Amity Amity /ˈæm.ɪ.ti/ (noun) friendliness and peaceful relations, cordiality, friendship, harmony, good relations, goodwill: Amity in context Just after John arrived at the party, amity boosted among guests, thanks to his tactful and light-hearted personality. It is essential that some amity be injected into the world. The longstanding amity between the two neighboring villages was …
Reading comprehension requires you to think critically about the information and ideas. Sometimes, while reading, you have to read the same sentences several times without gaining any meaning from them. So, it is needed to return to earlier steps for finding out the intended meaning. Accordingly, there are some effective strategies to use before, during, …
Strive Strive (verb) /straɪv/ to make a concerted effort to do something – try hard – struggle – endeavor – do your best – try your best – attempt – make an effort – give it your best shot: Strive in context Jack constantly strove to remain the top student at school. In her pursuit …
Affinity Affinity /əˈfɪn.ɪ.ti/ (noun) feeling of identification, close similarity or connection among people, fellow feeling, empathy, sympathy, resemblance, correspondence, attraction, fraternity: Affinity in context I tried to restore the sense of affinity between John and his father by seeking a reconciliation. Although we should let bygones be bygones, I can never forget your reluctance to …
Façade Façade (noun) /fəˈsɑːd/ the visible front face of a large building – trace – shred – the false and deceptive appearance of someone or something – superficial appearance – impression – veneer – resemblance – likeness: Façade in context I was literally astounded at the fabulous façade of the great cathedral. Despite the charming …
Catastrophic Catastrophic (adj) /ˌkæt.əˈstrɒf.ɪk/ causing major disasters or death – disastrous – life-threatening – awful and terribly bad – devastating – calamitous – appalling – tragic – ominous – ruinous: Catastrophic in context Any minor shortcoming in the infrastructure of this town’s dam could have catastrophic consequences for the local people. The hurricane was a …
Over time Over time (adv) happening gradually and during a long period – sooner or later – after a while – ultimately – eventually – step by step: Over time in context Over time, he could get accustomed to the sultry and humid weather in Oklahoma. Over time, the once-struggling neighborhood transformed into a vibrant …
Exemplify Exemplify /ɪgˈzem.plɪ.faɪ/ (verb) to be a typical example of something, typify, represent, demonstrate, epitomize, characterize, illustrate: Exemplify in context The edifice exemplifies the Gothic architecture that was dominant in the 15th century. Jane’s dedication to her work and her ability to consistently deliver high-quality results exemplify the ideal employee in our organization. Her proactive …
Cynical Cynical /ˈsɪn.ɪ.kəl/ (adj) pessimistic about people’s intentions, skeptical, negative, distrustful, sarcastic and mocking, contemptuous, scornful: Cynical in context They were cynical about the team`s chance of winning the championship. Who is a cynical person? A cynical person often exhibits a general distrust of others’ motives, believing that actions are driven by self-interest rather than …
Downbeat Downbeat /ˈdaʊn.biːt/ (adj) hopeless, pessimistic and gloomy – desperate – depressing and negative, somber Downbeat in context Life has so many downbeat and upbeat moments which are ephemeral. After hearing the unexpected news of the company’s major restructuring, the office atmosphere turned distinctly downbeat. The once lively chatter around the water cooler was replaced …