avalanche -
A mass of snow, ice, and/or rocks that fall rapidly down a mountainside.
The sudden and unexpected avalanche meant that the hikers would have to find an alternate path to the top of the mountain.
audio
1538 of2001 Bad /
Angry
adjective
livid -
Furiously angry
After he was laid off from his job without warning, Dave was livid with rage.
audio
1539 of2001 Good /
Exciting
noun
thriller -
A novel, play, or movie with an exciting plot, typically involving crime or espionag
With their fast-paced plots and action-filled pages, John Grisham's thrillers are consistently popular.
audio
1540 of2001 Bad /
Unhappy
noun
dismay -
A strong feeling of disappointment about something unexpected and hard to fix
After the market plunged by 10%, the news networks showed Wall Street traders feeling dismay.
audio
1541 of2001 Bad /
Weak
noun
malady -
A disease or ailment
Vaccinations have eliminated many maladies that used to sicken millions of people.
audio
1542 of2001 Bad /
Unfriendly
verb
sully -
Damage the purity or integrity of; defile
Martha spread rumors about Anne, and even though it came out later that the rumors were false, the damage had been done and Anne's reputation was sullied.
audio
1543 of2001 Bad /
Dishonest
adjective
phony -
Not genuine; fraudulent
To someone with an untrained eye, it can be hard to tell a phony handbag from a real one.
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1544 of2001 Bad /
Bad
noun
monstrosity -
Something, especially a building, that is very large and is considered unsightly
The large fish-shaped building was a monstrosity that everyone made fun of.
audio
1545 of2001 Bad /
Boring
adjective
hackneyed -
(of a phrase or idea) lacking significance through having been overused; unoriginal and trite
Ricky had to tell his boss he was completely prepared for the job, but he wanted to avoid a hackneyed expression like "having his ducks in a row."
audio
1546 of2001 Bad /
Unhappy
verb
bawl -
To cry loudly and uncontrollably.
When my baby starts to bawl, I go through my trusty checklist: is he hungry, tired, teething, or have a bad diaper?
audio
1547 of2001 Bad /
Attack
adjective
Picture
abusive -
Being harsh or violent to another person, verbally or physically.
Samantha knew that she had to leave Jeff, because he was often abusive, both in words or actions - but she was afraid of what he would do to her if she did leave.
audio
1548 of2001 Bad /
Aggressive
verb
brandish -
Wave or flourish (something, especially a weapon) as a threat or in anger or excitement
Once he saw the burglar, Terry brandished his gun in order to scare him off.