abate

to reduce in amount, degree, or severity

As the hurricane's force ABATED, the winds dropped and the sea became calm

abscond

to leave secretly

the patron ABSCONDED from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door

abstain

to choose not to do something

she ABSTAINED from choosing a mouthwashing dessert from the tray

abyss

an extremely deep hole

the submarine dove into the ABYSS to chart the previously unseen depths

adulterate

to make impure

the chef made his ketchip last long by ADULTERATING it with water 

advocate

to speak in favor of

the vegetarian ADVOCATED a diet containing no meat

aesthetic

concerning the appreciation of beauty

followers of the AESTHETIC movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art

aggrandize

to increase in power, influence, and reputation

the supervisor sought to AGGRANDIZE herself by claiming that the achievements of her staff were actually her own

alleviate

to make more bearable

taking aspirin helps to ALLEVIATE a headache

amalgamate

to combine; to mix together

giant industries AMALGAMATED with mega products to from giant-mega products incorporated

ambiguous

doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways

the directions she gave were so AMBIGUOUS that we disagreed on which way to turn

amerliorate

to make better; to improve

the doctor was able to AMERLIORATE the patient's suffering using painkillers

anachronism

something out of place in time

the aged hippie used ANACHORISTIC phrases like groovy and fae out that had not been popular for years.

analogous

similar or alike in some way; equivalent to

in the Newtonian construct for explaining the existence of God, the universe is ANALOGOUS to a mechanical timepiece

anomaly

deviation from what is normal

albino animals may display too great an ANOMALY in their coloring to attract normally colored mates

antagonize

to annoy or provoke to anger

the child discovered that he could ANTAGONIZE the cat by pulling its tail

antipathy

extreme dislike

apathy

lack of interest or emotion

arbitrate

to judge a dispute between two opposing parties

archaic

ancient, old fashioned

ardor

intense and passionate feeling

articulated

able to speak clearly and expressively

assuage

to make something unpleasant less severe

use aspirin to assuage a headache

attenuate

to reduce in force or degreel to weaken

audacious

fearless and daring

austere

severe or stern in appearance; undecorated

banal

predictable, cliched, boring

bolster

support, prop up

bombastic

pompous in speech and manner

cacophony

harsh, jarring noise

candid

impartial and honest in speech

capricious

changing one's mind quickly and often

castigate

to punish or criticize harshly

catalyst

something that brings about a change in something else

caustic

biting in wit

witty, clever remarks

chaos

disorder or confusion

chavinist

someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs

chicanery

deception by means of craft

salesmen use chicanery to sell old, beat up cars

cogent

convincing and well reasoned

condone

to overlook, pardon, or discharge

convoluted

intricate and complicated

corroborate

to provide supporting evidence

credulous

too trusting; gullible

cresendo

steadily increasing volume or force

catholic

broad, all inclusive

decorum

appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety

deference

respect, courtesy

deride

to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock

desiccate

to dry out thoroughly

brusque

abrupt, blunt, rought

desultory

jumping from on thing to anotherl disconnected

diatribe

an abusive, condemnatory speech

diffident

lacking self-confidence

dilate

to make larger; to expand

dilatory

intended to delay

dilettante

someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

dirge

a funeral hymn or mournful speech

disabuse

to set right; to free from error

discern

to perceive or recognize

disparate

fundamentally different; entirely unlike

dissemble

to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character

dogma

a firmly held opinion, odten a religious belief

dogmatic

dictatorial in one's opinions

dupe

to deceive; a person who is easily deceived

eclectic

made up from a variety of sources

efficacy

effectiveness

elegy

a sorrowful poem or speech

eloquent

persuasive or moving

speech

emulate

to copy

engender

to produce, cause, or bring about

enumerate

to count, list, or itemize

ephemeral

lasting a short time

equivocate

to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead

politicians

erudite

learned, scholarly, bookish

erratic

unpredictable

esoteric

unknown or understood by few

estimable

admirable

eulogy

speech in praise of someon

euphemism

use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one

exculpate

to clear from blame

prove innocent

exigent

urgent; requiring immediate action