Advanced English Vocabulary

Cards · 50

exacerbate

His angry remarks only served to exacerbate the tense argument between the coworkers.

plausible

The detective concluded that the suspect gave a plausible explanation for his whereabouts that evening.

inconspicuous

She tried to remain inconspicuous by sitting quietly in the back corner of the crowded auditorium.

hypothetical

Let us consider a hypothetical situation where clean energy is free and abundant for everyone.

impartial

A judge must remain strictly impartial and consider only the evidence presented in the courtroom.

connotation

The word slim carries a positive connotation, whereas skinny can sometimes sound critical.

repercussion

The factory closure had severe economic repercussions for the entire local community.

unprecedented

The region experienced an unprecedented heatwave that shattered temperature records set a century ago.

incessant

The incessant buzzing of the overhead projector made it difficult for students to concentrate on the lecture.

circumstantial

The prosecutor admitted that the fingerprint on the glass was purely circumstantial evidence without an eyewitness.

astute

An astute investor noticed the market trend early and made a substantial profit before others caught on.

pragmatic

Rather than chasing an unrealistic ideal, they adopted a pragmatic strategy to balance the budget.

ambiguous

The contract contained ambiguous language that led to endless disputes between both business partners.

lucid

Despite suffering from a high fever, the patient gave a remarkably lucid account of her symptoms.

scrutinize

Customs officers carefully scrutinize every passport before allowing passengers through the gate.

tenuous

His argument relied on a tenuous link between two completely unrelated economic studies.

ubiquitous

Smartphones have become so ubiquitous that almost everyone carries one wherever they travel.

ephemeral

The vibrant colors of the autumn leaves were beautiful but ephemeral, lasting only a few weeks.

resilient

Children are remarkably resilient and often adapt to major life changes faster than their parents do.

disparity

A wide economic disparity remains between the thriving capital city and rural farming towns.

substantiate

The journalist refused to publish the article until she could substantiate the claims with reliable sources.

mitigate

Planting more trees along city streets helps mitigate the urban heat island effect during summer.

prolific

The prolific author published three bestselling novels and numerous short essays in a single year.

complacent

The championship team grew complacent after their early lead and nearly lost the final match.

divergent

The two economists held divergent views on how rising interest rates would impact inflation.

comprehensive

The university library offers a comprehensive collection of medical texts covering five centuries.

meticulous

The watchmaker did meticulous work, carefully placing each tiny gear inside the antique clock.

superficial

Fortunately, the inspection revealed only superficial scratches on the car door rather than structural damage.

corroborate

Security camera footage helped corroborate the witness's claim that a red truck ran the red light.

adversity

She demonstrated remarkable courage in the face of continuous personal and financial adversity.

inherent

Skydiving carries an inherent risk that every participant must acknowledge before jumping.

volatile

The stock market remained highly volatile throughout the week following the sudden bank failure.

pensive

He gazed out the train window with a pensive expression, deep in thought about his future plans.

paradoxical

It is paradoxical that modern communication technology can sometimes make people feel more isolated than ever.

prerequisite

Passing the introductory calculus course is an essential prerequisite for advanced engineering classes.

tacit

The quiet nod of approval between the managers gave tacit permission to proceed with the project.

arduous

Climbing the snow-covered mountain peak was an arduous journey that took three grueling days.

equivocal

The politician gave an equivocal answer when asked directly about his plans to raise sales taxes.

ostentatious

The billionaire arrived in an ostentatious gold-plated sports car that immediately drew stares.

tangible

The company saw tangible benefits from the new training program when customer satisfaction soared by thirty percent.

fallacious

His conclusion rested on the fallacious assumption that all correlation implies direct causation.

imperative

It is imperative that all lab researchers wear safety goggles whenever handling corrosive chemicals.

judicious

Thanks to a judicious allocation of emergency funds, the town recovered quickly from the flash flood.

succinct

Her succinct summary of the hundred-page report captured the main findings in just three bullet points.

redundant

Automated proofreading tools quickly flag redundant phrases like repeat again or close proximity.

surreptitious

The spy cast a surreptitious glance over his shoulder before slipping the envelope into the dead drop.

candid

In a candid interview, the retiring CEO spoke openly about the mistakes made during her tenure.

tenacious

The investigative reporter remained tenacious, pursuing leads for months until the truth came to light.

arbitrary

Imposing an arbitrary deadline without consulting the design team caused unnecessary panic and frustration.

catalyst

The sudden oil shortage served as a catalyst for rapid investment into alternative solar energy.