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liberate

verb/ˈlɪbəˌreɪt/

definition

give freedom; release from captivity or oppression

example

The firefighters arrived shortly after the building collapsed and worked to liberate the residents from the debris.

synonyms
emancipatefreerescue
word origin — late 16th century (as adjective): from Latin liberat- ‘freed’, from the verb liberare, from liber ‘free’

Advanced — Set 78

Set 78 of Advanced covers 5 words: liberate, conform, rebel, contradict, hinder. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. liberate · verb/ˈlɪbəˌreɪt/

    give freedom; release from captivity or oppression

    The firefighters arrived shortly after the building collapsed and worked to liberate the residents from the debris.

    Synonyms: emancipate, free, rescue

    Origin: late 16th century (as adjective): from Latin liberat- ‘freed’, from the verb liberare, from liber ‘free’

  2. conform · verb/kənˈfɔrm/

    follow rules or laws; act in a similar way to others

    Several young girls at the dance academy had developed eating disorders after feeling pressured to conform to the standard of a lean figure.

    Synonyms: comply, obey, adapt

    Origin: Middle English (in the sense ‘make (something) like another thing’): from Old French conformer, from Latin conformare, from con- ‘together’ + formare ‘to form’

  3. rebel · verb/ˈrɛb(ə)l/

    disobey or fight against

    Research suggests that teenagers have a higher tendency to rebel against parents that do not respect their privacy and independence.

    Synonyms: protest, revolt, defy

    Origin: Middle English: from Old French rebelle (noun), rebeller (verb), from Latin rebellis (used originally with reference to a fresh declaration of war by the defeated), based on bellum ‘war’

  4. contradict · verb/ˌkɑntrəˈdɪk(t)/

    express the opposite of a previous argument

    Recent studies in neuroscience have contradicted some earlier assumptions on the differences between male and female brains, showing they are far more similar than previously thought.

    Synonyms: challenge, refute, oppose

    Origin: late 16th century: from Latin contradict- ‘spoken against’, from the verb contradicere, originally contra dicere ‘speak against’

  5. hinder · verb/ˈhɪndər/

    make something difficult to achieve

    The many injuries he suffered over the past two years have certainly hindered his football career.

    Synonyms: impede, obstruct, interfere

    Origin: Old English hindrian ‘injure or damage’, of Germanic origin; related to German hindern, also to behind