Vocabulary in Use: Upper-Intermediate

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look down on

To consider someone or something as inferior. Example: She looks down on people who have not attended university.

come up with

To suggest or think of an idea or plan. Example: We need to come up with a better solution for this project.

put off

To postpone or delay doing something. Example: Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

run out of

To use all of something so that none is left. Example: We ran out of milk, so I drank black coffee.

narrow-minded

Unwilling to accept or consider different ideas or opinions. Example: A narrow-minded person rarely welcomes new perspectives.

absent-minded

Often forgetting things or not paying attention. Example: Grandfather is absent-minded and often misplaces his keys.

bad-tempered

Easily annoyed or made angry. Example: He gets very bad-tempered when he does not sleep enough.

laid-back

Relaxed and easy-going in manner and character. Example: She has a laid-back attitude towards deadlines.

conscientious

Wishing to do one's work or duty thoroughly and well. Example: A conscientious student always checks their assignments.

reliable

Consistently good in quality or performance; able to be trusted. Example: Lucas is the most reliable worker on our team.

stubborn

Determined not to change one's opinion or attitude. Example: He was too stubborn to admit that he had made an error.

insomnia

Habitual sleeplessness or inability to sleep. Example: Stress at work caused her to suffer from chronic insomnia.

sprain

To wrench or twist the ligaments of a joint violently. Example: She slipped on the ice and managed to sprain her ankle.

blister

A small bubble on the skin filled with serum, caused by friction. Example: These new running shoes gave me a painful blister.

relieve

To cause pain, distress, or difficulty to become less severe. Example: Aspirin helped relieve her severe headache.

downpour

A heavy fall of rain. Example: We got caught in a sudden downpour without an umbrella.

scorching

Extremely hot. Example: It was a scorching afternoon in the middle of July.

breeze

A gentle and pleasant wind. Example: A cool evening breeze made the coastal walk delightful.

blizzard

A severe snowstorm with high winds and low visibility. Example: The mountain roads were blocked due to a sudden blizzard.

commute

To travel some distance between home and work regularly. Example: Many commuters spend over an hour travelling to work every day.

rush hour

A time of heavy traffic congestion. Example: It is wise to avoid taking the motorway during rush hour.

pedestrian

A person walking rather than travelling in a vehicle. Example: Drivers must yield to pedestrians at the zebra crossing.

congestion

The state of being crowded and full of traffic. Example: Traffic congestion has become a serious issue in the city center.

redundant

No longer needed for a job and therefore dismissed. Example: Fifty factory workers were made redundant last month.

resign

To voluntarily leave a job or post. Example: She decided to resign after ten years of service.

promote

To raise someone to a higher position or rank. Example: He worked hard and was quickly promoted to manager.

perk

An advantage or benefit given to an employee beyond salary. Example: A company car is one of the key perks of this job.

curriculum

The subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college. Example: The national curriculum emphasizes science and mathematics.

revise

To reread and study work done previously to prepare for an exam. Example: I spent the whole weekend revising for the biology test.

assignment

A task or piece of work allocated to someone as part of a course. Example: The teacher gave us a written assignment due next Monday.

broaden

To make or become larger in scope or range. Example: Travelling abroad helps broaden your perspective on the world.

appliance

A device or piece of equipment designed to perform a domestic task. Example: Modern kitchen appliances save a great deal of time.

cluttered

Untidy and filled with too many objects. Example: His desk was so cluttered that he could not find his pen.

spacious

Having plenty of space to move around; roomy. Example: The living room is bright, comfortable, and spacious.

cosy

Giving a feeling of comfort, warmth, and relaxation. Example: We spent the evening reading in a cosy room by the fire.

gourmet

Involving high-quality or exotic food, or fond of good food. Example: They celebrated their anniversary at a gourmet restaurant.

savory

Belonging to the category that is salty or spicy rather than sweet. Example: I prefer savory snacks like crisps over sugary treats.

bland

Lacking strong features or taste and therefore uninteresting. Example: The soup was completely bland because they forgot the salt.

leftovers

Remaining food after a meal has ended. Example: We heated the pizza leftovers for lunch the next day.

rip-off

Something that is far more expensive than it should be. Example: Charging ten pounds for a cup of coffee is a total rip-off.

bargain

A thing bought or offered for sale more cheaply than is usual. Example: She bought an antique vase at the flea market for a real bargain.

refund

A repayment of a sum of money, especially to a dissatisfied customer. Example: The shop refused to give a refund without the receipt.

extravagant

Spending much more money than is necessary or wise. Example: Buying a third sports car was an extravagant purchase.

thrifty

Using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully. Example: Being thrifty allowed them to save enough for a new house.

fascinating

Extremely interesting or captivating. Example: The documentary offered a fascinating look at deep-sea creatures.

tedious

Too long, slow, or dull; tiresome or monotonous. Example: Entering numerical data into spreadsheets all day is tedious work.

thrilled

Extremely pleased and excited. Example: She was thrilled to hear that she had passed the exam.

devastated

Extremely shocked, upset, and saddened. Example: He was devastated by the sudden loss of his beloved pet.

astonished

Greatly surprised or impressed; amazed. Example: We were astonished to discover how fast the technology advanced.

exhausted

Completely drained of physical or mental energy. Example: After running the full marathon, runners were totally exhausted.

hospitable

Friendly and welcoming to visitors or guests. Example: The local villagers were exceptionally kind and hospitable.

reluctant

Unwilling and hesitant to do something. Example: He was reluctant to admit that he needed financial help.

sustainable

Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level without depleting resources. Example: Wind energy provides a clean and sustainable power source.

controversial

Giving rise or likely to give rise to public disagreement. Example: The government passed a highly controversial new taxation law.

compulsory

Required by law or a rule; obligatory. Example: Wearing a seat belt in a vehicle is compulsory in most countries.