English vocabulary · B1

These are the 1,003 words that English courses and textbooks teach at level B1 (Intermediate). Each one comes with a definition and an example sentence in English, with no translation: the way native speakers learn.

Learn these words free, ten a day

Word	Meaning	Example
ability	The skill or power to do something.	She has the ability* to explain difficult ideas in simple words.*
absence	A time when someone is not where they should be, for example at work or school.	After a long absence* from school, Tom had a lot of homework to catch up on.*
access	The right or the way to enter a place or use something.	All students have free access* to the library computers.*
accommodation	A place to live or stay, such as a flat or a hotel room.	The price of the trip includes flights and accommodation* for five nights.*
account	An arrangement with a bank to keep your money there.	I opened a bank account* when I got my first job.*
achievement	Something good that you have done after a lot of work.	Finishing the marathon was a great achievement* for my dad.*
addition	The process of putting numbers together to find the total.	Young children learn addition* before they learn to multiply.*
admission	The money you pay to enter a place, or permission to enter it.	Admission to the museum is free on Sundays.
advertisement	A picture, short film or text that tries to make people buy something.	I saw an advertisement* for a new phone on the side of the bus.*
advertising	The business of telling people about products so that they buy them.	Companies spend millions on advertising* every year.*
affair	An event or situation, often one that people talk about.	The wedding was a small family affair* with only twenty guests.*
agency	A business that offers a service, for example finding jobs or planning holidays.	We booked our holiday through a travel agency* in town.*
agent	A person whose job is to act or do business for other people.	The footballer's agent* is talking to three different clubs.*
agreement	A decision or plan that two or more people accept together.	After a long meeting, they finally reached an agreement.
aim	Something that you hope to achieve; a purpose.	The aim* of the project is to help older people use computers.*
alcohol	Drinks such as beer and wine that can make people drunk.	You must be eighteen to buy alcohol* in this shop.*
announcement	An official statement that tells people about something.	There was an announcement* that the train would be late.*
anxiety	A feeling of worry and nervousness about what might happen.	Many students feel anxiety* before their final exams.*
apology	Words that say you are sorry for something you did.	He sent me an apology* for missing my birthday party.*
application	A formal written request for something, such as a job or a place at university.	I sent my application* for the job last Monday.*
approach	A way of thinking about or dealing with something.	Our teacher has a very practical approach* to learning grammar.*
architect	A person whose job is to design buildings.	The architect* showed us drawings of the new school.*
architecture	The style or design of buildings, or the study of designing them.	We visited Barcelona to see the famous architecture* of Gaudí.*
arrangement	A plan or preparation for something that will happen.	We made arrangements* for my parents to stay with us.*
arrest	When the police take someone away because they think he or she broke the law.	The police made an arrest* after the robbery.*
aspect	One part or feature of a situation, problem or subject.	Money is only one aspect* of choosing a job.*
assignment	A piece of work given to someone, often as part of their studies.	We have to hand in our history assignment* by Friday.*
atmosphere	The feeling or mood that a place or situation has.	The café has a warm and friendly atmosphere.
attempt	An act of trying to do something difficult.	She passed her driving test at the first attempt.
attitude	The way you think and feel about something or someone.	He has a very positive attitude* to life.*
author	A person who writes books.	My favourite author* is coming to sign books at the shop.*
average	The number you get when you add several amounts and divide by how many there are.	The average* of 2, 4 and 6 is 4.*
award	A prize given to someone for something they have done well.	The film won an award* for the best music.*
background	A person's family, education and experience.	Students from every background* are welcome at the club.*
balance	The state of being steady and not falling over.	I lost my balance* on the ice and fell.*
base	The lowest part of something, on which it stands.	There is a crack in the base* of the lamp.*
behaviour	The way someone acts.	The teacher was pleased with the children's good behaviour.
belief	A strong feeling that something is true or exists.	It is a common belief* that carrots help you see in the dark.*
benefit	A good effect or advantage that something gives you.	Regular exercise has many health benefits.
board	A flat piece of wood or other material used for a special purpose.	The teacher wrote the date on the board.
border	The line that divides two countries.	We showed our passports at the border.
boundary	A line that marks the edge of an area of land.	The river forms the boundary* between the two farms.*
budget	The amount of money you have to spend on something.	We have a small budget* for our holiday this year.*
bully	A person who hurts or frightens weaker people.	The school is trying to stop the bully* who picks on younger pupils.*
campaign	A planned series of actions to achieve a goal, for example to change something.	The students started a campaign* to get more trees in the city.*
cancer	A serious illness in which cells in the body grow in an uncontrolled way.	Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer.
candidate	A person who is trying to get a job or be elected.	There are four candidates* for the job of manager.*
carbon	A chemical element found in coal and in all living things.	Cars produce carbon* dioxide, which harms the environment.*
celebrity	A famous person, especially in entertainment.	A celebrity* from a TV show was eating at the next table.*
ceremony	A formal public event with traditional actions, such as a wedding.	The prize-giving ceremony* starts at seven o'clock.*
challenge	Something new and difficult that tests your skill.	Learning Japanese was a real challenge* for me.*
charity	An organisation that collects money to help people in need.	We gave our old clothes to a charity.
chart	A drawing that shows information with lines, bars or numbers.	The chart* shows how sales grew over the year.*
citizen	A person who legally belongs to a country.	She became a British citizen* after living in London for ten years.*
claim	A statement that something is true, which may not be proved.	The company's claim* that the cream removes wrinkles is not true.*
client	A person who pays a professional person or company for a service.	The lawyer has a meeting with a new client* this afternoon.*
climate	The usual weather conditions in a place.	Spain has a warm, dry climate.
code	A set of numbers or letters that you need to open something or get information.	Enter the four-number code* to open the door.*
collection	A group of objects of the same type that someone has brought together.	My brother has a huge collection* of old coins.*
comfort	A pleasant feeling of being relaxed and having no pain.	These shoes are designed for comfort, not style.
comment	Something that you say or write that gives an opinion.	She made a nice comment* about my new haircut.*
commercial	An advertisement on television or radio.	I hate it when a commercial* interrupts the film.*
communication	The process of sharing information with other people.	Good communication* is very important in a team.*
community	All the people who live in one area, or a group with something in common.	The local community* worked together to clean the park.*
comparison	The act of looking at how two or more things are similar or different.	In comparison* with last summer, this one is much cooler.*
complaint	A statement that you are not happy with something.	We made a complaint* to the hotel manager about the noise.*
concentration	The ability to think carefully about one thing only.	The noise outside made concentration* very difficult.*
concern	A feeling of worry about something.	There is growing concern* about air pollution.*
conclusion	A decision you make after thinking about all the facts.	After a long discussion, we came to the conclusion* that we should move.*
confidence	The feeling that you can do things well.	Speaking in public gave her more confidence.
connection	A link or relationship between two things.	Is there a connection* between diet and sleep?*
consequence	A result of something, often a bad one.	Losing his job was a consequence* of always arriving late.*
content	The ideas or information in a book, film, website, etc.	The content* of the course is interesting but difficult.*
contest	A competition to find out who is the best at something.	She won a singing contest* when she was twelve.*
context	The situation in which something happens, which helps you understand it.	Try to guess the meaning of new words from the context.
contract	A legal written agreement between people or companies.	He signed a two-year contract* with the club.*
contrast	A big difference between two people or things.	There is a strong contrast* between the old town and the modern city.*
council	A group of people elected to make decisions for a town or area.	The council* is going to build a new sports centre.*
courage	The ability to do something dangerous or difficult without fear.	It took a lot of courage* to tell the truth.*
crew	The people who work on a ship or plane.	The crew* welcomed the passengers on board.*
criminal	A person who has broken the law.	The criminal* was sent to prison for five years.*
crisis	A time of great danger or difficulty.	The country is going through an economic crisis.
critic	A person whose job is to give opinions about books, films, food, etc.	The film critic* gave the new movie three stars.*
criticism	Comments that say what is bad about someone or something.	The new rules received a lot of criticism* from parents.*
cure	A medicine or treatment that makes an illness go away.	Scientists are still looking for a cure* for the common cold.*
currency	The money used in a particular country.	The euro is the currency* of many European countries.*
custom	Something that people in a place have done for a long time.	It is a custom* here to give gifts at New Year.*
data	Facts or numbers collected to be studied or used.	The scientists collected data* from a thousand people.*
deadline	A time or day by which you must finish something.	The deadline* for the project is next Friday.*
debate	A discussion in which people give different opinions.	We had a class debate* about school uniforms.*
debt	Money that you owe to someone.	He is trying to pay off his debts.
decade	A period of ten years.	The city has changed a lot in the last decade.
decrease	A fall in the amount or number of something.	There has been a decrease* in the number of road accidents.*
definition	A statement that explains what a word means.	Look up the definition* of this word in the dictionary.*
delivery	The act of bringing letters or goods to a place.	The delivery* of your new sofa will be on Tuesday.*
demand	The need or wish of people to buy something.	There is a big demand* for electric cars.*
democracy	A system of government in which people choose their leaders by voting.	In a democracy, everyone over eighteen can vote.
deposit	A first payment for something, with the rest paid later.	We paid a deposit* to book the holiday flat.*
depression	A medical condition that makes you feel very sad for a long time.	He saw a doctor because he was suffering from depression.
desire	A strong feeling of wanting something.	She has a strong desire* to travel the world.*
destination	The place where someone or something is going.	We reached our destination* after a ten-hour journey.*
development	The process of growing or changing into something bigger or better.	Sleep is important for a child's development.
device	A machine or tool that does a special job.	Please turn off your phones and other electronic devices.
disadvantage	Something that makes a situation harder or less good.	One disadvantage* of the job is the long hours.*
disaster	A sudden event, such as a flood, that causes great harm.	The earthquake was the worst disaster* in the country's history.*
discovery	The act of finding something that nobody knew about before.	The discovery* of a new planet excited scientists.*
display	An arrangement of things for people to look at.	The shop window has a beautiful display* of flowers.*
download	A file or program that you copy from the internet to your computer.	The app is available as a free download.
effect	A change that something causes; a result.	The medicine had a fast effect* on my headache.*
election	An event when people vote to choose a leader or a government.	The next general election* will be in May.*
element	A part of something, often an important one.	Trust is an important element* of friendship.*
emotion	A strong feeling such as love, anger or fear.	She tried to hide her emotions* during the speech.*
employment	The situation of having a paid job.	It is hard to find employment* in this small town.*
encouragement	Words or actions that give someone hope and support.	With her parents' encouragement, she applied to music school.
