C2 Verbs
C2 verb vocabulary in alphabetical order with definitions and example sentences.
abate
To become less intense, severe, or widespread.
Example
The storm finally abated after three days of relentless rain.
abdicate
To renounce a throne, high office, or responsibility, especially in a formal manner.
Example
The king abdicated in favour of his eldest son after decades of rule.
abet
To encourage or assist someone in doing something wrong or criminal.
Example
She was charged with aiding and abetting the fraud scheme.
abhor
To regard with intense disgust or hatred.
Example
He abhorred any form of cruelty and dedicated his life to animal welfare.
abjure
To solemnly renounce or repudiate a belief, cause, or claim.
Example
Under pressure from the tribunal, he abjured his heretical views.
abrogate
To repeal or formally abolish a law, treaty, or agreement.
Example
The new government moved swiftly to abrogate the controversial trade agreement.
abscond
To leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to avoid legal consequences.
Example
The embezzler absconded with company funds before the audit could be completed.
absolve
To formally declare someone free from guilt, obligation, or punishment.
Example
The court absolved him of all charges owing to insufficient evidence.
abstain
To restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something, or to refrain from voting.
Example
Three members of the committee abstained during the final vote on the resolution.
accede
To agree to a demand, request, or treaty; or to assume an office or position.
Example
The government eventually acceded to the protesters' demands for reform.
accentuate
To make a feature or quality more noticeable or prominent.
Example
The documentary accentuated the stark inequalities present in the healthcare system.
accost
To approach and address someone in an aggressive or bold manner.
Example
Journalists accosted the minister outside the conference hall, demanding an explanation.
accredit
To give official recognition or approval to an institution, person, or claim.
Example
The university was accredited by the national education authority after rigorous review.
accrue
To accumulate or receive increasing amounts of money, advantages, or harm over time.
Example
Interest on the investment accrued steadily over the five-year period.
acquiesce
To accept or comply with something reluctantly but without protest.
Example
She acquiesced to her manager's decision despite privately disagreeing with it.
acquit
To formally declare someone not guilty of a criminal charge.
Example
The jury acquitted the defendant after deliberating for less than two hours.
admonish
To warn or reprimand someone firmly but not harshly.
Example
The judge admonished the witness for repeatedly failing to answer directly.
alleviate
To make suffering, deficiency, or a problem less severe.
Example
The new policy was designed to alleviate poverty in rural communities.
allude
To refer to something indirectly rather than stating it explicitly.
Example
In her speech, she alluded to the corruption scandal without naming anyone directly.
ameliorate
To make something bad or unsatisfactory better; to improve.
Example
Several measures were introduced to ameliorate the conditions in the overcrowded prisons.
antagonise
To cause someone to feel hostile or opposed; to provoke antagonism.
Example
His dismissive remarks antagonised even those who had initially supported him.
appease
To pacify or placate someone by acceding to their demands, often at a cost.
Example
Critics argued that the concessions were merely an attempt to appease the opposition.
ascertain
To find out something with certainty, through investigation or inquiry.
Example
Investigators worked to ascertain the precise cause of the structural failure.
assuage
To make an unpleasant feeling less intense; to soothe or relieve.
Example
No amount of reassurance could assuage her growing sense of dread.
atone
To make amends or reparation for a wrongdoing or sin.
Example
He spent the remainder of his life trying to atone for the betrayal of his colleagues.
augment
To make something greater by adding to it; to increase or supplement.
Example
The foundation augmented the research budget to accelerate development of the vaccine.
balk
To hesitate or refuse to proceed with something disagreeable or daunting.
Example
Several senior executives balked at the proposal to restructure the entire division.
beguile
To charm or enchant someone, sometimes in a deceptive way.
Example
The diplomat's eloquence beguiled the assembled delegates into accepting the terms.
beleaguer
To put in a very difficult situation; to besiege or harass persistently.
Example
The beleaguered administration faced mounting criticism from all political quarters.
belie
To give a false impression of something, or to fail to justify.
Example
His calm exterior belied the intense anxiety he felt before the announcement.
bemoan
To express discontent or sorrow about something; to lament.
Example
Scholars have long bemoaned the lack of funding for the humanities.
bequeath
To leave property or a quality to someone after one's death; to pass on.
Example
She bequeathed her entire art collection to the national gallery.
berate
To scold or rebuke someone angrily and at length.
