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adjective

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surly - Bad-tempered and unfriendly

Penny's friendly nature was no match for the surly interviewer who never smiled back.

verb

See noun

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jeer - To mock or demean someone with unkind words or remarks.

Emily got up after tripping over a broken tile in the school yard, and she heard Candy and Belinda jeer at her. Their mocking comments were very hurtful.

verb

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ostracize - To banish someone socially, making them feel isolated or unwanted.

He felt ostracized at work after speaking out against the company’s policies, and many people refused to speak to him.

noun

See verb

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feud - A prolonged and bitter quarrel or dispute

In Verona, the Montagues and Capulets kept up a feud that ended tragically for both sides.

noun

See verb

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snarl - An act or sound of snarling

Whenever Patty's dog would try to make a snarl at intruders, it ended up looking like a grin.

adjective

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ornery - Having an unpleasant mood or temper, likely to get angry and argue with people.

When the workers came to work, they were warned that the boss was in an ornery mood because of the company's poor performance for the last quarter.

noun

See verb

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ridicule - The subjection of someone or something to contemptuous and dismissive language or behavior

Tommy was the object of ridicule after he revealed an embarrassing secret.

noun

See verb

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jeer - Laughing or shouting insults at someone to show you have no respect for them.

The crowd let out a jeer at the politician when he talked about positions that were extremely unpopular with the public.

adjective

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hostile - To be unfriendly towards someone you see as an enemy

In couples therapy, the first thing Emily tried to do was to get both people to feel less hostile towards each other.

verb

See noun

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ridicule - To subject (someone or something) to contemptuous and dismissive language or behavior

John's friends ridiculed him for wearing a funny outfit.

noun

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slur - An insinuation or allegation about someone that is likely to insult them or damage their reputation

While running for mayor, Arnie ignored the constant slurs against him by the local press, as if it was beneath his dignity to pay any attention to it.

verb

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berate - To criticize someone in an angry manner

When the private acted in an inappropriate way, his officer berated him to give him the message clearly not to act that way again.