#  Synonyms List with Examples 

  


##  Letter A

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Abdicate** | Give Up, Renounce, Disclaim, Waive, Disown, Surrender, Yield, Relinquish, Abandon, Resign, Quit | **1.** The allowance must be made for his poor eyesight abdicated all responsibility for the care of the children.  
  
**2.** She abdicated the throne to marry a commoner.  
**Abet** | Encourage, Urge, Instigate, Incite, Provoke, Egg On, Prod, Goad; Aid, Help, Assist Countenance, Approve (Of), Support, Endorse, Second, Sanction, Condone; Further, Advance, Promote, Uphold | **1.** The jury found that his wife had abetted him in the murder  
**2.** By failing to inform on the terrorists, the neighbours abetted the bombing.  
**Abeyance** . | Pending, Reserved, In Reserve, Shelved, Pushed Or Shoved Or Shunted Aside, Postponed, Put Off, Suspended, Temporarily Inactive, Dormant; Latent, On The Shelf, On Ice, | Legal proceedings were held in abeyance so that talks could take place to reach an out-of-court settlement.  
**Abhor** | Hate, Loathe, Detest, Abominate, Execrate; Regard Or View With Horror Or Dread Or Fright Or Repugnance Or Loathing Or Disgust, Shudder At, Recoil Or Shrink From; Be Or Stand Aghast At | He said that he abhorred any violation of human rights.  
**Abode** | A Place Of Residence, Dwelling, House, Home, Domicile, Habitation, Quarters, Lodging | He abodes in a shabby place  
**Abominable** | Offensive, Repugnant, Repulsive, Vile, Monstrous, Loathsome, Odious, Execrable, Detestable, Despicable, Base, Disgusting, Nauseous, Nauseating, Foul, Abhorrent, Horrid, Deplorable: | He was accused of crimes too abominable to detail in open court.  
**Abridge** | To Shorten A Task, Reduce, Condense, Cut, Abbreviate, Cut Back, Trim, Curtail, Contract, Compress, Digest, Summarize, Epitomize, Abstract | We abridged the original edition by reducing the number of pages.  
**Abrupt** | Snappy, Hasty, Quick, Precipitate, All Of A Sudden; Unexpected, Unannounced, Unplanned, Unforeseen, Unanticipated |  The video ended in an abrupt manner  
**Abstract** | A Rough Idea,Unapplied, Notional, Ideational, Conceptual, Metaphysical, Unpractical, Intellectual | It is difficult to capture abstract ideas on paper.  
**Absurd** | Silly, Nonsensical, Senseless, Outlandish, Preposterous , Mad, Stupid, Foolish, Idiotic, Imbecile, Moronic, Childish, Laughable, Ludicrous, Inane | The notion that the moon is made of black cheese is absurd.  
**Accomplice** | Partner In Crime, Confederate, Ally, Associate, Colleague, Fellow, Henchman, Collaborator, Conspirator, Co-Conspirator, Assistant, Fellow-Criminal | The police arrested the safe-cracker and three accomplices within hours of the robbery.  
**Adept** | Very Well Versed, Extreme At Something, Proficient, Skilled, Well-Skilled, Expert, Accomplished, Skilful Or US Skilful, Adroit, Dexterous Or Dextrous, Able, Masterful, Masterly, Polished | She is an adept pianist, and her husband is adept at carpentry.  
**Adolescent** | Teenager, Youth, Juvenile, Minor, Stripling, Youngster | A group of adolescents volunteered to work at the home for the elderly.  
**Aesthete** | Connoisseur, Art-Lover, Lover Of Beauty, Aesthetician | It was the aesthetes who set the standard for the art purchased by the museum.  
**Afflict** | Affect, Bother, Distress, Oppress, Trouble, Torment | Last winter's intense cold afflicted everyone, but those in the north especially  
**Agitate** | Excite, Arouse, Rouse, Move, Perturb, Stir Up, Disquiet, Fluster, Ruffle, Rattle, Disconcert, Discomfit, Unsettle, Upset, Rock, Unnerve, Shake (Up) | Rachel was agitated to learn of the bank's threat to foreclose on the mortgage.  
**Akin** | Usually, Akin To. Related (To), Allied Or Connected Or Affiliated (To Or With), Associated (With), Germane (To), Like, Alike, Similar (To) | **1.** Desultoriness is akin to indolence.  
**2.** Their decision not to show the film smacks of something akin to censorship  
**Allege** | Declare, Aver, State, Assert, Charge, Affirm, Avow, Asseverate, Depose, Say | The guard alleged that he had caught the boy climbing in a basement window.  
**Aloof** | Apart, Away, At A Distance, Separate; At Arm's Length  
Private, Reticent, Reserved, Withdrawn, Haughty, Supercilious, Standoffish, Formal, Unsociable, Unsocial; Distant, Standoffish, Distant, Remote, Cool, Chilly, Unresponsive, Unfriendly, Antisocial, Unapproachable; Unsympathetic, Apathetic, Indifferent, Undemonstrative | **1.** She is an aloof type of person  
**2.** Robin is quite an aloof sort of person - not what you would call a 'mixer'.  
**3.** Roger keeps himself aloof from the needs of those less fortunate than he is.  
**Amendment** | Correction, Emendation, Reformation, Change, Alteration, Rectification, Repair, Reform, Improvement, Amelioration, Betterment, Enhancement | The committee approved the amendment of the constitution by the addition of the suggested paragraphs.  
**Amicable** | A Friendly Relationship, Amiable, Harmonious, Brotherly, Kind-Hearted, Cordial, To Be Polite, Being Pleasant, Peaceful | Both of them have amicable relations.  
**Allowance** | Permission, Toleration, Tolerance, Sufferance, Admission, Concession, Sanction; Allowing, Permitting, Tolerating, Suffering, Sanctioning, Brooking, Countenancing Payment, Recompense, Remuneration, Reimbursement, Remittance, Stipend, Dole, Pin Or Pocket, Money, Quota, Ration; Pension, Annuity, Allocation Deduction, Discount, Reduction, Rebate; Credit; Tret; Tare | **1.** There were many causes of difference between them, the chief being the allowance of slavery in the south.  
**2.** Allowance will be made for all reasonable expenses.  
Bill gets a liberal weekly allowance for expenses. **3.** You must make allowance for the weight of the crate.  
**4.** Allowance must be made for his poor eyesight  
  
  


##  Letter B

**Word** | Synonyms | Example  
---|---|---  
**Bias** | To Be Inclined Towards, Propensity, Partiality, Inclination, Leaning, Bent, Disposition, Tendency, Predilection, Predisposition, Prejudice | She shows a marked bias in favour of the Irish.   
**Bicker** | Dispute, Quarrel, Wrangle, Argue, Squabble, Tiff | The couple next door are always bickering about trifling matters  
**Bigotry** | Prejudice, Intolerance, Bias, Partiality | No government that practises bigotry can survive long.  
**Bigwig** | Boss, Kingpin, King, Queen, Nabob, VIP, Big-Shot, Big Gun, Big Cheese, Big Wheel, Hotshot, Chief, Brass Hat | The bigwig sits here, at the head of the table.  
**Bilious** | Bad-Tempered, Ill-Natured, Peevish, Testy, Cross, Choleric, Angry, Wrathful | The director was absolutely bilious when he heard we had lost the account.  
**Bizarre** | Unusual, Unconventional, Whimsical, Strange, Odd, Curious, Peculiar, Queer, Fantastic, Weird, Deviant | The police thought his behaviour somewhat bizarre and invited him down to the station for questioning.  
**Blab** | Broadcast, Tattle, Babble, Betray, Reveal, Disclose, Divulge, Expose | Don't tell Frieda - she'll blab your secrets all over town.  
**Bland** | Being Gentle, Comforting, Soothing, Smooth, Mild, Cool, Calm, Composed, Unemotional, Nonchalant | His reaction to the news of the alien invasion was a bland reaction.  
**Blare** | Blast, Bellow, Trumpet, Ring, Boom, Thunder, Roar, Bray; Resound, Echo, Reverberate, Resonate | Everyone in the neighbourhood can hear your hi-fi blaring.  
**Blasphemous** | Against A Religion, Irreverent, Disrespectful, Sacrilegious, Irreligious, Sinful, Wicked, Evil, Iniquitous | His speech towards the religion was a complete blasphemy.  
**Blatant** | Obvious, Flagrant, Palpable, Obtrusive, Arrant, Shameless, Unashamed, Brazen, Overt, Glaring | Those hooligans have shown a blatant disregard for the law   
**Bleak** | Cheerless, Dreary, Depressing, Dismal, Gloomy, Sombre, Melancholy, Sad, Unhappy, Mournful | 1940 was one of the bleakest periods in British history.  
**Blemish**  
  
| Deface, Mar, Scar, Impair, Disfigure  | They did nothing to blemish the beauty of the landscape.  
**Blend** | Mix, Mingle, Combine, Meld, Commingle, Intermingle | The Latakia is blended with the Virginia to produce a fine smoking tobacco.  
**Blight** | Affliction, Disease, Plague, Infestation, Pestilence, Scourge | The crops were visited with a blight that lasted seven years.  
**Bliss** | Happiness, Gladness, Joy, Blessedness, Delight, Glee, Enjoyment, Pleasure, Joyousness, Cheer, Exhilaration, Blissfulness, Rapture, Ecstasy | The bliss of our honeymoon has remained with us throughout our marriage.  
**Blithe** | Blissful, Happy, Cheerful, Joyous, Merry, Light-Hearted, Well-Pleased, Delighted, Gay, Joyful, Elated, Jubilant | His spirit was blithe and his heart unquenchable.  
**Blob** | Globule, Drop, Droplet, Bit, Gout, Lump, Dab | There is a blob of jelly on your tie.  
**Boast** | Brag, Bragging | They did not make good their boasts of being the fastest in the competition.  
**Bode** | Portend, Promise, Augur, Betoken, Forebode, Presage; Foreshadow | The weather bodes well for the picnic.  
**Bogus** | Counterfeit, Spurious, Fake, False, Fraudulent, Sham, Imitation, Fictitious | The police reported that a gang was trying to pass bogus money to unsuspecting shopkeepers in the area.  
**Boisterous** | Being Rowdy, Clamorous, Rough, Noisy, Lively, Exuberant, Unruly, Wild, Undisciplined, Tempestuous, Stormy, Turbulent | The boys were sent to the principal because of their boisterous behaviour  
**Bolster** | To Offer Support, Brace, Shore Up, Buttress, Uphold, Reinforce, Aid, Help, Assist, Further, Advance | The miners cited a lack of safety measures to bolster their arguments.  
**Boorish** | Being Barbarian, Rude, Crude, Ill-Mannered, Uncultured, Coarse, Clownish, Uncouth, Loutish, Oafish, Gawky, Vulgar, Ill-Bred | Did you ever think of inviting such a boorish fellow?  
**Botch** | Bungle, Mismanage, Spoil,Screw Or Louse Up, Blow, Mess Up, Muck Up, Make A Mess Or Hash Or Muddle Of; Slang Bollocks Or Ballocks Or US Bollix Up  
  
| Give Gordon an assignment and he's sure to botch it.  
**Boycott** | Blacklist, Embargo; Avoid, Refuse, Shun, Reject, Eschew, Pass Over Or By: They Are Boycotting Fern's Dairy Because It Won't Hire Women. | The US government is still boycotting cigars from Havana.  
**Brash** | Hasty, Rash, Impetuous, Precipitate, Impulsive, Headlong, Reckless | He may be a brash young man, but I think he's going places.  
**Broach** | To Introduce, Raise, Suggest, Mention, Hint At, Touch On Or Upon, Bring Up Or In, Talk About, In Advance | I didn't dare broach the subject of his life’s suffering.  
  
##  Letter C

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Cabal** | Intrigue, Plot, Conspiracy, Scheme | The cabal against Washington found supporters exclusively in the north.  
**Cabaret** | Nightclub, Club, Nightspot | The ever-popular entertainer Mimi opened at the Golden Palm cabaret last night.  
**Cache** | Hiding-Place, Hole, Vault, Repository | There was a small cache concealed by the panelling in the library.  
**Cadaver** | Corpse, (Dead) Body, Remains, Slang Stiff | The medical students and doctors once paid to have cadavers exhumed for anatomical study.  
**Cadence** | To Measure, Beat, Rhythm, Tempo, Accent, Pulse, Metre, Lilt, Swing | The beat drum marked the cadence for the incoming marching band.  
**Cajole** | Wheedle, Coax, Beguile, Jolly (Along), Cosy Along, Seduce, Inveigle, Persuade, Butter (Up), Stroke, Sweet-Talk | Robert's wife always has to cajole him to go and visit her mother  
**Calamitous** | Tragic, Disastrous, Destructive, Awful, Devastating, Fatal, Deadly, Cataclysmic, Catastrophic, Ruinous, Distressful | They were not aware of the calamitous consequences in the near future, if they do not stop these harmful activities  
**Calibrate** | Adjust, Graduate; Standardize | This balance has been dropped on the floor, and you'll have to calibrate it again.  
**Callous** | Hardened, Thick-Skinned, Unfeeling, Uncaring, Insensible, Insensitive, Hard, Hard-Hearted, Tough, Hard-Bitten, Cold, Cold-Hearted, Heartless, Indifferent, Unsympathetic, Apathetic | It was callous of Gerry to go off to the snooker club right after the funeral.  
**Camouflage** | Disguise, Concealment, Cover-Up, Cover, Guise, Cloak, Mask, Screen, Blind, (False) Front, Show, Pretence, Trickery, Deception | Camouflage prevented the enemy from seeing our tanks.  
**Candid** | Frank, Open, Plain, Sincere, Ingenuous, Straight, Straightforward, Truthful, Forthright, Direct, Unequivocal, Plain-Spoken | Henry offered a very candid account of his feelings. Let us be candid and speak our minds.  
**Candour** | Openness, Frankness, Ingenuousness, Simplicity, Naivety, Outspokenness, Unreservedness, Forthrightness, Honesty, Sincerity, Directness, Straightforwardness, Unequivocalness | I admire her candour, but the truth sometimes hurts.  
**Canvass** | Solicit, Electioneer, Campaign, Poll | The candidates will be canvassing in farming areas next week.  
**Capricious** | Whimsical, Erratic, Flighty, Fickle, Mercurial, Unsteady, Variable, Unstable, Wayward, Unpredictable, Undependable, Changeable, Impulsive, Crotchety, Quirky, Unreliable, Inconstant, Fanciful, Wanton | His decisions are capricious and not based on sound judgement.  
**Cardinal** | Important, Chief, Key, Special, Main, Central, Principal, Prime, Primary, Essential, Necessary, Fundamental; Supreme, Paramount, Highest, First, Foremost, Leading, Pre-Eminent | The cardinal virtues are justice, prudence, temperance, and fortitude, to which some writers add faith, hope, and charity.  
**Caricature** | Cartoon, Parody, Burlesque, Lampoon, Satire, Pasquinade, Take-Off, Spoof | The cartoon in the newspaper showed a caricature of the Prime Minister.  
**Caustic** | Burning, Corrosive, Destructive, Mordant, Astringent | Sulphuric acid is the caustic agent that eats away the metal.  
**Caution** | Warning, Admonition, Admonishment, Caveat, Monition, Advice, Counsel, Injunction | A word of caution is needed before you go ahead.  
**Cavil** | Quibble, Complaint | There is a minor cavil at the wording of the statutes.  
**Cavity** | Pit, Hole, Hollow, Opening, Crater, Gap | The limestone is marked with a pattern of cavities. Vowel sounds resonate in the oral cavity.  
**Cavort** | Curvet, Prance, Caper, Frisk, Bound, Gambol, Romp, Skip, Leap, Jump, Dance | Stop cavorting about and settle down.  
**Caveat** | Curvet, Prance, Caper, Frisk, Bound, Gambol, Romp, Skip, Leap, Jump, Dance | There are a number of caveats which concern the validity of the assessment results  
  
