ACT Humanities - Damage and Danger

Here you will learn some English words related to damage and danger, such as "lethal", "ravage", "plight", etc. that will help you ace your ACTs.

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to jeopardize [verb]

to put something or someone in danger

Ex: Skipping safety checks could jeopardize the integrity of the entire project .

to imperil [verb]

to endanger a person or thing

Ex: The lack of safety measures could imperil the lives of the workers on the construction site .

to threaten [verb]

to say that one is willing to damage something or hurt someone if one's demands are not met

Ex: The landlord threatened to evict the tenants if they did n't pay the rent on time .

to compromise [verb]

to put someone or something in danger, particularly by being careless

Ex: The ongoing neglect of cybersecurity is compromising the integrity of data .

to inflict [verb]

to cause or impose something unpleasant, harmful, or unwelcome upon someone or something

Ex: The criminal 's goal was to inflict fear on the community through acts of violence .

to afflict [verb]

to cause pain, suffering, or distress, often as a result of illness, injury, or hardship

Ex: If left unchecked , climate change will afflict future generations with catastrophic consequences .

to contaminate [verb]

to make a place, substance, etc. dirty or harmful by adding dangerous material

Ex: Food can be contaminated if not stored properly or if handled in unsanitary conditions .

to trouble [verb]

to create problems for someone, resulting in hardship

Ex: Unexpected expenses can trouble individuals and disrupt their financial stability .

to mar [verb]

to cause severe damage or destruction

Ex: The accident marred her perfect record of never missing a day of work .

to debilitate [verb]

to make someone or something weaker or less effective

Ex: Malnutrition can debilitate a child 's growth and development , leading to long-term health issues .

to decimate [verb]

to kill large groups of people

Ex: The famine had the potential to decimate the already vulnerable communities .

to ambush [verb]

to wait in a concealed location and launch a surprise attack on a target

Ex: The hunters silently ambushed the prey , waiting patiently for the perfect moment to strike .

to ravage [verb]

to cause severe destruction or damage

Ex: The wildfire continued to ravage the forest , consuming everything in its path .

to sully [verb]

to degrade or tarnish something pure and perfect, especially the reputation of someone

to discredit [verb]

to make people believe someone or something is not trustworthy or reliable

Ex: The campaign was designed to discredit the opponent ’s character and policies .

to debunk [verb]

to reveal the exaggeration or falseness of a belief, claim, idea, etc.

Ex: The expert used data and research to debunk the false information circulating on social media about the effectiveness of a particular health supplement .

toxicity [noun]

the harmful effects or potential for harm caused by a substance to living organisms or the environment

Ex: Environmental activists raised concerns about the toxicity of air pollution from nearby industrial plants .

bane [noun]

something that causes continual trouble, misery, or destruction

Ex: The faulty wiring became the bane of the renovation project .

plight [noun]

an unpleasant, sad, or difficult situation

inoffensive [adjective]

unable to cause harm

menacing [adjective]

appearing threatening or dangerous

Ex: The menacing glare of the stranger on the subway made her feel uneasy .

hazardous [adjective]

presenting danger or threat, particularly to people's health or safety

Ex: The hazardous road conditions made driving treacherous during the snowstorm .

inimical [adjective]

not useful for friendly relations or mutual cooperation

Ex: The inimical rivalry between the two soccer teams escalated into physical altercations both on and off the field .

poisonous [adjective]

consisting of toxic substances that can cause harm or death

Ex: We learned to identify poisonous berries during our camping trip to avoid any accidents .

corrosive [adjective]

having the ability to cause damage or destruction, especially through chemical reactions

Ex: The corrosive acid ate away at the metal surface .

noxious [adjective]

causing harm

Ex: His noxious attitude poisoned the team 's morale .

inhospitable [adjective]

providing an environment where life or growth is difficult or impossible

Ex: The inhospitable conditions in the area have led to very few inhabitants .

susceptible [adjective]

easily affected by external factors

Ex: Patients undergoing chemotherapy are advised to avoid live virus vaccines as their immune systems are more susceptible to active infections during treatment .

inviolate [adjective]

not affected, and immune to harm, change, disrespect, or destruction

Ex:

innocuous [adjective]

not likely to cause injury, offense, or strong reaction

Ex: She made an innocuous joke that lightened the mood .

ominous [adjective]

giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen

Ex: His ominous warning about the future of the company left the employees feeling uneasy .

devastating [adjective]

causing severe damage, destruction, or emotional distress

Ex: The devastating consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly evident around the world .

lethal [adjective]

capable of causing death

Ex:

treacherous [adjective]

posing a hidden or sudden threat

Ex: He crossed a treacherous river with the help of a guide .

irreparable [adjective]

impossible to become fixed or right again

catastrophic [adjective]

causing a great deal of harm, suffering, or damage

Ex: The catastrophic failure of the dam led to massive flooding downstream .

ACT Humanities
History and Archaeology	Literature and Culture	Art and Craft	Performance Arts and Media
Music	Social Sciences	Business and Management	Politics and Legislature
Power and Ruling	Law and Obligations	Conflict and Compliance	Challenges and Struggles
Damage and Danger	Religion and Beliefs	Moral Behavior	Immoral Behavior
Regularity and Rationality	Irregularity and Irrationality	Certainty and Uncertainty	Causality and Intentionality
Communication	Interaction