Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb rarefy

3 senses of rarefy

Sense 1
rarefy -- (lessen the density or solidity of; "The bones are rarefied")
       => change, alter, modify -- (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue")

Sense 2
rarefy, sublimate, subtilize -- (make more subtle or refined)
       => change, alter, modify -- (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue")

Sense 3
rarefy, attenuate -- (weaken the consistency of (a chemical substance))
       => weaken -- (lessen the strength of; "The fever weakened his body")

Antonyms of adj rarefied

2 senses of rarefied

Sense 1
rare, rarefied, rarified -- (having low density; "rare gasses"; "lightheaded from the rarefied mountain air")

INDIRECT (VIA thin) -> thick -- (relatively dense in consistency; "thick cream"; "thick soup"; "thick smoke"; "thick fog")

Sense 2
exalted, elevated, sublime, grand, high-flown, high-minded, lofty, rarefied, rarified, idealistic, noble-minded -- (of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style; "an exalted ideal"; "argue in terms of high-flown ideals"- Oliver Franks; "a noble and lofty concept"; "a grand purpose")

INDIRECT (VIA noble) -> ignoble -- (completely lacking nobility in character or quality or purpose; "something cowardly and ignoble in his attitude"; "I think it a less evil that some criminals should escape than that the government should play an ignoble part"- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.)

Similarity of adj rarefied

2 senses of rarefied

Sense 1
rare, rarefied, rarified -- (having low density; "rare gasses"; "lightheaded from the rarefied mountain air")
       => thin (vs. thick) -- (relatively thin in consistency or low in density; not viscous; "air is thin at high altitudes"; "a thin soup"; "skimmed milk is much thinner than whole milk"; "thin oil")

Sense 2
exalted, elevated, sublime, grand, high-flown, high-minded, lofty, rarefied, rarified, idealistic, noble-minded -- (of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style; "an exalted ideal"; "argue in terms of high-flown ideals"- Oliver Franks; "a noble and lofty concept"; "a grand purpose")
       => noble (vs. ignoble) -- (having or showing or indicative of high or elevated character; "a noble spirit"; "noble deeds")