These are the 200 plus Advanced Vocabulary Words List for IELTS with simple meanings and one sample sentence each for IELTS Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening Test Preparation. You can download this PDF Book for free.
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This is a list of over 200 vocabulary words for IELTS Academic and General Training, each with a simple meaning and one sample sentence.
Note: In brackets in front of each word, (n.) indicates a noun, (v.) indicates a verb, (adj.) indicates an adjective, and (adv.) indicates an adverb.
Example: Aberration (n.)
A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea.
Examples:
- Person: teacher, John
- Place: school, Paris
- Thing: book, phone
- Idea: happiness, freedom
Example sentence: The cat is sleeping. (“cat” is a noun – a thing)
A verb is an action word or a state of being. It tells what someone or something does.
Examples: run, eat, write, is, have
Example sentence: She runs every morning. (“runs” is a verb – action)
An adjective describes a noun. It tells us what kind, how many, or which one.
Examples: big, small, red, happy, two
Example sentence: He has a red car. (“red” is an adjective – describes “car”)
An adverb describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb. It tells how, when, where, or how much.
Examples: quickly, very, always, well, here
Example sentence: She sings beautifully. (“beautifully” is an adverb – describes how she sings)
A helping verb is used with a main verb to show tense, voice, or mood.
Common helping verbs: is, am, are, was, were, have, has, had, do, does, did, will, shall, can, could, may, might, must
Example sentence: He is going to school. (“is” is the helping verb, “going” is the main verb)
IELTS Vocabulary Words List with Meaning and Sample Sentence
- Aberration (n.) – a departure from what is normal or expected.
Sample: The sudden snowfall in July was an aberration that surprised everyone. - Abhorrence (n.) – a feeling of disgust or hatred.
Sample: She felt deep abhorrence for the idea of cruelty to animals. - Accelerate (v.) – to speed up or make something happen faster.
Sample: The car began to accelerate as the driver pressed down on the gas pedal. - Accumulate (v.) – to gather or collect over time.
Sample: Over the years, she managed to accumulate a large collection of stamps. - Accuracy (n.) – the quality of being correct or exact.
Sample: The engineer checked the measurements twice to ensure accuracy. - Acquiesce (v.) – to accept or agree to something without protest.
Sample: After much discussion, he decided to acquiesce to the team’s decision. - Advent (n.) – the arrival or beginning of something important.
Sample: The advent of the internet changed how we communicate every day. - Adversity (n.) – difficulties or misfortune.
Sample: She showed great strength in the face of adversity. - Advocate (n./v.) – a person who supports a cause; to support or speak in favor of.
Sample: He is a strong advocate for renewable energy. - Alumnus (n.) – a male graduate of a school or university (alumna for female, alumni plural).
Sample: He returned to campus as an alumnus to give a speech. - Ambiguous (adj.) – unclear or having more than one meaning.
Sample: Her answer was ambiguous, so I wasn’t sure what she really meant. - Ambivalent (adj.) – having mixed feelings or being unsure.
Sample: He felt ambivalent about moving to a new city. - Analogy (n.) – a comparison showing similarity between two things.
Sample: The teacher used an analogy of a tree to explain how a family grows. - Antique (n./adj.) – an object from the past valued for its age; very old.
Sample: She bought an antique clock at the flea market. - Appetite (n.) – a desire to eat or a strong liking for something.
Sample: After the long hike, his appetite was enormous. - Appease (v.) – to calm or satisfy someone by giving what they want.
Sample: They tried to appease the angry customer with a refund. - Apprehensive (adj.) – worried or anxious about the future.
Sample: She was apprehensive before her driving test. - Arbitrary (adj.) – based on random choice rather than reason.
Sample: The teacher’s grading seemed arbitrary and unfair. - Archaeology (n.) – the study of ancient cultures through their remains.
Sample: He studied archaeology to learn more about prehistoric peoples. - Ascribe (v.) – to attribute something to a cause or source.
