Words beginning with M

288 words

• macabre — disturbing because it concerns death and injury
• machination — a scheming or crafty plot, usually secret and self-serving
• machinery — the organised apparatus through which a system is run
• macroeconomic — relating to the economy as a whole rather than to single markets
• magisterial — relating to a magistrate; also, carrying weighty authority
• magistrate — a judicial officer who tries lesser offences and issues certain orders
• magnanimous — generous and forgiving, especially towards a rival
• magnate — a wealthy and influential person in business
• magnify — to make something appear larger or more serious than it is
• magnitude — the great size or importance of something
• maiden — first of its kind; happening for the very first time
• maim — to injure so severely that a part of the body is permanently disabled
• mainland — the principal landmass of a country, as distinct from its islands
• mainstay — the chief support of something
• mainstream — the ideas or activities regarded as normal or dominant
• mainstreaming — the practice of bringing a marginalised group or concern into central policy
• maintenance — the upkeep of property; money paid for a dependant’s support
• majority — the greater number; the votes needed to carry a proposal
• maladministration — inefficient, negligent or improper conduct of public affairs
• malady — a disease, or a serious problem in a system
• malafide — done in bad faith, with a dishonest motive
• malaise — a general feeling of unease or of something being wrong
• malaria — a mosquito-borne fever caused by a parasite
• malfeasance — wrongdoing by a public official in the exercise of office
• malfunction — to fail to work in the normal or intended way
• malice — the intention to do harm to another
• malicious — intended to cause harm
• malign — to speak ill of someone unfairly
• malignant — very harmful; of a tumour, tending to spread
• malleable — able to be shaped or influenced without breaking
• malnourished — suffering from a diet lacking in adequate or proper nutrients
• malnutrition — a lack of proper nutrition
• malpractice — improper or negligent professional conduct
• malware — software written to damage, disrupt or gain illicit access to a system
• mammoth — extremely large
• management — the act of directing resources, people and processes towards an end
• mandamus — a writ commanding a public authority to perform a duty it has failed to perform
• mandarin — a powerful senior official, especially in the permanent bureaucracy
• mandate — an authority given by an electorate or a superior body
• mandatory — required by law or rule
• mangrove — salt-tolerant coastal forest that shields shorelines from erosion and surge
• manifest — clear and obvious; to show plainly
• manifestation — a visible sign or outward expression of something underlying
• manifesto — a public declaration of policy by a party or group
• manifold — many and of various kinds
• manipulate — to control or alter something unfairly for one’s own ends
• manoeuvre — a skilful or cunning move to gain an advantage
• manpower — the number of people available for a task or service
• manslaughter — unlawful killing without the intention that amounts to murder
• mantle — a role or responsibility passed from one holder to the next
• manual — done by hand rather than by machine; also, a handbook of procedure
• manufacture — to make goods on a large scale using machinery and labour
• margin — the edge of something; the gap by which one figure exceeds another
• marginal — small in importance or effect; at the edge
• marginalisation — the process of pushing a group to the edge of social or economic life
• marginalise — to push a group to the edge of society or of a decision
• marine — of or relating to the sea and its life
• marital — relating to marriage or to the relation between spouses
• maritime — connected with the sea, shipping and coastal trade
• marked — clearly noticeable
• marketable — fit to be sold; commanding demand in the market
• marsh — low waterlogged land, often rich in bird life
• marshal — to gather and arrange facts or forces in order
• martial — relating to war or the armed forces
• martyr — a person who suffers or dies for a cause
• masquerade — to pretend to be something one is not
• massacre — the deliberate killing of a large number of people
• massive — extremely large or severe
• mastermind — the person who plans and directs a complex operation, often criminal
• mastery — complete command of a subject or skill
• materialise — to become a fact; to actually happen
• maternal — relating to a mother, especially in matters of health
• maternity — the state of motherhood; the period around childbirth
• matrilineal — tracing descent and inheritance through the mother’s line
• matrimonial — relating to marriage and to disputes arising from it
• maturity — the date on which a loan or bond falls due; also, ripeness of judgement
• mausoleum — a stately building raised over a tomb
• maverick — a person who thinks and acts independently of the group
• maxim — a short statement expressing a general truth or rule
• maximise — to increase something to the greatest possible extent
• mayhem — violent disorder and confusion
• mayor — the elected head of a municipal corporation
• meagre — very small in quantity or amount
• meander — to wander without a clear direction
• measure — a step taken to achieve an end; also, a proposed piece of legislation
• mechanise — to introduce machinery in place of manual labour
• mechanism — an established procedure by which a system produces a result
• meddle — to interfere in something that is not one’s concern
• mediate — to help two disputing parties reach an agreement
• mediation — the process of settling a dispute through a neutral third party
• medicinal — having healing properties; used as medicine
• medieval — belonging to the middle ages; by extension, outdated in outlook
• mediocre — of only average quality; not good enough
• mediocrity — the state of being merely average
• medium-term — covering a period between the immediate and the distant future
• meek — quiet, gentle and unwilling to argue
