| Dally | to do something slowly, have a casual romantic or sexual liaison with | he should stop dallying with film stars, As my own boss, I have the leisure to dally about. |
| Dampen | to make something slightly wet | It rained just enough to dampen the ground, but the grass dried up quickly |
| Dangle | hand or swing loosely | While the dog trotted proudly to the front door with his prize, the mouse would dangle by his tail from the dog’s mouth. |
| Daunt | a task that appears challenging | As I looked up the mountain, I knew it would be a daunting feat to reach the peak. |
| Dawdler | person who is slow waste of time | By Levine’s model, Americans are dawdlers compared to people of other nations. |
| Dazzle | (of a bright light) blind (a person or their eyes) temporarily | she was dazzled by the headlights |
| Dearth | shortage | Because there was a dearth of evidence, the district attorney had to drop the charges |
| Debacle | a disaster or a great failure | When the movie was released, it was called a debacle by the critics. |
| Debilitate | Weaken | Cancer can quickly debilitate an otherwise healthy person. |
| Debility | physical weakness, especially as a result of illnes | most of the cases presented with general debility, muscle weakness, and weight loss |
| Debunk | To discredit, or expose to ridicule the falsehood or the exaggerated claims of something. | My attempts to debunk my young daughter’s belief in Santa Claus only ended with her crying for days. |
| Decathlon | an athletic contest consisting of ten events | I practice sprinting, running and jumping so that I can compete in the decathlon. |
| Decimated | kill, destroy, or remove a large proportion of, kill one in every ten of (a group of people, originally a mutinous Roman legion) as a punishment for the whole group | It is likely the category five hurricane will decimate the small beach town. |
| Decorous | proper in behavior | The director of the finishing school is a decorous woman known for her perfect social skills. |
| Decorum | pconduct that is appropriate and illustrates a person is well-mannered | John’s lewd behavior showed he was unfamiliar with decorum. |
| Decoy | a person or object meant to lure something to danger | Tony uses a worm decoy to bait fish. |
| Decree | order given by authority | The queen issued a royal decree which stopped people from visiting the royal gardens during the holidays. |
| Decry | disapprove of, to denounce as damaging or bad | After the immigration bill was passed, the racist groups started to decry the features of the act. |
| Dedication | hard work and effort | Josh displayed remarkable dedication to his job by working around the clock to meet his deadlines. |
| Defalcate | (v) to embezzle or misappropriate, embezzle (funds with which one has been entrusted). | the officials were charged with defalcating government money |
| Defer | postpone | Because of my mother’s death, we will defer our vacation for a while. |
| Deference | courteous regard for people’s feelings; respect | Kyle decided to shave off his mohawk in deference to his Grandmother. |
| Deferential | showing respect | people were always deferential to Majid Khan |
| Defiance | open disobedience or resistance, choosing to disobey rules or a person of authority | Because Gina is a defiant teenager, she is often called to the principal’s office. |
| Defiant | choosing to disobey rules or a person of authority | The defiant child threw a tantrum when it was time to go to bed. |
| Defoliate | remove leaves from (a tree, plant, or area of land), for agricultural purposes or as a military tactic | the area was defoliated and napalmed many times |
| Defunct | no longer in use | Though the car was defunct, he knew that with the right parts and some hard work he could restore it. |
| Degradation | the situation of being diminished in standing | As slaves, many Negroes endured degradation and were treated like animals. |
| Deign | to complete a task that one considers beneath him | The queen would not deign to invite her maid to dinner. |
| Deleterious | harmful | Because I know alcohol is deleterious, I rarely drink more than one glass of wine. |
| Deliberate | to seriously contemplate | The jury will now deliberate the case of the accused child killer. |
| Delineate | to portray depict sketch out, to clearly describe or portray something | Jason put a fence up to delineate his property from his neighbor’s. |
| Deluge | great flood heavy rush of water, a large number of things occurring in the same instance | The car rental company closed after a deluge of accidents prevented it from being able to insure its vehicles. |
| Demagogue | person appealing not to reasons, a political leader who tries to influence people by making emotional speeches | Todd wrote an excellent paper describing Hitler as a demagogue. |
| Demote | move (someone) to a lower position or rank, usually as a punishment | the head of the army was demoted to deputy defence secretary |
| Demur | to hesitate; raise objections | normally she would have accepted the challenge, but she demurred” |
