abandon verb
to leave something behind for good
“The sailors had to abandon the sinking ship.”
Similar: desert, forsake
Opposite: keep, rescue
Word bank
Words that often turn up in 11+ English and verbal reasoning, with child-friendly meanings, example sentences, similar words and opposites. All written for this site.
abundant adjective
existing in large quantities; more than enough
“After the rain, the garden had abundant flowers.”
Similar: plentiful, copious
Opposite: scarce, sparse
accumulate verb
to gather or build up gradually
“Dust will accumulate if nobody cleans the shelves.”
Similar: gather, amass
Opposite: scatter, spend
admire verb
to look at or think of with respect and approval
“I admire the courage shown on the stage.”
Similar: respect, esteem
Opposite: despise, scorn
adversary noun
an opponent or enemy
“The chess champion faced a tough adversary in the final.”
Similar: opponent, rival
Opposite: ally, friend
ally noun
a person or group that helps and supports another
“Max was my ally when everyone else disagreed.”
Similar: friend, supporter
Opposite: enemy, opponent
ancient adjective
belonging to a time very long ago
“They explored an ancient castle.”
Similar: old, prehistoric
Opposite: modern, recent
anxiety noun
a worried and uneasy feeling
“Avery felt a rush of anxiety before the exam.”
Similar: worry, unease
Opposite: calm, peace
arrogant adjective
too proud of yourself and looking down on other people
“The arrogant player refused to thank the team after the match.”
Similar: conceited, boastful
Opposite: humble, modest
assist verb
to help someone with a job or task
“Please assist a friend with the shopping.”
Similar: help, support
Opposite: hinder, obstruct
audacious adjective
bold and willing to take risks, sometimes shockingly so
“The audacious climber tried a route that no one else had dared to attempt.”
Similar: bold, daring
Opposite: timid, cautious
benevolent adjective
kind and wanting to help others
“The benevolent owner gave food to the village.”
Similar: kind, charitable
Opposite: malicious, unkind
bewildered adjective
completely confused and not sure what is happening
“Max was bewildered by the strange instructions on the box.”
Similar: puzzled, baffled
Opposite: certain, calm
bleak adjective
cold, empty and without comfort or hope
“The bleak moor stretched on with not a single tree in sight.”
Similar: bare, dreary
Opposite: cheerful, bright
boast verb
to talk too proudly about what you have or can do
“Alex liked to boast about the goals scored.”
Similar: brag, show off
Opposite: understate, play down
burden noun
a heavy load, or a worry that is hard to carry
“The heavy bag was a burden on the long walk.”
Similar: load, weight
Opposite: relief, comfort
candid adjective
honest and direct, even when the truth is hard to hear
“Avery gave a candid answer about a poor test result.”
Similar: frank, honest
Opposite: secretive, evasive
catastrophe noun
a sudden and terrible disaster
“The flood was a catastrophe for the whole town.”
Similar: disaster, calamity
Opposite: blessing, success
cautious adjective
careful to avoid danger or mistakes
“Kit was cautious as they crossed the icy bridge.”
Similar: careful, wary
Opposite: reckless, careless
chaos noun
complete disorder and confusion
“There was chaos when the fire alarm went off.”
Similar: disorder, mayhem
Opposite: order, calm
cherish verb
to love and look after something very dearly
“Charlie cherished the watch a grandparent had given them.”
Similar: treasure, value
Opposite: neglect, discard
collapse verb
to fall down suddenly
“The old bridge began to collapse into the river.”
Similar: crumple, cave in
Opposite: stand, rise
commence verb
to begin
“The concert will commence at seven o'clock.”
Similar: begin, start
Opposite: finish, conclude
compel verb
to force someone to do something
“The rules compel everyone to wear a helmet.”
Similar: force, oblige
Opposite: allow, permit
conceal verb
to hide something so that it cannot be seen
“The spy tried to conceal the letter inside a coat.”
Similar: hide, cover
Opposite: reveal, display
conclude verb
to bring something to an end; to decide after thinking
“The speaker concluded with a joke.”
Similar: finish, end
Opposite: begin, commence
conflict noun
a serious disagreement or fight
“The two neighbours were in conflict over the fence.”
Similar: quarrel, clash
Opposite: peace, agreement
considerate adjective
careful not to hurt or inconvenience other people
“It was considerate of Jamie to keep the noise down.”
Similar: thoughtful, kind
Opposite: thoughtless, inconsiderate
contradict verb
to say the opposite of what someone else has said
“It is rude to contradict a teacher without a good reason.”
