09. Easier English Basic Synonyms.pdf

EASIERENGLISH

BASICSYNONYMS

Dictionary Titles in the Series

English Language:Easier English Basic Dictionary 0 7475 6644 5English Study Dictionary 1 9016 5963 1Easier English Student Dictionary 0 7475 6624 0English Thesaurus for Students 1 9016 5931 3

Specialist Dictionaries:Dictionary of Accounting 0 7475 6991 6Dictionary of Banking and Finance 0 7475 6685 2Dictionary of Business 0 7475 9680 0Dictionary of Economics 0 7475 6632 1Dictionary of Environment and Ecology 0 7475 7201 1Dictionary of Hotels, Tourism and Catering Management 1 9016 5999 2Dictionary of Human Resources and Personnel Management 0 7475 6623 2Dictionary of ICT 0 7475 6990 8Dictionary of Marketing 0 7475 6621 6Dictionary of Medical Terms 0 7475 6987 8Dictionary of Military Terms 1 9038 5620 5Dictionary of Nursing 0 7475 6634 8Dictionary of Science and Technology 0 7475 6620 8

Check your English Vocabulary Workbooks:Business 0 7475 6626 7Computing 1 9016 5928 3English for Academic Purposes 0 7475 6691 7PET 0 7475 6627 5FCE + 0 7475 6981 9IELTS 0 7475 6982 7TOEFL 0 7475 6984 3

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EASIERENGLISH

BASICSYNONYMS

A BLOOMSBURY REFERENCE BOOK

www.bloomsbury.com

First published in Great Britain 2004

Copyright Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2004

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc38 Soho Square

London W1D 3HB

All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced in any form or by any means without the

permission of the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

eISBN-13: 978-1-4081-0203-9

Text processing and computer typesetting by Bloomsbury PublishingPrinted and bound in Italy by Legoprint

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environmental regulations of the country of origin.

ISBN 0 7475 6979 7

EditorHoward Sargeant

Text Production and ProofreadingKaty McAdam, Joel Adams,Daisy Jackson, Sarah Lusznat

PrefaceWhen several words seem to have almost the same meaning, how do you choosethe right word so that you express exactly what you want to? This book groupswords with similar meanings (known as synonyms) together and gives each adefinition and example so that the similarities and differences are made clear.Anyone who wants to write clear and accurate English, using the correct word in aparticular context, will find this book helpful, and a useful companion to theEasier English Basic Dictionary.Groups of similar words are arranged alphabetically under the main word for theparticular meaning being illustrated, so words meaning big are given at big. Theways in which these similar words are used in different situations are compared.Words with an opposite meaning to the main meaning being illustrated (known asantonyms) are also given.If you are not sure which group the word you are checking might appear in, youcan find all the words in an alphabetical list at the end of the book with a referenceto the place where they appear. By using this list you will be able to find possiblealternative words to use for the basic word you already know.

1ability nounSynonyms: ability, skill, competence, talent, capabilityAntonym: inability

Synonyms:

abilitya natural tendency to do something wellI admire his ability to stay calm in difficult situations.

skillthe ability to do something well as a result of training or experiencePortrait painting needs a lot of skill. This job will help you developmanagement skills.

competencethe quality of being able to do a job or task well enoughDoes she have the necessary competence in foreign languages?

talentan usually good natural ability, especially for something artisticShes done well in the theatre we always knew she had talent.

capabilitythe practical ability to do somethingWe have the capability to produce a better machine than this.

Antonym:

inabilitythe state of being unable to do something

BasicSyns.fm Page 1 Tuesday, January 20, 2004 1:26 PM

2accomplish verbSynonyms: accomplish, achieve, carry out, pull off

accomplishto do something successfullyYou wont accomplish anything by arguing.

achieveto succeed in doing something after trying very hardHave you achieved all your aims? The company has achieved greatsuccess in the USA.

carry outto do something, especially something that has been plannedDoctors carried out tests on the patients. The police are carrying out asearch for the missing man.

pull offto succeed in doing something very good, especially if it is unexpectedThe deal will be great for the company, if we can pull it off.


3anger nounSynonyms: anger, annoyance, irritation, resentment, fury, rageAntonym: calmness

Synonyms:

angera feeling of being very annoyedHe managed to control his anger. She couldnt hide the anger she felt.

annoyancea feeling of being slightly upset or impatientThere was a tone of annoyance in her voice.

irritationa feeling of being annoyed and impatientShe watched with irritation as he tried to fix the wheel again.

resentmentthe feeling of being angry and upset about something that someone else hasdoneThe decision caused a lot of resentment among local people.

furyvery strong angerHe shouted at us in fury.

ragesudden extreme angerHer face was red with rage.

Antonym:

calmnessthe state of being quiet and calm


4annoy verbSynonyms: annoy, irritate, bother, bugAntonyms: please, delight

Synonyms:

annoyto make someone feel slightly angry or impatientTheir rude behaviour really annoyed us.

irritateto make someone feel angry or impatientIt irritates me when the trains run late.

botherto make someone feel slightly upset or irritatedIt bothers me that it takes so long to get a reply.

bug(informal) to make someone feel slightly angry, especially for a long timeThat noise is really bugging me. Its bugging me that I cant rememberhis name

Antonyms:

pleaseto make someone happy or satisfied

delightto give great pleasure to someone


5answer noun

Synonyms: answer, reply, response, acknowledgementAntonym: question

Synonyms:

answersomething that you say or write when someone has asked you a questionThe answer to your question is yes.

replyan answer, especially to a letter or telephone callWe wrote last week, but havent had a reply yet. We had six replies toour advertisement.

responsesomething that you do or say as a reaction to somethingThere was no response to our call for help. The changes produced anangry response from customers.

acknowledgementa letter or note sent to say that something has been receivedWe didnt even receive an acknowledgement from the council. a letter ofacknowledgement

Antonym:

questiona sentence which needs an answer


6ask verbSynonyms: ask, demand, beg, request

askto put a question to get someone to do somethingAsk your father to teach you how to drive. Can I ask you not to make somuch noise?

demandto ask firmly for somethingI demand an explanation for your behaviour.

begto ask someone in an emotional way to do something or give somethingHis mother begged him not to go. He begged for more time to find themoney.

requestto ask for something politely or formallyI am enclosing the leaflets you requested. Guests are requested to leavetheir keys at reception.


7assistant nounSynonyms: assistant, helper, deputy, auxiliary

assistanta person who helps someone as part of their jobHis assistant makes all his appointments.

helpera person who helps someone do a particular job or task, especially withoutbeing paidThe children can be my helpers for the day.

deputya person who makes decisions when the manager or boss is awayShes acting as deputy while her department manager is in hospital.

auxiliarya person who helps other workersHe works as a nursing auxiliary in the local hospital.


8aware adjectiveSynonyms: aware, conscious, alert, informed, mindfulAntonyms: unaware, ignorant

Synonyms:

awareknowing about things that are happening or about factsIm not aware of any problem. Is he aware that we have to decidequickly?

consciousawake and able to know what is happening around youShe was conscious during the operation.

alertwatching or listening carefully, ready to notice somethingThe patient is still very alert mentally. Young people have to be alert tothe dangers of drugs.

informedhaving a lot of information, or having the latest informationThe programme is aimed at highly informed viewers.

mindfulremembering or thinking about something carefully when doingsomethingHe is mindful of his responsibilities as a parent. You should be mindfulof the risks you are taking.

Antonyms:

unaware

not knowing facts, or not realising that something is happeningignorant

not knowing things that it is important to know


9beach nounSynonyms: beach, shore, coast, seaside

beachan area of sand or small stones by the edge of the seaSome children were digging in the sand on the beach.

shoreland at the edge of the sea or a lakeShe stood on the shore waving as the boat sailed away.

coastparts of a country that are by the seaAfter ten weeks at sea, the sailors saw the coast of America. The southcoast is the warmest part of the country.

seasidean area near the sea where people go to have a holidaya day at the seaside seaside hotels


10

beginner nounSynonyms: beginner, apprentice, novice, learnerAntonyms: expert, old hand

Synonyms:

beginnera person who is starting to learn something or do somethingThe course is for absolute beginners. I cant paint very well Im just abeginner.

apprenticea young person who works as an assistant to a skilled person in order tolearn from themHes started work as a plumbers apprentice.

novicea person who has very little experience or skill, e.g. in a job or sportHes still a novice at rowing. A competition like this is not for novices.

learnera person who is learning how to do somethingThe evening swimming classes are specially for adult learners. The newdictionary is good for advanced learners of English.

