SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS _An Alphabetical List of Words in Common Use, Grouped with Others of Similar and Opposite Meaning_
BY
EDITH B. ORDWAY Author of “The Etiquette of To-Day,” “Handbook of Quotations,” Etc.
NEW YORK
GEORGE SULLY AND COMPANY
Copyright, 1913
BY SULLY AND KLEINTEICH
All rights reserved
PRINTED IN U. S. A.
PREFACE
The aim in compiling this book has been to make the list of words in common use concise yet full, and authoritative yet suggestive. Above five thousand leading words are given, and the synonyms and antonyms comprise several thousand more different words.
Actual references may be multiplied by looking up a synonym or antonym, as well as by consulting cognate words, such as the corresponding noun, verb, or adjective.
In some cases common words have been omitted, because they were composed of a root word and a prefix, intensive or privative. Their synonyms and antonyms may be found under the root word.
Occasionally within the lists words closely synonymous or antonymic have been grouped within semicolons.
The part of speech of a word is designated by an abbreviation in such cases as are necessary to save confusion.
Synonyms appear immediately after the leading word; antonyms, after the abbreviation “Ant.” This order is invariable.
In the effort to make this list authoritative, the standard dictionaries and the acknowledged authorities on the subject have been consulted.
E. B. O.
ABBREVIATIONS
a. Adjective.
ad. Adverb.
Ant. Antonym or Antonyms.
conj. Conjunction.
interj. Interjection.
n. Noun.
p.p. Past Participle.
prep. Preposition.
Syn. Synonym or Synonyms.
v. Verb.
SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS
A
=Abandon.= Desert, leave, forsake, depart from, quit, give up, relinquish, discontinue, abdicate, renounce, repudiate, forswear, withdraw from, vacate, surrender, retract, recant, retire from, cast off, abjure, cede, cease, resign, forego, yield, waive, part with, let go, lay down, evacuate, drop, deliver up.
ANT. Claim, cherish, defend, keep, hold, maintain, protect, adopt, uphold, advocate, vindicate, occupy, undertake, prosecute, pursue, follow, seek, guard, favor, retain, support, assert, haunt.
=Abandoned.= Discarded, rejected and the p.p. of the syn. of “abandon”; depraved, corrupt, profligate, wicked, unprincipled, shameless, sinful, hardened, impenitent, lost, demoralized, vicious, dissolute, reprobate, graceless, obdurate, licentious, incorrigible, irreclaimable, bad.
ANT. The p.p. of the ant. of “abandon”; visited, frequented, sociable; virtuous, good, deserving, worthy, commendable, excellent, laudable; reclaimable, penitent; conscientious, correct, upright, righteous, self-controlled, high-principled, steady.
=Abandonment.= Desertion, renunciation, surrender, rejection, abandoning, relinquishment, dereliction; cession, resignation, abnegation, demission, abjuration, abdication, defection, abrogation.
ANT. Solicitude, care, heed, watchfulness, vigilance; hospitality, entertainment, conviviality, welcome, reception; retention, completion, reclamation, support, help, correction, custody, tenacity.
=Abase.= Degrade, reduce, lower, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, humble, sink, humiliate, bring low, cast down, stoop, debase, depress, drop, take down, demean.
ANT. Elevate, exalt, honor, promote, raise, dignify, uplift, aggrandize.
=Abasement.= Degradation, humiliation, dishonor, degeneracy, shame, depression, reduction, lowering, fall, deterioration, debasement, degeneration, vitiation, perversion, depravation, abjection, disrepute, discredit, subserviency.
ANT. Promotion, exaltation, honor, elevation, aggrandizement, dignity, repute, reputation, standing, supremacy.
=Abash.= Bewilder, confound, disconcert, discompose, confuse, daunt, humble, dishearten, mortify, shame, humiliate, snub, discountenance.
ANT. Embolden, cheer, encourage, animate, uphold, rally, countenance, inspirit, abet, incite, buoy.
=Abate.= Lessen, lower, reduce, diminish, moderate, decrease, decline, ebb, mitigate, subside, suppress, terminate, remove; temper, assuage, alleviate, appease, pacify; remit, allow; relax, slacken; bate, deduct; soothe, soften, qualify, allay, mollify, compose, tranquilize, quiet, quell, calm, dull, blunt; batter down, beat down, demolish, raze.
ANT. Increase, prolong, magnify, foment, enlarge, extend, aggravate, continue, develop, revive, raise, enhance, amplify.
=Abatement.= Subsidence, decline, lowering, reduction, decrease; allowance, discount, rebate, depreciation, drawback; moderation, lessening, mitigation, assuagement, remission, sinking, settling, waning, fading, ebb, evanishment, declension, deduction, diminution.
