BAULK –
Meaning: a. hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking. (Verb) b. thwart or hinder (a plan or person). (Verb) c. Hindrance, check (Noun)
Synonyms: hinder, impede, obstruct
Antonyms: adopt, leap at, advantage
Usage in a sentence: The horse baulked and would not jump the fence.
JETTISON –
Meaning: a. throw or drop (something) from an aircraft or ship. (Verb) b. abandon or discard (someone or something that is no longer wanted). (Verb) c. the action of jettisoning something. (Noun)
Synonyms: discard, dump, reject, eliminate, abandon
Antonyms: adopt, salvage, preserve
Usage in a sentence: We should jettison these old computers and get new ones.
DISSONANCE –
Meaning: a. lack of harmony among musical notes. b. lack of agreement or harmony between people or things. Synonyms: disagreement, discord, disharmony, discrepancy
Antonyms: harmony, accord, agreement, consonance
Usage in a sentence: Ryan is remarkable in the role, moving from tenderness to ruthlessness without strain or dissonance.
PREROGATIVE –
Meaning: a. a right or privilege exclusive to a particular individual or class. b. a faculty or property distinguishing a person or class.
Synonyms: privilege, freedom, authority, priority, entitlem ent
Antonyms: disadvantage, obligation, drawback, prohibition
Usage in a sentence: If you’d rather sell the tickets than use them, that’s your prerogative.
ETHOS –
Meaning: the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its attitudes and aspirations.
Synonyms: spirit, character, culture
Usage in a sentence: The company made environmental awareness part of its business ethos.
ALLEGIANCE –
Meaning: loyalty or commitment to a superior or to a group or cause.
Synonyms: loyalty, fealty, fidelity, devotion, faithfulness
Antonyms: treason, disloyalty, betrayal, treachery
Usage in a Sentence: Both candidates are working hard to convince voters to switch allegiances.
ENUMERATE –
Meaning: mention (a number of things) one by one.
Synonyms: list, count, number, itemize, specify
Antonyms: estimate, wonder, inherent
Usage in a sentence: I proceeded to enumerate the reasons why I would be justified in filing a lawsuit for negligence.
ENGENDER –
Meaning: cause or give rise to (a feeling, situation, or condition).
Synonyms: generate, produce, create, cause, breed, beget
Antonyms: destroy, halt, stop, annihilate
Usage in a sentence: The issue has engendered a considerable amount of debate.
PANDER –
Meaning: gratify or indulge (an immoral or distasteful desire or taste or a person with such a desire or taste).
Synonyms: indulge, gratify, satisfy
Antonyms: refuse, deny, dissatisfy, disappoint
Usage in a sentence: The newspapers are pandering to people’s baser instincts.
