28/10/2015 100wordsyoushouldknowtopassanadvancedvocabularyexam

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HowtoImproveyourVocabulary

100wordstoImpressanExaminer!

Hereare100advancedEnglishwordswhichshouldyoubeabletousethemina
sentencewillimpresseveneducatednativespeakers!Perfectifyouwanttoimpressthe
examinerinexaminationslike:IELTS,TOEFLandCambridgeCAEandCPE.Ifyouare
reallyseriousabouthavinganextensiveandimpressivevocabulary,trylearningthese
andthentrytheseadvancedvocabularytests.

PartONE/PartTWO

aberration

(n.)somethingthatdiffersfromthenorm(In1974,PolandwontheWorldCup,but
thesuccessturnedouttobeanaberration,andPolandhavenotwonaWorldCup
since).

abhor

(v.)tohate,detest(Becausehealwayswoundupgettinghitintheheadwhenhe
triedtoplaycricket,Marcinbegantoabhorthesport).

acquiesce

(v.)toagreewithoutprotesting(ThoughMr.Pospiesznywantedtostayoutsideand
workinhisgarage,whenhiswifetoldhimthathehadbettercomeintodinner,he
acquiescedtoherdemands.)

alacrity

(n.)eagerness,speed(Forsomereason,Simonlovedtohelphisgirlfriendwhenever
hecould,sowhenhisgirlfriendaskedhimtosetthetablehedidsowithalacrity.)

amiable

(adj.)friendly(Anamiablefellow,Neilgotalongwithjustabouteveryone.)

appease

(v.)tocalm,satisfy(WhenJerrycries,hismothergiveshimchocolatetoappease
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him.)

arcane

(adj.)obscure,secret,knownonlybyafew(Theprofessorisanexpertinarcane
Kashubianliterature.)

avarice

(n.)excessivegreed(Thebankersavariceledhimtoamassanenormouspersonal
fortune.)

brazen

(adj.)excessivelybold,brash,clearandobvious(Criticscondemnedthewriters
brazenattempttoplagiariseFrankowCzerwonkoswork.)

brusque

(adj.)short,abrupt,dismissive(Simonsbrusquemannersometimesoffendshis
colleagues.)

cajole

(v.)tourge,coax(Magda'sfriendscajoledherintodrinkingtoomuch.)

callous

(adj.)harsh,cold,unfeeling(Themurdererscallouslackofremorseshockedthe
jury.)

candor

(n.)honesty,frankness(Weweresurprisedbythecandorofthepoliticiansspeech
becausesheisusuallyratherevasive.)

chide

(v.)tovoicedisapproval(HaniachidedGregoryforhisvulgarhabitsandsloppy
appearance.)

circumspect

(adj.)cautious(ThoughIpromisedMartasfatherIwouldbringherhomepromptly
bymidnight,itwouldhavebeenmorecircumspectnottohavespecifiedatime.)

clandestine

(adj.)secret(Announcingtoherboyfriendthatshewasgoingtothelibrary,Maria
actuallywenttomeetGeorgeforaclandestineliaison.)

coerce

(v.)tomakesomebodydosomethingbyforceorthreat(Thecourtdecidedthat
DavidBeckhamdidnothavetohonorthecontractbecausehehadbeencoerced
intosigningit.)

coherent

(adj.)logicallyconsistent,intelligible(WilliamcouldnotfigureoutwhatHaroldhad
seenbecausehewastoodistraughttodeliveracoherentstatement.)

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complacency

(n.)selfsatisfiedignoranceofdanger(Simontriedtoshockhisfriendsoutoftheir
complacencybypaintingafrighteningpictureofwhatmighthappentothem.)

confidant

(n.)apersonentrustedwithsecrets(Shortlyafterwemet,hebecamemychief
confidant.)

connive

(v.)toplot,scheme(Sheconnivedtogetmetogiveupmyplanstostartupanew
business.)

cumulative

(adj.)increasing,buildinguponitself(Thecumulativeeffectofhoursspentusingthe
WorldEnglishwebsitewasavastimprovementinhisvocabularyandgenerallevelof
English.)

debase

(v.)tolowerthequalityoresteemofsomething(Thelargeraisethathegave
himselfdebasedhismotivesforrunningthecharity.)

decry

(v.)tocriticizeopenly(AndrzejLepper,theleaderofthePolishSelfDefenceparty
decriedtheappalingstateofPolishroads.)

deferential

(adj.)showingrespectforanothersauthority(Donataisalwaysexcessively
deferentialtoanykindofauthorityfigure.)

demure

(adj.)quiet,modest,reserved(Thougheveryoneelseatthepartywasdancingand
goingcrazy,sheremaineddemure.)

deride

(v.)tolaughatmockingly,scorn(Thenativespeakeroftenderidedtheother
teachersaccent.)

despot

(n.)onewhohastotalpowerandrulesbrutally(Thedespotissuedadeathsentence
foranyonewhodisobeyedhislaws.)

diligent

(adj.)showingcareindoingoneswork(Thediligentresearchermadesureto
doublecheckhermeasurements.)

