Related WordNet synsets for SUMO concept SubjectiveAssessmentAttribute

More specialized WordNet synsets

kindness
a kind act
deed, feat, effort, exploit
a notable achievement: "the book was her finest effort"
masterpiece
an outstanding achievement
masterstroke
an achievement demonstrating great skill or mastery
credit
used in the phrase "to your credit" to indicate an achievement deserving praise; "she already had several performances to her credit"
derring-do
brave and heroic deeds
tour de force
a masterly or brilliant feat
overachievement
better than expected performance (better than might have been predicted from intelligence tests)
underachievement
poorer than expected performance (poorer than might have been predicted from intelligence tests)
record
the sum of recognized accomplishments; "the lawyer has a good record"
going, sledding
advancing toward a goal; "persuading him was easy going" or "the proposal faces tough sledding"
close call, close shave, squeak, squeaker, narrow escape
something achieved (or escaped) by a narrow margin
success
an attainment that is successful; "his success in the marathon was unexpected"; "his new play was a great success"
hit, bang, smash, strike
a conspicuous success; "that song was his first hit and marked the beginning of his career"
bell ringer, bull's eye, mark
something that exactly succeeds in achieving its goal; "the new advertising campaign was a bell ringer"; "scored a bull's_eye"; "hit the mark"
conquest
success in mastering something difficult; "the conquest of space"
coup
a brilliant and notable success
failure
an act that fails
naught
complete failure; "all my efforts led to naught"
frustrating, frustration, thwarting, foiling
an act of hindering someone's plans or efforts
overturn, upset
an improbable and unexpected victory; "the biggest upset since David beat Goliath"
backsliding, lapse, lapsing, recidivism, relapse, relapsing, reversion, reverting
a failure to maintain a higher state
disappointing, disappointment, dashing hopes
the act of disappointing someone
copout
a failure to face some difficulty squarely
mistake, error, fault
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention; "the fault was all mine"
blot, smear, smirch, spot, stain
an act that brings discredit to the person who does it; "he made a huge blot on his copybook"
backfire, boomerang
a miscalculation that recoils on its maker
distortion
the mistake of misrepresenting the facts
slip, slipup, miscue
an inadvertent mistake
oversight, lapse
a mistake resulting from inattention
omission, skip
a mistake resulting from neglect
blunder, blooper, bungle, foul-up, fuckup, flub, botch, boner, boo-boo, misdoing
an embarrassing mistake
snafu
an acronym often used by soldiers in World War II: Situation Normal All Fucked Up
spectacle
a blunder that makes you look ridiculous; used in the phrase "make a spectacle of" yourself
ballup, balls-up, cockup, mess-up
(British) something badly botched or muddled
bull
a serious and ludicrous blunder; "he made a bad bull of the assignment"
fluff
a blunder (especially an actor's forgetting the lines)
faux pas, gaffe, solecism, slip, gaucherie
a socially awkward or tactless act
clanger
(British) a conspicuous mistake whose effects seem to reverberate; "he dropped a clanger"
trip, stumble, misstep
an unintentional but embarrassing blunder; "he recited the whole poem without a single trip"; "confusion caused his unfortunate misstep"
misappropriation
wrongful borrowing; "his explanation was a misappropriation of sociological theory"
best
the supreme effort one can make: "they did their best"
worst
the weakest effort or poorest achievement one is capable of: "it was the worst he had ever done on a test"
hit
a successful stroke in an athletic contest (especially in baseball); "he came all the way around on Williams' hit"
leading astray, leading off
the act of enticing others into sinful ways
seduction
enticing someone astray from right behavior
pis aller, last resort
French for `worst going'
desperate measure
desperate actions taken as a means to an end; "he had to resort to desperate measures"
open sesame
any very successful means of achieving a result
salvation
a means of preserving from harm or unpleasantness; "tourism was their economic salvation"; "they turned to individualism as their salvation"
tooth
a means of enforcement; "the treaty had no teeth in it"
equalization, equilisation, leveling
the act of making equal or uniform
stunt
a difficult or unusual feat; usually done to gain attention
fossilization
becoming inflexible or out of date
disaster
an act that has disastrous consequences
improvement
the act of improving something: "Their improvements increased the value of the property"
advancement, progress
gradual improvement or growth or development: "advancement of knowledge"; "great progress in the arts"; "their research and development gave them an advantagte"
forwarding, furtherance, promotion
the advancement of some enterprise; "his experience in marketing resulted in the forwarding of his career"
stride
significant progress (especially in the phrase "make strides" or "make rapid strides")
purge, purging, purgation
the act of clearing yourself (or another) from some stigma or charge
purification
the act of purging of sin or guilt; "purification through repentance"
correction, correcting, rectification
the act of offering an improvement to replace a mistake
redress, remedy, remediation
act of correcting an error or a fault or an evil
salve
anything that remedies or heals or soothes; "he needed a salve for his conscience"
retribution
the act of correcting for your wrongdoing
perfection
the act of making something perfect
reform
a change for the better as a result of correcting abuses; "justice was for sale before the reform of the law courts"
amelioration, melioration, betterment
the act of relieving ills and changing for the better
self-improvement, self-reformation
the act of improving yourself
reform
self-improvement in behavior or morals by abandoning some vice; "the family rejoiced in the drunkard's reform"
beautification
the act of making something more beautiful
glamorization
the act of glamorizing; making something or someone more beautiful (often in a superficial way)
decoration
the act of decorating something (in the hope of making it more attractive)
adornment
the action of decorating yourself with something colorful and interesting
enrichment
act of making fuller or more meaningful or rewarding
humanization, humanisation
the act of making more humane
modernization, modernisation, modernizing
making modern in appearance of behavior; "the modernizing of Nigeria will be a long process"
enhancement, sweetening
an improvement that makes something more agreeable
upturn
an upward movement or trend as in business activity
worsening
changing something with the result that it becomes worse
downturn, downswing
a worsening of business or economic activity; "the market took a downturn"
downspin
a swift and dangerous downturn
reclamation, renewal, revival, rehabilitation
the conversion of waste land into land suitable for use of habitation or cultivation
degradation, debasement
changing to a lower state (a less respected state)
dehumanization, dehumanisation
the act of degrading people with respect to their best qualities; "science has been blamed for the dehumanization of modern life"
brutalization, brutalisation, animalization, animalisation
an act that makes people cruel or lacking normal human qualities
barbarization, barbarisation
an act that makes people primitive and uncivilized
bastardization, bastardisation
an act that debases or corrupts
corruption
destroying someone's honesty or loyalty or moral integrity: "corruption of a minor"
demoralization
destroying the moral basis for a doctrine or policy
stultification, impairment, deadening
the act of making something futile and useless (as by routine)
popularization, popularisation, vulgarization, vulgarisation, coarsening
the act of making something attractive to the general public
humiliation, humbling, abasement
depriving one of self-esteem
comedown
decline to a lower status or level
contamination, pollution
the act of contaminating or polluting; including (either intentionally or accidentally) unwanted substances or factors
dust contamination
the act of contaminating with dust particles
decontamination
the removal of contaminants
back door
a secret or underhand means of access (to a place or a position); "he got his job through the back door"
overshoot, wave-off, go-around
an approach that fails and gives way to another attempt
march
a steady advance; "the march of science"; "the march of time"
plain sailing, clear sailing, easy going
easy unobstructed progress: "after we solved that problem the rest was plain sailing"
gait
a person's manner of walking
twiddle
a series of small (usually idle) twists or turns
wave
a movement like that of an ocean wave; "a wave of settlers"; "troops advancing in waves"
outreach
the act of reaching out; "the outreach toward truth of the human spirit"
red herring
any diversion intended to distract attention from the main issue
extenuation, mitigation, palliation
to act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious
easing, alleviation, relief
the act of reducing something unpleasant as pain; "he asked the nurse for relief from the constant pain"
de-escalation
a reduction in intensity (of a crisis or a war)
detente
the easing of tensions or strained relations (especially between nations)
palliation
easing the severity of a pain or a disease without removing the cause
liberalization, liberalisation, relaxation
the act of making less strict
minimization, minimisation
the act of minimizing something
exhaustion
the act of exhausting something entirely
wilt, wilting
causing to become limp or drooping
exaggeration
the act of making something more noticeable than usual; "the dance involved a deliberate exaggeration of his awkwardness"
hyperextension
greater than normal extension
stretch
extension to or beyond the ordinary limit; "running at full stretch"; "by no stretch of the imagination"; "beyond any stretch of his understanding"
self-aggrandizement, self-aggrandisement, ego trip
an act undertaken to increase your own power and influence or to draw attention to your own importance
aggravation, exacerbation
action that makes a problem or a disease (or its symptoms) worse; "the aggravation of her condition resulted from lack of care"
union, unification, uniting
making or becoming a single unit; "the union of opposing factions"; "he looked forward to the unification of his family for the holidays"
reunion, reunification
the act of coming together again
umbrella
having the function of uniting a group of similar things; "the Democratic Party is an umbrella for many liberal groups"; "under the umbrella of capitalism"
transfiguration
the act of transforming so as to exalt or glorify
transmogrification
changing into a different form or appearance especially a fantastic or grotesque one: "transmogrification into a porcupine"
rehabilitation
the restoration of someone to a useful place in society
rejuvenation
the act of restoring to a more youthful condition
refreshment
act of refreshing or renewing strength or liveliness
free-living
a way of life given to easy indulgence of the appetites
primrose path
a life of ease and pleasure
straight and narrow
the way of proper and honest behavior; "he taught his children to keep strictly to the straight and narrow"
vanity fair
a vain and frivolous way of life especially in large cities (after a fair held in the town of Vanity in Pilgrim's Progress)
line of least resistance, path of least resistance
the easiest way; "In marrying him she simply took the path of least resistance"
mistreatment
the practice of treating (someone or something) badly; "he should be punished for his mistreatment of his mother"
maltreatment, ill-treatment, ill-usage, abuse
cruel or inhumane treatment
persecution
the act of persecuting (especially on the basis of race or religion)
oppression, subjugation
the act of subjugating by cruelty
exasperation
actions that cause great irritation (or even anger)
witch-hunt
searching out and harassing dissenters
McCarthyism
unscrupulously accusing people of disloyalty (as by saying they were Communists)
disregard, neglect
lack of care and attention
exploitation, victimization, victimisation, using
an act that exploits or victimizes someone
escape, escapism
an inclination to retreat from unpleasant realities through diversion or fantasy; "he escaped into romantic novels"; "his alcohol problem was a form of escapism"
folly, foolery, tomfoolery, indulgence
foolish or senseless behavior
buffoonery, clowning, frivolity, harlequinade, prank
acting like a clown or buffoon
liveliness, animation
general activity and motion
brouhaha
a confused disturbance far greater than its cause merits
circus, carnival
a frenetic disorganized (and often comic) disturbance suggestive of a circus or carnival; "it was so funny it was a circus"; "the whole occasion had a carnival atmosphere"
disruption, perturbation
the act of causing disorder
dislocation, breakdown
the act of disrupting an established order
furor, furore
a sudden outburst (as of protest)
havoc, mayhem
violent and needless disturbance
agitation, excitement, turmoil, upheaval, hullabaloo
disturbance usually in protest
outburst, tumultuous disturbance
a sudden violent disturbance
rampage, violent disorder
violently angry and destructive behavior
upset, derangement, overthrow
the act of disturbing the mind or body; "his carelessness could have caused an ecological upset"; "she was unprepared for this sudden overthrow of their normal way of living"
bustle, hustle, flurry, ado, fuss, stir
a rapid bustling commotion
burst, fit
a sudden flurry of activity (often for no obvious reason); "a burst of applause"; "a fit of housecleaning"
obstruction
getting in someone's way
cinch, picnic, snap, duck soup, child's play, pushover, walkover, piece of cake
any activity that is easy to do; "marketing this product will be no picnic"
job
a damaging piece of work: "dry rot did the job of destroying the barn"; "the barber did a real job on my hair"
busywork, make-work
active work of little value; "while he was waiting he filled the days with busywork"
loose end, unfinished business
work that is left incomplete
spiritualization, spiritualisation
the act of making something spiritual; infusing it with spiritual content
treadmill, salt mine
a job involving drudgery and confinement
hackwork
professional work done according to formula
haymaking
taking full advantage of an opportunity while it lasts
overwork, overworking
the act working too much or too long; "he became ill from overwork"
slavery
work done under harsh conditions for little or no pay
trouble, difficulty
an effort that is inconvenient; "I went to a lot of trouble"; "he won without any trouble"; "had difficulty walking"; "finished the test only with great difficulty"
least effort, least resistance
the least effortful way to do something
strain, straining, stress
an intense or violent exertion
pull
a sustained effort; "it was a long pull but we made it"
application, diligence
a diligent effort; "it is a job requiring serious application"
overkill
any effort that seems to go farther than would be necessary to achieve its goal
supererogation
an effort above and beyond the call of duty
overexertion
the exertion of so much effort that discomfort or injury results
second fiddle
a secondary role or function; "he hated to play second fiddle to anyone"
disagreeable task
a chore that causes discomfort
malversation
misconduct in public office
mischief, mischief-making, mischievousness, deviltry, devilry, devilment, rascality, roguery, roguishness, shenanigan
reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others
hell, blaze
noisy and unrestrained mischief; "raising blazes"
ruffianism
violent lawless behavior
familiarity, impropriety, indecorum, liberty
an act of undue intimacy
deviation, deviance
deviate behavior
indecency, impropriety
an indecent or improper act
obscenity
an obscene act
indiscretion, peccadillo
a petty misdeed
infantilism
infantile behavior in mature persons
escape mechanism
a form of behavior that evades unpleasant realities
malingering, skulking
evading duty or work by pretending to be incapacitated
shirking, slacking, soldiering, goofing off, goldbricking
the evasion of work or duty
waste, wastefulness, dissipation
useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly: "if the effort brings no compensating gain it is a waste"; "mindless dissipaton of natural resources"
waste of effort, waste of energy
a useless effort
waste of material
a useless consumption of material
waste of money
money spent for inadequate return; "the senator said that the project was a waste of money"
waste of time
the devotion of time to a useless activity; "the waste of time could prove fatal"
extravagance, prodigality, lavishness
excessive spending
squandering
spending money wastefully
squandermania
prodigious squandering (usually by a government)
villainy
a treacherous or vicious act
deviltry, devilry
wicked and cruel behavior
enormity
an act of extreme wickedness
foul play
unfair or treacherous behavior (especially involving violence)
irreverence, violation
a disrespectful act
profanation, desecration, blasphemy, sacrilege
blasphemous behavior
depravity, turpitude
a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice: "the various turpitudes of modern society"
vice
a specific form of evildoing; "vice offends the moral standards of the community"
pornography, porno, porn
illegal activities designed to stimulate sexual desire
intemperance, intemperateness, self-indulgence
immoderate indulgence of bodily appetites
profligacy, dissipation, dissolution, licentiousness
dissolute indulgence in sensual pleasure
dishonesty, knavery
lack of honesty; acts of lying or cheating or stealing
treachery, betrayal, treason, perfidy
an act of deliberate betrayal
double cross, double-crossing
an act of betrayal; "he gave us the old double cross"; "I could no longer tolerate his impudent double-crossing"
sellout
an act of betrayal
charlatanism, quackery
the dishonesty of a charlatan
trick
an attempt to get you to do something foolish or imprudent; "that offer was a dirty trick"
goldbrick
anything that is supposed to be valuable but turns out to be worthless
jugglery
artful trickery designed to achieve an end; "the senator's tax program was mere jugglery"
gerrymander
an act of gerrymandering (dividing a voting area so as to give your own party an unfair advantage)
obscurantism
a deliberate act intended to make something obscure
fall
a lapse into sin; a loss of innocence or of chastity; "a fall from virtue"
pride, superbia
unreasonable and inordinate self-esteem (personified as one of the deadly sins)
envy, invidia
spite and resentment at seeing the success of another (personified as one of the deadly sins)
avarice, greed, covetousness, rapacity, avaritia
reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins)
sloth, laziness, acedia
apathy and inactivity in the practice of virtue (personified as one of the deadly sins)
wrath, anger, ire, ira
belligerence aroused by a real or supposed wrong (personified as one of the deadly sins)
gluttony, overeating, gula
eating to excess (personified as one of the deadly sins)
lust, luxuria
self-indulgent sexual desire (personified as one of the deadly sins)
crime
an evil act not necessarily punishable by law; "crimes of the heart"
disorderly conduct, disorderly behavior, disturbance of the peace, breach of the peace
any act of molesting or interrupting or hindering or disquieting or agitating or arousing from a state of repose or otherwise depriving inhabitants of the peace and quiet to which they are entitled
indecent exposure, public nudity
vulgar and offensive nakedness in a public place
victimless crime
an act that is legally a crime but that seem to have no victims; "he considers prostitution to be a victimless crime"
forlorn hope
a hopeless or desperate enterprise
braving, confronting, coping with, grappling, tackling
taking the bull by the horns
face, facing
the act of confronting bravely; "he hated facing the facts"; "he excelled in the face of danger"
adventure, escapade, risky venture, dangerous undertaking
a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)
baby
a project of personal concern to someone; "this project is his baby"
marathon, endurance contest
any long and arduous undertaking
no-brainer
(informal) anything that requires little thought
tall order, large order
a formidable task or requirement; "finishing in time was a tall order but we did it"
sally, sallying forth
a venture off the beaten path; "a sally into the wide world beyond his home"
self-help
the act of helping or improving yourself without relying on anyone else
risk, peril, danger
a venture undertaken without regard to possible loss or injury; "he saw the rewards but not the risks of crime"; "there was a danger he would do the wrong thing"
chance
a risk involving danger; "you take a chance when you let her drive"
gamble
a risky act or venture
long shot
a venture that involves great risk but promises great rewards
momism, overprotection, overshielding
excessive protection
promiscuity, promiscuousness, sleeping around
promiscuous sexual relations
lechery
unrestrained indulgence in sexual activity
rebound
a reaction to a crisis or setback or frustration; "he is still on the rebound from his wife's death"
overreaction
an excessive reaction
soul
the human embodiment of something; "the soul of honor"
personification, incarnation
the act of attributing human characteristics to abstract ideas etc.
misuse, abuse
improper or excessive use
capitalization, capitalisation
the act of capitalizing on an opportunity
meat grinder
any action resulting in injury or destruction; "the meat grinder of politics destroyed his reputation" or "allied forces crumbled before the Wehrmacht meat grinder"
redundancy
repetition of an act needlessly
reduplication
an act of duplicating
copying
an act of copying
duplication, duplicating
the act of duplicating something; "this kind of duplication is wasteful"
reproduction, replication
the act of reproducing
perseverance, persistence, perseveration
the act of persevering
abidance
the act of abiding (enduring without yielding)
pursuance, prosecution
the continuance of something begun with a view to its completion
discontinuance, discontinuation
the act of discontinuing
indirection
indirect procedure or action; "he tried to find out by indirection"
rigmarole, rigamarole
a long and complicated and confusing procedure; "all that academic rigmarole was a waste of time"
routine, modus operandi
an unvarying or habitual method of procedure
rat race
an exhausting routine that leaves no time for relaxation
rut, groove
a settled and monotonous routine that is hard to escape; "they fell into a conversational rut"
ritualism
exaggerated emphasis on the importance of rites or ritualistic forms in worship
love match
a marriage for love's sake; not an arranged marriage
consecration
a solemn dedication to a service or a goal; "his consecration to study"
idolization, idolisation
worshiping blindly and to excess
idolatry, idol worship
the worship of idols; the worship of images that are not God
bardolatry
idolization of William Shakespeare
idolatry, devotion, veneration
religious zeal; willingness to serve God
idiolatry, autolatry, self-worship
worship of yourself
verbolatry, grammatolatry, word-worship
worship of words
symbolatry, symbololatry, symbol-worship
worship of symbols
anthropolatry, worship of man
worship of human beings
gyneolatry, gynaeolatry, woman-worship
worship of women
lordolatry
worship of a lord because of his rank or title
energizing, activating, activation
the activity of causing to have energy and be active
repudiation, debunking
the exposure of falseness or pretensions; "the debunking of religion has been too successful"
procrastination, cunctation, shillyshally
the act of procrastinating
dalliance, dawdling, trifling, wasting time
the deliberate act of wasting time instead of working
tarrying, tarriance, lingering
the act of lingering
heckling, barracking
shouting to interrupt a speech with which you disagree
abstinence
act or practice of refraining from indulging an appetite
self-denial, self-discipline, self-control
the act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses
sobriety, temperance
abstaining from excess
tolerance
the act of tolerating something
lenience, leniency
lightening a penalty or excusing from a chore by judges or parents or teachers
clemency, mercifulness, mercy
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice; "he threw himself on the mercy of the court"
pleasure
an activity that affords enjoyment; "he puts duty before pleasure"
enjoyment, delectation
act of receiving pleasure from something
satisfaction, satisfying
act of fulfilling a desire or need or appetite; "the satisfaction of their demand for better services"
gratification
the act or an instance of gratifying or satisfying
self-gratification
the act of satisfying your own desires and giving yourself pleasure
indulgence, indulging, pampering, humoring, pleasing
the act of indulging or gratifying a desire
overindulgence, excess
excessive indulgence; "the child was spoiled by overindulgence"
orgy
any act of immoderate indulgence
complication, complicating
the act or process of complicating
generosity, unselfishness
acting generously
wash
(informal) any enterprise in which losses and gains cancel out
land-office business
very large and profitable volume of commercial activity
domination
social control by dominating
mastery, subordination
the act of mastering or subordinating someone
monopolization, monopolisation
domination (of a market or commodity) to the exclusion of others
white man's burden
the supposed responsibility of the white race to take of their non-white subjects
obedience, respect
behavior intended to please your parents; "their children were never very strong on obedience"; "he went to law school out of respect for his father's wishes"
mismanagement
management that is careless or inefficient
short shrift
brief and unsympathetic treatment
restraint
the act of restraining
collar
a figurative restraint; "a collar on program trading in the stock market"
damper
a depressing restraint; "rain put a damper on our picnic plans"
bridle, check, curb
the act of restraining power or action or limiting excess; "his common sense is a bridle to his quick temper"
swaddling clothes
restrictions placed on the immature
appeasement, calming
the act of appeasing
pacification, mollification
the act of pacifying
placation, conciliation, propitiation
the act of placating
obedience
dutiful or submissive behavior
truckling
the act of obeying (especially in a humble manner)
acquiescence
submission without protest
discord, discordance
a discordant act
defiance
a defiant act
aggro
(informal British usage) aggravation or aggression; "I skipped it because it was too much aggro"
selflessness, self-sacrifice
acting with less concern for yourself than for the success of the joint activity
commitment, allegiance, loyalty, dedication
the act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action; "his long commitment to public service"; "they felt no loyalty to a losing team"
devotion
commitment to some purpose; "the devotion of his time and wealth to science"
faith
loyalty or allegiance to a cause or a person; "keep the faith"; "they broke faith with their investors"
fetish, fetich
excessive or irrational devotion to some activity; "made a fetish of cleanliness"
party spirit
devotion to a political party
boost, encouragement
the act of giving hope or support to someone
morale building, morale booster
anything that serves to increase morale; "the sight of flowers every morning was my morale builder"
consolation, comfort, solace
the act of consoling; giving relief in affliction; "his presence was a consolation to her"
simplification
elimination of superfluous details
oversimplification
excessive simplification (to the point of misrepresentation)
reassurance
the act of reassuring; restoring someone's confidence
admiration, appreciation
a favorable judgment; "a small token in admiration of your works"
adoration, adulation, idolization, idolisation
the act of admiring strongly
glorification
the act of glorifying (as in worship); "the glorification of God"
idealization, idealisation, glorification
a portrayal of something as ideal; "the idealization of rural life was very misleading"
sentimentalization, sentimentalisation, romanticization, romanticisation
the act of indulging in sentiment
disparagement, dispraise
the act of speaking contemptuously of
belittling
the act of belittling
deprecation, denigration
the act of depreciating
aspersion, calumny, slander, defamation
the act of defaming
aggravation, irritation, provocation
unfriendly behavior that aggravates or irritates someone
exacerbation
violent and bitter exasperation; "his foolishness was followed by an exacerbation of their quarrel"
bitchery
aggressive remarks and behavior like that of a spiteful malicious woman
twitting, taunt, taunting
aggravation by deriding or mocking or criticizing
raising hell, hell raising
making trouble just for the fun of it
discourtesy, offense, offence, offensive activity
a lack of politeness; a failure to show regard for others
indelicacy
an impolite act or expression
insolence
an offensive disrespectful impudent act
insult, affront
a deliberately offensive act or something producing the effect of an affront; "turning his back on me was a deliberate insult"
indignity
an affront to one's dignity or self-esteem
scandalization, scandalisation, outrage
the act of scandalizing
rebuff, slight
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
snub, cut, cold shoulder
a refusal to recognize someone you know; "the snub was clearly intentional"
silent treatment
an aloof refusal to speak to someone you know
benevolence, benefaction
an act intending or showing kindness and good will
cupboard love
a show of affection motivated by selfishness
favor, favour
an act of gracious kindness
turn, good turn
a favor for someone; "he did me a good turn"
mercy
alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed; "distributing food and clothing to the flood victims was an act of mercy"
exculpation
the act of freeing from guilt or blame
endearment
the act of showing affection
politeness, civility
the act of showing regard for others
courtesy
a courteous or respectful or considerate act
beau geste
a gracious (but usually meaningless) gesture
attention
a courteous act indicating affection; "she tried to win his heart with her many attentions"
gallantry
polite attentiveness to women
consideration, thoughtfulness
a considerate and thoughtful act
mobilization, mobilisation, marshaling
act of assembling or organizing and making ready for use or action: "mobiliation of the country's economic resources"; "marshaling public support"
economic mobilization, economic mobilisation
mobilization of the economy
rallying
the act of mobilizing for a common purpose; "the bell was a signal for the rallying of the whole neighborhood"
incurrence
the act of incurring (making yourself subject to something undesirable)
vindication, exoneration, whitewash
the act of vindicating; "subsequent events have proved to be a vindication of his position"
stupidity, betise, folly, foolishness, imbecility
a stupid mistake
renewal
the act of renewing
buzz
a confusion of activity and gossip; "the buzz of excitement was so great that a formal denial was issued"
fun
violent and excited activity; "she asked for money and then the fun began"; (colloquial) "they began to fight like fun"
sin, hell
(colloquial) violent and excited activity; "they began to fight like sin"
spoil, spoiling, spoilage
the act of spoiling
face saver, face saving
an act that avoids a loss of face (of dignity or prestige)
emphasizing, accenting
the act of giving special importance or significance to something
release, outlet
activity that releases or expresses creative energy or emotion; "she had no other outlet for her feelings"
stayer
a person or other animal having powers of endurance or perseverence: "the horse that won the race is a good stayer"
giant
any creature of exceptional size
survivor
an animal that survives in spite of adversity; "only the fittest animals were survivors of the cold winters"
adornment
a decoration of color or interest that is added to relieve plainness
anachronism
an artifact that belongs to another time
bagatelle, fluff, frippery, frivolity
something of little value or significance
bangle, bauble, gaud, gewgaw, novelty, trinket, fallal
cheap showy jewelry or ornament or clothing
beehive
any workplace where people are very busy
burthen
a variant of `burden'
butt, stub
the small unused part of something (especially the end of a cigarette that is left after smoking)
change
a thing that is different; "he inspected several changes before selecting one"
charm, good luck charm
something believed to bring good luck
classic
a creation of the highest excellence
clutter
many things in a disorderly state
collector's item, showpiece, piece de resistance
the outstanding item (the prize piece or main exhibit) in a collection
curio, curiosity, oddity, oddment, peculiarity, rarity
something unusual -- perhaps worthy of collecting
etcetera
more of the same
fag end
the frayed end of a length of cloth or rope
fake, sham, postiche
something false; not what it seems to be
falderal, folderol, frills, gimcrackery, gimcracks, nonsense, trumpery
ornamental objects of no great value
fig leaf
anything intended to conceal something regarded as shameful
flagship
the chief one of a related group; "it is their flagship newspaper"
funk hole
a place of safe retreat
gem, treasure
something highly prized for its beauty or perfection
golden calf
(Old Testament) an idol made by Aaron for the Israelites to worship; destroyed by Moses; it is now used to refer to anything worshipped undeservedly
haven, oasis
place of safety or sanctuary
hoodoo
something believed to bring bad luck
horror
something that inspires horror; something horrible; "the painting that others found so beautiful was a horror to him"
idol, graven image, god
a material object that is worshipped as a god; "thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image"; "money was his god"
je ne sais quois
something indescribable
jimdandy, jimhickey, crackerjack
something excellent of its kind; "the bike was a jimdandy"
juju, voodoo, hoodoo, fetish, fetich
an object superstitiously believed to embody magical powers
keepsake, souvenir, token, relic
something of sentimental value
kitsch
art in pretentious bad taste
lash-up, contrivance
any improvised arrangement for temporary use
love-token
something given as a token of love
magic bullet
a drug or therapy or preventive that cures or prevents a disease: "there is no magic bullet against cancer
magnum opus
a great work of art or literature
marker
some conspicuous object used to distinguish or mark something; "the buoys were markers for the channel"
middling
any commodity of intermediate quality or size (especially when coarse particles of ground wheat are mixed with bran)
millstone
something difficult to carry
overload, overburden
an excessive burden
proving ground
a place for testing new equipment or ideas
refuge, sanctuary, asylum
a shelter from danger or hardship
safehold
a refuge from attack
schlock, shlock
(slang) merchandise that is shoddy or inferior
scum
a film of impurities or vegetation that can form on the surface of a liquid
security blanket
(informal) anything that a person uses to reduce their anxiety
slack
a cord or rope or cable that is hanging loosely; "he took of the slack"
snorter
something that is extraordinary or remarkable or prominent: "a snorter of a sermon"; "the storm wasn't long but it was a snorter"
spectacle
an elaborate and remarkable display on a lavish scale
standby
something that can be relied on when needed
stock-in-trade
anything constantly used as part of a profession or occupation; "friendliness is the salesman's stock in trade"
tinsel
a showy decoration that is basically valueless; "all the tinsel of self-promotion"
top of the line
the best (most expensive) in a given line of merchandise
trivia, triviality, trifle, small beer
something of small importance
undercharge
an insufficient charge
variation
something that deviates from a norm or standard
web, entanglement
an intricate trap that entangles or ensnares its victim
whacker, whopper
something especially big or impressive of its kind
drama
the quality of being arresting or highly emotional
affectionateness, fondness, lovingness, warmth
a quality proceeding from feelings of affection or love
tenderness
a tendency to express warm and affectionate feeling
uxoriousness
foolish fondness for or excessive submissiveness to one's wife
mawkishness, sentimentality
falsely emotional in a maudlin way
schmaltz, schmalz, mushiness
(informal) excessive sentimentality
heat, warmth, passion
intense passion or emotion
uncheerfulness
not conducive to cheer or good spirits
gloominess, lugubriousness
excessive sadness and mournfulness
animation, spiritedness
quality of being active or spirited or vigorous
chirpiness
cheerful and lively
liveliness, life, spirit, sprightliness
animation and energy in action or expression; "it was a heavy play and the actors tried in vain to give life to it"
airiness, delicacy
lightness in movement or manner
alacrity, briskness
liveliness and eagerness; "he accepted with alacrity"
energy, vigor, vigour, vim
an imaginative lively style (especially style of writing); "his writing conveys great energy"
vitality, verve
an energetic style
elan
enthusiastic and assured vigor and liveliness; "a performance of great elan and sophistication"
esprit
liveliness of mind or spirit
breeziness, jauntiness
a breezy liveliness; "a delightful breeziness of manner"
restfulness
the attribute of being restful; "he longed for the restfulness of home"
stodginess, stuffiness
dull and pompous gravity
companionability, companionableness
suitability to be a companion
chumminess, comaraderie, comradeliness, comradery
the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability
familiarity, intimacy, closeness
close or warm friendship; "the absence of fences created a mysterious intimacy in which no one knew privacy"
camaraderie, good fellowship
spirit of friendly familiarity and goodwill between comrades
adaptability
the ability to change or be changed to fit changed circumstances
flexibility
the quality of being adaptable or variable; "he enjoyed the flexibility of his working arrangement"
pliability, pliancy, pliantness
the quality of being easily adaptable
unadaptability
the inability to change or be changed to fit changed circumstances
inflexibility, rigidity
the quality of being rigid and rigorously severe
ladylikeness
behavior befitting a lady
maidenliness
behavior befitting a young maiden
passport
any quality or characteristic that gains a person acceptance or admission; "his wealth was not a passport into the exclusive circles of society"
simulacrum
an insubstantial or vague semblance
face value
the apparent worth as opposed to the real worth
speck, pinpoint
a very small spot; "the plane was just a speck in the sky"
beauty
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
raw beauty
beauty that is stark and powerfully impressive
glory, resplendence, resplendency
brilliant radiant beauty; "the glory of the sunrise"
exquisiteness
extreme beauty of a delicate sort
picturesqueness
visually vivid and pleasing
pleasingness
a likeable beauty; "the liveliness and pleasingness of dark eyes"- T.N. Carver
pulchritude
physical beauty (especially of a woman)
glamor, glamour
alluring beauty or charm (often with sex-appeal)
comeliness, fairness, loveliness, beauteousness
the quality of being good looking and attractive
prettiness, cuteness
the quality of being appealing in a delicate or graceful way (of a girl or young woman)
handsomeness, good looks
the quality of having regular well-defined features (especially of a man)
attractiveness
a beauty that appeals to the senses
adorability, adorableness
extreme attractiveness
bewitchery, beguilement, animal magnetism
magnetic personal charm
charisma, personal appeal, personal magnetism
a personal attractiveness that enables you to influence others
sex appeal, desirability, desirableness, oomph
attractiveness to the opposite sex
appeal, appealingness, charm
attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates
winsomeness
childlike charm or appeal
attraction, attractiveness
the quality of arousing interest; being attractive or something that attracts; "her personality held a strange attraction for him"
affinity
a natural attraction or feeling of kinship: "an affinity for politics"; "the mysterious affinity between them"; "James's affinity with Sam"
allure, allurement, temptingness
the power to entice or attract through personal charm
binding
the capacity to attract and hold something
drawing power
the capacity for attracting people (customers or supporters)
lure, enticement, come-on
qualities that attract by seeming to promise some kind of reward
ugliness
qualities that do not give pleasure to the senses
unsightliness
ugliness that is unpleasant to look at
grotesqueness, grotesquery, grotesquerie
ludicrous or incongruous unnaturalness or distortion
garishness, gaudiness
strident color or excessive ornamentation
unpleasingness
the quality of being unpleasant
hideousness
extreme ugliness
unattractiveness
ugliness that is not appealing
homeliness, plainness
an appearance that is not attractive or beautiful; "fine clothes could not conceal the girl's homeliness"
blemish, defect
a mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something (especially on a person's body)
eyesore
something very ugly and offensive
plainness
the appearance of being plain and unpretentious
chasteness, restraint, simplicity
lack of ornamentation
austereness, severeness
extreme plainness
bareness, starkness
an extreme lack of furnishings or ornamentation
ornateness, elaborateness
an ornate appearance; being elaborately decorated
baroque, baroqueness
elaborate symmetrical ornamentation
rococo
fanciful asymmetric ornamentation
flamboyance, floridness, showiness
extravagant elaborateness
fussiness
unnecessary elaborateness in details
decorativeness
an appearance that serves to decorate and make something more attractive
obviousness, noticeability, noticeableness
the property of being easy to see and understand
blatancy
the property of being both obvious and offensive; "the blatancy of his attempt to whitewash the crime was unforgivable"
obtrusiveness
an unwelcome conspicuousness
unobtrusiveness
the quality of not sticking out in an unwelcome way
ease, easiness, simplicity
freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort: "he rose through the ranks with apparent ease"; "they put it into containers for ease of transportation"
effortlessness
the quality of requiring little effort; "such effortlessness is achieved only after hours of practice"
facility, readiness
a natural effortlessness; "a happy readiness of conversation"--Jane Austen
smoothness
the quality of being free from errors or interruptions
difficulty, difficultness
the quality of being difficult; "they agreed about the difficulty of the climb"
effortfulness
the quality of requiring deliberate effort
arduousness, strenuousness
extreme effortfulness
laboriousness, operoseness, toilsomeness
the quality of requiring extended effort
asperity, grimness, hardship, rigor, rigour, severity, rigorousness
something hard to endure; "the asperity of northern winters"
hardness
the quality of being difficult to do; "he assigned a series of problems of increasing hardness"
formidability, toughness
impressive difficulty
burdensomeness, onerousness, oppressiveness
unwelcome burdensome difficulty
subtlety, niceness
the quality of being difficult to detect or analyze; "you had to admire the subtlety of the distinctions he drew"
troublesomeness, inconvenience, worriment
a difficulty that causes anxiety
awkwardness, cumbersomeness, unwieldiness
trouble in carrying or managing caused by bulk or shape: "the movers cursed the unwieldiness of the big piano"
flea bite
a very minor inconvenience
fly in the ointment
an inconvenience that detracts from the usefulness of something
compatibility
capability of existing or performing in harmonious or congenial combination
congenialness, congeniality
compatibility between persons
harmony, harmoniousness
compatibility in opinion and action
accord, rapport
sympathetic compatibility
congruity, congruousness, congruence
the quality of agreeing; being suitable and appropriate
incompatibility
the quality of being unable to exist or work in congenial combination
antagonism
being an opposing principle or force or factor: "inherent antagonism of capitalism and socialism"
conflict
an incompatibility of dates or events; "he noticed a conflict in the dates of the two meetings"
incongruity, incongruousness
the quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and inappropriate
irony
incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs: "the irony of Ireland's copying the nation she most hated"
Socratic irony
admission of your own ignorance and willingness to learn while exposing someone's inconsistencies by close questioning
suitability, suitableness
the quality of having the properties that are right for a specific purpose; "an important requirement is suitability for long trips"
appropriateness
the quality of being specially suitable
felicity, felicitousness
pleasing and appropriate manner or style esp of expression
aptness, appositeness
appropriateness; "the phrase had considerable aptness"
fitness, fittingness
the condition of being suitable; "they had to prove their fitness for the position"
convenience
the quality of being useful and convenient; "they offered the convenience of an installment plan"
opportuneness, patness, timeliness
timely convenience
handiness, accessibility, availability, availableness
the quality of being at hand when needed
command
availability for use; "the materials at the command of the potters grew"
unsuitability, unsuitableness, ineptness
the quality of having the wrong properties for a specific purpose
inaptness, inappositeness
in appropriateness; "greater inaptness of expression would be hard to imagine"
inappropriateness
the quality of not being particularly suitable
infelicity
inappropriate and unpleasing manner or style esp of expression
unfitness
the condition of not being suitable; "the judges agreed on his unfirness for the appointment"
inconvenience
the quality of not being useful or convenient
inaccessibility, unavailability
the quality of not being unavailable when needed
inopportuneness, untimeliness
the quality of occurring at an inconvenient time
ethos
the distinctive spirit of a people or an era; "the Greek ethos"
air, aura, atmosphere
a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing: "an atmosphere of defeat pervaded the candidate's headquarters"; "the place had an aura of romance"
mystique
an aura of heightened value or interest or meaning surrounding a person or thing
note
a characteristic emotional quality; "it ended on a sour note"; "there was a note of gaiety in her manner"; "he detected a note of sarcasm"
quality, caliber, calibre
a degree or grade of excellence or worth: "the quality of students has risen"; "an executive of low caliber"
superiority, high quality
the quality of being superior
fineness, choiceness
the quality of being very good indeed; "the inn is distinguished by the fineness of its cuisine"
excellence
the quality of excelling; possessing good qualities in high degree
admirability, admirableness, wonderfulness
admirable excellence
impressiveness, grandness, magnificence
splendid or imposing in size or appearance; "the grandness of the architecture"
expansiveness
a quality characterized by magnificence of scale; "the expansiveness of their extravagant life style was soon curtailed"
stateliness, majesty, loftiness
impressiveness in scale or proportion
first class
the highest rank in a classification
first water
the highest quality gems
ingenuity, ingeniousness, cleverness
the property of being ingenious; "a plot of great ingenuity"; "the cleverness of its design"
inferiority, low quality
an inferior quality
poorness
the quality of being poorly made or maintained; "she was unrecognizable because of the poorness of the photography"
second class
not the highest rank in a classification
point, spot
an outstanding characteristic; "his acting was one of the high points of the movie"
hallmark, trademark, earmark, stylemark
a distinctive characteristic or attribute
inconstancy, changefulness
the quality of being changeable and variable
capriciousness, unpredictability
the quality of being guided by sudden unpredictable impulses
variability, variableness, variance
the quality of being subject to variation
variedness, variational
characterized by variation
diversity
the condition or result of being variable
progressiveness, progressivity
advancement toward better conditions or policies or methods
absoluteness
the quality of being absolute; "the absoluteness of the Pope's decree could not be challenged"
constancy, stability
the quality of being free from change or variation
unvariedness
characterized by an absence of variation
monotony, sameness
the quality of wearisome constancy and lack of variety; "he had never grown accustomed to the monotony of his work"; "he hated the sameness of the food the college served"
fixedness, unalterability
the quality of being fixed and unchangeable; "the fixedness of his gaze upset her"
vicissitude
mutability in life or nature (especially successive alternation from one condition to another)
similarity
the quality of being similar
analogy
similarity in some respect between things that are otherwise dissimilar: "the operation of a computer presents an interesting analogy to the working of the brain"
approximation
the quality of of being similar (especially close in value)
homology
the quality of being similar or corresponding in position or value or structure or function
likeness, alikeness, similitude
similarity in appearance or character or nature between persons or things: "man created God in his own likeness"
parallelism, correspondence
similarity by virtue of correspondence
uniformity, uniformness
the quality of lacking diversity or variation (even to the point of boredom)
homogeneity, homogeneousness
the quality of being similar or comparable in kind or nature; "there is a remarkable homogeneity between the two companies"
consistency, consistence
a harmonious uniformity or agreement among things or parts
approach
a close approximation; "the nearest approach to genius"
analogue, analog, parallel
something having the property of being analogous to something else
resemblance
similarity in appearance or external or superficial details
mutual resemblance
symmetrical resemblance
affinity
inherent resemblance between persons or things
parity
functional equality
evenness
the quality of being balanced
discrepancy, disagreement, divergence, variance
a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions; "a growing divergence of opinion"
allowance, leeway, margin, tolerance
a permissible difference
dissimilarity, unsimilarity
the quality of being dissimilar
disparateness, distinctiveness
utter dissimilarity
unlikeness, dissimilitude
dissimilarity evidenced by an absence of likeness
nonuniformity
the quality of being diverse and interesting
heterogeneity, heterogeneousness
the quality of being diverse and not comparable in kind
diverseness, diversity, multifariousness, variety
noticeable heterogeneity; "a diversity of possibilities"; "the range and variety of his work is amazing"
inconsistency
the quality of being inconsistent and lacking a harmonious uniformity among things or parts
variety, change
a difference that is usually pleasant; "he goes to France for variety"; "it is a refreshing change to meet a woman mechanic"
far cry
a disappointing disparity; "it was a far cry from what he had expected"
gap, spread
a conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures: "gap between income and outgo"; "the spread between lending and borrowing costs"
gulf
an unbridgeable disparity (as from a failure of understanding); "he felt a gulf between himself and his former friends"
unevenness
the quality of being unbalanced
finality, conclusiveness, decisiveness
the quality of being final or definitely settled: "the finality of death"
fortuitousness
the quality of happening accidentally and by lucky chance
concreteness
the quality of being concrete (not abstract)
literalness
adhereing to the concrete construal of something
insubstantiality
lacking substance or reality
smoke
(informal) something with no concrete substance; "his dreams all turned to smoke"; "it was just smoke and mirrors"
reality
the quality possessed by something that is real
unreality
the quality possessed by something that is unreal
singularity, uniqueness
the quality of being one of a kind; "that singularity distinguished him from all his companions"
peculiarity, specialness, specialty, speciality, distinctiveness
a distinguishing trait
generality
the quality of being general or widespread or having general applicability
solidarity
a union of interests or purposes or sympathies among members of a group
pervasiveness
the quality of filling or spreading throughout: "the pervasiveness of the odor of cabbage in tenement hallways"
prevalence
the quality of prevailing generally; being widespread; "the prevalence of dysentery is horrible"
currency
general acceptance or use: "the currency of ideas"
universality, catholicity
the quality of being universal; existing everywhere
totality
the quality of being complete and indiscriminate: "the totality of war and its consequences"; "the all-embracing totality of the state"
simplicity, simpleness
the quality of being simple or uncompounded; "the simplicity of a crystal"
complexity, complexness
the quality of being intricate and compounded; "he enjoyed the complexity of modern computers"
complicatedness, complication, knottiness
puzzling complexity
elaborateness, elaboration, intricacy
marked by elaborately complex detail
tapestry
something that is felt to resemble a tapestry in its complexity; "the tapestry of European history"
regularity
the quality of being characterized by a fixed principle or rate; "he was famous for the regularity of his habits"
cyclicity, periodicity
the quality of recurring at intervals
rhythm, regular recurrence
recurring at regular intervals; "the rhythm of the seasons"
orderliness, methodicalness
the quality of appreciating method and system
organization, organisation, system
an ordered manner; orderliness by virtue of being methodical and well organized; "his compulsive organization was not an endearing quality"; "we can't do it unless we establish some system around here"
uniformity
a condition in which everything is regular and unvarying
homogeneity
the quality of being of uniform throughout in composition or structure
evenness, invariability
a quality of uniformity and lack of variation
even spacing
regularity of spacing
steadiness
the quality of being steady--regular and unvarying
irregularity, unregularity
not characterized by a fixed principle or rate; at irregular intervals
fitfulness, jerkiness
the quality of being spasmodic and irregular
intermittence, intermittency
the quality of being intermittent; subject to interruption or periodic stopping
fluctuation, wavering
the quality of being unsteady and subject to fluctuations; "he kept a record of price fluctuations"
randomness, haphazardness
the quality of lacking any predictable order or plan
spasticity
the quality of moving or acting in spasms
unevenness, variability
a quality of variability and lack of uniformity
jaggedness
something irregular like a bump or crack in a smooth surface
patchiness
unevenness in quality or performance
personal equation
variability attributable to individual differences
unsteadiness
the quality of being unsteady--varying and irregular
looseness, play
movement or space for movement; "there was too much play in the steering wheel"
restlessness
the quality of being ceaselessly moving or active; "the restlessness of the wind"
wiggliness
a jerky back and forth kind of mobility; "he walked with the wiggliness of a child on high heels"
slack, slackness
the condition of being loose (not taut); "he hadn't counted on the slackness of the rope"
unsteadiness
the quality of not being steady or securely fixed in place
instability, unstableness
the quality or attribute of being unstable
shakiness, ricketiness
the quality of being unstable and insecure; "the shakiness of the present regime"
granite
something having the quality of granite (unyielding firmness); "a man of granite"
sureness
the quality of being steady and unfailing; "sureness of hand"
stability, stableness
the quality or attribute of being stable
pleasantness, sweetness
the quality of giving pleasure; "he was charmed by the sweetness of her manner"; "the pleasantness of a cool breeze on a hot summer day"
agreeableness, amenity
pleasantness resulting from agreeable conditions; "a well trained staff saw to the agreeableness of our accommodations"; "he discovered the amenities of reading at an early age"
enjoyableness
pleasantness resulting from something that can be enjoyed; "the enjoyableness of an afternoon at the beach"
niceness
the quality of nice
unpleasantness
the quality of giving displeasure; "the recent unpleasantness of the weather"
disagreeableness
the quality of being disagreeable; and unpleasant
nastiness
the quality of being unpleasant; "I flinched at the nastiness of his wound"
offensiveness, odiousness, distastefulness
the quality of being offensive
loathsomeness, repulsiveness, sliminess, vileness
the quality of being disgusting to the senses or emotions
hatefulness, obnoxiousness, objectionableness
the quality of being hateful
beastliness
(British) unpleasant nastiness; used especially of nasty weather
awfulness, dreadfulness, horridness, terribleness
a quality of extreme unpleasantness
frightfulness
the quality of being frightful
ghastliness, grimness, gruesomeness, luridness
the quality of being ghastly
naturalness
the quality of being natural or based on natural principles: "he accepted the naturalness of death"; "the spontaneous naturalness of his manner"
unaffectedness
not affected; a personal manner that is not consciously constrained
simplicity
absence of affectation or pretense
sincerity, unassumingness
a quality of naturalness and simplicity; "the simple sincerity of folk songs"
spontaneity, spontaneousness
the quality of being spontaneous and coming from natural feelings without constraint; "the spontaneity of his laughter"
ease, informality
freedom from constraint or embarrassment; "I am never at ease with strangers"
unpretentiousness
the quality of being natural and without pretensions
naturalization
the quality of being brought into conformity with nature
unnaturalness
the quality of being unnatural or not based on natural principles
affectedness
the quality of being false or artificial
airs, pose
affected manners intended to impress others; "don't put on airs with me"
coyness, demureness
the affectation of being demure in a provocative way
preciosity
the quality of being fastidious or excessively refined
artificiality
the quality of being produced by people and not occurring naturally
staginess, theatricality
an artificial and mannered quality
pretension, pretence, pretense
a false or unsupportable quality
pretentiousness, pretension
the quality of being pretentious (creating a false appearance of great importance or worth)
ostentation
pretentious or showy or vulgar display
supernaturalism, supernaturalness
the quality of being attributed to power that seems to violate or go beyond natural forces
virtu, vertu
artistic quality
wholesomeness
the quality of being beneficial and generally good for you
harmfulness, noisomeness, noxiousness
the quality of being noxious
perniciousness, toxicity
grave harmfulness or deadliness
satisfactoriness
the quality of giving satisfaction sufficient to meet a demand or requirement
adequacy, adequateness
the quality of being able to meet a need satisfactorily: "he questioned the adequacy of the usual sentimental interpretation of the Golden Rule
acceptability, acceptableness
satisfactoriness by virtue of conforming to approved standards
admissibility
acceptability by virtue of being admissible
permissibility
admissibility as a consequence of being permitted
unsatisfactoriness
the quality of being adequate or suitable
inadequacy, inadequateness
unsatisfactoriness by virtue of being inadequate
unacceptability, unacceptableness
unsatisfactoriness by virtue of not conforming to approved standards
inadmissibility
unacceptability as a consequence of not being admissible
impermissibility
inadmissibility as a consequence of not being permitted
ordinariness
the quality of being ordinary
averageness, mediocrity
ordinariness as a consequence of being average and not outstanding
expectedness
ordinariness as a consequence of being expected and not surprising
commonness, commonplaceness, everydayness
ordinariness as a consequence of being frequent and commonplace
prosiness, prosaicness
commonplaceness as a consequence of being humdrum and not exciting
usualness
commonness by virtue of not being unusual
familiarity
usualness by virtue of being familiar or well known
extraordinariness
the quality of being extraordinary and not commonly encountered
unexpectedness, surprisingness
extraordinariness by virtue of being unexpected; "the unexpectedness of the warm welcome"
uncommonness
extraordinariness as a consequence of being rare and uncommon
unusualness
uncommonness by virtue of being unusual
unfamiliarity, strangeness
unusualness as a consequence of not being well known
oddity, queerness, quirk, quirkiness, crotchet
a strange attitude or habit
eeriness, ghostliness
strangeness by virtue of being mysterious and inspiring fear
abnormality, freakishness
marked strangeness as a consequence of being abnormal
singularity
strangeness by virtue of being remarkable or unusual
outlandishness, bizarreness, weirdness
strikingly out of the ordinary
quaintness
strangeness as a consequence of being old fashioned; "some words in her dialect had a charming quaintness"
eccentricity
strange and unconventional behavior
oddity, oddness
eccentricity that is not easily explained
foreignness, strangeness, curiousness
the quality of being alien or not native: "the strangeness of a foreigner"
exoticism, exoticness, exotism
the quality of being exotic; "he loved the exocitism of Egypt"
alienage, alienism
the quality of being alien
nativeness
the quality of belonging to or being connected with a certain place or region by virtue of birth or origin
indigenousness, autochthony, endemism
nativeness by virtue or originating or occurring naturally (as in a particular place)
originality
the quality of being new and original (not derived from something else)
freshness, novelty
originality by virtue of being refreshingly novel
unorthodoxy, heterodoxy
the quality of being unorthodox
unconventionality
unorthodoxy by virtue of being unconventional
nonconformity
unorthodoxy as a consequence of not conforming to expected standards or values
unoriginality
the quality of being unoriginal
orthodoxy
the quality of being orthodox (especially in religion)
conventionality, convention, conventionalism
orthodoxy as a consequence of being conventional
ossification, conformity
hardened conventionality
traditionalism, traditionality
strict adherence to traditional methods or teachings
