Garner - To garner (something) is a very specific word that means to make an effort in gathering something. In a business context you can garner support for a proposal, garner favour, garner material for a project (The difference from gather material is the earn element. Garner implies that you must work or use effort to achieve it). For example, rather than “getting votes”, if a politician “garners votes”, it can imply that there is a concerted effort to actively market or campaign themselves.
Reveal - When you make something visible or make it public information, you reveal it. For example, if you want to plan a picnic, wait until forecasters reveal the weather that is predicted. Note that there are some more specific words you can use instead of reveal:
- Disclose - is to reveal secret material information. Eg Edward Snowden disclosed confidential information.
- Divulge - is to reveal usually personal information. Eg I will not divulge my age.
- Unveil - is to reveal something for the first time. The new BMW will be unveiled in September.
Gather – means to bring things together. Gather is a verb with many related meanings, most involving a motion to bring something together or assembling.
- You may gather your socks into the laundry bag, or you may gather your thoughts by making a list.
- Gather often is used to describe bringing people together for some purpose, like the staff who gather around the coffee machine.
- Gather can also refer to an increase or gain, like when you gather speed and go faster on your bike.
- Gather can describe coming to a conclusion or an understanding. For example, after you hear an announcement that staff will be cut for next quarter, you may gather that things are not going well for the company.
Compile - When you compile something, you are putting things that already exist (recipes, songs, information) into one place about something specifically related. You can compile songs on a playlist, compile photos of your wedding or compiling data for a new sales campaign.
Collate - Although the verb collate specifically means to put pages in a correct order, the word can be used more generally to mean to put anything into the proper sequence. For example if you are compiling data it means you have it and are putting it together rather than compiling information which implies you are still in the process of gathering the information.
Merge - The verb merge means to seamlessly join or bring two or more things (usually to have a bigger and better outcome. For example, you can merge a 2 companies, you can merge 2 documents in Microsoft word and you merge onto the highway.
Compose - To compose, like compile means to put something together, however you are still creating the contents. The word really indicates you are really doing and involved in all aspects of creating it. For example, you can compose an email, a report, even music, a song or poem. You can compose even yourself which means to calm down or return to an unemotional state. For example, you might want to compose yourself before returning to the party after a good cry (which means pulling yourself, ie emotions wiping tears, removing the sad look on your face).
Migrate - To migrate means to move from one place or position to another. To migrate an IT systems means to move it somewhere else, eg migrating from one server to another. If you merge IT systems, you are bringing two systems together to form another. If you are combine the systems you will be using both together.
- To migrate to a country means to move there. Eg I have migrated TO Finland
- To immigrate means to COME to a country (move actual residence), eg I have immigrated TO Finland
- To emigrate means to LEAVE a country (residence), for example I have emigrated FROM Australia to Finland
Streamline – to streamline means you are simplifying something to make it more efficient or profitable. When you think of streamlining, think of a bunch of streams coming together to form one stream. This word is about taking something complicated with a lot of parts and turning it into a simpler, sleeker thing. When companies streamline, they cut staff and reorganize to make the business run more smoothly and make more money. When an engineer streamlines a car design, he takes out all the unnecessary parts and makes the engine more efficient
Plausible - If something is plausible, it's reasonable or believable. Things that are plausible could easily happen. A woman finally becoming a US President is very plausible. However, a convicted serial killer becoming a President is not plausible.
Deteriorate (verb) – If you want to have a fancy word for “going backwards” or “getting worse” use deteriorate. Eg this discussion has deteriorated, profits have deteriorated.
Erode - When soil or land erodes, it wears away or is removed. Many areas of land around rivers or seas are becoming smaller and smaller, as the rush of water erodes the land. While erode is most commonly used when describing land loss, you can also use it in less literal ways to mean a slow negative decrease of something. For example, eating junk food every day can seriously erode your health. Profits are eroding as a result of inefficiency. Your trust for someone may erode every time you hear them lie. Consumer confidence erodes as the media reports more bad economic news. NB you do not have to use “away” after erode, as it itself implies a slow loss occurring.
Loom - Loom has two distinct meanings.
- Firstly as a noun it is a tool for weaving.
- Secondly as a verb meaning to appear or stand over someone in a threatening way. The future loomed grim. The dark rain clouds are looming. There can be a bad smell looming inside your fridge.
Resonate (verb) +WITH - If you want to say that something has “touched” or truly connects with you in some way, then use the term resonate. It actually means to vibrate (sound) and it something “resonates” WITH you, it literally rings or vibrates at the same tempo. Some examples on how to use it, “that movie really resonates with me”. “This idea really resonates with me”, or “What they said in that presentation really resonates with me”
Inebriated - (in ee briated) - Inebriated is just a fancy way of saying drunk. If you see a man staggering down the street grasping an open bottle of tequila in his hand, chances are he's inebriated.
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