by S L Ager
3 abandon (v) leave alone or behind; desert, discard, jettison, forsake, ditch, dump. (ant) accompany, keep.
4 fend for oneself (v) look after oneself without help; hold one’s own, manage alone. (ant) be cared for.
5 consume (v) strongly affect or overwhelm with a feeling; dominate, overpower, control. (ant) abandon.
6 assemble (v) collect or gather together in one place; marshal, summon, muster, rally. (ant) disband, scatter.
7 detached (adj) disengaged or removed; separate, disconnected, isolated, dissociated. (ant) connected.
8 toil (v) work incessantly (non-stop) or extremely hard; labour, slog, strive, slave. (ant) laze, idle, relax.
9 sacrifice (v) give up something for the sake of others; surrender, forgo, forfeit, cede. (ant) keep, obtain.
10 waltz (v) dance a waltz (a type of ballroom dance); swirl, whirl, spin, twirl.
11 frivolous (adj) light-hearted and not serious; giddy, merry, playful, frolicsome. (ant) serious, sensible.
12 merriment (n) fun, gaiety and high spirits; cheer, joy, hilarity, revelry, jollity. (ant) misery, depression.
13 inch (v) move along carefully and slowly; ease, budge, edge, shuffle, creep, crawl. (ant) rush, leap.
14 prudently (adv) in a prudent (careful) way; sensibly, cautiously, wisely. (ant) imprudently, recklessly.
15 pale (v) lose colour in the face due to shock or fear; whiten, blanch, blench. (ant) colour, blush, redden.
16 knotted (adj) (of a muscle) tense and hard; tight, bunched, snarled, coiled. (ant) loose, relaxed.
17 slacken (v) become slack (loose); ease, release, relax, weaken, relent, soften. (ant) tighten, strengthen.
18 stall (v) delay or divert to put off or gain more time; hesitate, dither, equivocate, halt. (ant) advance, hurry.
19 indecision (n) inability to decide quickly; indecisiveness, hesitancy, uncertainty. (ant) decisiveness.
20 vacantly (adv) in an uninterested or inexpressive way; blankly, indifferently. (ant) animatedly, interestedly.
21 teeter (v) be unable to decide between things or actions; waver, vacillate, falter, seesaw. (ant) decide.
22 frustrated (adj) feeling upset at lack of success; annoyed, exasperated, discouraged. (ant) encouraged.
23 sizeable (adj) quite large; substantial, considerable, significant. (ant) small, insignificant, minor.
24 instantaneously (adv) in an instantaneous (sudden) way; instantly, immediately, rapidly. (ant) gradually.
25 massage (v) knead or rub with the hands; palpate, manipulate, work, press, caress, stroke.
26 slender (adj) slim and graceful; lean, willowy, trim, lithe, svelte. (ant) big, chubby, firm, heavy, plump, fat.
27 tenderly (adv) in a tender (caring) manner; lovingly, affectionately, fondly, kindly. (ant) unkindly, harshly.
28 devoted (adj) very loving or loyal; faithful, true, caring, affectionate, committed, dedicated. (ant) disloyal.
29 heir (n) someone who will succeed another and inherit rank, property or title; successor. (ant) predecessor.
30 tress (n) a long lock (a strand) of hair; curl, ringlet, wisp, mane, length.
31 tousled (adj) made untidy but in an attractive way; messy, disarrayed, ruffled, dishevelled. (ant) tidy.
32 caress (v) touch gently; stroke, brush, skim, glance, embrace, graze. (ant) beat, hit, strike.
33 ivory (adj) the creamy-white colour of ivory (tusk of an elephant); off-white, creamy, blonde.
34 robe (n) formal and grand long dress; gown, frock, costume, garb, garment.
35 dredge (v) search deeply; explore, delve, probe, comb, scrutinise. (ant) overlook.
36 tenuous (adj) (of a situation or concept) weak or slight; vague, flimsy, hazy, sketchy. (ant) substantial.
37 cooperate (v) comply with a request or requirement; agree, oblige, assist. (ant) disagree, hinder, impede.
38 divine (adj) incredibly pleasing; delightful, beautiful, ravishing, exquisite, dazzling. (ant) unsatisfactory.
