Definition: The use of unnecessarily wordy or indirect language to evade an issue or topic; a roundabout way of speaking

Sample sentence: The politician's circumlocution left the audience feeling frustrated and unsure of his true stance on the issue.

Definition: The violation or misuse of something sacred or held in high esteem; a disrespectful act against a religious or holy object or person

Sample sentence: Stealing the treasured artifact from the church was considered a sacrilege by the community.

Definition: Threatening or harmful, often in a subtle or indirect way; malignant or sinister

Sample sentence: The villain's baleful presence was felt throughout the story, leaving the reader in suspense.

Definition: Tireless; persisting or continuing with unwavering energy, effort, or enthusiasm

Sample sentence: His indefatigable spirit and devotion to the cause inspired many others to join the movement.

Definition: To accept, agree, or give in without protest or resistance, often reluctantly

Sample sentence: After considering her options, she decided to acquiesce to her boss's demands for the sake of keeping her job.

Definition: To adopt or support a cause, belief, or idea; to advocate for or embrace a particular viewpoint

Sample sentence: The environmentalist espoused the importance of conservation and sustainable practices in her keynote address.

Definition: To adopt or support a cause, belief, or way of life; to embrace or champion

Sample sentence: She decided to espouse the cause of animal rights and became an advocate for their welfare.

Definition: To ask earnestly or anxiously; to beg, implore, or plead with someone

Sample sentence: The villagers entreated the king for protection from the marauding invaders.

Definition: To assert or confess openly; to acknowledge or declare something frankly or publicly

Sample sentence: She was not afraid to avow her political beliefs despite the risk of backlash.

Definition: To attract or tempt by offering pleasure or advantage; to lure or seduce

Sample sentence: The store tried to entice customers with a special sale and free samples.

Definition: To become weak or feeble; to suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation; to lose energy or vitality

Sample sentence: The houseplants languished in the dimly lit room, struggling to grow without proper sunlight.

Definition: To begin to grow or increase rapidly; to flourish or expand

Sample sentence: In the spring, the flowers in the garden began to burgeon, filling the space with vibrant colors.

Definition: To belittle or speak ill of someone or something; to criticize in a derogatory manner

Sample sentence: His opponents attempted to disparage his reputation by spreading rumors about his past.

Definition: To bring about peace, goodwill, or cooperation between people or groups through discussion or negotiation; to reconcile

Sample sentence: The diplomat worked tirelessly to conciliate the warring countries and establish a lasting truce.

Definition: To bring something to completion or perfection; highly skilled or accomplished+

Definition: To call into question; to dispute or cast doubt on the truth, validity, or honesty of something or someone

Sample sentence: The defense attorney sought to impugn the credibility of the key witness during the trial.

Definition: To call upon or appeal to a higher authority, such as a law or deity; to implore or beseech for support or assistance

Sample sentence: In her speech, the human rights activist invoked the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to demand equality for all.

Definition: To cast off or discard, especially with regard to cargo or plans; to abandon or reject something; to throw off

Sample sentence: The crew jettisoned the unnecessary equipment to reduce the weight of the sinking ship.

Definition: To cause a sharp division or separation between people or groups, often due to differences in opinion or beliefs

Sample sentence: The controversial issue of gun control continued to polarize the nation.

Definition: To cause or give rise to a feeling, situation, or condition; to create or generate

Sample sentence: The politician's controversial comments engendered a heated debate among the public.

Definition: To cause someone to feel disturbed, unsettled, or embarrassed; to upset the composure of

Sample sentence: Her unexpected entrance into the room disconcerted the conspirators, who quickly dispersed.

Definition: To cause something to happen suddenly or unexpectedly, especially a negative event or situation; to hasten or bring about

Sample sentence: The assassination of the Archduke precipitated the outbreak of World War I.

Definition: To cause surprise or confusion in someone, especially by acting against their expectations; to perplex or bewilder

Sample sentence: His decision to leave the well-paying job confounded his friends and family.

Definition: To charm or enchant someone, often in a deceptive or misleading way; to captivate or attract

Sample sentence: He was known to beguile his listeners with captivating stories of adventure and romance.

Definition: To clear from accusation or blame; to absolve of guilt or responsibility

Sample sentence: The security camera footage was able to exonerate the suspect, proving his innocence.

