Advanced English (2) • VERBS • 'C'

verb [I or T ] C2 • synonyms: worsen, intensify, exacerbate • compound a problem/risk/effect; be compounded by something; don’t compound the issue • freq in AmE: 5/10

to make something worse by adding to it; to intensify or exacerbate a situation, problem, or feeling; also, to combine elements into a whole (less common in verb form)

verb [T ] C1 informal • synonyms: whip up, invent, mix • concoct dish/drink/meal/sauce; concoct from leftovers/ingredients; concoct using herbs/spices • freq in AmE: 5/10

to prepare or mix ingredients to create a dish or drink, often in a creative, improvised, or experimental way; sometimes implies unusual or imaginative combinations

verb [T ] C2 informal • synonyms: invent, fabricate, devise • concoct story/excuse/plan/scheme/lie; concoct to deceive/impress/manipulate; cleverly/secretly concoct • freq in AmE: 5/10

to invent a story, excuse, plan, or scheme, often in a dishonest, exaggerated, or strategic way; implies deliberate fabrication or clever plotting

verb [T ] C2 formal / analytical • synonyms: mix up, combine, blur, confuse • conflate A and/with B; be conflated with something; tend to conflate ideas/issues/facts • freq in AmE: 6/10

to combine two or more ideas, texts, or things into one — often in a way that causes confusion or loses important distinctions

collocation with conflate verb C2 formal/analytical/academic • synonyms: confuse, mix up, equate, blend • conflate A with B; conflate A and B; tend to conflate ideas/concepts/facts/terms • freq in AmE: 6/10

to treat two different things as if they were the same, by combining or mixing them together in thought or discussion — often leading to misunderstanding or oversimplification

verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: desire, crave, envy • covet power/status/success; covet someone’s job/lifestyle/possessions; secretly/openly covet • freq in AmE: 4/10

to strongly desire something — especially something that belongs to someone else or is considered socially or morally out of reach

collocation with covet verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: crave, lust for, hunger for • covet power/status/control; covet political/military/absolute power; covet power over someone/something • freq in AmE: 4/10

to strongly desire influence, control, or authority — often with ambition, envy, or hidden intent

verb [T ] C1 • synonyms: extract, gather, distill, select • cull insights/information/data; cull from sources; carefully cull relevant points • freq in AmE: 4/10

to select and gather useful information, ideas, or items from various sources; to extract the best or most relevant parts

verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: paralyze, disable, devastate • cripple system/economy/function; be crippled by injury/debt/loss • freq in AmE: 7/10

to cause serious damage to something, making it unable to function properly; to disable or severely limit effectiveness, movement, or progress

verb [T often passive ] C2 formal • synonyms: restrict, limit, define • circumscribe rights/freedom/power/scope; be circumscribed by law/rules/conditions • freq in AmE: 6/10

to limit, restrict, or define the scope, boundaries, or power of something; to draw a figurative or literal line around something

verb [I ] C2 • synonyms: frolic, romp, prance, lark about • (cavort around/on/through); cavorting joyfully/wildly • freq in AmE: 4/10

to jump or dance around excitedly; to behave in a lively, sometimes boisterous or uninhibited way — often with a sense of carefree joy or theatricality

verb [I or T ] C1 emotional/formal • synonyms: reveal, share, disclose • confide (to someone) that...; confide something (to someone); confide in someone • freq in AmE: 6/10

to share personal thoughts, feelings, or secrets with someone you trust — often expecting discretion and emotional support

collocation with confide verb [I or T ] C1 formal/literary • synonyms: reveal, disclose, admit • confide to someone that...; confide that...; confide a secret to someone • freq in AmE: 6/10

to reveal a personal thought, feeling, or secret to someone — often using a full clause introduced by “that”

collocation with confide verb [T ] C1 formal/emotional • synonyms: reveal, share, disclose • confide fears/secrets/doubts to someone; confide something privately • freq in AmE: 6/10

to share a personal thought, feeling, or secret with someone you trust — emphasizing the content of the disclosure