engineering	The work of designing and building machines, roads, bridges, etc.	My sister is studying engineering* at university.*
enthusiasm	A strong feeling of interest and excitement.	The children showed great enthusiasm* for the project.*
entertainment	Films, music, shows and other things that people enjoy.	The hotel offers live entertainment* every evening.*
equality	The same rights and chances for everyone.	The group works for equality* between men and women.*
error	A mistake, for example in a calculation or a text.	There is an error* in your calculation.*
essay	A short piece of writing about a subject, often for school.	I have to write an essay* about climate change.*
estate agent	A person whose job is to help people buy, sell or rent houses.	The estate agent* showed us three flats in one afternoon.*
evidence	Facts or signs that show that something is true.	The police found no evidence* that he was at the scene.*
expedition	A long organised journey, often to explore a place.	They went on an expedition* to the North Pole.*
explanation	Words that make something clear or give a reason for it.	The teacher gave a clear explanation* of the rule.*
expression	The look on someone's face that shows how they feel.	I could tell from her expression* that she was angry.*
extract	A short part taken from a book, film or piece of music.	We read an extract* from the novel in class.*
failure	A lack of success in doing something.	The plan was a complete failure.
faith	Strong trust in someone or something.	I have faith* in my team; I know they will win.*
fame	The state of being known by many people.	The singer found fame* at the age of sixteen.*
feature	An important or interesting part of something.	The best feature* of the phone is its camera.*
fee	Money that you pay for a professional service or to join something.	The gym charges a monthly fee* of thirty pounds.*
fiction	Books and stories about people and events that are not real.	She prefers true stories to fiction.
figure	A number, especially one in official information.	The latest figures* show that tourism is growing.*
finance	The management of money, especially by a company or government.	He works in finance* for a large bank.*
firm	A company or business.	My uncle works for a law firm* in Manchester.*
flavour	The taste of food or drink.	Which ice cream flavour* do you like best, chocolate or lemon?*
focus	The main thing that people pay attention to.	The focus* of today's lesson is the past tense.*
force	Physical strength or power.	The force* of the wind knocked the tree down.*
fortune	A very large amount of money.	He made a fortune* selling software.*
function	The purpose or job that something has.	The main function* of the heart is to pump blood.*
gap	An empty space between two things.	The cat got out through a gap* in the fence.*
gang	A group of young people who often cause trouble or commit crimes.	A gang* of teenagers was making noise outside the shop.*
generation	All the people born at about the same time.	My grandparents' generation* didn't grow up with the internet.*
genius	A person who is extremely clever or skilful.	Mozart was a musical genius.
goods	Things that are made to be sold.	The shop sells electrical goods* such as TVs and fridges.*
graduate	A person who has finished a university degree.	She is a graduate* of Edinburgh University.*
growth	An increase in size or amount.	The town has seen rapid growth* in the last ten years.*
guilt	A bad feeling that you have done something wrong.	He felt a lot of guilt* after shouting at his little brother.*
harm	Damage or injury.	A little sugar won't do you any harm.
headline	The title of a newspaper story, printed in large letters.	The news about the storm was on every front-page headline.
headquarters	The main office of a company or organisation.	The company's headquarters* is in Paris.*
heritage	The history, traditions and buildings that a country or group has from the past.	The old castle is an important part of the town's heritage.
highlight	The best or most exciting part of something.	The highlight* of our trip was swimming with dolphins.*
host	A person who invites guests and looks after them.	The host* of the party welcomed us at the door.*
household	All the people who live together in one house.	Most households* in the country have a computer.*
humour	The ability to find things funny or to make people laugh.	My dad has a great sense of humour.
hunger	The feeling that you need to eat.	Millions of people around the world suffer from hunger.
identity	Who someone is; their name and what makes them different.	You need to show proof of identity* to open a bank account.*
image	A picture, especially in a mirror, on a screen or in a camera.	The image* on the screen was not very clear.*
impact	A strong effect that something has on someone or something.	Social media has had a huge impact* on young people.*
importance	The quality of mattering a lot.	Doctors stress the importance* of a healthy diet.*
impression	An opinion or feeling about someone or something.	She made a good impression* at the job interview.*
improvement	A change that makes something better.	There has been a big improvement* in your writing this term.*
income	Money that you get from work or investments.	Half of his income* goes on rent.*
increase	A rise in the amount or number of something.	There has been an increase* in the price of petrol.*
independence	Freedom from control by another person or country.	The country gained its independence* in 1960.*
individual	One person, considered separately from the group.	Every individual* has the right to an education.*
industry	The people and companies that produce a particular type of goods or service.	The car industry* employs thousands of people here.*
influence	The power to change how someone thinks or acts.	My teacher had a big influence* on my choice of career.*
instruction	Information that tells you how to do something.	Read the instructions* carefully before you use the machine.*
intelligence	The ability to learn, understand and think.	Dolphins are famous for their intelligence.
intention	Something that you plan or want to do.	I have no intention* of moving to another city.*
invention	Something new that someone has designed or made for the first time.	The telephone was an important invention.
investigation	An official attempt to find out the truth about something.	The police have started an investigation* into the fire.*
issue	An important subject or problem that people discuss.	Climate change is a global issue.
judge	A person who makes decisions in a court of law.	The judge* sent the thief to prison for two years.*
junk food	Food that is quick and tasty but not healthy.	Try to eat less junk food* like crisps and burgers.*
justice	Fair treatment of people, especially by the law.	The families of the victims want justice.
kindness	The quality of being friendly, generous and caring.	Thank you for your kindness* when I was ill.*
landscape	Everything you can see when you look across an area of land.	The landscape* in Scotland is wild and beautiful.*
lack	The state of not having enough of something.	I felt tired because of a lack* of sleep.*
league	A group of sports teams that play against each other.	Our team is top of the league.
length	How long something is from one end to the other.	The length* of the swimming pool is fifty metres.*
lifestyle	The way that a person lives.	He has a very healthy lifestyle; he runs every day.
limit	The greatest amount or number that is allowed.	The speed limit* in towns is thirty miles per hour.*
link	A connection between two things or places.	There is a clear link* between smoking and heart disease.*
literature	Books, plays and poems, especially ones considered to be art.	She studied English literature* at university.*
loan	Money that a bank lends you and you must pay back.	They got a loan* from the bank to buy a house.*
logo	A small design that a company uses as its symbol.	The company's logo* is printed on every T-shirt.*
majority	More than half of a group of people or things.	The majority* of students voted for a longer lunch break.*
management	The control and organisation of a business.	The hotel is under new management.
manner	The way something is done or happens.	She spoke in a calm and friendly manner.
material	Cloth or another substance used for making things.	This jacket is made of a waterproof material.
media	Television, radio, newspapers and the internet as a whole.	The media* reported the story all day.*
medal	A round piece of metal given as a prize.	She won a gold medal* at the Olympics.*
mental health	The condition of your mind and feelings.	Talking to friends is good for your mental health.
minority	A smaller part of a group, less than half.	Only a minority* of people voted against the plan.*
mission	An important job, often involving a journey.	The astronauts are on a six-month mission* in space.*
mixture	A combination of different things.	Pour the mixture* of eggs and sugar into the bowl.*
motivation	The wish or reason to do something.	My motivation* for learning Spanish is to talk to my cousins.*
movement	A change of position or place.	The camera can detect any movement* in the room.*
nationality	The legal right of belonging to a country.	She has French nationality* but lives in Spain.*
neighbourhood	An area of a town and the people who live there.	We live in a quiet neighbourhood* near the park.*
network	A system of connected lines, roads, computers or people.	The city has an excellent bus network.
notice	A written sign that gives information.	There was a notice* on the door saying "Closed".*
nutrition	The food you eat and how it affects your health.	Good nutrition* is important for growing children.*
object	A thing you can see or touch that is not alive.	The museum has many objects* from ancient Rome.*
objective	Something that you plan to achieve.	Our main objective* is to finish the project by June.*
occasion	A special event or ceremony.	Her wedding was a happy occasion* for the whole family.*
offence	An illegal action; a crime.	Driving without a licence is a serious offence.
offer	A statement that you are willing to give or do something.	Thanks for your offer* of help.*
official	A person with an important job in an organisation or government.	A government official* answered questions from journalists.*
operator	A person whose job is to connect phone calls or to use a machine.	I called the operator* and asked for the number.*
option	Something that you can choose.	We have two options: take the bus or walk.
organisation	A group of people who work together for a purpose, like a company or club.	She works for an organisation* that helps homeless people.*
origin	The place or point where something starts.	The origin* of the word "pyjamas" is Hindi.*
outcome	The final result of something.	We are waiting for the outcome* of the meeting.*
pace	The speed at which someone or something moves or happens.	She walked at a fast pace* to catch the bus.*
packaging	The paper, plastic or boxes used to cover products in shops.	Too much plastic packaging* ends up in the sea.*
panic	A sudden strong feeling of fear that stops you thinking clearly.	There was panic* when the fire alarm rang.*
passion	A very strong feeling of liking something.	He has a passion* for football.*
patience	The ability to wait or stay calm without getting angry.	Teaching young children needs a lot of patience.
performance	The act of playing music, acting or dancing in front of people.	Her performance* in the play was excellent.*
personality	The kind of person you are, shown by how you think and behave.	She has a warm, friendly personality.
phase	A stage in a process of change or development.	The first phase* of the project is now complete.*
phenomenon	Something that happens or exists, especially something unusual.	The northern lights are a natural phenomenon.
philosophy	The study of ideas about life, knowledge and truth.	He studied philosophy* at university and loves big questions.*
plot	The story of a book, film or play.	The plot* of the film was hard to follow.*
policy	A plan of action agreed by a government, company or school.	The school has a strict policy* on mobile phones.*
politician	A person whose job is in government, often elected.	The politician* promised to build more schools.*
politics	Activities connected with governing a country.	My uncle loves talking about politics* at dinner.*
poverty	The state of being very poor.	Many families in the region live in poverty.
pride	A feeling of pleasure in something you or people close to you have done.	Her parents watched her with pride* as she got her degree.*
principle	A basic rule or belief that guides how you behave.	It's against my principles* to lie to my friends.*
priority	Something that is more important than other things.	My family is my top priority.
privacy	The state of being alone and not watched by other people.	Teenagers need some privacy* in their own rooms.*
procedure	The official or correct way of doing something.	What is the procedure* for getting a new passport?*
process	A series of actions that you do to achieve a result.	Learning a language is a slow process.
production	The process of making or growing things to sell.	The factory has increased production* this year.*
profession	A job that needs special training, such as a doctor or teacher.	Nursing is a very demanding profession.
