Make things awkward, verb phrase

For example, to cause trouble and make a situation very difficult

She could make things very awkward if she wanted to.

Prison, noun (prisons, imprison, imprisoned)

can, cooler, lockup, pen, penitentiary, reformatory, stockade
For example, a prison is a building where criminals are kept as punishment or where
people accused of crime are kept before their trial.
After being convicted of bank robbery, she was sent to prison.

Favorable, adjective (favors, favorably, favorite)

agreeable, good, grateful, gratifying, nice, pleasing, pleasurable, welcome
For example, if your opinion or your reaction is favorable to something, you agree with it
and approve of it. If something makes a favorable impression on you or is a favorable to
you, you like it and approve of it.
His ability to talk while eating fast made a favorable impression on his dining
companions.

Accuse, verb (accuses, accusing, accused, accusation)

arraign, charge, criminalize, impeach, incriminate, inculpate, indict
For example, if you accuse someone of doing something wrong or dishonest, you say or tell
them that you believe that they did.
My mom was really upset because he was accusing her of having an affair with another
man.

Approve, verb (approves, approving, approved, approval)

accept favor, go for, accredit, certify, endorse, OK (or okay), sanction
For example, if you approve of an action, event, or suggestion, you like it or are pleased.
Not everyone approved of the festival.

Upset, adj (upsets, upsetting, and upset)

agitate, bother, discombobulate, disquiet, disturb, flurry, fluster, perturb, unhinge
For example, if you are upset, you are unhappy or disappointed because something
unpleasant has happened to you.
After she died, I felt very, very upset.
For example, if something upsets you, it makes you feel worried or unhappy.
The whole incident had upset me and my fiancée terribly.
Incident, noun (incidents, incidentally)
occurrence, circumstance, episode, event, happening, occasion, things
For example, an incident is something that happens, especially something that is unusual.
These incidents were the latest in a series of disputes between two nations.

Dispute, noun (disputes, disputing, disputed)

argue, bicker, hassle, quibble, squabble, wrangle
For example, a dispute is an argument or disagreement between people or groups.
They have won previous pay disputes with the government.

(verb) If you dispute a fact, statement, or theory, you say that it is incorrect or untrue.
He disputed the allegations.

Allegation, noun (allegations allege, alleged, allegedly)

For example, an allegation is a statement saying that someone has done something wrong.
The company denied the allegation.

Affair, noun (affairs)

business, concern, matter, shooting match, thing
For example, if an event or series of events has been mentioned and you want to talk about
it again, you can refer to it as the affair.
The government has mishandled the whole affair.

Mishandle, verb (mishandles, mishandling, mishandled)

abuse, misapply, disapprove, misuse, pervert, prostitute
For example, if you say that someone has mishandled something, you are critical of them
because you think the have dealt with it badly.
She completely mishandled an important project purely through lack of attention.

Critical, adjective (criticism, criticize, critique)

acute, climacteric, crucial, desperate, dire
For example, a critical time, factor, or situation is extremely important.
The incident happened at a critical point in the campaign.
For example, a critical situation is very serious and dangerous.
The German authorities are considering an airlift if the situation becomes critical. He is
in critical condition after the auto accident.
For example, to be critical of someone or something means to criticize them.
His report is highly critical of the trial judge.

Campaign, noun (campaign, campaigning, campaigned)

For example, a campaign is a planned set of activities that people carry out over a period of
time in order to achieve something such as social or political change.
During his election campaign he promised to put the economy back on its feet.

(verb) If someone campaigns for something, they carry out a planned set of activities over a
period of time in order to achieve their aim.
We are campaigning to improve the legal status of woman.

Carry out administer, administrate, execute, govern, render

For example, if you carry out a threat, task, or instruction, you do it or act according to it.
Police say that they believe the attacks were carried out by nationalists. Commitments
have been made with little intention of carrying them out.

Election, noun (elections, elect, electioneer, elective)

choice, alternative, option, preference, selection
For example, an election is a process in which people vote to choose a person or group of
people to hold an official position.
The final election results will be announced on Friday.

Legal, adjective (legalize, legality, legally)

lawful, innocent, legitimate, licit
For example, legal is used to describe things that relate to the law.
He vowed to take legal action. I sought legal advice on this.

Threat, noun (threaten, threatened, threatening)

danger, menace, liability
For example, a threat to a person or things is a danger that something unpleasant might
happen to them. A threat is also the cause of this danger.
Some couples see single women as a threat to their relationships.
Secure, verb (secures, securing, secured)

cover, fend, guard, protect, safeguard, screen, shield

For example, if you secure something that you want or need, you obtain it, often after a lot
of effort. Secure is used in a formal context.

