Advanced Vocabulary Starting with "D"

227 entries

• damping The progressive reduction in the amplitude of oscillations or vibrations in a...
• dark-matter A hypothetical form of matter that does not emit, absorb, or reflect light, d...
• datum A single piece of information used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or c...
• daunting Seeming difficult, intimidating, or overwhelming in a way that discourages on...
• de-facto In fact, whether by right or not; existing or holding a position in practice ...
• deadlock A situation in which no progress can be made because the parties involved can...
• dearth A scarcity or inadequate supply of something; a notable lack or insufficiency.
• debacle A sudden, complete, and often humiliating failure or disaster, especially one...
• debenture A type of long-term debt instrument issued by a company, acknowledging a loan...
• debilitate To weaken or impair the strength, energy, or vitality of a person, organisati...
• debridement The medical removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue from a wound to prom...
• debtor A person, company, or institution that owes money to a creditor.
• debugging The process of identifying and removing errors or faults from computer softwa...
• decadent Characterised by moral or cultural decline, excessive luxury, and self-indulg...
• decarbonisation The process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions from energy p...
• decelerate To reduce speed or the rate of progress; to slow down.
• decentralisation The transfer of authority, functions, or resources from a central government ...
• decentralise To transfer authority, decision-making, or functions from a central body to r...
• decidable Capable of being resolved or determined by an algorithm that is guaranteed to...
• decipher To succeed in understanding or interpreting something that is obscure, illegi...
• declension The variation of the form of a noun, pronoun, adjective, or determiner to ind...
• decode To convert a coded or encrypted message into intelligible language, or to int...
• decoder A device, circuit, or algorithm that reverses the process of encoding, conver...
• decolonisation The process by which a colony gains independence from a colonial power, or mo...
• decommission To withdraw from active service or operational use, typically applied to mili...
• decomposable Capable of being separated or broken down into simpler constituent parts, whe...
• decompose To decay or rot through the action of bacteria and fungi; to break down into ...
• decomposer An organism, typically a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down dead organic m...
• deconstruct To analyse something by examining its component parts and underlying assumpti...
• deconstruction A method of critical analysis that examines how meaning is constructed in tex...
• decontaminate To remove dangerous substances such as radioactive material, chemical agents,...
• decorum Behaviour or conduct that is dignified, polite, and in keeping with accepted ...
• decree An official order or decision issued by a legal authority, government, or rul...
• decrement A reduction or decrease in quantity, especially a fixed or measured amount by...
• decrypt To convert encrypted data or a coded message back into its original, readable...
• deduce To arrive at a conclusion by reasoning from general principles or available e...
• deduction The process of reasoning from general principles to a specific conclusion; al...
• deepfake A synthetic media file, typically a video or audio recording, in which a pers...
• defamation The act of making false statements about a person that damage their reputatio...
• defendant A person or organisation accused of a crime or sued in a civil case; the part...
• deference Respectful submission or yielding to the judgement, authority, or wishes of a...
• deferral The act of postponing or delaying something to a later time; in accounting, t...
• defibrillator A device that delivers an electric shock to the heart to restore a normal rhy...
• definitive Decisive and with authority; conclusive and final, or the most authoritative ...
• deflate To release air or gas from something inflated, or figuratively to reduce some...
• deforestation The clearing or removal of forests or trees from land, typically for agricult...
• deft Demonstrating quick, skilful, and neat movement or handling, whether physical...
• defunct No longer existing or functioning; dead or extinct.
• degenerative Describing a disease or condition in which the structure or function of affec...
• deglaciation The retreat or disappearance of glacial ice from an area, whether as part of ...
• degrade To lower in quality, value, or condition, or to treat someone in a way that c...
• deism The belief that God created the universe but does not intervene in its workin...
• delegate A person authorised to represent others at a conference, meeting, or politica...
• deleterious Causing harm, damage, or injury, particularly to health, the environment, or ...
• deliberate Done consciously and intentionally rather than by accident; also, careful and...
• deliberation Long and careful consideration or discussion before reaching a decision; slow...
• delineate To describe, outline, or indicate something precisely and in detail; to draw ...
