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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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products made from wood grown in well-managed forests.

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environmental regulations of the country of origin.

ISBN 0 7475 6979 7


http://www.bloomsbury.com

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 as‘antonyms’) 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.


1

ability noun

Synonyms: ability, skill, competence, talent, capability

Antonym: 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 artisticShe’s 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


2

accomplish verb

Synonyms: accomplish, achieve, carry out, pull off

accomplishto do something successfullyYou won’t 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.



3

anger noun

Synonyms: anger, annoyance, irritation, resentment, fury, rage

Antonym: calmness

Synonyms:

angera feeling of being very annoyedHe managed to control his anger. � She couldn’t 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



4

annoy verb

Synonyms: annoy, irritate, bother, bug

Antonyms: 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. � It’s bugging me that I can’t rememberhis name

Antonyms:

pleaseto make someone happy or satisfied

delightto give great pleasure to someone



5

answer noun

Synonyms: answer, reply, response, acknowledgement

Antonym: 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 haven’t 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 didn’t even receive an acknowledgement from the council. � a letter ofacknowledgement

Antonym:

questiona sentence which needs an answer



6

ask verb

Synonyms: 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.



7

assistant noun

Synonyms: 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 awayShe’s 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.



8

aware adjective

Synonyms: aware, conscious, alert, informed, mindful

Antonyms: unaware, ignorant

Synonyms:

awareknowing about things that are happening or about factsI’m 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:

unawarenot knowing facts, or not realising that something is happening

ignorantnot knowing things that it is important to know



9

beach noun

Synonyms: 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 noun

Synonyms: beginner, apprentice, novice, learner

Antonyms: expert, old hand

Synonyms:

beginnera person who is starting to learn something or do somethingThe course is for absolute beginners. � I can’t paint very well – I’m just abeginner.

apprenticea young person who works as an assistant to a skilled person in order tolearn from themHe’s started work as a plumber’s apprentice.

novicea person who has very little experience or skill, e.g. in a job or sportHe’s 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 adjective

Synonyms: big, huge, enormous, vast

Antonym: small

Synonyms:

bigof a large sizeI don’t want a small car – I want a big one. � His father has the biggestrestaurant in town. � I’m not afraid of him – I’m 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 verb

Synonyms: 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 verb

Synonyms: break, crack, smash, burst

Antonym: 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 adjective

Synonyms: careful, conscientious, thorough, painstaking

Antonym: careless

Synonyms:

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

conscientiousworking carefully and wellShe’s 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 adjective

Synonyms: cautious, careful, prudent, vigilant, wary, secretive, cagey

Antonyms: reckless, thoughtless

Synonyms:

cautiousnot willing to take risksShe’s 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 secretShe’s very secretive about her private life.

cagey(informal) not wanting to share informationThey’re being very cagey about their relationship.

Antonyms:

recklessdoing something or done without thinking

thoughtlesswithout thinking about other people



16

change verb

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

changeto become different, or make something differentShe’s 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 8°C at night to 18°C during the day.

shiftto change position or directionWe’ve 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 noun

Synonyms: child, baby, toddler, teenager, youngster, youth, kid

Antonym: 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 don’t understand today’s 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. � They’re married with twokids.

Antonym:

adulta fully-grown person



18

clean adjective

Synonyms: clean, pure, spotless, hygienic

Antonym: dirty

Synonyms:

cleannot dirtyWipe your glasses with a clean handkerchief. � Tell the waitress these cupsaren’t 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 factorydidn’t look very hygienic.

Antonym:

dirtynot clean



19

cold adjective

Synonyms: cold, cool, freezing, frozen, icy

Antonyms: warm, hot, boiling

Synonyms:

coldwith a low temperatureIt’s too cold to go for a walk. � If you’re 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 freezesIt’s 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:

warmfairly hot

hotvery warm; with a high temperature

boilingvery hot



20

collect verb

Synonyms: 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 wayWe’ll 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 noun

Synonyms: 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 luckShe’s not very good at games like chess. � I enjoy a game of cards.



22

complain verb

Synonyms: complain, object, protest, grumble, whine

Antonym: 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 thingsHe’s always grumbling about the music from the flat above.

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

Antonym:

praiseto express strong approval of something or someone



23

contestant noun

Synonyms: 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 winHe’s 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 verb

Synonyms: 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 adjective

Synonyms: correct, accurate, exact, true

Antonym: 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 he’s been married twice?

