Damage and Danger: English Vocabulary List

to put something or someone in danger

"Do not jeopardize your career by lying."

"Driving under the influence of alcohol can seriously jeopardize your safety and the safety of others on the road."

to endanger a person or thing

"The storm imperiled the small boat."

"The sudden change in weather conditions could imperil the rescue mission and make it too dangerous for the helicopters to fly."

to cause or impose something unpleasant, harmful, or unwelcome upon someone or something

"They inflict pain."

"The hurricane inflicted severe damage on the coastal town destroying hundreds of homes and businesses."

to cause pain, suffering, or distress, often as a result of illness, injury, or hardship

"Poverty can afflict many."

"The prolonged illness continued to afflict the patient, causing significant physical and emotional distress for months."

to make a place, substance, etc. dirty or harmful by adding dangerous material

"Factory waste contaminates the nearby river water."

"The chemical spill contaminated the local river and killed thousands of fish living in the polluted water."

to create problems for someone, resulting in hardship

"Don't trouble me."

"May I trouble you for a moment of your time to ask a quick question about the project deadline?"

to cause severe damage or destruction

"The scratch marred the beautiful table."

"The only thing that marred the beautiful wedding ceremony was the unexpected sudden rainstorm that soaked the guests who were sitting outdoors."

to make someone or something weaker or less effective

"The illness debilitated him for weeks."

"The chronic pain has debilitated him to the point where he can no longer work or even walk without assistance."

to kill large groups of people

"The war decimated the population completely."

"The invading army managed to decimate the defending forces leaving very few survivors to tell the story of the battle."

to wait in a concealed location and launch a surprise attack on a target

"The soldiers ambushed the enemy convoy."

"The rebel soldiers planned to ambush the government convoy as it passed through the narrow mountain pass at dawn."

to cause severe destruction or damage

"The fire ravaged the entire forest."

"The powerful hurricane ravaged the coastal town destroying nearly every building and leaving thousands of people homeless."

to degrade or tarnish something pure and perfect, especially the reputation of someone

"Do not sully your good reputation."

"The politician's involvement in the corruption scandal sullied his previously unblemished reputation and ended his career."

to reveal the exaggeration or falseness of a belief, claim, idea, etc.

"The scientist debunked the popular myth."

"The scientist wrote a book to debunk popular myths about nutrition and weight loss with evidence based research and facts."

the harmful effects or potential for harm caused by a substance to living organisms or the environment

"The heavy metals leached into the water have high toxicity to fish."

"Oxygen toxicity is a serious condition resulting from the harmful effects of breathing in molecular oxygen at dangerously elevated partial pressures for too long."

something that causes continual trouble, misery, or destruction

"The noisy neighbor was the bane of his existence."

"The constant construction noise outside her apartment was the bane of her existence making it impossible to sleep past six in the morning."

an unpleasant, sad, or difficult situation

"Poor plight of refugees."

"The poor plight of refugees touched the hearts of many people around the world last year."

unable to cause harm

"The joke was inoffensive."

"The joke was inoffensive and everyone laughed without feeling uncomfortable or upset."

appearing threatening or dangerous

"He gave a menacing look."

"The menacing dog growled and showed its teeth to scare away the stranger."

presenting danger or threat, particularly to people's health or safety

"The chemicals are hazardous."

"The hazardous chemicals must be stored in a locked cabinet away from children."

not useful for friendly relations or mutual cooperation

"The policy is inimical to growth."

"The policy is inimical to economic growth and will hurt small businesses."

having the ability to cause damage or destruction, especially through chemical reactions

"The acid is corrosive."

"The corrosive acid ate through the metal pipe and caused a leak."

causing harm

"The gas is noxious."

"The noxious fumes from the factory made the workers wear protective masks."

easily affected by external factors

"She is susceptible to colds."

"She is susceptible to colds so she washes her hands frequently to avoid getting sick."

not affected, and immune to harm, change, disrespect, or destruction

"The tomb remained inviolate."

"The ancient tomb remained inviolate for thousands of years until it was discovered."

not likely to cause injury, offense, or strong reaction

"The snake is innocuous."

"His innocuous smile did not betray the complex thoughts running through his mind."

giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen

"The sky looks ominous."

"The ominous dark clouds suggested that a bad storm was approaching quickly."

causing severe damage, destruction, or emotional distress

"The storm was devastating."

"The devastating earthquake destroyed entire villages and left thousands of people homeless."

capable of causing death

"The weapon is lethal."

"The lethal poison killed the rats within minutes so the farmer placed more traps around the barn to protect his grain."

impossible to become fixed or right again

"The damage is irreparable."

"The damage to the old painting was irreparable and could not be fixed by anyone."

causing a great deal of harm, suffering, or damage

"The earthquake was catastrophic."

"The catastrophic flood swept away houses and bridges along the entire river valley."

to say that one is willing to damage something or hurt someone if one's demands are not met

"The storm threatens to destroy crops."

"The dictator threatened to unleash his army if the neighboring country did not immediately surrender its territory."

to put someone or something in danger, particularly by being careless

"Don't compromise the safety."

"Leaving the gate unlocked could compromise the security of the entire neighborhood and put residents at risk."

to make people believe someone or something is not trustworthy or reliable

"Discredit the witness."

"The defense attorney attempted to discredit the prosecution's key witness by highlighting inconsistencies in their testimony."

consisting of toxic substances that can cause harm or death

"The snake is poisonous."

"The poisonous snake bit the hiker and he had to be rushed to the hospital immediately."

providing an environment where life or growth is difficult or impossible

"The desert is inhospitable."

"The inhospitable desert has no water and temperatures that can kill you."

posing a hidden or sudden threat

"Treacherous ice."

"The mountain path was treacherous, with loose rocks and steep drops that required extreme caution from hikers."