| Denigrate | blacken; belittle; sully; defame | On the talk show, the mean host usually tries to denigrate her guests by reminding them of their misdeeds. |
| Denouement | the final part of a play, film | The film ended with a denouement that left the audience speechless. |
| Denounce | to criticize harshly and publicly | Management was quick to denounce the hard work done by the union representatives. |
| Denunciation | an announcement or statement that is shared openly to criticize a thing or a person | During the press conference, the civil rights leader made a denunciation about brutal police tactics. |
| Deplete | to exhaust the supply, use until none remains | The company will be in ruins if we deplete our financial resource |
| Deplore | to express displeasure | Teachers deplore student behaviors that distract from lectures. |
| Deposition | dethronement; depositing, the rejection of an individual from an office | The deposition of the football coach has left the team without a leader. |
| Deprave | make morally bad;corrupt | this book would deprave and corrupt young children |
| Deprecate | protest against; express disapproval of, to criticize or express disapproval | Coach Jones is a good coach because he does not deprecate his players even when they make mistakes. |
| Depredation | plundering, damage or destruction | Because of depredation caused by hungry wolves, many chicken farmers are losing large sums of money. |
| Deprivation | the lack of something which is viewed as necessary | After a couple of days of sleep deprivation, I become really grouchy. |
| Dereliction | deserting and leaving to fall into ruins | the prosecution team were guilty of dereliction of duty for failing to disclose evidence |
| Deride | To harshly mock; ridicule. | Bullies are individuals who deride other people in order to feel superior. |
| Derision | ridicule mockery deriding, being laughed at or ridiculed | People laugh in derision when they find out that my name is Dick. |
| Derivative | unoriginal; obtained from another source | The new antibiotic is listed as a derivative of penicillin because it was produced from a penicillin base. |
| Derogatory | insulting; tending to damage, conveying a poor opinion of something or someone | The public criticized the basketball team owner after he made derogatory remarks about minorities. |
| Descry | catch sight of see something in the distance | After conducting experiments for several years, the scientist was able to descry the cause of the disease. |
| Desecrate | to treat a sacred place or object with disrespect | Do not desecrate the temple by speaking loudly during your visit. |
| Desiccant | substance used to absorb moisture | natural desiccants cause fleas to dehydrate and die |
| Desist | to stop doing something | The doctor told the elderly man to desist from smoking. |
| Despicable | worthy of intense dislike | The despicable man was disliked by everyone in his neighborhood. |
| Despondent | very sad and without hope | My son was quite despondent when his girlfriend dumped him. |
| Destitution | poverty so extreme that one lacks the means to provide for oneself. | the family faced eviction and destitution |
| Desuetude | cessation of use disuse, a condition of abandonment or inaction | Although the law is still on the books, its enforcement is in desuetude and no longer a matter of police concern. |
| Desultory | aimless;haphazard; digressing at random, not having a plan or purpose | Because he was not happy with his pay increase, James made only a desultory effort to complete his duties at work. |
| Detached | not connected or joined | I noticed the owners detached the TV from the wall in order to let the potential buyers know that it did not come with the house. |
| Deter | discourage hinder | Her father taught her that she should never let anything deter her in her goal to get at least a bachelor’s degree. |
| Deteriorate | to lessen in value or ability | Because Pam drank in excess for many years, her liver started to deteriorate when she reached the age of fifty. |
| Detraction | slandering verbal attack aspersion | detraction is the sin of revealing another person’s faults to a third person without a valid reason |
| Detrimental | producing harm or damage | According to my doctor, eating improperly is detrimental to your health. |
| Detumescence | diminishing or lessening of swelling | the process of subsiding from a state of tension, swelling, or (especially) sexual arousal. |
| Deviance | being different in moral standards (from normal) | They claim that deviance from an undefined norm makes one effeminate. |
| Devoid | entirely lacking; empty | If I spend my last few dollars, my wallet will be devoid of cash. |
| Devoured | eat (food or prey) hungrily or quickly, read quickly and eagerly. | he devoured half of his burger in one bite |
| Dexterity | skill (esp. in handling) | her dexterity with chopsticks” |
| Dexterous | having or showing great skill or cleverness | The old carpenter’s hands are no longer dexterous enough for him to build furniture. |
| Diabolical | having the qualities of a devil | The evil mastermind created a diabolical plan to take over the world |