Antonym:

incorrectwrong, not correct



26

courage noun

Synonyms: courage, bravery, nerve, guts

Antonym: cowardice

Synonyms:

couragethe ability to deal with a dangerous or unpleasant situationShe showed great courage in attacking the burglar. � I didn’t 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 verb

Synonyms: cut, slice, chop, slash

cutto divide, reduce or remove something using a sharp tool, e.g. a knife orscissorsThe meat is very tough – I can’t 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 adjective

Synonyms: dead, late, extinct

Antonyms: 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 verb

Synonyms: 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 enemy’s 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 adjective

Synonyms: dirty, filthy, grubby, grimy, soiled, squalid

Antonym: 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 verb

Synonyms: disagree, differ, argue, dispute, contradict

Antonym: 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 didn’t dare contradict their mother.

Antonym:

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



32

disapprove verb

Synonyms: disapprove, object, criticise, condemn

Antonym: 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 noun

Synonyms: dislike, hatred, hate, disgust

Antonym: 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 adjective

Synonyms: easy, simple, straightforward, uncomplicated

Antonyms: 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 children’s 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 verb

Synonyms: 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 rememberHe’s forgotten the name of the restaurant. � I’ve forgotten how to playchess. � She forgot all about her doctor’s 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 adjective

Synonyms: famous, well-known, renowned, infamous, notorious

Antonym: unknown

Synonyms:

famousknown to many people, especially most people in a place or countrya famous department store � He’s a famous footballer.

well-knownknown by a lot of peopleIt’s a well-known fact that oil and water don’t 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 adjective

Synonyms: fat, plump, overweight, obese

Antonyms: slim, thin

Synonyms:

fathaving too much flesh or weighing too muchYou’ll have to eat less – you’re getting too fat. � a doll with a fat face

plumpslightly fat in an attractive waythe baby’s plump little arms � She’s grown plumper now she’s stoppedsmoking.

overweighthaving a body that weighs too muchThe doctor says I’m 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 adjective

Synonyms: 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 noun

Synonyms: 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 verb

Synonyms: find, discover, come across, encounter

Antonym: 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 verb

Synonyms: follow, chase, pursue, stalk

Antonym: 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 adjective

Synonyms: fragile, delicate, breakable, flimsy

Antonyms: sturdy, strong

Synonyms:

fragilemade from materials that are easily brokenBe careful when you’re packing these plates – they’re 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 noun

Synonyms: friend, acquaintance, companion, mate, pal

Antonym: stranger

Synonyms:

frienda person that you know well and likeShe’s my best friend. � We’re 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 man’s friendHe’s gone to the pub with his mates.

pal(dated informal) a friendShe’s meeting some old school pals for lunch.

Antonym:

strangera person whom you have never met



44

funny adjective

Synonyms: funny, comic, comical, humorous, witty, hilarious

Antonyms: serious, solemn

Synonyms:

funnymaking people laughHe made funny faces and all the children laughed. � That joke isn’t 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 dad’s 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 verb

Synonyms: 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 verb

Synonyms: give, present, confer, donate, grant

Antonyms: 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 verb

Synonyms: go, leave, depart, set off, disappear

Antonym: 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 o’clock this morning. � When they couldn’t 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 tripWe’re 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:

cometo move to or towards a place



48

good adjective

Synonyms: good, satisfactory, acceptable, excellent, wonderful

Antonyms: 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 adjective

Synonyms: good-looking, attractive, beautiful, handsome, lovely, pretty

Antonyms: unattractive, ugly

Synonyms:

good-lookinghaving an attractive faceHis sister is a very good-looking girl. � He’s not especially good-looking.

attractivewith pleasant physical features, or pleasant to look atThey found the mountain scenery very attractive. � She’s 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. � There’s 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 noun

Synonyms: group, crowd, gang, mob

Antonym: 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. � Let’s 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 verb

Synonyms: 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 noun

Synonyms: 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 timeIt’s 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. � It’s a familytradition for the eldest son to take over the business.

practicea way of doing something, especially a way that is regularly usedIt’s standard practice for shops to stay open later on Saturdays. � It’salways been our practice to walk the dogs before breakfast.

routinethe usual, regular way of doing thingsHe doesn’t like his daily routine to be disturbed. � A change of routinemight do you good.



53

hard adjective

Synonyms: hard, difficult, awkward, tough, tricky

Antonyms: easy, simple

Synonyms:

hardnot easySome of the questions were very hard. � It’s 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 I’m 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 confidenceShe’s 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 verb

Synonyms: harm, damage, hurt, injure, wound

harmto 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 noun

Synonyms: 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 can’t type or drive.

supporthelp or encouragementI’m 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 verb

Synonyms: hesitate, pause, stumble, waver

hesitateto be slow to speak or make a decisionHe hesitated for a moment and then said ‘no’. � She’s 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 verb

Synonyms: increase, expand, enlarge, extend

Antonyms: 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. � We’re going to extend ourkitchen.