profit	Money that you make when you sell something for more than it cost.	The shop made a small profit* last year.*
promotion	A move to a more important job in the same company.	She got a promotion* to sales manager.*
proof	Facts or documents that show something is true.	Do you have any proof* that you paid the bill?*
property	Something that you own, especially a building or land.	They bought a property* by the sea.*
proportion	A part or share of a whole.	A large proportion* of the population lives in cities.*
protest	A public event where people show they strongly disagree with something.	Thousands of people joined the protest* against the new airport.*
psychology	The scientific study of the mind and behaviour.	She's interested in psychology* because she wants to understand people.*
purpose	The reason why something is done or made.	What is the purpose* of your visit?*
quality	How good or bad something is.	The quality* of the food in this restaurant is excellent.*
quantity	An amount or number of something.	We bought a large quantity* of rice for the party.*
range	A number of different things of the same general type.	The shop sells a wide range* of shoes.*
rate	How fast or how often something happens.	The population is growing at a fast rate.
reaction	What you do or feel because of something that has happened.	What was his reaction* when you told him the news?*
reader	A person who reads, especially one who reads a lot.	She's a keen reader* and finishes a book every week.*
reality	The way things really are, not how you imagine them.	In reality, the hotel was much smaller than in the photos.
recording	Sounds or pictures that have been stored so they can be played again.	We listened to a recording* of the concert.*
reference	A mention of something in speech or writing.	The speaker made a reference* to an old film.*
relation	A member of your family.	We have relations* in Canada and Australia.*
relief	A happy feeling when something bad stops or does not happen.	It was a great relief* to hear that everyone was safe.*
religion	Belief in a god or gods, and the practices connected with that belief.	The course looks at the history, art and religion* of ancient Egypt.*
reputation	The opinion that people have about someone or something.	The restaurant has a reputation* for excellent fish.*
resource	Something useful, such as money, water or people, that you can use.	Water is a precious natural resource.
response	An answer or reaction.	I sent three emails but got no response.
responsibility	A duty to take care of something or someone.	Looking after the dog is my responsibility.
revolution	A big change, often when people remove a government by force.	The French revolution* began in 1789.*
reward	Something good you get because you did something well.	The reward* for finding the lost cat is fifty pounds.*
rhythm	A regular, repeated pattern of sounds or movements.	We clapped our hands to the rhythm* of the music.*
rise	An increase in amount or number.	There has been a sharp rise* in house prices.*
rival	A person or group that competes with another.	The two clubs have been rivals* for a hundred years.*
romance	A short, exciting love relationship.	They had a holiday romance* in Italy.*
routine	The usual order in which you do things every day.	Going for a run is part of my morning routine.
sample	A small amount of something that shows what the rest is like.	The shop gave us a free sample* of the new cheese.*
satisfaction	A pleasant feeling when you get what you wanted.	She gets a lot of satisfaction* from helping others.*
scholarship	Money given to a student to pay for their studies.	He won a scholarship* to study music in Vienna.*
security	Things done to keep a place or people safe.	There is tight security* at the airport.*
selection	A group of things chosen from a larger number.	The café has a good selection* of cakes.*
series	A set of TV programmes with the same characters or subject.	I watched the whole series* in one weekend.*
session	A period of time spent doing one activity.	We have a training session* every Tuesday evening.*
shift	A period of work, for example at night.	My mum works the night shift* at the hospital.*
shortage	A situation where there is not enough of something.	There is a shortage* of teachers in the area.*
skyscraper	A very tall building in a city.	New York is famous for its skyscrapers.
slogan	A short, easy-to-remember phrase used in advertising or politics.	"Just do it" is a famous advertising slogan.
society	People in general, living together in organised communities.	Technology has changed modern society.
software	The programs that you use on a computer.	You need to install the latest software* on your laptop.*
source	The place or person that something comes from.	The sun is our main source* of energy.*
spirit	The way a person or group feels and thinks, especially their energy and courage.	The team played with great spirit.
sponsor	A company that pays for an event in exchange for advertising.	The bank is the main sponsor* of the tennis tournament.*
statement	Something that someone says or writes officially.	The police asked the witness to make a statement.
statistics	Numbers collected to give information about something.	Statistics show that more people are cycling to work.
status	A person's social or professional position.	Doctors have a high status* in many countries.*
storage	A place or space for keeping things.	The flat has plenty of storage* for clothes and books.*
strategy	A careful plan for achieving something.	The coach explained the team's strategy* for the match.*
structure	The way the parts of something are put together.	The structure* of the essay is clear and logical.*
subscription	Money you pay regularly to get a magazine or use a service.	I have a monthly subscription* to a music website.*
substance	A solid, liquid or gas of a particular type.	Some cleaning products contain dangerous substances.
suggestion	An idea or plan that you offer for others to think about.	Have you got any suggestions* for a good restaurant?*
summary	A short statement that gives the main points of something.	Write a summary* of the story in fifty words.*
supply	An amount of something that is available to use.	The town's water supply* was cut off for two days.*
survey	A set of questions you ask many people to learn their opinions.	The survey* showed that most people want more parks.*
survival	The state of continuing to live, especially after a difficult time.	The survival* of many animals depends on clean rivers.*
suspect	A person who the police think may have committed a crime.	The police are questioning a suspect.
target	A result or number that you try to achieve.	Our target* is to raise a thousand pounds for charity.*
task	A piece of work that you have to do.	My first task* every morning is to check my email.*
teamwork	The ability of a group to work well together.	Good teamwork* helped us win the competition.*
technique	A special way of doing something.	The coach taught us a new technique* for kicking the ball.*
tension	A feeling of nervousness or worry, often between people.	You could feel the tension* in the room before the results.*
term	One of the periods into which the school year is divided.	The summer term* ends in July.*
theory	An idea that tries to explain something.	Scientists have a new theory* about how the moon formed.*
threat	A danger that something bad might happen.	Pollution is a serious threat* to wildlife.*
title	The name of a book, film, song, etc.	What's the title* of the book you're reading?*
tradition	A custom or belief that has existed for a long time.	Eating turkey at Christmas is a British tradition.
transport	Ways of travelling or moving things, such as buses and trains.	Public transport* in the city is cheap and fast.*
treatment	Medical care for an illness or injury.	She is receiving treatment* for a back problem.*
trend	A general change or development in a particular direction.	There is a growing trend* towards working from home.*
trial	A process in a court of law to decide if someone is guilty.	The trial* of the two men will start next month.*
unemployment	The situation when people want to work but have no job.	Unemployment is high in some parts of the country.
union	An organisation of workers that protects their rights.	The union* is asking for better pay for nurses.*
unit	A single, complete part of something larger, such as a course book.	We are studying unit* five in our English book.*
value	How much something is worth in money.	The value* of the house has doubled.*
variety	A number of different types of things.	The market sells a variety* of fresh fruit.*
vehicle	A machine such as a car, bus or lorry that carries people or things.	No vehicles* are allowed in the town centre.*
version	A form of something that is a little different from other forms.	The film is a new version* of an old story.*
victim	A person who has been hurt or killed, or who has suffered from a crime.	The victim* of the robbery described the thief to the police.*
violence	Behaviour that is meant to hurt or kill people.	The film contains scenes of violence* and is not for children.*
volume	How loud a sound is.	Could you turn down the volume* on the TV?*
volunteer	A person who does work without being paid.	She works as a volunteer* at the animal centre.*
wealth	A large amount of money or property.	He used his wealth* to build a hospital.*
weapon	An object, such as a gun or knife, used to hurt people.	The police searched the man but didn't find a weapon.
welfare	The health, comfort and happiness of a person or animal.	The charity cares about the welfare* of farm animals.*
wisdom	Knowledge and good judgement gained from experience.	My grandmother is full of wisdom* about life.*
witness	A person who sees something happen, such as a crime or accident.	A witness* told the police that the car was red.*
addiction	A strong need to keep doing or using something harmful.	His addiction* to video games affected his school work.*
admiration	A feeling of respect for someone who has done something good.	I have great admiration* for nurses.*
aid	Help, such as money or food, given to people in need.	The country sent aid* to the flood victims.*
ambition	A strong wish to do or achieve something.	Her ambition* is to become a pilot.*
anger	The strong feeling you have when someone treats you badly.	He couldn't hide his anger* when he saw the damage.*
appetite	The feeling that you want to eat.	Swimming always gives me a big appetite.
approval	The feeling that something or someone is good or acceptable.	She wanted her father's approval* before taking the job.*
arrow	A sign that points in a direction.	Follow the arrows* to the exit.*
assessment	The act of judging how good or bad something or someone is.	The teacher's assessment* of my work was very positive.*
attendance	The fact of being present at a place, such as school.	Good attendance* at school is important.*
blogger	A person who writes regular articles on a website about their life or interests.	The food blogger* posted a review of our restaurant.*
broadcast	A programme on radio or television.	We watched a live broadcast* of the concert.*
cast	All the actors in a film or play.	The film has an excellent cast.
chip	A very small piece of electronic material inside a computer.	The new phone has a faster chip.
column	A regular article in a newspaper or magazine by the same writer.	She writes a weekly column* about food.*
conference	A large formal meeting where people discuss their work.	Doctors from twenty countries came to the conference.
confusion	A state of not understanding what is happening.	There was some confusion* about the time of the meeting.*
contribution	Something that you give or do to help achieve something.	Everyone made a contribution* to the teacher's leaving present.*
convenience	The quality of being easy, useful or suitable.	I like the convenience* of shopping online.*
cover	The outside part of a book or magazine.	There's a photo of a famous actor on the cover.
dialogue	A conversation in a book, play or film.	The dialogue* in the film was funny and clever.*
documentary	A film or TV programme that gives facts about a real subject.	We watched a documentary* about whales.*
editor	A person who is in charge of a newspaper or magazine.	The editor* decided to put the story on the front page.*
episode	One part of a story that is shown on TV or radio.	I can't wait to watch the next episode.
feedback	Comments about how well or badly someone has done something.	My teacher gave me useful feedback* on my essay.*
forum	A website where people discuss a subject by posting messages.	I asked for help on an online forum* for gardeners.*
gossip	Talk about other people's private lives, which may not be true.	Don't believe all the gossip* you hear at school.*
journalism	The job of collecting and writing news for newspapers, TV or websites.	She wants to study journalism* and work for a newspaper.*
listener	A person who listens, especially to the radio.	The radio station has over a million listeners.
lyrics	The words of a song.	I love the melody, but I can't understand the lyrics.
podcast	A recorded radio-style programme that you can download from the internet.	I listen to a history podcast* on my way to work.*
presenter	A person who introduces a TV or radio programme.	The presenter* welcomed the guests to the show.*
press	Newspapers and magazines, and the journalists who work for them.	The actor refused to talk to the press.
publicity	Attention from newspapers and TV, or the activity of getting it.	The new film got a lot of publicity* before it came out.*
publisher	A company that prepares and sells books or magazines.	Her first novel was rejected by five publishers.
rating	A measurement of how good or popular something is.	The hotel has a five-star rating.
reality show	A TV programme that films real people, not actors, in real situations.	She became famous after appearing on a reality show.
