| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | mixture, usually of two metals |
| Synonyms: | admixture, adulterant, adulteration, amalgam, amalgamation, blend, combination, composite, compound, debasement, denaturant, fusion, hybrid, intermixture, reduction |
| Main Entry: | alloy |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | adulterate |
| Synonyms: | debase, denature, devalue, diminish, impair, reduce |
| Antonyms: | clean, clear, purify |
| Main Entry: | adulterate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | alter or debase, often for profit |
| Synonyms: | alloy, amalgamate, attenuate, blend, cheapen, commingle, contaminate, cook, corrupt, cut*, defile, degrade, denature, depreciate, deteriorate, devalue, dilute, dissolve, doctor up, doctor*, falsify, impair, infiltrate, intermix, irrigate, lace, make impure, mingle, mix, phony up, plant*, pollute, shave, spike*, taint, thin, transfuse, vitiate, water down, weaken |
| Antonyms: | clarify, clean, cleanse, distill, filter, free, purify, refine |
| Main Entry: | amalgam |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | mixture |
| Synonyms: | admixture, alloy, amalgamation, blend, combination, combo, composite, compound, fusion, mishmash, soup |
| Notes: | an amalgam is what follows upon an amalgamation; amalgamation is a process in which things are combined and an amalgam is the result or consequence of that process - so amalgam means 'combination,' while amalgamation means 'the act of combining or uniting; consolidation' |
| Antonyms: | division, separation |
| Main Entry: | amalgamate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | blend |
| Synonyms: | admix, alloy, ally, coalesce, combine, come together, compound, consolidate, fuse, hook up with, incorporate, integrate, interface, intermix, join together, meld, merge, mingle, network, pool, team up, tie in, tie up, unite |
| Antonyms: | divide, separate |
| Main Entry: | blend |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | composite, mix |
| Synonyms: | alloy, amalgam, amalgamation, brew, combination, commixture, composite, compound, concoction, fusion, interfusion, intermixture, mixture, synthesis, union |
| Antonyms: | natural element, separation |
| Main Entry: | compound |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | combination, mixture |
| Synonyms: | admixture, aggregate, alloy, amalgam, amalgamation, blend, combo, commixture, composite, composition, compost, conglomerate, fusion, goulash, medley, mishmash, soup, stew, synthesis, union |
| Main Entry: | contaminate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | adulterate |
| Synonyms: | alloy, befoul, corrupt, debase, debauch, defile, deprave, desecrate, dirty, harm, infect, injure, muck up, pervert, poison, pollute, profane, radioactivate, soil, spoil, stain, sully, taint, tarnish, vitiate |
| Antonyms: | clean, cure, heal, purify, sterilize |
| Main Entry: | deteriorate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | decay, degenerate |
| Synonyms: | adulterate, alloy, be worse for wear, become worse, break, corrode, corrupt, crumble, debase, debilitate, decline, decompose, degrade, deprave, depreciate, descend, disimprove, disintegrate, ebb, fade, fail, fall apart, flag, go downhill, go to pieces, go to pot, go to the dogs, hit the skids, impair, injure, languish, lapse, lessen, lose it, lose quality, lower, mar, pervert, regress, retrograde, retrogress, rot, sink, skid, slide, spoil, undermine, vitiate, weaken, wear away, worsen |
| Notes: | to degenerate means 'to decline in value, move lower on a scale' but to deteriorate means 'to worsen, to become lowered, or be reduced in value'; degenerate pertains more to character and virtue while deteriorate is more about loss of strength or vitality |
| Antonyms: | build, construct, develop, get better, improve |