Vocabulary Flashcards - D Words

A sudden and ignominious failure; a fiasco (The company's collapse was described as the greatest financial debacle in the history of the industry.)

To reduce (something) in quality or value; degrade (The politician debased himself by accepting bribes.)

To make (someone) weak and infirm (The disease debilitated him to the point where he could no longer work.)

To expose the falseness or hollowness of (a myth, idea, or belief) (The scientist debunked the popular myth with a well-researched article.)

To kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of (The population was decimated by the epidemic.)

To publicly denounce (The government decried the violence in the strongest terms.)

To arrive at (a fact or a conclusion) by reasoning; draw as a logical conclusion (The detective deduced that the suspect was lying.)

To spoil the surface or appearance of (something), e.g., by drawing or writing on it; mar or disfigure (The vandals defaced the statue with graffiti.)

Damaging the good reputation of someone; slanderous or libelous (The magazine published a defamatory article about the celebrity.)

To put off (an action or event) to a later time; postpone (The decision was deferred until the next meeting.)

Showing respect or deference (The staff was deferential to the CEO's wishes.)

No longer existing or functioning (The defunct organization was once a powerful force in politics.)

Causing harm or damage (The chemical was found to have deleterious effects on the environment.)

To describe or portray (something) precisely (The architect delineated the plans for the new building.)

A political leader who seeks support by appealing to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people rather than by using rational argument (The demagogue manipulated public opinion to gain power.)

The action of fixing the boundary or limits of something (The river serves as the line of demarcation between the two countries.)

Reserved, modest, and shy (Her demure appearance hid a very outgoing personality.)

To criticize unfairly; disparage (The critic denigrated the artist's work as uninspired.)

To publicly declare to be wrong or evil (The activists denounced the new policy as unjust.)

To express disapproval of (The teacher deprecated the student's lack of effort.)

To express contempt for; ridicule (The comedian derided the politician during his show.)

Showing a critical or disrespectful attitude (The manager made derogatory remarks about the employee.)

Without the basic necessities of life (The charity provided food and shelter to the destitute.)

To discourage (someone) from doing something, typically by instilling doubt or fear of the consequences (The security camera deterred the thief from breaking in.)

Entirely lacking or free from (His voice was devoid of emotion.)

(Especially of fabric) light, delicate, and translucent (She wore a diaphanous gown that shimmered in the light.)

Intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive (The novel was didactic, aiming to impart a lesson to the reader.)

Modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence (The diffident student was hesitant to speak up in class.)

Slow to act; intended to cause delay (The lawyer's dilatory tactics frustrated the judge.)

A situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially ones that are equally undesirable (She faced a dilemma between staying with her current job or accepting a new offer.)

Having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties (The diligent student completed all her assignments on time.)

Extremely or unusually small (The diminutive figure of the kitten made it look even more adorable.)

A lament for the dead, especially one forming part of a funeral rite (The choir sang a dirge at the funeral service.)

Dissatisfied, especially with people in authority or a system of control (The disaffected youth organized a protest against the government.)

To deny any responsibility or support for (He disavowed all knowledge of the scandal.)

To perceive or recognize (something) (She could discern a figure in the fog.)

To make (secret or new information) known (The company was required to disclose its financial information.)

To make (someone) feel uneasy or embarrassed (The unexpected question discomfited the speaker.)

Essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison (The two cultures were so disparate that they had little in common.)

To make (a doubt, feeling, or belief) disappear (The teacher's explanation dispelled the students' confusion.)

The state of being held in low esteem by the public (The scandal brought the company into disrepute.)

To conceal one's true motives, feelings, or beliefs (She tried to dissemble her anger with a smile.)

To spread (something, especially information) widely (The organization worked to disseminate information about the disease.)

The expression or holding of opinions at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially held (The group voiced their dissent over the new policy.)

To disperse or scatter (The fog dissipated as the sun rose.)

To persuade (someone) not to take a particular course of action (He tried to dissuade her from quitting her job.)

To swell or cause to swell by pressure from inside (The balloon began to distend as it was filled with air.)

To be indecisive (She dithered for a moment before deciding which dress to wear.)

To discover (something) by guesswork or intuition (He tried to divine the intentions of the mysterious stranger.)

To make known (private or sensitive information) (She refused to divulge the details of the secret meeting.)

Ready to accept control or instruction; submissive (The docile puppy quickly learned to follow commands.)

Inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true (The leader's dogmatic approach alienated many of his followers.)

Having normal physical functions suspended or slowed down for a period of time; in or as if in a deep sleep (The volcano has been dormant for centuries.)

Hesitating or doubting; not to be relied upon (The plan seemed dubious at best.)

Threats, violence, constraints, or other action brought to bear on someone to do something against their will or better judgment (He confessed under duress.)