(adj.) causing irritation, harsh; grinding or wearing down;

(n.) a substance used to smooth or polish

Within every family there are some relationships that tend to be ________.

Pumice, a natural ________, is a highly porous type of glass that is produced by volcanic eruptions.

Synonyms:(adj.) chafing, grating, rasping, erosive

Antonyms: (adj.) smooth, polished, satiny, oily, unctuous

(v.) to adapt to a new climate, environment, or situation

You may find it difficult to _________ to a new school if you arrive in the middle of the year.

Synonyms: accustom, learn the ropes

(n.) the direct opposite, a sharp contrast

Discriminatory practices may be said to constitute the very __________ of our nation's democratic ideals.

Synonyms: contrary, antipode

(adj.) capable of being applied; relevant, suitable

The protection against being tried for the same crime twice is not __________ in some cases.

Synonyms: appropriate, fit, apt, apposite

Antonyms: inappropriate, unsuitable, irrelevant

(n.) something of value; a resource; an advantage

By law, an annual report must include a detailed breakdown of a company's _____ and liabilities.

Synonyms: property, possession, holding, endowment

Antonyms: drawback, handicap, liability

(v.) to attack from all sides; to surround, hem in; (adj., part.) harassed, troubled; studded (as with jewels)

Every federal administration must grapple with the economic woes that _____ the nation.

The crown worn by England's monarchs is a gorgeous object _____ with fabulous precious stones.

Synonyms: (v.) assail harass, badger, pester, torment

(adj.) emotionally hardened, unfeeling

Protesters accused the mayor of _______ indifference to the plight of the homeless.

Synonyms: insensitive, unsympathetic, thick-skinned

Antonyms: sensitive, compassionate, tenderhearted

(adj,) supernaturally perceptive; (n.) one who possesses extrasensory powers, seer

Few people are taken in by the ___________ pronouncements of fortune-tellers and mediums.

The police sometimes use ___________ to help them solve difficult missing-person cases.

Synonyms:(adj.) insightful, discerning, uncanny; (n.) visionary

Antonyms:(adj.) blind, unseeing, myopic, dense, imperceptive

(adj.) secret, concealed; underhanded

During the early stages if the American Revolution, ___________ colonial printing presses churned out quantities of anti-British propaganda.

Synonyms: covert, furtive, surreptitious, stealthy

Antonyms: open, overt, undisguised, aboveboard

(adj.) self-satisfied; overly content

__________ individuals are, by definition, overly pleased with their lot in life.

Synonyms: smug, pleased with oneself

Antonyms: discontented, chagrined

(n.) a large destructive fire

A large number of wooden structures quite literally added fuel to the _____________ that swept through San Francisco in 1906.

Synonyms: holocaust, wildfire

Antonyms: deluge, flood

(adj.) amusingly odd

The hero or heroine of a popular sitcom may be surrounded by a cast of _____ eccentrics.

Synonyms: comical, humorous, whimsical, zany

Antonyms: humorless, solemn, dour

(n.) compulsion by threat; forcible confinement

Political prisoners are sometimes subjected to a mild form of ______ called house arrest.

Synonyms: intimidation, coercion

Antonyms: persuasion, coaxing, sweet talk, cajolery

(adj., part.) in high spirits, jubilant; extremely pleased

______ fans lined the city's streets to cheer the World Series champions.

Synonyms: overjoyed, ecstatic, tickled pink

Antonyms: depressed, crestfallen, despondent, blue

(adj.) native or confined to a particular region or people; characteristic of or prevalent in a field.

Scientists have yet to identify many plant and animal species _______ to the rain forests.

Synonyms: indigenous, restricted to

Antonyms: alien, foreign, extraneous

(n.) a noisy quarrel or brawl

Do you think that the ______ on some talk shows are spontaneous or staged?

