dichotomy

dichotomy    [dahy-Kot-uh-mee]

noun.  a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses

"The dichotomy between eastern and western culture."

"All cars are either small and efficient or large and polluting creates a false dichotomy because there are some cars that don't fit into either category."

"The role of mother or not-mother is such a deep dichotomy for women in our culture."

acrimony

acrimony    [Ak-ruh-moh-nee]

noun. bitterness or ill feeling

"There has been extreme acrimony building between the Miami Heat and Wade over the last week. Dwyane Wade will now sign with the Bulls."

"Instead of acrimony, Obama and Trudeau both resolved that there was a real opportunity for our countries to increase our partnership on climate change.”

"The case accelerated acrimony and distrust between the US government and Silicon Valley, particularly over digital security."

cantankerous

cantankerous [kan-Tang-ker-uh s]

adjective. disagreeable to deal with, contentious

"The 2015 Phillies had the worst record in baseball. The Eagles just fired head coach Chip Kelly. The Flyers missed the playoffs. It was enough to drive Philly’s famously cantankerous sports fans to new levels of despair."

"There is a cult of personality around Bernie Sanders, who is a straight-talking, cantankerous, unrepentant liberal."

“"a cantankerous and venomous-tongued old lady"- Dorothy Sayers

curmudgeon

curmudgeon [ker-Muhj-uh n]

noun. a bad-tempered, difficult and cranky person

"In Pixar's Finding Dory, Hank is a cranky seven-limbed octopus who helps Dory for selfish reasons. Like all Pixar's best grouchy old curmudgeons, he's full of one-liners and hidden empathy."

"One of our neighbors is an old cranky woman who would scream at playing kids 'get off my lawn!' whenever they are near. She is a classic curmudgeon."

"Coffee drinkers can be thought of as curmudgeons, but research has actually linked regular java consumption to positivity."

smokescreen

smokescreen 

noun.  something intended to disguise, conceal, or deceive

"The Brexit leave-campaign's promises were just a smoke screen."

"Dwyane Wade’s meeting with New York Knicks appears to be smokescreen. Knicks will not sign the free agent Dwyane."

"She tried to create a smokescreen by quibbling about the statistics"

close-knit

close-knit

addictive.  (of a group of people) united or bound together by strong relationships and common interests.

"a close-knit community", "a close-knit family", "a close-knit circle"

“I’ll tell you one thing about this club is we have a close-knit bunch of guys, and guys care about each other, and we’re pulling for each other,” Headley on New York Yankees

vouch

vouch    [vouch] 

verb.  assert or confirm as a result of one's own experience that something is true 

"I understand the hardest thing to do is not writing the check. The hardest thing is vouching. When you vouch for them you say 'I'm putting my reputation on the line, I believe this person is a good person, has character," -- U.S. Vice President Biden

"They say New York is the city that never sleeps, and I can certainly vouch for that". 

"His record in office vouches for his integrity."