-
Macabre
Disurbing because concerned with or causing fear of death
-
Macerate
Soften food by soaking in liquid
-
Machinate
Engage in plots, scheme
-
Machination
A plot or scheme
-
Machismo
Strong or aggressive masculine pride
-
Macrocosm
The whole of a complex structure, especially the world or universe, contrasted with a small part of it
-
Macroscopic
Visible to the naked eye
-
Maculate
Spotted or stained
-
Madden
To become mad or insane
-
Maelstrom
A situation or state of confused movement or violent turmoil
-
Maenad
A frenzied or raging woman (a female follower of Bacchus, traditionally associated with divine possession and frenzied rights)
-
Magna cum laude
With great honour
-
Magnanimous
Generous or forgiving, especially towards a rival or less powerful person
-
Magnate
A great or dominant person in some field of business
-
Magnificent
Extrenely beautiful, elaborate or impressive
-
Magnifico
A very powerful, important or eminent person
-
Magniloquent
using high-flown or bombastic language
-
-
Magnum opus
A work or art, music or literature that is regarded as the most important or best work that an artist, composer or writer has produced
-
Maim
Wound or injure so that part of the body is permanently damaged
-
-
Maitre d'hotel
Head waiter of a restaurant
-
Majestic
Having or showing impressive beauty or scale
-
Majuscule
Large lettering, in which all letters are of the same height
-
Makarrata
In certain Aboriginal tribesa, a peacemaking ceremony marking a resumption oof normal relations after a cessation of hostilities
-
Makeshift
A temporary expedient
-
Maladaptive
Not adjusting adequately or appropriately to the environment or situation
-
Maladjusted
Failing to cope with the demands of a normal social environment
-
Maladminister
Manage or administer inefficiently or dishonestly
-
Maladroit
Lacking in adroitness, unskilful, awkward
-
Malady
A disease or ailment
-
Malaise
A general feeling of discomfort, illness or unease whose exact cause is difficult to identify
-
Malapert
Boldly disrespectful, impudent
-
Malapportioned
Badly apportioned
-
Malapropism
The mistaken use of a word in place of a similar sounding one
-
Malapropos
In an inopportune or inappropriate way
-
Malarkey
Meaningless talk, nonsense
-
Malcontent
Discontented, dissatisfied
-
Malediction
A magical word or phrase uttered with the intention of bringing about evil, a curse
-
Malefactor
A person who commits a crime or some other wrong
-
Malefic
Causing harm or destruction, especially by supernatural means
-
Maleficence
The doing of evil or harm
-
Malevolent
Having or showing a wish to do evil to others
-
Malfeasance
Wrongdoing, especially by a public official
-
Malformation
An abnormally formed part of the body
-
Malfunction
To fail to function properly
-
Malice
The desire to harm someone
-
Malicious
Characterised by malice
-
Malign (adjective)
Evil in nature or effect
-
Malign (verb)
Speak about someone in a spitefully critical manner
-
Malignant
Evil in nature of effect
-
Malinger
Pretend to be ill in order to escape duty or work
-
Malleable
Easily influenced, pliable
-
Malnourish
To fail to supply with proper nutrition
-
Malodorous
Smelling very unpleasant
-
Malpractice
Improper, illegal or negligent professional behaviour
-
-
Malversation
Corrupt behaviour in a position of trust, especially in public office
-
Mammon
Wealth regarded as an evil influence or false object of worship and devotion
-
-
Manana
In the indefinite future
-
Mandamus
A judicial writ issued as a command to an inferior court or ordering a person to perform a public or statutory duty
-
Mandarin
A powerful official or senior bureaucrat, especially one perceived as reactionary and secretive
-
Mandate
An official order or commission to do something
-
Mandatory
Required by law or mandate, compulsory
-
Mania
An excessive enthusiasm or desire
-
Maniacal
Exhibiting extremely wild or violent behaviour
-
Manic
Showing wild, apparently deranged, excitement and energy
-
Manifest
Clear or obvious to the eye or mind
-
Manifestation
The action or fact of showing something
-
Manifesto
A public declaration of policy and aims, especially one issued before an election
-
Manifold
Many and various and having many different forms and elements
-
Manipulate
Handle or control in a skilful manner
-
Manipulative
Exercising unscrupulous control or influence over a person or situation
-
Mannnerism
A habitual gesture or way of speaking or behaving
-
Manoeuvre
A movement or series of moves requiring skill and care