Federal leaders continued their efforts to secure a ceasefire.

Obtain, verb (obtains, obtaining, obtained)

acquire, annex, chalk up, gain, have, pick up, procure, secure, win

For example, to obtain something means to get it or achieve it.

The perfect body has always been difficult to obtain.

Cease-fire, noun (cease-fires)

truce, armistice

For example, a cease-fire is an agreement in which countries or groups of people that are
fighting each other agree to stop fighting.

They have agreed to a cease-fire after three years of conflict.

Investigate, noun (investigates, investigating, investigated, investigation)

explore, delve (into), dig (into), go (into), inquire (into), look (into), probe, prospect, sift
For example, if someone, especially an official, investigates an event, situation, or claim, he
tries to find out what happened or what the truth is.
Police are still investigating how the accident happened.

Dispatch, verb (dispatches, dispatching, dispatched)

address, consign, forward, remit, route, ship, transmit
For example, if you dispatch someone to a place, you send him there for a particular
reason.
The Italian government was preparing to dispatch 4,000 soldiers to search the
island.

Replacement, noun (replace, replaced)

alternate, backup, fill-in, pinch hitter, stand-in, sub, surrogate
For example, if you refer to the replacement of one thing by another, you mean that second
thing takes the place of the first.
Let’s investigate the problem before we dispatch replacements....the replacement of
damaged or lost books.

Substitute, verb (substitutes, substituting, substituted)

exchange, change, swap, switch, trade
For example, if you substitute one thing for another, or if one thing substitutes for another,
it takes the place or performs the function of the other thing.
They were substituting violence for dialog.

Vague, adjective (vaguer, vaguest)

ambiguous, equivocal, opaque, uncertain, unclear, inexplicit, unintelligible
For example, if something written or spoken is vague, it does not explain or express things
clearly.
A lot of talk was apparently vague and general.

Apparently, adverb (apparent)

ostensibly, evidently, officially, outwardly, professedly, seemingly
For example, you use apparently to indicate that the information you are giving is
something that you have heard, but you are not certain that it is true.
Apparently, the girls are not amused by the whole business.

Amuse, verb (amuses, amusing, amused)

divert, entertain, recreate
For example, if something amuses you, it makes you want to laugh and smile.
The thought seemed to amuse him.

Municipal, adjective (municipality)

urban, city
For example, municipal means associated with or belonging to a city or town.
A new mayor will be elected in the upcoming municipal election.

Upcoming, adjective
approaching, coming, nearing, oncoming, forthcoming
For example, upcoming events will happen in the near future.
We’ll face a tough fight in the upcoming election.
Vintage, adjective (vintages)
old fashioned, antiquated, antique, archaic, dated, old, outdated, outmoded
For example, you can use vintage to describe something which is the best and most typical
of its kind.
Are you interested in vintage automobiles?

Veritable, adjective
authentic, bona fide, genuine, indubitable, real, sure-enough, true, undoubted
For example, you can use veritable to emphasize the size, amount, or nature of something.
There was a veritable army of security guards.

Anthropology, noun (anthropological)

For example, anthropology is the scientific study of people, society, and culture.
My major is Anthropology.

Fascinate, verb (fascinates, fascinating, fascinated, fascination)

grip, hold, mesmerize, spellbind, enthrall
For example, if something fascinates you, it interests and delights you so much that your
thoughts tend to concentrate on it.
Politics fascinated Franklin’s father.

Belongings, noun
effects, goods, movables, things, possessions
For example, your belongings are the things that you own, especially things that are small
enough to be carried.
I collected my belongings and left.

Lease, noun (leases, leasing, leased)

hire, charter, let, rent
For example, a lease is a legal agreement by which the owner of a building, a piece of land,
or a car allows someone else to use it for a period of time in return for money.
We’ve taken out a lease on an office building. (take out a lease = sign a lease so that
you can rent something)
Eviction, noun (evictions)
kicks out
For example, eviction is the act or process of officially forcing someone to leave a house or
piece of land.
He was facing eviction, along with his wife and family.

Along with, preposition

For example, you use along with to mention someone or something else that is also
involved in an action or situation.
He was facing eviction, along with his wife and family.

Vacate, verb (vacates, vacating, vacated)

abandon, give up, part (with or from), relinquish, leave, quit
For example, if you vacate a place or a job, you leave it or give it up, making it available for
another person.
He vacated the apartment and went to stay with an uncle.

