The Oxford Thesaurus - An A-Z Dictionary Of Synonyms

Colloq come clean: She confessed her part in the swindle. Confronted with the evidence, he confessed.

confidence

n. 1 trust, reliance, faith; belief: Your parents have a great deal of confidence in you. 2 assurance, self-confidence, self-assurance, self-reliance, poise, aplomb, coolness; conviction, certitude, boldness, courage, nerve: We admire the confidence she shows in her daring plan. 3 in confidence. in secrecy, in privacy, privately, confidentially, intimately, Colloq on the q.t. or Q.T.: I am telling you this in confidence.

confident adj. 1 secure, sure, certain, assured, positive, convinced: I feel confident that we shall get the contract. 2

self-confident, self-assured, self-possessed, reliant, self-reliant, dauntless, bold, cool, cocksure, fearless, courageous, Colloq cocky: He strode into the room with a confident air.

confidential

adj. private, secret, intimate; classified; Colloq hush-hush: These confidential papers must never be out of your possession.

confirm v. 1 ratify, sanction, authorize, endorse, support, sustain, approve, uphold, back up, validate, verify, recognize; authenticate, accredit: By-laws shall not take effect unless confirmed by the local authority. 2 establish, settle, affirm, ensure, clinch, substantiate, guarantee, bind, seal: The king thereby confirmed his control over the islands. 3 strengthen, encourage, fortify, reinforce, corroborate, substantiate, buttress, prove: Later events confirmed his opinion.

confiscate

v. appropriate, seize, impound, sequester, sequestrate, expropriate, take (away), commandeer: The police confiscated my car to use as evidence.

conflict n. 1 fight, battle, combat, engagement, struggle, war, fray, fracas, affray, brawl, Donnybrook: Gurkha troops entered the conflict. 2 dispute, argument, controversy, wrangle, contention, disagreement, altercation, feud, quarrel, row; squabble, tiff, Colloq spat: The counsellor was unable to

resolve the conflict between the sisters regarding the will. 3 clash, antagonism, difference, opposition, disagreement, variance, discord: There is a basic conflict between the interests of labour and of management.

--v. 4 clash, disagree, differ, be incompatible or at odds or at variance, be in opposition (to): The plans conflict on only one point.

conform v. 1 comply (with), follow, observe, obey, respect, abide by, adapt or adjust (to): We agree to conform to the rules of the club. 2 accord (with), agree (with), concur (with), coincide (with), correspond (with), harmonize (with), square (with), match, tally (with), fit (in with), be consistent (with), be in accord or in accordance (with): Their behaviour did not conform with what is expected in such circles. The two plans do not conform.

confuse v. 1 disconcert, perplex, puzzle, bewilder, mystify, baffle, bemuse, befuddle, discomfit, confound, fluster, flummox, upset, disorient, embarrass, abash, shame, dismay, Colloq rattle,

throw, Chiefly US discombobulate , US and Canadian buffalo: She was completely confused by his offer to help. 2 disorder, confound, disorganize, throw into disarray, muddle, mix up,

snarl (up), ensnarl, tangle (up), entangle, botch, Colloq mess up, make a mess of, screw up, Brit make a balls-up of, US ball up: He has done more to confuse the situation than to clear it up. 3 mix up, confound, muddle, jumble, snarl (up), ensnarl; blur: The identities of the children were confused at birth.

confused adj. 1 mixed up, jumbled, disordered, disorganized, disorderly, muddled, muddle-headed, snarled (up), messy, baffling,

confusing, mystifying, puzzling, perplexing; contradictory, ambiguous, misleading, inconsistent, mixed up, botched (up) , Colloq higgledy-piggledy: The accountants have provided a confused set of figures. 2 bewildered, perplexed, puzzled, baffled, (be)fuddled, mystified, disoriented, discomposed, at

sea, flummoxed, dazed, muddled, bemused, mixed up, nonplussed, disconcerted, abashed, put off, put out, disturbed, flustered,

ill at ease, upset, at sixes and sevens, at a loss, Rare metagrobolized, Colloq screwed-up, muzzy, out of it, not with it, Chiefly US discombobulated, fouled up; Slang (all) balled up, Brit (all) bollocksed or ballocksed (up), US (all) bollixed

(up), US and Canadian snafu: I have never seen anyone so confused about a simple question of astrophysics. 3 jumbled, mixed up, muddled, disorderly, confusing, messy, disorganized, topsy-turvy; miscellaneous, motley, Brit shambolic: The books lay in a confused heap on the floor.

confusion n. 1 disorder, mix-up, mess, jumble, muddle, disarray, disarrangement, chaos, shambles: The files are in complete confusion. 2 tumult, commotion, disorder, turmoil, pandemonium, bedlam, chaos: Untold confusion resulted from sounding the alarm. 3 mix-up, confounding; ambiguity, ambiguousness, misunderstanding, contradiction, inconsistency: There is often some confusion between the name of a thing and the thing itself.