##  Letter D

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Dabble** | Dip, Splash, Spatter, Sprinkle, Bespatter, Besprinkle | I sat on the rock, dabbling my toes in the pool.  
**Daft** | Foolish, Silly, Giddy, Senseless, Absurd, Ridiculous, Stupid, Nonsensical, Imbecile Or Imbecilic, Idiotic, Moronic, Obtuse, Dim-Witted, Witless, Weak-Minded, Simple-Minded, Brainless | He has the daft idea that he will be appointed managing director.  
**Dagger** | Knife, Poniard, Short Sword, Blade, Kris, Bowie Knife, Bayonet | It was his dagger that was sticking out of the man's back.   
**Dainty** | Delicate, Graceful, Fine, Elegant, Exquisite, Neat | The value lies in this dainty border painted round the edge of the cup.  
**Dangle** | Hang (Down), Droop, Depend, Swing, Sway: The Rope Dangled From The Top Of The Flag-Pole. Dapper Adj. Neat, Spruce, Smart, Trim, Well-Dressed, Well Turned Out, Stylish, Fashionable, Elegant, Chic, Dressy; Colloq Got Up Or Dressed To The Nines, Dressed To Kill, Swanky Or Swank, Ritzy | Tony looks very dapper in his new Savile Row suit.  
**Daunt** | Intimidate, Cow, Discourage, Dishearten, Dispirit, Unnerve, Shake, Upset, Disconcert, Discomfit, Put Off, Awe, Overawe, Appal, Alarm, Threaten, Frighten, Terrify, Scare, Terrorize | He was daunted by the prospect of facing the entire council.  
**Daze** | Stun, Stupefy, Blind, Dazzle, Bedazzle, Shock, Stagger, Startle, Astonish, Astound, Amaze, Surprise, Overcome, Overpower, Dumbfound, Benumb, Paralyse, Floor, Flabbergast | She was dazed to learn her husband was still alive.  
**Dearth** | Scarcity, Want, Need, Lack, Deficiency, Sparseness Or Sparsity, Scantiness, Insufficiency, Inadequacy, Shortage, Paucity, Exiguity, Poverty, Exiguousness; Absence | There is a dearth of major roles for black actors.  
**Debase** | Lower, Degrade, Devalue, Depreciate, Depress, Demote, Deprecate, Belittle, Diminish, Reduce, Disparage | Words which denote fine qualities are in time debased.  
**Decadent** | Declining, Decaying, Deteriorating, Debased, Degenerating, Falling Off, On The Wane, Withering, Degenerative | The decadent literature of the period was a reflection of the decline in moral standards.  
**Deceit** | The Art Of Deception, Fraud, Fraudulence, Cheating, Trickery, Dissimulation, Dishonesty, Misrepresentation, Double-Dealing, Duplicity, Hypocrisy, Treachery, Cunning, Knavery, Monkey Business | He was an expert in deceiving others.  
**Decipher** | Decode, Decrypt; Unravel, Unscramble, Disentangle, Translate, Work Out, Explain, Solve, Figure Out | It was Champollion who deciphered the Rosetta Stone.  
**Decorum** | A Good Etiquette, Proper Behaviour, Propriety, Good Form, Mannerliness, Politeness, Dignity, Gentility, Good Manners, Respectability, Courtliness, Deportment | Five star hotels have a good interior decorum.  
**Deduction** | Subtraction, Diminution, Decrease, Reduction, Withdrawal, Removal, Abstraction | After deductions for expenses, you'll be left with nothing.  
**Deface** | Disfigure, Spoil, Ruin, Deform, Blemish, Damage, Mutilate, Harm, Impair, Injure, Destroy | Eg: The corpse was found in a defaced state.  
**Deflect** | Avert, Turn Away Or Aside, Deviate, Change, Swerve, Switch, Divert, Shy, Veer, Sidetrack; Fend Off | The trajectory of a bullet is deflected by gravity. By deflecting a bit to their left, they managed to regain their original course.  
**Defunct** | Dead, Deceased, Extinct | The dinosaurs have been defunct for millions of years.  
**Degenerate** | Debased, Degraded, Corrupt, Corrupted, Vitiated, Decadent, Depraved, Reprobate, Dissolute, Ignoble, Base, Low, Inferior, Vile | He was a degenerate descendant of a once noble lineage  
**Delirious** | Wild, Hysterical, Distracted, Incoherent, Rambling, Irrational, Raving, Ranting, Frenzied, Frantic, Disturbed, Demented, Deranged, Unhinged, Mad, Insane, Crazy, Lunatic | He is still delirious and doesn't know what he's saying.  
**Depredation** | Plunder, Plundering, Pillage, Pillaging, Despoliation, Despoiling, Ravaging, Sacking, Laying Waste, Devastation, Destruction; Ransacking, Robbery, Looting; Ravages | The depredation caused by ten years of war is unimaginable.  
**Deprive** | Withhold, Deny, Refuse; Withdraw, Remove, Strip, Dispossess, Take Away, Expropriate, Divest | They deprived him of the right to have visitors.  
**Despondent** | Dejected, Sad, Sorrowful, Unhappy, Melancholy, Blue, Depressed, Down, Downcast, Downhearted, Low, Morose, Miserable, Disheartened, Discouraged | He's been despondent since she went away.  
**Detach** | Separate, Part, Disjoin, Disengage, Disunite, Disconnect, Disentangle, Free, Unfasten, Undo, Cut Off, Remove | Detach yourself from this unruly world.  
**Deter** | Dissuade, Discourage, Inhibit, Intimidate, Daunt, Frighten Off Or From Or Away, Scare Off Or From; Prevent, Stop, Obstruct, Check, Hinder, Impede | I was deterred from entering by three large dogs  
**Detrimental** | Disadvantageous, Harmful, Injurious, Hurtful, Damaging, Deleterious, Destructive, Prejudicial, Adverse, Unfavourable, Inimical, Pernicious | I know nothing detrimental about either one of them.  
**Deviate** | Turn Aside Or Away, Swerve, Veer, Wander, Stray, Drift, Digress, Diverge; Divert | He has chosen a path that deviates from the straight and narrow.  
  
  


##  Letter E

  
Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Eavesdrop** | listen in, tap, overhear, snoop; spy, pry | They were eavesdropping on our conversation, that's how they knew about Martha.  
**Ebb** | recede, flow back, subside, go out, go down; fall back or away, retreat, retrocede, retire | The tide ebbed, leaving the boat stranded.  
**Ebullient** | bubbling, overflowing, effervescent, excited, effusive, exhilarated, elated, buoyant, exuberant, enthusiastic, zestful | The crowd was ebullient at the news from Mafeking.  
**Eccentric** | unconventional, unusual, uncommon, idiosyncratic, anomalous, unorthodox, out of the ordinary, irregular, atypical, errant, exceptional, individual, singular, unique; abnormal, odd, peculiar, strange, curious, bizarre, outlandish, queer, quaint, quirky, weird, offbeat, kinky, cranky | Yes, I would agree that walking a canary is a bit eccentric  
**Ecstasy** | delight, joy, rapture, bliss, transport, nympholepsy or nympholepsia, happiness, gladness, elation, pleasure, enjoyment, gratification; heaven on earth | The prospect of being with her again filled me with ecstasy.  
**Edible** | eatable, esculent, palatable, good or fit (to eat), wholesome, Rare comestible | After the sell-by date, fresh food is no longer considered edible.  
**Edification** | enlightenment, improvement, uplifting, enlightening, guidance, education, information, tuition, teaching, schooling, instruction | The exhibition is designed for both edification and enjoyment.  
**Eerie** | frightening, weird, strange, uncanny, ghostly, spectral, dreadful, unearthly, frightful Poetic or Scots eldritch, Scots mysterious, creepy, spooky | I had the eeriest feeling I was being watched  
**Effectuate** | bring about, effect, carry out, implement, accomplish, do, execute, realize, achieve; cause, make happen | It is unclear just how she will effectuate her escape.  
**Effervescent** | bubbling, fizzy, carbonated, sparkling, fizzing, gassy; foaming, foamy, frothing, frothy, bubbly | I prefer effervescent mineral water to still.  
**Efficacious** | To be effective, effectual, productive, competent, efficient, useful, serviceable, capable of something | He does his work in an efficacious manner.  
**Effrontery** | impertinence, impudence, audacity, nerve, presumption, presumptuousness, brazenness, boldness, insolence, temerity, brashness, rashness, arrogance, front, indiscretion | He had the effrontery to call her 'Queenie'!  
**Effusive** | demonstrative, gushing, overenthusiastic, unrestrained, unchecked, unreserved, expansive, emotional, exuberant | Don’t overwhelm him with your effusive affection  
**Elated** | exhilarated, uplifted, elevated, gleeful, joyful, jubilant, joyous, exultant, ecstatic, blissful, happy, delighted, euphoric, overjoyed, excited, thrilled, transported, on top of the world, on cloud nine | We were elated to learn that our daughter had won first prize.  
**Elegance** | refinement, grace, tastefulness, good taste, gentility, polish, courtliness, culture, politeness, politesse, propriety, dignity | Where but in 18th-century France could one find such elegance?  
**Elicit** | draw out, call forth, evoke, bring out or forth, bring to light, extract, wring, wrest, wrench | They finally elicited the fact that she had been lying about his whereabouts.  
  
  
**Eloquent** | expressive, articulate, silver-tongued, fluent, well-spoken, effective, persuasive, convincing, cogent, trenchant, incisive, graphic, vivid, striking, facile, smooth, glib, oratorical, rhetorical | He was an eloquent speaker.  
**Elude** | evade, escape, avoid, dodge, slip away from, duck, give the slip, shake off | The suspect has eluded the police for a year.  
**Emancipate** | release, set free, liberate, enfranchise, manumit, loose, let loose, let go, set free, disenthrall, unfetter, unchain, unshackle; deliver | Britain emancipated the slaves almost 50 years before Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation  
**Embezzle** | misappropriate, peculate, misapply, misuse, steal, make off or away with, filch, pilfer | The treasurer had embezzled half a million from the company  
**Enigma** | puzzle, conundrum, mystery, riddle, poser, problem | How he escaped is an enigma to the police  
**Erroneous** | wrong, mistaken, incorrect, inaccurate, inexact, imprecise, amiss, awry, false, faulty, misleading, flawed, botched, bungled, unsound, invalid, untrue, fallacious, spurious, counterfeit | He gives the erroneous impression of being intelligent.  
**Evict** | oust, dislodge, turn out (of house and home), expel, eject, remove, dispossess, put out | The landlord evicted us for non-payment of rent.  
**Exaggerate** | overstate, magnify, inflate, overdraw, embroider, embellish,  
elaborate, enlarge, stretch, romance, overemphasize, overstress,  
overplay, overdo, exalt, hyperbolize | She exaggerates when she claims to be the best actress in the world  
**Entice** | lure, allure, tempt, attract, draw, seduce, coax, persuade, prevail on, beguile, cajole, blandish, wheedle; decoy, lead on, inveigle, sweet-talk, soft-soap | The prospectus enticed 3.15 million people to buy shares in the company  
**Equivocal** | evasive, misleading, roundabout, hedging, suspicious, duplicitous, questionable, oblique, circumlocutory, ambiguous, ambivalent | When asked about the guarantee, they gave an equivocal answer.  
  
