B
Babble. Chatter, prattle, jibber; prate, gossip, tattle; tell secrets, blab, blurt out; murmur.
Ant. Hush, suppress; enunciate.
Babel. Tumult, disorder, clamor, confusion, discord, din, pother.
Ant. Silence; articulation, distinctness, enunciation; monotony.
Back, a. and ad. Remote, hindmost, in the rear; again, return.
Ant. Near, foremost, in advance.
Back, v. Support, aid, second, sustain, assist; retire, retreat, withdraw; move backward, cause to go backward.
Ant. Fail, disappoint; advance, push.
Backbiter. Slanderer, defamer, traducer, calumniator, detractor, cynic.
Ant. Advocate, upholder, defender, vindicator.
Backslider. Recreant, apostate, renegade, deserter, abjurer.
Ant. Confessor, zealot, bigot, adherent.
Backward. Averse, indisposed, reluctant, loath, unwilling, hesitating, wavering; dull, slow, stupid, stolid; late, tardy.
Ant. Forward, eager, willing, ready, prompt; quick, bright; previous, antecedent, prior.
Bad. Evil, wicked, depraved, abandoned, corrupt, immoral, unfair, unprincipled, villainous; pernicious, mischievous, hurtful, injurious, detrimental, unwholesome; unlucky, unfortunate; sad, unwelcome, distressing, disappointing; sorry, mean, shabby, vile, wretched, abominable; poor, imperfect; serious, hard, severe.
Ant. Good, perfect, right, holy, beautiful, pleasant.
Baffle. Frustrate, thwart, defeat, circumvent, checkmate, undermine; bewilder, perplex, confound, disconcert.
Ant. Aid, assist, advance, encourage, promote.
Balance. Poise, hold in equilibrium; weigh, compare, estimate; neutralize, counteract, compensate; equalize, square, adjust.
Ant. Upset, cant, tilt, overbalance, subvert.
Bald. Bare, hairless; treeless, unsheltered, naked, verdureless; unadorned, prosaic, dull, vapid, tame, inelegant; literal, unvarnished; mere, unsupported, uncorroborated.
Ant. Adorned, periwigged; forested, shaded; bright, elegant, rhetorical; ornate, polished, witty, scintillating.
Baleful. Harmful, hurtful, injurious, baneful, pernicious, deadly, ruinous.
Ant. Innocent, beneficial, salutary, advantageous.
Balk. Frustrate, defeat, foil.
Ant. Aid, promote, instigate.
Banish. Dismiss, drive out, eject, expel, exile, ostracize, evict, expatriate.
Ant. Welcome, admit, protect, domesticate, harbor.
Banquet. Feast, treat, regalement, entertainment, festivity, carousal, cheer.
Ant. Fast, starvation, abstinence.
Banter, n. Badinage, irony, raillery, ridicule, satire, chaff, mockery, jeering, derision.
Ant. Discourse, discussion.
Barbarous. Brutal, atrocious, cruel, inhuman, merciless, savage, barbaric, barbarian.
Ant. Civilized, humane, polite, refined, tender, delicate, cultured, elegant, nice, courtly.
Bare. Nude, naked, unclothed, exposed; sheer, simple, mere; bald, unadorned, meager; poor, destitute, indigent, empty.
Ant. Dressed, protected; rich, luxurious, costly.
Bargain. Agreement, contract, stipulation, transaction; purchase, speculation, haggling, getting, proceeds; cheap purchase.
Ant. Loss, misprofit; cheat.
Barren. Sterile, childless, unprolific; unfertile, unproductive; uninstructive, ineffectual.
Ant. Productive, fertile, luxuriant, fecund; profitable, useful.
Barrier. Obstruction, hindrance, obstacle, bar, barricade, rampart; restraint, restriction.
Ant. Thoroughfare, entrance, admittance, opening, passage.
Base. Cheap, worthless, inferior; vulgar, humble, unknown; mean, contemptible, servile; shameful, scandalous, vile.
Ant. Noble, honored, exalted, pure, valued, lofty, esteemed, refined.
Bashful. Modest, shy, retiring, reserved, diffident.
Ant. Bold, forward, pert, impudent, confident, conceited, egoistic.
Basis. Base, foundation, groundwork.
Ant. Apex, top, superstructure.
Bathe. Wash, lave, cover, flood, immerse, suffuse.
Ant. Dry, expose.
Battle, n. Fight, contest, skirmish, combat, encounter, bout, engagement, strife, action, conflict.
Ant. Armistice, truce, concord.
Bauble. Trifle, toy, plaything, trinket, gimcrack, knickknack.
Ant. Valuable, jewel, ornament, decoration, gem, possession.
Bays. Crown, wreath, garland, chaplet; honors, renown, plaudits, praise, glory, applause.
