curtail
The definition for curtail is "To make less." Used in a sentence: Doreen decided to curtail her spending after she bounced a check.
demean
The definition for demean is "To lower status." Used in a sentence: The embarrassing photograph demeaned the candidate in the eyes of the voters.
futile
The definition for futile is "Without purpose, completely ineffective." Used in a sentence: Arguing with Andrew is futile because he never changes his mind.
pretense
The definition for pretense is "False intention or purpose." Used in a sentence: The jewel thief entered the mansion under the pretense of fixing a leaky faucet.
prune
The definition for prune is "To reduce by removing excess." Used in a sentence: The candidate pruned his speech so he would not exceed the time limit.