Antonyms:

decreaseto become less

dropto decrease



58

intelligent adjective

Synonyms: intelligent, bright, clever, able, talented, gifted

Antonyms: stupid, unintelligent

Synonyms:

intelligentable to understand and learn things very wellHe’s the most intelligent child in his class.

bright young and intelligentBoth children are very bright. � She’s the brightest student we’ve 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 thingsShe’s a very able manager. � There are special activities for able children.

talentedwith a lot of artistic abilityHe’s 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 noun

Synonyms: job, assignment, task, chore, duty

joba 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 verb

Synonyms: 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 government’s 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 noun

Synonyms: knowledge, information, wisdom

Antonym: ignorance

Synonyms:

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

informationa set of facts about somethingShe couldn’t 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 noun

Synonyms: 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 noun

Synonyms: language, speech, dialect, slang, vocabulary, jargon

languagea 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 situationsDon’t 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 don’t understand thejargon.



64

leader noun

Synonyms: 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 didn’t 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. � She’s 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 verb

Synonyms: learn, memorise, master, pick up

Antonym: teach

Synonyms:

learnto find out about something, or about how to do somethingHe’s 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 he’s a good cook, he still hasn’t 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 adjective

Synonyms: legal, licensed, valid, legitimate, lawful

Antonym: illegal

Synonyms:

legalallowed by the lawIt’s 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 noun

Synonyms: lie, fib, white lie, falsehood, fabrication

Antonym: truth

Synonyms:

liesomething that is not trueThat’s a lie! – I didn’t say that! � Someone has been telling lies about her.

fib(informal) a lie about something unimportantHe told a fib about where he’d been so he wouldn’t 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 couldn’t 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 verb

Synonyms: like, enjoy, love, appreciate

Antonyms: dislike, hate

Synonyms:

liketo have pleasant feelings about someone or somethingDo you like the new manager? � She doesn’t 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 doesn’t 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. � I’d love to come with you, but I’ve got too much work to do.

appreciateto be pleased about or grateful for somethingShoppers always appreciate a bargain. � Customers don’t appreciatehaving to wait to be served.

Antonyms:

dislikenot to like something or someone

hateto dislike someone or something very much



69

love noun

Synonyms: love, liking, affection, fondness, passion, infatuation

Antonym: 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 couldn’t 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 friend’s wife passed.

Antonym:

hatreda very strong feeling of not liking someone or something



70

meal noun

Synonyms: 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 didn’t 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 you’ve prepared for us. � a wedding feast

picnica meal eaten outdoors away from homeIf it’s fine, let’s go for a picnic. � They stopped by a wood and had a picniclunch.

barbecuea meal or party where food is cooked out of doorsWe’ll have a barbecue this weekend, if the weather’s fine.

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



71

mistake noun

Synonyms: mistake, error, slip, blunder

mistakean act or belief that is wrongThere are lots of mistakes in this essay. � You’ve made a mistake – myname is David, not John.

errorsomething that is wrong, especially a mistake in writing or speakingThere isn’t a single error in the whole document. � The waiter made anerror on the bill.

slipa small, often careless mistake that isn’t very importantDon’t 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 noun

Synonyms: 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 adjective

Synonyms: 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 adjective

Synonyms: 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 can’t 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 adjective

Synonyms: necessary, essential, vital, required

Antonym: unnecessary

Synonyms:

necessarywhich must be doneDon’t phone me in the evening unless it’s 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 can’t reply because wedon’t have the required information.

Antonym:

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



76

new adjective

Synonyms: new, novel, innovative, fresh, brand-new, original

Antonyms: 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 newYou’ve 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 adjective

Synonyms: next, nearby, neighbouring, adjacent

nextnearest 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 adjective

Synonyms: noisy, loud, deafening, piercing, rowdy

Antonyms: 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 hearCan’t you stop your watch making such a loud noise? � Turn down theradio – it’s 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, promptly

Antonym: 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 timeHe’s presently working for a chemical company. � The doctor’s 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 adjective

Synonyms: occasional, periodic, intermittent, odd

Antonyms: 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 thecompany’s financial position.

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

odddone only rarely or occasionallyI’ve only been to the odd concert in the last few years. � On the oddoccasions I’ve met him, he’s seemed very nice.

