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English Synonyms and Antonyms

<h3>ENTERTAIN.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>amuse,</td><td>cheer,</td><td>disport,</td><td>enliven,</td><td>interest,</td><td>please,</td></tr> <tr><td>beguile,</td><td>delight,</td><td>divert,</td><td>gratify,</td><td>occupy,</td><td>recreate.</td></tr> </table> To entertain, in the sense here considered, is to engage and pleasantly occupy the attention; to amuse is to occupy the attention in an especially bright and cheerful way, often with that which excites merriment or laughter; as, he entertained us with an amusing story. To divert is to turn from serious thoughts or laborious pursuits to something that lightly and agreeably occupies the mind; one may be entertained or amused who has nothing serious or laborious from which to be diverted. To recreate, literally to re-create, is to engage mind or body in some pleasing activity that restores strength and energy for serious work. To beguile is, as it were, to cheat into cheer and comfort by something that insensibly draws thought or feeling away from pain or disquiet. We beguile a weary hour, cheer the despondent, divert the preoccupied, enliven a dull evening or company, gratify our friends' wishes, entertain, interest, please a listening audience, occupy idle time, disport ourselves when merry, recreate when worn with toil; we amuse ourselves or others with whatever pleasantly passes the time without special exertion, each according to his taste. <h4>Antonyms:</h4> <table class="tba" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>annoy,</td><td>bore,</td><td>busy,</td><td>disquiet,</td><td>distract,</td><td>disturb,</td><td>tire,</td><td>weary.</td></tr> </table> <hr /> <h3>ENTERTAINMENT.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>amusement,</td><td>diversion,</td><td>fun,</td><td>pleasure,</td></tr> <tr><td>cheer,</td><td>enjoyment,</td><td>merriment,</td><td>recreation,</td></tr> <tr><td>delight,</td><td>frolic,</td><td>pastime,</td><td>sport.</td></tr> </table> Entertainment and recreation imply thought and mental occupation, tho in an agreeable, refreshing way; they are therefore words of a high order. Entertainment, apart from its special senses of a public performance or a social party, and predominantly even there, is used of somewhat mirthful mental delight; recreation may, and usually does, combine the mental with the physical. Amusement and pastime are nearly equivalent, the latter probably the lighter word; many slight things may be pastimes which we should hardly dignify by the name of amusements. Sports are almost wholly on the physical plane, tho involving a certain grade of mental action; fox-hunting, horse-racing, and baseball are sports. Certain sports may afford entertainment or recreation to certain persons, according to their individual tastes; but entertainment and recreation are capable of a meaning so high as never to be approached by any meaning of sport. Cheer may be very quiet, as the cheer of a bright fire to an aged traveler; merriment is with liveliness and laughter; fun and frolic are apt to be boisterous. Amusement is a form of enjoyment, but enjoyment may be too keen to be called amusement. Compare synonyms for ENTERTAIN. <h4>Antonyms:</h4> <table class="tba" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>ennui,</td><td>fatigue,</td><td>labor,</td><td>lassitude,</td><td>toil,</td><td>weariness,</td><td>work.</td></tr> </table> <hr /> <h3>ENTHUSIASM.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>ardor,</td><td>excitement,</td><td>frenzy,</td><td>transport,</td></tr> <tr><td>devotion,</td><td>extravagance,</td><td>inspiration,</td><td>vehemence,</td></tr> <tr><td>eagerness,</td><td>fanaticism,</td><td>intensity,</td><td>warmth,</td></tr> <tr><td>earnestness,</td><td>fervency,</td><td>passion,</td><td>zeal.</td></tr> <tr><td>ecstasy,</td><td>fervor,</td><td colspan="2">rapture,</td></tr> </table> The old meaning of enthusiasm implies a pseudo-inspiration, an almost frantic extravagance in behalf of something supposed to be an expression of the divine will. This sense remains as the controlling one in the kindred noun enthusiast. Enthusiasm has now chiefly the meaning of an earnest and commendable devotion, an intense and eager interest. Against the hindrances of the world, nothing great and good can be carried without a certain fervor, intensity, and vehemence; these joined with faith, courage, and hopefulness make enthusiasm. Zeal is burning earnestness, always tending to vigorous action with all the devotion of enthusiasm, tho often without its hopefulness. Compare EAGER. <h4>Antonyms:</h4> <table class="tba" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>calculation,</td><td>caution,</td><td>deadness,</td><td>indifference,</td><td>policy,</td><td>timidity,</td></tr> <tr><td>calmness,</td><td>coldness,</td><td>dulness,</td><td>lukewarmness,</td><td>prudence,</td><td>wariness.