Similar: deny, challenge
Opposite: agree, confirm
courageous adjective
showing bravery when facing danger or difficulty
“The courageous firefighter entered the building.”
Similar: brave, fearless
Opposite: cowardly, timid
cunning adjective
clever at getting what you want, often by tricks
“The cunning fox tricked the crow into dropping its cheese.”
Similar: crafty, sly
Opposite: naive, honest
deceive verb
to make someone believe something that is not true
“The fox tried to deceive the crow.”
Similar: trick, mislead
Opposite: enlighten, inform
defiant adjective
openly refusing to obey
“The defiant child folded their arms and would not move.”
Similar: rebellious, disobedient
Opposite: obedient, compliant
desolate adjective
empty and lonely, with no people or life
“After the storm the beach was desolate.”
Similar: deserted, barren
Opposite: crowded, lively
despise verb
to dislike very strongly and look down on
“Jamie despised cruelty to animals.”
Similar: loathe, detest
Opposite: admire, adore
devour verb
to eat up very hungrily
“The hungry children devoured every sandwich on the plate.”
Similar: gobble, consume
Opposite: nibble, pick at
diligent adjective
working hard and carefully
“Billie was a diligent student who never skipped homework.”
Similar: hardworking, industrious
Opposite: lazy, idle
diminish verb
to become or make something smaller or less
“The noise began to diminish as the band left.”
Similar: decrease, shrink
Opposite: increase, grow
dismal adjective
gloomy and depressing
“The dismal weather kept everyone indoors all weekend.”
Similar: dreary, gloomy
Opposite: cheerful, bright
drought noun
a long time with very little rain
“The drought left the fields cracked and dry.”
Similar: dry spell, water shortage
Opposite: flood, downpour
dwindle verb
to become smaller or fewer bit by bit
“Our supplies began to dwindle as the days went by.”
Similar: shrink, decrease
Opposite: grow, increase
eager adjective
very keen and excited to do something
“The class was eager to start the experiment.”
Similar: keen, enthusiastic
Opposite: reluctant, uninterested
elaborate adjective
having many carefully planned details, so not simple
“They made an elaborate plan for the surprise party.”
Similar: detailed, complex
Opposite: simple, plain
eloquent adjective
able to speak or write in a clear and powerful way
“The eloquent speaker moved the whole hall with powerful words.”
Similar: articulate, expressive
Opposite: inarticulate, tongue-tied
endure verb
to put up with something difficult for a long time
“The explorers had to endure a freezing night.”
Similar: bear, withstand
Opposite: give up, surrender
enormous adjective
extremely large
“An enormous wave hit the pier.”
Similar: huge, gigantic
Opposite: tiny, minute
enthusiasm noun
great excitement and interest
“Kit joined the project with great enthusiasm.”
Similar: eagerness, zeal
Opposite: apathy, indifference
essential adjective
absolutely necessary
“Water is essential for life.”
Similar: vital, crucial
Opposite: unnecessary, optional
exaggerate verb
to make something seem bigger or better than it really is
“Don't exaggerate: the fish wasn't as big as a whale.”
Similar: overstate, inflate
Opposite: understate, play down
exhausted adjective
extremely tired
“After the long hike, we were exhausted.”
Similar: worn out, drained
Opposite: energetic, refreshed
famine noun
a time when many people have far too little food
“Famine followed the failed harvests.”
Similar: hunger, starvation
Opposite: plenty, abundance
fatigue noun
extreme tiredness
“Fatigue made it hard to keep walking.”
Similar: exhaustion, weariness
Opposite: energy, vigour
fierce adjective
very strong, wild or angry
“A fierce wind knocked the fence flat.”
Similar: savage, ferocious
Opposite: gentle, mild
flamboyant adjective
bright, showy and made to be noticed
“Frankie wore a flamboyant orange cape to the parade.”
Similar: showy, flashy
Opposite: plain, modest
flourish verb
to grow well and be healthy or successful
“Roses flourish in sunny gardens.”
Similar: thrive, prosper
Opposite: wither, fail
folly noun
a foolish act or idea
“It would be folly to swim in a storm.”
Similar: foolishness, madness
Opposite: wisdom, sense
fortunate adjective
having good luck
“We were fortunate that the rain stopped.”
Similar: lucky, blessed
Opposite: unlucky, unfortunate
fragile adjective
easily broken or damaged
“Carry the fragile vase with both hands.”
Similar: delicate, brittle
Opposite: sturdy, durable
frantic adjective
wildly rushed or worried
“Lee made a frantic search for the lost keys.”