Analyze, verb (analyzes, analyzing, analyzed)

divide, part, separate, assort, classify, pigeonhole, examine, inspect, investigate, scrutinize
For example, if you analyze something, you consider it carefully or use statistical methods
in order to fully understand it.
This book teaches you how to analyze what is causing the stress in your life.

Term (in terms of), prepositional phrase

If you explain or judge something in terms of a particular fact or event, you are only
interested in its connection with that fact or event.
US foreign policy tended to see everything in terms of the Vietnam War.

Challenging, adjective
arduous, effortful, labored, laborious, strenuous, toilsome, uphill
For example, a challenging task or job requires great effort and determination.
Mike found a challenging job as a computer programmer.

Unrestrained, adjective
excessive, immoderate, inordinate, intemperate, overindulgent
For example, if you describe someone’s behavior as unrestrained, you mean that it is
extreme or intense because he/she is expressing his/her feelings strongly or loudly.
There was unrestrained joy on the faces of people.

Intense, adjective
concentrated, desperate, exquisite, fierce, furious, terrible, vehement, vicious, and violent
For example, intense is used to describe something that is very great or extreme in strength
or degree.
Suddenly, the room filled with intense light.

Hypertension, noun
For example, hypertension is a medical condition in which a person has high blood
pressure.
He suffered from hypertension and accompanying heart problems.

Accompany, verb (accompanies, accompanying, accompanied, accompaniment)

attend, bear, bring, carry, chaperon, companion, company, conduct, convoy, escort
For example, if one thing accompanies another, it happens or exists at the same time, or as
a result of it. (Formal)
The proposal was instantly voted through with two to one in favor, accompanied by
enthusiastic applause.

Proposal, noun (proposals)

invitation, proffer, proposition, suggestion
For example, a proposal is a plan or an idea, often a formal or written one, which is
suggested for people to think about and decide upon.
A proposal outlining how the new voting district would be drawn up was submitted to
the City Council.

In favor, prepositional phrase

For example, if someone or something is in favor, people like or support it. If they are out
of favor, people no longer like or support them.
She’s very much in favor with the management at the moment.

Applause, noun (applaud, applauded)

cheers, hand, ovation, round, cheering, clapping, rooting
For example, applause is the noise made by a group of people clapping their hands to show
approval.
They greeted him with thunderous applause.
Constitution, noun (constitutions)
The constitution of a country or organization is the system of laws which formally states
the people’s rights and duties.
The Constitution of the United States was written in 1776.

Cope, verb (copes, coping, coped)

deal with, overcome
For example, if you cope with a problem or a task, you deal with it successfully.
It was amazing how my mother coped with bringing up three children on less than three
hundred dollars a week.

Deal with, verb phrase

treat, handle, play, serve, take, use
For example, when you deal with something or someone that needs attention, you give
your attention to it, and often solve a problem or make a decision concerning it.
The president said the agreement would allow other vital problems to be dealt with.

Vital, adjective (vitally, vitality, vitalize, vitalized)

essential, cardinal, constitutive, fundamental
For example, if you say that something is vital, you mean that it is necessary or important.
The port is vital to supply relief to millions of droughts victims.

Pupil, noun (pupils)

students
For example, the pupils of a school are the children who go to it.
I teach private pupils on Wednesday.

Standardize, verb (standard, standardizes, standardizing, standardized)

For example, to standardize things means to change them so that they all are the same.
He feels standardized education does not benefit those children who are either below or
above overage.
Concrete, adjective
For example, you use concrete to indicate that something is definite and specific.
There were no concrete proposals on the table.

Incentive, noun (incentives)

stimulus, catalyst, goad, impetus, impulse, incitation, incitement, motivation, stimulant
For example, if something is an incentive to do something, it encourages you to do it.
There is little or no incentive to adopt such measures.

Definite, adjective (definitely, definiteness, definitive)

circumscribed, determinate, fixed, limited, narrow, precise, restricted
Definite evidence or information is true, rather than being someone’s opinion or guesses.
We didn’t have any definite proof.

Assumption, noun (assume, assumed, assumptions)

presumption, presupposition
If you make an assumption that something is true, or will happen, you accept that it is true
or will happen, often without any real proof.
Dr. Subroto questioned the scientific assumption on which the global warming theory is
based.

Mediate, verb (mediates, mediating, mediated, mediator)

interpose, intercede, interfere, intermediate, intervene, step in
For example, if someone mediates between two groups of people, he tries to settle an
agreement by talking to both groups to find out which things they can both agree.
United Nations officials have mediated a serious of peace meetings between the two sides.

