Word sets: Academic English166 words
- metabolismB2nounthe chemical processes in the body that turn food into energy and keep you alive
- revolutionaryB2nouna person who fights for or takes part in a political revolution
- mergeB2verbto join together to become one, or to make two things join
- dilemmaB2nouna difficult situation where you have to choose between two things, and both choices have problems
- motifC1nouna pattern or design that is repeated, or an idea that appears again and again in art or music
- motiveB2nouna reason for doing something, especially one that is hidden
- subtleB2adjectivesmall or not obvious, so it is difficult to notice; also clever in a quiet way
- clinicB1nouna place where people go to see a doctor or get medical advice, usually without staying
- allocateC1verbto decide officially that an amount of money, time or space will be used for a particular purpose
- hydrogenB2nouna light gas with no color or smell that burns easily and is used as a clean fuel
- dissertationC1nouna long piece of writing on one subject, done for a university degree
- susceptibleC1adjectiveeasily affected, harmed or influenced by something, because you have little protection against it
- architectB1nouna person whose job is to design buildings; also the person who plans an idea
- breakdownB2nouna failure of a machine, system or relationship; also a detailed list showing the parts of something
- injectB2verbto put a drug into the body with a needle; also to add something such as money or energy
- economistB2nouna person who studies how money, trade and industry work in a society
- momentumB2nounthe force or speed that keeps something moving or developing once it has started
- polarB2adjectiverelating to the regions near the North or South Pole, or completely opposite
- backwardB2adverbtoward the direction behind you, or in the opposite order from usual
- multiplyB2verbto add a number to itself a certain number of times; also to increase greatly
- moralityB2nounideas about right and wrong behavior, or how right or wrong a particular action is
- communicativeB2adjectiveconnected with communication; also willing to talk and share information
- rainfallB1nounhow much rain comes down in an area over a period such as a month or a year
- politicallyB2adverbin a way that is connected with politics or with power in society
- invasionB1nounwhen an army enters another country by force to take control of it
- inevitablyB2adverbin a way that cannot be avoided or stopped
- capitalismB2nounan economic system in which private owners run businesses to make a profit
- expertiseC1nounspecial skill or knowledge gained from training or long experience
- inferiorB2adjectivelower in quality, rank or importance than another person or thing
- activelyB2adverbin a way that involves doing things and taking part, not just watching
- quotationB2nounwords taken from a book or speech and repeated; also a written statement of a price
- compositeC1adjectivemade of several different parts or materials
- historicallyB2adverbin relation to history, or looking at how things were in the past
- bundleB2nouna group of things tied or wrapped together; also a set of products sold together
- capitalistB2nouna person who owns a business or invests money in order to make a profit
- flexibilityB2nounthe ability to change or adapt easily; also the ability to bend without breaking
- cordB2nouna thin, strong rope or a flexible electrical wire
- realisticB1adjectiveaccepting what is possible in a real situation; also looking like the real thing
- initiationC1nounthe act of starting something, or the process of formally admitting someone into a group
- horizonB2nounthe line far away where the sky seems to meet the land or the sea
- consultationC1nouna meeting or discussion to get advice, or to hear people's opinions before deciding something
- freelyB2adverbwithout being controlled or limited; also openly and honestly
- rotateC1verbto turn in a circle around a central point; also to take turns or change in a regular order
- commodityC2nouna raw material or farm product, like oil, coffee or rice, traded in large amounts; also anything useful or valuable
- elevationC1nounthe height of a place above the level of the sea; also the act of raising something
- interveneB2verbto step into a situation on purpose to change what is happening or stop it
- compensateB2verbto pay someone for a loss or damage; or to balance a bad thing with a good thing
- atomicB1adjectiveconnected with atoms, or with the power made by splitting atoms
- trivialB2adjectivesmall and not important; also very easy to do
- stanceB2nounyour opinion or position on a subject, especially one you state publicly
- stabilizeC2verbto become steady, or to make something steady, so it stops changing or moving
- profoundC1adjectivevery great or strong; also showing deep understanding or serious thought
- wherebyC1adverbby which; through which, used to explain how a system or process works
- geneticsB1nounthe study of how features pass from parents to children through genes; also a person's genes
- protonC1nouna tiny particle with a positive charge, found in the center of every atom
- gravityB2nounthe force that pulls objects toward the earth; also the seriousness of a situation
