Making and changing

32 English words (level C2) with a simple English definition and an example sentence. In the app you can hear every word and practise with flashcards, a quiz, spelling and listening.

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English	Meaning	Example
accrue	to increase over time, especially money or benefits	Interest accrues on the loan.
ad-lib	to speak without preparing	She forgot her lines and had to ad-lib.
adulterate	to make food or drink worse by adding something cheaper	The milk was adulterated with water.
automate	to make a process work by machines	The factory is fully automated.
carbonize	to turn into carbon by burning	The wood was carbonized in the fire.
confabulate	to invent memories without knowing it; also to chat	Patients sometimes confabulate.
contrive	to manage to do something cleverly; also to arrange dishonestly	She contrived to meet him.
dampen	to make slightly wet; also to make a feeling less strong	The rain didn't dampen our spirits.
deaden	to make a sound or feeling less strong	The drug deadened the pain.
decentralize	to move power from the centre to smaller areas	The government wants to decentralize.
demystify	to make something easier to understand	This book demystifies finance.
detract	to make something seem less good (detract from)	The noise detracted from the show.
diminish	to become smaller or less	His strength diminished with age.
distill	to heat a liquid to make it pure; also to take the most important parts	Whisky is distilled from grain.
emulsify	to mix two liquids that normally separate	Whisk to emulsify the sauce.
engender	to cause a feeling or situation	The policy engendered anger.
etch	to cut a design into a hard surface; also to fix in memory	The day is etched in my memory.
fabricate	to invent something false; also to make	He fabricated the evidence.
hamper	to make it difficult to do something	Bad weather hampered the search.
induce	to cause something; also to persuade	Nothing could induce me to go.
materialize	to become real; also to appear suddenly	The promised money never materialized.
mold	to shape; also to influence how someone develops	Parents mold their children's values.
pressurize	to try to force someone; also to control air pressure	Don't pressurize me.
prolong	to make last longer	The drug can prolong life.
reconcile	to become friends again; also to make two ideas fit together	They reconciled after years apart.
reissue	to publish or release again	The album was reissued.
singe	to burn slightly	I singed my hair on the candle.
skew	to make information inaccurate; also to turn to one side	The small sample skews the results.
stabilize	to become or make steady	The patient's condition has stabilized.
suffuse	to spread through	A warm glow suffused the room.
temper	to make less strong or extreme	Temper your criticism with praise.
wane	to become weaker or smaller	Interest in the game is waning.

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