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English Synonyms and Antonyms

<h3>CHARACTER.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>constitution,</td><td>genius,</td><td>personality,</td><td>reputation,</td><td>temper,</td></tr> <tr><td>disposition,</td><td>nature,</td><td>record,</td><td>spirit,</td><td>temperament.</td></tr> </table> Character is what one is; reputation, what he is thought to be; his record is the total of his known action or inaction. As a rule, a man's record will substantially express his character; his reputation may be higher or lower than his character or record will justify. Repute is a somewhat formal word, with the same general sense as reputation. One's nature includes all his original endowments or propensities; character includes both natural and acquired traits. We speak of one's physical constitution as strong or weak, etc., and figuratively, always with the adjective, of his mental or moral constitution. Compare CHARACTERISTIC. <h4>Prepositions:</h4> The witness has a character for veracity; his character is above suspicion; the character of the applicant. <hr /> <h3>CHARACTERISTIC.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>attribute,</td><td>feature,</td><td>peculiarity,</td><td>sign,</td><td>trace,</td></tr> <tr><td>character,</td><td>indication,</td><td>property,</td><td>singularity,</td><td>trait.</td></tr> <tr><td>distinction,</td><td>mark,</td><td colspan="3">quality,</td></tr> </table> A characteristic belongs to the nature or character of the person, thing, or class, and serves to identify an object; as, a copper-colored skin, high cheek-bones, and straight, black hair are characteristics of the American Indian. A sign is manifest to an observer; a mark or a characteristic may be more difficult to discover; an insensible person may show signs of life, while sometimes only close examination will disclose marks of violence. Pallor is ordinarily a mark of fear; but in some brave natures it is simply a characteristic of intense earnestness. Mark is sometimes used in a good, but often in a bad sense; we speak of the characteristic of a gentleman, the mark of a villain. Compare ATTRIBUTE; CHARACTER. <hr /> <h3>CHARMING.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>bewitching,</td><td>delightful,</td><td>enrapturing,</td><td>fascinating,</td></tr> <tr><td>captivating,</td><td>enchanting,</td><td>entrancing,</td><td>winning.</td></tr> </table> That is charming or bewitching which is adapted to win others as by a magic spell. Enchanting, enrapturing, entrancing represent the influence as not only supernatural, but irresistible and delightful. That which is fascinating may win without delighting, drawing by some unseen power, as a serpent its prey; we can speak of horrible fascination. Charming applies only to what is external to oneself; delightful may apply to personal experiences or emotions as well; we speak of a charming manner, a charming dress, but of delightful anticipations. Compare AMIABLE; BEAUTIFUL. <hr /> <h3>CHASTEN.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>afflict,</td><td>chastise,</td><td>discipline,</td><td>punish,</td><td>refine,</td><td>subdue,</td></tr> <tr><td>castigate,</td><td>correct,</td><td>humble,</td><td>purify,</td><td>soften,</td><td>try.</td></tr> </table> Castigate and chastise refer strictly to corporal punishment, tho both are somewhat archaic; correct and punish are often used as euphemisms in preference to either. Punish is distinctly retributive in sense; chastise, partly retributive, and partly corrective; chasten, wholly corrective. Chasten is used exclusively in the spiritual sense, and chiefly of the visitation of God. <h4>Prepositions:</h4> "We are chastened of the Lord," 1 Cor. xi, 32; "they ... chastened us after their own pleasure, but He for our profit," Heb. xii, 10; "chasten in thy hot displeasure," Ps. iv, 7; chasten with pain; by trials and sorrows. <hr /> <h3>CHERISH.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>cheer,</td><td>encourage,</td><td>harbor,</td><td>nurse,</td><td>shelter,</td></tr> <tr><td>cling to,</td><td>entertain,</td><td>hold dear,</td><td>nurture,</td><td>treasure,</td></tr> <tr><td>comfort,</td><td>foster,</td><td>nourish,</td><td>protect,</td><td>value.</td></tr> </table> To cherish is both to hold dear and to treat as dear. Mere unexpressed esteem would not be cherishing. In the marriage vow, "to love, honor, and cherish," the word cherish implies all that each can do by love and tenderness for the welfare and happiness of the other, as by support, protection, care in sickness, comfort in sorrow, sympathy, and help of every kind. To nurse is to tend the helpless or feeble, as infants, or the sick or wounded. To nourish is strictly to sustain and build up by food; to nurture includes careful mental and spiritual training, with something of love and tenderness; to foster is simply to maintain and care for, to bring up; a foster-child will be nourished, but may not be as tenderly nurtured or as lovingly cherished as if one's own. In the figurative sense, the opinion one cherishes he holds, not with mere cold conviction, but with loving devotion. <h4>Antonyms:</h4> See synonyms for ABANDON; CHASTEN. <hr /> <h3>CHOOSE.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>cull,</td><td>elect,</td><td>pick,</td><td>pick out,</td><td>prefer,</td><td>select.