| Diaphanous | transparent; gauzy | Mary found it quite easy to see through the diaphanous drapes. |
| Diatribe | bitter and violent attack in words | The candidate made a diatribe against his opponent. |
| Dichotomy | a difference between two opposite things or ideas | a rigid dichotomy between science and mysticism |
| Didactic | intended to instruct | Although the fiction books are not meant to be didactic, they are quite informative. |
| Diffidence | shyness | Because she felt unattractive, Mary was diffident and kept to herself at parties. |
| Diffident | lacking confidence in one’s ability or self | George was a diffident student who never stood up to his bullies. |
| Digress | not staying on topic; to go off on a tangent | Because abortion is difficult for me to talk about, I will digress from this topic. |
| Dike | a long wall built to prevent flooding from the sea | Because there was a study dike in place, no water was able to rise over the embankment. |
| Dilate | to cause to expand | The kitten’s eyes will dilate when it is scared. |
| Dilatory | intended to cause delay | My daughter used dilatory tactics to stay up past her bedtime. |
| Dilemma | a situation in which you have to make a tough choice | Marty’s dilemma was that he couldn’t decide what college to attend. |
| Dilettante | a person whose interest in an art or in an area of knowledge is not very serious | When it comes to learning how to play the guitar, my daughter is a dilettante who will practice one day but not the next day. |
| Dilettantism | connoisseur, The act of behaving like a dilettante, of being an amateur or “dabbler”, sometimes in the arts | Majid is Dilettantism |
| Diligent | careful in carrying out tasks and duties | The teacher believes the diligent students will check their answers. |
| Din | a booming unpleasant racket | The din from my neighbor’s party will probably keep me up all night. |
| Diorama | A three-dimensional display of a scenery, often having a painted background in front of which models are arranged, | Using a shoebox, the teacher instructed her students to create a diorama of a Civil War battle using little plastic army men, clay and other art supplies. |
| Dirge | a song of grief or lamentation, a sorrowful literary or musical composition that is used to honor a deceased person | When Kim sang a dirge for her deceased father, she brought everyone to tears. |
| Disabuse | to make aware of the truth | If you wish to continue to believe that falsehood, I will not disabuse you by telling you the truth. |
| Disallow | refuse to allow or accept as a correct | The teacher made the decision to disallow working with partners on projects after she discovered several instances of cheating |
| Disapprobation | a demonstration of disapproval | I lied about my failing grades because I did not want to experience my parents’ disapprobation |
| Disburse | pay out (money from a fund) | $67 million of the pledged aid had already been disbursed |
| Discern | see with an effort but clearly, to be able to see, recognize, understand, or decide something | It was not difficult to discern that Ellen killed her husband for the million dollar life insurance policy. |
| Discernment | smart judgement | My teacher’s sense of discernment caused her to discover who had actually studied for the test. |
| Discomfit | confuse embarrass, to make a person feel uncomfortable | The manager’s mean look served to discomfit me during the interview. |
| Disconcert | upset the self-possession of, to upset, frustrate, or embarrass | John would disconcert his parents by not coming home after school. |
| Discord | tension or strife resulting from a lack of agreement | Their relationship was fraught with discord because they lacked communication skills. |
| Discountenance | refuse to approve of | the best solution to alcohol abuse is a healthy family life where alcohol consumption is discountenanced |
| Discourse | speech lecture, written or spoken communication or debate | The discourse between the two candidates has not been friendly. |
| Discredit | refuse to believe, loss of respect for or belief in someone or something | The way Leonard responded to the customer was a discredit to the company’s service policy. |
| Discreet | careful/prudent | The married politician wanted to keep his affair discreet and hidden. |
| Discrepancy | a difference or inconsistency especially between things that should be the same | I was forced to fire my accountant after he could not explain the discrepancy in my bank account. |
| Discrete | distinct, separate | Brown and white rice are two discrete varieties. |
| Discursive | talking or writing about many different things in an unorganized manner | students often write dull, second-hand, discursive prose |
| Disdain | look on with contempt, lack of respect with a feeling of dislike | have an utter disdain for people that want something for nothing. |
| Disencumber | free from encumbrance | Being able to relax at the spa helped me disencumber, relieving me of all of my worries and frustrations. |
