-ate

to make have a certain quality

Usage

  • emulate

    If you emulate someone, you try to behave the same way they do because you admire them a great deal.

  • interpolate

    If you interpolate words into a piece of writing, you insert those words into it; such altering of the text could falsify it.

  • expropriate

    If you expropriate something, you take it away for your own use although it does not belong to you; governments frequently expropriate private land to use for public purposes.

  • rejuvenate

    To rejuvenate someone is to make that person feel young and strong again; to rejuvenate something is to make it like new once more.

  • precipitate

    To precipitate something is to bring it about before its time or very quickly.

  • desiccate

    Something that is desiccated has had all the water taken out of it; this is a common process used for food in order to preserve it.

  • commiserate

    If you commiserate with someone, you show them pity or sympathy because something bad or unpleasant has happened to them.

  • amalgamate

    When two or more things, such as organizations, amalgamate, they combine to become one large thing.

  • disseminate

    To disseminate something, such as knowledge or information, is to distribute it so that it reaches a lot of people.

  • fulminate

    If you fulminate against someone, you speak or write angrily and with heavy criticism about them.

  • exonerate

    When someone is exonerated from guilt, a task, or a responsibility, they are set free or excused from it.

  • adjudicate

    If you adjudicate a competition or dispute, you officially decide who is right or what should be done concerning any difficulties that may arise.

  • oscillate

    If an object oscillates, it moves repeatedly from one point to another and then back again; if you oscillate between two moods or attitudes, you keep changing from one to the other.

  • prognosticate

    To prognosticate is to predict or forecast something.

  • recapitulate

    When someone recapitulates, they summarize material or content of some kind by repeating the most important points.

  • extirpate

    If you extirpate something, you completely destroy it because it is unpleasant or unwanted.

  • cogitate

    Cogitating about something is thinking deeply about it for a long time.

  • subjugate

    If someone subjugates a group of people or country, they conquer and bring it under control by force.

  • extenuate

    If there are extenuating circumstances in a questionable situation, you feel that it was reasonable for someone to break the usual rules; therefore, you partly excuse and sympathize with their wrongdoing.

  • vacillate

    When someone vacillates, they go back and forth about a choice or opinion, unable to make a firm decision.

  • delineate

    If you delineate something, such as an idea or situation or border, you describe it in great detail.

  • corroborate

    To corroborate something that has been said or reported means to give information or evidence that further supports it.

  • bifurcate

    When something is bifurcated, such as a path, it is divided into two separate parts that fork off from each other.

  • obfuscate

    To obfuscate something is to make it deliberately unclear, confusing, and difficult to understand.

  • exculpate

    If you exculpate someone, you prove that they are not guilty of a crime.

  • elucidate

    If you elucidate something, you make it easier to understand by giving more relevant information.

  • proliferate

    If something proliferates, it grows and spreads quickly so that there is a great abundance of it.

  • vitiate

    If someone vitiates something, they make it less effective, weaker, or reduced in quality.

  • liquidate

    To liquidate a business or company is to close it down and sell the things that belong to it in order to pay off its debts.

  • denigrate

    If you denigrate something, you criticize or speak ill of it in a way that shows you think it has little to no value at all.

  • arrogate

    When you arrogate something, such as a position or privilege, you take it even though you don't have the legal right to it.

  • assimilate

    When you assimilate an idea, you completely understand it; likewise, when someone is assimilated into a new place, they become part of it by understanding what it is all about and by being accepted by others who live there.

  • ruminate

    If you ruminate on something, you think carefully and deeply about it over a long period of time.

  • appropriate

    If you appropriate something that does not belong to you, you take it for yourself without the right to do so.

  • inundate

    If you are inundated with something, you have so much of it that you cannot easily deal with it; likewise, if too much rain inundates an area, it causes flooding.

  • indoctrinate

    If you indoctrinate someone, you teach them a set of beliefs so thoroughly that they reject any other beliefs or ideas without any critical thought.

  • decimate

    If you decimate something, you destroy a large part of it, reducing its size and effectiveness greatly.