Antonyms:

frequenthappening or appearing often

regulardone at the same time each day



81

often adverb

Synonyms: often, frequently, repeatedly, regularly, again and again

Antonyms: 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 adjective

Synonyms: old, ancient, elderly, antique, old-fashioned

Antonyms: young, new

Synonyms:

oldhaving had a long life, or having existed for a long timeWhen I’m older, I’ll 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 anddoesn’t drive any more.

antiqueold and valuablean antique Chinese vase

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

Antonyms:

youngnot old

newmade very recently, or never used before



83

perform verb

Synonyms: perform, carry out, fulfil, execute

performto do an actionShe performed a perfect dive. � It’s 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 verb

Synonyms: protect, defend, guard, shield, shelter

Antonym: 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 adjective

Synonyms: proud, arrogant, conceited, vain

Antonyms: ashamed, modest

Synonyms:

proudshowing pleasure in what you or someone else has done or in somethingwhich belongs to youWe’re 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 wayHe’s such an arrogant young man. � What an arrogant way to treatcustomers!

conceitedthinking that you are better, more intelligent, or more talented than otherpeopleHe’s the most conceited and selfish person I’ve ever known.

vainvery pleased with your own appearance or achievementsHe’s always combing his hair – he’s very vain.

Antonyms:

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

modestnot telling other people about your achievements



86

pull verb

Synonyms: pull, drag, draw, haul, tow, tug, jerk

Antonym: push

Synonyms:

pullto move something towards you or after youPull the door to open it, don’t 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 adjective

Synonyms: quiet, silent, noiseless, inaudible, peaceful,uncommunicative

Antonyms: noisy, loud

Synonyms:

quietwith little or no noiseI wish the children would be quiet. – I’m 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



88

raise verb

Synonyms: raise, lift, hoist, pick up, elevate

Antonyms: 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.� It’s 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



89

sad adjective

Synonyms: sad, unhappy, miserable, depressed, fed up

Antonyms: happy, cheerful

Synonyms:

sadnot cheerfulHe’s sad because the holidays have come to an end. � What a sad film –everyone was crying. � It’s sad that he can’t 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 sadShe’s 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



90

shine verb

Synonyms: shine, glow, blaze, dazzle, glitter

shineto be bright with lightThe sun is shining and they say it’ll 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 someone’s 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.



91

small adjective

Synonyms: small, tiny, minute, miniature, microscopic

Antonyms: big, huge

Synonyms:

smallnot large in size or amountThe house is too big for us, so we’re selling it and buying a smaller one. �The guidebook isn’t 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 didn’t 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



92

smell noun

Synonyms: 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



93

stop verb

Synonyms: stop, end, pause, cease

Antonyms: 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 10o’clock.

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



94

strong adjective

Synonyms: strong, sturdy, powerful, fit, mighty

Antonym: 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 isn’t fit enough to go back to work. � You’ll have to get fit if you’regoing 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



95

stupid adjective

Synonyms: stupid, silly, foolish, irresponsible, senseless

Antonyms: 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 wayDon’t be silly – you can’t 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 � It’s senseless to buy clothes you don’tneed.

Antonyms:

sensibleshowing good judgment

wiseable to make good judgments because of experience



96

subject noun

Synonyms: subject, topic, subject matter, matter, theme

subjectan 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 we’ll 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.



97

suggest verb

Synonyms: 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.



98

talent noun

Synonyms: 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.



99

teach verb

Synonyms: teach, educate, train, coach, instruct, tutor

Antonym: 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 activityShe’s 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



100

temporary adjective

Synonyms: temporary, fleeting, passing, shortlived

Antonyms: 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 onlyIt’s 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



101

thin adjective

Synonyms: thin, slim, slender, skinny

Antonyms: 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 or weighing too much

overweighthaving a body that weighs too much



102

think verb

Synonyms: think, assume, reason, conclude, work out, figure out

thinkto have an opinionI think going by train is more relaxing than driving. � Do you think it’sgoing to rain?

assumeto imagine or believe that something is trueLet’s assume that he is innocent. � I assume you have enough money to payfor the meal?

reasonto think or to plan something carefully and sensiblyHe reasoned that any work is better than no work, so he took the job. � Ifyou take the time to reason it out, you’ll find a solution to the problem.

concludeto come to an opinion from the information availableThe police concluded that the thief had got into the building through thebroken kitchen window.

work outto solve a problem by looking at information or calculating figuresI’m trying to work out if we’ve sold more this year than last.

figure outto try to think of an answer to a problemWe’re trying to figure out if we have enough time to visit both places.



