English Synonyms and Antonyms

Govern carries the idea of authoritative administration or some exercise of authority that is at once effective
and continuous; control is effective, but may be momentary or occasional. One controls what he holds or can
hold at will absolutely in check; as, a skilful horseman controls a spirited horse; a person controls his temper;
we say to one who is excited, "control yourself." A person commands another when he has, or claims, the
right to make that other do his will, with power of inflicting penalty if not obeyed; he controls another whom
he can effectually prevent from doing anything contrary to his will; he governs one whom he actually does
cause, regularly or constantly, to obey his will; a parent may command a child whom he can not govern or
control. The best teachers are not greatly prone to command, but govern or control their pupils largely by
other means. Command is, however, often used in the sense of securing, as well as requiring, submission or
obedience, as when we speak of a commanding influence; a man commands the situation when he can shape
events as he pleases; a fortress commands the region when no enemy can pass against its resistance. Govern
Synonyms and Antonyms, by James Champlin Fernald
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implies the exercise of knowledge and judgment as well as power. To rule is more absolute and autocratic
than to govern; to sway is to move by quiet but effectual influence; to mold is not only to influence feeling and
action, but to shape character; to manage is to secure by skilful contrivance the doing of one's will by those
whom one can not directly control; a wise mother, by gentle means, sways the feelings and molds the lives of
her children; to be able to manage servants is an important element of good housekeeping. The word reign,
once so absolute, now simply denotes that one holds the official station of sovereign in a monarchy, with or
without effective power; the Queen of England reigns; the Czar of Russia both reigns and rules.
Antonyms:
be in subjection, be subject, comply, obey, submit, yield.
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GRACEFUL.
Synonym:
beautiful.
That which is graceful is marked by elegance and harmony, with ease of action, attitude, or posture, or
delicacy of form. Graceful commonly suggests motion or the possibility of motion; beautiful may apply to
absolute fixity; a landscape or a blue sky is beautiful, but neither is graceful. Graceful commonly applies to
beauty as addressed to the eye, tho we often speak of a graceful poem or a graceful compliment. Graceful
applies to the perfection of motion, especially of the lighter motions, which convey no suggestion of stress or
strain, and are in harmonious curves. Apart from the thought of motion, graceful denotes a pleasing harmony
of outline, proportion, etc., with a certain degree of delicacy; a Hercules is massive, an Apollo is graceful. We
speak of a graceful attitude, graceful drapery. Compare BEAUTIFUL; BECOMING.
Antonyms:
See synonyms for AWKWARD.
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GRIEF.
Synonyms:
affliction, melancholy, regret, sorrow, trouble, distress, mourning, sadness, tribulation, wo.
Grief is acute mental pain resulting from loss, misfortune, or deep disappointment. Grief is more acute and
less enduring than sorrow. Sorrow and grief are for definite cause; sadness and melancholy may arise from a
vague sense of want or loss, from a low state of health, or other ill-defined cause; sadness may be momentary;