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Change, time and action: vocabulary list

Words for things that begin, end, grow, shrink or get better: adapt, initiate, mitigate, obsolete. 125 words with meanings and example sentences.

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abate verb level 2

to become less intense or widespread. The storm began to abate after midnight.

abdicate verb level 2

to give up a throne or high office. The king chose to abdicate in favor of his daughter.

abscond verb level 2

to leave quickly and secretly, often after stealing. The clerk tried to abscond with the money.

abstain verb level 2

to choose not to do something. Several members chose to abstain from the vote.

acquiesce verb level 2

to agree without protest. After some thought, he chose to acquiesce to their plan.

adapt verb level 1

to change so as to suit new conditions. Some animals adapt quickly when their habitat changes.

alleviate verb level 2

to make pain or hardship less severe. A warm bath can alleviate sore muscles.

ameliorate verb level 2

to make a bad situation better. New drainage will ameliorate the flooding problem.

anachronism noun level 2

something that belongs to a different time from the one it appears in. A wristwatch in a film about ancient Rome would be an anachronism.

antagonize verb level 2

to cause someone to feel anger. Try not to antagonize the neighbors over a small matter.

appease verb level 2

to calm someone by giving in to their demands. The manager tried to appease the angry customers with a refund.

archaic adj level 2

belonging to an earlier time and no longer in common use. The word "thou" is archaic in modern English.

atrophy verb level 2

to waste away through lack of use. Muscles will atrophy if they are never used.

attenuate verb level 2

to make weaker or thinner. Thick walls attenuate the sound of the street.

augment verb level 2

to make larger or greater. She took a night job to augment her income.

bolster verb level 2

to support or strengthen something. The extra evidence bolstered her case.

burgeon verb level 2

to grow or increase rapidly. The town's population began to burgeon after the factory opened.

burnish verb level 2

to polish something until it shines. He used a soft cloth to burnish the silver.

cajole verb level 2

to persuade by flattery or gentle urging. She tried to cajole her brother into lending the car.

capitulate verb level 2

to stop resisting and give in. After weeks of protest the board had to capitulate.

coerce verb level 2

to make someone act by force or threats. No one should coerce another person into signing.

commence verb level 1

to begin or start. The ceremony will commence at noon.

concede verb level 2

to admit that something is true, often reluctantly. I must concede that you were right.

conciliate verb level 2

to win over or make peace with someone. The mayor tried to conciliate the unhappy residents.

condescend verb level 2

to behave as if you are better than others. He would condescend to explain things to the staff.

consequence noun level 1

a result or effect of an earlier action. Missing the bus had an unexpected consequence: he met his future friend on the walk.

contemporary adj level 1

belonging to the present time; or living at the same time as another. The museum shows contemporary art next to older works.

convert verb level 1

to change something from one form or use to another. Engineers convert waste heat into electricity.

culminate verb level 2

to reach a final high point. The season will culminate in a championship game.

daunt verb level 2

to make someone feel less confident or brave. The steep climb did not daunt the young hikers.

debilitate verb level 2

to make very weak. A long illness can debilitate even a strong person.

demur verb level 2

to raise doubts or show reluctance. When asked to sing, he chose to demur.

deter verb level 2

to put someone off from doing something. A loud alarm may deter thieves.

diffuse adj level 2

spread over a wide area; not concentrated. The diffuse light of a cloudy sky is soft.

digress verb level 2

to wander away from the main subject. The speaker digressed into a story about his dog.

dispel verb level 2

to make a feeling or idea disappear. Her kind words did dispel his doubts.

disperse verb level 2

to scatter in different directions. The crowd began to disperse when the rain started.

disseminate verb level 2

to spread information widely. Schools disseminate the news by email.

distort verb level 2

to change the shape or meaning of something. The old glass will distort your reflection.

efface verb level 2

to rub out or make disappear. Centuries of rain had begun to efface the carving.

