Words
Sound Files
10 matching synonym questions
Etymology: [par amont (Old French), "at the top"; from per (Latin), "completely" + amont, "above"; from ad, "to" + montem, "mountain"]
of the highest importance
During World War II the motive paramount in the minds of all democratic peoples was defeat of the Axis.
Synonyms: predominant, pre-eminent, supreme, unrivaled
Antonyms: secondary, minor, unimportant, insignificant
Etymology: [provincia (Latin), "a district, an official duty"]
(a) characteristic of, or belonging to, a province
The chief executive of a royal colony in America was called a Provincial Governor.
(b) narrow in ideas; of limited outlook
Since Mr. Smith was reared in a small town, his ideas are provincial.
Synonyms: rustic, local; parochial, unsophisticated
Antonyms: cosmopolitan, sophisticated, broad-minded
Etymology: [effigies (Latin), "image," "likeness"]
a crude likeness of a person, usually in the form of a picture or stuffed image
When the book The Satanic Verses was first published, its author, Salman Rushdie, was burned in effigy in many Muslim countries.
Synonyms: image, representation, figure
Etymology: [obesus (Latin), "stout"; from obedire, "to devour"; from ob, "completely" + edere, "to eat"]
very fat
Falstaff, in Shakespeare's Henry IV, is represented on the stage as an obese clown who is so fat that he "lards" the earth he walks on.
Synonyms: corpulent, portly, rotund, paunchy
Antonyms: thin, emaciated, lean, haggard, gaunt
Etymology: [succulentus (Latin), from succus, "juice"]
full of juice; hence, figuratively, full of life and interest
Malaga grapes, being very succulent, are much favored by winemakers because they provide a large amount of juice.
Synonyms: juicy, sappy, interesting
Antonyms: dry, desiccated, lifeless, uninteresting, vapid
Etymology: [co (Latin), "together" + alescere, "to grow up"]
to grow together or fuse into one mass or body
Three elements coalesce to form this tough metal.
Synonyms: unite, fuse, consolidate, merge
Phrase: to form a coalition; a coalition government
Antonyms: diffuse, decompose, disintegrate, dissolve, disunite
Etymology: [con (Latin), "intensely" + caedere, "to cut"]
expressed in few words
Since you'll be charged for each word transmitted, be concise when you write a telegram.
Synonyms: brief, terse, laconic, succinct
Antonyms: diffuse, prolix, verbose, redundant
NOTE: A person is considered to be curt if his conciseness is equivalent to being abrupt or rude.
— A Bit of History
On the occasion of one of his victories, Julius Caesar sent a message to the Roman Senate that said simply, "Veni, Vidi, Vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered). This message has gone down in history not so much because of the importance of the victory but because of the remarkable conciseness of the language.
Etymology: [oscillare (Latin), "to swing"]
to waver between two courses of action or opinion; to swing backward and forward like a pendulum
"Human nature," said Jowett, the great authority on Plato, "oscillates between good and evil."
Synonyms: fluctuate, waver, vacillate
Antonyms: to be constant or steadfast, persevere
NOTE: Do not confuse oscillate, meaning "to waver," with osculate, meaning "to kiss."
Etymology: [indomitabilis (Late Latin); from in (Latin), "not" + domitare, "to tame"]
not capable of being overcome; unconquerable
The soldier showed indomitable courage; nothing could keep him from rushing into the enemy's quarters.
Synonyms: invincible, untamable, irrepressible, unyielding
Antonyms: amenable, docile, submissive, tractable, yielding
Etymology: [para (Greek), "beside, contrary to" + doxa (Greek), "opinion"]
a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement, which on closer examination proves to be deserving of belief — by extension, a paradox may be defined as a situation or a person that on the surface is full of inconsistencies or contradictions
Oscar Wilde became famous for composing witty paradoxes that expressed truths in a striking manner.
Synonyms:contradiction, self-contradiction, inconsistency, absurdity
SOME FAMOUS PARADOXES:
Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Water, water everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.
There are two tragedies in life: one is not getting what you want, the other is finding it.
How quaint the ways of Paradox!
At common sense she gaily mocks!
Though counting in the usual way,
Years twenty-one I've been alive,
Yet reckoning by my natal day,
I am a little boy of five!
Water, water everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.
There are two tragedies in life: one is not getting what you want, the other is finding it.
How quaint the ways of Paradox!
At common sense she gaily mocks!
Though counting in the usual way,
Years twenty-one I've been alive,
Yet reckoning by my natal day,
I am a little boy of five!