IELTS vocabulary — Intermediate (≈ band 5.5–6.5)
IELTS vocabulary for band 6 to 6.5
This page lists the Intermediate level words in our collection, roughly matching CEFR B2 and IELTS band 5.5 to 6.5. This is the range where many candidates get stuck: they can communicate, but their vocabulary feels general and repetitive. Words at this level, such as sustainable, qualification, productivity and inequality, let you replace vague phrases with precise ones, which is exactly what examiners look for when they award band 6 and above for Lexical Resource.
Intermediate words are especially useful in Writing Task 2. Instead of "many people don't have jobs", you can write about unemployment; instead of "bad for nature", you can name pollution or deforestation; instead of "the rich and poor gap", you can discuss inequality. Each of these changes makes your argument clearer and shows control of topic vocabulary. In Speaking, the same words help you answer Part 3 questions with more depth.
The list combines words from every topic deck, so as you work through it you also review the main IELTS themes: environment, education, health, technology, work, the economy, society, crime, government, the media and more. Many words appear here with example sentences, which show natural collocations such as "renewable energy" or "affordable housing".
How to use this level: set around fifteen to twenty new cards per day. Each new word returns the next day for an overnight review, and after that the scheduler waits longer each time you remember it, so your daily review time stays short. When you reveal a card, read the example aloud and then make your own sentence; this is the step that turns a word you understand into a word you use. If a word feels too easy, grade it Easy and it will move out of the way.
The level labels are our own estimate from CEFR tags and word frequency. They are designed to help you plan, not to predict your official IELTS score.
Word list
| Word | Pronunciation | Part of speech | Definition | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| academic | /ˌækəˈdemɪk/ | adj. | related to education or school; (n) educator who works at a college or university | B2 |
| accuracy | /ˈækjərəsi/ | n. | being exactly right; correctness | B2 |
| accurate | /ˈækjərət/ | adj. | correct; not having mistakes or errors | B2 |
| acid | /ˈæsɪd/ | n. | sour substance that reacts with metals e.g. lemon | B2 |
| activate | /ˈæktɪveɪt/ | v. | To make something start working | B2 |
| adaptation | /ˌædæpˈteɪʃən/ | n. | changing to a new form; thing that is changed | B2 |
| addiction | /ə'dikʃən/ | n. | being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming (especially alcohol or narcotic drugs); an abnormally strong craving | L2 |
| administration | /ədˌmɪnɪˈstreɪʃən/ | n. | the work of running something (e.g., a business) | B2 |
| adolescent | /ˌædəˈlesənt/ | n. | Teenager developing into an adult | B2 |
| affordable | /əˈfɔːdəbl/ | adj. | Not too expensive for someone to pay for | B2 |
| agricultural | /ˌæɡrɪˈkʌltʃərəl/ | adj. | concerning farming | B2 |
| agriculture | /ˈæɡrɪkʌltʃə/ | n. | the science of farming | B2 |
| aid | /eɪd/ | n. | to provide things useful or needed by others | B2 |
| analyse | /ˈænəlaɪz/ | v. | to examine something carefully to understand its parts or causes | B2 |
| analysis | /əˈnæləsɪs/ | n. | careful study to better understand something | B2 |
| anxiety | /æŋˈzaɪəti/ | n. | fear about what might happen; worry | B2 |
| applicant | /ˈæplɪkənt/ | n. | Someone who formally requests a job, place, or permission | B2 |
| archaeology | /ˌɑːkiˈɒlədʒi/ | n. | the study of ancient societies by looking at old tools, bones and buildings | B2 |
| artificial | /ˌɑːtɪˈfɪʃəl/ | adj. | not made by people; not created by nature | B2 |
| artistic | /ɑːˈtɪstɪk/ | adj. | Being able to paint, write music, etc.; creative | B2 |
| assessment | /əˈsesmənt/ | n. | opinion based on judging the qualities of something or someone | B2 |
| atom | /'ætəm/ | n. | smallest bit that matter can be broken down into | L2 |
