Today's Word

Word : Rapture

Syn : Bliss, Ecstasy

Ant : Boredom

Eg : Music Gives You Perfect Rapture

A

a cappella without accompaniment

à la carte priced separately

a priori reasoning based on general principles

aback unexpected, surprised

abacus counting device

abandon desert, forsake

abase degrade

abash humiliate, embarrass

abate lessen, subside

abatement alleviation

abbey monastery

abbreviate shorten

abdicate relinquish power or position

abdomen belly

abduct kidnap

aberrant abnormal

abet aid, encourage (typically of crime)

abeyance postponement

abhor detest

abide submit, endure

abject wretched

abjure renounce

ablate cut away

ablution cleansing

abode home

abolish annul, eliminate

abominable detestable

aboriginal indigenous, native

abortive unsuccessful

abound be plentiful

abreast side-by-side

abridge shorten

abroad overseas

abrogate cancel

abrupt ending suddenly

abscess infected and inflamed tissue

abscond to run away (secretly)

absolve acquit, free from blame

abstain refrain

abstract theoretical, intangible

abstruse difficult to understand

abut touch, border on

abysmal deficient, sub par

abyss chasm

academy school

accede yield, agree

accentuate emphasize

accession attainment of rank

accessory attachment, accomplice

acclaim recognition, fame

acclimate accustom oneself to a climate, adjust

acclivity ascent, incline

accolade applause, tribute

accommodate adapt, assist, house

accomplice one who aids a lawbreaker

accord agreement

accost to approach and speak to someone aggressively

accouter equip, clothe

accredit authorize

accrete grow larger

accrue accumulate

accumulate amass

acerbic caustic, bitter (of speech)

acme summit, zenith

acolyte assistant (usually to clergy)

