33 words starting with M

• magnanimous adjective

  generous and kind, especially toward a rival or someone weaker

  The magnanimous winner shook hands and praised the losing team.

  Like generous, gracious, big-hearted

• malevolent adjective

  wishing harm to others

  In the story, a malevolent wizard tried to trap the villagers.

  Like malicious, wicked, evil

• malice noun

  the desire to harm or upset someone

  She spoke without malice, only wanting to help him improve.

  Like spite, ill will, malevolence

• malicious adjective

  meant to hurt or upset someone on purpose

  Spreading malicious rumors about classmates is never acceptable.

  Like spiteful, hurtful, malevolent

• malleable adjective

  able to be hammered or pressed into shape without breaking; easily influenced

  Gold is so malleable that it can be beaten into very thin sheets.

  Like pliable, flexible, workable

• mandate noun

  an official order or the authority given to do something

  The committee had a mandate to improve the town’s water supply.

  Like order, authority, directive

• mandatory adjective

  required by a law or rule

  Wearing a helmet is mandatory for motorcyclists in Kathmandu.

  Like compulsory, required, obligatory

• manifest verb

  to show clearly; to appear

  The plant’s illness manifested itself in yellow, curling leaves.

  Like show, display, reveal

• manifestation noun

  a sign that shows something exists or is happening

  A rash can be a manifestation of an allergy.

  Like sign, indication, expression

• mar verb

  to spoil or damage the appearance or quality of something

  A single scratch marred the shiny new table.

  Like spoil, damage, ruin

• martyr noun

  a person who suffers or dies for their beliefs; someone who makes a show of suffering to get sympathy

  He played the martyr, sighing loudly every time he had to wash the dishes.

• marvel verb

  to feel great surprise and admiration

  Visitors marvel at the size of Everest when they first see it.

  Like wonder, be amazed

• maxim noun

  a short saying that expresses a general rule or truth

  “Practice makes perfect” is a maxim my piano teacher often repeats.

  Like saying, proverb, adage

• meager adjective

  small in amount and not enough

  The meager harvest was not enough to feed the family through winter.

  Like scanty, paltry, inadequate

• meander verb

  to follow a winding course; to wander slowly without a clear direction

  The river meanders through the valley in wide loops.

  Like wind, wander, ramble

• mediocre adjective

  only ordinary or average in quality, not very good

  The food at the stall was mediocre, but it was cheap.

  Like average, ordinary, unremarkable

• mediocrity noun

  the quality of being only average and not very good

  The coach told us not to settle for mediocrity.

  Like ordinariness, averageness

• melancholy noun

  a gentle, lasting sadness, often without a clear cause

  A feeling of melancholy came over her as summer ended.

  Like sadness, gloom, sorrow

• mellow adjective

  soft, warm and pleasant; calm and relaxed

  The mellow evening light turned the hills golden.

  Like soft, gentle, relaxed

• merit noun

  the quality of being good and deserving praise

  The scholarship is awarded on merit, not on family income.

  Like worth, value, excellence

• meticulous adjective

  showing great attention to every small detail

  She kept meticulous notes on every step of the experiment.

  Like painstaking, precise, thorough

• mimic verb

  to copy the way someone speaks or moves, often to amuse

  The parrot can mimic the sound of a ringing phone.

  Like imitate, copy, impersonate

• mischievous adjective

  causing small trouble in a playful way

  The mischievous monkeys at Swayambhu grab snacks from visitors.

  Like naughty, playful, impish

• miser noun

  a person who hates spending money and saves it greedily

  The miser lived in a cold house rather than spend money on firewood.

  Like skinflint, penny-pincher, scrooge

• misgiving noun

  a feeling of doubt or worry about something

  I had misgivings about crossing the old bridge in the dark.

  Like doubt, worry, qualm

• mitigate verb

  to make something bad less severe

  Planting trees on slopes helps mitigate the risk of landslides.

  Like lessen, reduce, ease

• mobilize verb

  to organize people or resources for a purpose

  The school mobilized volunteers to clean the riverbank.

  Like organize, rally, gather

• modest adjective

  not boasting about your abilities; not large in size or amount

  Despite winning the prize, she was modest about her achievement.

  Like humble, unassuming, moderate

• momentous adjective

  very important because of its effect on the future

  The first moon landing was a momentous event in history.

  Like historic, significant, important

• monotonous adjective

  dull because it never changes

  The bus ride across the plains was long and monotonous.

  Like boring, repetitive, tedious

• mosaic noun

  a picture or pattern made of many small colored pieces

  The students made a mosaic of a tiger from broken tiles.

• mundane adjective

  ordinary and boring; part of everyday life

  Washing dishes is a mundane task, but someone has to do it.

  Like ordinary, everyday, dull

• myriad adjective

  countless; extremely many

  The night sky over the mountains was filled with myriad stars.

  Like countless, innumerable, numerous