Academic Vocabulary
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A

Abandon (v.) to forsake

• After countless hours of lost sleep, they abandoned the project.

Abstract (adj.) related to ideas, not concrete

•  The professor used abstract language that was difficult to understand.

Academy (n.) a place of learning

• stevenseducation.com is an online English academy.

Access (v.) to be able to enter 

• They could not access the file because it was protected with a password.

Accommodate (v.) to provide

• The guests were accomodated with clean rooms and delicious breakfasts.

Accompany (v.) to go along with

• The president was accompanied by twelve body guards.

Accumulate (v.) to  gain or gather

• The truck sat in the field and accumulated rust.

Accurate (adj.) correct / precise

• The archer was incredibly accurate with her bow.

Achieve (v.) to accomplish

• The runner achieved his fastest time of the year.

Acknowledge (v.) to accept or admit

• The couple finally acknowledged  each other's harsh words.

Acquire (v.) to get

• The company acquired another subsidiary.

Acquisition (n.) to learn a skill or habit

• She loved language so much she studied second language acquisition.

Adamant (adj.) refusing persuasion

• The toddler was adamant about not going to bed.

Adapt (v.) to adjust to change

• The puppy adapted to its new home quickly.

Adapts (v.) to adjust to change

• The kitten adapted to its new home quickly.

Adequate (adj.) sufficient, enough

• The house had an adequate amount of space for the family of four.

Adjacent (adj.) next to or adjoining

• The rooms were adjacent to each other.

Adjust (v.) to change slightly to fit 

• She adjusted the fan settings to make herself feel cooler.

Administrate (v.) manage

• The temple was administrated by the council of elders.

Administration (n.) process of management

• The day-to-day administration of the company was run by four sisters.

Adolescent (n.) teenager

• The adolescent was wiser than most adults.

Adult (n.) fully grown or fully mature

• The adults sat at a large table in the living room; the children sat next to them.

Adverse (adj.) hindering success

• His fame got to his head and had an adverse effect on his wealth.

Advocate (v.) to speak in favor of

• The protesters advocated for democratic reforms.

Affect (v.) to have an effect on

• The pollution began to affect the air quality within the city.

Aggregate (n.) the sum of smaller parts

• The aggregate effect of numerous small changes to her lifestyle was transformational.

Aid (n.) practical help

• The navy rushed to the aid of an endangered whale.

Albeit (con.) though

• After the devastating flood, the forest was re-growing, albeit slowly.

Allocate (v.) designate or distribute

• The endless mountain range was allocated for a nature reserve.

Alter (v.) to modify or change

• The sunset altered the landscape, bringing everything to life.

Alternative (adj.) another possibility 

• She found an alternative route through the forest; it was stunning.

Ambiguous (adj.) containing more than one meaning

• ​The parents' words were ambiguous, so the child continued banging the drum.

Amend (v.) to make a small change to a document

• The US constitution has been amended many times.

Amiable (adj.) friendly

• The bear looked fierce, but in reality it was quite amiable.

Analogy (n.) a comparison 

• He spoke in idioms, analogies, and metaphors.

Analysis (n.) examination of details

• She worked in a lab doing scientific analysis but spent her free time by the ocean.

Analyze (v.) to methodically examine

• They analyzed the companies financial data and found inconsistencies.

Annual (adj.) yearly

• The annual parade made its way through the city.

Anticipate (v.) expect

• The team anticipated that they would win, but a thunderstorm cancelled the game.

Apparent (adj.) clearly understood

• The beauty of the sunset was apparent to everyone.

Append (v.) to add to the end of a document

• The company's financial was appended to the report.

Appreciate (v.) to recognize fully

• They appreciated the kindness and warmth of their grandmother. 

Approach (v.) to come near

• The lion wolf approached the hiker, but she was unafraid. 

Appropriate (adj.) suitable

• She badly wanted to tell someone of her new success, but the funeral was an inappropriate place to do so.

Approximate (adj.) close to, but not exact

• She only had an approximate idea of how beautiful the land was, until she reached the top of the mountain.

Arbitrary (adj.) seemingly random

• She sidestepped the boss's arbitrary decision to complete the project more efficiently.

Area (n.) a part of land

• The village covered only a small area of the beautiful landscape.

Aspect (n.) feature

• She relentlessly sought success in every aspect of life.

Aspects (n.) features

• He examined the aspects of his life that hindered his joy.

Assemble (v.) to put together

• They assembled a plan to reinvent their family's future.

Assess (v.) to evaluate

• Her greatest skill was her ability to honestly assess her weaknesses, improve them, and succeed.

Assign (v.) to designate a job or duty 

• He was assigned the project and completed it in record time.

Assist (v.) to help

• The children kindly assisted their grandparents with their tasks.

Assistance (n.) the act of helping

• She could not have reached the mountain top without assistance from her coach.

Assume (v.) to believe without proof

• The deer assumed nothing was in the bushes: a deadly mistake.

Assure (v.) to give someone certainty

• After his fall, the mother assured the toddler that everything would be okay.

Attach (v.) to join or fasten

• They attached their ropes to the mountain and scaled the cliff.

Attain (v.) to gain

• She had never attained greater freedom than when she was alone in nature.

Attitude (n.) a way of feeling or thinking

• Her relentless positive attitude helped her to turn challenges into opportunities.

Attribute (v.) to ascribe cause to something

• She attributed her success to hard work and optimism.

Author (n.) a writer of a published work

• She loved every author in her library.

Authority (n.) the right to make decisions

• Many said that he was given too much authority.

Automate (v.) to make automatic

• Many emails are sent from automated systems these days.

Available (v.) free to give attention

• He was an incredible father: always available to his children whenever he could be.

Aware (adj.) knowledge or perception of

• After her trip to the forest, she was newly aware of the daily possibilities life had waiting for her.

B

Behalf  (n.) as a representative of

• On behalf of the family, the mother thanked the community for their generous support.

Benefit (v.) to profit or gain an advantage

• Her benefit from a change in mindset was enormous: she could not overstate the freedom she felt.

Benefit (n.)  an advantage

• The benefits of spending time in nature are hard to number.

Benign (adj.) kind and gentle

• Her benign wisdom was cherished by her family.

Bestow (v.) give an honor or right

• The queen bestowed on him the honor of knighthood.

Bias (n.) prejudice

• She had a strong bias against people that made excuses for their bad behavior. 

Boast (v.) to talk with pride about

• She boasted little of herself but often of her children.

Bond (n.) something that ties or connects

• The brothers shared a close bond because of their childhood memories of growing up in Africa.

Brief (adj.) short in duration

• After a brief stretch, they set out to surf along the beach.

Brood (v.) to think deeply about something unhappy

• He spent his morning hours brooding over life with some hot tea.

Bulk (n.) mass or size

• The company exported bicycles in bulk by ship to other countries.

C

Candid (adj.) frank, truthful

• Her candid opinions were a refreshing break from the more passive chatter of the break room.

Capable (adj.) able to do

• She was a capable coder, and everyone knew it.

Capacity (n.) maximum amount something can contain

• After twelve hours of classes, she had reached her capacity for new information.

Categories (n.) a grouping or division

• The students grouped the items into categories as part of the lesson.

Category (n.) a grouping or division

• She was in that category of people who never gave up: her success was imminent.

Cease (v.) to stop 

• "Cease! Put your hands in the air," yelled the police.

Challenge (n.) a competition or difficult situation

• She faced every challenge, even this.

Channel (n.) a set of programs on TV or radio

• She turned the channel and then turned the TV off: there was simply too much to do.

Chapter (n.) a section of a book

• The last chapter, like many stories, had a surprise ending.

Chart (n.) information in a diagram

• She didn't know it then, but the data in the chart would later be the key to her success.

Chemical (n.) a substance or compound

• Bleach is a common chemical found in many households.

Circumstance (n.) a fact relevant to an event

• They wanted to move to another country, but because of the current circumstances they had to be patient.

Cite (v.) refer to a source

• Because she forgot to cite the books she used for her research, the professor would not accept the paper.

Civil (adj.) well behaved

• "Be civil!" the mother yelled at her screaming children.

Clarify (v.) to make clear

• She went to the forest to clarify her thoughts and gain perspective.

Classic (adj.) an outstanding work

• The couple read classic short stories every Sunday.

Clause (n.) a component of a law or contract

• The protesters were raising awareness of a hidden clause that would strip the workers of their rights.

Cling (v.) to hold on tightly

• In the market, the boy clung to his mother's arm.

Code (n.) a system of words and letters

• Computer code created a program used to edit DNA code.

Coherent (adj.) logical consistency

• Her writing was coherent and persuasive: she got the job.

Coincide (v.) happen at the same time

• Her daily meditation coincided with her business success.

Collapse (v.) to fall down suddenly

• The company was not rooted in helping others and after ten years of artificial success collapsed like a house of cards. 

Colleague (n.) a professional peer

• My strength was art; my colleague's asset was math: we helped each other.

Commence (v.) to begin

• We commenced the greatest journey of our lives through countless miles of wilderness.

Comment (v.) to remark

• Everyone could not stop commenting on the beauty of the lake.

Comment (n.) something said, usually briefly

• He used the negative comment as fresh motivation to improve his life.

Commission (n.) a percentage of money earned  by a salesperson from a sale

• ​After altering one technique, her commissions doubled.

Commit (v.) to dedicate or devote to

• After committing to a daily exercise routine, the man's cholesterol dropped.

Commodity (n.) saleable raw materials

• They invested in both startups and commodities.