Sample: She ascribed her success to hard work and perseverance. - Assimilate (v.) – to absorb and integrate into a larger group or culture.
Sample: Immigrants often need time to assimilate into a new society. - Assumption (n.) – something accepted as true without proof.
Sample: He worked under the assumption that the data was accurate. - Astounding (adj.) – very surprising or impressive.
Sample: The magician’s trick was truly astounding. - Attribute (n./v.) – a quality or characteristic; to credit something to.
Sample: We attribute our high scores to diligent study. - Avarice (n.) – extreme greed for wealth or gain.
Sample: His avarice led him to cheat his partners. - Banter (n.) – playful or friendly teasing.
Sample: The friends enjoyed light banter over coffee. - Bedrock (n.) – the solid rock beneath soil; a firm foundation.
Sample: Trust is the bedrock of any strong relationship. - Biased (adj.) – unfairly favoring one side or viewpoint.
Sample: The article was clearly biased toward the candidate. - Bizarre (adj.) – very strange or unusual.
Sample: He had a bizarre collection of antique dolls. - Brazen (adj.) – bold and without shame.
Sample: She made a brazen attempt to lie to her boss. - Calamity (n.) – a serious event causing great damage or distress.
Sample: The earthquake was a calamity for the entire region. - Callous (adj.) – showing no concern for others’ feelings.
Sample: His callous remark hurt her deeply. - Camouflage (n./v.) – a way to blend in; to hide.
Sample: The soldier used leaves to camouflage his position. - Candid (adj.) – honest and straightforward.
Sample: She gave a candid interview about her mistakes. - Chronic (adj.) – lasting a long time or constantly recurring.
Sample: He suffers from chronic back pain. - Circumspect (adj.) – careful and cautious.
Sample: Investors must be circumspect when entering new markets. - Clandestine (adj.) – secret and often illicit.
Sample: They held clandestine meetings at night. - Coerce (v.) – to force someone to do something by pressure.
Sample: He tried to coerce her into signing the contract. - Coherent (adj.) – logical and clearly connected.
Sample: Her argument was coherent and convincing. - Coincidence (n.) – a surprising happening of two events at the same time by chance.
Sample: It was a coincidence that they wore the same dress. - Commemorate (v.) – to honor the memory of someone or something.
Sample: Every year they commemorate the city’s founding. - Commence (v.) – to begin or start.
Sample: The ceremony will commence at noon. - Compatible (adj.) – able to exist or work together without conflict.
Sample: The new software is compatible with older versions. - Compensate (v.) – to give something in return for loss or effort.
Sample: They will compensate you for any travel expenses. - Complacent (adj.) – self-satisfied to the point of ignorance.
Sample: He became complacent after his first success. - Condemn (v.) – to express strong disapproval or sentencing.
Sample: The council condemned the vandalism. - Consensus (n.) – general agreement among a group.
Sample: The committee reached a consensus by evening. - Consent (n./v.) – permission to do something.
Sample: She gave her consent to the procedure. - Consequence (n.) – a result or effect of an action.
Sample: Every choice has a consequence. - Cosmopolitan (adj.) – familiar with many cultures; global.
Sample: New York is a truly cosmopolitan city. - Courageous (adj.) – brave and willing to face danger.
Sample: The firefighter made a courageous rescue. - Credit (n./v.) – praise for an achievement; to attribute success to.
Sample: You should give credit to everyone who helped. - Crucial (adj.) – extremely important or necessary.
Sample: Water is crucial for all living beings. - Cumbersome (adj.) – large or heavy and hard to handle.
Sample: The old television was too cumbersome to move. - Cumulative (adj.) – increasing by successive additions.
Sample: The cumulative effect of the changes was dramatic. - Debase (v.) – to lower the quality or value of something.
Sample: Poor editing can debase a good story. - Debatable (adj.) – open to discussion or argument.
Sample: Whether the policy will work is still debatable. - Decry (v.) – to publicly criticize or denounce.
Sample: Critics decried the rise in pollution. - Deduce (v.) – to reach a conclusion from the available information.