sitcom	A funny TV series about the same characters in everyday situations.	My favourite sitcom* is about a group of friends in a café.*
soap opera	A TV series about the daily lives of a group of people, shown several times a week.	My grandmother never misses her favourite soap opera.
spam	Emails that you have not asked for, usually advertising.	My email account receives a lot of spam.
subtitle	Words at the bottom of a screen that translate what people are saying.	I watched the French film with English subtitles.
tabloid	A newspaper with small pages, many photos and stories about famous people.	The tabloid* printed photos of the singer on holiday.*
talk show	A TV programme in which a host chats with famous guests.	The actor talked about his new film on a talk show.
viewer	A person who watches TV.	Millions of viewers* watched the final.*
attachment	A file that you send with an email.	I've sent the photos as an attachment.
browser	A program that you use to look at websites.	Open your web browser* and go to our homepage.*
blog	A website where a person writes regularly about their life or opinions.	She writes a travel blog* about her trips.*
click	The act of pressing a button on a computer mouse.	With one click, you can buy anything online.
database	A large collection of information stored on a computer in an organised way.	The school keeps all student details in a database.
folder	A place on a computer where you keep files together.	Save the photos in a new folder* called "Holiday".*
homepage	The main page of a website.	You can find our phone number on the homepage.
icon	A small picture on a screen that you click to open a program.	Click on the printer icon* to print the page.*
profile	A short description of a person on a website, often with a photo.	I updated my profile* with a new photo.*
server	A main computer that stores information and provides it to other computers.	The website is down because the server* has crashed.*
update	A new version of software with improvements.	My phone is installing an update.
virus	A hidden program that damages a computer.	My laptop stopped working because of a virus.
wifi	A system for connecting to the internet without wires.	Does the hotel have free wifi?
achieve	To succeed in doing something after working hard.	She finally achieved* her dream of becoming a doctor.*
admire	To respect and like someone because of what they do.	I really admire* people who work as nurses.*
advertise	To tell the public about a product so that they buy it.	Companies pay a lot to advertise* on TV during the final.*
advise	To tell someone what you think they should do.	The doctor advised* me to rest for a few days.*
afford	To have enough money to pay for something.	We can't afford* a new car this year.*
aim	To plan or hope to achieve something.	The club aims* to raise money for the local hospital.*
announce	To tell people something officially.	The airline announced* that the flight was cancelled.*
apologise	To say that you are sorry for something.	You should apologise* to your sister for shouting at her.*
appreciate	To be grateful for something.	I really appreciate* your help with the move.*
approve	To officially accept a plan or request.	The council has approved* the plans for a new library.*
attract	To make people want to come to a place or look at something.	The festival attracts* thousands of visitors every summer.*
base	To use something as the starting point for a story, idea, etc.	The film is based* on a true story.*
bear	To accept or deal with something unpleasant.	I can't bear* the noise from the building site.*
beg	To ask for something in a very strong or emotional way.	The children begged* their parents for a puppy.*
broadcast	To send out a programme on TV or radio.	The channel will broadcast* the match live tonight.*
calculate	To find an amount using numbers.	Can you calculate* how much the trip will cost?*
challenge	To invite someone to compete with you.	He challenged* me to a game of chess.*
charge	To ask an amount of money for something.	The hotel charged* us ten pounds for breakfast.*
claim	To say that something is true, without proof.	He claims* that he saw a UFO last night.*
combine	To mix or join two or more things together.	Combine the flour and sugar in a large bowl.
comment	To give an opinion about something.	The singer refused to comment* on the rumours.*
commit	To do something illegal or wrong.	The police believe he committed* the robbery.*
compete	To try to win against others in a game or race.	Twenty countries will compete* in the tournament.*
concentrate	To give all your attention to one thing.	I can't concentrate* with the TV on.*
concern	To be about a subject or to involve someone.	This letter concerns* your new contract.*
confirm	To say that something is definitely true or will happen.	Please confirm* your booking by email.*
consider	To think carefully about something before making a decision.	We are considering* moving to the countryside.*
contain	To have something inside.	This box contains* old family photos.*
contribute	To give money or help for a shared purpose.	Everyone should contribute* something to the class party.*
convince	To make someone believe that something is true.	She convinced* me that the plan would work.*
criticise	To say what is wrong or bad about someone or something.	The newspaper criticised* the government's new tax.*
cure	To make an ill person or an illness better.	The medicine cured* my headache in minutes.*
debate	To discuss a subject formally, giving different opinions.	The students debated* whether homework should be banned.*
decrease	To become smaller in size or number.	The number of visitors has decreased* this year.*
defeat	To win against someone in a game, competition or war.	Our team defeated* the champions three goals to one.*
defend	To protect someone or something from attack or criticism.	The dog will defend* its owners if anyone attacks them.*
demand	To ask for something very firmly.	The customer demanded* his money back.*
deny	To say that something is not true.	He denied* eating the last piece of cake.*
deserve	To have earned something because of how you have behaved.	She has worked so hard this year; she deserves* a holiday.*
determine	To find out or decide something exactly.	The police are trying to determine* the cause of the fire.*
disagree	To have a different opinion from someone.	I disagree* with you; I think the film was boring.*
disappoint	To make someone sad because something was not as good as they hoped.	The final episode disappointed* many fans.*
display	To put something where people can see it.	Her paintings are displayed* in the town gallery.*
distribute	To give things to a large number of people.	Volunteers distributed* food to the homeless.*
donate	To give money or goods to help people.	He donated* his old books to the school library.*
edit	To correct and change a text, film or photo before it is published.	Can you edit* my essay before I send it?*
eliminate	To remove a team or player from a competition after they lose.	Our team was eliminated* in the first round.*
emphasise	To show that something is very important.	The teacher emphasised* the need to check our answers.*
encounter	To meet or experience something, often a problem.	We encountered* some problems on the way.*
ensure	To make certain that something happens.	Please ensure* that all windows are closed before you leave.*
entertain	To keep people interested and amused.	A clown entertained* the children at the party.*
establish	To start a company or organisation that will last a long time.	The school was established* in 1850.*
estimate	To guess a size, cost or amount using the information you have.	Experts estimated* that the repairs will cost two thousand pounds.*
examine	To look at someone or something very carefully.	The doctor examined* my injured knee.*
expand	To become or make something bigger.	The company has expanded* into three new countries.*
experiment	To try new ideas or methods to see what happens.	I like to experiment* with different spices when I cook.*
express	To show a feeling or opinion in words or actions.	It's hard to express* how grateful I am.*
extend	To make something last longer or bigger.	They extended* their holiday by another week.*
face	To have a difficult situation that you must deal with.	The town faces* serious problems with traffic.*
feature	To include someone or something as an important part.	The new album features* songs by several famous singers.*
focus	To give most of your attention to one thing.	I need to focus* on my studies this year.*
force	To make someone do something they don't want to do.	The rain forced* us to stay inside.*
gain	To get something useful, such as experience or skill.	She gained* a lot of experience working abroad.*
gather	To come together in one place as a group.	A crowd gathered* to watch the street musicians.*
generate	To produce something, such as energy or money.	Wind farms generate* electricity from the wind.*
govern	To officially control a country and make decisions for it.	The party has been elected to govern* the country for four years.*
graduate	To finish your studies at university and get a degree.	She graduated* from Oxford with a degree in history.*
guarantee	To promise that something will happen or work.	The company guarantees* delivery within two days.*
handle	To deal with a situation or problem.	She knows how to handle* difficult customers.*
harm	To hurt or damage someone or something.	These chemicals can harm* fish in the river.*
identify	To recognise someone or something and say who or what they are.	Can you identify* the man in this photo?*
impress	To make someone admire you.	She impressed* the judges with her beautiful voice.*
indicate	To show that something is true or exists.	The survey indicates* that most people are happy here.*
influence	To change how someone thinks or behaves.	My older sister influenced* my taste in music.*
inspire	To give someone the idea or the wish to do something.	Her trip to Africa inspired* her to become a photographer.*
install	To put a machine or program in place so that it can be used.	We installed* a new washing machine in the kitchen.*
insist	To say firmly that something must happen.	My mother insisted* that I wear a coat.*
intend	To plan to do something.	I intend* to finish this book before the weekend.*
investigate	To try to find out the truth about something, such as a crime.	The police are investigating* the robbery.*
involve	To include something as a necessary part.	The job involves* a lot of travelling.*
judge	To form an opinion about someone or something.	Don't judge* people by their appearance.*
justify	To give a good reason for something.	How can you justify* spending so much money on shoes?*
launch	To start selling a new product or start a new activity.	The company launched* its new phone last week.*
link	To connect two or more things.	The two towns are linked* by a bridge.*
maintain	To keep something in good condition or at the same level.	It's expensive to maintain* an old house.*
motivate	To make someone want to do something.	Our coach really motivates* us to train harder.*
negotiate	To discuss something in order to reach an agreement.	The workers negotiated* a new contract with their boss.*
observe	To watch someone or something carefully.	The scientists observed* the birds for several weeks.*
obtain	To get something, often with effort.	You need to obtain* a visa before you travel.*
occupy	To fill or use a space or time.	All the seats in the waiting room were occupied.
occur	To happen, especially without being planned.	The accident occurred* at about ten o'clock last night.*
oppose	To disagree with a plan and try to stop it.	Many residents oppose* the plan to build a new airport.*
owe	To have to pay money back to someone.	I owe* you ten pounds for the tickets.*
participate	To take part in an activity or event.	All students must participate* in the sports day.*
permit	To allow something.	Smoking is not permitted* inside the building.*
predict	To say what will happen in the future.	The weather forecast predicted* rain for today.*
preserve	To keep something in its original state or in good condition.	We must preserve* these old buildings for future generations.*
prevent	To stop something from happening.	Washing your hands helps to prevent* illness.*
process	To deal with documents or information in an official way.	Your application will be processed* within ten days.*
promote	To help something to sell or become popular by advertising it.	The band is on tour to promote* their new album.*
propose	To suggest a plan or idea.	She proposed* that we meet again next week.*
protest	To show publicly that you strongly disagree with something.	Hundreds of students protested* against the higher fees.*
purchase	To buy something, usually something large or expensive.	They purchased* a new house last year.*
qualify	To pass the exams needed for a job.	She qualified* as a doctor in 2019.*
raise	To lift something up to a higher position.	Raise your hand if you know the answer.
