WAX = 1. to grow larger or more intense; 2. to take on a state or quality
Synonyms:grow, increase, expand, broaden, intensify, become
Antonyms:wane
Examples:- I sat on the shore and watched the waves wax and wane. - My friend started to wax philosophical after a couple glasses of wine. - As the moon waxes toward its full state, it becomes rounder each day.- Milton Friedman waxed eloquent on the subject of free enterprise.- I am always captivated to see Carl Sagan waxed eloquent about the Cosmos. âThe Cosmos is all that has ever been, all that is, and all that ever will be.â
TREPIDATION = a feeling of fear or dread about the future
Synonyms:alarm, fear, agitation, perturbation, uneasiness, consternation, dread
Antonyms:ease, calm
Examples:- Francis’s trepidation about having to deliver a speech to the company boardwas evident on her face as a small bead of sweat ran down her forehead.- Bill’s trepidation about being fired seemed unwarranted, since he was a top performer for the company.- It was John’s trepidation about flying that caused him to cancel her European vacation. - I have some trepidation about starting a new job, but once I get past my fear, I’m sure everything will be fine.
MORATORIUM = (noun) suspension of activity for an agreed amount of time.
Synonyms:suspension, freeze, halt, pause, stop, standstill
Antonyms:beginning, commencement, continuation
Examples:- The Financial Director issued a spending moratorium until the company received a second round of funding. - It’s been four years now since John self-imposed a moratorium on flying, and he still refuses to step foot in a plane.- I am all in favor for a five-year worldwide moratorium on nuclear weapons testing.- Norway is proposing a five-year moratorium on whale-hunting.
TEMPERATE = moderate or mild, not extreme, especially said of climate and behavior
Synonyms:calm, agreeable, constant, mild, moderate, even-tempered, reasonable, steady, stable, dispassionate
Antonyms:extreme, immoderate, severe, unrestrained, excessive
Examples:- I moved from the Netherlands to Cape Town because of its temperate climate. - Lisa describes herself as having a temperate personality, but most ofher friends think she is a little moody. - It is not a bad idea to exercise temperance when drinking alcohol.- Her response to the news was temperate, though I expected her to be more excited.
PURVEY = (verb) 1. to provide goods and services, especially as a business; 2. to circulate gossip or information
Synonyms:supply, provide, furnish, equip, stock, store, transfer, inform, circulate
Antonyms:hinder, impede, limit
Examples:- The Italian government purveyed blankets and water to the earthquake victims. - Lisa considered herself a purveyor of news and opinion. - This company has purveyed clothing to the armed forces for generations.- The president’s speech was intended to purvey a message of optimism.
RIVETING =arousing and holding the attention of
Synonyms:fascinating, enthralling, spellbinding, captivating
Antonyms:boring, dull, uninteresting, common
Examples:- I found the movie riveting and was on the edge of my seat the whole time.- I was riveted to the television as news of the events unfolded. - Marc’s lectures were less than riveting, and several students decided to drop the class. - The maffia trial has riveted the nation.
PATHOLOGY = (noun) 1. the scientific study of diseases; 2. a deviation from a healthy and normal condition
Synonyms:study of disease
Examples:- Ask Angela about the disease that’s killing your roses; she specialized in plant pathology in college. - Don’t believe him; he’s a pathological liar. - I decided to specialize in pathology during my medical studies because I’m fascinated with finding cures for disease.
PROBITY = (noun) unquestionable integrity and honesty
Synonyms:integrity, honor, honesty, goodness, morality, virtue, trustworthiness
Antonyms:immorality, dishonesty
Examples:- The president’s probity came into question during the scandal. - Nuns live lives of honesty and moral probity. - The company believed its management should be held to the highest standards of probity. - I would never doubt Angela’s probity; any secret you tell her is safe.