Example
The director publicly berated the team for missing the critical deadline.
beseech
To ask urgently and fervently for something; to implore or beg.
Example
The refugees beseeched the authorities to grant them temporary asylum.
beset
To trouble or harass someone or something persistently from all sides.
Example
The project was beset by technical difficulties and budget overruns from the outset.
bestow
To present an honour, gift, or right to someone in a formal manner.
Example
The university bestowed an honorary doctorate upon the celebrated author.
billow
To fill with air and swell outward, or to roll in large waves.
Example
Smoke billowed from the factory chimney, darkening the afternoon sky.
brandish
To wave or flourish a weapon or object as a threat or in anger.
Example
The assailant brandished a knife before fleeing into the crowd.
burgeon
To begin to grow or increase rapidly; to flourish.
Example
The city's tech sector burgeoned following the influx of venture capital investment.
buttress
To increase the strength of or give support to an argument, system, or position.
Example
The newly discovered documents buttressed the historian's controversial thesis.
cajole
To persuade someone by sustained flattery or coaxing.
Example
She managed to cajole the reluctant witnesses into testifying before the committee.
capitulate
To cease resisting an opponent or an unwelcome demand; to yield.
Example
After months of negotiation, the company capitulated to the union's wage demands.
castigate
To reprimand or criticise someone severely.
Example
The editorial castigated the senator for his role in the financial scandal.
chastise
To rebuke or reprimand someone severely.
Example
The coach chastised the players for their lack of discipline during the match.
chide
To scold or rebuke mildly.
Example
She chided him gently for arriving late to the meeting without prior notice.
circumvent
To find a way around an obstacle, rule, or problem.
Example
The corporation employed elaborate schemes to circumvent domestic tax regulations.
cleave
To split or sever something with a sharp instrument, or to adhere strongly to.
Example
The glacier's movement had cleaved the rock face in two over centuries.
coalesce
To come together to form a single whole; to merge or unite.
Example
Several factions eventually coalesced into a unified opposition movement.
coerce
To persuade someone to do something by using force or threats.
Example
Witnesses reported being coerced into signing false statements by the authorities.
collude
To cooperate secretly or illegally in order to deceive or defraud others.
Example
The companies were found to have colluded in fixing prices across the industry.
commiserate
To express sympathy or sorrow for someone's misfortune.
Example
Colleagues gathered to commiserate with her after the project was unexpectedly cancelled.
condone
To accept or allow behaviour considered morally wrong to continue.
Example
The administration was accused of condoning corruption within its own ranks.
confiscate
To take or seize property by authority.
Example
Customs officers confiscated several undeclared items at the border.
confound
To cause surprise or confusion in someone; to prove someone wrong.
Example
The unexpected election result confounded every pollster and political analyst.
conjure
To make something appear unexpectedly or as if by magic; to call to mind.
Example
The novelist conjures vivid scenes of pre-war Vienna with remarkable precision.
connive
To secretly allow or plan wrongdoing; to plot or conspire.
Example
Senior officials were alleged to have connived in the cover-up of the disaster.
construe
To interpret or understand something in a particular way.
Example
His silence was widely construed as an admission of guilt.
contravene
To conflict with or violate a rule, law, or principle.
Example
The new legislation was found to contravene international human rights standards.
convene
To call people together for a meeting or other activity.
Example
An emergency session of parliament was convened to address the constitutional crisis.
corroborate
To confirm or give support to a statement, theory, or finding.
Example
Forensic evidence corroborated the eyewitness accounts provided by three separate witnesses.
countenance
To admit as acceptable; to give approval or tolerance to something.
Example
The committee refused to countenance any further delays to the inquiry.
covet
To yearn to possess something belonging to another person.
Example
He had long coveted the editorial position that his rival now occupied.
culminate
To reach a climax or point of highest development.
Example
Years of painstaking research culminated in a groundbreaking scientific publication.
curtail
To reduce in extent or quantity; to impose a restriction on.
Example
Severe funding cuts forced the institute to curtail several of its research programmes.
dawdle
To waste time; to move slowly or take longer than necessary.
Example
There was no time to dawdle if they were to reach the summit before nightfall.
debilitate
To make someone very weak and infirm; to impair the strength of.
Example
The prolonged illness debilitated him to the point where he could no longer work.
debunk
To expose the falseness or hollowness of a myth, belief, or idea.
Example
The researcher debunked several long-held assumptions about early human migration patterns.
decimate
To kill, destroy, or remove a large proportion of something.
