depose, malign, degenerate, purge, meddle: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 2 set 228. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. depose · verb/dəˈpoʊz/

   to remove from office or power

   The military decided to depose the corrupt leader after months of protests and public outrage.

   Synonyms: dethrone, oust, remove

   Origin: from Latin 'deponere' meaning 'to put down' or 'to lay aside'

2. malign · verb/məˈlaɪn/

   to speak about someone in a spitefully critical manner

   Although she claimed to support him, her friends malign his character behind his back, spreading rumors that damage his reputation.

   Synonyms: slander, defame, disparage

   Origin: Middle English malignen, from Latin malignari, from malignus, meaning 'evil, bad'

3. degenerate · verb/dɪˈdʒɛn.ə.reɪt/

   to decline in quality, morality, or vitality

   As the community faced ongoing challenges, the social structure began to degenerate, leading to increased crime and unrest.

   Synonyms: deteriorate, decline, worsen

   Origin: from Latin 'degenerare', which means 'to deteriorate, fall from one's kind' ('de-' meaning 'down' and 'genus' meaning 'kind, race')

4. purge · verb/pɜrdʒ/

   to remove or eliminate something unwanted or undesirable

   The company decided to purge outdated files from its database to improve efficiency.

   Synonyms: cleanse, clear out, rid

   Origin: Middle English 'purgen', from Old French 'purger', from Latin 'purgare', meaning 'to clear' or 'to cleanse'.

5. meddle · verb/ˈmɛd.əl/

   to interfere in someone else's affairs or tasks without invitation

   I wish my neighbor would stop meddling in my personal business and let me handle my own affairs.

   Synonyms: interfere, tamper, intrude

   Origin: Middle English 'medlen' meaning to mix, meddle, from the Old French 'medler' which originated from the Latin 'misculare', meaning to mix or mingle.