FOIL = (verb) (v.) 1. to hinder someone’s efforts or thwart a plan; 2. to enhancesomething by using contrast;(n.) 1. something that serves as a useful contrast to something else;2. thin, flexible metal, often aluminum
Synonyms:(v.) thwart, prevent, hinder, baffle, prohibit, frustrate, counter, balk, (n.) contrast, antithesis, background
Antonyms:(v.) help, aid, expedite
Examples:Lisa will not let negative people foil her plans for happiness.Arnold became a hero the day he foiled the heist. Marc’s plan to disrupt our slumber party was foiled when Joanne caught him with his squirt gun.
HARBOR = (n.) 1. a safe, protected area; 2. a port for ships; (v.) 1. toprovide shelter to a person or to a ship; 2. to hold in or thinkprivately about
Synonyms:(n.) port, refuge, shelter, sanctuary, haven, anchorage, marina, (v.) shelter, hold, protect
Antonyms:expose
Examples:- The ships in the harbor were not affected by the stormy waves further out to sea. - I hope Paul harbors no anger against me for my long delay in responding to his e-mail. - I could tell that all of the ladies harbored a little animosity toward the prettiest girl at the party.
IMPAIR = to worsen something or to make it less effective
Synonyms:weaken, damage, injure, deteriorate, reduce, lessen, diminish
Antonyms:improve
Examples:- Everyone knows that too much alcohol can impair a person’s driving ability. - My uncle is hearing-impaired, but he is excellent at reading lips.- Without glasses, his vision is seriously impaired. - A strained wrist will dramatically impair your ability to play tennis.
OASIS = (noun)1. a fertile spot in a desert or barren place; 2. a place of shelter or sanctuary
Synonyms:refuge, sanctuary, haven
Antonyms:prison
Examples:- My weekly yoga class is an oasis away from my daily stress.- Many weary travelers have stopped by the desert oasis to rest and have a drink of water. - I don’t like to have parties because my home is my oasis away from the chaos of the world.
FIDELITY = (noun) 1. faithfulness to vow, duties, obligations, or observances; 2.truthfulness and accuracy in reporting details or facts; 3. degree towhich electronic engineering accurately reproduces the sound or imageof its input signal
Synonyms: allegiance, faithfulness, loyalty,devotedness, devotion, staunchness, adherence, constancy,
Antonyms:infidelity, disloyalty, inaccuracy
Examples:- In some cases, analog recordings are of higher fidelity than digital. - It was Marc’s infidelity that ultimately ended their marriage. - One of the things I admired most about Frank was his adoration and fidelity toward his wife.
EXTROVERT =a gregarious and uninhibited person who thrives and gets their energy from socializing
Synonyms:character, sociable person
Antonyms:introvert, loner
Examples:- Cheerleading was the perfect outlet for Angela’s extroverted nature. - If you want to be in sales, you have to be an extrovert and like being around people. - His brother is shy and introverted, while he is much more of a social extrovert.
GALVANIZE = (verb)1. to stimulate a person or group into action; 2. to stimulate a partof the body with an electric shock; 3. to coat iron or steel with zincfor protection from rust and corrosion
Synonyms:rouse, stimulate, provoke, excite, coat, protect, charge
Antonyms:quiet, still
Examples:- The company SyncMyMail.com was galvanized to action when they found out their biggestcompetitor was also making a bid for the job. - The politician hoped his speech would galvanize those who were still undecided to vote for him. - CPR is more effective when an AED machine is available to galvanize the heart. - The prospect of guests always galvanizes Angela to start cleaning the house. INELUCTABLE = describes something impossible to avoid or escape
Synonyms:inescapable, unavoidable, inevitable, certain, destined, imminent
Antonyms:avoidable, escapable, uncertain
Examples:- Although Phoebe was sad about the break-up, she knew the ineluctable passage of time would heal her pain. - The phrase “what goes up must come down” describes the ineluctable law of gravity. - One often hears that the only things in life that are ineluctable are death and taxes.