Settle, verb (settles, settling, settled, settlement)

calm, allay, becalm, compose, lull, quiet, quieted, soothe, still, tranquilize
If people settle an argument or problem, or if someone settles it, they solve it, for example
by making a decision about who is right or about what to do.
They agreed to try to settle their dispute by negotiation.

Dispute, noun (disputes)

argue, bicker, hassle, quibble, squabble, wrangle
A dispute is an agreement or disagreement between people or groups.
For example, negotiators failed to resolve the bitter dispute between the European
Community and the United States.

Capital, adjective (capitalize, capitalism)

chief, dominant, main, major, number one, outstanding, predominant, principal
For example, a capital offense is one that is so serious that the person can be put to death.
His assassinating the Senator of New York was a capital crime, which, if found guilty,
will qualify him for the death penalty.

Offense, noun (offenses)

attack, aggression, assailment, assault, offensive, downfall, onset, onslaught
For example, an offense is a crime that breaks a particular law and requires a punishment.
A criminal offense is an act committed by someone which is in direct violation of the laws
of a particular country.

Instill, verb (instills, instilling, instilled)

implant, inculcate, infix, inseminate
For example, if you instill an idea or feeling into someone, especially over a period of
time, you make them think it or feel it.
They hope that their work will instill a sense of responsibility in children.

Execute, verb (executes, executing, executed, execution, executively)

assassinate, bump off, cool, do in, dust off, finish, knock off, liquidate, put away
For example, to execute someone means to kill him/her as a punishment for a serious
crime.
This boy’s father had been executed for conspiring against the throne.

Conspire, verb (conspires, conspiring, conspired)

plot, cogitate, collogue, collude, connive, contrive, devise, intrigue, machinate, scheme
For example, if two or more people or groups conspire to do something illegal of harmful,
they make a secret agreement to do it.
They’d conspired to overthrow the government.

Pilot, verb (plots, plotting, plotted)

collude, connive, conspire, contrive, devise, intrigue, machinate, scheme
For example, if people plot to do something or plot something illegal or wrong, they
plan secretly to do it.
Prosecutors in the trial allege the defendants plotted to overthrow the government.
Throne, noun (thrones)
The throne: the position and power of being a king or queen.
In 1913 when George V was on the throne, his country’s people suffered from poverty.

Overthrow, verb (overthrows, overthrowing, overthrew, overthrown)

overturn, knock over, overset, tip (over), topple, turn over, upset
For example, when a government or leader is overthrown, he/she is removed by force.
That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.

Coup, noun (coups)

overthrow, revolution, insurrection, revolt
For example, when there is a coup, a group of people seizes power in a country.
Bolivia has experienced several military coups over the last few decades.

Prosecutor, noun (prosecutors)

For example, in some countries, a prosecutor is a lawyer or official who brings charges
against someone or tries to prove in a trial that he/she is guilty.
Due to a preponderance of evidence presented by the prosecutor, the man was found
guilty of murder.

Allege, verb (alleges, alleging, alleged)

adduce, advance, cite, lay, offer, present
For example, if you allege that something bad is true, you say it but do not prove it.
It was alleged that policeman had accepted bribes.
Defendant, noun (defendants)
For example, a defendant is a person who has been accused of breaking the law and is
being tried in court.
We find the defendant not guilty of the charges brought against him by the prosecutor.

Seize, verb (seizes, seizing, seized)

appropriate, annex, arrogate, commandeer, confiscate, expropriate, preempt, sequester
For example, when a group or people seize a place or seize control of it, they take control
of it quickly and suddenly, using force.
Army officers plotted a failed attempt yesterday to seize power.
Charge, noun
For example, an official statement made by the police saying that someone is guilty of a
crime.
The charge against her was arson.

Arson, noun
For example, arson is the crime of deliberately setting fire to a building or vehicle.
They vented their anger by carrying out arson attacks.

Bribe, noun (bribes, bribing, bribed)

buy, buy off, fix, have
For example, a bribe is a sum of money or something valuable that one person offers or
gives to another in order to persuade him or her to do something.
He was being investigated for receiving bribes.

Prescription, noun (prescriptions)

For example, a prescription is a medicine which a doctor has told you to take.
Can I discontinue taking my prescription? I feel fine now.

Relapse, verb (relapses, relapsing, relapsed)

lapse, backslide, recidivate
For example, if a sick person relapses, his health suddenly gets worse after it had been
improving.
In 90 percent of cases, the patient will relapse within six months.

Surgery, noun (surgeries)

For example, surgery is medical treatment in which someone’s body is cut open so that a
doctor can repair, remove, or replace a diseased or damaged part.
The doctor performed surgery on the heart-diseased patient.

