Term
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Definition
v. make numb; stun; amaze.
Laura refused to take sleeping pills or any other medicine that might __________ her.
Synonyms: dull, blunt, hebetate, daze, bedaze, bemuse, benumb, paralyze, petrify, stun
Antonyms: none |
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Term
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Definition
adj. brief; terse; compact.
His remarks are always ___________ and pointed.
Synonyms: concise, breviloquent, compendiary, compendious, curt, laconic, short, summary
Antonyms: discursive |
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Term
superfluous
(suh-PER-floo-us) |
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Definition
adj. excessive; overabundant; unnecessary.
Please try not to include so many _______________ details in your report; just give me the bare facts.
Synonyms: de trop, excess, extra, recrementitious, spare, superfluent, supernumerary, surplus, uncessessary, unwanted, gratuitous, supererogatory
Antonyms: deficient, crictical, crucial, imperative, essential, fundamental, vital |
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Term
surreptitious
(suh-rep-TI-shuhs) |
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Definition
adj. secret.
News of their ________________ meeting gradually leaked out.
Synonyms: clandestine, covert, furtive, hole-and-corner, hush-hush, stealthy, sub-rosa, undercover, under-the-table
Antonyms: brazen |
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Term
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Definition
n. servile flatterer.
The king believed the flattery of his ________________ and refused to listen to warnings.
Synonyms: apple-polisher, bootlick, brownnose, clawback, minion, toad, yes-man, slave, lackey, lickspit
Antonyms: none |
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Term
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Definition
adj. concise; abrupt; pithy.
I admire his _________ style of writing; he comes directly to the point.
Synonyms: breviloquent, brief, compendiary, compendious, curt, laconic, short, succinct, summary
Antonyms: circuitous; pleonastic, redundant, repetitious |
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Term
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Definition
adj. dormant, dull; lethargic.
The ________ bear had just come out of his cave after his long hibernation.
Synonyms: comatose, dopey, heavy, hebetudinous, sluggish, slumberous, stupid
Antonyms: active, lively, frisky, sprightly, vigourous, fast |
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Term
trepidation
(treh-pi-DAY-shuhn) |
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Definition
n. fear; trembling agitation.
We must face the enemy without ______________ if we are to win this battle.
Synonyms: alarm, consternation, dismay, dread, fright, horror, panic, terror, trepidity
Antonyms: unapprehensiveness |
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Term
turbulence
(TUR-beu-lehns) |
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Definition
n. state of violent agitation.
We were frightened by the ____________ of the ocean during the storm.
Synonyms: commotion, agitation, confusion, dither, flap, lather, pother, stew, tumult, turmoil
Antonyms: calmness, composure, placidity, quiet |
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Term
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Definition
adj. disheveled; with uncared-for appearance.
The beggar was dirty and ___________.
Synonyms: slovenly, ill-kempt, messy, slipshod, sloppy, uncombed, unfastidious, unneat, untidy
Antonyms: kempt |
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Term
unobtrusive
(un-ob-TROO-siv) |
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Definition
adj. inconspicuous; not blatant.
The agents in charge of protecting the president tried to be as _______________ as possible.
Synonyms: quiet, inobtrusive, restrained, subdued, tasteful, tasty
Antonyms: obtrusive |
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Term
vacillation
(vas-i-LAY-shun) |
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Definition
n. fluctuation; wavering.
His _______________ annoyed all of us who had to wait until he made his decision.
Synonyms: hesitation, hesitancy, indecision, indecisiveness, irresolution, shilly-shally, to-and-fro, wavering
Antonyms: none |
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Term
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Definition
v. revere.
In China, the people _____________ their ancestors.
Synonyms: adore, reverence, worship, honor, idolize
Antonyms: none |
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Term
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Definition
adj. capable of maintaining life.
The infant, though prematurely born, is ________ and has a good chance to survive.
Synonyms: possible, doable, feasible, practicable, workable
Antonyms: none |
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Term
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Definition
v. slander.
She is a liar and is always trying to _________ my reputation.
Synonyms: malign, asperse, calumniate, defame, denigrate, libel, tear down, traduce, villainize
Antonyms: eulogize, commend, compliment, exalt, celebrate, glorify |
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Term
virtuoso
(ver-choo-OH-soh) |
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Definition
n. highly skilled artist.
Heifetz is a violin ___________.
Synonyms: expert, artist, artiste, authority, dabster, master, past master, professional, whiz, wizard, musician
Antonyms: none |
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Term
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Definition
adj. extremely poisonous.
The virus is highly _____________ and had made many of us ill for days.
Synonyms: mephitic, poison, toxic, toxicant, venomous, malign
Antonyms: none |
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Term
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Definition
n. fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal.
It is good to have a few __________ in our group because thier enthusiasm is contagious.
Synonyms: enthusiast, bigot, bug, fanatic, fiend, freak, maniac, nut
Antonyms: none |
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