Collins English Thesaurus Essential. Collins Dictionaries
history, accounts, registers, journals, memorials, archives, chroniclesannex VERB 1 Rome annexed the Nabatean kingdom in 106 AD. = seize, take over, appropriate, acquire, occupy, conquer, expropriate (formal), arrogate 2 A gate goes through to the annexed garden. = join, unite, add, connect, attach, tack, adjoin, fasten, affix, append (formal), subjoin ◼ OPPOSITE: detachannexation NOUN = seizure, takeover, occupation, conquest, appropriation, annexing, expropriation (formal), arrogationannexe NOUN 1 They are planning to set up a museum in an annexe to the theatre. = extension, wing, ell, supplementary building 2 The annexe lists and discusses eight titles. = appendix, addition, supplement, attachment, adjunct, addendum, affixmentannihilate VERB = destroy, abolish, wipe out, erase, eradicate, extinguish, obliterate, liquidate, root out, exterminate, nullify, extirpate (archaic), wipe from the face of the earth, kennet (Austral. slang), jeff (Austral. slang)annihilation NOUN = destruction, wiping out, abolition, extinction, extinguishing, liquidation, rooting out, extermination, eradication, erasure, obliteration, nullification, extirpation (formal)anniversary NOUN = jubilee, remembrance, commemorationannotate VERB = make notes on, explain, note, illustrate, comment on, interpret, gloss, footnote, commentate, elucidate, make observations onannotation NOUN = note, comment, explanation, observation, interpretation, illustration, commentary, gloss, footnote, exegesis, explication, elucidationannounce VERB 1 The couple were planning to announce their engagement. = make known, tell, report, reveal, publish, declare, advertise, broadcast, disclose, post, tweet, intimate, proclaim, trumpet, make public, publicize, divulge, promulgate, propound, shout from the rooftops (informal) ◼ OPPOSITE: keep secret 2 The doorbell of the shop announced the arrival of a customer. = be a sign of, signal, herald, warn of, signify, augur, harbinger, presage, foretell, portend, betokenannouncement NOUN 1 There has been no formal announcement by either government. = statement, communication, broadcast, explanation, publication, declaration, advertisement, testimony, disclosure, bulletin, communiqué, proclamation, utterance, intimation, promulgation, divulgence 2 the announcement of their engagement = declaration, report, reporting, publication, revelation, disclosure, proclamation, intimation, promulgation, divulgenceannouncer NOUN = presenter, newscaster, reporter, commentator, broadcaster, newsreader, master or mistress of ceremonies, anchorman or woman or person, anchorannoy VERB = irritate, trouble, bore, anger, harry, bother, disturb, provoke, get (informal), bug (informal), needle (informal), plague, tease, harass, hassle (informal), aggravate (informal), badger, gall, madden, ruffle, exasperate, nettle, molest, pester, vex, displease, irk, bedevil, rile, peeve, get under your skin (informal), get on your nerves (informal), nark (Brit. & Austral. & N.Z. slang), get up your nose (informal), give someone grief (Brit. & S. African), make your blood boil, rub someone up the wrong way (informal), get your goat (slang), get in your hair (informal), get on your wick (Brit. slang), get your dander up (informal), get your back up, incommode (formal), put your back up, hack you off (informal) ◼ OPPOSITE: sootheannoyance NOUN 1 To her annoyance the stranger did not go away. = irritation, trouble, anger, bother, grief (informal), harassment, disturbance, hassle (informal), nuisance, provocation, displeasure, exasperation, aggravation (informal), vexation, pique, bedevilment 2 Snoring can be more than an annoyance. = nuisance, bother, pain (informal), bind (informal), bore, drag (informal), plague, tease, pest, gall, pain in the neck (informal)annoyed ADJECTIVE = irritated, bothered, harassed, hassled (informal), aggravated (informal), maddened, ruffled, exasperated, nettled, vexed, miffed (informal), displeased, irked, riled, harried, peeved (informal), piqued, browned off (informal)annoying ADJECTIVE = irritating, boring, disturbing, provoking, teasing, harassing, aggravating (informal), troublesome, galling, maddening, exasperating, displeasing, bedevilling, peeving (informal), irksome, bothersome, vexatious ◼ OPPOSITE: delightfulannual ADJECTIVE 1 the annual conference of the trade union movement = once a year, yearly 2 annual costs, £1,600 = yearlong, yearlyannually ADVERB 1 Companies report to their shareholders annually. = once a year, yearly, each year, every year, per year, by the year, every twelve months, per annum, year after year 2 They hire 300 staff annually. = per year, yearly, each year, every year, by the year, per annumannul VERB = invalidate, reverse, cancel, abolish, void, repeal, recall, revoke, retract, negate, rescind, nullify, obviate, abrogate, countermand, declare or render null and void ◼ OPPOSITE: restoreanodyne ADJECTIVE Their quarterly meetings were anodyne affairs. = bland, dull, boring, insipid, unexciting, uninspiring, uninteresting, mind-numbing (informal) ▸ NOUN Leisure is a kind of anodyne. = painkiller, narcotic, palliative, analgesic, pain relieveranoint VERB 1 He anointed my forehead with oil. = smear, oil, rub, grease, spread over, daub, embrocate 2 The Pope has anointed him as Archbishop. = consecrate, bless, sanctify, hallow, anele (archaic)anomalous ADJECTIVE = unusual, odd, rare, bizarre, exceptional, peculiar, eccentric, abnormal, irregular, inconsistent, off-the-wall (slang), incongruous, deviating, oddball (informal), atypical, aberrant, outré ◼ OPPOSITE: normalanomaly NOUN = irregularity, departure, exception, abnormality, rarity, inconsistency, deviation, eccentricity, oddity, aberration, peculiarity, incongruityanon ADVERB = soon, presently, shortly, promptly, before long, forthwith, betimes (archaic), erelong (archaic, poetic), in a couple of shakes (informal)anonymity NOUN 1 Both mother and daughter have requested anonymity. = namelessness, innominateness 2 the anonymity of the rented room = unremarkability or unremarkableness, characterlessness, unsingularityanonymous ADJECTIVE 1 You can remain anonymous if you wish. = unnamed, unknown, unidentified, nameless, unacknowledged, incognito, unauthenticated, innominate ◼ OPPOSITE: identified 2 I heard that an anonymous note was actually being circulated. = unsigned, uncredited, unattributed, unattested ◼ OPPOSITE: signed 3 It's nice to stay in a home rather than an anonymous holiday flat. = nondescript, impersonal, faceless, colourless, undistinguished, unexceptional, characterlessanswer VERB 1 He paused before answering. = reply, explain, respond, resolve, acknowledge, react, return, retort, rejoin, refute ◼ OPPOSITE: ask 2 We must ensure we answer real needs. = satisfy, meet, serve, fit, fill, suit, solve, fulfil, suffice, measure up to ▸ NOUN 1 Without waiting for an answer, he turned and went in. = reply, response, reaction, resolution, explanation, plea, comeback, retort, report, return, defence, acknowledgement, riposte, counterattack, refutation, rejoinder ◼ OPPOSITE: question 2 Simply marking an answer wrong will not help the student. = solution, resolution, explanation 3 They argue that prison is not the answer for minor offences. = remedy, solution, vindication ● answer to someone He answers to a boss he has met once in 18 months. = be responsible to, obey, work under, be ruled by, be managed by, be subordinate to, be accountable to, be answerable toanswerable ADJECTIVE = responsible for or to, to blame for, liable for or to, accountable for or to, chargeable for, subject toanswer back VERB = be impertinent, argue, dispute, disagree, retort, contradict, rebut, talk back, be cheekyantagonism NOUN = hostility, competition, opposition, conflict, rivalry, contention, friction, discord, antipathy, dissension ◼ OPPOSITE: friendshipantagonist NOUN = opponent, rival, opposer, enemy, competitor, contender, foe (formal, literary), adversaryantagonistic ADJECTIVE = hostile, opposed, resistant, at odds, incompatible, set against, averse, unfriendly, at variance, inimical, antipathetic, ill-disposed
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USAGE A useful synonym for antagonistic, for example in public opinion is antagonistic to nuclear energy, is averse. However, this alternative should be used with care as a very common error is to confuse it with adverse. Averse is usually followed by to and is meant to convey a strong dislike or hostility towards something, normally expressed by a person or people. Adverse is wrong in this context and should be used in relation to |