react	To behave in a particular way because of something that has happened.	How did your parents react* when you told them?*
recover	To become healthy again after an illness or injury.	He has fully recovered* from his operation.*
refer	To mention someone or something.	In his speech, he referred* to his time as a student.*
reflect	To send back light or an image from a surface.	The mountains were reflected* in the lake.*
regret	To feel sorry about something you did or did not do.	I regret* not studying harder at school.*
reject	To refuse to accept something.	The company rejected* my application.*
relate	To find or show a connection between two things.	It's hard to relate* the story to real life.*
release	To make a film or music available to the public.	The band released* a new album last month.*
remain	To stay in the same place or condition.	She remained* calm during the emergency.*
represent	To speak or act officially for another person or group.	She represents* her school in the national competition.*
require	To need something.	This job requires* good computer skills.*
research	To study a subject carefully to find new facts.	He is researching* the history of his family.*
resist	To stop yourself from doing something you want to do.	I couldn't resist* eating another piece of chocolate.*
respect	To admire someone because of their good qualities.	I really respect* my teacher for her honesty.*
respond	To give an answer.	She responded* to my email within an hour.*
restore	To repair something old so that it looks as it did originally.	They restored* the old church after the fire.*
reveal	To make something known that was secret.	The singer revealed* that she was getting married.*
review	To look at something again carefully, especially to decide whether to change it.	The school will review* its rules on homework.*
risk	To do something although something bad might happen.	He risked* his life to save the child.*
rise	To go up or increase.	Prices rose* by ten per cent last year.*
ruin	To spoil or destroy something completely.	The rain ruined* our picnic.*
satisfy	To please someone by giving them what they want.	It's impossible to satisfy* everyone.*
scan	To use a machine to copy a document or photo into a computer.	I scanned* my passport and emailed it to the agency.*
seek	To try to find or get something.	You should seek* advice from a lawyer.*
select	To choose someone or something from a group.	She was selected* to play for the national team.*
separate	To divide something into parts, or to keep things apart.	Separate the eggs and put the yolks in a bowl.
settle	To go and live in a new place permanently.	My grandparents settled* in Australia after the war.*
shoot	To fire a gun at someone or something.	The hunter shot* a rabbit.*
shut down	To stop a business or machine from working.	The factory shut down* last year and two hundred people lost their jobs.*
spot	To notice or see someone or something, often suddenly.	I spotted* my friend in the crowd.*
state	To say or write something clearly and formally.	The report states* that the bridge is unsafe.*
struggle	To try very hard to do something difficult.	He struggled* to open the heavy door.*
succeed	To achieve what you were trying to do.	After three attempts, she finally succeeded* in passing her driving test.*
suffer	To feel pain or have an illness or problem.	My aunt suffers* from bad headaches.*
suit	To look good on someone.	That blue jacket really suits* you.*
surround	To be all around someone or something.	The house is surrounded* by tall trees.*
suspect	To think that something is probably true.	I suspect* that he forgot about the meeting.*
swear	To use rude or offensive words.	He swore* when he hit his finger with the hammer.*
sympathise	To understand and care about someone's problems.	I sympathise* with you; I had the same problem last year.*
tend	To usually do something or be likely to happen.	People tend* to eat more in winter.*
threaten	To say that you will hurt someone or cause problems if they don't do what you want.	The workers threatened* to go on strike.*
tolerate	To accept something unpleasant without complaining.	I can't tolerate* rude behaviour.*
trace	To find someone or something that was lost, often by following information.	The police traced* the stolen car to a garage in Leeds.*
transfer	To move someone or something from one place to another.	I transferred* some money to my son's bank account.*
transform	To change something completely, usually to improve it.	They transformed* the old factory into a modern art gallery.*
update	To add the newest information to something.	I updated* my CV before applying for the job.*
value	To think that someone or something is important.	I really value* your advice.*
witness	To see something happen, especially an accident or a crime.	Several people witnessed* the accident.*
bookmark	To save the address of a website so that you can find it again easily.	Bookmark this page so you can come back to it later.
browse	To look at information on the internet or in a shop without a clear aim.	I spent the evening browsing* the internet for holiday ideas.*
follow up	To do something more about a matter, for example by finding out more.	I'll follow up* the meeting with an email to everyone.*
forward	To send an email that you have received to another person.	I forwarded* the message to my colleague.*
hack	To get into someone else's computer system without permission.	Someone hacked* my email account and sent spam to my friends.*
scroll	To move text or pictures up or down on a screen.	She scrolled* down to read the rest of the article.*
stream	To watch or listen to video or music directly from the internet.	You can stream* the concert live on our website.*
subscribe	To pay regularly to receive a magazine or use a service.	We subscribe* to a film service and watch something every night.*
zoom	To make a picture on a screen look bigger or smaller.	You can zoom* in on the map to see the streets.*
break down	To stop working, used about a machine or vehicle.	Our car broke down* on the motorway.*
bring up	To care for a child until he or she is an adult.	She was brought up* by her grandparents.*
carry on	To continue doing something.	Please carry on* with your work while I'm out.*
catch up	To reach the same level or place as someone who is in front.	Walk slowly so that your little brother can catch up.
come across	To find or meet something or someone by chance.	I came across* some old letters while I was cleaning.*
cut down	To do or use less of something.	My doctor told me to cut down* on sugar.*
drop out	To leave school or a course before it has finished.	He dropped out* of university after one year.*
end up	To finally be in a place or situation that you didn't plan.	We got lost and ended up* in a different village.*
fall out	To have an argument and stop being friendly with someone.	Tom and Ben fell out* over a girl.*
figure out	To finally understand something or find the answer.	I can't figure out* how to use this new phone.*
get along	To have a friendly relationship with someone.	Do you get along* with your neighbours?*
get over	To feel better after an illness or something sad.	It took her months to get over* the death of her dog.*
give away	To give something to someone without asking for money.	She gave away* all her old toys to a charity shop.*
go ahead	To happen as planned, or to begin.	The concert went ahead* despite the rain.*
go off	To make a sudden loud noise, used about an alarm or bomb.	My alarm clock went off* at six o'clock.*
grow up	To change from a child into an adult.	I grew up* in a small town near the sea.*
hand out	To give something to each person in a group.	The teacher handed out* the test papers.*
keep up	To move or learn at the same speed as someone else.	He walks so fast that I can't keep up* with him.*
let down	To disappoint someone by not doing what you promised.	I promised to help, and I don't want to let down* my friends.*
look into	To try to find out the facts about a problem.	The manager is looking into* your complaint.*
make out	To be able to see, hear or understand something with difficulty.	It was so dark that I couldn't make out* the road signs.*
move on	To start a new activity or stop thinking about something in the past.	Let's move on* to the next question.*
pass on	To give information or an object to another person.	Can you pass on* this message to your sister?*
point out	To tell someone a fact they had not noticed.	My teacher pointed out* a few mistakes in my essay.*
put off	To change something to a later time.	We put off* the meeting until next week because the boss was ill.*
put out	To make a fire or a cigarette stop burning.	The firefighters put out* the fire in half an hour.*
run into	To meet someone you know by chance.	I ran into* an old school friend at the supermarket.*
set up	To start a business or organisation.	She set up* her own company when she was only twenty-five.*
show off	To try to make people admire you in an annoying way.	Stop showing off* and just ride your bike normally!*
sort out	To solve a problem or organise something.	Don't worry, we'll sort out* the problem tomorrow.*
take over	To get control of a company or job.	A large company took over* the small family business.*
take up	To start doing a new hobby or activity.	My dad took up* golf when he retired.*
turn into	To change and become something different.	The caterpillar turned into* a beautiful butterfly.*
turn out	To happen in a way that you didn't expect, or to be discovered to be.	The party turned out* to be really fun.*
absent	Not present at a place where you should be.	Five students were absent* from class today because of flu.*
academic	Connected with studying, schools and universities.	The academic* year starts in September.*
acceptable	Good enough or allowed.	Is it acceptable* to wear jeans to the office?*
accurate	Correct and exact in every detail.	The weather forecast was very accurate* this week.*
additional	Added to what is already there; extra.	There is an additional* charge for luggage.*
adequate	Enough or good enough for a particular purpose.	The hotel room was small but adequate* for one night.*
advanced	At a high level, not for beginners.	She is in the advanced* French class.*
aggressive	Behaving in an angry way, ready to attack.	The dog became aggressive* when strangers came near.*
alternative	Different from the usual one and possible to use instead.	The road was closed, so we took an alternative* route.*
amateur	Doing an activity for pleasure, not as a paid job.	He plays for an amateur* football team on Sundays.*
amused	Showing that you think something is funny.	The children were amused* by the clown's tricks.*
amusing	Funny and entertaining.	He told us an amusing* story about his first day at work.*
annual	Happening once every year.	The annual* music festival takes place in July.*
apparent	Easy to see or understand; obvious.	It soon became apparent* that she was very ill.*
appropriate	Suitable or right for a particular situation.	Jeans are not appropriate* for a job interview.*
artistic	Good at drawing, painting, music or other creative activities.	My sister is very artistic; she paints beautifully.
ashamed	Feeling bad because you have done something wrong.	He was ashamed* of his rude behaviour.*
aware	Knowing that something exists or is happening.	Are you aware* of the dangers of smoking?*
awkward	Making you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable.	There was an awkward* silence after his joke.*
basic	Simple and at the most important level, without extras.	You only need basic* computer skills for this job.*
bitter	Having a strong taste that is not sweet, like black coffee.	This medicine has a bitter* taste.*
bold	Brave and not afraid of taking risks.	It was a bold* decision to leave her job and travel the world.*
brief	Lasting only a short time.	We had a brief* conversation before the meeting.*
broad	Large from one side to the other; wide.	He has very broad* shoulders.*
capable	Having the ability or skill to do something.	She is capable* of running a marathon.*
careless	Not paying enough attention to what you are doing.	I made some careless* mistakes in the exam.*
casual	Relaxed and informal, especially about clothes.	On Fridays, staff can wear casual* clothes to work.*
cautious	Careful to avoid danger or problems.	Be cautious* when you drive in the snow.*
charming	Very pleasant and attractive.	We stayed in a charming* little hotel by the lake.*
chemical	Connected with the science of substances and how they change.	There was a chemical* reaction when we mixed the two liquids.*
civil	Connected with the people of a country, not the army or religion.	They had a civil* wedding at the town hall.*
classical	Describing serious music in a traditional European style, like Mozart's.	My mother loves classical* music.*
commercial	Connected with buying and selling things.	The film was a big commercial* success.*
competitive	Wanting very much to win or be more successful than others.	My brother is very competitive; he hates losing.
complex	Having many parts and difficult to understand.	The human brain is a very complex* organ.*
conscious	Awake and able to see and hear.	The driver was still conscious* when the ambulance arrived.*
considerable	Large in size or amount.	The repairs cost a considerable* amount of money.*
constant	Happening all the time or again and again.	I'm tired of the constant* noise from the road.*
convenient	Easy to use or suitable for your plans.	Is Monday at ten convenient* for you?*
creative	Good at producing new and original ideas.	She's very creative; she writes songs and paints.
