® Curtail: shorten, reduce: During the fuel shortage, we must curtail our use of this vital commodity.
® Daunt: intimidate: Your threats cannot daunt me.
® Dearth: scarcity: The dearth of skilled labour compelled the employers to open trade schools.
® Debacle: breaking up, downfall: This debacle in the government can only result in anarchy.
® Decadence: decay: The moral decadence of the people was reflected in the worthless literature of the period.
® Decimate: kill, usually one out of ten: We do more to decimate our population in automobile accidents than we do in war.
® Defalcate: misuse money held in trust: The court punished the broker who defalcated his clients’ funds.
® Defamation: harming a person’s reputation: Such defamation of character may result in a slander suit.
® Default: failure to do: As a result of her husband’s failure to appear in court, she was granted a divorce by default.
® Delete: erase, strike out: If you delete this paragraph, the composition will have more appeal.
® Delusion: false belief, hallucination: His arguments were sound and convincing but are based on delusion.
® Demise: death: Upon the demise of the dictator, a bitter dispute about succession to power developed.
® Deplete: reduce, exhaust: We must wait until we deplete our present stock before we order replacement.
® Deranged: insane: He was mentally deranged.
® Derogatory: expressing a low opinion: I resent your derogatory remarks.
® Detraction: slandering, aspersion: He is offended by your frequent detractions of his ability as a leader.
® Detriment: harm, damage: Your acceptance of his support will ultimately prove to be a detriment rather than an aid to your cause.
® Devious: going astray, erratic: Your devious behavior in this matte puzzles me since you are usually direct and straightforward.