Communicate (v.) to exchange information

• Communication works for those who work at it. -- John Powell

Community (n.) a group of people living in the same place

• There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares for. -- Margaret J.

Compatible (adj.) to co-exist without problems

• Night classes are compatible with working full time. 

Compensate (v.) to give something of value in exchange for time or something lost 

• The factory worker did not feel she was fairly compensated for her injury.

Compensation (n.) an amount of money given in exchange for loss, injury, or damage

• The compensation could never makeup for the man's injury.

Compile (v.) to assemble information 

• The researcher compiled vast quantities of data for her research.

Complement (v.) Something that helps to make something else even better

• ​Her intelligence complemented her compassion.

Complex (adj.) Having many interconnected parts / features

• Her reason for attending university was complex and nuanced.

Component (n.) a part of a larger whole

• When the component fell out of the car, it stopped working.

Compound (n.) made of several parts

• Firefighter is a compound noun; it's made of two words.

Comprehensive (adj.) including all aspects of something

• The course was comprehensive and covered all aspects of running a small business.

Comprise (v.) consist of

• The garden was comprised of daffodils, roses, and an apple tree.

Compute (v.) to calculate or understand

• The idea of leaving her grandmother to go to work just didn't compute.

Computer (n.) a device for storing and processing information

• Computers have become smaller over time.

Concede (v.) to admit to something

• The couple conceded that they needed to spend more time appreciating each other.

Conceit (n.) excessive pride

• Sadly, the father never apologized due to his conceit.

Conceive (v.) to form an idea

• They were trying to conceive a way to improve the city.

Concentrate (v.) to focus all energy

• The protesters concentrated on one demand; the government gave in.

Concentrated (adj.) containing a high amount of something

• The mother always bought concentrated fruit juice for her kids.

Concept (n.) idea

• The concept of devoting 100% of himself to his family drove him forward each day.

Conclude (v.) to decide 

• After the fight, the friends concluded that they had simply miscommunicated.

Conclusion (n.) a final decision or end to something

• The conclusion of the book was her favorite part.

Concurrent (adj.) done at the same time

• There are two concurrent music concerts in the city right now.

Conduct (n.) the way someone behaves

• The child was sent to his room for poor conduct.

Confer (v.) to give a title or degree

• After thirteen years of study, she was conferred with her Ph.D.

Confine (v.) to limit or restrict

• Due to the storm, the family was confined to the house.

Confirm (v.) to show something to be true

• The meeting confirmed that his plan would be successful.

Conflict (n.) a difficulty or argument

• Now wiser than her early years, she could see that conflict had made her stronger.

Conform (v.) to be similar to or follow expectations, rules, or standards

• She rarely conformed to the expectations of others.

Consent (n.) permission

• He always sought the consent of his family before making a big decision.

Consequence (n.) the negative outcome of something

• The consequence of lying on the beach for twelve hours was a terrible sunburn.

Consequences (n.) the negative outcomes of something

• There were two consequences to not watering the plants: (1) they had died, and (2) Juan's mother was very angry.

Consequent (adj.) the result of an effect

• The fire led to consequent traffic jams throughout the city.

Considerable (adj.) large in size or amount 

• After they left on their trip, there was a considerable problem: they had forgot to lock their house.

Consist (v.) made of

• The cookies consisted of chocolate, dough, and sugar.

Consistent (adj.) predictable or reliable

• The doctor had a very consistent morning routine.

Constant (adj.) remaining the same over time

• Her dear husband was a constant friend in both good times and bad.

Constitute (v) to be part of a whole

• Sadly, the poor constituted half of the city.

Constitutional (adj.) according to a countries highest laws

• President's behavior was clearly not constitutional and this became an argument for his impeachment.

Constrain (v.) to restrict 

• The student struggled in school because he felt constrained by too many rules.

Construct (v.) to build

• The team constructed the home in record time!

Construction (n.) the building process

• The construction of the skyscraper took several months.

Consult (v.) to seek information and advice

• They consulted a doctor before traveling through the Amazon.

Consume (v.) to use up or eat

• North Americans consume a staggering amount of ice cream each year.

Consumer (n.) someone who buys or consumes products

• More and more, consumers are demanding more ethical products. 

Contact ( v.) to touch something 

• The radio came into contact with water and stopped working.

Contemporary (adj.) occurring at the same time

• The artists were contemporaries of each other.

Context (n.) the situation or setting of an event

• When the quote was understood within its context, it was better understood.

Contract (n.) a formal agreement

• She signed the contract, but secretly crossed out one line.

Contradiction (n.) ideas, actions, or statements that are opposed

• His words said he didn't want anymore food, but his words were contradicted by his eyes.

Contrary (adj.) to be opposite in nature

• His mother and father often gave him contrary messages.

Contrast (v.) to show differences between two or more things

• The moon is beautiful because of its contrast against the night sky.

Contribute (v.) to add to

• Gerald sat quietly with a cup of tea: he had little to contribute to the conversation.

Controversy (n.) a public disagreement, especially one that lasts a long time

• There was great controversy over the country's military strike.

Convene (v.) to come together

• Thousands of citizens convened to hear the protesters speak.

Converse (v.) formal, to discuss

• The lawyer conversed with his clients for over two hours.

Convert (n.) a new follower to a religion or belief

• The new converts had a passion for their belief not shared by older believers.

Convert (v.) to change one's beliefs

• When Constantine converted to Christianity, it changed the Roman Empire.

Convince (v.) to successful persuade someone

• After years of discussion, her friend convinced her to take a vacation and visit her birthplace.

Cooperate (v.) to work together

• The couple found it easy to cooperate with each other because of the strong appreciation they gave to each other each day.

Coordinate (v.) to cause to work together

• She coordinated with three departments at her work, to complete the project.

Core (n.) the central part of something

• The core of the Earth is incredibly hot.

Corporate  (adj.) related to a large, publicly owned company

• Corporate culture can be very different from company to company.

​Corporation (n.) a large, publicly owned company

• The corporation had grown its profits by 150% in the past two years.

Correspond (v.) to be similar

• The character in the film closely corresponded to a well-known CEO.

Correspond (v.) to communicate through written letters

• The friends corresponded by letter for three years and later married.

Couple (n.) two people who are in a romantic relationship

• The couple rode horses through Argentina with their 18-year-old son.

Create (v.) to make

• To create is the most human thing you can do.

Credit (n.) borrowed or lent money

• She never bought on credit; instead, she paid cash and didn't overspend.

Criteria  (n.) standards that are used to judge something

• A health test was one of the criteria she passed to become a pilot.

Crucial (adj.) very important

• Faith and confidence in yourself is crucial to success.

Cultural (adj.) relating to traditions or practices shared by a group

• Friendliness to strangers was one of her favorite cultural aspects.

Culture (n.) traditions or practices shared by a group

• Dancing was an important part of her culture.

Currency (n.) a system of money

• Through the old city, there were many currency exchange businesses.

Cycle (n.) a repeated series of events

• It is very difficult but not impossible to escape the cycle of poverty.

D

Data (n.) items of information

• The current data on Antarctica revealed 91 volcanoes under the ice. 

Debate (n.) formal disagreement, especially in a public setting

• The professors debated the existence of intelligent life, elsewhere in the universe.

Decade (n.) ten years

• For three decades, she built up her business and then entrusted it to her children to manage.

Decline (v.) to decrease

• After years of unprecedented growth, the stock market declined.

Deduce (v.) to reason

• From the red sand on the man's shoe, the doctor deduced that he had walked through the town plaza.

Define (v.) to give the meaning of a word

• I define hundreds of words for my beloved social media followers.

Definite (adj.) clearly decided, stated, or true

• There was definite proof that the man was innocent.

Definition (n.) the meaning of a word or term

• The young man found hundreds of definitions on the social media account.

Deflated (adj.) emptied of air or gas

• On their honeymoon through the mountains, the couple stopped to fix a deflated tire.

Defy (v.) to resist or to not obey

• The protesters defied the curfew and many were arrested.

Defying (v.) resisting or not obeying

• The toddler was defying his mother's rules by opening a window that was unsafe.

Demonstrate (v.) to show clearly, often with an example

• She demonstrated her courage by jumping in the ice cold water.

Denote (v.) to mark or indicate

• The dove denotes peace.

Deny (v.) a refusal to admit the truth

• With a grin, the mother denied that she had left chocolate on her son's desk. 

Depletion (v.) to use up a resource

• Most countries are unwisely ill-prepared for the depletion of oil.

Depress (v.) to cause someone to feel very bad

• The twenty days of constant rain depressed me.

Derive (v.) to get from a source

• The grandmother derived joy out of seeing her grandchildren grow old.

Derived (adj.) to come from a specific source

• This life-saving drug is derived from a rare plant in the Amazon.

Design (n.) a pattern on artwork or textile

• The dress had an eye-catching blue and yellow design.

Despite (prep.) even though, in spite of

• Despite her emotional fatigue at failing the test, she did not quit.

Detect (v.) to perceive, discover, or identify

• The police detected a strange smell coming from the house: gas was leaking!

Deviate (v.) to leave a path or course

• The knight warned them, "Whatever you do, do not deviate from the path."

Device (n.) a technological or mechanical tool 

• The small device, a pace-maker, kept the man alive.

Devote (v.) to commit to or be loyal to

• The parents tirelessly devoted themselves to their children.

Differentiate (v.) to identify or show differences between two or more things or people

• The twins were easy to differentiate because one had a chipped tooth.

Dimension (n.) length, height, width, or depth

• They measured the dimensions of the entrance to see if the table would fit through the door.

Diminish (v.) to make or become less

• The swimmer slowly diminished as he became farther and farther away on the lake.