critical	Saying that someone or something is bad or wrong.	The report was very critical* of the hospital.*
cultural	Connected with art, music, literature and the customs of a society.	The city has a rich cultural* life, with many museums and theatres.*
current	Happening or existing now.	What is your current* address?*
deaf	Not able to hear.	My grandfather is a bit deaf, so please speak loudly.
decent	Good enough or of acceptable quality.	I need to find a decent* job with a good salary.*
definite	Certain and clear; not likely to change.	We don't have a definite* date for the wedding yet.*
delighted	Very happy and pleased about something.	I was delighted* to hear that you passed your exam.*
dependent	Needing someone or something to live or continue.	Young children are dependent* on their parents.*
desperate	Wanting or needing something very much.	After the long walk, I was desperate* for a drink of water.*
determined	Having made a firm decision to do something.	She is determined* to win the race this year.*
disabled	Having a physical or mental condition that makes some activities difficult.	The building has a lift for disabled* visitors.*
distant	Far away in space or time.	We could hear the sound of distant* thunder.*
domestic	Within one country, not international.	We took a domestic* flight from London to Edinburgh.*
dramatic	Sudden and very noticeable or exciting.	There has been a dramatic* change in the weather.*
eager	Wanting very much to do or have something.	The children were eager* to open their presents.*
economic	Connected with trade, industry and money in a country.	The country is going through a period of economic* growth.*
educational	Helping people learn.	The museum has many educational* activities for children.*
effective	Working well and producing the result you want.	This cream is very effective* against insect bites.*
efficient	Working well without wasting time or energy.	The new heating system is much more efficient.
elderly	Old, used in a polite way about people.	We help an elderly* neighbour with her shopping.*
emotional	Showing strong feelings, sometimes by crying.	She became very emotional* during her goodbye speech.*
energetic	Having a lot of energy and being very active.	Our new puppy is very energetic.
entertaining	Fun and enjoyable to watch or listen to.	The show was very entertaining; we laughed all evening.
essential	Completely necessary; extremely important.	Water is essential* for life.*
evil	Very bad, cruel and wanting to harm others.	In the story, an evil* witch puts the princess to sleep.*
exact	Completely correct in every detail.	What's the exact* time, please?*
existing	Present now or available now.	The existing* rules will stay until next year.*
exhausted	Extremely tired.	After the long walk, we were exhausted.
extraordinary	Very unusual, special or surprising.	She has an extraordinary* talent for music.*
extreme	Very great or very strong.	The desert has extreme* heat during the day.*
faithful	Loyal and always supporting someone.	The dog was a faithful* friend for fifteen years.*
fascinating	Extremely interesting.	We watched a fascinating* documentary about the ocean.*
fierce	Angry, strong and ready to attack.	The farmer has a fierce* dog that guards the gate.*
financial	Connected with money.	The company is having financial* problems.*
flexible	Able to change easily to suit new situations.	My job has flexible* hours, so I can pick up my kids from school.*
fond	Liking someone or something very much.	I'm very fond* of my little cousin.*
formal	Serious and following official rules, not relaxed.	You should wear a suit to a formal* dinner.*
frequent	Happening often.	There are frequent* trains between London and Brighton.*
frustrated	Annoyed because you cannot do or get what you want.	I felt frustrated* when my computer kept crashing.*
generous	Happy to give money, time or help to others.	My aunt is very generous; she always buys us presents.
genuine	Real, not false or a copy.	Is this bag genuine* leather?*
glorious	Very beautiful or pleasant.	We had glorious* weather on our holiday.*
harmful	Causing damage or injury.	Too much sun can be harmful* to your skin.*
historic	Important in history.	The first moon landing was a historic* event.*
historical	Connected with the past or with the study of the past.	She likes reading historical* novels set in the Middle Ages.*
hopeful	Believing that something good will happen.	We're hopeful* that the weather will be fine for the wedding.*
humble	Not thinking that you are better or more important than others.	Despite her success, she is still very humble.
ideal	Perfect, or the best possible.	This beach is ideal* for families with young children.*
identical	Exactly the same.	The twins wore identical* dresses.*
impatient	Not able to wait calmly.	The passengers were getting impatient* because the train was late.*
impressive	Making you feel admiration.	The view from the top of the mountain was very impressive.
industrial	Connected with factories and the production of goods.	Manchester was an important industrial* city in the 19th century.*
informal	Relaxed and friendly, not official.	The meeting was informal, so we just chatted over coffee.
innocent	Not guilty of a crime.	The judge decided that the man was innocent.
intelligent	Able to learn and understand things quickly.	She's a very intelligent* girl and always gets top marks.*
intense	Very strong or extreme.	The heat in the desert was intense.
keen	Very interested in something or wanting to do it.	My son is very keen* on football.*
liberal	Accepting different opinions and ways of behaving.	My parents are quite liberal* about what time I come home.*
likely	Probably going to happen or be true.	It's likely* to rain this afternoon, so take an umbrella.*
limited	Small in amount or number.	There is only a limited* number of tickets available.*
literary	Connected with books, poems and serious writing.	She won a literary* prize for her first novel.*
logical	Reasonable and based on clear thinking.	There must be a logical* explanation for the noise.*
loyal	Always supporting a person, group or idea.	He has been a loyal* fan of the club for forty years.*
magic	Having special powers to make impossible things happen.	In the story, the boy finds a magic* ring.*
major	Very large or important.	Traffic is a major* problem in the city centre.*
mature	Behaving in a sensible, adult way.	She's very mature* for a fourteen-year-old.*
mental	Connected with the mind.	Chess is a game that needs a lot of mental* effort.*
minor	Small and not very important or serious.	She had a minor* injury to her hand.*
mixed	Made of different kinds of things or people.	I ordered a mixed* salad with my pasta.*
moral	Connected with what is right and wrong.	Parents have a moral* duty to look after their children.*
mysterious	Strange and difficult to explain or understand.	A mysterious* letter arrived with no name on it.*
narrow	Having only a small distance from one side to the other.	The streets in the old town are very narrow.
neat	Tidy and in order.	Her handwriting is very neat.
numerous	Existing in large numbers; many.	I have been to Paris on numerous* occasions.*
objective	Based on facts, not on personal feelings.	A judge must be objective* when making a decision.*
occasional	Happening sometimes, but not often.	I have an occasional* coffee, but I usually drink tea.*
odd	Strange or unusual.	There's an odd* smell in the kitchen.*
official	Approved by a government or someone in authority.	The official* language of Brazil is Portuguese.*
optimistic	Believing that good things will happen.	I'm optimistic* about our chances of winning.*
organic	Grown without artificial chemicals.	We buy organic* vegetables from a local farm.*
outstanding	Extremely good.	She is an outstanding* student.*
overall	Including everything; total.	The overall* cost of the holiday was two thousand pounds.*
permanent	Lasting for ever or for a very long time.	She is looking for a permanent* job, not a summer job.*
political	Connected with government and power in a country.	The country has two main political* parties.*
precious	Very valuable or important.	Gold and silver are precious* metals.*
precise	Exact and accurate.	Can you give me the precise* address?*
present	Being in a particular place.	How many people were present* at the meeting?*
primary	Most important; main.	Our primary* aim is to keep our customers happy.*
principal	Most important; main.	The principal* cause of the accident was ice on the road.*
productive	Producing or achieving a lot.	I had a very productive* day and finished all my work.*
profitable	Making money.	The new café has been very profitable.
promising	Likely to be successful in the future.	He's a promising* young player who could play for England one day.*
proper	Real, correct or suitable.	You need proper* shoes for walking in the mountains.*
psychological	Connected with the mind and how it works.	Being lonely can cause psychological* problems.*
punctual	Arriving or doing something at exactly the right time.	Please be punctual; the bus leaves at eight sharp.
rapid	Happening very quickly.	The city has seen rapid* growth in recent years.*
realistic	Seeing things as they really are and accepting what is possible.	Be realistic* about how much you can do in one day.*
reasonable	Fair and sensible, or not too expensive.	The prices in this restaurant are very reasonable.
reliable	Able to be trusted to work well or do the right thing.	My old car is very reliable; it never breaks down.
religious	Connected with belief in a god or gods.	The town holds several religious* festivals during the year.*
remarkable	Unusual and surprising, in a good way.	She made a remarkable* recovery after the accident.*
remote	Far away from towns and other people.	They live in a remote* village in the mountains.*
rough	Not smooth; having an uneven surface.	The farmer's hands were rough* from hard work.*
royal	Connected with a king or queen.	The royal* family lives in a palace.*
rural	Connected with the countryside.	They moved from the city to a rural* area.*
satisfied	Pleased because you got what you wanted.	Are you satisfied* with the service?*
scientific	Connected with science or using its methods.	They are doing scientific* research on the effects of coffee.*
secondary	Less important than something else.	For me, money is secondary; I want an interesting job.
selfish	Thinking only about yourself and not about other people.	It was selfish* of him to eat all the biscuits.*
sensible	Showing good judgement.	It's sensible* to take an umbrella when it looks like rain.*
sensitive	Easily hurt or upset by what people say.	Be careful what you say; he's very sensitive.
severe	Very serious or bad.	There was severe* flooding in the north.*
shocked	Very surprised and upset.	We were shocked* to hear about the accident.*
shocking	Very surprising and upsetting.	The news of the fire was shocking.
significant	Important or large enough to be noticed.	There has been a significant* increase in crime.*
sincere	Honest and meaning what you say.	Please accept my sincere* thanks.*
slight	Small and not important.	I have a slight* headache.*
solid	Hard and firm, not liquid or gas.	Water becomes solid* when it freezes.*
specific	Exact and particular.	Do you have a specific* date in mind for the party?*
spiritual	Connected with deep feelings and the mind rather than physical things.	For many people, walking in nature is a spiritual* experience.*
stable	Firm and not likely to move or change.	Make sure the ladder is stable* before you climb it.*
standard	Normal or usual.	A standard* room in this hotel costs eighty pounds a night.*
steady	Developing or happening at a regular rate.	There has been a steady* increase in sales.*
sticky	Covered with something like glue or honey that stays on your fingers.	My hands are sticky* from the jam.*
strict	Making people obey rules carefully.	Our maths teacher is very strict.
stylish	Fashionable and attractive.	She always wears stylish* clothes.*
suitable	Right or acceptable for a particular purpose.	This film is not suitable* for young children.*
superb	Of extremely high quality; excellent.	The food at the wedding was superb.
