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shorthanded - Not having the usual or necessary number of workers or helpers to get something done.

When the flood swept through the community, though the relief workers were very shorthanded, they did an amazing job rescuing the people by boat.

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enslaved - Held in physical or psychological bondage or control.

Max felt enslaved by his addiction to cigarettes, and often struggled to try to give it up.

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desperate - Feeling or showing a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad it’s impossible to deal with.

He made a desperate plea for help, calling every possible number he could find, after the flood severly damaged his home.

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fawning - Acting overly eager to please someone, especially someone in power.

The assistant was always fawning over the boss, immediately doing his every wish, hoping to get a promotion.

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haggard - Looking exhausted and unwell, especially from fatigue, worry, or suffering

Once a cute child actor, Macaulay Culkin has looked surprisingly haggard in recent years.

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addict - A person who is physically or mentally dependent on a substance, especially drugs or alcohol.

The addict struggled for years to overcome his dependence on heroin.

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vulnerable - Open to physical or emotional harm or attack, not protected.

Without shelter, the animals were vulnerable to the cold, and they rolled into a ball as much as they could.

verb

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pander - To provide what someone wants or demands even though it is not proper, good, or reasonable.

With his lead in the polls dwindling, the candidate pandered to his voters by offering them crazy promises.

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downtrodden - Oppressed or treated badly by people in power

The downtrodden homeless man tried to survive on the harsh streets of the city.

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craven - Contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly

At the town hall meeting, constituents yelled at their craven representatives who refused to work together.

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wimpy - Fearful and lacking courage

Sam took boxing lessons, hoping that it would strengthen him physically and emotionally, so he could improve his generally wimpy attitude towards challenging situations.

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feeble - Lacking physical strength, especially as a result of age or illness

Warren wanted to lift weights to be healthy, but he was too feeble at his age.