scholasticism, academicism, academism
orthodoxy of a scholastic variety
exactness, exactitude
the quality of being exact; "he demanded exactness in all details"; "a man of great exactitude"
preciseness, precision
the quality of being precise in amount or performance; "he handled it with the preciseness of an automaton"; "note the meticulous precision of his measurements"
trueness
exactness of adjustment; "I marveled at the trueness of his aim"
fidelity
accuracy with which an electronic system reproduces the sound or image of its input signal
inaccuracy
the quality of being inaccurate and having errors
inexactness, inexactitude
the quality of being inaccurate and having errors
impreciseness, imprecision
the quality of lacking precision
infallibility
the quality of never making an error
inerrancy
(Christianity) exemption from error; "biblical inerrancy"
errancy
a tendency to err
errancy
(Christianity) holding views that disagree with accepted doctrine
instability
unreliability attributable to being unstable
fallibility
the likelihood of making errors
worthiness
the quality or state of having merit or value
deservingness, merit, meritoriousness
the quality of being deserving (e.g., deserving assistance); "there were many children whose deservingness he recognized and rewarded"
praiseworthiness
the quality of being worthy of praise
quotability
the quality of being worthy of being quoted
unworthiness
the quality of being bad by virtue of lacking merit or value
baseness, contemptibility, despicableness, despicability
unworthiness by virtue of lacking higher values
shamefulness, disgracefulness, ignominiousness
unworthiness meriting public disgrace and dishonor
scandalousness
disgracefulness that offends public morality
popularity
the quality of being widely admired or accepted or sought after: "his charm soon won him affection and popularity"; "the universal popularity of American movies"
hot stuff
the quality of being popular; "skiing is hot stuff in New Hampshire"
unpopularity
the quality of lacking general approval or acceptance
elegance
a quality of refined gracefulness and good taste
dash, elan, flair, panache, style
distinctive and stylish elegance; "he wooed her with the confident dash of a cavalry officer"
daintiness, delicacy, fineness
the quality of being beautiful and delicate in appearance; "the daintiness of her touch"; "the fineness of her features"
courtliness
elegance suggestive of a royal court
tastefulness
elegance indicated by good taste
refinement, breeding, genteelness, gentility
elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression
chic, chicness, modishness, smartness, stylishness, swank
elegance by virtue of being fashionable
jauntiness, nattiness, dapperness, rakishness
stylishness as evidenced by a smart appearance
magnificence, brilliance, splendor, splendour, grandeur, grandness
the quality of being magnificent or splendid or grand
eclat
brilliant or conspicuous success or effect: "the eclat of a great achievement"
pomp, eclat
ceremonial elegance and splendor; "entered with much eclat in a coach drawn by eight white horses"
class
(informal) elegance in dress or behavior; "she has a lot of class"
inelegance
the quality of lacking refinement and good taste
awkwardness, clumsiness, gracelessness, stiffness
the inelegance of someone stiff and unrelaxed (as by embarrassment)
rusticity, gaucherie
the quality of being rustic or gauche
dowdiness, drabness, homeliness
lacking stylishness or neatness
shabbiness, seediness, manginess
a lack of elegance as a consequence of wearing threadbare or dirty clothing
raggedness
shabbiness by virtue of being in rags
coarseness, commonness, grossness, vulgarity, vulgarism
the quality of lacking taste and refinement
crudeness, roughness
an unpolished unrefined quality; "the crudeness of frontier dwellings depressed her"
boorishness, uncouthness
inelegance by virtue of being an uncouth boor
ostentation, ostentatiousness, pomposity, pompousness, pretentiousness, splashiness
lack of elegance as a consequence of pomposity
tastelessness
inelegance indicated by a lack of good taste
cheapness, tackiness, tat, sleaze
tastelessness by virtue of being cheap and vulgar
flashiness, garishness, gaudiness, loudness, brashness, meretriciousness, tawdriness, glitz
tasteless showiness
expressiveness
the quality of being expressive
clarity, lucidity, pellucidity, clearness, limpidity
free from obscurity and easy to understand; the comprehensibility of clear expression
focus
maximum clarity or distinctness of an idea; "the controversy brought clearly into focus an important difference of opinion"
coherence, coherency
logical and orderly and consistent relation of parts
preciseness, clearcutness
clarity as a consequence of precision
perspicuity, perspicuousness, plainness
clarity as a consequence of being perspicuous
unambiguity, unequivocalness
clarity achieved by the avoidance of ambiguity
explicitness
clarity as a consequence of being explicit
obscureness, obscurity, abstruseness, reconditeness
the quality of being unclear or abstruse and hard to understand
unintelligibility
incomprehensibility as a consequence of being unintelligible
unclearness
incomprehensibility as a result of not being clear
elusiveness
the quality of being difficult to grasp or pin down: "the author's elusiveness may at times be construed as evasiveness"
vagueness
unclearness by virtue of being vague
haziness
vagueness attributable to being not clearly defined
inexplicitness
unclearness by virtue of not being explici
implicitness
inexplicitness as a consequence of being implied or indirect
equivocation, evasiveness
deliberate vagueness or ambiguity
righteousness
adhering to moral principles
uprightness, rectitude
uprightness as a consequence of being honorable and honest
piety, piousness
righteousness by virtue of being pious
devoutness, religiousness
piety by virtue of being devout
religiosity, pietism
exaggerated or affected piety
dutifulness
piety by virtue of devotion to duty
godliness
piety by virtue of being a godly person
unrighteousness
failure to adhere to moral principles
sin, sinfulness, wickedness
estrangement from god
mark of Cain
the mark that God set upon Cain now refers to a person's sinful nature
impiety, impiousness
unrighteousness by virtue of lacking respect for a god
undutifulness
impiety characterized by lack of devotion to duty
irreligiousness, irreligion
the quality of not being devout
ungodliness, godlessness
impiety by virtue of not being a godly person
atrocity, atrociousness, barbarity, barbarousness, heinousness
the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane
ferociousness, brutality, viciousness, savageness, savagery
the trait of extreme cruelty
murderousness, bloodthirstiness
cruelty evidence by a capability to commit murder
mercilessness, unmercifulness
inhumaneness evidenced by an unwillingness to be kind or forgiving
pitilessness, ruthlessness
mercilessness characterized by a lack of pity
relentlessness, inexorability, inexorableness
mercilessness characterized by an unwillingness to relent or let up; "the relentlessness or their pursuit"
generosity, generousness
the trait of being willing to give your money or time
charitableness
generosity as manifested by practicing charity (as for the poor or unfortunate)
bounty, bounteousness
generosity evidenced by a willingness to give freely
bigheartedness
the quality of being kind and generous
liberality, liberalness
the trait of being generous in behavior and temperament
munificence, largess, largesse, magnanimity, openhandedness
extremely liberal generosity of spirit
unselfishness
the quality of not putting yourself first but being willing to give your time or money or effort etc. for others; "rural people show more devotion and unselfishness than do their urban cousins"
altruism, selflessness
the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others
stinginess
a lack of generosity; a general unwillingness to part with money
meanness, minginess, niggardliness, niggardness, parsimony, parsimoniousness, tightness, tightfistedness, closeness
extreme stinginess
pettiness
lack of generosity in trifling matters
miserliness
total lack of generosity with money
presumption, presumptuousness, assumption
audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to; "he despised them for their presumptuousness"
uppityness, uppishness
assumption of airs beyond one's station
grace
free and unmerited favor or beneficence of God: "there but for the grace of God go I"
delicacy, diplomacy, discreetness, finesse
subtly skillful handling of a situation
savoir-faire, address
social skill
malevolence, malevolency, malice
the quality of threatening evil
cattiness, bitchiness, spite, spitefulness, nastiness
malevolence by virtue of being malicious or spiteful or nasty
malignity, malignancy, malignance
quality of being disposed to evil; intense ill will
unhelpfulness
an inability to be helpful
bluntness
the quality of being direct and outspoken; "the bluntness of a Yorkshireman"
maleficence, mischief, balefulness
the quality or nature of being harmful or evil
saintliness
the quality of resembling a saint
corruption, degeneracy, depravity
moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles: "the luxury and corruption among the upper classes"; "moral degeneracy followed intellectual degeneration"; "its brothels; its opium parlors; its depravity"
licentiousness, wantonness, sexual immorality
the quality of being lewd and lascivious
worst
the greatest damage or wickedness of which one is capable: "the invaders did their worst"; "so pure of heart that his worst is another man's best"
nefariousness, wickedness, vileness
the quality of being wicked
enormity
the quality of extreme wickedness
reprehensibility
being reprehensible; worthy of and deserving reprehension or reproof
villainy, villainousness
the quality of evil by virtue of villainous behavior
perversity
deliberately deviating from what is good
frailty, vice
moral weakness
corruptness, corruption
lack of integrity or honesty; esp susceptibility to bribery; use of a position of trust for dishonest gain
venality
prostitution of talents or offices or services for reward
divinity
the quality of being divine; "ancient Egyptians believed in the divinity of the Pharaohs"
holiness, sanctity
the quality of being holy
sacredness
the quality of being sacred
unholiness
the quality of being unholy
profaneness, unsanctification
unholiness by virtue of being profane
sacrilegiousness
profaneness by virtue of committing sacrilege
safeness
the quality of being safe
dangerousness
the quality of not being safe
precariousness
extreme dangerousness
heroism, gallantry, valor, valour, valorousness, valourousness, valiance, valiancy
the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle); "he showed great heroism in battle"; "he received a medal for valor"
dauntlessness, intrepidity
resolute courageousness
Dutch courage
courage resulting from intoxication
daredevilry, daredeviltry
boldness as manifested in rash and daredevil behavior
audacity, audaciousness, temerity
fearless daring
shamelessness, brazenness
behavior marked by a bold defiance of the proprieties and lack of shame
cravenness
mean-spirited cowardice
pusillanimity, pusillanimousness
contemptible fearfulness
poltroonery
abject pusillanimity
dastardliness
treacherous cowardice
assiduity, assiduousness, concentration
great diligence
sanctimoniousness, sanctimony
the quality of being hypocritically devout
fulsomeness, oiliness, oleaginousness, smarminess, unctuousness, unction
smug self-serving earnestness
honorableness, honourableness
the quality of deserving honor or respect; characterized by honor
honor, honour
the quality of being honorable and having a good name; "a man of honor"
scrupulousness
conformity to high standards of ethics or excellence
incorruptibility
the incapability of being corrupted
nobility, magnanimousness, grandeur
the quality of being exalted in character or ideals or conduct
high-mindedness, idealism, noble-mindedness
elevated ideals or conduct; the quality of believing that ideals should be pursued
sublimity, the sublime
nobility in thought or feeling or style
respectability, reputability
honorableness by virtue of being respectable and having a good reputation
decency
the quality of being polite and respectable
good faith, straightness
having honest intentions; "he acted in good faith"; "doubt was expressed as to the good faith of the immigrants"
artlessness
ingenuousness by virtue of being free from artful deceit
parental quality
a quality appropriate to a parent
motherliness, maternal quality
the tenderness and warmth and affection of or befitting a mother: "the girl's motherliness made her invaluable in caring for the children"
fatherliness, paternal quality
the benignity and protectiveness of or befitting a father: "the gentleness and fatherliness of the strange old man eased her fears"
dishonorableness, dishonourableness
the quality of not deserving honor or respect
ignobleness
the quality of being ignoble
dishonor, dishonour
lacking honor or integrity
unscrupulousness
the quality of unscrupulous dishonesty
unrespectability, disreputability, disreputableness
dishonorableness by virtue of lacking respectability or a good reputation
dishonesty
the quality of being dishonest
speciousness, meretriciousness
an appearance of truth that is false or deceptive; seeming plausibility: "the speciousness of his argument"
fraudulence, deceit
the quality of being fraudulent
jobbery
corruptness among public officials
crookedness, deviousness
the quality of being deceitful and underhanded
rascality, shiftiness, slipperiness, trickiness
the quality of being a slippery rascal
disingenuousness
the quality of being disingenuous and lacking candor
craftiness, deceitfulness, guile
the quality of being crafty
artfulness
the quality of being adroit in taking unfair advantage
cunning
drafty artfulness (especially in deception)
insidiousness
the quality of being designed to entrap
sophistication, worldliness
the quality or character of being intellectually sophisticated through cultivation or experience or disillusionment
naivete, naivety, naiveness
lack of sophistication or worldliness
artlessness, innocence, ingenuousness, naturalness
the quality of innocent naivete
taboo, tabu
an inhibition or ban resulting from social custom or emotional aversion
rakishness
the quality of a rake
intemperance
the quality of being intemperate
dignity, self-respect, self-esteem, self-regard
the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect: "it was beneath his dignity to cheat"; "showed his true dignity when under pressure"
boastfulness, vainglory
outspoken conceit
egotism, self-importance, swelled head
an exaggerated opinion of your own importance
posturing
adopting a vain conceited posture
superiority complex
an exaggerated estimate of your own value and importance
arrogance, haughtiness, lordliness
overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
hubris
overbearing pride or presumption
superiority
displaying a sense of being better than others; "he hated the white man's superiority and condecension"
absurdity, fatuity, fatuousness, silliness
a ludicrous folly; "the crowd laughed at the absurdity of the clown's behavior"
providence
the prudence and care exercised by someone in the management of resources
foresight, foresightedness, foresightfulness
providence by virtue of planning prudently for the future
slatternliness, sluttishness
in the manner of a slattern
peasanthood
an uncleanliness characteristic of peasants
disarray, disorderliness
untidiness (especially of clothing and appearance)
priggishness, primness
exaggerated and arrogant properness
seemliness, grace
a sense of propriety and consideration for others
becomingness
the quality of being becoming
modesty
freedom from vanity or conceit
primness, prudishness, prudery, Grundyism
excessive or affected modesty
impropriety, improperness
an improper demeanor
gaminess, raciness, ribaldry, spiciness
behavior or language bordering on indelicacy
unseemliness
a lack of consideration for others
unbecomingness
the quality of being unbecoming
immodesty
the trait of being vain and conceited
outrageousness, enormity
the quality of being outrageous
smuttiness, dirtiness
obscenity in speech or writing
composure, calm, calmness, equanimity
steadiness of mind under stress; "he accepted their problems with composure and she with equanimity"
wildness
a state of nature
cussedness, orneriness
mean-spirited disagreeable contrariness
naughtiness, mischievousness, badness
an attribute of mischievous children
dignity, lordliness
formality in bearing and appearance: "he behaved with great dignity"
formality, formalness
a manner that strictly observes all forms and ceremonies
ceremoniousness
a ceremonial manner
stateliness
a elaborate manner of doing something; "she served coffee with great stateliness"
informality
a manner that does not take forms and ceremonies seriously
casualness, familiarity
a casual manner
slanginess
casualness in use of language
unceremoniousness
an unceremonial manner
courtesy, good manners
a courteous manner
politeness, niceness
a courteous manner that respects accepted social usage
urbanity
polished courtesy; elegance of manner
suavity, suaveness, blandness
smooth and gracious in manner
graciousness
excellence of manners or social conduct
chivalry, gallantry, politesse
courtesy towards women
deference, respect, respectfulness
courteous regard for people's feelings; "in deference to your wishes"; "out of respect for his privacy"
civility
formal or perfunctory politeness
discourtesy, rudeness
a manner that is rude and insulting
boorishness
the manner of a rude or insensitive person
impoliteness
a discourteous manner that ignores accepted social usage
bad manners, ill-breeding
impoliteness resulting from ignorance
ungraciousness
an offensive lack of good manners
crudeness, crudity, gaucheness
an impolite manner that is vulgar and lacking tact or refinement; "the whole town was famous for its crudeness"
incivility
deliberate discourtesy
directness, straightness
trueness of course toward a goal: "rivaling a hawk in directness of aim"
downrightness, straightforwardness
the quality of being direct and straightforward; "what some people take for rudeness is really straightforwardness"
immediacy, immediateness
lack of an intervening or mediating agency: "the immediacy of television coverage"
indirectness
having the characteristic of lacking a true course toward a goal
allusiveness
a quality characterized by indirect reference
mediacy, mediateness
the quality of being mediate
deviousness, obliqueness
the quality of being oblique and rambling indirectly
discursiveness
the quality of being discursive
oldness
the opposite of newness
obsolescence, obsoleteness, superannuation
the property of being out of date and not current
ancientness, antiquity
extreme oldness
old-fashionedness
the property of being no longer fashionable
quaintness
the quality of being quaint and old-fshioned; "she liked the old cottage; its quaintness was appealing"
hoariness
great age esp gray or white with age
newness
the opposite of oldness
brand-newness
the property of being very new
freshness
the property of being pure and fresh (as if newly made); not stale or deteriorated; "she loved the freshness of newly baked bread"; "the freshness of the air revived him"
crispness
a pleasing firmness and freshness: "crispness of new dollar bills"; "crispness of fresh lettuce"
recency, recentness
the property of having happened or appeared not long ago
oldness
the opposite of youngness
staleness
having lost purity and freshness as a consequence of aging
mustiness, moldiness
the quality of smelling or tasting old or stale or mouldy
youngness
the opposite of oldness
youth, youthfulness, juvenility
the freshness and vitality characteristic of a young person
childishness, puerility
a property characteristic of a child
common touch
the property of appealing to people in general (usually by appearing to have qualities in common with them)
downiness, featheriness, fluffiness
a light softness
flabbiness, limpness, flaccidity
a flabby softness
mushiness
a mushy pulpy softness
lyricality, lyricism, songfulness
the property of being suitable for singing
boisterousness
the property of being noisy and lively and unrestrained
grace, gracility
elegance and beauty of movement or expression
agility, legerity, lightsomeness, nimbleness
the gracefulness of a person or animal that is quick and nimble
lissomeness, litheness, suppleness
the gracefulness of a person or animal that is flexible and supple
awkwardness, clumsiness
the carriage of someone whose movements and posture are ungainly or inelegant
gracelessness, ungracefulness
an unpleasant carriage
gawkiness, ungainliness
the carriage of someone whose movements and posture are extremely ungainly and inelegant
strength
the property of being physically or mentally strong; "fatigue sapped his strength"
good part
a place of especial strength
brawn, muscle, sinew
muscular strength
might, mightiness, power
physical strength
vigor, vigour
active strength of body or mind
robustness, hardiness, lustiness
the property of strong in constitution
huskiness, ruggedness, toughness
the property of being big and strong
stoutness, stalwartness
the property of being strong and resolute
sturdiness
the property of something that is strongly built
firmness, soundness
the firmness and tone of healthy tissue: "his muscle firmness"
indomitability, invincibility
the property being difficult or impossible to defeat
fortitude
strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage
backbone, grit, guts, sand, gumption
(informal) fortitude; "he didn't have the guts to try it"
endurance
the power to withstand hardship or stress
sufferance
patient endurance esp of pain or destress
stamina, staying power, toughness
enduring strength and energy
long-sufferance, long-suffering
patient endurance of pain or unhappiness
energy, vigor, vigour
an exertion of force; "he plays tennis with great energy"
athleticism, strenuosity
intense energy; "his music is characterized by a happy athleticism"
intensity, intensiveness
high level or degree; the property of being intense
badness, severity
used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather
seriousness, distressfulness
the quality of arousing fear or distress; "he learned the seriousness of his illness"
vehemence, emphasis
intensity or forcefulness of expression: "the vehemence of his denial" or "his emphasis on civil rights"
top
the greatest possible intensity: "he screamed at the top of his lungs"
overemphasis
too much emphasis
ferocity, fierceness, furiousness, fury, vehemence, violence, wildness
the property of being wild or turbulent; "the storm's violence"
weakness
the property of lacking physical or mental strength; liability to failure under pressure or stress or strain; "his weakness increased as he became older"; "the weakness of the span was overlooked until it collapsed"
adynamia
lack of strength or vigor esp from illness
feebleness, tenuity
the quality of lacking intensity or substance; "a shrill yet sweet tenuity of voice"- Nathaniel Hawthorne
flimsiness, shoddiness
the property of weakness by virtue of careless construction
fragility, delicacy
lack of physical strength
insubstantiality
lack of solid substance and strength
enervation
lack of vitality; "an enervation of mind greater than any fatigue"
inanition, lassitude, lethargy
lack of vitality or energy
Achilles' heel
a seemingly small but actual mortal weakness
jugular
a vital part that is vulnerable to attack; "he always goes for the jugular"
underbelly
the quality of being weak or unprotected; "the soft underbelly of the Axis"- Winston Churchill
defenselessness, defencelessness, unprotectedness
the property of being helpless in the face of attack
rain, pelting
anything happening rapidly or in quick successive; "a rain of bullets"; "a pelting of insults"
seasonableness, timeliness
being at the right time
unseasonableness, untimeliness
being at an inappropriate time
presentness, nowness
the quality of being the present: "a study of the pastness of the present and...of the presentness of the past"- R.E.Spiller
currentness, currency, up-to-dateness
the property of belonging to the present time: "the currency of a slang term"
modernity, modernness, modernism, contemporaneity, contemporaneousness
the quality of being current or of the present: "a shopping mall would instill a spirit of modernity into this village"
fleetness
rapidity of movement: "fleetness of foot"
celerity, quickness, rapidity
a rate that is rapid
immediacy, immediateness, instantaneousness, instancy
the quickness of action or occurrence; "the immediacy of their response"; "the instancy of modern communication"
dispatch, expedition, expeditiousness
the property of being prompt and efficient; "it was done with dispatch"
promptness, promptitude
the characteristic of doing things without delay
haste, hastiness, hurry, hurriedness
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness); "he soon regretted his haste"
abruptness, precipitateness, precipitance, precipitancy, suddenness
the quality of happening with headlong haste or without warning
pickup, getaway
the attribute of being capable of rapid acceleration; "his car has a lot of pickup"
precipitation
an unexpected acceleration or hastening: "he is responsible for the precipitation of his own demise"
graduality, gradualness
the quality of being gradual or of coming about by gradual stages
slowness, deliberation, deliberateness, unhurriedness
a rate demonstrating an absence of haste or hurry
leisureliness
slowness by virtue of being leisurely
dilatoriness, procrastination
slowness as a consequence of not getting around to it
abruptness, precipitousness, steepness
the property possessed by a slope that is very steep
gradualness, gentleness
the property possessed by a slope that is very gradual
composition, composing
the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole; "harmonious composition is essential in a serious work of art"
proportion, balance
harmonious arrangement or relation of parts or elements within a whole (as in a design): "in all perfectly beautiful objects there is found the opposition of one part to another and a reciprocal balance"- John Ruskin
alignment
the spatial property possessed by an arrangement or position of things in a straight line or in parallel lines
true
the property possessed by something that is in correct or proper alignment: "out of true"
misalignment
the spatial property of things that are not properly aligned
centrality
the property of being central
marginality
the property of being marginal or on the fringes
outwardness, externality
the quality or state of being outside or directed toward or relating to the outside or exterior: "the outwardness of the world"
inwardness
the quality or state of being inward or internal: "the inwardness of the body's organs"
malposition, misplacement
faulty position
openness
without obstructions to passage or view: "the openness of the prairies"
remove
degree of figurative distance or separation: "just one remove from madness" or "it imitates at many removes a Shakespearean tragedy"
degree
the seriousness of something (e.g., a burn or crime); "murder in the second degree"; "a second degree burn"
depth
degree of psychological or intellectual depth
profundity, profoundness
intellectual depth; penetrating knowledge; keen insight; etc: "the depth of my feeling"; "the profoundness of the silence"
superficiality, shallowness
lack of depth of knowledge or thought or feeling
glibness, slickness
a kind of fluent easy superficiality; "the glibness of a high-pressure salesman"
high
a lofty level or position or degree: "summer temperatures reached an all-time high"
low
a low level or position or degree: "the stock market fell to a new low"
extreme
the furthest or highest degree of something; "he carried it to extremes"
multiplicity
the property of being multiple
bulk, mass, volume
the property of something that is great in magnitude; "it is cheaper to buy it in bulk"; "he received a mass of correspondence"; "the volume of exports"
muchness
(archaic) greatness of quantity or measure or extent
thinness, tenuity, slenderness
relatively small dimension through an object as opposed to its length or width: "the tenuity of a hair"; "the thinness of a rope"
largeness, bigness
the property of having a relatively great size
ampleness
the property of impressive largeness in size; "he admired the ampleness of its proportions"
bulkiness, massiveness
an unwieldy largeness
enormousness, grandness, greatness, immenseness, immensity, sizeableness, vastness
unusual largeness in size or extent
capaciousness, roominess, spaciousness, commodiousness
spatial largeness (especially inside a building)
airiness
the property of something spacious and abounding in fresh air
fullness, voluminosity, voluminousness
greatness of volume
gigantism, giantism
excessive largeness of stature
smallness, littleness
the property of having a relatively small size
diminutiveness, minuteness, petiteness, tinyness, weeness
the property of being very small in size
delicacy, slightness
smallness of stature
puniness, runtiness, stuntedness
smallness of stature
dwarfishness
smallness of stature
quantity
an adequate or large amount; "he had a quantity of ammunition"
complement
something added to complete or make perfect: "a fine wine is a perfect complement to the dinner"
sufficiency, adequacy
a quantity or number sufficient for a purpose
ampleness
the property of being more than sufficient; comfortable sufficiency; "the ampleness of her servings more than satisfied his hunger"
insufficiency, inadequacy, deficiency
lack of an adequate quantity or number; "the inadequacy of unemployment benefits"
meagerness, meagreness, poorness, scantiness, scantness, exiguity
the quality of being meager; "an exiguity of cloth that would only allow of miniature capes"-George Eliot
sparseness, spareness, sparsity
the property of being scanty or scattered; lacking denseness
abundance, copiousness
the property of a more than adequate quantity or supply; "an age of abundance"
amplitude, bountifulness, bounty
the property of copious abundance
plenty, plentifulness, plenteousness, plenitude, plentitude
a full supply; "there was plenty of food for everyone"
profusion, profuseness, richness, cornucopia
the property of being extremely abundant
wealth
the quality of profuse abundance; "she has a wealth of talent"
luxuriance, lushness
the property of being lush and abundant
overgrowth
a profusion of growth on or over something else
scarcity, scarceness
a small and inadequate amount
dearth, paucity
an insufficient quantity or number
rarity, rareness, infrequency
noteworthy scarcity
moderation, moderateness
quality of being moderate and avoiding extremes
golden mean
the middle between extremes
reasonableness
moderation in expectations; "without greater reasonableness by both parties we will never settle this matter!"
immoderation, immoderateness
the quality of being excessive and lacking in moderation
excess, excessiveness, inordinateness
immoderation as a consequence of going beyond sufficient or permitted limits
exorbitance, outrageousness
excessive excess
luxury, extravagance
something that is an indulgence rather than a necessity
overabundance, overmuch, overmuchness, superabundance
a quantity that is more than what is appropriate; "four-year-olds have an overabundance of energy"
excess, surplus, surplusage
a quantity much larger than is needed
bellyful
an undesirable overabundance: "a bellyful of your complaints"
nimiety, overplus, plethora, superfluity, embarrassment
extreme excess; "an embarrassment of riches"
redundancy, redundance
the attribute of being superfluous and unneeded; "the use of industrial robots created redundancy among workers"
numerousness, numerosity, multiplicity
a large number
multitudinousness
a very large number (especially of people)
innumerableness, countlessness
a number beyond counting
fewness
the quality of being small in number
coverage
the extent to which something is covered; "the dictionary's coverage of standard English is excellent"
limit, bounds, boundary
the greatest possible degree of something: "what he did was beyond the bounds of acceptable behavior"; "to the limit of his ability"
utmost, uttermost, maximum, level best
the greatestest possible degree; "he tried his utmost"
verge, brink
the limit beyond which something happens or changes; "on the verge of tears"; "on the brink of bankruptcy"
scope, range, reach, orbit, compass, ambit
an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"; "the ambit of municipal legislation"; "within the compass of this article"; within the scope of an investigation"; "outside the reach of the law"; "in the political orbit of a world power"
confines
a bounded scope; "he stayed with the confines of the city"
latitude
scope for freedom of e.g. action or thought; freedom from restriction
horizon, view, purview
the range of interest or activity that can be anticipated; "It is beyond the horizon of present knowledge"
sweep, expanse
a wide scope; "the sweep of the plains"
gamut
a complete extent or range: "a face that expressed a gamut of emotions
spectrum
broad range of related values or qualities or ideas or activities
arm's length
a distance sufficient to exclude intimacy
elongation
the quality of being elongated
shortness
the property of being of short spatial extent
briefness
the temporal property of being very short
deepness, profundity, profoundness
the quality of being physically deep: "the profundity of the mine was almost a mile"
bottomlessness
the property of being very deep; without limit
shallowness
the quality of lacking physical depth: "take into account the shallowness at that end of the pool before you dive"
superficiality
shallowness in terms of affecting only surface layers of something: "he ignored the wound because of its superficiality"
thickness, heaviness
used of a line or mark
narrowness
the property of being narrow
fineness, thinness
the property of being very narrow or thin; "he marvelled at the fineness of her hair"
highness, loftiness
the condition of being high or lofty
lowness
the condition of being low; lacking height
squatness, stubbiness
the property of being short and broad
shortness, truncation
the property of being truncated or short
worth
the quality that renders something desirable or valuable or useful
value
the quality (positive or negative) that renders something desirable or valuable; "the Shakespearean Shylock is of dubious value in the modern world"
merit, virtue
any admirable quality or attribute; "work of great merit"
demerit, fault
the quality of being faulty or inadequate; "they discussed the merits and demerits of her novel"
praisworthiness
the property of deserving praise
worthwhileness
value sufficient to repay time or effort spent
worthlessness
having no qualities that would render it valuable or useful; "the drill sergeant's intent was to convince all the recruits of their worthlessness"
fecklessness
worthlessness due to being feeble and ineffectual
paltriness, sorriness
worthlessness due to insignificance
valuelessness
having none of the properties that endow something with value
shoddiness, trashiness
the quality of being cheaply imitative of something better
damn, darn, hoot, shit, shucks, tinker's damn, tinker's dam
something of little value; "it is not worth a damn"; "not worth shucks"
vanity, emptiness
the quality of being valueless or futile; "he rejected the vanities of the world"
invaluableness, preciousness, pricelessness, valuableness
the positive quality of being precious and beyond value
price
the high value or worth of something; "her price is far above rubies"
desirability, desirableness
the quality of being worthy of desiring
undesirability
the quality possessed by something that should be avoided
good, goodness
that which is good or valuable or useful: "weigh the good against the bad"; "among the highest goods of all are happiness and self-realization"
benefit, welfare
something that aids or promotes well-being: "for the common good"
better
something better: "I expected better of him"
better
the superior one of two alternatives: "chose the better of the two"
optimum
most favorable condition or greatest degree or amount possible under given circumstances
better
one having claim to precedence; a superior: "the common man has been kept in his place by his betters"
bad, badness
that which is below standard or expectations as of ethics or decency: "take the bad with the good"
worse
something inferior in quality or condition or effect: "for better or for worse"; "accused of cheating and lying and worse"
evil
that which causes harm or destruction or misfortune: "the evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones"- Shakespeare
expensiveness
the quality of being high-priced
costliness, dearness
the quality possessed by something with a great price or value
lavishness, luxury, sumptuosity, sumptuousness
the quality possessed by something that is excessively expensive
inexpensiveness
the quality of being affordable
reasonableness, moderateness, modestness
the property of being moderate in price; "the store is famous for the reasonableness of its prices"
bargain rate, cheapness, cut rate, cut price
a price below the standard price
fruitfulness, fecundity
the quality of something that causes or assists healthy growth
richness, prolificacy, fertility
the property of producing abundantly and sustaining growth; "he praised the richness of the soil"
fruitlessness, aridity, barrenness
a condition yielding nothing of value
poorness
less than adequate; "the relative poorness of New England farmland"
utility, usefulness
the quality of being of practical use
helpfulness
the property of providing useful assistance
serviceability, serviceableness, usableness
the quality of being able to provide good service
inutility, uselessness, unusefulness
the quality of having to practical use
futility
uselessness as a consequence of having no practical result
worthlessness
the quality of being without practical use
practicality
concerned with actual use rather than theoretical possibilities
sensibleness
the quality of showing good sense or practical judgment
realism
the attribute of accepting the facts of life and favoring practicality and literal truth
practicability, practicableness
the quality of being usable
feasibility, feasibleness
the quality of being doable
impracticality
concerned with theoretical possibilities rather than actual use
idealism
impracticality by virtue of thinking of things in their ideal form rather than as they really are
romanticism
impractical romantic ideals and attitudes
knight errantry, quixotism
quixotic (romantic and impractical) behavior
impracticability, impracticableness
the quality of not being usable
infeasibility, unfeasibility
the quality of not being doable
competence, competency
the quality of being adequately or well qualified physically and intellectually
fitness
the quality of being qualified
proficiency
the quality of having great facility and competence
incompetence, incompetency
lack of physical or intellectual ability or qualifications
asset, plus
a useful or valuable quality
resource
a source of aid or support that may be drawn upon when needed: "the local library is a valuable resource"
aid, assistance, help
a resource: "visual aids in teaching"; "economic assistance to depressed areas"
recourse, refuge, resort
something or someone turned to for assistance or security: "his only recourse was the police"; "took refuge in lying"
shadow
refuge from danger or observation; "he felt secure in his father's shadow"
resourcefulness
the quality of being able to cope with a difficult situation: "a man of great resourcefulness"
inner resources
a resource provided by the mind or one's personal capabilities: "to have resource against loneliness"
advantage, vantage
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position; "he experience gave him the advantage over me"
favor, favour
an advantage to the benefit of someone or something; "the outcome was in his favor"
leverage
strategic advantage; power to act effectively: "relatively small groups can sometimes exert immense political leverage"
bargaining chip
leverage in the form of an inducement or a concession useful in successful negotiations
handicap
advantage given to a competitor to equalize chances of winning
lead
an advantage held by a competitor in a race: "he took the lead at the last turn"
pull
special advantage or influence; "the chairman's nephew has a lot of pull"
start, head start
advantage gained by an early start as in a race: "with an hour's start he will be hard to catch"
profit, gain
the advantageous quality of being beneficial
account
the quality of taking advantage; "she turned her writing skills to good account"
profitableness, profitability
the quality of affording gain or benefit or profit
preference
grant of favor or advantage to one over another (esp to a country or countries in matters of international trade such as levying duties)
privilege
a special advantage or immunity or benefit not enjoyed by all
expedience, expediency
the quality of being suited to the end in view
superiority, favorable position
the quality of being a competitive advantage
edge
a slight competitive advantage; "he had an edge on the competition"
inside track
a favorable position in a competition; "the boss's son had the inside track for that job"
upper hand, whip hand
position of advantage and control
forte, long suit, metier, specialty, speciality, strong point, strength
an asset of special worth or utility; "cooking is his forte"
green thumb, green fingers
a special ability to make plants grow
weak point
an attribute that is inadequate or deficient
good
benefit; "for your own good"; "what's the good of worrying?"
common good, commonweal
the good of a community
wisdom, wiseness, soundness
the quality of being prudent and sensible
advisability
the quality of being advisable; "they questioned the advisability of our policy"
reasonableness
goodness of reason and judgment; "the judiciary is built on the reasonableness of judges"
favorableness, favourableness, advantageousness
the quality of being encouraging or promising of a successful outcome
auspiciousness, propitiousness
the favorable quality of strongly indicating a successful result
liability
the quality of being something that holds you back
disadvantage
the quality of having an inferior or less favorable position
unfavorableness, unfavourableness
the quality of not being encouraging or indicative of success
inauspiciousness, unpropitiousness
the quality of suggesting an unsuccessful result
limitation, restriction
the quality of being limited or restricted; "it is a good plan but it has serious limitations"
defect, shortcoming
a failing or deficiency; "that interpretation is an unfortunate defect of our lack of information"
awkwardness, inconvenience, nuisance value
the quality of an embarrassing situation; "he sensed the awkwardness of his proposal"
loss, deprivation
the disadvantage that results from losing something; "his loss of credibility led to his resignation" or "losing him is no great deprivation"
price, cost, toll
value measured by what must be given or done or undergone to obtain something: "the cost in human life was enormous"; "the price of success is hard work"; "what price glory?"
drawback
the quality of being a hindrance; "he pointed out all the drawbacks to my plan"
catch
a hidden drawback; "it sounds good but what's the catch?"
penalty
the disadvantage or painful consequences of an action or condition: "neglected his health and paid the penalty"
inadvisability
the quality of being ill advised
inferiority, unfavorable position
the quality of being a competitive disadvantage
inexpedience, inexpediency
the quality of being unsuited to the end in view
unprofitableness, unprofitability
the quality of affording no gain or no benefit or no profit
constructiveness
the quality of serving to build or improve
destructiveness
the quality of causing destruction
harmfulness, injuriousness
destructiveness that causes harm or injury
insidiousness
subtle and cumulative harmfulness esp of a disease
poison
anything that harms or destroys; "the poison of fascism"
virulence
extreme harmfulness; "the virulence of the plague"
importance
the quality of being important and worthy of note; "the importance of a well-balanced diet"
face
status in the eyes of others; "he lost face"
magnitude
relative importance: "a problem of the first magnitude"
account
importance or value; "a person of considerable account"; "he predicted that although it is of small account now it will rapidly increase in importance"
matter
(used with negation) having consequence; "they were friends and it was no matter who won the games"
momentousness
utmost importance
prominence
relative importance
greatness
the property possessed by something or someone of outstanding importance
significance
the quality of being significant; "do not underestimate the significance of nuclear power"
historicalness
significance owing to its history
meaningfulness
the quality of having great value or significance
consequence, import, moment
having important effects or influence; "decisions of great consequence are made by the president himself"; "virtue is of more moment that security"
hell to pay
dire consequences; "when the pig ran away there was hell to pay"
essentiality, essentialness
basic importance
indispensability, indispensableness, vitalness
the quality possessed by something that you cannot possibly do without
urgency
pressing importance requiring speedy action: "the urgency of his need"
edge, sharpness
the attribute of urgency; "his voice had an edge to it"
imperativeness, insistence, insistency, instancy
urgently demanding attention; "the insistence of their hunger"; "he pressed his demand with considerable instancy"
weight
the relative importance granted to something; "his opinion carries great weight"
unimportance
the quality of not being important or worthy of note
inessentiality
not of baic importance
dispensability, dispensableness
the quality possessed by something that you can get along without
pettiness, triviality, slightness
the quality of being unimportant and petty or frivolous
insignificance
the quality of having little or no significance
meaninglessness
the quality of having great value or significance; "he resented the meaninglessness of the tasks they assigned him"
inanity, senselessness, mindlessness, vacuity, pointlessness
total lack of meaning or ideas
inconsequence
having no important effects or influence
door
anything providing a means of access (or escape); "we closed the door to Haitian immigrants"; "education is the door to success"
open door
freedom of access; "he maintained an open door for all employees"
power, powerfulness, potency
possession of controlling influence; "the deterrent power of nuclear weapons"; "the power of his love saved her"
puissance
power to influence or coerce; "the puissance of the labor vote"
alchemy
a power like that claimed by alchemists: "a mysterious alchemy brought the musician and the music to ultimate fusion"
persuasiveness, strength
the power to induce the taking of a course of action or the embracing of a point of view by means of argument or entreaty; "the strength of his argument settled the matter"
convincingness
the power of argument or evidence to cause belief
interest, interestingness
the power of attracting or holding one's interest (because it is unusual or exciting etc.); "they said nothing of great interest"; "primary colors can add interest to a room"
newsworthiness, news
the quality of being sufficiently interesting to be reported in news bulletins; "the judge conceded the newsworthiness of the trial"; "he is no longer news in the fashion world"
color, colour, vividness
interest and variety and intensity: "the Puritan Period was lacking in color"
stranglehold, throttlehold
complete power over a person or situation
sway
controlling influence
influence
a power to affect persons or events esp power based on prestige etc: "used her parents' influence to get the job"
dead hand, dead hand of the past, mortmain
the oppressive influence of past events of decisions
force
a powerful effect or influence: "the force of his eloquence easily persuaded them"
grip, grasp
a firm controlling influence; "he was in the grip of a powerful emotion" or "a terrible power had her its grasp"
tentacle
something that acts like a tentacle in its ability to grasp; "caught in the tentacles of organized crime"
pressure
a force that compels; "the public brought pressure to bear on the government"
duress
compulsory force or threat; "confessed under duress"
lifeblood
an essential or life-giving force; "water is the lifeblood of India"
wheels
forces that provide energy and direction; "the wheels of government began to turn"
control
power to direct or determine: "under control"
hold
power by which something or someone is affected or dominated: "he has a hold over them"
rein
any means of control; "he took up the reins of government"
carte blanche
complete freedom or authority to act
disposal
the power to use something or someone: "used all the resources at his disposal"
reins
power to control; "the reins of government"
effectiveness, effectivity, effectualness, effectuality
the power to be effective
incisiveness, trenchancy
keenness and forcefulness of thought or expression or intellect
efficacy, efficaciousness
capacity or power to produce a desired effect
form
an ability to perform well; "he was at the top of his form"; "the team was off form last night"
powerlessness, impotence, impotency
the quality of lacking strength or power; being weak and feeble
helplessness, weakness, impuissance
powerlessness revealed by an inability to act; "in spite of their weakness the group remains highly active"
unpersuasiveness
inability to persuade
uninterestingness
inability to capture or hold one's interest
dullness, dulness
the quality of lacking interestingness
boringness, dreariness
extreme dullness
tediousness, tedium, tiresomeness
dullness owing to length or slowness
jejunity, jejuneness, tameness, vapidity, vapidness
the quality of being vapid and unsophisticated
ineffectiveness, ineffectualness, ineffectuality
lacking the power to be effective
inefficacy, inefficaciousness
a lack of efficacy
romanticism, romance
an exciting and mysterious quality (as of a heroic time or adventure)
stardust
a dreamy romantic or sentimental quality
analyticity
the property of being analytic
selectivity
the property of being selective
domesticity
the quality of being domestic or domesticated: "a royal family living in unpretentious domesticity"
solubility
the quality of being soluble
insolubility
the quality of being insoluble
stuff
unspecified qualities required to do or be something; "the stuff of heros"; "you don't have the stuff to be a United States Marine"
hot stuff
(informal) the quality of being attractive and exciting (especially sexually exciting); "he thought she was really hot stuff"
humor, humour
the quality of being funny; "I fail to see the humor in it"
pathos, poignancy
a quality that arouses emotions (especially pity or sorrow); "the film captured all the pathos of their situation"
tone
the quality of something (an act or a piece of writing) that reveals the attitudes and presuppositions of the author; "the general tone of articles appearing in the newspapers is that the government should withdraw"; "from the tone of her behavior I gathered that I had outstayed my welcome"
astuteness, profundity, profoundness, depth
the intellectual ability to penetrate deeply into ideas
sagacity, sagaciousness, judgment, judgement, discernment
ability to make good judgments
eye
good discernment (either with the eyes or as if with the eyes); "she has an eye for fresh talent"; "he has an artist's eye"
common sense, good sense, gumption, horse sense, sense, mother wit
sound practical judgment; "he hasn't got the sense God gave little green apples"
logic
reasoned and reasonable judgment; "it made a certain kind of logic"
nous
(British) common sense; "she has great social nous"
road sense
good judgment in avoiding trouble or accidents on the road
judiciousness
good judgment
discretion, discreetness, circumspection, prudence
knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress; "the servants showed great tact and discretion"
confidentiality
discretion in keeping secret information
caution, precaution, care, forethought
judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger; "he exercised caution in opening the door"; "he handled the vase with care"
injudiciousness, indiscreetness
lacking good judgment
pyrotechnics
brilliance of display (as in the performance of music)
acuteness, acuity, sharpness, keenness
a quick and penetrating intelligence; "he argued with great acuteness"; "I admired the keenness of his mind"
steel trap
an acute intelligence (an analogy based on the well known sharpness of steel traps); "he's as sharp as a steel trap"; "a mind like a steel trap"
brightness, cleverness, smartness
intelligence as manifested in being quick and witty
cunning
shrewdness in deception; "as cunning as a fox"
shrewdness, astuteness, perspicacity, perspicaciousness
intelligence manifested by being astute (as in business dealings)
insightfulness, acumen
shrewdness shown by keen insight
knowingness
shrewdness demonstrated by knowledge
craft, craftiness, cunning, foxiness, guile, slyness, wiliness
shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
perfectibility, perfectability
the capability of becoming perfect; "he believes in the ultimate perfectability of man"
raw talent
powerfully impressive talent
fecundity, fruitfulness
the intellectual fruitfulness of a creative imagination
flight
passing above and beyond ordinary bounds; "a flight of fancy"; "flights of rhetoric"; "flights of imagination"
genius, wizardry
exceptional creative ability
fancy
fancy was held by Coleridge to be more casual and superficial than imagination
pipe dream, dream
a fantastic but vain hope (from fantasies induced by the opium pipe); "I have this pipe dream about being emperor of the universe"
fantasy life, phantasy life
an imaginary life lived in a fantasy world
fantasy world, phantasy world, fairyland
a place existing solely in the imagination (but often mistaken for reality)
contrivance
the faculty of contriving; inventive skill; "his skillful contrivance of answers to every problem"
originality
the ability to think and act independently
innovativeness
originality by virtue of introducing new ideas
unconventionality
originality by virtue of being unconventional
novelty, freshness
originality by virtue of being new and surprising
musicianship
artistry in performing music
virtuosity
technical skill or fluency or style exhibited by a virtuoso
professionalism
the expertness characteristic of a professional person
coordination
the skillful and effective interaction of movements
incoordination
a lack of coordination of movements
versatility
having a wide variety of skills
command, control, mastery
great skillfulness and knowledge of some subject or activity; "a good command of French"
adeptness, adroitness, deftness, facility, quickness
skillful performance without difficulty; "his quick adeptness was a product of good design"
touch
deftness in handling matters; "he has a master's touch"
dexterity, manual dexterity, sleight
adroitness in using the hands
fluency
skillfulness in speaking or writing
proficiency, facility, technique
skillfulness in the command of fundamentals deriving from practice and familiarity; "practice greatly improves proficiency"
brushwork
an artist's distinctive technique of applying paint with a brush
efficiency
skillfulness in avoiding wasted time and effort; "she did the work with great efficiency"
economy
the efficient use of resources; "economy of effort"
stupidity
a poor ability to understand or to profit from experience
denseness, dumbness, slow-wittedness
the quality of being mentally slow and limited
dullness, dulness, obtuseness
the quality of being slow to understand
feeblemindedness
severe mental deficiency
moronity, mental deficiency
mild mental retardation
idiocy, amentia
extreme mental retardation
imbecility
retardation more severe than a moron but not as severe as an idiot
folly, foolishness, craziness
the quality of being rash and foolish
talentlessness
a lack of talent
unskillfulness
a lack of cognitive skill
awkwardness, clumsiness, ineptness, ineptitude, maladroitness, slowness
unskillfulness resulting from a lack of training
inefficiency
unskillfulness resulting from a lack of efficiency
amateurishness
something that demonstrates a lack of professional competency
uncreativeness
a lack of creativity
fruitlessness
a lack of creative imagination
unoriginality
uncreativeness due to a lack of originality
triteness, staleness
unoriginality as a result of being dull and hackneyed
camp
something that is considered amusing not because of its originality but because of its unoriginality; "the livingroom was pure camp"
conventionality
unoriginality as a result of being too conventional
frame of reference
a system of assumptions and standards that sanction behavior and give it meaning
vocabulary
the system of techniques or symbols serving as a means of expression (as in arts or crafts); "he introduced a wide vocabulary of techniques"
nosiness, prying, snoopiness
offensive inquisitiveness
mystery, enigma, secret, closed book
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained; "how it got out is a mystery"; "it remains one of nature's secrets"
complication, tangle, snarl
something jumbled or confused
dilemma, quandary
state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options
cognitive factor
something immaterial (as a circumstance or influence) that contributes to producing a result
difficulty
a factor causing trouble in achieving a positive result or tending to produce a negative result; "serious difficulties were encountered in obtaining a pure reagent"
trouble, problem
a source of difficulty: "one trouble after another delayed the job"; "what's the problem?"
matter
a problem; "is anything the matter?"
facer
(a dated Briticism) a serious difficulty with which one is suddenly faced
pitfall
an unforeseen or unexpected difficulty
snorter
(British) something outstandingly difficult; "the problem was a real snorter"
stymie
a thwarting and distressing situation
clincher, decisive factor
a point or fact or remark that settles something conclusively
imponderable
a factor whose effects cannot be accurately assessed: "human behavior depends on many imponderables"
morale builder
something or someone who influences by building or strengthening morale
pestilence
a pernicious evil influence
support
something providing immaterial support or assistance to a person or cause or interest; "the policy found little public support"; "his faith was all the support he needed"; "the team enjoyed the support of their fans"
anchor, mainstay, backbone, linchpin, lynchpin
a central cohesive source of support and stability: "faith is his anchor"; "he is the linchpin of this firm"
lifeline
support that enables people to survive or to continue doing something (often by providing an essential connection); "the airlift provided a lifeline for Berlin"; "she offered me a lifeline in my time of grief"
temptation, enticement
something tempting or enticing
forbidden fruit
the original forbidden fruit was an apple from the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden; it is now used to refer to anything that is tempting but dangerous (as sexuality)
bait, come-on, hook, lure, sweetener
anything that serves as an enticement
allurement
attractiveness; "its allure was its remoteness"
match
something that resembles or harmonizes with; "that tie makes a good match with your jacket"
complement
either of two parts that mutually complete each other
substitute, replacement
a person or thing that takes or can take the place of another
advertence, advertency
the process of being heedful
hang-up
(informal) an emotional preoccupation
hobbyhorse
a topic to which on constantly reverts: "don't get him started on his hobbyhorse"
jealousy
zealous vigilance: "cherish their official political freedom with fierce jealousy"-Paul Blanshard
disregard, neglect
lack of attention and due care
discernment, perceptiveness
perception of that which is obscure
penetration, insight
clear or deep perception of a situation
overvaluation
too high a value or price assigned to something
undervaluation
too low a value or price assigned to something
underevaluation
an appraisal that underestimates the value of something
Rubicon, point of no return
a line that when crossed permits of no return and typically results in irrevocable commitment
hairsplitting, word-splitting
making too fine distinctions of little importance; "they didn't take his hairsplitting seriously"
taste, appreciation, discernment, perceptiveness
delicate discrimination (especially of aesthetic values); "arrogance and lack of taste contributed to his rapid success"; "to ask at that particular time was the ultimate in bad taste"
virtu, vertu, connoisseurship
love of or taste for fine objects of art
vogue, trend, style
the popular taste at a given time; "leather is the latest vogue"; "he followed current trends"; "the 1920s had a style of their own"
fashion
the latest and most admired style in clothes and cosmetics and behavior
haute couture, high fashion
trend-setting fashions
fad, craze, furor, furore, cult, rage
an interest followed with exaggerated zeal: "he always follows the latest fads"; "it was all the rage that season"
bandwagon
a popular trend that attracts growing support; "when they saw how things were going everybody jumped on the bandwagon"
delicacy, discretion
refined taste; tact
culture
the tastes in art and manners that are favored by a social group
counterculture
a culture with lifestyles and values opposed to those of the established culture
mass culture
the culture that is widely disseminated via the mass media
flower power
a counterculture of young people in the US during the 1960s and 70s
letters
the literary culture; "this book shows American letters at its best"
crossroads
a point where a choice must be made; "Freud's work stands at the crossroads between psychology and neurology"
pseudoscience
an activity resembling science but based on fallacious assumptions
pleasure
a formal expression; "he serves at the pleasure of the President"
cull, reject
the person or thing rejected or set aside as inferior in quality
favorite, favourite
something regarded with special favor or liking; "that book is one of my favorites"
option, alternative, choice
an alternative action; "what option did I have?" or "there no other alternative" or "my only choice is to refuse"
obverse
the more conspicuous of two alternatives or cases or sides: "the obverse of this issue"
key
something crucial for explaining; "the key to development is economic integration"
smattering
a slight or superficial understanding of a subject
appreciation, grasp, hold
understanding of the nature or meaning or quality or magnitude of something; "he has a good grasp of accounting practices"
grasping
understanding with difficulty; "the lecture was beyond his most strenuous graspings"
sense
a natural appreciation; "a keen musical sense"; "a good sense of timing"
hindsight
understanding the nature of an event after it has happened; "hindisght is always better than foresight"
insight, brainstorm, brainwave
the clear (and often sudden) understanding of a complex situation
light
mental understanding as an enlightening experience; "he finally saw the light"; "can you shed light on this problem?"