Discrete (adj.) something that is distinct and separate

• The music flowed from the violin before changing to more distinct notes as the musician plucked its strings.

Discriminate (v.) to identify a difference

• Infants can discriminate between their mother and other adults.

Displace (v.) to move or force something out of its usual place

• Billions of tons of water were displaced by the earthquake.

Display (v.) to show or cause to be seen

• The race car driver displayed his trophies in a glass case in his room.

Disposal (n.) the process of throwing something away, especially waste

• The disposal of toxic waste can be dangerous if done improperly.

Dispose (v.) to get rid of, especially waste or garbage

• The assassin quickly fled the apartment and then disposed of the handgun.

Distinct (adj.) unique and separate

• The estate had five distinct buildings: a mansion, a smaller home, a barn, a garage, and an indoor gym.

Distinction (n.) a difference between two or more similar things or people

• There is a clear distinction between Harry Potter and copy-cat series.

Distort (v.) to twist or mislead

• The thief distorted the truth, but the shop owner could see that he was lying.

Distribute (v.) to give out

• Thousands of people volunteered their time, to distribute blankets, food, and water to those affected by the storm.

Distribution (n.) the process of supplying 

• Relief workers used many types of distribution to supply the towns with water.

Diverse (adj.) having variety

• New York is made up of diverse cultures from every country of the world.

Document (n.) an official record

• He copied five thousand documents to his USB drive.

Domain (n.) an area controlled by a government or ruler

• She escaped her pursuers, ran through the forest, and entered back into her family's domain.

Domestic (adj.) related to the home or systems within a country

• He was a domestic man, working from home and carrying out many tasks for the family.

Dominate (v.) to overcome

• The Roman soldiers cruelly dominated the small village, which was outnumbered and defenseless. 

Draft (n.) the unedited first version of a writing

• J.K. Rowling rewrote many drafts before completing the Harry Potter series.

Drama (n.) a type of book, play, or movie 

• They both loved comedy, but only he loved dramas. 

Duration (n.) a period of time

• After the scorpion sting, he felt like he wanted to die for a duration of two days.

Dwindling (adj.) to lessen gradually

• The sunset was stunning, gorgeous even, but the light was dwindling and the couple needed to return home.

Dynamic (adj.) constantly changing

• Modern life is dynamic as technology and its impacts are constantly changing the world.

E

Economic (adj.) relating to money systems or something that requires less money

• Wind and solar power become more economic options each year. 

Economy (n.) money systems

• The country enjoyed a healthy economy due to an abundance of natural resources, manufacturing, tourism, and immigration.

Edit (v.) to prepare a writing to be rewritten

• As a teacher, I have edited countless writings from fifth grade authors to CEOs.

Element (n.) a part of something abstract (non-physical)

• There was an element of fear in the way he blew out the birthday cake candles.

Elements (n.) one of the substances on the periodic table like gold, mercury, and Iron

• She used a memory system to study the elements for science class.

Eliminate (v.) remove or to cause to be removed

• After eliminating unnecessary words, the publisher printed  10,000 copies of her book.

Emerge (v.) to become more clear or important

• After hundreds of years of astronomy and physics, a clearer understanding of  the universe has emerged.

Emphasis (n.) to stress or show the importance of something

• Her parents put great emphasis on the importance of hard work.

Emphasize (v.) to stress or show the importance of

• The pink background helped to emphasize the black design.​

Empirical (adj.) to determine through observation or experience

• Through empirical study of chimpanzees, the researchers found evidence that they used tools to hunt and gather food.

Enable (v.) to make possible

• The computer enabled her to learn English more effectively.

Encased (v.) to be within a case

• Michael Jordan's trophies are encased in glass.

Encounter (v.) to come into unexpected contact with

• While riding horses, the friends encountered a bear!

Energy (n.) power

• Energy can be captured from the sun and turned into electricity.

Enforce (v.) to make others follow a law through force and policing

• The speed limit was heavily enforced and the man was given a ticket.

Enhance (v.) to make better

• Her experience was enhanced  by the fact that she knew the vacation would not end for another three weeks.

Enormous (adj.) very large

• The misty lake was enormous; it seemed as though there was no end to it.

Ensure (v.) to make certain

• The firefighters ensured the journalists that no one was harmed by the burning house.

Entails (v.) involving

• The adventure through the forest entailed many risks: rogues, wild animals, and booby traps.

Entity (n.) a separate existence by itself

• According to the US constitution, religion and government must always be separate entities.

Environment (n.) the natural world or the surrounding area and conditions

• He loved work environments full of books.

Equate (v.) to think two things are equal

• Some people wrongly equate wealth with greed; others wrongly equate laziness with poverty.

Equation (n.) a mathematical expression

• The blackboard was full of equations the students found difficult to solve.

Equip (v.) to supply with

• The basketball team was equipped with brand new jerseys and shoes.

Equivalent (adj.) for two things to be equal

• The store owner agreed that one dollar would be equivalent to 18 pesos.

Erode (v.) to destroy slowly from weather or time

• Each wave that crashed against the rock eroded it: little by little the rock was diminishing.

Error (n.) something that is incorrect

• The student quickly corrected one error before handing in her paper.

Establish (v.) to set up

• He established his company right before his son was born: those early years were hard.

Established (adj.)

• The university was very old; it was established in the 1600s.

Estate (n.) all of the money and/or property owned by one person

• After her death, her estate was divided amongst her three children.

Estimate (n.) an approximate calculation or smart guess

• The builders estimated that the barn would take three months to construct.

Ethic (n.) a set of values or moral principles 

• She had a strong work ethic and was never late for her job.

Ethnic (adj.) relating to a cultural group

• The market had a wide variety of ethnic food: Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Lebanese, and more.

Evaluate (v.) to judge or assess

• The judges evaluated the dance and determined the winner.

Evaluation (n.) a test or process of testing/assessment

• The doctor did a physical evaluation to determine the boy's health.

Eventual (adj.) happening at the end of an event, result, or time period

• The eventual  result of the grandparents love was grandchildren that led the world to a better future.

Evidence (n.) facts or proof.

• The lawyers argument was unconvincing because the evidence had not proven anything.

Evident (adj.) clear or proven

• The beauty of the snow was evident to everyone.

Evolve (v.) to change or adapt

• Over the years, her painting style had evolved from realistic to abstract.

Excavate (v.) to dig

• They excavated the ancient city and found thousand-year-old treasures.

Exceed (v.) to go above and beyond

• Her writing exceeded the expectations of the professor.

Exclude (v.) to leave out

• Sadly, one boy was excluded from the soccer game.

Exhibit (v.) to show (formal)

• The teacher exhibited signs of stress.

Expand (v.) to grow or increase

• It felt like her mind was expanding each year.

Expert (n.) a highly skilled or knowledgeably person

• He was an expert at chess and everyone knew it.

Explicit (adj.) to tell directly

• The rules were explicitly stated on a sign in the park.

Exploit (v.) to take advantage of an opportunity

• The thief exploited a weakness in the security system and got into the museum undetected.

Export (v.) to ship or send out of, especially for trade

• The company exported mobile phones around the world.

Expose (v.) to reveal

• The fighter let down his arms and exposed his chest.

External (adj.) on the outside

• The couple were happy together but had a lot of external pressure from family members.

Extract (v.) to remove

• The treasure hunters carefully extracted the diamond and then ran for their lives.

F

Facilitate (v.) to make a process or action easier

• The teacher facilitated the conversation of her students by asking numerous questions.

Factors (n.) a fact or influence

• The couple considered many different factors before renting their home.

Feature (n.) an aspect or distinctive quality

• The strangest feature of the home was the haunted look it had.

Federal (adj.) relating to the central or national government

• The federal government provided health care for all of its citizens.

Fee (n.) an amount charged, often for a service

• There was a cleaning fee of $12 for each person that stayed in the home.

File (n.) something that contains documents

• The computer file was full of photos from the couples marriage.

Filthy (adj.) very dirty

• The farmer yelled at his filthy dog, which had just jumped into a mud puddle.

Final (adj.) the last one

• Before walking to his death, the pirate spoke a final word. 

Finance (n.) the management of money

• Oil is an important part of Norway's finance;  in fact, it has a very large government fund that it invests.

Financial (adj.) relating to money or the management of money

• She was tired of financial stress and finally decided to save 10% of everything she  earned.

Finite (adj.) limited in lifespan, size, or amount

• The doctor had a finite amount of medicine and needed  to be re-supplied as soon as possible.

Flexible (adj.) easily able to bend without breaking

• The student thought the pencil was flexible until it quickly broke.

Fluctuate (v.) to rise and fall in an irregular way

• The artist's income fluctuated from month to month.

Focus (n.) committed attention

• From her remote cabin, the author focused on nothing but writing, for months at a time.

Forage (v.) to seek out food

• The friends foraged through the forest for berries or anything else that would help them survive.

Format (v.) to arrange or style something

• The book was well-written but very poorly formatted.

Formula (n.) ingredients to make something

• The drink was made with a secret formula that only the owner of the company knew.

Forthcoming (adj.) willing to give information

• The man was forthcoming about the reasons for his divorce; he did not leave out any details.

Found (v.) to set up or start a company or group

• The charity was founded years ago by three business friends who often drank tea together.

Foundation (n.) an underlying principle or reason

• The foundation of her success was years of  hard work and sacrifice.

Framework (n.) the foundational structure that a system or idea is based on

• His understanding of the economy was based on a faulty framework that overlooked the complexity of human behavior.

Function (n.) role

• Her main function in the company was to manage special projects from the head office.

