A word a day

Discriminate | A word a day

To discriminate is to demonstrate bias or show disfavor toward somebody. The company was accused of discriminating against female employees. (= The company was accused of demonstrating bias against female employees.) Discriminate can also mean differentiate. Can you discriminate between good and bad poetry? Spelling tip Discriminate has three i’s in it. Discrimination (noun) Discrimination …

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Abysmal

Abysmal (uh BIZ mul) (Adjective) An abyss is a bottomless pit. Abysmal means hopeless or wretched. Abysmal despair is despair so deep that no hope seems possible. The company’s financial problem is abysmal; they haven’t even paid their employees for months. The opposition alleged that the nation’s debt crisis was abysmal. Abysmal can mean ‘very …

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Abstract and abstruse

Abstract (AB strakt) (Adjective) Abstract means theoretical or impersonal. When you like something in the abstract, you like the idea of it. I liked oysters in the abstract, but when I actually ate one, I became nauseated. Abstract speculations are hard-to-understand speculations. Synonyms of abstract Theoretical, recondite, abstruse Antonyms of abstract Concrete, practical Abstruse (ab …

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Abstinent

Abstinent (AB stuh nunt) When you are abstinent, you stop doing something voluntarily. This could be a harmful habit like smoking. A smoker enjoys smoking, but it is bad for him so his doctor may advise him to abstain from smoking. Martin used to be a chain smoker, but now he is abstinent. (He does …

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