Example
The disease decimated the wild bee population across large parts of the continent.
decry
To publicly denounce something as wrong or unacceptable.
Example
Human rights organisations decried the government's crackdown on peaceful demonstrations.
deflate
To reduce the confidence, enthusiasm, or conceit of someone; or to release air from.
Example
His cutting remark deflated the mood of what had been an optimistic briefing.
dehort
To advise or urge someone against a particular course of action.
Example
The elder statesman dehorted his protege from making any premature public statements.
deign
To do something that one considers beneath one's dignity.
Example
He rarely deigned to acknowledge junior colleagues in the corridor.
delineate
To describe or portray something precisely; to indicate the exact limits of.
Example
The treaty delineated the maritime boundaries between the two nations.
demean
To cause someone to lose dignity and self-respect.
Example
Such demeaning treatment of employees was wholly at odds with the company's stated values.
demur
To raise objections or show reluctance; to hesitate.
Example
When asked to sign the agreement, she demurred, citing unresolved legal concerns.
denigrate
To criticise unfairly; to disparage the character or reputation of.
Example
The campaign denigrated the opponent's record without providing substantive policy alternatives.
deplete
To reduce the amount of something significantly; to exhaust the supply of.
Example
Overfishing has severely depleted the stocks of several commercial species.
deplore
To feel or express strong condemnation of something.
Example
The international community deplored the attacks on civilian infrastructure.
deride
To express contempt for; to mock or ridicule.
Example
Critics derided the proposal as wholly impractical and financially reckless.
desecrate
To treat a sacred place or thing with great disrespect.
Example
Vandals desecrated the ancient cemetery by destroying several historical monuments.
deter
To discourage someone from doing something through doubt or fear.
Example
Harsher sentencing alone is unlikely to deter organised criminal activity.
discern
To recognise or find out something with some difficulty; to perceive clearly.
Example
It was difficult to discern any coherent strategy behind the administration's foreign policy.
disparage
To regard or represent as being of little worth; to belittle.
Example
He disparaged his competitors' work in a manner that many considered unprofessional.
dispel
To make a doubt, feeling, or belief disappear.
Example
The official report was intended to dispel rumours of an impending financial collapse.
dispense
To distribute or provide a service or information; or to manage without.
Example
The charity dispensed food and medical supplies to thousands of displaced families.
disseminate
To spread information, knowledge, or ideas widely.
Example
Social media platforms have the capacity to disseminate misinformation at unprecedented speed.
dissipate
To scatter or cause to disappear; to squander resources or energy.
Example
The morning fog dissipated as the sun rose higher above the valley.
divulge
To make known private or secret information.
Example
The journalist refused to divulge her sources even under considerable legal pressure.
dwindle
To diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength.
Example
Attendance at the lectures dwindled as the semester wore on.
elicit
To draw out a response, answer, or reaction from someone.
Example
The provocative question elicited a surprisingly candid response from the minister.
elucidate
To make something clear; to explain or clarify.
Example
Could you elucidate the mechanism by which the compound inhibits cellular growth?
emanate
To originate from or be produced by a source.
Example
A sense of calm emanated from her presence, steadying those around her.
emancipate
To free from legal, social, or political restrictions.
Example
The legislation emancipated enslaved people across the entire territory.
embellish
To make more attractive by adding ornamental details; to exaggerate a story.
Example
He had a tendency to embellish anecdotes to make them more entertaining.
embezzle
To steal or misappropriate money placed in one's trust.
Example
The accountant had embezzled over two million pounds from the charity over seven years.
embroil
To involve someone deeply in an argument, conflict, or difficult situation.
Example
The company became embroiled in a lengthy legal dispute over intellectual property rights.
emulate
To match or surpass another by imitation; to model oneself on.
Example
Young scientists are encouraged to emulate the rigorous methods of their predecessors.
encroach
To gradually intrude on the rights, territory, or domain of another.
Example
Urban development continued to encroach upon the protected wetlands in the region.
endow
To provide with a quality, ability, or asset; or to fund an institution.
Example
She was endowed with an extraordinary capacity for analytical reasoning.
enervate
To weaken or drain of energy or vitality.
Example
The oppressive heat enervated the expedition team within the first few hours.
engender
To cause or give rise to a feeling, situation, or condition.
Example
The reforms were designed to engender greater public trust in the judiciary.
entail
To involve or make something necessary as a consequence.
