Definition: unable to read or write.

For centuries, letter writers helped people who were __________ by reading and writing letters for them.

Antonyms: literate

Definition: to scold or warn against something.

The crossing guard would always ________ us not to run on the slippery streets.

Synonyms advise, caution, warn

Definition: causing death or made to cause death.

Socrates was forced to swallow a ____________ dose of poison.

Synonyms: deadly, fatal, poisonous

Antonyms: harmless

Definition: genuine; real; true.

Angela and I found an ____________ arrowhead from 5,000 years ago in our backyard.

Synonyms: actual, genuine

Antonyms: counterfeit, fake, false

Definition: a first public appearance.

The actress looked forward to hearing what people thought of her film at its _________.

Synonyms: beginning

Antonyms: conclusion, closing, finale

Definition: great skill or ability.

Few fighters had the swagger, ____________ and charm that Muhammad Ali had.

Synonyms: expertise, mastery, talent

Antonyms: inability, weakness

Definition: to look through or glance at casually.

The store manager didn't like having kids in the store because they tended to ____________ without buying anything.

Synonyms: check over, survey, poke around

Definition: to pull off or out; to pick.

The apple on the branch looked so juicy and delicious that she decided to _________ it down and eat it.

Synonyms: gather, pick, snatch

Definition: of, or relating to, dogs.

Definitions: useless; unsuccessful.

Synonyms futile, ineffective, unproductive

Antonyms fruitful, productive, successful

Definition: a large-scale disaster, misfortune or failure.

The hurricane was a _________________ for the island; nearly every home was damaged.

Synonyms: calamity, disaster, fiasco

Definition: totally unharmed.

Even though the bus got into an accident, all of the passengers walked away _________________.

Antonyms: harmed, injured

Definition: usual, normal, routine.

In Spain, it's _____________ to go home in the afternoon and take a siesta.

Synonyms: accustomed, conventional, regular

Antonyms: rare, unusual

Definition: to follow; to come as a result of.

The riot caused chaos to _________.

Synonyms: come next, proceed

Antonyms: precede, come before

Definition: a rapid spread or increase in the occurrence of something, especially a disease.

Cell phone use among teens is sweeping the country like an _______________.

Synonyms: outbreak, upsurge, rash

Definition: to continue steadily in an action; to refuse to stop or be changed; to last, remain.

According to the weather reports, the snow will __________ all day.

Synonyms: continue, last, carry on

Antonyms: give up, quit

Definition: to wear away gradually; to eat away.

Over time, the water will ___________the shoreline, washing the sand downstream.

Synonyms: wear away

Antonyms: reinforce, strengthen

Definition: to overcome completely in mind or feeling.

All her work began to _________________ her, preventing her from concentrating on studying.

Synonyms: bewilder, overcome, overpower

Definition: being nice and generous to strangers or guests.

Marla was very ________________and gave me a warm hug when I arrived.

Definition: being careless; not paying attention to the things you have to do.

Jay is a _______________driver; he spends the whole time texting his friends and ignoring the other cars.

Synonyms: inconsiderate, indifferent

Antonyms: attentive, careful, mindful

Definition: existing, occurring or operating at the same time.

Definitions: empty or unfilled space.

With his children away at college, Mr. Morales felt a ___________ in his life.

Synonyms: emptiness, nothingness, blankness

Definition: punishment in return for an injury or a wrong; unusual force or violence.

The sword-fighter swore ___________________ on the six-fingered man who killed his father.

Synonyms: retaliation, retribution, revenge

Antonyms: forgiveness

Definition: causing horror; ghastly, revolting.

My mom thought I'd had a ______________ accident in the kitchen, but I had only dropped a jar of tomato sauce.

Synonyms: frightful, hideous, horrid

Antonyms: beautiful, pleasant, pretty

Definition: sudden or unexpected.

My brother often does unexpected tricks while biking. Once he did an _______________ wheelie on a mountain trail!

Synonyms: quick, sharp

Antonyms: deliberate, gradual

Definition: not willing to believe something.

I tried to tell Becky about my 8-foot-tall boyfriend, but she was _______________ and didn't think I was telling the truth.

Synonyms: cynical, skeptical, doubtful

Antonyms: credulous, gullible, trusting

Definition: to move back suddenly as though in pain or fear.

Having cut his arm pretty badly, Wade ______________whenever he accidentally touched it.

Synonyms: flinch, recoil

Definition: a troublemaker; someone who encourages others to rebel.

Lisa is a _____________; she just knocked over all the boxes in the warehouse to protest the working conditions, and then her coworkers did the same!

Synonyms: rebel, agitator

Definition: difficult to perceive, barely observable; delicate.

There was a ________________ change in her son's attitude that only a very observant parent would notice.

Synonyms: faint

Antonyms: obvious, blatant