Definition: To persuade someone to do something by gentle coaxing, flattery, or insincere promises

Sample sentence: He tried to cajole his friend into joining the gym with him.

Definition: To praise or celebrate enthusiastically; to recognize and laud the achievements of someone or something

Sample sentence: The movie received critical acclaim and several awards for its powerful storyline and compelling performances.

Definition: To praise or extol, especially in public; to offer acclaim or commendation

Sample sentence: The article lauded the achievements of the young entrepreneur.

Definition: To pretend to be sick or incapacitated in order to avoid work or responsibility; to feign illness or injury

Sample sentence: He tried to malinger his way out of the difficult project by claiming a sudden migraine.

Definition: To prevent or hinder an anticipated event or action by taking advance action; to preclude or head off beforehand

Sample sentence: The company attempted to forestall bankruptcy by cutting expenses and restructuring debts.

Definition: To promote the growth or development of something, often harmful or undesirable; to instigate or incite

Sample sentence: The rebel group aimed to foment unrest among the population, hoping to eventually overthrow the oppressive regime.

Definition: To pronounce words or articulate sounds clearly and distinctly; to express or state clearly and distinctly

Sample sentence: As an actor, he had to learn how to enunciate his lines clearly so the audience could understand him.

Definition: To pronounce words or articulate speech clearly and distinctly; to state or express something precisely or coherently

Sample sentence: As a broadcaster, it was crucial for her to enunciate her words, so listeners could easily understand her.

Definition: To prove a statement or theory to be wrong or false; to disprove, contradict, or rebut an argument

Sample sentence: The scientist refuted the popular myth by presenting hard evidence to the contrary.

Definition: To prove or declare someone not guilty of wrongdoing or blame; to clear from accusation

Sample sentence: The new evidence was enough to exculpate the defendant, leading to his release from prison.

Definition: To provide evidence or support for a statement, claim, or belief; to prove or verify

Sample sentence: The scientist worked tirelessly to substantiate her hypothesis through a series of experiments and data analysis.

Definition: To provoke or annoy someone so as to stimulate a reaction or response; to urge or prod

Sample sentence: His constant teasing goaded her into finally confronting him about his behavior.

Definition: To publicly and vehemently criticize or condemn someone or something as being wrong or reprehensible

Sample sentence: The politician denounced his rival's unethical practices during the debate.

Definition: To publicly condemn or criticize someone or something as being wrong or reprehensible; to accuse or censure openly

Sample sentence: Several prominent politicians denounced the controversial policy, calling for its immediate repeal.

Definition: To publicly denounce or criticize something, often as harmful or wrong; to condemn

Sample sentence: Environmentalists decried the building of the dam, citing its potential damage to the ecosystem.

Definition: To publicly ridicule or mock, often using satire or sarcasm; to make fun of

Sample sentence: The comedian's sketch lampooned the political leader, exaggerating his mannerisms and speech patterns.

Definition: To put an end to, typically by force; to suppress or subdue a disturbance, feeling, or opposition

Sample sentence: The police were called to quell the riot that had erupted in the city center.

Definition: To put something at risk or in danger of being harmed, damaged or lost; to imperil or endanger

Sample sentence: Breaking the rules could jeopardize their chances of winning the competition.

Definition: To raise a sensitive or difficult topic for discussion; to introduce a subject for debate or consideration

Sample sentence: Unsure of his colleague's reaction, he nervously decided to broach the controversial issue at the next meeting.

Definition: To raise in rank, honor, power, or character; to elevate or glorify

Sample sentence: The queen decided to exalt the brave knight for his valor in battle.

Definition: To reduce costs or spending in response to economic difficulty; to economize or cut back on expenses

Sample sentence: Faced with declining profits, the company decided to retrench by laying off workers and closing several branches.

Definition: To reduce the force, effect, or value of something; to weaken or lessen

Sample sentence: The new medical treatment helped to attenuate the severity of her symptoms.

Definition: To refrain from insisting on or using (a right or claim); to give up voluntarily or relinquish

Sample sentence: The school decided to waive the application fee for low-income students.

Definition: To regard or represent as being of little worth; to belittle or criticize unfairly

Sample sentence: It is unkind to disparage others based on their appearance.

Definition: To regard with great respect, reverence, or admiration; to honor or revere someone or something as sacred or exalted

Sample sentence: In their culture, they venerate their ancestors by performing rituals and offering daily prayers.