39 incantation (n) the conjuration (conjuring) of a magical being or effect; spell, enchantment.
40 mirage (n) an optical illusion, unrealistic hope or wish; vision, hallucination, delusion, fantasy. (ant) reality.
41 feebly (adv) in a feeble (weak) manner; unsteadily, frailly, shakily, delicately. (ant) robustly, ably.
42 labour (v) move with difficulty; struggle, toil, strive, strain. (ant) ease.
43 disabled (adj) rendered (put) out of action; incapacitated, debilitated, immobilised, crippled. (ant) enabled.
44 mercifully (adv) fortunately; thankfully, luckily, happily. (ant) unfortunately.
45 blaze (n) an obvious outburst of something; burst, eruption, flood, surge, effusion. (ant) slump, ebb.
46 clarity (n) the quality of being clear or intelligible; sharpness, lucidity. (ant) obscurity.
47 might (n) strength, force or power; capacity, valour, potency, powerfulness, influence. (ant) weakness.
48 overthrow (v) put an end to, dispose of; beat, topple, conquer, defeat, destroy, overpower. (ant) lose to.
49 dilute (v) make weaker in force; diminish, reduce, attenuate, temper, mitigate. (ant) strengthen.
50 inferior (adj) lower in ability or quality; lesser, subordinate, poorer, substandard. (ant) superior.
51 competent (adj) capable, able and efficient (good at something); proficient, adept. (ant) incompetent.
52 smite (v) conquer or defeat; beat, destroy, overthrow, kill, quash, crush. (ant) lose to.
53 combined (adj) merged or joined, united for a common purpose; unified, consolidated. (ant) separate.
54 foil (v) prevent something from succeeding; stop, frustrate, thwart, counter, oppose. (ant) assist, aid, abet.
55 implore (v) plead or beg desperately; beseech, pray, entreat, appeal. (ant) offer.
56 warrior (n) a brave or experienced fighter; combatant, soldier, knight, defender, guardian. (ant) pacifist.
57 quell (v) suppress (put an end to) and silence; subdue, quash, crush, repress, control. (ant) incite, intensify.
58 revive (v) restore to consciousness, life or strength; revitalise, reinvigorate, stimulate. (ant) torpefy.
59 thwart (v) successfully oppose; foil, counter, ruin, stop, impede, defeat, overpower. (ant) aid, facilitate.
60 penetrate (v) go through or break into; enter, invade, infiltrate, breach, overrun, access. (ant) exit.
61 unite (v) bring together to form a whole or for a common purpose; join, unify, combine, bond. (ant) divide.
62 inflict (v) cause or impose pain or suffering; enforce, wreak, exact, perpetrate, force. (ant) relieve, remit.
63 insufficient (adj) not enough; inadequate, deficient, scarce, unsatisfactory. (ant) sufficient, adequate.
64 reject (v) refuse to agree or comply with (obey); decline, spurn, disallow, deny. (ant) accept, allow.
65 staunch (adj) loyal and committed; stalwart, faithful, devoted, steadfast, reliable. (ant) unreliable, disloyal.
66 channel (v) direct towards a specific outcome, end or object; transmit, convey, focus, guide. (ant) diverge.
67 forge (v) form or create with effort; generate, develop, organise, establish, shape. (ant) demolish, destroy.
68 dank (adj) cold and damp; musty, humid, clammy, unaired, moist, fusty, soggy, wet. (ant) warm, dry.
69 monstrous (adj) completely evil or wrong; grotesque, cruel, hideous, ghastly, horrendous. (ant) delightful.
70 ordeal (n) a prolonged and horrid experience; test, trial, tribulation, trauma, affliction, nightmare. (ant) joy.
71 subside (v) become less severe or intense; diminish, ease, abate, calm, lull, relent. (ant) increase.
72 peculiar (adj) different from normal or usual; unusual, odd, bizarre, uncanny, queer, abnormal. (ant) normal.
73 jabbering (n) quick and incomprehensible speech; prattling, babbling, gabbling, rambling. (ant) articulation.
74 unintelligible (adj) impossible to understand; incomprehensible, unfathomable. (ant) intelligible
, clear.