Fund (n.) an amount of saved or invested money for a specific purpose

• After finishing his university education, the first thing the man did was create a savings fund.

Fundamental (adj.) basic or highly important

• Culture included three fundamental values: love of family, humility, and kindness to strangers.

Furthermore (adv.) in addition

• Naomi Klein argues that capitalism is at its best when regulated and guided by intelligently made laws.

G

Gender (n.) sex or sexual orientation

• The gender of the thief was unkown.

Generate (v.) to make

• The father tried to generate more income for his family.

Generation (n.) everyone who is born in the same period or time

• Her grandparents' generation thought very differently from her own: she valued both perspectives.

Globe (n.) a sphere or the sphere of the Earth

• Trade exists in almost every area of the globe.

Goal (n.) objective

• Her goal was to provide for and protect her family.

Grade (n.) a level or rank based on the quality of performance

• It is difficult but not impossible to achieve a perfect grade on this test.

Grant (v.) agree to give or allow

• He granted the family access to his property so they could look for their lost kitten.

Grim (adj.) gloomy

• The place was full of grim-looking gravestones.

Guarantee (v.) assure 

• Worringly, the pilot could not guarantee that the plane would land safely.

Guideline (n.) a set of expectations or procedures to follow

• The builders were expected to follow strict safety guidelines and would be fined for not doing so.

H

Hence (adv.) for this reason

• The dog jumped in the lake, ran to us on the beach, and shook; hence, we are covered in water.

Hideous (adj.) ugly

• The building was hideous; every corner of it was ugly.

Hierarchy (n.) a social order containing an unequal roles between people

• The founder was at the top of the company hierarchy.

Highlight (v.) to emphasize

• When they argued over finances, she argued that he didn't understand how much things cost.

Hypothesis (n.) an educated guess 

• The scientists' hypothesis was that dolphins could experience complex emotions.

I

Identical (adj.) the same

• The twins were identical, even their parents had difficulty identifying them.

Identified (v.) to recognize something or someone

• The movie star was quickly identified in the airport and a small crowd quickly gathered.

Identify (v.) to recognize something or someone

• The scientist identified several problems within the theory.

Ideology (n.) a system of ideas, especially about society

• Communism, socialism, and capitalism are ideologies.

Ignorance (n.) the state of not knowing

• His ignorance was made much  more intolerable because of his pride.

Ignorant (adj.) not knowing or not knowing much

• Whenever they spoke of politics, he felt incredibly ignorant.

Illustrate (v.) to show or to draw

• The professor illustrated how earthquakes create tsunamis on the whiteboard.

Image (n.) a picture or graphic

• An image of her family's farm flashed in her mind when she smelled the fresh vegetables.

Immigrate (v.) to move into a new place, especially a country

• 30,000 people from over one hundred countries immigrated to the city this year.

Impact (n.) to have an effect or influence over

• Her criticism made a strong impact on him and left him in tears.

Impels (v.) force or push someone to do something

• He felt his poverty impelled him to steal bread from the market.

Implement (v.) to put into effect, especially a plan or decision

• The government implemented a new program to help the homeless within the city.

Implicate (v.) to reveal involvement in a crime

• The photo implicated her in the theft of diamond.

​Implication (n.) what is implied or suggested

• Your implication is that I'm lazy because I'm taking a break?

Implicit (adj.) found within

• The man's greed was implicit in how he did business. 

Imply (v.) to suggest indirectly

• Through her comments she implied that her students should think big because they can do much more than they imagined.

Impose (v.) force

• She was careful to not impose her dreams on her children.

Incendiary (adj.) designed to cause fires or something that creates a fight

• The swear words she spoke were incendiary.

Incentive (n.) a reward or thing that motivates

• The boss tried many incentives but it had no effect on the poorly paid employees.

Incidence (n.) the occurrence of something negative

• Another incidence happened at school today: a bully locked poor Marcus in the bathroom.

---

n. (Incline (n.) a slope

• They sped down the steep incline on their skateboards.

Income (n.) money earned from work

• She had a small income, but many investments.

Incorporate (v.) to create a public company

• After twenty years, the bakery finally incorporated and began to expand throughout the city.

Incur (v.) to become subject to due to actions or behavior

• The man crashed into the family's minivan, but then offered to pay any expenses incurred.

Index (n.) a reference guide within a book to names, terms, and subjects on individual pages

• The students  used the index to find every part of the book that discussed volcanoes.

Indicate (v.) to point out

• A large arrow indicated the direction of traffic.

Indication (n.) a sign

• Sleeping at work is often an indication of exhaustion.

Individual (adj.) one person or thing 

• Individual families came one by one to their neighbors home, bringing meals to help the grieving family.

Induce (v.) to successfully persuade

• The man was induced to enter the cave.

Inevitable (adj.) certain to happen

• Failure is inevitable only if you quit before you succeed.

Inextricably (adv.) impossible to separate

• Sometimes risk and reward are inextricably linked.

Infer (v.) to understand or conclude something from evidence and reasoning

• From the smile on her face he inferred that she loved him.

Infrastructure (n.) the basic physical structures needed to operate as a society 

• From roads to sewage lines, the city's infrastructure was being rebuilt. 

Inherent (adj.) an inside, permanent and/or essential quality

• Selflessness is inherent to love: the giving of your full self for another.

Inhibit (v.) to prevent or restrain

• She formed a new mindset: those things that she once saw as inhibiting, she now saw as keys to her success.

Initial (adj.) first

• My initial impression of the old man was that he was unkind; however, after getting to know him it was clearly untrue.

Instance (n.) a single event or occurrence 

• Through this instance of corruption, the president was forced to resign.

Initiate (v.) to begin a process

• She tipped over one domino and initiated a chain reaction.

Injure (v.) to physically harm the body

• The soccer player badly injured her leg, but nevertheless scored a goal which won the game.

Injury (n.) physical harm caused to the body

• It took two months for the soccer player's leg to heal.

Innovate (v.) to make novel, especially creative, changes to something

• The company had survived for two hundred years due to constant innovation.

Input (n.) something put in

• There was little input from the hikers about which path to take through the forest.

Insert (v.) to put in, especially into a small space

• The disk was inserted into the computer.

Insight (n.) the ability to gain a deep (often wise) understanding of something

• The guide had great insight about how to survive the storm.

Inspect (v.) to look very closely and carefully at something

• Every inch of the president's plane was inspected before leaving the airport.

Institute (n.) an organization with a connection to education

• The national science institutes were researching the connection between skin bacteria and long life.

Instruct (v.) to teach

• The mother instructed her son on the importance of sharing his toys with his friends.

Integral (adj.) a necessary part of a whole or something essential

• Daily relaxation on the beach was integral to her love of life.

Integrate (v.) to combine to form a whole

• The solar panels were integrated into the city's power supply system.

Integrity (n.) trustworthiness and honest behavior

• She conducted all of her business with great integrity and won the respect of the city.

Intelligence (n.) to be smart

• Intelligence, skill, and perseverance were all equal reasons for her success.

Intense (adj.) with a great amount of

• The sight of the dragon created an intense fear in the villagers.

Interact (v.) to communicate or effect each other

• She was shy and didn't want to interact with the others around the campfire. 

Intermediate  (adj.) of a middle skill level

• She was an intermediate user of Spanish.

Internal (adj.) within or inside

• There were a couple of internal problems for the company: poor management and job dissatisfaction. 

Interpret (v.) to explain or the meaning of something

• Each student seemed to interpret the poem differently.

Interpretation (n.) an explanation of the meaning of something

• The couple's fight came from a misinterpretation of  something that was said.

Interval (n.) a period of time or a break in activity

• When he traveled through the mountains, there was an interval of two months where he did not respond to any messages.

Intervene (v.) to interrupt or to try to interrupt or prevent

• The mother quickly intervened in the fight that broke out between her son and daughter when they started throwing their toys.

Intrinsic (adj.) belonging as an essential part

• Failure is intrinsic to success.

Invest (v.) to profit by committing money or other resources to something

• After investing a very small amount in the stock market each day for fifty years, she became a millionaire. 

Investigate (v.) to examine systematically to determine the truth or to research

• After investigating the cause of the fire, the firefighters determined that had knocked some papers onto a lit stove.

Invoke (v.) to pray or call on a spirit

• She light candles in a semicircle an invoked the ancient god of thunder.

Involve (v.) to include as a necessary or important part

• The game of chess involved all of the man's attention; his opponent was not making this easy.

Involved (adj.) complicated or difficult

• The meeting led to a tiring and involved conversation about company procedures.

Isolate (v.) to put or be put alone

• She isolated herself for hours every day to study economics.

Issue (n.) a problem, difficulty, or important topic

• The main issue with the city was that people were leaving it to find opportunities elsewhere.

Item (n.) a part of a list or a piece of information or news

• After returning form vacation, Laura was not excited about the third item on her to-do list: responding to all of her emails.

J

Job (n.) type of work

• She loved her job as a doctor, even though it was sometimes very tiring.

Journal (n.) a book for personal writings

• He wrote in his journal every day: poems, memories, and new ideas.

Justify (v.) to defend an opinion or action with reason and/or evidence

• She felt no need to justify her need to take one hour to herself each day.

K

Kinship (n.) blood relationship

• The cousins shared a connection that only kinship could create.

L

Label (n.) a piece of paper or material that gives information about an object

• The label on the bottle was missing and she forgot what type of spice it was.

Labor (n.) work, especially physical

• ​The prisoners' labor was exhausting: they hammered stones all day long.

Layer (n.) matter or material covering a surface

• Like an onion, the Earth has many layers.

