136 words starting with A

• abate verb

  to become less strong or intense over time

  We waited in the bus station until the heavy rain began to abate.

  Like subside, lessen, ease

• abdicate verb

  to formally give up the position of king or queen; to give up a duty

  The old king chose to abdicate so that his daughter could rule.

  Like resign, renounce

• aberration noun

  something that departs from what is normal or expected, often a one-off

  One low test score was an aberration for a student who usually gets top marks.

  Like anomaly, deviation

• abhor verb

  to hate something very strongly, often because it seems wrong

  My grandmother abhors waste and saves every grain of rice.

  Like detest, loathe, despise

• abide verb

  to accept or obey a rule or decision; to put up with

  Every player must abide by the referee’s decision, even when they disagree.

  Like obey, follow, tolerate

• abject adjective

  extremely bad, hopeless, and without dignity

  The first rocket launch was an abject failure; it tipped over before leaving the ground.

  Like wretched, miserable

• abolish verb

  to officially end a law, system, or practice completely

  The school abolished its old rule that students must stand up to answer questions.

  Like end, eliminate, scrap

• abound verb

  to exist in very large numbers or amounts

  Wild orchids abound in the forests of eastern Nepal during the monsoon.

  Like teem, be plentiful

• abrasive adjective

  rough and able to scrape a surface; harsh and rude in manner

  Use an abrasive pad to scrub the burnt rice off the bottom of the pot.

  Like rough, harsh, coarse

• abridge verb

  to shorten a book or text while keeping its main meaning

  The publisher abridged the long novel so younger readers could enjoy it.

  Like shorten, condense

• abrupt adjective

  sudden and unexpected; short and unfriendly in speech

  The bus came to an abrupt stop when a cow walked onto the road.

  Like sudden, unexpected, curt

• absolve verb

  to officially say that someone is free from blame or guilt

  The investigation absolved the driver of any fault in the accident.

  Like clear, exonerate, pardon

• abstain verb

  to choose not to do something, especially something you enjoy

  During the festival week, my uncle abstains from eating meat.

  Like refrain, forgo

• absurd adjective

  so unreasonable or silly that it makes no sense

  The idea that the Moon is made of cheese is absurd.

  Like ridiculous, ludicrous, preposterous

• abundant adjective

  existing in large amounts, more than enough

  Fresh water is abundant in Nepal because of its many rivers.

  Like plentiful, ample, copious

• accede verb

  to agree to a request or demand, often after some resistance

  The principal finally acceded to the students’ request for a longer lunch break.

  Like consent, agree, yield

• accentuate verb

  to make a feature more noticeable or prominent

  The bright red border accentuates the colors in the painting.

  Like emphasize, highlight

• accessible adjective

  easy to reach, enter, or use; easy to understand

  The new ramp makes the library accessible to students who use wheelchairs.

  Like reachable, usable, understandable

• acclaim noun

  strong public praise and approval

  The young scientist’s invention won international acclaim.

  Like praise, applause, acclamation

• accolade noun

  a prize or special honor given for an achievement

  Winning the national science fair was the highest accolade of her school career.

  Like award, honor, tribute

• accommodate verb

  to provide space or room for; to adjust to fit someone’s needs

  The new hall can accommodate five hundred people.

  Like house, hold, adapt

• accomplice noun

  a person who helps someone else do something wrong

  The boy who kept watch was an accomplice in the prank on the teacher.

  Like partner in crime, collaborator, accessory

• accost verb

  to approach and speak to someone boldly or rudely

  A street seller accosted us at the bus park, trying to sell sunglasses.

  Like confront, approach

• accrue verb

  to build up gradually over time, as money or benefits do

  Interest accrues on the money in your savings account every month.

  Like accumulate, build up, gather

• acquiesce verb

  to accept or agree quietly, without protest, though not eagerly

  My brother wanted pizza, but he acquiesced when everyone else chose momo.

  Like consent, comply, give in

• acquit verb

  to decide officially in court that someone is not guilty

  The jury acquitted the man after the evidence proved his innocence.

  Like clear, exonerate

• acumen noun

  the ability to make quick, good judgments, especially in business

  Her business acumen helped the small tea shop grow into a chain.