Synonyms: row, altercations, rhubarb, brouhaha

Antonyms; agreement, accord, unanimity, harmony

(adj.) not able to be erased or removed; memorable

The brutal crimes against humanity committed by Nazis left an _________ stain on the history of the twentieth century.

Synonyms: lasting, permanent, unforgettable

Antonyms: erasable, impermanent, ephemeral

(adj.) yielding to the wishes or demands of others

A heightened sense of compassion has induced the federal government to adopt a more _________ policy toward illegal aliens.

Synonyms: lenient, permissive, tolerant, liberal

Antonyms: strict, severe, inflexible, hard-nosed

(adj.) firmly established, long-standing; habitual

It has been claimed that many writers and artists have an __________ hostility to criticism.

Synonyms: persisting, chronic, dyed-in-the-wool

Antonyms: sporadic, intermittent, occasional

(adj.) generous in forgiving, above small meanness

The general's victory was so decisive that he could afford to be ___________ toward his former enemies.

Synonyms: unselfish, charitable, noble, bighearted

Antonyms: petty, selfish, unforgiving, spiteful

(v.) to have effect or force on or against someone or something, fight against

Health concerns ________ strongly against the habitual use of tobacco and alcohol.

Synonyms: counter, oppose, work against

(adj.) of or occurring in the nigh; under cover of darkness

Most _________ creatures have keen eyesight and acute hearing.

Synonyms: nighttime

Antonyms: daytime, diurnal

(adj.) ordinary, not outstanding; not easily classified

Fashion critics judged the designer's fall clothing line to be disappointingly ___________.

Synonyms: plain, unremarkable, unimpressive

Antonyms: distinctive, remarkable, vivid, preopossessing

(n.) passing off or using as one's own the writing (or other materials) of another person

Theft of an author's ideas is far more difficult to prove in court than word-for-word __________.

Synonyms: piracy, theft

(n.) a commonplace, stale, or trite remark

The sentiments expressed in most greeting cards seldom rise above the level of timeworn _________.

Synonyms: cliche, truism, bromide

Antonyms: epigram, quip, witticism, bon mot

(adj.) not inclined to speak; reserved; reluctant

She is understandably ________ about discussing her most deeply held beliefs with a group of total strangers.

Synonyms: taciturn, closemouthed, tight-lipped

Antonyms: talkative, garrulous, voluble, long-winded

(adj.) sleepy, drowsy; inducing sleep

By the end of an enormous Thanksgiving feast, most diners usually feel quite _________.

Synonyms: groggy, soporific

Antonyms: alert, lively, wide-awake, stimulating

(adj.) unspoken, silent; implied, inferred

The neighbors had a _____ understanding that they would help each other in an emergency.

Synonyms: unexpressed, unvoiced, understood, implicit

Antonyms: explicit, express, specific

(adj.) capable of being touched; real, concrete

After months of intensive negotiation, diplomats reported that they had made ________ progress toward reaching a settlement of the bitter dispute.

Synonyms: perceptible, actual, evident, palpable

Antonyms: immaterial, imperceptible, insubstantial

(adj.) lively, sprightly, full of energy

A _________ individual will certainly never lack for companions.

Synonyms: spirited, animated, ebullient

Antonyms: dull, spiritless, listless, indolent, languid

(adj.) characterized by a ready flow of words; glib, fluent

Reporters never give much credence to tips that they receive from _______ but unreliable informants, however persistant.

Synonyms: loquacious, garrulous, long-winded, prolix

Antonyms: uncommunicative, reticent, taciturn, terse

(v.) to sharpen, put an edge on; to make keen or eager

In most mystery novels, the first chapter is designed to ____ your curiosity to find out "who done it."

Synonyms: hone, excite, stimulate

Antonyms: dull, blunt, deaden, stifle, dampen

(adj.) eager, earnest, devoted

Most members of my family are _______ supporters of our local high school's basketball, baseball, and football teams.

Synonyms: ardent, fervent, devout, dogged, gung ho

Antonyms: reluctant, unwilling, averse, tepid