</td></tr> </table> Prefer indicates a state of desire and approval; choose, an act of will. Prudence or generosity may lead one to choose what he does not prefer. Select implies a careful consideration of the reasons for preference and choice. Among objects so nearly alike that we have no reason to prefer any one to another we may simply choose the nearest, but we could not be said to select it. Aside from theology, elect is popularly confined to the political sense; as, a free people elect their own rulers. Cull, from the Latin colligere, commonly means to collect, as well as to select. In a garden we cull the choicest flowers. <h4>Antonyms:</h4> <table class="tba" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>cast away,</td><td>decline,</td><td>dismiss,</td><td>refuse,</td><td>repudiate,</td></tr> <tr><td>cast out,</td><td>disclaim,</td><td>leave,</td><td>reject,</td><td>throw aside.</td></tr> </table> <h4>Prepositions:</h4> Choose from or from among the number; choose out of the army; choose between (or betwixt) two; among many; choose for the purpose. <hr /> <h3>CIRCUMLOCUTION.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>diffuseness,</td><td>prolixity,</td><td>surplusage,</td><td>verbiage,</td></tr> <tr><td>periphrasis,</td><td>redundance,</td><td>tautology,</td><td>verbosity,</td></tr> <tr><td>pleonasm,</td><td>redundancy,</td><td>tediousness,</td><td>wordiness.</td></tr> </table> Circumlocution and periphrasis are roundabout ways of expressing thought; circumlocution is the more common, periphrasis the more technical word. Constant circumlocution produces an affected and heavy style; occasionally, skilful periphrasis conduces both to beauty and to simplicity. Etymologically, diffuseness is a scattering, both of words and thought; redundancy is an overflow. Prolixity goes into endless petty details, without selection or perspective. Pleonasm is the expression of an idea already plainly implied; tautology is the restatement in other words of an idea already stated, or a useless repetition of a word or words. Pleonasm may add emphasis; tautology is always a fault. "I saw it with my eyes" is a pleonasm; "all the members agreed unanimously" is tautology. Verbiage is the use of mere words without thought. Verbosity and wordiness denote an excess of words in proportion to the thought. Tediousness is the sure result of any of these faults of style. <h4>Antonyms:</h4> <table class="tba" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>brevity,</td><td>compression,</td><td>condensation,</td><td>plainness,</td><td>succinctness,</td></tr> <tr><td>compactness,</td><td>conciseness,</td><td>directness,</td><td>shortness,</td><td>terseness.</td></tr> </table> <hr /> <h3>CIRCUMSTANCE.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>accompaniment,</td><td>fact,</td><td>item,</td><td>point,</td></tr> <tr><td>concomitant,</td><td>feature,</td><td>occurrence,</td><td>position,</td></tr> <tr><td>detail,</td><td>incident,</td><td>particular,</td><td>situation.</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="4">event,</td></tr> </table> A circumstance (L. circum, around, and sto, stand), is something existing or occurring in connection with or relation to some other fact or event, modifying or throwing light upon the principal matter without affecting its essential character; an accompaniment is something that unites with the principal matter, tho not necessary to it; as, the piano accompaniment to a song; a concomitant goes with a thing in natural connection, but in a subordinate capacity, or perhaps in contrast; as, cheerfulness is a concomitant of virtue. A circumstance is not strictly, nor usually, an occasion, condition, effect, or result. (See these words under CAUSE.) Nor is the circumstance properly an incident. (See under ACCIDENT.) We say, "My decision will depend upon circumstances"—not "upon incidents." That a man wore a blue necktie would not probably be the cause, occasion, condition, or concomitant of his committing murder; but it might be a very important circumstance in identifying him as the murderer. All the circumstances make up the situation. A certain disease is the cause of a man's death; his suffering is an incident; that he is in his own home, that he has good medical attendance, careful nursing, etc., are consolatory circumstances. With the same idea of subordination, we often say, "This is not a circumstance to that." So a person is said to be in easy circumstances. Compare EVENT. <h4>Prepositions:</h4> "Mere situation is expressed by 'in the circumstances'; action affected is performed 'under the circumstances.'" [M.] <hr /> <h3>CLASS.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>association,</td><td>circle,</td><td>clique,</td><td>company,</td><td>grade,</td><td>rank,</td></tr> <tr><td>caste,</td><td>clan,</td><td>club,</td><td>coterie,</td><td>order,</td><td>set.</td></tr> </table> A class is a number or body of persons or objects having common pursuits, purposes, attributes, or characteristics. A caste is hereditary; a class may be independent of lineage or descent; membership in a caste is supposed to be for life; membership in a class may be very transient; a religious and ceremonial sacredness attaches to the caste, as not to the class. The rich and the poor form separate classes; yet individuals are constantly passing from each to the other; the classes in a college remain the same, but their membership changes every year. We speak of rank among hereditary nobility or military officers; of various orders of the priesthood; by accommodation, we may refer in a general way to the higher ranks, the lower orders of any society. Grade implies some regular scale of valuation, and some inherent qualities for which a person or thing is placed higher or lower in the scale; as, the coarser and finer grades of wool; a man of an inferior grade. A coterie is a small company of persons of similar tastes, who meet frequently in an informal way, rather for social enjoyment than for any serious purpose. Clique has always an unfavorable meaning. A clique is always fractional, implying some greater gathering of which it is a part; the association breaks up into cliques. Persons unite in a coterie through simple liking for one another; they withdraw into a clique largely through aversion to outsiders. A set, while exclusive, is more extensive than a clique, and chiefly of persons who are united by common social station, etc. Circle is similar in meaning to set, but of wider application; we speak of scientific and religious as well as of social circles. <h4>Prepositions:</h4> A class of merchants; the senior class at (sometimes of) Harvard; the classes in college. <hr /> <h3>CLEANSE.