abjure
(verb)
give up, renounce; repudiate, recant, or shun (especially formally or under oath)
Usage: To become a citizen of the United States, you must _____ loyalty to the nation of your birth.
Since enrolling in that nutrition class, she has ____ sugar and saturate
abrasive
(adj.)
rough, suitable for grinding or polishing (such as sandpaper); causing irritation or annoyance
Usage: Could the inside of this mascot costume be any more _____? It's rubbing my skin raw! I have some seriously ______ remarks for whoever designed this thing
abridge
(verb)
Condense or curtail; shorten by omitting parts throughout while retaining the main idea.
Usage: Our romantic vacation was ____when the baby sitter called to say that the kids were sick and we should come home.
Audio books are almost always ____, since few
abstain
(verb)
Hold back, refrain (especially from something bad or unhealthy) decline to vote
Usage: The church board voted on whether to hold an _____nence rally to encourage young people not to become sexually active.
Related Words: Temperance (moderation, holding ba
acme
(noun)
Summit, peak, highest point
Usage: The ____ of my vacation was when I finally climbed to the ___ of the mountain and enjoyed the gorgeous vista.
Related Words: Summit, Pinnacle (synonyms), Apex (vertex, tip, point), Apogee (high point, point at which the
activism
(noun)
The practice of pursuing political or other goals through vigorous action,often including protests and demonstrations,
Usage: Lindsay's parents had a hard time accepting that, after incurring $100,000 in student loans, their daughter had decided to enter
adhere
(verb)
Stick (to), such as with glue, or to a plan or belief
Usage: I have a message board that ______ to my refrigerator with magnets; on it, I've written some affirmations to help me ____ to my diet plan.
Related Words: Abide by (follow, conform to), Cohere (b
admonish
(verb)
Mildly scold;caution, advise, or remind to do something
Usage: She was an exacting boss castigated an employee for jamming the copier, yet she merely _______ her five-year-old for the same offense.
Related Words: Reprove, upbraid, reprimand, and rebuke ar
adverse
(adj.)
Opposing, harmful
Usage: Pioneer women persevered despite ____ circumstances, even when fording a river-- baby in one arm, leading a horse with the other-- against an ______ current.
Related Words: Antagonistic (hostile, acting in opposition)
More Info: _
advocate
(verb, noun)
Speak or argue in favor of (verb); a person who pleads for a cause or on behalf of another person (noun)
Usage: I cannot possibly vote for a candidate who ______ oil drilling in federally protected nature preserves.
Children often have ____ appointed to r
aesthetic
(adj, noun)
concerning the appreciation of beauty or good taste, pertaining to the science of what is beautiful (adj.); a set of principles or tastes guiding an artistic practice (noun)
Usage: The twins were so different. One possessed a truly baroque _____, preferri