Ant. Disgrace, contumely, stigma, brand.
Beach. Shore, strand, margin, sands, marge, rim, coast, seashore, seaboard.
Ant. Ocean, sea, deep, main.
Beacon, n. Signal fire, mark, sign, guide, light, flame.
Ant. Shadow; dark; will-o’-the-wisp, ignis fatuus.
Beam, v. Shine, emit rays, beacon, gleam, glitter, be radiant.
Ant. Die out, grow dark, go out.
Bear. Support, sustain, hold up, carry; have, hold, possess; suffer, undergo, endure, tolerate, submit to; permit, allow; maintain, cherish, harbor; be responsible for; produce, yield, give birth to; generate.
Ant. Drop, drag; release, give up; protest, resist, rebel, resent, reject.
Bearing. Behavior, deportment, demeanor, appearance, aspect, position, carriage, mien, air; relation, connection; patience, endurance; direction, course, aim; effect, force, meaning, scope; producing; bed, socket.
Ant. Misbehavior; disconnection, independence, irrelevancy; pendency, suspension; diversion, deflection; inanity, absurdity.
Beat. Strike, thrash, flog, cudgel, pound, scourge, whip, batter, smite, pommel, overcome, chastise, conquer, defeat, castigate, bruise, bastinado, belabor, switch, spank, worst, vanquish.
Ant. Soothe, stroke, caress, pat, shield, protect, mollify, heal.
Beatific. Ravishing, enrapturing, enchanting, transporting, ecstatic.
Ant. Tormenting, disgusting, obnoxious.
Beatitude. Bliss, felicity, blessedness.
Ant. Suffering, tribulation, pain, dolor.
Beautiful. Handsome, lovely, charming, fair, pretty, graceful, exquisite, beauteous, bewitching, attractive, picturesque, comely.
Ant. Hideous, repulsive, ugly, deformed, frightful, ghastly, grim.
Because. Since, inasmuch as, for, as.
Ant. Yet, notwithstanding, however, although, nevertheless.
Beckon. Signal, sign, call by gesture, nod.
Ant. Ignore, repulse.
Become. Suit, adorn, fit, set off, be appropriate to; get or grow to, turn to, change into; befall, bechance, happen to.
Ant. Disagree, clash, mismatch.
Becoming. Befitting, beseeming, fit, graceful, proper, neat, suitable, congruous, worthy.
Ant. Unseemly, indecent, derogatory, unsuitable.
Befall. Happen, occur, chance, betide.
Ant. Impend, threaten, loom.
Befitting. Decent, becoming, suitable, proper, appropriate, expedient.
Ant. Compulsory, obligatory; improper, inexpedient.
Before. Preceding, in front of; prior to, previous; in advance of, ahead of; hitherto; above, in a former place or previous passage; formerly, of old, already; under the judgment or control of.
Ant. Behind, after, subsequently, later.
Beg. Beseech, pray, ask, request, supplicate, solicit, sue, implore, importune.
Ant. Require, demand, extort, exact, insist; refuse.
Beggar. Mendicant, supplicant, pauper, suitor, applicant.
Ant. Bestower, giver, benefactor.
Beggary. Want, penury, indigence, destitution.
Ant. Riches, wealth, affluence, abundance, plenty.
Beginning. Origin, commencement, fountain, source, spring, start, opening, initiation, arising, outset, rise, inception, inauguration.
Ant. End, finish, fulfilment, outcome, conclusion, termination, result, effect, expiration, completion.
Beguile. Cheat, deceive, befool; amuse, entertain, cheer, solace.
Ant. Enlighten, advise; weary, bore.
Behavior. Conduct, deportment, manners, breeding, carriage, bearing, action, demeanor, life.
Ant. Misconduct, misdemeanor.
Behest. Command, injunction, charge, precept.
Ant. Option, liberty.
Behind. Back, astern, rearward.
Ant. Before, in front of.
Behold. See, look, discern, gaze, scan, observe, contemplate.
Ant. Ignore, miss, wink, overlook, disregard, connive.
Behoof. Advantage, profit.
Ant. Loss, detriment, disadvantage.
Being. Reality, existence, actuality; essence, inmost nature, substance, life, vital principle, root, heart.
Ant. Nonentity, nullity, non-existence.
Beleaguer. Besiege, beset, blockade, invest; compass, block up, surround, obstruct, environ.
Ant. Abandon; conquer, subdue.
Belief. Trust, confidence, conviction, credence, persuasion, reliance, assurance; dogma, creed, tenets, opinion, view; credit, acceptance, assent, currency.
Ant. Distrust, denial, discredit, dissent, rejection, disavowal.
Belligerent. Warlike, contending, conflicting, hostile, rival, opposed, adverse, antagonistic, pugnacious, contentious, quarrelsome.