Example
Any meaningful response to climate change will entail significant economic sacrifice.
enthrall
To captivate and hold the complete attention of.
Example
The storyteller enthralled her audience with vivid accounts of her travels.
entreat
To ask someone earnestly or anxiously to do something.
Example
He entreated the council to reconsider its decision to close the community centre.
enumerate
To mention a number of things one by one; to list.
Example
The report enumerates seventeen distinct failings in the regulatory oversight process.
epitomise
To be a perfect or typical example of something.
Example
Her career epitomises the challenges faced by women in senior academic positions.
eradicate
To completely destroy or eliminate something.
Example
The global vaccination campaign succeeded in eradicating smallpox by the late twentieth century.
err
To be mistaken or incorrect; to make an error.
Example
When uncertain, it is prudent to err on the side of caution.
eschew
To deliberately avoid using, engaging in, or dealing with something.
Example
The philosopher eschewed dogma in favour of evidence-based inquiry.
espouse
To adopt or support a cause, belief, or way of life.
Example
He espoused a form of libertarianism that prioritised individual freedom above collective welfare.
exacerbate
To make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse.
Example
The austerity measures exacerbated existing social inequalities across the country.
exalt
To hold in very high regard; to praise enthusiastically.
Example
The poet was exalted by his contemporaries as the voice of a generation.
excoriate
To criticise someone or something very harshly.
Example
The review excoriated the board of directors for their catastrophic mismanagement.
exemplify
To be a typical example of something; to illustrate by example.
Example
This case exemplifies the systemic failures that plague the entire procurement process.
exhort
To strongly encourage or urge someone to do something.
Example
The general exhorted his troops to maintain discipline in the face of adversity.
exonerate
To officially absolve someone from blame or a criminal charge.
Example
New DNA evidence exonerated the man who had spent fifteen years wrongfully imprisoned.
expedite
To make an action or process happen sooner or more quickly.
Example
The minister promised to expedite the processing of humanitarian visa applications.
expound
To present and explain a theory or idea in detail.
Example
The professor expounded her theory of cognitive development at the international conference.
expunge
To erase or remove completely; to obliterate.
Example
He petitioned the court to expunge the conviction from his criminal record.
extol
To praise someone or something enthusiastically.
Example
The chairman extolled the virtues of the merger in his address to shareholders.
extricate
To free someone or something from a constraint or difficult situation.
Example
Diplomats worked tirelessly to extricate the hostages from the conflict zone.
exude
To display a quality or feeling strongly and openly; or to ooze a substance.
Example
The experienced negotiator exuded confidence throughout the tense deliberations.
fabricate
To invent or make up something, especially with the intent to deceive.
Example
It later emerged that the key witness had fabricated much of her testimony.
fathom
To understand a difficult problem or situation after much thought.
Example
She could not fathom why the committee had rejected such a well-evidenced proposal.
feign
To pretend to feel or be affected by something.
Example
He feigned indifference to the criticism, though it clearly stung him deeply.
flaunt
To display something ostentatiously in order to provoke envy or admiration.
Example
Flaunting one's wealth in such circumstances was regarded as deeply inappropriate.
flout
To openly disregard a rule, law, or convention.
Example
Several large corporations were found to have flouted environmental regulations with impunity.
foment
To instigate or stir up trouble, civil disorder, or discontent.
Example
The propaganda was deliberately designed to foment ethnic tensions.
forestall
To prevent or obstruct something by taking advance action.
Example
The early ceasefire was intended to forestall a full-scale humanitarian crisis.
forgo
To go without or refrain from something.
Example
She chose to forgo the prestigious appointment in order to care for her family.
forsake
To abandon or renounce a person, belief, or principle.
Example
He was accused of forsaking his principles in exchange for political advancement.
galvanise
To shock or excite someone into taking action.
Example
The tragedy galvanised public opinion in favour of stronger gun control legislation.
garner
To gather or collect something, especially information or approval.
Example
The documentary garnered widespread critical acclaim at international film festivals.
genuflect
To lower one's body briefly as an act of reverence; to show excessive deference.
Example
He genuflected before the altar before taking his place in the pew.
glean
To obtain information or understanding from various sources, often with difficulty.
Example
From the fragmented records, historians have gleaned a partial picture of daily life.
grovel
To act obsequiously in order to obtain forgiveness or favour.