  • vituperative

    Vituperative remarks are full of hate, anger, and cruel criticism.

  • obviate

    To obviate a problem is to eliminate it or do something that makes solving the problem unnecessary.

  • extricate

    When you extricate yourself from a difficult or unpleasant situation, you manage to escape it.

  • coagulate

    If liquid coagulates, it becomes thick and solid.

  • aspirate

    When you aspirate something, you draw out fluids by means of suction or you draw in air by inhaling it.

  • abdicate

    If someone abdicates, they give up their responsibility for something, such as a king's transfer of power when he gives up his throne.

  • gesticulate

    When someone gesticulates, they make movements with their hands and arms when talking, usually because they want to emphasize something or are having difficulty in expressing an idea using words alone.

  • punctuate

    If an activity is punctuated by something, it is interrupted or emphasized by it at intervals.

  • reciprocate

    If you reciprocate, you give something to someone because they have given something similar to you.

  • undulate

    Something that undulates moves or is shaped like waves with gentle curves that smoothly rise and fall.

  • excoriate

    If you excoriate someone, you express very strong disapproval of something they did.

  • concatenate

    If you concatenate two or more things, you join them together by linking them one after the other.

  • mitigate

    If you mitigate something that causes harm, you reduce the harmful or painful effects of it.

  • attenuate

    When something attenuates, it lessens in size or intensity; it becomes thin or weakened.

  • enervate

    If you feel enervated, you feel very tired and weak—almost to the point of collapse.

  • truncate

    If you truncate something, you make it shorter or quicker by removing or cutting off part of it.

  • ingratiate

    If people try to ingratiate themselves with you, they try to get your approval by doing or saying things that they think will please you.

  • alleviate

    If you alleviate pain or suffering, you make it less intense or severe.

  • incarcerate

    If you incarcerate someone, you put them in prison.

  • inculcate

    To inculcate is to fix an idea or belief in someone's mind by repeatedly teaching it.

  • permeate

    When a substance permeates something, it enters into all parts of it.

  • pontificate

    When someone pontificates, they give their opinions in a heavy-handed way that shows they think they are always right.

  • exacerbate

    If something exacerbates a problem or bad situation, it makes it even worse.

  • accentuate

    To accentuate something is to emphasize it or make it more noticeable.

  • desecrate

    If you desecrate something that is considered holy or very special, you deliberately spoil or damage it.

  • vindicate

    If a person is vindicated, their ideas, decisions, or actions—once considered wrong—are proved correct or not to be blamed.

  • abominate

    If you abominate something, you hate it because you think it is extremely wrong and unacceptable.

  • satiate

    If something, such as food or drink, satiates you, it satisfies your need or desire so completely that you often feel that you have had too much.

  • acclimate

    When you acclimate yourself to a new situation or environment, you adapt and get used to it.

  • prevaricate

    If you prevaricate, you avoid giving a direct or honest answer, usually because you want to hide the truth or want to delay or avoid making a hard decision.

  • repudiate

    If you repudiate something, you state that you do not accept or agree with it and no longer want to be connected with it in any way.

  • advocate

    When you advocate a plan or action, you publicly push for implementing it.

  • propitiate

    To propitiate another is to calm or soothe them; it is often giving someone what they want so that everyone is happy.

  • adumbrate

    To _adumbrate_ is to describe something incompletely or to suggest future events based on limited current knowledge.

  • ameliorate

    When you ameliorate a bad condition or situation, you make it less harmful in some way, thereby improving it.

  • castigate

    When you castigate someone, you criticize or punish them severely.

  • capitulate

    When you capitulate, you accept or agree to do something after having resisted doing so for a long time.

  • superannuated

    Something that is superannuated is so old and worn out that it is no longer working or useful.

  • accommodate

    When you accommodate the needs of another, you adapt or adjust to those needs to make things more convenient for that person.

  • alienate

    When someone is alienated from a group, they are either separated by others from it or willfully do it themselves.

  • annihilate

    When something is annihilated, it is completely destroyed or wiped out.

