verb

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Other / Body

audio

grasp - To seize and hold firmly

The baby grasped his father's hand in a gesture of affection.

noun

See verb

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Bad / Aggressive

audio

rant - A spell of ranting; a tirade

His coworkers were forced to sit there and listen to Bob's angry rant about the summer heat.

verb

411 of 3015

Bad / Small

audio

dwindle - To diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength

The dodo bird population dwindled over time before finally going extinct.

noun

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Bad / Weak

Url audio

malfunction - A failure to function properly – when a machine or system doesn’t work as intended.

The elevator stopped due to a technical malfunction.

adjective

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Other / Inward

audio

visceral - Relating to basic emotions that you feel strongly and automatically

Edith had a visceral feeling of dislike when she met her new manager, and in time his actions showed that she was right from the start.

verb

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Bad / Attack

Url audio

brainwash - To change someone’s thoughts or opinions through constant influence.

The retired man spent so much time watching social media, and he was totally brainwashed about what is going on in the world.

verb

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Bad / Pain

audio

flinch - To make a quick, nervous movement of the face or body as an instinctive reaction to surprise, fear or pain

Debbie was very brave and didn’t flinch when the nurse put the needle in her arm to give her the flu shot.

noun

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Good / Brave

audio

maverick - An unorthodox or independent-minded person

Frank Sinatra was such a maverick in his field that his best-known song is, appropriately, "My Way."

adjective

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Bad / Small

audio

scanty - Small or insufficient in quantity or amount

The detective persisted in his investigation even though he only had scanty information about what had happened at the crime.

adjective

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Other / Inward

Url audio

centrality - The state of being central in location or focus.

The centrality of the town square made it a perfect meeting spot.

verb

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Other / Inward

audio

validate - To prove that something is true

Henry David Thoreau felt self-confident about his ideas, and he didn't need anyone else to praise him, because he validated his own ideas.

verb

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Other / Body

audio

cringe - To contract one's face or body due to a feeling of disgust or embarrassment

While discussing her engagement on the phone with her friend, Laura realized that the thought of marrying Bob made her cringe with disgust.