ANT. Increase, augmentation, enlargement, increment, accretion, development, growth, aggrandizement, dilation, accession.
=Abbreviate.= Shorten, contract, curtail, reduce, abridge, condense, epitomize, compress.
ANT. Lengthen, extend, elongate, dilate, expand, amplify, enlarge, produce, stretch, prolong, expatiate.
=Abbreviation.= Abridgment, contraction, condensation, compend, abstract, epitome, reduction, summary, curtailment, compression.
ANT. Expansion, amplification, expatiation, extension, production, enlargement, dilation.
=Abdicate.= Resign, relinquish office (especially of the throne), surrender, abandon, vacate, forego, renounce, give up, cede.
ANT. Retain, claim, occupy, maintain, usurp, seize, grasp.
=Abdomen.= Belly, paunch, ventral region, visceral cavity.
=Abduct.= Take away (surreptitiously or forcibly), kidnap, run away with, carry off, spirit away, drag away.
ANT. Restore, reinstate, adduct.
=Abduction.= Withdrawal, drawing away, abstraction, kidnapping, seizure, appropriation.
ANT. Adduction, replacement, restitution, restoration, surrender, reinstatement.
=Aberrant.= Wandering, rambling, divergent, deviating, devious, erratic; irregular, abnormal, unusual, exceptional.
ANT. Regular, true, consistent, uniform, consecutive, normal, natural, continuous.
=Aberration.= Wandering, divergence, irregularity, rambling, disconnectedness, hallucination, illusion, delusion, eccentricity, singularity, peculiarity.
ANT. Uniformity, consecutiveness, regularity, progression, continuity, order, type, norm.
=Abet.= Aid, assist, promote, support, sanction, uphold, countenance, encourage, advocate, incite, instigate, embolden, favor, foment, connive at, coöperate with.
ANT. Hinder, impede, obstruct, frustrate, baffle, confound, counteract, deter, discourage, thwart, contradict, disconcert, disapprove, denounce, dissuade, expose.
=Abettor.= Assistant, helper, aid, ally, coöperator, advocate, confederate, accomplice, accessory, adviser, promoter, instigator, associate, coadjutor.
ANT. Opponent, foe, adversary, antagonist, rival, dissuader, detector, baffler, disconcerter.
=Abeyance.= Suspense, suspension, expectancy, waiting, anticipation, dormancy, intermission, quiescence, suppression, expectation.
ANT. Renewal, revival, resuscitation, action, operation, exercise, force, possession.
=Abhor.= Hate, detest, loathe, shrink from, recoil from, shudder at, abominate, despise, dislike, eschew, nauseate, revolt at.
ANT. Crave, desire, enjoy, covet, esteem, like, love, relish, admire, approve, affect.
=Abhorrent.= Odious, offensive, shocking, repugnant, loathsome, revolting, horrible, repellent, repulsive, nauseating.
ANT. Admirable, enjoyable, lovely, estimable, desirable.
=Abide.= Wait for, await, attend; endure, tolerate, bear, suffer; anticipate, watch for, expect; bide, continue, reside, dwell, sojourn, tarry, lodge, rest, stay, inhabit, remain.
ANT. Abandon, shun; resist, reject, avoid; deport, migrate, move, journey, continue, proceed, progress.
=Abiding.= Lasting, continuing, permanent, durable, constant, stable, immutable, changeless, unchanging.
ANT. Ephemeral, fickle, changeable, unsubstantial, perishable.
=Ability.= Power, force, might, efficiency, vigor, skill, energy, dexterity, adroitness, skilfulness, cleverness, ingenuity, talent, aptitude, facility, knack, expertness, readiness, quickness, strength, capacity, qualification, competency, genius, caliber, capability, capableness, faculty, gift, parts.
ANT. Incapacity, weakness, inability, unreadiness, maladroitness, imbecility, impotence, disability, inaptitude, inefficiency, incompetence, disqualification, helplessness, stupidity, folly.
=Abject.= Base, vile, mean, low, despicable, contemptible, worthless, groveling, fawning, beggarly, servile, cringing, miserable, degraded, menial, ignoble.
ANT. Dignified, honorable, exalted, worthy, venerable, illustrious, independent, princely, self-assertive, self-reliant, vain, arrogant, insolent, haughty.
=Abjure.= Renounce, relinquish, reject, forswear, forego, repudiate, disown, give up, retract, revoke, recant, disavow, disclaim, withdraw, take back, deny, apostatize, discard.
ANT. Claim, advocate, acknowledge, profess, vindicate, assert, demand, retain, appropriate, avow.
=Able.= Accomplished, adroit, talented, clever, ingenious, apt, skilful, efficient, capable, fitted, learned, gifted, masterly, telling, vigorous, strong, proficient, competent, versed, practical, endowed, powerful, mighty.