revelation
an enlightening or astonishing disclosure
discovery, breakthrough, find
a productive insight
flash
a sudden brilliant understanding; "he had a flash of intuition"
tradition
an inherited pattern of thought or action
world, reality
all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you; "his world was shattered"; "we live in different worlds"; "for them demons were as much a part of reality as trees were"
real world, real life
the practical world as opposed to the academic world; "a good consultant must have a lot of experience in the real world"
food for thought, pabulum, intellectual nourishment
intellectual sustenance
cynosure
something that strongly attracts attention (as the north star attracts mariners); "let faith be your cynosure to walk by"
infatuation
an object of extravagant short-lived passion
love, passion
any object of warm affection or devotion; "the theater was her first love" or "he has a passion for cock fighting"
minutia
a small or minor detail; "he had memorized the many minutiae of the legal code"
nook and cranny, nooks and crannies
something remote; "he explored every nook and cranny of science"
technicality, trifle, triviality
a detail that is considered insignificant
turn-on
(informal) something causing excitement or stimulating interest
turnoff, negative stimulation
(informal) something causing antagonism or loss of interest
bonus, fillip
anything that tends to arouse; "his approval was an added fillip"
joy, delight, pleasure
something or someone that provides pleasure; a source of happiness; "a joy to behold"; "the pleasure of his company"; "the new car is a delight"
annoyance, nuisance, bother, botheration, pain, pain in the neck, pain in the ass
something or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness; "a bit of a bother"
irritant, thorn
something that causes irritation and annoyance; "he's a thorn in my flesh"
concern, worry, headache, vexation
something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness; "New York traffic is a constant concern"; "it's a major worry"
bugaboo
a source of concern; "the old bugaboo of inflation still bothers them"
burden, load, encumbrance, incumbrance, onus
an onerous or difficult concern; "the burden of responsibility"; "that's a load off my mind"
business
a rightful concern or responsibility; used in such phrases as "it's none of your business" or "mind your own business"
fardel
(archaic) a burden (figuratively in the form of a bundle)
imposition
an uncalled-for burden; "he listened but resented the imposition"
inspiration
arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity
source, seed, germ
anything that provides inspiration for later work
muse
the source of an artist's inspiration; "Euterpe was his muse"
mother
a condition that is the inspiration for an activity or situation; "necessity is the mother of invention"
afflatus
a strong creative impulse; divine inspiration
self-absorption
preoccupation with yourself to the exclusion of everything else
trap, snare
something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unawares; "the exam was full of trap questions"; "it was all a snare and delusion"
iron trap
a trap from which there is no escape
excellence
something in which something or some one excels: "the use of herbs is one of the excellences of French cuisine"
peculiarity, distinctive feature
an odd or unusual characteristic
leaven, leavening
an influence that works subtly to lighten or modify something; "his sermons benefited from a leavening of humor"
fundamentals, basics, fundamental principle, basic principle, bedrock
principles from which other truths can be derived; "first you must learn the fundamentals"; "let's get down to basics"
priestcraft
a derogatory reference to priests who use their influence to control secular or political affairs
figment
a contrived or fantastic idea; "a figment of the imagination"
pillar
a fundamental principle or practice; "science eroded the pillars of superstition"
heart, bosom
the locus of feelings and intuitions; "in your heart you know it is true"; "her story would melt your bosom"
notion, whim, whimsy, whimsey
a whimsical idea; "the theatrical notion of disguise is associated with disaster in his stories"
meaning, sense, substance
the idea that is intended; "What is the sense of this proverb?"
significance, import, implication
a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred; "the significance of his remark became clear only later"; "the expectation was spread both by word and by implication"
kernel, substance, core, center, essence, gist, heart, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty-gritty
the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience: "the gist of the prosecutor's argument"; "the nub of the story"
hypostasis
(metaphysics) essential nature or underlying reality
quintessence
the purest and most concentrated essence of something
stuff
a critically important or characteristic component; "suspense is the very stuff of narrative"
tenor, strain
pervading note of an utterance; "I could follow the general tenor of his argument"
drift, purport
general meaning or tenor: "caught the drift of the conversation"
undertone, undercurrent
subdued emotional quality underlying an utterance; implicit meaning
connotation
an idea that is implied or suggested
ideal
the idea of something that is perfect; something that one hopes to attain
value
an ideal accepted by some individual or group; "he has old-fashioned values"
criterion, standard
the ideal in terms of which something can be judged; "they live by the standards of their community"
exemplar, example, model, good example
something to be imitated; "an exemplar of success"; "a model of clarity"; "he is the very model of a modern major general"
beauty, beaut
an outstanding example of its kind; "his roses were beauties"; "when I make a mistake it's a beaut"
ego ideal
an ideal of personal excellence toward which a person strives
keynote
a fundamental or central idea
reconditeness, abstruseness, abstrusity, profoundness, profundity
wisdom that is recondite and abstruse and profound; "the anthropologist was impressed by the reconditeness of the native proverbs"
antitype
a person or thing represented or foreshadowed by a type or symbol; especially a figure in the Old Testament having a counterpart in the New Testament
stereotype
a conventional or formulaic conception or image: "regional stereotypes have been part of America since its founding"
phantasmagoria
a constantly changing medley or real or imagined images (as in a dream)
lodestar, loadstar
something that serves as a model or guide
prototype, paradigm, epitome, image
a standard or typical example; "he is the prototype of good breeding"; "he provided America with an image of the good father"
imago
(psychoanalysis) an idealized image of someone (usually a parent) formed in childhood
mirage
something illusory and unattainable
front
the outward appearance of a person; "he put up a bold front"
blur, fuzz
a hazy or indistinct representation; "it happened so fast it was just a blur"; "he tried to clear his head of the whisky fuzz"
foretaste
an early limited awareness of something yet to occur
possibility
a future prospect or potential; "this room has great possibilities"
enchantment, bewitchment
a magical spell
diabolism, demonism, Satanism
the worship of devils (especially Satan)
edification, sophistication
uplifting enlightenment
outlier
an extreme deviation from the mean
direction
a general course along which something has a tendency to develop; "I couldn't follow the direction of his thoughts"; "his ideals determined the direction of his career"; "they proposed a new direction for the firm"
drift, trend
a general tendency as of opinion: "not openly liberal but that is the tendency of the book"
Call
a special disposition (as if from a divine source) to pursue a particular course; "he was disappointed that he had not heard the Call"
liberality, liberalness
an inclination to favor progress and individual freedom
parochialism
a limitation of views or interests like that defined by a local parish
pettiness
narrowness of mind or ideas or views
provincialism
a lack of sophistication
bigotry, dogmatism
the intolerance and prejudice of a bigot
fanaticism, zealotry
excessive intolerance of opposing views
reverence
a reverent mental attitude
irreverence
an irreverent mental attitude
profaneness
an attitude of irreverence or contempt for a divinity
wavelength
a shared orientation leading to mutual understanding; "they are on the same wavelength"
vanguard, forefront, cutting edge
the position of greatest advancement; the leading position in any movement or field
reception
quality or fidelity of a received broadcast
overestimate, overestimation, overvaluation, overappraisal
an appraisal that is too high
nuance, nicety, shade, subtlety, refinement
a subtle difference in meaning
overtone
(usually plural) an ulterior implicit meaning or quality; "overtones of despair"
bottom line
the decisive point
crux, crux of the matter
the most important point
nonsense, nonsensicality, meaninglessness
a message that seems to convey no meaning
absurdity, absurdness, ridiculousness
a message whose content is at variance with reason
balderdash, fiddle-faddle, piffle
trivial nonsense
buzzword, cant
stock phrases that have become nonsense through endless repetition
fa la, fal la
meaningless syllables in the refrain of a part-song
gibberish, gibber
unintelligible talking
incoherence, incoherency, unintelligibility
nonsense that is simply incoherent and unintelligible
mummery, flummery
meaningless ceremonies and flattery
palaver, hot air, empty words, empty talk, rhetoric
loud and confused and empty talk; "mere rhetoric"
rigmarole, rigamarole
a set of confused and meaningless statements
stuff, stuff and nonsense, hooey, poppycock
senseless talk; "don't give me that stuff"
abracadabra
gibberish and nonsense
babble, babbling
gibberish resembling the sounds of a baby
blather, blatherskite
foolish gibberish
double Dutch
(colloquial British) incomprehensible talk
double talk
deliberately unintelligible gibberish
jabber, jabbering, gabble
rapid and indistinct speech
baloney, boloney, bilgewater, bosh, drool, humbug, taradiddle, tarradiddle, tommyrot, tosh, twaddle
pretentious or silly talk or writing
bullshit, bull, Irish bull, horseshit, shit, crap, bunk, bunkum, buncombe, guff, rot, hogwash, dogshit
a ludicrously false statement
chickenshit
a false statement that is considered to indicate timidity or fear
folderol, rubbish, tripe, trumpery, trash, wish-wash, applesauce
nonsensical talk or writing
pap, pablum
worthless or oversimplified ideas
drivel
a worthless message
mumbo jumbo
language that is unnecessarily difficult to understand
trace, vestige, shadow
a clue that something has been present; "there wasn't a trace of evidence for the claim"
dodge, dodging, scheme
a statement that evades the question by cleverness or trickery
fairytale, fairy story, cock-and-bull story, song and dance
an interesting but highly implausible story; often told as an excuse
understatement
a statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said
litote
an understatement that expresses an affirmative thought negatively; "printing wasn't a bad idea"
evasion, equivocation
a statement that is not literally false but that cleverly avoids an unpleasant truth
circumlocution, indirect expression
an indirect way of expressing something
doublespeak
any language that pretends to communicate but actually does not
hedge, hedging
an intentionally noncommittal or ambiguous statement
quibble
an evasion of the point of an argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections
weasel word
an equivocal qualification; a word used to avoid making an outright assertion
wisecrack, crack, sally, quip
witty remark
shot, shaft, slam, dig, barb, jibe, gibe
an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect; "his parting shot was `drop dead'"; "she threw shafts of sarcasm"; "she takes a dig at me every chance she gets"
wit, humor, humour, witticism, wittiness
a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
jeu d'esprit
a witty comment or writing
bon mot
a clever remark
sarcasm, irony, satire, caustic remark
witty language used to convey insults or scorn; "he used sarcasm to upset his opponent"; "irony is wasted on the stupid"
repartee
adroitness and cleverness in reply
banter, raillery, give-and-take, backchat
light teasing repartee
badinage
frivolous banter
persiflage
light teasing
joke, gag, laugh, jest, jape, yak, wheeze
a humorous anecdote or remark
punch line, laugh line, gag line, tag line
the point of a joke or humorous story
belly laugh, sidesplitter, howler, thigh-slapper, scream, wow, riot
a joke that seems extremely funny
dirty joke, dirty story, blue joke, blue story
an indelicate joke
ethnic joke
a joke at the expense of some ethnic group
funny story, good story
an account of an amusing incident (usually with a punch line)
one-liner
a one-line joke
shaggy dog story
a long rambling joke whose humor derives from its pointlessness
sick joke
a joke in bad taste
sight gag, visual joke
a joke whose effect is achieved by visual means rather than by speech (as in a movie)
fun, play, sport
verbal wit (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously); "he became a figure of fun"
jocosity, jocularity
fun characterized by humor
waggery, waggishness
waggish behavior
drollery, clowning, comedy, funniness
a comic incident or series of incidents
pun, punning, wordplay
a humorous play on words; "I do it for the pun of it"
ribaldry
ribald humor
approximation
an imprecise or incomplete account; "newspapers gave only an approximation of the actual events"
puzzle, puzzler
a particularly baffling problem; "That's a real puzzler"
riddle, conundrum, enigma, brain-teaser
a difficult problem
poser, stumper, toughie
a particularly difficult or baffling question or problem
Gordian knot
any very difficult problem; insoluble in its own terms
pons asinorum
a problem that severely tests the ability of an inexperienced person
array
an impressive display; "it was a bewildering array of books"; "his tools were in an orderly array on the basement wall"
spectacle
something or someone seen (especially a notable or unusual sight); "the tragic spectacle of cripples trying to escape"
ostentation, fanfare
a showy outward display
bravado, bluster
a swaggering show of courage
exhibitionism
extravagant and conspicuous behavior intended to attract attention to yourself
splurge
an ostentatious display (of effort or extravagance etc.)
pedantry
a ostentatious and inappropriate display of learning
coup de theatre
a highly successful theatrical production
coup de theatre
a sensational bit of stagecraft
bathos
triteness or triviality of style
ecobabble
using the technical language of ecology to make the user seem ecologically aware
eloquence, fluency
powerful and effective language
euphuism
any artificially elegant style of language
Eurobabble
the jargon of European community documents and regulations
gobbledygook
incomprehensible or pompous jargon of specialists
grandiosity, magniloquence, grandiloquence, rhetoric
high_flown style; excessive use of verbal ornamentation
pathos
a style that has the power to evoke feelings
prose
matter_of_fact, commonplace, or dull expression
psychobabble
using language loaded with psychological terminology
rhetoric
using language effectively to please or persuade
archaism, archaicism
the use of an archaic expression
mot juste
the appropriate word or expression
sharp tongue
a bitter or critical manner of speaking
shibboleth
a manner of speaking that is distinctive of a particular group of people
elocution
an expert manner of speaking involving control of voice and gesture
barrage, outpouring, onslaught
the rapid and continuous delivery of linguistic communication (spoken or written)
bombast, fustian, rant, claptrap, blah
pompous or pretentious talk or writing
sesquipedality
using long words
sensationalism, luridness
the journalistic use of subject matter that appeals to vulgar tastes; "the tabloids relied on sensationalism to maintain their circulation"
technobabble
technical jargon from computing and other high-tech subjects
terseness
a neatly short and concise expressive style
conciseness, pithiness, succinctness
terseness achieved by expressing a great deal in just a few words
crispness
a style of expression that is direct and to the point; "the crispness of his reply"
brevity
the use of brief expressions
laconism, laconicism
terseness of expression
verboseness, verbosity
an expressive style that uses excessive words
verbiage
overabundance of words
prolixity, prolixness, long-windedness, wordiness
boring verboseness
circumlocution, periphrasis
a style that involves indirect ways of expressing things
turgidity, turgidness, flatulence
pompously embellished language
repetitiveness, repetitiousness
verboseness resulting from excessive repetitions
pleonasm
using more words than necessary; "a tiny little child"
tautology
useless repetition; "to say that something is `adequate enough' is a tautology"
blasphemy
blasphemous language (expressing disrespect for God or for something sacred)
obscenity, vulgarism
obscene word or phrase
bawdry, bawdy
lewd or obscene talk or writing; " it was smoking-room bawdry" or "they published a collection of Elizabethan bawdy"
scatology
a preoccupation with scatology
curse, curse word, expletive, oath, swearing, swearword, cuss
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
profanity
vulgar or irreverent speech or action
detail
extended treatment of particulars; "the essay contained too much detail"
imbroglio
a very embarrassing misunderstanding
sensationalism
subject matter that is calculated to excite and please vulgar tastes
shocker
a sensational message (in a film or play or novel)
reference point, point of reference, reference
an indicator that orients you generally; "it is used as a reference for comparing the heating and the electrical energy involved"
voice
something suggestive of speech in being a medium of expression; "the wee small voice of conscience"; "the voice of experience"; "he said his voices told him to do it"
avalanche
a sudden appearance of an overwhelming number of things; "the program brought an avalanche of mail"
background
relatively unimportant or inconspicuous accompanying situation: "when the rain came he could hear the sound of thunder in the background"
appalling
an experience that appalls; "is it better to view the appalling or merely hear of it?"
augury, sign
an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come; "he hoped it was an augury"; "it was a sign from God"
war cloud
an ominous sign that war threatens
omen, portent, presage, prognostic
a sign of something about to happen; "he looked for an omen before going into battle"
auspice
a favorable omen
foreboding
an unfavorable omen
death knell
an omen of death or destruction
flash, flashing
a short vivid experience; "a flash of emotion swept over him"; "the flashings of pain were a warning"
ordeal
a severe or trying experience
taste
a brief experience of something; "he got a taste of life on the wild side"; "she enjoyed her brief taste of independence"
time
a person's experience on a particular occasion; "he had a time holding back the tears" or "they had a good time together"
vision
a religious or mystical experience of a supernatural appearance; "he had a vision of the Virgin Mary"
miracle
a marvellous event manifesting a supernatural act of God
trouble
an event causing distress or pain; "what is the trouble?"; "heart trouble"
miracle
any amazing or wonderful occurrence
wonder, marvel
something that causes feelings of wonder; "the wonders of modern science"
feast
something experienced with great delight; "a feast for the eyes"
drama, dramatic event
an episode that is turbulent or highly emotional
fair deal, square deal
fair treatment
raw deal
unfair treatment
poetic justice, just deserts
an outcome in which virtue triumphs over vice (often ironically)
wages, reward, payoff
a recompense for worthy acts or retribution for wrongdoing; "the wages of sin is death"; "virtue is its own reward"
worst
the least favorable outcome; "the worst that could happen"
surprise
a sudden unexpected event
bombshell, thunderbolt, thunderclap
a shocking surprise; "news of the attack came like a bombshell"
coup de theatre
a dramatic surprise
eye opener
something surprising and revealing
shock, blow
an unpleasant or disappointing surprise; "it came as a shock to learn that he was injured"; "it was blow to their hopes of reconciliation"
stunner
an unexpected and amazing event: "the stunner was what happened on Saturday"
misfortune, bad luck
unnecessary and unforeseen trouble
pity, shame
an unfortunate development; "it's a pity he couldn't do it"
affliction
a cause of great suffering and distress
embarrassment
some event that causes someone to be embarrassed; "the outcome of the vote was an embarrassment for the liberals"
disembarrassment
something that extricates you from embarrassment
hell, blaze
a cause of difficulty and suffering; "war is hell"; "go to blazes"
calvary, martyrdom
any experience that causes intense suffering
onslaught
a sudden and severe onset of trouble
scandal, outrage
a disgraceful event
idyll
an episode of such pastoral or romantic charm as to qualify as the subject of a poetic idyll
rupture, breach, break, severance, rift, falling out
a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions); "they hoped to avoid a break in relations"
mishap, misadventure, mischance
an instance of misfortune
calamity, catastrophe, disaster, tragedy, cataclysm
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; "the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity"; "the earthquake was a disaster"
apocalypse
a cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evil
break, good luck, happy chance
an unexpected piece of good luck; "he finally got his big break"
barnburner
(informal) a impressively successful event; "the rock concert was a real barnburner"
Godspeed
a successful journey; "they wished him Godspeed"
anticlimax
a disappointing decline after ad previous rise: "the anticlimax of a brilliant career"
epiphany
a divine manifestation
Word of God
a manifestation of the mind and will of God
doom, doomsday, day of reckoning
an unpleasant or disastrous destiny; "everyone was aware of the approaching doom but was helpless to avoid it"
adversity
a stroke of ill fortune; a calamitous event: "a period marked by adversities"
hardship
something that causes or entails suffering: "I cannot thinking it a hardship that more more indulgence is allowed to men than to women"- James Boswell; "the many hardships of frontier life"
knock
a bad experience; "the school of hard knocks"
easing, moderation, relief
a change for the better
improvement, betterment, advance
a change for the better; progress in development
refinement, elaboration
the result of improving something; "he described a refinement of this technique"
sideshow
a subordinate incident of little importance relative to the main event; "instruction is not an educational sideshow"
flop, bust
a complete failure; "the play was a dismal flop"
turkey, bomb, dud
an event that fails badly or is totally ineffectual; "the first experiment was a real turkey"; "the meeting was a dud as far as new business was concerned"
debacle, fiasco
a sudden and violent collapse
monstrosity
something hideous or frightful; "they regarded the atom bomb as a monstrosity"
adjustment, accommodation, fitting
making or becoming suitable; adjusting to circumstances
fuss, trouble, bother, hassle
an angry disturbance; "he didn't want to make a fuss"; "they had labor trouble"; "a spot of bother"
trial, tribulation, visitation
an annoying or frustrating event; "his mother-in-law's visits were a great trial for him"; "life is full of tribulations"; "a visitation of the plague"
news event
a newsworthy event
juncture, occasion
an event that occurs at a critical time; "at such junctures he always had an impulse to leave"; "it was needed only on special occasions"
pass, head, straits
a difficult juncture; "a pretty pass"; "matters came to a head yesterday"
climax, flood tide
the highest point of anything conceived of as growing or developing or unfolding: "the climax of the artist's career"; "in the flood tide of his success"
conjuncture
a critical combination of events or circumstances
emergency, exigency, pinch
a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action; "he never knew what to do in an emergency"
crisis
a crucial stage or turning point in the course of something; "after the crisis the patient either dies or gets better"
landmark, turning point
an event marking a unique or important historical change or one on which important developments depend
Fall of Man
(Old Testament) in Judeo-Christian mythology--when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden God punished them by driving them out of the Garden and into the world where they would be subject to sickness and pain and eventual death
road to Damascus
a sudden turning point in a person's life (similar to the sudden conversion of the Apostle Paul on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus of arrest Christians)
milestone
a significant event in your life (or in a project)
conservation, preservation
an occurrence of improvement by virtue of preventing loss or injury or other change
recovery
return to an original state; "the recovery of the forest after the fire was surprisingly rapid"
curse, torment
a severe affliction
fire
a severe trial; "he went through fire and damnation"
expense
a detriment or sacrifice; "at the expense of"
damage, harm, impairment
the occurrence of a change for the worse
turn, turn of events, twist
an unforeseen development; "events suddenly took an awkward turn"
development
a recent event that has some relevance for the present situation; "recent developments in Iraq"; "what a revolting development!"
phenomenon
a remarkable development
complication, ramification
a development that complicates a situation; "the court's decision had many unforeseen ramifications"
revolution
a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving; "the industrial revolution was also a cultural revolution"
distortion, deformation
a change for the worse
warp, warping
a moral or mental distortion
rush
a sudden burst of activity; "come back after the rush"; "he joined the gold rush"
springtide
a swelling rush of anything; "he rose on the springtide of prosperity"
whirl, commotion
confused movement; "he was caught up in a whirl of work"; "a commotion of people fought for the exits"
reverse, reversal, setback, blow
an unfortunate happening that hinders of impedes; something that is thwarting or frustrating
boom, bonanza, goldmine, manna from heaven
a sudden happening that brings very good fortune
Fall
the lapse of mankind into sinfulness because of the sin of Adam and Eve; "women have been blamed ever since the Fall"
shipwreck
an irretrievable loss; "that was the shipwreck of their romance"
silver lining, bright side
a consoling aspect of a difficult situation; "every cloud has a silver lining" or "look on the bright side of it"
maleficence
doing or causing evil
ensemble, tout ensemble
an assemblage of parts or details (as in a work of art) considered as forming a whole
amalgam
a combination or blend of diverse things; "his theory is an amalgam of earlier ideas"
overpopulation, overspill
too much population
lunatic fringe
a political unit with extreme and fanatical views
rabble, riffraff, ragtag, ragtag and bobtail
disparaging terms for the common people
smart money
people who are highly experienced or who have inside information; "the smart money said Truman would lose the election"
trash, scum
worthless people
stream, flow, current
dominant course (suggestive of running water) of successive events or ideas: "two streams of development run through American history"; "stream of consciousness"; "the flow of thought"; "the current of history"
ambiance, ambience
the atmosphere of an environment
depth
(usually plural) the deepest and most remote part; "from the depths of darkest Africa"; "signals received from the depths of space"
cloud-cuckoo-land
a place where you say people are when they seem optimistically out of touch with reality
eden, paradise, nirvana, heaven, promised land, Shangri-la
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
stage
any scene regarded as a setting for exhibiting or doing something; "All the world's a stage"--Shakespeare; "it set the stage for peaceful negotiations"
pool, puddle
something resembling a pool of liquid; "he stood in a pool of light"; "his chair sat in a puddle of books and magazines"
vagabond
anything that resembles a vagabond in having no fixed place; "pirate ships were vagabonds of the sea"
wall
anything that suggests a wall in structure or effect; "a wall of water"; "a wall of smoke"; "a wall of prejudice"
anticipation
some early entity whose type or style anticipates a later one; "there were many anticipations of Darwinian theory"; "the hour glass was an anticipation of the clock"
web
an intricate network suggesting something that was formed by weaving or interweaving; "the trees cast a delicate web of shadows over the lawn"
colored person, colored
a US term for Blacks that is now considered offensive
darky, darkie, darkey
offensive term for Black people
boy
offensive term for Black man; "get out of my way boy"
nigger, spade, coon, jigaboo, nigra
ethnic slur; offensive name for Black person
Tom, Uncle Tom
contemptuous name for a Black man who is abjectly servile and deferential to Whites
white trash, poor white trash, poor white
an offensive term for White people who are impoverished
whitey, honky
offensive name for White person
coolie, cooly
an offensive name for an unskilled Asian laborer
yellow man
offensive term for an Oriental man
yellow woman
offensive term for an Oriental woman
gook, slant-eye
a disparaging term for an Asian person (especially for North Vietnamese soldiers in the Vietnam War)
Redskin, Injun, red man
offensive terms for Native Americans
kike
ethnic slur; offensive term for a Jew
chink, Chinaman
offensive terms for a person of Chinese descent
limey, John Bull
a man of English descent
pommy, pom
(Australian and New Zealand) a disparaging term for English immigrants to Australia or New Zealand
frog, Gaul
a person of French descent
Paddy, Mick, Mickey
ethnic slur; a person of Irish descent
wop, dago, Guinea, greaseball
ethnic slur; offensive terms for a person of Italian descent
Jap, Nip
a person of Japanese descent
spic, spik, spick
ethnic slur; offensive terms for persons of Latin American descent
greaser, wetback, taco
ethnic slur; offensive terms for a person of Mexican descent
Kraut, Krauthead, Boche, Jerry, Hun
offensive terms for a person of German descent
asshole, bastard, cocksucker, shit, mother fucker, motherfucker, mother, prick, son of a bitch, SOB
(obscene) insulting terms of address
bag, old bag
an ugly or ill-tempered woman; "he was romancing the old bag for her money"
baggage
a worthless or immoral woman
battle-ax, battle-axe
a sharp-tongued domineering wife
Bolshevik, Marxist, pinko, red
emotionally charged terms used to refer to extreme radicals
bore, dullard
a person who evokes boredom
broad
slang term for a woman; "a broad is a woman who can throw a mean punch"
bull, cop, copper, fuzz, pig
(informal) uncomplimentary terms for a policeman
bully, tough, hooligan, ruffian, roughneck, rowdy, yob, yobo, yobbo
a cruel and brutal fellow
bullyboy
a swaggering tough; usually one acting as an agent of a political faction
bungler, blunderer, fumbler, bumbler, sad sack, botcher, butcher, fuckup
someone who makes mistakes because of incompetence
butch, dyke
a lesbian who is noticeably masculine
butcher
a brutal indiscriminate murderer
cunt, bitch
a woman who is thoroughly disliked; "she said her son thought Hilary was a bitch"
fagot, faggot, fag, fairy, pansy, queer, poof, poove, pouf
a disparaging term for an openly homosexual man
freak, monster, monstrosity, lusus naturae
a person or animal that is markedly unusual or deformed
frump, dog
a dull unattractive unpleasant girl or woman; "she got a reputation as a frump"; "she's a real dog"
fucker
a stupid despised man
gringo
a Latin American (disparaging) term for foreigners (especially Americans and Englishmen)
hag, beldam, beldame, witch, crone
an ugly evil-looking old woman
paynim
a heathen (especially a Muslim)
hillbilly, bushwhacker
a disparaging term for an unsophisticated person
jezebel
a shameless impudent scheming woman
kaffir, kafir, caffer, caffre
(South Africa) an offensive term for any Black African
mammy
an offensive term for a Black nursemaid in the southern U.S.
ideal, paragon, nonpareil, saint, apotheosis, nonesuch, nonsuch
model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
pickaninny, piccaninny, picaninny
(offensive) a Black child
runt, shrimp, peewee, half-pint
disparaging terms for small people
shegetz
an offensive term for non-Jewish young man; "why does she like all those shkotzim?"
shiksa, shikse
a derogatory term used by Jews to refer to non-Jewish women
silly
a word used for misbehaving children; "don't be a silly"
sissy, pantywaist, pansy, milksop, Milquetoast
a timid man or boy considered childish or unassertive
slattern, slut, slovenly woman
a dirty untidy woman
wanton
lewd or lascivious woman
worm, louse, insect, dirt ball
has a nasty or unethical character undeserving of respect
worthy
word is often used humorously
bad luck, mischance, mishap
an unpredictable outcome that is unfortunate; "if I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all"
good luck, fluke, good fortune
a stroke of luck
hot weather, heat wave, hot spell
a period of unusually hot weather
scorcher
an extremely hot day
sultriness
oppressively hot and humid weather
leverage, purchase
the mechanical advantage gained by being in a position to use a lever
rejuvenation, greening
the phenomenon of vitality and freshness being restored; "the annual rejuvenation of the landscape"
overstrain
too much strain
toss-up, even chance
an unpredictable phenomenon; "it's a toss-up whether he will win or lose"
own right
by title vested in oneself or by virtue of qualifications one has achieved; "a peer of the realm in his own right"; "a leading sports figure in his own right"; "a fine opera in its own right"
pile
informal: a large sum of money
song
a very small sum; "he bought it for a song"
travel bargain
a bargain rate for travellers on commercial routes (usually air routes)
easy money, gravy train
income obtained with a minimum of effort
easy money
the economic condition in which credit is easy to secure
tight money
the economic condition in which credit is difficult to secure
windfall profit
profit that occurs unexpectedly as a consequence of some event not controlled by those who profit from it
killing, cleanup
(informal) a very large profit
windfall, gravy, bunce, godsend
a sudden unexpected piece of good fortune
overcompensation
excessive compensation
meed
(archaic) a fitting reward
rack rent
an extortionate rent
fringe benefit, perquisite, perk
an incidental benefit awarded for certain types of employment (especially if it is regarded as a right); "a limousine is one of the fringe benefits of the job"
appanage, apanage
any customary and rightful perquisite appropriate to your station in life
pittance
an inadequate payment; "they work all day for a mere pittance"
retribution, requittal
a justly deserved penalty
undercharge
a price that is too low
overcharge
a price that is too high
extortion
an exorbitant charge
usury
an exorbitant or unlawful rate of interest
loss
something that is lost; "the car was a total loss"; "loss of livestock left the rancher bankrupt"
wastage
anything lost by wear or waste
hot stock, hot issue
newly issued stock that is in great public demand
smart money
money bet or invested by experienced gamblers or investors (especially if they have inside information)
gamble
money that is risked for possible monetary gain
stake, stakes, bet, wager
the money risked on a gamble
wealth, riches
an abundance of material possessions and resources
gold
great wealth; "Whilst that for which all virtue now is sold, and almost every vice--almighty gold"--Ben Jonson
means, substance
considerable capital (wealth or income); "he is a man of means"
pork barrel, pork
a legislative appropriation designed to ingratiate legislators with their constituents
comforts, creature comforts, amenities, conveniences
things that make you comfortable and at ease; "all the comforts of home"
fortune
a large amount of wealth or prosperity
valuable
something of value; "all our valuables were stolen"
swag
(informal) valuable goods
king's ransom
a very large treasure
cheap money
credit available at low rates of interest
shiplaster
paper money of little value issued on insufficient security
small change, chickenfeed
a trifling sum of money
bad debt
a debt that is unlikely to be repaid
malabsorption
abnormal absorption of nutrients from the digestive tract
overactivity
excessive activity; "overactivity of the sebaceous glands causes the skin to become oily"
development, evolution
a process in which something passes by degrees to a more advanced or mature stage; "the development of his ideas took many years"; "the evolution of Greek civilization"; "the slow development of her skill as a writer"
deepening
a process of becoming deeper and more profound
unfolding, flowering
a developmental process; "the flowering of ante-bellum culture"
growth
a progression from simpler to more complex forms; "the growth of culture"
conspicuous consumption
buying expensive services and products in order to flaunt your wealth
wastage
the process of wasting
deterioration, decline in quality, worsening
process of changing to an inferior state
decay
the process of gradually becoming inferior
dilapidation, ruin
the process of becoming dilapidated
vicious circle, vicious cycle
one trouble leads to another that aggravates the first
degeneration
the process of declining from a higher to a lower level of effective power or vitality or essential quality
enough, sufficiency
a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose or satisfy a desire; "enough is as good as a feast"; "there is more than a sufficiency of lawyers in this country"
fill
a quantity sufficient to satisfy; "he ate his fill of potatoes"; " she had heard her fill of gossip"
complement
a complete number or quantity: "a full complement"
bad block
a block (usually one sector) that cannot reliably hold data
overexposure
exposure to too much light or for too long a time
underexposure
exposure to too little light or for too short a time
extremum, peak
the most extreme possible amount or value; "voltage peak"
nothing, nil, nix, nada, aught, cipher, cypher, goose egg, naught, zero, zilch, zip
a quantity of no importance; "it looked like nothing I had ever seen before"; "reduced to nil all the work we had done"; "we racked up a pathetic goose egg"; "it was all for naught"; "I didn't hear zilch about it"
nihil, nil
nothing (as used by a sheriff after an unsuccessful effort to serve a writ: "nihil habet")
bugger all, fuck all
(British slang) little or nothing at all; "I asked for a raise and they gave me bugger-all"
large indefinite quantity, large indefinite amount
an indefinite quantity that is above the average in size or magnitude
region, neighborhood
the approximate amount of something (usually used prepositionally as in `in the region of'); "it was going to take in the region of two or three months to finish the job"; "the price is in the neighborhood of $100"
small indefinite quantity, small indefinite amount
an indefinite quantity that is below average size or magnitude
dab, splash, splatter
a small quantity of something moist or soft; "a dab of paint"; "a splatter of mud"
spot, bit
(British) a small quantity; "a spot of tea"; "a bit of paper"
few
an indefinite but relatively small number; "they bought a case of beer and drank a few"
hair's-breadth, hairbreadth, hair
a very small distance or space; "they escaped by a hair's-breadth"; "they lost by a hair"
modicum
a small or moderate or token amount: "England still expects a modicum of eccentricity in its artists"- Ian Jack
scattering, sprinkling
a small number dispersed haphazardly: "the first scatterings of green"
shoestring, shoe string
a small amount of money; "he managed it on a shoestring"
nose
a small distance; "my horse lost the race by a nose"
step
a short distance; "it's only a step to the drugstore"
little
a small amount or duration; "he accepted the little they gave him"
minimum, lower limit
the smallest possible quantity
morsel
a small quantity of anything; "a morsel of paper was all he needed"
handful, smattering
a small number or amount; "only a handful of responses were received"
couple
a small indefinite number; "he's coming for a couple of days"
drop, driblet
a small quantity of liquid; "one drop of each sample was analyzed"; "any child with a drop of negro blood was legally a negro"
droplet
a tiny drop
dollop
a small measure (usually of food)
dreg
a small amount of residue
nip, shot
a small drink of liquor; "he poured a shot of whiskey"
trace, hint, suggestion
a just detectable amount; "he speaks French with a trace of an accent"
spark
a small but noticeable trace of some quality that might become stronger; "a spark of interest"; "a spark of decency"
shred, scintilla, whit, iota, tittle, smidgen, smidgeon, smidgin, smidge
a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
touch, hint, mite, pinch, jot, speck, soupcon
a small but appreciable amount; "this dish could use a touch of garlic"
barrels
the amount that many barrels might hold
batch, deal, flock, good deal, great deal, hatful, heap, lot, mass, mess, mickle, mint, muckle, peck, pile, plenty, pot, quite a little, raft, sight, slew, spate, stack, tidy sum, wad, whole lot, whole slew
(often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent: "a batch of letters"; "a deal of trouble"; "a lot of money"; "it must have cost plenty"
battalion, large number, multitude, pack
a large indefinite number; "a battalion of ants"; "a multitude of TV antennas"
billyo, billyoh, billy-ho, all get out
an unimaginably large amount; British say "it rained like billyo" where Americans say "it rained like all get out"
flood, deluge, torrent
an overwhelming number or amount; "a flood of requests"; "a torrent of abuse"
mile
a large distance; "he missed by a mile"
millions, billions, trillions, zillions, jillions
a very large indefinite number (usually hyperbole)
much
a great amount or extent; "they did much for humanity"
myriad
a large indefinite number; "he faced a myriad of details"
reservoir
a large or extra supply of something: "a reservoir of talent"
ocean, sea
anything apparently limitless in quantity or volume
ream
a large quantity of written matter; "he wrote reams and reams"
small fortune
a large sum of money; "he made a small fortune in the commodities market"
tons, dozens, heaps, lots, piles, scores, stacks, loads, rafts, slews, wads, oodles, gobs, scads, lashings
a large number or amount; "made lots of new friends"
room, way, elbow room
space for movement; "room to pass"; "make way for": "hardly enough elbow room to turn around"
breathing room, breathing space
sufficient room for easy breathing or movement: "moved to the country to find breathing room"
foundation
the basis on which something is grounded; "there is little foundation for his objections"
footing, basis, ground
a relation that provides the foundation for something; "they were on a friendly footing" or "he worked on an interim basis"
common ground
a basis agreed to by all parties for reaching a mutual understanding
grass roots
the essential foundation or source; "the problem was attacked at the grass roots"
bridge
something resembling a bridge in form or function: "his letters provided a bridge across the centuries"
point
a style in speech or writing that arrests attention and has a penetrating or convincing quality or effect
detail, particular, item
a small part that can be considered separately from the whole; "it was perfect in all details"
highlight, high spot
the most interesting or memorable part; "the highlight of the tour was our visit to the Vatican"
scale
relative magnitude; "they entertained on a grand scale"
commensurateness, correspondence, proportionateness
the relation of correspondence in degree or size or amount
reverse, contrary, opposite
a relation of direct opposition; "we thought Sue was older than Bill but just the reverse was true"
inverse, opposite
something inverted in sequence or character or effect; "when the direct approach failed he tried the inverse"
balance, equilibrium, equipoise, counterbalance
equality of distribution
symmetry, proportion
balance among the parts of something
disproportion
lack of proportion; imbalance among the parts of something
medium
a state that is intermediate between extremes; a middle position; "a happy medium"
niche
a position particularly well suited to the person who occupies it; "he found his niche in the academic world"
soup
(informal) an unfortunate situation; "we're in the soup now"
utopia
ideally perfect state; especially in its social and political and moral aspects
dystopia
state in which the condition of life is extremely bad as from deprivation or oppression or terror
acceptance
the state of being acceptable and accepted; "torn jeans received no acceptance at the country club"
challenge
a demanding or stimulating situation; "they reacted irrationally to the challenge of Russian power"
complication
a situation or condition that is complex or confused: "her coming was a serious complication"
crisis
an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty; "they went bankrupt during the economic crisis"
disequilibrium
an unstable situation in which some forces outweigh others
element
the situation in which you are happiest and most effective; "in your element"
environment
the totality of surrounding conditions; "he longed for the comfortable environment of his livingroom"
equilibrium
a stable situation in which forces cancel one another
exclusion
the state of being excluded
hotbed
a situation that is ideal for rapid development (especially of something bad); "it was a hotbed of vice"
hot potato
a difficult situation; "he dropped the topic like a hot potato"
how-do-you-do, how-d'ye-do
an awkward situation; "that's a fine how-d'ye-do"
imbroglio, embroilment
an intricate and confusing interpersonal or political situation
inclusion
the state of being included
nightmare, incubus
a situation resembling a terrifying dream
pass, strait, straits
a bad or difficult situation or state of affairs
prison, prison house
a prisonlike situation; a place of seeming confinement
purgatory
a temporary condition of torment or suffering: "a purgatory of drug abuse"
rejection
the state of being rejected
swamp
a situation fraught with difficulties and imponderables; "he was trapped in a medical swamp"
nature, wild, natural state, state of nature
a wild primitive state untouched by civilization; "he lived in the wild"; "they tried to preserve nature as they found it"
way
the condition of things generally; "that's the way it is" or "I felt the same way"
acme, height, elevation, peak, pinnacle, summit, superlative, top
the highest level or degree attainable: "his landscapes were deemed the acme of beauty"; "the artist's gifts are at their acme"; "at the height of her career"; "the peak of perfection"; "summer was at its peak"; "...catapulted Einstein to the pinnacle of fame"; "the summit of his ambition"; "so many highest superlatives achieved by man"; "at the top of his profession"
plane
a level of existence or development; "he lived on a worldly plane"
ordinary
the expected or commonplace condition or situation: "not out of the ordinary"
event, case
a special set of circumstances; "in that event, the first possibility is excluded"; "it may rain in which case the picnic will be canceled"
hinge
a circumstance upon which subsequent events depend; "his absence is the hinge of our plan"
thing
a special situation; "this thing has got to end"; "it is a remarkable thing"
tinderbox
a dangerous state of affairs; a situation that is a potential source of violence; "the Balkans are the tinderbox of Europe"
crowding
a situation in which people or things are crowded together; "he didn't like the crowding on the beach"
congestion, over-crowding
excessive crowding; "traffic congestion"
place, station
proper or designated social situation: "he overstepped his place"; "the responsibilities of a man in his station"; "married above her station"
place
proper or appropriate position or location; "a woman's place is no longer in the kitchen"
quality
high social status; "a man of quality"
high status
of superior status
stardom
the status of being acknowledged as a star: "stardom meant nothing to her"
championship, title
the status of being a champion; "he held the title for two years"
precedence, precedency, priority
status established in order of importance or urgency: "...its precedence as the world's leading manufacturer of pharmaceuticals"; "national independence takes priority over class struggle"
transcendence, transcendency, superiority
the state of excelling or surpassing or going beyond usual limits
low status
of inferior status
inferiority, lower status, lower rank
the state of being inferior
subordinateness, subsidiarity
secondary importance
backseat
a secondary or inferior position or status: "tennis has had to take a backseat while his work is so demanding"
handmaid, handmaiden, servant
in a subordinate position; "theology should be the handmaiden of ethics"; "the state cannot be a servant of the church"
junior status
in a junior position
second fiddle
in a secondary position
subservience, subservientness
in a subservient state
cloud
out of touch with reality; "his head was in the clouds"
life
a characteristic state or mode of living; "social life"; "city life"; "real life"
transcendence, transcendency
a state of being or existence above and beyond the limits of material experience
misalliance
an unsuitable marriage
mesalliance
a marriage with a person of inferior social status
tranquillity, quiet
an untroubled state; free from disturbances
harmony, concord, concordance
a harmonious state; congruity of parts with one another and with the whole
peace
harmonious relations; freedom from disputes; "the roommates lived in peace together"
comity
a state or atmosphere of harmony or mutual civility and respect
comity of nations
courteous respect by one nation for the laws and institutions of another
stability
a stable order
peace
the state prevailing during the absence of war
amity
a state of friendship and cordiality
peaceableness, peacefulness
a state that is calm and tranquil
disorder
a disturbance of the peace or of public order
anarchy, lawlessness
a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government)
instability
an unstable order
confusion
disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably; "the army retreated in confusion"
demoralization
a state of disorder and confusion; "his inconsistency resulted in the demoralization of his staff"
babel
a confusion of voices and other sounds
bluster
noisy confusion and turbulence; "he was awakened by the bluster of their preparations"
chaos, pandemonium, bedlam, topsy-turvydom, topsy-turvyness
a state of extreme confusion and disorder
balagan
a word for chaos or fiasco borrowed from modern Hebrew (where it is a loan word from Russian); "it was utter and complete balagan!"
hugger-mugger, mumbo jumbo
a state of confusion; ritual accompanied by complicated and purposeless activity that obscures and confuses; "he engaged in the hugger-mugger of international finance"
rioting, riot
a state of disorder involving group violence
rowdiness, rowdyism, roughness, disorderliness
rowdy behavior
disturbance, disruption, commotion, turmoil, stir, hurly burly, to-do
a disorderly outburst or tumult; "they were amazed by the furious disturbance they had caused"
incident
a public disturbance: "the police investigated an incident at the bus station"
storm, tempest
a violent commotion or disturbance; "the storms that had characterized their relationship had died away"; "it was only a tempest in a teapot"
storm center, storm centre
a center of trouble or disturbance
tumult, tumultuousness, uproar, garboil
a state of commotion and loud confused noise
discord, strife
lack of agreement or harmony
turbulence, upheaval, Sturm und Drang
a state of violent disturbance and disorder (as in politics or social conditions generally); "the industrial revolution was a period of great turbulence"
agitation, ferment, fermentation, unrest
a state of agitation or turbulent change or development: "the political ferment produced a new leadership"; "social unrest"
violence
a turbulent state resulting in injuries and destruction etc.
