benefit = v. to be useful or helpful
syn. help, assist
adv. beneficially
adj. beneficial
n. benefit
n. beneficiary

The development of solar power will benefit all humankind.

It is extremely beneficial to prepare for a test.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
blind = adj. unable to see, unable or unwilling to understand, not based on fact
syn. visually challenged, sightless; unaware
adv. blindly
n. blindness

Because of their great excitement, they were blind to the fact that they had little chance to succeed.

They went into the job blind1y, with no previous experience, and no real understanding of what they were doing.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
broaden = v. to make wider, larger or greater
syn. widen, increase, extend, enlarge
adv. broadly
adj. broad
n. breadth

A good education will usually broaden your opportunities to land a good job

The breadth of his knowledge in his field is indeed impressive, but otherwise he's an idiot.

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
burgeon = v. grow at a fast pace
syn. flourish, thrive, "explode"
adj. burgeoning

Use of the Internet has burgeoned in the last few years.

The burgeoning population of many cities in developing countries is stretching their fragile infrastructures to the breaking point.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
conspicuously = adv. attracting attention
syn. noticeably
adj. conspicuous

Monica Lewinsky's name was conspicuously absent from the list of people invited to the White House for Christmas.

Although he managed to muffle the sound, the odor of what he had done was quite conspicuous to everyone in the small room.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
demand = v. to request in a commanding way; to require
syn. insist, order
adv. demandingly
adj. demanding
n. demand

This problem demands immediate attention. If we wait till tomorrow, we're really going to be in hot water.

The employees' demands for better working conditions caused the work stoppage.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
endorse = v. to express approval
syn. support
n. endorsement

Although many of their members didn't endorse the new contract, the union leaders signed it because they knew they couldn't afford a strike.

The President's endorsement of the project in his home State raised severe questions about his integrity.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
enormous = adj. very large
syn. tremendous, huge
adv. enormously
n. enormity

Despite his enormous wealth, he pays hardly any taxes.

Even the enormous settlements awarded by the judge in the case against the tobacco companies are not commensurate with the enormity of the damage they do to the health of the Nation.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
entirely = adv. more-or-less 100%
syn. thoroughly, completely
adj. entire
n. entirety

Although I entirely agree with your logic in the way you've approached the problem, I really can't say the same about the results you've come up with.

The President had released the text of his speech in its entirety before the press conference, but the journalists nonetheless came up with some embarrassing questions.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
erode = v. to wear away, disappear slowly
syn. deteriorate
n. erosion

The Senator's support is eroding because of his unpopular stand on the war issue.

It took millions of years of erosion to form the Grand Canyon.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
evaporate = v. to change from a liquid to a gas; figuratively - to become invisible or nonexistent
syn. vanish, disappear
n. evaporation

The chances of the two sides reaching an agreement have pretty much evaporated.

The evaporation of the project's funds was unexplainable, so the police were called in.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
recover = v. to get back; to have something returned; to feel better after an illness
syn. retrieve; get over
adj. recoverable
n. recovery

The NASA team was unable to recover the space capsule.

Although he almost died during the operation, his recovery has been remarkably absent of complications.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


reportedly = adv. according to a report, hearsay, or rumor;  based on an unconfirmed source
syn.. supposedly, reputedly
adj. reported
n. report
v. report

The students have reportedly sent a representative, but she has not showed up yet.

Despite the laws of freedom of the press, the FBI confiscated the files of the journalist who had reported the story.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
shift = n. a change in position or direction
syn. switch
adj. shifting
v. shift
adj. shifty

The Secretary of State's recent speech represents a marked shift in Government policy.

When she turned the corner, she shifted her Porsche into second gear.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
suffer = v. to feel pain or distress; to get worse
syn. endure
adj. suffering
n. suffering
n. sufferer

Many geriatric patients suffer from loss of short-term memory.

Emotional suffering is no less real than physical pain.