  • captivate

    When you are captivated by someone or something, you are enchanted, fascinated, or delighted by them or it.

  • collaborate

    When people collaborate, they work together, usually to solve some problem or issue.

  • commemorate

    When you commemorate a person, you honor them or cause them to be remembered in some way.

  • contemplate

    When you contemplate something, you either think about it deeply or gaze at it intently.

  • deviate

    When someone's behavior deviates from the norm, they act differently than other people; when someone deviates from a given course, they go in a different direction.

  • discombobulated

    When you are discombobulated, you are confused and upset because you have been thrown into a situation that you cannot temporarily handle.

  • emigrate

    When a person emigrates, they move away from their native country in order to settle in another.

  • enunciate

    When you enunciate, you speak or state something clearly so that you can be easily understood.

  • exasperate

    When you exasperate another person, you annoy or anger them a great deal because you keep on doing something that is highly irritating.

  • excruciating

    An injury that is excruciating is extremely painful.

  • execrate

    When you execrate someone, you curse them to show your intense dislike or hatred of them.

  • expatriate

    An expatriate has been driven or exiled from their native land, so they are forced to live in another country; a person can also willingly become an expatriate.

  • fluctuate

    Things that fluctuate vary or change often, rising or falling seemingly at random.

  • formulate

    When you formulate an action, you carefully plan or work it out in great detail ahead of time.

  • infiltrate

    When a spy infiltrates enemy lines, they creep in or penetrate them so as to gather information.

  • initiate

    To initiate something is to begin or start it.

  • instigate

    When you instigate something, you start it or stir it up, usually for the purpose of causing trouble of some kind.

  • litigate

    When you litigate, you go before a court in order to bring forth a lawsuit or voice another serious concern you have.

  • obliterate

    When you obliterate something, you destroy it to such an extent that there is nothing or very little of it left.

  • perpetrate

    If you perpetrate something, you commit a crime or do some other bad thing for which you are responsible.

  • perpetuate

    When you perpetuate something, you keep it going or continue it indefinitely.

  • procrastinate

    When you procrastinate doing something, you put it off or delay doing it usually because it is something unpleasant that you'd rather not do.

  • promulgate

    To promulgate something is to officially announce it in order to make it widely known or more specifically to let the public know that a new law has been put into effect.

  • propagate

    When things propagate, such as plants, animals, or ideas, they reproduce or generate greater numbers, causing them to spread.

  • regurgitate

    When you regurgitate, you throw up or vomit; this word also refers to simply repeating what someone else has already said so you don't have to put in any thought.

  • rehabilitate

    When someone is rehabilitated, they are restored to a more normal way of life, such as returning to good health or a crime-free life.

  • reiterate

    When you reiterate what you've just said, you repeat it or say it again.

  • renovate

    When you renovate something, such as a home or other building, you modernize or make it like new again.

  • retaliate

    When you retaliate, you get back at or get even with someone for something that they did to you.

  • reverberate

    When a sound reverberates, it echoes or rebounds continuously from one place to another.

  • stipulate

    When you stipulate terms, you demand or specify certain things that need to be met before you, in turn, will do something.

  • validate

    When you validate something, you confirm that it is sound, true, legal, or worthwhile.

  • eradicate

    When you eradicate something, you tear it up by the roots or remove it completely.

  • facilitate

    When you facilitate something, such as an event or a project, you make it easier for all involved by giving your able assistance.

  • culminate

    When something culminates, it reaches its highest point or climax.

  • discriminate

    The ability to discriminate between things allows you to keenly observe or be aware of differences.

  • incorporate

    When you incorporate something into something else, you add it or combine it with that thing so that it becomes a part of it.

  • eliminate

    When you eliminate something, you get rid of or do away with it.

  • expatiate

    To expatiate upon a subject is to speak or write in detail and at length about it.

  • accumulate

    When items accumulate, they gather together or are collected.

  • predatory

    A predatory animal hunts other animals in order to eat them.

  • cumulative

    A cumulative process builds, increases, or grows slowly over time.

  • appreciate

    When you appreciate something, you recognize its value or understand it fully.

  • integrate

    When you integrate things, you bring them together so that they fit as a whole.

  • incommensurate

    One thing that is incommensurate with another is different in its level, size, or quality from the second.

  • cultivate

    When a farmer cultivates land, they prepare the soil, till the ground, and carefully tend to growing crops.

  • disintegrate

    When something disintegrates, it crumbles, falls apart, or breaks down into separate pieces.

  • fabricate

    When you fabricate something, you physically build it or verbally invent it.

  • adulterate

    If you adulterate something, you lessen its quality by adding inferior ingredients or elements to it.

  • consolidate

    When two businesses consolidate, they combine to form a stronger, more solid company.

  • coordinate

    When you coordinate a large event, you organize or bring all the many parts of it together so that the event can occur.

  • indicative

    If something is indicative of something else, it suggests it or shows it in some way.

  • allocate

    When you allocate funds, you assign, set apart, or distribute different amounts of money towards different expenses.

  • mediate

    To mediate is to act as a go-between in an argument to help solve differences two parties are having.

  • deracinate

    When someone is deracinated, they are uprooted or removed from their natural environment.

  • dissimulate

    When people dissimulate, they hide, conceal, or disguise their true intentions or feelings.

  • immolate

    To immolate is to sacrifice a victim, often by burning; this verb can also refer to killing something, again by fire.

  • masticate

    To masticate is to chew or grind food thoroughly.

  • hesitate

    When you hesitate, you stop for a moment or two because you are unsure about doing something.

  • circulate

    When something circulates, it moves around from place to place, such as a piece of writing, a rumor, or blood cells in people.

  • complicated

    If something is complicated, such as a math problem, it is difficult to understand because there are so many parts to it.

  • concentrate

    When you concentrate on something, such as a difficult math problem, you think hard about it by focusing all of your brainpower on it.

  • negative

    Something negative is not good in some way or can signal a *no* about something.

  • imitate

    When you imitate someone, you try to act just like they do.

  • cooperate

    When you cooperate with another person, you work together with them to accomplish something.

  • congratulate

    When you congratulate someone, you say that they did a great job on something or wish them well about something that happened to them.

  • dedicate

    When you dedicate yourself to something, you put forth a lot of your time, attention, and effort towards doing it.

  • isolated

    Something that is isolated is off by itself, far apart from other things.

  • locate

    When you locate something, you find it or discover where it is.

  • evaluate

    To evaluate something is to judge its value, worth, or importance.

  • estimate

    When you estimate the amount of something, you give a close guess as to how much there is.

  • calculate

    When you calculate something, you figure or work out its size by using math.

  • duplicate

    To duplicate something is to copy it so that you have two of it; it is also to make something happen again.

  • immediately

    Something that happens immediately happens right away or instantly.

  • navigate

    When you navigate, you find or steer your way from one place to another.

  • communicate

    When you communicate with someone, you talk with or write to them in order to give them information or let them know about something

  • evacuate

    When people evacuate an area, they have to leave it, usually due to an emergency of some kind.

  • motivation

    Motivation is the reason for doing something in the first place, or providing a means of encouraging someone to do something.

  • negotiate

    When you negotiate with another person, you are trying to reach an agreement of some kind, usually when doing business or trying to solve a problem.

  • alternative

    An alternative to something is an other or different choice that is offered in addition to one you already have.

  • illustrate

    When you illustrate something, such as a book, you draw pictures in it to more fully explain the story, or you use words to more fully explain an idea.

  • situation

    A situation is all the things that are going on in a place at a certain time.

  • publication

    A publication is a piece of writing that is available for the public to read, such as a magazine, newspaper, or book.

  • pronunciation

    The pronunciation of a word is how someone says it and also refers to how it is supposed to be spoken.

  • participate

    When you participate in something, such as a game, you take part in it or join in.

  • tolerate

    When you tolerate another person, you accept their behavior and views even though you may not like them.

  • operate

    To operate something is to run it or make it work, such as a machine or a business.

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