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verb

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badger - To repeatedly and annoyingly ask someone to do something.

Every time that Arnold asked Samantha to go out on a date, she would tell him firmly ‘No’. But each time he saw her, he would badger her again and again about wanting to go out, and again she said 'No!'

verb

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abandon - To leave someone or something behind permanently or without intending to return.

Beverly took the cat into her house when she realized that the cat had been abandoned.

noun

See verb

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snarl - An act or sound of snarling

Whenever Patty's dog would try to make a snarl at intruders, it ended up looking like a grin.

adjective

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contentious - Likely to cause disagreement or argument

When the parents invited the whole clan for Thanksgiving, they asked everyone to try to get along, and to avoid discussing contentious topics.

verb

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trivialize - To make something seem less important or serious than it really is.

It's important not to trivialize learning and understanding, because little that is meaningful can be accomplished without them.

adjective

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surly - Bad-tempered and unfriendly

Penny's friendly nature was no match for the surly interviewer who never smiled back.

noun

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barb - A remark that is funny but unkind.

Burt realized that Sam was not really his friend when Sam made several barbed comments directed at Burt at the dinner party.

verb

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sully - To damage the purity or integrity of something; to defile.

Martha spread rumors about Anne, and even though it came out later that the rumors were false, the damage had been done and Anne's reputation was sullied.

adjective

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irreconcilable - So different or conflicting that compromise is not possible.

Their political beliefs were so irreconcilable that they decided to stop discussing politics altogether.

verb

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scowl - To frown in an angry or bad-tempered way

Sam scowled at his boss when he was told he was being fired, but he had enough self control not to be physical.

verb

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flaunt - To treat or behave in a way that shows disregard for rules or norms

He seemed to flaunt the rules, walking in late without explanation.

verb

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polarize - To divide into two completely opposing groups

It's frightening to see how many issues have caused the US to polarize into Right and Left groups that hate each other.