suspicious	Feeling that something is wrong or that someone is dishonest.	The police became suspicious* when they saw the open window.*
technical	Connected with machines, science or practical skills.	The concert was cancelled because of technical* problems.*
temporary	Lasting only for a short time.	She has a temporary* job for the summer.*
tense	Nervous and not able to relax.	Everyone was tense* while they waited for the results.*
thoughtful	Kind and thinking about other people's feelings.	It was very thoughtful* of you to send flowers.*
thrilled	Very excited and happy.	We were thrilled* to hear that you are getting married.*
tropical	Coming from or connected with the hot parts of the world.	Bananas and mangoes are tropical* fruits.*
unemployed	Without a job.	He has been unemployed* since the factory closed.*
unexpected	Surprising because you did not think it would happen.	We had an unexpected* visit from my uncle.*
unfair	Not treating people in an equal or right way.	It's unfair* that she gets more pocket money than me.*
unknown	Not known or not famous.	The painting was by an unknown* artist.*
unlikely	Probably not going to happen or be true.	It's unlikely* that it will snow in June.*
upper	Higher than another part.	The bedrooms are on the upper* floor.*
urban	Connected with towns and cities.	More people now live in urban* areas than in the countryside.*
valuable	Worth a lot of money or very useful.	This old ring is very valuable.
vast	Extremely big.	The Sahara is a vast* desert.*
visible	Able to be seen.	The castle is visible* from the motorway.*
visual	Connected with seeing or with images.	The film has amazing visual* effects.*
vital	Extremely important or necessary.	It's vital* that you take this medicine every day.*
voluntary	Done without being paid or without being forced.	She does voluntary* work at the hospital at weekends.*
wealthy	Having a lot of money.	He comes from a wealthy* family.*
well-known	Known by many people.	She's a well-known* TV presenter.*
willing	Happy and ready to do something.	Are you willing* to work at weekends?*
according to	As stated by someone or something.	According to the weather forecast, it will rain tomorrow.
accordingly	In a way that is suitable for the situation.	The rules have changed, so please act accordingly.
afterwards	At a later time; after something else has happened.	We went to the cinema and had dinner afterwards.
alike	In a similar way; similar.	The two sisters look very alike.
altogether	Completely, or in total.	There were twenty people altogether* at the party.*
apart from	Except for; not including.	Apart from Tom, everyone came to the party.
approximately	Close to an exact number but not exactly; about.	The journey takes approximately* two hours.*
as long as	Used to say that something can happen only if something else happens.	You can borrow my bike as long as* you bring it back tomorrow.*
as soon as	Immediately after something happens.	Call me as soon as* you arrive at the station.*
aside	To one side; out of the way.	She stepped aside* to let the man pass.*
at least	Not less than a particular number or amount.	You should drink at least* two litres of water a day.*
at once	Immediately; without waiting.	The doctor told him to come to the hospital at once.
at present	Now; at this time.	The manager is in a meeting at present.
back and forth	Moving in one direction and then in the opposite direction, many times.	The worried father walked back and forth* outside the hospital room.*
briefly	For a short time, or using few words.	The teacher explained the rules briefly* and then we started.*
by chance	Without being planned.	We met by chance* at a train station in Rome.*
clearly	In a way that is easy to see, hear or understand.	Please speak clearly* so everyone can hear you.*
currently	At the present time.	She is currently* working as a waitress while she studies.*
despite	Used to say that something happens although there is something that might stop it.	We enjoyed the trip despite* the bad weather.*
due to	Used to give the reason for something; because of.	The match was cancelled due to* heavy rain.*
effectively	In a way that works well and gets the result you want.	The new medicine works effectively* against the flu.*
elsewhere	In or to another place.	This shop is too expensive; let's look elsewhere.
entirely	In every way; to the greatest degree possible.	I'm not entirely* sure what you mean.*
equally	In the same amount or to the same degree.	Divide the cake equally* between the four children.*
eventually	In the end, after a long time or a lot of problems.	After waiting two hours, the bus eventually* arrived.*
fairly	Quite, but not very.	My English is fairly* good, but I need more practice.*
firstly	Used to introduce the first point in a list.	There are two reasons. Firstly, it's cheap. Secondly, it's fast.
for instance	Used to give an example.	Some fruits, for instance* oranges and lemons, are full of vitamin C.*
frankly	Used to show that you are saying what you really think.	Frankly, I didn't like the film at all.
fully	In every way, with nothing missing.	The hotel is fully* booked for the summer.*
furthermore	Used to add another piece of information to what you have just said.	The flat is too small. Furthermore, it's very far from the station.
generally	Usually, or by most people.	I generally* get up at seven o'clock.*
gradually	Slowly, over a period of time.	The weather gradually* got warmer.*
highly	Very; to a high degree.	This restaurant is highly* recommended.*
in addition	Used to add another fact or idea.	The hotel has a pool. In addition, there's a gym and a spa.
in case	Because something might happen.	Take an umbrella in case* it rains.*
in general	Usually, or in most situations.	In general, people here are very friendly.
in order to	With the purpose of doing something.	She got up early in order to* catch the first train.*
in spite of	Although something happened or is true.	They went for a walk in spite of* the cold weather.*
indeed	Used to agree strongly or to make a statement stronger.	"It's a beautiful day." "It is indeed."
initially	At the beginning.	Initially, I didn't like my new school, but now I love it.
mainly	Mostly; more than anything else.	The people at the concert were mainly* teenagers.*
meanwhile	At the same time as something else is happening.	Dad cooked dinner. Meanwhile, the children set the table.
moreover	Used to add information that supports what you said before.	The car is cheap to run. Moreover, it's very safe.
naturally	As you would expect; of course.	Naturally, I was nervous before my first concert.
normally	Usually; in the usual way.	I normally* walk to school, but today I took the bus.*
on purpose	Deliberately; not by accident.	He broke the vase on purpose* because he was angry.*
on the other hand	Used to give a different or opposite point of view.	The city is exciting. On the other hand, it's very expensive.
otherwise	Used to say what will happen if something does not happen.	Hurry up, otherwise* we'll miss the train.*
particularly	Especially; more than usual.	I particularly* like Italian food.*
personally	Used to show that you are giving your own opinion.	Personally, I prefer the countryside to the city.
previously	Before now or before a particular time.	She previously* worked as a teacher in Madrid.*
rarely	Almost never; only on a few occasions.	We rarely* go to the cinema these days.*
regularly	Often, or at the same times each day, week, etc.	She goes to the gym regularly.
slightly	A little, but not much.	The second exam was slightly* easier than the first.*
so that	In order to make something possible.	Speak louder so that* everyone can hear you.*
sort of	Used in informal speech to mean "a little" or "in some way".	I sort of* understand what you mean, but not completely.*
therefore	For that reason; as a result.	He was ill and therefore* couldn't come to work.*
thus	As a result; so (formal).	The road was closed, and thus* we arrived late.*
unlike	Different from someone or something.	Unlike my brother, I love vegetables.
whereas	Used to compare two facts and show a difference.	I like coffee, whereas* my wife prefers tea.*
within	Inside a period of time or a distance.	Your order will arrive within* three days.*
apparently	Used to say that you have heard something but you are not sure if it is true.	Apparently, the new teacher is from Australia.
in other words	Used to say something again in a different, often simpler, way.	He's a vegan; in other words, he doesn't eat any animal products.
as a result	Because of what has just been mentioned.	It rained all night and, as a result, the roads were flooded.
after all	Used to give a reason that people should remember.	Let him play; after all, it's his birthday.
all of a sudden	Quickly and unexpectedly.	We were walking home when, all of a sudden, it started to pour with rain.
on average	Usually, based on the typical amount.	On average, I spend an hour a day on my phone.
at the moment	Used to say what is happening now, though it may change soon.	I'm sorry, she's not available at the moment.
sooner or later	At some time in the future, but you are not sure when.	Sooner or later you'll have to tell your parents the truth.
so far	Up to the present time; until now.	I've read three chapters of the book so far.
up to date	Having the newest information.	Keep your antivirus software up to date.
out of date	Old and no longer useful or correct.	This map is out of date; the new road isn't on it.
apprenticeship	A period of time when a young person works for an expert to learn a skill.	He did a three-year apprenticeship* with an electrician.*
internship	A period of work, often short and unpaid, to get experience in a job.	She did a summer internship* at a law firm.*
qualification	An exam or course that you have passed, showing you have a skill.	What qualifications* do you need to become a nurse?*
certificate	An official document that shows you have passed an exam or completed a course.	I got a certificate* at the end of the first-aid course.*
diploma	A document that shows you have finished a course of study.	She has a diploma* in graphic design.*
overtime	Extra time that you work after your usual hours.	I worked ten hours of overtime* last week.*
pension	Money paid regularly to people who have stopped working because of their age.	My grandfather lives on a small pension.
resignation	The act of telling your employer that you are leaving your job.	She handed in her resignation* and started her own business.*
trainee	A person who is learning how to do a job.	The new trainee* is learning how to use the till.*
workplace	The place where people work, such as an office or factory.	Smoking is not allowed in the workplace.
workshop	A meeting where people learn about a subject by doing practical activities.	I went to a photography workshop* last weekend.*
headteacher	The person in charge of a school.	The headteacher* spoke to all the students in the hall.*
lecturer	A person who teaches at a university.	The lecturer* gave a talk about modern art.*
tutor	A teacher who works with one student or a small group.	I have a maths tutor* who helps me twice a week.*
sculpture	A work of art made from stone, wood or metal.	There is a huge sculpture* of a horse in the park.*
portrait	A painting, drawing or photo of a person.	There's a portrait* of the queen on the wall.*
orchestra	A large group of musicians who play together, usually classical music.	She plays the violin in the school orchestra.
choir	A group of people who sing together.	My mum sings in the local choir.
composer	A person who writes music.	Beethoven was a famous German composer.
audition	A short performance to show if an actor, singer or musician is good enough for a part.	She has an audition* for a part in the musical tomorrow.*
rehearsal	A time when people practise a play or concert before the real performance.	The actors have a final rehearsal* before the show tonight.*
venue	The place where an event such as a concert or match happens.	The venue* for the concert is a big football stadium.*
box office	The place in a theatre or cinema where you buy tickets.	You can collect your tickets from the box office.
mild	Not too cold, or not too strong.	We had a mild* winter this year, with very little snow.*
environmental	Connected with nature and the world around us.	Pollution is a serious environmental* problem.*
athlete	A person who is good at sports like running and jumping and trains a lot.	The young athlete* won three medals at the games.*
robber	A person who steals from a bank or shop, often using violence.	The bank robber* escaped in a black car.*
licence	An official paper that says you are allowed to do or have something.	You need a licence* to go fishing in this river.*
employer	A person or company that pays people to work.	My employer* gave me a day off for my birthday.*
vase	A container for flowers.	She put the roses in a vase* of water.*
wool	Soft thick material from sheep, used to make jumpers.	My grandmother made me a scarf from red wool.
chilly	Cold in a way that is not nice.	It's a bit chilly* today; take a jacket.*
cathedral	A very large and important church in a city.	The old cathedral* has beautiful coloured windows.*
burglar	A person who goes into a house to steal things.	A burglar* broke into our house while we were on holiday.*
airline	A company that flies people to places by plane.	Which airline* are you flying with?*
employ	To pay someone to work for you.	The factory employs* over 300 people.*
nod	To move your head up and down to say yes.	When I asked if she was ready, she nodded.