Antonyms:

experta person who knows a great deal about a subject

old handa person who is very skilled and experienced at doing something


11

big adjectiveSynonyms: big, huge, enormous, vastAntonym: small

Synonyms:

bigof a large sizeI dont want a small car I want a big one. His father has the biggestrestaurant in town. Im not afraid of him Im bigger than he is.

hugeof a very large sizeHuge waves battered the ship. The concert was a huge success. Failingthe test was a huge disappointment for him.

enormousof an extremely large sizeThe house is absolutely enormous. He ate an enormous lunch. Thepresent was an enormous surprise.

vastextremely big, often extremely widevast areas of farmland vast differences in price

Antonym:

smallnot large in size or amount


12

block verbSynonyms: block, hinder, hamper, hold back, obstruct

blockto prevent something from passing along somethingThe pipe is blocked with dead leaves. The crash blocked the road forhours.

hinderto make it difficult for someone to do somethingSnow hindered the efforts of the rescuers.

hamperto prevent something from happening or moving normallyLack of funds is hampering our development project. The heavy bagshampered her progress.

hold backnot to go forwards, or stop someone or something from going forwardsMost of the crowd held back until they saw it was safe. The water washeld back by a small bank of earth.

obstructto prevent someone from doing somethingHe obstructed their plans by making many complaints.


13

break verbSynonyms: break, crack, smash, burstAntonym: mend

Synonyms:

breakto make something divide into pieces accidentally or deliberatelyShe broke her leg when she was skiing. Break the chocolate into fourpieces.

crackto make a long thin break in somethingThe stone cracked the glass.

smashto break something into pieces, often using force or violenceDemonstrators smashed the windows of police cars.

burstto break open or explode suddenly, or cause something to break open orexplode suddenlyOne of the tyres had burst. The heat from the fire might burst the balloon.

Antonym:

mendto repair something which is broken or damaged


14

careful adjectiveSynonyms: careful, conscientious, thorough, painstakingAntonym: careless

Synonyms:

carefulshowing attention to detailsWe are always very careful to give accurate information. The projectneeds very careful planning.

conscientiousworking carefully and wellShes a very conscientious worker.

thoroughincluding everything that needs to be dealt with very carefullyThe police have carried out a thorough search of the woods.

painstakingdone slowly and carefully in order to avoid mistakesThe design is the result of years of painstaking effort.

Antonym:

carelesswithout any care or thought


15

cautious adjectiveSynonyms: cautious, careful, prudent, vigilant, wary, secretive, cageyAntonyms: reckless, thoughtless

Synonyms:

cautiousnot willing to take risksShes a very cautious driver.

carefultaking care not to make mistakes or cause harmBe careful not to make any noise the baby is asleep. She is very carefulabout what she eats.

prudentshowing good sense and using good judgementIt would be prudent to consult a lawyer before you sign the contract.

vigilantstaying very aware of possible dangerThe disease particularly affects young children, so parents must remainvigilant.

waryaware of a possible problem with someone or somethingI am very wary of any of his ideas for making money.

secretiveliking to keep things secretShes very secretive about her private life.

cagey(informal) not wanting to share informationTheyre being very cagey about their relationship.

Antonyms:

recklessdoing something or done without thinking

thoughtlesswithout thinking about other people


16

change verbSynonyms: change, alter, modify, convert, vary, shift, transform

changeto become different, or make something differentShes changed so much since I last saw her that I hardly recognised her. Living in the country has changed his attitude towards towns.

alterto become different, or make something different, especially in small waysor in parts onlyThey wanted to alter the terms of the contract after they had signed it. The shape of his face had altered slightly.

modifyto change something to suit a different situationThe design was modified to make the car faster.

convertto change something into a different form, or change something for adifferent purposeWe are converting the shed into a studio. These panels convert the heatof the sun into electricity.

varyto be different in different situations, or change within certain limitsThe temperature varies from 8C at night to 18C during the day.

shiftto change position or directionWeve shifted the television from the kitchen into the dining room. Myopinion has shifted since I read the official report.

transformto change the appearance or character of someone or somethingcompletelyThe outside of the building has been transformed by cleaning. The bookhas transformed my views on medical care.


17

child nounSynonyms: child, baby, toddler, teenager, youngster, youth, kidAntonym: adult

Synonyms:

childa young boy or girlThere was no television when my mother was a child. A group of childrenwere playing on the beach.

babya very young childMost babies start to walk when they are about a year old. a baby juststarting to get its teeth

toddlera child who has just learnt to walka playground for toddlers

teenagera young person aged between 13 and 19She writes stories for teenagers.

youngstera young personMy grandparents dont understand todays youngsters.

youtha young manGangs of youths were causing trouble in the village. A youth, aged 16,was arrested for possessing drugs.

kid(informal) a childThere were a few school kids on their bicycles. Theyre married with twokids.

Antonym:

adulta fully-grown person


18

clean adjectiveSynonyms: clean, pure, spotless, hygienicAntonym: dirty

Synonyms:

cleannot dirtyWipe your glasses with a clean handkerchief. Tell the waitress these cupsarent clean.

purenot spoiled by being mixed with other things or substances of a lowerqualitya bottle of pure water a pure mountain stream

spotlesscompletely clean, with no dirty marks at allThe tablecloths must be spotless. a spotless white shirt

hygienicclean and safe because all germs have been destroyedThe food must be stored in hygienic conditions. Some areas of the factorydidnt look very hygienic.

Antonym:

dirtynot clean


19

cold adjectiveSynonyms: cold, cool, freezing, frozen, icyAntonyms: warm, hot, boiling

Synonyms:

coldwith a low temperatureIts too cold to go for a walk. If youre hot, have a glass of cold water. He had a plate of cold beef and salad.

coolcold in a pleasant way, or colder than you would like or than you expectIt was hot on deck but nice and cool down below. Wines should be storedin a cool cellar. The evenings were rather cool, so we sat inside.

freezingvery cold, or close to the temperature at which water freezesIts freezing outside.

frozenat a temperature below that at which water freezesWe went skating on the frozen lake.

icycovered with ice, or very coldBe careful, the pavement is icy. An icy wind was blowing

Antonyms:

warm

fairly hothot

very warm; with a high temperatureboiling

very hot


20

collect verbSynonyms: collect, gather, assemble, hoard

collectto bring things or people together, or to come togetherWe collected information from all the people who offered to help. Acrowd collected at the scene of the accident.

gatherto come together in one place, or be brought together by someoneGroups of people gathered outside the government building. Theygathered together a team of experienced people for the new project.

assembleto come together in a place, or to be brought together by someone,especially formally or in an ordered wayWell assemble outside the hotel at 9 a.m. They assembled a panel ofexperts to renew the project. Assemble all the items you need for the cakebefore you start making it.

hoardto buy and store supplies of something essential that you think you willneed in a crisisEveryone started hoarding fuel during the strike.


21

competition nounSynonyms: competition, contest, match, game

competitionan event in which several teams or people compete with each otherHe won first prize in the photography competition.

contestany event or situation in which people compete with each othera beauty contest There are three senior politicians in this leadershipcontest.

matcha single occasion when two teams or players compete with each other in asportWe watched the football match on TV. He won the last two tennismatches he played.

gamean activity in which people compete with each other using skill, strengthor luckShes not very good at games like chess. I enjoy a game of cards.


22

complain verbSynonyms: complain, object, protest, grumble, whineAntonym: praise

Synonyms:

complainto say that something is not good or does not work properlyThe shop is so cold the staff have started complaining. They arecomplaining that our prices are too high.

objectto say that you do not like something or you do not want something tohappenWe object to being treated like children. He objected that the pay was toolow.

protestto say that you strongly disapprove of something, sometimes by shoutingor speaking angrilyPassengers began protesting about the lack of heating on the train. Myassistant protested about having to work at the weekend.

grumbleto complain in a bad-tempered way, especially regularly and often aboutunimportant thingsHes always grumbling about the music from the flat above.

whineto complain frequently in a way that annoys other peopleShes always whining about how little money she has.