103

try verb

Synonyms: try, attempt, strive, endeavour

tryto make an effort to do somethingI tried to phone her number three times. � You have to try hard if you wantto succeed.

attemptto try to do something, especially something difficultShe attempted to lift the box onto the table.

striveto try very hard to do something, especially over a long period of timeHe always strove to do as well as his brother. � Everyone is striving for asolution to the dispute.

endeavour(formal) to try very hard to do somethingHe endeavoured to contact her by both phone and fax.



104

type noun

Synonyms: type, kind, sort, category, species, genre

typea group of people, animals or things that are similar to each otherThis type of bank account pays 10% interest. � What type ofaccommodation are you looking for?

kinda type of somethingA butterfly is a kind of insect. � Which kinds of people usually come tothese events?

sorta type of somethingDo you like this sort of TV show? � What sort of car have you got?

categoryone of the groups that people, animals or things are divided into in a formalsystemWe grouped the books into categories according to subject.

speciesa group of living things such as animals or plants which can breed witheach otherSeveral species of butterfly are likely to become extinct.

genrea type of something artistic such as art, literature or theatrethe three main literary genres of prose, poetry and drama



105

unattractive adjective

Synonyms: unattractive, ugly, unsightly, hideous, plain

Antonyms: attractive, pretty

Synonyms:

unattractivenot attractiveHer husband is a rather unattractive man. � The house is unattractive fromthe outside.

uglyunpleasant to look atWhat an ugly pattern! � The part of the town round the railway station iseven uglier than the rest.

unsightlya more polite word than ‘ugly’She has an unsightly scar on her face.

hideousextremely unpleasant to look atWhere did she get that hideous dress?

plaina more polite word than ‘unattractive’, used for describing a personHis two daughters are rather plain.

Antonyms:

attractivehaving features which people like

prettya pretty woman or girl has a face that is quite attractive



106

uncertain adjective

Synonyms: uncertain, doubtful, unsure, in doubt, dubious, sceptical

Antonyms: certain, convinced

Synonyms:

uncertainnot sure, or not decidedShe is uncertain whether to accept the job. � He’s uncertain about what todo next. � Their plans are still uncertain.

doubtfulnot sure that something is right or good, or not likelyI am doubtful about whether we should go. � It is doubtful whether the racewill take place because of the snow.

unsurenot sureShe was unsure whether to go to work or to stay at home. � I’m unsure asto which route is the quickest.

in doubtnot yet known or definite, or not yet sureThe result of the game was in doubt until the last minute. � I’m in doubtabout whether I should accept their invitation.

dubiousthinking that something might not be true or goodEveryone else seems to believe her story, but personally I’m dubious aboutit. � I’m dubious about getting involved.

scepticalthinking that something is probably not true or goodYou seem sceptical about his new plan. � I’m sceptical of the need for thesechanges.

Antonyms:

certainsure about something

convincedvery certain



107

usual adjective

Synonyms: usual, normal, routine, traditional, customary

Antonyms: exceptional, irregular

Synonyms:

usualdone or used on most occasionsShe took her usual bus to the office. � Is it usual for him to arrive so late?

normalusual or expected by most peopleWe hope to restore normal service as soon as possible � At her age it’sonly normal for her to want to go to parties.

routinedone as part of a regular pattern of activitiesHe went to the doctor for a routine examination.

traditionaldone in a way that has been used for a long timeThe dancers were wearing their traditional regional costumes.

customary(formal) usualHe handled the situation with his customary efficiency. � It’s customary togive taxi drivers a tip.

Antonyms:

exceptionalbeing an exception

irregularnot happening always at the same time



108

very adverb

Synonyms: very, extremely, exceptionally, remarkably

veryused to make an adjective or adverb strongerIt’s very hot in the car – why don’t you open a window? � The time seemedto go very quickly when we were on holiday.

extremelyto a very great degreeIt was extremely hot in August. � She reacted extremely angrily.

exceptionallyto a very great degree, often so great as to be surprisingan exceptionally rude man � You dealt with the situation exceptionallybravely.

remarkablyto an unusually great degree, or in an unusual wayShe remained remarkably calm. � She performed remarkably well in bothevents.



109

want verb

Synonyms: want, wish, long, desire

wantto hope that you will do something, that something will happen, or that youwill get somethingShe wants a new car for her birthday. � Where do you want to go for yourholidays? � He wants to be a teacher.

wishto want something to happenShe sometimes wished she could live in the country. � I wish you wouldn’tbe so unkind!

longto want something very muchI’m longing for a cup of tea. � Everyone was longing to be back home.

desire(formal) to want somethingMost of us desire a large comfortable home.