Medical, adjective (medically, medicals)

physician, doc, doctor, medico
For example, medical means relating to illness and injuries and to their treatment or
prevention.
Several police officers received medical treatment for cuts and bruises.
Treatment, noun (treatments)
For example, treatment is medical attention given to a sick or injured person or animal.
Many patients are not getting the medical treatment they need.

Bruise, noun (bruises, bruising, bruised)

boo-boo, abrasion, scrape, scratch
For example, a bruise is an injury which appears as a purple mark on your body,
although the skin is not broken.
How did you get that bruise on your cheek?

Symptom, noun (symptoms)

indication, evidence, index, indicia, mark, sign, significant, token.
For example, a symptom of an illness is something wrong with your body or mind that is
a sign of the illness.
I thought I ought to let you know my symptoms have already been relieved.

Specify, noun (specifies, specifying, specified, specific, specifically)

cite, instance, name
For example, if you specify something, you give information about what is required or
should happen in a certain situation.
He has not specified what action he would like them to take.

Estate, noun (estates)

acres, land, manor
For example, someone’s estate is all the money and property that he/she leaves behind
them when he/she dies.
Mrs. Green’s specified that her estate be auctioned off for her charity.

Executor, noun (executors)

For example, an executor is someone whose name you write in your will when you want
him to be responsible for dealing with your affairs after your death.
Who is the executor?

Committee, noun (committees)

For example, a committee is a group of people who meet to make decisions or plans for
a large group or organization that they represent.
Has the acquisition committee decided which precision cutting machines to buy?
Acquisition, noun (acquisitions)
acquirement, accomplishment, achievement, attainment, finish
For example, if a company or business person makes an acquisition, he/she buys
another company or part of that company.
What will turn around our business is the acquisition of a profitable paper
recycling company.

Precision, noun (preciseness, precise)

accuracy, correctness, definiteness, definitiveness, definitude, exactitude, exactness,
preciseness
For example, if you do something with precision, you do it exactly as it should be done.
The interior is planned with a precision the military would be proud of.
Adjective: made or done in a very exact way
The wheat is milled with precision grinding.

Profitable, adjective
advantageous, gainful, good, lucrative, moneymaking, paying, remunerative, well-paying,
worthwhile
For example, a profitable organization or practice makes a profit.
Drug manufacturing is the most profitable business in America.

Interior, noun (interiors)

inner, inner more, inside, internal, intestine, inward
For example, the interior of a country or continent is the central area or it.
The Yangzi River would give access to much of China’s interior.

Grind, verb (grinds, grinding, and ground)

drudge, grub, muck, plod, slave, slog, toil
For example, if you grind a substance such as corn, you crush it between two hard
surfaces or with a machine until it becomes a fine powder.
Store the peppercorns in an airtight container and grind the pepper as you need it.

Clarify, verb (clarifies, clarifying, clarified)

clear, clear up, elucidate, explain, illuminate, illustrate, explain
For example, to clarify something means to make it easier to understand, usually by
explaining it in more detail. (Formal)
Thank you for writing and allowing me to clarify the present position.
Specification, noun (specifications)
requirement, guideline
For example, a specification is a requirement which is clearly stated, for example about the
necessary features in the design of something.
I’d like to buy some land and have a house built to my specification.

Contender, noun (contenders)

competitor
For example, a contender is someone who takes part in a competition.
Her trainer said yesterday that she would be a strong contender for a place in Britain’s
Olympic squad.

Retard, verb (retards, retarding, retarded)

delay, decelerate, detain, hang up, mire, set back, slacken, slow (up or down)
For example, if something retards a process, or the development of something, it makes it
happen more slowly. (Formal)
Continuing violence will retard negotiations over the country’s future.

Extinction, noun
For example, the extinction of a species of animal or plant is the death of all its remaining
living members.
An operation is beginning to try to save a species of crocodile from extinction.

Encroach, verb (encroaches, encroaching, encroached)

trespass, entrench, infringe, invade
For example, if one thing encroaches on another, the first thing spreads or becomes
stronger, and slowly begins to restrict the power, range, or effectiveness of the second.
Any attempt to encroach upon presidential prerogatives in this domain was quickly and
firmly resisted.

Spread, verb (spreads, spreading, spread)

circulate, diffuse, disperse, disseminate, distribute, propagate, radiate, strew
For example, if something spreads or is spread by people, it gradually reaches or affects a
larger and larger area or more and more people.
News of the large earthquake quickly spread across the nation.