| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | argue against |
| Synonyms: | animadvert, blame, censure, challenge, combat, complain, criticize, decry, demur, deprecate, disapprove, disparage, dispute, dissent, except, expostulate, fight, find fault, frown upon, inveigh, kick*, nag, object, oppose, pick at, protest, rain, recriminate, resist, scold, sound off, take exception, take issue, withstand |
| Antonyms: | agree, concede, give in |
| Main Entry: | censure |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | condemn; criticize severely |
| Synonyms: | abuse, admonish, animadvert, asperse, attack, backbite, berate, blame, carp at, castigate, cavil, chastise, chide, contemn, cut up, denigrate, denounce, deprecate, disapprove, discipline, disparage, exprobate, find fault with, get after, impugn, incriminate, judge, knock, lecture, look askance, ostracize, pick apart, pull apart, read out, rebuff, rebuke, remonstrate, reprehend, reprimand, reproach, reprove, scold, take to task, tear apart, tell off, upbraid |
| Notes: | to censor is to disallow portions or the entireties of books, plays, etc. on the grounds that they transgress propriety, 'to scrutinize, revise, or cut,' expurgate or suppress; to censure is to criticize vehemently or harshly, or condemn |
| Antonyms: | allow, approve, compliment, endorse, laud, permit, sanction |
| Main Entry: | complain |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | grumble about |
| Synonyms: | accuse, ascribe, attack, beef, bellyache, bemoan, bewail, bitch, carp, cavil, charge, contravene, criticize, defy, demur, denounce, deplore, deprecate, differ, disagree, disapprove, dissent, expostulate, find fault, fret, fuss, gainsay, grieve, gripe, groan, grouse, growl, grumble, impute, indict, kick up a fuss, lament, lay, look askance, make a fuss, moan, nag, object, oppose, protest, refute, remonstrate, repine, reproach, snivel, sound off, take exception to, wail, whimper, whine, yammer |
| Antonyms: | applaud, approve, be content, be happy, commend, praise, recommend, sanction |
| Main Entry: | demur |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disagree |
| Synonyms: | balk, cavil, challenge, combat, complain, deprecate, disapprove, dispute, doubt, fight, hem and haw, hesitate, object, oppose, pause, protest, pussyfoot, refuse, remonstrate, resist, scruple, shy, stick, stickle, strain, take exception, vacillate, wait and see, waver |
| Notes: | demur is the verb 'to object or voice opposition' while demure is the adjective meaning 'modest, shy' |
| Antonyms: | accept, agree, consent, go along |
| Main Entry: | disapprove |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | condemn |
| Synonyms: | blame, censure, chastise, criticize, damn, decry, denounce, deplore, deprecate, detract, disallow, discommend, discountenance, disesteem, disfavor, dislike, dismiss, dispraise, expostulate, find fault with, find unacceptable, frown on, look askance at, look down on, nix, object to, oppose, pan, pass on, refuse, reject, remonstrate, reprehend, reprobate, reprove, set aside, slam, spurn, take dim view of, take exception to, turn down, veto, zing |
| Antonyms: | agree, approve, endorse, like, love, sanction |
| Main Entry: | dissuade |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | talk out of |
| Synonyms: | advise against, caution against, chicken out, counsel, cry out against, deprecate, derail, deter, disadvise, discourage, disincline, divert, exhort, expostulate, faze, hinder, lean on, persuade not to, prevent, prick, put off, remonstrate, throw a wet blanket on, throw cold water on, throw off, thwart, turn off, urge not to, warn |
| Antonyms: | incite, persuade, talk into |
| Main Entry: | except |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | leave out |
| Synonyms: | ban, bar, bate, count out, debar, disallow, eliminate, exclude, exempt, expostulate, inveigh, object, omit, pass over, protest, reject, remonstrate, rule out, suspend, taboo |
| Notes: | accept is 'take or agree to' and except means 'exclude, leave out' |
| Antonyms: | admit, allow, include |
| Main Entry: | expostulate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | reason with |
| Synonyms: | argue, dissuade, oppose, protest, remonstrate |
| Main Entry: | inveigh |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | blame, denounce |
| Synonyms: | admonish, berate, blast, castigate, censure, condemn, crack down on, except, expostulate, go after, have at, jump down one's throat, kick, lambaste, lay into, lay out, let have it, object, protest, rail, read out, recriminate, remonstrate, reproach, rip into, roast, scold, scorch, sound off, tongue-lash, trash*, upbraid, vituperate, work over |
| Antonyms: | flatter, praise |