Words

Pronunciation

 (part of speech)

Word Charge

Word Group

Dangle

\DANG gul\ (v.)

= charge CHANGING

to hang loosely and swing

The trainer dangled a treat above the nose of the obedient puppy.

Dated

\DAY tid\ (adj.)

– charge TIME

old-fashioned, out of style

Though she was flattered at inheriting the gown, she secretly thought it might be a bit dated for a modern wedding.

Daunting

\DAWN ting\ (adj.)

– charge DISCOURAGE

discouraging

While running the New York Marathon may be a daunting task to some, the event consistently draws thousands of participants.

Debacle

\di BAK ul\ (n.)

– charge HARMFUL

disastrous collapse, total failure

The team’s certain victory somehow transformed into a complete debacle as they made countless errors and failed to communicate.

Debase

\de BAYS\ (v.)

– charge DECREASE

to degrade or lower in quality or stature

The president’s deceitful actions debased his office.

Debilitating

\dee BIL uh tay ting\ (adj.)

– charge UNHEALTHY

impairing the strength or energy

The company’s relocation was debilitating to its employees; they lost all will to work in their new environment.

Debtor

\DET ur\ (n.)

= charge DEPRIVED

someone that owes something to someone else

The bank sends letters to its debtors to remind them when their loans are due.

Debunk

\dee BUNK\ (v.)

+ charge FALSE

to expose the falseness of

The brilliant professor’s latest book seeks to debunk prevailing explanations of the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Deceive

\de SEEV\ (v.)

– charge FALSE

mislead, give false impression

In a brilliant maneuver, the general deceived his opponent into thinking that he was attacking from the north when, in reality, he had circled around and attacked from the south.

Decibel

\DEH sib ul\ (n.)

= charge SOUND

unit of sound intensity

The newspaper sent a reporter armed with a decimeter—a device that records decibel levels of sound — to determine which everyday noises are harmful to children.

Decisive

\de SIY siv\ (adj.)

+ charge DECISIVE

conclusive; capable of determining outcome

The defeat of the Spanish Armada was a decisive battle in history as it marked England’s ascendance as a naval power, and thereby as a world power.

Decorous

\de KOHR us\ (adj.)

+ charge FORMAL

proper, well-behaved

While he wasn’t the most intelligent student in class, Greg was always complemented for his decorous behavior i school.

Deduction

\dee DUK shin\ (n.)

+ charge TAKE AWAY

the drawing of a conclusion through logic

Sherlock Holmes is often known as the Master of Deduction for his ability to solve crimes through logical reasoning.

Defective

\dee FEK tiv\ (adj.)

charge WEAK

faulty

After the second blackout in the building, the superintendent realized that the electrical grid was defective and needed to be replaced.

Defensive

\de FEN siv\ (adj.)

= charge HOSTILE

protective

When they learned of the impending attack, the residents of the city took defensive measures to protect themselves from annihilation.

Deferment

\de FUR ment\ (n.)

= charge TIME

the act of delaying

Jamie sought a deferment from the university in order to travel abroad for a year before starting college.

Defiant

\de FTY ant\ (adj.)

– charge BOLD

boldly resisting

The defiant soldier ignored the general’s orders.

Deficit

\DEF ih sit\ (n.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

inadequacy, disadvantage

The team rallied back from a 4-run deficit to win the ballgame and the series.

Deft

\DEFT\ (adj.)

+ charge ABLE

skillful, dexterous

Mario Lemieux deftly skated around his opponents to score the winning goal of the game.

Degradation

\deg ruh DAY shun\ (n.)

– charge SUBSERVIENT

reduction in worth or dignity

Sally’s degradation was on display for the whole school when she was displaced as captain of the varsity team.

Delegate

\DEL uh gayt\ (v.)

= charge BOSSY

to give powers to another

A good leader knows when to delegate tasks to others and when to handle an issue directly.

Delete

\de LEET\ (v.)

= charge DECREASE

remove

After numerous phone calls from a telemarketing company, we called to have our name deleted from their list.

Deleterious

\de le TEER ee us\ (adj.)

– charge HARMFUL

harmful, destructive, detrimental

Environmentalists are trying to make it illegal to dump deleterious substances into lakes and wildlife reserves.

Deliberation

\de lib uh RAY shun\ (n.)

= charge FLEXIBLE

discussion or careful consideration of an issue

The jury’s deliberations on the murder trial progressed quickly; the prosecution failed to offer any reasonable evidence, so the jury was forced to acquit.

Delineate

\de LIN ee ayt\ (v.)

= charge DETAILED

to portray, depict, describe

The coach had delineated the team strategy to reporters before the game.