efficacy noun level 2

the ability to produce the intended result. Trials tested the efficacy of the new medicine.

elicit verb level 2

to draw out a reaction or answer. The magician's trick failed to elicit a single gasp.

eliminate verb level 1

to get rid of something completely. The new system will eliminate most of the paperwork.

elusive adj level 2

hard to find, catch or remember. The elusive fox slipped away through the trees.

emerge verb level 1

to come out or become known. A pattern began to emerge as more data arrived.

emulate verb level 2

to try to equal or match, especially by imitating. Young players often emulate their favorite athletes.

enhance verb level 1

to make something better or stronger. Good lighting can enhance the look of a small room.

equanimity noun level 2

calmness of mind, especially under pressure. She faced the bad news with remarkable equanimity.

eschew verb level 2

to deliberately avoid or give up. He chose to eschew sweets for a month.

exacerbate verb level 2

to make a problem worse. Scratching will only exacerbate the rash.

exemplify verb level 2

to be a typical example of. Her kindness will exemplify the spirit of the school.

expand verb level 1

to become or make larger. Metal will expand when it is heated.

expunge verb level 2

to remove completely. The court agreed to expunge the record.

fabricate verb level 2

to make up something false, or to build. He was fired for trying to fabricate the results.

facilitate verb level 1

to make a process easier. A good chair will facilitate the discussion instead of dominating it.

fledgling adj level 2

new and without much experience. The fledgling company had only five staff.

foment verb level 2

to stir up trouble or unrest. The speaker tried to foment anger among the workers.

forestall verb level 2

to act in advance to prevent something. Quick action helped forestall a larger crisis.

galvanize verb level 2

to shock or excite into taking action. The disaster would galvanize the town into action.

generate verb level 1

to produce or cause something to exist. Wind turbines generate electricity without burning fuel.

harbinger noun level 2

something that signals what is coming. The first robin is a harbinger of spring.

hinder verb level 2

to make it difficult for something to happen. Heavy snow will hinder the rescue effort.

hone verb level 2

to sharpen or perfect a skill. She spent years to hone her skill as a violinist.

imminent adj level 2

about to happen. Dark clouds warned that a storm was imminent.

impede verb level 2

to slow down or get in the way of. Fallen trees impede traffic on the mountain road.

impending adj level 2

about to happen, often something unpleasant. An impending storm sent everyone indoors.

incite verb level 2

to encourage violent or unlawful behavior. The speech was meant to incite a riot.

indict verb level 2

to formally accuse of a crime. A jury voted to indict the mayor.

induce verb level 2

to persuade or bring about. Nothing could induce her to change her mind.

initiate verb level 1

to start something. The mayor will initiate a recycling programme next month.

innovate verb level 1

to introduce new ideas or methods. Companies that innovate often lead their markets.

integrate verb level 1

to combine parts into a whole. The app will integrate maps, tickets and timetables.

inundate verb level 2

to overwhelm with a large amount. The helpline was inundated with calls after the broadcast.

inure verb level 2

to accustom someone to something unpleasant. Years at sea helped inure the crew to harsh weather.

isolate verb level 1

to separate something from others. Doctors isolate patients with infections to stop them spreading.

juxtapose verb level 2

to place side by side to compare or contrast. The gallery will juxtapose old photographs with new ones.

maintain verb level 1

to keep something in good condition or at the same level. Regular exercise helps maintain a healthy heart.

mediate verb level 1

to help two sides reach an agreement. A neutral teacher was asked to mediate the argument.

mimic verb level 2

to copy the speech or behavior of someone. Parrots can mimic human voices.

mitigate verb level 2

to make something less severe. Planting trees can mitigate the effects of heat.

modify verb level 1

to change something slightly. They had to modify the plan when the budget was cut.

mollify verb level 2

to calm someone who is upset. A sincere apology mollified the angry customer.

nascent adj level 2

just beginning to exist and develop. The nascent company had only three employees.

neophyte noun level 2

a beginner or newcomer. The neophyte needed help with even the simplest steps.