Similar: frenzied, hectic
Opposite: calm, relaxed
frugal adjective
careful with money and not wasteful
“A frugal family saved for years.”
Similar: thrifty, economical
Opposite: wasteful, extravagant
generous adjective
willing to give more than is expected, such as money, time or kindness
“A generous neighbour shared apples with everyone on the street.”
Similar: giving, charitable
Opposite: selfish, mean
gloomy adjective
dark and dull; sad and without hope
“The gloomy sky matched everyone's mood.”
Similar: dismal, dreary
Opposite: cheerful, bright
grumble verb
to complain in a low, unhappy voice
“Taylor grumbled about the rain all the way home.”
Similar: mutter, complain
Opposite: praise, approve
gullible adjective
too ready to believe whatever you are told
“The gullible visitor believed the tale about the talking horse.”
Similar: naive, trusting
Opposite: sceptical, suspicious
hardship noun
hard conditions, with a lack of comfort or money
“The family faced hardship after the harvest failed.”
Similar: difficulty, suffering
Opposite: comfort, ease
haste noun
great speed, often so quick that care is forgotten
“In haste, Billie left a coat on the bus.”
Similar: hurry, rush
Opposite: delay, patience
hesitate verb
to pause before doing something because you are unsure
“Do not hesitate to ask if you need help.”
Similar: pause, falter
Opposite: proceed, rush
hinder verb
to make it harder for something to happen
“Heavy snow hindered the rescue team.”
Similar: obstruct, hamper
Opposite: help, assist
hoard verb
to collect and keep a large store of something, often in secret
“Squirrels hoard nuts for the winter.”
Similar: stash, stockpile
Opposite: spend, share
hostile adjective
unfriendly and acting like an enemy
“The hostile crowd booed the visiting team.”
Similar: unfriendly, aggressive
Opposite: friendly, welcoming
humble adjective
not proud; modest about your own importance
“Despite winning, Taylor stayed humble.”
Similar: modest, unassuming
Opposite: arrogant, boastful
ignorant adjective
lacking knowledge or awareness
“Morgan was ignorant of the new rules.”
Similar: unaware, uninformed
Opposite: knowledgeable, informed
imitate verb
to copy the way someone looks, sounds or acts
“The parrot can imitate a ringing phone.”
Similar: copy, mimic
Opposite: invent, create
immense adjective
extremely large or great
“They felt immense relief when the results arrived.”
Similar: vast, huge
Opposite: tiny, small
impartial adjective
fair and not taking sides
“A referee must be impartial.”
Similar: fair, neutral
Opposite: biased, prejudiced
indignant adjective
angry because something seems unfair
“Drew was indignant when the mess was blamed on them.”
Similar: outraged, resentful
Opposite: calm, content
inevitable adjective
certain to happen and impossible to avoid
“With so many dark clouds, rain was inevitable.”
Similar: unavoidable, certain
Opposite: avoidable, doubtful
ingenious adjective
very clever and full of new ideas
“Ash made an ingenious gadget from old bottle tops.”
Similar: inventive, clever
Opposite: unimaginative, dull
inquire verb
to ask for information
“I will inquire about the train times.”
Similar: ask, enquire
Opposite: answer, reply
interrupt verb
to break in on what someone is doing or saying
“Please don't interrupt while I am speaking.”
Similar: disturb, cut in
Opposite: allow, wait
jealous adjective
unhappy because you want what someone else has
“Robin felt jealous of a friend's new bike.”
Similar: envious, resentful
Opposite: content, satisfied
jubilant adjective
filled with joy, especially after a win
“The jubilant fans danced in the streets.”
Similar: overjoyed, triumphant
Opposite: miserable, dejected
keen adjective
enthusiastic; very interested
“Jordan is a keen swimmer.”
Similar: eager, avid
Opposite: indifferent, apathetic
lament verb
to show deep sadness or regret about something
“The villagers lamented the loss of the old oak tree.”
Similar: mourn, grieve
Opposite: celebrate, rejoice
lavish adjective
given or spent in large amounts; very grand
“The ruler held a lavish feast for the whole village.”
Similar: extravagant, luxurious
Opposite: meagre, modest
lethargic adjective
lacking energy; sluggish
“The heat made everyone lethargic.”
Similar: sluggish, listless
Opposite: energetic, lively
loathe verb
to hate something very much
“I loathe the smell of boiled cabbage.”
Similar: detest, despise
Opposite: adore, love
loyal adjective
staying faithful to a person or a promise
“A loyal friend stays by your side in hard times.”
