DENOUNCE to condemn openly
- In many powerful speeches throughout his lifetime, Martin Luther King, Jr. denounced
racism as immoral.
DESPONDENT extremely depressed; full of despair
- The despondent supporters of the defeated candidate gasped when he announced that
he would suspend his campaign indefinitely.
DISDAIN to regard with contempt
- The critics disdained the new author for his lack of skill.
DISPARAGE to belittle; to say uncomplimentary things about, usually in a somewhat indirect
way
- Wanda disparaged Glen by calling him a cheat and a liar.
DISTINGUISH to tell apart; to cause to stand out
- We could barely distinguish between Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen.
DUBIOUS full of doubt; uncertain
- Jerry’s dubious claim that he could fly like Superman didn’t win him any summer job
offers.
ELOQUENT well-spoken
- The speaker was so eloquent that we wished we could have heard the speech again.
EMPIRICAL relying on experience or observation; not merely theoretical
- The young medical researcher was sincerely hoping for empirical results that would
support his hypothesis.
ENCROACH to make gradual or stealthy inroads into; to trespass
- When hiking in the woods, it is best not to encroach upon the territory of brown bears.
EVOKE to summon forth; to draw forth; to awaken; to produce or suggest
- His suspicious behavior at the airport evoked mistrust in the security guards.
EXPLICIT clearly and directly expressed
- You do not have permission to stay at your friend’s house without your mother’s explicit
approval.
IMPERATIVE completely necessary; vitally important
- It is imperative to study your vocabulary words!
IMPLICIT implied
- Mark and his mother had an implicit agreement not to discuss his failures at work.