Demagogue

\DEM uh gog\ (n.)

– charge BOLD

leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice

The leader is little more than a demagogue, whipping his constituents into a frenzy with fiery speeches instead of addressing the crucial issues.

Demanding

\de MAN ding\ (adj.)

– charge BOSSY

requiring much effort and attention

Joe had to quit his part-time job in order to keep up with his demanding schedule at school.

Demean

\di MEEN\ (v.)

– charge SUBSERVIENT

to degrade, humiliate, humble

The editor felt that it would demean the newspaper to publish letters containing obscenities.

Demeanor

\de MEE ner\ (n.)

= charge PEOPLE

the way a person behaves

Many psychologists believe that a person’s demeanor during an interview-how they sit, where they hold their arms, etc.—can provide a deep insight into their character.

Demolish

\de MOL ish\ (v.)

– charge WORSEN

destroy, damage severely

Before starting construction on the new skyscraper, workers will have to demolish the old buildings that still sit on the site.

Demolition

\de muh LISH un\ (n.)

– charge WORSEN

the act of destroying

Following the demolition of the ancient temple, many research organizations took it upon themselves to protect archeological sites from greedy developers.

Demonize

\DEE mun iyz\ (v.)

– charge HOSTILE

to represent as evil

The professor urged us question the ways in which conflicting theories had been demonized in the controversial text.

Depose

\dee POZ\ (v.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

to remove from a high position, as from a thrown

After being deposed from his throne, the king spent the rest of his life in exile.

Derelict

\DER uh likt\ (adj.)

– charge WASTEFUL

neglectful of one’s obligations; abandoned

Davey’s father scolded him for being derelict in his household chores; the garbage hadn’t been thrown out in a week.

Deride

\di RIYD\ (v.)

– charge CRITICIZE

to mock, ridicule, make fun of

Often derided as a child, the teacher had no tolerance for teasing in the classroom.

Derivative

\di RIV uh tiv\ (adj.)

– charge ORDINARY

copied or adapted; not original

The TV show is so obviously derivative that viewers who prize originality are not interested in watching it.

Desolate

\DES uh lit\ (adj.)

– charge ALONE

deserted, lifeless, barren

The desolate landscape in the desert left the group hungry for the plush greenery of their hometown.

Despotism

\DES puh tizm\ (n.)

– charge BOSSY

dominance through threat of violence

Unwilling to resort to the despotism of past rulers, the king granted unprecedented freedom to his people as they threatened to revolt.

Destitution

\des tih TOO shun\ (n.)

– charge DEPRIVED

complete poverty

The destitution of certain parts of the state has only begun to be addressed by the governor.

Determine

\di TUR min\ (v.)

= charge DECISIVE

to decide, establish

The scientists were unable to determine the cause of the strange ailment.

Detractor

\di TRAK tur\ (n.)

– charge CRITICIZE

one who belittles something else

The president’s detractors noted that, although well-written, the address was definitely penned by a professional speechwriter.

Devastate

\DEV uh stayt\ (v.)

– charge WORSEN

destroy; overwhelm, stun

The ruthless invaders sought to do much more than simply intimidate the empire; they meant to devastate the land and its people.

Devious

\DEE vee us\ (adj.)

– charge HIDDEN

shifty, not straightforward

No one would realize how devious Sue Ann had been until the damage from her secret plotting was revealed.

Devour

\di VOWR\ (v.)

– charge ORGANISMS

eat greedily, consume

Robert was so hungry after his bike race that he devoured an entire pizza.

Didactic

\di DAK tik\ (adj.)

– charge BOSSY

excessively instructive

The father was overly didactic with his children, turning every activity into a lesson.

Diffident

\DIF ih dint\ (adj.)

– charge PROUD

shy, lacking confidence

Steve’s nervous nature and lack of experience explained his diffident behavior at the job interview.

Diffuse

\di FYOOS\ (adj.)

= charge MOVING

widely spread out

The smoke was diffuse, dissipating throughout the hall instead of concentrating in the room in which the fire had started.

Dignity

\DIG nih tee\ (n.)

+ charge PROUD

poise and self respect

It’s important for people in high public positions to comport themselves with dignity and protect the reputation of their rank.

Digression

\di GRESH un\ (n.)

– charge INDECISIVE

the act of straying, an instance of straying

The number of digressions from the main point of the discussion made the lecture difficult to follow.

Dilatory

\DIL uh tor ee\ (adj.)

– charge TIME

slow, tending to delay

The senator used dilatory measures in order to keep the bill from appearing before Congress.

Diminish

\di MIN ish\ (v.)

– charge DECREASE

to make smaller

Despite all the advances in modern medicine, doctors have been unable to diminish people’s susceptibility to many diseases.

