A bandit or robber, like those found on a highway in old stories.
brigand
To save property from a shipwreck or fire.
salvage
To make a mess of things or, as a noun, a state of hopeless confusion.
muddle
An adjective for something that is sudden and violent but brief; fitful.
spasmodic
This word means the opposite of "praise" or "pat on the back."
admonish
To warn or scold mildly, or to remind someone of a duty.
admonish
This noun refers to scattered fragments or wreckage.
debris
This adjective describes something clumsy and hard to handle, like a large, awkward package.
cumbersome
An adjective for something that is uncontrolled and lacking restraint.
unbridled
This verb, which means to spread out widely, is the opposite of "to concentrate."
diffuse
An antonym for this cautious and wary adjective is "reckless."
circumspect
To let go or give up something, like a claim or a position.
relinquish
As an adjective, it means wordy and unfocused; as a verb, it means to spread or scatter widely.
diffuse
To incline someone to something beforehand, like a condition or an attitude.
predispose
The opposite of "hold on to, keep, retain."
relinquish
This noun describes a perplexing problem, a real pickle or quandary.
dilemma
To wipe out completely or erase.
efface
Not genuine, true, or valid; in a word, false.
spurious
Stubborn and inflexible, this adjective describes someone with a very closed mind.
opinionated
This adjective is the opposite of "open-minded" and "reasonable."
opinionated
As a noun, it's a gap or violation; as a verb, it means to create that opening.
breach
To take possession of.
commandeer
A standstill where neither side can win, also known as a stalemate or an impasse.
deadlock
Lasting for a very long time, like a plant that comes back year after year.
perennial
This word means the opposite of "genuine, authentic, bona fide."
spurious