| attendance | /əˈtendəns/ | n. | state of being present at a place or event | B2 |
| authority | /ɔːˈθɒrəti/ | n. | people in positions of power, able to decide things | B2 |
| axis | /ˈæksɪs/ | n. | a line about which a rotating body, such as the earth, turns. | B2 |
| bacteria | /bæk'tiəriə/ | n. | the very small creatures that sometimes cause disease in humans and animals | L2 |
| beam | /biːm/ | n. | a long piece of metal or wood; a line of light or energy | B2 |
| behavioral | /bi'heivjərəl/ | adj. | concerning the way people act | L2 |
| beverage | /ˈbevərɪdʒ/ | n. | A drink, such as tea, juice, or coffee | B2 |
| bias | /ˈbaɪəs/ | n. | a strong feeling not based on facts to believe one thing over another | B2 |
| bilingual | /ˌbaɪˈlɪŋɡwəl/ | adj. | being able to speak two languages well | B2 |
| bound | /baʊnd/ | v. | to go to a specified place; to jump | B2 |
| breakthrough | /ˈbreɪkθruː/ | n. | An important discovery or advance that overcomes a difficult problem | B2 |
| broadcast | /ˈbrɔːdkɑːst/ | v. | to send out signals by radio or television | B2 |
| budget | /ˈbʌdʒɪt/ | n. | amount of money planned to be spent on something | B2 |
| calculation | /ˌkælkjʊˈleɪʃən/ | n. | process or result of using mathematics | B2 |
| calorie | /ˈkæləri/ | n. | A unit measuring energy, especially energy in food | B2 |
| candidate | /ˈkændɪdət/ | n. | a person being considered for a job or position in office | B2 |
| citizenship | /ˈsɪtɪzənʃɪp/ | n. | the legal status of belonging to a particular country | B2 |
| classification | /ˌklæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ | n. | putting similar items into groups or sets | B2 |
| classify | /ˈklæsɪfaɪ/ | v. | To arrange things into groups of similar items | B2 |
| coastal | /'kəustəl/ | adj. | of or relating to a coast; located on or near or bordering on a coast | L2 |
| collective | /kə'leiktiv/ | adj. | formed by working together as a group | L2 |
| commentary | /ˈkɒməntəri/ | n. | explanation or discussion of a written work/event | B2 |
| commerce | /ˈkɒmɜːs/ | n. | The activity of buying and selling goods and services | B2 |
| commercial | /kəˈmɜːʃəl/ | adj. | radio or television advertisement | B2 |
| commonly | /ˈkɒmənli/ | adv. | typically, normally; not unusually | B2 |
| commute | /kəˈmjuːt/ | v. | To travel regularly between home and work | B2 |
| commuter | /kə'mju:tə/ | n. | a passenger train that is ridden primarily by passengers who travel regularly from one place to another; someone who travels regularly from home in a suburb to work in a city | L2 |
| compact | /kəm'pækt/ | adj. | packed together; closely united; small | L2 |
| comparable | /'kɒmpərəbl/ | adj. | being similar in some way | L2 |
| comparative | /kəmˈpærətɪv/ | adj. | expressing a difference in degree | B2 |
| complement | /'kɒmplimənt/ | n. | something needed to complete or make perfect | L2 |
| compulsory | /kəmˈpʌlsəri/ | adj. | required by a law or rule, rather than optional | B2 |
| conceptual | /kən'septʃuəl/ | adj. | characterized by concepts or the forming of concepts | L2 |
| cone | /kəun/ | n. | a 3D shape with a circular base; a part of the eye | L2 |
| configuration | /kən.figju'reiʃən/ | n. | a shape or outline; a method of arrangement | L2 |
| conflict | /ˈkɒnflɪkt/ | n. | to have opposite ideas; to disagree; to not match | B2 |
| congestion | /kənˈdʒestʃən/ | n. | a situation where overcrowding prevents easy movement | B2 |
| consciousness | /ˈkɒnʃəsnəs/ | n. | being awake | B2 |
| conservation | /ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃən/ | n. | the management of land and water in ways that stop it from being damaged | B2 |
| conserve | /kənˈsɜːv/ | v. | to keep safe | B2 |
| considerable | /kənˈsɪdərəbl/ | adj. | large in size, amount, or effect | B2 |
| consonant | /ˈkɒnsənənt/ | adj. | a speech sound; any letter in the alphabet that is not a vowel. | B2 |
| construction | /kənˈstrʌkʃən/ | n. | act of building something; thing that is built | B2 |
| consumption | /kənˈsʌmpʃən/ | n. | how much is spent on things; the process of eating and drinking | B2 |
