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Synonym of the day

dupe

dupe is a synonym of fool

verb [ doop, dyoop ]

dupe is another word for fool

There’s no shortage of synonyms for the verb fool (or the noun for that matter), and each of them has a slightly different texture. To fool someone is to trick or deceive them. The verb developed from the noun, which, in its earliest uses referred to a silly person or someone who lacks judgement or sense. The suggestion of silliness carries over into the verb, which, as words of deception go, is relatively lighthearted. Dupe is more pointed, emphasizing deception or being cheated, a nuance that is visible in the noun dupe, which refers to a person who is easily deceived or, especially, taken advantage of.

Commonly found as

easily duped
The couple did not like to think that they could be so easily duped by such a brazen charlatan, but they learned their lesson too late.
dupe + investor(s)
Thousands of investors were duped by the elaborate pyramid scheme.

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milieu

milieu is a synonym of surroundings

noun [ mil-yoo, meel- ]

milieu is another word for surroundings

A person’s surroundings are the things, circumstances, or conditions that make up their environment, especially the physical aspects: He awoke in strange surroundings; she tried to blend in with her surroundings. The noun milieu refers to intangible aspects of an environment, especially those of a social or cultural nature: The artist’s work reflected a very specific cultural milieu. Milieu, a loanword from French, is especially useful for highlighting the character or prevailing attitudes or influences of certain historical periods or of social sets. In this way it is different not only from surroundings, but also from ambiance, which emphasizes the mood or tone of an environment, and setting, which suggests a background that sets something off.

Commonly found as

social/cultural milieu
The curator spent months researching the social and cultural milieu at the time of the earthquake, which was the historical event at the center of her upcoming show.
create + milieu
The designer realized that allowing his assistants to take more time off actually created a more favorable milieu for innovation and creativity.

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cumbersome

cumbersome is a synonym of unwieldy

adjective [ kuhm-ber-suhm ]

cumbersome is another word for unwieldy

Something that is unwieldy is not readily handled or managed in use or action, as from size, shape, or weight. The verb wield, from which unwieldy and its more manageable counterpart wieldy stem, is used to talk about exercising power, influence, or authority, or about using something, such as a weapon or instrument, effectively. Cumbersome is a strong synonym for unwieldy. It is commonly used to talk about processes, systems, or procedures that are convoluted, tedious, and time-consuming. Cumbersome comes from the verb cumber “to overload; burden” or “to hinder; hamper.”

Commonly found as

cumbersome process
At the job fair, the spokesperson for the government agency warned prospective applicants that the background check was a long and cumbersome process.
cumbersome + expensive
Early prototypes of the gadget were cumbersome and expensive—totally impractical for most consumers.

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