The definition for abate is "Become less in amount or intensity." Used in a sentence: Just when it seemed the rain would never stop, the storm suddenly began to abate.

The definition for authoritarian is "Favoring absolute obedience to authority." Used in a sentence: Marco's authoritarian mother never allowed him to watch more than one hour of television a day.

The definition for curtail is "To make less." Used in a sentence: Doreen decided to curtail her spending after she bounced a check.

The definition for derivative is "Lacking originality." Used in a sentence: Critics panned the movie as a derivative version of last year's Best Picture.

The definition for pretentious is "Making unjustified claims." Used in a sentence: The pretentious boy said that he was the fastest runner, but he finished last in the race.