Dingy

\DIN jee\ (adj.)

– charge UNATTRACTIVE

shabby, drab

Compared to the five-star hotel we stayed in last vacation, this perfectly adequate room looks dingy.

Disavow

\dis uh VOW\ (v.)

– charge DISAPPROVE

to refuse to acknowledge

Despite claims by his critics that he knew of the impending invasion, the king disavowed any prior knowledge of the attack.

Discern

\di SURN\ (v.)

+ charge CLEAR

to perceive something using the senses or intellect

It is easy to discern the difference between real butter and butter-flavored topping.

Disclose

\dis CLOZ\ (v.)

= charge CLEAR

to make known, expose to view

The reporter refused to disclose the sources mentioned in his article, bound as he was to preserve their anonymity.

Discomfit

\dis KUM fit\ (v.)

– charge WORSEN

make uneasy, embarrass

The principal was afraid the fire drill would discomfit some students, so he let the younger classes leave the assembly early.

Disconcert

\dis kuhn SURT\ (v.)

– charge WORSEN

ruffle, upset one’s self-possession

David was disconcerted when he came to school one day and noticed that no one else from his class was there.

Discord

\DIS kord\ (n.)

– charge HOSTILE

lack of agreement; inharmonious combination

The discord emanating from the classroom was unbearable, as none of the students knew how to play their musical instruments.

Discordance

\dis KOR duns\ (n.)

– charge HOSTILE

state of disagreement

Because of the complete discordance of opinions, the committee argued uselessly through the night.

Discourage

\dis KUR ij\ (v.)

– charge DISCOURAGE

dishearten, deprive of hope or spirit

Despite five hours of frustrating study for her exam, Athena refused to let the struggle discourage her, as she committed to keep working.

Discourse

\DIS kors\ (n.)

= charge COMMUNICATION

verbal exchange, conversation

The first step in the trade negotiations was starting a discourse between the two participants so they could discuss common goals.

Discourteous

\dis KUR tee us\ (adj.)

– charge DISAGREE

rude

Sally’s parents, disturbed by the discourteous manner in which their daughter’s boyfriend addressed them, promptly sent him away.

Discredit

\diss KRED it\ (v.)

– charge HARMFUL

to harm the reputation of, dishonor or disgrace

Unfortunately, in today’s political arena, more time is spent trying to discredit one’s opponents than discussing the actual issues.

Discrepancy

\dis KREP un see\ (n.)

– charge DISAGREE

difference between

The obvious discrepancy between the appearance of the man and the photo in his passport led officials to detain him.

Discretion

\dis KRESH in\ (n.)

= charge EXPERIENCED

ability to judge on one’s own

Rather than try to make unilateral decisions for the entire company, the president let the store managers use their own discretion when deciding how many employees to hire.

Discretionary

\dis KRESH uh ner ee\ (adj.)

+ charge EXPERIENCED

subject to one’s own judgment

Ambassadors have some discretionary powers, though they must bow to the authority of the secretary of state.

Disdain

\diss DAYN\ (v.)

– charge DISAPPROVE

to regard with scorn or contempt

The gorgeous contestant disdained her competitors, certain that she would win the Miss America crown.

Disheveled

\di SHEV uld\ (adj.)

– charge MESSY

marked by disorder, untidy

The teacher noted the student’s disheveled appearance and sent him into the hall to neaten up.

Disingenuous

\dis in JEN yoo us\ (adj.)

– charge FALSE

not straightforward, insincere

It will be hard for the politician to salvage his reputation for integrity after a series of obviously disingenuous remarks.

Disinterested

\dis IN tur est id\ (adj.)

– charge UNINTERESTED

indifferent

Billy was disinterested with the conversation in class and focused on the cracks in the wall instead.

Dismissal

\dis MIS ul\ (n.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

act of being fired or let out

Dagna’s dismissal came as no surprise, as she rarely arrived at work on time and spent most of the day on the phone.

Disparage

\di SPAR ij\ (v.)

– charge CRITICIZE

to belittle, speak disrespectfully about

Gregorio loved to disparage his brother’s dancing skills, pointing out every mistake he made on the floor.

Disparate

\dis PAR it\ (adj.)

= charge ALONE

dissimilar, different in kind

Although the twins are virtually identical physically, their personalities are disparate.

Dispel

\dis PELL\ (v.)

= charge TAKE AWAY

to drive out or scatter

Arie’s heroic rescue of the family from the flames dispelled any doubts that he could be a good fireman

Display

\dis PLAY\ (v.)

= charge COMMUNICATION

to show, to exhibit, to present

Unwilling to display her artwork to the public, Sandra kept most of her paintings in her room for only friends and family to see.