Example
She refused to grovel to the board despite their considerable institutional power.
hamper
To hinder or impede the movement or progress of.
Example
The relief operation was hampered by the near-total destruction of local infrastructure.
harness
To control and make use of natural resources or abilities.
Example
The project aims to harness tidal energy to power remote coastal communities.
hasten
To be quick to do something; to cause something to happen sooner.
Example
The revelation of the documents may hasten the collapse of the coalition government.
heed
To pay attention to and take notice of a warning or advice.
Example
Had the warnings been heeded earlier, the disaster might have been averted.
herald
To be a sign that something is about to happen; to announce or proclaim.
Example
The new discovery was heralded as a turning point in the treatment of the disease.
hoard
To accumulate a large stock of goods or money and keep it secret.
Example
Consumers began hoarding essential supplies in anticipation of the supply chain disruption.
hone
To refine or perfect a skill or quality over time.
Example
She spent a decade honing her expertise in international arbitration law.
imbue
To inspire or permeate with a quality or feeling.
Example
His prose is imbued with a profound sense of loss and longing.
impair
To weaken or damage the function, quality, or strength of something.
Example
Prolonged exposure to loud noise can permanently impair hearing.
impede
To delay or prevent someone or something by obstructing them.
Example
Bureaucratic inefficiency continues to impede the delivery of essential public services.
imperil
To put at risk; to endanger.
Example
The decision to cut the safety budget imperilled the lives of hundreds of workers.
impugn
To dispute the truth, validity, or integrity of something or someone.
Example
Defence counsel sought to impugn the credibility of the prosecution's key witness.
inaugurate
To formally begin or introduce something; to admit someone to office formally.
Example
The president was inaugurated in a ceremony attended by dignitaries from fifty nations.
incense
To make someone extremely angry.
Example
The cavalier dismissal of their concerns incensed the community representatives.
incite
To encourage or stir up violent or unlawful behaviour.
Example
He was charged with using his platform to incite racial hatred.
indemnify
To compensate for harm or loss; to secure against future legal liability.
Example
The contract stipulated that the client would indemnify the firm against any third-party claims.
instigate
To bring about or initiate an action or event, often a negative one.
Example
The investigation was instigated following anonymous complaints from within the organisation.
inundate
To overwhelm with things to be dealt with; or to flood with water.
Example
The helpline was inundated with calls in the hours following the broadcast.
irk
To irritate or annoy someone.
Example
What irked him most was the committee's refusal to acknowledge the evidence.
jeopardise
To put something at risk of being harmed, lost, or destroyed.
Example
Any further delay could jeopardise the entire peace process.
juxtapose
To place two things close together for contrasting or comparing effect.
Example
The exhibition juxtaposes ancient artefacts with contemporary interpretations of the same themes.
kindle
To arouse or inspire a feeling or interest; or to light a fire.
Example
Travel to remote regions kindled in her a lifelong passion for anthropology.
lambaste
To criticise someone or something harshly.
Example
The independent report lambasted the agency for its systemic failures in child protection.
lament
To express grief, regret, or sorrow about something.
Example
Educators lament the decline in critical thinking skills among university students.
languish
To lose or lack vitality; to be kept in an unsatisfactory situation.
Example
The bill languished in committee for three years without ever reaching a vote.
laud
To praise someone or something highly.
Example
The intervention was lauded by international observers as a model of diplomatic restraint.
levy
To impose a tax, fee, or fine.
Example
The government levied a windfall tax on energy companies' excess profits.
liquidate
To close down a company and distribute its assets; or to convert assets into cash.
Example
When the firm was liquidated, creditors recovered only a fraction of what was owed.
loathe
To feel intense dislike or disgust for.
Example
She loathed the dishonesty that permeated the organisation's corporate culture.
malign
To speak about someone in a spitefully critical manner.
Example
He was unfairly maligned in the press for decisions that were ultimately vindicated.
mitigate
To lessen the gravity, seriousness, or painfulness of something.
Example
Early intervention can significantly mitigate the long-term effects of the condition.
mollify
To appease the anger or anxiety of someone.
Example
Management attempted to mollify disgruntled employees with promises of future pay reviews.
muffle
To make a sound quieter or less distinct; to wrap for warmth or to suppress.
Example
The thick stone walls muffled the noise of the street below.
nag
To persistently annoy or find fault with someone; or to cause persistent discomfort.