rage
violent state of the elements: "the sea hurled itself in thundering rage against the rocks"
hostility, enmity, antagonism
a state of deep-seated ill-will
latent hostility, tension
feelings of hostility that are not manifest; "he could sense her latent hostility to him"; "the diplomats' first concern was to reduce international tensions"
disagreement, dissension
a conflict of people's opinions or actions or characters
disunity
lack of unity (usually resulting from dissension)
suspicion
the state of being suspected; "he tried to shield me from suspicion"
cloud
suspicion affecting your reputation; "after that mistake he was under a cloud"
clear
the state of being free of suspicion: "investigation showed that he was in the clear"
poetic license
license used by a writer or artist to heighten the effect of their work
license
excessive freedom; lack of due restraint: "when liberty becomes license dictatorship is near"- Will Durant; "the intolerable license with which the newspapers break...the rules of decorum"- Edmund Burke
cage
something that restricts freedom as a cage restricts movement
iron cage
a cage from which there is no escape
dependence, dependance, dependency
lack of independence or self-sufficiency
helplessness
the state of needing help from something
reliance
the state of relying on something
subordination
the state of being subordinate to something
contingency
the state of being contingent on something
polarization
the condition of having or giving polarity
tension
a balance between and interplay of opposing elements or tendencies (especially in art or literature); "there is a tension created between narrative time and movie time"; "there is a tension between these approaches to understanding history"
dead letter, non-issue
the state of something that has outlived its relevance
play
a state in which action is feasible; "the ball was still in play"; "insiders said the company's stock was in play"
busyness
the state of being or appearing to be actively engaged in an activity: "they manifested all the busyness of a pack of beavers"
swing
a state of steady vigorous action that is characteristic of an activity; "the party went with a swing"; "it took time to get into the swing of things"
stagnation, stagnancy, doldrums
a state of inactivity (in business or art etc); "economic growth of less than 1% per year is considered to be economic stagnation"
deadlock, impasse, stalemate, standstill
a situation in which no progress can be made: "reached an impasse on the negotiations"
logjam
any stoppage attributable to unusual activity; "the legislation ran into a logjam"
frazzle
(informal) a state of extreme exhaustion; "he was worn to a frazzle"
emergency
a state in which martial law applies; "the governor declared a state of emergency"
clutch
a tense critical situation; "he is a good man in the clutch"
exigency
a pressing or urgent situation: "the health-care exigency"
juncture, critical point, crossroads
a crisis situation or point in time when a critical decision must be made; "at that juncture he had no idea what to do"; "he must be made to realize that the company stands at a critical point"
desperate straits, dire straits
a state of extreme distress
criticality
a critical state; especially the point at which a nuclear reaction is self-sustaining
flash point
point at which something is ready to blow up
trouble
an unwanted pregnancy; "he got several girls in trouble"
good health, healthiness
the state of being vigorous and free from bodily or mental disease
wholeness, haleness
a state of robust good health
energy, vim, vitality
a healthy capacity for vigorous activity; "jogging works off my excess energy"; "he seemed full of vim and vigor"
bloom, blush, flush, rosiness
a rosy color (especially in the cheeks) taken as a sign of good health
freshness, glow
an alert and refreshed state
radiance
an attractive combination of good health and happiness; "the radiance of her countenance"
craziness, daftness, flakiness
informal terms for insanity
difficulty
a situation or condition almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome: "grappling with financial difficulties"
bitch
(slang) an unpleasant difficulty; "this problem is a real bitch"
predicament, quandary, plight
a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one: "finds himself in a most awkward predicament"; "the woeful plight of homeless people"
corner, box
a predicament from which a skillful or graceful escape is impossible; "his lying got him into a tight corner"
rattrap
a difficult entangling situation
pinch
a painful or straitened circumstance: "the pinch of the recession"
fix, hole, jam, mess, muddle, pickle, kettle of fish
informal terms for a difficult situation; "he got into a terrible fix"; "he made a muddle of his marriage"
hard time
a difficulty that can be overcome with effort; "we had a hard time getting here"
stress, strain
a state of extreme difficulty: "he presided over the economy during the period of the greatest stress and danger"- R.J.Samuelson
problem, job
a state of difficulty that needs to be resolved; "she and her husband are having problems"; "it is always a job to contact him"; "urban problems such as traffic congestion and smog"
race problem
a social and political problem caused by conflict between races occupying the same or adjacent regions
balance-of-payments problem
an economic problem caused by payments for imports being greater than receipts for exports
currency, vogue
a current state of general acceptance and use
recognition, acknowledgment, acknowledgement
the state or quality of being recognized or acknowledged
incoherence, incoherency
lack of cohesion or clarity or organization
disjointedness
lacking order or coherence
marriage
a close and intimate union; "the marriage of music and dance"; "a marriage of ideas"
improvement
a condition superior to an earlier condition: "the new school represents a great improvement"
decline
a condition inferior to an earlier condition
betterment
an improvement that adds to the value of a property or facility
development
a state in which things are improving; the result of developing; "after he saw the latest development he changed his mind and became a supporter"; "in chess your should take care of your development before moving your queen"
underdevelopment
state of inadequate development: "much poverty can be traced to the underdevelopment of industry"
neglect, disuse
the state of something that has been unused and neglected; "the house was in a terrible state of neglect"
omission
something that has been omitted; "she searched the table for omissions"
twilight
a condition of decline following successes; "in the twilight of the empire"
wreck
something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation; "the house was a wreck when they bought it"; "thanks to that quack I am a human wreck"
renovation, restoration
the state of being restored to its former good condition; "the inn was a renovation of a Colonial house"
callowness, jejuneness, juvenility
lacking and evidencing lack of experience of life
embrace
the state of taking in or encircling; "an island in the embrace of the sea"
encompassment
including entirely
dignity
high office or rank or station: "he respected the dignity of the emissaries"
pedestal
a position of great esteem (and supposed superiority); "they put him on a pedestal"
ennoblement
the state of being noble
prominence
the state of being prominent: widely known or eminent
limelight, spotlight, public eye
a focus of public attention; "he enjoyed being in the limelight"
salience, saliency, strikingness
the state of being salient
conspicuousness, visibility
the state of being conspicuous
importance, grandness
a prominent status; "a person of importance"
emphasis, accent
special importance or significance; "the red light gave the central figure increased emphasis"; "the room was decorated in shades of gray with distinctive red accents"
stress, focus
special emphasis attached to something; "the stress was more on accuracy than on speed"
primacy
the state of being first in importance
eminence, distinction, preeminence, note
high status importance owing to marked superiority; "a scholar of great eminence"
prestige, prestigiousness
a high standing achieved through success or influence or wealth etc.; "he wanted to achieve power and prestige"
obscurity
an obscure and unimportant standing; not well known; "he worked in obscurity for many years"
anonymity, namelessness
the state of being anonymous
humbleness, unimportance, obscureness
the state of being humble and unimportant
nowhere
an insignificant place; "he came out of nowhere"
oblivion, limbo
the state of being disregarded or forgotten
honor, honour, laurels
the state of being honored
glory, glorification
a state of high honor; "he valued glory above life itself"
fame, celebrity, renown
the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed
esteem, regard, respect
the condition of being honored (esteemed or respected or well regarded); "it is held in esteem"; "a man who has earned high regard"
disesteem
the state in which esteem has been lost
stature
high level of respect gained by impressive development or achievement: "a man of great stature"
repute, reputation
the state of being held in high esteem and honor
stock
the reputation and popularity a person has; "his stock was so high he could have been elected mayor"
character
good repute; "he is a man of character"
name
a person's reputation; "he wanted to protect his good name"
fame
favorable public reputation
infamy
evil fame or public reputation
notoriety, ill fame
the state of being known for some unfavorable act or quality
reputation
notoriety for some particular characteristic; "his reputation for promiscuity"
dishonor, dishonour
a state of shame or disgrace; "he was resigned to a life of dishonor"
disrepute, discredit
the state of being held in low esteem; "your actions will bring discredit to your name"; "because of the scandal the school has fallen into disrepute"
corruptness
the state of being corrupt
shame, disgrace, ignominy
a state of dishonor; "one mistake brought shame to all his family"; "suffered the ignominy of being sent to prison"
humiliation
state of disgrace or loss of self-respect
abasement, degradation, abjection
a low or downcast state: "each confesson brought her into an attitude of abasement"- H.L.Menchken
degeneracy, degeneration
the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities
depth
(usually plural) a low moral state; "he had sunk to the depths of addiction"
infamy, opprobrium
a state of extreme dishonor: "a date which will live in infamy"- F.D.Roosevelt; "the name was a by-word of scorn and approbrium throughout the city"
obloquy, opprobrium
the state of disgrace resulting from public abuse
reproach
disgrace or shame; "he brought reproach upon his family"
dominance, ascendance, ascendence, ascendancy, ascendency, control
the state that exists when one person or group has power over another; "her apparent dominance of her husband was really her attempt to make him pay attention to her"
ascendant, ascendent
position or state of being dominant or in control: "that idea was in the ascendant"
domination, mastery, supremacy
power to dominate or defeat; "mastery of the seas"
predominance, predomination
the state of being predominant over others
paramountcy
the state of being paramount; the highest rank or authority
absolutism, tyranny, despotism
dominance through threat of punishment and violence
monopoly
exclusive control or possession of something; "They have no monopoly on intelligence"
bane, curse, scourge, nemesis
something causes misery or death; "the bane of my life"
convenience
the state of being suitable or opportune; "chairs arranged for his own convenience"
fool's paradise
an illusory state of well-being
ill-being
lack of prosperity or happiness or health
misery, wretchedness
a state of ill-being due to affliction or misfortune; "the misery and wretchedness of those slums is intolerable"
living death
a state of constant misery
suffering, woe
misery resulting from affliction
anguish
extreme distress of body or mind
dearth, famine, shortage
a severe shortage (especially a shortage of food)
stringency, tightness
a state occasioned by scarcity of money and a shortage of credit
urgency
the state of being urgent; an earnest and insistent necessity
hurry, haste
a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry; "in a hurry to lock the door"
imperativeness, insistence, insistency, press, pressure
the state of urgently demanding notice or attention; "the press of business matters"
criticality, criticalness, cruciality
a state of critical urgency
repletion, satiety, satiation
the state of being satisfactorily full and unable to take on more
surfeit, excess, overabundance
the state of being more than full
infestation
the state of being overrun in unpleasantly large numbers (as by parasites)
grace, state of grace
a state of sanctification by God
damnation, eternal damnation
the state of being condemned to eternal punishment in Hell
fire and brimstone
(Old Testament) God's means of destroying sinners; "his sermons were full of fire and brimstone"
perfection, flawlessness, ne plus ultra
the state of being without a flaw or defect
dream
someone of something wonderful; "this dessert is a dream"
polish, refinement
a highly developed state; "they performed with great polish"
fare-thee-well
state of perfection; the utmost degree; "they polished the furniture to a fare-thee-well"
intactness
the state of being unimpaired
integrity, unity, wholeness
an unreduced or unbroken completeness or totality
completeness
the state of being complete and entire; having everything that is needed
entirety, entireness, totality
the state of being total: "appalled by the totality of the destruction"
comprehensiveness, fullness
completeness over a broad scope
wholeheartedness
undivided purpose or will or enthusiasm
whole shebang, whole kit and caboodle, kit and caboodle, whole kit and boodle, kit and boodle, whole kit, whole caboodle, whole works, works, full treatment
everything available; usually preceded by `the'; "we saw the whole shebang"; "a hotdog with the works"; "we took on the whole caboodle"; "for $10 you get the full treatment"
incompleteness
the state of being incomplete and imperfect
sketchiness
incompleteness of details
imperfection, imperfectness
the state or an instance of being imperfect
failing, weakness
a flaw or weak point; "he was quick to point out his wife's failings"
tragic flaw
a failing in the character of a tragic hero that leads to his downfall
insufficiency, inadequacy
a lack of competence; "pointed out the insufficiencies in my report"; "juvenile offenses often reflect an inadequacy in the parents"
hole
a fault; "he shot holes in my argument"
defectiveness, faultiness
the state of being defective
bugginess
the state of having bugs
crudeness, crudity, primitiveness, primitivism, rudeness
a natural or unrefined state
fortune, destiny, fate, luck, lot, circumstances, portion
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you): "whatever my fortune may be"; "deserved a better fate"; "has a happy lot"; "the luck of the Irish"; "a victim of circumstances"; "success that was her portion"
good fortune, good luck
a auspicious state resulting from favorable outcomes
providence
a manifestation of God's foresightful care for His creatures
prosperity, successfulness
the condition of prospering; having good fortune
blessing, boon
a desirable state; "enjoy the blessings of peace"; "a spanking breeze is a boon to sailors"
mercy
something for which to be thankful; "it was a mercy we got out alive"
strength
the condition of financial success; "the strength of the company's stock in recent weeks"
weakness
the condition of being financially weak; "the weakness of the dollar against the yen"
success
a state of prosperity or fame; "he is enjoying great success"; "he does not consider wealth synonymous with success"
big time
the highest level of an occupation (especially in entertainment)
pay dirt
a profitable success; "the inventor worked for years before hitting pay dirt"
misfortune, bad luck, ill luck
an unfortunate state resulting from unfavorable outcomes
adversity, hardship
a state of misfortune or affliction: "debt-ridden farmers struggling with adversity"; "a life of hardship"
catastrophe, disaster
a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune; "lack of funds has resulted in a catastrophe for our school system"; "his policies were a disaster"
extremity
an extreme condition or state (especially of adversity or disease)
bitter end
the final extremity (however unpleasant it may be); "he was determined to fight to the bitter end"
trouble, ill, distress
a state of adversity (danger or affliction or need); "in trouble with the police"; "he wanted to cure the ills of all mankind"; "she was the classic maiden in distress"
throe
hard or painful trouble or struggle: "a country in the throes of economic collapse"
affliction
a state of great suffering and distress due to adversity
cross, crown of thorns
any affliction that causes great suffering; "that is his cross to bear"; "he bears his afflictions like a crown of thorns"
failure
lack of success
bankruptcy
a state of complete lack of some abstract property; "spiritual bankruptcy"; "moral bankruptcy"; "intellectual bankruptcy"
conceivableness, conceivability
the state of being conceivable
achievability, attainability, attainableness
the state of being achievable
inconceivability, inconceivableness
the state of being impossible to conceive
unattainableness
the state of being unattainable
opportunity, chance
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances; "the holiday gave us the opportunity to visit Washington"; "now is your chance"
day
a period of opportunity; "he deserves his day in court"; "every dog has his day"
fresh start, clean slate, tabula rasa
an opportunity to start over without prejudice
hunting ground
a place where opportunities abound
room
opportunity for; "room for improvement"
say
the chance to speak; "let him have his say"
shot, crack
(informal) a chance to do something; "he wanted a shot at the champion"
street
(informal) a situation offering opportunities; "he worked both sides of the street"; "cooperation is a two-way street"
throw
(informal) a single chance or instance; "he couldn't afford $50 a throw"
despair, desperation
a state in which everything seems wrong and will turn out badly; "they were rescued from despair at the last minute"
nadir, low-water mark
an extreme state of adversity; the lowest point of anything
purity, pureness
being undiluted or unmixed with extraneous material
plainness
the state of being unmixed with other material; "the plainess of vanilla ice cream"
impurity, impureness
the condition of being impure
adulteration, debasement
being mixed with extraneous material
admixture, alloy
the state of impairing the quality or reducing the value of something
contamination, taint
the state of being contaminated
dust contamination
state of being contaminated with dust
dirtiness
the state of containing dirty impurities
putridity
the state of being putrid
credit crunch, liquidity crisis
a state in which there is a short supply of cash to lend to businesses and consumers
depression, slump, economic crisis
a long-term economic state characterized by unemployment and low prices and low levels of trade and investment
full employment
the economic condition when everyone who wishes to work at the going wage-rate for their type of labor is employed
prosperity
an economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment
boom
a state of economic prosperity
wealth, wealthiness
the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money: "great wealth is not a sign of great intelligence"
affluence, richness
abundant wealth
ease, comfort
a freedom from financial difficulty that promotes a comfortable state: "a life of luxury and ease"; "he had all the material comforts of this world"
luxury, luxuriousness, opulence, sumptuousness
wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living
mammon
wealth regarded as an evil influence
silver spoon
inherited wealth; "he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth"
poverty, poorness, impoverishment
the state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions
privation, want, deprivation
a state of extreme poverty
destitution
a state without friends or money or prospects
indigence, need, penury, pauperism
a state of extreme poverty or destitution; "their indigence appalled him"; "a general state of need exists among the homeless"
sanitariness
the state of being conducive to health
hygiene
a condition promoting sanitary practices; "personal hygiene"
sanitation
the state of being clean and conducive to health
unsanitariness
a state that is not conducive to health
filth, filthiness, foulness, nastiness
a state characterized by foul or disgusting dirt and refuse
dunghill
a foul or degraded condition
tilth
the state of aggregation of soil and its condition for supporting plant growth
cleanness
the state of being clean; without dirt or other impurities
cleanliness
the habit of keeping free of superficial imperfections
spotlessness, immaculateness
the state of being spotlessly clean
orderliness, order
a condition of regular or proper arrangement: "he put his desk in order"; "put the chessmen in order"
spit and polish
careful attention to order and appearance (as in the military)
tidiness
the habit of being tidy
neatness, spruceness
the state of being neat and smart and trim
trim, trimness
a state of arrangement or appearance: "in good trim"
shambles
a condition of great disorder
dirtiness, uncleanness
the state of being unsanitary
dirt, filth, grime, soil, stain, grease
the state of being covered with unclean things
befoulment, defilement, pollution
the state of being polluted
griminess, grubbiness
the state of being grimy
sordidness, squalor, squalidness
sordid dirtiness
dinginess
discoloration due to dirtiness
smuttiness, sootiness
the state of being dirty with soot
uncleanliness
the habit of neglecting cleanliness
disorderliness, disorder
a condition in which things are not in their expected places: "the files are in complete disorder"
untidiness
the condition of being untidy
sloppiness, slovenliness, unkemptness
untidiness in personal appearance
shagginess
unkemptness of hair
mess, messiness, muss, mussiness
a state of confusion and disorderliness; "the house was a mess"; "she smoothed the mussiness of the bed"
disorganization, disarrangement
a condition in which an orderly system has been disrupted
clutter, jumble, muddle, mare's nest, welter, smother
a confused multitude of things
rummage
a jumble of things to be given away
commonness, expectedness
the state of being commonly observed
typicality
the state of being that is typical
deflection, warp
a twist or aberration; especially a perverse or abnormal way of judging or acting
home
an environment offering affection and security; "home is where the heart is"; "he grew up in a good Christian home"; "there's no place like home"
sphere, domain, area, orbit, field, arena
a particular environment or walk of life; "his social sphere is limited"; "it was a closed area of employment"; "he's out of my orbit"
distaff
the sphere of work by women
front
a sphere of activity involving effort; "the Japanese were active last week on the diplomatic front"; "they advertise on many different fronts"
kingdom, land, realm
a domain in which something is dominant; "the untroubled kingdom of reason"; "a land of make-believe"; "the rise of the realm of cotton in the south"
lap
an area of control or responsibility; "the job fell right in my lap"
political arena, political sphere
a sphere of intense political activity
preserve
a domain that seems to be specially reserved for someone; "medicine is no longer a male preserve"
province, responsibility
the proper sphere or extent of your activities; "it was his province to take care of himself"
showcase, show window
a setting in which something can be displayed to best effect; "it was a showcase for democracy in Africa"
street
the streets of a city viewed as a depressed environment in which there is poverty and crime and prostitution and dereliction; "she tried to keep her children off the street"
good weather
weather suitable for outdoor activities
calmness
an absence of strong winds or rain
mildness, clemency
good weather with comfortable temperatures
stillness, windlessness
calmness without winds
lull, quiet
a period of calm weather; "there was a lull in the storm"
bad weather, inclemency, inclementness
weather unsuitable for outdoor activities
raw weather
unpleasantly cold and damp weather
storminess
the state of being stormy; "he dreaded the storminess of the North Atlantic in winter"
boisterousness
a turbulent and stormy state of the sea
breeziness, windiness
a mildly windy state of the air
tempestuousness
a state of wild storminess
choppiness, roughness, rough water
used of the sea
genius loci
the special atmosphere of a place
gloom, gloominess, glumness
an atmosphere of depression and melancholy; "gloom pervaded the office"
bleakness, desolation
a bleak and desolate atmosphere
miasma
an unwholesome atmosphere; "the novel spun a miasma of death and decay"
spirit, tone, feel, feeling, flavor, look, smell
the general atmosphere of a place or situation; "the feel of the city excited him"; "a clergyman improved the tone of the meeting"; "it had the smell of treason"
vibes, vibrations
a distinctive emotional atmosphere; sensed intuitively; "the place gives me bad vibes"
suggestibility
susceptibility or responsiveness to suggestion
drought
a temporary shortage of rainfall
safety
the state of being safe; "the safety of the children"
risklessness
safety as a consequence of entailing no risk
security
the state of being free from danger or injury; "we support the armed services in the name of national security"
peace, public security
the general security of public places; "he was arrested for disturbing the peace"
secureness
the state of being secure
protection, shelter
the condition of being protected; "they were huddled together for protection"; "he enjoyed a sense of peace and protection in his new home"
clear and present danger
a standard for judging when freedom of speech can be abridged; "no one has a right to shout `fire' in a crowded theather when there is no fire because such an action would pose a clear and present danger to public safety"
hazardousness, perilousness
the state of being dangerous
insecurity
the state of being subject to danger or injury
hazard, jeopardy, peril, risk
a source of danger; "drinking alcohol is a health hazard"
powder keg
a potentially explosive state
menace, threat
something that is a source of danger; "earthquakes are a constant threat in Japan"
yellow peril
the threat to Western civilization said to arise from the power of Asiatic peoples
riskiness, peril
a state of danger involving risk
speculativeness
financial risk
insecureness
the state of being insecure
fitness, physical fitness, good shape, good condition
good physical condition; being in shape or in condition
fettle
a state of fitness and good health; "in fine fettle"
soundness
a state or condition free from damage or decay
seaworthiness, fitness
fitness to traverse the seas
airworthiness
fitness to fly: "the plane received a certificate of airworthiness"
unfitness, poor shape, bad condition
poor physical condition; being out of shape or out of condition
blight
a state or condition being blighted
iniquity, wickedness, darkness, dark
absence of moral or spiritual values; "the powers of darkness"
light, illumination
a condition of spiritual awareness; divine illumination; "follow God's light"
malady
any unwholesome or desperate condition; "what maladies afflict our nation?"
wall
a difficult or awkward situation; "his back was to the wall"; "competition was pushing them to the wall"
philosopher's stone
a hypothetical substance that the alchemists believed to be capable of changing other metals into gold
impurity, dross
worthless material that should be removed; "there were impurities in the water"
atom, molecule, particle, mote, speck
(nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
waste, waste material, waste matter, waste product
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted; "they collect the waste once a week"; "much of the waste material is carried off in the sewers"
rubbish, trash
worthless material that is discarded
snake oil
any of various liquids sold as medicine (as by a travelling medicine show) but medically worthless
soup
(informal) any composition having a consistency suggestive of soup
bygone
past events to be put aside; "let bygones be bygones"
dead
a time when coldness (or some other quality associated with death) is intense; "the dead of winter"
hard times
a time of difficulty
longueur
a period of dullness or boredom (especially in a work of literature or performing art)
field day
a time of unusual pleasure and success
bloom, bloom of youth
the best time of youth
prime, prime of life
the time of maturity when power and vigor are greatest
night
a period of ignorance or backwardness or gloom
small hours
the hours just after midnight
day of reckoning
day when the consequences of misdeeds are felt
off-day
a day when things go poorly; "I guess this is one of my off-days"
hour
a special and memorable period; "it was their finest hour"
silly season
a time usually late summer characterized by exaggerated news stories about frivolous matters for want of real news
long time, age, years
a prolonged period of time; "we've known each other for ages"; "I haven't been there for years and years"
long
a comparatively long time; "this won't take long"; "they haven't been gone long"
month of Sundays
(informal) a time perceived as long; "I hadn't seen him in a month of Sundays"
long run, long haul
a period of time sufficient for factors to work themselves out; "in the long run we will win" or "he performed well over the long haul"
eon, aeon
an immeasurably long period of time
blue moon
(informal) a long time; "something that happens once in blue moon almost never happens"
drought
a prolonged shortage
time
a suitable moment; "it is time to go"
high time
the latest possible moment; "it is high time you went to work"
psychological moment
the most appropriate time for achieving a desired effect
blink of an eye, flash, instant, jiffy, split second, trice, twinkling, wink, New York minute
a very short time; "if I had the chance I'd do it in a flash"
ephemera
something transitory; lasting a day
auld langsyne, langsyne, old times, the good old days
past times remembered with nostalgia
reign
a period during which something or somebody is dominant or powerful; "he was helpless under the reign of his egotism"
hypervelocity
excessive velocity; "the meteorites struck the earth with hypervelocity impacts"
honeymoon
the early usually calm and harmonious period of a relationship; business or political
rainy day
a (future) time of financial need; "I am saving for a rainy day"
flower, prime, peak, heyday, bloom, blossom, efflorescence, flush
the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
swelter
be uncomfortably hot
sit tight
maintain the same position; wait it out; "Let's not make a decision--let's sit tight"
beautify, embellish, prettify
make more beautiful
sparkle
be lively: "The music sparkled"
prim
assume a prim appearance: "They mince and prim"
shame
surpass or beat by a wide margin
cry
demand immediate action; "This situation is crying for attention"
bedizen
decorate tastelessly
crumble, crumple, tumble, break down, collapse
fall apart; also used metaphorically: "Negociations broke down"
push, crowd
approach a certain age or speed: "She is pushing fifty"
leave behind
to depart and forget, or neglect to bring or take along: She wept thinking she'd been left behind.
bestir, rouse
become active: "He finally bestirred himself"
come to the fore, step forward, come forward, step up, step to the fore, come out
make oneself visible; take action; "Young people should step to the fore and help their peers"
stoop, descend
to sink in status or dignity, or worsen in condition
bed hop
sleep around; "His wife bed hops"
throw
to put into a state or activity hastily, suddenly, or carelessly; "Jane threw dinner together", throw the car into reverse"
enjoy
have for one's benefit; "The industry enjoyed a boom"
overexpose
expose excessively: "As a child, I was overexposed to French movies"
underexpose
expose insufficiently; "The child was underexposed to language"
act up, play up
make itself felt; as of recurring pains
look, appear, seem
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect; "She seems to be sleeping"; "This appears to be a very difficult problem"; "This project looks fishy"; "They appeared like people who had not eaten or slept for a long time"
cut
give the appearance or impression of; "cut a nice figure"
feel
produce a certain impression; "It feels nice to be home again"
appear, seem
seem to be true, probable, or apparent; "It seems that he is very gifted"; "It appears that the weather in California is very bad"
sound
appear in a certain way; "This sounds interesting"
show
make visible or noticeable: "She showed her talent for cooking"
do justice
bring out fully or to advantage; "This photograph does not do her justice"
register
show in one's face; "Her surprise did not register"
expose, exhibit, display
to show, make visible or apparent: "The Metropolitan Museum is exhibiting Goya's works this month"; "Why don't you show your nice legs and wear shorter skirts?" "National leaders will have to display the highest skills of statesmanship.."
hold up
hold up something as an example; hold up one's achievements for admiration
flaunt, flash, show off, swank
display proudly
brandish
exhibit aggressively
trot out
bring out and show for inspection and admiration; "His novel trots out a rich heiress"; "always able to trot out some new excuse"
whitewash, gloss over, sleek over, hush up
cover up a misdemeanor; "Let's not whitewash the crimes of Stallin"
spring
produce or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly; "He sprang a new haircut on his wife"
crop up, pop up
appear suddenly or unexpectedly
overshadow
cast a shadow upon; "The tall tree overshadowed the house"; "The tragedy overshadowed the couple's happiness"
smack, reek
have an element suggestive (of something); "his speeches smacked of racism"
disgust, turn off, revolt, repel
fill with distaste
sponsor
assume responsibility for or leadership of; "The senator announced that he would sponsor the health care plan"
cosponsor
sponsor together with another sponsor
eke out, squeeze out
make by laborious and precarious means; "He eked out a living as a painter"
recover, recoup
make up for or make good
lavish, shower
expend profusely; also used with abstract nouns: "He was showered with praise"
squander, blow
spend lavishly or wastefully on; "He blew a lot of money on his new home theater"
overspend
spend at a high rate
wanton, wanton away, trifle away
spend wastefully; "wanton one's money away"
underspend
spend at less than the normal rate
misspend
spend unwisely, as of money
penny-pinch
spend money frugally
overspend
spend more than available of (a budget, for example)
underspend
spend less than the whole of (a budget, for example)
waste, blow, squander
spend thoughtlessly; throw away; "He wasted his inheritance on his insincere friends"
burn
spend (significant amounts of money); "He has money to burn"
splurge, fling
indulge oneself; "I splurged on a new TV"
conserve, husband, economize, economise
use cautiously and frugally
retrench
tighten one's belt; use resources carefully
freeload
live off somebody's generosity
arrogate, ascribe, assign
make undue claims to having
line one's pockets
make a lot of money
clean up
make a big profit; often in a short period of time; "The investor really cleaned up when the stock market went up"
cash in on
take advantage of or capitalize on
profiteer
make an unreasonable profit, as on the sale of difficult to obtain goods
capitalize, take advantage
draw advantages from; "he is capitalizing on her mistake"; "she took advantage of his absence to meet her lover"
lose
fail to get or obtain; "I lost the opportunity to spend a year abroad"
rake in, shovel in
earn large sums of money
benefit, do good
be beneficial for; "This will do you good"
agree
be agreeable or suitable; "White wine doesn't agree with me"
overbid
bid more than the object is worth, as during an auction
underbid
bid too low
overtax
tax excessively; "Don't overtax my constitutents!"
relieve, deliver
free from a burden, evil, or distress
smooth, smooth out
free from obstructions; "smooth the way towards peace negociations"
overcharge, soak, surcharge, gazump, fleece, plume, pluck, rob, hook
rip off; ask an unreasonable price
undercharge
charge (someone) too little money
overstock
stock excessively
understock
stock with less than the usual or desirable number or quantity
tinsel
impart a cheap brightness to; "his tinseled image of Hollywood"
scrimp, stint, skimp
scratch and scrimp
overprice
price excessively high
undersell, undercut
sell cheaper than one's competition
pour
supply in large amounts or quantities: "We poured money into the education of our children"
pump
supply in great quantities; "Pump money into a project"
flood, oversupply
supply with an excess of; "flood the market with tennis shoes"
exert
make a great effort at a mental or physical task; "exert oneself"
overexert
exert (oneself) excessively; "don't overexert yourself when exercising!"
egotrip
act in a way that attracts attention; "This teacher always egotrips and the students don't like him"
reciprocate
act, feel, or give in return; "We always invite the neighbors and they never reciprocate!"
steamroller
proceed with great force; "The new teacher tends to steamroller"
assert, put forward
insist on having one's opinions and rights recognized; "Women should assert themselves more!"
come close
nearly do something; "She came close to quitting her job"
sit by, sit back
be inactive or indifferent while something is happening; "Don't just sit by while your rights are violated!"
whip through
go through very fast; "We whipped through the last papers that we had to read before the weekend"
bull, bull through
push or force; "He bulled through his demands"
play out
perform to the end; "We've got to play this out"
make bold, dare, presume to
take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission; "How dare you call my lawyer?"
lie dormant
be inactive, as if asleep; "His work lay dormant for many years"
sophisticate
make less natural or innocent
connect
establish a rapport or relationship; "The President of this university really connects with the faculty"
lionize, celebrate
assign great social importance to; "The film director war celebrated all over Hollywood"; "The tenor was lionized in Vienna"
demote, bump, relegate, break, kick downstairs
assign to a lower position; reduce in rank; "She was demoted because she always speaks up"
reduce
bring to humbler or weaker state or condition; "He reduced the population to slavery"
take time by the forelock
act quickly and decisively; not let slip an opportunity
tug, labor, labour, push, drive
exert oneself; "She tugged for years to make a decent living"
fight, struggle
make a strenuous or labored effort; "She struggled for years to survive without welfare"; "He fought for breath"
flounder
behave awkwardly; have difficulties; "She is floundering in college"
overdrive
drive or work too hard; "The teacher is overworking his students"
misapply
apply incorrectly or badly
overwork, exploit
work excessively hard
beaver, beaver away
work hard on something
belabor, belabour
to work at or to absurd length: "belabor the obvious"
potter, putter
work lightly; "The old lady is pottering around in the garden"
plug away, peg away, slog
work doggedly or persistently; "She keeps plugging away at her dissertation"
dabble, smatter, play at, dip into, dabble with, dabble at, dabble in
work with in a non-serious manner; "She dabbles in astronomy"
idle, laze, stagnate
spent time in idleness
moon, moon around, moon on
be idle in a listless or dreamy way
labor, labour, toil, fag, travail, grind, drudge, dig, moil
work hard; "She was digging away at her math homework"
slave, break one's back, buckle down, knuckle down
work very hard, like a slave
restrain, keep, keep back, hold back
keep under control
misally
make a bad alliance; ally inappropriately; "The two countries are misallied"
hold one's own
maintain one's position and be in control of a situation
disorganize
remove the organization from
come to grips, get to grips
deal with (a problem or a subject); "I still have not come to grips with the death of my parents"
dally, toy, play, flirt
behave carelessly or indifferently; "Play about with a young girl's affection"
coordinate
be co-ordinated; "These activities co-ordinate well"
mismanage, mishandle, misconduct
manage badly or incompetently; "The funds were mismanaged"
monopolize
control fully and exclusively; "He monopolizes the laser printer"
corner
gain control over; "corner the gold market"
boondoggle
do useless, wasteful, or trivial work
favor
treat gently or carefully
liberalize
make liberal or more liberal, of laws and rules
trust
allow without fear
mismarry
marry an unsuitable partner
victimize
punish unjustly
scourge
punish severely
trouble, put out, inconvenience, disoblige, discommode, incommode, bother
to cause inconvenience or discomfort to: "Sorry to trouble you, but..."
control, hold in, hold, contain, check, curb, moderate
lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits; "moderate your alcohol intake" "hold your tongue"; "hold your temper"; "control your anger"
indulge
give free rein to; "The write indulged in metaphorical language"
wrong
treat unjustly; do wrong to
strong-arm
handle roughly; "He was strong-armed by the policemen"
ride roughshod, run roughshod
treat inconsiderately or harshly
upstage
treat snobbishly, put in one's place
rough-house
treat in a rough or boisterous manner
brutalize, brutalise
treat brutally
do justice, do-well by
treat or consider adequately or fairly; "To do him justice, he is brilliant"
gloss over, skate over, smooth over, slur over, skimp over
treat hurriedly or avoid dealing with properly
skimp, scant
work hastily or carelessly; deal with inadequately and superficially
mistreat, maltreat, abuse, ill-use, ill-treat
treat badly
kick around
treat badly; abuse; "They won't have me to kick around any more!"
sandbag
treat harshly or unfairly
misbehave, misdemean
behave badly; "The children misbehaved all morning"
act up
misbehave badly; "The children acted up when they were not bored"
condescend, stoop, lower oneself
act in an undignified or dishonorable way; "I won't stoop to this"
hugger mugger
act stealthily
sauce
behave saucy or impudently towards
assert oneself
put oneself forward in an assertive and insistent manner
pose
behave affectedly in order to impress others
attitudinize, attitudinise
assume certain affected attitudes
behave, comport
behave well or properly; "The children must learn to behave"
footle
act foolishly, as by talking nonsense
over-correct, overcompensate
make excessive corrections for fear of making an error
expiate, aby, abye, atone
make amends for; "expiate one's sins"
breeze through, ace, pass with flying colors, sweep through, sail through, pass easily
pass easily and do very well; "She sailed through her exams"; "You will pass with flying colors"
do, manage
carry on or manage; "We could do with a little more help around here"
luck out
succeed by sheer luck
work, act
have a desired effect; do the trick; "This method doesn't work"; "The breaks of my new car act quickly"
overreach
fail by aiming too high or trying too hard
pan out, work out
be a success
achieve, accomplish, attain, reach
to gain with effort: "she achieved her goal despite setbacks."
begin
achieve or accomplish in the least degree, usually used in the negative: "This economic measure doesn't even begin to deal with the problem of inflation"
wangle, finagle, manage
achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods
botch, fumble, botch up, muff, blow, flub, screw up, ball up, blunder, spoil, muck up, bungle, fluff, bollix, bollix up, bollocks, bollocks up, bobble, mishandle, louse up, foul up, mess up, fuck up
make a mess of, destroy or ruin
fail, go wrong, miscarry
be unsuccessful; "Where do today's public schools fail?"; "The attempt tp rescue the hostages failed miserably"
fall
suffer defeat, failure, or ruin; "We must stand or fall"
shipwreck
suffer failure, as in some enterprise
fall through, fall flat, founder, flop
fail utterly; collapse; "The project foundered"
dominate, master
have dominance over
counteract, countervail, neutralize, counterbalance
oppose and mitigate the effects of by contrary actions; "This will counteract the foolish actions of my colleagues"
luck it, luck through
act by relying on one's luck
dare
to be courageous enough to try or do something: "I don't dare call him", "she dares to dress differently from the others."
risk, put on the line, lay on the line
expose to a chance of loss or damage; "We risked losing a lot of money in this venture"; "Why risk your life?"
bell the cat
take a risk; perform a daring act; "Who is going to bell the cat?"
honor, honour, reward
bestow honor upon; "Today we honor our soldiers"
recognize
show approval or appreciation of; "My work is not recognized by anybody!"
ennoble, dignify
lend dignity or honor to
dishonor, disgrace, dishonour, attaint, shame
bring dishonor upon
help, assist, aid
give help or assistance; be of service; "Everyone helped out during the earthquake"; "Can you help me carry this table?" "She never helps around the house"
help out
be of help, as in a particular situation of need; "Can you help out tonight?"
subserve
be helpful or useful
succor, succour
help in a difficult situation
expedite, hasten
speed up the progress of; facilitate; "This should expedite the process"
minister
attend to the wants and needs of others; "I have to minister to my mother all the time"
attend, take care, look, see
take charge of; "Could you see about lunch?"; "I must attend to this matter"; "She took care of this business"
mother, fuss, overprotect
care for like a mother; "She fusses over her husband"
bootstrap
help oneself, often through improvised means
restore
return to its original condition
reinstate
restore to the previous state or rank
promote, advance, boost, further, encourage
contribute to the progress or growth of; "I am promoting the use of computers in the classroom"
help
contribute to the furtherance of; "This money will help the development of literacy in developing countries"
carry
take further or advance; "carry a cause"
feed
support or promote; "His admiration fed her vanity"
support, back up
be supportive of; "Will you support me during the meeting?"
carry
maintain or support somebody who is weaker or less competent
carry
compensate for a weaker partner or member by one's own performance; "I resent having to carry her all the time"
undergird
lend moral support to
second, back, endorse, indorse
give support or one's blessing to; "I'll second that motion"; "I can't back this plan"; "endorse a new project"
carry, execute
extend beyond reasonable limits; "carry too far"
misdo
do wrongly or improperly; "misdo one's job"
go all out, give one's best, do one's best
perform as well as possible
anticipate, foresee, forestall, counter
act in advance of; deal with ahead of time
desecrate, profane, outrage, violate
violate the sacred character of a place, such as a graveyard
overdo, exaggerate
do something to an excessive degree: "He overdid it last night when he did 100 push-ups"
overleap
defeat (oneself) by going too far
trespass, take advantage
make excessive use of; "You are taking advantage of my good will!"; "She is trespassing upon my privacy"
swindle, rook, nobble, diddle, bunco, defraud, mulct, gyp, con
deprive of by deceit; "He swindled me out of my inheritance"
short-change, short
cheat someone by not returning him enough money
bilk
cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money
whipsaw
victimize, esp. in gambling or negotiations
victimize, victimise
make a victim of; "I was victimized by this con-man"
cheat
engage in deceitful behavior; practice trickery or fraud
cozen
act with artful deceit
shill
act as a shill
trick, fob, fox
pull a fast one, play a trick on somebody; "We tricked the teacher into thinking that class would be cancelled next week"
fool, dupe, gull, befool
make a fool or dupe of
solemnize
observe or perform with dignity or gravity
whore
corrupt by lewd intercourse
poison
spoil as if by poison; "poison someone's mind"; "poison the atmosphere in the office"
bastardize, bastardise
change something so that its value declines; for example, art forms
rat
desert one's party or group of friends, for example, for one's personal advantage
rumpus
cause a disturbance
persecute, oppress, harass
cause to suffer; "Jews were persecuted in the former Soviet Union"
arrive, make it, get in, go far
succeed in a big way; get to the top; "After he published his book, he had arrived"; "I don't know whether I can make it in science!"; "You will go far, my boy!"
carry, persuade, sway
win approval or support for; "Carry all before one"
misgovern
govern badly
cope, get by, make out, make do, contend, grapple, deal, manage
come to terms or deal successfully with; "We got by on just a gallon of gas."
hack, cut
informal: be able to manage or manage successfully; "I can't hack it anymore"; "she could not cut the long days in the office"
scrape along, scrape by, scratch along, squeak by, squeeze by, rub along
manage one's existence barely; "I guess I can squeeze by on this lousy salary"
condescend, deign, descend
do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
condescend
behave in a patronizing and condescending manner
take care
be careful, prudent, or watchful; "Take care when you cross the street!"
follow through, go through
to conclude or bring to a conclusion with some effort; "John worked hard to make that deal go through."
fag
act as a fag for older boys, in British public schools
frivol, trifle
act frivolously
humbug
trick or deceive
serve
be in the service of, be a servant of, as of people, institutions, or ideas: "She served the art of music"; "He served the church"; "Marie served her mistress faithfully until her death"
lord it over, queen it over, put on airs, act superior
act like the master of; "He is lording it over the students"
stampede
act, usually en masse, hurriedly or on an impulse: "Companies will now stampede to release their latest software"
meet, match, cope with
satisfy or fulfill; "meet a need"
come near
almost do or experience something; "She came near to screaming with fear"
sneak
put, bring, or take in a secretive or furtive manner: "sneak a look"; "sneak a cigarette"
remember oneself
recover one's good manners after a lapse or stop behaving badly; "Please remember yourself, Charles!"
guard
take precautions in order to avoid some unwanted consequence; "guard against becoming too friendly with the staff"; "guard against infection"
cut across
be contrary to ordinary procedure or limitations; "Opinions on bombing the Serbs cut across party lines"
work out
turn out well; "Everything worked out in the end"
swing
live in a lively, modern, and relaxed style; "The Woodstock generation attempted to swing freely"
unlive, live down
live so as to annul some previous behavior; "You can never live this down!"
wanton
indulge in a carefree or voluptuous way of life
vegetate
lead a passive existence without using one's body or mind
pig, pig it
live like a pig, in squalor
eke out
live from day to day, as with some hardship: "He eked out his years in great poverty"
freewheel, drift
live irresponsibly or freely
stand up, hold up
resist or withstand wear, criticism, etc.; "Her shoes won't hold up"; This theory won't hold up"
make sense, add up
be reasonable or logical or comprehensible
make
constitute the essence of; "Clothes make the man"
compose
form the substance of; "Greed and ambition composed his personality
tide over, bridge over, keep going
suffice for a period between two points
sport, feature, boast
wear or display in an ostentatious or proud manner; "she was sporting a new hat"
miss
be absent; "The child had been missing for a week"
overstay, outstay
stay too long; "overstay or outstay one's welcome"
kick one's heels
wait or pass the time aimlessly or futilely; be kept waiting; "She kicked her heels for hours at the gate of the Embassy"
loiter, lounge, footle, lollygag, loaf, lallygag, hang around, mess about, tarry, linger, lurk, mill about, mill around
be about; "The high school students like to loiter in the Central Square"; "Who is this man that is hanging around the department?"
prowl, lurch
loiter about, with no apparent aim
bum around, bum about, arse around, arse about, loaf, frig around, waste one's time, lounge around, loll, loll around, lounge about
be lazy or idle; "Her son is just bumming around all day"
lie about, lie around
hang around idly; "She did all the work while he lay around"
lurk, skulk
lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
dwell on, linger over
delay
boggle
hesitate when confronted with a problem, or when in doubt or fear
hesitate, waver, swiver
pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness: "Authorities hesitate to quote exact figures."
hover, linger
move to and fro; "The shy student lingered in the corner"
redound
be excessive in quantity
overarch
be central or dominant: "This scene overarches the entire first act"
count, matter, weigh
have weight; have import, carry weight; "It does not matter much"
weigh, press
to be oppressive or burdensome; "weigh heavily on the mind", "Something pressed on his mind"
overbear
overcome; "overbear criticism, protest, or arguments"
shine
be clear and obvious; "A shining example"
match, fit, correspond, check, jibe, gibe, tally, agree
be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics; "The two stories don't agree in many details"; "The handwriting checks with the signature on the check"
check, check out
be verified or confirmed; pass inspection; "These stories don't check!"
look
accord in appearance with; "You don't look your age!"
answer
match or correspond; "The drawing of the suspect answers to the description the victim gave"
coincide
be the same; "our views on this matter coincided"
align
align with; be or come into adjustment
correlate, corelate
to establish or bear reciprocal or mutual relations
parallel
be parallel to; "Their roles are paralleled by ours"
twin, duplicate, parallel
duplicate or match; "The polished surface twinned his face and chest in reverse"
square
be compatible with; "one idea squares with another"
fit, go
be the right size or shape; fit correctly or as desired; "This skirt won't go around your waist"
deviate, vary, diverge, depart
be at variance with; be out of line with
conform
be similar, be in line with
depend
Elliptical use of "depend on": "That depends"
resemble
appear like; be similar to "She resembles her mother very much"; "This paper resembles my own work"
look like
bear a physical resemblance to; "She looks like her mother"
come to life
be lifelike; as of paintings: "If you look at it long enough, this portrait comes to life!"
take after
be similar to a relative; "She takes after her father!"
approximate, come close
be close or similar; "Her results approximate my own"
oppose, counterbalance
place in opposition: can also be used in an abstract sense; "Oppose thy steadfast gazing eyes to mine"- Shakespeare
conflict
be in conflict; "The two proposals conflict!"
come in
come into fashion; become fashionable
go out
go out of fashion; become unfashionable
clash, jar, collide
be incompatible; be or come into conflict; "These colors clash"
meet, fit, conform to
of a condition or restriction
behoove, behove
be appropriate or necessary; "IT behooves us to reflect on this matter"
exceed, transcend, overstep, pass, go past, top
go beyond; "She exceeded out expectations"
exceed, transcend, surpass
go beyond; "Their loyalty exceeds their national bonds"
suffice, do, answer
be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity; "A few words would answer"; "This car suits my purpose well"; "Will $100 do?"; "A "B" grade doesn't suffice to get me into medical school"
go a long way
suffice or be adequate for a while or to a certain extent
serve
promote; "Art serves commerce"; "Their interests are served"; "The lake serves recreation"
fall short of
fail to satisfy, as of expectations, for example
satisfy, fulfill, fulfil, live up to
fulfil the requirements or expectations of
compensate, counterbalance, even out, even off, even up
make up for, make good
cover
compensate or make up for
balance, equilibrate, equilibrize
bring into balance or equilibrium
unbalance
throw out of balance or equilibrium; "The tax relief unbalanced the budget"
excel, stand out, surpass
distinguish oneself; "She excelled in math"
stink
be extremely bad in quality or in one's performance; "This term paper stinks!"
shine at, excel at
be good at; "She shines at math"
leap out, jump out, jump, stand out
be highly noticeable
focus on, center on, revolve around, revolve about, concentrate on, center
center upon; "Her entire attention centered on her children"; "Our day revolved around our work"
apply, hold, go for
be pertinent or relevant or applicable; "The same laws apply to you!" "This theory holds for all irrational numbers"; "The same rules go for everyone"
involve, affect, regard
connect closely and often incriminatingly; "This new ruling affects your business"
involve
engage as a participant; "Don't involve me in your family affairs!"
entangle, mire
entrap; "Our people should not be mired in the past"
matter to, interest
be of importance or consequence; "This matters to me!"
intrigue, fascinate
cause to be interested or curious
cheese
used in the imperative: "Cheese it!"
hold
remain in a certain state, position, or condition; "The weather held"; "They held on the road and kept marching"
taper off, peter out, fizzle out, fizzle
end weakly; "The music just petered out--there was no proper ending"
run on, keep going
continue uninterrupted; "The disease will run on unchecked"
ramble on, ramble, jog
continue talking or writing in a desultory manner: "This novel rambles on and jogs"
ride
continue undisturbed and without interference; "Let it ride"
cross, traverse, span, sweep
to cover a wide area; "Rivers traverse the valley floor", "The parking lot spans 3 acres"
run, go, pass, lead, extend
stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point; "Service runs all the way to Cranbury"; "His knowledge doesn't go very far"; "My memory extends back to my fourth year of life"; "The facts extend beyond a consideration of her personal assets"
shadow, overshadow, dwarf
cast a shadow
loom, tower, hulk
appear very large
rise, lift, rear
rise up; "The building rose before them"
loom
come into view indistinctly, often threateningly; "Another air plane loomed into the sky"
endanger, jeopardize, menace, threaten, imperil, peril
pose a threat to; present a danger to; "The pollution is endangering the crops"
dote
be foolish or senile due to old age
characterize
be characteristic of; "What characterizes a Venetian painting?"
individuate
give individual character to
homologize
be homologous; "A person's arms homologize with a quadruped's forelimbs"
befit, suit, beseem
accord or comport with
harmonize, consort, accord, fit in, agree
go together; "The colors don't harmonize"
blend, go, blend in
blend or harmonize; "This flavor will blend with those in your dish"; "This sofa won't go with the chairs"
stand, remain firm
hold one's ground; maintain a position; be steadfast or upright
suit, accommodate, fit
be agreeable or acceptable to; "This suits my needs"
truckle
yield to out of weakness
drag on, drag out
last unnecessarily long
overshadow, eclipse
exceed in importance; outweigh; "This prblem overshadows our lives right now"
shillyshally
be uncertain and vague
weather, endure, brave, brave out
face or endure with courage; "She braved the elements"
brave, venture
brave the dangers of; "brave the natural elements"
lend oneself, apply
be applicable to; as to an analysis; "This theory lends itself well to our new data"
beggar
be beyond the resources of; "This beggars description!"
defy, resist, refuse
elude, esp. in a baffling way; "This behavior defies explanation"
piddle, wanton, wanton away, piddle away, trifle
waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently
misspend
spend time badly or unwisely: "He misspent his youth"
while away, get through
spend or pass, as with boredom or in a pleasant manner; of time
teem, swarm
be teeming, be abuzz
abound
be abundant or plentiful; exist in large quantities
abound, burst, bristle
be in a state of movement or action; "The room abounded with screaming children"; "The garden bristled with toddlers"
brim
be completely full; "His eyes brimmed with tears"
abound in, teem in, pullulate with
exist in large quantity
crawl
be crawling with; "The old cheese was crawling with maggots"
rule
have an affinity with; of signs of the zodiac
bag
hang loosely, like an empty bag
dangle, swing, drop
hang freely; "the ornaments dangled from the tree"; "The light dropped from the ceiling"
droop, loll
hang loosely or laxly; "His tongue lolled"
cancel, offset, set off
make up for; "His skills offset his opponent's superior strength"
offset, countervail
compensate for or counterbalance; "offset deposits and withdrawals"
overlap
have something in common
share
share in common; "Our children share a love of music"
run
be affected by; be subjected to; as in "run a temperature," "run a risk"
play
be received or accepted; "This speech didn't play well with the American public"
press
be urgent; "This is a pressing problem"
rage
be violent; as of fires and storms
elude, escape
be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by; "What you are seeing in him eludes me"
do well, had best
act in one's own or everybody's best interest; "You will do well to arrive on time tomorrow!"
become, suit
enhance the appearance of: "Mourning becomes Electra"; "This behavior doesn't suit you!"
come in handy
be useful for a certain purpose
hoodoo
bring back luck; be a source of misfortune
compare
be comparable; "This car does not compare with our line of Mercedes"
go
be ranked or compare; "This violinist is as good as Juilliard-trained violinists go"
run into, encounter
be beset by; "The project ran into numerous financial difficulties"
owe
be indebted to, in an abstract or intellectual sense; "This new theory owes much to Einstein's Relativity Theory"
keep, preserve
maintain in safety form injury, harm, or danger; "May God keep you"
shine
be distinguished or eminent; "His talent shines"
go far, go deep
extend in importance or range; "His accomplishments go far"
hang
be menacing, burdensome, or oppressive; "This worry hangs on my mind"; "The cloud of suspicion hangs over her"
litter
strew; "Cigar butts littered the ground"
suit
be agreeable or acceptable; "This time suits me"
help, facilitate
be of use; "This will help to prevent accidents"
tie in
be in connection with something relevant; "This ties in closely with his earlier remarks"
belong
be suitable or acceptable; "This student somehow doesn't belong"
belong, go
be in the right place or situation; "Where do these books belong?" "Let's put health care where it belongs--under the control of the government"; "Where do these books go?"
go around
be sufficient; "There's not enough to go around"
fry
be excessively hot; "If the children stay out on the beach for another hour, they'll be fried"
contrast
put in contrast
jumble, mingle
be all mixed up or jumbled together; "His words jumbled"
falter, waver
be unsure or weak; "Their enthusiasm is faltering"
promise
give grounds for expectations; "The new results were promising"; "The results promised fame and glory"
have
be confronted with: "What do we have here?"; "Now we have a fine mess"
hold one's own
be sufficiently competent in a certain situation: "He can hold his own in graduate school"
mean
have a specified degree of importance; "My ex-husband means nothing to me"; "Happiness means everything"
balance
be in equilibrium; "He was balancing on one foot"
flow
be abundantly present; "The champagne flowed at the wedding"
brood, hover, loom, bulk large
hang over, as of something threatening, dark, or menacing; "The terrible vision brooded over her all day long"
act
be suitable for theatrical performance: "This scene acts well"
add
constitute an addition; "This paper will add to her reputation"
seem
appear to exist; "There seems no reason to go ahead with the project now"
beat
be superior: "Reading beats watching television"; "This sure beats work!"