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>brush,</td><td>dust,</td><td>purify,</td><td>scour,</td><td>sponge,</td><td>wash,</td></tr> <tr><td>clean,</td><td>lave,</td><td>rinse,</td><td>scrub,</td><td>sweep,</td><td>wipe.</td></tr> <tr><td>disinfect,</td><td colspan="5">mop,</td></tr> </table> To clean is to make clean by removing dirt, impurities, or soil of any kind. Cleanse implies a worse condition to start from, and more to do, than clean. Hercules cleansed the Augean stables. Cleanse is especially applied to purifying processes where liquid is used, as in the flushing of a street, etc. We brush clothing if dusty, sponge it, or sponge it off, if soiled; or sponge off a spot. Furniture, books, etc., are dusted; floors are mopped or scrubbed; metallic utensils are scoured; a room is swept; soiled garments are washed; foul air or water is purified. Cleanse and purify are used extensively in a moral sense; wash in that sense is archaic. Compare AMEND. <h4>Antonyms:</h4> <table class="tba" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>befoul,</td><td>besmirch,</td><td>contaminate,</td><td>debase,</td><td>deprave,</td><td>soil,</td><td>stain,</td><td>taint,</td></tr> <tr><td>besmear,</td><td>bespatter,</td><td>corrupt,</td><td>defile,</td><td>pollute,</td><td>spoil,</td><td>sully,</td><td>vitiate.</td></tr> </table> <h4>Prepositions:</h4> Cleanse of or from physical or moral defilement; cleanse with an instrument; by an agent; the room was cleansed by the attendants with soap and water. <hr /> <h3>CLEAR.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>apparent,</td><td>intelligible,</td><td>pellucid,</td><td>transparent,</td></tr> <tr><td>diaphanous,</td><td>limpid,</td><td>perspicuous,</td><td>unadorned,</td></tr> <tr><td>distinct,</td><td>lucid,</td><td>plain,</td><td>unambiguous,</td></tr> <tr><td>evident,</td><td>manifest,</td><td>straightforward,</td><td>unequivocal,</td></tr> <tr><td>explicit,</td><td>obvious,</td><td>translucent,</td><td>unmistakable.</td></tr> </table> Clear (L. clarus, bright, brilliant) primarily refers to that which shines, and impresses the mind through the eye with a sense of luster or splendor. A substance is said to be clear that offers no impediment to vision—is not dim, dark, or obscure. Transparent refers to the medium through which a substance is seen, clear to the substance itself, without reference to anything to be seen through it; we speak of a stream as clear when we think of the water itself; we speak of it as transparent with reference to the ease with which we see the pebbles at the bottom. Clear is also said of that which comes to the senses without dimness, dulness, obstruction, or obscurity, so that there is no uncertainty as to its exact form, character, or meaning, with something of the brightness or brilliancy implied in the primary meaning of the word clear; as, the outlines of the ship were clear against the sky; a clear view; a clear note; "clear as a bell;" a clear, frosty air; a clear sky; a clear statement; hence, the word is used for that which is free from any kind of obstruction; as, a clear field. Lucid and pellucid refer to a shining clearness, as of crystal. A transparent body allows the forms and colors of objects beyond to be seen through it; a translucent body allows light to pass through, but may not permit forms and colors to be distinguished; plate glass is transparent, ground glass is translucent. Limpid refers to a liquid clearness, or that which suggests it; as, limpid streams. That which is distinct is well defined, especially in outline, each part or object standing or seeming apart from any other, not confused, indefinite, or blurred; distinct enunciation enables the hearer to catch every word or vocal sound without perplexity or confusion; a distinct statement is free from indefiniteness or ambiguity; a distinct apprehension of a thought leaves the mind in no doubt or uncertainty regarding it. That is plain, in the sense here considered, which is, as it were, level to the thought, so that one goes straight on without difficulty or hindrance; as, plain language; a plain statement; a clear explanation. Perspicuous is often equivalent to plain, but plain never wholly loses the meaning of unadorned, so that we can say the style is perspicuous tho highly ornate, when we could not call it at once ornate and plain. Compare EVIDENT. <h4>Antonyms:</h4> <table class="tba" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>ambiguous,</td><td>dim,</td><td>foggy,</td><td>mysterious,</td><td>opaque,</td><td>unintelligible,</td></tr> <tr><td>cloudy,</td><td>dubious,</td><td>indistinct,</td><td>obscure,</td><td>turbid,</td><td>vague.</td></tr> </table> <h4>Prepositions:</h4> Clear to the mind; clear in argument; clear of or from annoyances. <hr /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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