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Word Of The Day Archives - July 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
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| waif (n) |
homeless child |
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| Sentence: |
Growing up as a waif on the streets of New York, the future mayor developed a strong habit of self-reliance before he was 10 years old. |
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| Similar Words: |
orphan |
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Wednesday, July 2, 2008
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| misanthrope (n) |
hater of mankind |
| misanthropic |
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| Sentence: |
Can a dedicated misanthrope ever come to love people again? |
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Thursday, July 3, 2008
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| qualm (n) |
feeling of unease |
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| Sentence: |
Didn't you have any qualms about breaking your engagement? |
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| Similar Words: |
misgiving, doubt |
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Friday, July 4, 2008
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| plenary (adj) |
absolute |
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| Sentence: |
The city council has plenary authority to run the city; the mayor has little real power. |
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| Similar Words: |
unqualified, entire |
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Saturday, July 5, 2008
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| empathy (n) |
understanding of another |
| empathetic |
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| Sentence: |
I have empathy for any soloist who has ever forgotten the words. |
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| Similar Words: |
compassion |
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Sunday, July 6, 2008
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| animus (n) |
ill will |
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| Sentence: |
Despite his low pay and poor working conditions, my husband harbored no animus toward his employer. |
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| Similar Words: |
animosity, hostility, rancor, antagonism, enmity, resentment, acrimony |
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Monday, July 7, 2008
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| propagate (v) |
cause to multiply |
| propagation |
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| Sentence: |
The veteran gardener was an expert at propagating roses in our hostile climate. |
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| Similar Words: |
breed |
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Tuesday, July 8, 2008
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| desiccated (adj) |
dried out |
| desiccate |
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| Sentence: |
When camping, we carry desiccated meals and find water along the way for cooking them. |
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| Similar Words: |
parched, dehydrated |
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Wednesday, July 9, 2008
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| callous (adj) |
hardened, unfeeling |
| callousness |
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| Sentence: |
The hardened criminal demonstrated a callous disregard for human life. |
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| Similar Words: |
insensitive |
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Thursday, July 10, 2008
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| defy (v) |
oppose with boldness |
| defiance |
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| Sentence: |
The ship captain defied the naval blockade by sailing directly toward the harbor. |
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| Similar Words: |
challenge, dare |
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Friday, July 11, 2008
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| denigrate (v) |
belittle |
| denigration |
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| Sentence: |
Don't denigrate the players; they did their best. |
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| Similar Words: |
disparage, decry, deprecate, besmirch |
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Saturday, July 12, 2008
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| hapless (adj) |
luckless |
| haplessness |
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| Sentence: |
Earnest but hapless, the young boy could do nothing right. |
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| Similar Words: |
jinxed, cursed |
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Sunday, July 13, 2008
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| lout (n) |
clumsy, stupid person |
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| Sentence: |
As a young man, my brother was scorned as a lout by his family, but as he matured he earned the respect of all of us. |
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| Similar Words: |
oaf, dolt |
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Monday, July 14, 2008
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| turbulent (adj) |
violently agitated |
| turbulence |
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| Sentence: |
The turbulent seas shook even the giant cruise liner. |
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| Similar Words: |
tumultuous |
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Tuesday, July 15, 2008
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| stipulate (v) |
specify |
| stipulation |
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| Sentence: |
Did the contract stipulate your duties as vice president? |
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| Similar Words: |
designate, detail |
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Wednesday, July 16, 2008
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| adorn (v) |
decorate |
| adornment |
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| Sentence: |
The actress adorned her ears with two-caret diamonds. |
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| Similar Words: |
embellish, beautify |
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Thursday, July 17, 2008
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| perfunctory (adj) |
with little care |
| perfunctoriness |
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| Sentence: |
The weary actor's performance in the show was perfunctory at best; his heart just was not in it. |
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| Similar Words: |
thoughtless, negligent |
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Friday, July 18, 2008
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| unctuous (adj) |
oily |
| unctuousness |
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| Sentence: |
I did not trust the unctuous, smooth-talking salesman. |
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| Similar Words: |
insincere, smug |
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Saturday, July 19, 2008
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| listless (adj) |
sluggish |
| listlessness |
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| Sentence: |
Listless and inattentive from an all-nighter at the office, I nearly slept through the opera. |
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| Similar Words: |
weary, lethargic, languid, torpid |
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Sunday, July 20, 2008
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| parley (n) |
discussion |
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| Sentence: |
To settle the differences between the two opposing camps, the mayor scheduled a formal parley in the town hall. |
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| Similar Words: |
conference |
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Monday, July 21, 2008
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| attenuate (v) |
make thin; weaken |
| tenuous |
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| Sentence: |
Do not attenuate the girder further; it will collapse. |
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| Similar Words: |
debilitate, enfeeble |
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Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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| allegiance (n) |
loyalty to country |
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| Sentence: |
Did the turncoat ever demonstrate allegiance to his native land? |
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| Similar Words: |
fidelity, fealty |
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Wednesday, July 23, 2008
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| obsolete (adj) |
no longer useful |
| obsolescence |
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| Sentence: |
Detroit once designed cars to become obsolete within only a few years. |
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| Similar Words: |
outmoded, antiquated |
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Thursday, July 24, 2008
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| stanch (v) |
stop a flow |
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| Sentence: |
With clamps and stitches, the doctor finally stanched the victim's bleeding. |
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| Similar Words: |
check, allay |
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Friday, July 25, 2008
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| archaic (adj) |
antiquated |
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| Sentence: |
For many years, Russia's archaic commercial laws proved to be a hindrance to economic growth. |
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| Similar Words: |
anachronistic, outmoded |
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Saturday, July 26, 2008
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| contrite (adj) |
truly sorry |
| contrition |
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| Sentence: |
Was the teenager contrite for all the troubles he had caused? |
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| Similar Words: |
regretful |
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Sunday, July 27, 2008
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| grizzled (adj) |
graying |
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| Sentence: |
Grizzled and stooped, the old veteran marched solemnly in the Memorial Day parade. |
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| Similar Words: |
old |
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Monday, July 28, 2008
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| patronize (v) |
talk down to |
| patronization |
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| Sentence: |
Don't patronize me; I don't need your sympathy or your support. |
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| Similar Words: |
condescend |
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Tuesday, July 29, 2008
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| insolent (adj) |
rude |
| insolence |
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| Sentence: |
You insolent brat! Why don't you learn some respect? |
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| Similar Words: |
impertinent |
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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| menace (v) |
threaten |
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| Sentence: |
Loss of earth's ozone layer is a menace to humans and animals alike. |
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| Similar Words: |
endanger |
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Thursday, July 31, 2008
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| effrontery (n) |
brazen boldness |
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| Sentence: |
The new employee's effrontery in demanding a raise shocked the whole staff. |
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| Similar Words: |
arrogance, contemptuousness |
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| Return to Today's Word of the Day Page |
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