Ant. Peaceful, friendly, forbearing, pacific, neutral.
Belonging, n. Quality, gift, endowment, attribute; property, goods, estate, chattel, possession; appendage, appurtenance, accessory.
Belonging, a. Related, connected, appertaining, congenial, cognate, accompanying.
Ant. Alien, optional, independent, irrelevant.
Below. Under, beneath, underneath, hereinafter.
Ant. Above, beforementioned, previously.
Bend. Curve, twist, crook, bow, deflect, deviate, diverge, twine; influence, persuade, incline, submit.
Ant. Straighten, stiffen, direct; resist, break, crush.
Beneath. Below, under, underneath; unworthy of, unbefitting.
Ant. Above, superior to; over, aloft.
Benediction. Benison, blessing, beatitude; gratitude, thanks, praise; benefit, grace, boon.
Ant. Curse, censure, execration, ingratitude.
Benefactor. Patron, supporter, upholder, friend, contributor.
Ant. Destroyer, enemy, oppressor, brute.
Beneficence. Charity, bounty, liberality, benevolence.
Ant. Malevolence, hatred, stinginess, miserliness, niggardliness.
Benefit. Boon, service, advantage, profit, favor, blessing.
Ant. Evil, loss, damage, calamity, injury, privation.
Benevolence. Kindness, humaneness, charitableness, good will, altruism, beneficence, liberality, philanthropy, benignity, bounty, humanity, sympathy, munificence, generosity, unselfishness, kind-heartedness.
Ant. Malevolence, malignity, selfishness, stinginess, unkindness, brutality, churlishness, barbarity, illiberality, self-seeking, niggardliness, harshness.
Benign. Kind, gracious, amiable, gentle, friendly, benevolent, humane, obliging, good.
Ant. Hateful, harsh, brutal, churlish.
Bequeath. Will, leave, devise; hand down, transmit, impart.
Ant. Withhold, alienate, disinherit.
Bereavement. Deprivation, loss, destitution, affliction, forlorn condition, desolation.
Ant. Blessing, compensation, reparation, consolation, restitution, restoration, substitution.
Bereft. Stripped, despoiled, deprived.
Ant. Endowed, blessed, enriched, compensated.
Beseech. Beg, implore, pray, ask, solicit, entreat, petition, importune.
Ant. Grant, requite, confer; disdain, defy.
Beset. Surround, circle, hem in, besiege, beleaguer; embarrass.
Ant. Defend, defy, repel.
Beside. Near, close together; aside from; out of.
Ant. Far, distant.
Besides or Beside. Except, save, distinct from; moreover, furthermore, else, beyond that.
Ant. Apart, separate from; exclusively; finally.
Bestow. Give, present, award, grant, confer; place, stow, store.
Ant. Receive; seize, appropriate, usurp; disperse, throw away.
Bet. Stake, wager, pledge.
Ant. Plan, calculate, dispose.
Betide. Happen, bechance, befall, come to pass, occur, take place.
Ant. Result, be destined or doomed.
Betimes. Seasonably, in good time or season.
Ant. Inopportune, late, tardy, unseasonable.
Betoken. Signify, denote, indicate, represent, imply, prove, show, augur; presage, prefigure, foretell, portend.
Ant. Mask, hide, mislead, belie, misrepresent.
Betray. Reveal, expose, divulge, deliver up, deceive; manifest, show, indicate; lure, ensnare, entrap, beguile; seduce, ruin, corrupt.
Ant. Protect, preserve, foster, cherish, conceal, suppress, guard.
Betrothal. Engagement, plighting, affiancing.
Better. Amend, ameliorate, improve, correct, advance, reform.
Ant. Make worse, degrade, wreck, weaken, cripple, impair, injure.
Between. Amid, among, betwixt.
Ant. Outside, beyond, without.
Bewail. Bemoan, lament, sorrow, grieve.
Ant. Rejoice, joy, exult.
Beware. Take care, be cautious, be wary, look out, mind.
Ant. Be reckless, careless; neglect, ignore.
Bewilderment. Confusion, embarrassment, daze, maze, perplexity, mystification.
Ant. Enlightenment, self-possession, calmness, discernment, perspicacity.
Bewitch. Charm, enchant, fascinate, captivate.
Ant. Repulse, avoid, recoil, annoy, harass.
Beyond. Over, across, remote, farther than, before; yonder, above, exceeding.
Ant. Beside, near, at hand, close; behind, back; below, less than.
Bias. Bent, inclination, tendency, leaning, proneness, proclivity, propensity, partiality, predilection.
Ant. Repulsion, reaction, repugnance.
Bicker. Wrangle, quarrel, dispute, squabble.
Ant. Agree, sympathize, understand, harmonize.