75 cacophony (n) an unpleasantly harsh mix of sounds; din, racket, discord, loudness, noise. (ant) harmony.
76 ruckus (n) a commotion (noisy disturbance); ruction, tumult, racket, uproar, turmoil. (ant) peace.
77 unfathomable (adj) not capable of being understood; indecipherable, inscrutable. (ant) fathomable, clear.
78 inarticulate (adj) (of words) not clearly pronounced or expressed; unintelligible. (ant) articulate, eloquent.
79 seethe (v) be filled with intense but unexpressed (not shown) anger; simmer, fume, smoulder. (ant) calm.
80 mingle (v) mix together; blend, merge, unite, join, intermingle, fuse, combine, amalgamate. (ant) separate.
81 mature (adj) fully grown or old; senior, adult, middle-aged, elderly. (ant) young, immature.
82 altercation (n) an audible (can be heard) argument; quarrel, disagreement. (ant) agreement.
83 decipher (v) succeed in understanding or identifying something; decode, decrypt. (ant) cipher.
84 persuade (v) induce to do something by asking or reasoning; coax, motivate, cajole. (ant) dissuade.
85 clamour (v) shout or utter loud cries or calls; shriek, yell, bawl, scream, roar. (ant) whisper.
86 distinctive (adj) standing out because of a specific characteristic; distinguishing, individual. (ant) common.
87 drone (n) dull or monotonous speech; murmur, monotone, mumble. (ant) lilt.
88 dispute (n) disagreement or argument; debate, altercation, controversy, clash. (ant) agreement, accord.
89 deliberate (v) engage in careful consideration; think, consider, debate, contemplate, ponder. (ant) decide.
90 erect (adj) straight or rigidly upright; vertical, perpendicular, plumb, stiff. (ant) horizontal, prone, prostrate.
91 cocky (adj) cheeky or overly bold, conceited or overconfident; arrogant, smug, brash. (ant) modest.
92 surge (v) increase suddenly and with more power; outpour, rise, gush, heave, course. (ant) decline, ebb.
93 lucidity (n) clarity (clearness) of expression; intelligibility, articulacy, logic. (ant) ambiguity.
94 ebb (v) (of a quality or emotion) gradually lessen; decrease, diminish, dwindle, wane. (ant) flow, increase.
95 flow (v) proceed or produce continuously and effortlessly; arise, ensue, continue. (ant) ebb, trickle.
96 oscillating (adj) varying (changing), swinging back and forth; vacillating, alternating, undulating.
97 riveted (adj) completely engrossed so unable to move; fascinated, enthralled, mesmerised. (ant) bored.
98 interpret (v) understand the meaning of; construe, untangle, comprehend, decipher. (ant) misinterpret.
99 verminous (adj) resembling vermin (wild animals believed by some to cause harm); rat-like, ratty.
100 immerse (v) involve oneself deeply in; absorb, engross, engage, occupy, steep. (ant) withdraw, remove.
101 scheming (n) the activity of making devious (underhand, dishonest) plans; plotting, conspiring, conniving.
102 aghast (adj) shocked or horrified; thunderstruck, astounded, stunned, appalled. (ant) unaffected.
103 profile (n) side view or outline, especially of the face; contour, shape, form, silhouette.
104 twitch (v) jerk, tremble or quiver lightly and involuntarily (without will); spasm, convulse.
105 dispose of (v) get rid of, do away with; banish, discard, throw away, ditch. (ant) retain.
106 robust (adj) healthy and strong; vigorous, tough, hardy, stout, sturdy, powerful. (ant) weak, feeble.
107 deplete (v) use up; exhaust, consume, decrease, expend, drain, lessen, diminish, sap. (ant) replenish.
108 complacently (adv) in a complacent (smug, self-satisfied) manner; arrogantly, contentedly. (ant) humbly.
109 lament (v) feel or express disappointment or regret; deplore, rue, denounce, bemoan. (ant) celebrate.
110 pulse (n) a rhythmic throbbing of pumping blood; beat, heartbeat, pounding, thump, pulsation.
111 adrenaline (n) a hormone (naturally produced chemical) that increases reaction times in the body.
