English words starting with D

The act of making something dirty, polluted, or no longer pure, especially in a moral or ceremonial sense.

able to be defined, described, or stated precisely.

To state or describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of something.

Having a clear outline or form; distinct.

relating to or being a pension or retirement plan in which an employer promises to pay a specified amount to an employee upon retirement, based on factors such as salary history and length of employment, with the employer bearing the investment risk.

relating to or being a pension or retirement plan in which the amount of money paid in by the employer or employee is fixed, but the final benefit received by the employee is not guaranteed and depends on the performance of the investments.

A person or thing that defines something.

Most important in shaping the character or outcome of something.

clearly stated or decided; not vague or doubtful

without any doubt; certainly.

A statement of the exact meaning of a word or phrase, or the nature or scope of something.

Relating to or providing a definition.

providing a final decision or answer that cannot be changed

in a final and conclusive way that cannot be questioned or changed.

to let air or gas out of something such as a tire or balloon

Feeling sad and lacking confidence, especially after a failure or disappointment.

causing something to lose air or gas and become smaller

a reduction in the amount of money in a country's economy so that prices fall or stop rising

relating to or tending to cause deflation, a reduction in the general level of prices in an economy.

A statistical factor or index used to adjust economic data (such as GDP) to remove the effects of inflation, allowing comparison of values from different time periods.

To cause something to change direction by hitting or touching it.

To cause something to change direction by hitting or touching it

A change in the direction of something after it has hit something else.

A device or structure designed to change the direction of something, such as a flow of air, water, or particles.

To have sexual intercourse with (a woman who is a virgin).

To cause (a lens, beam, or optical system) to lose sharp focus.

(of a lens, beam of light, or image) not focused; lacking a clear point of focus.

a chemical that removes the leaves from trees and plants, often used in warfare or agriculture.

To remove leaves from a plant or tree, especially over a wide area.

The process of leaves falling off a plant, or the act of causing this to happen, especially as a result of disease or chemical action.

An agent (such as an insect, chemical, or machine) that causes leaves to fall off plants.

To clear an area of its forest or trees.

the act of cutting down or burning all the trees in an area

(of an area) cleared of its forest or trees.

to change the natural shape of something so that it is spoiled or damaged

capable of being deformed, especially of a solid material that can undergo a change in shape without breaking.

The action or process of changing in shape or distorting, especially through the application of force.

having a shape that is not natural or normal, especially because of damage or abnormal growth

a part of someone's body that is not the normal shape because of injury, illness, or a condition they have had since birth

To illegally obtain money or property from someone by deception.

Deprived someone of money, rights, or property by deception.

to provide money to pay for a cost or expense.

To formally remove a priest or minister from their position and privileges within the church.

To formally remove a priest or minister from their position and privileges, especially as a punishment.

To remove ice or frost from something, especially from a refrigerator or freezer.

(of food) having had ice or frost removed, typically by being warmed

a device that removes ice or frost from a surface, especially the windshield of a vehicle.

quick and skillful in movement or thought; nimble and adept.

in a quick, skillful, and neat way

skill and cleverness shown in how someone does something quickly and efficiently.

No longer existing, living, or functioning.

To remove the fuse from a bomb or other explosive device to prevent it from exploding.

To refuse to obey a person, decision, law, situation, etc.

The state of having declined from a higher to a lower level of quality, function, or moral standard; decay.

To become worse in quality, character, or condition, especially through a gradual decline.

The process of becoming worse or less advanced in condition, quality, or function.

(of a disease or medical condition) characterized by progressive deterioration and loss of function in the organs or tissues.

Capable of being broken down into simpler, harmless substances by natural biological or chemical processes.

The process of something becoming worse or weaker, especially in quality, character, or condition.

to make the quality of something worse

having lost one's former status, quality, or moral standing; reduced in rank, character, or quality.

Causing a loss of self-respect or dignity; humiliating.

a substance or device used for removing grease or oily dirt.

a unit for measuring angles or temperature

(of an institution) having the authority to award academic degrees

The action or an instance of tasting food or drink, especially in a careful, appreciative manner.

the natural splitting open of a plant structure, such as a fruit, anther, or sporangium, to release its contents.

the process of depriving a person or group of positive human qualities.

to treat someone as though they are not a human being, or to make them lose their human qualities.

Deprived of positive human qualities; treated as not human or as less than human.

treating people as if they are not human, or depriving them of human qualities, often making them seem like objects or animals.

an electrical appliance that removes moisture from the air in a room or building.

to remove water from something, especially food, in order to preserve it

(of a person's body or a substance) having lost a large amount of water

The process of losing too much water from your body.

a machine that removes moisture from food in order to preserve it.

a weak male sex hormone (androgen) produced by the adrenal cortex, and a precursor to other steroid hormones such as testosterone and estrogen.

An enzyme that catalyzes the removal of hydrogen atoms from a particular molecule, especially in biological oxidation-reduction reactions.

Relating to or denoting a word or expression whose meaning is dependent on the context in which it is used, such as 'this', 'that', 'here', or 'now'.

The act of making someone or something into a god.

made into or worshipped as a god

to make someone or something into a god

To do something that one considers to be beneath one's dignity; to condescend reluctantly.

The process of reducing or eliminating industrial activity and capacity in a region or economy.

the belief that god exists and created the universe but does not influence or intervene in human life or the natural world.

a person who believes in a god or gods but rejects the belief in a supernatural god who intervenes in human affairs, especially one who believes in a god known only through reason and nature.

Relating to or characterized by deism; belief in a God who created the universe but does not intervene in its processes.

a god or goddess

Sad and depressed; dispirited.

in a sad and depressed manner; showing a loss of hope or enthusiasm.

a sad and depressed state; low spirits.

A midday meal; lunch.

To deceive or fake an opponent in sports, especially ice hockey or lacrosse, by a deceptive movement of the body or the puck/ball.

The process of splitting or separating into thin layers or sheets.

To cause someone or something to be slow or late

Happening at a later time than planned or expected

(present participle of delay) To cause someone or something to be slow or late

(of food or drink) extremely delicious and pleasing to the senses.

in a way that gives great pleasure, especially to the taste; deliciously

great pleasure and enjoyment

a person chosen or elected to vote or act for others

(past tense and past participle of delegate) to give part of your work, power, or authority to someone else so that they can do it for you

A group of people chosen to represent a larger organization or country, especially at a meeting or conference.

relating to or involving the delegation of authority, power, or responsibility.

a person who delegates or entrusts a task or responsibility to another.

the act or process of making something seem less valid or acceptable.

the act or process of making something seem not valid or acceptable.

To remove or erase something, especially written or stored information.

Removed or erased, especially from a computer file, document, or record.

Causing harm or damage, especially in a subtle or gradual way.

The act or process of removing or erasing something, especially from a document, recording, or computer file.

A type of fine tin-glazed earthenware, typically decorated in blue on a white background, originally made in the city of Delft in the Netherlands.

A type of tin-glazed earthenware pottery, typically decorated in blue on a white background, originally made in the city of Delft in the Netherlands.

a shop or part of a shop that sells high-quality, often unusual or foreign, foods that are ready to eat or require little preparation.

done consciously and intentionally; not accidental

in a careful and unhurried way

the quality of being slow, careful, and unhurried in thought, speech, or action.

long and careful thought or discussion.

relating to or involving discussion or careful consideration, especially before making a decision.

a rare or expensive type of food, considered very pleasant to eat