Sample: From his tone, I deduced that he was upset. - Defence (n.) – protection against attack; argument supporting something.
Sample: His defence in the debate was very strong. - Deference (n.) – respectful submission or yielding.
Sample: She showed deference to her elders. - Demeanour (n.) – outward behavior or appearance.
Sample: His calm demeanour reassured everyone. - Demure (adj.) – shy, modest, and reserved.
Sample: She gave a demure smile at the compliment. - Derive (v.) – to obtain something from a source.
Sample: Many English words derive from Latin. - Diligent (adj.) – hardworking and careful.
Sample: The diligent student studied late into the night. - Diminish (v.) – to make or become smaller or less.
Sample: The medicine will diminish your pain. - Discern (v.) – to perceive or recognize clearly.
Sample: She could barely discern the shape in the fog. - Discrete (adj.) – separate and distinct.
Sample: The course is divided into discrete modules. - Distinct (adj.) – clearly different or separate.
Sample: There was a distinct difference between the two plans. - Distraction (n.) – something that prevents concentration.
Sample: The noise outside was a constant distraction. - Distribute (v.) – to give out or spread over an area.
Sample: Volunteers will distribute food to the needy. - Divulge (v.) – to reveal or make known.
Sample: He refused to divulge the company’s secrets. - Dominate (v.) – to have control or power over.
Sample: The champion continued to dominate the competition. - Drown (v.) – to die by suffocating in water; to overwhelm.
Sample: She feared she might drown in the deep pool. - Elated (adj.) – very happy and excited.
Sample: He was elated when he heard the good news. - Embrace (v.) – to hug; to accept willingly.
Sample: She decided to embrace the new challenge. - Empathy (n.) – the ability to understand and share feelings.
Sample: Good leaders show empathy toward their team. - Endurance (n.) – the ability to withstand hardship or stress.
Sample: Marathon running tests a person’s endurance. - Engender (v.) – to cause or give rise to.
Sample: The speech helped engender hope among the crowd. - Equate (v.) – to consider as equal or the same.
Sample: You can’t equate money with happiness. - Erudite (adj.) – having or showing great knowledge.
Sample: The professor’s lectures were always erudite. - Erratic (adj.) – unpredictable or irregular.
Sample: His erratic behavior worried his friends. - Evoke (v.) – to bring a feeling or memory into the mind.
Sample: The song evoked memories of childhood summers. - Exclude (v.) – to leave out or prevent from joining.
Sample: They decided to exclude him from the game. - Exorbitant (adj.) – unreasonably high (price or demand).
Sample: The hotel charged an exorbitant fee for parking. - Exemplary (adj.) – serving as a desirable model.
Sample: Her conduct was exemplary during the crisis. - Fabricate (v.) – to invent or make up (often untrue).
Sample: He fabricated an excuse for being late. - Facade (n.) – the front face of a building; a deceptive appearance.
Sample: Behind her cheerful facade, she felt lonely. - Fatality (n.) – a death caused by an accident or disaster.
Sample: The earthquake resulted in many fatalities. - Fathom (v.) – to understand after much thought.
Sample: I can’t fathom why she left so suddenly. - Feasible (adj.) – possible and practical to do.
Sample: With a little help, it’s feasible to finish today. - Feature (n./v.) – a distinctive attribute; to include as an important part.
Sample: This model features a touchscreen display. - Feral (adj.) – wild, especially after escape from captivity.
Sample: The feral cat prowled the alley at night. - Ferment (v./n.) – to undergo a chemical change; agitation or excitement.
Sample: Ideas began to ferment in her mind. - Fleeting (adj.) – lasting for a very short time.
Sample: She caught a fleeting glimpse of the comet. - Forsake (v.) – to abandon or give up.
Sample: He refused to forsake his principles. - Garnish (v.) – to decorate food with small additions.
Sample: She decided to garnish the soup with fresh herbs. - Gluttony (n.) – excessive eating or greed.