Antonym:

praiseto express strong approval of something or someone


23

contestant nounSynonyms: contestant, candidate, candidate, contender, applicant,entrant

contestanta person who takes part in a competitionThe two contestants shook hands before the match.

candidatea person who applies for a jobWe interviewed six candidates for the post of assistant manager.

candidatea person who has entered for an examinationCandidates are given three hours to complete the exam.

contendera person who takes part in a competition, especially someone who is likelyto winHes a definite contender for the world title.

applicanta person who applies for somethingjob applicants Applicants for licences must fill in this form.

entranta person who takes part in a race, examination or competitionThere are over a thousand entrants for the race.


24

copy verbSynonyms: copy, reproduce, duplicate, clone, replicate

copyto make something which looks like something elseHe stole a credit card and copied the signature

reproduceto make a copy of something such as artistic material or musical soundsSome of the paintings have been reproduced in this book. It is verydifficult to reproduce the sound of an owl accurately.

duplicateto make a copy of a document such as a letterShe duplicated the letter and put the copy into a file.

cloneto create an exact genetic copy of an individual animal or plantBiologists have successfully cloned a sheep.

replicate (formal) to do or make something in exactly the same way as beforeCan the experiment be replicated?


25

correct adjectiveSynonyms: correct, accurate, exact, trueAntonym: incorrect

Synonyms:

correctwithout any mistakesSome of your answers were not correct.

accuratecorrect in all detailsAre the figures accurate? We asked them to make an accurate copy ofthe plan.

exactcompletely correct in every detailCan you tell me the exact words she used? We need to know the exactroute she took that night.

truecorrect according to facts or realityWhat he says is simply not true. Is it true that hes been married twice?

Antonym:

incorrectwrong, not correct


26

courage nounSynonyms: courage, bravery, nerve, gutsAntonym: cowardice

Synonyms:

couragethe ability to deal with a dangerous or unpleasant situationShe showed great courage in attacking the burglar. I didnt have thecourage to disagree with him.

braverythe ability to do dangerous or unpleasant things without being afraidWe admired her bravery in coping with the illness. He won an award forbravery.

nervethe ability to keep your fear under control in order to achieve somethingIt takes a lot of nerve to disagree with your friends. He went over to speakto her but at the last minute he lost his nerve.

guts(informal) courageShe had the guts to tell the boss he was wrong.

Antonym:

cowardicethe state of being afraid and not brave


27

cut verbSynonyms: cut, slice, chop, slash

cutto divide, reduce or remove something using a sharp tool, e.g. a knife orscissorsThe meat is very tough I cant cut it with my knife. He needs to get hishair cut. There were six children, so she cut the cake into six pieces.

sliceto cut something into thin piecesShe stood at the table slicing bread and meat for lunch.

chopto cut something roughly into small pieces with a knife or other sharp toolHe spent the afternoon chopping wood for the fire.

slashto make a long cut in something with a knife, often violentlyHe slashed the painting with a kitchen knife.


28

dead adjectiveSynonyms: dead, late, extinctAntonyms: alive, live

Synonyms:

deadnot living any moreHis parents are both dead. Dead fish were floating in the water.

latea more polite word than dead, used about peopleHis late father was a director of the company.

extinctno longer in existence, because all of the same kind have diedThese birds are in danger of becoming extinct.

Antonyms:

aliveliving(not used in front of a noun: the fish is alive but a live fish)

liveliving, not dead


29

defeat verbSynonyms: defeat, beat, conquer, overcome, triumph, thrash

defeatto succeed against someone in a game, fight or voteOur team has not been defeated so far this season. The soldiers defeatedthe enemys attempt to take the town. The ruling party was heavilydefeated in the presidential election. The proposal was defeated by 10votes to 3.

beatto win a game against another player or teamThey beat their rivals into second place. Our football team beat France2 0. They beat us by 10 goals to 2. My children can usually beat meat tennis.

conquerto defeat people by forceThe army had conquered most of the country.

overcometo gain victory over an enemyThe boys quickly overcame their attackers.

triumphto achieve a great successThe team triumphed over their long-term rivals.

thrash(informal) to defeat another person or team easilyShe expects to be thrashed by the champion.


30

dirty adjectiveSynonyms: dirty, filthy, grubby, grimy, soiled, squalidAntonym: clean

Synonyms:

dirtynot cleanPlaying rugby gets your clothes dirty. Someone has to wash all the dirtyplates.

filthyvery dirtyHis hands were filthy from changing the car tyre.

grubbyso dirty as to be unpleasantGrubby children were playing in the street. He was wearing a grubby oldshirt.

grimycovered with old dirt that is difficult to removeThe furniture was broken and the windows were grimy.

soiledspoiled by dirt or other unpleasant substancesThe sheets on the bed were soiled.

squalidreferring to a room or building that is dirty and unpleasantThe prisoners are kept in squalid conditions.

Antonym:

cleannot dirty


31

disagree verbSynonyms: disagree, differ, argue, dispute, contradictAntonym: agree

Synonyms:

disagreeto say that you do not have the same opinion as someone elseWe all disagreed with the chairperson. They disagreed about what to donext.

differif people differ, they have different opinions from each otherOur views on education differ. Their accounts of what happened differin several ways.

argueto discuss without agreeing, often in a noisy or angry wayThey argued over the prices. She argued with the waiter about the bill. I could hear them arguing in the next room.

disputeto say that you strongly believe that something is not true or correctI dispute her version of what happened. There is no disputing the factthat Sarah is the best player.

contradictto say that what someone else says is not trueThey didnt dare contradict their mother.

Antonym:

agreeto say or show that you have the same opinion as someone else


32

disapprove verbSynonyms: disapprove, object, criticise, condemnAntonym: approve

Synonyms:

disapproveto show that you do not think something is goodThe head teacher disapproves of members of staff wearing jeans to school.

objectto say that you do not like something or you do not want something tohappenHe objected that the pay was too low. I object to her being given thisprivate information.

criticiseto say that something or someone is bad or wrongShe criticised their lack of interest and enthusiasm. The design of the newcar has been criticised.

condemnto say strongly that you do not approve of somethingShe condemned the police for their treatment of the prisoners.

Antonym:

approveto think something is good


33

dislike nounSynonyms: dislike, hatred, hate, disgustAntonym: liking

Synonyms:

dislikea feeling of not liking something or someoneShe had a great dislike of noisy parties.

hatreda very strong feeling of not liking someone or somethinga hatred of unfair treatment a campaign against racial hatred

hatea very strong feeling of not liking someoneHer eyes were full of hate.

disgusta feeling of dislike that is so strong that you feel angry or slightly illSeeing the dead animals filled her with disgust.

Antonym:

likinga feeling of enjoying something


34

easy adjectiveSynonyms: easy, simple, straightforward, uncomplicatedAntonyms: hard, difficult

Synonyms:

easynot difficult, or not needing a lot of effortThe test was easier than I expected. My boss is very easy to get on with.

simpleeasy to do or understandThe machine is very simple to use.

straightforwardeasy to understand or carry outThe instructions are quite straightforward.

uncomplicatedeasy to deal with or understandIn childrens books, the writing should be clear and uncomplicated. Theprocedure is relatively quick and uncomplicated.

Antonyms:

hardnot easy

difficultnot easy to do or achieve


35

fail verbSynonyms: fail, neglect, forget, omit, overlook

failnot to do somethingThe car failed to stop at the red light. She failed to tell us of her changeof address.

neglectnot to do something that should have been doneHe neglected to tell the police that he had been involved in an accident.

forgetnot to rememberHes forgotten the name of the restaurant. Ive forgotten how to playchess. She forgot all about her doctors appointment.

omitto leave something out, especially something that is helpful or importantShe omitted the date when she signed the contract. They omitted to tellme the price of the ticket.

overlooknot to notice somethingShe overlooked several mistakes when she was correcting the exampapers.


36

famous adjectiveSynonyms: famous, well-known, renowned, infamous, notoriousAntonym: unknown

Synonyms:

famousknown to many people, especially most people in a place or countrya famous department store Hes a famous footballer.

well-knownknown by a lot of peopleIts a well-known fact that oil and water dont mix. She used to work fora well-known London hairdresser.

renownedknown and admired by many peoplethe renowned Italian singer

infamousfamous for being bad or unpleasantHe was sent to the infamous prison on the island.

notoriousknown for bad qualities, or for doing bad thingsHe was a member of a notorious criminal gang.