Lecture (n.) a structured presentation or talk, especially an academic talk

• The farmer gave a lecture on techniques for growing watermelon.

Legal  (n.) relating to law or relating to following the law

• Is it legal to drive without a seatbelt in this country?

Legislation (n.) a group of laws

• New  legislation for small businesses increased the amount they would have to pay in tax.

Levy (v.) to raise a tax or fee

• The government levied taxes on imports on vegetables from many countries.

Liberal (adj.) free or open to new ideas

• He had a very open-minded, liberal perspective on life.

License (n.) a permit for a specific purpose

• In some places, people can get a driver's license at only 14 years of age.

Likewise (adv.) also or in the same way

• To overcome global warming it is necessary to end fossil fuel use. Likewise, green technologies need to be adopted.

Link (v.) connect

• Long before tobacco companies would admit it, researches found a link between lung cancer and smoking.

Locate (v.) find

• The young panda ran away in the forest and the zoo could not locate it.

Location (n.) place

• "Hello, I'm calling because I would like to rent a car. Where is your location?"

Logic (n.) Reasoning

• The logic of a morning routine was evident after she realized the good habits it helped her to create.

Logical (adj.) reasonable

• The man spoke in speech that was hard to understand, but he was highly logical.

Loom (v.) something threatening that seems like it is about to happen or a negative emotion

• It seemed like a war was looming.

Lurch (v.) to suddenly move forward in an uncontrolled way

• When she slammed on the breaks, the puppy lurched forward in the car.

M

Maintain (v.) to help continue or to keep in a state of repair

• The road through the mountains was well maintained.

Major (adj.) large or important

• "Sir, we have a major problem with the submarine; it's flooding!"

Majority (n.) most or more than 50%

• The majority of citizens voted for the new president.

Malice (n.) desire to harm

• On the rainy battlefield, the soldier looked at him with cold malice.

Manipulate (v.) to control another person in a clever, often underhanded, way

• He manipulated others through appealing to their pity.

Manual (adj.) done with one's hands

• The pyramids were constructed through manual labor.

Margin (n.) the edge of something

• She never wrote in the margins of the paper.

Mature (adj.) old or responsible

• She was very mature and took responsibility for her mistakes.

Maximize (v.) to make as big or as great as possible

• The farmer had many techniques to maximize the efficiency of each harvest.

Mechanism (n.) the way which something happens, especially in science

• The mechanisms for many of the body's defenses are well understood.

Media (n.) mass communication or objects or methods for communication

• The author used both digital and paper media.

Mediate (v.) to come between an argument and help both sides to agree

• The sister often mediate the fights between her older brothers.

Medical (adj.) related to healing disease, sickness, and injury

• The doctor gave both medicine and medical advice to the patient.

Meditate (v.) to practice one's ability to focus or to think deeply about something

• He meditated each morning to focus his mind and better love his family.

Medium (n.) a way to communicate 

• Radio is a declining medium.

Mental (adj.) related to the mind

• He committed his life to promoting mental wellness.

Method (n.) a way or procedure for doing something

• Damns use gravity as a method for creating electricity.

Migrate (v.) to move from one region or country to another

• Thousands of birds could be seen migrating south for the winter.

Military (n.) the collective soldiers and armed forces of a country

• The small island nation spent little on its military.

Minimal (adj.) of a small or the smallest amount or number

• After the magician failed his first trick, there was minimal applause from the audience.

Minimize (v.) to make as small as possible

• The needs of the citizens were minimized by the elite.

Minimum (n.) the smallest amount

• Through years of dedicated activism, the minimum wage was raised.

Ministry (n.) a government department, in many countries

• The ministry of the environment looked after the nations parks and natural resources.

Ministry (n.) the spiritual work of a church or Christian

• Their ministry was making soup for the homeless each Wednesday.

Minor (adj.) of little importance or significance

• The old door had a minor problem: it squeaked too loudly.

Mode (n.) a way in which something is done, is experienced, or occurs

• Her favorite mode of travel was by speedboat.

Modest (adj.) humble

• He made a modest income through selling bread on the street corner.

Modify (v.) to change

• They modified the design of the rocket and made it 35% faster.

Monitor (v.) to watch or observe, especially for safety or protection

• The baker monitored his cakes carefully.

Motive (n.) the reason for doing something, especially a crime

• Someone had broken into the house, but strangely nothing was taken: the motive was unknown.

Mutual (adj.) in common with two or more people or groups

• The couple shared a mutual love of horses.

N

Negate (v.) to make ineffective or undo

• The man's fatigue was negated by the three cups of coffee he had.

Network (n.) an interconnected system

• From the mountain, they could see a network of  lakes that stretched for miles. 

Neutral (adj.) not taking one side or another

• Switzerland has been neutral in many wars.

Nevertheless (adv.) despite

• She ran for ten hours; nevertheless, she still had plenty of energy.

Nonetheless (adv.) despite

• He feasted for hours but was nonetheless hungry.

Norm (n.) something normal or expected

• She took unusual enjoyment in breaking many social norms.

Normal (adj.) something typical

• His normal routine was to watch TV most of the day, but he decided to begin making changes, so he went for a run.

Notion (n.) idea or concept

• "When did you begin to accept the ridiculous notion that I don't love you!"

Notwithstanding (prep.) despite

• Notwithstanding her right to be annoyed, she seemed incredibly calm.

Nuclear (adj.) related to the power from atomic energy or weapons from atomic energy

• The billionaire sought methods to create a safer form of nuclear energy and despite trials, did not give up.

O

Objective (n.) goal, or a smaller component of a goal

• Her goal was to make it to the Olympics; her objective was to win this tennis match.

Obtain (v.) to get

• The spy obtained secret information about an assassination attempt.

Obvious (adj.) clearly seen or known

• His attraction to her was obvious to everyone at the party.

Occupy (v.) to overcome or take over

• The city was occupied by its enemy for two months, but the citizens secretly planned to win back their freedom.

Occur (v.) to happen, formal

• She did not understand how it had occurred, but she obtained her dream job!

Odd (adj.) strange

• The dog had an odd look on its face; soon, it was discovered that it had eaten most of the family's dinner.

Offset (n.) balance created from an opposing effect

• The expense of the car was offset by the man's ability to get a better paying job with it.

Ongoing (adj.) continuing or in progress

• Sadly, there seems to be no end to the ongoing wildfires.

Option (n.) a choice or thing that can be chosen

• Her mother saw two options to deal with the problem; she saw seven.

Orient (n.) East Asian countries, old fashioned or literary

• She traveled into the sunset by ship: she was headed to the Orient.

Orient (v.) to position or to understand one's location in relation to its surroundings

• When he entered the old city, he had difficulty orienting himself.

Outcome (n.) result

• The outcome of her university education was a new skill and many new friends.

Outlandish (adj.) sounding or looking highly unusual

• The father thought his daughter's dress looked outlandish; she thought it was beautiful.

Output (n.) something produced or the amount of something produced

• In language learning, writing and speaking are referred to as output.

Overall (adj.) considering everything

• Overall, Bill and Melinda Gates have used their wealth to better the world.

Overlap (v.) to partly cover over

• Our interests overlap considerably

Overseas (adv.) to be in or travel to a foreign country, especially one across a sea or ocean

• She spent three months overseas backpacking through India.

P

Panel (n.) a small group of people to discuss or decide on a matter

• The panel of scientists discussed the achievements being made against climate change.

Paradigm (n.) a worldview that is the foundation for theories or methods

• Physics has experienced many paradigm shifts throughout its history.

Paragraph (n.) an organized portion of writing in a longer work

• The third paragraph described the beautiful meadows of her home country.

Parallel (adj.) two things that go side by side

• The paths through the forest were parallel to each other but never crossed.

Parameter (n.) a boundary or limit

• They agreed that their company would always work within the parameters of the law.

Participate (v.) to take part in

• Although she could not run, she participated in the marathon as a volunteer.

Participation (n.) the act of taking part in something

• For the students, participation in the run was required.

Partner (n.) one of a pair involved in an activity, venture, or relationship

• My partner in life, my wife, is an incredible woman.

Passive (adj.) inactive or indirect

• The man had a very passive approach to life: he watched it go by all around him.

Perceive (v.) to sense

• She perceived sarcasm in her daughter's tone.

Percent (n.) out of one hundred

• Twenty percent of the city had immigrated from Asia.

Period (n.) a length of time

• During the Jurassic Period, dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Perpetual (adj.) never ending

• Despite having an average income, it seemed that the family was in a perpetual state of debt.

Persist (v.) to continue in an action or opinion

• He persisted to be happy even though the journey to the village was difficult.

Perspective (n.) viewpoint or opinion

• What is your perspective on this country's tax system?

Phase (n.) a stage or period of time

• In this phase of life, with young children, we have little time but much laughter.

Phenomenon (n.) an observed occurrence or fact

• It hailed the size of golf balls in the middle of the night, but the phenomenon was seen by few people.

Philosophy (n.)  a guiding belief system or principle

• My philosophy is that love should be guided by wisdom.

Physical (adj.) related to things that can be known through the senses

• There is a world of ideas that exists within our minds; it is as real as the physical world.

Plus (prep.) with the addition

• Everyone knows that two plus two equals four, but some people don't know that a horse plus a donkey equals a mule.

Policy (n.) a principle or rule or set of principles or rules

• The teacher had a strict no-gum policy.

Portion (n.) a part of something larger

• He gave them each a portion of the pie; it was delicious.

Pose (v.) to put oneself in a position

• The principal posed with some students for a photograph.

