verb)
DEFINITION
(n.) an introduction at the beginning of a book; (v.) to begin with a preface or introduction before presenting your main point
SYNONYMS
(n.) introduction, foreword, prologue, (v.) introduce, begin, open
ANTONYMS
(n.) epilogue, postscript, addendum, closing, conclusion, (v.) close, conclude
USAGE EXAMPLES
I love his books because they are immediately engaging, right from the preface. (introduction, prologue)
The world hopes that talks in the Middle East will be a preface to peace. (introduction, beginning, prologue)
35. remit
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to send or dispatch a payment; 2. to cancel or hold back from enforcing something; 3. to reduce the intensity of something (for instance, pain); 4. to restore something; 5. to refer a case to another court (inlaw); 6. to restore something to its original condition
SYNONYMS
pay, repay, reimburse, send, dispatch, reduce, restore, postpone, defer, refer, revoke, nullify, invalidate
ANTONYMS
intensify, increase, persist, continue
USAGE EXAMPLES
In order to avoid any interest charges, please remit your payment by the end of the week. (send, dispatch, pay)
She remitted the fines because the payment came earlier than expected. (reduced)
36. curt
(adjective)
spoken shortly and often rudely — terse
SYNONYMS
terse, abrupt, brusque, short, blunt, rude
ANTONYMS
gracious, lengthy
USAGE EXAMPLES
We all know he is a busy man, but he still didn’t need to be so curt with his secretary when she asked him a question. (terse, abrupt)
She gave only a curt nod in reply before rushing off. (short, brusque)
37. assimilate
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to make similar, esp. by absorption into a culture or population; 2. to take into the mind or system
SYNONYMS
integrate, incorporate, absorb, adjust, acculturate, adapt, conform, acclimatize, digest, grasp
ANTONYMS
separate, misunderstand, reject
USAGE EXAMPLES
She was quick to assimilate the new information, and that was part of what made her such a valuable employee. (grasp, absorb)
The children were quicker to assimilate than their parents, adopting American dress, language, and culture with relative ease. (adapt, conform)
38. demeanor
(noun)
DEFINITION
a person’s outward behavior, manner, or appearance, especially as it reflects on mood or character
SYNONYMS
behavior, attitude, conduct, disposition, deportment
ANTONYMS
temperament
USAGE EXAMPLES
His happy and optimistic demeanor put the employees at ease. (attitude, disposition)
We guessed that his lack of friends was due to his unfriendly demeanor. (behavior, conduct)
39. egregious
(adjective)
DEFINITION
extremely and blatantly bad
SYNONYMS
blatant, flagrant, glaring, gross, rank, outrageous
ANTONYMS
good, great, nice, remarkable
USAGE EXAMPLES
It was an egregious error on his part. (unusually bad, flagrant)
That was an egregious oversight on his part and could cost our company millions. (unusually bad, blatant)
40. expatriate
(verb, noun)
DEFINITION
(v.) 1. to banish or exile someone from a country; 2. to permanently leave one’s country; (n.) an expatriated person
SYNONYMS
(v.) exile, banish, deport, withdraw, emigrate, (n.) exile, outcast, emigrant, deportee, refugee
ANTONYMS
(v.) immigrate, (n.) immigrant
USAGE EXAMPLES
Hemingway was an American expatriate who wrote of his many interesting adventures in Europe. (one who lives outside his own country)
He was tired of the regulations and taxes exacted on businesses in France, so he decided to expatriate from France to the United States. (permanently move)
41. facet
(noun)
DEFINITION
1. an aspect of something; 2. any of the faces of a cut gemstone; 3. in anatomy, any smooth flat area on a hard surface such as a bone or a tooth
SYNONYMS
aspect, phase, component, factor, side, element
ANTONYMS
whole
USAGE EXAMPLES
This is a very complex issues with many different facets. (aspects, sides)
The consultants came in and learned every facet of our business before they made any recommendations. (aspect, element)
42. incipient
(adjective)
DEFINITION
in the beginning of development or formation
SYNONYMS
nascent, initial, beginning, inchoate, budding
ANTONYMS
developed, finished
USAGE EXAMPLES
His ideas were still incipient and vague; he needed to develop them more thoroughly. (initial, inchoate)
