WORD FAMILIES

Aspersion
Calumny
Defamation
Diatribe
Gainsay
Inveigh
Obloquy
Remonstrate
Reprove
Vituperate
Belittle
Castigate
Censure
Denounce
Disparage
Harangue
Lambaste
Opprobrium
Rebuke
Revile
Berate
Decry
CRITICIZE/CRITICISM or BLAME
Deride/Derisive
Excoriate
Impugn
Objurgate
Pillory
Reprehend
Tirade
Rant
Denigrate
Slur
Libel
Invective
Chastise
Reprimand
Reproof
Sully
Vilify
Tarnish
Chide
Defile
Scathing
 Apocryphal
Dissemble
Erroneous
Feigned
Perfidy
Spurious
Canard
Duplicity
FALSEHOOD Ersatz
Guile
Prevaricate
Chicanery
Equivocate
Fallacious
Mendacious/Mendacity
Specious
Factitious

Burgeoning
Inchoate
Callow
Incipient
YOUNG/BEGINNER/AMATEUR
Engender
Nascent
Dilettante
Novitiate
Fledgling
Proselyte
Neophyte
Tyro

Audacious
Courageous
Dauntless
Intrepid
BOLD
Plucky
Gutsy
Indomitable
Gallant

Capricious
Mercurial
Volatile
Fickle
Ephemeral
Changing / Not permanent Evanescent
Whimsical
Erratic
Quirky
Transitory
Transient
 Dither
Vacillate
HESITATE Oscillate
Waver
Teeter

Apace
Impetuous
ACT QUICKLY Abrupt
Precipitate
Headlong

Credulous
Ingenuous
INNOCENT/INEXPERIENCED Gullible
Naive

Abstruse
Bemusing
Esoteric
Opaque
Recondite
Cryptic
DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND Inscrutable
Turbid
Arcane
Enigmatic
Obscure
Perplexing
Arcane

Articulate
Evident
Pellucid
EASY TO UNDERSTAND Cogent
Limpid
Eloquent
Lucid
 Astute
Perspicacious
Canny
SMART/LEARNED Erudite
Sagacious
Incisive
Judicious

Bacchanalian
Iniquity
Licentious
Salacious
Depraved
Libertine
Reprobate
CAROUSAL
Sordid
Dissipated
Libidinous
-drunkenly festive; sin, evil act
Ribald
Turpitude
Insidious
Lewd
Bawdy
Decadent
Degenerate

Candor/Candid
Indisputable
Probity
Verity
Fealty
TRUTH
Indubitable
Sincere
Frankness
Legitimate
Veracious

Acerbic
Asperity
BITING Mordant
Acidulous
(As in wit or temperament) Caustic
Trenchant
-sarcastic, harsh, rough Acrimonious
Mordacious
Curmudgeon
 Acclaim
Encomium
Fawn
Accolade
PRAISE Eulogize
Laud/Laudatory
Aggrandize
Extol
Venerate/Veneration

Baleful
Inimical
Minatory
Baneful
Injurious
HARMFUL Perfidious
Deleterious
Insidious
Pernicious
Malicious

Craven
Recreant
Diffident
TIMID/TIMIDITY Timorous
Pusillanimous
Trepidation
Apostate(deserter)

Banal
Insipid
Platitude
Trite
Fatuous
BORING
Mundane
Prosaic
Hackneyed
Pedestrian
Quotidian
 Adulterate
Inhibit
Undermine
Enervate
WEAKEN
Obviate
Vitiate
Exacerbate
Stultify

Abet
Bolster
Espouse
Proponent
Advocate
ASSIST Corroborate
Mainstay
Ancillary
Countenance
Munificent
Sustenance

Antithetic
Irascible
Truculent
HOSTILE Churlish
Malevolent
Vindictive
Misanthropic
 Implacable
Intransigent
Recalcitrant
Untoward
Inexorable
STUBBORN Obdurate
Refractory
Vexing
Intractable
Obstinate
Renitent

Altruistic
Largess
Philanthropic
Beneficent
GENEROUS/KIND
Magnanimous
Unstinting
Clement
Munificent

Avaricious
Miserly
Venal
GREEDY Covetous
Penurious
Mercenary
Rapacious

Compendious
TERSE Pithy
Curt
Succinct
-concise, brief Laconic
Taciturn
 Bombastic
Grandiloquent
Prolix
Verbose
Circumlocution
OVERBLOWN/WORDY
Loquacious
Rhetoric
Garrulous
Periphrastic
Turgid

Authoritarian
Hegemonic (hegemony)
Tyrannical
DICTATORIAL Dogmatic
Imperious
Despotic
Peremptory

Abhorrence
Antipathy
Loathing
Rancor
Antagonism
HATRED
Detestation
Malice
Anathema
Enmity
Odium

Indolent
Languid
Phlegmatic
Torpid
Inert
LAZY/SLUGGISH
Lassitude
Quiescent
Lackadaisical
Lethargic
Slothful
 Ameliorate
Defer
Placate
Slake
Appease
PACIFY/SATISFY Mitigate
Propitiate
Soothe
Assuage
Mollify
Satiate