NONDESCRIPT = (adjective) lacking distinctive or interesting characteristics. dull, uninteresting, or without any distinguishing characteristics
Synonyms:dull, drab, unremarkable, indistinguishable, uninteresting, common, ordinary, vague
Antonyms:vivid, interesting, unique
Examples:- It was my first job interview – so I chose to wear a fairly nondescript, black suit. - The newspaper article was largely nondescript and gave only perfunctory information. - Nobody remembered my friend John, I think it’s because he is such an ordinary, nondescript guy.
PERIPHERAL =1. on the outer edges of something; 2. related to an issue, but not of major importance to it
Synonyms:outer, marginal, borderline, exterior, side, irrelevant, minor, insignificant
Antonyms:inner, central, significant
Examples:- Bill has a tunnel vision and he can only see clearly when looking straightahead; he has lost his peripheral vision. - Whenever John is watching his favorite TV show Lost, everything else is of peripheral interest.- He’s planning on building a guest house on the periphery of his property.- Let’s stop talking about peripheral subjects and let’s focus on the key issues instead.
PROSTRATE = (adj.) 1. lying down, often on one’s face, either out of respect andsubmissiveness; 2. lying down in a horizontal position due to illnessor lack of energy; 3. physically exhausted or emotionally overwhelmed;(v.) 1. to lie down or throw oneself on the ground, especially in aworshipful manner; 2. to exhaust, either physically or emotionally
Synonyms:(adj.) prone, flat, reclining, exhausted, spent, overwhelmed, (v.) grovel, bow, lay, exhaust, overcome
Antonyms:(adj.) upright, standing
Examples:- After a long day of yard work, I was prostrate on the couch for several hours.- My sick grandma was prostrate in her hospital bed.- When the emperor walked in, all of his servants fell down to the ground prostrate. - She lay there prostrate and lifeless.
REDOLENT = 1. exuding a fragrance with qualities that remind you of something else; 2. suggesting or reminiscent of another time or place. 1. suggesting: suggestive or reminiscent of something 2. having particular smell: with a particular scent or odor 3. aromatic: with a strong pleasant aroma
Synonyms:aromatic, odorous, fragrant, smelling, evocative, reminiscent, mindful
Examples:- Angela’s perfume is redolent of our time together in Paris. - The desert air is much more redolent after a rain.- The studio of the yoga teacher was redolent with the smell of incense.
SACCHARINE = (adjective) 1 excessively sweet or sentimental. 2 too pleasant or charming, with too much feeling to be believed Synonyms:ingratiating, sweet, sugary, syrupy, sugar-coated, oversentimental, cloying
Antonyms:sour, bitter
Examples:- The actresses’ speech at the Oscars was so saccharine, I could hardly stomach it.- My girlfriend loved the movie but I thought it was ruined by its saccharine-sweet ending. - Frank was always very nice, but his sweetness sometimes bordered on saccharine.- The movie was funny, but it had a saccharine ending in which everyone lives happily ever after
PREEN = (verb) 1 (of a bird) tidy and clean its feathers with its beak. 2 devote effort to making oneself look attractive. 3 (preen oneself) congratulate or pride oneself. 1. to dress or adorn oneself with great care; 2. what birds do whenthey clean their feathers with their beaks; 3. what cats do when theygroom themselves; 4. to feel and/or act very self-satisfied andself-congratulatory. to feel very proud or satisfied with yourself because of an action or quality:
Synonyms:groom, primp, dress, adorn, spruce, gloat, self-congratulating
Examples:- My boss thinks that people who preen themselves on a job well done are annoyingly self-satisfied and smug. - My cat sat on the windowsill preening herself for hours. - Bill sometimes preens himself on his ability to effectively deal with clients and co-workers. - The girls preened all day in preparation for prom night.- The government is publicly preening itself on the latest trade figures.