##  Letter F

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Fabricate** | Erect, Build, Construct, Frame, Raise, Put Or Set Up, Assemble, Fashion, Form, Make, Manufacture, Produce  | The basic structure was fabricated of steel   
**Fabulous** | Fabled, Mythic(Al), Celebrated, Legendary, Storied, Fictitious, Fictional, Unreal, Fanciful, Imaginary, Story-Book, Fairy-Tale | Greek mythology tells us of a fabulous winged horse called Pegasus  
**Faction** | Group, Bloc, Cadre, Camp, Splinter Group, Pressure Group, Ring, Gang | Some factions are preparing to destroy the city.   
**Fallacy** | Misconception, Miscalculation, Misjudgement, Mistake, Error, Non Sequitur, Solecism, Delusion; Sophism  | It is a fallacy to think that you could ever learn to play the violin as well as Susannah.  
**Famine** | Starvation; Shortage, Dearth, Scarcity, Deficiency, Barrenness, Lack | Famine was a major killer during the early days.   
**Fanatic** | Maniac, Extremist, Zealot, Fiend, Nut  | Religious fanatics killed 'heathens' or 'infidels' by the thousand.  
**Farcical** | Laughable, Funny, Ridiculous, Silly, Preposterous, Absurd, Foolish, Comical, Humorous, Amusing ,Ludicrous  | His actions were absolutely farcical with respect to his past deeds.  
**Fasten** | Attach, Tie, Bind, Bond, Stick, Affix, Anchor, Fix, Lock, Hook (Up), Secure, Join, Connect, Link, Fuse, Cement, Clamp  | The mussels fasten themselves by their byssi to underwater piles  
**Fastidious** | Squeamish, Delicate, Over-Nice, Fussy, Meticulous, Finical, Difficult, Critical, Over-Precise, Picky  | He was too fastidious to be a bad man.   
**Fathom** | Probe, Sound, Plumb, Penetrate, Search (Out), Investigate, Measure, Gauge, Determine, Ascertain, Work Out, Get To The Bottom Of, Delve Into, Understand, Grasp, Divine  | I never quite fathomed the purpose of this device.   
**Fatigue** | Weariness, Tiredness, Weakness, Exhaustion, Lethargy, Sluggishness, Enervation | He fatigued during the trek while climbing on the mountains.  
**Feasible** | Practicability, Workability, Applicability, Viability, Practicality | The feasibility of the scheme has yet to be assessed   
**Feeble** | Weak, Sick, Frail, Puny, Slight, Debilitated, Exhausted, Weakened, Delicate, Fragile, Powerless, Impotent, Spiritless, Sickly, Ailing, Faint, Dizzy  | The survivors were suffering from exposure and too feeble to walk  
**Fend** | Fend For Oneself. Get Or Scrape Along (On One's Own), Make Out, Get By, Make Do, Shift For Oneself, Take Care Of Or Provide For Or Support Oneself | Mother didn't believe I could fend for myself   
**Ferment** | Boil, Seethe, Bubble, Foam, Froth, Brew; Rise, Work, Leaven  | A rebellion is fermenting in the northern counties   
**Fervent** | Fervid, Blistering, Burning, Hot, Intense, Passionate, Impassioned, Ardent, Hot-Headed, Irritated, Excited, Frantic, Frenzied | Only the most fervent acolytes were ordained as ministers of the faith  
**Fervour** | Fervency, Ardour, Passion, Vigour, Intensity, Zeal, Eagerness, Earnestness, Enthusiasm, Animation, Gusto, Ebullience, Spirit, Verve | She went about her studies with a fervour we had not seen before  
**Fester** | Ulcerate, Suppurate, Run, Ooze, Putrefy, Putresce, Necrose, Mortify, Rot, Decay, Decompose | His entire body was covered with festering sores   
**Feud** | Dispute, Conflict, Hostility, Trouble, Enmity, Animosity, Hatred, Rivalry, Hard Feelings, Contention, Discord, Grudge, Argument, Quarrel, Squabble, Falling Out,  | A silly feud broke out over whose turn it was to bring the Christmas goose.  
**Fickle** | Flighty, Capricious, Frivolous, Unpredictable, Moody, Giddy, Fanciful, Whimsical, Fitful, Mercurial, Volatile, Unstable, Changeable, Mutable, Inconstant, Changeful, Unsteady, Unsteadfast, Indecisive, Undecided  | That fickle woman has already taken up with someone else   
**Filthy** | Dishonoured, Polluted, Tainted, Foul, Nasty, Muddy, Unclean, Dreadful, Putrid, Unpleasant, Infected  | That city's public lavatories are the filthiest I have ever seen  
**Flagrant** | Blatant, Brazen, Bold, Barefaced, Audacious, Arrant, Glaring, Outrageous, Shocking, Shameless, Scandalous, Atrocious, Infamous, Notorious, Defiant  | Speeding shows a flagrant disregard for the safety of others.  
**Flamboyant** | Elaborate, Ornamented, Ornate, Decorated, Embellished, Baroque, Rococo, Florid | We chose a flamboyant wallpaper with purple peacocks   
**Fleece** | Cheat, Overcharge, Swindle, Bilk, Defraud, Victimize, Plunder, Strip, Milk, Rob | The gang stole credit cards and fleeced the companies out of millions.  
**Flummox** | Confuse, Baffle, Perplex, Bewilder, Confound, Confusion, Stump, Puzzle, Mystify, Deceive | We were completely flummoxed by his sudden change in his behaviour.  
**Foment** | Rouse, Stir Or Whip Up, Awaken, Waken, Provoke, Incite, Instigate, Initiate, Prompt, Start, Motivate, Inspire, Work Up, Inflame | He is always fomenting ill will against the management.   
**Forbid** | Prohibit, Ban, Stop, Exclude, Debar, Prevent, Outlaw, Disallow | Forbid those who exceed the limits.  
**Forsake** | Abandon, Desert, Quit, Leave, Flee, Depart, Vacate  | Please do not enter this forsaken land.   
  
##  Letter G

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Gab** | Jabber, Gabble, Chatter, Gibber, Blather Or Blether, Prate, Prattle, Blab, Gossip, Witter, Slang Jaw, Yack  | Stop gabbing and get on with your work!   
**Gad** | Wander, Run Around, Flit About, Trek  | He's never home, always gadding about, from one party to another  
**Gag** | Silence, Stifle, Still, Muffle, Stop (Up), Muzzle, Quiet, Curb, Suppress, Repress, Restrain, Throttle, Strangle, Check, Inhibit, Discourage | The department gagged him, forbidding any press interviews   
**Gaiety** | Cheerfulness, Exhilaration, Elation, Glee, Buoyancy, Light-Heartedness, Blitheness, Happiness, Felicity, Pleasure, Delight, Joy, Joyfulness, Joyousness, Exultation, Merriment, Mirth, Mirthfulness, Jubilation, Good Or High Spirits, Sprightliness, Liveliness, Joviality, Jollity, Hilarity | The gaiety of the celebration was becoming infectious   
**Gallant** | Brave, Courageous, Bold, Valiant, Daring, Dauntless, Intrepid, Fearless, Unafraid, Undaunted  | Three gallant soldiers held off the enemy attack   
**Galore** | In Abundance, In Large Quantity Or Numbers Or Amounts, In Excess, Everywhere, Aplenty, In Profusion  | There were prizes galore for everything from swimming to skittles  
**Garble** | Warp, Distort, Twist, Corrupt, Adulterate, Falsify, Misrepresent, Misstate, Misquote, Misreport  | She has garbled the story and it makes no sense   
**Gaudy** | Garish, Flashy, Glaring, Tawdry, Loud, Cheap, Florid, Showy, Ostentatious, Raffish, Vulgar, Crude, Tasteless  | The carnival stands were painted pink, purple, and other gaudy colours.  
**Generous** | Giving, Bountiful, Magnanimous, Charitable, Philanthropic, Lavish, Open-Handed, Free, Benevolent, Big-Hearted  | He often donate money to charities in a generous manner.   
**Genial** | Affable, Amiable, Cordial, Warm, Friendly, Congenial, Agreeable, Good-Natured, Good-Humoured, Well-Disposed, Neighbourly, Sociable, Kindly, Kind, Hospitable, Easygoing, Relaxed, Pleasant, Nice, Cheerful, Cheery, Convivial  | And here is your genial host, Sonny. You better maintain it.  
**Ghastly** | Awful, Dreadful, Terrifying, Frightful, Unsightly, Horrible, Mean, Disgusting, Horrid, Ugly, Repulsive, Shocking, Repellent | He was involved in a ghastly accident   
**Gibberish** | Drivel, Tripe, Nonsense, Rubbish, Gibber, Prattle, Twaddle, Gabble, Jabber | If one listens to such gibberish long enough, one begins to believe it.  
**Giddy** | Present, Donation, Favour, Grant, Largesse, Bounty, Benefaction, Offering, Honorarium, Contribution, Give-Away, Premium, Bonus, Prize | Before we left, our neighbours made a gift to us of some local pottery  
**Gist** | Essence, Core, Heart, Substance, Point, Theme, Quintessence, Pith, Meat, Marrow, Focus, Nub, Significance, (Main Or Basic) Idea; Direction, Drift  | It will save time if I tell you the gist of the argument.   
**Glamour** | Allure, Fascination, Charm, Attractiveness, Brilliance, Glitter, Attraction, Charisma, Captivation, Desirability, Appeal, Enchantment | Who today can match the glamour of the movie stars of the '30s?  
**Glare** | Dazzle, Brilliance, Brightness, Splendour, Resplendence, Radiance, Effulgence, Lustre, Shine, Flame, Flare, Blaze  | We had to shade our eyes from the glare   
**Glee** | Delight, Exuberance, Cheerfulness, High Or Good Spirits, Cheer, Exhilaration, Elation, Exultation, Joy, Happiness, Rapture, Gladness, Felicity, Pleasure, Joyfulness, Merriment | We watched with great glee as the villain was thwarted.   
**Glut** | Excess, Surplus, Over-Abundance, Superabundance, Surfeit, Oversupply, Overflow, Superfluity | The glut of razor-blades in the market is due to increased production  
**Gnarl** | Twisted, Knotty, Lumpy, Bumpy, Knotted, Bent, Crooked, Distorted, Contorted, Warped | The branches of the tree were so gnarled to the extent that no one could climb.  
**Gnaw** | Chew, Nibble, Eat, Bite, Champ | The marks were made by deer gnawing the bark   
**Gorge** | Ravine, Canyon, Defile, Pass, Chasm, Fissure, Crevasse, Gully Or Gulley, Wadi Or Wady, Gap | Water runs in this gorge only during the rainy season   
**Grandeur** | Splendour, Magnificence, Majesty, Sublimity, Luxuriousness, Pomp | The grandeur of the French court was never to be equalled   
**Granular** | Grainy, Granulated, Particulate, Hoarse, Sandy  | The sauce was somewhat granular and tasted too strongly of nutmeg.  
**Grief** | Anguish, Suffering, Agony, Misery, Wretchedness, Pain, Hurt, Sadness, Sorrow, Dejection, Depression, Despondency, Melancholy, Unhappiness, Woe, Torment, Desolation, Heartbreak, Remorse, Regret, Ruth, Heartache  | Nothing equalled the grief I felt at the death of my dog, Whiffler  
**Grim** | Stern, Severe, Unrelenting, Resolute, Uncompromising, Unyielding, Inflexible, Adamant, Stony, Iron, Unbending, Firm | By controlling the purse strings, she kept a grim hold over the family  
**Groggy** | Unsteady, Shaky, Wobbly, Weak-Kneed, Weak, Staggering, Stupefied, Dazed, Stunned, Reeling, Punch-Drunk, Numb, Numbed, Benumbed, Faint, In A Trance Or Stupor, Muddled, Addled, Confused, Bewildered, Confounded, Puzzled, Baffled, Befuddled, Colloq Dopey, Punchy, Woozy  | I was still groggy from the blow on the head.   
**Guilt** | Culpability, Guiltiness, Criminality, Blame, Responsibility, Blameworthiness; Crime, Sinfulness, Feloniousness, Wrongdoing, Misconduct | Confronted by the evidence, Shillingworth admitted his guilt  
  
##  Letter H

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Habitual** | Settled, Fixed, Customary, Usual, Conventional, Accustomed, Set, Rooted, Established, Traditional, Standard, Routine, Ritual, Regular, Normal, Wonted, Common, Ordinary, Natural | He follows his habitual practice of rising at dawn  
**Haggle** | Wrangle, Bargain, Higgle, Bicker, Chaffer, Palter, Dispute, Squabble, Quibble, Negotiate; Barter, Deal | However little you ask for the lamp, she's sure to haggle over the price.  
**Hallow** | Consecrate, Bless, Sanctify, Dedicate, Honour, Enshrine, Glorify Venerate, Worship, Revere, Reverence, Respect, Honour, Pay Homage Or Respect Or Honour To, Exalt | We must observe the hallowed traditions of the university  
**Hallucination** | Fantasy, Mirage, Day-Dream, Illusion, Delusion, Vision, Dream, Aberration, Chimera, Phantasm, Phantom, Figment Of The Imagination, Apparition, Spectre, Ghost | Alone at sea for a fortnight, I began having hallucinations.  
**Hamper** | Slow, Balk Delay, Hold Up, Retard, Inhibit, Encumber, Hinder, Obstruct, Block, Impede, Prevent, Interfere With, Frustrate, Restrict, Curb, Limit, Handicap, Restrain, Trammel, Bar, Barricade, Shackle, Clog, Curtail, Reduce, Diminish | The movement of the troops were hampered by the snow.  
**Hanker** | Yearn For, Long For, Thirst After Or For, Hunger After Or For, Itch For, Pine For, Lust After Or For, Covet, Crave, Have A Hankering For, Want, Desire, Fancy | She hankered after a big box of chocolates.  
**Haphazard** | Random, Arbitrary, Chance, Fortuitous, Accidental, Unforeseen, Unlooked-For, Unexpected, Adventitious, Serendipitous | Her fate was to be decided by a haphazard throw of the dice  
**Harangue** | Diatribe, Tirade, Oration, Peroration, Declamation, Philippic, Screed, Exhortation, Vituperation, Rodomontade, Speech, Address | This morning he delivered a ten-minute harangue on the weakness of the coffee.  
**Harbinger** | Forerunner, Herald, Precursor, Omen, Foretoken, Sign | The crowing hen is the harbinger of dawn.  
**Harmonious** | Agreeable, Compatible, Congruous, Consonant, In Accord, Congenial, Complementary, Sympathetic, Concordant | Our careers have always been harmonious.  
**Haste** | Speed, Rapidity, Quickness, Velocity, Expedition, Urgency, Dispatch ,Enthusiasm, Briskness | They must hasten the decision regarding the judgement.  
**Haughty** | Arrogant, Proud, Superior, Self-Important, Smug, Self-Satisfied, Complacent, Pretentious, Conceited, Egotistical, Snobbish, Overbearing, Lofty, Presumptuous, Overweening, Patronizing, Supercilious, Vain, Condescending, Contemptuous, Belittling, Derisive, Disdainful, Scornful | She's too haughty to have made any friends here  
**Haul** | Drag, Pull, Tug, Tow, Trail, Lug, Heave, Draw | The new vehicles are equipped to haul bulk dry goods.  
**Heave** | Raise, Lift, Hoist, Haul, Pull, Draw, Tug; Move | We heaved in the anchor and made sail  
**Hectic** | Feverish, Excited, Agitated, Busy, Bustling, Rushed, Hyperactive, Over-Active, Frenzied, Frantic, Chaotic, Wild, Mad, Frenetic, Riotous | What with the new baby and everyone else having the flu, I've had a pretty hectic week  
**Hideous** | Grotesque, Ugly, Repulsive, Revolting, Repellent, Monstrous, Beastly, Gorgonian, Unsightly, Ghastly, Disgusting, Grisly, Nauseating, Nauseous, Sickening, Gruesome | Suddenly, a hideous face appeared at the kitchen window  
**Hilarious** | Funny, Side-Splitting, Humorous, Comical, Amusing, Entertaining, Mirthful; Merry, Gay, Jolly, Jovial, Cheerful, Cheery, Joyous, Joyful, Rollicking, Uproarious | Binky told me a hilarious story about his aunt's pet boa constrictor  
**Hinder** | Hamper, Delay, Interrupt, Impede, Interfere With, Frustrate, Forestall, Bar, Check, Balk ,Encumber, Obstruct, Handicap, Retard, Restrain, Slow, Postpone | The difficulty of the task should not hinder the attempt  
**Hoax** | Deception, Fraud, Con, Trick, Imposture, Cheat | They perpetrated a hoax on you, and I am afraid there is no way of getting your gold back.  
**Hobble** | Limp, Falter, Dodder, Totter, Stagger, Reel, Weave, Stumble, Shuffle, Shamble | I hobbled about on crutches for weeks.  
**Hover** | Drift, Poise, Float, Hang, Be Or Hang Suspended, Hang In The Air | The humming bird hovers over a flower, drinking its nectar.  
**Huddle** | Cluster, Group, Bunch, Clump, Pack, Herd, Crowd, Throng, Mass | Everyone got into a huddle, trying to keep warm  
**Humility** | Docility, Self-Effacement, Shyness, Diffidence, Timidity, Modesty Timorousness, Meekness, Bashfulness, Mildness, Submissiveness, | He could not face the humility in public and hence ran off from the place.  
**Hysterical** | Raving, Mad, Beside Oneself, Crazed, Foolish, Distracted, Frantic, Frenzied, Wild, Berserk, Uncontrollable, Unrestrainable | They are subject to violent, hysterical outbursts  
**Hustle** | Rush, Hurry, Hasten, Run, Dash, Scuttle, Scurry, Sprint | They hustled up to reach their intended location  
  
