de-

Usage

• desultory

  Something that is desultory is done in a way that is unplanned, disorganized, and without direction.

• despondent

  If you are despondent, you are extremely unhappy because you are in an unpleasant situation that you do not think will improve.

• denouement

  A denouement is the end of a book, play, or series of events when everything is explained and comes to a conclusion.

• denounce

  If you denounce people or actions, you criticize them severely in public because you feel strongly that they are wrong or evil.

• delineate

  If you delineate something, such as an idea or situation or border, you describe it in great detail.

• deference

  If you behave with deference towards someone, you show them respect and accept their opinions or decisions, especially because they have an important position.

• nondescript

  Something is nondescript when its appearance is ordinary, dull, and not at all interesting or attractive.

• debonair

  A man who is debonair is sophisticated, charming, friendly, and confident.

• condescend

  When people condescend, they behave in ways that show that they are supposedly more important or intelligent than other people.

• indefatigable

  If someone is indefatigable, they never show signs of getting tired.

• defoliate

  Someone defoliates a tree or plant by removing its leaves, usually by applying a chemical agent.

• devolve

  When something devolves, such as a responsibility or a person's status, it passes along to another person.

• desecrate

  If you desecrate something that is considered holy or very special, you deliberately spoil or damage it.

• decipher

  When you decipher a message or piece of writing, you work out what it says, even though it is very difficult to read or understand.

• decadent

  A decadent person has low moral standards and is more interested in pleasure than serious matters.

• despicable

  If you say a person's actions are despicable, you think they are extremely unpleasant or nasty.

• detritus

  Detritus is the small pieces of waste that remain after something has been destroyed or used.

• deprecate

  If you deprecate something, you disapprove of it strongly.

• debunk

  When you debunk someone's statement, you show that it is false, thereby exposing the truth of the matter.

• deficit

  A deficit occurs when a person or government spends more money than has been received.

• defunct

  Something that is defunct is no longer in existence or does not function.

• degenerate

  A degenerate person is immoral, wicked, or corrupt.

• demented

  A demented person is not in their right mind; hence, they are crazy, insane, and highly irrational.

• depredation

  Depredation can be the act of destroying or robbing a village—or the overall damage that time can do to things held dear.

• derivative

  A derivative is something borrowed from something else, such as an English word that comes from another language.

• derogatory

  A derogatory statement about another person is highly offensive, critical, uncomplimentary, and often insulting.

• designation

  A designation is a name, label, or mark that something is given to identify it.

• destitute

  Someone who is destitute lives in extreme poverty and thus lacks the basic necessities of life.

• deterrent

  A deterrent keeps someone from doing something against you.

• detrimental

  Something detrimental causes damage, harm, or loss to someone or something.

• deviate

  When someone's behavior is deviating, they do things differently by departing or straying from their usual way of acting.

• legerdemain

  Legerdemain is the skillful use of one's hands or the employment of another form of cleverness for the purpose of deceiving someone.

• predecessor

  A predecessor comes before someone else in a job or is an ancestor of someone.

• demarcation

  Demarcation is the process of setting boundaries or limits; it is also a line that provides a distinct separation between two things.

• deplete

  When you deplete a supply of something, you use it up or lessen its amount over a given period of time.

• deceitful

  Someone who is deceitful is tricky, false, or dishonest.

• despair

  When you are experiencing despair, you feel hopeless; you may believe that you are going through certain and sad defeat that you can do nothing about.

• devious

  A devious person can act in a dishonest, tricky, or secretive way for their own purposes.

• descendant

  A descendant is someone's offspring or child; it is also someone who can be traced back to an ancestor.

• indeterminate

  When a piece of information is indeterminate, it cannot be known with certainty.

• deracinate

  When someone or something is deracinated, the former is uprooted or removed from their natural environment whereas the latter is eradicated, uprooted, or destroyed.

• descry

  When you descry something, you detect, discover, discern, or see it.

• descend

  When you descend something, such as stairs or a mountain, you go down it.

• desperate

  If you are desperate, you don't know what to do about a very difficult problem you are having; you are very worried about it and willing to do just about anything to make it better.

• independent

  Someone who is independent takes care of themselves and does not rely on anyone to help them.

• desire

  A desire is something that you want or wish you had.

• decide

  When you decide something, you make a choice, usually after thinking about it.

• dedicate

  When you dedicate yourself to something, you spend a lot of time and effort doing it.

• depend

  When you depend on another person, you rely on them or need them to do something for you.

• decay

  When something decays, it breaks down as it is slowly being destroyed.

• deceive

  When you deceive another person, you trick them in some way, often by making them believe that something is true when it is not.

• describe

  When you describe something, you say what it is like or explain it.

• defend

  When you defend someone, you guard or protect them to keep them safe from harm.

• depress

  Something that depresses someone makes them sad and disappointed with life; they often don’t want to do anything because of it.

• detail

  A detail of something is a fact about it or one part of it.

• design

  When you design something, you plan or create it.

• degree

  The degree of something is the size, amount, level, or strength of it.

• detect

  When you detect something, you uncover or find it.

• destruction

  The destruction of something is the causing of so much damage to it that it cannot be fixed.

• determine

  When you determine something, you figure it out or decide about it.

• decapitate

  cut the head of

• decelerate

  lose velocity

• deciduous

  (of plants and shrubs) shedding foliage at the end of the growing season

• decisive

  determining or having the power to determine an outcome

• deduce

  reason by deduction

• deficient

  inadequate in amount or degree

• degradation

  changing to a lower state (a less respected state)

• demote

  assign to a lower position

• demystify

  make less mysterious or remove the mystery from

• deranged

  driven insane

• detached

  showing lack of emotional involvement

• detract

  take away a part from

• desuetude

  a state of inactivity or disuse