- poleB1nouna long thin stick of wood or metal; also the point at the far north or south of the Earth
- puzzleC1verbto make someone confused because they cannot understand or explain something
- respiratoryB2adjectiveconnected with breathing or with the lungs and the tubes that carry air
- eliminationB2nounthe act of completely removing or getting rid of something, or of removing someone from a contest
- exitB1nouna door or way out of a place; also the act of leaving
- corruptionB2noundishonest or illegal behavior by people in power, such as taking money for favors
- circulateC1verbto move around continuously, like blood or air; also to pass information from person to person
- obscureC1adjectivenot well known; or hard to understand because it is not clear
- contradictB2verbto say the opposite of what someone has said; or to show that something is not true
- interfereB2verbto get involved in something that is not your business; to stop something from working or happening well
- traumaC1nouna deeply upsetting experience that can harm the mind for a long time; also a serious body injury
- upwardB1adjectivemoving or pointing toward a higher place, level or amount
- grossB2adjectivetotal, before tax or costs are taken away; also, informally, very unpleasant or disgusting
- opticalC1adjectiverelating to sight, light or the way the eye sees things
- communistB2adjectiverelating to communism, the belief that property and wealth should be shared by everyone
- physicsB1nounthe science of energy, force, light, heat and how things move
- viableC1adjectiveable to work successfully, or able to make enough money to continue
- limbB2nounan arm or a leg; also a large branch of a tree
- retrieveB2verbto get something back, especially from a place where it was lost or stored
- presumeC1verbto believe that something is true without having proof, because it seems likely
- rationalityC1nounthe quality of being based on clear thinking and good reasons rather than feelings
- stereotypeB2nouna fixed, simple idea about what a type of person or thing is like, which is often unfair
- slaveryC1nounthe system of owning people as property and forcing them to work
- artisticB1adjectiveconnected with art, or good at drawing, painting, music and other kinds of art
- facultyB2nouna university department or its teaching staff; also a natural ability, such as hearing or thinking
- anthropologyC1nounthe study of human societies, cultures and how people have developed
- antibioticB2nouna medicine that kills bacteria and is used to treat infections
- portrayC1verbto show someone or something in a particular way in art, film or writing; to play a character
- sexualityC1nouna person's sexual identity, meaning who they are attracted to, or people's sexual feelings in general
- chemistryB1nounthe science of what substances are made of and how they react; also natural attraction between people
- axiomC2nouna statement or idea that people accept as true without needing proof
- pestB2nounan insect or small animal that damages crops or food; also an annoying person
- fractureB2nouna break in a bone or in a hard material such as rock
- transplantB2verbto move an organ, tissue or plant from one place or person to another
- goodsB1nounthings that are made to be sold, or things that you own and can carry
- shortlyB1adverbsoon, or a short time before or after something
- epidemicB2nouna sudden spread of a disease, or a bad problem, among many people in one area
- irrelevantB2adjectivenot connected with or important to what is being discussed
- mechanicB1nouna person whose job is to repair and look after engines, especially in cars and motorbikes
- epidemiologyC2nounthe study of how diseases spread and what causes them in groups of people
- dissolveB2verb(of a solid) to mix into a liquid and become part of it; to make this happen
- fatigueC1nouna feeling of being extremely tired in body or mind, often after hard work or illness
- nonethelessB2adverbdespite what has just been said
- bargainB1nounsomething bought for less than its usual price; also an agreement between people
- infectiousB2adjectiveable to pass quickly between people; said of diseases, and also of laughter or a good mood
- individuallyB2adverbseparately, one by one, and not as part of a group
- irrigationC1nouna system of supplying water to land so that crops can grow
- treatyB2nounan official written deal that two or more countries sign and promise to follow
- rehabilitationC1nounhelp or treatment that lets someone return to health or normal life after illness, injury, addiction or prison
- illusionC1nouna false idea or belief, or something that seems real but is not
- paradoxB2nouna situation or statement that seems impossible because it contains two opposite facts, but may be true
- kidneyB1nounone of two organs in the body that clean the blood and make urine
- predatorC1nounan animal that kills and eats other animals; also a person who harms weaker people
- migrateB2verbto move from one place to another, as birds do each year or people do to find work
- infinityC1nouna number or distance that is larger than any that can be counted or measured
- shallowB1adjectivehaving only a short distance from the top to the bottom