| Disguise | to alter the appearance of a thing or person | Maybe we can disguise the car damage by repainting the scratched area. |
| Disheveled | untidy, not neat | After the twenty-four hour plane ride, all of the passengers looked tired and disheveled. |
| Disingenuous | sophisticated artful trying to deceive cunning, not candid or sincere; generally by pretending one knows less than one actually does | Because the public viewed the politician’s speech as disingenuous, they did not vote for him. |
| Disinter | dig up from the earth, something that has been buried, especially a corpse | In order to learn more about the past civilization, my organization was prepared to disinter any remains. |
| Dislodge | move force from the place occupied | I tried to dislodge the nail stuck in my car’s tire, but it was so deeply embedded that I couldn’t do it without pliers. |
| Dismal | sad; gloomy; miserable | The team ended the school year with a dismal record of one win and eleven losses. |
| Disparage | to express a negative opinion; belittle | You disparage my brother by saying he is worthless? |
| Disparate | essentially different, very different from each other | Because there was so much disparate information on the topic, the research process took longer than expected. |
| Dispassionate | not being affected by or showing feelings | The dispassionate father watched television while his son cried on the floor |
| Dispatch | to quickly send off an individual or thing | It is not unusual for the hotel to dispatch a car to the airport to pick up VIP guests. |
| Dispel | make (a doubt, feeling, or belief) disappear | The director of the disease center gave a press conference to dispel the myths about the Ebola virus. |
| Disproof | set of facts that prove that something is untrue | Rex was living disproof of the youth-preserving powers imputed to life in the college |
| Disrobe | undress | The episode ends with House and Cuddy kissing passionately and disrobing. |
| Dissemble | speak or behave so as to hide something (in mind), to disguise or conceal behind a false appearance | Her plan was to dissemble her intentions from her husband so she could successfully plan him a surprise party. |
| Disseminate | distribute (esp. ideas) | With encyclopedias in every classroom, we will disseminate a wealth of information to all students. |
| Dissent | have a different opinion refuse to assent | More than likely, my father will dissent with the idea I am old enough to set my own curfew. |
| Dissident | a person who opposes the current political structure, group or laws; one who disagrees | The dissident was jailed for refusing to obey the law. |
| Dissolution | disintegration looseness in morals, the action of formally ending or dismissing an assembly, partnership, or official body. | the dissolution of their marriage |
| Dissonance | a lack of agreement; generally between what one believes and how one acts | here is a great deal of dissonance between what a liar says and does. |
| Distend | to become larger from internal pressure | Excess weight caused his belly to distend. |
| Distrait | distracted or absent-minded. | he seemed oddly distrait |
| Distraught | so upset that one cannot behave normally | When my father died, I was so distraught I dropped out of school |
| Diurnal | energetic during the daylight hours | Because bats are not active during the day, they are not diurnal creatures. |
| Divergence | getting farther apart from a point, to separate into different directions | She dropped the bowl and watched as glass shards started to diverge on the kitchen floor. |
| Divert | to shift from one thing or another or to distract someone | I decided to divert the conversation away from the topic of politics. |
| Divest | to deprive of or strip away | Divest yourself from the company of evil men or you will learn to mimic their ways. |
| Divestiture | taking off getting rid of giving up | They may have to sell if authorities require divestiture of assets. |
| Divulge | make known something secret | Doctors must be careful to not divulge confidential information about their patients. |
| Docile | easily led or managed | The wild dog was far from docile. |
| Doff | means to tip or remove (one’s hat) in salutation | The only time he failed to doff his hat before leaving for work is when he quarreled with his wife. |
| Doggerel | trivial poorly constructed verse, written badly | My professor called my poetry collection doggerel and gave me a failing grade on the project |
| Dogmatic | positive certain arbitrary without room for discussion, to strongly state unsupported opinions or beliefs as if they were absolute facts | Because he refused to listen to others, everyone considered the politician to be too dogmatic. |
| Doleful | dismal; mourful, filled with sadness or grief | My mother’s eyes were doleful after my father moved out of the house. |
| Dolt | stupid fellow, a stupid or idiotic person | Although her IQ is very high, the woman’s career as a cashier led others to believe she was a dolt. |
| Don | to put on clothing | In order to enjoy the 3D showing, the viewers had to don special glasses. |