With the economy showing incipient signs of recovery, consumers are regaining their confidence in the stock market. (initial, beginning)
43. malicious
(adjective)
DEFINITION
1. wishing to hurt others; 2. committing an act that will hurt others
SYNONYMS
hateful, spiteful, mean, wicked, depraved
ANTONYMS
benevolent, kind, caring
USAGE EXAMPLES
His malicious slandering of his co-worker was unprofessional and unseemly. (hurtful, meaning to cause harm)
I don’t think it was an accident; I think it was a malicious act intended to hurt him. (hurtful, meaning to cause harm)
44. malignant
(adjective)
DEFINITION
1. evil; 2. life-threatening
SYNONYMS
evil, hateful, spiteful, wicked, nasty, injurious, harmful
ANTONYMS
benign, kind, caring
USAGE EXAMPLES
The biopsy showed that the tumor was not malignant and was indeed benign. (life-threatening, injurious)
The dictator was an evil and malignant leader. (evil, wicked)
45. spawn
(verb, noun)
DEFINITION
(v.) to give birth or to cause something new to grow; (n.) 1. eggs of fish or amphibians, usually produced in large quantities; 2. offspring, especially when numerous
SYNONYMS
(v.) generate, produce, initiate, (n.) eggs, seed, offspring
ANTONYMS
(v.) kill, destroy, exterminate, eradicate
USAGE EXAMPLES
Male seahorses are very unique in that they keep their spawn in a special pouch in their abdomens. (eggs)
Fewer government regulation coupled with increased freedoms should spawn new start-up companies throughout India. (create, initiate, give birth to)
46. intricate
(adjective)
DEFINITION
1. highly involved or complex; 2. made up of many different parts
SYNONYMS
complex, involved, tricky, convoluted, complicated, elaborate, entangled
ANTONYMS
easy, simple
USAGE EXAMPLES
The plan was so intricate, I was sure there was an easier way to complete the project. (complex, convoluted, involved)
We can’t let him go because he is the only person who understands all the intricacies of the project. (complexities, difficulties)
47. abomination
(noun)
DEFINITION
1. something horrible or shameful; 2. intense dislike coupled with disgust; 3. an action that is vicious or vile
SYNONYMS
anathema, horror, atrocity, antipathy, revulsion, aversion, repugnance, disgust, loathing
ANTONYMS
enjoyment, delight, adoration
USAGE EXAMPLES
Randolph had always regarded Roger’s habit of lying with abomination. (aversion, disgust)
The mistreatment of children at the daycare center was an abomination. (horror, atrocity)
48. caricature
(noun)
DEFINITION
1. an extreme description or exaggeration of someone or something done for comic effect; 2. creation of such comic representations
SYNONYMS
parody, cartoon, exaggeration, spoof, burlesque
USAGE EXAMPLES
His caricatures of popular political figures always added a bit of humor to the magazine. (spoofs, exaggerations)
Saturday Night Live often uses caricature to make fun of the people on the show as well as to parody well-known figures. (parody, burlesque)
49. civil
(adjective)
DEFINITION
1. having to do with citizens or the general population; 2. activities of citizens, as opposed to church or military; 3. polite and courteous, but restrained; 4. socially acceptable, civilized; 5. relating to civil law as opposed to criminal law
SYNONYMS
public, civic, civilian, cordial, respectful, polite
ANTONYMS
uncivilized, ill-mannered
USAGE EXAMPLES
She felt that her civil rights were violated when the police officer cursed at her.(civilian, public)
It is important to be civil even to those people who may not share your point of view.(cordial, mannerly)
50. cliche
(noun)
DEFINITION
1. a trite expression or phrase; 2. an overused idea or theme
SYNONYMS
platitude, bromide, truism, saying, banality
USAGE EXAMPLES
Try as he might, the groom found it difficult to write vows that were free of cliches used by so many couples before. (commonplaces, platitudes)
I know this is a total cliche, but it’s true: my wedding day was the happiest day of my life. (banality, common statement)
51. concert
(noun)
DEFINITION
1. agreement in purpose or action; 2. a group of people or things in agreement or harmony; 3. a musical performance
SYNONYMS
agreement, unity, accord, collaboration, cooperation
ANTONYMS
disagreement, discord
USAGE EXAMPLES
All the different divisions worked in concert to provide a seamless solution. (collaboration, accord)
It was a concerted effort which had everyone working in cooperation. (cooperative, harmonious, unified)