Bidding. Command, order, direction, appointment, mandate; offer, bid, proposal.
Ant. Request, solicitation; refusal, rebuff.
Bide. Dwell, stay, reside, wait, tarry, remain; endure, bear.
Ant. Depart, go, move, migrate; resist, rebel, protest.
Big. Large, great, wide, bulky, huge, gross, fat; proud, arrogant, haughty, pompous.
Ant. Small, little, least, thin, narrow; humble, subservient, unassuming.
Bigot. Zealot, fanatic, dogmatist, devotee.
Ant. Skeptic, liberal, apostate, proselyte, doubter, agnostic.
Bigoted. Intolerant, opinionated, prejudiced, dogmatical, narrow-minded, one-sided.
Ant. Liberal, broad-minded, open to conviction.
Bill. Account, charge, score, amount due, reckoning; draft of law; poster, placard, advertisement.
Bind. Fetter, tie, fasten, shackle, restrict, restrain, secure; compel, oblige, engage.
Ant. Free, loose, set free, untie.
Birth. Family, parentage, origin, source, lineage, nativity, descent, extraction, race; rise.
Ant. Death, extinction.
Bit. Part, piece, fragment, morsel.
Ant. Whole, mass, aggregation.
Biting. Gnawing, sharp, severe, sardonic, censorious, piercing, sarcastic, trenchant.
Ant. Pleasant, gentle, soothing, genial, flattering.
Bitter. Harsh, caustic, cutting, savage, acidulous, acrimonious, irate, sharp, sour, stinging, pungent, virulent.
Ant. Sweet, honeyed, nectared, luscious, dulcet, saccharine.
Blacken. Slander, malign, defame, daub, bespatter, befoul, asperse, traduce, vilify, decry, calumniate.
Ant. Clear, eulogize, vindicate, whiten, whitewash.
Blackguard. Rascal, scoundrel, villain.
Ant. Gentleman.
Blame. Censure, rebuke, chide, reprove, reproach, condemn, vituperate, reprobate, reprehend, dispraise.
Ant. Approve, praise, exonerate, acquit, exculpate.
Blameless. Pure, innocent, irresponsible, without fault.
Ant. Guilty, implicated, blameworthy, faulty.
Blanch. Bleach, whiten, whitewash.
Ant. Blacken, stain, dye, darken, color.
Bland. Soft, gentle, mild, affable, gracious, tender, benign, courteous, complaisant.
Ant. Harsh, abrupt, rough, biting, savage, severe, impolite.
Blandishment. Flattery, coaxing, fascination, wheedling, attraction, charm, fawning, cajolery.
Ant. Bluntness, unmannerliness, roughness, scolding, severity, sternness.
Blank. Bare, drear, bleak, void, empty; utter, pure, simple, mere, unqualified, unmitigated; amazed, astonished, confused, disconcerted.
Ant. Full, replete; complex; modified, qualified; composed, controlled, self-possessed, cognizant, intelligent.
Blasphemy. Profanity, sacrilege, impiety, swearing.
Ant. Reverence, godliness, veneration.
Blast. Shrivel, destroy, blight, kill, ruin, wither, annihilate; explode, rend, burst.
Ant. Restore, expand, swell.
Blazon. Exhibit, show off, blaze, blare, trumpet, proclaim, publish.
Ant. Conceal, hush, cover, hide, suppress, shroud, bury.
Bleach. Blanch, whiten.
Ant. Blacken, darken, soil, stain.
Bleak. Windy, exposed, bare; cold, chill, raw, desolate, comfortless, cheerless.
Ant. Sheltered, protected, warm, balmy, cheerful, comfortable.
Blemish. Blot, spot, flaw, fault, imperfection, stain; defacement, tarnish, disfigurement, disgrace, defect, dishonor, stigma, taint.
Ant. Purity, unsulliedness, honor, integrity, wholeness.
Blend. Mix, unite, fuse, merge, mingle, amalgamate, combine, coalesce, harmonize.
Ant. Separate, run, dissociate, divide.
Bless. Delight, gladden, make happy, thank, glorify, exalt, praise, extol, felicitate, cheer.
Ant. Curse, anathematize, sadden, grieve.
Blessing. Benediction, benison; good, benefit, happiness, profit, boon, gain; glory, praise, gratitude.
Ant. Malediction, curse; bereavement, impoverishment, calamity, deprivation, disaster, damage, detriment.
Blight. Pestilence, withering, blast, destruction.
Ant. Development, maturity.
Blind. Sightless, unseeing, eyeless, undiscerning, ignorant, unconscious, uninformed.
Ant. Clear-sighted, far-seeing, discerning, penetrating, conscious, keen, aware, sensitive.
Blink. Wink, ignore, connive, overlook.
Ant. Notice, note, mark.
