English Vocabulary Dictionary | Word Meanings, Definitions & Examples
extremely upset and anxious, often to the point of being unable to think clearly
"She was distraught after losing her pet."
extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain
"He felt a deep sense of distress when he heard the bad news."
feeling or showing extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain
"She looked distressed after hearing the bad news."
to give something out to several people or places
"The charity will distribute food to the flood victims."
the act of sharing or delivering something to multiple people or places
"The company manages the distribution of food supplies to rural areas."
a specific area of a country, city, or town, often with official boundaries
"She lives in the northern district of the city."
to have no confidence or trust in someone or something
"Many people distrust politicians."
to interrupt or cause someone to stop what they are doing
"Please don’t disturb me while I’m studying."
the interruption of a settled and peaceful condition; anxiety or mental uneasiness
"The loud music created a disturbance that bothered all the neighbors."
causing anxiety, worry, or emotional distress
"The news about the accident was deeply disturbing."
the state of being separated or not united
"Civil wars often result from national disunion."
a word consisting of two syllables
"The word 'happy' is a disyllable."
to be indecisive or unable to make a decision
"He dithered for hours before choosing a restaurant."
a short, simple song or poem
"She sang a cheerful little ditty while cooking."
A substance that promotes the production of urine.
"Coffee has a mild diuretic effect."
active during the day; occurring daily
"Most birds are diurnal creatures, active in daylight hours."
a famous female singer; a woman who is admired or behaves like a star
"The pop diva performed her latest hit to a cheering crowd."
digression; wandering from a path or subject
"His lecture was full of divagation, making it hard to follow the main point."
to plunge headfirst into water or another substance
"He decided to dive into the pool on a hot day."
a type of water bird that dives underwater to catch fish
"The diver disappeared beneath the surface to catch a fish."
to separate from a path, opinion, or standard
"The two friends began to diverge in their career choices."
The process or state of diverging; a difference in opinion, character, etc.
"The divergence of their opinions led to heated debates."
Tending to be different or to develop in different directions.
"The two scientists had divergent opinions on the outcome of the experiment."
Showing a great deal of variety; very different.
"The university has a diverse student body from many countries."
The process of a business expanding into different product lines or markets to spread risk and reduce dependence on a single source of income.
"The company's diversification strategy reduced financial risks."
Made or having variety in form, nature, or content.
"The company adopted a diversified business strategy to reduce risks."
The act of changing direction or being distracted; an activity that entertains.
"The road was closed, so we had to take a diversion through the village."
A range of different things or people; variety.
"Workplace diversity helps foster innovation and creativity."
to turn aside from a course; to redirect or entertain
"The police diverted traffic to a side road."
capable of being turned aside or redirected
"Funds from the budget are not legally divertible."
to strip away possessions, rights, or assets; to rid oneself of
"The company decided to divest its unprofitable division."
the action of selling off or disposing of business interests or assets
"The divestiture of the subsidiary was completed last year."
to separate into parts or groups
"The teacher asked the class to divide into four groups."
the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means
"Ancient people often relied on divination to guide important decisions."
Relating to God or a deity; exceptionally wonderful or pleasing; to discover or foresee by intuition or supernatural means.
"She believed the divine power guided her actions."
The quality or state of being divine; a deity.
"The priest spoke about the divinity of the soul."
Capable of being divided by another number without leaving a remainder.
"Twelve is divisible by three and four."
the action of separating something into parts; or a large administrative unit
"The company has a separate division for research and development."
A number by which another number is divided.
"In the equation 12 ÷ 3, the number 3 is the divisor."
the legal ending of a marriage; to officially end a marriage
"After years of conflict, they decided to get a divorce."
No longer married because the marriage has been legally dissolved.
"She has been divorced for five years."
to make known something private, secret, or previously unknown
"She refused to divulge the source of her information."
the act of revealing or disclosing something secret or private
"The divulgence of company secrets caused a major scandal."
Deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that carries genetic information in living organisms.
"Scientists extracted DNA from the ancient bones."
To perform an action, task, or activity.
"I need to do my homework before dinner."
easily managed, taught, or controlled; submissive
"The docile puppy quickly learned new tricks."
a structure where ships are loaded, unloaded, or repaired
"The ship stayed at the dock for two days."
a list or schedule of cases to be tried in a court or items to be done
"The judge reviewed the docket before starting the session."
A qualified medical professional who treats illnesses and injuries.
"The doctor prescribed medicine for the patient."
stubbornly devoted to a theory or doctrine without regard to practical considerations
"His doctrinaire approach to politics alienated many supporters."