Example
A nagging sense of doubt prevented her from committing fully to the decision.
obfuscate
To make unclear or difficult to understand; to confuse deliberately.
Example
The report accused the company of deliberately obfuscating its environmental data.
obliterate
To destroy utterly; to wipe out completely.
Example
The aerial bombardment obliterated entire neighbourhoods within hours.
obviate
To remove a need or difficulty; to prevent from arising.
Example
Automated verification processes can obviate the need for manual data entry.
ostracise
To exclude someone from a society or group.
Example
Those who challenged the official narrative were swiftly ostracised by their peers.
oust
To drive out or expel someone from a position of power.
Example
The prime minister was ousted in a party vote after a series of policy failures.
outweigh
To be greater or more significant than something else.
Example
The potential benefits of the treatment outweigh the risks for most patients.
pacify
To quell the anger or agitation of someone; to bring peace to a region.
Example
Successive administrations failed to pacify the restive border provinces.
palliate
To make a disease or its symptoms less severe without curing it; to alleviate.
Example
The medication was intended to palliate discomfort rather than address the underlying cause.
pamper
To indulge someone with every attention and comfort.
Example
She occasionally pampered herself with a weekend retreat at a countryside spa.
permeate
To spread throughout; to pervade every part of something.
Example
A culture of complacency had permeated the organisation at every level.
perpetuate
To make something, typically an undesirable situation, continue indefinitely.
Example
Such stereotypes only serve to perpetuate harmful misconceptions about the group.
persecute
To subject someone to hostility and ill-treatment, especially for their beliefs.
Example
The regime systematically persecuted religious minorities for decades.
peruse
To read something, typically in a thorough or careful way.
Example
She perused the lengthy contract before committing to any of its clauses.
pervade
To spread through and be perceived in every part of something.
Example
An atmosphere of uncertainty pervaded the city in the days before the announcement.
pervert
To alter something from its original meaning or cause to act wrongly.
Example
He was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
pillage
To rob using violence, especially in wartime; to plunder.
Example
Invading forces pillaged the ancient city, destroying centuries of cultural heritage.
placate
To make someone less angry or hostile; to appease.
Example
The token concession did little to placate the protesters outside the parliament.
plunder
To steal goods from a place, typically using force and in a time of conflict.
Example
Looters plundered warehouses in the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake.
ponder
To think about something carefully, especially before making a decision.
Example
She pondered the implications of the discovery for several days before speaking.
pontificate
To express one's opinions in a self-important and dogmatic manner.
Example
He was prone to pontificating about economic policy without acknowledging counterevidence.
portend
To be a sign or warning that something significant is likely to happen.
Example
The dark clouds gathering on the horizon seemed to portend a turbulent period ahead.
postulate
To suggest or assume the existence, fact, or truth of something as a basis for reasoning.
Example
Darwin postulated that all species descend from common ancestors through natural selection.
precipitate
To cause an event or situation to happen suddenly or prematurely.
Example
The assassination precipitated a crisis that would last for nearly a decade.
preclude
To prevent something from happening; to make impossible.
Example
His prior conviction precluded him from holding any public office.
preempt
To take action in order to prevent an anticipated event from occurring.
Example
The government issued a statement to preempt speculation about the policy change.
prevaricate
To speak or act evasively; to avoid stating the truth directly.
Example
When pressed by the committee, the official continued to prevaricate rather than answer.
procrastinate
To delay or postpone action; to put off doing something.
Example
The administration had procrastinated for months before addressing the infrastructure crisis.
procure
To obtain something, especially through effort or care.
Example
The agency was tasked with procuring medical equipment for field hospitals.
profess
To claim openly and often insincerely that one has a quality or feeling.
Example
He professed admiration for transparency while simultaneously concealing crucial information.
proffer
To hold out or offer something for acceptance.
Example
The mediator proffered a compromise that neither side found entirely satisfactory.
proscribe
To officially forbid something; to denounce or condemn.
Example
The organisation was proscribed by the government following the terrorist attack.
protract
To prolong or extend something in duration.
Example
Tactical delays protracted the negotiations well beyond their intended conclusion.
purport
To claim or appear to be or do something, often falsely.
Example
The document purported to be an official government communique, but was later found to be forged.
quash
To reject or void a decision; or to suppress something completely.
Example
The appeal court quashed the conviction on procedural grounds.
quell
To suppress a feeling or put an end to a rebellion or disorder.