Definition: To regard with respect or admiration; to value or appreciate

Sample sentence: The accomplished musician was held in high esteem by her peers.

Definition: To remedy or set right an undesirable or unfair situation; compensation for a wrongdoing or grievance

Sample sentence: The employees sought redress for their unfair treatment through a class-action lawsuit.

Definition: To remove moisture from something, typically in order to preserve it; to dry up or become dried-up

Sample sentence: The hot sun and dry air will quickly desiccate the grapes, turning them into raisins.

Definition: To remove or erase something completely, often as if it never existed; to delete or obliterate from records or memories

Sample sentence: The court ordered that the individual's criminal record be expunged after he completed his probation period.

Definition: To remove or prevent a need or difficulty by anticipating and making it unnecessary; to preclude or avoid

Sample sentence: The new software update was designed to obviate the security vulnerabilities found in the previous version.

Definition: To restrain or confine with chains or other restraints; to restrict one's freedom or progress

Sample sentence: The prisoner was fettered to the wall, unable to escape his confinement.

Definition: To restrain, hinder, or hold back; to prevent or discourage action or expression; to control or restrict

Sample sentence: Fear of public speaking can inhibit one's ability to effectively communicate with others.

Definition: To return to a former, usually worse, state or condition; to revert or backslide

Sample sentence: After making significant progress, the patient seemed to regress and displayed her previous symptoms once more.

Definition: To say or do something again or repeatedly, often for emphasis or clarity

Sample sentence: The teacher had to reiterate the instructions several times before the students understood the assignment.

Definition: To scold or criticize someone harshly; to reprimand or rebuke forcefully

Sample sentence: The teacher had to berate the student for his repeated tardiness and disruptive behavior.

Definition: To show a feeling of superiority towards someone, often through patronizing behavior or a disdainful tone; to descend willingly to a lower level in order to interact with others

Sample sentence: She hated when her boss would condescend to her, implying that her work was never quite good enough.

Definition: To slow down or impede the progress or development of something; to obstruct or hold back

Sample sentence: The construction work hindered traffic, causing long delays on the way to work.

Definition: To soothe or calm someone's anger, anxiety, or distress; to alleviate or appease tension or agitation

Sample sentence: The manager tried to mollify the upset customer with a sincere apology and a generous refund.

Definition: To speak or write about in an abusively disparaging manner; to defame or denigrate

Sample sentence: The politician's opponents sought to vilify him with a series of negative attack ads.

Definition: To speak or write in high praise of someone, especially in a formal tribute or eulogy; to extol or laud

Sample sentence: Friends and family gathered to eulogize the beloved artist, sharing stories of his kindness and talent.

Definition: To speak unfavorably or critically about someone or something; to cause harm or damage through hostile or injurious actions

Sample sentence: The gossip began to malign her reputation, causing her friends to doubt her.

Definition: To speed up or accelerate a process, action, or function; to make something happen more quickly or efficiently

Sample sentence: The company decided to expedite the release of their new product due to increasing demand from customers.

Definition: To spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of something; to make less effective or ruin

Sample sentence: The flawed data collection process vitiates the results of the study.

Definition: To spread or cause to spread over a wide area; to scatter in various directions

Sample sentence: The crowd began to disperse after the police broke up the protest.

Definition: To spread or distribute information, ideas, or knowledge widely; to disperse or scatter

Sample sentence: The agency used social media to disseminate important safety information during the natural disaster.

Definition: To spread over a wide area or among a large group of people; to distribute or disperse

Sample sentence: The new manager successfully diffused the innovative ideas throughout the office, leading to increased productivity.

Definition: To surrender or give in, usually under pressure or negotiation; to yield or submit to an opponent

Sample sentence: After weeks of resistance, the opposing forces finally capitulated to the demands of the protesters.

Definition: To surrender or give up, especially under agreed terms; to yield or submit

Sample sentence: After a long standoff, the enemy finally agreed to capitulate and release the hostages.

Definition: To swell or cause to swell by pressure or tension from within, usually as a result of the presence of gas or liquid

Sample sentence: Overeating caused his stomach to distend, leading to discomfort.

Definition: To take (a position of power or importance) illegally or by force; to seize without right

Sample sentence: The general planned to usurp the throne and establish himself as the new ruler.