| Dormancy | in a state of inactivity but awaiting development | Dormancy is a period in an organism’s life cycle when growth, development, and (in animals) physical activity are temporarily stopped. |
| Dormant | in a state of inactivity but awaiting development | Since the volcano is dormant right now, you do not have to be concerned about it erupting. |
| Dotard | an elderly man or woman who struggle with their mental capacities | When the dotard entered the politcal arena, very few people voted for the man due to his old age and lack of coherent explanations. |
| Dote | show much fondness center one’s attention | When my father was wooing my mother, he would dote on her by writing her love poems |
| Drab | dull; lacking brightness or enthusiasm | The drab and boring party was enhanced when the DJ and band arrived. |
| Drawl | slow way of speaking | “Yawl come back now,” the woman called in a drawl that was as sugary as it was country. |
| Dread | a feeling of intense fear and anxiety | The extremely shy speaker was filled with dread as she stepped in front of the microphone. |
| Drivel | pointless babble or chatter | Instead of studying, we wasted the hours talking about irrelevant drivel. |
| Droll | jesting, oddly humorous; funny | I love this anthology because all the stories are droll and entertaining, rather than making me think too hard. |
| Drone | male bee person who isn’t self-employed, to make a continuous hum or buzz sound | I could hear his car coming down the street by the low drone it made. |
| Dross | something that is unimportant or has low value | |
| Drowsiness | feeling sleepy half asleep | Taking her medicine too early always caused the woman to feel drowsy and go to bed early. |
| Dubious | feeling doubt | The teacher was dubious of Johnny’s homework excuse. |
| Dud | no use person something that fails, also mean clothes | all three bombs were duds |
| Dulcet | melodious; harmonious, comforting and sweet | It does not take long for the baby to be comforted by his mother’s dulcet singing. |
| Dullard | a stupid, insensitive person | It’s hard to believe that such a successful company is run by a dullard. |
| Dupe | cheat make a fool of | The athlete tried to dupe the team manager by using purchased urine for the drug test. |
| Duplicity | deliberate deception, dishonest behavior that is intended to trick someone | Most politicians use duplicity to deceive voters just long enough to get their votes. |
| Duress | threats to compel somebody, force or threats meant to make someone do something | The judge overturned the case because the defendant’s attorney proved that his client’s confession had been given under duress. |
| Dwarf | person much smaller the usual size, who are generally skilled in mining and metalworking | Without a step stool, it was difficult for the dwarf to get anything done around the cabin. |
| Dwindle | to decrease, shrink, diminish, reduce in size | Because Amelia and Danny made a promise to each other that they would never let their romance dwindle, they plan a date night every week. |
| Dynamic | the ability to change according to a situation | Dynamic teachers are capable of being flexible with their lesson plans. |
| Dynamo | a generator something that produces electric current | As a political dynamo, the senator used his upbeat nature to outshine his opponent. |
| Earthenware | dishes made of baked clay | Earthenware shards and possibly hammer stones were found inside the cave. |
| Ebullience | exuberance outburst of feeling, cheerful and full of energy | Jack always felt ebullient after drinking his morning coffee. |
| Ebullient | overflowing with enthusiasm showing excitement | The ebullient song was so uplifting that I danced in my chair. |
| Eccentric | displaying behavior that is different from that which is viewed as normal | My eccentric aunt has been known to laugh at funerals. |
| Eclat | Great brilliance, as of performance or achievement | If the fundraiser is held with éclat, we will raise thousands of dollars for the homeless. |
| Eclectic | something that is made up of various sources or styles | The restaurant’s menu was eclectic and included foods from a number of ethnic groups and cultures. |
| Ecumenical | representing the whole Christian world | Although the school was founded by a Pentecostal church, the school is ecumenical and welcomes students of all faiths. |
| Edacious | devoted to eating, voracious; devouring | The edacious eater refused to leave the dinner table until he had devoured each bite. |
| Eddy | circular or spiral movement (e.g.. of wind) | Hurricane Jenny grew to a catastrophic disaster from a small eddy in the middle of the ocean. |
| Edible | fit to be eaten/not poisonous | Mom’s dinner was barely edible so I ordered takeout instead. |
| Edifice | a large or fine building, public or private. | The church on the corner is the oldest edifice in the county. |
| Edify | instruct; correct morally | John’s experience in the military did a lot to edify his character and make him a stronger person. |
| Efface | rub or wipe out, obliterate | If I could efface all of my sad memories, I would be a very happy person. |