Similar: faithful, devoted
Opposite: disloyal, treacherous
merciful adjective
kind and forgiving to someone you could punish
“The merciful judge gave a gentle warning instead of a punishment.”
Similar: forgiving, lenient
Opposite: cruel, merciless
meticulous adjective
showing great care and attention to detail
“Their meticulous notes made revising easy.”
Similar: careful, thorough
Opposite: careless, sloppy
mischievous adjective
playfully naughty in a way that causes small trouble
“The mischievous puppy hid every sock in the house.”
Similar: naughty, playful
Opposite: well-behaved, obedient
mishap noun
a small piece of bad luck or a minor accident
“After a mishap with the paint, the floor needed scrubbing.”
Similar: accident, misfortune
Opposite: good luck, success
monotonous adjective
boring because it never changes
“Sorting the post all day was monotonous work.”
Similar: dull, repetitive
Opposite: varied, exciting
neglect verb
to fail to look after something properly
“If you neglect a plant, it will soon die.”
Similar: ignore, overlook
Opposite: tend, nurture
nimble adjective
quick and light in movement
“The nimble goat leapt from rock to rock.”
Similar: agile, quick
Opposite: clumsy, awkward
obedient adjective
doing what you are told
“The obedient dog sat down the moment it was asked.”
Similar: dutiful, compliant
Opposite: disobedient, defiant
obscure adjective
hard to see or understand
“The sign was so faded that its message was obscure.”
Similar: unclear, vague
Opposite: clear, obvious
obstacle noun
something that blocks the way or makes progress difficult
“A fallen tree was an obstacle on the path.”
Similar: barrier, hurdle
Opposite: aid, help
oppose verb
to be against something and try to stop it
“Many villagers opposed the plan for a new road.”
Similar: resist, object to
Opposite: support, back
optimistic adjective
expecting good things to happen
“Quinn felt optimistic about the match after weeks of training.”
Similar: hopeful, positive
Opposite: pessimistic, gloomy
peculiar adjective
strange or unusual
“There was a peculiar smell in the attic.”
Similar: odd, curious
Opposite: normal, ordinary
peril noun
serious danger
“The climbers were in peril as the storm rose.”
Similar: danger, risk
Opposite: safety, security
persevere verb
to keep trying even when it is difficult
“If you persevere, you will master it.”
Similar: persist, carry on
Opposite: give up, quit
persuade verb
to get someone to do or believe something by giving good reasons
“Robin persuaded a friend to join the chess club.”
Similar: convince, coax
Opposite: dissuade, discourage
pessimistic adjective
expecting bad things to happen
“Don't be so pessimistic; we might still win.”
Similar: gloomy, negative
Opposite: optimistic, hopeful
plead verb
to ask for something in an urgent, emotional way
“Jordan pleaded for one more story.”
Similar: beg, implore
ponder verb
to think about something carefully for a while
“Morgan pondered the puzzle for an hour.”
Similar: consider, reflect
Opposite: ignore, dismiss
prosperous adjective
successful, especially in making money
“The town became prosperous thanks to the harbour.”
Similar: wealthy, thriving
Opposite: poor, struggling
prudent adjective
sensible and careful about the future
“It was prudent to save a little money each week.”
Similar: sensible, wise
Opposite: reckless, foolish
rapid adjective
happening very quickly
“The runner made rapid progress.”
Similar: swift, speedy
Opposite: slow, gradual
reliable adjective
able to be trusted to do what is expected
“A reliable friend always keeps promises.”
Similar: dependable, trustworthy
Opposite: unreliable, untrustworthy
reluctant adjective
unwilling and hesitant to do something
“Alex was reluctant to jump into the cold lake.”
Similar: hesitant, unwilling
Opposite: eager, willing
reproach verb
to tell someone you are disappointed in what they did
“The coach reproached the team for being late again.”
Similar: scold, rebuke
Opposite: praise, commend
reveal verb
to make something known or visible
“The magician will reveal the secret at the end.”
Similar: disclose, show
Opposite: conceal, hide
rumour noun
a story passed around that may not be true
“There was a rumour that the school would close.”
Similar: gossip, hearsay
Opposite: fact, truth
ruthless adjective
showing no pity or kindness
“The ruthless pirate left the crew behind.”
Similar: merciless, cruel
Opposite: compassionate, kind
scarce adjective
not enough in quantity; hard to find
“Water was scarce in the desert.”
Similar: rare, limited
Opposite: plentiful, abundant
sceptical adjective
doubtful; not easily convinced
“Casey was sceptical about the magic trick.”
Similar: doubtful, unconvinced
Opposite: trusting, convinced
scrutinise verb
to examine very closely and carefully
“The detective scrutinised the footprint in the mud.”
