Theme

Change: synonyms worth the distinction

Adapt, adjust, accommodate: this shelf is full of words English speakers use as though they were identical. They are not. Each one implies a different party doing the changing, and the sentence makes that plain.

123 words · 132 audited pairs · 5 of 5 tiers represented

Start hereOne per tier, easiest first

assumeverbtaketake on a certain form, attribute, or aspectFoothills2 sensesHas a reason line adjustverbadaptadapt or conform oneself to new or different conditionsTreelineHas a reason line accommodateverbholdhave room forRidgeline2 sensesHas a reason line

The whole shelfGrouped by difficulty tier

FoothillsTier 1 · everyday words · 31 words

Words you already use, paired with a synonym you probably also know.

Every word at Foothills, across all themes

TreelineTier 2 · one step up · 34 words

Familiar words, with a synonym that sits slightly outside daily speech.

Every word at Treeline, across all themes

RidgelineTier 3 · solid vocabulary · 48 words

The middle of the bank, where the near misses start to bite.

Every word at Ridgeline, across all themes

High CampTier 4 · testing · 34 words

Words that turn up in serious reading rather than in conversation.

Every word at High Camp, across all themes

SummitTier 5 · rare and formal · 5 words

The rare register: literary, legal and technical English.

Every word at Summit, across all themes

Change is one shelf of many

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