Collins English Thesaurus Essential. Collins Dictionaries
tally with, harmonize withconformation NOUN = shape, build, form, structure, arrangement, outline, framework, anatomy, configurationconformist NOUN = traditionalist, conservative, reactionary, Babbitt (U.S.), stickler, yes man, stick-in-the-mud (informal), conventionalistconformity NOUN 1 The prime minister is, in conformity with the constitution, chosen by the president. = compliance, agreement, accordance, observance, conformance, obedience 2 Excessive conformity is usually caused by fear of disapproval. = conventionality, compliance, allegiance, orthodoxy, observance, traditionalism, Babbittry (U.S.)confound VERB 1 For many years medical scientists were confounded by these seemingly contradictory facts. = bewilder, baffle, amaze, confuse, astonish, startle, mix up, astound, perplex, surprise, mystify, flummox, boggle the mind, be all Greek to (informal), dumbfound, nonplus, flabbergast (informal) 2 The findings confound all the government's predictions. = disprove, contradict, refute, negate, destroy, ruin, overwhelm, explode, overthrow, demolish, annihilate, give the lie to, make a nonsense of, prove false, blow out of the water (slang), controvert, confuteconfront VERB 1 We are learning how to confront problems. = tackle, deal with, cope with, brave, beard, face up to, meet head-on 2 the environmental crisis which confronts us all = trouble, face, afflict, perplex, perturb, bedevil 3 She pushed her way through the mob and confronted him face to face. = challenge, face, oppose, tackle, encounter, defy, call out, stand up to, come face to face with, accost, face off (slang) ◼ OPPOSITE: evadeconfrontation NOUN = conflict, fight, crisis, contest, set-to (informal), encounter, showdown (informal), head-to-head, face-off (slang), boilover (Austral.)confuse VERB 1 I can't see how anyone could confuse you two with each other. = mix up with, take for, mistake for, muddle with 2 Politics just confuses me. = bewilder, puzzle, baffle, perplex, mystify, fluster, faze, flummox, bemuse, be all Greek to (informal), nonplus 3 His critics accused him of trying to confuse the issue. = obscure, cloud, complicate, muddle, darken, make more difficult, muddy the watersconfused ADJECTIVE 1 People are confused about what they should eat to stay healthy. = bewildered, puzzled, baffled, at sea, muddled, dazed, perplexed, at a loss, taken aback, disorientated, muzzy (informal), nonplussed, flummoxed, at sixes and sevens, thrown off balance, discombobulated (informal), not with it (informal), not knowing if you are coming or going ◼ OPPOSITE: enlightened 2 The situation remains confused as both sides claim victory. = disorderly, disordered, chaotic, mixed up, jumbled, untidy, out of order, in disarray, topsy-turvy, disorganized, higgledy-piggledy (informal), at sixes and sevens, disarranged, disarrayed ◼ OPPOSITE: tidyconfusing ADJECTIVE = bewildering, complicated, puzzling, misleading, unclear, baffling, muddling, contradictory, ambiguous, inconsistent, perplexing, clear as mud (informal) ◼ OPPOSITE: clearconfusion NOUN 1 Omissions in my recent article may have caused some confusion. = bewilderment, doubt, uncertainty, puzzlement, perplexity, mystification, bafflement, perturbation ◼ OPPOSITE: enlightenment 2 The rebel leader seems to have escaped in the confusion. = disorder, chaos, turmoil, upheaval, muddle, bustle, shambles, disarray, commotion, disorganization, disarrangement ◼ OPPOSITE: order 3 I left his office in a state of confusion. = puzzlement, bewilderment, perplexity, bafflement, mystification, perturbationcongeal VERB = thicken, set, freeze, harden, clot, stiffen, condense, solidify, curdle, jell, coagulatecongenial ADJECTIVE = pleasant, kindly, pleasing, friendly, agreeable, cordial, sociable, genial, affable, convivial, companionable, favourable, complaisantcongenital ADJECTIVE 1 She has a congenital disease. = inborn, innate, inherent, hereditary, natural, constitutional, inherited, inbred 2 He is a congenital liar. = complete, confirmed, chronic, utter, hardened, thorough, habitual, incurable, inveterate, incorrigible, deep-dyedcongested ADJECTIVE 1 Some areas are congested with both cars and people. = packed (out), crowded, overcrowded, teeming 2 