Sample: His gluttony at the buffet was hard to ignore. - Gratuitous (adj.) – uncalled for or lacking good reason.
Sample: The film was criticized for its gratuitous violence. - Gregarious (adj.) – sociable; enjoying company.
Sample: She’s so gregarious that she makes friends everywhere.
- Haughty (adj.) – arrogantly superior and disdainful.
Sample: The haughty hostess refused to speak to anyone she deemed beneath her. - Hideaway (n.) – a secluded or private place for retreat.
Sample: They discovered a small seaside hideaway to escape the city noise. - Hierarchy (n.) – a system where people or things are ranked one above another.
Sample: In the company’s hierarchy, interns report to assistants, who report to managers. - Hoard (v./n.) – to collect and store away, often secretly; a hidden supply.
Sample: She began to hoard cans of soup in her basement before the storm. - Identical (adj.) – exactly the same.
Sample: The twins wore identical dresses to the party. - Impeccable (adj.) – flawless; perfect.
Sample: His manners at dinner were absolutely impeccable. - Impertinent (adj.) – rude and disrespectful.
Sample: It was impertinent of him to criticize her cooking so bluntly. - Impudent (adj.) – not showing due respect; cheeky.
Sample: The impudent child spoke back to the teacher without hesitation. - Incompatible (adj.) – unable to exist together without conflict.
Sample: Their work styles were incompatible, so they struggled as partners. - Inevitable (adj.) – sure to happen; unavoidable.
Sample: With all that rain, flooding was inevitable. - Interpret (v.) – to explain the meaning of something.
Sample: It’s hard to interpret his silence on the issue. - Intractable (adj.) – hard to manage or solve.
Sample: They faced an intractable problem with the leaking roof. - Isolate (v.) – to set apart from others.
Sample: Doctors must isolate patients with contagious diseases. - Jubilant (adj.) – feeling or expressing great happiness.
Sample: The team was jubilant after winning the championship. - Knackered (adj., BrE inform.) – extremely tired.
Sample: After the marathon, I was completely knackered. - Launder (v.) – to wash clothes; to make money from illegal sources look legal.
Sample: They launder their dirty laundry in a basement washroom. - Legislation (n.) – laws considered collectively.
Sample: New environmental legislation will protect endangered species. - Licence (n./v.) – official permission to do something (BrE spelling of “license”).
Sample: She applied for a driving licence last week. - Lithe (adj.) – flexible and graceful.
Sample: The gymnast’s lithe movements impressed the judges. - Ludicrous (adj.) – ridiculous; laughably absurd.
Sample: It was ludicrous to think he could climb Mount Everest without training. - Malicious (adj.) – intentionally harmful or spiteful.
Sample: Her malicious rumor damaged his reputation. - Manipulate (v.) – to control or influence cleverly or unfairly.
Sample: He tried to manipulate the survey results to look better. - Mechanism (n.) – a system of parts working together; a process.
Sample: The clock’s mechanism needs oiling every year. - Metamorphosis (n.) – a complete change in form or nature.
Sample: The caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a butterfly is magical. - Migrate (v.) – to move from one region or habitat to another.
Sample: Birds migrate south when winter approaches. - Momentous (adj.) – very important or significant.
Sample: The discovery of penicillin was a momentous event in medicine. - Mundane (adj.) – ordinary and dull.
Sample: She grew tired of her mundane office routine. - Nadir (n.) – the lowest point (opposite of zenith).
Sample: His career hit a nadir after the scandal. - Nascent (adj.) – just beginning to exist; emerging.
Sample: The nascent startup showed great promise. - Negate (v.) – to nullify or make ineffective.
Sample: His constant excuses only negate his credibility. - Noble (adj.) – having high moral qualities; dignified.
Sample: She made a noble sacrifice to save her friends. - Nominal (adj.) – in name only; very small compared to the expected.
Sample: They charged a nominal fee for the museum tour. - Notorious (adj.) – famous for a bad quality or deed.