Bliss. Blessedness, happiness, joy, ecstasy, rapture, felicity, beatitude.
Ant. Torment, woe, suffering, misery, accursedness.
Blithe. Merry, joyous, cheerful, gay, lively, airy, sportive, blithesome, mirthful, jocund, elated, vivacious, joyful.
Ant. Dejected, heavy, dull, sullen.
Block. Obstruct, arrest, stop, fill.
Ant. Free, open, clear.
Blockhead. Dunce, dolt, stupid fellow, numskull, ninny, simpleton, ignoramus, dullard, booby.
Ant. Sage, adept, savant, philosopher, schoolman, luminary.
Blood-thirsty. Cruel, savage, ferocious, murderous, bloody, bloody-minded, gory, barbarous, inhuman, ruthless, sanguinary.
Ant. Humane, kind, merciful, mild, tender, compassionate.
Bloom, n. Blossom, flower, flowering, efflorescence; flush, freshness, prime, vigor, glow; delicacy, innocence.
Ant. Decay, decadence, blight, blast, roughness, toughness, ghastliness, superannuation, cadaverousness, coarseness.
Bloom, v. Blossom, bud, flower, germinate, sprout, blow, develop.
Ant. Blight, be blasted, wither.
Blooming. Flourishing, flowering; young, beautiful, fair, fresh.
Ant. Fading, waning, old, unsightly, deformed, blasted, withered.
Blot. Sully, spot, tarnish, spoil, discolor, pollute, stain, erase, blur, blotch, smear, smutch, obliterate.
Ant. Cleanse, clear, whiten, blanch; perpetuate, preserve.
Blot out. Erase, cancel, expunge, obliterate, efface, destroy, wipe out.
Ant. Restore, replace.
Blow, n. Knock, thump, stroke, box, buffet, calamity, cuff, cut, concussion, disaster, lash, misfortune, rap, shock, stroke, wound, affliction, blast, gale, gust; disappointment.
Ant. Relief, comfort, blessing, consolation, assuagement.
Bluff. Abrupt, blunt, inconsiderate, open, rough, unmannerly, uncivil, blustering, bold, brusque, coarse, discourteous, frank, impolite, plain-spoken, rude.
Ant. Bland, courteous, genial, polite, refined, reserved, urbane, polished.
Blunder. Error, mistake, misunderstanding, fault, slip, oversight, inaccuracy, delusion.
Ant. Accuracy, correctness, truthfulness, exactness, ratification, foresight, achievement, success, correction.
Blunt, a. Obtuse, dull, pointless, edgeless, brusk, abrupt, plain, informal, stupid, stolid.
Ant. Sharp, keen, acute, sensitive, polished, courteous, refined.
Blunt, v. Subdue, numb, harden, dull, make dull, deaden, paralyze, stupefy; moderate, allay, mitigate, assuage.
Ant. Quicken, sharpen, instigate, excite, stimulate, animate, vitalize.
Blush, n. Bloom, color, reddening, carnation, complexion; shame, confusion, guiltiness.
Ant. Pallor; innocence, purity, unconsciousness; boldness, effrontery.
Bluster. Storm, rage, insult, roar, swagger, vaunt, boast.
Ant. Cringe, whine, whimper.
Boast. Vaunt, brag, swagger, magnify, make much of, swell, bluster, triumph, glory, vapor.
Ant. Whine, cringe; minimize, apologize.
Bodily. Corporeally; completely, wholly, altogether, entirely, collectively, unitedly.
Ant. Spiritually, ghostly; piecemeal, partially, gradually, fragmentarily.
Body. Material or physical substance; carcass, corpse; trunk, stem, bulk, main part; person, individual, mortal, creature, being; company, society, corporation; system; consistency, substance; ashes, form, dust, frame, remains, clay.
Ant. Intellect, intelligence, soul, spirit, mind; branch, limb; world, universe; mass, conglomeration.
Boil. Bubble, rage, effervesce, explode, fume.
Ant. Calm, subside, cool, recover.
Boisterous. Loud, unrestrained, stormy, noisy, furious, violent, clamorous.
Ant. Quiet, silent, unostentatious, mild, gentle, peaceful, calm, serene, self-possessed.
Bold. Courageous, fearless, adventurous, brave, intrepid, dauntless, audacious, daring, valiant.
Ant. Timorous, fearful, retiring, shy, bashful.
Bolster. Support, prop, help, sustain, aid, buoy, patch, defend, maintain.
Ant. Depress, fail, relax.
Bombast. Bluster, pomposity, fustian, braggadocio, rhodomontade.
Ant. Modesty, humility, veracity, moderation, temperance.
Bond. Tie, fastening, manacle, fetter; compact, obligation, security.
Ant. Option, freedom, parole, honor, discretion.