110

watch verb

Synonyms: watch, look, observe, stare

Antonyms: ignore, overlook

Synonyms:

watchto look at and notice somethingDid you watch the TV news last night? � Everyone was watching thechildren dancing.

lookto turn your eyes to see somethingI want you to look carefully at this photograph. � If you look out of theoffice window you can see our house. � He opened the lid of the box andlooked inside.

observeto watch something with a lot of attentionScientists observed the behaviour of the animals for several days.

stareto look at someone or something for a long timeShe stared sadly out of the window at the rain.

Antonyms:

ignorenot to notice someone or something deliberately

overlooknot to notice something



111

weak adjective

Synonyms: weak, feeble, frail, unhealthy

Antonyms: strong, healthy

Synonyms:

weaknot well and strongAfter his illness he is still very weak.

feeblephysically weak, especially because of illness or ageHe gave a feeble wave with his left hand. � The voice on the phone soundedfeeble.

frailphysically weak, especially because of ageHis grandmother is now rather frail.

unhealthynot healthy, especially often illAll their children are quite unhealthy. � I thought her face was anunhealthy colour.

Antonyms:

stronghaving good health and strength

healthynot ill, or not often ill



112

wet adjective

Synonyms: wet, damp, moist, soaking, waterlogged

Antonym: dry

Synonyms:

wetcovered in water or other liquidShe forgot her umbrella and got wet walking back from the shops. � Thechair’s all wet where he knocked over his beer.

dampslightly wetShe’d just had a shower and her hair was still damp. � The cellar has colddamp walls.

moistslightly wet, often in a pleasant wayTo clean the oven, just wipe it with a moist cloth. � The cake should bemoist, not too dry.

soakingvery wetDon’t let the dog into the kitchen – he’s soaking or he’s soaking wet.

waterloggedrelating to ground that is full of water, so the surface stays wet for a longtimeAfter so much rain, the pitch is waterlogged. � Most plants cannot grow inwaterlogged soil.

Antonym:

drycontaining little or no water



113

work noun

Synonyms: work, labour, drudgery, graft

workthings that you do using your strength or your brainThere’s a great deal of work still to be done on the project. � There’s toomuch work for one person. � If you’ve finished that piece of work, there’splenty more to be done. � Cooking for two hundred people every day ishard work.

labourwork, especially hard physical workDoes the price include the cost of labour?

drudgeryboring work that you do not enjoyMost of the work in the office is sheer drudgery.

graft(informal) very hard work that needs a lot of energyShe has succeeded through sheer hard graft.



114

worry noun

Synonyms: worry, anxiety, problem, responsibility, burden

worrysomething that makes you anxiousGo on holiday and try to forget your worries.

anxietynervous worry about somethingHer anxiety about her job prospects began to affect her health. � The costof the treatment is one of my main anxieties.

problemsomething that causes difficultyWe’re having problems with the new computer system.

responsibilitysomething that someone is responsible forIt’s my responsibility to lock the doors at night. � Your children are not myresponsibility.

burdensomething that is hard to deal withLooking after the dog is sometimes quite a burden.



INDEX


Headword Essayability nable adj intelligentacceptable adj goodaccomplish vaccurate adj correctachieve v accomplishacknowledgement n answeracquaintance n friendacquire v getadjacent adj nextadult n childadvise v suggestaffection n loveagain and again adv oftenagree v disagreeaid n helpalert adj awarealive adj deadalter v changeancient adj oldanger nannoy vannoyance n angeranswer nantique adj oldanxiety n worryapplicant n contestantappreciate v likeapprentice n beginnerapprove v disapproveaptitude n talentargue v disagreearoma n smellarrogant adj proudashamed adj proudask vassassinate v killassemble v collectassignment n jobassistance n helpassistant nassume v thinkattempt v tryattractive adj good-lookingattractive adj unattractiveauxiliary n assistantaware adjawkward adj hardbaby n child

Headword Essaybad adj goodbarbecue n mealbare adj nakedbattle n fightbeach nbeat v defeatbeautiful adj good-lookingbeg v askbegin v stopbeginner nbig adjbig adj smallblaze v shineblend n mixtureblock vblunder n mistakeboiling adj coldboss n leaderbother v annoybrand-new adj newbravery n couragebreak vbreakable adj fragilebright adj intelligentbug v annoyburden n worryburst v breakcagey adj cautiouscalmness n angercandidate n contestantcapability n abilitycaptain n leadercareful adjcareful adj cautiouscareless adj carefulcarry out v accomplishcarry out v performcategory n typecautious adjcease v stopcertain adj uncertainchange vchase v followcheerful adj sadchild nchop v cutchore n jobclean adj