hold
have as a major characteristic; "The novel holds many surprises"; "The book holds in store much valuable advise"
sell
be responsible for the sale of; "All her publicity sold the products"
sell
be approved of or gain acceptance; "The new idea sold well in certain circles"
make
be suitable for; "Wood makes good furniture"
blight, plague
cause to suffer a blight
absolute
perfect or complete or pure; "absolute loyalty"; "absolute silence"; "absolute truth"; "absolute alcohol"
dead(a), utter(a)
total; "dead silence"; "utter seriousness"
direct
exact; "the direct opposite"
implicit, unquestioning
being without doubt or reserve; "implicit trust"
independent
not dependent on or conditioned by or relative to anything else
infinite
total and all-embracing; "God's infinite wisdom"
living
(intensifier) "she is a living doll"; "scared the living daylights out of them"; "beat the living hell out of him"
pure, unmixed, undiluted
not mixed; "pure oxygen"
very(a)
used to give emphasis; "the very essence of artistic expression is invention"- Irving R. Kaufman; "the very back of the room"
relative
not absolute or complete; "a relative stranger"
comparative
having significance only in relation to something else; "a comparative newcomer"
abstemious
sparing in consumption of especially food and drink; "the pleasures of the table, never of much consequence to one naturally abstemious"- John Galsworthy
abstinent, abstentious
self-restraining; not indulging an appetite especially for food or drink; "not totally abstinent but abstemious"
ascetic, ascetical, austere, spartan
practicing great self-denial; "Be systematically ascetic...do...something for no other reason than that you would rather not do it"- William James; "a desert nomad's austere life"; "a spartan diet"; "a spartan existence"
gluttonous
given to excess in consumption of especially food or drink; "over-fed women and their gluttonous husbands"; "a gluttonous debauch"; "a gluttonous appetite for food and praise and pleasure"
crapulous
given to gross intemperance in eating or drinking; "a crapulous old reprobate"
crapulent, crapulous
suffering from excessive eating or drinking; "crapulent sleep"; "a crapulous stomach"
edacious, esurient, rapacious, ravening, ravenous, voracious, wolfish
devouring or craving food in great quantities; "edacious vultures"; "a rapacious appetite"; "ravenous as wolves"; "voracious sharks"
greedy
wanting to eat or drink more than one can reasonably consume; "don't be greedy with the cookies"
hoggish, piggish, piggy, porcine, swinish
resembling swine; coarsely gluttonous or greedy; "piggish table manners"; "the piggy fat-cheeked little boy and his porcine pot-bellied father"; "swinish slavering over food"
overgreedy, too-greedy
excessively gluttonous
objective
belonging to immediate experience of actual things or events; "concrete benefits"; "a concrete example"; "there is no objective evidence of anything of the kind"
real, tangible
possible to be treated as fact; "tangible evidence"; "his brief time as Prime Minister brought few real benefits to the poor"
abundant
present in great quantity; "an abundant supply of water"
abounding, galore(ip)
existing in abundance; "abounding confidence"; "whiskey galore"
ample, copious, plenteous, plentiful, rich
affording an abundant supply; "had ample food for the party"; "copious provisions"; "food is plentiful"; "a plenteous grape harvest"; "a rich supply"
bumper
extraordinarily abundant; "a bumper crop"
copious, extensive
large in number or quantity; "she took copious notes"; "extensive press coverage"
easy
(economics) plentiful and therefore at low interest rates; easy to come by; "easy money"
exuberant, lush, luxuriant, profuse, riotous
produced or growing in extreme abundance; "their riotous blooming"
thick
abundantly covered of filled; "the top was thick with dust"
long
having or being more than normal or necessary:"long on brains"; "in long supply"
overabundant, plethoric, rife
excessively abundant
plentiful
existing in great number or quantity; "rhinoceroses were once plentiful here"
rank
growing profusely; "rank jungle vegetation"
superabundant
most excessively abundant
teeming, swarming
abundantly filled with especially living things; "the Third World's teeming millions"; "the teeming boulevard"; "harried by swarming rats"
torrential
pouring in abundance; "torrential rains"
scarce
deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand; "fresh vegetables were scarce during the drought"
rare
not widely distributed; "rare herbs"; "rare patches of gree in the desert"
tight
(economics) affected by scarcity and expensive to borrow; "tight money"; "a tight market"
abused, ill-treated, maltreated, mistreated
physically abused; "an abused wife
misunderstood
not given sympathetic understanding; "a sorely misunderstood child"
unabused
not physically abused; treated properly
acceptable
worthy of acceptance or satisfactory; "acceptable levels of radiation"; "performances varied from acceptable to excellent"
tolerable
capable of being borne; "tolerable noise levels"
unexceptionable, unimpeachable
completely acceptable; not open to exception or reproach; "two unexceptionable witnesses"; "a judge's ethics should be unexceptionable"
unobjectionable
not objectionable; "the ends are unobjectionable; it's the means that one can't accept"
unacceptable
not acceptable; not welcome; "a word unacceptable in polite society"; "an unacceptable violation of personal freedom"
exceptionable, objectionable
liable to objection or debate; used of something one might take exception to; "a thoroughly unpleasant highly exceptionable piece of writing"; "found the politician's views objectionable"
intolerable
completely unacceptable; "this noise is intolerable"
convenient, handy, ready to hand(p)
easy to reach; "found a handy spot for the can opener"
in hand(p)
accessible at the present time; "waited for supper...glasses in hand"
inaccessible, unaccessible
capable of being reached only with great difficulty or not at all
backwoods(a), outback(a), remote
inaccessible and sparsely populated
deserted
remote from civilization; "the victim was lured to a deserted spot"
lonely(a), solitary, unfrequented
separated from or unfrequented by others; remote or secluded; "a lonely crossroads"; "a solitary retreat"; "a trail leading to an unfrequented lake"
unapproachable, unreachable, unreached, out of reach(p)
inaccessibly located or situated; "an unapproachable chalet high in the mountains"; "an unreachable canyon"; "the unreachable stars"
un-come-at-able, ungetatable
(informal) difficult to reach or attain
close, faithful
marked by fidelity to an original; "a close translation"; "a faithful copy of the portrait"; "a faithful rendering of the observed facts"
dead-on(a)
(informal) accurate and to the point; "a dead-on feel for characterization"; "She avoids big scenes...preferring to rely on small gestures and dead-on dialogue"- Peter S.Prescott
accustomed
(often followed by `to') in the habit of or adapted to; "accustomed to doing her own work"; "I've grown accustomed to her face"
used to(p), wont to(p)
in the habit; "I am used to hitchhiking"; "you'll get used to the idea"; "...was wont to complain that this is a cold world"- Henry David Thoreau
unaccustomed
not habituated to; unfamiliar with; "unaccustomed to wearing suits"
unused to(p)
(usually followed by `to') infrequently exposed to; "feet unused to shoes"
accepted, recognized
generally approved or compelling recognition; "several accepted techniques for treating the condition"; "his recognized superiority in this kind of work"
unappreciated, unsung, unvalued
having value that is not acknowledged
rapacious, ravening, voracious
excessively greedy and grasping; "a rapacious divorcee on the prowl"; "ravening creditors"; "paying taxes to voracious governments"
sordid
meanly avaricious and mercenary; "sordid avarice"; "sordid material interests"
about(p), astir(p)
on the move; "up and about"; "the whole town was astir over the incident"
acrobatic, athletic, gymnastic
vigorously active; "an acrobatic dance"; "an athletic child"; "athletic playing"; "gymnastic exercises"
agile, nimble, quick, spry
moving quickly and lightly; "sleek and agile as a gymnast"; "as nimble as a deer"; "nimble fingers"; "quick of foot"; "the old dog was so spry it was halfway up the stairs before we could stop it"
dancing
moving quickly and excitedly; "on dancing feet"
hot
(informal) marked by excited activity; "a hot week on the stock market"
lively
characterized by energetic activity; "a lively baby"
on the go(p)
(of a person) very busy and active; "is always on the go"
active
full of activity or engaged in continuous activity; "an active seaport"; "an active bond market"; "an active account"
brisk
very active; "doing a brisk business"
bustling
full of energetic and noisy activity; "a bustling city"
busy
crowded with or characterized by much activity; "a very busy week"; "a busy life"; "a busy street"; "a busy seaport"
going(a)
in full operation; "a going concern"
in full swing(p)
at the highest level of activity; "for the first time in years the factory was in full swing"
dead
devoid of activity; "this is a dead town; nothing ever happens here"
dull, slow, sluggish
(of business) not active or brisk; "business is dull (or slow)"; "a sluggish market"
passive, inactive
lacking in energy or will; "Much benevolence of the passive order may be traced to a disinclination to inflict pain upon oneself"- George Meredith
countervailing, offsetting, compensatory, compensative
compensating for
very(a)
used to give emphasis to the relevance of the thing modified; "his very name struck terror"; "caught in the very act"
accommodative, reconciling
tending to reconcile or accommodate; bringing into harmony
adequate
(sometimes followed by `to') meeting the requirements especially of a task; "she had adequate training"; "her training was adequate"; "she was adequate to the job"
adequate to(p), capable, equal to(p), up to(p)
having the requisite qualities for; "equal to the task"; "the work isn't up to the standard I require"
competent
adequate for the purpose; "a competent performance"
inadequate
(sometimes followed by `to') not meeting the requirements especially of a task; "inadequate training"; "the staff was inadequate"; "she was inadequate to the job"
deficient, lacking(p), wanting(p)
inadequate in amount or degree; "a deficient education"; "deficient in common sense"; "lacking in stamina"; "tested and found wanting"
short-handed, short-staffed, undermanned, understaffed
inadequate in number of workers or assistants etc.; "they're rather short-handed at the moment"; "overcrowded and understaffed hospitals"
unadoptable
difficult to place in an adoptive home
embellished, ornamented, ornate
rich in decorative detail
tricked-out
decorated in a particular way; "tricked-out cupboards looking like Georgian cabinets"
plain, unembellished, unornamented
lacking embellishment or ornamentation; "a plain hair style"; "unembellished white walls"; "functional architecture featuring stark unornamented concrete"
adroit
quick or skillful or adept in action or thought; "an exceptionally adroit pianist"; "an adroit technician"; "his adroit replies to hecklers won him many followers"; "an adroit negotiator"
clean, neat
free from clumsiness; precisely or deftly executed; "he landed a clean left on his opponent's cheek"; "a clean throw"; "the neat exactness of the surgeon's knife"
clever, cunning, ingenious
showing inventiveness and skill; "a clever gadget"; "the cunning maneuvers leading to his success""; "an ingenious solution to the problem"
coordinated
being dexterous in the use of more than one set of muscle movements; "she was usually good with her hands and well coordinated"- Mary McCarthy
deft, dexterous, dextrous
skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands; "a deft waiter"; "deft fingers massaged her face"; "dexterous of hand and inventive of mind"
handy
skillful with the hands; "handy with an axe"
light-fingered, nimble-fingered
having nimble fingers literally or figuratively; especially for stealing or picking pockets; "a light-fingered burglar who can crack the combination of a bank vault"- Harry Hansen; "the light-fingered thoughtfulness...of the most civilized playwright of the era"- Time
quick-witted
mentally nimble and resourceful; "quick-witted debater"; "saved an embarrassing situation with quick-witted tact"
maladroit
not adroit; "a maladroit movement of his hand caused the car to swerve"; "a maladroit translation"; "maladroit propaganda"
bumbling, bungling, butterfingered, ham-fisted, ham-handed, handless, heavy-handed, left-handed
not skillful in physical movement especially with the hands; "a bumbling mechanic"; "a bungling performance"; "ham-handed governmental interference"; "could scarcely empty a scuttle of ashes, so handless was the poor creature"- Mary H. Vorse
inept, tactless
revealing lack of perceptiveness or judgment or finesse; "an inept remark"; "it was tactless to bring up those disagreeable"
uncoordinated
not well coordinated; "his movements are clumsy and uncoordinated"
advantageous
giving an advantage; "a contract advantageous to our country"; "socially advantageous to entertain often"
beneficial, good
promoting or enhancing well-being; "an arms limitation agreement beneficial to all countries"; "the beneficial effects of a temperate climate"; "the experience was good for her"
plus, positive
involving advantage or good; "a plus (or positive) factor"
profitable
promoting benefit or gain; "a profitable meeting to resolve difficulties"
disadvantageous, harmful
constituting a disadvantage
minus, negative
involving disadvantage or harm; "minus (or negative) factors"
safe
of an undertaking
advisable
worthy of being recommended or suggested; prudent or wise; "such action is neither necessary nor advisable"; "extreme caution is advisable"; "it is advisable to telephone first"
better(p), best(p)
(comparative and superlative of `well') wiser or more advantageous and hence advisable; "it would be better to speak to him"; "the White House thought it best not to respond"
judicious, sensible
proceeding from good sense or judgment; "a sensible choice"
recommended, suggested
mentioned as worthy of acceptance; "the recommended medicine"; "the suggested course of study"
well(p)
wise or advantageous and hence advisable; "it would be well to start early"
inadvisable, unadvisable
not prudent or wise; not recommended; "running on the ice is inadvisable"
well-advised, advised
having the benefit of careful prior consideration or counsel; "a well-advised delay in carrying out the plan"
considered, wise
carefully considered; "a considered opinion"
ill-advised, unadvised
without careful prior deliberation or counsel; "ill-advised efforts"; it would be ill-advised to accept the offer"; "took the unadvised measure of going public with the accusations"
aesthetic, esthetic, aesthetical, esthetical
concerning or characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste; "the aesthetic faculties"; "an aesthetic person"; "aesthetic feeling"; "the illustrations made the book an aesthetic success"
artistic
satisfying aesthetic standards and sensibilities; "artistic workmanship"
beautiful
aesthetically pleasing
cosmetic, enhancive
serving an aesthetic purpose in beautifying the body; "cosmetic surgery"; "enhansive makeup"
sensuous
taking delight in beauty; "the sensuous joy from all things fair"
inaesthetic, unaesthetic
violating aesthetic canons or requirements; deficient in tastefulness or beauty; "inaesthetic and quite unintellectual"; "peered through those inaesthetic spectacles"
inartistic, unartistic
lacking aesthetic sensibility;
ugly
deficient in beauty; "ugly gray slums"
tasteless
deficient in tastefulness; "coarse and tasteless luxury"
superior(p)
(often followed by `to') above being affected or influenced by; "he is superior to fear"; "an ignited firework proceeds superior to circumstances until its blazing vitality fades"
lifelike, natural
natural looking; "a natural pose"
concessive, conceding(a)
making for or being a concession
favorable, positive
granting what has been desired or requested; "a favorable reply"; "a positive answer"
negative
expressing or consisting of a negation or refusal or denial
dismissive
tending to dismiss or reject; "a dismissive gesture"
agreeable
to your own liking or feelings or nature; "Is the plan agreeable to you?"; "he's an agreeable fellow"; "My idea of an agreeable person...is a person who agrees with me"- Disraeli; "an agreeable manner"
disagreeable
not to your liking; "a most disagreeable journey"; "a disagreeable old man"; "in a disagreeable mood"
annoying, bothersome, galling, irritating, nettlesome, pesky, pestering, pestiferous, plaguy, plaguey, teasing, vexatious, vexing
causing irritation or annoyance; "tapping an annoying rhythm on his glass with his fork"; "aircraft noise is particularly bothersome near the airport"; "found it galling to have to ask permission"; "an irritating delay"; "nettlesome paperwork"; "a pesky mosquito"; "swarms of pestering gnats"; "a plaguey newfangled safety catch"; "a teasing and persistent thought annoyed him"; "a vexatious child"; "it is vexing to have to admit you are wrong"
harsh, abrasive
sharply disagreeable; rigorous; "the harsh facts of court delays"; "an abrasive character"
unsweet
distasteful; "he found life unsweet"
doomed
marked for certain death; "the black spot told the old sailor he was doomed"
live
showing characteristics of life; exerting force or containing energy; "live coals"; "tossd a live cigarette out the window"; "got a shock from a live wire"; "live ore is unmined ore"; "a live bomb"; "a live ball is one in play"
living(a)
full of life and interest; "made history a living subject"
dead
not showing characteristics of life especially the capacity to sustain life; no longer exerting force or having energy or heat; "Mars is a dead planet"; "a dead battery"; "dead soil"; "dead coals"; "the fire is dead"
enigmatic, oracular
resembling an oracle in obscurity of thought; "the oracular sayings of Victorian poets"; "so obscure that priests might have to clarify it"; "an enigmatic smile"
left-handed
ironically ambiguous; "a left-handed compliment"
multivalent, multi-valued
having many values, meanings, or appeals; "subtle, multivalent allegory"
uncertain
especially in the negative "no uncertain," as in "spoke in no uncertain terms"
manque, would-be(a)
unfilled or frustrated in realizing an ambition
overambitious
excessively ambitious
ample
more than enough in size or scope or capacity; "had ample food for the party"; "an ample supply"
full, good
having the normally expected amount; "gives full measure"; "gives good measure"; "a good mile from here"
generous
more than adequate; "a generous portion"
wide, wide-cut, full
having ample fabric; "the current taste for wide trousers"; "a full skirt"
meager, meagre, meagerly
deficient in amount or quality or extent; "meager resources"; "meager fare"
bare(a), scanty, spare
lacking in amplitude or quantity; "a bare livelihood"; "a scanty harvest"; "a spare diet"
exiguous
extremely scanty; "a meager income"; "an exiguous budget"
hand-to-mouth(a)
providing only bare essentials; "a hand-to-mouth existence"
hardscrabble, marginal
of a bare living gained by great labor; "the sharecropper's hardscrabble life"; "a marginal existence"
measly, miserable, paltry
contemptibly small in amount; "a measly tip"; "the company donated a miserable $100 for flood relief"; "a paltry wage"; "almost depleted his miserable store of dried beans"
vital
having or characterized by life; "a vital being"; "the population of the vital teeming slums"
animated, alive
having life or vigor or spirit; "an animated and expressive face"; "animated conversation"; "became very animated when he heard the good news"
enlivened, spirited
made lively or spirited; "a meal enlivened by the music"; "a spirited debate"
full of life, lively, vital
full of spirit; "a vital and charismatic leader"; "this whole vital world"
reanimated, revived
given fresh life or vigor or spirit; "stirred by revived hopes"
unanimated
not animated or enlivened; dull
dead, lifeless
lacking animation or excitement or activity; "the party being dead we left early"; "it was a lifeless party until she arrived"
wan
lacking vitality as from weariness or illness or unhappiness; "a wan smile"
enlivened
made sprightly or cheerful
perked up
made or become more cheerful or lively; "his attention made her feel all perked up"
unenlivened
not made lively or brightened; "a life unenlivened by romance"
precedented
having or supported or justified by a precedent
unprecedented
having no precedent; novel; "an unprecedented expansion in population and industry"
new, unexampled
having no previous example or precedent or parallel; "a time of unexampled prosperity"
approachable
easy to meet or converse or do business with; "a friendly approachable person"
accessible
easy to get along with or talk to; friendly; "an accessible and genial man"
unapproachable
discouraging intimacies; reserved; "an unapproachable executive"
offish, standoffish
lacking cordiality; unfriendly; "a standoffish manner"
appropriate
suitable for a particular person or place or condition etc; "a book not appropriate for children"; "a funeral conducted the appropriate solemnity"; "it seems that an apology is appropriate"
befitting
appropriate to; "behavior befitting a father"
due
reasonable in the circumstances; "gave my comments due consideration"; "exercising due care"
in order(p), called for
appropriate or even needed in the circumstances; "a change is in order"
pat
exactly suited to the occasion; "a pat reply"
proper, right, suitable
appropriate for a condition or occasion; "everything in its proper place"; "the right man for the job"; "she is not suitable for the position"
inappropriate
not suitable for a particular occasion etc; "noise seems inappropriate at a time of sadness"; "inappropriate shoes for a walk on the beach"; "put inappropriate pressure on them"
unbefitting
not befitting; "behavior unbefitting a father"
unsuitable, improper, wrong
not appropriate for a purpose or occasion; "unsuitable attire for the office"; "said all the wrong things"
anticipated, looked-for(a)
rightfully expected; "his looked-for advancement";
undue
not appropriate or proper (or even legal) in the circumstances; "undue influence"; "I didn't want to show undue excitement"; "accused of using undue force"
apropos
of an appropriate or pertinent nature
apposite, appropriate, apt, pertinent
being of striking appropriateness and pertinence; "the successful copywriter is a master of apposite and evocative verbal images"; "an apt reply"
malapropos
of an inappropriate or incorrectly applied nature
inapposite, out of place
of an inappropriate or misapplied nature
artful
marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft; "the artful dodger"; "an artful choice of metaphors"
adroit, clever, ingenious
skillful (or showing skill) in adapting means to ends; "cool prudence and sensitive selfishness along with quick perception of what is possible--these distinguish an adroit politician"; "came up with a clever story"; "an ingenious press agent"; "an ingenious scheme"
Byzantine
characterized by elaborate scheming and intrigue; devious; "Byzantine methods for holding on to his chairmanship"; "a fine hand for Byzantine deals and cozy arrangements"
crafty, cunning, dodgy, foxy, guileful, knavish, slick, sly, tricksy, tricky, wily
marked by skill in deception; "cunning men often pass for wise"; "deep political machinations"; "a foxy scheme"; "a slick evasive answer"; "sly as a fox"; "tricky Dick"; "a wily old attorney"
cute, precious
obviously contrived to charm; "an insufferably precious performance"; "a child with intolerably cute mannerisms"
deep
exhibiting great cunning usually with secrecy; "deep political machinations"; "a deep plot"
elusive, evasive
skillful at eluding capture; "a cabal of conspirators, each more elusive than the archterrorist"- David Kline
manipulative
skillful in influencing or controlling others to your own advantage; "the early manipulative techniques of a three-year-old"
pawky
(British) cunning and sly; "the pawky rich old lady who incessantly scores off her parasitical descendants"- Punch
artless
simple and natural; without cunning or deceit; "an artless manner"; "artless elegance"
careless
effortless and unstudied; "an impression of careless elegance"; "danced with careless grace"
guileless, honest
free from guile; "his answer was simple and honest"
naive, unsophisticated
lacking sophistication
articulate
expressing yourself easily or characterized by clear expressive language; "articulate speech"; "an articulate orator"; "articulate beings"
articulated
pronounced distinctly and clearly; "her words were well articulated"
eloquent, facile, fluent, silver, silver-tongued, smooth-spoken
expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively; "able to dazzle with his facile tongue"; "silver speech"
well-spoken
speaking or spoken fittingly or pleasingly; "a well-spoken gentleman"; "a few well-spoken words on civic pride"
tongued
having a manner of speaking as specified; often used in combination; "golden-tongued"; "sharp-tongued"
audacious, barefaced, bodacious, bold-faced, brassy, brazen, brazen-faced, insolent
unrestrained by convention or propriety; "an audacious trick to pull"; "a barefaced hypocrite"; "the most bodacious display of tourism this side of Anaheim"- Los Angeles Times; "bold-faced lies"; "brazen arrogance"; "the modern world with its quick material successes and insolent belief in the boundless possibilities of progress"- Bertrand Russell
emphatic, forceful
forceful and definite in expression or action; "the document contained a particularly emphatic guarantee of religious liberty"
gullible
easily tricked because of being too trusting; "gullible tourists taken in by the shell game"
oversolicitous
excessively solicitous
forgetful, oblivious
failing to keep in mind; "forgetful of her responsibilities"; "oblivious old age"
attractive
pleasing to the eye or mind especially through beauty or charm; "a remarkably attractive young man"; "an attractive personality"; "attractive clothes"; "a book with attractive illustrations"
bewitching, captivating, enchanting, enthralling, entrancing, fascinating
capturing interest as if by a spell; "bewitching smile"; "Roosevelt was a captivating speaker"; "enchanting music"; "an enthralling book"; "antique papers of entrancing design"; "a fascinating woman"
charismatic, magnetic
possessing an extraordinary ability to attract; "a charismatic leader"; "a magnetic personality"
cunning, cute
attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness; "a cute kid with pigtails"; "a cute little apartment"; "cunning kittens"; "a cunning baby"
dinky
(British informal) pretty and neat; "what a dinky little hat"
engaging, piquant
attracting or delighting; "an engaging frankness"; "a piquant face with large appealing eyes"
fetching, taking, winning
very attractive; capturing interest; "a fetching new hairstyle"; "something inexpressibly taking in his manner"; "a winning personality"
hypnotic, mesmeric, mesmerizing, spellbinding
attracting and holding interest as if by a spell; "read the bedtime story in a hypnotic voice"; "she had a warm mesmeric charm"; "the sheer force of his presence was mesmerizing"; "a spellbinding description of life in ancient Rome"
irresistible
overpoweringly attractive; "irresistible beauty"
personable
(of persons) pleasant in appearance and personality
photogenic
looking attractive in photographs
prepossessing
creating a favorable impression; "strong and vigorous and of prepossessing appearance"
winsome
charming in a childlike or naive way
unattractive
lacking beauty or charm; "as unattractive as most mining regions"
homely, plain
lacking in physical beauty or proportion; "a homely child"; "several of the buildings were downright homely"; "a plain girl with a freckled face"
subfusc
devoid of brightness or appeal; "a subfusc mining town"; "dark subfusc clothing"
unprepossessing, unpresentable
creating an unfavorable or neutral first impression
appealing
able to attract interest or draw favorable attention; "He added an appealing and memorable figure to popular American mythology"- Vincent Starrett; "an appealing sense of humor"; "the idea of having enough money to retire at fifty is very appealing"
attention-getting, catchy
likely to attract attention; "a catchy title for a movie"
attractive
having power to arouse interest; "an attractive opportunity"; "the job is attractive because of the pay"
unappealing
not able to attract favorable attention; "they have made the place as unappealing as possible"; "was forced to talk to his singularly unappealing hostess"
off-putting
tending to repel; "The trappings of upper-class life are off-putting and sterile"- Elizabeth Hess
unattractive
lacking power to arouse interest; "being unemployed is a most unattractive prospect"
auspicious
attended by favorable circumstances; "an auspicious beginning for the campaign"
advantageous, favorable, golden
very favorable or advantageous; "a golden opportunity"
bright, promising
full or promise; "had a bright future in publishing"; "the scandal threatened an abrupt end to a promising political career"
fortunate, hopeful, rosy
presaging good fortune; "she made a fortunate decision to go to medical school"; "rosy predictions"
inauspicious, unfortunate
not auspicious; boding ill
unpromising
appearing to be unlikely to result favorably or be enjoyable; "faced an unpromising task"; "music for unpromising combinations of instruments"
propitious
presenting favorable circumstances; "propitious omens"
auspicious, encouraging, favorable, favourable, lucky, prosperous
tending to favor or bring good luck; "miracles are auspicious accidents"; "encouraging omens"; "a favorable time to ask for a raise"; "lucky stars"; "a prosperous moment to make a decision"
gracious
disposed to bestow favors; "thanks to the gracious gods"
unpropitious
not propitious
ill, inauspicious, ominous
presaging ill-fortune; "ill omens"; "ill predictions"; "my words with inauspicious thunderings shook heaven"- P.B.Shelley;"a dead and ominous silence prevailed"; "a by-election at a time highly unpropitious for the Government"
thunderous
extremely ominous; "world events of thunderous import"
available
obtainable or accessible and ready for use or service; "kept a fire extinguisher available"; "much information is available through computers"; "available in many colors"; "the list of available candidates is unusually long"
accessible
easily obtained; "most students now have computers accessible"; "accessible money"
easy
(economics) less in demand and therefore readily obtainable; "commodities are easy this quarter"
forthcoming
available when required or as promised; "federal funds were not forthcoming"
on hand(p), visible(a)
present and easily available; "the cash on hand is adequate for current needs"; "emergency police were on hand in case of trouble"; "a visible supply"; "visible resources"
on tap(p)
available for immediate use; "extra personnel on tap"; "other sports and entertainment facilities are on tap"; "there are numerous projects on tap"
ready(a)
(of especially money) immediately available; "he seems to have ample ready money"; "a ready source of cash"
unavailable
not available or accessible or at hand; "fresh milk was unavailable during the emergency"; "his secretary said he was unavailable for comment"
inaccessible, unobtainable, unprocurable, untouchable
not capable of being obtained; "a rare work, today almost inaccessible"; "timber is virtually unobtainable in the islands"; "untouchable resources buried deep within the earth"
alarming
causing alarm or fear
appalling, dismaying
causing consternation; "appalling conditions"
atrocious, frightful, horrifying, horrible, ugly
provoking horror; "an atrocious automobile accident"; "a frightful crime of decapitation"; "an alarming, even horrifying, picture"; "war is beyond all words horrible"- Winston Churchill; "an ugly wound"
awful, dire, direful, dread(a), dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible
causing fear or dread or terror; "the awful war"; "an awful risk"; "dire news"; "a career or vengeance so direful that London was shocked"; "the dread presence of the headmaster"; "polio is no longer the dreaded disease it once was"; "a dreadful storm"; "a fearful howling"; "horrendous explosions shook the city"; "a terrible curse"
baleful, forbidding, menacing, minacious, minatory, ominous, sinister, threatening, ugly
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments; "a baleful look"; "forbidding thunderclouds"; "his tone became menacing"; "ominous rumblings of discontent"; "sinister storm clouds"; "a sinister smile"; "his threatening behavior"; "ugly black clouds"; "the situation became ugly"
bloodcurdling, hair-raising, nightmarish
extremely alarming
chilling, scarey, scary, shivery, shuddery
so scary as to cause chills and shudders; "the most terrible and shuddery...tales of murder and revenge"
creepy
causing a sensation as of things crawling on your skin; "a creepy story"
formidable, redoubtable, unnerving
inspiring fear; "the formidable prospect of major surgery"; "a tougher and more redoubtable adversary than the heel-clicking, jackbooted fanatic"- G.H.Johnston; "something unnerving and prisonlike about high gray wall"
ghastly, grim, grisly, gruesome, macabre
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror; "ghastly wounds"; "the grim aftermath of the bombing"; "the grim task of burying the victims"; "a grisly murder"; "gruesome evidence of human sacrifice"; "macabre tales of war and plague in the Middle ages"; "macabre tortures conceived by madmen"
hairy
hazardous and frightening; "hairy moments in the mountains"
petrifying
paralyzing with terror
stupefying
shocking with surprise and consternation; "the stupefying impact of the tragedy"
terrific, terrifying
causing extreme terror; "a terrifying wail"
unalarming
not alarming; assuaging alarm
calming, lulling, quietening
causing to become tranquil
reassuring
restoring confidence and relieving anxiety; "a very reassuring remark"
assuasive, calming, pacifying, soothing
freeing from fear and anxiety
assuring
giving confidence
comforting, consolatory, consoling
affording comfort or solace
unreassuring, worrisome
not reassuring; tending to cause anxiety
familiar, overfamiliar
taking undue liberties; "young women disliked the familiar tone he took with them"; "instructors should not be familir in their behavior toward students of the opposite sex"
fresh, impertinent, impudent, overbold, smart, saucy
improperly forward or bold; "don't be fresh with me"; "impertinent of a child to lecture a grownup"; "an impudent boy given to insulting strangers"
assumptive, assuming, presumptuous
excessively forward; "an assumptive person"; "on a subject like this it would be too assuming for me to decide"; "the duchess would not put up with presumptuous servants"
beautiful
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration; "a beautiful child"; "beautiful country"; "a beautiful painting"; "a beautiful theory"; "a beautiful party"
beauteous
poetic
bonny, bonnie, comely, fair
very pleasing to the eye; "my bonny lass"; "there's a bonny bay beyond"; "a comely face"; "young fair maidens"
dishy
(informal British) good-looking; "a dishy blonde"
exquisite
of extreme beauty; "her exquisite face"
fair, sightly
visually appealing; "our fair city"
fine-looking, good-looking, better-looking, handsome, well-favored, well-favoured
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion; "a fine-looking woman"; "a good-looking man"; "better-looking than her sister"; "very pretty but not so extraordinarily handsome"- Thackeray; "our southern women are well-favored"- Lillian Hellman
glorious, resplendent, splendid, splendiferous
having great beauty and splendor; "a glorious spring morning"; "a glorious sunset"; "splendid costumes"; "a kind of splendiferous native simplicity"
gorgeous
dazzlingly beautiful; "a gorgeous Victorian gown"
lovely
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
picturesque
suggesting or suitable for a picture; pretty as a picture; "a picturesque village"
pretty
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing; "pretty girl"; "pretty song"; "pretty room"
pretty-pretty
ostentatiously or inappropriately pretty
pulchritudinous
used of persons only; having great physical beauty; "pulchritudinous movie stars"
ravishing
stunningly beautiful; "a ravishing blonde"
scenic
used of locations; having beautiful natural scenery; "scenic drives"
stunning
strikingly beautiful or attractive; "quite stunning with large dark eyes and a beautiful high-bosomed figure"; "stunning photographs of Canada's wilderness areas"
ugly
displeasing to the senses and morally revolting; "an ugly face"; "ugly furniture"; "war is ugly"
disfigured
having the appearance spoiled; "a disfigured face"; "strip mining left a disfigured landscape"
grotesque, monstrous, unnatural
distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous; "tales of grotesque serpents eight fathoms long that churned the seas"; "twisted into monstrous shapes"
hideous, repulsive
so extremely ugly as to be terrifying; "a hideous scar"; "a repulsive mask"
ill-favored, ill-favoured
usually used of a face; "an ill-favored countenance"
scrofulous
having a diseased appearance resembling scrofula; "our canoe...lay with her scrofulous sides on the shore"- Farley Mowat
unlovely, unpicturesque
without beauty or charm
unsightly
unpleasant to look at; "unsightly billboards"
beneficent
doing or producing good; "the most beneficent regime in history"
benefic
exerting a favorable or beneficent influence; "a benefic star"; "a benefic force"
maleficent
harmful or evil in intent or effect
baleful, baneful
deadly or sinister; "the Florida eagles have a fierce baleful look"
malefic, malevolent, malign, evil
having or exerting a malignant influence; "malevolent stars"; "a malefic force"
benevolent, good
having or showing or arising from a desire to promote the welfare or happiness of others; "his benevolent smile"; "a benevolent nature"
good-hearted, kind, kindly, openhearted
generously responsive; "good-hearted but inept efforts to help"; "take a kindly interest"; "a kindly gentleman"; "an openhearted gift to charity"
malevolent, malicious
wishing or appearing to wish evil to others; arising from intense ill will or hatred; "a gossipy malevolent old woman"; "failure made him malevolent toward those who were successful"
beady-eyed
having eyes that gleam with malice
bitchy, catty, cattish
marked by or arising from malice; "a catty remark"
poisonous, venomous, vicious
marked by deep ill will; deliberately harmful; "a malevolent lie"; "poisonous hate...in his eyes"- Ernest Hemingway; "venomous criticism"; "vicious gossip"
venomed
full of malice or hate; "venomed remarks"
malicious
having the nature of or resulting from malice; "malicious gossip"; "took malicious pleasure in...watching me wince"- Rudyard Kipling
despiteful, spiteful, vindictive
showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite; "a despiteful fiend"; "a truly spiteful child"; "a vindictive man will look for occasions for resentment"
leering
showing sly or knowing malice in a glance; "she had run in fear of...his evil leering eye"- Amy Lowell
vixenish
shrewish and malicious; "a vixenish old woman"
unmalicious
not malicious or spiteful
benign, benignant
pleasant and beneficial in nature or influence; "a benign smile"; "the benign sky"; "the benign influence of pure air
genial, kind
conducive to comfort; beneficial; "the genial sunshine"; "a kind climate"; "hot summer pavements are anything but kind to the feet"
harmless, nonmalignant
(pathology) not threatening to life or health; not malignant; "a benign tumor is usually harmless"
kindly
pleasant and agreeable; "a kindly climate"; "kindly breeze"
malign
evil or harmful in nature or influence; "prompted by malign motives"; "believed in witches and malign spirits"; "gave him a malign look"; "a malign lesion"
evil, harmful, injurious
tending to cause great harm
malevolent, malignant
extremely malevolent or malicious; "the malignant tongues of gossipers"
best
(superlative of `good') having the most positive qualities; "the best film of the year"; "the best solution"; "the best time for planting"; "wore his best suit"
finest, high-grade, top-quality, top-grade
surpassing in quality; "top-grade ore"
first, foremost, top(a)
ranking above all others; "was first in her class"; "the foremost figure among marine artists"; "the top graduate"
good, go-to-meeting(a), Sunday, Sunday-go-to-meeting(a)
used of clothing; "my good clothes"; "her Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes"
most advantageous, most desirable
of greatest advantage or suitability
optimum, optimal
most desirable possible under a restriction expressed or implied; "an optimum return on capital"; "optimal concentration of a drug"
superfine
(used especially of merchandise) very fine in quality; "made of superfine Flemish cloth"
unexcelled, unexceeded, unsurpassed
not capable of being improved on
unsurpassable
not to be exceeded; "unsurpassable skill"; "unsurpassable standards of workmanship"
worst
(superlative of `bad') most wanting in quality or value or condition; "the worst player on the team"; "the worst weather of the year"
most evil, most wicked
superlatively evil and wicked
most undesirable, most unpleasant
superlatively undesirable and unpleasant
most unsuitable, most unattractive
superlatively unsuitable and unattractive
pessimal, pessimum(a)
of an organism's environment; least favorable for survival
better
(comparative of `good') superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another; "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din"; "a better coat"; "a better type of car"; "a suit with a better fit"; "a better chance of success"; "produced a better mousetrap"; "she's better in math than in history"
amended
modified for the better; "his amended ways"
finer
(comparative of `fine') greater in quality or excellence; "a finer wine"; "a finer musician"
improved
become or made better in quality; "was proud of his improved grades"; "an improved viewfinder"
worse
(comparative of `bad') inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability; "this road is worse than the first one we took"; "the road is in worse shape than it was"; "she was accused of worse things than cheating and lying"
worsened
made or become worse; impaired; "troubled by the worsened economic conditions"; "the worsened diplomatic relations"
better
(comparative of `good') changed for the better in health or fitness; "her health is better now"; "I feel better"
fitter, healthier
improved in health or physical condition
worse, worsened
changed for the worse in health or fitness; "I feel worse today"; "her cold is worse"
bettering
changing for the better
ameliorating(a), ameliorative, amelioratory, meliorative
tending to ameliorate
amendatory
effecting amendment; "added amendatory phrases to the text"
corrective
tending or intended to correct or counteract or restore to a normal condition; "corrective measures"; "corrective lenses"
remedial
tending or intended to rectify or improve; "a remedial reading course"; "remedial education"
worsening
changing for the worse; "worried by the worsening storm"
sweet-faced
having a pleasing face or one showing a sweet disposition; "a sweet-faced child"
blemished
marred by imperfections
blebbed, blebby
(of glass or quartzite) marred by small bubbles or small particles of foreign material
blotchy
marred by discolored spots or blotches; "blotchy skin"
besmirched, damaged, flyblown, spotted, stained, sullied, tainted, tarnished
especially of reputation; "the senator's seriously damaged reputation"; "a flyblown reputation"; "a tarnished reputation"; "inherited a spotted name"
unblemished
free from physical or moral spots or stains; "an unblemished record"; "an unblemished complexion"
stainless, unstained, unsullied, untainted, untarnished
of reputation; "his unsullied name"; "an untarnished reputation"
bloodthirsty, bloody-minded, sanguinary
marked by eagerness to resort to violence and bloodshed; "bloody-minded tyrants"; "bloodthirsty yells"; "went after the collaborators with a sanguinary fury that drenched the land with blood"-G.W.Johnson
crimson, red, violent
characterized by violence or bloodshed; "writes of crimson deeds and barbaric days"- Andrea Parke; "fann'd by Conquest's crimson wing"- Thomas Gray; "convulsed with red rage"- Hudson Strode
cutthroat, homicidal, murderous
capable of or conducive to bloodshed; "a cutthroat rogue"; "a homicidal rage"; "murderous thugs"
gory, sanguinary, sanguineous, slaughterous, butcherly
accompanied by bloodshed; "this bitter and sanguinary war"
internecine, mutually ruinous
characterized by bloodshed and carnage for both sides; "internecine war"
bold
fearless and daring; "bold settlers on some foreign shore"; "a bold speech"; "a bold adventure"
audacious, brave, dauntless, fearless, intrepid, unfearing
invulnerable to fear or intimidation; "audacious explorers"; "fearless reporters and photographers"; "intrepid pioneers"
brash, daredevil, temerarious
presumptuously daring; "a daredevil test pilot having the right stuff"
emboldened
made bold or courageous
foolhardy, rash, reckless
marked by unthinking boldness; with defiant disregard for danger or consequences; "foolhardy enough to try to seize the gun from the hijacker"; "became the fiercest and most reckless of partisans"-Macaulay; "a reckless driver"; "a rash attempt to climb the World Trade Center"
heroic, heroical
having or displaying qualities appropriate for heroes; "the heroic attack on the beaches of Normandy"; "heroic explorers"
nervy
showing or requiring courage and contempt of danger; "the nervy feats of mountaineers"
overreaching, vaulting
revealing excessive self-confidence; reaching for the heights; "vaulting ambition"
overvaliant
having or showing undue valor or boldness; "a foolish overvaliant act"
tangled
in a confused mass; "pushed back her tangled hair"; "the tangled ropes"
afoul(ip), foul, fouled
especially of a ship's lines etc; "with its sails afoul"; "a foul anchor"
enmeshed, intermeshed
caught as if in a mesh; "enmeshed in financial difficulties"
quality
of high social status; "people of quality"; "a quality family"
brave, courageous, fearless
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching; "Familiarity with danger makes a brave man braver but less daring"- Herman Melville; "a frank courageous heart...triumphed over pain"- William Wordsworth"; "set a courageous example by leading them safely into and out of enemy-held territory"
desperate, heroic
showing extreme courage; especially of actions courageously undertaken in desperation as a last resort; "made a last desperate attempt to reach the climber"; "the desperate gallantry of our naval task forces marked the turning point in the Pacific war"- G.C.Marshall; "they took heroic measures to save his life"
gallant
unflinching in battle or action; "a gallant warrior"; "put up a gallant resistance to the attackers"
game, gamy, gamey, gritty, mettlesome, spirited, spunky
willing to face danger
lionhearted
extraordinarily courageous
stalwart, stouthearted
used especially of persons; "a stalwart knight"; "a stouthearted fellow who had an active career in the army"
undaunted
resolutely courageous; "undaunted in the face of death"
valiant, valorous
having or showing valor; "a valiant attempt to prevent the hijack"; "a valiant soldier"
cowardly, coward(a), fearful
lacking courage; ignobly timid and faint-hearted; "cowardly dogs, ye will not aid me then"- P.B.Shelley
caitiff
despicably mean and cowardly
chicken, chickenhearted, lily-livered, white-livered, yellow, yellow-bellied
(informal) easily frightened
cowering(a), cringing(a)
shrinking or flinching in fear
craven, recreant
lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful; "the craven fellow turned and ran"; "a craven proposal to raise the white flag"; "this recreant knight"- Spenser
dastard(a), dastardly
treacherously cowardly; "the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on...December 7th"- F.D. Roosevelt
faint, fainthearted, timid
lacking conviction or boldness or courage; "faint heart ne'er won fair lady"
funky
in a state of cowardly fright
poltroon
characterized by complete cowardliness
pusillanimous, poor-spirited, unmanly
lacking in courage and manly strength and resolution; contemptibly fearful
gutsy
marked by courage and determination in the face of difficulties or danger; robust and uninhibited; "you have to admire her; it was a gutsy thing to do"; "the gutsy...intensity of her musical involvement"-Judith Crist; "a gutsy red wine"
plucky
showing courage in the face of danger; "a plucky lampooner of the administration"
gutless, spineless
lacking courage or vitality; "he was a yellow gutless worm"; "a spineless craven fellow"
Acheronian, Acherontic, Stygian
dark and dismal as of the rivers Acheron and Styx in Hades; "in the depths of an Acheronian forest"; "upon those roseate lips a Stygian hue"-Wordsworth
caliginous
dark and misty and gloomy
Cimmerian
intensely dark and gloomy as with perpetual darkness; "the Cimmerian gloom...a darkness that could be felt"-Norman Douglas
darkling
uncannily or threateningly dark or obscure; "a darkling glance"; "secret operatives and darkling conspiracies"-Archibald MacLeish
glooming, gloomy, gloomful
depressingly dark; "the gloomy forest"; "the glooming interior of an old inn"; "`gloomful' is archaic"
tenebrous, tenebrific, tenebrious
dark and gloomy; "a tenebrous cave"
murky, mirky
so shaded as to be dark or gloomy; "a murky dungeon"; "murky rooms lit by smoke-blackened lamps"
shining
reflecting an inner radiance; "with shining eyes"
jaundiced
showing or affected by prejudice or envy or distaste; "looked with a jaundiced eye on the growth of regimentation"; "takes a jaundiced view of societies and clubs"
loaded
(of statements or questions) charged with associative significance and often meant to mislead or influence; "a loaded question"
open
receptive to new ideas; "an open mind"; "open to new ideas"
broad-minded
inclined to respect views and beliefs that differ from your own; "a judge who is broad-minded but even-handed"
broad, liberal, tolerant
showing or characterized by broad-mindedness; "a broad political stance"; "generous and broad sympathies"; "a liberal newspaper"; "tolerant of his opponent's opinions"
catholic
free from provincial prejudices or attachments; "catholic in one's tastes"
free-thinking, latitudinarian, undogmatic, undogmatical
unwilling to accept authority or dogma (especially in religion)
open-minded
ready to entertain new ideas; "an open-minded curiosity"; "open-minded impartiality"
narrow-minded, narrow
lacking tolerance or flexibility or breadth of view; "a brilliant but narrow-minded judge"; "narrow opinions"
close-minded, closed-minded
not ready to receive to new ideas
dogmatic, dogmatical
characterized by arrogant assertion of unproved or unprovable principles
illiberal, intolerant
narrow-minded about cherished opinions
opinionated, opinionative, self-opinionated
obstinate in your opinions
little, petty, small, small-minded
contemptibly narrow in outlook; "a little mind consumed with trivia"; "petty little comments"; "disgusted with the pettiness of small minds"
reconstructed
adapted to social or economic change; "a reconstructed feminist"
unreconstructed
adhering to an attitude or position widely held to be outmoded; "peasants are still unreconstructed small capitalists at heart"; "there are probably more unreconstructed Southerners than one would like to admit"
obstinate, stubborn, unregenerate
persisting in a reactionary stand
fitful, interrupted, off-and-on(a)
intermittently stopping and starting; "fitful (or interrupted) sleep"; "off-and-on static"
halting
fragmentary or halting from emotional strain; "uttered a few broken words of sorrow"
brotherly, brotherlike, fraternal
like or characteristic of or befitting a brother; "brotherly feelings"; "close fraternal ties"
sisterly, sisterlike, sororal
like or characteristic of or befitting a sister; "sisterly kindness"; "sororal concern
busy
actively or fully engaged or occupied; "busy with her work"; "a busy man"; "too busy to eat lunch"; "the line is busy"
drudging, laboring, labouring, toiling
doing arduous or unpleasant work; "drudging peasants"; "the bent backs of laboring slaves picking cotton"; "toiling coal miners in the black deeps"
overbusy
too busy
tied up(p)
kept occupied or engaged; "she's tied up at the moment and can't see you"; "the phone was tied up for almost an hour"
idle
not in action or at work; "an idle laborer"; "idle drifters"; "the idle rich"; "an idle mind"
bone-idle, bone-lazy
(informal) constitutionally lazy or idle
faineant, indolent, lazy, otiose, slothful, work-shy
disinclined to work or exertion; "faineant kings under whose rule the country languished"; "an indolent hanger-on"; "too lazy to wash the dishes"; "shiftless idle youth"; "slothful employees"; "the unemployed are not necessarily work-shy"
goldbricking(a)
shirking your assigned duties; "too many goldbricking employees"
lackadaisical
idle or indolent especially in a dreamy way; "she was annoyingly lackadaisical and impractical"; "a...lackadaisical, spiritless young man-about-town"- P.G.Wodehouse
countless, infinite, innumerable, innumerous, myriad(a), multitudinous, numberless, uncounted, unnumberable, unnumbered, unnumerable
too numerous to be counted; "incalculable riches"; "countless hours"; "an infinite number of reasons"; "innumerable difficulties"; "the multitudinous seas"; "myriad stars"; "untold thousands"
incomputable, inestimable, immeasurable
beyond calculation or measure; "of incalculable value"; "an incomputable amount"; "jewels of inestimable value"; "immeasurable wealth"
confident, surefooted
not liable to error in judgment or action; "most surefooted of the statesmen who dealt with the depression"- Walter Lippman; "demonstrates a surefooted storytelling talent"- Michiko Kakutani
resourceful
having inner resources; adroit or imaginative; "someone who is resourceful is capable of dealing with difficult situations"; "an able and resourceful politician"; "the most resourceful cook in town"
conscientious, painstaking, scrupulous
characterized by extreme care and great effort; "conscientious application to the work at hand"; "painstaking research"; "scrupulous attention to details"
detailed, elaborate, elaborated
developed or executed with care and in minute detail; "a detailed plan"; "the elaborate register of the inhabitants prevented tax evasion"- John Buchan; "the carefully elaborated theme"
minute, narrow
characterized by painstaking care and detailed examination; "a minute inspection of the grounds"; "a narrow scrutiny"; "an exact and minute report"
overcareful, too-careful
excessively or unduly careful
particular(a)
providing specific details or circumstances; "a particular description of the room"
studious
marked by care and effort; "made a studious attempt to fix the television set"
thorough
painstakingly careful and accurate; "our accountant is thorough"; "thorough research"
careless
marked by lack of attention or consideration or forethought or thoroughness; not careful; "careless about her clothes"; "forgotten by some careless person"; "a careless housekeeper"; "careless proofreading"; "it was a careless mistake"; "hurt by a careless remark"
casual, cursory, passing(a), perfunctory
hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough; "a casual (or cursory) inspection failed to reveal the house's structural flaws"; "a passing glance"; "perfunctory courtesy"
haphazard, slapdash, slipshod, sloppy
marked by great carelessness; "a most haphazard system of record keeping"; "slapdash work"; "slipshod spelling"; "sloppy workmanship"
heedless, reckless
characterized by careless unconcerned; "the heedless generosity and the spasmodic extravagance of persons used to large fortunes"- Edith Wharton; "reckless squandering of public funds"
incautious
without out proper caution; "an incautious step sent her headlong down the stairs"
negligent
marked by insufficient care or attention; "a negligent housekeeper"; "negligent about personal cleanliness"
offhand, offhanded
casually thoughtless or inconsiderate; "an offhand manner"; "she treated most men with offhand contempt"
fabian, dilatory
using cautious slow strategy to wear down opposition; avoiding direct confrontation; "a fabian policy"
gingerly
with extreme care or delicacy; "they proceeded with gingerly footwork over the jagged stones"; "the issue was handled only in a gingerly way"- W.S.White
guarded, restrained
prudent; "guarded optimism"
overcautious
unnecessarily cautious; "sometimes it doesn't pay to be overcautious in business"
incautious
lacking in caution; "an incautious remark"; "incautious talk"
hotheaded, impulsive, impetuous, madcap, tearaway(a), brainish
characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation; "a hotheaded decision"; "liable to such impulsive acts as hugging strangers"; "an impetuous display of spending and gambling"; "madcap escapades"; (`brainish' is archaic)
bold, cocksure, overconfident, positive
marked by excessive confidence; "an arrogant and cocksure materialist"; "so bold and impudent as to speak to the queen"; "the less he knows the more positive he gets"
doomed, fated
(usually followed by `to') determined by tragic fate; "doomed to unhappiness"; "fated to be the scene of Kennedy's assassination"
astatic
not static or stable
distortable
capable of having the meaning altered or twisted; "our words are distortable things--as in a crooked mirror held up to nature"
erratic, fickle, mercurial, quicksilver(a)
liable to sudden unpredictable change; "erratic behavior"; "fickle weather"; "mercurial twists of temperament"; "a quicksilver character, cool and willful at one moment, utterly fragile the next"
fluid, unstable
subject to change; variable; "a fluid situation fraught with uncertainty"; "everything was unstable following the coup
fluid, mobile
affording change (especially in social status); "Britain is not a truly fluid society"; "upwardly mobile"
kaleidoscopic, kaleidoscopical
continually shifting or rapidly changing
open-ended
allowing for future changes or revisions; "open-ended agreements"
volatile
tending to vary often or widely; "volatile stocks"; "volatile emotions"
changeless, unalterable
remaining the same for indefinitely long times
confirmed
of persons; not subject to change; "a confirmed bachelor"; "a confirmed invalid"
static, stable, unchanging
showing little if any change; "a static population"
maladjusted
not well adjusted; "a maladjusted carburetor"
characteristic
typical or distinctive; "heard my friend's characteristic laugh"; "red and gold are the characteristic colors of autumn"; "stripes characteristic of the zebra"
distinctive, typical
of a feature that helps to distinguish a person or thing; "Jerusalem has a distinctive Middle East flavor"- Curtis Wilkie; "that is typical of you!"