  Like shrewdness, insight, sharpness

• adage noun

  an old, well-known saying that expresses a general truth

  The adage “practice makes perfect” proved true for the young chess player.

  Like saying, proverb, maxim

• adamant adjective

  refusing to change your mind, no matter what

  The coach was adamant that every player arrive by six in the morning.

  Like firm, unyielding, insistent

• adept adjective

  very skilled at doing something

  My sister is adept at solving difficult math problems quickly.

  Like skilled, expert, proficient

• adhere verb

  to stick firmly to a surface; to follow a rule or belief closely

  The students adhered to the lab safety rules throughout the experiment.

  Like stick, follow, obey

• admonish verb

  to warn or scold someone gently but firmly

  The librarian admonished the boys for talking loudly in the reading room.

  Like scold, reprimand, warn

• adorn verb

  to add decorations to something to make it more beautiful

  During Tihar, families adorn their homes with marigold garlands and oil lamps.

  Like decorate, embellish

• adroit adjective

  clever and skillful, especially with hands or in handling situations

  The adroit goalkeeper caught the ball with one hand.

  Like skillful, deft, dexterous

• adversary noun

  an opponent in a contest, argument, or fight

  In the final match, she faced her toughest adversary from the previous year.

  Like opponent, rival, foe

• adversity noun

  a time of serious difficulty or bad luck

  The village rebuilt its school with courage in the face of adversity.

  Like hardship, misfortune, difficulty

• affable adjective

  friendly, pleasant, and easy to talk to

  Our affable new neighbor invited us for tea on the first day.

  Like friendly, amiable, genial

• affinity noun

  a natural liking for or connection with something

  He has a strong affinity for mountains and spends every holiday trekking.

  Like liking, fondness, kinship

• affliction noun

  something that causes pain or suffering, such as an illness

  Poor eyesight was an affliction that never stopped him from reading.

  Like ailment, illness, burden

• affluent adjective

  having a lot of money and a comfortable life

  Some affluent families in the city send their children abroad for study.

  Like wealthy, rich, prosperous

• aggravate verb

  to make a problem or injury worse; to annoy

  Running on his sprained ankle only aggravated the injury.

  Like worsen, intensify, annoy

• aghast adjective

  filled with shock and horror

  The teacher was aghast when she saw the broken microscope.

  Like horrified, shocked, appalled

• agile adjective

  able to move quickly and easily; able to think quickly

  The agile monkey leaped from branch to branch at Swayambhunath.

  Like nimble, quick, lithe

• agitate verb

  to make someone anxious or upset; to shake or stir a liquid

  Gently agitate the test tube until the salt dissolves completely.

  Like disturb, upset, stir

• alienate verb

  to make someone stop feeling friendly or close to you; to make someone feel they don’t belong

  His rude jokes alienated many of his classmates.

  Like estrange, distance, turn away

• allay verb

  to reduce someone’s fear, worry, or doubt

  The pilot’s calm voice helped allay the passengers’ fears during the bumpy flight.

  Like ease, calm, relieve

• alleviate verb

  to make pain or a problem less severe

  A cold cloth on the forehead can alleviate a headache.

  Like relieve, ease, lessen

• allude verb

  to mention something indirectly, without saying it clearly

  The teacher alluded to a surprise test but would not give the date.

  Like hint, refer, suggest

• allure noun

  a strong, mysterious quality that attracts people

  The allure of the Himalaya brings trekkers from all over the world.

  Like attraction, appeal, charm

• aloof adjective

  cool and distant, not friendly or involved with others

  The new student seemed aloof at first, but he was only shy.

  Like distant, reserved, detached

• altercation noun

  a noisy argument or disagreement, usually in public

  There was a brief altercation between two drivers after a minor bump.

  Like argument, quarrel, dispute

• altruism noun

  caring about the good of others without expecting a reward

  Her altruism showed when she gave her lunch to a hungry classmate.

  Like selflessness, generosity, unselfishness

• amass verb

  to collect a large amount of something over time

  Over twenty years, he amassed a collection of more than a thousand stamps.

  Like accumulate, gather, collect

• ambiguity noun

  the quality of having more than one possible meaning

  The ambiguity of the question confused many students in the exam.