</td></tr> </table> <hr /> <h3>ENTRANCE.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>access,</td><td>approach,</td><td>gate,</td><td>introduction,</td></tr> <tr><td>accession,</td><td>door,</td><td>gateway,</td><td>opening,</td></tr> <tr><td>adit,</td><td>doorway,</td><td>ingress,</td><td>penetration,</td></tr> <tr><td>admission,</td><td>entrée,</td><td>inlet,</td><td>portal.</td></tr> <tr><td>admittance,</td><td colspan="3">entry,</td></tr> </table> Entrance, the act of entering, refers merely to the fact of passing from without to within some enclosure; admission and admittance refer to entering by or with some one's consent, or at least to opportunity afforded by some one's act or neglect. We may effect or force an entrance, but not admittance or admission; those we gain, procure, obtain, secure, win. Admittance refers to place, admission refers also to position, privilege, favor, friendship, etc. An intruder may gain admittance to the hall of a society who would not be allowed admission to its membership. Approach is a movement toward another; access is coming all the way to his presence, recognition, and consideration. An unworthy favorite may prevent even those who gain admittance to a king's audience from obtaining any real access to the king. Entrance is also used figuratively for setting out upon some career, or becoming a member of some organization; as, we speak of one's entrance upon college life, or of entrance into the ministry. <h4>Antonyms:</h4> <table class="tba" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>departure,</td><td>ejection,</td><td>exit,</td><td>refusal,</td><td rowspan="2">withdrawal.</td></tr> <tr><td>egress,</td><td>exclusion,</td><td>expulsion,</td><td>rejection,</td></tr> </table> <h4>Prepositions:</h4> Entrance into a place; on or upon a work or course of action; into or upon office; into battle; by or through the door; within the gates; into or among the company. <hr /> <h3>ENVIOUS.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>jealous,</td><td>suspicious.</td></tr> </table> One is envious who cherishes selfish ill will toward another because of his superior success, endowments, possessions, or the like. A person is envious of that which is another's, and to which he himself has no right or claim; he is jealous of intrusion upon that which is his own, or to which he maintains a right or claim. An envious spirit is always bad; a jealous spirit may be good or bad, according to its object and tendency. A free people must be jealous of their liberties if they would retain them. One is suspicious of another from unfavorable indications or from a knowledge of wrong in his previous conduct, or even without reason. Compare DOUBT. <h4>Antonyms:</h4> <table class="tba" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>contented,</td><td>friendly,</td><td>kindly,</td><td>satisfied,</td><td>trustful,</td><td>well-disposed.</td></tr> </table> <h4>Prepositions:</h4> Envious of (formerly at or against) a person; envious of his wealth or power; envious of him for, because of, on account of his wealth or power. <hr /> <h3>EQUIVOCAL.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>ambiguous,</td><td>enigmatical,</td><td>indistinct,</td><td>questionable,</td></tr> <tr><td>doubtful,</td><td>indefinite,</td><td>obscure,</td><td>suspicious,</td></tr> <tr><td>dubious,</td><td>indeterminate,</td><td>perplexing,</td><td>uncertain.</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="4">enigmatic,</td></tr> </table> Equivocal (L. equus, equal, and vox, voice, word) denotes that which may equally well be understood in either of two or more ways. Ambiguous (L. ambi, around, and ago, drive, lead) signifies lacking in distinctness or certainty, obscure or doubtful through indefiniteness of expression. Ambiguous is applied only to spoken or written statements; equivocal has other applications. A statement is ambiguous when it leaves the mind of the reader or hearer to fluctuate between two meanings, which would fit the language equally well; it is equivocal when it would naturally be understood in one way, but is capable of a different interpretation; an equivocal expression is, as a rule, intentionally deceptive, while an ambiguous utterance may be simply the result of a want either of clear thought or of adequate expression. That which is enigmatical must be guessed like a riddle; a statement may be purposely made enigmatical in order to provoke thought and study. That is doubtful