Antonym:

unknownnot known for anything important or interesting


37

fat adjectiveSynonyms: fat, plump, overweight, obeseAntonyms: slim, thin

Synonyms:

fathaving too much flesh or weighing too muchYoull have to eat less youre getting too fat. a doll with a fat face

plumpslightly fat in an attractive waythe babys plump little arms Shes grown plumper now shes stoppedsmoking.

overweighthaving a body that weighs too muchThe doctor says Im a little overweight.

obeseso fat that it is dangerous for health reasonsMany children are becoming obese because of their unhealthy diets.

Antonyms:

thinnot fat

slimwith a body that is thin in an attractive way


38

fatal adjectiveSynonyms: fatal, lethal, deadly, mortal, terminal

fatalcausing people to dieThere were three fatal accidents on this road last year.

lethaldangerous and able to kill someonea lethal dose of painkillers a lethal mixture of drugs and alcohol Beingout in the sun too long can be lethal.

deadlylikely to cause people to dieThe terrorists turned the car into a deadly weapon.

mortalreferring to injury serious enough to cause someone to diea mortal wound

terminalreferring to the last period of a serious illness that will lead to deathThe condition is terminal. terminal cancer


39

fight nounSynonyms: fight, battle, war, conflict

fightan occasion on which people try to hurt each other or knock each otherdownHe got into a fight with boys who were bigger than him. Fights broke outbetween the protesters and the police.

battlean occasion when large groups of soldiers fight each other using powerfulweaponsMany soldiers died in the first battle of the war. the Battle of Hastings

wara period of fighting between countriesMillions of soldiers and civilians were killed during the war.

conflicta war, or fighting as part of a warthe violent conflict between the neighbouring republics The governmentis engaged in armed conflict with rebel forces.


40

find verbSynonyms: find, discover, come across, encounterAntonym: lose

Synonyms:

findto see where something hidden or lost is after looking for itI found a 2 coin behind the sofa. Did she find the book she was lookingfor?

discoverto find something new or to learn something for the first timeWhich scientist discovered penicillin? We discovered that house hadalready been sold.

come across(informal) to find something by chanceI came across this old photo when I was clearing out a drawer.

encounter(formal) to meet someone or something unexpectedlyOn the journey we encountered several amusing people. I have neverencountered such hospitality anywhere else.

Antonym:

loseto put or drop something somewhere and not to know where it is


41

follow verbSynonyms: follow, chase, pursue, stalkAntonym: lead

Synonyms:

followto come after or behind someone or somethingWhat letter follows B in the alphabet? The dog followed me all the wayhome.

chaseto go after someone in order to try to catch him or herThey chased the burglars down the street.

pursue(formal) to go after someone in order to try to catch him or herThe police pursued the stolen car across London. The boys fled, pursuedby their older brother.

stalkto stay near or follow someone and watch him or her all the time, especiallyin a way that is frightening or upsetting, or to follow an animal in order tokill itShe told the police that a man was stalking her. The hunters stalked thedeer for several miles.

Antonym:

leadto go in front to show someone the way


42

fragile adjectiveSynonyms: fragile, delicate, breakable, flimsyAntonyms: sturdy, strong

Synonyms:

fragilemade from materials that are easily brokenBe careful when youre packing these plates theyre very fragile.

delicatemade from materials that are thin and light and easily damageda delicate fabric delicate skin

breakablethat can break easilyglasses and other breakable items

flimsylikely to break because of being badly madeThe shelter was a flimsy construction of bamboo and leaves.

Antonyms:

sturdywell made and not easily damaged

strongwith a lot of strength and not easy to damage


43

friend nounSynonyms: friend, acquaintance, companion, mate, palAntonym: stranger

Synonyms:

frienda person that you know well and likeShes my best friend. Were going on holiday with some friends fromwork.

acquaintancea person you know slightlyShe has many acquaintances at the sports club but no real friends.

companiona person who is with someoneShe turned to her companion and said a few words. My travellingcompanion spent the whole journey sleeping.

mate(informal) a friend, especially a mans friendHes gone to the pub with his mates.

pal(dated informal) a friendShes meeting some old school pals for lunch.

Antonym:

strangera person whom you have never met


44

funny adjectiveSynonyms: funny, comic, comical, humorous, witty, hilariousAntonyms: serious, solemn

Synonyms:

funnymaking people laughHe made funny faces and all the children laughed. That joke isnt funny.

comicintended to make people laugh, especially as a performancea comic poem a comic act

comicalstrange or silly in a way that makes people laughHe looked rather comical wearing his dads jacket.

humorousfunny in a quiet way, making people smile rather than laugha humorous story about his last visit to the dentist Some of her commentswere rather humorous.

wittyclever and funnyShe gave a witty and entertaining speech.

hilariousextremely funnyI thought the play was hilarious.

Antonyms:

seriousnot funny or not joking

solemnserious and formal


45

get verbSynonyms: get, obtain, gain, secure, acquire

getto receive somethingWe got a letter from the bank this morning. She gets more money than Ido.

obtainto take action to get somethingShe obtained a copy of the will. He obtained control of the business.

gainto get something as a result of some work or effortThe army gained control of the country. She gained some usefulexperience working for a computer company.

secureto be successful in getting something importantHe secured the support of a big bank. They secured a valuable newcontract.

acquire(formal) to become the owner of somethingShe has acquired a large collection of old books.


46

give verbSynonyms: give, present, confer, donate, grantAntonyms: take, steal

Synonyms:

giveto pass or send something to someoneGive me another envelope, please. Can you give me some informationabout holidays in Greece?

presentto give something formally to someoneHis boss presented him with a large report to read When he retired, thefirm presented him with a large clock.

confer(formal) to give something such as a responsibility, legal right or honourto someonethe powers conferred on the council by law

donateto give something, especially money, to a charity or similar organisationHe donated a lot of money to a charity for the homeless.

grant(formal) to give someone something they want, especially officiallyThe council has granted the school permission to build a new hall.

Antonyms:

taketo go away with something which someone else was using

stealto take and keep something that belongs to another person withoutpermission


47

go verbSynonyms: go, leave, depart, set off, disappearAntonym: come

Synonyms:

goto move from one place to anotherThe plane goes to Frankfurt, then to Rome. She was going downstairswhen she fell. He has gone to work in Washington.

leaveto go away from a placeShe left home at 9 oclock this morning. When they couldnt find whatthey wanted, they left the shop.

depart(formal) to go away from a placeThe coach departs from Victoria Coach Station at 09.00.

set offto begin a tripWere setting off for Germany tomorrow. They all set off on a long walkafter lunch.

disappearto leave a place, often suddenly and without people noticing or knowingwhere you have goneWhere have the kids disappeared to? Half the guests have disappearedalready.

Antonym:

come

to move to or towards a place


48

good adjectiveSynonyms: good, satisfactory, acceptable, excellent, wonderfulAntonyms: bad, poor

Synonyms:

goodof a suitable standardIt would be a good idea to invest in these shares. Did you have a goodtime at the party?

satisfactoryquite good, or as good as expectedAre the arrangements for your holiday satisfactory?

acceptablegood enough by the usual standards, although not particularly goodFighting in the street is not acceptable behaviour. Would an offer of 50be acceptable to you?

excellentvery goodWe had an excellent meal in a Chinese restaurant. Her handwriting isexcellent it is much clearer than mine.

wonderfulextremely good or enjoyableThey had a wonderful holiday. The weather was wonderful. You passedyour driving test first time? Wonderful!

Antonyms:

badnot of a suitable standard

poorof a low standard


49

good-looking adjectiveSynonyms: good-looking, attractive, beautiful, handsome, lovely, prettyAntonyms: unattractive, ugly

Synonyms:

good-lookinghaving an attractive faceHis sister is a very good-looking girl. Hes not especially good-looking.

attractivewith pleasant physical features, or pleasant to look atThey found the mountain scenery very attractive. Shes an attractivewoman.

beautifulphysically very attractive, or pleasant to look atWe have three beautiful daughters. The house stands in beautifulsurrounding.

handsomea handsome man or boy has an attractive faceHer boyfriend is very handsome.

lovelyvery pleasant to look atShe looks lovely in that dress. Theres a lovely garden behind the house.

prettya pretty woman or girl has a face that is quite attractiveHer daughters are very pretty.