Headword Essayclean adj dirtyclever adj intelligentclone v copycoach v teachcoast n beachcold adjcollect vcombination n mixturecome v gocome across v findcomic adj funnycomical adj funnycompanion n friendcompetence n abilitycompetition ncomplain vcompound n mixtureconceited adj proudconclude v thinkcondemn v disapproveconduct v guideconfer v giveconflict n fightconquer v defeatconscientious adj carefulconscious adj awarecontender n contestantcontest n competitioncontestant ncontinue v stopcontradict v disagreeconvert v changeconvinced adj uncertaincool adj coldcopy vcorrect adjcourage ncowardice n couragecrack v breakcriticise v disapprovecrowd n groupcustom n habitcustomary adj usualcut vdamage v harm

Headword Essaydamp adj wetdazzle v shinedead adjdeadly adj fataldeafening adj noisydecrease v increasedefeat vdefend v protectdeficiency n lackdeficit n lackdelicate adj fragiledelight v annoydemand v askdepart v godepressed adj saddeputy n assistantdesire v wantdialect n languagediffer v disagreedifficult adj harddifficult adj easydirect v guidedirty adjdirty adj cleandisagree vdisappear v godisapprove vdiscover v finddisgust n dislikedislike ndislike v likedispute v disagreedonate v givedoubtful adj uncertaindrag v pulldraw v pulldrop v increasedrop v raisedrudgery n workdry adj wetdubious adj uncertainduplicate v copyduty n jobeasy adjeasy adj hard

adj = adjective adv = adverb n = noun v = verbbold italic = main entry with synonyms italic = antonym


Headword Essayeducate v teachelderly adj oldelevate v raiseemotional adj movingemployer n leaderencounter v findend v stopendeavour v tryenjoy v likeenlarge v increaseenormous adj bigentrant n contestanterror n mistakeessential adj necessaryexact adj correctexcellent adj goodexceptional adj usualexceptionally adv veryexecute v killexecute v performexpand v increaseexpert n beginnerextend v increaseextinct adj deadextremely adv veryfabrication n liefail vfalsehood n liefamous adjfat adjfat adj thinfatal adjfeast n mealfed up adj sadfeeble adj weakfib n liefight nfigure out v thinkfilthy adj dirtyfind vfit adj strongfleeting adj temporaryflimsy adj fragilefollow vfondness n lovefoolish adj stupidforget v failfragile adjfrail adj weak

Headword Essayfreezing adj coldfrequent adj occasionalfrequently adv oftenfresh adj newfriend nfrozen adj coldfulfil v performfunny adjfury n angergain v getgame n competitiongang n groupgather v collectgenre n typeget vgift n talentgifted adj intelligentgive vglitter v shineglow v shinego vgood adjgood-looking adjgraft n workgrant v givegrimy adj dirtygroup ngrubby adj dirtygrumble v complainguard v protectguide vguts plural n couragehabit nhamper v blockhandsome adj good-lookinghappy adj sadhard adjhard adj easyharm vhate n dislikehate v likehatred n dislikehatred n lovehaul v pullhealthy adj weakhelp nhelper n assistanthesitate v


Headword Essayhideous adj unattractivehilarious adj funnyhinder v blockhoard v collecthoist v raisehold back v blockhot adj coldhuge adj bighuge adj smallhumorous adj funnyhurt v harmhygienic adj cleanicy adj coldignorance n knowledgeignorant adj awareignore v watchillegal adj legalimmediately adv nowimpure adj cleaninability n abilityinaudible adj quietincorrect adj correctincrease vindividual n groupin doubt adj uncertaininfamous adj famousinfatuation n loveinformation n knowledgeinformed adj awareinjure v harminnovative adj newinstantly adv nowinstruct v teachintelligent adjintermittent adj occasionalirregular adj usualirresponsible adj stupidirritate v annoyirritation n angerjargon n languagejerk v pulljob nkid n childkill vkind n type

Headword Essayknack n talentknowledge nlabour n worklack nlanguage nlasting adj temporarylate adj deadlawful adj legallead v guidelead v followleader nlearn vlearn v teachlearner n beginnerleave v golegal adjlegitimate adj legallethal adj fatallicensed adj legallie nlift v raiselike vliking n loveliking n dislikelive adj deadlong v wantlook v watchlose v findloud adj noisyloud adj quietlove nlove v likelovely adj good-lookinglower v raisemanager n leadermaster v learnmatch n competitionmate n friendmatter n subjectmeal nmemorise v learnmend v breakmicroscopic adj smallmighty adj strongmindful adj aware