Positive (adj.) focusing on what is good

• Their marriage was successful because for every one negative comment they made five positive ones.

Potency (n.) power or strength

• To not underestimate the potency of a kind act.

Potential (n.) ability or future possibility

• Each one of us has the potential to better the world.

Practitioner (n.) a person who practices a specific profession, especially medicine

• He was a skilled practitioner of medicine and helped save countless lives.

Pragmatic (adj.) practical

• My grandmother is a very pragmatic woman; she has no time for abstract theories.

Precede (v.) to come before

• Effort precedes success. 

Precise (adj.) accurate

• Her timing was so precise that she was scarcely ever five seconds (or early) late to any meeting.

Predicament (n.) a difficult situation

• They normally gave many gifts each holiday, but the family's financial predicament meant they had nothing left to give.

Predict (v.) to make a claim about the future

• She predicted that in thirty years most cars around the world would be electric.

Predictable (adj.) easy to know what will happen in the future

• The predictable monkey stole a mango from the market.

Predominant (adj.) the main or strongest part

• The predominant feature of the house was its bright red door which could be seen a mile away.

Predominate (v.) to be the main or strongest part 

• The question of how they should make their pancakes was predominating the conversation.

Preliminary (adj.) done in preparation or coming before

• Sorry, Roberto. I have to attend a preliminary meeting before I can speak with you.

Presume (v.) to suppose

• She presumed that her daughter had stolen five of the cookies, but in reality it was her husband.

Previous (adj.) coming before

• ​Her previous comment was misunderstood, so she clarified it.

​Previously (adv.) coming before

• Previously, the garden was closed to the public, but now anyone could access it.

Primary (adj.) the earliest or most important

• My primary concern is that we will not be able to make our flight at eleven o'clock.

Prime (adj.) of first importance or something that is typical

• His story is a prime example of how years of dedication can pay off.

Principal (adj.) main or first in order of importance

• The country's principal export was lumber

Principal (n.) the head of a school

• Two tough looking students knocked on the door and the principal answered.

 (​Principle (n.) a value or moral code

• She always tried to follow her principles of being honest, kind, and healthy.

Prior (adj.) coming before

• Prior to her success were years of hard work, dedication, and planning.

Priority (n.) something thought to be more important

• Before purchasing our house, our first priority should be to save money for emergencies.

Procedure (n.) an set, formal way for doing something

• The medical procedure saved the man's life.

Proceed (v.) to move forward

• The group proceeded through the mountains; the view was breathtaking.

Process (n.)  steps taken to achieve something

• The process he took to lose 60kg was not easy, but it was worth it.

Professional (adj.) of a profession or appropriate for a profession

• She was always very professional in the office, but enjoyed life at home best where she could relax and be herself.

Profound (adj.) intense or very great

• When he saw his family in the airport, the grandfather had profound feelings of joy.

Prohibit (v.) to not allow or to forbid

• The law prohibited smoking inside public buildings.

Prohibited (adj.) not being allowed or being forbidden

• The beautiful park was one of the few places where drinking in public was not prohibited.

Project (n.) work involving many aspects or tasks

• The project took years to complete, but was the most beautiful building in the city.

Promote (v.) encourage, support, or advertise

• Hundreds of businesses decided to promote the charity for the Children's Hospital.

Proportion (n.) a share of or part of a whole

• Solar power is beginning to make up a larger and larger proportion of energy sources.

Prospect (v.) to look for gold or other precious metals or to seek

• The mining company prospected for gold in the mountains.

Protocol (n.) an official procedure or system of rules 

• The protocol forbid police from entering any property without permission from a judge.

Prowess (n.) high skill in a specific activity

• Her prowess as a negotiator was obvious to everyone.

Psychological (adj.) related to thought and behavior

• Physical needs are often obvious; however, psychological needs are often not.

Psychology (n.) the study of thinking processes, behavior, and the mind

• He studied psychology for four years, education for two years, and human behavior for his entire life.

Publication (n.) the production of a piece of writing or music

• The friends had a feast to celebrate the successful publication of her first novel.

Publish (v.) to produce a piece of writing or music

• After being rejected by many publishers, he published his book by himself.

Purchase (v.) to buy

• The family purchased a trampoline for their children.

Pursue (v.) to follow after

• He gave up pursuing his own happiness and instead sought to make others happy; this made him happier than he had ever been.

Q

Qualitative (adj.) measuring by quality versus quantity

• The qualitative study on first grade education had few participants.

Quote (v.) to repeat words spoken or written by someone else

• She often quoted Keanu Reeves: "The simple act of paying attention can take you a long way."

R

Radical (adj.) to change something greatly, from its foundation or core nature

• The country radically changed its environmental laws and drastically reduced pollution.

Random (adj.) done by chance or without a conscious decision

• The toddler arranged the chairs in a random order.

Range (n.) the area of change between two limits

• Her voice had a wide range: she could sing both very high and very low.

Ratio (n.) the relationship between two amounts

• The ratio of houses to apartments in the city is 10 to 1.

Rational (adj.) guided by logic

• She was highly rational  and did not believe in superstition.

Ravage (v.) to cause great damage to

• The soldiers ravaged the village.

React (v.) respond to something

• Everyone reacted with surprise when they reached the edge of the forest.

Reckless (adj.) not careful

• The decision to walk across the ice was seeming more and more reckless.

Recover (v.) to get well

• It took her three days to recover from the long journey home.

Refine (v.) to improve through minor changes

• The soccer player refined his method of practice and scored more goals because of it.

Refute (v.) to show to be untrue or to deny

• The lawyer refuted the idea that the man had the athletic ability to commit the crime.

Regime (n.) a government, especially a dictatorship

• Regimes that fear for their own survival censor information.

Region (n.) a large area often with a similar land or culture

• The region was known for its delicious chocolate.

Register (v.) to sign up or enroll

• Before registering for the course she enjoyed a doughnut and coffee.

Regulate (v.) to manage and control through laws and rules

• The city introduced new laws to regulate the sale of plastic bags.

Regulations (n.) rules or laws to control or manage

• The new regulations made it difficult to sell street food.

Reinforce (v.) to make stronger

• Her argument was reinforced with evidence from studies that had been conducted over the last 30 years.

Reject (v.) to not allow or deny

• She rejected the idea that cleaning the bathroom was her sole responsibility.

Relax (v.) to rest

• ​For two weeks, she relaxed on the beach but thought of her home often.

Release (v.) to let go

• The man was released from prison early because of his good behavior.

Relevant (adj.) related to

• The politician's speech was not relevant to the protester's concerns.

Reliable (adj.) trustworthy and dependable 

• The lumberjack was very reliable and hadn't missed a day of work in twenty years.

Reluctance (n.) hesitation

• She took the money with reluctance.

Rely (v.) to depend on

• The kitten relied on it's owner to feed it each day.

Remove (v.) to get rid of 

• The rioters were removed from the building.

Require (v.) to need for a specific purpose

• We require eggs to make this cake.

Required (adj.) to be needed for a specific purpose

• A password was required to access the secret, Swiss bank account.

Requirement (n.) something needed for a specific purpose.

• One of  the requirements for the course was a laptop.

Research (v.) to investigate for learning purposes

• The scientists researched the benefits the plant had on mice.

Reside (v.) to live in

• They resided in an apartment on the 19th floor of the skyscraper.

Resident (n.) someone who lives in a specific area

• Most of the residents in this neighborhood own a cat.

Resolve (v.) to conclude or solve a conflict

• The programmer resolved the problem through special software.

Resource (n.) a supply of something useful

• The country had few natural resources but still managed to prosper.

Respond (v.) to give a reply or reaction

• After he did not respond, she realized her husband was asleep on the couch.

Response (n.) a reply or reaction

• The dog did not respond to the cat scratching it.

Restore (v.) to return to its original state.

• The ancient temple was restored and then opened for tourism.

Restrain (v.) to prevent or restrict or to hold in place

• She survived the accident thanks to her seat belt which restrained her.

Restrict (v.) to limit 

• The thick jeans restricted his movement in while exercising.

Retain (v.) to remember information

• Although she only retained about 15% of the information from her course, she gained life-changing wisdom.

Reveal (v.) to show 

• Her compassion toward the old man was revealed through her generosity.

Revenue (n.) money earned

• The owner sold shoes and made $75,000 in revenue each year.

Reverse (v.) to change to the opposite direction

• Before entering the harbor, the ship reversed its engines to slow its speed.

Revert (v.) to go back to a previous state, condition, or way of doing something

• When she returned to her hometown, she reverted to a slower pace of life.

Revise (v.) to reconsider and change or correct

• J.K. Rowling spent much time revising Harry Potter before the books were published.

Revolution (n.) a dramatic change in culture, attitudes, conditions, or government 

• Bernie Sanders has stated many times that he is leading a revolution.

Rigid (adj.) not flexible or difficult to change or adapt

• When it came to household rules, he was rigid and very strict.

Role (n.) the function or part played for a certain situation

• ​The son's role in the family was that of a peacemaker. 

Route (n.) path, way, or course to take

• They  took the route through the mountains which was very dangerous.

S

Savage (adj.) uncivilized

• The savage man kicked at pedestrians who did not answer his questions

Scenario (n.) a setting or possible sequence of events

• In some survival scenarios, it is best to stay where you are.

Schedule (v.) to book an appointment

• His clients scheduled times with him directly on his website.

Scheme (n.) a plan

• They came up with a scheme to live rent free for one year.

Scope (n.) the extent of something

• The scope of the investigation was widening as more corruption was discovered.