Antonyms:

unattractivenot attractive

uglyunpleasant to look at


50

group nounSynonyms: group, crowd, gang, mobAntonym: individual

Synonyms:

groupa number of people togetherShe is leading a group of businessmen on a tour of Italian factories. There are reduced prices for groups of 30 and over. The teacher dividesthe children into groups for different activities.

crowda very large number of people togetherA crowd of football supporters went past. Crowds of people weregathering outside the cinema. Lets get an early train home to avoid thecrowds after work.

ganga group of young people who do things together, especially one that causestroubleGangs of teenage boys wander the streets.

moba large number of people behaving in a noisy, angry or uncontrolled wayMobs of reporters follow the star wherever she goes. An angry mobsurged towards the gates of the government building.

Antonym:

individuala single person


51

guide verbSynonyms: guide, direct, lead, steer, conduct

guideto show someone the way to somewhereShe guided us up the steps in the dark.

directto tell someone how to get to a placeCan you direct me to the nearest post office?

leadto go in front to show someone the wayShe led us into the hall.

steerto make a person or vehicle go in a particular directionWe steered the children quickly away from the barking dogs. She steeredthe car into the garage.

conduct(formal) to take someone to a placeThe guests were conducted to their seats.


52

habit nounSynonyms: habit, custom, tradition, practice, routine

habitsomething that someone does regularlyHe has the habit of biting his fingernails.

customsomething that people usually do, or have done for a long timeIts their custom to invite all their neighbours to a party at New Year. thelocal custom of decorating the wells in spring

traditionbeliefs, stories and ways of doing things which are passed from onegeneration to the nextAccording to local tradition, the queen died in this bed. Its a familytradition for the eldest son to take over the business.

practicea way of doing something, especially a way that is regularly usedIts standard practice for shops to stay open later on Saturdays. Itsalways been our practice to walk the dogs before breakfast.

routinethe usual, regular way of doing thingsHe doesnt like his daily routine to be disturbed. A change of routinemight do you good.


53

hard adjectiveSynonyms: hard, difficult, awkward, tough, trickyAntonyms: easy, simple

Synonyms:

hardnot easySome of the questions were very hard. Its hard to stay happy when badthings happen.

difficultnot easy to do or achieveFinding a parking space is difficult on Saturdays. I find it difficult towork when Im tired.

awkwardhard to use, deal with or carry out because of shape, size or positionI find the handle rather awkward to hold comfortably. Some of themovements you have to do are quite awkward.

toughrequiring a lot of effort, bravery or confidenceShes very good at taking tough decisions.

trickyrequiring a lot of skill, patience or intelligenceGetting the wire through the little hole is quite tricky. It was tricky to getthe right tone of regret in the letter.

Antonyms:

easynot difficult, or not needing a lot of effort

simpleeasy to do or understand


54

harm verbSynonyms: harm, damage, hurt, injure, woundharm

to physically affect something or someone in a bad wayLuckily, the little girl was not harmed. The bad publicity has harmed ourreputation.

damageto break, partially destroy or badly affect somethingA large number of shops were damaged in the fire. These glasses areeasily damaged. His career was badly damaged by the newspaperreports.

hurtto have pain, or to cause someone to feel painMy tooth hurts. No one was badly hurt in the accident. Did you hurtyour leg when you fell?

injureto cause pain or damage to someone or to a part of the bodyHe injured his back playing rugby.

woundto hurt someone badly by cutting into their fleshTwo of the gang were shot and wounded in the bank robbery. Theattacker pulled a knife, wounding him on the arm.


55

help nounSynonyms: help, support, assistance, aid

helpsomething which makes it easier for you to do somethingDo you need any help with moving the furniture? Her assistant is notmuch help in the office he cant type or drive.

supporthelp or encouragementIm grateful for the support of friends and family. We have had nofinancial support from the bank.

assistancehelpHe asked if he could be of any assistance. She will need assistance withher luggage. He was trying to change the wheel when a truck driveroffered his assistance.

aidhelp, especially money, food or other gifts given to people living indifficult conditionsaid to the earthquake zone an aid worker


56

hesitate verbSynonyms: hesitate, pause, stumble, waver

hesitateto be slow to speak or make a decisionHe hesitated for a moment and then said no. Shes hesitating aboutwhether to accept the job.

pauseto stop or rest for a short time before continuingShe paused for a second to look at her watch.

stumbleto make mistakes when reading aloud or speakingShe stumbled a little when she had to read the foreign words.

waverto be unable to decide what to doHe is still wavering about whether or not to leave the company.


57

increase verbSynonyms: increase, expand, enlarge, extendAntonyms: decrease, drop

Synonyms:

increaseto make a level or amount higherThe boss increased her salary. The number of soldiers in the area hasbeen increased to fifty thousand.

expandto increase the size or extent of somethingWe have plans to expand our business.

enlargeto make something biggerWe need to enlarge our house now that we have four children. Could youenlarge this photograph?

extendto make something longer or biggerWe are planning to extend our stay in London. The company hasextended my contract for another two years. Were going to extend ourkitchen.

Antonyms:

decreaseto become less

dropto decrease


58

intelligent adjectiveSynonyms: intelligent, bright, clever, able, talented, giftedAntonyms: stupid, unintelligent

Synonyms:

intelligentable to understand and learn things very wellHes the most intelligent child in his class.

bright young and intelligentBoth children are very bright. Shes the brightest student weve had formany years.

cleverable to think and learn quicklyClever children can usually do this by the time they are eight years old.

ablegood at doing something, or good at doing many thingsShes a very able manager. There are special activities for able children.

talentedwith a lot of artistic abilityHes a very talented writer.

giftedvery clever at somethingHe was a gifted mathematician.

Antonyms:

stupidnot able to understand or consider things well

unintelligentshowing a lack of intelligence


59

job nounSynonyms: job, assignment, task, chore, dutyjob

a specific piece of workThe children help with little jobs around the house.

assignmenta piece of work that has to be done in a specific timeMy literature assignment has to be finished by Wednesday. He was giventhe assignment of reporting on the war.

tasksomething, especially a piece of work, that has to be doneOnce I had finished my regular tasks I went home. He was given theunpleasant task of telling his mother about it.

chorea piece of routine work, for example cleaning in a house, that you have todohousehold chores

dutydifferent jobs that have to be done as part of your official workOne of his duties is to lock the doors at night.


60

kill verbSynonyms: kill, murder, assassinate, execute, slaughter, put down

killto make someone or something dieSixty people were killed in the plane crash. A long period of dry weathercould kill all the crops.

murderto kill someone deliberatelyHe was accused of murdering a policeman.

assassinateto kill a famous person, especially for political reasonsThey were shocked by the news that the President had been assassinated.

executeto kill someone as a legal punishment for a crime, or for something theyhave doneSome countries still execute murderers. The governments politicalenemies were executed.

slaughterto kill many people or animals at the same time, or to kill an animal for itsmeatThousands of civilians were slaughtered by the advancing army.

put downto kill an animal that is old or ill painlessly, using drugsThe cat will have to be put down.


61

knowledge nounSynonyms: knowledge, information, wisdomAntonym: ignorance

Synonyms:

knowledgethe general facts or information that people knowWe were impressed by her knowledge of the subject.

informationa set of facts about somethingShe couldnt give the police any information about how the accidenthappened. He gave me a very useful piece or bit of information. Forfurther information, please write to Department 27.

wisdomknowledge about life, especially about how to deal with situations andpeopleTheir leaders were women of great wisdom.

Antonym:

ignorancea state of not knowing


62

lack nounSynonyms: lack, shortage, deficiency, deficit

lackthe fact that you do not have somethingThe children are suffering from a lack of food. The project was cancelledthrough lack of funds.

shortagethe fact that you do not have something you needa shortage of skilled staff During the war, there were food shortages.

deficiencynot enough of something needed to make someone or something healthyor completeTheir diet has a deficiency of calcium or has a calcium deficiency.

deficitan amount by which something is less than it should beThe company announced a two-million-pound deficit in its accounts.


63

language nounSynonyms: language, speech, dialect, slang, vocabulary, jargonlanguage

a way of speaking or writing used in a country or by a group of peopleWe go to English language classes twice a week. She can speak severalEuropean languages.

speechthe ability to say words, or the act of saying wordsHis speech has been affected by brain damage. Some of theseexpressions are only used in speech, not in writing.

dialecta variety of a language spoken in a particular areaThey were speaking in a local dialect.

slangpopular words or phrases used by certain groups of people, but which arenot used in formal situationsDont use slang in your essay. Slang expressions are sometimes difficultto understand.

vocabularyall the words used by a person or group of personsShe reads French newspapers to improve her French vocabulary. specialist legal vocabulary

jargona special type of language used by a trade or profession or a particulargroup of peoplePeople are confused by computers because they dont understand thejargon.