-
Manque
Having failed to become what one might have been
-
Mansuetude
Meekness, gentleness
-
Mantic
Relating to divination or prophecy
-
Mantra
A statement or slogan repeated frequently
-
Manumit
Release from slavery, set free
-
Maquillage
Make-up, cosmetics
-
Maraud
Go about in search of things to steal or people to attack
-
Marginalia
Marginal notes
-
Marginalise
Treat a person as insignificant or peripheral
-
Mariage blanc
An unconsummated marriage
-
Mariculture
The cultivation of the sea's resources, especially fish for food
-
Markedly
To an extent which is clearly noticeable, significantly
-
Marque
A make of a car, as distinct from a specific model
-
Marquee
Leading, pre-eminent
-
Martial
Relating to fighting or war
-
Martinet
A person who demands complete obedience, a strict disciplinarian
-
Martyr
A person who is killed because of their religious or other beliefs
-
Marvel
Be filled with wonder or astonishment
-
Marvellous
Causing great wonder, extraordinary
-
Masochism
The tendency to derive sexual gratification from one's own pain or humiliation
-
Masquerade
A false show or pretence OR the wearing of disguise
-
Masterful
Performed or performing very skilfully
-
Masterly
Showing great skill, very accomplished
-
Masterstroke
A very skilful and opportune act
-
Mastery
A comprehensive knowledge or skill in a particular subject or activity
-
-
Materfamilias
The female head of a family or household
-
Materia medica
The body of remedial substances used in the practice of medicine
-
Materialistic
Excessively concerned with material possessions
-
Materialism
A tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than physical values
-
Materiel
Military materials and equipment
-
Matriarch
A woman holding a position of leadership in a family, clan etc
-
Matricide
Someone who kills their mother
-
Matriclinous
Derived or inherited from the mother and her line
-
Matriculate
To be admitted to membership of a university
-
Matrix
The cultural, social or political environment in which something develops
-
Maturation
The action or process of maturing
-
Matutinal
Of or occurring in the morning
-
Maudlin
Self-pitying or tearfully sentimental
-
Maunder
Talk in a rambling manner
-
Mawkish
Sentimental in an exaggerated or false way
-
Maxim
A short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or a rule of conduct
-
Mayhem
Violent or extreme disorder; chaos
-
Meagre
Deficient in quantity or quality
-
Meander
To proceed by a winding course
-
Meaningful
Having meaning
-
Measurable
Able to be measured
-
Meddle
Interfere in something that is not one's concern
-
Mediate
Intervene in a dispute in order to bring about an agreement or reconciliation
-
Medicament
A substance used for medical treatment
-
Medieval
Relating to the Middle Ages
-
Mediocre
Of only average quality; not very good
-
Mediocrity
The quality or state of being mediocre
-
Meek
Quiet, gentle and easily imposed on, submissive
-
Megalomania
Obsession with the exercise of power
-
Melancholy
A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause
-
-
-
Melee
A confused fight or scuffle
-
Meliorism
The belief that the world can be made better by human effort
-
Mellifluous
Pleasingly smooth and musical to hear
-
Mellow
Pleasantly smooth or soft; free from harshness
-
Melodious
Relating to or characterised by melody
-
Melodrama
A sensational dramatic piece with exaggerated characters and exciting events intended to appeal to the emotions
-
Meme
An element of a culture or system of behaviour passed from one individual to another by imitation or other non-genetic means
-
Memento
An object kept as a reminder of a person or event
-
Memento mori
An object kept as a reminder of the inevitability of death, such as a skull
-
Memoir
A historical account or biography written from personal knowledge
-
Memorabilia
Objects kept or collected because of their associations with memorable people or events
-
Memorable
Worth remembering or easily remembered, especially because of being special or unusual
-
Menace
A person or thing that is likely to cause harm, a threat or danger
-
Menage
The members of a household
-
Menage a trois
An arrangement in which a married couple and the lover of one of them live together
-
Menagerie
A strange or diverse collection of people or things
-
Mendacious
Not telling the truth, lying
-
-
Mendicant
Given to begging
-
Menial
Not requiring much skill and lacking prestige
-
Mens rea
The intention or knowledge of wrongdoing that constitutes part of a crime, as opposed to the action or conduct of the accused
