Nearby Words
| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | hold back from doing |
| Synonyms: | abjure, abnegate, avoid, cease, constrain, curb, decline, deny oneself, do without, eschew, evade, fast, fence-sit, forbear, forgo, give the go by, give up, go on the wagon, keep from, pass, pass up, quit, refrain, refuse, renounce, shun, sit on one's hands, sit on the fence, sit out, spurn, starve, stop, take the cure, take the pledge, withhold |
| Antonyms: | indulge, use |
| Main Entry: | avoid |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | refrain or stay away from; prevent |
| Synonyms: | abstain, avert, bypass, circumlocute, circumvent, deflect, desist, ditch, divert, dodge, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, fake out, fend off, flee, give the slip, hide, hold off, jump, keep clear, lay low, obviate, recoil, run for cover, shake, shake and bake, shake off, shirk, shrink from, shuffle off, shun, shy, sidestep, skip out on, skip town, skip*, skirt, stay away, stay out, steer clear of, step aside, turn aside, ward off, weave, withdraw |
| Notes: | avert means 'prevent, turn away' and avoid means 'stay clear of, shun' |
| Antonyms: | face, meet, seek, want |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | curb |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | repress, restrict |
| Synonyms: | abstain, bit, bottle up, box in, bridle, bring to screeching halt, check, clog, constrain, contain, control, cook*, cool down, cool off, deny, entrammel, fetter, hamper, hinder, hobble, hog-tie, hold back, hold down, hold in, ice*, impede, inhibit, keep lid on, keep tight rein on, leash, manacle, moderate, muzzle, refrain, rein in, restrain, retard, scrub, send up, shackle, subdue, suppress, tame, tie, tie up, withhold |
| Antonyms: | aid, assist, encourage, foster, help |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | decline |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | say no |
| Synonyms: | abjure, abstain, avoid, balk, beg to be excused, bypass, demur, deny, desist, disapprove, dismiss, don't buy, forbear, forgo, gainsay, nix, not accept, not hear of, not think of, pass on, refrain, refuse, reject, renounce, reprobate, repudiate, send regrets, shy, spurn, turn down, turn thumbs down |
| Notes: | one declines (or accepts) something that is offered; one refuses (or agrees) to accept something offered |
| Antonyms: | accept, say yes |
| Main Entry: | desist |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stop, refrain from |
| Synonyms: | abandon, abstain, avoid, break off, cease, discontinue, end, forbear, give over, give up, halt, have done with, knock off, leave off, not do, pause, quit, relinquish, resign, surcease, suspend, yield |
| Antonyms: | carry on, continue, endure, go on, keep on, persevere, restart, resume |
| Main Entry: | eschew |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | have nothing to do with |
| Synonyms: | abandon, abjure, abstain, avoid, double, duck, elude, evade, forgo, forswear, give up, have no truck with, let well enough alone, not touch, refrain, renounce, sacrifice, shun, shy, shy away from, steer clear of, swear off |
| Antonyms: | embrace, like, love |
| Main Entry: | fast |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | go without food |
| Synonyms: | abstain, deny oneself, diet, famish, forbear, go hungry, not eat, refrain, starve |
| Antonyms: | eat, glut, gorge, stuff |
| Main Entry: | forbear |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | resist the temptation to |
| Synonyms: | abstain, avoid, bridle, cease, curb, decline, desist, escape, eschew, evade, forgo, go easy, hold back*, inhibit, keep, keep from, omit, pause, refrain, restrain, sacrifice, shun, stop, withhold |
| Notes: | forbear (verb) means 'to cease or refrain from,' 'control oneself, abstain'; forebear (noun) means ancestor, literally 'a person existing before' |
| Antonyms: | continue, indulge, involve, partake, use |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | forgo |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | give up, do without |
| Synonyms: | abandon, abdicate, abjure, abstain, cede, desist, eschew, forbear, forsake, give in, go on the wagon, leave alone, leave out, pack in, pass, pass on, pass up, quit, refrain, relinquish, renounce, resign, resist, sacrifice, sit out, surrender, swear off, take the cure, take the oath, waive, yield |
| Notes: | forego means to go before or precede (as in fore) and to do without is to forgo |
| Antonyms: | continue, indulge, keep, use |
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
