intransitive verb to decide; choose (usu. fol. by “for” or an infinitive).She opted for the car with front-wheel drive.We’ve informed the landlord that we are opting to extend our lease. See the…
Word of the Day
Daily definitions and usage information for all who want to increase and hone their vocabulary.
Weekly Quiz
With the Wordsmyth Vocabulary Center activities, you can study the words of the week, play games with them, and assess your knowledge of their meanings with a quiz. Go to the Vocabulary…
superfluous
adjective being beyond a sufficient amount; excessive.This paragraph is superfluous and could easily be eliminated. See the full entry
authorize
transitive verb to give authority for or to; grant power to.The child’s mother authorized the surgeon to perform the operation.The lieutenant governor is not authorized to make these kinds of decisions. See…
feud
noun a deep, long-lasting hostility, esp. between families or other related groups, and sometimes with outbreaks of violence.No one remembers how the feud started, but the two brothers haven’t spoken to each…