64

leader nounSynonyms: leader, boss, manager, employer, supervisor, captain

leadera person who is in charge of an organisation such as a political partyHe is the leader of the local council. the leader of the constructionworkers union

bossthe person in charge, especially the owner of a businessIf you want a day off, ask the boss. I left because I didnt get on with myboss.

managerthe person in charge of a department in a shop or in a businessThe bank manager wants to talk about your account. Shes the managerof the shoe department.

employera person or organisation that gives work to people and pays themHer employer was a Hong Kong businessman. The car factory is thebiggest employer in the area.

supervisora person whose job is making sure that other people are working wellThe supervisor has told us to work faster.

captaina person in charge of a teamThe two captains shook hands at the beginning of the match.


65

learn verbSynonyms: learn, memorise, master, pick upAntonym: teach

Synonyms:

learnto find out about something, or about how to do somethingHes learning to ride a bicycle. We learn French and German at school.

memoriseto learn something thoroughly so that you know and can repeat all of itAt school, we memorised a new poem every week.

masterto become skilled at somethingAlthough hes a good cook, he still hasnt mastered the art of makingbread.

pick upto learn something easily without being taughtShe never took any piano lessons she just picked it up. He picked upsome German when he was working in Germany.

Antonym:

teachto show someone how to do something


66

legal adjectiveSynonyms: legal, licensed, valid, legitimate, lawfulAntonym: illegal

Synonyms:

legalallowed by the lawIts legal to drive at 17 years old in the UK.

licensedgiven official permission to do somethingBuy goods only from licensed dealers.

validable to be used only for a specific timeYour ticket is no longer valid. He was carrying a valid passport.

legitimatefair and reasonable, or allowed by the lawThey have legitimate concerns about the project. He acted in legitimatedefence of his rights.

lawful(formal) allowed by the lawTheir behaviour was perfectly lawful.

Antonym:

illegalagainst the law


67

lie nounSynonyms: lie, fib, white lie, falsehood, fabricationAntonym: truth

Synonyms:

liesomething that is not trueThats a lie! I didnt say that! Someone has been telling lies about her.

fib(informal) a lie about something unimportantHe told a fib about where hed been so he wouldnt get into trouble.

white lie a lie about something unimportant, especially a lie told in order not to upsetsomeoneI told a white lie, saying I was visiting my mother and couldnt go for adrink with him.

falsehood(literary) a lieIt appears that he had told several falsehoods under oath.

fabricationan invented story that is not trueThe newspaper story was a complete fabrication from start to finish.

Antonym:

truththings which are true


68

like verbSynonyms: like, enjoy, love, appreciateAntonyms: dislike, hate

Synonyms:

liketo have pleasant feelings about someone or somethingDo you like the new manager? She doesnt like eating meat. In theevening, I like to sit quietly and read the newspaper.

enjoyto get pleasure from somethingHave you enjoyed the holiday so far? She doesnt enjoy sailing becauseit make her seasick.

loveto like someone or something very muchThe children love their new baby brother. We love going on holiday tothe seaside. Id love to come with you, but Ive got too much work to do.

appreciateto be pleased about or grateful for somethingShoppers always appreciate a bargain. Customers dont appreciatehaving to wait to be served.

Antonyms:

dislikenot to like something or someone

hateto dislike someone or something very much


69

love nounSynonyms: love, liking, affection, fondness, passion, infatuationAntonym: hatred

Synonyms:

lovea strong feeling of liking someone or something very muchI had never felt such love for anyone before. In the book he writes abouthis love for his children.

likinga feeling of enjoying somethingShe has a liking for chocolate. This drink is too sweet for my liking.

affectiona feeling of liking someone, especially a friendShe always spoke of her neighbour with great affection.

fondnessa gentle feeling of liking someone or somethingShe remembered her aunt with fondness. my fondness for cakes andchocolate

passiona very strong feeling of love, especially sexual loveHe couldnt hide the passion he felt for her.

infatuationa sudden strong feeling of love for someone, especially someone you donot know very well or someone who does not love youEventually his infatuation for his friends wife passed.

Antonym:

hatreda very strong feeling of not liking someone or something


70

meal nounSynonyms: meal, snack, feast, picnic, barbecue, takeaway

mealan occasion when people eat food, or the food that is eatenYou sleep better if you only eat a light meal in the evening. Hotel guestscan have their meals in their room if they wish.

snacka light meal, or a small amount of food eaten between mealsWe didnt have time to stop for a proper lunch, so we just had a snack onthe motorway.

feasta very large meal for a group of people, especially one eaten to celebrate aspecial occasionThis is quite a feast youve prepared for us. a wedding feast

picnica meal eaten outdoors away from homeIf its fine, lets go for a picnic. They stopped by a wood and had a picniclunch.

barbecuea meal or party where food is cooked out of doorsWell have a barbecue this weekend, if the weathers fine.

takeawaya hot meal that you buy in a shop and eat somewhere elseDoes the Chinese restaurant do takeaways?


71

mistake nounSynonyms: mistake, error, slip, blunder

mistakean act or belief that is wrongThere are lots of mistakes in this essay. Youve made a mistake myname is David, not John.

errorsomething that is wrong, especially a mistake in writing or speakingThere isnt a single error in the whole document. The waiter made anerror on the bill.

slipa small, often careless mistake that isnt very importantDont worry about that. It was just a slip. He made a few slips in hiscalculations.

blundera big mistake, often one that causes a lot of embarrassmentA dreadful blunder by the goalkeeper allowed their opponents to score.


72

mixture nounSynonyms: mixture, blend, combination, compound

mixturea number of things mixed togethera mixture of flour, fat and water

blendsomething, especially a substance, made by mixing different thingstogetherdifferent blends of coffee

combinationseveral things joined or considered togetherA combination of bad weather and illness made our holiday a disaster.

compounda chemical made up of two or more elementsWater is a compound of two gases, hydrogen and oxygen.


73

moving adjectiveSynonyms: moving, emotional, pathetic, stirring, touching

movingmaking you feel emotiona moving story about a girl who finally finds her real parents The funeralwas very moving.

emotionalcausing you to feel emotion, or showing emotionWe said an emotional farewell to our son. The music made her feel veryemotional and she started to cry.

patheticmaking you feel sympathyShe looked a pathetic figure standing in the rain.

stirringmaking you feel strong emotions, especially pride or enthusiasma stirring tune Some of his speeches are very stirring.

touchingmaking you feel emotion, especially affection or sympathyI had a touching letter from my sister, thanking me for my help when shewas ill.


74

naked adjectiveSynonyms: naked, bare, nude, undressed

nakednot wearing clothesThe little children were playing in the river stark naked. A naked manwas standing on the balcony.

barenot covered by clothes or shoesHe walked on the beach in his bare feet. I cant sit in the sun with myarms bare.

nudenot wearing clothes, especially in situations where people are expected towear some clothesNude sunbathing is not allowed on this beach. She has appeared nudeon stage several times.

undressedhaving just taken off your clothes, usually to put on other clothes or clothesfor sleeping inThe children are undressed ready for bed.


75

necessary adjectiveSynonyms: necessary, essential, vital, requiredAntonym: unnecessary

Synonyms:

necessarywhich must be doneDont phone me in the evening unless its absolutely necessary. Is itnecessary to finish the work today?

essentialwhich cannot be omitted or avoidedYou can survive without food for some time, but water is essential. It isessential that we get the delivery on time.

vitalextremely importantIt is vital that we act quickly. Good transport is vital to my plan.

requiredwhich must be done or provided because of rules or regulationsWe can cut the wood to the required length. We cant reply because wedont have the required information.

Antonym:

unnecessarywhich is not needed, or which does not have to be done


76

new adjectiveSynonyms: new, novel, innovative, fresh, brand-new, originalAntonyms: old, old-fashioned

Synonyms:

newmade very recently, or never used beforePut some new paper in the printer. The new version of the software isnow available.

novelnew and unusualVisiting New York is a novel experience for me.

innovativenew in a way that has not been tried beforea very innovative design

freshnew and differentThe police produced some fresh evidence.

brand-newcompletely newYouve got mud all over your brand-new shoes!

originalnew and interestingThe planners have produced some very original ideas for the new towncentre.

