Synonym of the day

Synonym of the day

terminate

terminate is a synonym of end

verb [ tur-muh-neyt ]

terminate is another word for end

To end is to cease something or to come to a conclusion. Stories end, days end, and lives end. The things themselves, in these examples, have intrinsic beginnings and endings, and to end is a natural, organic outcome. Terminate suggests an immediate or abrupt stop imposed upon something, often by impersonal forces. It has a more official and technical feel. A contract, agreement, or license may be terminated before its expiration date. A judge may rule to terminate parental rights. To cap it all off, two extended senses of terminate have emerged: terminating someone can either mean to fire them or to assassinate them.

Commonly found as

terminate a contract
We don’t relish the thought of terminating the contract, but your company has violated the terms of our agreement more than once.
terminate immediately
The company terminated the senior-level employee almost immediately after his interview was published.

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profound

profound is a synonym of deep

adjective [ pruh-found, proh‐ ]

profound is another word for deep

For talking about things physically extending far down or far back in space, deep is almost always the appropriate word (a deep well, deep shelves, a deep cut). Profound is more elevated diction reserved for awe-invoking depths (profound depths of the sea). Both adjectives can also be used figuratively, of feeling and thought: we admire the deep thinkers and profound poets for their ability to penetrate beyond surface impressions and discover truths inaccessible to most of us. However, deep is more informal and used in this way can come off as a bit sophomoric (Wow, that’s a deep poem.) Profound suggests with more authority something’s intellectual significance (profound ideas or insights). In general usage, profound is most frequently used to describe change and its effects. In this context, profound implies far-reaching, transformative, significant, fundamental, or lasting (profound change, profound impact, profound influence).

Commonly found as

profound effect/impact
The study concluded that experiences in early childhood can have a profound effect on an individual’s ability to thrive later in life.
profound change
The way the average American accesses information has undergone a profound change with the rise of digital communication generally, and the internet in particular.

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Synonym of the day

contentious

adjective [ kuhn-ten-shuhs ]

contentious is another word for controversial

The adjectives controversial and contentious both describe something that provokes differences of opinion or disagreements. A controversial issue, statement, or decision is one about which the public has strong and divergent opinions, often longstanding and much-discussed, and not likely to be reconciled any time soon. A contentious issue or topic is one that causes conflict or strife, whether in congress, in court, or at the dinner table. A contentious debate or election, or a contentious relationship with your supervisor, would be marked by hard-fought disagreements, as would a contentious divorce or contentious custody dispute. A controversial figure is a public figure who does or says controversial things. Contentious people are simply argumentative types.

Commonly found as

contentious issue
At family reunions we all tiptoe around the contentious issue of which side of the family makes cornbread the right way.
contentious debate
It was the kind of contentious debate we expect from young law students, but it never crossed the line into incivility.

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