Relationship Dynamics and Connections · C2 English Vocabulary List

a close friend or companion, often used in a more negative or informal context

"He trusts his crony."

"The mayor was criticized for appointing his long-time crony to a lucrative position within the city government."

a strong and natural liking or sympathy toward someone or something

"They shared an affinity immediately."

"She developed a strong affinity for classical literature during university studies."

pleasant, friendly, and peaceful relations between individuals or nations

"The nations lived in amity."

"The agreement strengthened diplomatic amity between neighboring countries after years of tension."

an individual opponent or adversary

"The foe attacked suddenly yesterday."

"The general underestimated his experienced foe during the prolonged military conflict disastrously."

an end to a friendly relationship between people or organizations caused by a serious disagreement

"The argument created a rift."

"A serious ideological rift divided the organization into competing political factions permanently."

a family in which the parents live with the children from their own relationship along with the children from previous ones

"The blended family included children from both parents."

"Their blended family included children from both of their previous marriages who all lived together happily."

the state of being biologically related to someone

"The law considered consanguinity carefully."

"Medieval inheritance systems often depended heavily upon documented consanguinity among noble relatives."

one or all the descendants of an ancestor

"The king's progeny ruled."

"The emperor's progeny were numerous, each vying for influence and power within the vast empire."

a woman who agrees to carry and take the responsibility of another couple's child

"The surrogate mother stayed healthy."

"The surrogate mother maintained regular medical appointments throughout the complicated pregnancy process."

a person from whom one inherits DNA and is directly responsible for their birth

"The biological parent adopted."

"The biological parent sought to establish a connection with their child after years of separation."

a person from whom other offsprings are descended

"The progenitor founded the dynasty."

"Historians identified him as the progenitor of several influential political families afterward."

the act of running away with one's lover to get married without the consent of parents

"Their elopement surprised the relatives."

"The couple planned a secret elopement to avoid family opposition and criticism."

the period of time when two people are getting to know each other romantically with the intention of getting married

"Their courtship lasted two years."

"Traditional courtship customs influenced marriage expectations within the conservative rural community significantly."

sexual intercourse involving a married person and someone other than their spouse

"The adultery destroyed their marriage."

"The public scandal involving adultery damaged the politician's reputation beyond repair permanently."

an intense, often unreasonable or extravagant desire or admiration for someone or something

"Her infatuation with the movie star lasted only a few weeks."

"Her infatuation with the new student lasted only a few weeks before she realized they had nothing in common."

to reject or deny any association or relationship with someone or something

"Parents disown their child."

"The wealthy father decided to disown his son because he disapproved of his choice of career and lifestyle."

to revive or renew something, such as a relationship or interest, that has faded

"They rekindle their romance after many years."

"They hoped to rekindle their passion for painting after a long period of creative block."

to provoke and anger someone so much that they start to hate and oppose one

"Do not antagonize your coworkers unnecessarily."

"The politician's rude comments antagonized many voters and caused him to lose support from key demographics."

to gradually become less close or connected, often due to a lack of shared interests or diverging paths

"Old friends sometimes drift apart over time."

"The two childhood friends drifted apart over the years as they pursued different careers and moved to different cities."

to have a lasting and heated argument with someone

"Neighbors feud over property."

"The two families have been feuding for generations over a piece of land that both claim as their own."

to betray one's partner by secretly having an affair with someone else at the same time

"She decided to two-time her boyfriend."

"He was devastated when he discovered that his wife had been two-timing him for over a year."

a group of people who have the same profession

"The fraternity met today."

"The medical fraternity established strict ethical guidelines for all its members to follow."

absence of agreement or friendliness between people with different opinions

"There was friction between them."

"The ongoing friction between the two departments was hindering the progress of the new project."

the recorded ancestry or lineage of individuals, typically in the context of their descendants tracing back to a common ancestor

"The horse had an excellent pedigree."

"The breeder examined the animal's pedigree before approving the expensive international purchase."

to put an end to an argument with someone in order to make peace with them

"They patch up their old friendship finally."

"The couple managed to patch up their differences after a long and honest conversation about their feelings."