Analogous words IV Flashcards
(100 cards)
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.