  Like vagueness, uncertainty

• ambiguous adjective

  able to be understood in more than one way

  The sign was ambiguous, so we could not tell which path to take.

  Like unclear, vague, equivocal

• ambivalence noun

  the state of having mixed or opposite feelings about something at the same time

  She felt some ambivalence about moving to a new school: she was excited but also nervous.

  Like uncertainty, indecision

• ambivalent adjective

  having mixed or opposite feelings about something

  He was ambivalent about the trip because he loved travel but hated long bus rides.

  Like undecided, uncertain, conflicted

• ameliorate verb

  to make a bad situation better

  New wells helped ameliorate the water shortage in the village.

  Like improve, better, relieve

• amenable adjective

  willing to agree to or accept a suggestion

  The teacher was amenable to moving the test to Friday.

  Like agreeable, willing, open

• amend verb

  to make small changes to a text or law to improve it

  The club members voted to amend their rules about meeting times.

  Like revise, change, modify

• amenity noun

  something that makes a place comfortable or pleasant to use

  The hotel’s amenities include a swimming pool and free breakfast.

  Like facility, convenience, comfort

• amiable adjective

  friendly and pleasant in a good-natured way

  Our amiable tour guide answered every question with a smile.

  Like friendly, affable, good-natured

• amicable adjective

  friendly and peaceful, without anger or argument

  The two schools reached an amicable agreement about sharing the playground.

  Like friendly, peaceful, cordial

• amorphous adjective

  without a clear shape or structure

  Glass is an amorphous solid because its atoms are not arranged in a regular pattern.

  Like shapeless, formless, vague

• ample adjective

  more than enough

  There was ample food at the Dashain feast for every guest.

  Like plentiful, abundant, sufficient

• amplify verb

  to make a sound louder; to make something stronger or more detailed

  A microphone amplifies the speaker’s voice so the whole hall can hear.

  Like increase, magnify, strengthen

• analogous adjective

  similar in some way, so that a comparison can be made

  The heart is analogous to a pump that pushes water through pipes.

  Like similar, comparable, parallel

• anarchy noun

  a state of disorder because there is no authority or control

  When the teacher left the room, the class fell into anarchy.

  Like chaos, disorder, lawlessness

• ancillary adjective

  providing extra support or help to a main part or activity

  The hospital has ancillary staff such as cleaners, cooks, and drivers.

  Like supplementary, auxiliary, secondary

• anecdote noun

  a short, interesting story about a real person or event

  Grandfather told an anecdote about meeting a snow leopard on his way to school.

  Like story, tale, account

• anguish noun

  very great pain or suffering, especially in the mind

  She waited in anguish for news of her lost dog until a neighbor finally found it.

  Like distress, agony, torment

• animosity noun

  strong dislike or hostility between people

  The animosity between the two teams ended after they shared a meal.

  Like hostility, hatred, enmity

• annex verb

  to take control of a territory and add it to a country

  Long ago, kings often annexed small neighboring kingdoms to grow their power.

  Like seize, take over, acquire

• annihilate verb

  to destroy something completely; to defeat totally

  Our school’s cricket team annihilated the visitors by ten wickets.

  Like destroy, obliterate, crush

• annul verb

  to officially declare that an agreement or decision no longer has legal force

  The court annulled the contract because it had been signed by mistake.

  Like cancel, invalidate, void

• anomaly noun

  something unusual that does not fit the normal pattern

  Snow in Kathmandu in summer would be a weather anomaly.

  Like irregularity, oddity, aberration

• anonymous adjective

  having a name that is not known or not given

  An anonymous donor gave the school a new set of computers.

  Like unnamed, nameless, unknown

• antagonism noun

  active, open unfriendliness or opposition

  There was little antagonism between the rival clubs, just friendly competition.

  Like hostility, opposition, animosity

• antagonist noun

  a person who strongly opposes another, especially the main enemy in a story

  In the story, the greedy landlord is the antagonist who tries to take the farm.

  Like opponent, adversary, rival

• antagonize verb

  to make someone feel angry or hostile toward you

  Don’t antagonize the dog by pulling its tail.

  Like provoke, annoy, irritate

• antecedent noun

  a thing or event that existed or came before another

  The abacus was an early antecedent of the modern calculator.