Disputant

\dis PYOO tent\ (n.)

– charge HOSTILE

someone in an argument

When Mr. Walters entered and heard the yelling, he immediately ran over and separated the two disputants.

Disregard

\dis rih GARD\ (v.)

– charge UNIMPORTANT

ignore

The building manager knew that people were going to disregard the “Do Not Enter” sign, so he put a security guard in front of the broken elevator.

Dissemble

\dih SEM bul\ (v.)

– charge FALSE

to pretend, disguise one’s motives

The villain could dissemble no longer; he finally confessed the forgery to the police.

Disseminate

\dih SEM uh nayt\ (v.)

+ charge MOVING

to spread far and wide

The wire service disseminates information so rapidly that events seem to get reported before they happen.

Dissipate

\DIS uh payt\ (v.)

– charge DECREASE

to vanish; to pursue pleasure to excess

The fog gradually dissipated, revealing all the ships docked in the harbor.

Distant

\DIS tent\ (adj.)

= charge DISTANCE

separate, far apart

Mary sounded very distant on the telephone, so her mother worried that she might be sick.

Distinctive

\dis TINK tiv\ (adj.)

= charge UNUSUAL

distinguishing, characteristic

Ernest Hemingway writes with such a distinctive style that it would be nearly impossible to mistake him for another author.

Distortion

\dis TOR shun\ (n.)

– charge FALSE

misrepresentation; the act of twisting out of shape

The defendant’s obvious distortion of the truth offended the jury.

Distract

\dis TRAKT\ (v.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

to cause to lose focus, to divert attention

Some students find that listening to music can distract them, so they prefer to study in silence.

Divert

\di VURT\ (v.)

= charge TAKE AWAY

to turn aside, to distract

To keep the child quiet during the doctor’s examination, the nurse diverted his attention with puppets.

Divination

\div uh NAY shin\ (n.)

= charge SPIRITUAL

foretelling the future using supernatural means

Madame Culova claimed to be an expert in divination, reading palms, tea leaves and crystal balls.

Divisive

\dih VTY siv\ (adj.)

– charge HOSTILE

creating disunity or conflict

The leader used divisive tactics to pit his enemies against each other.

Divulge

\di VULJ\ (v.)

= charge CLEAR

to make known

Pat was fired for divulging company secrets to its competitors.

Dogmatic

\dog MAT ik\ (adj.)

– charge RIGID

rigidly fixed in opinion, opinionated

I can appreciate the philosopher’s earlier work, but late in life he became excessively dogmatic and abandoned his initial open-mindedness.

Dominant

\DOM uh nent\ (adj.)

+ charge BOSSY

most prominent, exercising the most control

The dominant reasons for the company’s relocation were the cheaper rent and larger workforce.

Drab

\DRAB\ (adj.)

– charge UNATTRACTIVE

faded, dull, dreary

The cheerleaders were tired of having such drab uniforms and decided to change the school colors to something more lively.

Drawback

\DRAW back\ (n.)

– charge TAKE AWAY

disadvantage, inconvenience

The drawback to being famous is not having any privacy when you go out in public.

Drought

\DROWT\ (n.)

– charge WEAK

long period of abnormally low rainfall

After three months of the drought, the town officials began to worry that the reservoirs were running low.

Drub

\DRUB\ (v.)

– charge HOSTILE

defeat soundly, beat

The spectators cheered wildly as they watched the varsity team drub their opponents in a stunning victory.

Dual

\D00 ul\ (adj.)

= charge GROUPED

having two parts, double

The highly successful Matrix trilogy popularized a belief in the dual nature of reality, in which people’s minds and bodies could belong to separate worlds.

Dubious

\DOO bee iss\ (adj.)

– charge FALSE

arousing doubt, doubtful

The story seemed dubious, as it conflicted with every other firsthand account of the incident.

Duplicate

\DOO plih kit\ (n.)

= charge INCREASE

an exact copy

While comparing submitted homework assignments, the teacher discovered that one student’s paper was a duplicate of someone else’s and was forced to fail both students for cheating.

Duplicity

\doo PLISS ih tee\ (n.)

– charge FALSE

deception, dishonesty, double-dealing

Diplomatic relations between the two superpowers were outwardly friendly, yet characterized by duplicity.

Duration

\doo RAY shun\ (n.)

= charge TIME

period of time that something lasts

Doreen was seasick in her cabin for the entire duration of the voyage.

Dwarf

\DWARF\ (v.)

– charge SIZE

to make look small by comparison

Each year, thousands of visitors find themselves dwarfed by the magnitude of Michelangelo’s David.