Adulterate

Verb

To corrupt, make worse by the addition of something of lesser value.

Example sentence- When you adulterate a recipe by adding too much salt, it can ruin the flavor of the dish.

Bereft

Verb, adjective.

Deprived of; made unhappy through a loss.

Example sentence- After the storm, the town was bereft of power for days, leaving everyone feeling empty and isolated.

Dour

Adjective

Stern, unyielding, gloomy, ill-humored.

Example sentence- The teacher had a dour expression on her face when the students were noisy, making everyone quiet down quickly.

Fortitude

Noun

Courage in facing difficulties.

Example sentence- Despite the challenges she faced in the competition, she showed great fortitude and never gave up.

Gape

Verb

to stare with open mouth; to open the mouth wide; to open wide

Example sentence- The children would gape in amazement at the magician's tricks, their eyes wide with wonder.

Insidious

Adjective

Intended to deceive or entrap; sly, treacherous.

Example sentence- Her insidious charm made it easy for her to manipulate those around her without them even realizing it.

Pliable

Adjective

Easily bent, flexible; easily influenced

Example sentence- The pliable dough was easy to shape into various forms for the cookies.

Verbatim

Adjective, adverb.

Word for word, exactly as written or spoken
Example sentence- The student copied the passage verbatim from the textbook, making sure every word was accurate.

Warily

Adverb

Cautiously, with great care.
Example sentence- She approached the stray dog warily, unsure if it would be friendly or aggressive.