• delinquent A person, typically a young one, who regularly commits minor crimes or antiso...
• delta A flat, triangular area of land formed by sediment deposited where a river di...
• deluge A severe flood or an overwhelming rush of something. As a verb, to inundate o...
• delusion A false belief held with strong conviction despite evidence to the contrary, ...
• delve To investigate or research something thoroughly and in detail, especially by ...
• demagogue A political leader who seeks support by appealing to the desires and prejudic...
• demarcate To establish the boundaries or limits of something, whether physical territor...
• demeanour A person's outward manner, bearing, or behaviour, especially as it reflects t...
• demobilise To release troops from military service after a war or period of active duty,...
• democratisation The process of making something accessible to everyone, not just a privileged...
• democratise To introduce democratic principles or processes to an institution or country....
• demodulator A device or circuit that extracts the original information-bearing signal fro...
• demographic Relating to the structure of populations; as a noun, a particular sector of a...
• demolish To pull down or destroy a building or structure. Figuratively, to refute or d...
• demolition The act of deliberately destroying or pulling down a building or other struct...
• demultiplexer A device that takes a single input signal and routes it to one of several out...
• demur To raise objections or express reluctance, especially in a polite or measured...
• denaturation The process by which a protein or nucleic acid loses its natural three-dimens...
• denigrate To criticise unfairly or unjustly; to disparage the reputation, achievements,...
• denomination The face value of a banknote, coin, or stamp; also, a recognised branch or gr...
• denominator The number below the line in a fraction, indicating the total number of equal...
• denotation The literal, primary, or dictionary meaning of a word, as opposed to the feel...
• denouement The final part of a story in which matters are explained or resolved; the out...
• denounce To publicly declare that something or someone is wrong, evil, or unacceptable...
• deontological Relating to deontology, the branch of ethics that judges the morality of an a...
• depict To represent or portray someone or something in a painting, drawing, photogra...
• deplete To use up or substantially reduce the quantity, supply, or reserves of a reso...
• deplorable Shockingly bad, unacceptable, or deserving of strong condemnation. Also used ...
• deploy To move troops or equipment into position for military action; more broadly, ...
• deport To expel a foreign national from a country, typically on grounds of illegal s...
• deposition A formal sworn statement taken outside of court, typically recorded for use a...
• deprecate To express strong disapproval of something; to deplore or condemn. In computi...
• depreciate To diminish in value over time, especially of an asset or currency. In accoun...
• depreciation A decrease in the value of an asset over time, due to wear and tear, age, or ...
• deregulate To remove government regulations and restrictions from an industry or sector,...
• deregulation The removal or reduction of government rules and regulations in a particular ...
• derelict In a very poor condition as a result of neglect or abandonment. As a noun, a ...
• derivative In calculus, the rate at which a function changes with respect to a variable,...
• dermatology The branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of skin dis...
• desalination The process of removing salt and other minerals from seawater or brackish wat...
• desecrate To violate the sanctity of a sacred place, object, or memory; to treat someth...
• desensitisation The process of making someone less reactive to a stimulus, whether through re...
• desertification The process by which fertile land becomes increasingly arid and unproductive,...
• designate To officially appoint someone to a particular role or assign a specific statu...
• desist To stop doing something, especially something that is prohibited, harmful, or...
• desolate As an adjective, deserted, bleak, and lifeless; or feeling wretched and utter...
• despondent In low spirits from loss of hope or courage; deeply discouraged and dishearte...
• despotic Exercising absolute power in a cruel or oppressive manner; characteristic of ...
• destitute Extremely poor and lacking the basic necessities of life such as food, shelte...
• detached Emotionally uninvolved or objective; separate and impartial. In property, des...
• détente The easing of hostility or strained relations between countries or groups, es...
• deteriorate To become progressively worse in quality, condition, or function over time.
• determiner A word placed before a noun to clarify what the noun refers to, including art...
• determinism The philosophical doctrine that all events, including human actions and decis...
• determinist A person who holds that all events, including human actions, are ultimately d...
• deterministic Describing a system or process whose future behaviour is entirely determined ...
• deterrent A thing that discourages or prevents someone from doing something; serving to...
