a-
to, towards, at
Usage
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abandon
When you act with abandon, you give in to the impulse of the moment and behave in a wild, uncontrolled way.
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amalgamate
When two or more things, such as organizations, amalgamate, they combine to become one large thing.
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aplomb
If you deal with a difficult situation with aplomb, you deal with it in a confident and skillful way.
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aver
If you aver that something is the case, you say firmly and strongly that you believe it is true.
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apropos
When something is apropos, it is fitting to the moment or occasion.
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astringent
When you are astringent towards someone, you speak to or write about them in a critical and hurtful manner.
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acolyte
An acolyte is someone who serves a leader as a devoted assistant or believes in the leader's ideas.
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abase
If you abase yourself, people respect you less because you act in a way that is beneath you; due to this behavior, you are lowered or reduced in rank, esteem, or reputation.
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abate
When something bad or painful abates, it becomes less strong or severe.
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aspersion
An aspersion is an unkind remark or unfair judgment attacking someone's character or reputation.
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aspirate
When you aspirate something, you draw out fluids by means of suction or you draw in air by inhaling it.
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awry
If something goes awry, it does not happen in the way that was planned.
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adroit
Someone who is adroit is skillful and clever, especially in thought, behavior, or action.
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aficionado
If someone is an aficionado of something, such as soccer, they like it and know a lot about it; therefore, they are a true fan of it.
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abridge
If you abridge a book or play, you make it shorter by making cuts to the original.
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abet
When you abet someone, you urge, encourage, or help them to commit a criminal or illegal act.
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abeyance
If something is in abeyance, it has been put on hold and is not proceeding or being used at the present time.
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ameliorate
When you ameliorate a bad condition or situation, you make it better in some way.
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tantamount
If one thing is tantamount to another thing, it means that it is equivalent to the other.
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abut
When something abuts something else, it is next to it or forms a border with it.
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amass
When you amass things, you gather them together or accumulate them.
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aspiration
An aspiration is a personal goal or ambition that you want to achieve.
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paramount
Something that is of paramount importance or significance is chief or supreme in those things.
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ascertain
When you ascertain the truth of something, you determine or find it out for sure.
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aspire
When you aspire to do something, you greatly desire to do it; therefore, you work hard to achieve it.
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astern
If something is astern of a ship or aircraft, it is behind it.
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ascend
When you ascend something, such as a mountain or a set of stairs, you go up or climb it.
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achieve
When you achieve something, such as a high grade in math or running a mile, you do it successfully.
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align
place in a line or arrange so as to be parallel or straight
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aspect
a distinct feature or element in a problem
Related Word Sums
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