##  Letter I

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Idyllic** | Heavenly, Ideal, Pastoral, Rustic, Charming, Unspoilt Peaceful | He returned to the island to live out his life in an idyllic manner.  
**Ignorant** | Unknowing, Uninformed, Untaught, Uneducated, Unschooled, Unread, Unlearned, Unlettered, Illiterate | They used to tease ignorant young apprentices by sending them to find a left-handed hammer  
**Illegal** | Illegitimate, Criminal, Outlawed, Prohibited, Forbidden, Wrongful, Unauthorized, Illicit, Unlawful | Murder is an illegal activity in all parts of the world.  
**Illegible** | Unreadable, Unintelligible, Indecipherable Or Undecipherable, Incomprehensible | An illegible message was scrawled on the wall.  
**Illiterate** | Unlettered, Analphabetic; Unschooled, Untaught, Uneducated, Benighted, Ignorant, Unenlightened | She teaches illiterate people to read  
**Ill-Mannered** | Rude, Discourteous, Impolite, Uncivil, Disrespectful, Bad-Mannered, Insolent, Insulting | He is an ill-mannered young fellow.  
**Illusion** | Deception, Delusion, Fancy, Misconception, Misapprehension, Fallacy, Error, Mistake, Mistaken Or False Impression | He is labouring under the illusion that he is a great pianist  
**Illustrious** | Distinguished, Famous, Noted, Renowned, Famed, Eminent, Well-Known, Prominent, Important, Notable, Respected, Esteemed, Venerable, Honoured, Acclaimed, Celebrated, Great | He belongs in the same category as other illustrious generals, like Kitchener  
**Immaculate** | Spotless, Stainless, Unblemished, Pure, Clean, Untarnished, Unsullied, Unsoiled, Snow-White, Spick And Span, Dapper, Spruce; Tidy, Neat | Each morning he donned an immaculate uniform  
**Immaterial** | Inconsequential, Trivial, Trifling, Petty, Insignificant, Slight, Light, Unessential, Non-Essential | We are living inside an immaterial life.  
**Immature** | Premature, Undeveloped, Unripe, Rudimentary, Half-Grown, Unformed, Unfledged, Fledgling, Unfinished, Young, New, Fresh, Incomplete | The immature growth in the spring is not hardy enough to survive a frost  
**Immense** | Enormous, Gigantic, Extensive, Vast, Huge, Massive, Voluminous, Tremendous, Staggering, Stupendous, Mammoth | An immense boulder blocked our exit from the cave.  
**Imminent** | Impending, Looming, Threatening, Menacing, At Hand, Nigh, Immediate, Close (By Or At Hand), (Forth)Coming, Drawing Near Or Close Or Nigh, Momentary | We face imminent disaster if steps are not taken now.  
**Immodest** | Indecent, Shameless, Shameful, Revealing; Improper, Loose, Unrestrained, Provocative, Obscene, | The criminals will be punished for their immodest behaviour  
**Immoral** | Corrupt, Bad, Wicked, Evil, Iniquitous, Sinful, Impure, Unethical, Unprincipled, Abandoned, Base, Wrong, Vile, Depraved, Dissolute, Degenerate, Reprobate, Unregenerate, Nefarious, Flagitious, Villainous, Treacherous, Unscrupulous, Dishonest | Is it immoral to avoid paying one's taxes?  
**Impale** | Spear, Stab, Pierce, Skewer, Spit, Stick, Transfix, Spike | They impaled the heads of their enemies on poles as a warning.  
**Impasse** | Deadlock, Dead End, Stalemate, Stand-Off, Block, Blockage | Negotiations reached an impasse and the meeting broke up.  
**Impeach** | Accuse, Arraign, Indict, Convict, Involve, Blame, Censure, Charge | They were impeached for crimes against the state  
**Impeccable** | Faultless, Flawless, Perfect, Ideal, Pure, Correct, Proper, Spotless, Immaculate, Unblemished, Spotless, Unimpeachable, Blameless | His lectures, though impeccable in content and style, lacked fire.  
**Impertinent** | Insolent, Bold, Brazen, Impudent, Brash, Uncivil, Forward, Impolite, Discourteous, Disrespectful, Rude | That impertinent little upstart had the nerve to ask the lady's age!  
**Inane** | Silly, Asinine, Vapid, Vacant, Vacuous, Absurd, Fatuous, Foolish, Senseless, Nonsensical, Unreasonable, Preposterous, Ludicrous, Ridiculous, Laughable, Risible, Mad, Lunatic, Crazy, Stupid, Dumb, Idiotic, Moronic, Imbecilic | Students seem especially prone to inane behaviour.  
**Incite** | Stimulate, Inspire, Prompt, Move, Stir, Stir Or Whip Or Work Up, Bestir, Excite, Fire, Exhort, Agitate, Foment, Inflame, Provoke, Rally, Goad, Spur, Prick, Prod, Drive, Push, Egg On, Encourage, Urge, Influence, Wake, Waken, Awaken, Rouse, Arouse | Who was it that incited the crowd to violence?  
**Incoherent** | Confused, Distorted, Diversified Up, Disordered, Muddled, Illogical, Unstructured, Divided, Uncoordinated, | He arrived late with an incoherent excuse involving measles, his car, and a policeman.  
**Incompetent** | Unqualified, Unfit, Unable, Incapable, Unskilled, Unskilful, Inept, Maladroit, Inexpert, Awkward, Floundering, Clumsy, Bungling, Gauche, Useless, Inadequate, Insufficient, Ineffective, Ineffectual, Inefficient | Incompetent managers need competent secretaries in order to survive.  
**Inconspicuous** | Imperceptible, Unnoticed, Insignificant, Indeterminate, Indistinguishable, Unassuming, Discreet | Wearing a grey coat and hat, he was quite inconspicuous in the crowd  
**Indignity** | Insult, Affront, Outrage, Injury, Offence, Humiliation, Disrespect, Slight, Dishonour, Snub, Obloquy, Contumely, Scorn, Reproach, Abuse, Discourtesy, Aspersion | The duchess had to suffer the indignity of arrest for shoplifting.  
**Indolent** | Lazy, Slothful, Sluggish, Idle, Lethargic, Shiftless, Languid, Inert, Inactive, Stagnant | He is an indolent young man.  
  
##  Letter J

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Jab** | Stab, Thrust, Poke, Dig, Prod; Plunge; Nudge; Tap | The doctor jabbed a needle into my arm  
**Jabber** | Blether Or US Only Blather, Chatter, Babble, Gibber, Gabble, Prate, Prattle, Patter, Drivel, Rattle | The couple behind me jabbered throughout the entire film.  
**Jagged** | Rough, Irregular, Serrated, Saw Tooth, Ragged, Toothed, Spiked, Indented, Denticulate, Chipped | I cut myself on the jagged edge of that broken glass.  
**Jam** | Cram, Force, Push, Wedge, Stuff, Press, Ram, Squeeze, Shove, Pack, Crowd | We were jammed in so tightly that we couldn't move  
**Jangle** | Clatter, Clash, Rattle, Clang, Clank, Crash, Ring, Jingle | The chains jangled as the prisoners marched to their cells  
**Jaunty** | Spirited, Lively, High-Spirited, Buoyant, Brisk, Frisky, Sprightly, Blithe, Jovial, Happy, Jubilant, Jolly, Merry, Cheerful | It is heartening to see those pensioners in such a jaunty mood  
**Jealous** | Resentful, Bitter, Grudging, Envious, Covetous, Green With Envy, Green-Eyed | Brian is jealous of attention paid to anyone but himself  
**Jeopardy** | Usually, In Sometimes At Jeopardy. Danger, Peril; Threat, Menace, Risk, Hazard, Chance, Uncertainty, Vulnerability, Exposure, Liability | She put her life in jeopardy by going into the lion's cage.  
**Jiggle** | Jog, Joggle, Jig, Shake, Agitate, Wiggle, Wriggle, Jerk | It's odd to see grown people jiggling about on the dance floor like that  
**Jilt** | Throw Over, Reject, Dismiss, Drop, Discard, Desert, Break (Up) With, Forsake, Abandon | Angela met Tony and promptly jilted Mike.  
**Jingoism** | Chauvinism, Patriotism; Hawkishness, Aggression, Belligerence, Bellicosity | Their jingoism has gone to the next level.  
**Jinx** | Spell, Curse, Evil Eye, Malediction, Voodoo | I felt I had lost at roulette because she had put a jinx on me.  
**Jitters** | Shakes, Nerves, Uneasiness, Nervousness, Restlessness, | The sight of that man itself gave him the jitters.  
**Jolt** | Shock, Astonish, Astound, Amaze, Surprise, Startle, Stun, Dumbfound Or Dumfound, Stupefy, Strike Dumb, Daze, Shake (Up) | I was jolted to learn that my husband had been arrested for murder.  
**Jot** | Jot Down. Make A Note Of, Write Or Note (Down), Put Or Set Or Take Down, Record | Jot down this telephone number.  
**Judicial** | Critical, Analytical, Discriminating, Distinguishing, Discerning, Keen, Sharp, Perceptive, Percipient, Perspicacious, Differentiating, Discriminatory, Discriminative, Judicious | Her decisions have always been judicial  
**Juggle** | Manipulate, Tamper With, Falsify, Fix, Distort, Misrepresent, Alter, Arrange | Don’t juggle with the facts given by him.  
**Jumpy** | Nervous, Agitated, Anxious, Jittery, Fidgety, Restless, Edgy, On Edge, Tense, Shaky, Skittish, Fretful, Uneasy, Queasy, Restive, Panicky | Do you think he was jumpy because we were approaching Count Dracula's castle?  
**Jurisdiction** | Authority, Power, Birth Right, Dominion, Sovereignty, Control, Rule, Hegemony, Influence, Area, Compass | Sentinel islands seems a bit far to go just to be outside the jurisdiction of the Inland Revenue.  
**Justify** | Vindicate, Legitimate, Legitimize, Legalize, Rationalize, Substantiate, Defend, Support, Sustain, Validate, Confirm, Excuse, Explain, Absolve | My worst fears were somehow justified but how can you justify owning five cars?  
**Jut** | Extend, Overhang, Project, Protrude, Stick Out, Beetle | The balcony juts out over the lake.  
**Juvenile** | Young, Youthful, Under Age, Minor, Teenage, Immature, Adolescent, Childish, Infantile, Babyish, | The juveniles in the prison are given a separate place and also education.  
**Judgement** | Judgment, Discretion, Discernment, Discrimination, Judiciousness, Prudence, Wisdom, Wit, Sagacity, Perspicacity, Clear-Headedness, Perception, Common Sense, Level-Headedness, Understanding, Shrewdness | Charlotte's judgement is often sought in such matters  
**Journal** | Periodical, Magazine, Gazette, Newspaper, Paper, Newsletter, Review, Daily, Weekly, Fortnightly | This journal contains information about every building permit awarded in the entire state.  
  