• detract To diminish the value, quality, or importance of something. Almost always use...
• detrimental Causing harm, damage, or disadvantage; tending to impair or undermine something.
• detritivore An organism that feeds on dead organic material, especially plant detritus.
• devalue To reduce the official value of a currency relative to other currencies, or m...
• deviant Departing from usual or accepted standards, especially in social or sexual be...
• deviate To depart or diverge from an established course, plan, norm, or standard of b...
• deviation The amount by which a single measurement or value differs from a fixed refere...
• devolve To transfer power, authority, or responsibility from a central body to a lowe...
• devotee An enthusiastic and dedicated supporter or follower of a particular activity,...
• devout Deeply religious and sincerely devoted to worship and prayer. By extension, d...
• dexterity Skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands; mental agility and quic...
• diagnosis The identification of the nature of an illness or other problem by examinatio...
• diagnostic Relating to the identification of the nature or cause of a problem, whether i...
• dialect A regional or social variety of a language distinguished by its vocabulary, g...
• dialectic A method of argument or reasoning through dialogue between opposing positions...
• dialysis A medical procedure that artificially filters waste products and excess fluid...
• diameter A straight line passing through the centre of a circle or sphere from one sid...
• diaspora The dispersion of a people from their original homeland to other parts of the...
• diatribe A forceful and bitter verbal or written attack against someone or something; ...
• dichotomous Divided or dividing into two sharply contrasting groups, parts, or opinions.
• dichotomy A division or contrast between two things that are presented as entirely diff...
• dictatorial Relating to or characteristic of a dictator; exercising absolute authority in...
• diction The choice and use of words in speech or writing, or the clarity and distinct...
• didactic Intended to teach or instruct; when used critically, overly moralistic or pre...
• dielectric An insulating material or substance that can be polarised by an applied elect...
• differentiable Capable of being differentiated. In mathematics, describes a function that ha...
• differentiate To recognise or identify the differences between things; in education, to ada...
• diffident Modest, shy, and lacking confidence in one's own abilities or worth; reluctan...
• diffraction The bending and spreading of waves when they encounter an obstacle or pass th...
• diffuse As a verb, to spread or scatter widely in all directions. As an adjective, sp...
• digitalisation The adoption of digital technology to transform business processes, services,...
• dignitary A person who holds a high rank or position of honour, especially in governmen...
• digress To temporarily leave the main subject of a speech, conversation, or piece of ...
• dilapidated In a state of severe disrepair or ruin, typically as a result of age, neglect...
• dilemma A situation in which a difficult choice must be made between two or more alte...
• dilettante A person who cultivates an area of interest without real commitment or knowle...
• diligent Having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties; hardwor...
• dilute To make a liquid thinner or weaker by adding water or another solvent; to red...
• dilution The reduction in the value or strength of something by adding other elements;...
• diminish To make or become less in size, importance, value, or intensity; to reduce or...
• diminuendo A gradual decrease in loudness or intensity in music; the opposite of a cresc...
• diode A semiconductor device that allows electrical current to flow in one directio...
• diphthong A complex vowel sound that begins with one quality and glides into another wi...
• diplomat A person appointed by a government to conduct official negotiations and maint...
• disarm To take weapons away from a person or group, or to reduce a country's militar...
• disassemble To take apart a machine, structure, or object into its component parts, typic...
• disbursement The payment of money from a fund or account, especially in a formal or offici...
• discern To perceive, recognise, or distinguish something, especially something that i...
• discernible Able to be perceived, recognised, or distinguished clearly; detectable throug...
• discerning Having or showing good judgement and refined taste; able to distinguish quali...
• disclosure The act of making new or previously secret information known; in law and fina...
• disconsolate Deeply unhappy and beyond comfort; unable to be cheered or consoled.
• discontinuous Having gaps, breaks, or interruptions rather than forming a smooth, unbroken ...
• discord Disagreement and conflict between people or groups; a lack of harmony or accord.
• discordant Disagreeing or incongruous; in music, producing a harsh, clashing combination...
• discourse Written or spoken communication on a particular subject; in academia, a parti...
• discrepancy A lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts, figures, or ...