Antonyms:

oldhaving existed for a long time

old-fashionedno longer in fashion


77

next adjectiveSynonyms: next, nearby, neighbouring, adjacentnext

nearest in placeThe ball went over the fence into the next garden. She took the next seatto mine.

nearbynot far awayThey met in a nearby restaurant.

neighbouringwhich is close to youpeople from the neighbouring villages

adjacentvery close to or almost touching somethingMy office is in an adjacent building.


78

noisy adjectiveSynonyms: noisy, loud, deafening, piercing, rowdyAntonyms: quiet, silent

Synonyms:

noisymaking a lot of noisea crowd of noisy little boys The hotel overlooks a noisy road. Thismachine is noisier than the old one.

loudvery easy to hearCant you stop your watch making such a loud noise? Turn down theradio its too loud.

deafeningso loud as to make you unable to hearThe noise was absolutely deafening.

piercingunpleasantly high and loudThey suddenly heard a piercing cry.

rowdyinvolving people who are making a lot of noiseA rowdy party in the flat next door kept us all awake. The minister hada rowdy reception at the meeting.

Antonyms:

quietwith very little or no noise

silentnot talking or making any noise


79

now adverb

Synonyms: now, presently, immediately, instantly, promptlyAntonym: then

Synonyms:

nowat or around this point in timeI can hear a train coming now. The flight is only two hours he ought tobe in Berlin by now.

presentlynow, or in a short timeHes presently working for a chemical company. The doctors busy justnow, but will be able to see you presently.

immediatelyvery soon, or very soon after an eventPlease hurry. We must leave immediately. He got my letter and wroteback immediately.

instantlyso soon after an event that no time appears to have passed in betweenHer mood changed instantly.

promptlyvery soon after an event, in a way that is helpful or efficientThe phone rang and she answered promptly.

Antonym:

thenat that time in the past or future


80

occasional adjectiveSynonyms: occasional, periodic, intermittent, oddAntonyms: frequent, regular

Synonyms:

occasionalhappening sometimes, but not very oftenHe was an occasional visitor to my parents house. We make theoccasional trip to London.

periodicrepeated after a regular period of timeperiodic attacks of the illness We carry out periodic reviews of thecompanys financial position.

intermittentstopping and starting in an irregular wayIntermittent showers are expected over the weekend.

odddone only rarely or occasionallyIve only been to the odd concert in the last few years. On the oddoccasions Ive met him, hes seemed very nice.

Antonyms:

frequenthappening or appearing often

regulardone at the same time each day


81

often adverbSynonyms: often, frequently, repeatedly, regularly, again and againAntonyms: seldom, rarely

Synonyms:

oftenon many different occasionsI often have to go to town on business. Do you eat beef often? Howoften is there a bus to Richmond?

frequentlyon many occasionsDuring the talk she frequently asked questions. She could frequently beseen walking her dog in the park.

repeatedlyvery many times, especially so many that it is annoyingI have repeatedly asked them to make less noise.

regularlyon most occasionsShe is regularly the first person to arrive at the office.

again and againseveral times, usually in a firm or determined wayThe police officer asked the same question again and again.

Antonyms:

seldomnot often

rarelyalmost never


82

old adjectiveSynonyms: old, ancient, elderly, antique, old-fashionedAntonyms: young, new

Synonyms:

oldhaving had a long life, or having existed for a long timeWhen Im older, Ill probably be bald. My uncle is now quite an old man. He collects old cars. We watched some old films. Throw away thatold shirt.

ancientvery old, or belonging to a time long agoHe was riding an ancient bicycle. the civilisations of ancient Greece andRome

elderlya more polite word than old used for describing someone who has had along lifeAn elderly man sat down beside her. My mother is now rather elderly anddoesnt drive any more.

antiqueold and valuablean antique Chinese vase

old-fashionedno longer in fashionShe wore old-fashioned clothes.

Antonyms:

youngnot old

new

made very recently, or never used before


83

perform verbSynonyms: perform, carry out, fulfil, execute

performto do an actionShe performed a perfect dive. Its the sort of task that can be performedby any computer.

carry outto do something, especially something that has been plannedDoctors carried out the tests on every patient. The police carried out asearch for the missing boys.

fulfilto complete something in a satisfactory wayHe died before he could fulfil his ambition to fly a plane. We are so busythat we cannot fulfil any more orders before Christmas.

execute(formal) to do something that has been planned or agreedAs part of the test, drivers are asked to execute an emergency stop.


84

protect verbSynonyms: protect, defend, guard, shield, shelterAntonym: neglect

Synonyms:

protectto keep someone or something safe from harm or dangerThe cover protects the machine against dust. The injection is supposedto protect you against the disease.

defendto protect a person or place that is being attackedThey brought in extra troops to defend the city against attack.

guardto watch someone, something or somewhere carefully to prevent attacks orescapesThe prison is guarded at all times.

shieldto protect someone or something from being reached or seenHe tried to shield her from the wind.

shelterto give someone, or go somewhere for, protection for a short timeThe school sheltered several families of whose houses had been flooded. Sheep were sheltering from the snow beside the hedge.

Antonym:

neglectto fail to look after someone or something properly


85

proud adjectiveSynonyms: proud, arrogant, conceited, vainAntonyms: ashamed, modest

Synonyms:

proudshowing pleasure in what you or someone else has done or in somethingwhich belongs to youWere proud of the fact we did it all without help from anyone else. Youshould feel proud to belong to such a successful club.

arrogantvery proud in an unpleasant wayHes such an arrogant young man. What an arrogant way to treatcustomers!

conceitedthinking that you are better, more intelligent, or more talented than otherpeopleHes the most conceited and selfish person Ive ever known.

vainvery pleased with your own appearance or achievementsHes always combing his hair hes very vain.

Antonyms:

ashamedembarrassed and sorry for something that you have done or not done

modestnot telling other people about your achievements


86

pull verbSynonyms: pull, drag, draw, haul, tow, tug, jerkAntonym: push

Synonyms:

pullto move something towards you or after youPull the door to open it, dont push it. The truck was pulling a trailer. She pulled an envelope out of her bag.

dragto pull something heavy along the groundShe dragged her suitcase across the floor. The police dragged the menaway from the gate.

drawto pull something gently, especially to pull curtains open or closedShe drew the papers towards her across the desk. He drew the curtainsand let in the sun.

haulto pull something with effortThey hauled the boat up onto the beach.

towto pull something behind a vehicleThe motorways were crowded with cars towing caravans. They towedthe ship into port.

tugto give something a sudden hard pullHe tugged on the rope and a bell rang.

jerkto suddenly pull something hard, sometimes causing pain or injuryHe jerked the rope out of my hands. The smell made her jerk her headbackwards.

Antonym:

pushto make something move away from you or in front of you


87

quiet adjectiveSynonyms: quiet, silent, noiseless, inaudible, peaceful,uncommunicativeAntonyms: noisy, loud

Synonyms:

quietwith little or no noiseI wish the children would be quiet. Im trying to work. a house in aquiet street

silentnot talking or making any noiseHe kept silent for the whole meeting. This new washing machine isalmost silent. They showed some old silent films.

noiselessmaking no noiseThe engine is virtually noiseless.

inaudibletoo quiet to be heard by humansHer whisper was almost inaudible.

peacefulenjoyable because there is very little noise or activityWe spent a peaceful afternoon by the river.

uncommunicativenot saying much, or not answering people

Antonyms:

noisywho or which makes a lot of noise

loudvery easy to hear


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raise verbSynonyms: raise, lift, hoist, pick up, elevateAntonyms: lower, drop

Synonyms:

raiseto put something in a higher position or at a higher levelHe picked up the flag and raised it over his head. Air fares will be raisedon June 1st.

liftto take something and put it in a higher positionMy briefcase is so heavy I can hardly lift it. He lifted the little girl up sothat she could see the procession.

hoistto lift something or someone using special equipment or a lot of forceHe hoisted the sack onto his shoulder. The box was hoisted up on a rope. Its time to hoist the flag.

pick upto take something that is lying on a surface and lift it in your handShe dropped her handkerchief and he picked it up. He picked up amagazine and started to read it.

elevate(formal) to lift something into a higher positionThey watched as the statue was slowly elevated into position.