Scope (v.) to investigate carefully

• The startup scoped out a place to open their first office.

Section (n.) a part of a larger whole

• This section of the book was the most difficult to read

Sector (n.) a distinct area

• This sector of the city was known for its wealth.

Secure (adj.) fastened or fixed in place

• The boat was secured by many ropes.

Seek (v.) to search for

• They seek the truth about the corrupting powers influencing their government.

Seeker (n.) a searcher

• She was  a truth seeker, always challenging her own beliefs and searching to challenge others.

Select (v.) to pick

• He selected a pumpkin from the pile.

Sequence (n.) a series of step-by-step events

• They described the sequence of their holiday differently; one of them had forgotten the order of events.

Series (n.) a number of things or occurrences that are grouped together

• This series of short stories by O. Henry is my favorite.

Sex (n.) male, female, or other

• The sex of the person was unkown.

Sex education (adj.) learning related the act of copulating

• The school changed its sex education course to include a unit on sexual ethics.

Shift (v.) a change

• When he spilled his drink, the shift in her tone was so noticeable that everyone at the party turned to look.

Significant (adj.) important

• She was told that no significant changes were made to the contract, but it wasn't true.

Similar (adj.) being alike

• My brother and I are very different, but we share a similar sense of humor.

Simulate (v.) to cause a physical response

• The drink stimulated his immune system, and he began to feel well again.

Site (n.) area or a word short for website

• I've never been to this site before, but I heard about it on Youtube.

Snob (n.) someone who thinks others are inferior

• Some people think Ann Wintour is a snob, but they misunderstand her. 

So-called (adj.) commonly named or claimed, used especially when the claim is doubted

• Alex, the so-called genius in the family, forgot to brush his teeth again.

Sole (adj.) the only one

• An old man with a crooked back was the sole occupant of the mansion.

Somewhat (adv.) used to limit or reduce the extent of what is being said.

• I eat healthily, well somewhat healthily.

Source (n.) the original place something comes from or can be obtained from

• The source of this river is those mountains over there.

Specific (adj.) clearly and accurately defined, the opposite of general

• After using "thing" twelve times in his essay, the professor asked him to be more specific.

Specify (v.) to more clearly and accurately defined

• Let me specify what I mean by good; I mean effective.

Sphere (n.) a globe shape

• Planets are spheres due to the effects of gravity.

Sprawl (v.) to stretch out

• The suburbs of the global city seemed to sprawl  for hundreds of kilometers in every direction.

Squander (v.) to waste

• Sadly, he squandered the last of the family's savings at the casino.

Squeal (n.) a high pitched scream or animal noise

• The pigs squealed with delight when the farmer fed them.

Stable (adj.) steady, not fluctuated 

• ​After the heart attack, the man's vital signs became stable again.

Statistic (adj.) a number from a study or survey

• The study in the news reported that 20% of  newcomers to the city were from outside the country.

Status (n.) the situation at a given time

• "Emily, what's your status update on the new project?"

Stout (adj.) fat or strong and wide

• He was a very stout man with strong arms and even stronger opinions.

Straightforward (adj.) simple and easy to understand

• "The plan seems straightforward enough, but have we overlooked anything?"

Strategy (n.) a carefully thought out plan to accomplish a goal

• The baker's sales strategy was to open all the windows and doors, so the sweet smell of the bread would fill the streets.

Stress (n.) mental tension or strain

• She overcame stress each day through an hour of meditation.

Stress (v.) to emphasize something

• She stressed the point again and again that her success was the result of focus.

Stroll (v.) to walk leisurely

• The coupled strolled on the beach as the sun set.

Structure (n.) A building constructed of many parts

• The barn was collapsing: its structure was 134 years old.

Style (n.) a way of doing something

• Her parenting style was very relaxed and her children often went to bed late.

Subjugate (v.) to control or dominate through conquering, especially people

• Although many tried to subjugate the Babylonians, Babylon is said to have conquered its conquerors. 

Submit (v.) to give up to or accept a stronger will or force

• The kitten submitted peacefully to its mother. 

Subordinate (n.) someone under the authority of another person

• The founder was careful to listen carefully to the advice of her subordinates.

Subsequent (adj.) coming after in time

• Elon Musk developed a larger rocket subsequent to making rockets re-usable.

Subsidy (n.) a sum of money for a public project

• Barack Obama has created several subsidies to promote education.

Substitute (adj.) standing in place of or a replacement

• Charles shot an elastic at the substitute teacher while she wasn't looking.

Successor (n.) an heir or the next in line for an official position

• Prince Charles was Queen Elizabeth II successor.

Sufficient (adj.) enough, formal

• We had a sufficient amount of rice to last the weekend.

Sum (n.) an added amount or an amount of money

• The master thief stole a large sum of money from the royal family.

Summary (n.) a retelling with the main points of something

• She gave a quick summary of  her time in New York; overall she enjoyed the trip, despite the traffic.

Supplement (n.) a thing added to something to make it better 

• After lunch each day, he ate a number of expensive health supplements.

Survey (n.) A series of questions given to many people, for learning or research.

• ​The university students took a survey about the quality of their class.

Survey (v.) to give a series of questions to people for research

• 120,000 people were surveyed on who they would vote for in the election.

Survive (v.) to remain alive

• The storm sank the ship, but luckily everyone survived.

Suspend (v.) to put on hold or to pause

• The building project was suspending until the inspector could arrive.

Sustain (v.) to support or strengthen

• Her hard work and positivity helped sustain her through difficult times in life.

Symbol (n.) a physical sign for an idea

• The villagers were shocked when they saw the king's flag with its symbol rising rising above the hill.

Symbolize (v.) to make or be a physical sign for an idea

• White doves were released at the ceremony  to symbolize peace.

T

Tape (n.) a piece of sticky plastic used to hold things together

• The money was ripped in half, so tape was used to hold it together

Tape (v.) to record

• They taped Kobe Bryant voice in the animation "Dear Basketball."

Tape (v.) to use a piece of sticky adhesive to hold things together

• The students used gorilla tape to put their dreams on the wall.

Target (n.) something to aim for 

• The archer aimed carefully for the target, and then shot the apple off the man's head.

Task (n.) something that is planned or scheduled to be completed

• She completed all of her tasks early in the day, and then relaxed in the afternoon.

Team (n.) a group that works together, especially in sports or business

• The team was nervous about presenting the project ideas to their executives.

Technical (adj.) related to applied sciences or specialized knowledge

• Her technical expertise were needed to ensure the rocket would launch safely.

Technique (n.) a method to get something done

• He taught his students effective writing techniques, many of them rose to the top of their grade.

Technology (n.) using science for practical purposes or inventions

• After his heart attack, the new medical technology saved the man's life.

Temporary (adj.) not lasting forever

• The baby cried incessantly, but she new this phase of life would be temporary.

Tense (n.) in grammar, the past, present or future form of a verb

• She had a clear vision for her life and used the future tense often.

Tentative (adj.) not full determined or certain

• They didn't know what they would do on the weekend, but their tentative plan was to visit their grandmother.

Terminate (n.) to end or to kill

• She was skilled at terminating projects that did not benefit her business.

Text (n.) a reading or a message received by phone

• "Please turn in your texts, to page 276."

Theory (n.) The highest level of a scientific finding or in everyday speech, an idea about something

• The theory of gravity is used to make predictions every day.

Thesis (n.) a formal academic argument or the main idea of an essay

• The thesis of the essay was difficult to understand due to its complexity.

Topic (n.) the main idea of a writing or discussion

• The topic of the essay was student debt forgiveness.

Topical (adj.) in medicine, something that is applied to the skin

• This topical ointment helps reduce itchiness from sunburn.

Topical (adj.) related to the main idea of something or a subject

• She spent an hour each day reading topical science articles ranging from psychology to physics.

Trace (n.) a small amount or a small clue/sign

• The dog ran away, but there was not a trace of it anywhere.

Tradition (n.) a custom or cultural practice

• Drew Binsky, a well-known traveler and Youtuber, has explored many traditions around the world.

Transfer (v.) to move something from one place to another

• The aquarium came up with a plan to transfer the whale back into the wild.

Transfer (n.) the movement of money from one account to another

• The millionaire made a secret transfer to pay off the family's house.

Transform (v.) to change greatly, especially in fundamental nature or appearance

• The caterpillar transformed into a beautiful butterfly.

Transit (n.) carrying people or things from one place to another by vehicle

• The transit for the airplane passengers took eight hours.

Transit (n.) short for public transit, large-scale transportation, especially subways

• Thousands of New Yorkers take transit each day.

Transmit (v.) to broadcast or send from one person to another, especially information or disease.

• The channel was transmitted to 32 countries.

Transport (v.) to move things or people by vehicle

• The MMA champion was transported by limousine to the fight.

Trend (n.) something that is popular for a short time

• For many children, Pokemon is a trend they enjoy; for others, it is a long-term obsession.

Trigger (n.) the first action which begins a process or a mechanism which begins a process

• The bee sting triggered an allergic reaction, luckily she had her medicine, an epipen.

U

Ultimate (adj.) the final or greatest

• Through greater awareness, the country remembered that the ultimate power is always in the people, not their government.

Undergo (v.) to go through

• The world is undergoing great change.

Underlie (v.) to be foundational

• Values underlie behavior.

Undertake (v.) to commit to and take action toward

• They undertook the greatest journey of their lives: through forests, mountains, desert, and snow.

Uniform (n.) something worn that identifies someone with a team, profession, school, or other group

• The police spilled mustard on his perfectly ironed uniform.

Uniform (adj.) to be identical or alike in appearance

• The houses were not uniform; each one looked very different from the rest.