Bondage. Servitude, slavery, imprisonment, captivity, incarceration, subjection, serfdom, confinement, thraldom.
Ant. Liberty, freedom, manumission, independence.
Bondsman. Slave, serf, captive, vassal, prisoner.
Ant. Freeman, gentleman, master, lord.
Bonny. Fair, pretty, pleasant, handsome, shapely, buxom.
Ant. Homely, ugly, unseemly, deformed, ill-favored.
Bonus. Premium, douceur, boon, benefit.
Ant. Fine, penalty, discount, mulct.
Booby. Dunce, idiot, numskull.
Ant. Wiseacre, solon, oracle.
Bookish. Pedantic, studious, learned, erudite, educated.
Ant. Illiterate, ignorant.
Boor. Rustic, clown, lout, peasant, countryman, plowman, swain, bumpkin.
Ant. Gentleman, courtier.
Boorish. Rude, rustic, clownish, loutish, ungainly, awkward, coarse, rough, gawky.
Ant. Polite, civil, polished, urbane, courtly, affable, gracious.
Bootless. Useless, unavailing, unprofitable, profitless, vain.
Ant. Effectual, profitable, useful, effective.
Booty. Plunder, prey, spoil, pillage, loot.
Ant. Restitution, fine, forfeiture, confiscation, penalty.
Border. Edge, limit, boundary, brink, rim, verge, enclosure, confine, band.
Ant. Land, tract, interior, center, space, substance.
Bore. Pierce, perforate, penetrate, drill; weary, plague, trouble, vex, worry, annoy.
Ant. Delight, gratify, please.
Bosom. Breast, heart, affection; hollow, depths, midst, inmost recesses; retreat, retirement, quiet, privacy.
Ant. Surface, exterior, expanse; manner, deportment, demeanor.
Both. Twain, two.
Ant. Either, each, every, neither, none, not any, no one.
Bother. Worry, pester, perplex, harass, plague, tease, vex, molest, annoy, excite.
Ant. Aid, assist, calm, quiet, compose.
Bottom. Deep, profound, base, foot; foundation, basis, groundwork; valley, meadow; ship, vessel; seat; grounds, lees, sediments; stamina, power of endurance.
Ant. Top, height, acme, apex, summit, crown, brow; surface.
Bound, v. Skip, leap, frisk, jump, spring; confine, limit, circumscribe, terminate, restrict, restrain.
Ant. Hobble, limp, crawl, creep, shamble; enlarge, open, extend, spread out.
Boundary. Margin, limit, confines, border, bound, frontier, line, marge, verge, termination, term, barrier, bourn, edge, enclosure, landmark; circumference.
Ant. Land, region, estate, interior, territory; center, citadel; inside.
Boundless. Unlimited, illimitable, unbounded, measureless, infinite.
Ant. Narrow, restricted, confined, circumscribed.
Bountiful. Liberal, generous, benevolent, unselfish, munificent.
Ant. Miserly, selfish, stingy, niggardly.
Bounty. Liberality, gift, generosity, charity, benefaction, benignity, benevolence, munificence, donation; premium, reward, bonus.
Ant. Closeness, stinginess, niggardliness, miserliness.
Bower. Recess, arbor, retreat, alcove, summerhouse.
Ant. Open place.
Brag. Boast, vaunt, bully, swagger.
Ant. Cringe, whine, whimper.
Braid. Bind, weave, plait, tie.
Ant. Unbind, dishevel.
Branch. Member, bough, limb, shoot, arm, twig, scion, offshoot, ramification; section, department, division; article, part, portion; tributary; derivative line, cognate stock.
Ant. Trunk, stock, stem; race, family, house.
Brand, v. Denounce, mark, stigmatize, disgrace.
Ant. Honor, decorate, distinguish.
Brandish. Flourish, wield, whisk, shake, wave.
Ant. Suspend, stay, arrest.
Bravado. Boasting, bragging, bluster.
Ant. Diffidence, reserve, concealment, modesty.
Brave. Fearless, heroic, undaunted, undismayed, adventurous, bold, courageous, daring, dauntless, gallant, intrepid, valiant, venturesome, doughty, chivalrous, chivalric, splendid, courteous.
Ant. Afraid, cringing, fearful, shrinking, timid, timorous, frightened, cowardly, faint-hearted, pusillanimous, churlish, discourteous, fearsome.
Brawny. Muscular, strong, powerful, athletic, sinewy, herculean, robust, stout.
Ant. Weak, fragile, delicate, feeble, effeminate, lean.
Breach. Break, rupture, opening, fracture, flaw, fissure, rent; violation, infringement, non-observance; quarrel, difference, variance, dissension, schism, alienation.
Ant. Integrity, wholeness, flawlessness, completeness; reconciliation, healing; conservation, observance; inviolateness; union, fidelity, amalgamation.