| Effeminate | exhibiting behaviors that are considered feminine | The man’s shoulder length hair made him appear effeminate |
| Effete | infertile; worn out; weak, lacking strength, courage, or spirit | The effete man was scared of his own shadow and hid in the closet during thunderstorms. |
| Efficacious | having the power to produce a desired effect | Yoga is very efficacious at reducing stress. |
| Efficacy | production of a desired result | Fortunately, the medicine had the efficacy to reduce the amount of pain John was feeling. |
| Effigy | a sculpture or model of a person, a roughly made model of a person that is made in order to be damaged or destroyed as a protest | The woman torched an effigy of her cheating husband. |
| Effluvia | outflow in a stream of particles a noxious odor or vapor, a gas or fume with an awful odor | My pregnant sister became ill when she inhaled the effluvium of the burnt toast. |
| Effrontery | boldness impudence arrogance | William’s wife had the effrontery to bring her lover to the family Christmas party. |
| Effusive | expressing a lot of emotion | Sally was effusive in her praise of the judges who awarded her the trophy. |
| Egalitarian | symbolized by the idea that all individuals should have the same rights | The dictator laughed at the priest’s egalitarian ideas and refused to believe all people were equal. |
| Egregious | really bad or offensive | The judge said it was the most egregious act he had ever seen! |
| Egress | way out exit | According to local fire codes, the store must have an egress in the front and in the rear in case an emergency withdrawal is necessary. |
| Elaborate | worked out with much care in great detail | Stephanie’s dress was way too elaborate for a casual dinner. |
| Elegy | a poem or song displaying grief or mourning | Since I am not an animal lover, I could only sigh as Ann sang an elegy for her dead cat. |
| Elicit | draw out | The comedian hoped his jokes would elicit a great deal of laughter from the audience. |
| Ellipsis | omitted in a text or that they are missing or illegible. | it is very rare for an ellipsis to occur without a linguistic antecedent” |
| Eloquence | fluent speaking skillful use of language | When you listen to the eloquent politician speak, you always understand his message. |
| Eloquent | having or showing the ability to use language clearly and effectively | When you listen to the eloquent politician speak, you always understand his message. |
| Elucidate | to make clear or easy to understand | I hope my review will elucidate the strengths and weaknesses I found in your novel. |
| Elusive | difficult to find, catch, or achieve | The police are finding it difficult to catch the elusive bank robber. |
| Emaciate | make thin and weak, abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of food | The emaciated boy was too weak to fight off his kidnapper. |
| Emancipate | to give freedom to someone | As my father walked me down the aisle, he told me he was happy to emancipate me so I could live my own life. |
| Embellish | make beautiful | Dan doesn’t trust the news media because he believes that most reports embellish the facts. |
| Embezzle | use in a wrong way for one’s own benefit | Since Adam was the company accountant, it was easy for him to embezzle money from the employee retirement fund. |
| Emboss | carve, mould, or stamp (a design) on a surface or object. | a dull gold casing with the logo embossed on the front |
| Embrace | hold (someone) closely in one’s arms, especially as a sign of affection | Aunt Sophie embraced her warmly |
| Embroil | involve (someone) deeply in an argument, conflict, or difficult situation | the organization is currently embroiled in running battles with pressure groups |
| Emerge | to come forward or appear | Who will emerge victorious at the end of the boxing match? |
| Emissary | an individual who acts on behalf of another person | The celebrity sent his assistant as an emissary to pick up the movie contract. |
| Emollient | something which softens or lubricates the skin | Coconut oil was a suggested emollient for stretch marks. |
| Emote | stir up excite, portray emotion in a theatrical manner. | You can emote freely |
| Empirical | relying on experiment | Our data is based on empirical evidence collected in numerous studies. |
| Emulate | to imitate and copy; strive to equal or excel | If you want to be rich, emulate a wealthy entrepreneur. |
| Encapsulate | enclose in capsule | As a writer of book blurbs, I have to be able to encapsulate a book summary into a few lines. |
| Encomium | warm or glowing praise eulogy panegyric, speech or piece of writing that warmly praises someone or something; tribute | Mrs. Poundstone was surprised and delighted on the last day of school when the students in her most difficult class presented her with an encomium they had written, praising her work as a teacher. |
| Encroach | to slowly move into another person’s area | My coworker is always leaning on my desk and trying to encroach upon my personal space. |
| Encumber | to restrict or burden in such a way that action is limited | The tax plan will encumber many average Americans to the point they cannot take yearly vacations. |