  Like predecessor, forerunner, precursor

• anthology noun

  a published collection of poems, stories, or other writings by different authors

  Our Nepali class reads poems from an anthology of famous poets.

  Like collection, compilation

• antidote noun

  a medicine that stops the effects of a poison; a remedy for something bad

  Doctors gave the man an antidote after he was bitten by a snake.

  Like remedy, cure, countermeasure

• antipathy noun

  a deep, settled feeling of dislike

  He has a strong antipathy toward spicy food.

  Like dislike, aversion, hostility

• antiquated adjective

  old-fashioned and no longer suitable or useful

  The office still used an antiquated typewriter instead of a computer.

  Like outdated, obsolete, old-fashioned

• antithesis noun

  the exact opposite of something

  Laziness is the antithesis of what a good athlete needs.

  Like opposite, reverse, contrary

• apathetic adjective

  showing no interest, enthusiasm, or concern

  Some students seemed apathetic about the election for class captain.

  Like indifferent, uninterested, unconcerned

• apathy noun

  a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern

  Voter apathy meant that few people came to choose the club’s new leader.

  Like indifference, unconcern, disinterest

• apex noun

  the highest point or top of something

  The climbers reached the apex of the mountain just after sunrise.

  Like peak, summit, top

• appall verb

  to shock and upset someone greatly

  The amount of plastic in the river appalled the students on the field trip.

  Like shock, horrify, dismay

• appease verb

  to calm or satisfy someone by giving them what they want

  My little brother was appeased only when he got an extra sweet.

  Like pacify, placate, soothe

• append verb

  to add something to the end of a document or text

  Please append a list of your sources to the end of your report.

  Like attach, add

• apprehensive adjective

  worried or nervous that something bad may happen

  She was apprehensive before her first flight to Pokhara.

  Like anxious, nervous, uneasy

• apprise verb

  to inform someone or tell them about a situation

  The principal apprised the parents of the new school timings.

  Like inform, notify, tell

• arbitrate verb

  to settle an argument by hearing both sides and making a decision, as a neutral judge

  A respected teacher was asked to arbitrate the dispute between the two clubs.

  Like adjudicate, judge, settle

• arcane adjective

  known or understood by only a few people; mysterious

  The rules of the old board game seemed arcane to the young players.

  Like obscure, mysterious, esoteric

• archaic adjective

  very old and belonging to the past, no longer in common use

  Words like “thou” sound archaic in modern English.

  Like obsolete, antiquated, old-fashioned

• archetype noun

  a perfect, typical example of a certain kind of person or thing

  The wise old teacher is an archetype found in many folk tales.

  Like model, prototype, epitome

• ardent adjective

  very enthusiastic and passionate about something

  He is an ardent football fan who never misses a match.

  Like passionate, fervent, devoted

• ardor noun

  great enthusiasm or passion

  The students sang the national anthem with ardor.

  Like passion, fervor, zeal

• arduous adjective

  needing a lot of effort and hard work, tiring

  The trek to Everest Base Camp is long and arduous.

  Like difficult, strenuous, grueling

• aristocracy noun

  the highest social class, people of noble birth with titles and land

  In the past, the aristocracy lived in large palaces with many servants.

  Like nobility, gentry, upper class

• arrogant adjective

  behaving as if you are better or more important than others

  The arrogant player refused to listen to his coach’s advice.

  Like haughty, conceited, overbearing

• artifice noun

  clever tricks used to deceive others

  The magician used artifice to make the coin seem to disappear.

  Like trickery, deception, cunning

• artisan noun

  a skilled worker who makes things by hand

  Bhaktapur’s artisans are famous for their wood carving and pottery.

  Like craftsman, craftsperson

• ascend verb

  to go or climb up

  The hot-air balloon slowly ascended into the clear morning sky.

  Like climb, rise, mount

• ascertain verb

  to find out for certain, by checking or investigating

  The scientist ran more tests to ascertain the cause of the problem.

  Like determine, establish, verify

• ascetic adjective

  living a very simple life without comforts, often for religious reasons

  The monk lived an ascetic life in a small hut high in the mountains.