Break. Fracture, rend, part, sever, shatter, smash, shiver; weaken, impair, enfeeble, enervate; tame; make bankrupt; dismiss, discard, degrade, cashier; mitigate, assuage; interrupt, stop, cut short; open, unfold; destroy, sunder, burst, rive, crack, crush, demolish, rupture, split, transgress.
Ant. Fasten, join, mend, secure, unite, weld, attach, bind, solder, heal, piece, conjoin, rejoin; protect, conserve; encourage, strengthen, preserve; observe, obey.
Breast. Bosom, heart, affection, conscience.
Breathless. Out of breath; lifeless, dead; exhausted, eager, absorbed, attentive, fascinated; astonished, astounded, bewildered.
Ant. Calm, collected, cool, composed; indifferent, uninterested.
Breed, n. Lineage, race, pedigree, progeny, stock, line, family, extraction, strain.
Ant. Ancestor, source, original, origin.
Breed, v. Bring forth, bear, beget, produce; nurture, foster, nourish; discipline, educate, instruct, train, teach, school; occasion, originate, generate, procreate, propagate, cause, evolve.
Ant. Destroy, extirpate, stifle, extinguish.
Breeding. Discipline, instruction, education, nurture, training, schooling; manners, deportment.
Ant. Ill manners, misbehavior; ignorance, illiteracy.
Brevity. Shortness, terseness, conciseness, compression, pithiness, succinctness, pointedness; abbreviation, abridgment.
Ant. Prolixity, diffuseness, verbosity, length, protraction, elongation, extension, tediousness.
Brew. Concoct, compound, mix, hatch, foment, excite; prepare, collect, gather, grow; threaten, impend; form.
Ant. Disperse, break, spoil, mar, miscompound.
Bridle, v. Restrain, curb, control, govern, check; bristle, ruffle; master, moderate, compress, repress.
Ant. Relax, loosen, give vent, liberate, discharge; soothe, calm.
Brief. Short, concise, succinct.
Ant. Long, tedious, diffuse.
Bright. Shining, resplendent, luminous, glowing, lustrous, beaming, gleaming, glistening, blazing, flaming, flashing, radiant, ruddy, refulgent, brilliant, dazzling, sparkling, scintillating, burnished; lucid, clear, transparent, pellucid, lambent, cloudless, limpid; glorious, famous, illustrious; intelligent, acute, discerning, keen, ingenious; auspicious, promising, propitious, favorable, inspiring; cheerful, merry, lively, happy, animated.
Ant. Opaque, dull, dark, gloomy, black, ebon, shadowy, rayless, sunless, murky, cloudy, overcast, pitchy, lurid; obscure, mysterious, enigmatical, mystic, unintelligible, occult, recondite, abstruse, cabalistic, transcendental; disheartening, discouraging, dismal, cheerless; ignorant, unlettered, untaught, imbecile, rude, benighted; foul, infamous, horrible, damnable, vile, infernal, wicked, sullen, atrocious, dejected.
Brilliant. Bright, radiant, flashing, lustrous, glorious, luminous, effulgent, beaming, sparkling; illustrious, distinguished, celebrated, famous, renowned, eminent.
Ant. Dark, dull, stupid, gloomy; notorious, infamous; obscure, insignificant.
Bring. Bear, fetch, convey; conduct, guide, lead, attend, accompany, convoy; obtain, gain, procure, produce; induce, prevail upon.
Ant. Remove, export, send, exclude, debar, transport, abstract, subtract.
Brisk. Lively, quick, vivacious, active, alert, animated, prompt, sprightly, nimble, spry, agile.
Ant. Slow, heavy, dull, sluggish, indolent, inactive, unenergetic, stagnant.
Bristling. Full, crowded, swarming, stocked, multifarious, multitudinous; bristly, standing on end like bristles; ruffled, roughened, corrugated, bespined; bridled, angered, offended.
Ant. Smooth, soothed, allayed; prone; bare, nude, scant, devoid, vacant.
Brittle. Fragile, crumbling, shivery, frail, easily broken.
Ant. Tough, stout, strong, hardy.
Broach. Open, pierce, tap; suggest, hint, approach, break; utter, publish, proclaim, give out; originate, propound.
Ant. Repress, cork, bottle, secrete, conceal, hide.
Broad. Wide; large, ample, extensive, vast, spacious, capacious; liberal, tolerant, free, hospitable; spread, diffused, open; gross, vulgar, indecent, coarse.
Ant. Narrow; contracted, restricted, confined, limited; prejudiced, illiberal, bigoted, reserved; veiled, enigmatical, shrouded, shaded; refined, delicate, sketchy; specific, pointed.
Broil. Affray, quarrel, contention.