Sample: The town is notorious for its traffic jams. - Notwithstanding (prep./conj.) – in spite of.
Sample: Notwithstanding the rain, the picnic continued. - Novice (n.) – a beginner.
Sample: As a novice cook, she followed the recipe closely. - Nuance (n.) – a small, subtle difference.
Sample: He noticed the nuance in her tone and stayed silent. - Oblige (v.) – to do someone a favor or to require.
Sample: Could you oblige me by opening the window? - Oblivious (adj.) – unaware of or not concerned about what is happening.
Sample: She was oblivious to the stares of the crowd. - Obsolete (adj.) – out of date; no longer in use.
Sample: Many believe paper maps are now obsolete. - Obtainable (adj.) – able to be acquired.
Sample: This book is easily obtainable online. - Obtuse (adj.) – annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.
Sample: He was too obtuse to see the joke. - Overcome (v.) – to successfully deal with a problem.
Sample: She overcame her fear of heights by practicing. - Overdo (v.) – to do too much of something.
Sample: Don’t overdo it—rest between workouts. - Panacea (n.) – a remedy for all difficulties or diseases.
Sample: Technology is not a panacea for every social problem. - Panic (n./v.) – sudden uncontrollable fear; to feel overwhelming fear.
Sample: A fire alarm can cause panic if people aren’t trained. - Paradigm (n.) – a typical example or pattern of something.
Sample: The scientific paradigm shifted after the new theory. - Perceive (v.) – to become aware of through the senses.
Sample: Children perceive colors before they learn names. - Petrify (v.) – to make someone so frightened they cannot move.
Sample: The sudden noise petrified her. - Pique (v./n.) – to stimulate interest or curiosity; a feeling of irritation.
Sample: His question piqued my curiosity about the project. - Plateau (n./v.) – a flat area; to reach a state of little or no change.
Sample: After rapid growth, sales began to plateau. - Platitude (n.) – a dull or unoriginal remark.
Sample: His speech was full of tired platitudes about teamwork. - Plethora (n.) – an excess or large quantity.
Sample: There’s a plethora of apps for language learning. - Postulate (v./n.) – to suggest as a basic principle; a fundamental assumption.
Sample: He postulated that energy cannot be created or destroyed. - Prestige (n.) – widespread respect and admiration.
Sample: Winning the award gave the scientist great prestige. - Principle (n.) – a fundamental truth or rule.
Sample: He refuses to compromise his principles. - Prohibit (v.) – to formally forbid something.
Sample: The school prohibits texting during class. - Proceed (v.) – to continue or go forward.
Sample: Please proceed to gate 12 for boarding. - Proclivity (n.) – a natural inclination or tendency.
Sample: She has a proclivity for learning new languages. - Procure (v.) – to obtain something, especially with effort.
Sample: He managed to procure tickets to the sold-out concert. - Procrastinate (v.) – to delay doing something.
Sample: Don’t procrastinate—finish your homework now. - Prognostication (n.) – a prediction of future events.
Sample: His prognostication about the economy proved accurate. - Prohibitive (adj.) – too expensive or restrictive.
Sample: The price was prohibitive, so they looked elsewhere. - Proliferation (n.) – a rapid increase in number.
Sample: The proliferation of smartphones changed how we live. - Protectorate (n.) – a state controlled and protected by another.
Sample: The small nation became a British protectorate in the 19th century. - Provisional (adj.) – temporary; subject to change.
Sample: They set up a provisional government after the revolution. - Proximity (n.) – nearness in space or time.
Sample: The hotel’s proximity to the beach made it popular. - Qualitative (adj.) – relating to the quality or character of something.
Sample: The study used qualitative interviews rather than surveys. - Rash (adj.) – acting without careful thought.
Sample: It was a rash decision to quit without another job lined up. - Reaffirm (v.) – to state again strongly.
Sample: The president reaffirmed his commitment to education. - Reciprocal (adj.) – given or felt by each toward the other.
Sample: Friendship requires reciprocal trust. - Refinement (n.) – the process of improvement by small changes.
