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 adversary is "One who opposes or resists." Used in a sentence: Franklin hoped to defeat his adversary in the afternoon's tennis match.

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 gruff is "Rough or stern in manner or speech." Used in a sentence: Heidi's grandfather was gruff, barking stern orders and hardly smiling.

The definition for servile is "Fearfully submissive." Used in a sentence: Felicia's servile attitude annoyed her boss, who preferred an assistant with more backbone.