Example
Authorities deployed additional officers to quell the unrest in the capital.
ratify
To give formal consent to a treaty, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid.
Example
The senate ratified the climate accord after extensive cross-party negotiations.
rebuff
To reject or snub in an abrupt or ungracious manner.
Example
Her attempts to open a dialogue were rebuffed at every stage.
rebuke
To express sharp disapproval of someone because of their behaviour.
Example
The UN Security Council rebuked the nation for its repeated violations of the ceasefire.
recant
To say that one no longer holds a previously held opinion or belief.
Example
Under intense institutional pressure, he publicly recanted his findings.
reciprocate
To respond to a gesture or action by making a corresponding one.
Example
She hoped he would reciprocate her candour with equal openness.
reconcile
To restore friendly relations; or to make two facts or beliefs compatible.
Example
It is difficult to reconcile the official narrative with the evidence now available.
rectify
To put right; to correct something that is wrong.
Example
Steps were taken to rectify the procedural errors that had invalidated the first vote.
redeem
To compensate for faults or restore one's reputation; to recover by payment.
Example
A strong final chapter redeemed an otherwise uneven piece of scholarship.
refute
To prove a statement or theory to be wrong or false.
Example
The study effectively refuted the hypothesis that had dominated the field for two decades.
relegate
To assign an inferior rank or position to someone or something.
Example
The issue was relegated to a footnote in an otherwise comprehensive report.
relinquish
To voluntarily cease to keep or claim; to give up.
Example
She relinquished control of the company to focus on her philanthropic work.
relish
To enjoy greatly; to take pleasure in.
Example
He relished the opportunity to challenge conventional thinking in the lecture theatre.
remit
To cancel or refrain from inflicting a debt or punishment; or to transmit money.
Example
The judge remitted the fine in light of the defendant's exceptional circumstances.
renege
To go back on a promise, undertaking, or contract.
Example
The government was widely condemned for reneging on its pre-election commitments.
renounce
To formally declare one's abandonment of a claim, right, or possession.
Example
She renounced her citizenship in protest at the country's human rights record.
repeal
To revoke or annul a law or act of parliament.
Example
Campaigners called on legislators to repeal the outdated and discriminatory statute.
replenish
To fill up again; to restore a supply that has been used.
Example
The organisation replenished its emergency stockpiles ahead of the monsoon season.
reproach
To address someone in a way that expresses disappointment and disapproval.
Example
She reproached herself for not acting sooner when the warning signs had been clear.
repudiate
To refuse to accept; to deny the truth or validity of something.
Example
The committee repudiated the findings of the inquiry as methodologically flawed.
rescind
To revoke, cancel, or repeal a law, order, or agreement.
Example
The offer of employment was rescinded after the background check revealed discrepancies.
retaliate
To make an attack in return for a similar attack; to seek revenge.
Example
The state threatened to retaliate with economic sanctions if negotiations broke down.
retract
To withdraw a statement or claim as untrue or unjustified.
Example
The newspaper was forced to retract the story after it emerged the source was unreliable.
revere
To feel deep respect or admiration for someone or something.
Example
He was revered by his students as one of the most inspiring teachers of his generation.
revoke
To officially cancel a decree, decision, or promise.
Example
Her professional licence was revoked following the disciplinary tribunal's findings.
ruminate
To think deeply and at length about something.
Example
He spent the long train journey ruminating on the consequences of his resignation.
rupture
To break or burst suddenly; to cause a breach in relations.
Example
The scandal ruptured the coalition's fragile unity almost beyond repair.
safeguard
To protect from harm or damage with appropriate measures.
Example
Robust legislation is required to safeguard the rights of vulnerable populations.
satiate
To satisfy fully an appetite or desire, sometimes to excess.
Example
The exhibition did little to satiate her curiosity about the artist's private life.
scorn
To feel or express contempt or disdain for.
Example
She scorned any suggestion that the compromise represented a meaningful concession.
scrutinise
To examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.
Example
The accounts were scrutinised by auditors for any evidence of financial irregularity.
shirk
To avoid a duty or responsibility; to evade an obligation.
Example
Wealthier nations must not shirk their obligations to address global climate change.
shun
To persistently avoid, ignore, or reject someone or something.
Example
After the scandal, he was shunned by former colleagues and associates alike.
sow
To plant seeds; or to introduce ideas or feelings that will later develop.
Example
The divisive rhetoric served only to sow discord among communities that had once been united.
spawn
To produce or generate something, especially in large quantities.