Sample: The app’s refinement made it easier to use. - Refurbish (v.) – to renovate or refresh.
Sample: They plan to refurbish the old library next year. - Reinforce (v.) – to strengthen or support.
Sample: The straps reinforce the backpack’s seams. - Reiterate (v.) – to say again for emphasis.
Sample: Let me reiterate: safety comes first. - Repudiate (v.) – to reject or deny the validity of.
Sample: She repudiated the rumors about her resignation. - Resident (n./adj.) – a person who lives somewhere; living somewhere.
Sample: The hospital has special parking for resident doctors. - Restrict (v.) – to limit.
Sample: They restrict access to the top floor. - Rotate (v.) – to turn around a central point.
Sample: The Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours. - Salient (adj.) – most noticeable or important.
Sample: The report highlighted the salient risks of the project. - Scenario (n.) – a possible sequence of events.
Sample: The team planned for every scenario in the emergency drill. - Sedentary (adj.) – involving little physical activity.
Sample: A sedentary lifestyle can lead to health problems. - Seek (v.) – to look for or try to obtain.
Sample: She decided to seek advice from a mentor. - Sporadic (adj.) – happening at irregular intervals.
Sample: Sporadic rain showers interrupted our picnic. - Squander (v.) – to waste something valuable.
Sample: He squandered his inheritance on unnecessary luxuries. - Stimulate (v.) – to encourage activity or growth.
Sample: Good lighting can stimulate creativity in the workspace. - Stringent (adj.) – strict and precise.
Sample: The lab follows stringent safety protocols. - Superfluous (adj.) – more than enough; unnecessary.
Sample: He removed superfluous words from his essay. - Suspension (n.) – the act of hanging something; temporary stoppage.
Sample: The student faced suspension for cheating. - Tantamount (adj.) – equivalent in seriousness or effect.
Sample: Refusing to help was tantamount to betrayal. - Teeming (adj.) – overflowing or swarming.
Sample: The market was teeming with shoppers on Saturday. - Tremendous (adj.) – very great in amount or intensity.
Sample: She felt a tremendous sense of relief. - Trivial (adj.) – of little value or importance.
Sample: They argued over trivial details. - Ultimate (adj.) – being the best or most extreme example.
Sample: Climbing Everest is the ultimate challenge for many mountaineers. - Underestimate (v.) – to judge something as less than its actual value.
Sample: Don’t underestimate how long the project will take. - Undertake (v.) – to commit to and begin a task.
Sample: She will undertake the role of team leader next month. - Valid (adj.) – logically sound; legally acceptable.
Sample: The coupon is valid until the end of the month. - Vanquish (v.) – to defeat completely.
Sample: The hero vowed to vanquish all evil in the land. - Vaunt (v.) – to boast about or praise something excessively.
Sample: He would always vaunt his achievements at dinners. - Velleity (n.) – a slight wish or tendency not strong enough to lead to action.
Sample: She had only a velleity to learn piano, so she never started lessons. - Venerable (adj.) – worthy of respect because of age or dignity.
Sample: The venerable professor was admired by all his students. - Versatile (adj.) – able to do many things well.
Sample: A smartphone is a versatile device for work and play. - Vicissitude (n.) – a change of circumstances, especially unwelcome.
Sample: They endured the vicissitudes of fortune together. - Volatile (adj.) – likely to change suddenly and unpredictably.
Sample: The stock market is notoriously volatile. - Wingspan (n.) – the distance from one wingtip to the other.
Sample: The eagle’s wingspan measured over two meters. - Woes (n.) – great sorrows or troubles.
Sample: His financial woes began after he lost his job. - Xenophobia (n.) – fear or hatred of foreigners.
Sample: Xenophobia can damage a nation’s social fabric. - Zealous (adj.) – having or showing great energy or enthusiasm.
Sample: She was a zealous supporter of local charities. - Zenith (n.) – the highest point or peak.
Sample: The team reached the zenith of their success in 2020.