Similar: inspect, study
Opposite: glance at, overlook
serene adjective
calm, peaceful and untroubled
“The lake was serene in the early morning.”
Similar: calm, peaceful
Opposite: stormy, agitated
shatter verb
to break suddenly into many pieces
“The glass shattered on the stone floor.”
Similar: smash, splinter
Opposite: mend, repair
shrewd adjective
clever at judging people and situations
“A shrewd shopper, Sam always found the best bargain.”
Similar: astute, sharp
Opposite: naive, foolish
sincere adjective
honest and genuine, meaning what you say
“Riley gave a sincere apology.”
Similar: genuine, heartfelt
Opposite: insincere, false
solitary adjective
alone, or done alone
“The solitary hiker enjoyed the quiet of the hills.”
Similar: alone, isolated
Opposite: sociable, crowded
sorrow noun
deep sadness
“Lee wept with sorrow when the family pet died.”
Similar: grief, sadness
Opposite: joy, happiness
spontaneous adjective
done naturally on the spur of the moment, without planning
“The crowd's spontaneous applause surprised the singer.”
Similar: impulsive, unplanned
Opposite: planned, deliberate
stubborn adjective
refusing to change your mind or your way of doing things
“The stubborn donkey would not move an inch.”
Similar: obstinate, headstrong
Opposite: flexible, yielding
stumble verb
to trip or walk in an unsteady way
“Casey stumbled on a loose stone and nearly fell.”
Similar: trip, stagger
sturdy adjective
strong and solidly made
“The sturdy table held all the heavy books.”
Similar: strong, robust
Opposite: flimsy, fragile
tedious adjective
long, slow and boring
“Copying out the list was tedious.”
Similar: boring, monotonous
Opposite: exciting, fascinating
timid adjective
shy and nervous; lacking confidence
“The timid kitten hid under the sofa.”
Similar: shy, fearful
Opposite: bold, confident
tolerate verb
to put up with something you do not like
“I can't tolerate loud noise when I am reading.”
Similar: endure, accept
Opposite: forbid, refuse
tradition noun
a custom handed down over many years
“Sharing a meal on a special day is an old tradition.”
Similar: custom, ritual
Opposite: innovation, novelty
tranquil adjective
calm and peaceful
“The lake was tranquil at dawn.”
Similar: peaceful, serene
Opposite: noisy, turbulent
treacherous adjective
dangerous in a hidden way, or not to be trusted
“The icy path down the hill was treacherous.”
Similar: hazardous, deceitful
Opposite: safe, loyal
tremble verb
to shake slightly from fear, cold or excitement
“Riley's hands trembled before the race began.”
Similar: shiver, quiver
Opposite: steady, stay still
triumph noun
a great victory or success
“Winning the cup was a triumph for the small team.”
Similar: victory, success
Opposite: defeat, failure
trivial adjective
of very little importance
“Don't argue over something so trivial.”
Similar: unimportant, minor
Opposite: important, significant
unanimous adjective
agreed on by everyone
“The vote was unanimous: everyone wanted a picnic.”
Similar: united, agreed
Opposite: divided, split
vanish verb
to disappear suddenly
“The rabbit seemed to vanish from the hat.”
Similar: disappear, fade
Opposite: appear, emerge
vigilant adjective
watching carefully for danger
“The vigilant guard noticed the open gate at once.”
Similar: watchful, alert
Opposite: careless, inattentive
vivid adjective
very bright or clear; producing strong, clear pictures in the mind
“Charlie gave a vivid description of the storm.”
Similar: bright, striking
Opposite: dull, faint
wary adjective
careful because you suspect danger or trouble
“The cat was wary of the stranger at the door.”
Similar: cautious, suspicious
Opposite: trusting, careless
weary adjective
very tired, especially after effort
“The weary travellers sat down to rest.”
Similar: tired, fatigued
Opposite: energetic, lively
wisdom noun
the ability to use knowledge and experience to make good choices
“The village elder was known for wisdom.”
Similar: good sense, insight
Opposite: foolishness, ignorance
withdraw verb
to take something back or move away
“The army withdrew from the hill at dawn.”
Similar: retreat, remove
Opposite: advance, approach
wretched adjective
very unhappy or in poor condition
“The wretched dog was cold and hungry.”
Similar: miserable, pitiful
Opposite: cheerful, fortunate
zealous adjective
showing great energy and enthusiasm for a cause
“A zealous volunteer cleaned the beach.”
Similar: passionate, fervent
Opposite: apathetic, indifferent