4 mixing, combining, mixing up, intermingling: The removal firm is responsible for the confusion of your books with mine. 5 assortment, mixture, pot-pourri, gallimaufry, hotchpotch or US and Canadian also hodgepodge: A confusion of products lines the shelves. 6 embarrassment, discomfiture, mortification, abashment, shamefacedness, chagrin: He felt terrible confusion when confronted with the evidence.

congested adj. (over)crowded, blocked (up), jammed, crammed, plugged, stopped or stuffed (up), choked: The police are trying to deal

with traffic at congested intersections.

congratulate

v. felicitate, compliment: Her friends congratulated her on winning the award.

congratulations

interjection. Felicitations!, Best wishes!, Well done!, Many happy returns!, Colloq Nice going!, Good show!: Heartiest congratulations! You've come in first!

connect v. 1 join or link or tie (together), unite: An old road connects the two towns. 2 associate, affiliate, link, relate, league, tie (in): The police connected him with the break-in. The institute is connected with a pharmaceuticals company. 3 fasten, bind, unite, tie, link, join, attach, couple, put

together, secure, fit, fix, affix, stick, anchor, lock; rivet, weld, braze, solder, screw, nail, stitch, sew, pin, hook, staple, tack, glue, cement, fuse, seal, buckle, strap, bolt, lash, chain, moor: Connect the parts to the frame.

connection

n. 1 uniting, joining, linking, connecting, coupling; union, bond, joint, link: The US constitution forbids a formal

connection between Church and State. The connection between the fittings has broken. 2 link, tie, (inter)relation(ship),

interplay, bearing, reference, relevance, appropriateness, correlation, tie-in; coherence, consistency, association: Your answer had no connection with the question. 3 Often, connections. contact, ally, acquaintance, friend (at court); influence, Colloq pull; Slang US drag: With their connections, they can get away with anything. 4 connections. relatives, relations, family, kin, kith and kin: They have connections in Australia.

conquer v. 1 overcome, vanquish, beat, defeat, subdue, crush, subjugate: The Moors conquered most of Spain. 2 capture, seize, win, gain, acquire, obtain; occupy, annex, overrun: They conquered the territory by force of arms. 3 overcome, triumph or prevail over, beat, surmount, master, win out (over): He has finally conquered the habit of biting his fingernails.

conquest n. 1 vanquishment, subjugation, defeat, domination, subjection: Hernando Cort‚s is famous for his conquest of Mexico. 2

victory, triumph, mastery, win: He is credited with the conquest of a number of diseases by means of this drug.

conscience

n. morality, morals, judgement, fairness, sense of right and wrong, ethics, honour, standards, principles, scruples: In such matters, your conscience must be your guide.

conscientious

adj. 1 scrupulous, principled, fair, moral, ethical, strict, righteous, right-minded, upstanding, upright, honourable, just, responsible, high-minded; incorruptible: Fetherby is a conscientious arbitrator. 2 cautious, careful, scrupulous, exacting, meticulous, punctilious, painstaking, diligent, particular, rigorous, thorough: A conscientious effort was made to restore the painting to its original condition. 3 prudent, discreet, politic, careful, circumspect, heedful, attentive, serious: Fred is conscientious about keeping secrets.

Conserve your energy for later, when we get near the top. 2 preserve, maintain, keep up, take care of: These buildings should be conserved for later generations.

consider v. 1 think about or over, take into or under consideration, deliberate (over or about), contemplate (on or over), weigh, ponder, mull over, cogitate on, meditate (on or upon or over), reflect (on or upon), ruminate (on or over), chew over, study, examine: The council will consider your proposal. 2 heed, mark, take into account or consideration, reckon with, bear in mind, note, observe, make allowance for; esteem, respect, have regard for: Consider your mother's feelings in the matter. 3 regard, look upon; judge, deem, take to be, think, believe, gauge, rate, estimate, reckon: Consider yourself under arrest. I don't consider Simon the best person for the job.

