Collins English Thesaurus Essential. Collins Dictionaries
discreet, sage, prudent, canny, attentive, vigilant, watchful, judicious, observant, sagacious (formal), heedful ◼ OPPOSITE: rashcircumstance NOUN 1 (usually plural) They say they will never, under any circumstances, be the first to use force. = condition, situation, scenario, contingency, state of affairs, lie of the land 2 (usually plural) I'm making inquiries about the circumstances of the disappearance. = detail, fact, event, particular, respect, factor 3 (usually plural) I'm not sure how impressed Dad was by this change in my circumstances. = situation, state, means, position, station, resources, status, lifestyle 4 These people are innocent victims of circumstance. = chance, the times, accident, fortune, luck, fate, destiny, misfortune, providencecircumstantial ADJECTIVE 1 He was convicted on purely circumstantial evidence. = indirect, contingent, incidental, inferential, presumptive, conjectural, founded on circumstances 2 The reasons for the project collapsing were circumstantial. = detailed, particular, specificcircumvent VERB 1 Military rulers tried to circumvent the treaty. = evade, bypass, elude, steer clear of, sidestep 2 = outwit, trick, mislead, thwart, deceive, dupe, beguile, outflank, hoodwinkcistern NOUN = tank, vat, basin, reservoir, sinkcitadel NOUN = fortress, keep, tower, stronghold, bastion, fortification, fastnesscitation NOUN 1 His citation says he showed outstanding and exemplary courage. = commendation, award, mention 2 The text is full of Biblical citations. = quotation, quote (informal), reference, passage, illustration, excerptcite VERB 1 She cites a favourite poem by Pablo Neruda. = quote, name, evidence, advance, mention, extract, specify, allude to, enumerate, adduce 2 The judge ruled a mistrial and cited the prosecutors for gross misconduct. = summon, call, subpoenacitizen NOUN = inhabitant, resident, dweller, ratepayer, denizen, subject, freeman or woman, burgher, townsman or woman or person ◼ RELATED WORD: adjective civilcity NOUN = town, metropolis, municipality, conurbation, megalopolis ◼ RELATED WORD: adjective civiccivic ADJECTIVE = public, community, borough, municipal, communal, urban, localcivil ADJECTIVE 1 This civil unrest threatens the economy. = civic, home, political, domestic, interior, municipal ◼ OPPOSITE: state 2 He couldn't even bring himself to be civil to Pauline. = polite, obliging, accommodating, civilized, courteous, considerate, affable, courtly, well-bred, complaisant, well-mannered ◼ OPPOSITE: rudecivility NOUN = politeness, consideration, courtesy, tact, good manners, graciousness, cordiality, affability, amiability, complaisance, courteousnesscivilization NOUN 1 He believed Western civilization was in grave economic and cultural danger. = society, people, community, nation, polity 2 a race with an advanced state of civilization = culture, development, education, progress, enlightenment, sophistication, advancement, cultivation, refinementcivilize VERB = cultivate, improve, polish, educate, refine, tame, enlighten, humanize, sophisticatecivilized ADJECTIVE 1 All truly civilized countries must deplore torture. = cultured, educated, sophisticated, enlightened, humane ◼ OPPOSITE: primitive 2 The negotiations were conducted in a very civilized manner. = polite, mannerly, tolerant, gracious, courteous, affable, well-behaved, well-manneredclad ADJECTIVE = dressed, clothed, arrayed, draped, fitted out, decked out, attired, rigged out (informal), coveredclaim VERB 1 He claimed that it was a conspiracy against him. = assert, insist, maintain, allege, uphold, profess, hold 2 Now they are returning to claim what is theirs. = take, receive, pick up, collect, lay claim to 3 They intend to claim for damages against the three doctors. = demand, call for, ask for, insist on ▸ NOUN 1 There is no evidence to support her claim that her son was injured. = assertion, statement, allegation, declaration, contention, pretension, affirmation, protestation (formal) 2 The office has been dealing with their claim for