##  Letter K

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Keen** | Zealous, Passionate, Fervent, Earnest, Active, Eager, Anxious, Enthusiastic | 1\. They were keen to know about his whereabouts.  
2\. I was keen to go swimming  
**Keeny** | Weep, Wail, Moan, Lament, Mourn, Grieve; Bewail, Bemoan | Finnegan's widow still keens over him.  
**Keeper** | Custodian, Guardian, Guard, Warden, Caretaker; Warder, Nurse, Attendant | The keepers are very strict about not letting people feed the animals.  
**Keg** | Cask, Barrel, Butt, Hogshead, Tun, Puncheon | We bought a keg of beer for the party  
**Kernel** | Grain, Seed, Pip, Stone; Nut, Meat | Try to extract the walnut kernel without breaking it  
**Keystone** | Necessity, Crux, Linchpin, Basis, Principle, Foundation, Cornerstone | Predestination was the keystone of his religion.  
**Kickback** | Rebate, Refund, Share, Compensation, Commission, Percentage, Reward | 1\. We get a kickback on every computer sold.  
2\. Some disc jockeys were accepting kickbacks for playing particular records.  
**Killjoy** | Spoilsport, Damper, Dampener, Grouch, Grump, Malcontent, Pessimist, Cynic | Go to the dance and stop being such a killjoy!  
**Kin** | Family, Relative(S), Relation(S), Kindred, Kinsfolk | Grandmother says that too many people are thoughtless of their kin these days.  
**Kindle** | Ignite, Light, Set Alight, Set Fire To, Set Afire, Inflame, Fire, Foment, Incite, Instigate, Provoke, Prompt, Prick, Goad, Spur, Whip Up, Stir (Up), Work Up, Excite, Agitate, Shake Up, Jolt, Arouse, Rouse, (A)Waken, Inspire, Inspirit, Stimulate, Animate, Enliven, Energize, Innervate, Galvanize | 1\. Kindling a fire in the rain is not easy.  
2.The wholesale pillaging kindled a feeling of deep resentment among the native population  
**Kindness** | Friendliness, Kind-Heartedness, Warm-Heartedness, Graciousness, Goodness, Good-Naturedness, Good-Heartedness, Good Will, Benevolence, Benignity, Humaneness, Humanity, Decency, Tenderness, Gentleness, Kindliness, Charity, Charitableness, Generosity, Philanthropy, Beneficence, Compassion, Sympathy, Understanding, Thoughtfulness, Consideration, Cordiality, Hospitality, Warmth, Geniality, Indulgence, Tolerance, Patience | We shall always appreciate the kindness shown to us by our hosts during our visit  
**Kingdom** | Realm, Empire, Sovereignty, Principality, Monarchy, Field, Area, Domain, Province, Sphere Of Influence, Territory, | 1\. He sought a suitable wife throughout the kingdom  
2\. The operating theatre is the surgeon's kingdom  
**Kink** | Twist, Crimp, Tangle, Knot, Wrinkle, Curl, Coil, Curlicue, Crinkle | Those kinks wouldn't occur if you had coiled the rope properly.  
**Kinky** | Outlandish, Peculiar, Odd, Queer, Quirky, Bizarre, Eccentric, Strange, Characteristic, Different, Offbeat, Unorthodox, Erratic, Unique, Weird, | This college is not interested in kinky notions of education.  
**Knack** | Genius, Intuition, Talent, Gift, Talent, Facility, Skill, Aptitude, Bent; Ability, Flair, Dexterity, Capacity, Adroitness, Proficiency, Skilfulness | He has an uncanny knack for saying the wrong thing  
**Knit** | Join Or Fasten Or Weave Together, Interweave, Link, Interconnect, Intertwine, Link, Bind, Unite, Tie Up, Consolidate, Combine, | He was the first king to succeed in knitting together the diverse elements of the empire.  
**Knockout** | Success, Sensation, Triumph, Hit, Winner, Smash, Smash Hit, Stunner | She looks a knockout with her new hairstyle.  
**Knoll** | Hillock, Hummock, Mound, Barrow, Hill, Elevation, Rise | We climbed to the top of the knoll where we had a better view of the house.  
**Kudos** | Praise, Acclaim, Glory, Fame, Renown, Honour, Plaudits, Applause, Laudation, Acclamation, Accolade | They got a lot of kudos out of funding a new opera house.  
**Knot** | Collection, Assemblage, Accretion, Congregation, Crowd, Cluster, Bunch, Gathering, Company, Band, Gang, Crowd, Horde | A small knot of people was standing in front of my architecture.  
**Kit** | Apparatus, Gear, Equipment, Paraphernalia, Appurtenances, Rig, Trappings, Supplies, Furnishings; Instruments, Tools, Utensils, Implements | 1\. Did you bring your tennis kit?  
2\. The model aeroplanes were built from kits.  
3\. The plumber left his tool kit behind.  
**Knock** | Strike, Hit, Rap, Thwack, Whack, Thump, Bang, Tap | 1\. Knock on the door.  
2\. He knocked the man on the head with his walking-stick  
  
  


##  Letter L 

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Label** | Identification, Identifier, Mark, Marker, Earmark, Tag, Ticket, Sticker, Stamp, Imprint, Hallmark, Brand  | 1\. In those days, every liberal was labelled a communist.   
2\. Prepared food packages must be labelled with their ingredients   
**Laborious** | Arduous, Burdensome, Onerous, Strenuous, Gruelling, Back-Breaking, Herculean, Exhausting, Taxing, Tiring, Fatiguing, Wearying, Wearisome, Toilsome, Difficult, Tough, Hard, Uphill, Stiff  | Few realize how laborious farm work can be   
**Labyrinthine** | Maze-Like, Mazy, Tortuous, Sinuous, Winding, Convoluted, Complicated, Confusing, Perplexing, Puzzling, Enigmatic, Baffling, Confounding, Complex  | The plot was so labyrinthine that the audience was unable to follow it.   
**Lace** | Openwork, Filigree, Mesh, Web, Webbing, Net, Netting, Network  | She wore a collar of handmade lace   
**Lacerate** | Gash, Cut, Slash, Tear, Rip, Claw, Mangle; Wound, Rend, Hurt  | 1\. My feet were lacerated by the sharp stones.   
2\. She suffered a lacerating attack from him for forgetting to pass on the message.   
**Lack** | Neediness, Deficiency, Dearth, Absence, Scarcity, Shortage, Requirement, Insufficiency, Rareness, Deficit, Inadequacy  | We suffered from a severe lack of food supply over the past week   
**Lame** | Crippled, Disabled, Handicapped, Hobbled, Limping, Incapacitated, Impaired, Halting, Halt, Spavined  | The mare was found to be lame after the previous day's hunting   
**Laud** | Praise, Commend, Celebrate, Sing Or Speak Or Sound The Praises Of, Honour, Acclaim, Extol, Glorify, Promote, Advance, Recommend  | Bramble's paintings have been lauded by leading art critics the world over   
**Laurels** | Rewards, Acclaim, Acclamation, Glory, Renown, Celebrity, Popularity, Reputation; Successes, Accomplishments  | With no new fields to conquer, he is resting on his laurels.   
**Lavish** | Profuse, Abundant, Liberal, Copious, Plentiful, Prolific, Opulent  | He wore a silk tunic with lavish gold embroidery   
**Ledge** | Shelf, Projection, Step, Mantel Or Mantle, Mantelpiece Or Mantelpiece, Overhang, Sill  | We stood on a small ledge of rock unable to move.   
**Leery** | Suspicious, Sceptical, Dubious, Doubtful, Doubting, Distrustful, Wary, Cautious, Chary, Careful  | I was very leery of his story.   
**Lethargy** | Sluggishness, Dullness, Laziness, Idle, Sleepy, Slowness  | After taking the medicine, a feeling of lethargy overtook me   
**Liaison** | Connection, Communication, Contact, Linkage, Affiliation, Relationship, Relations  | Liaison between the ministries is improving   
**Lineage** | Ancestry, Family Tree, Pedigree, Descent, Typical, Lineage, Parentage, Descent  | She has spent a lot of time tracing the lineage of the neighbourhoods families.   
**Linger** | Loiter, Persist, Hang On, Endure, Persevere, Survive  | The smell of tobacco lingered for hours after he had gone   
**Loathe** | Detest, Hate, Despise, Abominate,  | I love broccoli but loathe cauliflower.   
**Lofty** | Tall, High, Elevated, Towering, Soaring  | The lofty skyscrapers of New York always impress visitors on first sight.   
**Ludicrous** | Ridiculous, Laughable, Absurd, Silly, Nonsensical, Unbelievable, Inappropriate, Idiotic, Foolish, Crazy, Comical  | The explanations of the new tax laws have been carried to ludicrous extremes.   
**Lull** | Pause, Interval, Break, Intermission, Interval, Gap, Interruption, Stop, Halt, Delay  | After a brief lull, the hurricane resumed in all its ferocity.   
**Lurch** | Desert, Abandon, Forsake; Drop, Jilt  | He left her in the lurch, waiting at the church   
**Lurid** | Sensational, Vivid, Shocking, Startling, Graphic, Melodramatic  | The tabloids delight in a lurid scandal.   
**Lustrous** | Glossy, Shiny, Shined, Polished, Burnished  | French polishing gives the furniture a lustrous finish.   
**Luxurious** | Opulent, Sumptuous, Grand, Extravagant, Lavish, Magnificent, Splendid, Deluxe, Fancy; Epicurean, Gourmet  | We had a luxurious room overlooking the sea and ate the most luxurious meals   
**Lunacy** | Psychosis, Insanity, Dementia, Craziness, Madness, Psychosis,  | Formerly, it was believed that lunacy was only for the weak and depressed peoplw.   
**Lousy** | Dreadful, Terrible, Cruel, Contemptible, Hateful, Detestable, Despicable, Vile, Wretched, Miserable, Vicious  | Telling dead stories to the weak patients was a lousy thing to do.   
  
##  Letter M

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Macabre** | Ugly, Ghastly, Grisly, Gory, Gruesome, Grotesque, Morbid, Brutal, Dread, Eerie, Fearsome, Frightful, Frightening, Terrifying, Terrible, Dreadful, Dire, Deathly, Deadly, Deathlike, Ghostly, Pale | 1\. He told a macabre story of how they survived by resorting to cannibalism.  
2\. The crypt had a macabre eeriness about it.  
**Machination** | Plotting, Scheming, Intriguing, Designing, Manipulating, Scheme, Intrigue, Manoeuvre, Design, Scam, Artifice, Dirty Trick, Manipulation, Ploy, Move, Gambit | 1\. He escaped from the machinations of his enemies.  
2\. Must you resort to such machinations merely to get them to listen?  
**Magnitude** | Size, Range, Bigness, Immensity, Enormousness, Scopes, Greatness | The magnitude of the problem is so large that you cannot fathom its sheer size.  
**Magnify** | Enlarge, Expand, Amplify, Inflate, Increase, Augment, Exaggerate, Heighten, Build Up, Boost, Dramatize, Aggravate, Worsen, Exacerbate; Overstate | 1\. Tiny errors in the beginning are magnified later on.  
2\. I fear that he has magnified its importance out of all proportion.  
**Magnificent** | Great, Excellent, Splendid, Superior, Superb, Marvellous, Glorious, Grand, Fine, Impressive, Imposing, Awe-Inspiring, Impressive, Brilliant, Commanding, August, Noble, Majestic, Regal, Distinguished, Elegant, Exalted, Sublime, Outstanding; Sumptuous, Resplendent, Opulent, Rich, Luxurious, Lavish | She lives in a magnificent country house.  
**Maim** | Cripple, Mutilate, Disable, Debilitate, Wound, Impair, Hamstring, Injure, Harm, Destruction | Their son was badly maimed in the accident.  
**Majestic** | Regal, Dignified, Grand, Imperial, Royal, Noble, Lordly, Lofty, Elevated, Exalted, Glorious, Magnificent, Monumental, Impressive, Striking, Imposing, Awesome, Splendid, Marvellous, Kingly, Queenly, Princely | With majestic ceremony, the procession entered the cathedral  
**Manacle** | Manacles. Shackles, Fetters, Handcuffs, Gyves, Chains, Irons | The manacles are cutting into his wrists.  
**Mandatory** | Obligatory, Vital, Required, Essential, Charged, Necessitated, Needed | The wearing of safety belts in cars is mandatory.  
**Manifest** | Apparent, Clear, Evident, Obvious, Plain, Patent, Blatant, Conspicuous, Unmistakable Or Unmistakeable, Discernible, Recognizable, Comprehensible, Distinct, Palpable, Definite, Explicit, Unambiguous, Unquestionable, Indubitable, Indisputable | He lost his job because of his manifest dishonesty.  
**Maroon** | Abandon, Cast Away, Desert, Strand, Forsake; Isolate, Seclude | They were marooned on a desert island.  
**Marvellous** | Wonderful, Astonishing, Amazing, Astounding, Surprising, Remarkable, Extraordinary, Phenomenal, Glorious, Splendid, Superb, Excellent, Spectacular, Breathtaking, Miraculous, Unbelievable, Incredible, Sensational, Mind-Boggling, Unparalleled | It was a marvellous show, and Renfrew is a marvellous actor.  
**Maze** | Web, Complex, Obscurity, Twisting And Turnings, Convolutions | His application has been lost in the maze of bureaucratic bungling of files and documents.  
**Meagre** | Scanty, Scant, Poor, Paltry, Inadequate, Skimpy, Scrimpy, Sparse, Spare, Insufficient, Bare, Puny, Piddling, Trifling, Pathetic, Exiguous | 1\. Angela scraped out a meagre living as a shop assistant.  
2\. The meagre supplies wouldn't last another day  
**Meander** | Wander, Ramble, Zigzag, Snake, Wind, Twist, Turn; Stroll, Amble, Rove | 1\. The river meandered with a mazy motion through the meadows.  
2\. We meandered through the forest.  
**Meek** | Modest, Humble, Submissive, Self-Effacing, Unambitious, Unpretentious, Mild, Patient, Retiring, | The meek only shall inherit the earth  
**Melancholy** | Sad, Depressed, Unhappy, Dejected, Hopeless, Downhearted, Glum, Gloomy, Woeful, Lugubrious, Gloomy, Dispirited, Low-Spirited, Cheerless, Heartbroken, Mournful, Sorrowful, Miserable, Dismal | Harold has been melancholy ever since Lucy left.  
**Minder** | Child-Minder, Babysitter, Sitter, Nanny, Nurse, Governess | The minder will put the children to bed  
**Monotonous** | Boring, Tedious, Dull, Tiresome, Humdrum, Sleep-Inducing, Soporific, Wearisome, Wearying, Tiring, Monotonic, Repetitious, Prosaic, Banal, Dry, Dry-As-Dust, Uninteresting, Dreary, Colourless, Unexciting, Run-Of-The-Mill, Ordinary, Commonplace, Routine, Uneventful, Everyday, Mechanical, Banausic | Working in IT became monotonous, so I took a job in advertising  
**Moot** | Debatable, Uncertain, Undecided, Irresolute, Controversial, Doubtful, Disputable, Open To Argument, At Issue | Whether he would be found guilty was still a moot point.  
**Moribund** | Dying, In Extremis, At Death's Door, Failing, Fading, With One Foot In The Grave, Half-Dead, Breathing One's Last, Expiring, On One's Last Legs, On One's Deathbed  
  