| continuity | /.kɒnti'nju:iti/ | n. | continued existence; fact of not stopping | L2 |
| contract | /ˈkɒntrækt/ | n. | legal agreement (e.g., for doing work for money) | B2 |
| contrary | /ˈkɒntrəri/ | adj. | different; opposite | B2 |
| coordinate | /kəu'ɒ:dineit/ | v. | to bring order and organization to something; in maths: any of the magnitudes that serve to define the position of a point or line by reference to a fixed figure or system of lines. | L2 |
| corporation | /ˌkɔːpəˈreɪʃən/ | n. | big company or a combination of several companies | B2 |
| correlate | /'kɒrəleit/ | v. | to show the relationship between two items or events. | L2 |
| correlation | /ˌkɒrəˈleɪʃən/ | n. | a measure of the relationship between two variables | B2 |
| corruption | /kə'rʌpʃən/ | n. | actions that are illegal or morally questionable, often performed by a person in a position of power | L2 |
| craft | /krɑːft/ | n. | to make by hand and with much skill | B2 |
| creativity | /.kri:ei'tiviti/ | n. | the ability to create | L2 |
| crisis | /ˈkraɪsɪs/ | n. | unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty | B2 |
| cuisine | /kwɪˈziːn/ | n. | A style of cooking associated with a place or culture | B2 |
| curriculum | /kəˈrɪkjələm/ | n. | group of related courses in a school or college | B2 |
| data | /ˈdeɪtə/ | n. | facts or information used to calculate or analyze | B2 |
| database | /ˈdeɪtəbeɪs/ | n. | information stored in a computer in an organized way | B2 |
| deadline | /ˈdedlaɪn/ | n. | a date or time before which something must be done | B2 |
| debt | /det/ | n. | the sum of money owed to somebody that is not yet paid | B2 |
| decline | /dɪˈklaɪn/ | v. | to not accept an invitation or offer; refuse | B2 |
| defect | /ˈdiːfekt/ | n. | a problem; a fault | B2 |
| defence | /dɪˈfens/ | n. | Action taken to protect someone or something from attack or harm | B2 |
| deforestation | /ˌdiːfɒrɪˈsteɪʃən/ | n. | The clearing of forests by cutting down trees | B2 |
| democracy | /dɪˈmɒkrəsi/ | n. | a system of government in which the people of a country can vote to elect who will govern them | B2 |
| density | /'densiti/ | n. | number of people or things in a particular area | L2 |
| dependence | /dɪˈpendəns/ | n. | relying on someone for (financial) support | B2 |
| depression | /dɪˈpreʃən/ | n. | a feeling of great sadness | B2 |
| detection | /dɪˈtekʃən/ | n. | the act of discovering something or solving a crime | B2 |
| developed | /di'veləpid/ | adj. | being changed over time so as to be e.g. stronger or more complete or more useful; (used of societies) having high industrial development | L2 |
| developmental | /di.veləp'mentəl/ | adj. | concerning the development or growth | L2 |
| diagnosis | /.daiəg'nəusis/ | n pl. | a judgment by a doctor about a person’s illness | L2 |
| diagnostic | /daiəg'nɒstik/ | adj. | to do with finding out the cause of a problem | L2 |
| diameter | /daɪˈæmɪtə/ | n. | the distance across the center of an object | B2 |
| diplomat | /ˈdɪpləmæt/ | n. | An official who represents their country in relations with other countries | B2 |
| disability | /disə'biliti/ | n. | a condition that limits a person's ability to do something | L2 |
| discipline | /ˈdɪsəplɪn/ | n. | the teaching of self-control through instruction and practice | B2 |
| discrimination | /dɪˌskrɪmɪˈneɪʃən/ | n. | the ability to recognize the difference between things; treating different groups of people unfairly | B2 |
| distribution | /ˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːʃən/ | n. | #NAME? | B2 |
| disturbance | /dɪˈstɜːbəns/ | n. | a noise or something that stops you from continuing what you were doing | B2 |
| diverse | /daɪˈvɜːs/ | adj. | very different from each other | B2 |
| diversity | /daɪˈvɜːsəti/ | n. | state or quality of having a range of different things | B2 |
| dominant | /ˈdɒmɪnənt/ | adj. | strongest | B2 |
| dose | /dəus/ | n. | an amount of medicine to be taken at any one time | L2 |