-
Mephitic
Foul-smelling, noxious
-
Mercenary
Primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics
-
Merciful
Showing or exercising mercy
-
Merciless
Showing no mercy
-
Mercurial
Subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind
-
Mercy
Compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm
-
Meretricious
Apparently attractive but having no real value
-
Merit
The quality of being particularly good or worthy, especially so as to deserve praise or reward
-
Meritocracy
A society governed by people selected according to merit
-
Meritocrat
A person who has succeeded in a meritocracy
-
Meritorious
Deserving reward or praise
-
-
Mesalliance
A marriage with a person thought to be unsuitable
-
Mesmerise
Capture the complete attention of someone
-
Metamorphisis
A change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one
-
Metaphor
A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable
-
Metastasize
Spread to other sites in the body by metastasis
-
Mete
Dispense or allot justice, or measure
-
-
Methodical
Done according to a systematic or established form or procedure
-
Methodology
A system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity
-
Meticulous
Showing great attention to detail, very careful and precise
-
Métier
A trade, profession or occupation
-
Metonymy
The substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant eg the track for horse racing
-
Metronymic
A name derived from the name of a mother or female ancestor
-
Mettle
A person's ability to cope well with difficulties or to face a demanding situation in a spirited and resilient way
-
Mettlesome
Full of spirit and courage
-
-
-
Miasma
A highly unpleasant or unhealthy smell or vapour OR an oppressive or unpleasant atmosphere that surrounds or emanates from something
-
Micawberism
Unjustified or irresponsible optimism
-
-
Micrify
To make small or insignificant
-
Microcosm
A community, place or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristic qualities or features of something much larger
-
Micrometre
One millionth of a metre
-
Mictic
Produced by sexual reproduction
-
-
Middlebrow
Demanding or involving only a moderate degree of intellectual application
-
-
Mien
A person's look or manner, especially one of a particular kind indicating their character or mood
-
Mighty
Possessing great and impressive power or strength, especially on account of size
-
-
Migrate
Move from one region or habitat to another
-
Mild
Not serious or dangerous
-
Milestone
An action or event marking a significant change or stage in development
-
Milieu
A person's social environment
-
Militant
Combative and aggressive in support of a political or social cause
-
Militate
(of a fact or circumstance) be a powerful or conclusive factor in preventing
-
Millennium
A period of a thousand years
-
Millesimal
A thousandth part
-
Milligram
One thousandth of a gram
-
Millilitre
One thousandth of a litre
-
Millimetre
One thousandth of a metre
-
Millisecond
One thousandth of a second
-
-
Mimic
Imitate in order to entertain or ridicule
-
Mimicry
The act or craft of mimicing someone
-
Minacious
Menacing, threatening
-
Minatory
Expressing or conveying a threat
-
Mincing
Affectedly dainty in manner or gait
-
Mindful
Conscious or aware of something
-
Mindless
Without intelligence, senseless
-
Mindset
The established set of attitudes held by someone
-
Mingle
To become mixed, blended
-
-
Minion
A follower or underling of a powerful person, especially a servile or unimportant one
-
Ministration
The provision of assistance or care
-
Minnow
A person or organisation of relatively small size, power or influence
-
Minuend
A quantity of number from which another is to be subtracted
-
Minuscule
Very small, tiny
-
Minute
Extremely small, minuscule
-
Minutiae
The small, precise or trivial details of something
-
Minx
An impudent, cunning or boldly flirtatious girl or young woman
-
Miosis
Excessive constriction of the pupil of the eye
-
Mirabile dictu
Wonderful to relate
-
Miraculous
Highly improbable and extraordinary and bringing very welcome consequences
-
Mire
A situation or state of difficulty, distress or embarrassment from which it is hard to extricate oneself
-
Mirth
Amusement, especially as expressed in laughter
-
Misadventure
An unfortunate incident, a mishap
-
Misalignment
The incorrect arrangement or position of something in relation to something else
-
Misalliance
An unsuitable, unhappy or unworkable alliance or marriage.
