1. Falter – lose strength or momentum.
Synonyms: flounder, hesitate, reel, waver, wobble, break, fluctuate
Antonyms: stabilize, endure, persist
Usage: The music faltered, stopped, and started up again.
2. Tepid – showing little enthusiasm.
Synonyms: dull, halfhearted, unenthusiastic, apathetic, lukewarm
Antonyms: enthusiastic, keen
Usage: The president has seen his popularity grow tepid ever since he mishandled the budget crisis.
3. Obviate – avoid or prevent (something undesirable).
Synonyms: counteract, forestall, preclude, anticipate, avert, block
Antonyms: support, allow, assist, encourage
Usage: A parachute can be used to obviate disaster.
4. Deplorable – deserving strong condemnation; completely unacceptable.
Synonyms: disgraceful, shameful, dishonourable, disreputable, discreditable
Antonyms: acceptable, bearable, blessed, fortunate
Usage: John’s deplorable behavior is going to get him arrested one day.
5. Scandalous – disgracefully bad.
Synonyms: defamatory, disgraceful, heinous, outrageous, scurrilous
Antonyms: good, magnificent, respectable, wonderful
Usage: A scandalous waste of ratepayers’ money
6. Anodyne – not likely to cause offence or disagreement and somewhat dull.
Synonyms: bland, inoffensive, innocuous, neutral, unobjectionable
Antonyms: harmful, evil, noxious
Usage: The soft music is the perfect anodyne to help me relax after work.
7. Virile – having or characterized by strength and energy.
Synonyms: forceful, vibrant, driving, generative, procreative
Antonyms: effeminate
Usage: He is a virile wrestler who has never been defeated in the ring.
8. Winnow – remove (people or things) from a group until only the best ones are left.
Synonyms: : separate, terminate
Antonyms: include, hire
Usage: As the bird took off, it acted to winnow the dirt around it.
9. Insolent – showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect.
Synonyms: barefaced, brassy, brazen, contemptuous, contumelious, dictatorial
Antonyms: cowardly, humble, modest, polite
Usage: Because he was insolent to the principal, he got suspended from school for three days.
10. Broach – raise (a difficult subject) for discussion.
Synonyms: moot, ventilate, advance, approach, interject, interpose
Antonyms: close, deny, dissuade, refuse
Usage: During the interview, the reporter had the nerve to broach the topic of the politician’s failed marriage.