##  Letter N

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Nab** | Catch, Capture, Arrest, Put Or Place Under Arrest, Seize, Apprehend, Pick Up, Bring In, Take Into Custody  | They finally nabbed that cat burglar in Hampstead.   
**Nagging** | Distressing, Chronic, Continuous, Continual, Persistent, Unrelenting, Relentless, Recurring | 1\. He complains of a nagging pain in his shoulder.  
2\. I have a nagging feeling that I have an appointment to be somewhere.  
**Naive** | Ingenuous, Innocent, Credulous, Childlike, Born Yesterday, Unaffected, Unsophisticated, Inexperienced, Green, Unworldly, Unsuspecting, Unenlightened, Unsuspicious, Trusting, Trustful, Gullible, Artless, Guileless, Simple, Simplistic, Simple-Minded, Unpretentious, Unpretending, Candid, Natural | Is Chatterley naive enough to believe that the gamekeeper's meetings with his friend were to discuss foxhunting?   
**Naught** | Nought, Nothing, Nil, Zero, Aught Or Ought; Ruin, Destruction, Disaster, Collapse, Failure  | All my efforts had come to naught.  
**Nauseous** | Sickening, Loathsome, Disgusting, Repellent, Offensive, Revolting, Repugnant, Repulsive, Abhorrent, Unpleasant  | A nauseous odour emanated from the downstairs.   
**Naysayer** | Denier, Refuser, Disdainer, Rejecter Or Rejecter; Prophet Of Doom, Pessimist, Sceptic, Dissenter, Defeatist  | Don't expect any encouragement from a naysayer like Raymond   
**Nebulous** | Vague, Hazy, Clouded, Unclear, Obscure, Indistinct, Fuzzy, Muddy, Ill-Defined | He has only the most nebulous idea of what the lecture was about.  
**Negligence** | Inattention, Inattentiveness, Indifference, Carelessness, Unconcern, Dereliction, Failure, Failing, Heedlessness, Laxity, Laxness, Disregard, Oversight, Omission, Inadvertence, Neglect, Remissness, Forgetfulness, Oscitancy Or Oscitance | The car crash was attributed to the lorry driver's negligence.  
**Negligible** | Insignificant, Trivial, Slight, Tiny, Inconsequential, Inappreciable, Small, Paltry, Worthless  | The power consumed by the stabilizer was negligible.   
**Neutralize** | Void, Annul, Cancel (Out), Nullify, Invalidate, Negate, Delete, Undo, Make Or Render Ineffective, Counterbalance, Counteract, Offset, Equalize, Even, Square, Compensate For, Make Up For | The forces on both sides of the sail, being equal, neutralize each other.  
**Nevertheless** | Still, Notwithstanding, Yet, In Spite Of That, Despite That, Nonetheless, Regardless, Be That As It May, For All That, Even So, But, However, Just Or All The Same, Everything Considered, At Any Rate, Anyway, In Any Case, In Any Event, At All Events | He said he dislikes sweets; nevertheless, he ate a whole bar of chocolate.  
**Niche** | Place, Position, Slot | He has finally found a niche for himself working as a tax inspector.  
**Niggle** | Find Fault, Nag, Carp, Fuss, Cavil, Criticize; Complain  | I do wish she would stop niggling when we cannot do anything about the situation  
**Nimble** | Agile, Lively, Active, Light, Lithe, Limber, Spry, Sprightly, Brisk, Smart, Energetic, Rapid, Quick, Swift, Adroit, Deft, Dexterous; Nimble-Fingered; Nimble-Footed  | Despite his inability to make decisions, Desmond has quite a nimble mind.  
**Nonchalant** | Cool, Unexcited, Unexcitable, Unperturbed, Imperturbable, Undisturbed, Untroubled, Unflappable, Unruffled, Dispassionate, Unemotional, Detached, Distant, Unconcerned, Indifferent | How can you be so nonchalant about important issues that affect all our lives?  
**Notorious** | Infamous, Shameful, Shaming, Embarrassing, Discreditable, Scandalous, Disgraceful | He was yet again seen in public with a notorious thief and a smuggler  
**Numb** | Numbed, Benumbed, Insensible, Insensate, Dead, Deadened, Without Feeling, Sensationless, Senseless; Asleep  | My feet are numb from the cold.  
**Nuptial** | Bridal, Matrimonial, Wedding, Spousal, Wedded, Marital; Connubial, Conjugal | The nuptial arrangements have been made.   
**Novelty** | Originality, Newness, Uniqueness, Freshness, Innovativeness  | We are enthusiastic about the novelty of the new sales campaign  
**Notion** | Idea, Thought, Concept, Conception, Image, Impression, General Idea, (Mental) Picture, Inkling  | 1\. She has a pretty good notion of who did it.  
2\. I haven't the slightest notion of what you are talking about  
**Notch** | Nick, Cut, Dent, Indentation, Groove, Cleft, Score, Mark, Gouge, Gash | For every man he killed, the gunfighter cut a notch in the barrel of his gun  
**Nosy** | Curious, Snooping, Prying, Meddling, Spying, Peeping, Eavesdropping | Don’t be nosy on others private affairs.   
**Nonconformist** | Renegade, Maverick, Rebel, Radical, Individualist, Heretic, Dissenter, Dissident, Iconoclast, Loner, Exception, Anomaly  | In the 1960s, Alastair counted himself among the nonconformists who wore unconventional clothes and flouted conventional behaviour.  
  
##  Letter O

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Oar** | Paddle, Wooden Object | Every manual boat has an oar to row on the water.   
**Obeisance** | Deference, Respect, Respectfulness, Homage, Submission, Reverence, Honour | As she entered the chamber, she made obeisance to the king.   
**Obese** | Fat, Overweight, Stout, Fleshy, Gross, Corpulent, Heavy, Plump, Portly, Tubby, Pudgy, Chubby, Paunchy  | I sat down next to an obese person who occupied nearly two chairs.  
**Obligation** | Responsibility, Duty, Charge, Burden, Onus; Accountability, Liability, Trust; Demand, Requirement, Compulsion  | 1.It was Frank's obligation to get the children home safely. 2.Civil servants have an obligation to serve the people  
**Oblige** | Accommodate, Indulge, Favour, Serve, Please, Cater To, Gratify | 1.The hotelier obliged us with every luxury he had to offer. 2.Please oblige us by keeping your dog on a lead   
**Oblique** | Slanting, Slanted, Sloping, Aslant, Inclined, Diagonal, Inclining, Angled, Angling, Canted, Canting, Banked, Banking, Cambered, Crooked, Askew, Divergent, Diverging, Tilted, Atilt | The roof joins the wall at an oblique angle.   
**Obliterate** | Erase, Expunge, Rub Out, Efface, Eradicate, Wipe Out, Delete, Dele, Strike Off Or Out, Strike From, Rule Out, Eliminate, Write Off | After the scandal, that name was obliterated from the roll of honour  
**Oblivion** | Vacuum, Blackness, Darkness, Obscurity, Nothingness, Secrecy, Extinction, Void | The mysterious object floated for a while till it sank into oblivion.  
**Oblivious** | Unaware, Unconscious, Unmindful, Disregardful, Insensible, Insensitive, Distant, Unconcerned, Detached, Removed, Unfeeling, Abstracted, Absent-Minded, Forgetful  | Many are completely oblivious to the plight of the starving millions in Africa.  
**Obnoxious** | Revolting, Repulsive, Repugnant, Disgusting, Belligerent, Objectionable, Fulsome, Vile, Repellent, Nauseous, Sickening, Foul, Abhorrent, Loathsome, Detestable, Hateful, Obscene, Despicable, Awful, Terrible, Unpalatable, Distasteful, Unlikeable, Unpleasant | His cousin’s sister even has obnoxious table manners.   
**Obscene** | Inelegant, Improper, Rude, Impure, Sinful, Shameful, Indecent, Immodest, Ugly, Indecorous, Indelicate, Vulgar, Immoral, Degenerate | The obscene creature dashed the brave warriors to the rocks far below  
**Obscure** | Dark, Unlit, Gloomy, Sombre, Dismal, Murky, Dusky, Black, Cimmerian, Tenebrous, Dim, Faint, Blurred, Veiled, Shadowy, Umbral, Shady, Hazy, Foggy, Befogged, Clouded, Nebulous, Overcast, Cloudy | The traveller's lantern was barely seen in the obscure reaches of the wood.  
**Obsequious** | Low, Cringing, Sycophantic, Crawling, Deferential, Slimy, Menial, Flattering, Slavish, Submissive, Abject  | He is surrounded with obsequious followers who cater to his every whim.  
**Obsession** | Fixed Idea, Fixation, Belief, Preoccupation, Prepossession, Passion, Mania, Phobia, Opinion | Thoughts of death became his constant obsession   
**Obsessive** | Haunting, Harassing, Tormenting, Dominating, Controlling, Possessing, Inclusive, Passionate | She has an obsessive fear of washing her hands often.   
**Obsolescent** | Waning, On The Wane, Declining, Dying, On The Way Out, On The Decline, On The Verge Of Going Out Of Fashion, Fading, Worn Out Fashion | Much of the jet fighters are in obsolescence today.  
**Obstinate** | Stubborn, Dogged, Tenacious, Persistent, Mulish, Perverse, Headstrong, Pigheaded, Single-Minded, Wilful, Strong-Willed, Self-Willed, Contrary, Recalcitrant, Uncooperative, Rebellious, Contumacious, Refractory, Intransigent, Pertinacious, Obdurate, Fixed, Inflexible, Stony, Adamant, Set, Unmoving, Immovable, Inexorable, Intractable, Unchangeable, Resolute, Steadfast, Unyielding, Persevering, Stiff, Rigid, Hard | The obstinate man does not hold opinions - they hold him.   
**Obstreperous** | Vociferous, Noisy, Loud, Riotous, Uproarious, Rowdy, Tempestuous, Unruly, Disorderly, Unmanageable, Uncontrollable, Uncontrolled, Out Of Control, Undisciplined, Boisterous, Wild,  | Many of the guests who came to the party were too obstreperous.  
**Occult** | Secret, Dark, Concealed, Private, Hidden, Obscure, Veiled, Shrouded, Unclear, Shadowy, Mystical, Mysterious  | Printing was kept an occult art for generations.   
**Offhand** | Casual, Nonchalant, Cool, Distant, Relaxed, Easy, Smooth, Unconcerned, Light-Hearted, Unconcerned, Superficial, Cursory, Careless | He is too offhand to be a rude person.   
**Ominous** | Foreboding, Threatening, Fateful, Dark , Gloomy, Lowering Or Louring, Menacing, Sinister; Unfavourable, Ill-Omened, Unpromising, Star-Crossed,  | With ominous solemnity, the judge placed a black cloth square on his head before passing the death sentence   
**Opacity** | Opaqueness, Darkness, Murkiness, Dimness, Obscurity, Impenetrability,Impermeable | Increase the opacity of the lens  
**Oppression** | Repression, Suppression, Subjugation, Subjection, Tyranny, Despotism, Enslavement, Persecution, Maltreatment, Abuse, Torment, Torture, Anguish, Injustice | People who have not known oppression cannot imagine the agonies suffered by the oppressed who once were free.   
**Ornate** | Extravagant, Florid, Overdone, Laboured, Fancy, Lavish, Rich, Flowery, Busy, Fussy, Frilly, Bombastic, Pompous, Pretentious | We find his cooking too ornate for a simple restaurant.   
**Outlandish** | Unfamiliar, Strange, Odd, Queer, Offbeat, Peculiar, Curious, Exotic, Foreign, Alien, Unknown, Unheard-Of, Different, Exceptional, Extraordinary, Quaint, Eccentric, Bizarre, Weird, Fantastic, Unusual, Singular, Unique; Freakish, Grotesque, Barbarous | Those youngsters wear the most outlandish hair-dos you have ever seen.  
  


##  Letter P

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Pace** | Measure, Gauge Judge, Rate, Estimate, Determine, Guess, Figure, Figure Out | I was trying to pace myself to conserve some energy for a sprint finish.  
**Pact** | Agreement, Treaty, Bargain, Alliance, Contract, Compact, Concord, Covenant, Concordat, Entente, Understanding, Arrangement, Deal | The companies entered into an illegal pact not to compete in the same markets.  
**Paddle** | Spank, Paddy Whack, Thrash, Beat, Whip, Flog  | Dad threatened to paddle me if he caught me playing hockey again  
**Pagan** | Heathen, Infidel, Idolatrous, Polytheistic, Heathenish, Gentile | 1\. Many churchmen condemned  
2\. Renaissance scholars for their interest in pagan and pre-Christian writers.  
**Pageant** | Exhibition, Display, Grandeur, Scene, Show, Parade, Demonstration, Ceremony, Formality, Ritual, Event, Affair, Musical, Presentation | The children stage a medieval mystery play as a part of the annual Christmas pageant.  
**Palatial** | Luxurious, De Luxe, Magnificent, Splendid, Stately, Sumptuous, Opulent, Majestic, Magnificent, Grand, Elegant, Palatine, Slang Posh, Ritzy, Swanky, Classy  | After winning the pools, they moved into a palatial house in Belgravia.  
**Paltry** | Trifling, Trivial, Petty, Small, Insignificant, Pitiful, Pitiable, Puny, Unimportant, Meagre, Mean, Beggarly, Base  | 1\. Despite his wealth, his charitable contributions are paltry.  
2\. We all recognize Mr.baker for the paltry pedant he is.  
**Pamper** | Baby, Coddle, Spoil, Cater To, To Pet Someone  | Their parents pamper their children far too much   
**Pander** | Usually, Pander To. Satisfy, Gratify, Humour, Indulge, Fulfil, Bow To, Yield To, Truckle To, Cater To  | She is tired of pandering to his every wish.   
**Panoramic** | Sweeping, Extensive, Comprehensive, Wide, Overall, Scenic, Far-Ranging, All-Encompassing, Inclusive, Bird's-Eye  | This room affords a panoramic view of the seacoast.   
**Paradox** | Absurdity, Inconsistency, Ambiguity, Enigma, Puzzle, Mystery, Predicament, Problem, Dilemma  | The paradox was that although it was Edward's fifth birthday, he was 20 years old  
**Paralyse** | Immobilize, Inactivate, Deactivate, Transfix, Halt, Stop  | 1\. The stroke paralysed his entire left side.  
2\. As the thing approached, the children became paralysed by fear.  
**Paramount** | Pre-Eminent, Topmost, Supreme, Dominant, Main, Fundamental, First, Prime, Primary, Foremost, Essential, Vital, Requisite, Elementary | 1\. The company feel that the independence of researchers is paramount.  
2\. It is of paramount importance that you study trigonometry before calculus.  
**Paraphrase** | Rephrase, Reword, Restate, Rewrite, Explicate, Explain  | Please paraphrase the specialized jargon to make it understandable to non-professionals.   
**Parch** | Dry (Out Or Up), Desiccate, Dehydrate, Exsiccate; Scorch, Sear, Burn, Bake; Shrivel (Up), Wither  | The earth was parched by the unrelenting sun   
**Pardon** | Forgiveness, Amnesty, Remission, Release, Reprieve, Freedom, Understanding, Excuse, Allowance, Overlooking  | Should there be any pardon for crimes against humanity?   
**Parity** | Impartiality, Equivalence, Consistency, Uniformity, Likeness, Similarity, Analogy, Equivalence, Conformity,  | The ministers agreed that they would observe parity of power amongst themselves at the conference.   
**Parochial** | Regional, Provincial, Narrow, Local, Insular, Isolated, Limited, Restricted, Narrow-Minded, Petty, Short-Sighted, Hidebound, Conservative, Conventional, Illiberal, Bigoted, Prejudiced, Intolerant, One-Sided, Partial, Biased  | Uneducated and untraveled, Mr Shriver maintained a very parochial view of the world.  
**Partisan** | Devotee, Follower, Supporter, Advocate, Backer, Champion, Enthusiast, Admirer, Extremist, Fanatic  | He has long been a partisan of nationalism.   
**Pastiche** | Mixture, Medley, Blend, Compound, Composite, Patchwork, Olla Podrida, Pot-Pourri, Motley, Miscellany, Omnium Gatherum, M‚Lange, Gallimaufry, Farrago, Mishmash  | The room was furnished in a pastiche of styles from every imaginable period.  
**Pastime** | Hobby, Avocation, Recreation, Amusement, Entertainment, Fun, Play, Leisure-Time ,Relaxation, Leisure | As a pastime, she collects books from ancient history.  
**Patent** | Clear, Transparent, Manifest, Apparent, Bare, Evident, Self-Evident, Explicit, Palpable, Tangible, Bodily, Conspicuous, Obvious, Blatant, Prominent | The results are as patent as the fact that three and three make four.  
**Pathetic** | Affecting, Affective, Emotive, Emotional, Tragic, Heart-Rending, Heart-Breaking, Disgraceful, Pitiable, Piteous, Wretched, Miserable, Sorrowful, Grievous, Sad, Mournful, Terrible | The boat people told a pathetic tale of the hardship of weeks in the open sea.  
**Penance** | Punishment, Penalty, Reparation, Compensation, Atonement, Self-Punishment, Regret, Repentance | A year of public service was fair penance for the offence  
**Peevish** | Ill-Natured, Tetchy, Cross, Bad-Tempered, Ill-Tempered, Fault-Finding, Captious, Carping, Cavilling, Crusty, Curmudgeonly, Crotchety, Cantankerous, Grumpy Or Grumpish, Pettish, Acrimonious, Splenetic | He's very peevish today, so don't get on his wrong side.   
  