Headword Essayminiature adj smallminute adj smallmiserable adj sadmistake nmixture nmob n groupmodest adj proudmodify v changemoist adj wetmortal adj fatalmoving adjmurder v killnaked adjnearby adj nextnecessary adjneglect v failneglect v protectneighbouring adj nextnerve n couragenew adjnew adj oldnext adjnoiseless adj quietnoisy adjnoisy adj quietnormal adj usualnotorious adj famousnovel adj newnovice n beginnernow advnude adj nakedobese adj fatobject v complainobject v disapproveobserve v watchobstruct v blockobtain v getoccasional adjodd adj occasionalodour n smelloften advold adjold adj newold hand n beginnerold-fashioned adj oldold-fashioned adj newomit v failoriginal adj new

Headword Essayovercome v defeatoverlook v failoverlook v watchoverweight adj fatoverweight adj thinpainstaking adj carefulpal n friendpassing adj temporarypassion n lovepathetic adj movingpause v hesitatepause v stoppeaceful adj quietperform vperiodic adj occasionalpermanent adj temporarypick up v learnpick up v raisepicnic n mealpiercing adj noisyplain adj unattractiveplease v annoyplump adj fatpoor adj goodpowerful adj strongpractice n habitpraise v complainpresent v givepresently adj nowpretty adj good-lookingpretty adj unattractiveproblem n worrypromptly adv nowpropose v suggestprotect vprotest v complainproud nprudent adj cautiouspull vpull off v accomplishpure adj cleanpursue v followpush v pullput down v killquestion n answerquiet adjquiet adj noisyrage n angerraise v


Headword Essayrarely adv oftenreason v thinkreckless adj cautiousrecommend v suggestregular adj occasionalregularly adv oftenremarkably adv veryrenowned adj famousrepeatedly adv oftenreplicate v copyreply n answerreproduce v copyrequest v askrequired adj necessaryresentment n angerresponse n answerresponsibility n worryroutine n habitroutine adj usualrowdy adj noisysad adjsatisfactory adj goodscent n smellsceptical adj uncertainseaside n beachsecretive adj cautioussecure v getseldom adv oftensenseless adj stupidsensible adj stupidserious adj funnyset off v goshelter v protectshield v protectshift v changeshine vshore n beachshortage n lackshortlived adj temporarysilent adj quietsilent adj noisysilly adj stupidsimple adj easysimple adj hardskill n ability

Headword Essayskinny adj thinslang n languageslash v cutslaughter v killslender adj thinslice v cutslim adj thinslim adj fatslip n mistakesmall adjsmall adj bigsmash v breaksmell nsnack n mealsoaking adj wetsoiled adj dirtysolemn adj funnysort n typespecies n typespeech n languagespotless adj cleansqualid adj dirtystalk v followstare v watchsteal v givesteer v guidestink n smellstirring adj movingstop vstraightforward adj easystranger n friendstrive v trystrong adjstrong adj fragilestrong adj weakstumble v hesitatestupid adjstupid adj intelligentsturdy adj strongsturdy adj fragilesubject nsubject matter n subjectsuggest vsupervisor n leadersupport n help



Headword Essaytake v givetakeaway n mealtalent ntalent n abilitytalented adj intelligenttask n jobteach vteach v learnteenager n childtemporary adjterminal adj fataltheme n subjectthen adv nowthin adjthin adj fatthink vthorough adj carefulthoughtless adj cautiousthrash v defeattiny adj smalltoddler n childtopic n subjecttouching adj movingtough adj hardtow v pulltradition n habittraditional adj usualtrain v teachtransform v changetricky adj hardtriumph v defeattrue adj correcttruth n lietry vtug v pulltutor v teachtype nugly adj unattractiveugly adj good-lookingunattractive adjunattractive adj good-lookingunaware adj awareuncertain adjuncommunicative adj quiet

Headword Essayuncomplicated adj easyundressed adj nakedunhappy adj sadunhealthy adj weakunintelligent adj intelligentunknown adj famousunnecessary adj necessaryunsightly adj unattractiveunsure adj uncertainusual adjvain adj proudvalid adj legalvary v changevast adj bigvery advvigilant adj cautiousvital adj necessaryvocabulary n languagewant vwar n fightwarm adj coldwary adj cautiouswatch vwaterlogged adj wetwaver v hesitateweak adjweak adj strongwell-known adj famouswet adjwhine v complainwhite lie n liewisdom n knowledgewise adj stupidwish v wantwitty adj funnywonderful adj goodwork nwork out v thinkworry nwound v harmwrong adj legalyoung adj oldyoungster n childyouth n child


easier english basic synonyms english... · 2009. 11. 3. · aware adjective synonyms: aware,...

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