• megacity — a city with an extremely large population, usually above ten million
• melancholy — a deep and lasting sadness
• meltdown — a sudden and complete collapse, especially of a financial system
• memorable — worth remembering; remarkable
• memorandum — a written note recording a decision or making a request
• memorial — a structure or a formal written representation preserving a claim or memory
• menace — a person or thing likely to cause harm; a threat
• mendicancy — the condition or practice of living by begging
• menial — of low status and requiring little skill
• mentor — an experienced person who advises a junior
• mercantile — relating to trade and commerce
• mercantilism — the doctrine that national power grows by maximising exports and hoarding bullion
• mercenary — motivated only by money
• merchandise — goods bought and sold in trade
• mercurial — changing mood or opinion suddenly and often
• mercury — a toxic heavy metal whose emissions are internationally regulated
• mercy — compassion shown towards someone in one’s power
• mercy petition — a plea to the President or Governor seeking pardon or commutation of a sentence
• merger — the combining of two organisations into one
• merit — the quality of deserving something; the substance of a case
• meritocracy — a system in which advancement depends on demonstrated ability
• meritorious — deserving reward or praise
• metamorphosis — a complete change of form or character
• meteoric — extremely rapid, especially in rise or success
• meteorological — relating to the study and forecasting of weather
• methodical — done according to a careful and orderly system
• methodology — the system of methods followed in a study or an exercise
• meticulous — showing great attention to detail
• metric — a standard of measurement used to judge performance
• metropolis — a large and important city, usually the chief city of a region
• metropolitan — relating to a large city and its surrounding area
• mettle — a person’s ability to face difficulty with courage
• microcosm — a small thing that reflects the character of a much larger whole
• microfinance — the provision of very small loans and savings services to the poor
• microplastics — plastic fragments smaller than five millimetres that persist in the environment
• midday — the middle of the day, around noon
• middleman — an intermediary who buys from the producer and sells to the buyer
• midterm — occurring midway through a fixed period or tenure
• midwifery — the practice of assisting women through pregnancy and childbirth
• migrant — a person who moves from one place to another in search of work or safety
• migrate — to move from one place to another to live or work
• migration — the movement of people from one place to another
• migratory — moving seasonally from one region to another
• milestone — an important stage in a process
• milieu — the social and cultural surroundings in which something occurs
• militancy — aggressive and often armed activity in support of a cause
• militant — aggressively active in support of a cause
• militarise — to equip or organise a region or force along military lines
• militarism — the belief that a state should maintain and readily use strong armed forces
• militate — to be a strong factor working against something
• militia — an armed body of civilians raised outside the regular forces
• millennium — a period of one thousand years
• millet — a group of hardy coarse grains grown with little water
• mimic — to copy someone’s speech or manner, often to mock
• mindful — conscious or aware of something
• mindset — a settled way of thinking that shapes how one responds
• mineral — a naturally occurring substance obtained by mining
• mingle — to mix together with others
• minimal — as small an amount as possible
• minimise — to reduce something to the smallest possible amount
• minimum — the least quantity or amount permitted or possible
• minister — a member of the political executive holding charge of a portfolio
• ministerial — relating to a minister; also, purely routine and involving no discretion
• ministry — a department of government headed by a minister
• minor — a person below the age of legal majority; also, of lesser importance
• minority — a smaller group differing from the majority in religion, language or opinion
• minute — extremely small; also the official record of a meeting
• minutiae — the small and precise details of a matter
• mirage — something that appears real but proves to be an illusion
• mire — to entangle in difficulty from which escape is slow
• misadventure — an unlucky mishap; in law, an accidental death without criminal intent
• misappropriate — to dishonestly take money entrusted to one’s care
• misappropriation — the dishonest application of money or property entrusted to one’s care
• misbehaviour — improper conduct, especially the proved misconduct that can remove a judge
• miscalculation — an error in estimating a quantity, cost or consequence
• miscarriage — a failure of a process to achieve its proper result
• miscellaneous — consisting of items of various different kinds
• mischief — playful or deliberate behaviour causing harm or trouble
• misconception — a mistaken belief
• misconduct — unacceptable behaviour by a person in a position of trust
• misconstrue — to interpret something wrongly
• miscreant — a person who behaves badly or unlawfully
• misdemeanour — a minor wrongdoing
• miserable — wretchedly unhappy or of very poor quality
• misery — great suffering or distress
• misfeasance — the improper performance of an act that is itself lawful
• misfortune — bad luck or an unfortunate event
• misgiving — a feeling of doubt about a course of action
• misgovernance — the failure to govern honestly, competently or accountably
• mishap — an unfortunate accident
• misinformation — false or misleading information, whether or not spread deliberately
• misinterpret — to understand something incorrectly
• mislead — to cause someone to believe something untrue
• mismanagement — bad or careless handling of an organisation or resource
• mismatch — a failure to correspond or fit together
• misnomer — a name or term that is wrongly applied
• misogyny — entrenched hatred of or prejudice against women