| Encumbrance | burden things that get on the way of | Although she had expected her little brother to be an encumbrance when her friends came over, she was pleased to see that they all enjoyed playing with him. |
| Endearing | making dear or liked | an endearing little grin |
| Endeavor | to make an effort, to try very hard | Jennifer threw a party to celebrate the success of her husband’s latest business endeavor. |
| Endemic | epidemic, native to a specific area or group of individuals | The poisonous snake must have come from another country because it is not endemic to our nation. |
| Endorse | write one’s name on the back of, to express one’s support or approval | The singer is being paid to endorse the soft drink in a series of commercials. |
| Endow | to bestow something in a natural way or to give funds that are needed to support a project | The billionaire will endow the school of nursing with a huge donation. |
| Endurance | the ability to do something difficult for a long time | The ballet director was seeking talented dancers who had incredible endurance. |
| Enduring | lasting | A woman has to endure an extreme amount of pain during childbirth. |
| Enervate | weaken deprive of strength attenuate | The alcohol appeared to enervate Jason’s ability to focus at work. |
| Enfranchise | o extend privileges or rights | One purpose of the immigration bill is to enfranchise citizenship to people who are willing to make a commitment to this country. |
| Engender | cause produce give rise to | The restaurant hoped the act of giving out free ice cream would engender customer loyalty. |
| Engrave | impress deeply | Could you engrave my new front tooth with a Seahawks logo? |
| Engrossing | taken up all the time or attention writing in large or formal | Hopefully the plastic keys will engross the crying baby for a while. |
| Engulf | swallow up, to totally surround or cover | The lava will begin to engulf the abandoned city in six hours. |
| Enigma | something that is puzzling | Sadly, the little girl’s disappearance continues to be an enigma. |
| Enigmatic | full of mystery and difficult to understand | When I was growing up, I viewed my father as an enigmatic man who rarely spent time with me. |
| Enlist | to volunteer/ask others for help or aid | The author was on a mission to enlist the help of a forensics expert to check the accuracy of her story. |
| Enmity | hatred being an enemy | decades of enmity between the two countries |
| Ensconce | To settle (oneself) securely or comfortably | Agnes ensconced herself in their bedroom |
| Enshroud | to make something hidden | The boy is trying to enshroud himself by placing a hoodie over his head. |
| Ensign | flag/badge | The white ensign has just been lowered over this shore base, |
| Entangle | involve (someone) in difficulties or complicated circumstances from which it is difficult to escape. | They capture the fish with nets that entangle their gills. |
| Enthral | take the whole attention, enslave | she had been so enthralled by the adventure that she had hardly noticed the cold |
| Entice | attract, lure | Her dress was extremely enticing, drawing the attention of all the men gathered. |
| Entreat | ask earnestly, to make an important request; ask for | I entreat you to donate some time tomorrow for our neighborhood clean-up program. |
| Entrenched | to establish an attitude, habit, or belief so strongly that it is not likely to change | Frustrated, the painter had moved on and prepared to entrench herself in another project. |
| Enunciate | pronounce (words)/express a theory | The speech coach reminded the students to enunciate their words so people could comprehend what they were saying. |
| Envenom | to make poisonous | I did not attempt to envenom the already poisonous atmosphere by attacking the senate bill any further. |
| Enzyme | catalyst | Because she lacked the enzyme necessary to break down food, she had to take a supplement in order to help her system. |
| Epaulet | an ornamental shoulder piece on an item of clothing, especially on the coat or jacket of a military uniform. | an army greatcoat with fancy epaulettes and brass buttons |
| Ephemeral | anything short-lived, doesn’t last long | An ephemeral stay in the waiting room was a nice treat compared to my usual long waits. |
| Epicure | a person who takes particular pleasure in fine food and drink | The food critic is an epicure who gets very happy when he eats a delicious meal. |
| Epicurean | devoted to pleasure (sensuous enjoyment), pursuing pleasure, especially in reference to food or comfort | Tim is a foodie with epicurean taste buds who spends millions of dollars each year in restaurants. |
| Epigram | a brief and witty saying or poem | At his daughter’s wedding, Jason shared a heartwarming epigram he had written. |
| Epiphany | a moment when you suddenly realize or understand something important, A Christian feast celebrating the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi. | Being in a car accident caused me to have an epiphany about the importance of chasing my dreams. |