distinguishing, distinctive, identifying(a)
serving to distinguish or identify a species or group; "the distinguishing mark of the species is its plumage"; "distinctive tribal tattoos"; "we were asked to describe any identifying marks or distinguishing features"
peculiar(a)
characteristic of one only; distinctive or special; "the peculiar character of the Government of the U.S."- R.B.Taney
uncharacteristic, uncharacteristic of
distinctive and not typical; "a book uncharacteristic of its author
atypical
not conforming to type; "showed atypical agility"
charitable
full of love and generosity; "charitable to the poor"; "a charitable trust"
beneficent, benevolent, eleemosynary, philanthropic
generous in assistance to the poor; "a benevolent contributor"; "eleemosynary relief"; "philanthropic contributions"
uncharitable
lacking love and generosity; "all pious words and uncharitable deeds"- Charles Reade
ungenerous
lacking in largess; "an ungenerous response to an appeal for funds"
chaste
morally pure especially not having experienced sexual intercourse; "a holy woman innocent and chaste"
easy, light, loose, promiscuous, sluttish, wanton
casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior; "her easy virtue"; "he was told to avoid loose (or light) women"; "wanton behavior"
fallen
having lost your chastity; "a fallen woman"
licentious
lacking moral discipline; especially sexually unrestrained; "coarse and licentious men"
cheering
bringing cheer or gladness; "cheering news"
cheerless, uncheerful
lacking cheer; depressing; "something cheerless about the room"; "a moody and uncheerful person"; "an uncheerful place"
blue, dark, depressing, disconsolate, dismal, dispiriting, gloomy, grim
causing dejection; "a blue day"; "the dark days of the war"; "a week of rainy depressing weather"; "a disconsolate winter landscape"; "the first dismal dispiriting days of November"; "a dark gloomy day"; "grim rainy weather"
dingy, dismal, drab, drear, dreary, gloomy, sorry
depressing in character or appearance; "drove through dingy streets"; "the dismal prison twilight"- Charles Dickens; "drab old buildings"; "a dreary mining town"; "gloomy tenements"; "sorry routine that follows on the heels of death"- B.A.Williams
somber, sombre
grave or even gloomy in character; "solemn and mournful music"; "a suit of somber black"; "a somber mood"
colorful
striking in variety and interest; "a colorful period of history"; "a colorful character"; "colorful language"
brave, braw, gay
brightly colored and showy; "girls decked out in brave new dresses"; "brave banners flying"; "`braw' is a Scottish word"; "a dress a bit too gay for her years"; "birds with gay plumage"
flamboyant, resplendent, unrestrained
richly and brilliantly colorful
flashy, gaudy, jazzy, showy, sporty
(used especially of clothes) marked by conspicuous display
many-sided
full of variety or interest; "a many-sided personality"
picturesque
strikingly expressive; "a picturesque description of the rainforest"
colorless
lacking in variety and interest; "a colorless and unimaginative person"; "a colorless description of the parade"
neutral
lacking distinguishing quality or characteristics; "a neutral personality that made no impression whatever"
pale, pallid
lacking in vitality or interest or effectiveness; "a pale rendition of the aria"; "pale prose with the faint sweetness of lavender"; "a pallid performance"
christianly
becoming to or like a Christian; "gentle christianly behavior"
christlike, christly
resembling or showing the spirit of Christ
unchristianly, unchristlike
not becoming to or like a Christian; "ashamed to have to recognize how unchristianly his assumptions and motives are"
civilized
having a high state of culture and development both social and technological; "terrorist acts that shocked the civilized world"
advanced
(of societies) highly developed especially in technology or industry; "advanced societies"; "an advanced country technologically"
civil
of or in a condition of social order; "civil peoples"
humane
showing evidence of moral and intellectual advancement
noncivilized
not having a high state of culture and social development
barbarian, barbaric, savage, uncivilized, wild
without civilizing influences; "barbarian invaders"; "barbaric practices"; "a savage people"; "fighting is crude and uncivilized especially if the weapons are efficient"-Margaret Meade; "wild tribes"
barbarous
primitive in customs and culture
immaculate, speckless, spick-and-span, spic-and-span, spic, spick, spotless
completely neat and clean; "the apartment was immaculate"; "in her immaculate white uniform"; "a spick-and-span kitchen"; "their spic red-visored caps"
pristine
immaculately clean and unused; "handed her his pristine white handkerchief"
unsoiled, unspotted, unstained
without soil or spot or stain
unsullied
spotlessly clean and fresh; "the unsullied snow of mountains"; "the unsullied splender of eternal youth"- Oscar Wilde
dirty, soiled, unclean
soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime; "dirty unswept sidewalks"; "a child in dirty overalls"; "dirty slums"; "piles of dirty dishes"; "put his dirty feet on the clean sheet"; "wore an unclean shirt"; "mining is a dirty job"; "Cinderella did the dirty work while her sisters preened themselves"
bedraggled, draggled
limp and soiled as if dragged in the mud; "the beggar's bedraggled clothes"; "scarecrows in battered hats or draggled skirts"
befouled, fouled
made dirty or foul; "a building befouled with soot"; "breathing air fouled and darkened with factory soot"
begrimed, dingy, grimy, grubby, grungy
thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot; "a miner's begrimed face"; "dingy linen"; "grimy hands"; "grubby little fingers"; "a grungy kitchen"
bespattered, spattered, besplashed, splashed
spattered or spotted with dirt or filth; often used in combination; "dingy bespattered walls"; "a grease-spattered floor"; "a besplashed coach"; "mud-splashed trouser legs"
black
soiled with dirt or soot; "with feet black from playing outdoors"; "his shirt was black within an hour"
buggy
infested with bugs
fecal, feculent
foul with waste matter
filthy, foul, nasty
disgustingly dirty; filled or smeared with offensive matter; "as filthy as a pigsty"; "a foul pond"; "a nasty pigsty of a room"
flyblown, squalid, sordid
foul and run-down and repulsive; "a flyblown bar on the edge of town"; "a squalid overcrowded apartment in the poorest part of town"; "squalid living conditions"; "sordid shantytowns"
greasy, oily
smeared or soiled with grease or oil; "greasy coveralls"; "get rid of rubbish and oily rags"
lousy
infested with lice; "burned their lousy clothes"
maculate
spotted or blotched
mucky, muddy
dirty and messy; covered with mud or muck; "muddy boots"; "a mucky stable"
scummy
covered with scum; "the scummy surface of the polluted pond"
smeared, smirched, smudged, smudgy
smeared with something that soils or stains; these words are often used in combination; "oil-smeared work clothes"; "hostile faces smirched by the grime and rust"- Henry Roth; "ink-smudged fingers"
snotty, snot-nosed
dirty with nasal discharge; "a snotty nose"; "a house full of snot-nosed kids"
travel-soiled, travel-stained
soiled from travel; "travel-soiled clothes"
clean, unobjectionable
(of behavior or especially language) free from objectionable elements; fit for all observers; "good clean fun"; "a clean joke"
antiseptic
(extended sense) of exceptionally clean language; "lyrics as antiseptic as Sunday School"
dirty
(of behavior or especially language) characterized by obscenity or indecency; "dirty words"; "a dirty old man"; "dirty books and movies"; "boys telling dirty jokes"; "has a dirty mouth"
bawdy, off-color, ribald
humorously vulgar; "bawdy songs"; "off-color jokes"; "ribald language"
blasphemous, blue, profane
characterized by profanity or cursing; "foul-mouthed and blasphemous"; "blue language"; "profane words"
dirty-minded
having lewd thoughts
filthy, foul, nasty, smutty
characterized by obscenity; "had a filthy mouth"; "foul language"; "smutty jokes"
foul-mouthed, foul-spoken
using foul or obscene language; "noisy foul-mouthed women all shouting at once"
lewd, obscene, salacious
suggestive of or tending to moral looseness; "lewd whisperings of a dirty old man"; "an indecent gesture"; "obscene telephone calls"; "salacious limericks"
scabrous
dealing with salacious or indecent material; "a scabrous novel"
scatological
dealing pruriently with excrement and excretory functions; "scatological literature"
clean, uncontaminating
not spreading pollution or contamination; especially radioactive contamination; "a clean fuel"; "cleaner and more efficient engines"; "the tactical bomb is reasonably clean"
dirty, contaminating
spreading pollution or contamination; especially radioactive contamination; "the air near the foundry was always dirty"; "the air near the foundry was always dirty"; "a dirty bomb releases enormous amounts of long-lived radioactive fallout"
clear
clear to the mind; "a clear and present danger"; "a clear explanation"; "a clear case of murder"; "a clear indication that she was angry"; "gave us a clear idea of human nature
broad, unsubtle
lacking subtlety; obvious; "gave us a broad hint that it was time to leave"
clear-cut, distinct, trenchant
clearly or sharply defined to the mind; "clear-cut evidence of tampering"; "Claudius was the first to invade Britain with distinct...intentions of conquest"; "trenchant distinctions between right and wrong"
limpid, lucid, luculent, pellucid, crystal clear, perspicuous
(of language) transparently clear; easily understandable; "writes in a limpid style"; "lucid directions"; "a luculent oration"- Robert Burton; "pellucid prose"; "a crystal clear explanation"; "a perspicuous argument"
prima facie
as it seems at first sight; "a prima facie case of murder"
unmistakable
clearly evident to the mind; "his opposition to slavery was unmistakable"
vivid
having the clarity and freshness of immediate experience; "a vivid recollection"
unclear
not clear to the mind; "the law itself was unclear on that point"; "the reason for their actions is unclear to this day"
bewildering
causing bafflement; "the play was at the same time a bewildering and an exciting experience"
blurred, clouded
unclear in form or expression; "the blurred aims of the group"; "sometimes one understood clearly and sometimes the meaning was clouded"- H.G.Wells
confusing, perplexing, puzzling
lacking clarity of meaning; causing confusion or perplexity; "sent confusing signals to Iraq"; "perplexing to someone who knew nothing about it"; "a puzzling statement"
indeterminate, obscure, vague
not clearly understood or expressed; "an indeterminate turn of phrase"; "an impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit"-Anatole Broyard; "their descriptions of human behavior become vague, dull, and unclear"- P.A.Sorokin; "vague...forms of speech...have so long passed for mysteries of science"- John Locke
clear
free from cloudiness; allowing light to pass through; "clear water"; "clear plastic bags"; "clear glass"; "the air is clear and clean"
crystalline, crystal clear, limpid, lucid, pellucid, transparent
transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity; "the cold crystalline water of melted snow"; "crystal clear skies"; "could see the sand on the bottom of the limpid pool"; "lucid air"; "a pellucid brook"; "transparent cristal"
hyaline
resembling glass in transparency or translucency; "the morning is as clear as diamond or as hyaline"-Sacheverell Sitwell
liquid, limpid
clear and bright; "the liquid air of a spring morning"; "eyes shining with a liquid luster"; "limpid blue eyes"
translucent, semitransparent
almost transparent; allowing light to pass through diffusely; "translucent amber"
unclouded
not made opaque or cloudy by sediment; "the wine was unclouded"
opaque
not clear; not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy; "opaque windows of the jail"; "opaque to X-rays"
cloudy, muddy, mirky, murky, turbid
(of especially liquids) clouded as with sediment; "a cloudy liquid"; "muddy coffee"; "murky waters"
fogged, foggy
obscured by fog; "he could barely see through the fogged window"
milk(a), milky, milklike, whitish
resembling milk in color or cloudiness; not clear; "milk glass"
clearheaded, clear-thinking
not mentally confused; able to think clearly and act intelligently
clear
free from confusion or doubt; "a complex problem requiring a clear head"; "not clear about what is expected of us"
unclouded
not mentally disordered; "an unclouded mind"
confused
mentally confused; unable to think with clarity or act intelligently; "the flood of questions left her bewildered and confused"
addlebrained, addlepated, potty, puddingheaded, muddleheaded
stupid and confused; used especially of persons; "blathering like the addlepated nincompoop that you are"; "a confused puddingheaded, muddleheaded fellow"- Isaac Sterne
addled, befuddled, muddled, muzzy, woolly, wooly, woolly-headed, wooly-minded
confused and vague; used especially of thinking; "muddleheaded ideas"; "your addled little brain"; "woolly thinking"; "woolly-headed ideas"
befogged, befuddled
stupefied by alcoholic drink; "the wino's poor befuddled mind"; "a mind befogged with drink"
clouded
mentally disordered; "a mind clouded by sorrow"
dazzled
stupefied or dizzied by something overpowering; "I fall back dazzled at beholding myself all rosy red, / At having, I myself, caused the sun to rise."- `Chanticler' by Rostand
clement
(used of persons or behavior) inclined to show mercy; "a more clement judge reduced the sentence"
lenient
characterized by tolerance and mercy
inclement
used of persons or behavior; showing no clemency or mercy; "the harse sentence of an inclement judge"
unsparing
not forbearing; ruthless; "an unsparing critic"
clement
(of weather or climate) physically mild; "clement weather"
balmy, mild
mild and pleasant; "balmy days and nights"; "the climate was mild and conducive to life or growth"
inclement
(of weather of climate) physically severe
filthy, foul, nasty, vile
(informal) thoroughly unpleasant; "filthy (or foul or nasty or vile) weather we're having"
smart
showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness
astute, sharp, shrewd
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence; "a smart businessman"; "an astute tenant always reads the small print in a lease"; "he was too shrewd to go along with them on a road that could lead only to their overthrow"
cagey, cagy, canny, clever
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others; "a cagey lawyer"; "too clever to be sound"
stupid
lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity
anserine, dopy, dopey, fool(a), foolish, goosey, goosy, gooselike
(informal) having or revealing stupidity; "ridiculous anserine behavior"; "a dopey answer"; "a dopey kid"; "some fool idea about rewriting authors' books"
blockheaded, boneheaded, fatheaded, loggerheaded, thick, thickheaded, thick-skulled, wooden-headed
used informally
cloddish, doltish
heavy and dull and stupid
dense, dim, dull, dumb, obtuse, slow
slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity; "so dense he never understands anything I say to him"; "never met anyone quite so dim"; "although dull at classical learning, at mathematics he was uncommonly quick"- Thackeray; "dumb officials make some really dumb decisions"; "he was either normally stupid or being deliberately obtuse"; "worked with the slow students"
gaumless, gormless
British informal
lumpish, lumpen, unthinking
mentally sluggish
nitwitted, senseless, soft-witted, witless
(of especially persons) lacking sense or understanding or judgment
yokel-like
stupid and ignorant like proverbial rural inhabitants; 'the boy's empty yokel-like expression"
cold
of a seeker; far from the object sought
off the beaten track(p), out-of-the-way(a)
remote from populous or much-traveled regions; "found a quiet out-of-the-way resort"
outlying(a)
relatively far from a center or middle; "outlying settlements"
moral(a)
based on strong likelihood or firm conviction rather than actual evidence; "a moral certainty"
extreme
most distant in any direction; "the extreme edge of town"
far-flung
remote; "far-flung corners of the Empire"
distant
far apart in relevance or relationship; "a distant cousin"; "a distant likeness"
faraway
far removed mentally; "a faraway (or distant) look in her eyes"
loosely knit
having only distant social or legal ties; "a loosely knit group"
remote, removed(p)
far apart in nature; "considerations entirely removed (or remote) from politics"
ulterior
beyond or outside an area of immediate interest; remote; "a suggestion ulterior to the present discussion"; "without...any purpose, immediate or ulterior"- G.B.Shaw
close
close in relevance or relationship; "a close family"; "we are all...in close sympathy with..."; "close kin"; "a close resemblance"
approximate, near
very close in resemblance; "sketched in an approximate likeness"; "a near likeness"
cousinly
like or befitting a cousin; "a cousinly kiss"
avuncular
like an uncle in kindness or indulgence; "showed avuncular concern"
uncousinly
not befitting a cousin
clothed, clad
wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination; "clothed and in his right mind"- Bible; "proud of her well-clothed family"; "nurses clad in white"; "white-clad nurses"
coherent
marked by an orderly, logical, and aesthetically consistent relation of parts; "a coherent argument"
consistent, logical, ordered, orderly
marked by an orderly, logical, and aesthetically consistent relation of parts; "a logical argument"; "the orderly presentation"
seamless
perfectly consistent and coherent; "the novel's seamless plot"
incoherent
without logical or meaningful connection; "a turgid incoherent presentation"
confused, disconnected, disjointed, disordered, garbled, illogical, scattered, unconnected
lacking orderly continuity; "a confused set of instructions"; "a confused dream about the end of the world"; "disconnected fragments of a story"; "scattered thoughts"
publishable
suitable for publication
unpublishable
not suitable for publication
reportable
meriting report; "years of research produced no reportable results"
commodious, convenient
large and and roomy; "a commodious harbor"; "a commodious building suitable for conventions"; (`convenient' is archaic in this sense)
roomy, spacious
(of buildings and rooms) having ample space; "a roomy but sparcely furnished apartment"; "a spacious ballroom"
incommodious
uncomfortably or inconveniently small; "incommodious hotel accommodations"
cramped
constricted in size; "cramped quarters"; "trying to bring children up in cramped high-rise apartments"
comfortable, comfy
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief; "comfortable clothes"; "comfortable suburban houses"; "made himself comfortable in an armchair"; "the antihistamine made her feel more comfortable"; "are you comfortable?"; (`comfy' is informal as in "feeling comfy now?")
cozy, cosy, snug
enjoying or affording comforting warmth and shelter especially in a small space; "a cozy nook near the fire"; "snug in bed"; "a snug little apartment"
easy
affording comfort; "soft light that was easy on the eyes"
homelike, homely, homey, homy
having a feeling of home; cozy and comfortable; "the homely everyday atmosphere"; "a homey little inn"
soothing
affording physical relief; "a soothing ointment for her sunburn"
uncomfortable
providing or experiencing physical discomfort; "an uncomfortable chair"; "an uncomfortable day in the hot sun"
comfortless
without comfort; "a comfortless room"
miserable, wretched
characterized by physical misery; "a wet miserable weekend"; "spent a wretched night on the floor"
warm
uncomfortable because of possible danger or trouble; "made things warm for the bookies"
comfortable
free from stress or conducive to mental ease; having or affording peace of mind; "was settled in a comfortable job, one for which he was well prepared"; "the comfortable thought that nothing could go wrong"; "was comfortable in his religious beliefs"; "she's a comfortable person to be with"; "she felt comfortable with her fiance's parents"
at ease(p)
socially at ease; "was at ease with strangers"
comforted
made comfortable or more comfortable in a time of distress; "the news make her feel comforted"
uncomfortable
conducive to or feeling mental discomfort; "this kind of life can prove disruptive and uncomfortable"; "the uncomfortable truth"; "grew uncomfortable beneath his appraising eye"; "an uncomfortable way of surprising me just when I felt surest"; "the teacher's presence at the conference made the child very uncomfortable"
awkward, ill at ease(p), uneasy
not at ease socially; unsure and constrained in manner; "awkward and reserved at parties"; "ill at ease among eddies of people he didn't know"; "was always uneasy with strangers"
discomfited, embarrassed
caused to feel self-conscious and uncomfortable; "was discomfited by the personal questions"; "the child felt embarrassed by the attention of the adults"
disquieting
causing mental discomfort; "the disquieting sounds of nearby gunfire"
proportionate
being in due proportion
proportionable
(archaic) proportionate
proportional, relative
properly related in size or degree or other measurable characteristics; usually followed by `to'; "punishment oughtt to be proportional to the crime"; "earnings relative to production"
disproportionate, disproportional
out of proportion
uncommercial
not conducive to commercial success; "might prove arty and hence uncommercial"- H.E.Clurman
common
of no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual; "the common man"; "a common sailor"; "the common cold"; "a common nuisance"; "followed common procedure"; "it is common knowledge that she lives alone"; "the common housefly"; "a common brand of soap"
average, ordinary
lacking special distinction, rank, or status; commonly encountered; "average people"; "the ordinary (or common) man in the street"
democratic, popular
representing or appealing to or adapted for the benefit of the people at large; "democratic art forms"; "a democratic or popular movement"; "popular thought"; "popular science"; "popular fiction"
demotic
of or for the common people; "demotic entertainments"; "demotic speech"; "a poet with a keen ear for demotic rhythms"
frequent
frequently encountered; "a frequent (or common) error is using the transitive verb `lay' for the intransitive `lie'";
general
prevailing among and common to the general public; "the general discontent"
grassroots
of or involving the common people as constituting a fundamental politico-economic group; "a grassroots movement for nuclear disarmament"
standard
commonly used or supplied; "standard procedure"; "standard car equipment"
uncommon
not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind; "uncommon birds"; "frost and floods are uncommon during these months"; "doing an uncommon amount of business"; "an uncommon liking for money"; "he owed his greatest debt to his mother's uncommon character and ability"
especial(a), exceptional, particular(a), special
surpassing what is common or usual or expected; "he paid especial attention to her"; "exceptional kindness"; "a matter of particular and unusual importance"; "a special occasion"; "a special reason to confide in her"; "what's so special about the year 2000?"
rare
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness; "a rare word"; "rare books"
unusual
not commonly encountered; "two-career families are no longer unusual"
unwonted
out of the ordinary; "an unwonted softness in her face"
usual
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure; "grew the usual vegetables"; "the usual summer heat"; "came at the usual time"; "the child's usual bedtime"
accustomed, customary, habitual, wonted(a)
commonly used or practiced; usual; "his accustomed thoroughness"; "took his customary morning walk"; "his habitual comment"; "with her wonted candor"
regular
in accord with regular practice or procedure; "took his regular morning walk"; "her regular bedtime"
unusual
not usual or common or ordinary; "a scene of unusual beauty"; "a man of unusual ability"; "cruel and unusual punishment"; "an unusual meteorite"
extraordinary(p)
(of an official) serving an unusual or special function in addition to those of the regular officials; "an ambassador extraordinary"
odd
not easily explained; "it is odd that his name is never mentioned"
out-of-the-way
out of the ordinary; "out-of-the-way information"
peculiar
markedly different from the usual; "a peculiar hobby of stuffing and mounting bats"; "a man...feels it a peculiar insult to be taunted with cowardice by a woman"-Virginia Woolf
unaccustomed
not customary or usual; "an unaccustomed pleasure"; "many varieties of unaccustomed foods"; "a new budget of unaccustomed austerity"
unique
highly unusual or rare but not the single instance; "spoke with a unique accent"; "had unique ability in raising funds"; "a frankness unique in literature"; "a unique dining experience"
community(a), public
affecting the people or community as a whole; "community leaders"; "community interests"; "the public welfare"
individual
being or characteristic of a single thing or person; "individual drops of rain"; "please mark the individual pages"; "they went their individual ways"
idiosyncratic
peculiar to the individual; "we all have our own idiosyncratic gestures"; "Michelangelo's highly idiosyncratic style of painting"
individualist, individualistic
marked by or expressing individuality; "an individualistic way of dressing"
particular(a)
separate and distinct from others; "an exception in this particular case"
respective(a), several(a), various(a)
considered individually; "the respective club members"; "specialists in their several fields"; "the various reports all agreed"
separate, single(a)
individual and distinct; "pegged down each separate branch to the earth"; "a gift for every single child"
single(a)
involved two individuals; "single combat"
singular
being a single and separate person or thing; "can the singular person be understood apart from his culture?"; "every fact in the world might be singular...unlike any other fact and sole of its kind"-William James
anecdotic, anecdotal, anecdotical
characterized by or given to telling anecdotes; "anecdotal conversation"; "an anectodal history of jazz"; "he was at his anecdotic best"
blabbermouthed, leaky, talebearing(a), tattling(a)
prone to communicate confidential information
chatty, gossipy, newsy
prone to friendly informal communication
expansive, talkative
friendly and open and willing to talk; "wine made the guest expansive"
expressive
characterized by expression; "an expressive glance"; "a very expressive face"
expressive(p), indicative of(p), revelatory
(usually followed by `of') giving expression to; "actons indicative of fear"
heraldic
indicative of or announcing something to come; "the Beetles were heraldic of a new style of music"
openhearted
freely communicative; candidly straightforward; "openhearted advice"
outspoken, vocal
given to expressing yourself freely or insistently; "outspoken in their opposition to segregation"; "a vocal assembly"
yarn-spinning
inclined to tell long and involved stories (often of incredible happenings)
uncommunicative, incommunicative
not inclined to talk or give information or express opinions
blank
void of expression; "a blank stare"
close, closelipped, closemouthed, secretive, tightlipped
inclined to secrecy or reticence about divulging information; "although they knew her whereabouts her friends kept close about it"
deadpan, expressionless, impassive, poker-faced, unexpressive
deliberately impassive in manner; "deadpan humor"; "his face remained expressionless as the verdict was read"
guarded, noncommittal, unrevealing
very reluctant to give out information
inexpressive
not expressive; "an inexpressive face"
unpronounceable, unutterable
very difficult to pronounce correctly; "an unpronounceable foreign word"; "unutterable consonant clusters"
compact
closely and firmly united or packed together; "compact soil"; "compact clusters of flowers"
clayey, cloggy, heavy
(used of soil) compact and fine-grained; "the clayey soil was heavy and easily saturated"
close-packed
packed especially tightly
consolidated
forming a solid mass
impacted, wedged
wedged or packed in together; "an impacted tooth"
packed
pressed together or compressed; "packed snow"
serried
(especially of rows as of troops or mountains) pressed together; "in serried ranks"
tight
packed closely together; "the stood in a tight little group"; "hair in tight curls"; "the pub was packed tight"
loose
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement; "loose gravel"
friable, light, sandy
(used of soil) loose and large-grained in consistency; "light sandy soil"
shifting, unfirm
(of soil) unstable; "shifting sands"; "unfirm earth"
silty
full of silt; "silty soil"
unconsolidated
loose and unstratified; "unconsolidated soil"
comparable
able to be compared or worthy of comparison
comparable with(p)
similar in some respect and so able to be compared in order to show differences and similarities; "pianists of comparable ability"; "cars comparable with each other in terms of fuel consumption"
comparable to(p)
worthy of comparison; as good as; "at that moment nothing in the world seemed comparable to sleep"
incomparable, uncomparable
such that comparison is impossible; unsuitable for comparison or lacking features that can be compared; "an incomparable week of rest and pleasure"; "the computer proceeds with its incomparable logic and efficiency"; "this report is incomparable with the earlier ones because of different breakdowns of the data"
matchless, nonpareil, one(a), one and only(a), peerless, unmatched, unmatchable, unrivaled, unrivalled
eminent beyond or above comparison; "matchless beauty"; "the team's nonpareil center fielder"; "she's one girl in a million"; "the one and only Muhammad Ali"; "a peerless scholar"; "infamy unmatched in the Western world"; "wrote with unmatchable clarity"; "unrivaled mastery of her art"
alone(p), unique, unequaled, unequalled, unparalleled
radically distinctive and without equal; "he is alone in the field of microbiology"; "this theory is altogether alone in its penetration of the problem"; "Bach was unique in his handling of counterpoint"; "craftsmen whose skill is unequaled"; "unparalleled athletic ability"; "a breakdown of law unparalleled in our history"
compassionate
showing or having compassion; "heard the soft and compassionate voices of women"
uncompassionate
lacking compassion or feeling for others; "nor silver-shedding tears could penetrate her uncompassionate sire"- Shakespeare
hardhearted, stonyhearted, unfeeling
devoid of feeling for others; "an unfeeling wretch"
compatible
able to exist and perform in harmonious or agreeable combination; "a compatible married couple";"her deeds were compatible with her ideology"
congruous
suitable or appropriate together
harmonious
existing together in harmony; "harmonious family relationships"
incompatible
not compatible; "incompatible personalities"; "incompatible colors"
antagonistic
incapable of harmonious association
clashing
sharply and harshly discordant; "clashing interests of loggers and conservationists"; "clashing colors"
competent
properly or sufficiently qualified or capable or efficient; "a competent typist"
able, capable
have the skills and qualifications to do things well; "able teachers"; "a capable administrator"; "children as young as 14 can be extremely capable and dependable"
effective, efficient
able to accomplish a purpose; functioning effectively; "people who will do nothing unless they get something out of it for themselves are often highly effective persons..."-G.B.Shaw; "effective personnel"; "an efficient secretary"; "the efficient cause of the revolution"
workmanlike
worthy of a good workman; "a competent job"; "the book is a workmanlike job with chronology and bibliography and index"
incompetent
not qualified or suited for a purpose; "an incompetent secret service"; "the filming was hopeless incompetent"
feckless, inept
generally incompetent and ineffectual; "feckless attempts to repair the plumbing"; "inept handling of the account"
incapable, unqualified
lacking the necessary skill or knowledge etc.; "an incapable helper"
ineffective, inefficient
lacking the ability or skill to perform effectively; inadequate; "an ineffective administration"; "inefficient workers"
unworkmanlike
not characteristic of or suitable for a good workman; "an unworkmanlike result"; "an unworkmanlike tool"
accommodative, cooperative
willing to adjust to differences in order to obtain agreement
complaining(a), complaintive
expressing pain or dissatisfaction of resentment; "a complaining wife"
fretful, querulous, whiney, whining(a), whiny
habitually complaining; "a whining child"
grumbling
muttering discontentedly; "the grumbling boarders requested a meeting with the cook"
protesting(a), protestant
making a protest
repining
wishing discontentedly
uncomplaining
not complaining; "uncomplaining courage"
patient
enduring without protest or complaint
unmurmuring, unprotesting
without any murmur of discontent or protest
integral, entire, intact
constituting the undiminished entirety; lacking nothing essential especially not damaged; "a local motion keepeth bodies integral"- Bacon; "was able to keep the collection entire during his lifetime"; "fought to keep the union intact"
bound up, wrapped up
deeply devoted to; "bound up in her teaching"; "is wrapped up in his family"
fancy-free
having no commitments or responsibilities; carefree; "a fancy-free bachelor"
dedicated
devoted to a cause or ideal or purpose; "a dedicated dancer"; "dedicated teachers"; "dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal"- A.Lincoln
devoted(p)
(followed by `to') dedicated exclusively to a purpose or use; "large sums devoted to the care of the poor"; "a life devoted to poetry"
devoted
zealous in devotion or affection; "a devoted husband and father"; "devoted friends"
sacred
(often followed by `to') devoted exclusively to a single use or purpose or person; "a fund sacred to charity"; "a morning hour sacred to study"; "a private office sacred to the President"
complete
having every necessary or normal part or component or step; "a complete meal"; "a complete wardrobe"; "a complete set pf the Britannica"; "a complete set of china"; "a complete defeat"; "a complete accounting"
absolute, downright, out-and-out(a), rank(a), right-down, sheer(a)
complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers; "absolute freedom"; "an absolute dimwit"; "a downright lie"; "out-and-out mayhem"; "an out-and-out lie"; "a rank outsider"; "many right-down vices"; "got the job through sheer persistence"; "sheer stupidity"
accomplished, completed, realized
successfully completed or brought to an end; "his mission accomplished he took a vacation"; "the completed project"; "the joy of a realized ambition overcame him"
clean
thorough and without qualification; "a clean getaway"; "a clean sweep"; "a clean break"
dead(a)
sudden and complete; "came to a dead stop"
exhaustive, thorough, thoroughgoing
very thorough; exhaustively complete; "an exhaustive study"; "made a thorough search"; "thoroughgoing research"
fleshed out, full-clad
given substance or detail; completed; "did not spring full-clad from his imagination"; "a plan fleshed out with statistics and details"
full, total
complete in extent or degree and in every particular; "a full game"; "a total eclipse"; "a total disaster"
full-blown
having or displaying all the characteristics necessary for completeness; "a full-blown financial crisis"
full-dress
complete in every respect; "a full-dress debate"; "a full-dress investigation"
good
thorough; "had a good workout"; "gave the house a good cleaning"
hearty
without reservation; "hearty support"
self-contained
constituting a complete and independent unit in and of itself; "the university is like a self-contained city with shops and all amenities"
sound
thorough; "a sound thrashing"
incomplete, uncomplete
not complete or total; not completed; "an incomplete account of his life"; "political consequences of incomplete military success"; "an incomplete forward pass"
rudimentary
being in the earliest stages of development; "rudimentary plans"
sketchy, unelaborated
giving only major points; lacking completeness; "a sketchy account"; "details of the plan remain sketchy"
comprehensive
including all or everything; "comprehensive coverage"; "a comprehensive history of the revolution"; "a comprehensive survey"; "a comprehensive education"
across-the-board, all-embracing, all-encompassing, all-inclusive, blanket(a), broad, encompassing, panoptic, wide
broad in scope or content; "across-the-board pay increases"; "an all-embracing definition"; "blanket sanctions against human-rights violators"; "an invention with broad applications"; "a panoptic study of Soviet nationality"- T.G.Winner; "granted him wide powers"
all-around(a), all-round(a), well-rounded
many-sided; "an all-around athlete"; "a well-rounded curriculum"
cosmopolitan, ecumenical, oecumenical, general, universal, worldwide
of worldwide scope or applicability; "an issue of cosmopolitan import"; "the shrewdest political and ecumenical comment of our time"- Christopher Morley; "universal experience"
door-to-door, house-to-house
omitting no one; from the door of one house to that of the next; "a door-to-door campaign"; "house-to-house coverage"
encyclopedic, encyclopaedic
broad in scope or content; "encyclopedic knowledge"
extensive, far-reaching, sweeping
having broad range or effect; "had extensive press coverage"; "far-reaching changes in the social structure"; "sweeping reforms"
large
having broad power and range and scope; "taking the large view"; "a large effect"; "a large sympathy"
omnibus(a)
providing for many things at once; "an omnibus law"
plenary
full in all respects; "a plenary session of the legislature"; "a diplomat with plenary powers"
super
including more than a specified category; "a super experiment"
umbrella
covering or applying simultaneously to a number of similar items or elements or groups; "an umbrella organization"; "umbrella insurance coverage"
noncomprehensive, incomprehensive
not comprehensive
limited
including only a part
comprehensible, comprehendible
readily comprehended or understood; "an idea comprehensible to the average mind"
accessible, approachable
capable of being read with comprehension; "readily accessible to the nonprofessional reader"; "the tales seem more approachable than his more difficult novels"
apprehensible, intelligible, graspable, perceivable, understandable
capable of being apprehended or understood
cognizable, cognisable, knowable
capable of being known
incomprehensible, uncomprehensible
difficult to understand; "the most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible"- A. Einstein
dark, obscure
marked by difficulty of style or expression; "much that was dark is now quite clear to me"; "those who do not appreciate Kafka's work say his style is obscure"
enigmatic, enigmatical, puzzling
not clear to the understanding; "I didn't grasp the meaning of that enigmatic comment until much later"; "prophetic texts so enigmatic that their meaning has been disputed for centuries"
impenetrable
impossible to understand; "impenetrable jargon"
indecipherable
impossible to determine the meaning of; "an indecipherable message"
lost, missed
not caught with the senses or the mind; "words lost in the din"
opaque, unintelligible
not clearly understood or expressed
single(a), undivided, exclusive
not divided among or brought to bear on more than one object or objective; "judging a contest with a single eye"; "a single devotion to duty"; "undivided affection"; "gained their exclusive attention"
far-flung, widespread
distributed over a considerable extent; "far-flung trading operations"; "the West's far-flung mountain ranges"; "widespread nuclear fallout"
scattered, strewn
being distributed here and there without order; "scattered leaves littered the sidewalk"; "don't forget to pick up the clothes lying strewn all over the floor"
straggly
growing or spreading sparsely or irregularly; "straggly ivy"
suffused
being spread through with or as with color or light or liquid
unfocused, unfocussed
not concentrated at one point or upon one objective; "diversity...in our huge unfocused country"- Owen Wister
concise
expressing much in few words; "a concise explanation"
aphoristic, apothegmatic, epigrammatic
terse and witty and like a maxim; "much given to apothegmatic instruction"
brief
concise and succinct; "covered the matter in a brief statement"
compendious, compact, succinct, summary
briefly giving the gist of something; "a short and compendious book"; "a compact style is brief and pithy"; "succinct comparisons"; "a summary formulation of a wide-ranging subject"
crisp, curt, laconic, terse
brief and to the point; effectively cut short; "a crisp retort"; "a response so curt as to be almost rude"; "the laconic reply; `yes'"; "short and terse and easy to understand"
cryptic
having a puzzling terseness; "a cryptic note"
elliptic, elliptical
characterized by extreme economy of expression or omission of superfluous elements; "the dialogue is elliptic and full of dark hints"; "the explanation was concise, even elliptical to the verge of obscurity"- H.O.Taylor
pithy, sententious
concise and full of meaning; "welcomed her pithy comments"; "the peculiarly sardonic and sententious style in which Don Luis composed his epigrams"- Hervey Allen
telegraphic
having the style of a telegram with many short words left out; "telegraphic economy of words"; "the strange telegraphic speech of some aphasics"
prolix
tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length; "editing a prolix manuscript"; "a prolix lecturer telling you more than you want to know"
diffuse
lacking conciseness; "a diffuse historical novel"
long-winded, tedious, verbose, windy, wordy
using or containing too many words; "long-winded (or windy) speakers"; "verbose and ineffective instructional methods"; "newspapers of the day printed long wordy editorials"; "proceedings were delayed by wordy disputes"
conclusive
forming an end or termination; especially putting an end to doubt or question; "conclusive proof"; "the evidence is conclusive"
convincing
capable of convincing or persuading; "a convincing argument"
definitive, determinate
supplying or being a final or conclusive settlement; "a definitive verdict"; "a determinate answer to the problem"
inconclusive
not conclusive; not putting an end to doubt or question; "an inconclusive reply"; "inconclusive evidence"; "the inconclusive committee vote"
equivocal
uncertain as a sign or indication; "the evidence from bacteriologic analysis was equivocal"
indeterminate
not leading to a definite ending or result; "an indeterminate campaign"
nisi
not final or absolute; "the decree is nisi and not absolute"
consummated
brought to completion; "a consummated transaction"
fulfilled
completed to perfection
accordant
being in agreement or harmony; often followed by `with'; "a place perfectly accordant with man's nature"-Thomas Hardy
discordant
not in agreement or harmony; "views discordant with present-day ideas"
at variance(p), discrepant
not in accord; "desires at variance with his duty"; "widely discrepant statements"
boiled-down
expressing the essence of; "the final boiled-down crux of the matter"
conditional
imposing or depending on or containing a condition; "conditional acceptance of the terms"; "lent conditional support"; "the conditional sale will not be complete until the full purchase price is paid"
unconditional
not conditional; "unconditional surrender"
absolute, total, unconditioned
without conditions or limitations; "a total ban"
blunt, crude(a), stark(a)
devoid of any qualifications or disguise or adornment; "the blunt truth"; "the crude facts"; "facing the stark reality of the deadline"
independent
not contingent
claustrophobic
uncomfortably closed or hemmed in; "a claustrophobic little room"
close, confining
crowded; "close quarters"
crowded
overfilled or compacted or concentrated; "a crowded theater"; "a crowded program"; "crowded trains"; "a young mother's crowded days"
huddled
crowded or massed together; "give me...your huddled masses"; "the huddled sheep turned their backs against the wind"
jammed, jam-packed, packed
filled to capacity; "a suitcase jammed with dirty clothes"; "stands jam-packed with fans"; "a packed theater"
thronged
filled with great numbers crowded together; "I try to avoid the thronged streets and stores just before Christmas"
uncrowded
having or allowing sufficient room; "an uncrowded train"; "an uncrowded view"
congenial, agreeable
suitable to your needs or similar to your nature"; "a congenial atmosphere to work in"; "two congenial spirits united...by mutual confidence and reciprocal virtues"- T.L.Peacock
compatible, sympathetic
having similar disposition and tastes; "a compatible married couple"; "with their many similar tastes, he found her a most sympathetic companion"
sociable
friendly and pleasant; "a sociable gathering"
uncongenial, incompatible
not suitable to your tastes or needs; "the uncongenial roommates were always fighting"; "the task was uncongenial to one sensitive to rebuffs"
disagreeable, unsympathetic
not agreeing with your tastes or expectations; "found the task disagreeable and decided to abandon it"; "a job temperamentally unsympathetic to him"
appropriate, harmonious
suitable and fitting; "the tailored clothes were harmonious with her military bearing"
incongruous
lacking in harmony or compatibility or appropriateness; "a plan incongruous with reason"; "incongruous behavior"; "a joke that was incongruous with polite conversation"
discrepant, inconsistent
not in agreement
inharmonious
lacking in harmony of parts; "an inharmonious (or incongruous) mixture of architectural styles"
ironic, ironical
characterized by often poignant difference or incongruity between what is expected and what actually is; "madness, an ironic fate for such a clear thinker"; "it was ironical that the well-planned scheme failed so completely"
adversative, oppositive
expressing antithesis or opposition; "the adversative conjunction `but' in `poor but happy'"
affined
closely related; "syllable to blessed syllable affined"- Wallace Stevens
intimate
closely interconnected or interrelated; "the intimate relations...beween economics, politics, and legal principles"- V.L.Parrington
socially connected, well-connected
connected by blood or close acquaintance with people of wealth or social position; "a well-connected Edinburgh family"
consecrated, consecrate, dedicated
solemnly dedicated to or set apart for a high purpose; "a life consecrated to science"; "the consecrated chapel"; "a chapel dedicated to the dead of World War II"
desecrated
treated with contempt; "many desecrated shrines and cemeteries"
deconsecrated
divested of consecration
profaned, violated
treated irreverently or sacrilegiously
priestly, priestlike
befitting or characteristic of a priest or the priesthood; "priestly dedication to the people of his parish"
unpriestly
not priestly; unbefitting a priest; "unpriestly behavior"
conservative
resistant to change
blimpish
pompously ultraconservative and nationalistic
buttoned-up
conservative in professional manner; "employers are looking for buttoned-up types"
fusty, standpat(a), unprogressive, nonprogressive
old-fashioned and out of date
hidebound, traditionalist
stubbornly conservative and narrow-minded
ultraconservative
extremely conservative
liberal
tolerant of change; not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or tradition
civil-libertarian
having or showing active concern for protection of civil liberties protected by law
liberalistic
having or demonstrating belief in the essential goodness of man and the autonomy of the individual; favoring civil and political liberties, government by law with the consent of the governed, and protection from arbitrary authority
neoliberal
having or showing belief in the need for economic growth in addition to traditional liberalistic values
progressive, reformist
favoring or promoting reform (often by government action)
consistent
(sometimes followed by `with') in agreement or consistent or reliable; "testimony consistent with the known facts"; "I have decided that the course of conduct which I am following is consistent with my sense of responsibility as president in time of war"- FDR
accordant, agreeable, conformable, consonant, in accord(p), in agreement(p), concordant
in keeping; "salaries agreeable with current trends"; "plans conformable with your wishes"; "expressed views concordant with his background"
pursuant(p)
(followed by `to') in conformance to or agreement with; "pursuant to our agreement"; "pursuant to the dictates of one's conscience"
reconciled
made compatible or consistent
unchanging
conforming to the same principles or course of action over time
at odds(p), conflicting, contradictory, self-contradictory
in disagreement; "the figures are at odds with our findings"; "contradictory attributes of unjust justice and loving vindictiveness"- John Morley
discrepant, incompatible
not compatible with other facts
spotty, uneven
inconsistent in quality
unconformable
not correspondent; "a description unconformable to previous accounts"
unreconciled
not made consistent or compatible; "two unreconciled accountings"
conspicuous, obvious
obvious to the eye or mind; "a tower conspicuous at a great distance"; "wore conspicuous neckties"; "made herself conspicuous by her exhibitionistic preening"
attention-getting, eye-catching
seizing the attention; "eye-catching posters"
big, large, prominent
conspicuous in position or importance; "a big figure in the movement"; "big man on campus"; "he's very large in financial circles"; "a prominent citizen"
bold
clear and distinct; "bold handwriting"; "a figure carved in bold relief"
crying(a), egregious, flagrant, glaring, gross, rank
conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible; "a crying shame"; "an egregious lie"; "flagrant violation of human rights"; "a glaring error"; "gross ineptitude"; "gross injustice"; "rank treachery"
featured
made a feature or highlight; given prominence; "a featured actor"; "a featured item at the sale"
in evidence
clearly to be seen; "they were much in evidence during the fighting"; "she made certain that her engagement ring was in evidence"
marked
singled out for notice or especially for a dire fate; "a marked man"
outstanding, prominent, salient, spectacular, striking
having a quality that thrusts itself into attention; "an outstanding fact of our time is that nations poisoned by anti_semitism proved less fortunate in regard to their own freedom"; "a new theory is the most prominent feature of the book"; "salient traits"; "a spectacular rise in prices"; "a striking thing about Picadilly Circus is the statue of Eros in the center"; "a striking resemblance between parent and child"
visible
being often in the public eye; "a visible public figure"
inconspicuous, invisible
not prominent or readily noticeable; "he pushed the string through an inconspicuous hole"; "the invisible man"
constant
steadfast in purpose or devotion or affection; "a man constant in adherence to his ideals"; "a constant lover"; "constant as the northern star"
faithful, fast(a), loyal, true
(used of persons) dependable in devotion or allegiance or affection; "a faithful old dog"; "a faithful friend"; "fast friends"; "a loyal companion"; "she proved a true friend"; "a lover absolutely true in act and word and thought"- H.O.Taylor
steadfast, staunch, unswerving
firm and dependable especially in loyalty; "a steadfast ally"; "a staunch defender of free speech"; "unswerving devotion"; "unswerving allegiance"
unfailing, unflagging
unceasing; "unfailing loyalty"; "unfailing good spirits"; "unflagging courtesy"
inconstant
likely to change frequently often without apparent or cogent reason; variable; "inconstant affections"; "an inconstant lover"; "swear not by...the inconstant moon"- Shakespeare
false, untrue
(used especially of persons) not dependable in devotion or affection; unfaithful; "a false friend; "when lovers prove untrue"
fickle, volatile
marked by erratic changeableness in affections or attachments; "fickle friends"; "a flirt's volatile affections"
constructive
constructing or tending to construct or improve or promote development; "constructive criticism"; "a constructive attitude"; "a constructive philosophy"; "constructive permission"
structural
concerned with systematic structure in a particular field of study
crushing, devastating
physically or spiritually devastating; often used in combination; "a crushing blow"; "a crushing rejection"; "bone-crushing"
damaging, negative
designed or tending to discredit, especially without positive or helpful suggestions; "negative criticism"
soul-destroying
destructive to the spirit or soul; "soul-destroying labor"
ironclad, unassailable, unshakable, watertight
without flaws or loopholes; "an ironclad contract"; "a watertight alibi"
unanswerable
impossible to answer; "an unanswerable argument"
continual
seemingly without interruption; chiefly restricted to what recurs regularly or frequently in a prolonged and closely spaced series; "the continual banging of the shutters"
constant
continually recurring or continuing without interruption; "constant repetition of the exercise"; "constant chatter of monkeys"
everlasting
(informal) continuing too long; "everlasting complaints"
incessant, perpetual, endless
occurring so frequently as to seem ceaseless or uninterrupted; "a child's incessant questions"; "your perpetual (or continual) complaints"
insistent, repetitive
persistently continual; "the bluejay's insistent cry"
running(a)
continually repeated over a period of time; "a running joke among us"
perennial, recurrent, repeated
recurring again and again; "perennial efforts to stipulate the requirements"
persistent, relentless, unrelenting
never-ceasing; "the relentless beat of the drums"
sporadic
recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances; "a city subjected to sporadic bombing raids"
fitful, spasmodic
occurring in spells and often abruptly; "fitful bursts of energy"; "spasmodic rifle fire"
intermittent
stopping and starting at irregular intervals; "intermittent rain showers"
periodic
recurring or reappearing from time to time; "periodic feelings of anxiety"
irregular, unpredictable
not occurring at expected times
isolated, scattered, stray
not close together in time; "isolated instances of rebellion"; "scattered fire"; "a stray bullet grazed his thigh"
continual
`continual' (meaning seemingly uninterrupted) is often used interchangeably with `continuous' (meaning without interruption)
dogging, persisting
relentless and indefatigable in pursuit or as if in pursuit; "impossible to escape the dogging fears"
sustained
maintained at length without interruption or weakening; "sustained flight"
ridden(ip)
(used in combination) dominated or obsessed by; "grief-ridden"; "war-ridden"
lordless, masterless
having no lord or master; "harsh punishments for sturdy vagabonds and masterless men"
rampant
unrestrained and violent; "rampant aggression"
runaway
completely out of control; "runaway inflation"
torrential
resembling a torrent in force and abundance; "torrential applause"; "torrential abuse"; "the torrential facility and fecundity characteristic of his style"- Winthrop Sargeant
undisciplined, ungoverned
lacking in discipline or control; "undisciplined behavior"; "ungoverned youth"
wild
not subjected to control or restraint; "a piano played with a wild exuberance"- Louis Bromfield
wild
deviating widely from an intended course; "a wild bullet"; "a wild pitch"
controversial
marked by or capable of arousing controversy; "the issue of the death penalty is highly controversial"; "Rushdie's controversial book"; "a controversial decision on affirmative action"
arguable, debatable, disputable
open to argument or debate
contentious
involving or likely to cause controversy; "a central and contentious element of the book"- Tim W.Ferfuson
disputed, moot
open to debate
polemic, polemical
of or involving dispute or controversy
uncontroversial, noncontroversial
not likely to arouse controversy
accepted, undisputed
generally agreed upon; not subject to dispute; "the accepted interpretation of the poem"; "an accepted theory"
argumentative
given to or characterized by argument; "an argumentative discourse"; "argumentative to the point of being cantankerous"; "an intelligent but argumentative child"
convenient
suited to your comfort or purpose or needs; "a convenient excuse for not going"
handy
easy to use; "a handy gadget"
favorable, favourable, opportune
at a convenient or suitable time; "an opportune time to receive guests"
inconvenient
not suited to your comfort, purpose or needs; "it is inconvenient not to have a telephone in the kitchen"; "the back hall is an inconvenient place for the telephone"
awkward
causing inconvenience; "they arrived at an awkward time"
conventional
following accepted customs and proprieties; "conventional wisdom"; "she had strayed from the path of conventional behavior"; "conventional forms of address"
accepted, received
widely accepted as true or worthy; "the accepted wisdom about old age"; "a received moral idea"; "Received political wisdom says not; surveys show otherwise"- Economist
customary
in accordance with convention or custom; "sealed the deal with the customary handshake"
formulaic
characterized by or in accordance with some formula
stodgy, stuffy
excessively conventional and unimaginative and hence dull; "why is the middle class so stodgy, so utterly without a sense of humor?"; "a stodgy dinner party"
unconventional
not conforming to accepted rules or standards; "her unconventional dress and hair style"
bohemian
unconventional in especially appearance and behavior; "a bohemian life style"
go-as-you-please
not bound by rule or law or convention; "bewildered by the old go-as-you-please liberty of alliterative rhythm"- George Saintsbury
irregular, maverick, unorthodox
independent in behavior or thought; "she led a somewhat irregular private life"; "maverick politicians"
conventional
unimaginative and conformist; "conventional bourgeois lives"; "conventional attitudes"
button-down, buttoned-down, conservative
unimaginatively conventional; "a colorful character in the buttoned-down, dull-gray world of business"- Newsweek
square, straight
(slang) rigidly conventional or old-fashioned
stereotyped, stereotypic, stereotypical, unimaginative
lacking spontaneity or originality or individuality; "stereotyped phrases of condolence"; "even his profanity was unimaginative"
unconventional
not conventional or conformist; "unconventional life styles"
alternative
pertaining to unconventional choices; "an alternative life style"
bizarre, eccentric, freakish, freaky, flaky, outlandish, outre
conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual; "restaurants of bizarre design--one like a hat, another like a rabbit"; "famed for his eccentric spelling"; "a freakish combination of styles"; "the outlandish clothes of teenagers"; "outre and affected stage antics"
devil-may-care, raffish, rakish
marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness; "a cocktail party given by some...raffish bachelors"- Crary Moore
far-out, kinky, offbeat, quirky, way-out
informal terms; strikingly unconventional
conformist
marked by conformity or convention; not corresponding to current customs or rules or styles; "underneath the radical image teenagers are surprisingly conformist"
nonconformist, unconformist
not conforming to some norm or socially approved pattern of behavior or thought; "their rabidly nonformist deportment has made them legendary"; "the old stubborn nonconformist spirit of the early settlers"
traditional
consisting of or derived from tradition; "traditional history"; "traditional morality"
conventional
in accord with or being a tradition or practice accepted from the past; "a conventional church wedding with the bride in traditional white"; "the conventional handshake"
handed-down, tralatitious
having been passed along from generation to generation; "among Biblical critics a tralatitious interpretation is one received by expositor from expositor"
time-honored, time-honoured
of long standing and acceptance; "time-honored customs"
traditionalistic
adhering to tradition especially in cultural or religious practices
nontraditional, untraditional
not conforming to or in accord with tradition; "nontraditional designs"; "nontraditional practices"
convincing
causing one to believe the truth of something; "a convincing story"; "a convincing manner"
credible, plausible
appearing to merit belief or acceptance; "a credible witness"; "a plausible story"
disenchanting, disillusioning
freeing from illusion or false belief
persuasive
capable of convincing; "a persuasive argument"
unconvincing
not convincing; "unconvincing excuses"; "as unconvincing as a forced smile"
unpersuasive
not capable of persuading
corrupt
lacking in integrity; "humanity they knew to be corrupt...from the day of Adam's creation"; "a corrupt and incompetent city government"
Augean
extremely dirty and corrupt; "every government ought to attend to cleaning its own Augean stables"
corrupted, debased, vitiated
ruined in character or quality
corruptible, bribable, dishonest, purchasable, venal
capable of being corrupted; "corruptible judges"; "dishonest politicians"; "a purchasable senator"; "a venal police officer"
depraved, immoral, perverse, perverted, reprobate
marked by immorality; deviating from what is considered right or proper or good; "depraved criminals"; "a perverted sense of loyalty"; "the reprobate conduct of a gambling aristocrat"
dirty, sordid
unethical or dishonest; "dirty police officers"; "a sordid political campaign"
praetorian, pretorian
characteristic of Praetorian soldiers in respect to corruption or political venality; "a large praetorian bureaucracy filled with ambitious...and often sycophantic people makes work and makes trouble"- Arthur M.Schlesinger Jr.