- fundamentallyB2adverbin the most basic and important way; at its root
- syntheticC1adjectivemade by people using chemicals, not from natural materials
- tonB2nouna unit for measuring weight, about 1,000 kilograms; also, informally, a very large amount
- bubbleB1nouna ball of air or gas inside a liquid, or a thin ball of soap and air
- bracketB2nouna group of people within fixed limits of age or income; also one of a pair of marks ( ) in writing
- elasticityC2nounthe ability of a material to stretch and return to its shape; how much demand changes when price changes
- cureB2verbto make a sick person healthy again, or to end an illness or problem
- contradictoryB2adjectivesaying or showing opposite things, so that both cannot be true
- sensationB2nouna physical feeling in your body; also great excitement or interest, or the thing that causes it
- sustainableC1adjectiveable to continue for a long time without harming the environment or using up resources
- elasticC1adjectiveable to stretch and then go back to its usual shape
- machineryB2nounlarge machines, or the parts of a machine, used in a factory or on a farm
- dictateC1verbto say exactly what must be done, to control how something happens, or to read aloud for writing
- vitaminB2nouna natural substance in food that your body needs in small amounts to stay healthy
- inclineC1nouna surface that slopes up or down, such as a hill or ramp
- enforcementC1nounthe act of making sure that people obey a law or rule
- preyB2nounan animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal
- frictionB2nounthe force that slows things down when they rub against each other, or disagreement between people
- parenthesisC1nouna word or phrase added in brackets or between commas; also one of the curved marks ( )
- nobleB2adjectivehaving fine moral qualities like honesty and courage; also belonging to a high social class
- potassiumB2nouna soft silver-white metal element that the body needs; it is found in foods such as bananas
- reactiveC1adjectiveresponding to events after they happen instead of acting first; or easily causing a chemical reaction
- geneticallyB1adverbin a way that is connected with genes, the parts of cells passed from parents to children
- bacteriaB2nounvery small living things, some of which cause disease and some of which are useful
- crudeC1adjectivein a natural state and not yet treated; also simple and not made with much skill
- realismC1nounshowing life as it really is in art or writing; also accepting situations as they really are
- deliberatelyB2adverbon purpose, not by accident; also slowly and carefully
- chemotherapyB2nounthe treatment of cancer using strong drugs
- surplusC1nounan amount that is more than what is needed or used; also money left after paying all costs
- directiveC1nounan official order or instruction from an authority that must be followed
- globalizationB2nounthe process by which businesses, ideas and cultures spread and connect around the world
- alienC1adjectivestrange and unfamiliar, or coming from another place or country
- portfolioC1nouna collection of your best work to show employers, or the investments that one person or company owns
- monopolyC1nouncomplete control of a market or service by one company, so others cannot compete
- threadB2nouna very thin string used for sewing; also a chain of connected online messages or ideas
- clayB2nounheavy, sticky earth that is soft when wet and hard when baked, used to make pots and bricks
- dyeB2nouna substance used to change the color of hair, cloth or food
- diluteC1verbto make a liquid weaker by adding water, or to make something less strong or effective
- tribeB2nouna group of families who share the same language, customs and ancestors, often living in one area
- dampB1adjectiveslightly wet, often in an unpleasant way
- economicallyB2adverbin a way that relates to money, trade and the economy, or that saves money
- criticallyB2adverbin a way that judges carefully what is good or bad; also very seriously
- secreteC1verbto produce and release a liquid substance, especially from a gland or a cell
- hipB1nounone of the two parts on each side of your body between the top of your leg and your waist
- plantationB2nouna large farm where one crop, such as tea, rubber or coffee, is grown to sell
- prejudiceB2nounan unfair opinion or feeling about a person or group, formed without knowing the facts
- onwardB2adverbforward in space or time; continuing from a point
- interruptB1verbto stop someone while they are speaking or doing something by saying or doing something yourself
- dominationC1nounstrong power or control over other people, countries or a market
- undergraduateB2nouna university student who is studying for a first degree
- solubleC1adjectiveable to be dissolved in a liquid, especially water
- innateB2adjectivepresent in a person or animal from birth, not learned
- dioxideB1nouna chemical with two oxygen atoms joined to another atom, as in the gas CO2
- goatB2nounan animal with horns and a short tail, kept for its milk, meat or hair
Word list: New Academic Word List 1.2 (Browne, Culligan & Phillips), CC BY-SA 4.0. Only words with a full Gloss page are included, in the list’s order.