• misrepresent — to give a false account of something
• misrepresentation — a false statement of fact that induces another to act
• misrule — oppressive or incompetent government
• mission — a large organised programme with a defined objective and timeline
• mistrust — lack of confidence in the honesty or competence of another
• misuse — to use wrongly or for an improper purpose
• mitigate — to make less severe
• mitigating — tending to lessen the seriousness of an offence or a penalty
• mitigation — action taken to reduce the severity or impact of something harmful
• mob — a large disorderly crowd, often prone to violence
• mobilisation — the act of gathering resources or people for a purpose
• mobilise — to organise people or resources for a purpose
• mobility — the ability to move between places, jobs or social positions
• mobocracy — rule by an unruly crowd rather than by law
• mockery — ridicule; something that is an absurd imitation of the real thing
• modality — the particular manner or procedure by which something is done
• moderate — average in degree; avoiding extremes
• moderation — the avoidance of extremes; restraint in conduct or opinion
• modernisation — the process of updating institutions, equipment or practices
• modest — not large in amount; unassuming in manner
• modicum — a small quantity of something desirable
• modification — a change made to alter something without replacing it
• modify — to make partial changes to something
• modus operandi — the characteristic method by which a person or group operates
• molest — to assault or interfere with a person sexually
• mollify — to soothe anger and make a person less hostile
• momentous — of great importance in its consequences
• momentum — the force that keeps a process moving forward
• monarchy — a state ruled by a hereditary sovereign
• monetary — relating to money or currency
• monetisation — converting an asset into revenue by leasing, selling or charging for it
• moneylender — a private lender, often unlicensed, who advances money at high interest
• monitor — to observe and check progress over a period of time
• monoculture — the practice of growing a single crop over a large area year after year
• monolithic — large, uniform and resistant to internal difference or change
• monopolise — to take exclusive control of a market, resource or discussion
• monopoly — exclusive control of a market by one supplier
• monotonous — dull and unvarying
• monsoon — the seasonal wind system that brings the country its main rainfall
• monumental — very great in extent or importance
• moonlighting — holding a second, usually undisclosed, job alongside one’s regular employment
• moot — open to debate; to raise a point for discussion
• moral hazard — the risk that protection from consequences will encourage reckless behaviour
• moral turpitude — baseness or depravity in conduct, a ground for legal disqualification
• morale — the confidence and spirit of a group
• morality — principles concerning right and wrong conduct
• morass — a complicated and confusing situation that is hard to escape
• moratorium — a temporary official ban or suspension of an activity
• morbid — unhealthily preoccupied with disease or death
• morbidity — the incidence or prevalence of disease in a population
• moribund — in a dying state; no longer effective
• mortality — the rate at which deaths occur in a given population
• mortgage — the pledging of immovable property as security for a loan
• mosaic — a composite whole made of many distinct pieces
• mothball — to put something aside and keep it out of use for a long period
• motion — a formal proposal put before a House for its decision
• motivate — to give someone a reason to act
• motive — the reason behind an action
• mould — to shape or strongly influence the development of something
• mounting — steadily increasing, usually of pressure, debt or criticism
• mourn — to feel or express deep sorrow at a death or loss
• mouthpiece — a person or publication that voices the views of another
• movable — capable of being shifted; in law, property other than land and buildings
• muddle — a confused and disordered state
• mudslinging — the practice of making damaging personal allegations against an opponent
• multicultural — made up of, or relating to, several distinct cultural groups
• multidimensional — having several distinct aspects that must be measured together
• multidisciplinary — drawing on several fields of study at once
• multifaceted — having many different aspects
• multifarious — of many different kinds; varied in nature
• multilateral — involving three or more countries or parties
• multilingual — using or able to use several languages
• multimodal — combining several modes of transport within one integrated network
• multinational — operating in several countries at the same time
• multiparty — involving several political parties competing for power
• multiplicity — a large number or variety of things
• multiplier — the factor by which an initial injection of spending raises total output
• multipurpose — designed to serve more than one function at the same time
• multitude — a very large number of people or things
• mundane — ordinary and lacking interest
• municipal — relating to a city or town and its local government
• municipality — an urban local body constituted to govern a town or city
• munificent — extremely generous in giving
• munitions — military weapons, ammunition and equipment
• muster — to gather together; also, the roll on which attendance is recorded
• mutation — the change of ownership recorded in the revenue register after a transfer
• mute — silent; refraining from speaking when speech is expected
• mutilate — to damage severely by cutting off or destroying a part
• mutiny — an open rebellion against lawful authority, especially in a force
• mutual — felt or done by each towards the other
• muzzle — to prevent a person or the press from expressing views freely
• myopia — short-sightedness, especially in planning and policy
• myopic — lacking foresight; short-sighted in outlook
• myriad — a very great number of things
• myth — a widely held but false belief; a traditional story