-
Misandry
Dislike of, or contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against men
-
Misanthrope
Hater of humankind
-
Misapply
Use something for the wrong purpose or in the wrong way
-
Misapprehend
Misunderstand words, a person, a situation etc
-
Misappropriate
Dishonestly or unfairly take something especially money
-
Misarrange
To arrange wrongly
-
Misattribute
To attribute incorrectly
-
Misbecome
To become unsuitable, unbecoming or unsuitable for
-
Misbegotten
Badly conceived, designed or planned
-
Misbehave
To behave badly
-
Misbelief
Erroneous belief, false opinion
-
Misbestow
To bestow improperly
-
Miscalculate
Calculate wrongly
-
Miscarriage
An unsuccessful outcome of something planned
-
Miscegenation
The interbreeding of people considered to be part of different racial types
-
Miscellanea
Miscellaneous items, especially literary compositions, that have been collected together
-
Miscellaneous
Items or people gathered or considered together of various types or from different sources
-
Miscellany
A group or collection of different items, a mixture
-
Mischance
Bad luck, an unlucky occurrence
-
Mischief
Harm or trouble caused by someone or something
-
Mischievous
Causing or intended to cause harm or trouble
-
Miscible
Forming a homogenous mixture when added together
-
Miscommunicate
To fail to communicate such that there is mutual understanding
-
Misconceive
Fail to understand correctly
-
Misconception
A view or opinion that is incorrect because it is based on faulty thinking or understanding
-
Misconduct
Unacceptable or improper behaviour
-
Misconstruction
The action of misconstruing words or actions; misinterpretation
-
Misconstrue
Interpret wrongly
-
Miscounsel
To advise wrongly
-
Miscreant
A person who behaves badly or in a way that breaks the law
-
Miscue
A miscalculated action, a mistake
-
Misdate
To wrongly date something
-
Misdeed
A bad deed, a wicked action
-
Misdeliver
To deliver wrongly, as to a wrong address
-
Misdemeanour
A minor wrongdoing
-
Misdiagnosis
To diagnose incorrectly
-
-
Misdoubt
Have doubts about the truth, reality or existence of
-
Mise
A settlement or agreement
-
Mise en scene
The arrangement of scenery and stage properties in a play
-
Misemploy
To employ wrongly, misuse
-
Miser
A person who hoards wealth and spends as little money as possible
-
Miserable
Wretchedly unhappy or uncomfortable
-
-
Misery
Wretchedness of condition or circumstances
-
Misfeasance
A transgression, especially the wrongful exercise of authority
-
Misfeasor
Someone guilty of misfeasance
-
Misfile
File in an incorrect place
-
Misfit
A badly adjusted person
-
Misfortune
Ill or adverse fortune
-
Misgiving
Feelings of doubt, distrust or apprehension
-
Misgovern
To govern or manage badly
-
Misguide
To guide wrongly, mislead
-
Mishandle
To manage or deal with something wrongly or ineffectively
-
Mishap
An unfortunate accident
-
Mishear
To hear incorrectly
-
Misinform
Give someone false or inaccurate information
-
Misinterpret
Interpret something or someone wrongly
-
Misjudge
Form a wrong opinion or conclusion about
-
Mislay
Unintentionally put an object where it cannot readily be found and so lose it temporarily
-
Mislead
Cause someone to have a wrong idea or impression about someone or something
-
Mismanage
Manage something badly or wrongly
-
Mismatch
A bad or unsatisfactory match
-
Mismeasure
To measure incorrectly
-
Misnomer
A wrong or inaccurate name or designation
-
Misogamy
Hatred of marriage
-
Misogyny
Extreme prejudice against women
-
Misology
The hatred of reasoning, the revulsion or distrust of logical debate
-
Misoneism
A hatred, fear or intolerance of innovation and change
-
Misperceive
Perceive wrongly or incorrectly
-
Misperception
A wrong or incorrect understanding or interpretation
-
Misplace
To put in a wrong place
-
Misprise
To despise, undervalue, scorn
-
Misprision
The deliberate concealment of one's knowledge of a treasonable act or a felony
-
Misrepresent
Give a false or misleading account of the nature of
-
Missive
A letter, especially a long or official one
-
Misspeak
Express oneself insufficiently clearly or accurately
-
Misstate
Make wrong or inaccurate statements about
-
Mistrust
Be suspicious of, have no confidence in
-
Mitigate
Make less severe, serious or painful
-
Mnemonic
A device such as a pattern of letters, ideas or associations that assists in remembering something
-
-
Mockery
Ridicule or derision
-
Modal
Relating to mode or form as opposed to substance
-
Mode
A way or manner in which something occurs or is experienced, expressed or done
-
Modest
Unassuming or moderate in the estimation of one's abilities or achievements
-
Modicum
A small quantity of a particular thing
-
Modish
Conforming to or following what is currently popular and fashionable
-
Modiste
A fashionable milliner or dressmaker
-
Modular
Employing or involving a module or modules as the basis of design and construction
-
Modulate
Exert a modifying or controlling influence on, vary the strength, tone or pitch of a voice
-
Module
Each of a set of standardised parts or independent units that can be used to construct a more complex structure
-
Modus operandi
Mode of operating or working
-
Modus ponens
The rule of logic stating that if a conditional statement (if, then) is accepted and the antecedent holds, then the consequent may be inferred
-
Modus vivendi
An arrangement or agreement allowing conflicting parties to coexist peacefully, either indefinitely or until a final settlement is reached
-
Mogul
An important person
-
Moiety
Each of two parts into which a thing is or can be divided
-
-
Molest
To assault sexually
-
Mollify
Appease the anger or anxiety of someone
-
Mollycoddle
Treat someone very indulgently or protectively
-
-
-
Momentary
Lasting but a moment
-
Momentous
Of great importance or significance, especially in its bearing on the future
-
Momentum
The impetus gained by a moving object
-
Monandry
The practice of having only one husband at a particular time
-
Monarchy
Form of government with a monarch at the head
-
Mondegreen
A misunderstood or misinterpreted word or phrase resulting from a mishearing of the lyrics of a song
-
Monetise
To express in the form of currency
-
Monger
A dealer or trader in a specified commodity
-
Monogamy
Having only one spouse at a particular time
-
Monogram
A motif of two or more letters, typically a person's initials.
