Police Excesses and Accountability: A Pattern of Violence Against Protesters
Vocabulary from this Editorial
An action or remark that causes outrage or offense.
Synonyms: insult, offense, slight
"The government's new policy was seen as a deliberate affront to the marginalized communities."
Find something out for certain; make sure of.
Synonyms: determine, discover, confirm
"Investigators are working to ascertain the cause of the sudden system failure."
A way of approaching a problem or making progress towards something.
Synonyms: channel, means, route
"The new collaboration offers a promising avenue for research and development."
An act of breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of conduct.
Synonyms: violation, infraction, transgression
"The company faced severe penalties for its data breach."
Pass from place to place or person to person.
Synonyms: distributed, spread, propagated
"The news of the merger quickly circulated throughout the financial markets."
The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.
Synonyms: dedication, devotion, allegiance
"Her commitment to public service was evident in her tireless work for the community."
Causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial.
Synonyms: disputable, arguable, debatable
"The proposed changes to the tax law are highly contentious."
The state of having been abandoned and become dilapidated; shameful failure to fulfill one's obligations.
Synonyms: neglect, failure, abandonment
"The officer was charged with dereliction of duty for failing to respond to the emergency call."
Too large or too small in comparison with something else.
Synonyms: excessive, immoderate, unbalanced
"The punishment seemed disproportionate to the minor offense."
The fact of showing no respect for someone or something; treating as unworthy of consideration.
Synonyms: contempt, indifference, neglect
"His blatant disregard for safety regulations led to a serious accident."
Causing anxiety; worrying.
Synonyms: alarming, troubling, upsetting
"The recent rise in unemployment figures is very disturbing."
Outstandingly bad; shocking.
Synonyms: flagrant, atrocious, abominable
"The CEO was fired for egregious misconduct that harmed the company's reputation."
Gradually wear away (soil, rock, or something abstract like trust or confidence).
Synonyms: deteriorates, corrodes, diminishes
"Lack of transparency slowly erodes public trust in government institutions."
Extreme importance or seriousness; solemnity.
Synonyms: seriousness, severity, significance
"The court understood the gravity of the charges against the defendant."
(Of a person or wrongful act, especially a crime) utterly odious or wicked.
Synonyms: atrocious, abhorrent, monstrous
"The perpetrators of such heinous crimes must face justice."
Of vital importance; crucial.
Synonyms: crucial, essential, vital
"It is imperative that all safety measures are strictly followed."
Treating all rivals or disputants equally; fair and just.
Synonyms: unbiased, neutral, objective
"The judge assured both parties that she would deliver an impartial ruling."
Having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned.
Synonyms: apathetic, unconcerned, disinterested
"The public remained indifferent to the political scandal, showing a lack of engagement."
Frighten or overawe (someone), especially in order to make them do what one wants.
Synonyms: frighten, threaten, coerce
"The union leaders tried to intimidate the workers into joining the strike."
Put (someone or something) into a situation in which there is a danger of loss, harm, or failure.
Synonyms: endangers, threatens, risks
"Poor financial management jeopardizes the stability of the entire organization."
A system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity.
Synonyms: approaches, procedures, techniques
"The research team developed new methodologies for data analysis."
Reflect or correspond to.
Synonyms: reflects, mimics, replicates
"The decline in sales mirrors the general downturn in the economy."
More important than anything else; supreme.
Synonyms: supreme, foremost, principal
"Ensuring customer satisfaction is of paramount importance to our business."
Relating to or constituting a procedure.
Synonyms: methodical, systematic, administrative
"The lawyer raised a procedural objection regarding the evidence presented."
Very great or intense; (of a state, quality, or emotion) very deep.
Synonyms: deep, intense, great
"The speaker's words had a profound impact on the audience."
The quality of corresponding in size, degree, or intensity to something else.
Synonyms: balance, equivalence, correspondence
"The police force is often judged on the proportionality of its response to public unrest."
In a way that expresses regret or disappointment.
Synonyms: unfortunately, sadly, lamentably
"Regrettably, the project was cancelled due to budget cuts."
Examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.
Synonyms: examine, inspect, analyze
"Auditors will scrutinize the financial records for any discrepancies."
Resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.
Synonyms: resolute, unwavering, loyal
"Despite the challenges, she remained steadfast in her commitment to her goals."
Relating to a system, especially as opposed to a particular part.
Synonyms: widespread, pervasive, fundamental
"The report highlighted the systemic issues within the healthcare industry."
Phrasal Verbs
To cause a group of people to separate and go in different directions.
"The police intervened to break up the unlawful assembly."
To hit (someone or something) with the open hand or a flat object.
"The child was playfully slapping the water in the tub."
To be present while something bad happens but not do anything to stop it; to support someone.
"He couldn't just stand by and watch his friend being bullied."
To fail to reach an expected or required standard or level.
"The team's performance fell short of expectations, leading to their elimination."
To start dealing with or discussing something.
"The committee decided to take up the issue of housing affordability next week."
To confront and deal with an unpleasant or difficult situation or person.
"You need to face up to your responsibilities and stop avoiding them."
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