Absolve
Exonerate
Redress
Acquit
FORGIVE
Expiate
Vindicate
Exculpate
Palliate

Destitute
Impecunious
POOR
Esurient
Indigent

Ardor/Ardent
Partisan
Doctrinaire
FAVORING/NOT IMPARTIAL
Tendentious
Fervid
Zealot

Abnegate
Spartan
Abstain
DENYING OF SELF
Stoic
Ascetic
Temperate
 Ambulatory
WALKING ABOUT Itinerant
Peripatetic

Disingenuous (Ingenuous=innocent/
inexperienced)
Ostensible
Dissemble
INSINCERE Unctuous
Fulsome
Factitious (artificial)
Bogus

Discomfit
Forfend
Inhibit
Encumber
PREVENT/OBSTRUCT
Hinder
Occlude
Fetter
Impede

Aberrant
Discrete
Iconoclast
ECCENTRIC/DISSIMILAR Anachronism
Eclectic
Anomalous
Esoteric

Chortle
Flippant
Levity
Riposte
Droll
FUNNY Gibe
Ludicrous
Simper
Facetious
Jocular
Raillery
 Disconsolate
Elegiac
Lugubrious
Plaintive
Doleful
SORROW Forlorn
Melancholy
Threnody (death/mourning)
Dolor
Lament (death/mourning)
Morose

Abeyance
Abortive
Demur
Remission
Retrograde
Abjure
WITHDRAWAL/RETREAT Abrogate
Recant
Renege
Abnegation
Decamp
Recidivism
Rescind

Bereave
Demise
Knell
Moribund
Wraith
Cadaver
Dolorous
DEATH/MOURNING
Lament (sorrow)
Obsequies
Threnody (sorrow)
Defunct
Elegy
Macabre
Sepulchral
 Counterpart
Quintessence
Emulate
Paradigm (archetype/prototype)
COPY Simulated
Facsimile
Precursor

Equitable
EQUAL Equity
Tantamount

Aberration (eccentric/dissimilar)
Idiosyncrasy
UNUSUAL
Anomaly (eccentric/dissimilar)
Iconoclast (eccentric/dissimilar)

Discursive
Itinerant (walking about)
Sojourn
WANDERING Expatiate
Peregrination
Forage
Peripatetic (walking about)

Abatement
Hiatus
Lull
Respite
Aperture
GAPS/OPENINGS Interregnum
Orifice
Rift
Fissure
Interstice
Rent
 Beneficial
Salubrious
HEALTHY
Salutary
Wholesome

Abridge
Curtail
Terse
ABBREVIATED COMMUNICATION Compendium
Syllabus
Cursory
Synopsis

Adage
Axiom
Epigram
Truism
Aphorism
WISE SAYING
Bromide
Platitude
Apothegm
Dictum
Sententious

Conjugal
Endogamous
Progenitor
Consanguine
FAMILY
Filial
Scion
Distaff
Fratricide
 Askance
Carom
Gyrate
Oblique
Sinuous
Awry
Circuitous
CURVE/ TWIST/NOT STRAIGHT Labyrinth
Serrated
Undulating
Careen
Circumvent
Meander
Sidle
Vortex

Appraise
Descry
INVESTIGATE Ascertain
Peruse
Assay

Anachronism
Anterior
Eon
Fortnight
Synchronous
Antecede
Archaic
TIME/ORDER/DURATION
Ephemeral
Millennium
Temporal
Antedate
Diurnal
Epoch
Penultimate
 Bilious
Petulant
Querulous
Dudgeon
BAD MOOD Pettish
Umbrage
Irascible
Pique
Waspish

Abash
Vex
EMBARRASS Mortify
Chagrin
Gaucherie

Badger
Enjoin
Hector
Reproof
Cavil
Exhort
NAG/ COMPLAIN Martinet
Belabor
Harangue (criticize)
Remonstrate (criticize)
Bicker
Curmudgeon
Killjoy

PREDICT Augur
Harbinger
Prescient
Auspice
Portentous
Prognosticate
Fey
Presage
Clairvoyant
Diviner
Soothsayer
Oracle
Bode
 Foretell
Prophetic

Adventitious
Fortuitous
Propitious
Amulet (charm)
Kismet
LUCK
Portentous
Providential
Auspicious
Propitiate
Talisman (charm)

Fetid (disgusting/offensive)
Noisome (disgusting/offensive)
Noxious
Rank
Squalid
FOUL/ FILTHY/ DISGUSTING Putrid
Rebarbative
Fetid
Odious
Invidious
Putrid

Assonance
Dissonant
Cacophony
Raucous
HARSH-SOUNDING/ NOISE
Din
Strident
Pandemonium
Bedlam
 Euphonious
Sonorous
PLEASANT-SOUNDING Harmonious
Melodious
Dulcet

Sycophant
Toady
Fawn
FLATTERY Servile
Cajole
Fulsome