 | Term | Definition |
| |
Dangle |
to hang loosely and swing |
| |
Dated |
old-fashioned, out of style |
| |
Daunting |
discouraging |
| |
Debacle |
disastrous collapse, total failure |
| |
Debase |
to degrade or lower in quality or stature |
| |
Debilitating |
impairing the strength or energy of |
| |
Debtor |
someone that owes something to someone else |
| |
Debunk |
to expose the falseness of |
| |
Deceive |
mislead, give false impression |
| |
Decibel |
unit of sound intensity (strength) |
| |
Decisive |
conclusive (convincing); capable of determining outcome |
| |
Decorous |
proper, well-behaved |
| |
Deduction |
the drawing of a conclusion through logic |
| |
Defective |
faulty |
| |
Deferment |
the act of delaying |
| |
Defiantly |
boldly resisting, disobediently |
| |
Deficit |
inadequacy, disadvantage |
| |
Deft |
skillful, dexterous |
| |
Degradation |
reduction in worth or dignity (self-respect) |
| |
Delegate |
to give powers to another |
| |
Deleterious |
harmful, destructive, detrimental |
| |
Deliberation |
discussion or careful consideration |
| |
Delineate |
to portray, depict, describe |
| |
Demagogue |
leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice |
| |
Demean |
to degrade, humiliate, humble |
| |
Demeanor |
the way a person behaves |
| |
Demolish |
destroy, damage severely |
| |
Demolition |
the act of destroying |
| |
Demonize |
to represent as evil |
| |
Depose |
to remove from a high position, as from a throne |
| |
Derelict |
neglectful of one's obligations; abandoned |
| |
Deride |
to mock, ridicule, make fun of |
| |
Derivative |
copied or adapted; not original |
| |
Desolate |
deserted, lifeless, barren |
| |
Despotism |
dominance through threat of violence |
| |
Destitution |
complete poverty |
| |
Determine |
to decide, establish |
| |
Detractor |
someone who belittles something else |
| |
Devious |
shifty, not straightforward |
| |
Devour |
eat greedily, consume |
| |
Disclose |
to make know, expose |
| |
Didactic |
excessively instructive |
| |
Diffident |
shy, lacking confidence |
| |
Diffuse |
widely spread out |
| |
Dignity |
poise self-respect |
| |
Digression |
the act of straying; an instance of straying |
| |
Dilatory |
slow, tending to delay |
| |
Diminish |
to make smaller |
| |
Dingy |
shabby, drab |
| |
Disavow |
to refuse to acknowledge |
| |
Discern |
to perceive something obscure |
| |
Discomfit |
make uneasy, embarrass |
| |
Disconcert |
ruffle, upset one's self-possession |
| |
Discord |
lack of agreement; inharmonious combination |
| |
Discourse |
verbal exchange, conversation |
| |
Discourteous |
rude |
| |
Discredit |
to harm the reputation of; dishonor or disgrace |
| |
Discrepancy |
difference between |
| |
Discretion |
ability to judge on one's own |
| |
Discretionary |
subject to one's own judgment |
| |
Disdain |
to regard with scorn or contempt |
| |
Disheveled |
marked by disorder, untidy |
| |
Disingenuous |
not straightforward, insincere |
| |
Disinterested |
indifferent |
| |
Dismissal |
act of being fired or let out |
| |
Disparage |
to belittle, speak disrespectfully about |
| |
Disparate |
dissimilar, different in kind |
| |
Dispel |
to drive out or scatter |
| |
Display |
to show, to exhibit, to present |
| |
Disputant |
someone in an argument |
| |
Disregard |
ignore |
| |
Dissemble |
to pretend, disguise one's motives |
| |
Disseminate |
to spread far and wide |
| |
Dissipate |
to vanish; to pursue pleasure to excess |
| |
Distant |
separate, far apart |
| |
Distinctive |
distinguishing characteristic |
| |
Distortion |
misrepresentation; the act of twisting out of shape |
| |
Distract |
to cause to lose focus, to divert attention |
| |
Divert |
to turn aside, to distract |
| |
Divination |
foretelling the future using supernatural means |
| |
Divisive |
creating disunity or conflict |
| |
Divulge |
to make known |
| |
Dogmatic |
rigidly fixed in opinion, opinionated |
| |
Dominant |
most prominent, exercising the most control |
| |
Drab |
faded, dull, dreary |
| |
Drawback |
disadvantage, inconvenience |
| |
Drought |
long period of abnormally low rainfall |
| |
Drub |
defeat soundly, beat |
| |
Dual |
having two parts, double |
| |
Dubious |
arousing doubt, doubtful |
| |
Duplicate |
an exact copy |
| |
Duplicity |
deception, dishonesty, double-dealing |
| |
Duration |
period of time that something lasts |
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace