Items or ideas that are similar have a likeness or resemblance, especially in a general way. The adjective akin suggests a closer affinity or shared nature. The primary meaning of akin is "related by blood," with the root word kin meaning "family relatives collectively" or "a relative." Akin doesn't always imply familial connection, but it does suggest a sameness of character or properties, as what might result from shared ancestry. Akin often shows up sentences that compare one experience, sensation, or feeling to another stronger or more intense feeling, as in "What he felt was akin to love."

Without a doubt, nice is a well-liked adjective. So much so, that it's used almost to the point of cliché! When you are looking for something with a little more heart, try cordial. Cordial means courteous and gracious. It comes from the Latin noun cor meaning "heart." Cordial is commonly used to describe social interactions, as greetings and meetings. While it has cooled off a bit since its earliest uses in English, which emphasized a deeply heartfelt sincerity, it still conveys warmth and friendliness. When used to describe relations of a professional nature, it skews more toward the head than the heart, connoting politeness and civility.

When it comes to attention and what we do with it, the verbs focus and concentrate are very close in meaning. So close, in fact, they are often used interchangeably! Any difference in the terms is slight, but in some uses, concentrate may imply a more involved action. Think of the act of concentrating, which involves close mental application. To concentrate on a problem, then, is to bring all efforts and faculties to bear on it. Both concentrate and focus deal with the idea of bringing things toward a point of convergence; where they notably diverge is in focus's foray into optics (to focus the lens of a camera) and concentrate's dabbling in chemistry (to concentrate a sauce by boiling it down), which gives concentrate an intensifying edge.

To be angry is to experience strong feelings of displeasure. To be indignant is to feel deep anger at something considered unjust or offensive. Indignation is righteous anger, or anger that is morally justified. Someone who is indignant perceives insult or injury to their own or someone else's dignity. The term carries traces of scorn and contempt, and sometimes implies sanctimonious disdain. This range in meaning helps to explain why you might see indignant with a modifier, such as rightly indignant, justly indignant, and genuinely indignant. 

A group is a collection or assemblage of persons or things. When that number is on the larger side, the group may be called a bevy. Bevy's earliest use in English is as a collective noun for quail (behold, the bevy of quail!), similar to a covey of partridges. When in reference to people, bevy has historically described groups of women. While you will still encounter these specific uses, the word bevy has resisted being pigeonholed. The term is now widely used in a general sense to emphasize abundance in number, and can be found in reference to just about any type of assemblage or collection.

To explain is to make clear something that is not known or understood. A parent might explain to a disbelieving child why they cannot have ice cream for dinner (no nutritional value!). To expound is to give a methodical, detailed, scholarly explanation of something. It is a more elaborate action, with a slightly performative or presentational sense. A professor might expound theories, doctrines, or philosophies with lengthy verbosity. Legal experts might expound a law, and religious scholars might expound Scripture. But we also find  it used humorously on occasion, in a slightly teasing or self-deprecating manner. While the use of expound with a preposition, as in expound on or expound upon, has some critics, pairings such as these have become increasingly common and are sure to be understood just fine.

To hope for something is to desire it with only some expectation that it will happen. It conveys a feeling of longing or wishfulness. The verb aspire nudges desire toward action, implying an eagerness and drive to make it so. The work that goes into making an aspiration real may even leave you breathless. After all, aspire comes from the Latin verb aspīrāre "to breathe upon" or "to pant after." Consider the lofty aspirations of the dog who pants after the squirrel; much like Fido, when we aspire to something, we are working to attain it.