considerable

adj. 1 sizeable, substantial, large, big, great; appreciable, respectable, noticeable, largish, biggish, goodly, decent, fair, Colloq tidy: A considerable crowd were gathered outside. 2 important, worthy, of consequence, of distinction, distinguished, illustrious, noteworthy, notable, remarkable, estimable, influential, respectable: Some of the most considerable citizens were banished.

considerate

adj. thoughtful, kind, kindly, kind-hearted, good-hearted, helpful, friendly, neighbourly, gracious, obliging, accommodating, charitable, generous, unselfish; sympathetic, compassionate, sensitive; attentive; solicitous: It was very considerate of you to offer your car.

consideration

n. 1 regard, concern, attentiveness, solicitude, thoughtfulness, compassion, kindness, kindliness, kind-heartedness, considerateness, respect, caring, care: Out of consideration for your father, you should complete your studies. 2 reward, compensation, remuneration, fee, payment, recompense, emolument, tip, gratuity, pourboire, baksheesh or

backsheesh; honorarium: The boy will look after your luggage for a small consideration, madam. 3 thought, deliberation, reflection, contemplation, rumination, cogitation, study, examination: After some consideration, we have decided that we

will finance the project.

considering

prep. in view of, in (the) light of, bearing in mind, making allowance for, taking into consideration or account, looking at, all in all, all things or everything considered, inasmuch as, insomuch as: Considering your background, I doubt that you are qualified.

consistent

adj. 1 agreeing, in agreement, in harmony, in keeping, harmonious, in concordance, conforming, in conformance, accordant, compatible, in accord or accordance, consonant: Her story is not consistent with the facts. 2 dependable, regular, predictable, undeviating, steady, steadfast, unchanging, uniform, unswerving, constant: His behaviour, even under pressure, has been quite consistent.

consistently

adv. 1 steadily, constantly, regularly, uniformly, daily, day by day: Her piano technique is improving consistently. 2 dependably, unswervingly, staunchly, devotedly, firmly, resolutely, faithfully, uniformly, unfailingly: The courts have consistently upheld her claim to custody of the children.

console v. comfort, soothe, calm, assuage, solace, cheer (up): Ivan made an effort to console the grieving widow.

conspicuous

adj. 1 obvious, clear, evident, plain, palpable, perceptible, patent, prominent, apparent, clear-cut, unquestionable, incontestable, incontrovertible: The sultan played a conspicuous role in the kidnapping of the envoy. 2 obvious, unmistakable, prominent, outstanding, noticeable, impressive, vivid, obtrusive; striking, showy, garish, gaudy, loud, tawdry, blatant, lurid, vulgar, flashy, ostentatious: The silhouette of the castle was conspicuous against the sky. Fingal was again conspicuous, this time in a green wig and bowler. 3 notable,

noteworthy, exceptional, outstanding, eminent, unusual, marked, extraordinary, remarkable, distinguished, impressive, awesome, awe-inspiring, glorious: The medal is awarded for conspicuous bravery.

conspiracy

n. plot, scheme, stratagem, intrigue, collusion, cabal, connivance, foul play, dirty work: He suspected them of a conspiracy to defraud their clients.

constable n. policeman, policewoman, (police) officer, US patrolman, Colloq cop, copper , Brit bobby; Slang flatfoot, fuzz: A constable was standing on the corner, and we asked him the way.

constant adj. 1 resolute, immovable, steadfast, firm, dependable, unshakeable or unshakable, determined, unswerving, undeviating, persevering, unwearying, unwearied, untiring, indefatigable, tireless, unflagging, unwavering, unfailing, unfaltering, persistent; loyal, true, tried and true, devoted, staunch,

trusty, faithful: He was her constant companion during her troubles. 2 incessant, unceasing, ceaseless, perpetual, persistent, uninterrupted, steady, regular, invariable, unremitting, unvarying, relentless, unrelenting, continuous, continual; unending, endless, never-ending, non-stop, perennial, eternal, everlasting, Literary sempiternal: The constant pain almost made me cry out. Their constant bickering is getting on my nerves. 3 unchanging, unchanged, invariable, unvarying, fixed, uniform, unalterable, immutable, changeless, persistent: The numbers might change, but the ratio is constant.

construct v. 1 build, erect, make, put together, frame, set up, put up, assemble: We constructed a summer-house in the garden. 2 fabricate, devise, create, forge, invent, formulate, compose, shape, set up, fashion: He has constructed a complex argument to support his theory.

constructive

adj. 1 helpful, useful, practicable, advantageous, practical, productive, beneficial, positive: She provided much constructive advice on how to design the factory. 2 virtual, inferential, implicit, inferred, derived, deduced: As it turned out, the shareholders were the constructive victims of the fraud.

consult v. 1 Often, consult with. confer (with), discuss (with), deliberate (with), talk over (with), inquire or enquire of, seek advice from, ask (of), question, interrogate, take counsel (with or of): I shall have to consult a doctor about my headaches.