putrid
morally corrupt or evil; "the putrid atmosphere of the court"
incorrupt
free of corruption or immorality; "a policeman who was incorrupt and incorruptible"
antiseptic
clean and honest; "antiseptic financial practices"
incorruptible
incapable of being morally corrupted; "incorruptible judges are the backbone of the society"
uncorrupted
not debased; "though his associates were dishonest, he remained uncorrupted"; "uncorrupted values"
uncorrupted, unspoiled
not decayed or decomposed
considerable
large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree; "a considerable quantity"; "the economy was a considerable issue in the campaign"; "went to considerable trouble for us"; "spent a considerable amount of time on the problem"
appreciable
enough to be estimated or measured; "appreciable amounts of noxious wastes are dumped into the harbor"
extended, extensive, wide
great in range or scope; "an extended vocabulary"; "surgeons with extended experience"; "extensive examples of picture writing"; "suffered extensive damage"; "a wide selection"
goodly, goodish, hefty, respectable, sizable, sizeable, tidy
large in amount or extent or degree; "it cost a considerable amount"; "a goodly amount"; "received a hefty bonus"; "a respectable sum"; "a tidy sum of money"; "a sizable fortune"
right smart
(regional; S and Midland) "it's a right smart distance"
significant, substantial
fairly large; "won by a substantial margin"
inconsiderable
too small or unimportant to merit attention; "passed his life in an inconsiderble village"; "their duties were inconsiderable"; "had no inconsiderable influence"
insignificant, trivial
not large enough to consider or notice
substantial, real, material
having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary; "the substantial world"; "a mere dream, neither substantial nor practical"; "most ponderous and substantial things"- Shakespeare
insubstantial, unsubstantial, unreal
lacking material form or substance; unreal; "as insubstantial as a dream"; "an insubstantial mirage on the horizon"
aeriform, aerial, airy, aery, ethereal
characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; as impalpable or intangible as air; "figures light and aeriform come unlooked for and melt away"- Thomas Carlyle; "aerial fancies"; "an airy apparition"; "physical rather than ethereal forms"
shadowy, wraithlike
lacking in substance; "strange fancies of unreal and shadowy worlds"- W.A.Butler; "dim shadowy forms"; "a wraithlike column of smoke"
corrected
having something undesirable neutralized; "with glasses her corrected vision was 20:20"
rectified
having been put right
uncorrected
left faulty or wrong; "uncorrected astigmatism"
unremedied
not having been put right; "unremedied errors"
delinquent
persistently bad; "school for delinquent boys"
depraved, unreformable, unregenerate
hopelessly bad; "an unregenerate criminal"
cosmopolitan
composed of people from or at home in many parts of the world ; especially not provincial in attitudes or interests; "his cosmopolitan benevolence impartially extended to all races and to all creeds"- T.B. Macaulay; "the ancient and cosmopolitan societies of Syria and Egypt"; "that queer, cosmopolitan, rather sinister crowd found around the Marseilles docks"
sophisticated, urbane
marked by wide-ranging knowledge and appreciation of many parts of the world arising from urban life and wide travel; "the sophisticated manners of a true cosmopolite"; "urbane and pliant...he was at ease even in the drawing rooms of Paris"
traveled, travelled
familiar with many parts of the world; "a traveled, educated man"; "well-traveled people"
provincial
characteristic of the provinces or their people; "deeply provincial and conformist"; "in that well-educated company I felt uncomfortably provincial"; "narrow provincial attitudes"
bumpkinly, hick, rustic, unsophisticated
awkwardly simple and provincial; "bumpkinly country boys"; "rustic farmers"; "a hick town"; "the nightlife of Montmartre awed the unsophisticated tourists"
corn-fed
strong and healthy but not sophisticated
insular, parochial
narrowly restricted in outlook or scope; "little sympathy with parocial mentality"; "insular attitudes toward foreigners"
jerkwater, one-horse, pokey, poky
small and remote and insignificant; "a jerkwater college"; "passed a series of poky little one-horse towns"
considerate
showing concern for the rights and feelings of others; "friends considerate enough to leave us alone"
kind, thoughtful
showing consideration and anticipation of needs; "it was thoughtful of you to bring flowers"; "a neighbor showed thoughtful attention"
inconsiderate
lacking regard for the rights or feelings of others; "shockingly inconsiderate behavior"
careless
showing an unthinking lack of consideration; "a careless remark"
thoughtless, uncaring, unthinking
without care or thought for others; "the thoughtless saying of a great princess on being informed that the people had no bread; `Let them eat cake'"
courteous
characterized by courtesy and gracious good manners; "if a man be gracious and courteous to strangers it shows he is a citizen of the world"-Francis Bacon
chivalrous, gallant, knightly
having the qualities of gallantry attributed to an ideal knight
discourteous
showing no courtesy; rude; "a distant and at times discourteous young"
abrupt
surprisingly and unceremoniously brusque in manner; "an abrupt reply"
brusque, brusk, curt, short(p)
marked by rude or peremptory shortness; "try to cultivate a less brusque manner"; "a curt reply"; "the salesgirl was very short with him"
caddish, unchivalrous, ungallant
offensively discourteous
unceremonious
without due formalities; "unceremonious dismissal from office"
polite
showing regard for others in manners, speech, behavior, etc.
mannerly, well-mannered
socially correct in behavior
courteous, gracious, nice
exhibiting courtesy and politeness; "a nice gesture"
impolite
not polite
bratty, brattish
(used of an ill-mannered child) impolitely unruly
ill-mannered, rude, unmannered, unmannerly
socially incorrect in behavior; "resentment flared at such an unmannered intrusion"
discourteous, ungracious
lacking social graces
unparliamentary
so rude and abusive as to be unsuitable for Parliament
civil, polite
not rude; marked by satisfactory (or especially minimal) adherence to social usages and sufficient but not noteworthy consideration for others; "even if he didn't like them he should have been civil"- W.S. Maugham
uncivil, rude
lacking civility or good manners; "want nothing from you but to get away from your uncivil tongue"- Willa Cather
fanciful, notional
indulging in or influenced by fancy; "a fanciful mind"; "all the notional vagaries of childhood"
imaginative, ingenious, inventive
(used of persons or artifacts) marked by independence and creativity in thought or action; "an imaginative use of material"; "the invention of the knitting frame by another ingenious English clergyman"- Lewis Mumford; "an ingenious device"; "had an inventive turn of mind"; "inventive ceramics"
yeasty
exuberantly creative
sterile, unimaginative, uninspired, uninventive
deficient in originality or creativity; lacking powers of invention:i "a sterile ideology lacking in originality"; "unimaginative development of a musical theme"; "uninspired writing"
credible, believable
capable of being believed; "completely credible testimony"; "credible information"
likely, plausible
within the realm of credibility; "not a very likely excuse"; "a plausible story"
presumptive
affording reasonable grounds for belief or acceptance; "presumptive evidence"; "a strong presumptive case is made out"
incredible, unbelievable
beyond belief or understanding; "at incredible speed"; "the book's plot is simply incredible"
astounding, dumbfounding, dumfounding
bewildering or striking dumb with wonder
fabulous
barely credible; "the fabulous endurance of a marathon runner"
improbable, marvelous, marvellous, tall(a)
too improbable to admit of belief; "a tall story"
undreamed, undreamed of, undreamt, undreamt of, unimagined
not imagined even in a dream
overcredulous
too credulous for your own good
hypercritical, overcritical
inclined to judge too severely; "hypercritical of colloquial speech"; "the overcritical teacher can discourage originality"
scathing, vituperative
marked by harshly abusive criticism; "his scathing remarks about silly lady novelists"; "her vituperative railing"
critical
characterized by careful evaluation and judgment; "a critical reading"; "a critical dissertation"; "a critical analysis of Melville's writings
appraising(a), evaluative
exercising or involving careful evaluations; "looked him over with an appraising eye"; "the literary judge uses many evaluative terms"
discriminative, judicial
expressing careful judgment; "discriminative censure"; "a biography ...appreciative and yet judicial in purpose"-Tyler Dennett
uncritical, noncritical
marked by disregard for critical standards or procedures; "news sources reflected uncritical estimates of the number of juvenile addicts"
critical
being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency; "a critical shortage of food"; "a critical illness"; "an illness at the critical stage"
acute
of critical importance and consequence; "an acute (or critical) lack of research funds"
dangerous, grave, grievous, serious, severe
causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm; "a dangerous operation"; "a grave situation"; "a grave illness"; "grievous bodily harm"; "a serious wound"; "a serious turn of events"; "a severe case of pneumonia"
desperate, dire
fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless; "a desperate illness"; "on all fronts the Allies were in a desperate situation due to lack of materiel"- G.C.Marshall; "a dire emergency"
noncritical, noncrucial
not in a state of crisis or emergency
crucial, important
of extreme importance; vital to the resolution of a crisis; "a crucial moment in his career"; "a crucial election"; "a crucial issue for women"
critical, decisive
forming or having the nature of a turning point or crisis; "a critical point in the campaign"; "the critical test"
pivotal, polar
being of crucial importance; "a pivotal event"; "Its pivotal location has also exposed it to periodic invasions"- Henry Kissinger; "the polar events of this study"; "a polar principal"
noncrucial
of little importance; not decisive
crystallized
having become fixed and definite in form; "distinguish between crystallized and uncrystallized opinion"- Psychological Abstracts
uncrystallized
not finally or definitely formed; "uncrystallized ideas"
unidimensional, one-dimensional
relating to a single dimension or aspect; having no depth or scope; "a prose statement of fact is unidimensional, its value being measured wholly in terms of its truth"- Mary Sheehan; "a novel with one-dimensional characters"
multidimensional
having or involving or marked by several dimensions or aspects; "multidimensional problems"; "a multidimensional proposition"; "a multidimensional personality"
dimensional
having dimension--the quality or character or stature proper to a person; "never matures as a dimensional character; he is pasty, bland, faceless"- Norman Cousins
two-dimensional, flat
lacking the expected range or depth; not designed to give an illusion or depth; "a film with two-dimensional characters"; "a flat two-dimensional painting"
nosy, nosey, prying, snoopy
offensively curious or inquisitive; "curious about the neighbor's doings"; "he flipped through my letters in his nosy way"; "prying eyes"; "the snoopy neighbor watched us all day"
overcurious
showing excessive curiosity
live
of current relevance; "a live issue"; "still a live option"
prevailing, prevalent, rife
encountered generally especially at the present time; "the prevailing opinion was that a trade war could be averted"; "the most prevalent religion in our area"; "speculation concerning the books author was rife"
topical
of interest at the present time; "a topical reference"; "a topical and timely study of civil liberty"
up-to-date
reflecting the latest information or changes; "an up-to-date issue of the magazine"
up-to-the-minute, latest
up to the immediate present; most recent or most up-to-date; "the news is up-to-the-minute"; "the very latest scientific discoveries"
dead
no longer having force or relevance; "a dead issue"
disused, obsolete
no longer in use; "obsolete words"
obsolete, outdated, out-of-date, superannuated
old; no longer in use or valid or fashionable; "obsolete words"; "an obsolete locomotive"; "outdated equipment"; "superannuated laws"; "out-of-date ideas"
obsolescent
becoming obsolete
cursed, curst
deserving a curse; sometimes used as an intensifier; "villagers shun the area believing it to be cursed"; "cursed with four daughter"; "not a cursed drop"; "his cursed stupidity"; "I'll be cursed if I can see your reasoning"
accursed, accurst, maledict
under a curse
blasted, blame, blamed, blessed, damn, damned, darned, deuced, everlasting, goddam, goddamn, goddamned, infernal
expletives used informally as intensifiers; "he's a blasted idiot"; "it's a blamed shame"; "a blame cold winter"; "not a blessed dime"; "I'll be damned (or blessed or darned or goddamned) if I'll do any such thing"; "he's a damn (or goddam or goddamned) fool"; "a deuced idiot"; "tired or his everlasting whimpering"; "an infernal nuisance"
cursed with(p), stuck with(p)
burdened with; "stuck with the tab"
damn, goddamn
used as expletives; "oh, damn (or goddamn)!"
damnable, execrable
deserving a curse; "her damnable pride"
blessed, blest
highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace); "our blessed land"; "the blessed assurance of a steady income"
favored, fortunate, golden
supremely favored or fortunate; "golden lads and girls all must / like chimney sweepers come to dust"
glorious
bringing great happiness and thankfulness; "glorious freedom"; "glorious times"
blessed, blessed with(p), endued with(p)
having good fortune bestowed or conferred upon; sometimes used as in combination; "blessed with a strong healthy body"; "a nation blessed with peace"; "a peace-blessed era"
unblessed
not provided with something desirable; "a hovel unblessed with electricity or running water"
cyclic, cyclical
recurring in cycles
alternate(a), alternating(a)
occurring by turns; first one and then the other; "alternating feelings of love and hate"
bedraggled, broken-down, dilapidated, ramshackle, tumble-down, unsound
in deplorable condition; "a street of bedraggled tenements"; "a broken-down fence"; "a ramshackle old pier"; "a tumble-down shack"
riddled
(often followed by `with') damaged throughout by numerous perforations or holes; "a sweater riddled with moth holes"; "cliffs riddled with caves"; "the bullet-riddled target"
dateless
of such great duration as to preclude the possibility of being assigned a date; "dateless customs"
decent
conforming to conventions of sexual behavior; "speech in this circle, if not always decent, never became lewd"- George Santayana
indecent
offensive to good taste especially in sexual matters; "an earthy but not indecent story"; "an indecent gesture"
coarse, crude, earthy, gross, vulgar
conspicuously and tastelessly indecent; "coarse language"; "a crude joke"; "crude behavior"; "an earthy sense of humor"; "a revoltingly gross expletive"; "a vulgar gesture"; "full of language so vulgar it should have been edited"
indelicate
verging on the indecent; "an indelicate proposition"
obscene
designed to incite to indecency or lust; "the dance often becomes flagrantly obscene"- Margaret Mead
decisive
determining or having the power to determine an outcome; "cast the decisive vote"; "two factors had a decisive influence"
conclusive
final and deciding; "the conclusive reason"
crucial, deciding(a), determinant, determinative, determining(a)
having the power or quality of deciding; "the crucial experiment"; "cast the deciding vote"; "the determinative (or determinant) battle"
fateful, fatal
having momentous consequences; of decisive importance; "that fateful meeting of the U.N. when...it declared war on North Korea"- Saturday Rev; "the fatal day of the election finally arrived"
peremptory
putting an end to all debate or action; "a peremptory decree"
indecisive
not definitely settling something; "a long and indecisive war"
inconclusive
leading to no final results or outcome; "an inconclusive experiment"
decisive
characterized by decision and firmness; "an able an decisive young woman"; "we needed decisive leadership"; "she gave him a decisive answer"
unhesitating, resolute
characterized by quickness and firmness; "his reply was unhesitating"
indecisive
characterized by lack of decision and firmness; "an indecisive manager brought the enterprise to a standstill"
on the fence(p), undecided
characterized by indecision; "some who had been on the fence came out in favor of the plan"; "too many voters still declare they are undecided"
decorous
characterized by propriety and dignity and good taste in manners and conduct; "the tete-a-tete was decorous in the extreme"
in good taste(p)
satisfying generally accepted social or esthetic standards
sedate, staid
characterized by dignity and propriety
indecorous, indelicate
lacking propriety and good taste in manners and conduct; "indecorous behavior"
deep
having great spatial extension or penetration; downward ("a deep well"; "a deep dive"; "deep water"; "a deep casserole"); or inward from an outer surface ("a deep gash"; "deep massage"; "deep pressure receptors in muscles"); or backward ("deep shelves"; "a deep closet"); or laterally ("surrounded by a deep yard"); or outward from a center ((sports) "hit the ball to deep center field"); sometimes used in combination; "waist-deep"
abysmal, abyssal
so deep as to be unmeasurable; unfathomable; "the abyssal depths of the ocean"
bottomless
extremely deep; "a bottomless pit"; "a bottomless lake"
profound, unfathomed, unplumbed, unsounded
situated at or extending to great depth; too deep to have been sounded or plumbed; "the profound depths of the sea"; "the dark unfathomed caves of ocean"-Thomas Gray; "unplumbed depths of the sea"; "remote and unsounded caverns"
shallow
lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension; downward ("shallow water"; "a shallow dish"); or inward from an outer surface ("a shallow cut"); or backward ("a shallow closet"; "established a shallow beachhead"); or outward from a center ((sports) "hit the ball to shallow left field")
ankle-deep, knee-deep
coming only to the ankle or knee
deep
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply; "a deep breath"; "a deep sigh"; "deep concentration"; "deep emotion"; "a deep trance"; "in a deep sleep"
profound
coming from deep within one; "a profound sigh"
shallow
not deep or strong; not affecting one deeply; "shallow breathing"; "a night of shallow fretful sleep"; "in a shallow trance"
crushed
humiliated in defeat
licked
(informal) having been got the better of; "I'm pretty beat up but I don't feel licked yet"
subjugated
reduced to submission; "subjugated peoples"
unbowed
not forced to bow down to a conqueror
defiant
boldly resisting authority or an opposing force; "brought up to be aggressive and defiant"; "a defiant attitude"
insubordinate, resistant, resistive
disposed to or engaged in defiance of established authority
obstreperous
noisily and stubbornly defiant; "obstreperous boys"
recalcitrant
marked by stubborn resistance to authority; "the University suspended the most recalcitrant demonstraters"
complying, obliging, yielding
happy to comply
lamblike
like a lamb in meekness and gentleness
nonresistant
offering no resistance
defined
clearly characterized or delimited; "lost in a maze of words both defined and undefined"; "each child has clearly defined duties"
characterized
of the meaning of words or concepts; stated precisely
circumscribed, delimited
showing or determining a boundary; "it is impossible to specify a clearly circumscribed (or delimited) area for any particular science"
undefined, vague
not precisely limited, determined, or distinguished; "an undefined term"; "undefined authority"; "some undefined sense of excitement"; "vague feelings of sadness"; "a vague uneasiness"
well-defined, clear
accurately stated or described; "a set of well-defined values"
ill-defined, unclear
poorly stated or described; "he confuses the reader with ill-defined terms and concepts"
derived
formed or developed from something else; not original; "the belief that classes and organizations are secondary and derived"- John Dewey
derivative
resulting from or employing derivation; "a derivative process"; "a highly derivative prose style"
underived, simple
not derived; primary or simple
original
not derived or copied or translated from something else; "the play is original; not an adaptation"; "he kept the original copy and gave her only a xerox"; "the translation misses much of the subtlety of the original French"
primary, primitive
not derived from or reducible to something else; basic; "a primary instinct"; "seeks excellence at its primitive source--nature"- John Dewey
definite
precise; explicit and clearly defined; "I want a definite answer"; "a definite statement of the terms of the will"; "a definite amount"; "definite restrictions on the sale of alcohol"; "the wedding date is now definite"; "a definite drop in attendance"
certain(a)
definite but not specified or identified; "set aside a certain sum each week"; "to a certain degree"; "certain breeds do not make good pets"; "certain members have not paid their dues"; "a certain popular teacher"; "a certain Mrs. Jones"
decisive
unmistakable; "had a decisive lead in the polls"
defined, formed, settled
clearly defined; "I have no formed opinion about the chances of success"
distinct, decided
recognizable; marked; "noticed a distinct improvement"; "at a distinct (or decided) disadvantage"
indefinite
vague or not clearly defined or stated; "must you be so indefinite?"; "amorphous blots of color having vague and indefinite edges"; "he would not answer so indefinite a proposal"
coy
showing marked and often playful or irritating evasiveness or reluctance to make a definite or committing statement; "a politician coy about his intentions"
indecisive
not clearly defined; "indecisive boundaries running through mountains"
nebulous, unfixed
lacking definition or definite content; "nebulous reasons"; "unfixed as were her general notions of what men ought to be"- Jane Austen
one(a)
indefinite in time or position; "he will come one day"; "one place or another"
delicate
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury; "a delicate violin passage"; "delicate china"; "a delicate flavor"; "the delicate wing of a butterfly"
dainty, exquisite, fine
of delicate composition and artistry; "a dainty teacup"; "an exquisite cameo"; "fine china and crystal"
ethereal, gossamer
characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy; "this smallest and most ethereal of birds"; "gossamer shading through his playing"
fragile
vulnerably delicate; "she has the fragile beauty of youth"
light-handed
having a metaphorically delicate touch; "the translation is...light-handed...and generally unobtrusive"- New Yorker
overdelicate
extremely delicate; "an overdelicate digestive system"
pastel
lacking in body or vigor; "faded pastel charms of the naive music"
subtle
faint and difficult to analyze; "subtle aromas"
rugged
sturdy and strong in constitution or construction; enduring; "a rugged trapper who spent months in the winderness"; "those that survive are stalwart rugged men"; "with a house full of boys you have to have rugged furniture"
hardy
able to survive under unfavorable conditions; "strawberries are hardy and easy to grow"; "camels are tough and hardy creatures"
knockabout
suitable for rough use; "a knockabout overcoat"; "a knockabout old car"
sturdy, tough
substantially made or constructed; "sturdy steel shelves"; "sturdy canvas"; "a tough all-weather fabric"; "some plastics are as tough as metal"
demanding
requiring more than usually expected or thought due; especially great patience and effort and skill; "found the job very demanding"; "a baby can be so demanding"
exigent, exacting
requiring precise accuracy; "an exacting job"; "became more exigent over his pronunciation"
hard-to-please(a), hard to please(p)
of persons; "his father was a hard-to-please taskmaster"; "was very hard to please"
rigorous, stringent, tight
demanding strict attention to rules and procedures; "rigorous discipline"; "tight security"; "stringent safety measures"
stern, strict, exacting
severe and unremitting in making demands; "an exacting instructor"; "a stern disciplinarian"; "strict standards"
tightened
made tighter or more stringent; "endured tightened economic controls"
undemanding
not demanding; requiring little if any patience or effort or skill; "the pay was adequate and the job undemanding"; "simple undemanding affection"; "an undemanding boss"
easy, lenient
not strict; "an easy teacher"; "easy standards"; "lenient rules"
easygoing
not stressful; "an easygoing life as a parttime consultant"
light
demanding little effort; not burdensome; "light housework"; "light exercise"
unexacting
not rigorous; "relaxed and unexacting standards"
imperative
requiring attention or action; "as nuclear weapons proliferate, preventing war becomes imperative"; "requests that grew more and more imperative"
adjuratory
containing a solemn charge or command
clamant, crying, exigent, insistent, instant
demanding attention; "clamant needs"; "a crying need"; "regarded literary questions as exigent and momentous"- H.L.Mencken; "insistent hunger"; "an instant need"
commanding, peremptory
not allowing contradiction or refusal; "spoke in commanding (or peremptory) tones"; "peremptory commands"
desperate
showing extreme urgency or intensity especially because of great need or desire; "felt a desperate urge to confess"; "a desperate need for recognition"
pressing, urgent
compelling immediate action; "too pressing to permit of longer delay"; "the urgent words `Hurry! Hurry!'"; "bridges in urgent need of repair"
arbitrary
based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice; "an arbitrary decision"; "the arbitrary rule of a dictator";"an arbitrary penalty"; "of arbitrary size and shape"; "an arbitrary choice"; "arbitrary division of the group into halves"
absolute
not limited by law; "an absolute monarch"
capricious, impulsive, whimsical
determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason; "a capricious refusal"; "authoritarian rulers are frequently capricious"; "the victim of whimsical persecutions"
nonarbitrary, unarbitrary
not subject to individual determination
implicational, implicative, suggestive, suggestive of(p)
tending to suggest or imply; "artifacts suggestive of an ancient society"; "an implicative statement"
reliable, dependable
worthy of reliance or trust; "a reliable source of information"; "a dependable worker"
certain, sure
capable of being depended on; "a quick and certain remedy"; "a sure way to distinguish the two"; "wood dust is a sure sign of termites"
faithful
consistently reliable or dependable; "a faithful old car that always gets us home"
straight
reliable in matters of fact; "he was always straight with me"
tested, time-tested, tried, tried and true
tested and proved to be reliable
true
reliable as a basis for action; "a true prophesy"
undeviating
used of values and principles; not subject to change; steady; "undeviating loyalty"
unreliable, undependable
not worthy of reliance or trust; "in the early 1950s computers were large and expensive and unreliable"; "an undependable assistant"
erratic, temperamental
likely to perform unpredictably; "erratic winds are the bane of a sailor"; "a temperamental motor; sometimes it would start and sometimes it wouldn't"; "that beautiful but temperamental instrument the flute"- Osbert Lancaster
uncertain
not consistent or dependable; "an uncertain recollection of events"; "a gun with a rather uncertain trigger"
unsound
of e.g. advice
babelike
like a baby especially in dependence; "babelike innocence and dependence"
reliant, reliant on(p), dependent on(p)
relying on another for support; "dependent on Middle Eastern oil"
independent
free from external control and constraint; "an independent mind"; "a series of independent judgments"; "fiercely independent individualism"; "an independent republic"
individual, case-by-case, item-by-item
separate and distinct from others of the same kind; "mark the individual pages"; "on a case-by-case basis"
on one's own(p), on his own(p), on her own(p), on your own(p), on their own(p)
responsible for yourself; "now out of college and on their own"
strong-minded
marked by vigorous independence of thought and judgment
unconditional
not contingent; not determined or influenced by someone or something else
one-sided, biased
excessively devoted to one faction
tendentious, tendencious
having or marked by a strong tendency especially a controversial one; "a tendentious account of recent elections"; "distinguishing between verifiable fact and tendentious assertion"
independent
not controlled by a party or interest group
unbiased, unbiassed
without bias
desirable
worth having or seeking or achieving; "a desirable job"; "computer with many desirable features"; "a desirable outcome"
advantageous
likely to be of benefit or advantage; "in an advantageous position"
coveted, desired, in demand(p), sought after
greatly desired
delectable, sexually attractive
capable of arousing desire; "the delectable Miss Haynes"
enviable
causing envy; "an enviable position"
plummy
(informal) "a plummy leading role"
preferable, preferred
more desirable than another; "coffee is preferable to tea"; "Danny's preferred name is 'Dan'"
undesirable
not desirable; "undesirable impurities in steel"; "legislation excluding undesirable aliens"
unenviable
so undesirable as to be incapable of arousing envy; "unenviable notoriety"
unwanted
interfering; "unwanted shadows distort the picture"; "removed the unwanted vegetation"
blighted, spoilt
affected by blight--anything that mars or events growth or prosperity; "a blighted rose"; "blighted urtan districts"
broken, wiped out(p), impoverished
destroyed financially; "the broken fortunes of the family"
despoiled, pillaged, raped, ravaged, sacked
having been robbed and destroyed by force and violence; "the raped countryside"
determinate
precisely determined or limited or defined; especially fixed by rule or by a specific and constant cause; "a determinate distance"; "a determinate number"; "determinate variations in animals"
indeterminate, undetermined
not precisely determined or established; not fixed or known in advance; "of indeterminate age"; "a zillion is a large indeterminate number"; "an indeterminate point of law"; "the influence of environment is indeterminate"; "an indeterminate future"
open-ended
allowing for a spontaneous response; "an open-ended question"
developed
being changed over time so as to be e.g. stronger or more complete or more useful; "the developed qualities of the Hellenic outlook"; "they have very small limbs with only two fully developed toes on each"
formed
fully developed as by discipline or training"a fully formed literary style"
mature, matured
fully considered and perfected; "mature plans"
undeveloped
not developed; "courses in interior design were rare and undeveloped"; "undeveloped social awareness"
budding
beginning to develop; "a budding genius"
immature, unformed
lacking in development; "immature plans"; "an unformed character"
difficult, hard
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure; "a difficult task"; "nesting places on the cliffs are difficult of access"; "difficult times"; "a difficult child"; "found himself in a difficult situation"; "why is it so hard for you to keep a secret?"
ambitious, challenging
requiring full use of your abilities or resources; "ambitious schedule"; "performed the most challenging task without a mistake"
arduous
difficult to accomplish; demanding considerable mental effort and skill; "the arduous work of preparing a dictionary"
awkward, embarrassing, sticky, unenviable
hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment; "awkward (or embarrassing or difficult) moments in the discussion"; "an awkward pause followed his remark"; "a sticky question"; "in the unenviable position of resorting to an act he had planned to save for the climax of the campaign"
baffling, knotty, problematic, problematical
making great mental demands; hard to comprehend or solve; "a baffling problem"; "I faced the knotty problem of what to have for breakfast"; "a problematic situation at home"
catchy, tricky
having concealed difficulty; "a catchy question"; "a tricky recipe to follow"
delicate, ticklish
difficult to handle; requiring great tact; "delicate negotiations with the big powers"; "hesitates to be explicit on so ticklish a matter"
fractious
unpredictably difficult in operation; likely to be troublesome; "rockets were much too fractious to be tested near thigkly populated areas"; "fractious components of a communication system"
hard-fought
requiring great effort; "a hard-fought primary"
herculean, Herculean
of extreme difficulty; requiring the strength of a Hercules; "a herculean task"
nasty, tight
exasperatingly difficult to handle or circumvent; "a nasty problem"; "a good man to have on your side in a tight situation"
rocky, rough
full of hardship or trials; "the rocky road to success"; "they were having a rough time"
rugged, tough
very difficult; severely testing stamina or resolution; "a rugged competitive examination"; "the rugged conditions of frontier life"; "the competition was tough"; "it's a tough life"; "it was a tough job"
serious
requiring effort or concentration; complex and not easy to answer or solve; "raised serious objections to the proposal"; "the plan has a serious flaw"
stubborn
difficult to treat or deal with; "stubborn rust stains"; "a stubborn case of acne"
tall(a)
(informal) impressively difficult; "a tall order"
thorny
bristling with perplexities; "the thorny question of states' rights"
troublesome
difficult to deal with; "a troublesome infection"; "a troublesome situation"
trying
hard to endure; "fell upon trying times"
vexed
causing difficulty in finding an answer or solution; much disputed; "the vexed issue of priorities"; "we live in vexed and troubled times"
easy
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort; "an easy job"; "an easy problem"; "an easy victory"; "the house is easy to heat"; "satisfied with easy answers"; "took the easy way out of his dilemma"
casual, effortless
not showing effort or strain; "a difficult feat performed with casual mastery"; "careless grace"
cushy, soft
(informal) not burdensome or demanding; borne or done easily and without hardship; "what a cushy job!"; "a soft job"
elementary, simple, uncomplicated, unproblematic
not involved or complicated; "an elementary problem in statistics"; "elementary, my dear Watson"; "a simple game"; "found an uncomplicated solution to the problem"
hands-down
achieved without great effort; "a hands-down victory"
painless
requiring little hard work or exertion; "a painless solution to the problem"
simplified
made easy or uncomplicated
smooth
lacking obstructions or difficulties; "the bill's path through the legislature was smooth and orderly"
dignified
having or expressing dignity; especially formality or stateliness in bearing or appearance; "her dignified demeanor"; "the director of the school was a dignified white-haired gentleman"
courtly, elegant, formal, stately
refined or imposing in manner or appearance; befitting a royal court; "a courtly gentleman"
distinguished, imposing, magisterial
used of a person's appearance or behavior; befitting an eminent person; "his distinguished bearing"; "the monarch's imposing presence"; "she reigned in magisterial beauty"
undignified
lacking dignity
demeaning, humbling, humiliating, mortifying
causing awareness of your shortcomings; "golf is a humbling game"
infra dig(p)
beneath your dignity; "considered helping with the dishes to be infra dig"
pathetic, ridiculous, silly
inspiring scornful pity; "how silly an ardent and unsuccessful wooer can be especially if he is getting on in years"- Dashiell Hammett
statesmanlike, statesmanly
marked by the qualities of or befitting a statesman; "a man of statesmanlike judgment"; "a statesmanlike solution of the present perplexities"-V.L.Parrington
diplomatic, wise
able to take a broad view of negotiations between states
unstatesmanlike
not statesmanlike; "unstatesmanlike procedure"
presidential
befitting a president; "criticized the candidate for not looking presidential"
unpresidential
not presidential; "very unpresidential behavior"
diligent
characterized by care and perseverence in carrying out tasks; "a diligent detective investigates all clues"; "a diligent search of the files"
assiduous, sedulous
marked by care and persistent effort; "her assiduous attempts to learn French"; "assiduous research"; "sedulous pursuit of legal and moral principles"
hardworking, industrious, tireless, untiring
characterized by hard work and perseverance
negligent
characterized by neglect and undue lack of concern; "negligent parents"; "negligent of detail"; "negligent in his correspondence"
derelict, delinquent, neglectful, remiss
failing in what duty requires; "derelict (or delinquent) in his duty"; "neglectful of his duties"; "remiss of you not to pay your bills"
lax, slack
lacking in rigor or strictness; "such lax and slipshod ways are no longer acceptable"; "lax in attending classes"; "slack in maintaining discipline"
inattentive, neglectful
not showing due care or attention; "inattentive students"; "an inattentive babysitter"; "neglectful parents"
diplomatic, diplomatical
skilled in dealing with sensitive matters or people
politic, smooth, suave
smoothly agreeable and courteous with a degree of sophistication; "he was too politic to quarrel with so important a personage"; "the hostess averted a confrontation between two guests with a diplomatic change of subject"; "the manager pacified the customer with a smooth apology for the error"; "affable, suave, moderate men...smugly convinced of their respectability"_ Ezra Pound
tactful
showing skill and sensitivity in dealing with people; "by diplomatic conduct he avoided antagonizing anyone"; "a tactful way of correcting someone"
undiplomatic
not skilled in dealing with others
conciliating, conciliatory, conciliative
overcoming animosity or hostility; "spoke in a conciliating tone"; "a conciliatory visit"
appeasing(a), placating, placative, placatory
tending or intended to pacify by acceding to demands or granting concessions; "the appeasing concessions to the Nazis at Munich"; "placating (or placative) gestures"; "an astonishingly placatory speech"
propitiative, propitiatory
intended to reconcile or appease; "sent flowers as a propitiatory gesture"
antagonizing, antagonistic
arousing animosity or hostility; "his antagonizing brusqueness"; "a speech that was antagonizing to many voters"
alienating
causing hostility or loss of friendliness; "her sudden alienating aloofness"
direct
extended senses; direct in means or manner or behavior or language or action; "a direct question"; "a direct response"; "a direct approach"
bluff
bluntly direct and outspoken but good-natured; "a bluff but pleasant manner"; "a bluff and rugged natural leader"
blunt, candid, forthright, frank, free-spoken, outspoken, plainspoken, point-blank
characterized by disconcerting directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion; "blunt talking and straight shooting"; "a blunt New England farmer"; "I gave them my candid opinion"; "forthright criticism"; "a forthright approach to the problem"; "tell me what you think--and you may just as well be frank"; "it is possible to be outspoken without being rude"; "plainspoken and to the point"; "a point-blank accusation"
flat-footed
(informal) without reservation; "a flat-footed refusal"
man-to-man
forthright and honest; "had a man-to-man talk about the facts of life"
no-nonsense
not tolerating irrelevancies; "the no-nonsense tones of a stern parent"
plain, unvarnished
free from any effort to soften to disguise; "the plain and unvarnished truth"; "the unvarnished candor of old people and children"
pointed
direct and obvious in meaning or reference; often unpleasant; "a pointed critique"; "a pointed allusion to what was going on"; "another pointed look in their direction"
square(a), straightforward
without evasion or compromise; "a square contradiction"; "he is not being as straightforward as it appears"
indirect
extended senses; not direct in manner or language or behavior or action; "making indirect but legitimate inquiries"; "an indirect insult"; "doubtless they had some indirect purpose in mind"; "though his methods are indirect they are not dishonest"; "known as a shady indirect fellow"
backhanded
roundabout or ambiguous; "attacks from tht source amounted to a backhanded compliment to his integrity"; "a backhanded and dishonest way of reaching his goal"
circuitous, roundabout
marked by obliqueness or indirection in speech or conduct; "the explanation was circuitous and puzzling"; "a roundabout paragraph"; "hear in a roundabout way that her ex-husband was marrying her best friend"
circumlocutious, circumlocutory, periphrastic, ambagious
roundabout and unnecessarily wordy; "had a preference for circumlocutious (or circumlocutory) rather than forthright expression"; "A periphrastic study in a worn-out poetical fashion,/ Leaving one still with the intolerable wrestle/ With words and meanings."-T.S.Eliot; (`ambagious' is archaic)
devious, oblique
departing from the accepted or proper way; misleading; "used devious means to achieve success"; "gave oblique answers to direct questions"; "oblique political maneuvers"
digressive, discursive, excursive, rambling
(of e.g. speech and writing) tending to depart from the main point or cover a wide range of subjects; "amusingly digressive with satirical thrusts at women's fashions among other things"; "a rambling discursive book"; "his excursive remarks"; "a rambling speech about this and that"
mealymouthed
hesitant to state facts or opinions simply and directly as from e.g. timidity or hypocrisy; "a mealymouthed politician"
tortuous
not straightforward; "his tortuous reasoning"
immediate
having no intervening medium; "an immediate influence"
direct
immediate or direct in bearing or force; having nothing intervening; "in direct sunlight"; "in direct contact with the voters"; "direct exposure to the disease"; "a direct link"; "the direct cause of the accident"
unmediated
without the interposition of other agencies or conditions; "unmediated relations between God and man"
mediate
acting through or dependent on an intervening agency; "the disease spread by mediate as well as direct contact"
indirect
having intervening factors or persons or influences; "reflection from the ceiling provided a soft indirect light"; "indirect evidence"; "an indirect cause"
mediated
acting or brought about through an intervening agency; "the mediated settlement brought satisfaction to both sides"
discerning
having or revealing keen insight and good judgment; "a discerning critic"; "a discerning reader"
clear, percipient
characterized by ease and quickness in perceiving; "clear mind"; "a percipient author"
clear-eyed, clear-sighted, perspicacious
mentally acute or penetratingly discerning; "too clear-eyed not to see what problems would follow"; "chaos could be prevented only by clear-sighted leadership"; "much too perspicacious to be taken in by so spurious an argument"
prescient
perceiving the significance of events before they occur; "extroardinarily prescient memoranda on the probable course of postwar relations"-R.H.Rovere
undiscerning
lacking discernment
obtuse, purblind
lacking in insight or discernment; "too obtuse to grasp the implications of his behavior"; "a purblind oligarchy that flatly refused to see that history was condemning it to the dustbin"- Jasper Griffin
uncomprehending
lacking understanding; "tried to explain to her uncomprehending husband"
discreet
marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint; "his trusted discreet aide"; "a discreet, finely wrought gold necklace
modest, restrained, unostentatious
free from ostentation or pretension; "the restrained elegance of the room"
prudent
showing wise self-restraint in speech and behavior especially in preserving prudent silence; "maintained a prudent silence"
indiscreet
lacking discretion; injudicious; "her behavor was indiscreet at the very best"
bigmouthed, blabbermouthed, blabby, talkative
unwisely talking too much
imprudent
lacking wise self-restraint; "an imprudent remark"
discriminate, discriminating
marked by the ability to see or make fine distinctions; "discriminate judgments"; "discriminate people"
indiscriminate
not marked by fine distinctions; "indiscriminate reading habits"; "an indiscriminate mixture of colors and styles"
promiscuous
not selective of a single class or person; "Clinton was criticized for his promiscuous solicitation of campaign money"
sweeping, wholesale
ignoring distinctions; "indiscriminate slaughter of a population"; "sweeping generalizations"; "wholesale destruction"
discriminating
showing or indicating careful judgment and discernment especially in matters of taste; "the discriminating eye of the connoisseur"
discerning, fine
able to make or detect effects of great subtlety; sensitive; "discerning taste"; "a fine eye for color"
discriminate, nice
noting distinctions with nicety; "a discriminating interior designer"; "a nice sense of color"; "a nice point in the argument"
discriminative, discriminatory
capable of making fine distinctions
eclectic
selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
good
generally admired; "good taste"
selective
tending to select; characterized by careful choice; "an exceptionally quick and selective reader"- John Mason Brown
undiscriminating, indiscriminating
not discriminating
indiscriminate
failing to make or recognize distinctions
uncritical
lacking in discrimination; "she was absolutely uncritical, she believed everything"
unperceptive
lacking sensitivity, taste, or judgment
unselective
not selective or discriminating; "unselective in her reading habits; her choices seemed completely random"
available, usable, useable
convenient for use or disposal; "the house is available after July 1"; "2000 square feet of usable office space"
distinct
easy to perceive; especially clearly outlined; "a distinct flavor"; "a distinct odor of turpentine"; "a distinct outline"; "the ship appeared as a distinct silhouette"; "distinct fingerprints"
chiseled, well-defined
having a clean and distinct outline as if precisely cut along the edges; "a finely chiseled nose"; "well-defined features"
clear, clean-cut, clear-cut
clear and distinct to the senses; easily perceptible; "as clear as a whistle"; "clear footprints in the snow"; "the letter brought back a clear image of his grandfather"; "a spire clean-cut against the sky"; "a clear-cut pattern"
crisp, sharp
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined; "a sharp photographic image"; "the sharp crack of a twig"; "the crisp snap of dry leaves underfoot"
crystalline
distinctly or sharply outlined; "crystalline sharpness of outline"- John Buchan
defined, outlined
showing clearly the outline or profile or boundary; "hills defined against the evening sky"; "the setting sun showed the outlined figure of a man standing on the hill"
razor-sharp
very clearly delineated; "razor-sharp definition"
indistinct
not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand; "indistinct shapes in the gloom"; "an indistinct memory"; "only indistinct notions of what to do"
cloudy, nebulose, nebulous
lacking definite form or limits; "gropes among cloudy issues toward a feeble conclusion"- H.T.Moore; "nebulous distinction between pride and conceit"
dim, faint, shadowy, vague, wispy
lacking clarity or distinctness; "a dim figure in the distance"; "only a faint recollection"; "shadowy figures in the gloom"; "saw a vague outline of a building through the fog"; "a few wispy memories of childhood"
faint
indistinctly understood or felt or perceived; "a faint clue to the origin of the mystery"; "haven't the faintest idea"
veiled
muted or unclear; "veiled sounds"; "the image is veiled or foggy"
diversified
having variety of character or form or components; or having increased variety; "a diversified musical program ranging from classical to modern"; "diversified farming"; "diversified manufacturing"; "diversified scenery"; "diversified investments"
varied, wide-ranging
widely different; "varied motives prompt people to join a political party"; "varied ethnic traditions of the immigrants"
undiversified, unvaried
not diversified
general
not specialized or limited to one class of things; "general studies"; "general knowledge"
monolithic
characterized by massiveness and rigidity and total uniformity; "a monolithic society"; "a monolithic worldwide movement"
solid, unanimous
acting together as a single undiversified whole; "a solid voting bloc"
unsupported
not supported by written evidence; "unsupported accusations"
heavy-handed, roughshod
unjustly domineering; "incensed at the government's heavy-handed economic economic policies"; "a manager who rode roughshod over all opposition"
imperious, masterful
able to deal authoritatively with affairs; "dismissed the matter with an imperious wave of her hand"
oppressive, tyrannical, tyrannous
marked by unjust severity or arbitrary behavior; "the oppressive government"; "oppressive laws"; "a tyrannical parent"; "tyrannous disregard of human rights"
abject
showing humiliation or submissiveness; "an abject apology"
bowed, bowing
showing an excessively deferential manner
compliant, meek, spiritless
evidencing little spirit or courage; overly submissive or compliant; "compliant and anxious to suit his opinions of those of others"; "a fine fiery blast against meek conformity"- Orville Prescott; "she looked meek but had the heart of a lion"; "was submissive and subservient"
cringing, groveling, grovelling, wormlike, wormy
totally submissive
dominated, henpecked
harassed by persistent nagging
servile
submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior; "spoke in a servile tone"; "the incurably servile housekeeper"; "servile tasks such as floor scrubbing and barn work"
obsequious
attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner; "obsequious shop assistants"
slavish, subservient, submissive
abjectly submissive; characteristic of a slave or servant; "slavish devotion to her job ruled her life"; "a slavish yes-man to the party bosses"- S.H.Adams; "she has become submissive and subservient"
slavelike
suitable for a slave or servant
unservile, unsubmissive
not servile or submissive
dominant
exercising influence or control; "television plays a dominant role in molding public opinion"; "the dominant partner in the marriage"
ascendant, ascendent, dominating
most powerful or important or influential; "the economically ascendant class"; "D-day is considered the dominating event of the war in Europe"
sovereign, supreme
greatest in status or authority or power; "a supreme tribunal"
superior
(sometimes followed by `to') not subject to or influenced by; "overcome by a superior opponent"; "trust magnates who felt themselves superior to law"
subordinate, low-level
lower in rank or importance
dramatic
suitable to or characteristic of drama; "a dramatic entrance in a swirling cape"; "a dramatic rescue at sea"
melodramatic
having the excitement and emotional appeal of melodrama; "a melodramatic account of two perilous days at sea"
spectacular
of the nature of spectacle or drama; "spectacular dives from the cliff"
undramatic
lacking dramatic force and quality; "moved with quiet force and undramatic bearing"
unspectacular
not spectacular; "an unspectacular but necessary task"
theatrical
suited to or characteristic of the stage or theater; "a theatrical pose"; "one of the most theatrical figures in public life"
showy
marked by extravagant display
stagy
having characteristics of the stage especially an artificial and mannered quality; "stagy heroics"
untheatrical
not suited to or characteristic of the stage or theater; "a well-written but untheatrical play"; "an untheatrical personality"
drinkable
fit to drink
potable
of alcoholic beverages that are suitable for drinking; "it's an impudent young wine but I think you will find it quite potable"
undrinkable
not fit to drink
bacchanalian, bacchanal, bacchic, carousing, orgiastic
used of riotously drunken merrymaking; "a night of bacchanalian revelry"; "carousing bands of drunken soldiers"; "orgiastic festivity"
sharp
keenly and painfully felt; as if caused by a sharp edge or point; "a sharp pain"; "sharp winds"
acute, intense
extremely sharp or intense; "acute pain"; "felt acute annoyance"; "intense itching and burning"
cutting, keen, knifelike, piercing, stabbing
as physically painful as if caused by a sharp instrument; "a cutting wind"; "keen winds"; "knifelike cold"; "piercing knifelike pains"; "piercing cold"; "piercing criticism"; "a stabbing pain"; "a gray world with ice and toothed winds"
fulgurating
(medicine) sharp and piercing
salt
(rare; of speech) painful; bitter; "salt scorn"- Shakespeare; "a salt apology"
scratching
(of a pain) as if caused by scraping with nails or claws
dull
not keenly felt; "a dull throbbing"; "dull pain"
eventful
full of events or incidents; "the most exhausting and eventful day of my life"
lively
filled with events or activity; "a lively period in history"
uneventful
marked by no noteworthy or significant events; "an uneventful life"; "the voyage was pleasant and uneventful"; "recovery was uneventful"
placid, quiet
without untoward incident or disruption; "a placid existence"; "quiet times"
lively
full of life and energy; "a lively discussion"; "lively and attractive parents"; "a lively party"
alive(p)
(often followed by `with') full of life and spirit; "she was wonderfully alive for her age"; "a face alive with mischief"
bouncing, bouncy, peppy, spirited, zippy
marked by lively action; "a bouncing gait"; "bouncy tunes"; "the peppy and interesting talk"; "a spirited dance"
breezy
fresh and animated; "her breezy nature"
bubbly
full of or showing high spirits; "bright bubbly children"; "a bubbly personality"
bubbling, effervescent, scintillating, sparkling, sparkly
marked by high spirits or excitement; "his fertile effervescent mind"; "scintillating personality"; "sparkling conversation"; "a row of sparkly cheerleaders"
burbling, burbly, effusive, gushing
uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm; "a novel told in burbly panting tones"
live
(informal) abounding with life and energy; "the club members are a really live bunch"
warm
characterized by liveliness or excitement or disagreement; "a warm debate"
dull
lacking in liveliness or animation; "he was so dull at parties"; "a dull political campaign"; "a large dull impassive man"; "dull days with nothing to do"; "how dull and dreary the world is"; "fell back into one of her dull moods"
arid, desiccate, desiccated
lacking vitality or spirit; lifeless; "a technically perfect but arid performance of the sonata";l "a desiccate romance"; "a prissy and emotionless creature...settles into a mold of desiccated snobbery"-C.J.Rolo
bovine
dull and slow-moving and stolid; like an ox; "showed a bovine apathy"
drab, dreary
lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise; "her drab personality"; "life was drab compared with the more exciting life style overseas"; "a series of dreary dinner parties"
heavy, leaden
lacking lightness or liveliness; "heavy humor"; "a leaden conversation"
humdrum, monotonous
tediously repetitious or lacking in variety; "a humdrum existence; all work and no play"; "nothing is so monotonous as the sea"
lackluster, lacklustre, lusterless, lustreless
lacking brilliance or vitality; "a dull lackluster life"; "a lusterless performance"
dynamic, dynamical
characterized by action or forcefulness or force of personality; "a dynamic market"; "a dynamic speaker"; "the dynamic president of the firm"
active
in a state of habitual or vigorous activity; "an active man is a man of action"
can-do
(slang) "a can-do kind of person"; "the city's indomitable optimism and can-do spirit"
changing, ever-changing
marked by continuous change or effective action
driving, impulsive
having the power of driving or impelling; "a driving personal ambition"; "the driving force was his innate enthusiasm"; "an impulsive force"
energizing, energising, kinetic
supplying motive force; "the complex civilization of which Rome was the kinetic center"- H.O.Taylor
high-octane, high-powered, high-power, high-voltage
vigorously energetic or forceful; "a high-octane sales manager"; "a high-octane marketing plan"; "high-powered executives"; "a high-voltage theatrical entrepreneur"
slashing
as if striking with slashing blows; "his slashing demon-ridden cadenza"
undynamic, adynamic
characterized by an absence of force or forcefulness
stagnant, moribund
not growing or changing; without force or vitality
static, unchanging
not active or moving; "a static village community and a completely undynamic type of agriculture"; "static feudal societies"
overeager
excessively eager; "overeager in his pursuit of the girl"
uneager
lacking interest or spirit or animation; "decrepit, colorless uneager things"
earlyish
being somewhat early; "at an earlyish hour"
premature, untimely
uncommonly early or before the expected time; "illness led to his premature death"; "alcohol brought him to an untimely end"
previous(p), premature
too soon or too hasty; "our condemnation of him was a bit previous"; "a premature judgment"
wee
very early; "the wee hours of the morning"
advanced, ripe
far along in time; "a man of advanced age"; "advanced in years"; "a ripe old age"; "the ripe age of 90"
latish
somewhat late
archaic, primitive
little evolved from or characteristic of an earlier ancestral type; "archaic forms of life"; "primitive mammals"; "the okapi is a short-necked primitive cousin of the giraffe"
beginning(a), novice(a)
at a first stage of development; just becoming familiar with the rudiments or skills or routines; "a beginning bodybuilder"; "a beginning reader"; "a novice cook"
crude, primitive, rude
belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness; "the crude weapons and rude agricultural implements of early man"; "primitive movies of the 1890s"; "primitive living conditions in the Appalachian mountains"
embryo(a), embryonic, embryotic, in embryo
in an early stage of development; "the embryo government staffed by survivors of the massacre"; "an embryonic nation, not yet self-governing"; "an idea in embryo"
incipient, inchoate
only partly in existence; imperfectly formed; "incipient civil disorder"; "an incipient tumor"; "a vague inchoate idea"
advanced(a)
comparatively late in a course of development; "the illness had reached an advanced stage"; "an advanced state of exhaustion"
precarious, unstable
affording no ease or reassurance; "a precarious truce"
fat, rounded
a chubby body; "the boy had a rounded face and fat cheeks"
undereducated
poorly or insufficiently educated
working
serving to permit or facilitate further work or activity; "discussed the working draft of a peace treaty"; "they need working agreements with their neighbor states on interstate projects"
effective, effectual, efficacious
producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect; "an air-cooled motor was more effective than a witch's broomstick for rapid long-distance transportation"-LewisMumford; "effective teaching methods"; "effective steps toward peace"; "made an effective entrance"; "his complaint proved to be effectual in bringing action"; "an efficacious law"
hard-hitting, trenchant
characterized by or full of force and vigor; "a hard-hitting expose"; "a trenchant argument"
impelling
markedly effective as if by emotional pressure; "impelling skill as a teller of tales"; "an impelling personality"
impressive, telling
producing a strong effect; "gave an impressive performance as Othello"; "a telling gesture"
ineffective, uneffective, ineffectual
not producing an intended effect; "an ineffective teacher"; "ineffective legislation"
toothless
lacking necessary force for effectiveness; "a toothless piece of legislation"
unproductive
not producing desired results; "the talks between labor and management were unproductive"
effectual
sufficient to produce a result; "a man to whom painting was but another and less effectual way of writing dramas or novels or history"
ineffectual
not sufficient to produce a desired result; "an ineffectual effort to block the legislation"
effortful
requiring great physical effort
arduous, backbreaking, grueling, gruelling, hard, heavy, laborious, labourious, punishing, toilsome
characterized by toilsome effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort; "worked their arduous way up the mining valley"; "a grueling campaign"; "hard labor"; "heavy work"; "heavy going"; "spent many laborious hours on the project"; "set a punishing pace"
difficult
requiring much effort and trouble; "the mountain climb was long, steep, and difficult"
dragging
marked by a painfully slow and effortful manner; "it was a strange dragging approach"; "years of dragging war"
exhausting, tiring, wearing, wearying
producing exhaustion; "an exhausting march"; "the visit was especially wearing"
heavy, labored, laboured
requiring or showing effort; "heavy breathing"; "the subject made for labored reading"
leaden, plodding
(of movement) slow and laborious; "leaden steps"
arduous, straining, strenuous
taxing to the utmost; testing powers of endurance; "his final, straining burst of speed"; "a strenuous task"; "your willingness after these six arduous days to remain here"- F.D.Roosevelt
effortless
requiring or apparently requiring no effort; "the swallows glided in an effortless way through the busy air"
easy, facile
performing adroitly and without effort; "her easy grace"; "a facile hand"
unforced, unstrained
not resulting from undue effort; not forced; "a voice with a pleasingly unforced quality"; "his playing is facile and unstrained"
efficacious
marked by qualities giving the power to produce an intended effect; "written propaganda is less efficacious than the habits and prejudices...of the readers"-Aldous Huxley; "the medicine is efficacious in stopping a cough"
effective
works well as a means or remedy; "an effective reprimand"; "a lotion that is effective in cases of prickly heat"
inefficacious
lacking the power to produce a desired effect; "laws that are inefficacious in stopping crime"
efficient
being effective without wasting time or effort or expense; "an efficient production manager"; "efficient engines save gas"
businesslike
exhibiting methodical and systematic characteristics that would be useful in business
economic, economical
using the minimum of time or resources necessary for effectiveness; "an economic use of home heating oil"; "a modern economical heating system"; "an economical use of her time"
expeditious, prompt, timesaving
characterized by speed and efficiency
streamlined
made efficient by stripping off nonessentials; "short streamlined meetings"
underspent
not spending at the normal rate
inefficient
not producing desired results; wasteful; "an inefficient campaign against drugs"; "outdated and inefficient design and methods"
uneconomical, wasteful
inefficient in use of time and effort and materials; "a clumsy and wasteful process"; "wasteful duplication of effort"; "uneconomical ebb and flow of power"
forceful
characterized by or full of force or strength (often but not necessarily physical); "a forceful speaker"; "a forceful personality"; "forceful measures"; "a forceful plan for peace"
bruising
brutally forceful and compelling; "protected from the bruising facts of battle"
cogent, telling, weighty
powerfully persuasive; "a cogent argument"; "a telling presentation"; "a weighty argument"
drastic
forceful and extreme and rigorous; "drastic measures"
emphatic, exclamatory
sudden and strong; "an emphatic no"
firm, strong
strong and sure; "a firm grasp"; "gave a strong pull on the rope"
forcible, physical, strong-arm
impelled by physical force especially against resistance; "forcible entry"; "a real cop would get physical"; "strong-arm tactics"
impellent
forcing forward or onward; impelling; "an impellent power"; "an impellent cause"
impetuous
marked by violent force; "impetuous heving waves"
sharp
quick and forceful; "a sharp blow"
forceless, unforceful, weak
lacking force; feeble; "a forceless argument"
wimpish, wimpy
weak and ineffectual
springless
lacking in elasticity or vitality; "went off with springless steps"
elegant
refined and tasteful in appearance or behavior or style; "elegant handwriting"; "an elegant dark suit"; "she was elegant to her fingertips"; "small churches with elegant white spires"; "an elegant mathematical solution--simple and precise and lucid"
bijou
small and elegant; "bijou villas"; "can Americans be persuaded to pay out dollars for bijou cars?"