benefits. = demand, application, request, petition, call 3 The Tudors had a tenuous claim to the monarchy. = right, title, entitlementclaimant NOUN = applicant, pretender, petitioner, supplicant (formal), suppliantclairvoyant ADJECTIVE a fortune-teller who claims to have clairvoyant powers = psychic, visionary, prophetic, prescient, telepathic, fey, second-sighted, extrasensory, oracular, sibylline ▸ NOUN You don't need to be a clairvoyant to see how this is going to turn out. = psychic, diviner, prophet, visionary, oracle, seer, augur, fortune-teller, soothsayer, sibyl, prophetess, telepathclamber VERB = climb, scale, scramble, claw, shin, scrabbleclammy ADJECTIVE 1 My shirt was clammy with sweat. = moist, sweating, damp, sticky, sweaty, slimy 2 As you peer down into this pit, the clammy atmosphere rises to meet your skin. = damp, humid, dank, muggy, closeclamour NOUN = noise, shouting, racket, outcry, din, uproar, agitation, blare, commotion, babel, hubbub, brouhaha, hullabaloo, shoutclamp NOUN This clamp is ideal for holding frames and other items. = vice, press, grip, bracket, fastener ▸ VERB U-bolts are used to clamp the microphones to the pole. = fasten, fix, secure, clinch, brace, make fastclan NOUN 1 A clash had taken place between rival clans. = family, house, group, order, race, society, band, tribe, sept, fraternity (U.S. & Canad.), brotherhood, sodality, ainga (N.Z.), ngai or ngati (N.Z.) 2 a powerful clan of industrialists from Monterrey = group, set, crowd, circle, crew (informal), gang, faction, coterie, schism, cabalclandestine ADJECTIVE = secret, private, hidden, underground, concealed, closet, covert, sly, furtive, underhand, surreptitious, stealthy, cloak-and-dagger, under-the-counterclang VERB A little later the church bell clanged. = ring, toll, resound, chime, reverberate, jangle, clank, bong, clash ▸ NOUN He pulled the gates shut with a clang. = ringing, clash, jangle, knell, clank, reverberation, ding-dong, clangourclap VERB 1 The men danced and the women clapped. = applaud, cheer, acclaim, give (someone) a big hand ◼ OPPOSITE: boo 2 He clapped me on the back and boomed, 'Well done.' = strike, pat, punch, bang, thrust, slap, whack, wallop (informal), thwackclarification NOUN = explanation, interpretation, exposition, illumination, simplification, elucidationclarify VERB 1 A bank spokesman was unable to clarify the situation. = explain, resolve, interpret, illuminate, clear up, simplify, make plain, elucidate, explicate (formal), clear the air about, throw or shed light on 2 Clarify the butter by bringing it to a simmer in a small pan. = refine, cleanse, purifyclarity NOUN 1 the clarity with which the author explains this technical subject = clearness, precision, simplicity, transparency, lucidity, explicitness, intelligibility, obviousness, straightforwardness, comprehensibility ◼ OPPOSITE: obscurity 2 The first thing to strike me was the incredible clarity of the water. = transparency, clearness ◼ OPPOSITE: cloudinessclash VERB 1 A group of 400 demonstrators clashed with police. = conflict, grapple, wrangle, lock horns, cross swords, war, feud, quarrel 2 Don't make policy decisions which clash with company thinking. = disagree, conflict, vary, counter, differ, depart, contradict, diverge, deviate, run counter to, be dissimilar, be discordant 3 The red door clashed with the pink walls. = not go, jar, not match, be discordant 4 The golden bangles on her arms clashed and jangled. = crash, bang, rattle, jar, clatter, jangle, clang, clank ▸ NOUN 1 There are reports of clashes between militants and the security forces in the city. = conflict, fight, brush, confrontation, collision, showdown (informal), boilover (Austral.) 2 Inside government, there was a clash of views. = disagreement, difference, division, argument, dispute, dissent, difference of opinionclasp VERB Mary clasped the children to her desperately. = grasp, hold, press, grip, seize, squeeze, embrace, clutch, hug, enfold ▸ NOUN 1 He gripped my hand in a strong clasp. = grasp, hold, grip, embrace, hug 2 She undid the clasp of the hooded cloak she was wearing. = fastening, catch,