52. condemn
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to criticize as wrong or immoral; 2. to assign guilt; 3. to determine unfit for public use; 4. to force someone or something into an undesirable circumstance
SYNONYMS
criticize, convict, sentence, doom, censure, denounce, expropriate, reprove, compel, force
ANTONYMS
laud, praise, acquit
USAGE EXAMPLES
Furious, the boss condemned his employees’ persistent handling of personal affairs on company time. (criticized, censured)
The criminal begged the court not to condemn him to prison, even though he admitted to lighting the condemned building on fire. (sentence, convict)
53. conducive
(adjective)
DEFINITION
tending to promote or encourage something to happen or exist–having the right conditions for something
SYNONYMS
favorable, contributive, leading, helpful, promotive, instrumental, expeditious
ANTONYMS
adverse, deleterious, hindering, unfavorable
USAGE EXAMPLES
Exercising before bedtime is not conducive to sound sleep. (instrumental, helpful)
The relaxed atmosphere at the office was conducive to high spirits and good morale. (promotive, contributive)
54. adhere
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to follow a rule or instructions; 2. to keep to an agreement; 3. to hold firmly to a belief, idea, or opinion; 4. to stick to the surface or an object
SYNONYMS
comply, obey, conform, heed, stick, cling to, attach, support
ANTONYMS
loosen, separate
USAGE EXAMPLES
We are being more stringent in making sure people adhere to coding standards and product check-off lists before we ship products. (conform, stick)
John forced himself to adhere to a strict diet in order to lose weight, but for most people, this type of weight loss is tough to maintain, because adherence to strict diet guidelines can be very difficult. (stick, comply)
55. adorn
(verb)
DEFINITION
to enhance or make more attractive with decoration or ornament
SYNONYMS
decorate, beautify, embellish, ornament, garnish
ANTONYMS
simplify
USAGE EXAMPLES
The beautiful, white horses were adorned with sparkling silver plumes. (decorated, beautified)
Such extravagant adornment is really not suitable for everyday wear. (ornamentation)
56. revere
(verb)
DEFINITION
to treat or regard somebody with admiration and deep respect
SYNONYMS
admire, esteem, regard, respect, venerate
ANTONYMS
disrespect, disdain, contemn
USAGE EXAMPLES
I revere doctors who donate their time and resources to help those who cannot afford medical care. (admire, respect)
The once-revered CEO lost the respect of his employees when he admitted to embezzling funds for his own profit. (admired, respected)
57. profusion
(noun)
DEFINITION
1. a lavish or extravagant amount; 2. large quantity of something
SYNONYMS
abundance, extravagance, lavishness, excess, bounty, plenty, wealth
ANTONYMS
sparseness, lack, shortage
USAGE EXAMPLES
This spring the flowers bloomed in greater profusion than in past years. (abundance)
Relieved and happy, she offered profuse thanks to the man who saved her life. (lavish, overflowing, excessive, effusive)
58. placid
(adjective)
DEFINITION
1. completely free of interruption and disturbance–calm; 2. easily satisfied
SYNONYMS
serene, calm, peaceful, tranquil, imperturbable, even-tempered, composed, halcyon
ANTONYMS
frenzied, turbulent, rough, excited, disturbed
USAGE EXAMPLES
The placid sea and the approaching storm clouds appeared to be the calm before the storm. (calm)
Her placid manner often made people think she never got angry. (even-tempered)
59. alleviate
(verb)
DEFINITION
1. to relieve or lessen; 2. to make easier
SYNONYMS
mitigate, assuage, allay, lessen, lighten, relieve, ease
ANTONYMS
aggravate, intensify, increase, augment
USAGE EXAMPLES
The medication instantly alleviated the patient’s pain. (relieved, lightened)
Jon’s weekly phone calls were able to alleviate some of his mother’s worry while he was stationed overseas. (assuage, ease)
60. ado
(noun)
DEFINITION
unnecessary fuss or excited activity over something
SYNONYMS
fuss, bustle, trouble, commotion, excitement
ANTONYMS
ease, simplicity, effortlessness
USAGE EXAMPLES
Why is everyone so upset? Don’t worry, it’s much ado about nothing. (fuss, trouble)
Weddings today are too much ado–they seem to be getting more lavish, more expensive, and more troublesome than ever before. (fuss, trouble)