novice noun level 2

a person new to a skill or activity. The novice climber needed a guide.

obsolete adj level 1

no longer used because something better exists. Film cameras became almost obsolete once phones took good pictures.

oust verb level 2

to force out of a position. Voters moved to oust the mayor from office.

outcome noun level 1

the way something turns out. Nobody could predict the outcome of the vote.

persist verb level 1

to continue firmly despite difficulty. If the cough persists, see a doctor.

pervade verb level 2

to spread through and be felt in every part. The smell of baking bread will pervade the whole house.

phlegmatic adj level 2

not easily excited; calm. The phlegmatic captain showed no fear.

placate verb level 2

to calm someone who is angry. A refund helped placate the unhappy customer.

proliferate verb level 2

to increase rapidly in number. Weeds proliferate after a warm, wet spring.

quell verb level 2

to put an end to; to calm. Police moved in to quell the disturbance.

recant verb level 2

to say publicly that you no longer hold a belief. Under pressure, the witness chose to recant his story.

reinforce verb level 1

to make stronger, especially by adding support. Workers reinforce the walls with steel bars.

relegate verb level 2

to move to a lower position. The league may relegate the team to a lower division.

render verb level 2

to cause to be in a certain state. The snow will render the road impassable.

repel verb level 2

to drive back or to cause disgust. This spray will repel mosquitoes.

repudiate verb level 2

to refuse to accept or be associated with. The senator chose to repudiate the rumor.

rescind verb level 2

to take back or cancel officially. The school will rescind the rule after complaints.

resilient adj level 2

able to recover quickly after difficulty. Children are often more resilient than adults expect.

resolve verb level 1

to find a solution to a problem or disagreement. They met to resolve the scheduling conflict.

retain verb level 1

to keep or continue to have. The old building will retain its original doors.

retract verb level 2

to draw back, or to take back a statement. The newspaper had to retract the false story.

serene adj level 2

calm, peaceful and untroubled. The lake was serene at dawn.

simulate verb level 1

to copy the conditions or behavior of something. The software can simulate a flight in stormy weather.

squander verb level 2

to waste money, time or chances. Do not squander your savings on things you will not use.

stoic adj level 2

enduring pain or hardship without complaint. He was stoic about the long delay.

substitute verb level 1

to use one thing in place of another. You can substitute honey for sugar in this recipe.

succumb verb level 2

to give in to a strong force. He did not succumb to pressure from the crowd.

supplant verb level 2

to take the place of. Digital photos tend to supplant film in most homes.

sustain verb level 1

to keep something going over time. The small farm can sustain a family of four.

symbol noun level 1

something that stands for an idea or thing. A dove is a symbol of peace.

thwart verb level 2

to prevent someone from doing something. A locked gate thwarted their plan.

tolerate verb level 2

to accept something without complaint. The plant can tolerate drought for weeks.

tranquil adj level 2

calm and peaceful. The lake was tranquil at dawn.

transform verb level 1

to change completely in form or appearance. A fresh coat of paint can transform a room.

undermine verb level 2

to weaken gradually, especially from below. Constant doubt can undermine your confidence.

usurp verb level 2

to take a position or power by force or without right. The general tried to usurp the throne.

vacillate verb level 2

to keep changing between opinions or actions. She would vacillate for hours over what to wear.

volatile adj level 2

likely to change suddenly or become violent. The volatile market rose and fell within an hour.

wane verb level 2

to become smaller or weaker. Public interest began to wane after a week.

wax verb level 2

to grow gradually larger or stronger. The moon will wax until it is full.

whet verb level 2

to sharpen, or to make more eager. The aroma of baking would whet anyone's appetite.

Other topics: People and character · Feelings and attitudes · Speaking, writing and arguing · Thinking and judging · Size, amount and kind · Science and research · Society, work and rules

Words to enjoy and learn from. These are original lists, and we do not claim any word appears on any particular test.