wildlife	Animals and plants that live in nature.	The national park is full of wildlife.
harbour	An area of water near the land where boats can stay safely.	There are lots of fishing boats in the harbour.
steep	Going up or down very quickly.	The road up the hill is very steep.
bandage	A long piece of cloth that you put around a cut or injury.	The nurse put a bandage* around my arm.*
litter	Paper, bottles and other rubbish left on the ground in public places.	Please don't drop litter* in the park.*
user	A person who uses a product, machine or service.	The app has over a million users.
bruise	A blue or purple mark on your skin after you hit it.	She has a big bruise* on her leg after falling.*
canteen	A place in a school, office or factory where people eat meals.	The students have lunch in the school canteen.
icy	Covered with frozen water; very cold.	Be careful; the roads are icy* this morning.*
leisure	Time when you are not working and can relax.	What do you do in your leisure* time?*
vitamin	A natural substance in food that you need to stay healthy.	Oranges are full of vitamin* C.*
jog	To run slowly for exercise.	I jog* in the park every morning.*
cardboard	Thick stiff paper used to make boxes.	The toys came in a big cardboard* box.*
refund	Money that is given back to you.	The shoes were broken, so the shop gave me a refund.
gram	A small unit of weight; there are 1,000 in a kilo.	You need 200 grams* of flour for this cake.*
allergy	A medical problem where your body reacts badly to something.	I have an allergy* to nuts.*
fashionable	Popular at a particular time, especially clothes.	Big sunglasses are very fashionable* this year.*
cushion	A soft bag filled with feathers or other material, for sitting on.	Put a cushion* on the chair to make it more comfortable.*
crossroads	A place where two roads meet and go over each other.	Turn left at the crossroads.
tyre	A thick rubber ring filled with air around a wheel.	We had to stop because the car had a flat tyre.
homesick	Sad because you are far away from your family and the place you live.	In my first week at university, I felt very homesick.
rainforest	A thick forest in a hot place where it rains a lot.	Many animals live in the Amazon rainforest.
pedestrian	A person who is walking in the street.	This street is only for pedestrians.
yawn	To open your mouth wide because you are tired.	He couldn't stop yawning* during the long film.*
motorway	A wide fast road for travelling long distances.	We drove on the motorway* all the way to Manchester.*
injure	To hurt yourself or someone, for example in an accident.	Three people were injured* in the crash.*
guitarist	A person who plays a musical instrument with six strings.	The band's guitarist* played a long solo.*
roundabout	A circle where several roads meet and cars drive around it.	Take the second exit at the roundabout.
cyclist	A person who rides a bike.	The cyclist* was wearing a bright yellow jacket.*
duvet	A thick warm cover for a bed.	It's cold tonight, so I need a thicker duvet.
sneeze	To blow air out of your nose and mouth suddenly, for example when you have a cold.	Pepper always makes me sneeze.
baggage	The bags and cases you take with you when you travel.	Please collect your baggage* from belt number three.*
aspirin	A common medicine that helps to stop pain or fever.	I've got a headache, so I'm going to take an aspirin.
rail	Trains as a way of travelling.	It's cheaper to travel by rail* than by plane.*
sleeve	The part of a shirt or coat that covers your arm.	This shirt has short sleeves.
attraction	An interesting place that many tourists visit.	The tower is the most popular tourist attraction* in the city.*
exhibition	A show of paintings or other things for the public to look at.	There's an exhibition* of old photos at the museum.*
publish	To print a book or magazine and sell it.	Her first novel was published* last year.*
diving	The sport of swimming under water with special equipment.	We went diving* and saw lots of colourful fish.*
fare	The money you pay to travel by bus, train or plane.	The bus fare* is two pounds.*
rug	A small carpet that covers part of a floor.	There's a soft rug* in front of the fire.*
wander	To walk slowly without going anywhere special.	We wandered* around the old streets all afternoon.*
tick	To make a ✓ mark next to something.	Please tick* the correct answer.*
divide	To separate something into parts.	Please divide* the cake into eight pieces.*
wheelchair	A chair with wheels for people who cannot walk.	The museum is easy to visit for people in a wheelchair.
digital	Using computers and electronic technology.	I bought a digital* camera for my holiday.*
cottage	A small house in the country.	We rented a cottage* in the countryside for a week.*
persuade	To make someone agree to do something by giving them reasons.	I finally persuaded* my dad to get a dog.*
float	To stay on top of water and not go down.	Wood floats* on water, but stone doesn't.*
championship	A competition to find the best player or team.	Our team won the national championship* last year.*
greet	To say hello to someone when you meet them.	The host greeted* every guest at the door.*
sigh	To breathe out slowly and loudly because you are tired, sad or happy that something is over.	She sighed* and said, "Finally, the exams are over."*
rely	To trust or depend on someone; used with "on".	You can rely* on Maria; she's never late.*
communicate	To share information or ideas with someone.	We communicate* by email most of the time.*
drown	To die under water because you cannot breathe.	The lifeguard saved a boy who was drowning* in the sea.*
method	A way of doing something.	What's the best method* for learning new words?*
region	A large area of a country.	This region* is famous for its wine and cheese.*
squeeze	To press something hard with your hands.	He squeezed* an orange to make fresh juice.*
slide	To move smoothly over a surface.	The children love to slide* on the ice.*
punish	To make someone suffer because they did something wrong.	The teacher punished* the boys for fighting.*
obey	To do what a person or rule tells you to do.	Dogs should obey* their owners.*
previous	Happening before; the one before.	In my previous* job, I worked in a bank.*
symbol	A sign or picture that has a special meaning.	The dove is a symbol* of peace.*
reduce	To make something smaller or less.	The shop has reduced* the price of all its coats.*
body language	The way you show feelings with your face, hands and the way you stand.	His body language* showed that he was nervous.*
science fiction	Stories about the future, space travel or life on other planets.	He loves science fiction* films about robots and aliens.*
count on	To be sure that someone will help you.	You can always count on* me if you need help.*
keep on	To continue doing something.	The baby kept on* crying all night.*
speak up	To talk more loudly.	Could you speak up, please? I can't hear you.
various	Several different kinds of something.	The shop sells various* kinds of tea.*
anxious	Worried and nervous about something.	I always feel anxious* before exams.*
population	The number of people who live in a place.	The population* of the town is about 20,000.*
salary	Money you get from your job every month.	She got a higher salary* in her new job.*
branch	A part of a tree that grows out to the side and has leaves on it.	A bird is sitting on a branch* of the old tree.*
lecture	A talk to students about a subject, especially at university.	The history lecture* starts at nine.*
poet	A person who writes short pieces with lines that often rhyme.	Shakespeare was a famous English poet.
employee	A person who works for a company.	The company has 200 employees.
entry	The act of going into a place, or the right to go in.	The museum has free entry* on Sundays.*
payment	Money that you pay, or the act of paying.	We accept payment* by card or cash.*
cable	A thick wire that carries electricity or signals.	I need a longer cable* to connect the TV.*
item	One thing in a list or group.	The first item* on the menu is soup.*
forgive	To stop being angry with someone who has done something wrong.	I hope you can forgive* me for missing your party.*
dare	To be brave enough to do something.	Nobody dared* to tell the boss about the mistake.*
whoever	Any person who, or no matter who.	Whoever finishes first can choose the music.
whenever	At any time, or every time that.	Whenever I visit my grandparents, they cook too much food.
wherever	In or to any place, or no matter where.	My dog follows me wherever* I go.*
uncomfortable	Not pleasant to sit in or wear, or making you feel embarrassed.	There was an uncomfortable* silence after his rude joke.*
lawyer	A person whose job is to give legal advice and represent people in court.	You should speak to a lawyer* before you sign the contract.*
detective	A person, often a police officer, whose job is to find out who committed a crime.	The detective* found a clue under the carpet.*
cause	The reason why something happens, or an aim that a group supports.	Police are still trying to find the cause* of the fire.*
stare	To look at someone or something for a long time.	It's rude to stare* at people.*
retire	To stop working because you are older.	My grandfather retired* at 65.*
independent	Not needing help from other people.	My daughter is very independent; she likes to do everything herself.
discussion	A conversation about something important.	We had a long discussion* about the best place for the holiday.*
apply	To ask for something formally, often in writing, like a job.	She applied* for a job at the bank.*
practical	Useful and sensible for real life.	Trainers are more practical* than high heels for walking.*
document	An official paper or computer file with information.	Please sign this document* and give it back to me.*
cruise	A holiday on a big ship.	My grandparents went on a cruise* around the Mediterranean.*
chapter	One of the parts that a book is divided into.	I've only read the first chapter* of the novel.*
inform	To tell someone facts, often in an official way.	Please inform* the teacher if you will be absent.*
themselves	Used when people do something to the same people, or do it without help.	The children made the cake themselves, with no help from their parents.
ourselves	Used when "we" do something to us, or do it without help.	We painted the whole house ourselves* to save money.*
itself	Used when a thing or an animal does something to the same thing or animal.	The cat was washing itself* in the sun.*
further	More; or to a greater distance, level or degree.	If you need further* information, please call our office.*
ought	Used with "to" to say what is the right or sensible thing to do.	You ought* to tell your parents where you're going.*
upon	A formal word for "on".	Once upon* a time, there lived a poor farmer and his three sons.*
bet	To risk money on the result of a race or game; also used to say you feel sure about something.	I bet* you can't eat that whole pizza on your own.*
joy	A feeling of great happiness.	The children shouted with joy* when they saw the snow.*
universe	Everything that exists, including all the stars and planets.	Scientists believe the universe* is billions of years old.*
nonsense	Words or ideas that are silly or not true.	Don't talk nonsense! You're not too old to learn to swim.
divorce	The legal end of a marriage.	After their parents' divorce, the children lived with their mother.
barely	Only just; almost not.	I was so tired that I could barely* keep my eyes open.*
liar	A person who says things that are not true.	Nobody believes him any more because he's such a liar.
lower	To move something down, or to make something less.	The shop decided to lower* its prices for the winter sale.*
murder	The crime of killing a person on purpose.	The detective is trying to solve the murder* before the end of the book.*
master	A person who owns an animal, or somebody who is very skilled at something.	The dog waited by the door for its master* to come home.*
bunch	A number of things of the same kind that are held or grow together.	He gave her a bunch* of flowers for her birthday.*
awesome	Very good or impressive; an informal word.	The concert last night was awesome! The band played for three hours.

Ten words a day: seven new, three to review. Words you get wrong come back more often. Get the whole level right and you move up.

Learn these words free, ten a day