-
Monograph
A detailed written study of a single specialised subject or an aspect of it
-
Monolingual
Able to speak only one language
-
Monolith
A very large and characterless building
-
Monologue
A long and typically tedious speech by one person during a conversation
-
Monomania
Exaggerated or obsessive enthusiasm for or preoccupied with one thing
-
Monomial
Consisting of only one term in algebra
-
Monophagia
Desire for only one food
-
Monophobia
Morbid dread of being alone
-
Monopoly
The exclusive possession or control of the supply or trade in a commodity or service
-
Monopsony
A market situation in which there is only one buyer
-
Monosyllabic
Using brief words to signify reluctance to engage in conversation
-
Monotheism
Doctrine that there is only one God
-
Monotone
A continuing sound, that is unchanging in pitch and intonation
-
Monotonous
Dull, tedious and repetitious, lacking in variety and interest
-
Monotony
Lack of variety and interest, tedious repetition and routine
-
Monstrous
Having the ugly or frightening appearance of a monster
-
Montage
The process or technique of selecting, editing and piecing together separate sections of film to form a continuous whole
-
Montane
Of or inhabiting mountainous country
-
Monumental
Great in importance, extent or size
-
Mooch
Loiter in a bored or listless manner
-
Moot
Subject to debate, dispute or uncertainty and typically not admitting of a final decision
-
Morality
Principles governing the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour
-
Moratorium
A temporary suspension of some activity
-
Morbid
Characterised by or appealing to an abnormal and unhealthy interest in disturbing and unpleasant subjects
-
Mordacious
Denoting or using biting sarcasm or invective
-
Mordant
Especially of humour, having or showing a sharp or critical quality
-
Mores
The essential or characteristic customs and conventions of a community
-
Morganatic
Denoting a marriage in which neither the spouse of lower rank nor any children have any claim to the possessions or title of the spouse of higher rank
-
Moribund
At the point of death, in terminal decline, lacking vitality or vigour
-
Morose
Sullen and ill-tempered
-
Morsel
A mouthful of food
-
Mortal
Relating to humanity as subject to death
-
Mortality
The state of being subject to death
-
Mortify
Cause someone to feel embarrassed, ashamed or humiliated
-
Mosaic
A picture or pattern produced by arranging together small coloured pieces of hard material, such as stone, tile or glass
-
Mot juste
The exact, appropriate word
-
Mother lode
A rich source of something
-
Motif
A distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition
-
Motive
A reason for doing something
-
Motley
Incongruously varied in appearance or character, disparate
-
Mottle
Mark with spots or smears of colour
-
Motto
Maxim adopted as a guiding principle
-
Moue
A pouting expression used to convey annoyance or distaste
-
Moult
The process of casting off skin, hair, feathers etc
-
Mountebank
A person who deceives others, especially in order to trick them out of their money
-
Mournful
Feeling, expressing or inducing sadness, regret or grief
-
Muddle
Bring into a disordered or confusing state
-
Mulct
Extract money from someone by fine or taxation
-
Muliebrity
Womanly qualities; womanhood
-
Mulish
Stubborn, obstinate
-
Multifaceted
Having many facets
-
Multifarious
Having many varied parts or aspects
-
Multigravida
A women who is or has been pregnant for at least a second time
-
Multilateral
Having many sides
-
Multilingual
Able to speak at least 3 languages with equal facility
-
Multipartite
Having several or many parts or divisions
-
Multiplicand
A quantity that is to be multiplied by another
-
Multiplicity
A large number
-
Multitudinous
Very numerous
-
Mundane
Lacking interest or excitement, dull
-
Munificent
Larger or more general than is usual or necessary
-
Murky
Dark or gloomy, especially due to thick mist
-
Muse
Be absorbed in thought
-
-
-
Mutatis mutandis
(Used when comparing two or more cases or situations) making necessary alterations while not affecting the main point at issue
-
Mute
Refraining from speech or temporarily speechless
-
Myopia
Lack of imagination, foresight or intellectual insight
-
Myopic
Lacking imagination, foresight or intellectual insight
-
Myrmidon
An unscrupulous subordinate
-
Myth
A traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomena and typically involving supernatural beings or events
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