Verbs 1
The locker room continued to __________ of sweat even after it was cleaned.
reek
The poor phone connection caused her words to __________, making it hard to understand her.
garble
The team admired his __________ determination, which pushed them to keep working even when the project became difficult.
relentless
After the storm, a small __________ of water trickled down the hillside and into the garden.
rivulet
The sharp, _________ sounds of the marching band made me feel anxious.
Squander or staccato?
Staccato
Staccato means disjointed and sharp, often in relation to sound. Squander just means to waste something (often money).
She couldn’t help but __________ in shock when the loud fire alarm suddenly went off.
recoil
He didn’t want to __________ his opportunity by waiting until the last minute to start the project.
Squander
The editor asked the writer to make the article more __________ so readers could grasp the main idea quickly.
concise
According to the new state __________, all businesses must clearly display their safety guidelines.
Please write me a ________ report.
Brevity or concise?
Concise
You need an adjective for this sentence that describes the report. Concise is an adjective, while brevity is a noun.
He refused to __________ any details about the surprise party.
divulge
Over time, the abandoned building began to __________ from exposure to wind and rain.
deteriorate
After learning about the issue from multiple perspectives, she felt far more __________ in her decision‑making.
enlightened
The speaker was praised for the __________ of her presentation, which delivered big ideas in just a few minutes.
I valued the _________ of your report.
Brevity or concise?
brevity
You need a noun in this sentence. In this case, brevity is a THING; it's a QUALITY of the report. Concise wouldn't work because of the way the sentence is constructed. You CANNOT use concise as a thing in a sentence because it is an adjective. It can only DESCRIBE things.
Her voice began to __________ as she delivered the emotional speech.
quaver
Students are expected to __________ themselves respectfully during assemblies.
comport
The woodpecker’s __________ tapping echoed sharply through the quiet forest.
staccato
He has always been a strong __________ of renewable energy and often speaks at community events about its benefits.
proponent
Without regular maintenance, the old playground equipment began to __________, becoming rusted and unsafe for children.
Depreciate or deteriorate?
Deteriorate works best here because the playground is literally falling apart.
Yes, the playground has probably depreciated (or lessened) in value, but it's not the BEST choice for the sentence because the focus is on how it is physically aging and getting worse.
After the fundraiser, the team managed to __________ most of the money they had spent on supplies.
recoup
The doctor hoped the new treatment would __________ the spread of the disease.
forestall
Although she usually spoke confidently, her tone became unexpectedly __________ when she was introduced to the guest speaker.
demure
The accountant explained that the company’s equipment had undergone significant __________ over the past five years.
depreciation
The moment he drove the new car off the lot, its market value started to __________, even though it still looked brand‑new.
Depreciate or deteriorate?
Depreciate is the only choice that makes sense here because it means to lessen in value. Deteriorate would mean that the car was rusting or falling apart, which it clearly is not, because the sentence says it still looks "brand-new."