Antonyms:

lowerto make something go down

dropto fall or let something fall


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sad adjectiveSynonyms: sad, unhappy, miserable, depressed, fed upAntonyms: happy, cheerful

Synonyms:

sadnot cheerfulHes sad because the holidays have come to an end. What a sad film everyone was crying. Its sad that he cant come to see us.

unhappyfeeling upset, or making someone feel upsetThe children had an unhappy childhood. She looked very unhappy as sheread the letter.

miserablevery sadShes really miserable since her boyfriend left her.

depressedso unhappy that you are not able to enjoy life, especially over a long periodof timeThe illness makes her feel depressed.

fed up(informal) feeling bored and unhappyShe looks really fed up.

Antonyms:

happyvery pleased

cheerfulpleased about life, or making someone feel like this


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shine verbSynonyms: shine, glow, blaze, dazzle, glitter

shineto be bright with lightThe sun is shining and they say itll be hot today. She polished the tableuntil it shone.

glowto shine with a weak lightThey saw a cigarette glow in the darkness.

blazeto burn or shine stronglyThe fire was blazing. The sun blazed through the clouds.

dazzleto shine a strong light in someones eyes so that they cannot see for amomentShe was dazzled by the lights of the cars coming towards her.

glitterto shine brightly with small points of light, as the stars in the sky seem toshineThe diamond necklace was glittering in the light of the candles. Her eyesglittered hopefully as she spoke.


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small adjectiveSynonyms: small, tiny, minute, miniature, microscopicAntonyms: big, huge

Synonyms:

smallnot large in size or amountThe house is too big for us, so were selling it and buying a smaller one. The guidebook isnt small enough to carry in your pocket. She only paida small amount for that clock. A small number of problems werereported.

tinyvery smallThe black spot is so tiny you can hardly see it. She lives in a tiny villagein the mountains.

minuteextremely smallA minute piece of dust must have got into the watch.

miniaturemuch smaller than the usual sizeHe has a miniature camera.

microscopicextremely small, or so small that you need to use a microscope to see itIt was a microscopic mark and didnt spoil the appearance of the table. They study microscopic organisms such as bacteria and viruses.

Antonyms:

bigof a large size

hugeof a very large size


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smell nounSynonyms: smell, odour, aroma, scent, stink

smellsomething which you can sense with your noseI love the smell of coffee. She noticed a smell of gas downstairs.

odoura smell, especially an unpleasant smellthe odour of rotten eggs

aromaa pleasant smell of something you can eat or drinkthe aroma of freshly baked bread

scenta pleasant smell of a particular typethe scent of flowers in the garden

stink(informal) a very unpleasant smellthe stink of cigarette smoke


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stop verbSynonyms: stop, end, pause, ceaseAntonyms: begin, continue

Synonyms:

stopnot to do something any moreAt last it stopped raining and we could go out. She spoke for two hourswithout stopping.

endwhen something ends, it reaches the point when it stops happeningThe film ends with a wedding. The concert should end at about 10oclock.

pauseto stop or rest for a short time before continuingShe ran along the road, only pausing for a second to look at her watch.

cease(formal) to stop, or to stop doing somethingIt seemed that the fighting would never cease.

Antonyms:

beginto start doing something

continueto go on doing something or happening


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strong adjectiveSynonyms: strong, sturdy, powerful, fit, mightyAntonym: weak

Synonyms:

stronghaving a lot of force or strengthThe string broke we need something stronger. Strong winds blew sometiles off the roof.

sturdywell made and not easily damagedThe shelter seemed quite sturdy. a pair of sturdy walking boots

powerfulhaving a lot of force, influence or capabilityThis model has a more powerful engine. The treasurer is the mostpowerful person in the organisation. The new computers are extremelypowerful.

fithealthy, strong and having a lot of physical energyHe isnt fit enough to go back to work. Youll have to get fit if youregoing to run in that race.

mighty(literary) having a lot of force or strengthWith one mighty heave he lifted the sack onto the lorry.

Antonym:

weaknot strong


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stupid adjectiveSynonyms: stupid, silly, foolish, irresponsible, senselessAntonyms: sensible, wise

Synonyms:

stupidbehaving in a way that is not sensible, or resulting from thisIt was stupid of her not to wear a helmet when riding on her scooter. Hemade several stupid mistakes.

sillystupid in an annoying wayDont be silly you cant go to the party dressed like that! She asked alot of silly questions.

foolishshowing a lack of intelligence or good judgmentThat was a rather foolish thing to do. It would be foolish to risk your life.

irresponsibleacting or done in a way that shows a lack of good senseIt was an irresponsible attitude for a parent to have. Leaving the childrenalone was very irresponsible.

senselessdone for no good reasona senseless attack on an old lady Its senseless to buy clothes you dontneed.

Antonyms:

sensibleshowing good judgment

wiseable to make good judgments because of experience


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subject nounSynonyms: subject, topic, subject matter, matter, themesubject

an area of knowledge which you are studyingMaths is his weakest subject. You can take up to five subjects at thehigher level.

topicthe subject of a discussion or conversationCan we move on to another topic?

subject matterthe subject dealt with in something such as a book or TV programmeThe subject matter of the book is family relationships.

mattersomething you are dealing with, especially a concern or problemNow well turn to the important matter of how much it will cost. This isa matter for the police.

themethe main subject of a book or articleThe theme of the book is how to deal with illness in the family.


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suggest verbSynonyms: suggest, recommend, advise, propose

suggestto mention an idea to see what other people think of itThe chairman suggested that the next meeting should be held in October. What does he suggest we do in this case?

recommendto tell someone that it would be good to do somethingI would recommend that you talk to the bank manager. This restaurantwas recommended by a friend.

adviseto suggest to someone what they should doHe advised her to save some of the money.

propose(formal) to make a suggestionI propose that we all go for a swim.


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talent nounSynonyms: talent, gift, aptitude, knack

talentan unusual natural ability, especially for something artisticShe has a talent for getting customers to spend money. Her many talentsinclude singing and playing the piano.

gifta natural ability for doing something wellShe has a gift for making people feel welcome. He has a gift for maths.

aptitudea natural ability that can be developed furtherShe has an aptitude for learning languages.

knack(informal) an ability or tendency to do something, often something wrongShe has a knack for talking to strangers. He has this knack ofaccidentally offending people.


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teach verbSynonyms: teach, educate, train, coach, instruct, tutorAntonym: learn

Synonyms:

teachto show someone how to do somethingShe taught me how to dance. He teaches maths in the local school.

educateto teach someone in a school or college, or give them information that theyneedShe was educated in Switzerland. We need to educate young peopleabout the dangers of alcohol.

trainto teach someone or an animal how to do a particular activityShes being trained to be a bus driver. The dogs are trained to smell andfind illegal substances.

coachto give private lessons to someone in a particular sport, subject or activityHe coaches young footballers.

instruct(formal) to show someone how to do somethingWe were all instructed in the use of the fire safety equipment.

tutor(formal) to teach a small group of studentsShe earns extra money by tutoring foreign students in English.

Antonym:

learnto find out about something, or about how to do something


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temporary adjectiveSynonyms: temporary, fleeting, passing, shortlivedAntonyms: permanent, lasting

Synonyms:

temporaryexisting or lasting only for a limited timeShe has a temporary job with a construction company. This arrangementis only temporary.

fleetinglasting for a very short time onlyShe only caught a fleeting glimpse of her attacker.

passingcausing interest for a short time onlyIts just a passing fashion.

shortlivedlasting for a short time onlyTheir enthusiasm for the project was very shortlived.

Antonyms:

permanentlasting or intended to last for ever

lastingwhich lasts for a long time


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thin adjectiveSynonyms: thin, slim, slender, skinnyAntonyms: fat, overweight

Synonyms:

thinnot fatThe table has very thin legs. He looks too thin he should eat more.

slimwith a body that is thin in an attractive wayHow do you manage to stay so slim? She looks slimmer in that dress.

slenderlong and thin, or tall and slimslender fingers a slender flower stem a girl with a slender figure

skinnytoo thin to be attractiveA tall skinny guy walked in. She has very skinny legs.

Antonyms:

fathaving too much flesh o

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09. Easier English Basic Synonyms.pdf