HAPLESS = (adjective) without luck, unfortunate, having, prone to, or marked by bad luckSynonyms: unlucky, unfortunateAntonyms: lucky, fortunateExamples:- The hapless wanderer could find no resting place and suffered another night in the bitter cold. - The hapless refugees were driven from their homes, families, and way of life. - Angela’s parents were the hapless victims of a fire, just after our insurance policy expired. - Because of the financial crisis, the hapless employees lost their pension and in some cases, their entire retirement.- Many children are hapless victims of this war.EXPEDITE = (verb) 1. to hasten the action or speed up the progress of something; to cause (something) to be done or progress more quickly. 2. to deal with something quickly and efficientlySynonyms: hasten, accelerate, assist, facilitate, advanceAntonyms: slow, stifleExamples:- I am really getting desperate – come on guys – is there any way that we can expedite this process so we can meet our deadline?- Marc, you are going to expedite this paperwork in order to move things along more quickly.- Ok, Martin please expedite this shipment so the customer can receive it by tomorrow morning. - There was no way to expedite the long wait at the post office.
REPULSE = (verb) 1. to drive back or repel; 2. to cause aversion or disgust; 3. to reject an approachSynonyms: repel, reject, rebuff, shun, stop, refuse, disgustAntonyms: captivate, welcomeExamples:- Now that Lisa is single again, she started dating. But on her last date she was repulsed by her date’s rude and disgusting behavior. - Since Joanne is a vegetarian, she feels repulsion when she sees other people eating meat. - The latest movie contains a repulsive scenesSPURIOUS = (adjective) 1. not valid or genuine; 2. different than what is claimed and intended to deceive, based on false reasoning or information that is not true, and therefore not to be trusted Synonyms: counterfeit, fake, phony, meretricious, substitute, artificial, imitation, illegitimate, unauthentic, deceptiveAntonyms: genuine, authentic, trueExamples:- Phil made false and spurious accusations against Paul in order to damage his reputation.- Lisa thought she had discovered an authentic Rembrandt, but it turned out to be a spurious painting.- Some of the arguments against the case of global warming are questionable and others downright spurious.
POTABLE = (adjective) suitable for drinking; (noun) a liquid, especially alcohol, that is suitable for drinkingSynonyms: (adj.) drinkable, useable, pure, fresh, uncontaminated, (n.) liquid, beverage, liquor, potion, brewAntonyms: (adj.) impotable, polluted, uncleanExamples:- After the earthquake, the tap water was not potable. - There were too many potables to choose from at the bar, and she couldn’t make a choice. - The wine was too old to be potable anymore.- The mountaineer survived 6 days on a mountain and three daysr without any potable water. - around here, the only potable water comes from wellsRESOURCEFUL = (adjective) 1. able to deal effectively with different situations; 2. having the necessary resources to adapt to different situations and effectively solve problemsSynonyms: adroit, imaginative, inventive, clever, enterprising, skilledAntonyms: dim-witted, unimaginativeExamples:- The company hired Phil because he’s very resourceful and adept at problem solving.- Phil’s boss was very impressed by the way he resourcefully handled a difficult situation and made it work to company’s advantage. - Children can be very resourceful at creating new games when left to their own imagination.
INEFFABLE = (adjective) not able to be described in words. causing so much emotion, especially pleasure, that it cannot be describeSynonyms: indescribable, inexpressible, unspeakable, incredible, unutterable, sacredAntonyms: describable, expressibleExamples:- The performance was so moving, it could only be described as ineffable. - After her team won the championship, she experienced ineffable happiness.- David Attenborough’s Planet Earth shows the ineffable beauty of our planet. - In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh was so sacred his name was ineffable. - Lisa couldn’t really describe to Marc how she feel about her mistake; her emotions were ineffable. LOLL = (verb) 1. to recline in a relaxed and lazy position; 2. to hang loosely. to lie, sit or hang down in a relaxed informal or uncontrolled waySynonyms: lounge, sprawl, loaf, loiter, languish, recline, droop, hangAntonyms: stand, moveExamples:- We decided to just loll about rather than doing any sort of formal activity. - To my best friend, vacations are meant for lolling about the pool and relaxing. - When my dog stopped playing ball and laid down in the shade with his tongue lolling out, I knew it was time to head home. - Marc was tired of the week and spent Sunday afternoon lolling and reading in his hammock.
ewag34