Unify (v.) to bring together

• The young man tried to unify his family by being a peacemaker. 

Unique (adj.) original or different

• The car was unique; some thought it was odd.

Utilize (v.) to use, formal

• She utilized the formula to solve her professor's most difficult math problem.

V

Valid (adj.) justified or reasonable

• The argument against going to the lake was valid; after all, everyone did have sunburn.

Variable (adj.) containing differences

• The results of the blood test were too variable; they had to do it again.

Vary (v.) to use different types or create differences

• Vary your sentence length to improve the readability of your essays.

Vastly (adv.) greater or immensely

• Sleep is vastly more important than watching TV.

Vaulting (v.) to jump over or to leap with the help of a pole

• The deer were vaulting over the fence.

Vehicle (n.) a mode of transportation 

• The 405, a highway in LA, is always full of vehicles.

Veritable (adj.) used to emphasize a truth

• Hank Green and John Green, veritable community makers, fund charities through The Project for Awesome.

Version (n.) one specific form of something

• I have the newest version of the book: the third edtion.

Via (prep.) through or by means of

• Via meditation she reduced stress and increased focus.

Speaking Vocabulary by Category

Coming soon!

Writing Task 1 Vocabulary

Coming soon!

Transition Words

Coming soon!

Idioms

​A

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
A bitter pill (to swallow)
A blessing in disguise
A chip on your shoulder
A dime a dozen
A doubting Thomas
A drop in the bucket
A hot potato
A leopard can't change its spots
​A little bird told me
A penny saved is a dollar earned
A picture paints a thousand words
​A stitch in time saves nine
A taste of your own medicine
Ace in the hole
Actions speak louder than words
Achilles' heel
Actions Speak louder than words
Add fuel to the fire
Add insult to injury
​After the storm blew over
Against the clock
All bark and no bite
All ears
All Greek to me
All in the same boat
All thumbs
An arm and a leg
An axe to grind
Apple of my eye
​As all get up
At the drop of a hat

​B

Back seat driver
Back to square one
Back to the drawing board
Baker's dozen
Ball is in your court
Barking up the wrong tree
Basket case
Beat around the bush
Beat a dead horse
Bed of roses
Bend over backwards
Best of both worlds
Between a rock and a hard place
Bite off more than one can chew
Bite the bullet
Bite the dust
Bite your tongue
Bleeding heart
Blind as a bat
Blood is thicker than water
​Boys will be boys
Break a leg
Burn a bridge
Burn the midnight oil
Bust one's chops
Buy a lemon
By the seat of one's pants
By the skin of one's teeth

C

Call it a day
​Canary in a coal mine
Can't get blood out of a stone
Cat nap
​Cat got your tongue
Chalk up
Champ at the bit
Cheap as chips
Chew someone out
Chew the fat
Chink in one's armor
Chip on his shoulder
Chow down
Clam up
Close but no cigar
Closed case
Closed door
Cold shoulder
Come hell or high water
Couch potato
​Count sheep
Crack me up
Crocodile tears
Cross your fingers
Cry me a river
Cry wolf
Cut a rug
Cut the cheese
Cut the mustard
Cut to the chase

​D

Dark horse
Dead Ringer
Devil's advocate
Dine and dash
Dog days of summer
Don't bite the hand that feeds you
Don't count chickens before they hatch
​Don't cry over spilt milk
Don't give up your day job
Don't have a cow
Don't put all your eggs in one basket
Dot your I's and cross your T's
Down to the wire
Drink like a fish
Drive me up the wall
Drop a dime
Dropping like flies
Dry run

​E
​
Elephant in the room
Elvis has left the building
Every cloud has a silver lining
Everything but the kitchen sink
Excuse my French
​Eyes bigger than your stomach

F
​
​Fallen on prying eyes
​Faster than lightning
Feeding frenzy
Field day
Finding your feet
Fit as a fiddle
Fixed in your ways
Flash in the pan
Flea market
Flesh and blood
Flip the bird
Foam at the mouth
For a song
French kiss
From A to Z
From rags to riches
From scratch / make from scratch
Full Monty
​Full of Bologna
Funny farm

G

​Get bent out of shape
Get down to brass tacks
Get hitched
Get over it
Get up on the wrong side of the bed
Get your knickers in a knot
​Get your underwear in a bunch
​Get your walking papers
Gift of gab
Give them the slip
Go down like a lead balloon
Go for broke
Go out on a limb
Go the extra mile
Gone with the wind
Good Samaritan
Got my foot in the door
​Got my sea legs
​Got one in the oven
Grasp the nettle
Grass is always greener on the other side
Graveyard shift
Great minds think alike (and fools seldom differ)
Green around the gills
Green room
Green thumb
Gut feeling

H

Happy as a lark
Hat trick
Have a blast
Have eyes in the back of one's head
Head over heels
Heard it through the grapevine
​He has deep pockets
​He has dirt on them
Hell in a handbasket
High as a kite
High five
High on the hog
​Hindsight is twenty-twenty
​His face was a mile long
Hit the books
Hit the hay
Hit the nail on the head
Hit the road
Hit the sack
Hocus pocus
Hold your horses​

I
​
I bet
​I can count on them
I got my eye on you
​I wasn't born yesterday
Icing on the cake
​If I had a nickel for every time I heard that
If it's not one thing, it's another
If you cant' take the heat stay out of the kitchen
In hot water
In the bag
In the buff
In the dark
In the heat of the moment
In your face
Ignorance is bliss
Iron stomach
​It all boils down to...
It takes two to tango
It's a small world
It's anyone's call
Ivy league

J
​
Jaywalk
Joshing me
Jump ship

K

Keep an eye on things
Keep your chin up
Keep your eye on the ball
​Keep your mind on track
Kick the bucket
Kill two birds with one stone
Kitty-corner
Knee jerk reaction
Knock on wood

L
​
Last but not least
Learn the ropes
Lend me your ear(s)
Let bygones be bygones
Let sleeping dogs lie
Let the cat out of the bag
Level the playing field
Like a chicken with its head cut off
Like a herd of cats
Like a herd of turtles
Liquored up
​Little whipper snapper
Long in the tooth
​Loose as a goose
Loose cannon
Losing my mind
Lost in your head
Lost your marbles

M

​Mad as a wet hen
Make no bones about
Method to my madness
​Mind like a steel trap
Mind your p's and q's
​Mixed Blessing
Mumbo jumbo
Mum's the word

N
​
Nest egg
New kid on the block
New York minute
No horse in this race
No room to swing a cat
Not playing with a full deck

O
​
Off on the wrong foot
Off one's trolley / Off one's rocker
Off the hook
Off the record
On pins and needles
On the fence
On the same page
Open book
Opened case
Once in a blue moon
Out in the cold
Out of the blue
​Out of the mouths of babes
Out on a limb
Out on the town
Overdrive
Overkill
Over my dead body!
Over the top

P
​
Pass the buck
Pedal to the metal
Peeping tom
Pick up your ears
Piece of cake
Pig in a poke
Pig out
Pipe down
Piss in one's cornflakes
Pop one's clogs (UK)
Preaching to the choir
Pull somebody's leg
Pull the plug
Pulling my leg
Pushing up the daisies
Put a sock in it
Put the cat among the pigeons
​Put your money where your mouth is at
​Put yourself in another man's shoes

Q

Quick as wink

R

Raincheck
Raining cats and dogs
Red herring
Riding shotgun
Right as rain
Rise and shine
Rome was not built in a day
Rule of thumb
Run out of steam

S
​
Saved by the bell
Sawing logs
​School of hard knocks
Screw the pooch
Scot-free
Sharp as a tack
She's the bee's knees
Shoot the breeze
Shooting fish in a barrel
Sick as a dog
Sixth sense
Skid row
Sleep it off
Sleep with the fishes
Slippery as a snake
Smart as a whip
Smell a rat
Smell something fishy
Son of a gun
Speak of the devil
​Speaking with a forked tongue
Speaking with a silver tongue
Spill the beans
Spin one's wheels
Spitting image
Split the whistle
​Spoiled rotten
Stubborn as a mule
​Stuck in the mud
Sunny smile

T
​
​​Take a short walk off a long cliff
Take the biscuit 
Take the cake 
Take with a grain of salt
​Teach them a thing or two
Tide over
That's not gonna fly
The ball is in your court
The best of both worlds
The bigger they are the harder they fall
The door is always open
The last straw
The scheme of things
​The squeaky wheel gets the grease
The whole nine yards
Think on your feet
Third try is the charm
Throw under the bus
Through thick and thin
Thumb one's nose
Tie one on
Tie the knot
Tired as all get up
To make a long story short
To steal someone's thunder
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongues will wag
​Tough as nails
​Tough love
Trip the light fantastic
Turn a blind eye
Two left feet

U

Under my thumb
Under the weather
Until the cows come home
Up a blind alley
Up a creek without a paddle
Up shit's creek
Use your noggin

V

Variety is the spice of life
 
W

Wag the dog
Water under the bridge
​Watch 'em like a hawk
Wear your heart on your sleeve
Wet your whistle
​Whatever will be will be
​What's good for the goose is good for the gander
When it rains, it pours
When pigs fly
Wild and woolly
Wine and dine
Without a doubt
​When it rains it pours
​Who wears the pants in this family?
Whole nine yards
Wild goose chase
 
X

X marks the spot
 
Y

​You are in hot water
You are what you eat
You bet
You can say that again
You can't judge a book by its cover
You can't teach an old dog new tricks
Your guess is as good as mine
 
Z

Zero Tolerance