to puzzle completely, confuse

synonyms: perplex, confound

antonyms: set straight, enlighten

The captain continues to ______________ his troops by giving contradicting and confusing orders.

a clown; a coarse, stupid person

synonym: jester, dunce, oaf

Some students think that they need to play the role of a ________ in order to entertain their classmates and charm their teachers

arousing argument, dispute, or disagreement

synonyms: arguable, at issue

The school board waited until all members were present before issuing the ___________ proposal to ban after school activities.

to discourage

synonyms: demoralize, dispirit

antonyms: encourage, hearten

Do not let your low score on the math test _______ you from trying harder next time.

not producing the desired results, unsuccessful

synonyms: useless, wain, unproductive

antonyms: productive, effective

When their efforts to fight the infection with penicillin proved _________, the doctors tried a new medicine.

unfriendly; unfavorable; warlike, aggressive

antonyms: friendly, cordial

Relations between the two nations have been _________ for decades since World War II

easily set on fire; easily angered or aroused

synonyms: flammable, excitable

antonyms: fire-resistant, calm

You should never keep your car running when pumping gas, because gasoline is ______________.

to give or cause something unpleasant, impose

synonyms: deal out, visit upon

antonyms: suffer, undergo, sustain

Despite all the jokes, doctors do not like to _________ pain on their patients.

to hurt someone's feelings deeply; to cause embarrassment or humiliation; to subdue or discipline by self-denial or suffering

synonyms: embarrass, abash

The teacher was _________________ by the students' childish behavior on the field trip.

in agreement with established or generally accepted beliefs or ways of doing things

synonyms: traditional, standard, customary

antonyms: unusual, unconventional, heretical

Our principal, who believes in proven teaching methods, takes an ___________ approach to education.

deadly, extremely harmful, evil; spiteful, malicious

synonyms: wicked, malevolent

antonyms: wholesome, beneficial

Much to the patient's relief, the x-ray revealed no ___________ growth.

to obtain through special effort; to bring about

synonyms: gain, achieve

The hospital held a raffle to _______ the necessary funds for the new children's wing

to run quickly, scamper, hurry

synonyms: rush, dash, scramble, hurtle

antonyms: trudge, plod, creep, crawl

The reappearance of the teacher caused the students in the class to __________ back to their seats.

soaked with liquid or moisture; expressionless, dull, spiritless, listless

synonyms: waterlogged, saturated

antonyms: parched, arid

All at once, and with much loud honking, the flock of geese rose from the ____________ marshlands.

full of life and vigor; courageous

synonyms: lively, animated, gallant

antonyms: lifeless, dull

The royal soldiers put up a _________________ fight agains the invading army.

having a certain force or effect in fact but not in name; so close as to be equivalent to the real thing

synonyms: functioning as

To those who worked in the office, the bossy new manager was a _________________ dictator.

completely empty, having no legal force or effect; empty or unfilled space; to cancel or nullify

synonyms: invalid, vacant, bare

antonyms: in effect, teeming with, confirm

Grandmother's death left a great ________ in my grandfather's life.

disobedient, willful; unpredictable, capricious

synonyms: insubordinate; rebellious; perverse

antonyms: docile, well-behaved, predictable

Tracking the ____________ path of a comet is no easy matter.

to draw back suddenly, as though in pain or fear; the act of drawing back in this way

synonyms: flinch, shudder

The animal's bite made the child ______ in pain.