wither, annul, plunder, embroil, relegate: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Proficient Plus set 99. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. wither · verb/ˈwɪð.ɚ/

   to become dry and shriveled

   The flowers began to wither in the hot sun.

   Synonyms: dry, wilt, fade

   Origin: The word 'wither' comes from Old English 'witherian', meaning 'to wither or decay'.

2. annul · verb/əˈnəl/

   to declare invalid or nullify

   The court decided to annul the marriage because it was not legal.

   Synonyms: cancel, revoke, invalidate

   Origin: from Latin 'annullare', meaning 'to make null or void'

3. plunder · verb/ˈplʌndər/

   to steal goods or valuables using force or violence

   The soldiers came into the village to plunder the shops and take everything of value.

   Synonyms: loot, pillage, rob

   Origin: from Middle Dutch 'plonderen' meaning to plunder or pillage

4. embroil · verb/ɪmˈbrɔɪl/

   to involve someone deeply in a conflict or argument

   The argument about the money began to embroil the whole family in a big fight.

   Synonyms: entangle, involve, implicate

   Origin: Middle English 'embrouilen' from Old French 'embroiller' meaning 'to wrap up'.

5. relegate · verb/ˈrɛlɪɡeɪt/

   to assign to a lower position or rank

   The coach had to relegate the player to the bench after his poor performance in the game.

   Synonyms: assign, downgrade, transfer

   Origin: from Latin 'relegare', which means 'to send away' or 'to remove' (re- meaning 'back' and legare meaning 'to send')