Definition: To clear from blame or guilt; to prove someone is not responsible for a wrongdoing or crime

Sample sentence: The newly discovered evidence served to exculpate the suspect, leading to her release from jail.

Definition: To combine, blend, or unite into a single, cohesive entity or whole; to merge or mix together

Sample sentence: The two companies decided to amalgamate and operate as one larger company.

Definition: To comfort or provide solace to someone who is suffering or feeling sorrow, disappointment, or despair

Sample sentence: They tried to console their friend after her beloved pet passed away.

Definition: To completely destroy a building, settlement, or structure, so that nothing is left standing; to level to the ground

Sample sentence: The enemy army threatened to raze the city if the defenders did not surrender.

Definition: To completely destroy or eradicate something, usually a problem, practice, or organism; to root out and eliminate

Sample sentence: The organization worked tirelessly to extirpate the invasive species from the local ecosystem.

Definition: To conceal one's true motives, feelings, or beliefs; to speak or act hypocritically

Sample sentence: He tried to dissemble his true intentions by offering a false reason for his actions.

Definition: To consign or assign to an inferior position, place, or condition; to demote or degrade

Sample sentence: After the embarrassing mistake, he was relegated to a less important role within the company.

Definition: To consign or dismiss to an inferior rank or position; to banish or exile someone to a lower status

Sample sentence: After failing to meet her sales quota, she was relegated to a less prestigious position within the company.

Definition: To conspire or scheme, often with the intention of committing a wrongful or illegal act; to collude or plot

Sample sentence: The group of students connived to cheat on the final exam.

Definition: To correct or discipline, usually through punishment or suffering; to humble or subdue

Sample sentence: The athlete's loss in the championship match chastened his previously overconfident attitude.

Definition: To criticize or belittle someone or something unfairly; to disparage or defame; to insult or demean

Sample sentence: The speaker denigrated his opponent's achievements in an attempt to discredit his qualifications.

Definition: To criticize or punish someone severely, often in a public manner; to reprimand or chastise

Sample sentence: The coach was known to castigate players for their lack of effort during practice.

Definition: To criticize or reprimand severely, often with the intent of correcting or improving behavior

Sample sentence: The teacher castigated the student for his repeated tardiness and inattention in class.

Definition: To deliberately avoid or abstain from; to shun or steer clear of

Sample sentence: As a vegetarian, he chose to eschew meat and seek out alternative protein sources.

Definition: To deliberately avoid using or abstaining from something, especially as a matter of principle or habit

Sample sentence: In an effort to be environmentally friendly, he chose to eschew single-use plastic products.

Definition: To deliberately speak or act in an evasive or ambiguous way to avoid telling the truth or to mislead; to equivocate

Sample sentence: The suspect continued to prevaricate, even when the truth was evident to the detectives.

Definition: To deny any responsibility or support for something; to disclaim knowledge of or involvement with

Sample sentence: The politician quickly disavowed the controversial statements made by his former associate.

Definition: To depart from an established course, standard, or norm; to diverge or stray

Sample sentence: The scientist began to deviate from traditional methods in pursuit of new discoveries.

Definition: To deprive or strip someone of something, such as rights, possessions, or authority; to dispossess

Sample sentence: The king was divested of his power after being overthrown by the rebels.

Definition: To deprive someone of the right or privilege to vote or to participate in a decision-making process; to exclude or marginalize

Sample sentence: The new voting laws effectively disenfranchised many minority voters, who faced barriers to accessing the polls.

Definition: To describe or portray in detail, often with precision or clarity; to outline or define the boundaries of something

Sample sentence: The artist carefully delineated the figure in the foreground, making it stand out from the background.

Definition: To destroy or remove completely; to eliminate or get rid of; to exterminate

Sample sentence: Researchers are working to find ways to eradicate the harmful bacteria without causing damage to the environment.

Definition: To disperse or scatter; also, to squander or waste, especially time, money, or energy

Sample sentence: The fog began to dissipate as the sun rose.

Definition: To display or adorn with conspicuous markings or symbols; to celebrate or extol publicly or proudly

Sample sentence: The knight's shield was emblazoned with his family's coat of arms, signifying his noble heritage.

Definition: To distribute resources or duties for a particular purpose; to designate or assign

Sample sentence: The committee decided to allocate more funds to the education program to improve its quality and reach.