Example
The success of the first novel spawned a series of sequels and a major film adaptation.
spurn
To reject with contempt or disdain.
Example
She spurned every attempt at reconciliation, convinced the breach was irreparable.
squander
To waste something, especially money or time, in a reckless manner.
Example
The administration squandered the opportunity for meaningful reform during its first term.
stifle
To restrain or suppress a reaction or expression; to prevent from developing.
Example
Heavy-handed regulation risks stifling the innovation the industry desperately needs.
stipulate
To demand or specify a requirement as part of an agreement.
Example
The contract stipulated that all deliverables must be submitted within sixty days.
subdue
To overcome, quieten, or bring under control by force or persuasion.
Example
Officers struggled for several minutes before subduing the agitated suspect.
subjugate
To bring under domination or control, especially by conquest.
Example
The colonial power subjugated the indigenous population through a combination of law and force.
substantiate
To provide evidence to support or prove the truth of something.
Example
The prosecution was unable to substantiate its most serious allegations.
subvert
To undermine the power and authority of an established system or institution.
Example
The disinformation campaign was designed to subvert democratic institutions from within.
succumb
To fail to resist pressure, temptation, or illness; to yield.
Example
Despite his resilience, he eventually succumbed to the relentless commercial pressure.
supersede
To take the place of a previous thing; to replace something as more important.
Example
The new directive supersedes all previous guidance on the subject.
supplant
To supersede and replace; to take the place of through force or stratagem.
Example
Digital streaming has largely supplanted physical media in the music industry.
surmise
To suppose that something is true without having evidence to confirm it.
Example
From the brief exchange, she surmised that significant tensions remained unresolved.
surmount
To overcome a difficulty or obstacle.
Example
The team surmounted considerable logistical challenges to deliver the project on time.
surpass
To exceed; to be greater or better than.
Example
The final output surpassed even the most optimistic projections of the research team.
tarnish
To damage or spoil the quality or reputation of something.
Example
The controversy tarnished the legacy of an otherwise distinguished public servant.
thwart
To prevent someone from accomplishing something; to obstruct.
Example
Intelligence services thwarted the plot before any harm could be done.
transcend
To be or go beyond the range or limits of something.
Example
At its finest, great literature transcends cultural boundaries to speak universal truths.
transcribe
To put thoughts, speech, or data into written or printed form.
Example
The proceedings were transcribed in full and made available to the public.
transgress
To violate or go beyond the bounds of a moral principle or law.
Example
Anyone who transgresses the code of conduct is subject to immediate disciplinary action.
truncate
To shorten something by cutting off the top or end.
Example
The editor truncated the final chapter, removing passages essential to the argument.
upbraid
To find fault with or scold someone severely.
Example
The headmaster upbraided the students for their conduct during the ceremony.
usurp
To take a position of power or importance illegally or by force.
Example
His rivals attempted to usurp his authority while he was incapacitated.
vacillate
To waver between different opinions or actions; to be indecisive.
Example
The committee vacillated for weeks before finally reaching a consensus.
validate
To demonstrate or support the truth or value of something.
Example
Subsequent field research validated the theoretical model proposed in the paper.
vanquish
To defeat thoroughly; to overcome completely.
Example
The incumbent was vanquished in a landslide that no political analyst had anticipated.
vilify
To speak or write about someone in an abusively disparaging manner.
Example
Whistleblowers are too often vilified by the institutions they seek to hold accountable.
vindicate
To clear someone of blame or suspicion; to show that something is justified.
Example
The independent investigation fully vindicated her decision to raise the alarm.
vituperate
To blame or insult someone in strong or violent language.
Example
The pamphleteer vituperated against the ruling class with extraordinary vehemence.
wager
To bet a sum of money on the outcome of an event; to risk.
Example
He wagered his professional reputation on the success of a highly unconventional strategy.
wane
To decrease in vigour, power, or extent; to decline.
Example
Public enthusiasm for the reforms had begun to wane by the second year of implementation.
waver
To become unsteady or uncertain; to falter in resolution.
Example
She had never wavered in her commitment to the principles she had espoused from the outset.
wield
To hold and use a weapon or tool; to exercise power or influence.
Example
The editor wielded considerable influence over the political discourse of the era.
withstand
To remain undamaged or unaffected by; to resist successfully.
Example
The structure was engineered to withstand seismic activity of the highest magnitude.