Brook. Tolerate, bear, suffer, endure, abide, submit to, undergo, permit.
Ant. Resist, resent, reject.
Brotherhood. Fraternity, fellowship, association, sodality, society.
Browbeat. Bully, intimidate, bulldoze, overawe.
Ant. Rally, support.
Bruise. Pommel, crush, squeeze, break, pound, batter, deface.
Ant. Heal, soothe.
Brunt. Shock, attack, impulse, onslaught, onset, assault.
Ant. Repulse, resistance, endurance.
Brutal. Brutish, animal, beastly, bestial; savage, ferocious, cruel, harsh, uncivil, rude, rough, gruff, impolite, brusque; sensual, carnal.
Ant. Humane, self-controlled, civilized, enlightened, elevated, noble, refined, intelligent, grand.
Bubble. Toy, trifle, fancy, conceit, dream, vision, froth, trash.
Ant. Prize, treasure, reality, substance, jewel, good, advantage.
Buffoon. Wag, clown, jester, mountebank, harlequin, droll, punch, fool.
Ant. Wit, genius, pedant, philosopher.
Build. Make, form, shape, figure, model; construct, erect, raise.
Ant. Demolish, overthrow, destroy.
Building. Architecture, edifice, structure, fabric, pile, erection.
Ant. Ruin, demolition, dilapidation, dismantlement.
Bulk. Magnitude, size, volume, mass; greatness, amplitude, massiveness; majority, major part, most, principal part; dimension.
Ant. Portion, section, atom, particle; diminution, tenuity, contraction, dismemberment, disintegration.
Bulwark. Rampart, fortress, fortification, stronghold, intrenchment, bastion, parapet, citadel.
Ant. Siege, bombardment, cannonade, boarding, storming.
Bungler. Botcher, clown, fumbler, clumsy workman, novice.
Ant. Adept, adroit, master, artist, proficient workman, professor.
Buoy, v. Float, support, sustain; elevate, inspire, assure, animate, cheer.
Ant. Sink, drown, depress, swamp; crush, betray, fail, deject, overcome.
Buoyant. Light; cheerful, hopeful, sprightly, vivacious, joyous, blithesome, jocund, sportive, jubilant, elastic, floating.
Ant. Heavy, dejected, depressed, moody, joyless, cheerless, desponding.
Burden. Load, weight; cargo, freight; capacity, tonnage: impediment, incubus, grievance, trial, trouble, affliction, sorrow; chorus, refrain; topic, drift, tenor, point, substance.
Ant. Ease, lightness; facility, airiness, light-heartedness; consolation, assuagement, alleviation, liberation, mitigation.
Burial. Interment, sepulture, entombment, burying.
Ant. Exhumation, disinterment.
Burlesque. Parody, travesty, caricature, ridicule, farce.
Ant. Classic, history, fact.
Burn. Char, consume, cremate, scorch, set on fire, singe, ignite, incinerate, kindle, blaze, cauterize, glow, smolder.
Ant. Smother, stifle, subdue, extinguish, cool, put out; subside, glimmer, lower, pale.
Burnish. Brighten, polish, make to glisten, glaze, gloss.
Ant. Dull, bedim, cloud, scratch, abrade.
Burst. Break, open, explode, blow up, rend, split, crack, discharge, shatter, disrupt.
Ant. Cohere, hold, stand, stick together, adhere.
Bury. Inter, cover up, entomb, inearth, inhume, inurn; shroud, conceal, secrete, hide; immure, confine; cancel, compose, hush, cover with oblivion.
Ant. Resurrect, exhume, disinter, excavate, expose, resuscitate; publish, announce, advertise.
Business. Employment, craft, trade, commerce, handicraft, traffic, transaction, work, vocation, job, affairs, avocation, profession, occupation, calling, concern, duty, office, interest.
Ant. Stagnation, leisure, inactivity.
Bustle. Activity, stir, commotion, excitement, haste, hurry, energy, eagerness, flurry.
Ant. Idleness, inactivity, vacation, stagnation, quiet, indolence, indifference, unconcern.
Busy. Engaged, employed, occupied; diligent, industrious, active, working, sedulous; brisk, stirring, bustling, agile, spry, nimble; meddling, officious.
Ant. Idle, lazy, indolent, slothful.
But. Save, except, furthermore, barely, besides, however, just, only, notwithstanding, though, unless, yet, still, merely, nevertheless, provided, moreover.
Buxom. Bonny, blithe, shapely.
Ant. Lean, slender, ill-shaped.
Buy. Purchase, bargain, acquire; bribe, corrupt, pervert, suborn, subsidize.
Ant. Sell, hawk, retail, vend.
By. Through, with; at, on; from, according to; near, close by; past; along, over; before, in the sight of, in the name of; per, at.