lexicow

All words

45 academic words for TOEFL & IELTS, each with its own definition, examples, synonyms, exam notes — and a scene that acts out its meaning.

A

  • abateverbto become less intense, severe, or widespread
  • accumulateverbto gather or build up gradually, little by little
  • ambiguousadjectiveopen to more than one interpretation; not having one clear meaning
  • anomalynounsomething that deviates from what is normal, standard, or expected

B

  • benevolentadjectivewell-meaning and kindly; intending good for others

C

  • catalystnounsomething that precipitates change without being changed itself
  • coherentadjectivelogical and well organized; holding together as a clear whole
  • convergeverbto come together from different directions toward one point

D

  • deteriorateverbto become progressively worse
  • diligentadjectiveshowing careful, steady, and persistent effort
  • disperseverbto spread out over a wide area; to scatter or cause to scatter
  • dormantadjectivetemporarily inactive; alive or present but not currently active

E

  • elaborateadjectiverich in carefully arranged detail; intricately worked out
  • ephemeraladjectivelasting for a very short time; fleeting
  • equilibriumnouna state of balance between opposing forces or influences
  • erodeverbto wear away gradually, by natural forces or steady pressure

F

  • fluctuateverbto rise and fall irregularly; to vary continually

H

  • hypothesisnouna proposed explanation used as a starting point for investigation

I

  • inevitableadjectivecertain to happen; impossible to avoid or prevent
  • inherentadjectiveexisting as a natural, inseparable quality of something

J

  • juxtaposeverbto place side by side, especially to highlight a contrast

M

  • meticulousadjectiveshowing extreme care about details; very precise and thorough
  • mitigateverbto make something less severe, harmful, or painful

N

  • notionnounan idea, belief, or vague impression of something

O

  • obsoleteadjectiveno longer in use or useful; superseded by something newer

P

  • paradigmnouna typical model or pattern; a framework of ideas within which thinking happens
  • persistverbto continue firmly despite difficulty; to continue to exist
  • pivotaladjectiveof crucial importance; being the point on which everything turns
  • plausibleadjectiveseeming reasonable or probably true; believable
  • pragmaticadjectivedealing with problems sensibly and realistically rather than ideologically
  • precariousadjectivedangerously unstable or insecure; held in place only for now
  • profoundadjectivevery great or intense; showing deep insight; reaching far below the surface
  • proliferateverbto increase rapidly in number; to multiply

R

  • redundantadjectiveno longer needed; superfluous; duplicating something already present
  • resilientadjectiveable to recover quickly from difficulties; springing back into shape

S

  • scrutinizeverbto examine something very closely and critically
  • subtleadjectiveso delicate or precise as to be difficult to notice or describe
  • synthesisnounthe combining of separate elements into a new, coherent whole

T

  • tangibleadjectiveable to be touched; real, concrete, and definite
  • thresholdnounthe point that must be crossed for something to begin or change
  • transcendverbto go beyond the limits of; to rise above

V

  • viableadjectivecapable of working successfully; able to survive or be carried out
  • vigilantadjectivekeeping careful watch for possible danger or problems
  • vividadjectiveproducing strong, clear images in the mind; intensely bright

W

  • waneverbto decrease gradually in size, strength, or intensity