Without treatment, the arteries can become dangerously congested. = clogged, jammed, blocked-up, overfilled, stuffed, packed, crammed, overflowing, stuffed-up ◼ OPPOSITE: clearcongestion NOUN = overcrowding, crowding, mass, jam, clogging, bottleneck, snarl-up (informal, chiefly Brit.)conglomerate NOUN = corporation, multinational, corporate body, business, association, consortium, aggregate, agglomeratecongratulate VERB = compliment, pat on the back, wish joy tocongratulations PLURAL NOUN I offer you my congratulations on your appointment as chief executive. = good wishes, greetings, compliments, best wishes, pat on the back, felicitations ▸ INTERJECTION Congratulations! You have a healthy baby boy. = good wishes, greetings, compliments, best wishes, felicitationscongregate VERB = come together, meet, mass, collect, gather, concentrate, rally, assemble, flock, muster, convene, converge, throng, rendezvous, foregather, convoke (formal) ◼ OPPOSITE: dispersecongregation NOUN = parishioners, host, brethren, crowd, assembly, parish, flock, fellowship, multitude, throng, laitycongress NOUN 1 A lot has changed since the party congress. = meeting, council, conference, diet, assembly, convention, conclave, legislative assembly, convocation (formal), hui (N.Z.), runanga (N.Z.) 2 It's far from certain that the congress will approve them. = legislature, house, council, parliament, representatives, delegates, quango, legislative assembly, chamber of deputies, House of Representatives (N.Z.)conical or conic ADJECTIVE = cone-shaped, pointed, tapered, tapering, pyramidal, funnel-shapedconjecture NOUN Your assertion is merely a conjecture, not a fact. = guess, theory, fancy, notion, speculation, assumption, hypothesis, inference, presumption, surmise, theorizing, guesswork, supposition, shot in the dark, guesstimate (informal) ▸ VERB This may or may not be true; we are all conjecturing here. = guess, speculate, surmise, theorize, suppose, imagine, assume, fancy, infer, hypothesizeconjunction NOUN = combination, union, joining, association, coincidence, juxtaposition, concurrenceconjure VERB 1 They managed to conjure an impressive victory. = produce, generate, bring about, give rise to, make, create, effect, produce as if by magic 2 (often with up) The ouija board is used to conjure up spirits and communicate with them. = summon up, raise, invoke, rouse, call upon ● conjure something up When he closed his eyes, he could conjure up almost every event of his life. = bring to mind, recall, evoke, re-create, recollect, produce as if by magicconjuring NOUN = magic, juggling, trickery, sleight of handconnect VERB 1 Connect the machine to the mains. = link, join, couple, attach, fasten, affix, unite ◼ OPPOSITE: separate 2 There is no evidence to connect him to the robberies. = associate, unite, join, couple, league, link, mix, relate, pair, ally, identify, combine, affiliate, correlate, confederate, lump together, mention in the same breath, think of togetherconnected ADJECTIVE = linked, united, joined, coupled, related, allied, associated, combined, bracketed, affiliated, akin, banded togetherconnection NOUN 1 There is no evidence of any connection between the two events. = association, relationship, link, relation, bond, correspondence, relevance, tie-in, correlation, interrelation 2 I no longer have any connection with my ex-husband's family. = communication, alliance, commerce (literary), attachment, intercourse (formal), liaison, affinity, affiliation, union 3 Check radiators for small leaks, especially round pipework connections. = link, coupling, junction, fastening, tie, portal (Computing), USB port 4 She used her connections to full advantage. = contact, friend, relation, ally, associate, relative, acquaintance, kin, kindred, kinsman or woman or person, kith 5 They have been questioned in connection with the robbery. = context, relation, reference, frame of referenceconnivance NOUN = collusion, intrigue, conspiring, complicity, abetting, tacit consent, abetmentconnive VERB Senior politicians connived to ensure that he was not released. = conspire, scheme, plot, intrigue, colludeconnoisseur NOUN = expert, authority, judge, specialist, buff (informal), devotee, whiz (informal), arbiter, aficionado, savant, maven (U.S.),