which is fairly open to doubt; that is dubious which has become the subject of doubts so grave as scarcely to fall short of condemnation; as, a dubious reputation. Questionable may be used nearly in the sense either of dubious or of doubtful; a questionable statement is one that must be proved before it can be accepted. To say that one's honesty is questionable is a mild way of saying that in the opinion of the speaker he is likely to prove dishonest. Equivocal is sometimes, tho more rarely, used in this sense. A suspicious character gives manifest reason to be suspected; a suspicious temper is inclined to suspect the motives and intentions of others, with or without reason. Compare CLEAR. <h4>Antonyms:</h4> <table class="tba" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>certain,</td><td>evident,</td><td>lucid,</td><td>perspicuous,</td><td>unequivocal,</td></tr> <tr><td>clear,</td><td>indisputable,</td><td>manifest,</td><td>plain,</td><td>unquestionable,</td></tr> <tr><td>distinct,</td><td>indubitable,</td><td>obvious,</td><td>unambiguous,</td><td>unquestioned.</td></tr> </table> <hr /> <h3>ESTEEM, v.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>appreciate,</td><td>consider,</td><td>estimate,</td><td>prize,</td><td>think,</td></tr> <tr><td>calculate,</td><td>deem,</td><td>hold,</td><td>regard,</td><td>value.</td></tr> </table> Esteem and estimate alike imply to set a certain mental value upon, but esteem is less precise and mercantile than calculate or estimate. We esteem a jewel precious; we estimate it to be worth so much money. This sense of esteem is now chiefly found in literary or oratorical style, and in certain conventional phrases; as, I esteem it an honor, a favor. In popular usage esteem, as said of persons, denotes a union of respect and kindly feeling and, in the highest sense, of moral approbation; as, one whom I highly esteem; the word may be used in a similar sense of material things or abstractions; as, one whose friendship I esteem; a shell greatly esteemed for inlaid work. To appreciate anything is to be deeply or keenly sensible of or sensitive to its qualities or influence, to see its full import, be alive to its value, importance, or worth; as, to appreciate beauty or harmony; to appreciate one's services in a cause; the word is similarly, tho rarely, used of persons. To prize is to set a high value on for something more than merely commercial reasons. One may value some object, as a picture, beyond all price, as a family heirloom, or may prize it as the gift of an esteemed friend, without at all appreciating its artistic merit or commercial value. To regard (F. regarder, look at, observe) is to have a certain mental view favorable or unfavorable; as, I regard him as a friend; or, I regard him as a villain; regard has a distinctively favorable sense as applied to institutions, proprieties, duties, etc., but does not share the use of the noun regard as applied to persons; we regard the Sabbath; we regard a person's feelings; we have a regard for the person. Compare ESTEEM, n. <hr /> <h3>ESTEEM, n.</h3> <h4>Synonyms:</h4> <table class="tbs" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>estimate,</td><td>estimation,</td><td>favor,</td><td>regard,</td><td>respect.</td></tr> </table> Esteem for a person is a favorable opinion on the basis of worth, especially of moral worth, joined with a feeling of interest in and attraction toward the person. Regard for a person is the mental view or feeling that springs from a sense of his value, excellence, or superiority, with a cordial and hearty friendliness. Regard is more personal and less distant than esteem, and adds a special kindliness; respect is a more distant word than esteem. Respect may be wholly on one side, while regard is more often mutual; respect in the fullest sense is given to what is lofty, worthy, and honorable, or to a person of such qualities; we may pay an external respect to one of lofty station, regardless of personal qualities, showing respect for the office. Estimate has more of calculation; as, my estimate of the man, or of his abilities, is very high. Estimation involves the idea of calculation or appraisal with that of esteem or regard, and is especially used of the feeling entertained by numbers of people; as, he stood high in public estimation. Compare ESTEEM, v.; FRIENDSHIP; LOVE. <h4>Antonyms:</h4> <table class="tba" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td>abhorrence,</td><td>aversion,</td><td>dislike,</td><td>loathing,</td></tr> <tr><td>antipathy,</td><td>contempt,</td><td>hatred,</td><td>repugnance.</td></tr> </table> <hr /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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