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noun

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upheaval - A sudden and dramatic change or disruption, especially one that causes confusion and societal disorder.

The economic downturn led to political upheaval and widespread unrest across the nation.

verb

See noun

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splinter - To fragment or shatter, losing unity or cohesion.

The mirror fell and splintered into hundreds of tiny shards.

verb

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perish - To cease to exist or come to an end; disappear or be destroyed.

Many brave soldiers perished in the battle.

verb

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lurk - (of a person or animal) To be hidden so as to wait in ambush for someone or something

Artie lurked under his sister's bed so he could jump out and scare her when she least expected it.

verb

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collide - What happens when a moving object hits something violently

The captain was totally surprised when the Titanic collided with the iceberg.

noun

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heresy - An opinion or belief that contradicts established norms or accepted standards.

Galileo was once accused of heresy for claiming the Earth orbits the sun.

noun

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tinderbox - A volatile or tense environment, emotionally or politically charged, likely to erupt in violence or conflict.

During the blackout, the police were concerned about looting, and the downtown felt like a tinderbox ready to explode.

adjective

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volatile - An unstable situation that is likely to get worse quickly

Victor realized that he had created a volatile chemical that could easily explode if he wasn't very careful

noun

See verb

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crack - A line on the surface of something where it has split without breaking apart.

She noticed a crack in the wall after the small earthquake.

verb

See noun

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decay - To gradually deteriorate or break down, becoming weaker and more damaged.

You couldn't see it from the outside, but the termites caused the house to decay from the inside until it just collappsed.

adjective

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pernicious - Having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way.

People used to think that smoking was good for you because it seemed calming, but now we realize that its pernicious effects are deadly over time.

adjective

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fatal - Something that can cause death.

Since Martha was a diabetic, she knew that eating that piece of strawberry shortcake could be a fatal mistake.