elated

(adj.)overjoyed,thrilled(Whenhefoundouthehadwonthelottery,thepostman
waselated.)

eloquent

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(adj.)expressive,articulate,moving(Thebestmangavesuchaneloquentspeech
thatmostguestswerecrying.)

embezzle

(v.)tostealmoneybyfalsifyingrecords(Theaccountantwasfiredforembezzling
10,000ofthecompanysfunds.)

empathy

(n.)sensitivitytoanothersfeelingsasiftheywereonesown(Ifeelsuchempathy
formydogwhenshesupsetsoamI!)

enmity

(n.)illwill,hatred,hostility(JohnandScotthaveclearlynotforgiveneachother,
becausetheenmitybetweenthemisobvioustoanyoneintheirpresence.)

erudite

(adj.)learned(MyEnglishteacherissuchaneruditescholarthathehastranslated
someofthemostdifficultandabstruseOldEnglishpoetry.)

extol

(v.)topraise,revere(Kamilaextolledthevirtuesofavegetariandiettohermeat
lovingboyfriend.)

fabricate

(v.)tomakeup,invent(WhenIarrivedanhourlatetoclass,Ifabricatedsome
excuseaboutmycarbreakingdownonthewaytowork.)

feral

(adj.)wild,savage(ThatbeastlookssoferalthatIwouldfearbeingalonewithit.)

flabbergasted

(adj.)astounded(WheneverIreadanAgathaChristiemysterynovel,Iamalways
flabbergastedwhenIlearntheidentityofthemurderer.)

forsake

(v.)togiveup,renounce(Iwon'tforsakemyconservativeprinciples.)

fractious

(adj.)troublesomeorirritable(Althoughthechildinsistedhewasnttired,his
fractiousbehaviourespeciallyhisdecisiontocrushhisjamsandwichesalloverthe
floorconvincedeveryonepresentthatitwastimetoputhimtobed.)

furtive

(adj.)secretive,sly(Claudiasplacementofherdrugsinhersockdrawerwasnotas
furtiveasshethought,asthesockdraweristhefirstplacemostparentslook.)

gluttony

(n.)overindulgenceinfoodordrink(Helensfriedchickentastessodivine,Idont
knowhowanyonecancallgluttonyasin.)

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gratuitous

(adj.)uncalledfor,unwarranted(Everyeveningtheguyatthefishandchipshop
givesmeagratuitoushelpingofvinegar.)

haughty

(adj.)disdainfullyproud(Thesuperstarshaughtydismissalofhercostarswill
backfireonhersomeday.)

hypocrisy

(n.)pretendingtobelievewhatonedoesnot(Oncethepoliticianbeganpassing
legislationthatcontradictedhiscampaignpromises,hishypocrisybecame
apparent.)

impeccable

(adj.)exemplary,flawless(Ifyourgradeswereasimpeccableasyourbrothers,
thenyoutoowouldreceiveacarforagraduationpresent.)

impertinent

(adj.)rude,insolent(MostofyourcommentsaresoimpertinentthatIdontwishto
dignifythemwithananswer.)

implacable

(adj.)incapableofbeingappeasedormitigated(Watchout:onceyoushun
Grandmotherscooking,sheistotallyimplacable.)

impudent

(adj.)casuallyrude,insolent,impertinent(Theimpudentyoungwomanlookedher
teacherupanddownandtoldhimhewashot.)

incisive

(adj.)clear,sharp,direct(Thediscussionwasntgoinganywhereuntilherincisive
commentallowedeveryonetoseewhatthetrueissueswere.)

indolent

(adj.)lazy(Whyshouldmyindolentchildren,whocantevenpickthemselvesupoff
thesofatopourtheirownjuice,berewardedwithatriptoBurgerKing?)

inept

(adj.)notsuitableorcapable,unqualified(Sheprovedhowineptshewaswhenshe
forgottwoordersandspilledapintofciderinacustomerslap.)

infamy

(n.)notoriety,extremeillrepute(Theinfamyofhiscrimewillnotlessenastime
passes.)

inhibit

(v.)toprevent,restrain,stop(WhenItoldyouIneededthecarlastnight,I
certainlynevermeanttoinhibityoufromgoingout.)

innate

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(adj.)inborn,native,inherent(Hisincredibleathletictalentisinnate,henever
trains,liftsweights,orpractices.)

insatiable

(adj.)incapableofbeingsatisfied(Myinsatiableappetiteforblondeswasareal
problemonmyrecentholidayinJapan!)

insular

(adj.)separatedandnarrowmindedtightknit,closedoff(Becauseofthesensitive
natureoftheirjobs,thosewhoworkforMI5mustremaininsularandgenerallyonly
spendtimewitheachother.)

intrepid

(adj.)braveinthefaceofdanger(Afterscalingalivevolcanopriortoitseruption,
theexplorerwaspraisedforhisintrepidattitude.)

inveterate

(adj.)stubbornlyestablishedbyhabit(ImthefirsttoadmitthatImaninveterate
ciderdrinkerIdrinkfourpintsaday.)

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