Advanced English (2) • ADJECTIVES, ADVERBS • 'D'

adjective C2 formal/disapproving • synonyms: argumentative, combative, contentious • disputatious person/style/debate; notoriously/highly/relentlessly disputatious • freq in AmE: 2/10

inclined to argue or provoke debate; fond of verbal conflict or disagreement, often in a persistent or combative way

adjective C1 • synonyms: bleak, oppressive, nightmarish • dystopian future/society/vision; dystopian fiction/themes/imagery; dystopian feel/setting • literary, philosophical, political tone • freq in AmE: 7/10

relating to or resembling a dystopia — an imagined society marked by oppression, suffering, or collapse; often used to describe bleak futures, authoritarian regimes, or dehumanizing systems

adjective C2 informal • synonyms: risky, precarious, uncertain • dicey situation/decision/investment; get dicey; things turn dicey • dicey to attempt/enter/invest *• freq in AmE: 5/10

uncertain and potentially dangerous or problematic; involving risk or unpredictability, especially in informal or spoken contexts

adjective C1 • synonyms: devastated, grief-stricken, inconsolable • be/look distraught over loss/tragedy • freq in AmE: 6/10

deeply upset, agitated, or overwhelmed by grief, worry, or shock — often to the point of losing composure or clarity

adjective C1 • synonyms: perceptive, insightful, refined • discerning eye/mind/taste; discerning reader/audience • freq in AmE: 6/10

able to perceive or judge things clearly and insightfully; showing refined taste, keen understanding, or sharp judgment — often in complex or subtle matters

adjective C1 • synonyms: rebellious, resistant, unyielding • defiant attitude/gesture/speech; remain/sound/look defiant; boldly/fiercely defiant • freq in AmE: 6/10

showing resistance, bold disobedience, or a refusal to submit — often in the face of authority, expectations, or pressure

adjective C1 formal • synonyms: pious, faithful, dedicated • devout Catholic/Muslim; devout believer/supporter; remain devout; devout and humble/sincere/earnest • freq in AmE: 5/10

deeply committed to a religion, belief, or cause; showing sincere devotion or earnestness in attitude or practice

adjective C2 formal • synonyms: dejected, hopeless, disheartened • feel/become/grow despondent; despondent about something • deeply/utterly/increasingly despondent; despondent over/at something • freq in AmE: 4/10

feeling very sad, without hope, and unable to see any possibility of improvement in a situation

collocation with despondent adjective C2 formal • synonyms: devastate, crush, dishearten • leave someone despondent after loss/rejection/silence • freq in AmE: 5/10

to cause someone to feel deeply discouraged, hopeless, or emotionally defeated — often after loss, rejection, or prolonged struggle

adjective C1 • synonyms: scornful, contemptuous, disdainful, indifferent, condescending • be dismissive of something/someone; a dismissive attitude/tone/gesture/look; be dismissive of ideas/concerns/people • freq in AmE: 6/10

showing that you do not think something or someone is important or worth considering; indicating a lack of respect or interest

collocation with dismissive adjective C1 • synonyms: disregard, belittlement, marginalization • dismissive treatment of ideas/people/concerns • freq in AmE: 4/10

behavior or attitude that shows a lack of respect, interest, or seriousness toward someone or something; treating others as unworthy of attention, concern, or dignity

adjective C1 formal • synonyms: distinct, divergent, incompatible • disparate ideas/systems/backgrounds; reconcile disparate elements; seemingly disparate but connected • freq in AmE: 4/10

fundamentally different in kind; so distinct that comparison is difficult or inappropriate

adjective C2 formal • synonyms: differing, distinct, contrasting, varying, conflicting • a divergent approach/attitude; divergent interests/opinions/views/thinking/interests • freq in AmE: 8/10

developing or moving in different directions; differing from each other or from a common standard, often in opinion, character, or form

collocation with divergent adjective C2 formal • synonyms: conflicting data, inconsistent sources, contradictory findings • divergent information in reports/studies/media; deal with divergent information • freq in AmE: 5/10

information that differs significantly in content, interpretation, or implication from other sources or perspectives; often leading to confusion, debate, or reassessment

adjective C1 formal • synonyms: belittling, scornful, demeaning • disparaging remarks/tone/comments/attitude/feedback; make/respond to disparaging statements • freq in AmE: 6/10

expressing criticism, disrespect, or lack of value — often in a way that belittles or undermines someone or something

collocation with disparaging adjective C1 formal • synonyms: insults, slurs, jabs • make/retract/respond to disparaging remarks; remarks about appearance/work/beliefs • freq in AmE: 6/10

critical or disrespectful comments that belittle, insult, or undermine someone or something — often delivered with contempt or dismissiveness

adjective C2 formal • synonyms: harmful, damaging, adverse • detrimental effect/impact/outcome; detrimental to health/development/performance; prove/become detrimental; environmentally/socially detrimental • freq in AmE: 6/10

causing harm, damage, or negative effects; having a harmful influence on something

verb [I or T ] C1 • synonyms: mistreat, exclude, discern • discriminate against/in favor of; based on race/gender; outlaw discrimination; discriminate between sounds/colors • freq in AmE: 7/10

to treat people unfairly based on characteristics such as race, gender, or age (social); to recognize or make distinctions between things (cognitive)

collocation with discriminate verb [I or T ] C1 • synonyms: mistreat, exclude, oppress • discriminate against someone based on race/gender; be accused of/prohibited from discriminating; laws that protect against discrimination • freq in AmE: 7/10

to treat a person unfairly or unjustly because of their race, gender, age, religion, disability, or other characteristic

adjective C2 • synonyms: insane, crazy, unhinged, psychotic, disturbed, irrational • a deranged personality/criminal/killer/mind/behavior; to be mentally deranged; sound/act/appear deranged; emotionally/violently deranged • freq in AmE: 4/10

mentally disturbed or unstable; behaving in a wildly irrational, dangerous, or unpredictable way — often used to describe extreme psychological imbalance or violent behavior

adjective C2 • synonyms: feeble, frail, shaky, senile • a doddering old man/woman/politician; doddering and confused/frail/senile; doddering steps/voice/movements; appear/sound/look doddering • freq in AmE: 2/10

physically weak, shaky, or unsteady due to old age; often used to describe someone who moves slowly or trembles, sometimes implying mental decline

collocation with doddering adjective C2 • synonyms: senile fool, confused elder • a doddering old fool; call someone a doddering old fool; act/sound/look like one • freq in AmE: 2/10

an elderly person who is perceived as physically frail and mentally confused or foolish; often used mockingly to suggest incompetence, irrelevance, or senility

adjective C1 formal • synonyms: preventive, dissuasive, inhibitory • deterrent effect/measure/policy; deterrent to crime/aggression; deterrent posture/capability; serve as deterrent force • (freq: 3/10)

designed or serving to discourage someone from taking a particular action — especially by instilling fear, risk, or negative consequences

adjective C1 formal • synonyms: respectful, submissive, reverent • deferential tone/attitude/manner; be deferential to authority/elders/tradition; quietly/overly deferential; deferential gesture/response/silence • deferential toward something/someone

showing respectful submission or yielding to someone else's authority, wishes, or status