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 appraise is "To evaluate the worth of." Used in a sentence: Simone, an expert in African sculpture, was asked to appraise the ambassador's collection of masks.

The definition for diffident is "Lacking self–confidence." Used in a sentence: The diffident student never raised her hand in class, even when she knew the answer.

The definition for distortion is "The act of twisting out of shape." Used in a sentence: The story about the actress in the gossip column was a distortion of the truth.

The definition for redouble is "To make twice as great." Used in a sentence: As the sun began to set, Brittany redoubled her effort to find the necklace she had dropped in the field.