1. Oppress – to hold down through use of force or fear
Synonyms: afflict, annoy, harass, maltreat, overwhelm, persecute, subjugate
Antonyms: aid, assist, comfort, help
Usage: For centuries, men tried to oppress women by forbidding them to work outside of the home.
2. Facile – easily performed
Synonyms: effortless, hasty, accomplished, adept, adroit, apparent, articulate
Antonyms: arduous, complicated, confusing
Usage: No one was surprised when the senior detective solved the facile case in less than twenty-four hours.
3. Venerate – regard with great respect
Synonyms: cherish, esteem, exalt, hallow, idolize, admire, apotheosize
Antonyms: denounce, abhor, condemn, despise
Usage: Many people attend church services to venerate God.
4. Proxility – long and wordy, using too many words to express a thought or idea
Synonyms: circumlocution, copiousness, diffusion, garrulity, loquacity
Antonyms: conciseness
Usage: The paper was marked down for the writer’s use of prolixity to lengthen it.
5. Assail – to attack violently.
Synonyms: bash, berate, blast, criticize, impugn, lambaste, revile
Antonyms: compliment, praise, uphold, exonerate
Usage: When I was a child, fears of monsters under the bed would assail me if I didn’t keep the light turned on.
6. Beseech – to ask someone for something in an urgent and sincere way
Synonyms: implore, adjure, appeal, crave, entreat, importune, solicit
Antonyms: answer, command, refuse
Usage: As soon as I reach the driving age, I will beseech my parents to buy me a car.
7. Truculent – quick to fight or argue
Synonyms: abusive, aggressive, antagonistic, barbarous, bellicose, brutal
Antonyms: cooperative, gentle
Usage: If your dream is to be a police officer, then you must work on your quick-temper and stop being so truculent.
8. Exasperate – very annoyed
Synonyms: agitate, annoy, disturb, embitter, enrage, excite, incense, infuriate
Antonyms: comfort, compose, tranquilize
Usage: The exasperated bus driver refused to leave the school until all of the students were quiet.
9. Fervent – exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling
Synonyms: ardent, ecstatic, enthusiastic, impassioned, intense, passionate
Antonyms: apathetic, insincere, unconcerned
Usage: As a former soldier, my father is a fervent supporter of military spending.
10. Avarice – powerful greed
Synonyms: avidity, covetousness, cupidity, frugality, parsimony
Antonyms: generosity, philanthropy
Usage: Her desire to hoard everything in the house, even the pickle jars, was driven by avarice.