Synonyms

Inebriated means intoxicated, drunk, or under the influence of alcohol/drugs. Intoxicating is the closest synonym. Malice means hatred, phantom means ghost, and deceitful means dishonest.

Penance is an act of self-punishment or devotion done to show regret for sin or wrongdoing. 'Act showing regret' perfectly captures this meaning. Sluggish means lazy, austerity means strict simplicity, and manger means a feeding trough.

Desolate means empty, barren, deserted, or lonely. Empty is the best match. Vandal is someone who destroys property, desultory means lacking a plan, and detain means to hold or keep.

To drizzle means to sprinkle lightly, especially with liquids. Sprinkle is the exact synonym. Throw implies force, flow means continuous movement, and the phrase 'none of these' is incorrect.

Entranced means captivated, fascinated, or spellbound - completely absorbed in something. 'Keep somebody interested' captures this meaning. Laughing is amusement, dilemma is confusion, and guessing is uncertainty - none match the state of being mesmerized.

Glee means delight, joy, or exuberance. Excitement is the closest synonym among the options. Nervousness is anxiety, astonishment is surprise, and sorrow is sadness - all different emotions.

The idiom 'make a hash of' means to mess up, botch, or ruin something. 'Mess' is the direct equivalent. Jeopardy is danger, haste means hurry, and mettle means strength of character.

Eschew means to deliberately avoid, abstain from, or give up something (often a habit or practice). 'Give up' is the closest match. Shrink means to contract, defy means to resist openly, and shuffle means to mix or walk awkwardly.

Harrowing means causing distress or pain, often describing an experience that is deeply upsetting or traumatic. In the context of rape testimony, it refers to the emotionally devastating nature of the experience. Critical implies judgment rather than emotional impact, amusing is the opposite, and muse means to ponder.

Despicable means deserving to be despised, contemptible, or causing strong dislike. It describes behavior that is morally reprehensible. The correct option captures this feeling of dislike or disgust toward such behavior. The other options (happiness, merry making) are positive opposites.

Decked, in this context, means decorated or adorned, especially for a special occasion. The phrase 'decked with flowers' is commonly used to describe decorated spaces. Filled is too general, adjusted implies minor changes, and designed is about planning rather than decoration.

Coax means to persuade gently or gradually, often through flattery or patient encouragement. It's about convincing someone to do something through soft influence rather than force. Besmear means to smear, flatter is related but not the core meaning (coaxing can involve flattery but isn't synonymous), and coquette is a noun referring to a flirtatious person.

Foraging means searching widely for food or provisions, often by gathering from natural sources. In this context, it means searching for scraps to survive. Harrowing is unrelated (distressing), running is too specific, and demanding implies making requests rather than searching.

Frantic means wildly excited, hurried, or desperate - a rushed state of urgent activity. 'Hurried state' captures this sense of urgent, rushed action. Fracas means a noisy disturbance, emotional describes feelings rather than the state of activity, and grober is unrelated.

Inundate means to overwhelm or flood with large quantities of something, literally water or metaphorically (like information). 'Flood' is the direct literal synonym. Dampen means to make slightly wet, obstinate means stubborn, and intrude means to invade inappropriately.

Manoeuvres means strategic movements, actions, or schemes planned to achieve something. In business, clever manoeuvres refer to calculated actions to secure advantages. 'Clever action' captures this strategic sense. Gestures are physical movements, lisping and stutter are speech impediments - all unrelated to strategic action.

Overwrought means in a state of excessive nervous excitement, agitation, or emotional stress. 'Anxious' captures this sense of being emotionally worked up. Overwhelm is a verb, not an adjective, shocked is a reaction to a specific event, and decked means decorated - none fit overwrought's meaning of being in an agitated state.

Staunch means loyal, committed, and steadfast in support. A staunch defender is someone who reliably and faithfully supports a cause. Stave means to ward off or break, warren is a network of tunnels (rabbit habitat), and composite means made of parts - all unrelated to loyalty.

A tantrum is an uncontrolled outburst of anger, typically seen in young children when frustrated. "Uncontrolled anger" is the most accurate synonym. "Uncontrolled emotion" is too broad, while pleasure and laughter are incorrect emotions.

Venerable means something that is respected because of age, wisdom, or character - like traditional institutions. "Respectable" is the closest synonym. Amiable and pleasant refer to friendliness, while deleterious means harmful (opposite meaning).

Vengeance means punishment or revenge inflicted in return for a wrong. While "punish" is a verb (vengeance is a noun), it captures the semantic meaning best - the mood was one of wanting to punish the attackers. Sorrow is grief, not revenge; grim and attack don't fit.

Scathing means severely critical or expressing harsh condemnation. When someone is scathing about a report, they're condemning it strongly. "Condemn" is the correct synonym. Shun means to avoid; excited is opposite; rude is too mild.

Torpid means mentally or physically inactive, sluggish, or lethargic. At high altitudes with oxygen deprivation, people become drowsy and inactive before losing consciousness. "Inactive" is the correct synonym. Grim (serious), grin (smile), and gape (stare with mouth open) are unrelated.