##  Letter Q

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Quack** | Fake, Fraudulent, Sham, Counterfeit, Phony | Are you still going to see that quack doctor - the one who told you to take aspirin to relieve the pain from your ulcer?  
**Quaint** | Curious, Odd, Strange, Bizarre, Peculiar, Unusual, Queer, Uncommon, Singular, Unorthodox, Eccentric, Whimsical, Offbeat, Fanciful, Outlandish, Unconventional, Fantastic | Her sitting-room was furnished in a quaint mixture of Gothic and Victorian styles.  
**Quake** | Tremble, Shake, Quiver, Shudder; Vibrate, Stagger | In a few moments the quake levelled three cities that had stood for thousands of years.  
**Qualm** | Second Thought, Doubt, Uncertainty, Misgiving, Hesitation, Scruple, Uneasiness, Compunction, Reluctance, Disinclination, Queasiness, Apprehension, Apprehensiveness, Twinge, Pang, Worry, Concern | He had some qualms about leaving the town where he had lived for over thirty years.  
**Quandary** | Dilemma, Mess, Difficulty, Plight, Divided Opinion, Uncertainty | His team is in a quandary, whether to pursue it or not?  
**Quarrel** | Dispute, Argument, Disagreement, Debate, Controversy, Discord, Difference (Of Opinion), Contention, Misunderstanding; Wrangle, Tiff, Row, Squabble, Altercation, Set-To, Scuffle, Feud, Fight, Fray, Fracas, Brawl | 1\. I have no quarrel with my accountant - it's the tax man that's the problem.  
2\. A quarrel broke out over whose turn it was to wash the dishes.  
**Quarrelsome** | Testy, Petulant, Irascible, Irritable, Disagreeable, Fractious, Querulous, Peevish, Cross, Choleric, Curmudgeonly, Contrary, Dyspeptic, Cranky, Grouchy, Argumentative, Combative, Squabbling, Disputatious, Hostile, Antagonistic, Dissentious, Dissentient, Dissident, Pugnacious, Bellicose, Belligerent, Contentious | I have to listen to the continual bickering of my quarrelsome neighbours.  
**Quarry** | Prey, Game, Prize, Object | 1\. The hunter's dogs had run their quarry to ground.  
2\. Wealthy widows were regarded as fair quarry by the swindlers  
**Quash** | Extract, Nullify, Void, Invalidate, Revoke, Vacate, Set Aside, Retract, Cancel, Reject, Throw Out, Reverse, Overthrow, Discharge, Override | His crime was quashed and he was set free.  
**Quaver** | Tremble, Quiver, Shake, Shiver, Vibrate, Waver, Shudder, Fluctuate, Oscillate, Flutter | His voice quavered with emotion as he described his rescue.  
**Queasy** | Uncomfortable, Anxious, Nervous, Apprehensive, Ill At Ease, Troubled, Worried, Inept, Disbelieving, Timid | 1\. I had a queasy feeling that I was being watched.  
2\. The manager was a bit queasy about giving Robert so much responsibility  
**Queer** | Anomalous, Strange, Diverse, Peculiar, Funny, Enquiring, Bizarre, Uncanny, Unnatural, Freakish, Remarkable, Offbeat, Irregular, Incomparable, Incongruous, Outlandish, Bizarre, Illogical, Ridiculous, Ludicrous | 1\. How do you explain Rachel’s queer behaviour at the office party?  
2\. Her attire could only be described as queer, given her age and status  
**Quell** | Suppress, Put Down, Repress, Subdue, Quash, Overcome, Crush, Squelch | The army arrived to quell the uprising at the prison  
**Quench** | Put Out, Extinguish, Douse, Smother, Snuff Out, Stifle, Kill, Destroy, Suppress, Squelch, Repress, Overcome, Subdue | Even the totalitarian regime cannot entirely quench the fire of freedom in the hearts of the oppressed.  
**Querulous** | Complaining, Carping, Critical, Criticizing, Hypercritical, Fault-Finding, Finicky, Finical, Fussy, Over-Particular, Censorious, Petulant, Whining, Murmuring, Grumbling, Peevish, Testy, Touchy, Irritable, Irritated, Annoyed, Piqued, In A Pique, Irascible, Fractious, Perverse, Quarrelsome, Ill-Natured, Ill-Humoured, Cantankerous, Curmudgeonly, Crusty, Crotchety, Fretful, Bad-Tempered, Ill-Tempered, Waspish, Crabby, Cross, Splenetic, Choleric, Sour, Dyspeptic, Grumpy | He objected to almost all the television programmes and sent querulous letters to the broadcasters telling them so.  
**Quibble** | Equivocate, Split Hairs, Evade, Be Evasive, Palter, Chop Logic, Bandy Words, Cavil, Pettifog | It's a quibble whether you say 'either' and 'neither' to rhyme with 'peek' or 'pike'.  
**Quip** | Witticism, Sally, Jest, Ad Lib, Joke, Gibe, Barb, Aphorism, Epigram, Apophthegm Or Apothegm, Pun | In his worst quip he attributed the breakdown of his computer to a slipped diskette  
**Quirk** | Peculiarity, Vagary, Eccentricity, Fancy, Twist, Aberration, Characteristic, Oddity, Kink, Trick | By some strange quirk of fate, after weeks in an open boat I was cast ashore at Maldives  
**Quotation** | Quote, Passage, Citation, Reference, Allusion, Extract, Excerpt, Selection | For many years Frances collected quotations from the speeches of politicians  
  


##  Letter R 

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Rabble** | mob, crowd, horde, throng, swarm, gang | We narrowly escaped the wrath of the rabble fighting the police in the square.  
**Rabid** | irrational, extreme, fanatical, raging, furious, violent, maniacal, wild, mad, infuriated, berserk | Please don’t remind him of raj or else he might become rabid.  
**Racy** | lively, animated, spirited, sprightly, buoyant, vivacious, energetic, vigorous, dynamic, zestful, stimulating, mettlesome or mettled | Tabloid journalists are told that their writing must be racy - straightforward reporting is out of fashion  
**Radiant** | shining, bright, beaming, blazing, bright, luminous, gleaming, glowing, glistening, incandescent, alight, sparkling, dazzling, aglow | In her hair she wore a diamond tiara, a radiant crown whose glory was diminished only by her beauty.  
**Raffle** | lottery, draw, sweepstake | The church is holding a raffle for a new car next week  
**Rage** | anger, fury, wrath, enragement, fervour | He could not control his rage when he heard the incident for the first time.  
**Rakish** | dashing, jaunty, dapper, spruce, debonair, raffish, smart, breezy, flashy, chic, fashionable, elegant | Adjusting his trilby to a rakish angle, Peter strode along the boulevard.  
**Ramble** | amble, wander (off), stroll, saunter, walk, perambulate, go (off or away), travel, drift, range, rove, go or move about, hike, trek | Don't ramble too far as dinner will be ready soon  
**Rampage** | enthusiasm, agitation, recklessness, unrest, turmoil, uproar, frenzy, fury, rage | Their serving him a cup of cold coffee prompted his latest rampage.  
**Rampant** | unchecked, uninhibited, unrestrained, wild, uncontrolled, out of control, out of hand, frenzied, unbridled, uncontrollable, violent | Before Masterson became sheriff, vice and crime were rampant in the town.  
**Rancid** | foul-smelling, ill-smelling, evil-smelling, smelly, disagreeable, odious, rotten, decayed, spoilt or spoiled, turned, bad, awful, sour | To rid your fridge of that rancid smell, wash it out with a solution of baking soda.  
**Rapacious** | greedy, covetous, grasping, acquisitive, usurious, acquisitive, predatory, predacious, ravenous, voracious, insatiable, wolfish | That rapacious swindler took everything they had in the world.  
**Rapture** | ecstasy, delight, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, pleasure, exaltation, elation, thrill, enchantment, euphoria, beatitude, transport, enchantment | Nothing could compare with the rapture he felt at seeing his daughter win the Nobel prize.  
**Raucous** | harsh, snarling, rough, gruff, hoarse, grating, scratchy, jarring, strident, shrill, noisy, loud, ear-splitting, piercing | You could hear his raucous voice above all the others  
**Ravish** | hypnotize, pleasure, mesmerize, fascinate, appearance, charm | I was ravished at the prospect of seeing you once again.  
**Rebuke** | scold, reproach, admonish, reprove, reprimand, lecture, censure, chide, reprehend, berate, castigate, criticize, take to task, upbraid, revile | The headmaster severely rebuked those boys who had violated the school curfew.  
**Rebuttal** | reaction, reply, retort, response, counter-argument, retort, retribution, denial, refutation, ambiguity, disproof | In rebuttal, the defence tried to prove that the witness for the prosecution had been bribed.  
**Reciprocate** | repay, compensation, requite, exchange, return, trade, match, equal, link | You have always been very kind to me and I want to reciprocate in any way I can.  
**Reconcile** | get or bring (back) together, unite, reunite, settle or resolve differences between, restore harmony between, make peace between, placate, make compatible | Do you think that a marriage counsellor could help reconcile him and her ?  
**Reconnaissance** | study, examination, scouting, exploration, investigation, inspection, analysis | Their reconnaissance showed that the enemy forces had withdrawn.  
**Recuperate** | progress, recover, get recovered, revive, mend, heal, survive | Samuel went to Apollo to recuperate from his illness.  
**Redolent** | fragrant, sweet-smelling, aromatic, perfumed, odorous, scented, savoury | The entire house was redolent with the odour of pine needles  
**Reiterate** | repeat, restate, iterate, labour, harp on, dwell on, rehash, recapitulate | I must reiterate my warning to you to be careful.  
**Rejuvenate** | Restore, reinvigorate, revive, refresh, renew, reanimate, regenerate | Rejuvenate yourself soon because you will be having a tough eek ahead.  
**Relent** | relax, soften, yield, give, give way or ground, bend, comply, compromise, come round, be merciful, show pity or compassion, melt, succumb | They finally relented and allowed me to have visitors.  
  


##  Letter S 

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Synthetic** | artificial, man-made, manufactured, ersatz; fake, false, counterfeit, sham, bogus, spurious, mock, imitation, pseudo, plastic | Because of the animal rights activists, many women today wear synthetic fur.  
**Syndicate** | affiliate, ally, associate, amalgamate, consolidate, league, confederate, synthesize | His business is syndicating old movies to television stations.  
**Sympathy** | tenderness, empathy, understanding, solicitousness, warmth, tender-heartedness, warm-heartedness | We feel great sympathy for any child who loses a pet.  
**Swoop** | descent, dive, sweep, pounce, stoop, stroke, blow, rush | The police raid caught several drug dealers in one fell swoop.  
**Swivel** | pivot, turn, rotate, spin, revolve, pirouette, move freely | This joint allows the arm to swivel in all directions.  
**Swerve** | veer, career, swing, diverge, deviate, sheer off, skew, stray | The car swerved wildly off the road and into a ditch.  
**Sustenance** | nutriment, nourishment, food (and drink), daily bread, rations, victuals, provisions, provender, groceries, aliment, edibles, eatables | The fur trade provided the sustenance of early Canadian settlers.  
**Surmise** | imagine, guess, speculation, speculate, suppose, hypothesize, theorize, presume, gather, assume, understand, fancy, suspect | I surmised that deputies long before the summit arranged the treaty terms.  
**Surge** | swell, wave, billow, bulge, heave, roll, undulate, well forth or up, rise and fall, ebb and flow, pulsate; rush, gush, pour, flood, stream, flow | The sea surged through the narrow gorge with a roar.  
**Supplant** | swap, displace, banish, turn out, eject, get rid of, expel, dismiss, unseat, surpass, substitute, altercation | An old group more sympathetic to the needs of the people should supplant the council.  
**Sundry** | Various, miscellaneous, assorted, different, mixed, diversified | There are a sundry of items in the mall.  
**Sumptuous** | posh, costly, extravagant, exorbitant, rich lavish, luxurious, opulent, palatial, royal, majestic, regal, magnificent, dazzling, splendid | The car must have cost a sumptuous amount of money.  
**Sultry** | warm, humid, stuffy, stifling, sweltering, moist, damp, hot | I was enjoying again in the sultry warmth of Indian subcontinent.  
**Suffuse** | overspread, imbue, pour or spread over, bathe, cover | A rosy glow suffused his face.  
**Suffice** | satisfy, serve, do, be sufficient or enough or adequate, answer, sate, satiate, quench | If you are merely thirsty, water should suffice.  
**Succumb** | yield, give up, surrender, accede, submit | I succumbed to his request.  
**Suave** | urbane, cosmopolitan, worldly, smooth, gracious, nonchalant, civilized, cultivated, courteous, diplomatic, polite, charming, agreeable, affable, bland | Fictional detectives range from the suave Sherlock Holmes to the earthy Philip Marlowe.  
**Sturdy** | strong, solid, stout, rough, tough, well-built, ample, strapping, muscular, powerful, athletic, hardy | This ladder should be sturdy enough to hold you.  
**Stumble** | Stumble on or upon. chance or come or happen on or upon, hit upon, come or run across, find, discover, encounter | He was very nervous and stumbled his way through his speech.  
**Stilted** | awkward, ungraceful, graceless, clumsy, wooden, stiff, turgid, affected, artificial, unnatural, mannered, laboured; pretentious, formal, pompous, lofty, bombastic, grandiloquent, high-flown, inflated | Francis has a stilted way of expressing himself.  
**Stifle** | smother, congest, strangle, throttle, asphyxiate, suffocate | He was stifled to death in the fire accident.  
**Staunch** | loyal, firm, unflinching, steady, unshrinking, trusty, dependable, reliable, devoted, trusty, faithful | Charles has always been a staunch supporter of the party  
**Spurious** | false, counterfeit, sham, fake, fraudulent, bogus, mock, imitation, simulated, unauthentic, forged, pretended, deceitful, contrived, factitious, artificial, synthetic | His brother was jailed for peddling spurious Egyptian burial artefacts to archaeologists.  
**Spunk** | nerve, courage, spirit, gameness, resolve, resolution, mettle, heart, grit, backbone | Frances has shown she has tremendous spunk to have got this far in the tournament  
**Splice** | connection, unite, bind, adjoin, interweave, intertwine, twist, knit | Splice the two ends with a gum.  
**Solicitous** | entreat, beseech, ask for, implore, petition, importune, appeal for or to, call on or upon, beg, supplicate, pray, crave | He has solicited my help on more than one occasion  
**Sham** | fraud, counterfeit, imitation, garbage, pretence, forgery, copy, imposture, hoax | Their call for reform is a sham, as they do not intend to disturb the status quo.  
  


