Abash

To embarrass

Synonyms:

Diconcert, discomfit, faze, mortify

Abate

To decrease, reduce

Synonyms:

Dwindle, ebb, recede, flag, wane

Aberration

Something different than the usual

Synonyms:

Anomaly, irregularity, abnormality, deviation

Abet

To aid, act as accomplice

Synonyms:

Help, succor, assist

Abject

Miserable, pitiful

Synonyms:

Pathetic, lamentable, sorry

Abridge

To condense, shorten

Synonyms:

abbreviate, cut, prune

Abscond

To depart secretly

Synonyms:

flee, decamp, fly, bolt

Abstemious

Marked by restraint, especially in the consumption of food or alcohol

Synonyms:

Moderate, temperate, sparing

Abstinent

Abstaining

Synonyms:

Forbearing, refraining, ascetic

Accede

To experess approval; agree to

Synonyms:

assent, acquiesce, consent, concur

Accolade

Praise, distinction

Synonyms:

Praise, acclaim, approbation, commendation, kudos

Accretion

Growth in size or increase in amount

Synonyms:

Buildup, accumulation, accural

Accure

to accumulate, grow by additions

Synonyms:

Augment, enlarge, expand, burgeon, wax

Acerbic

Bitter, sharp in taste or temper

Synonyms:

Tart, biting, caustic, cutting

Acme

Highest point, summit

Synonyms:

Apex, crown, peak, pinnacle, zenith

Acquiesce

To agree, comply quietly

Synonyms:

Accede, consent, submit

Acrid

Harsh, bitter

Synonyms:

sharp, pungent, caustic

Acrimony

Bitterness, animosity

Synonyms:

Choler, spleen, rancor, asperity, antipathy

Acumen

Sharpness of insight

Synonyms:

sagacity, discernment, shrewdness

Adage

Old saying or proverb

Synonyms:

apothem, aphorism, maxim

Admonish

To caution or reprimand

Synonyms:

reprove, chide, upbraid, berate, rebuke

Adroit

skillful, accomplished, highly competent

Synonyms:

Deft, dexterous, proficient, accomplished, adept

Adulation

High Praise

Synonyms:

Admiration, flattery, accolade

Adulterate

to corrupt or make impure

Synonyms:

contaminate, dilute

Aesthetic

Pertaining to beauty or art

Synonyms:

artistic, tasteful

Alacrity

Cheerful readiness, promptness in response

Synonyms:

celerity, promptness, dispatch, enthusiasm

Allusion

Indirect reference

Synonyms:

intimation, suggestion

Altercation

Noisy dispute

Synonyms:

argument, clash, fight, quarrel

Altruism

Unselfish concern for others' welfare

Synonyms:

benevolence, generosity, kindness

Amalgamate

To mix, combine

Synonyms:

integrate, assimilate, merge, incorporate, league

Ambivalence

Attitude of uncertainty, conflicting emotions

Synonyms:

indecision, vacillation

Ambulatory

Of, relating to, or adapted to walking, moving about from place to place

Synonyms:

itinerant, nomadic, peripatetic, roving, vagabond

Ameliorate

To make better, improve

Synonyms:

amend, better, reform

Amulet

Ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits

Synonyms:

talisman, fetish

Anachronistic

Outdated

Synonyms:

anomalous, inconsistent, inappropriate

Anathema

Ban, curse; something shunned or disliked

Synonyms:

execration; horror; abomination

Ancillary

Accessory, subordinate, helping

Synonyms:

adjunct, additional, auxillary, supplemental

Anecdote

Short, usually funny account of an event

Synonyms:

story, joke

Anomaly

Irregularity or deviation from the norm

Synonyms:

Oddity, aberration, deviance, peculiarity, abnormality

Antediluvian

Prehistoric, ancient beyond measure

Synonyms:

old, archaic, antique

Antipathy

Dislike, hostility, extreme opposition or aversion

Synonyms:

enmity, malice, antagonism

Antithesis

Exact opposite or direct contrast

Synonyms:

contrary, reverse

Apex

Highest Point, Summit

Synonyms:

acme, crown, zenity, peak, crest

Aphorism

Old saying or short, pithy statement

Synonyms:

adage, apothegm, maxim, proverb

Apocryphal

Not genuine, fictional

Synonyms:

erroneous, fictitious, fraudulent, false

Apostate

One who renounces a religious faith

Synonyms:

renegade, turncoat, deserter

Appropriate (v.)

to take possessoin of

Synonyms:

usurp, arrogate, commandeer

Aquatic

Belonging or living in water

Synonyms:

watery, maritime, pelagic

Arable

Suitable for cultivation

Synonyms:

farmable, fertile

Arcane

Secret, obscure, known only to a few

Synonyms:

esoteric, mysterious

Arch (adj.)

Mischievious, roguish

Synonyms:

impish, waggish, saucy, ironic

Archipelago

Large group of islands

Synonyms:

cluster, scattering

Arrogate

to demand, claim arrogantly

Synonyms:

appropriate, usurp, seize, commandeer, assume

Ascetic

Self-denying, abstinent, austere

Synonyms:

continent, temperate, abstemious

Ascribe

To attribute to, assign

Synonyms:

accredit, impute, refer

Ashen

Resembling ashes, deathly pale

Synonyms:

blanched, pallid, pasty, wan

Aspersion

False rumor, damaging report, slander

Synonyms:

allegation, insinuation, reproach

Assiduous

Diligent, persistent, hard-working

Synonyms:

industrious, steadfast, thorough

Assonance

Resemblance in sound, especially in vowel sounds, partial rhyme

Synonyms:

repitition, similarity, echo

Assuage

To make less severe, ease, relieve

Synonyms:

mitigate, alleviate, ease, appease, mollify

Astringent

Harsh, severe, stern

Synonyms:

sharp, bitter, caustic

Asylum

Refuge, sanctuary

Synonyms:

haven, shelter

Atrocious

Monstrous, shockingly bad, wicked

Synonyms:

horrible, appaling, deplorable, direful

Atrophy

To waste away, wither from disuse

Synonyms:

deteriorate, degenerate

Attenuate

To make thin or slender, weaken

Synonyms:

reduce, rarefy, diminish

Augury

Prophecy, prediction of events

Synonyms:

omen, auspices, portent, harbinger, presage

August

Dignified, awe-inspiring, venerable

Synonyms:

grand, majestic, admirable, awesome

Auspicous

Having favorable prospects, promising

Synonyms:

encouraging, propitious, hopeful, positive

Austere

Stern, strict, unadorned

Synonyms:

dour, bare, ascetic

Autocrat

Dictator

Synonyms:

tyrant, authoritarian, despot, totalitarian

Autonomous

Separate, independent

Synonyms:

Sovereign, self-governed, free

Avarice

Greed

Synonyms:

cupidity, rapacity

Aver

To declare to be true, affirm

Synonyms:

assert, attest

Aviary

Large enclosure housing birds

Synonyms:

birdhouse, zoo

Awry

Crooked, askew, amiss

Synonyms:

Aslant, wrong

Axiom

Premise, postulate, self-evident truth

Synonyms:

Adage, apothegm, aphorism, maxim, rule

Baleful

Harmful, with evil intentions

Synonyms:

dark, sinister

Balk

To refuse, shirk; prevent

Synonyms:

stop; check, thwart, frustrate

Banal

Trite, overly common

Synonyms:

hackneyed, shopworn, inane

Bane

Something causing death, destruction, or ruin

Synonyms:

curse, scourge, poison

Banter

Playful conversation

Synonyms:

chatter, palaver, prattle

Bastion

Fortification, stronghold

Synonyms:

bulwark, defense, haven

Bawdy

Obscene, lewd

Synonyms:

vulgar, risque', rude, coarse

Bay (v.)

To bark, especially in a deep prolonged way

Synonyms:

howl, ululate, wail, keen

Behemoth

huge creature

Synonyms:

giant, titan, monster

Belabor

To insist repeatedly or harp on

Synonyms:

dwell upon, harp upon

Bellicose

Warlike, aggressive

Synonyms:

belligerent, hostile, combative, pugnacious

Belligerent

Hostile, tending to fight

Synonyms:

bellicose, aggressive, combative, pugnacious

Benighted

Unenlightened

Synonyms:

ignorant, unschooled, illeterate

Best (v.)

To get the better of, beat

Synonyms:

defeat, trounce, vanquish, rout, worst

Bevy

group

Synonyms:

band, gang, bunch, pack, troop

Bilk

to cheat, defraud

Synonyms:

swindle, dupe, fleece

Bipedal

Two-footed

Synonyms:

upright, two-legged

Blandish

To coax with flattery

Synonyms:

Cajole, charm, seduce, wheedle

Blasphemous

cursing, profane, irreverent

Synonyms:

Sacreligious, impious

Blithe

Joyful, cheerful, or without appropriate thought

Synonyms:

glad, happy, carefree, insouciant

Boor

Crude person, one lacking manners or taste

Synonyms:

lout, clod, oad, vulgarian, yahoo

Bourgeois

Middle-class

Synonyms:

capitalist, conventional

Bovine

Cowlike, relating to cows

Synonyms:

sluggish, dull, stolid

Brazen

Bold, shameless, impudent; of or like brass

Synonyms:

audacious, brash, contumelious, insolent

Breach

act of breaking, violation

Synonyms:

gap, lapse, rift, contravention, dereliction

Broach (v.)

to mention or suggest for the first time

Synonyms:

raise, introduce, propose

Brusque

Rough and aburpt in manner

Synonyms:

blunt, curt, gruff, rude, tactless

Bucolic

Pastoral, rural

Synonyms:

rustic, country, agrarian

Burgeon

To sprout or flourish

Synonyms:

blossom, thrive, expand, grow, proliferate

Burnish

To polish, make smooth and bright

Synonyms:

shine, buff

Bustle

Commotion, energetic activity

Synonyms:

flurry, ado, tumult

Buttress (v.)

To reinforce or support

Synonyms:

bolster, brace, prop, strengthen

Cache

Hiding Place, stockpile

Synonyms:

hoard, reserve, store

Cacophony

Jarring, unpleasant noise

Synonyms:

din, clatter, racket

Cajole

To flatter, coax, persuade

Synonyms:

Blandish, wheedle

Callow

Immature, lacking sophistication

Synonyms:

ingenuous, naive, artless

Calumny

False and malicious accusation, misrepresentation, slander

Synonyms:

libel, aspersion, defamation

Canny

Smart, founded on common sense

Synonyms:

percipient, perspicacious, astute, shrewd

Canonize

To declare a person a saint, raise to highest honors

Synonyms:

exult, elevate, ennoble, glorify

Capricious

Impulsive, whimsical, without much thought

Synonyms:

erratic, fickle, flighty, inconstat, wayward

Caricature

Exaggerated portrait, cartoon

Synonyms:

Burlesque, travesty, lampoon

Carnivorous

Meat-eating

Synonyms:

Predatory, flesh-eating

Cartography

science or art of making maps

Synonyms:

charting, surveying, topography

Castigate

To punish, chastise, criticize severely

Synonyms:

discipline, lambaste