deluxe, de luxe, luxe, luxury(a)
elegant and sumptuous; "a deluxe car"; "luxe accommodations"; "a luxury condominium"
fine
characterized by elegance or refinement; "looking fine in her Easter suit"; "a fine gentleman"
high-class, high-toned
pretentiously elegant; "a high-toned restaurant"
exquisite, recherche
lavishly elegant and refined
neat, refined, tasteful
free from what is tawdry or unbecoming; "a neat style"; "a neat set of rules"; "she hated to have her neat plans upset"
ritzy
(informal) luxuriously elegant
simple
cleverly simple; used of e.g. a solution to a problem; "his proposal is elegantly simple"
soigne, soignee
polished and well-groomed; showing sophisticated elegance
inelegant
lacking in refinement or grace or good taste
gauche, graceless, unpolished
lacking social polish; "too gauche to leave the room when the conversation became intimate"; "their excellent manners always may be feel gauche"
homely
without artificial refinement or elegance; "plain homely furniture"; "homely manners"
desirable, suitable, worthy
worthy of being chosen especially as a spouse; "the parents found the girl suitable for their son"
in line
awaiting something; especially something due; "people were in line at the checkout counter"; "she was in line for promotion"
undesirable, unsuitable
not worthy of being chosen (especially as a spouse)
hot-blooded
prone to emotion; "hot-blooded Latin-Americans"
Latin
having or resembling the psychology or temper characteristic of people of Latin America; "very Latin in temperament"; "a Latin disdain"; "his hot Latin blood"
lyric, lyrical
expressing deep personal emotion; "the dancer's lyrical performance"
overemotional
excessively or abnormally emotional
soulful
full of or expressing deep emotion; "soulful eyes"; "soulful music"
philosophical, philosophic
characterized by the attitude of a philosopher; meeting trouble with level-headed detachment; "philosophical resignation"; "a philosophic attitude toward life"
unblinking
showing no visible emotion; "stood unblinking and accepted a sentence of a year"
abstractive
of an abstracting nature or having the power of abstracting; "abstractive analysis"
conjectural, supposed, suppositional, suppositious, supposititious
based primarily on surmise rather than adequate evidence; "theories about the extinction of dinosaurs are still highly conjectural"; "the supposed reason for his absence"; "suppositious reconstructions of dead languages"; "supposititious hypotheses"
notional, speculative
not based on fact or investigation; "a notional figure of cost helps in determining production costs"; "speculative knowledge"
metaphysical
highly abstract and over-theoretical; "metaphysical reasoning"
abstract
dealing with a subject in the abstract without practical purpose or intention; "abstract reasoning"; "abstract science"
academic
hypothetical or theoretical and not expected to produce an immediate or practical result; "an academic discussion"; "an academic question"
practical
having or put to a practical purpose or use; "practical mathematics"; "practical applications of calculus"
disabused(p), undeceived
freed of a mistaken or misguided notion; "some people are still not disabused of the old idea that the universe revolves around the Earth"
disillusioned, enlightened
freed from illusion
encouraging
giving courage or confidence or hope; "encouraging advances in medical research"
exhortative, exhortatory, hortative, hortatory
giving strong encouragement
heartening, inspiriting
cheerfully encouraging
promotive
tending to further or encourage
rallying
rousing or recalling to unity and renewed effort; "a rallying cry"
discouraging
depriving of confidence or hope or enthusiasm and hence often deterring action; "where never is heard a discouraging word"
daunting, intimidating
discouraging through fear
demoralizing, demoralising, disheartening, dispiriting
destructive of morale and self-reliance
frustrating
discouraging by hindering
unencouraging
not encouraging
encumbered
loaded to excess or impeded by a heavy load; "a summer resort...encumbered with great clapboard-and-stucco hotels"- A.J.Liebling; "a hiker encumbered with a heavy backpack"; "an encumbered estate"
burdened, heavy-laden, loaded down
bearing a physically heavy weight or load; "tree limbs burdened with ice"; "a heavy-laden cart"; "loaded down with packages"
involved, mired
entangled or hindered as if e.g. in mire; "the difficulties in which the question is involved"; "brilliant leadership mired in details and confusion"
unencumbered
free of encumbrance; "inherited an unencumbered estate"
burdonless, unburdened
not encumbered with a physical burden or load
saddled
subject to an imposed burden; "left me saddled with the bill"; "found himself saddled with more responsibility than power"
energetic
possessing or exerting or displaying energy; "an energetic fund raiser for the college"; "an energetic group of hikers"
active, physical
characterized by energetic bodily activity; "tennis is an active sport"; "a very physical dance performance"
brisk, lively, merry, rattling, snappy, spanking, zippy
quick and energetic; "a brisk walk in the park"; "a lively gait"; "a merry chase"; "traveling at a rattling rate"; "a snappy pace"; "a spanking breeze"
canty
(British) lively and brisk
driving
acting with vigor; "responsibility turned the spoiled playboy into a driving young executive"
indefatigable, tireless, unflagging, unwearying
showing sustained enthusiastic action with unflagging vitality; "an indefatigable advocate of equal rights"; "a tireless worker"; "unflagging pursuit of excellence"
strenuous
characterized by or performed with much energy or force; "strenuous exercise"
vigorous
characterized by forceful and energetic action or activity; "a vigorous hiker"; "gave her skirt a vigorous shake"; "a vigorous campaign"; "a vigorous foreign policy"; "vigorous opposition to the war"
dreamy, lackadaisical, languid, languorous
lacking spirit or liveliness; "a lackadaisical attempt"; "a languid mood"; "a languid wave of the hand"; "a hot languorous afternoon"
listless
lacking zest or vivacity; "he was listless and bored"
exportable
suitable for export; "exportable cultural schievements"
marketable
capable of being marketed; "the marketable surplus"
unexportable
not suitable for export
preliminary
designed to orient or acquaint with the a situation before proceeding; "a preliminary investigation"
exaggerated, hyperbolic, inflated
enlarged beyond truth or reasonableness; "had an exaggerated (or inflated) opinion of himself"; "a hyperbolic style"
exaggerated, magnified, enlarged
enlarged to an abnormal degree; "thick lenses exaggerated the size of her eyes"
belittled, diminished, small
made to seem smaller or less (especially in worth); "her comments made me feel small"
enlightened
having knowledge and spiritual insight;
edified
instructed and encouraged in moral, intellectual, and spiritual improvement
unenlightened
not enlightened; ignorant; "the devices by which unenlightened men preserved the unjust social order"
benighted, dark
lacking enlightenment or knowledge or culture; "this benighted country"; "benighted ages of barbarism and superstition"; "the dark ages"; "a dark age in the history of education"
enterprising
marked by imagination, initiative, and readiness to undertake new projects; "an enterprising foreign policy"; "an enterprising young man likely to go far"
bold, venturesome
willing to take risks and try new things; "a new venturesome spirit among today's young people"
energetic, gumptious, industrious, up-and-coming
working hard to promote an enterprise
entrepreneurial
willing to take risks in order to make a profit
unenterprising, nonenterprising
lacking in enterprise; not bold or venturesome
slowgoing, unenergetic
not inclined to be enterprising
avid, great, eager, zealous
marked by active interest and enthusiasm; "an avid sports fan"; "a great walker"; "an eager beaver"
crazy
(informal) intensely enthusiastic about or preoccupied with; "crazy about cars and racing"
evangelical, evangelistic
marked by ardent or zealous enthusiasm for a cause
overenthusiastic
unduly enthusiastic
spiritless
lacking spirit; "it was a spiritless attempt"
equivalent
essentially equal; "women are paid less than men doing equivalent work"
even, fifty-fifty
equal in degree or extent or amount; or equally matched or balanced; "even amounts of butter and sugar"; "on even terms"; "it was a fifty-fifty (or even) split"; "had a fifty-fifty (or even) chance"; "an even fight"
balanced
being in a state of proper balance or equilibrium; "the carefully balanced seesaw"; "a properly balanced symphony orchestra"; "a balanced assessment of intellectual and cultural history"; "a balanced blend of whiskeys"; "the educated man shows a balanced development of all his powers"
counterbalanced, counterpoised
brought into equipoise by means of a weight or force that offsets another
harmonious, proportionate, symmetrical
exhibiting equivalence or correspondence among constituents of an entity or between different entities
poised
marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action; "a gull in poised flight"; "George's poised hammer"
stable
maintaining equilibrium
well-balanced
in an optimal state of balance or equilibrium; "a well-balanced wheel"
unbalanced, imbalanced
being or thrown out of equilibrium
equivocal, ambiguous
open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead; "an equivocal statement"; "the polling had a complex and equivocal (or ambiguous) message for potential female candidates"; "the officer's equivocal behavior increased the victim's uneasiness"; "popularity is an equivocal crown"; "an equivocal response to an embarrassing question"
evasive
deliberately vague or ambiguous; "his answers were brief, constrained and evasive"; "an evasive statement"
indeterminate
of uncertain or ambiguous nature; "the equivocal (or indeterminate) objects painted by surrealists"
unequivocal, univocal, unambiguous
admitting of no doubt or misunderstanding; having only one meaning or interpretation and leading to only one conclusion; "unequivocal evidence"; "took an unequivocal position"; "an unequivocal success"; "an unequivocal promise"; "an unequivocal (or univocal) statement"
absolute, conclusive
expressing finality with no implication of possible change; "an absolute (or unequivocal) quarantee to respect the nation's authority"; "inability to make a conclusive (or unequivocal) refusal"
straightforward
free from ambiguity; "a straightforward set of instructions"
unquestionable
not open to question; "an unquestionable (or unequivocal) loss of prestige"
esoteric
confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle; "a compilation of esoteric philosophical theories"
abstruse, deep, recondite
difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge; "the professor's lectures were so abstruse that students tended to avoid them"; "a deep metaphysical theory"; "some recondite problem in historiography"
arcane
requiring secret or mysterious knowledge; "the arcane science of dowsing"
cabalistic, cryptic, cryptical, sibylline
having a secret or hidden meaning; "cabalistic symbols engraved in stone"; "cryptic writings"; "thoroughly sibylline in most of his pronouncements"- John Gunther
mysterious, mystic, mystical, occult, secret
having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence; beyond ordinary understanding; "mysterious symbols"; "the mystical style of Blake"; "occult lore"; "the secret learning of the ancients"
exoteric
suitable for the general public; "writings of an exoteric nature"
essential
basic and fundamental; "the essential feature"
basal, basic, primary
of primary importance; "basic truths"
must(a)
highly recommended; "a book that is must reading"
staple
necessary foods or commodities; "wheat is a staple crop"
substantial, substantive, in essence
being the essence or essential element of a thing; "substantial equivalents"; "substantive information"
virtual(a)
being such in essence or effect though not in actual fact; "a virtual dependence on charity"; "a virtual revolution"; "virtual reality"
inessential, unessential
not basic or fundamental
incidental, nonessential
not of prime or central importance; "nonessential to the integral meanings of poetry"- Pubs.MLA
complemental, complementary, completing
acting as or providing a complement (something that completes the whole)
estimable
deserving of respect or high regard
admirable
deserving of the highest esteem or admiration; "an estimable young professor"; "trains ran with admirable precision"; "his taste was impeccable, his health admirable"
contemptible
deserving of contempt or scorn
abject, low, low-down, miserable, scummy, scurvy
of the most contemptible kind; "abject cowardice"; "a low stunt to pull"; "a low-down sneak"; "his miserable treatment of his family"; "You miserable skunk!"; "a scummy rabble"; "a scurvy trick"
pathetic, pitiable, pitiful
inspiring mixed contempt and pity; "their efforts were pathetic"; "pitiable lack of character"; "pitiful exhibition of cowardice"
flattering
tending to reveal or represent favorably
becoming
displaying or setting off to best advantage; "a becoming new shade of rose"; "a becoming portrait"
ingratiating, ingratiatory
calculated to please or gain favor; "a smooth ingratiating manner"
unflattering
tending to reveal or represent unfavorably; "an unflattering portrait"; "the full unflattering light of morning"- Walter de la Mare
candid
starkly realistic; "I have never lacked candid critics in my own ranks"-Clement Atlee
euphemistic, inoffensive
of an inoffensive substitute for offensive terminology; "`peepee' is a common euphemistic term"
dysphemistic, offensive
of an offensive substitute for inoffensive terminology; "`nigger' is a dysphemistic term for `African-American'"
patchy
irregular or uneven in quality, texture, etc.; "a patchy essay"; "patchy fog"
exact
marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact; "an exact mind"; "an exact copy"; "hit the exact center of the target"
literal
without interpretation or embellishment; "a literal translation of the scene before him"
mathematical
(mathematics) characterized by the exactness or precision of mathematics; "mathematical precision"
perfect
precisely accurate or exact; "perfect timing"
rigorous, strict
rigidly accurate; allowing no deviation from a standard; "rigorous application of the law"; "a strict vegetarian"
inexact
not exact
approximate, approximative, rough
not quite exact or correct; "the approximate time was 10 o'clock"; "a rough estimate"
free, loose, liberal
not literal; "a loose interpretation of what she had been told"; "a free translation of the poem"
odd
(in combination) an indefinite quantity more than that specified; "invited 30-odd guests"
overexcited
unduly excited
exciting
creating or arousing excitement; "an exciting account of her trip"
breathless, breathtaking
tending to cause suspension of regular breathing; "a breathless flight"; "breathtaking adventure"
elating, exhilarating
making lively and joyful
electrifying, thrilling
causing a surge of emotion or excitement; "she gave a electrifying performance"; "a thrilling performer to watch"
glamorous, glamourous
having an air of allure, romance and excitement; "glamorous movie stars"
heady, intoxicating
extremely exciting as if by alcohol or a narcotic
titillating
pleasantly and superficially exciting
unexciting
not exciting; "an unexciting novel"; "lived an unexciting life"
commonplace, humdrum, prosaic, unglamorous, unglamourous
not challenging; dull and lacking excitement; "an unglamorous job greasing engines"
uninspired
having no intellectual or emotional or spiritual excitement; "the production was professional but uninspired"
tame
flat and uninspiring
active, alive(p)
in operation; "keep hope alive"; "the tradition was still alive"; "an active tradition"
unprovided for(p)
not prepared or ready for
expedient
serving to promote your interest; "was merciful only when mercy was expedient"
advantageous, appropriate
appropriate for achieving a particular end; implies a lack of concern for fairness
opportunist, opportunistic, timeserving
taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit
inexpedient
not suitable or advisable; "an inexpedient tactic"
inadvisable
not advisable; "an unnecessary and inadvisable action"
facilitated
freed from difficulty or impediment
abeyant, inactive, in abeyance(p), suspended
temporarily inactive
expendable
suitable to be expended
sacrificeable
may be deliberately sacrificed to achieve an objective
unexpendable
not suitable to be expended
expensive
high in price or charging high prices; "expensive clothes"; "an expensive shop"
big-ticket(a)
(informal) very expensive; "big-ticket items like cars and furs"; "a big-ticket government program"
costly, dear(p), high-priced, pricey, pricy
having a high price; "costly jewelry"; "high-priced merchandise"; "much too dear for my pocketbook"; "a pricey restaurant"
dearly-won, costly
entailing great loss or sacrifice; "a dearly-won victory"
overpriced
too costly for the value; "overpriced items at resort shops"
cheap, inexpensive
relatively low in price or charging low prices; "it would have been cheap at twice the price"; "inexpensive family restaurants"
catchpenny(a)
designed to sell quickly without concern for quality; "catchpenny ornaments"
dirt cheap
very cheap; "a dirt cheap property"
low-cost, low-priced, affordable
that you have the financial means for; "low-cost housing"
nickel-and-dime(a)
low-paying; "a nickel-and-dime job"
sixpenny, threepenny, twopenny, tuppeny, two-a-penny, twopenny-halfpenny
of trifling worth
full-fledged, fully fledged
(of persons e.g.) having gained full status; "a full-fledged lawyer"; "by the age of seventeen I was a full-fledged atheist"; "sees itself as a fully fledged rival party"
practiced, practised
skillful after much practice
fledgling, unfledged
young and inexperienced; "a fledgling enterprise"; "a fledgling skier"; "an unfledged lawyer"
raw, green, new, wet behind the ears(p)
lacking training or experience; "the new men were eager to fight"; "raw recruits"; "he shipped as a green hand on a vessel"
uninitiate, uninitiated
not initiated; deficient in relevant experience; "it seemed a bizarre ceremony to uninitiated western eyes"
unpracticed, unpractised
not having had extensive practice
unseasoned, untested, untried
not tried or tested by experience; "unseasoned artillery volunteers"; "still untested in battle"; "an illustrator untried in mural painting"
cryptic, cryptical, deep, inscrutable, mysterious, mystifying
of an obscure nature; "the new insurance policy is written without cryptic or mysterious terms"; "a deep dark secret"; "the inscrutible workings of Providence"; "in its mysterious past it encompasses all the dim origins of life"- Rachel Carson; "rituals totally mystifying to visitors from other lands"
paradoxical, self-contradictory
seemingly contradictory but nonetheless possibly true; "it is paradoxical that standing is more tiring than walking"
definitive, unequivocal
clearly defined or formulated; "the plain and unequivocal language of the laws"- R.B.Taney
graphic
describing nudity or sexual activity in graphic detail; "graphic sexual scenes"
implicit in(p), inherent, underlying
in the nature of something though not readily apparent; "shortcomings inherent in our approach"; "an underlying meaning"
exploited
developed or used to greatest advantage
outward
relating to physical reality rather than with thoughts or the mind; "a concern with outward beauty rather than with inward reflections"
external
purely outward or superficial; "external composure"; "an external concern for reputation"- A.R.Gurney,Jr.
inward
relating to or existing in the mind or thoughts; "a concern with inward reflections"
indwelling
existing or residing as an inner activating spirit or force or principle; "an indwelling divinity"; "an indwelling goodness"
inmost, innermost
being deepest within the self; "one's innermost feelings"
inner, interior, internal
located inward; "Beethoven's manuscript looks like a bloody record of a tremendous inner battle"- Leonard Bernstein; "she thinks she has no soul, no interior life, but the truth is that she has no access to it"- David Denby; "an internal sense of rightousness"- A.R.Gurney,Jr.
fair, just
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; or conforming with established standards or rules; "a fair referee; "fair deal"; "on a fair footing"; "a fair fight"; "by fair means or foul"
clean, sporting, sportsmanlike
marked by or calling for sportsmanship or fair play; "a clean fight"; "a sporting solution of the disagreement"; "sportsmanlike conduct"
fair-minded
of a person; just and impartial; not prejudiced
fair-and-square
just and honest
unfair, unjust
not fair; marked by injustice or partiality or deception; "used unfair methods"; "it was an unfair trial"; "took an unfair advantage"
cheating(a), dirty, foul, unsporting, unsportsmanlike
violating accepted standards or rules; "a dirty fighter"; "used foul means to gain power"; "a nasty unsporting serve"; "fined for unsportsmanlike behavior"
raw
brutally unfair or harsh; "received raw treatment from his friends"; "a raw deal"
equitable, just
implying justice dictated by reason, conscience, and a natural sense of what is fair to all; "equitable treatment of all citizens"; "an equitable distribution of gifts among the children"
evenhanded
without partiality; "evenhanded justice"
inequitable, unjust
not equitable or fair; "the inequitable division of wealth"; "inequitable taxation"
faithful
steadfast in affection or allegiance; "years of faithful service"; "faithful employees"; "we do not doubt that England has a faithful patriot in the Lord Chancellor"
firm, loyal, truehearted
unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause; "a firm ally"; "loyal supporters"; "a loyal friend"; "the true-hearted soldier...of Tippecanoe"- Campaign song for William Henry Harrison
true to(p), true
sexually faithful; "remained true to his wife"
true
devoted (sometimes fanatically) to a cause or concept of truth; "true believers bonded together against all who disagreed with them"
punic, perfidious, treacherous
tending to betray; especially having a treacherous character as attributed to the Carthaginians by the Romans; "Punic faith"; "the perfidious Judas"; "the fiercest and most treacherous of foes"; "treacherous intrigues"
loyal
steadfast in allegiance or duty; "loyal subjects"; "loyal friends stood by him"
allegiant
steadfast in devotion (especially to your lawful monarch or government); "it is impossible to be allegiant to two opposing forces"
doglike
resembling a dog; especially in devotion; "a doglike affection"
leal
(archaic or Scottish) faithful and true; "leal to the core of her intrepid Scottish heart"- Harry Lauder
true-blue
marked by unswerving loyalty; "a true-blue American"; "a reliable true-blue country club conservative"
disloyal
deserting your allegiance or duty to leader or cause or principle; "disloyal aides revealed his indiscretions to the papers"
faithless, traitorous, unfaithful
deliberately and abominably disloyal or likely to betray trust or confidence; "the faithless Benedict Arnold"; "a lying traitorous insurrectionist"
fallible
likely to fail or be inaccurate; "everyone is fallible to some degree"
errant, erring, error-prone
capable of making an error; "all men are error-prone"
undependable, unreliable
liable to be erroneous or misleading; "an undependable generalization"
infallible
incapable of failure or error; "an infallible antidote"; "an infallible memmory"; "the Catholic Church considers the Pope infallible"; "no doctor is infallible"
foolproof, unfailing
not liable to failure; "a foolproof identification system"; "the unfailing sign of an amateur"; "an unfailing test"
inerrable, inerrant, unerring
not liable to error; "the Church was...theoretically inerrant and omnicompetent"-G.G.Coulton; "lack an inerrant literary sense"; "an unerring marksman"
familiar
(often followed by `with') well known or easily recognized; "a familiar figure"; "he was familiar with those roads"; "familiar songs"; "familiar guests"
long-familiar, well-known(a), well known(p)
frequently experienced; known closely or intimately; "a long-familiar face"; "a well-known voice reached her ears"
old(a)
(used for emphasis) very familiar; "good old boy"; "same old story"
unfamiliar
not known or well known; "a name unfamiliar to most"; "be alert at night especially in unfamiliar surroundings"
strange, unusual
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird; "a strange exaltation that was indefinable"; "a strange fantastical mind"; "what a strange sense of humor she has"
antic, fantastic, fantastical, grotesque
ludicrously odd; "Hamlet's assumed antic disposition"; "fantastic Halloween costumes"; "a grotesque reflection in the mirror"
crazy
bizarre or fantastic; "had a crazy dream"; "wore a crazy hat"
curious, funny, odd, peculiar, queer, rum, rummy, singular
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected; "a curious hybrid accent"; "her speech has a funny twang"; "they have some funny ideas about war"; "had an odd name"; "the peculiar aromatic odor of cloves"; "something definitely queer about this town"; "what a rum fellow"; "singular behavior"
eerie, eery
so strange as to inspire a feeling of fear; "an uncomfortable and eerie stillness in the woods"; "an eerie midnight howl"
exotic
strikingly strange or unusual; "exotic costumes from the Far East"; "an exotic hair style"
freaky
(slang) strange and somewhat frightening; "the whole experience was really freaky"
other
very unusual; different in character or quality from the normal or expected; "a strange, other dimension...where his powers seemed to fail"- Lance Morrow
quaint
strange in an interesting or pleasing way; "quaint dialect words"; "quaint streets of New Orleans, that most foreign of American cities"
quaint
very strange or unusual; odd or even incongruous in character or appearance; "the head terminating in the quaint duck bill which gives the animal its vernacular name"- Bill Beatty; "came forth a quaint and fearful sight"- Sir Walter Scott; "a quaint sense of humor"
weird
strikingly odd or unusual; "some trick of the moonlight; some weird effect of shadow"- Bram Stoker
familiar
within normal everyday experience; common and ordinary; "familiar ordinary objects found in every home"; "a familiar everyday scene"; "a familiar excuse"; "a day like any other filled with familiar duties and experiences"
common, usual
commonly encountered; "a common (or familiar) complaint"; "the usual greeting"
everyday
commonplace and ordinary; "the familiar everyday world"
fashionable, stylish
being or in accordance with current fashion; "fashionable clothing"; "the fashionable side of town"; "a fashionable cafe"
a la mode(p), in style(p), in vogue(p), modish
in the current fashion or style
dapper, dashing, jaunty, natty, raffish, rakish, smart, snappy, spruce
marked by smartness in dress and manners; "a dapper young man"; "a jaunty red hat"
faddish, faddy
intensely fashionable for a short time
groovy, swagger
(British informal) very chic; "groovy clothes"
in
(informal) "the in thing to do"; "large shoulder pads are in"
mod, modern, up-to-date
relating to a recently developed fashion or style
smart
of or associated with people of fashion; "the smart set"
swank, swanky
imposingly fashionable and elegant; "a swank apartment"
trendsetting
initiating or popularizing a trend
trendy, voguish
in accord with the latest fad; "trendy ideas"; "trendy clothes"; "voguish terminology"
unfashionable, unstylish, out of fashion
not in accord with or not following current fashion; "unfashionable clothes"; "melodrama of a now unfashionable kind"
antique, demode, old-fashioned, old-hat(p), outmoded, passe, passee
out of fashion; "a suit of rather antique appearance"; "demode (or outmoded) attire"; "outmoded ideas"
dated
marked by features of the immediate and usually discounted past
dowdy, frumpy, frumpish
primly out of date; "nothing so frumpish as last year's gambling game"
out
no longer fashionable; "that style is out these days"
prehistoric
(informal) "my mother has these prehistoric ideas about proper clothes"
stylish, fashionable
having elegance or taste or refinement in manners or dress; "a little less posh but every bit as stylish as Lord Peter Wimsey"; "the stylish resort of Gstadd"
chic, smart, voguish
elegant and stylish; "chic elegance"; "a smart new dress"; "a suit of voguish cut"
chichi
affectedly trendy
classy, posh, swish
(informal) elegant and fashionable; "classy clothes"; "a posh restaurant"; "a swish pastry shop oon the Rue du Bac"- Julia Child
snazzy
(informal) flashily stylish; "a snazzy outfit"
styleless, unstylish
lacking in style or elegance; "a styleless way of dressing"; "expensive but styleless country tweeds"; "wearing unstylish clothes"
dowdy
lacking in smartness or taste; "a dowdy gray outfit"; "a clean and sunny but completely dowdy room"
fast
acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly; "fast film"; "on the fast track in school"; "set a fast pace"; "a fast car"
alacritous
quick and eager; "an alacritous response to the invitation"
blistering, hot, red-hot
very fast; "a blistering pace"; "got off to a hot start"; "in hot pursuit"; "a red-hot line drive"
hot
capable of quick response and great speed; "a hot sports car"
immediate, prompt, quick, straightaway
performed with little or no delay; "an immediate reply to my letter"; "prompt obedience"; "was quick to respond"; "a straightaway denial"
instantaneous, instant(a)
occurring with no delay; "relief was instantaneous"; "instant gratification"
meteoric
like a meteor in speed or brilliance or transience; "a meteoric rise to fame"
quick, speedy
accomplished rapidly and without delay; "was quick to make friends"; "his quick reaction prevented an accident"; "hoped for a speedy resolution of the problem"; "a speedy recovery"; "he has a right to a speedy trial"
rapid
done or occurring in a brief period of time; "a rapid rise through the ranks"
winged
very fast; as if with wings; "on winged feet"
slow
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time; "a slow walker"; "the slow lane of traffic"; "her steps were slow"; "he was slow in reacting to the news"; "slow but steady growth"
bumper-to-bumper, crawling
used of traffic; "bumper-to-bumper traffic"
dawdling, dilatory, laggard, poky, pokey
wasting time
dragging
passing painfully or tediously slowly; "the dragging minutes"
lazy
moving slowly and gently; "up a lazy river"; "lazy white clouds"; "at a lazy pace"
fastidious
giving and careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness; "a fastidious and incisive intellect"; "fastidious about personal cleanliness"
choosy, choosey
difficult to please
dainty, nice, overnice, prissy, squeamish
excessively fastidious and easily disgusted; "too nice about his food to take to camp cooking"; "so squeamish he would only touch the toilet handle with his elbow"
finical, finicky, fussy, particular
exacting especially about details; "a finicky eater"; "fussy about clothes"; "very particular about how her food was prepared"
meticulous
marked by extreme care in treatment of details; "a meticulous craftsman"; "almost worryingly meticulous in his business formalities"
pernickety, persnickety
characterized by excessive precision and attention to trivial details; "a persnickety job"; "a persnickety school teacher"
old-maidish, old-womanish
primly fastidious
unfastidious
not fastidious; not concerned with cleanliness; "unfastidious in her dress"
untidy
careless and slovenly
fat
having much flesh (especially fat); "he hadn't remembered how fat she was"
abdominous, paunchy, potbellied
having a large belly
blubber, blubbery
swollen with fat; "blubber cheeks"; "blubber lips"; "a coarse blubbery individual"
buxom, chubby, embonpoint, plump, zaftig, zoftig
euphemisms for slightly fat; "a generation ago...buxom actresses were popular"- Robt.A.Hamilton; "chubby babies"; "pleasingly plump"
corpulent, obese, weighty, rotund
excessively fat; "a weighty man"
dumpy, podgy, pudgy, tubby
short and fat
fattish
somewhat fat
gross, porcine
repellently fat; "a bald porcine old man"
portly, stout
euphemisms for `fat'; "men are portly and women are stout"
thin, lean
lacking excess flesh; "you can't be too rich or too thin"; "Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look"-Shakespeare
bony, cadaverous, emaciated, gaunt, haggard, pinched, skeletal, wasted
very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold; "emaciated bony hands"; "a nightmare population of gaunt men and skeletal boys"; "eyes were haggard and cavernous"; "small pinched faces"; kept life in his wasted frame only by grim concentration"
gangling, gangly, lanky
ungracefully tall and thin
lank, spindly
long and lean
rawboned
having a lean and bony physique; "a rawboned cow hand"
reedy, twiggy, twiglike
resembling a reed or twig in being slender and fragile
scarecrowish
resembling a scarecrow in being thin and ragged; "a forlorn scarecrowish figure"
scraggy, scrawny, skinny, underweight, weedy
having unattractive thinness; "a child with skinny freckled legs"; "a long scrawny neck"
shriveled, shrivelled, shrunken, withered, wizen, wizened
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness; "the old woman's shriveled skin"; "he looked shriveled and ill"; "a shrunken old man"; "a lanky scarecrow of a man with withered face and lantern jaws"-W.F.Starkie; "he did well despite his withered arm"; "a wizened little man with frizzy gray hair"
slender, slight, slim
being of delicate or slender build; "she was slender as a willow shoot is slender"- Frank Norris; "a slim girl with straight blonde hair"; "watched her slight figure cross the street"
slender-waisted, slim-waisted, wasp-waisted
having a small waist
spare, trim
thin and fit; "the spare figure of a marathon runner"; "a body kept trim by exercise"
spindle-legged, spindle-shanked
having long slender legs
stringy, wiry
lean and sinewy
wisplike, wispy
thin and weak; "a wispy little fellow with small hands and feet"- Edmund Wilson
buttery
resembling or containing or spread with butter; "a rich buttery cake"
fathomable, comprehensible
(of meaning) capable of being penetrated or comprehended
unfathomable, fathomless
of meaning; not capable of being penetrated; "a philosophy complex and, to the ordinary thinker, quite fathomless"; "unfathomable theories"
bottomless
too deep for understanding; "one of the bottomless mysteries of life"
favorable, favourable
encouraging or approving or pleasing; "a favorable reply"; "he received a favorable rating"; "listened with a favorable ear"; "made a favorable impression"
high
very favorable; "he has a high opinion of himself"
pleasing
able to please or win approval
unfavorable, unfavourable
not encouraging or approving or pleasing; "unfavorable conditions"; "an unfavorable comparison"; "unfavorable comments"
adverse, harmful, inauspicious, untoward
contrary to your interests or welfare; "adverse circumstances"; "made a place for themselves under the most untoward conditions"
hostile
marked by features that oppose constructive treatment or development; "not able to accomplish much in such a hostile environment"
discriminatory, invidious
containing or implying a slight or showing prejudice; "discriminatory attitudes and practices"; "invidious comparisons"
felicitous
exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style; "a felicitous speaker"
cool
(informal) socially adept; "it's not cool to arrive at a party too early"
happy, well-chosen
well expressed and to the point; "a happy turn of phrase"; "a few well-chosen words"; "a felicitous comment"
well-turned
(of language) aptly and pleasingly expressed; "a well-turned phrase"
infelicitous
not appropriate in application; defective; "an infelicitous remark"; "infelicitous phrasing"; "the infelicitous typesetting was due to illegible copy"
awkward, clumsy, cumbersome, inapt, inept, ill-chosen
not elegant or graceful in expression; "an awkward prose style"; "a clumsy apology"; "his cumbersome writing style"; "if the rumor is true, can anything be more inept than to repeat it now?"
unfortunate
unsuitable or regrettable; "an unfortunate choice of words"; "an unfortunate speech"
done with(p), through with(p)
having no further concern with; "he was through with school and he was through with family"- John Dos Passos; "done with gambling"; "done with drinking"
impermanent
existing or enduring for a limited time only
introductory
serving to open or begin; "began the slide show with some introductory remarks"
starting
appropriate to the beginning or start of an event; "the starting point"; "hands in the starting position"
archetypal, archetypical, prototypal, prototypic, prototypical
representing or constituting an original type after which other similar things are patterned; "archetypal patterns"; "she was the prototypal student activist"
basic, introductory
serving as a base or starting point; "a basic course in Russian"; "basic training for raw recruits"; "a set of basic tools"; "an introductory art course"
gray, grey
intermediate in character or position; "a gray area between clearly legal and strictly illegal"
fit, healthy
physically and mentally sound or healthy; "felt relaxed and fit after their holiday"; "keeps fit with diet and exercise"
able, able-bodied
having a strong healthy body; "an able seaman"; "every able-bodied young man served in the army"
conditioned, in condition(p)
physically fit; "exercised daily to keep herself in condition"
unfit
not in good physical or mental condition; out of condition; "fat and very unfit"; "certified as unfit for army service"; "drunk and unfit for service"
afflicted, impaired
mentally or physically unfit
fit
meeting adequate standards for a purpose; "water fit to drink"; "fit for duty"; "do as you think fit"
acceptable
adequate for the purpose; "the water was acceptable for drinking"
appropriate, suitable, suited
meant or adapted for an occasion or use; "a tractor suitable (or fit) for heavy duty"; "not an appropriate (or fit) time for flippancy"
unfit
below the required standards for a purpose; "an unfit parent"; "unfit for human consumption"
subhuman
unfit for human beings; "subhuman conditions of life"
unsuitable
not meant or adapted for a particular purpose; "a solvent unsuitable for use on wood surfaces"
limber, supple
(used of e.g. personality traits) readily adaptable; "a supple mind"; "a limber imagination"
versatile
(used of persons) having many skills
die-hard(a), rock-ribbed
tradition-bound and obstinately opinionated; "an inflexible (or die-hard) conservative"; "rock-ribbed republican"
flinty, granitic, unyielding
having austere inflexibility; "a flinty manner"; "granitic morality"; "his unyielding mouth and glassy eyes"- Marchette Chute
fossilized, ossified
set in a rigidly conventional pattern of behavior, habits, or beliefs; "obsolete fossilized ways"; "an ossified bureaucratic system"
ironclad, brassbound
inflexibly entrenched and unchangeable; "brassbound traditions"; "brassbound party loyalists"; "an ironclad rule"
uncompromising, inflexible
not making concessions; "took an uncompromising stance in the peace talks"; "uncompromising honesty"
unyielding
refusing to give way or compromise; "unyielding determination"
compromising, conciliatory, flexible
making or willing to make concessions; "loneliness tore through him...whenever he thought of...even the compromising Louis du Tillet"
yielding
tending to give in or surrender or agree; "too yielding to make a stand against any encroachments"- V.I.Parrington"
elastic, flexible, pliable, pliant
able to adjust readily to different conditions; "an adaptable person"; "a flexible personality"; "an elastic clause in a contract"
labile
open to change; liable to change; "an emotionally labile person"
splay
turned outward in an ungainly manner; "splay knees"
foreign
relating to or originating in or characteristic of another place or part of the world; "foreign nations"; "a foreign accent"; "on business in a foreign city"
alien, exotic, strange
being or from or characteristic of another place or part of the world; "alien customs"; "exotic plants in a greenhouse"; "moved to a strange country"
native
being such by origin; "the native North American sugar maple"; "many native artists studied abroad"
native, aboriginal
being or composed of people inhabiting a region from the beginning; "native Americans"; "the aboriginal peoples of Australia"
nonnative
not being or composed of aborigines; "the nonnative population of South Africa"
domestic
of or involving the home or family; "domestic worries"; "domestic happiness"; "they share the domestic chores"; "everything sounded very peaceful and domestic"; "an author of blood-and-thunder novels yet quite domestic in his taste"
domesticated
accustomed to home life; "some men think it unmanly to be domesticated; others find gratification in it"
home-loving
devoted to home duties and pleasures
housewifely
related or suited to a housewife; "housewifely virtues"
husbandly
related to or suited to a husband; "assumed husbandly duties like mowing the lawn"
undomestic
not domestic or related to home; "had established herself in her career at the price of being so undomestic she didn't even know how to light the oven"
undomesticated
unaccustomed to home life; "after years of marriage he remained essentially undomesticated"
forgettable
easily forgotten
unmemorable
not worth remembering
unforgettable
impossible to forget
haunting, persistent
continually recurring to the mind; "haunting memories"; "the cathedral organ and the distant voices have a haunting beauty"- Claudia Cassidy
lingering(a)
continuing for a long time; "a lingering sense of guilt"
memorable
worth remembering
forgiving
inclined or able to forgive and show mercy; "a kindly forgiving nature"; "a forgiving embrace to the naughty child"
kind, tolerant
tolerant and forgiving under provocation; "our neighbor was very kind about the window our son broke"
unvindictive
not vindictive
unforgiving
unwilling or unable to forgive or show mercy; "a surly unforgiving old woman"
revengeful, vindictive, vengeful
disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge; "more vindictive than jealous love"- Shakespeare; "punishments...essentially vindictive in their nature"- M.R.Cohen
ceremonial, solemn
marked by pomp or ceremony or formality; "a solemn occasion"; "ceremonial garb"
ceremonious, conventional
rigidly formal or bound by convention; "their ceremonious greetings did not seem heartfelt"
form-only(a)
being a matter of form only; lacking substance; "a form-only requirement that is usually ignored"
nominal, titular
being such in name only; "the nominal (or titular) head of his party"
pro forma, perfunctory
as a formality only; "a one-candidate pro forma election"
starchy, stiff, buckram
rigidly formal; "a starchy manner"; "the letter was stiff and formal"; "his prose has a buckram quality"
informal
not formal; "conservative people unaccustomed to informal dress"; "an informal free-and-easy manner"; "an informal gathering of friends"
casual, everyday
suited for everyday use; "casual clothes"; "everyday clothes"
familiar, free-and-easy, casual
natural and unstudied; "using their Christian names in a casual way"; "lectured in a familiar style"
folksy
very informal and familiar; "a folksy radio commentator"; "a folksy style"
unceremonious, unceremonial
without ceremony or formality; "an unceremonious speech"
literary
appropriate to literature rather than everyday speech or writing; "when trying to impress someone she spoke in an affected literary style"
forsaken
left entirely; "forsaken slopes where children once played"
abandoned, deserted
left desolate or empty; "an abandoned child"; "their deserted wives and children"; "an abandoned shack"; "deserted villages"
castaway(a), rejected
cast off as valueless
derelict
deserted or abandoned as by an owner; "a derelict ship"
desolate, forlorn, godforsaken, lorn
pitiable in circumstances especially through abandonment; "desolate and despairing"; "left forlorn"
unforsaken
not forsaken
cherished, held dear(p)
thought of and clung to fondly or reverentially
fortunate
having unexpected good fortune; "other, less fortunate, children died"; "a fortunate choice"
better off(p)
in a more fortunate or prosperous condition; "she would have been better off if she had stuck with teaching"; "is better off than his classmate"
felicitous, happy
marked by good fortune; "a felicitous life"; "a happy outcome"
fortuitous
occurring by happy chance; "profits were enhanced by a fortuitous drop in the cost of raw materials"
good, well(p)
resulting favorably; "its a good thing that I wasn't there"; "it is good that you stayed"; "it is well that no one saw you"; "all's well that ends well"
heaven-sent, providential, miraculous
peculiarly fortunate or appropriate; as if by divine intervention; "a heaven-sent rain saved the crops"; "a providential recovery"
lucky
blessed with good fortune; "considered himself lucky that the tornado missed his house"; "a lucky guess"
well-off
fortunately situated; "doesn't know when he's well-off"
unfortunate
not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune; "an unfortunate turn of events"; "an unfortunate decision"; "unfortunate investments"; "an unfortunate night for all concerned"
abject
most unfortunate or miserable; "the most abject slaves joined in the revolt"; "abject poverty"
black, calamitous, disastrous, fatal, fateful
(of events) having extremely unfortunate or dire consequences; bringing ruin; "the stock market crashed on Black Friday"; "a calamitous defeat"; "the battle was a disastrous end to a disastrous campaign"; "such doctrines, if true, would be absolutely fatal to my theory"- Charles Darwin; "it is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it"- Douglas MacArthur; "a fateful error"
dispossessed, homeless, roofless
physically or spiritually homeless or deprived of security; "made a living out of shepherding dispossed people from one country to another"- James Stern
hapless, miserable, misfortunate, pathetic, piteous, pitiable, pitiful, poor, wretched
deserving or inciting pity; "a hapless victim"; "miserable victims of war"; "the shabby room struck her as extraordinarily pathetic"- Galsworthy; "piteous appeals for help"; "pitiable homeless children"; "a pitiful fate"; "couldn't rescue the poor fellow"; "his poor distorted limbs"; "a wretched life"
doomed, ill-fated, ill-omened, ill-starred, unlucky
marked by or promising bad fortune; "their business venture was doomed from the start"; "an ill-fated business venture"; "an ill-starred romance"; "the unlucky prisoner was again put in irons"- W.H.Prescott
infelicitous, unhappy
marked by or producing unhappiness; "infelicitous circumstances"; "unhappy caravans, straggling afoot through swamps and canebrakes"- American Guide Series
regrettable, too bad
deserving regret; "regrettable remarks"; "it's regrettable that she didn't go to college"; "it's too bad he had no feeling himself for church"
available, uncommitted
not busy; not otherwise committed; "he was not available for comment"; "he was available and willing to accompany her"
emancipated, liberated
free from traditional social restraints; "an emancipated young woman pursuing her career"; "a liberated lifestyle"
footloose
free to go or do as one pleases; "Americans have always been a footloose people always moving on"; "a footloose young man eager to see the big city"
quit(p), rid(p)
(usually followed by `of') released from something onerous (especially an obligation or duty); "quit of all further responsibility for their safety"; "well rid of him"
entangled
involved in difficulties
prisonlike
resembling a prison
serflike
like someone in servitude
frequent
coming at short intervals or habitually; "a frequent guest"; "frequent complaints"
prevailing, predominant
most frequent or common; "prevailing winds"
regular, steady
relating to a person who does something regularly; "a regular customer"; "a steady drinker"
infrequent
not frequent; not occurring regularly or at short intervals; "infrequent outbursts of temper"
occasional(a)
occurring from time to time; "took an occasional glass of wine"
rare
recurring only at long intervals; "a rare appearance"; "total eclipses are rare events"
fresh
not stale or old; "fresh bread"; "a fresh scent"
caller
(Scottish) "caller fish"
hot
newly made; "a hot scent"
new-made
newly made; "the aroma of new-made bread"
strong, warm
freshly made or left; "a warm trail"; "the scent is warm"
cold
having lost freshness through passage of time; "a cold trail"; "dogs attempting to catch a cold scent"
unprocessed
not treated or prepared by a special process
friendly
characteristic or or befitting a friend; "friendly advice"; "a friendly neighborhood"; "the only friendly person here"; "a friendly host and hostess"
affable, amiable, cordial, genial
diffusing warmth and friendliness; "an affable smile"; "an amiable gathering"; "cordial relations"; "a cordial greeting"; "a genial host"
comradely, hail-fellow, hail-fellow-well-met
heartily friendly and congenial
couthie, couthy
(chiefly Scottish) agreeable and genial
cozy, intimate, informal
having or fostering a warm or friendly atmosphere; especially through smallness and informality; "had a cozy chat"; "a relaxed informal manner"; "an intimate cocktail lounge"; "the small room was cozy and intimate"
favorable, well-disposed
favorably disposed; not antagonistic; "a government favorable to our interests"
neighborly, neighbourly
exhibiting the qualities expected in a friendly neighbor
social
marked by friendly companionship with others; "a social cup of coffee"
unfriendly
not disposed to friendship or friendliness; "an unfriendly coldness of manner"; "an unfriendly action to take"
beetle-browed, scowling
sullen or unfriendly in appearance
hostile
very unfriendly; "a hostile attitude"
uncordial
lacki