112 dilate (v) become or make larger, wider or more open; expand, enlarge, increase, stretch. (ant) contract.
113 rhetorical (adj) asked for effect or to make a statement rather than get an answer.
114 indistinct (adj) not clear, sharply defined or distinguished; nebulous, vague, undistinguishable. (ant) clear.
115 ashen (adj) pale because of shock, fear or illness; wan, pasty, pallid, sallow, ghostly, ashy, grey. (ant) rosy.
116 pallor (n) a pale and unhealthy appearance; whiteness, paleness, sallowness, pastiness. (ant) rosiness.
117 grotesque (adj) ugly and distorted (out of shape); malformed, deformed, misshapen. (ant) attractive.
118 palsy (n) paralysis (unable to move), sometimes of one side of the face. (ant) mobility, sensation.
119 demurely (adv) in a demure (modest and reserved) manner; shyly, meekly, mildly, quietly. (ant) boldly.
120 placid (adj) not excited, upset or bothered; docile, tranquil, serene, composed, phlegmatic. (ant) agitated.
121 bickering (n) argument over trivial matters; squabbling, quarrelling, disagreement. (ant) agreement.
122 rivalry (n) competition for the same thing; jealousy, opposition, challenge, conflict. (ant) cooperation.
123 fierce (adj) powerful or heartfelt; intense, keen, strong, extreme, profound, deep, ardent. (ant) mild, calm.
124 bond (n) a feeling that unites (joins) people in a shared emotion; tie, link, relationship. (ant) separation.
125 kin (n) family and one’s relations; relatives, clansmen, kindred, lineage. (ant) non-relative.
126 resilient (adj) able to withstand difficulty; hardy, tough, strong, robust, resistant. (ant) defeatist, weak.
127 beady (adj) (of the eyes) small, round and gleaming, keen and observant; watchful, bright. (ant) dull.
128 scrutinise (v) look, inspect or examine closely and thoroughly; study, search, survey, analyse. (ant) glance.
129 newfound (adj) recently found, discovered or established; new, fresh, recent, novel. (ant) established, old.
130 conviction (n) a firmly held opinion or belief; confidence, sureness, certainty. (ant) doubt.
131 stupor (n) a state of near unconsciousness or unawareness; daze, torpor, blankness. (ant) consciousness.
132 incomprehensible (adj) not understandable; incoherent, inarticulate, unintelligible. (ant) comprehensible.
133 slump (v) sit, lean or fall heavily and limply; flop, sink, slouch, sag, droop, hunch. (ant) straighten, rise.
134 intimidate (v) force or frighten into submission; threaten, bully, menace, overawe. (ant) assure.
135 adopt (v) take on an attitude or position, behave in a certain way; assume, acquire, embrace. (ant) reject.
136 dignified (adj) having a serious, respectful manner; gracious, formal, noble, proper. (ant) undignified.
137 resurface (v) become evident again; return, arise, reappear, recur, repeat, rematerialise. (ant) disappear.
138 disquiet (n) an anxious or worried feeling; unease, concern, unrest, foreboding, anxiety. (ant) calmness.
139 scoff (n) an expression of mockery or derision; sneer, ridicule, jeer, taunt, scorn. (ant) praise, respect.
140 contract (v) become tighter or shorter; constrict, tense, shrink, diminish, wither. (ant) expand, grow.
141 glee (n) huge delight or gloating; smugness, pleasure, elation, euphoria, hilarity, merriment. (ant) sadness.
142 flagrantly (adv) in a flagrant (obvious and offensive) manner; deliberately, blatantly, overtly. (ant) covertly.
143 chortle (v) laugh in a loud, gleeful way; snigger, titter, cackle, snort, guffaw. (ant) cry, lament.
144 despairing (adj) losing all hope; desperate, anguished, desolate, pessimistic. (ant) hopeful, optimistic.
145 frail (adj) delicate and weak; feeble, infirm, slight, unsound, puny, fragile. (ant) robust, sturdy, strong.
146 self-righteous (adj) convinced one is overl
y righteous; smug, arrogant, haughty, supercilious. (ant) humble.
147 evaporate (v) cease to exist, melt away; vanish, end, disappear, dissolve, vaporise. (ant) appear, solidify.
