1. Abhor Verb To regard with horror and loathing; to hate intensely. Synonyms: despise, detest, aversion Example: When I was a small child, I abhorred eating liver.

3. Advocate Verb and noun Verb – to speak or argue in favor of; to give active public support to. Noun – A person who pleads in the interest of a cause or individual. Synonyms: Support, uphold, recommend; defender, spokesman. Example: I have become her advocate because I honestly believe in her ideas.

5. Allude Verb To refer to indirectly. Synonyms: hint at, suggest, insinuate Example: During the course of the evening, he alluded to the fact that he had attended Harvard.

7. Appall Verb To fill with intense horror, fear, or dismay. Synonyms: horrify, shock, stun Example: I was appalled to hear that a fistfight had broken out during the dinner party.

9. Atone Verb To make up for or repent. Synonyms: redeem, restitution, penance Example: “You made an honest mistake,” Wanda said. “Don’t feel that you have to atone for it.”

11. Badger Verb To tease; to annoy with a constant string of petty torments. Synonyms: Harass, pester, torment Example: A judge will reprimand an overly aggressive attorney for badgering a witness.

13. Blithe Adjective Merry and carefree, overly unconcerned; reckless. Synonyms: lighthearted, jolly, jovial Example: Their blithe lack of concern for the safety of the children in their care disturbed me greatly.

15. Buttress Noun and verb Noun – a support or reinforcement. Verb – To support or reinforce. Synonyms: prop, brace, pillar Example: The speaker buttressed her arguments with a solid presentation of relevant facts and figures.

17. Censure Noun and verb Noun – open and strong criticism or disapproval. Verb – to criticize severely; to disapprove strongly. Synonyms: reprimand, condemn, rebuke Example: I am very wary of anyone who is too quick to censure and too slow to forgive.

19. Cohere Verb To hold or stick together; to fit together into an orderly, logical, and unified whole. Synonyms: combine, gel. Example: If all the elements in your essay don’t cohere properly, you won’t achieve a single overall effect.