• discrete Individually separate and distinct; not connected to or forming part of a con...
• discriminate To recognise or draw a distinction between things, or to treat a person or gr...
• discrimination The unjust or prejudicial treatment of people based on characteristics such a...
• disenfranchise To deprive someone of the right to vote or of other rights of citizenship; mo...
• disinformation False information that is deliberately created and spread to deceive, mislead...
• disingenuous Not candid or sincere, typically by pretending to know less or have simpler m...
• disintegrate To break apart into small fragments or pieces; to lose cohesion, unity, or st...
• disjunction A disconnection or sharp difference between two things that might be expected...
• dislocation The displacement of a bone from its normal position at a joint, causing pain ...
• dismantle To take apart a structure, machine, or system piece by piece, or to abolish o...
• disparage To speak of or treat something or someone as unworthy or inferior; to belittl...
• disparity A significant difference or gap between things, especially one that is percei...
• dispassionate Not influenced by strong emotion; able to think and judge in a calm, rational...
• disperse To scatter or spread over a wide area, or to cause a crowd or gathering to br...
• displace To move something or someone from their usual place or position; to take the ...
• displacement The forced movement of people from their homes due to conflict, disaster, or ...
• disposition A person's inherent qualities of mind and character, or an inclination or ten...
• disproportionate Too large or too small in comparison to something else; out of proportion.
• disproportionately To a degree that is out of proportion to something else; to an extent that is...
• disrupt To interrupt the normal course of an activity or process; in business, to rad...
• disseminate To spread or distribute information, ideas, or knowledge widely and systemati...
• dissemination The act of spreading information, ideas, or knowledge widely so that it reach...
• dissent The expression or holding of opinions that differ from those commonly or offi...
• dissertation A long piece of academic writing on a particular subject, especially one subm...
• dissident A person who publicly opposes or disagrees with the policies of an establishe...
• dissipate To scatter or disperse; to gradually disappear or waste away; to squander res...
• dissociation A psychological process in which a person becomes disconnected from their tho...
• dissonance A lack of harmony or agreement between things; in music, a combination of sou...
• distillation The process of extracting the essential meaning or most important aspects of ...
• distinguished Successful, authoritative, and commanding great respect, especially in a part...
• distort To twist, bend, or pull something out of its normal shape. Figuratively, to g...
• distributive Describing a mathematical property in which one operation applied to a combin...
• diverge To separate and move in different directions from a common point; to differ o...
• divergent Moving apart or developing in different directions from a common origin. In m...
• divestiture The sale, disposal, or surrender of a business unit, subsidiary, or asset, of...
• dividend A sum of money paid regularly by a company to its shareholders from its profi...
• divulge To make known something that was previously secret, private, or confidential,...
• docile Easily managed, taught, or controlled; submissive and compliant. Often used o...
• doctrinaire Seeking to impose a doctrine or theory without regard to practical considerat...
• doggedly With stubborn persistence and determination, continuing steadily despite diff...
• dogma A set of principles or beliefs laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly ...
• dogmatic Inclined to lay down principles as undeniable truths, without consideration o...
• dopamine A neurotransmitter produced in the brain that plays a central role in motivat...
• dormant Temporarily inactive or not growing, but capable of becoming active again.
• dosage The size or frequency of a dose of a medicine or drug; the administration of ...
• downtime The period during which a system, machine, or service is unavailable or not f...
• draconian Excessively harsh and severe, especially of laws, punishments, or measures.
• dualism The philosophical theory that mind and body are fundamentally distinct substa...
• duality The quality or condition of having two aspects, natures, or parts, especially...
• dubious Hesitating or doubting; not to be relied upon, or of questionable quality or ...
• duplicity Deceitfulness or double-dealing; the practice of saying one thing while secre...
• dynamic Characterised by constant change, activity, or progress; energetic and forcef...
• dynasty A succession of rulers from the same family or lineage; more broadly, a famil...
• dyslexia A specific learning difficulty that primarily affects reading and spelling, c...
• dyspraxia A developmental coordination disorder affecting fine and gross motor skills, ...
• dystopian Relating to or denoting an imagined state or society in which there is great ...