acoustic pertaining to sound

acquaint familiarize

acquiesce agree passively

acquit free from blame

acrid pungent, caustic, choking

acrimonious caustic, resentful

acrophobia fear of heights

actuate induce, start

acumen insight

acute sharp, intense

ad nauseam to a ridiculous degree

ad-lib improvise

adage proverb

adamant insistent

adapt adjust to changing conditions

adaptable pliable

addendum appendix, supplement

adduce offer as example

adept skillful

adhere stick to

adherent supporter

adieu farewell

adipose fatty

adjacent next to

adjourn suspend, discontinue

adjudicate judge

adjunct addition

administer manage

admissible allowable

admonish warn gently

ado fuss, commotion

Adonis a beautiful man

adroit skillful

adulation applause, worship

adulterate contaminate, corrupt

adumbration overshadow

advent arrival of something important

adventitious accidental, extrinsic

adversary opponent

adverse unfavorable, opposing

adversity hardship

advise give counsel

advocate urge, support

aegis that which protects, sponsorship

aerial pertaining to the air

aerobics exercise

aesthetic pleasing to the senses, beautiful

affable friendly

affect influence

affectation pretense, showing off

affidavit sworn written statement

affiliate associate

affiliation connection, association

affinity fondness

affix fasten

affliction illness

affluent abundant, wealthy

affray brawl

affront insult

aficionado devotee, ardent follower

afoul entangled, in trouble

aft rear

aftermath consequence

agape wonder

agenda plan, timetable

agent provocateur agitator

aggrandize exaggerate

aggravate worsen

aggregate total, collect

aggressor attacker

aggrieve mistreat

aggrieved unjustly injured

aghast horrified

agile nimble

agitate stir up

agnate related on the father’s side

agnostic not knowing whether God exists

agrarian pertaining to farming

agronomy science of crop production

air discuss, broadcast

airs pretension

akimbo with hands on hips

akin related

al fresco outdoors

alacrity swiftness

albatross large sea bird

albino lacking pigmentation

alcove recess, niche

alias assumed name

alibi excuse

alienate estrange, antagonize

alight land, descend, to happen to find a place to rest

allay to reassure

allege assert without proof

allegiance loyalty

allegory fable

allegro fast

alleviate lessen, assuage

alliteration repetition of the same sound

allocate distribute

allot allocate, ration

allude refer to indirectly

ally unite for a purpose

almanac calendar with additional information

alms charity

aloof arrogant, detached

altercation argument

altitude height

alto low female voice

altruism benevolence, generosity

amalgamation mixture

amass collect

ambient surrounding, environment

ambiguous unclear

ambivalence conflicting emotions

ambulatory able to walk

ameliorate improve

amenable agreeable

amend correct

amenities courtesies, comforts

amenity pleasantness

amiable friendly

amid among

amiss wrong, out of place

amity friendship, good will

amnesty pardon

amoral without morals

amorous loving, sexual

amorphous shapeless

amortize pay by installments

amphibious able to operate in water and land

amphitheater oval-shaped theater

amuck murderous frenzy

amulet charm, talisman

amuse entertain

anachronistic out of historical order

anaerobic without oxygen

anagram a word formed by rearranging the letters of another word

analgesic pain-soother

analogous similar

analogy point by point comparison

anarchist terrorist, nihilist

anarchy absence of government, chaos

anathema curse, abomination

anecdote story

aneurysm bulging in a blood vessel

angst anxiety, dread

animadversion critical remark

animated exuberant

animosity dislike

animus hate

annals historical records

annex to attach, to take possession of

annihilate destroy

annotate to add explanatory notes

annul cancel

annular ring-shaped

anodyne pain soothing

anoint consecrate, apply ointment

anomalous abnormal

anonymity state of being anonymous

antagonistic hostile

antagonize harass

antechamber waiting room

antediluvian ancient, obsolete

anthology collection

anthrax disease, bacterium

antic caper, prank

antipathy repulsion, hated

antipodal exactly opposite

antiquated outdated, obsolete

antiquity ancient times

antithesis direct opposite

apartheid racial segregation

apathetic unconcerned, uninterested

apathy indifference

ape mimic

aperture opening

apex highest point

aphasia speechless

aphorism maxim

aplomb poise

apocalyptic ominous, doomed

apocryphal of doubtful authenticity

apoplexy stroke

apostate one who abandons one’s faith

apotheosis deification

appall horrify

apparition phantom

appease pacify

appellation title

append affix

apposite apt

apprehensive anxious, worried

apprise inform

approbation approval

apropos appropriate

apt suitable

aptitude ability

aquatic pertaining to water

arbiter judge

arbitrament final judgment

arbitrary tyrannical, capricious

arcane secret, difficult to understand

archaic antiquated

archetype original model, epitome

archipelago group of island

archives public records

ardent passionate

ardor passion

arduous hard

argonauts gold-seekers, adventurers

argot specialized vocabulary, jargon

aria operatic song

arid dry, dull

aristocrat nobleman

armada fleet of ships

armistice truce

arraign indict

array arrangement

arrears in debt

arrogate seize without right

arroyo gully

arsenal supply, stockpile of weapons

artful skillful, cunning

articulate well-spoken

artifice trick

artless naive, simple

ascend rise

ascendancy powerful state

ascertain discover

ascetic self-denying

ascribe to attribute

aseptic sterile

ashen pale

asinine stupid

askance to view with suspicion

askew crooked

aspersion slander

asphyxiate suffocate

aspirant contestant

aspiration ambition

assail attack

assassin murderer

assent agree

assert affirm

assess appraise

assiduous hard-working

assimilate absorb, integrate

assonance partial rhyme

assuage lessen (pain)

astral pertaining to stars

astringent causing contraction, severe

astute wise

asunder apart, into separate parts

asylum place of refuge

asymmetric uneven

atavistic exhibiting the characteristics of one’s forebears

atelier workshop

atoll reef

atomize vaporize

atone make amends

atrophy the wasting away of muscle

attenuate weaken, assuage

attest testify

attire dress

attribute ascribe

attrition deterioration, reduction

atypical abnormal

au courant well informed, chic

audacity boldness

audient listening, attentive

audition tryout

augment increase, supplement

augur predict

august noble, majestic

aura atmosphere, emanation

auspices patronage, protection

auspicious favorable

austere harsh, Spartan

authorize grant, sanction

automaton robot

autonomous self-governing

auxiliary secondary, supportive

avail assistance

avant garde vanguard

avarice greed

avatar incarnation

averse loath, reluctant

avert turn away

avian pertaining to birds

avid enthusiastic

avocation hobby

avouch attest, guarantee

avow declare

avuncular like an uncle

awry crooked

axiom self-evident truth

aye affirmative vote

azure sky blue

B

babbittry smugness

bacchanal orgy, drunken celebration

badger pester

badinage banter

bagatelle nonentity, trifle

bailiwick area of concern or business

baleen whalebone

baleful hostile, malignant

balk hesitate

balky hesitant

ballad song

ballast counterbalance

ballistics study of projectiles

balm soothing ointment

banal trite

bandy exchange

bane poison, nuisance

barbarian savage

bard poet

baroque ornate

barrister lawyer

bask take pleasure in, sun

basso low male voice

bastion fort

bathos sentimentality

batten fasten, board up

battery physical attack

bauble trinket

beatify sanctify

beatitude state of bliss

beckon lure

becoming proper

bedlam uproar

befit to be suitable

beget produce, procreate

begrudge resent, envy

beguile deceive, seduce

behemoth monster

behest command

beholden in debt, obliged

belabor assail verbally, dwell on

belated delayed, overdue

beleaguer besiege

belfry bell tower

belie misrepresent, disprove

belittle disparage

bellicose warlike

belligerent combative

bellow shout

bellwether leader, guide

bemoan lament

bemused bewildered

benchmark standard

benediction blessing

benefactor patron

benevolent kind

benign harmless

bent determined

bequeath will

bequest gift, endowment

berate scold

bereave to rob, to deprive somebody of a love one, especially through death

bereft deprived of

berserk crazed with anger

beseech implore, beg

beset harass, encircle

besiege beleaguer, surround

besmirch slander, sully

bespeak attest

bestial beast-like, brutal

bestow offer, grant

betrothed engaged

bevy group

bibliography list of sources of information

bicameral having two legislative branches

bicker quarrel

biennial occurring every two years

bilateral two-sided

bilious ill-tempered

bilk swindle

biodegradable naturally decaying

biopsy removing tissue for examination

biped two-footed animal

bistro tavern, cafe

bivouac encampment

blandish flatter, grovel

blasé bored with life

blasphemy insulting God

bleak cheerless, forlorn

blight decay

bliss happiness

blithe joyous

bloated swollen

bode portend

bogus forged, false

bogy bugbear

boisterous noisy

bolt move quickly and suddenly

bombast pompous speech

bon vivant gourmet, epicure

bona fide made in good faith

bonanza a stroke of luck

boon payoff, windfall

boor vulgar person

bootless unavailing

booty loot, stolen goods

botch bungle

bourgeois middle class

bovine cow-like

boycott abstain in protest

bracing refreshing

brackish salty

brandish display menacingly

bravado feigned bravery

bravura technically difficult, brilliant

brawn strength

brevity shortness of expression

brigand robber

brink edge, threshold

broach bring up a topic for conversation

bromide cliché

brook tolerate

browbeat to bully

brusque curt

bucolic rustic

buffet blow, pummel

buffoon fool, joker

bulwark fortification

buncombe empty, showy talk

buoyant floatable, cheerful

burgeon sprout

burlesque farce

burly husky

buttress support