You should consult with your lawyer. 2 refer to, look up, seek information from: If in doubt, consult the dictionary.

consultant

n. 1 physician, doctor, specialist, expert: You ought to get the opinion of another consultant. 2 adviser or advisor, expert, counsellor or US counselor: Our financial consultant tells us how to handle the company funds.

consume v. 1 devour, eat (up), gulp (down), swallow, drink (up), put away, gobble (up); digest: When those teenagers come home, they consume everything in sight. 2 use up, exhaust, deplete, drain, expend, diminish, reduce: The new car has consumed all our savings. 3 waste, occupy, squander, fritter away, dissipate, absorb, lose, throw away, lavish, Slang blow: Too much of your time has already been consumed by that problem. 4 destroy,

ruin, (lay) waste, demolish, wreck, gut, raze, Slang US and Canadian total: Fire consumed the entire house. 5 overcome, overwhelm, devastate, destroy, annihilate, ravage, (lay) waste, wear out, ruin, eat up, devour, do in; preoccupy, obsess: He is consumed by jealousy.

consummation

n. 1 completion, accomplishment, fulfilment, finish, end, realization, attainment, achievement, success; completing, accomplishing, fulfilling, finishing, ending, realizing,

attaining, achieving: Owning a Rolls Royce was the consummation of her dreams. 2 acme, perfection, peak, culmination, finishing touch, conclusion, grand finale, climax: The Nobel prize was

the consummation of an arduous life of research.

contact n. 1 junction, conjunction, connection: If the wires make contact, the fuse will blow. 2 acquaintance, friend, connection, Colloq US in: I have a contact on the board of directors. 3 touch, communication, association: Are you still in contact with Georgina?

--v. 4 get in touch with, communicate with, reach, get hold of; phone, ring (up), telephone, speak to or with, write to, correspond with: Try to contact the manager at his home.

contain v. 1 hold, have in it; bear, carry: The capsule contained a deadly poison. 2 hold, have the capacity for, accommodate,

admit, carry; seat: This bottle contains no more than a quart. The theatre can contain 200. 3 restrain, restrict, confine, repress, control, hold back or in, curb, bridle, keep under control, suppress, check, stifle: He could hardly contain himself when he learnt he had passed the examination.

contaminate

v. defile, sully, pollute, corrupt, rot, stain, soil, taint, infect, poison, foul, spoil, befoul; debase, adulterate, vitiate: The river has been contaminated by effluent from a nearby factory.

contemplate

v. 1 look or gaze at or on or upon, behold, view, survey, observe, regard, eye; scan, scrutinize, inspect: I contemplated the scene of the Grand Canal from my hotel room. 2 ruminate (over), ponder (on or over), deliberate (over), muse (on or over), meditate or reflect (on), think (about or over), mull over, cogitate (over), turn over in one's mind, brood on or over, chew on or over, consider, study, examine: She was

contemplating the events of the past night. Give me a moment to contemplate. 3 plan, intend, think of or about, consider, entertain the idea or notion of: After we broke up, I contemplated emigrating to Australia.

contemporary

adj. 1 of the time, contemporaneous, coeval, coexistent, concurrent, concomitant, parallel, synchronous, synchronic, coincidental, coetaneous: We examined some of the documents contemporary with his reign. 2 modern, current, present-day, new, up to date, stylish, fashionable, modish, … la mode, latest, in; novel, newfangled, Colloq trendy: She always keeps

up with contemporary fads in dress and make-up. I find much of the contemporary metal-and-glass architecture rather boring.

contempt n. loathing, abhorrence, hatred, odium, hate; scorn, disdain, contumely, disgust: She has nothing but contempt for cowards.

contemptible

adj. despicable, loathsome, detestable, scurvy, low, mean, base, inferior, currish, wretched, vile, abject, ignominious,

unworthy, shabby, shameful: It was contemptible of you to give away my secret.