##  Letter T 

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Tableau** | scene, sight, spectacle, picture, image; composition, arrangement, grouping, effect | The children raptly listening to their father telling a story - what a charming tableau!  
**Tacit** | silent, undeclared, unsaid, unstated, unspoken, understood, unexpressed, implicit | They tacitly represented the information.  
**Tackle** | gear, rig, fittings, equipment, equipage, rigging, paraphernalia, outfit, tools, apparatus, trappings | The steeplejack brought along all his tackle and made ready for his climb  
**Taint** | tint, scar, blemish, tinge, tincture, stigma, faultiness, flaw, scar, defect, disrepute, dishonour, black mark | He suffers from the taint from his neighbours.  
**Tamper** | interfere, meddle, intermeddle, intrude, tinker, mess | Anyone caught tampering with the machinery will be prosecuted.  
**Tangle** | knot, mesh, twist, entangle, snag, intertwine, interlace, interweave, jumble | Tangle all those ribbons.  
**Taut** | constricted, tense, strained, hard-pressed, firm, hard | His biceps are so taut like a brick  
**Tedious** | over-long, long-drawn-out, prolonged, endless, unending, monotonous, unchanging, changeless, unvarying, laborious, long-winded, wearing, wearying, wearisome, tiring, exhausting, fatiguing, tiresome, boring, dreary, dull, dry-as-dust, drab, colourless, vapid, insipid, flat, uninteresting, banal | Bank jobs have become tedious these days.  
**Tenable** | defensible, supportable, justifiable, maintainable, workable, viable, defendable, plausible, reasonable, rational, arguable, believable, credible, creditable, imaginable, conceivable, possible | Copernicus showed that Ptolemaic cosmology was no longer tenable  
**Tenacious** | Persistent, constant, determined, diligent, resolute, staunch, steadfast, unwavering, strong-willed, strong-minded, unshakeable obstinate, stubborn, unbending, immovable, inflexible, rigid, firm, unyielding, uncompromising | Despite his age, Christopher maintains a tenacious grip on reality.  
**Tentative** | experimental, speculative, exploratory, probative, trial, provisional | We have tentative plans for introducing a new work methodology  
**Tether** | lead, restraint, rope, cable, bond, strap, tie, chain | Tether your smartphone to mine  
**Thrift** | Stingy, carefulness, frugality, thriftiness, tight-fistedness, miserliness, money saving. | Only through our thrift were we able to save enough for a new car.  
**Torment** | agony, abuse, injure, mistreat, distress, excruciate, crucify, pain | Hunger tormented his weary body  
**Torpid** | sluggish, slow, slow-moving, slow-paced, tortoise-like, lethargic, apathetic, indolent, passive, slothful, dull, stupefied, sleepy, somnolent, inactive, inert, languid, languorous, phlegmatic, spiritless, lifeless, listless | The snail moves at a torpid pace.  
**Torrid** | burning, fiery, sultry, roasting, sweltering, broiling, sizzling, blazing, baking, boiling, blistering, scorching, scorched, parched | It seemed impossible that any creature could survive in such a torrid climate  
**Totter** | waver, topple, falter, tremble, teeter, sway, rock, stagger, stumble, wobble, quiver, shake, quake, shiver, dodder | He seemed to totter a bit as he left the pub  
**Trample** | trample on or upon, tramp (on or upon), stamp (on), tread (on), step on, crush, press, squash, flatten | After the harvest, we would take turns trampling the grapes.  
**Tranquil** | calm, serene, placid, quiet, peaceful, still, smooth, halcyon, relaxed; unruffled, sedate, steady, regular, even, dispassionate, self-possessed, cool, self-controlled, cool-headed, unexcited, undisturbed, untroubled, unperturbed | He often thought back to the tranquil, sultry summer days of his youth.  
**Transcend** | surpass, outstrip, exceed, go beyond, outdistance, overstep, outdo, excel, overshadow, top, outdistance, rise above, outshine, beat | Her performance at La Scala transcended that of every other Mimi I have heard.  
**Transgression** | sin, trespass, offence, error, lapse, fall from grace, disobedience, misbehaviour, wrong, violation, fault, misdeed, misdemeanour, crime, wrongdoing, infraction | How should he be punished for his transgressions?  
**Tremble** | shiver, shake, quake, jolt, quaver, flinch, vibrate, rock | He trembled upon seeing a ghost.  
**Tremulous** | trembling, a-tremble, quivering, shaking, quaking, shivering, shuddering, quavering, hesitant, wavering, unsure, unsteady, faltering, doubtful, nervous, shaky, palpitating, jumpy | His tremulous hands revealed just how apprehensive he was.  
**Trickle** | drip, drop, dribble, drizzle, run, flow, spill; ooze, seep, leak, exude | The water trickled onto the floor  
**Truculent** | surly, sullen, bad-tempered, ill-tempered, unpleasant, nasty, obstreperous, rude, unpleasant, ferocious, fierce, savage, feral, barbarous, harsh, scathing, virulent, combative, belligerent, antagonistic, bellicose, hostile, contentious | I don't care enough for this job to endure the boss's truculent attitude a moment longer.  
  
##  Letter W 

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Wad** | pad, mass, lump, clod, ball, plug, chunk, hunk, block, pack  | Over coffee James handed him a wad of notes.   
**Waddle** | toddle, shuffle, wobble or wabble, totter, paddle, pad, waggle, duck-walk | He waddled down the road, a shopping-bag on each arm.   
**Wade** | ford, cross, traverse, walk, make one's way  | The water is only knee-deep, and you can wade across   
**Waffle** | equivocate, hedge, quibble, shuffle, tergiversate, hem and haw, prevaricate, Brit beat about the bush  | I wish he would stop waffling and say what he means.   
**Waft** | drift, float, blow, whiff, be borne or carried or transported | The scent of jasmine wafted towards me on the warm breeze.   
**Wag** | upsurge, waggle, fluctuate, sway, swell, flutter, flap, flip, flicker, shake, vibrate, quiver, nod, wobble, waver  | Misty's tail wagged as I approached the house   
**Wage** | Often, wages. pay, compensation, emolument, remuneration, payment, fee, salary, stipend, recompense, reward, earnings; honorarium | The strikers wanted a ten per cent increase in their hourly wage.  
**Waive** | give up, relinquish, renounce, resign, forsake, forgo, cede, sign away, surrender, abandon, yield, dispense with  | I waived my right to the inheritance in favour of my daughters.  
**Wallow** | roll or loll about or around, welter, writhe, tumble, splash or plash | Now that Gabriel is a big rock star, he simply wallows in all the attention he is getting.  
**Wane** | decrease, diminish, grow less, lessen, decline, die out, abate, ebb, subside, fade (away), dim, taper off, peter out, wind down, weaken | The waning moon cast its pale light on the dying knight   
**Wangle** | outline, work out, assembly, manoeuvre, plot, manage, deploy, hatch | I hear that you were able to wangle an audience with the pope.  
**Wanting** | deficient, inadequate, not up to par or expectations, insufficient, leaving much to be desired, unsatisfactory, unsatisfying, disappointing, second-rate, inferior, poor, shabby, shoddy, flawed, faulty, imperfect, incomplete, unfinished, defective, patchy, impaired, damaged, broken, unsound | What good is a banjo wanting its strings?  
**Warp** | twist, contortion, distortion, bias, deformity, deformation, bend, wrench, perversion, kink, idiosyncrasy, quirk, deviation | Harry has to overcome a serious warp in his attitude towards food.  
**Whimsical** | quaint, fey, fanciful, odd, curious, unusual, chimeric(al), queer, singular, peculiar, funny, fantastic(al), pixyish, playful, puckish, absurd, preposterous  | pixyish, playful, puckish, absurd, preposterous, Colloq offbeat: When Andrew's whimsical drawings caught on they were bought by greetings card makers   
**Wield** | flourish, swing, brandish, wave, handle, use, employ | He wields that machete as if he means business.  
**Wintry** | grim, dismal, miserable, monotonous, harsh, bleak, hostile, ugly, intimidating, ill-omened, aggressive, shadowy | His comment about her age evoked only a wintry look from Margot.  
  
##  Letter Y 

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Yank** | jerk, jolt, tug, wrench, snatch, hitch  | Give two yanks on the rope when you want me to pull you up.   
**Yap** | gabble, babble, blither or blather, chatter, jabber, tattle, prattle, prate | I wish she'd stop her yapping and give me some peace.   
**Yardstick** | measure, benchmark, criterion, standard, gauge, basis, touchstone, scale, exemplar | We thought she sang beautifully, but then we had no yardstick against which to judge.  
**Yarn** | thread, fibre, strand, tale, story, account, narrative, anecdote; tall tale, fable, fabrication, fiction, cock-and-bull story | The old salt had many yarns to spin during the long evenings by the fire.  
**Yearn** | long, pine, ache, hanker, itch, hunger, thirst, crave, have a craving, desire, wish, want, fancy, prefer  | I yearn to see the green-clad hills of home once more, Before my vessel bears me from this mortal shore.   
**Yell** | shout, scream, bellow, howl, screech, yowl, roar, bawl, caterwaul, squall, yelp | I think I heard a yell for help.  
**Yeomanly** | workmanlike, useful, staunch, bold, loyal, keen, yeomanly, faithful, steadfast, trusty, stable, sturdy, reliable, solid | Carruthers certainly did a yeomanly job on reorganizing the system.  
**Yield** | give up, surrender, give over, hand in or over, abandon, relinquish, renounce, cede, surrender, give up (the fight or struggle), give in, knuckle under, submit, cede, cry quits, throw in the towel or the sponge, capitulate, succumb, raise the white flag | The captain of the enemy company asked if we would yield.   
**Yucky** | disgusting, repugnant, repellent, unappetizing, vomit-provoking, sick-making, ill-making, nauseous, nauseating, revolting, foul, mucky, revolting, beastly, awful | We get this yucky mess at school that we call 'mystery meat'.  
**Yummy** | pleasant, mouth-watering, delicious, tempting, tasty, scrumptious, palatable | At our school tuck shop we get the most yummy ice-cream.   
**Young** | youth, teenage, adolescent, pubescent, juvenile, minor, junior, unripe, inexperienced, green, inexperienced, childlike, innocent, guileless | There are many young people in this room.   
  
##  Letter Z 

Word | Synonyms | Examples  
---|---|---  
**Zany** | clownish, mad, wild, frolicsome, sportive, playful, gay, merry, slapstick, crazy, funny, comical, amusing, hilarious, absurd, nonsensical, ludicrous, silly, foolish, inane, wacky, loony, madcap, crackpot, nutty, goofy  | 1\. The buskers put on the zaniest show I have seen for some time.  
2\. The two zanies kept the crowd in stitches while the pickpockets stole their wallets.  
**Zap** | destroy, kill, slaughter, annihilate, murder, slay, assassinate, liquidate, erase; shoot, electrocute, Slang rub out, polish off, knock off, bump off, snuff (out), waste, hit | The baddies got zapped by the ray gun, one after the other.   
**Zealot** | fanatic, extremist, radical, bigot, maniac, militant  | We have to deal with ruthless zealots who are willing to die for their cause.  
**Zenith** | meridian, summit, acme, apex, vertex, apogee, high point, top, peak, pinnacle | The dictator reached the zenith of his power very quickly.   
**Zest** | flavour, elation, delight, tang, pepper, ginger, tastiness, spiciness, edge, bite, flavour, eagerness, zestfulness, enthusiasm, appetite, interest, hunger, thirst  | 1\. Put in a little of my home-made sauce to add some zest.  
2\. Where does Sidney get his zest for life?   
**Zone** | territory, province, realm, domain, precinct, department, terrain, circle, locality, locale, area, quarter, district, region, sector, section, sphere, belt  | 1\. A duty-free zone will allow for quicker transhipment of goods.  
2\. The northern and southern hemispheres each have a frigid, temperate, and torrid zone.  
**Zoo** | zoological garden, menagerie, Tiergarten  | When my husband and the three children get ready in the morning the kitchen is like a zoo.  
**Zero** | zero in on. focus on, pinpoint, fix on, home in on, concentrate on, bring to bear on | We zeroed in on the problem and then rapidly found the answer.  
**Zealotry** | intolerance, militants, terrorism, single-mindedness, fervour, frenzy, hysteria, obsession, racial obsessiveness, fanaticism, extremism, radicalism, | Their attacks on innocent civilians show how far their zealotry can take them.