Alphabetic D

adjective

1 of 223

Bad / Disorganized

Url audio

dicey - Risky or dangerous; uncertain.

It’s a bit dicey to invest in that startup—it hasn’t proven itself yet.

verb

2 of 223

Good / Smart

audio

demystify - To make something easier to understand

Louis Pasteur demystified why people would get sick, by describing little beings called bacteria that were the cause.

noun

3 of 223

Bad / Dislike

audio

disdain - The feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one's consideration or respect; contempt

Having been wealthy his entire life, Ralph looked down with disdain on those less fortunate.

adjective

4 of 223

Good / Brave

Url audio

daring - Willing to take risks; brave or bold.

The skydiver made a daring leap from the plane at 15,000 feet.

verb

See noun

5 of 223

Bad / Bad

audio

disgrace - To make people stop respecting you by doing something very bad

The worst part of the scandal for the politician was that he felt disgraced and embarrassed whenever he was in public

verb

6 of 223

Bad / Hostile

Url audio

denigrate - To damage the good name or character of a person.

Political factions sometimes denigrate each other instead of focusing on real issues

adjective

7 of 223

Bad / Weak

audio

decrepit - (of a person) elderly and infirm

Maryanne was viewed as decrepit due to her age-related physical ailments, but she was as feisty and sharp as people half her age.

adjective

8 of 223

Good / Good

audio

dandy - Excellent

Relaxing on the beach seemed like a dandy idea to Sarah after working so hard all year.

verb

9 of 223

Bad / Delay

audio

dawdle - To delay by taking more time than necessary

"Johnny!" his mother shouted, "we have to catch the train in 30 minutes, so would you please finish getting dressed and stop dawdling."

noun

10 of 223

Good / Flexible

Url audio

digression - Moving away from the main subject, and then writing or talking about something else.

Because the topic of his speech was so serious, after a few minutes he used humor as a digression to lighten up the mood with a joke.

verb

See noun

11 of 223

Other / Shape

Url audio

dent - To make a slight hollow or depression in a surface by impact or pressure.

The car’s door was dented when it was accidentally hit by a shopping cart.

verb

12 of 223

Other / Surprise

Url audio

divulge - To reveal something secret or private, to make known information that was previously hidden.

The company wouldn't divulge any details about the new product, and it would be top secret until it came out.