  Like austere, self-denying, simple

• ascribe verb

  to say that something is caused by or belongs to a particular person or thing

  He ascribed his success in the exam to hard work and good teachers.

  Like attribute, credit, assign

• aspire verb

  to have a strong hope to achieve something important

  She aspires to become a doctor and work in a village clinic.

  Like aim, hope, strive

• assail verb

  to attack violently or with strong criticism

  The minister was assailed with difficult questions by reporters.

  Like attack, assault, criticize

• assent noun

  official agreement or approval

  The principal gave her assent to the students’ plan for a science club.

  Like approval, agreement, consent

• assimilate verb

  to become part of a group or culture; to take in and fully understand information

  It took the new student a few weeks to assimilate into the class.

  Like absorb, integrate, adapt

• assuage verb

  to make an unpleasant feeling less intense

  A cool glass of lemon water assuaged his thirst after the hike.

  Like relieve, ease, soothe

• astute adjective

  quick to notice things and use them to your advantage

  The astute shopkeeper noticed which snacks sold best and stocked more of them.

  Like shrewd, sharp, perceptive

• asylum noun

  protection given by a country to someone who has fled danger in their own

  Many countries give asylum to people who are in danger in their own homeland.

  Like refuge, sanctuary, shelter

• atone verb

  to do something to show you are sorry for a wrong you did

  He atoned for breaking the window by helping to repair it.

  Like make amends, compensate

• atrophy verb

  to become weak or smaller from lack of use

  Muscles can atrophy if a broken leg stays in a cast for weeks.

  Like weaken, waste away, wither

• attain verb

  to reach or achieve something after effort

  She attained the highest score in the district exam.

  Like achieve, reach, accomplish

• attest verb

  to show or state clearly that something is true

  The many trophies in the hall attest to the school’s success in sports.

  Like confirm, prove, testify

• atypical adjective

  not usual or normal for a certain kind of thing or person

  Warm weather in January is atypical for the hills of Nepal.

  Like unusual, abnormal, irregular

• audacious adjective

  showing a bold willingness to take risks

  The climbers made an audacious attempt to reach the summit without oxygen.

  Like bold, daring, fearless

• audacity noun

  bold courage, sometimes in a rude or shocking way

  He had the audacity to ask the teacher to cancel the exam.

  Like boldness, nerve, daring

• augment verb

  to make something larger or greater by adding to it

  The farmer augmented his income by selling honey.

  Like increase, boost, supplement

• auspicious adjective

  showing signs of future success; favorable

  The wedding was held on an auspicious day chosen by the priest.

  Like favorable, promising, fortunate

• austere adjective

  very plain and simple, without comfort or decoration

  The monastery’s rooms were austere, with only a bed and a lamp.

  Like plain, stark, severe

• austerity noun

  strict cutting of spending, especially by a government; a plain, simple way of living

  During the years of austerity, the government cut spending on new roads.

  Like frugality, thrift, belt-tightening

• authoritarian adjective

  demanding total obedience and not allowing personal freedom

  The authoritarian coach never let players question his decisions.

  Like dictatorial, strict, autocratic

• autocrat noun

  a ruler who has total power and does not share it

  The autocrat made every decision himself and allowed no elections.

  Like dictator, tyrant, despot

• avarice noun

  extreme greed for money or wealth

  In the folk tale, the merchant’s avarice made him lose everything.

  Like greed, greediness, cupidity

• averse adjective

  strongly disliking or opposed to something

  My father is not averse to trying new foods.

  Like opposed, reluctant, unwilling

• aversion noun

  a strong feeling of dislike

  Many cats have an aversion to water.

  Like dislike, distaste, antipathy

• avert verb

  to prevent something bad from happening; to turn your eyes away

  Quick thinking by the driver averted an accident on the mountain road.

  Like prevent, avoid, ward off

• avid adjective

  very keen and enthusiastic about a hobby or interest

  My cousin is an avid reader who finishes a book every week.

  Like keen, eager, enthusiastic

• awe noun

  a feeling of great wonder mixed with respect or slight fear

  We stood in awe as the sun rose over the snowy peaks.

  Like wonder, amazement, reverence

• awry adjective

  away from the planned or expected course; out of place

  Our picnic plans went awry when it started to rain.

  Like wrong, amiss, askew