| dramatically | /drə'mætikli/ | adv. | in a sudden or extreme manner | L2 |
| drought | /draʊt/ | n. | A long period with little or no rain | B2 |
| duration | /dju'reiʃən/ | n. | the length of time that something lasts | L2 |
| dynamic | /daɪˈnæmɪk/ | adj. | always active or changing; in physics: a force related to motion | B2 |
| ecosystem | /ˈiːkəʊsɪstəm/ | n. | Living things and their environment interacting as a connected system | B2 |
| effectiveness | /ɪˈfektɪvnəs/ | n. | the degree of how well something works or is done | B2 |
| efficiency | /ɪˈfɪʃnsi/ | n. | working well; producing something without waste | B2 |
| elderly | /ˈeldəli/ | adj. | a polite word for 'old', used to describe people | B2 |
| electron | /ɪˈlektrɒn/ | n. | a negatively charged particle | B2 |
| elite | /ei'li:t/ | n. | important people of high status | L2 |
| emergence | /i'mə:dʒəns/ | n. | the process of emerging/coming out | L2 |
| emission | /ɪˈmɪʃən/ | n. | a substance (e.g. gas) released into the air | B2 |
| endangered | /in'deindʒəd/ | adj. | (of flora or fauna) in imminent danger of extinction | L2 |
| enrol | /ɪnˈrəʊl/ | v. | Officially join, or register someone for, a course or organisation | B2 |
| entrepreneur | /ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜː/ | n. | someone who starts a business and takes financial risks | B2 |
| epidemic | /.epi'demik/ | adj. | a disease affecting many people | L2 |
| equality | /i:'kwɒliti/ | n. | the idea that all people have the same rights | L2 |
| essentially | /ɪˈsenʃəli/ | adv. | basically, primarily | B2 |
| estimate | /ˈestɪmeɪt/ | v. | guess or calculation of cost, size, or value | B2 |
| estimation | /ˌestɪˈmeɪʃən/ | n. | judgment; opinion; guess at the value of | B2 |
| ethical | /'eθikəl/ | adj. | morally right or wrong | L2 |
| evidence | /ˈevɪdəns/ | n. | factual proof that helps to establish the truth | B2 |
| evident | /ˈevɪdənt/ | adj. | plain, clear | B2 |
| evolution | /ˌiːvəˈluːʃən/ | n. | slow, steady change or development | B2 |
| evolutionary | /,i:və'lu:ʃənəri/ | adj. | concerning evolution | L2 |
| exotic | /ɪɡˈzɒtɪk/ | adj. | Unusual and interesting, especially because of a connection with distant countries | B2 |
| expectancy | /ɪkˈspektənsi/ | n. | A feeling that something pleasant or exciting will happen | B2 |
| explicitly | adv. | clearly; specifically | L2 | |
| extinct | /ɪkˈstɪŋkt/ | adj. | having no living members left | B2 |
| extinction | /ɪkˈstɪŋkʃən/ | n. | the complete disappearance of a species or type of thing | B2 |
| facility | /fəˈsɪləti/ | n. | piece of equipment or buildings with a special use | B2 |
| faculty | /ˈfæklti/ | n. | the teachers in a school or college | B2 |
| famine | /ˈfæmɪn/ | n. | a severe shortage of food affecting many people | B2 |
| feedback | /ˈfiːdbæk/ | n. | a response to a message; information about a person's behavior | B2 |
| fiber | /'faibə/ | n. | a thin, threadlike part of an animal hair or plant tissue; an artificial thread; body cells that form muscles and nerves; a food substance | L2 |
| finance | /ˈfaɪnæns/ | n. | control of money a person/business has access to | B2 |
| flexible | /ˈfleksəbl/ | adj. | capable of being easily bent or changed without breaking | B2 |
| fluid | /ˈfluːɪd/ | adj. | a material that can easily flow. e.g. water | B2 |
| footprint | /ˈfʊtprɪnt/ | n. | A mark left by a foot on a surface | B2 |
| forecast | /ˈfɔːkɑːst/ | n. | a prediction of some future thing (e.g., the weather) | B2 |
| fossil | /ˈfɒsəl/ | n. | a plant or animal that has become rock after many thousands of years | B2 |
| fraction | /ˈfrækʃən/ | n. | a part of a whole | B2 |
| fraud | /frɔːd/ | n. | Dishonest behaviour intended to gain money or another advantage | B2 |
| freelance | /ˈfriːlɑːns/ | adj. | Working independently for different clients rather than one employer | B2 |
| fund | /fʌnd/ | n. | to supply money for something | B2 |
| gadget | /ˈɡædʒɪt/ | n. | A small device designed to perform a particular useful task | B2 |
| gender | /ˈdʒendə/ | n. | state of being male or female | B2 |
| gene | /dʒiːn/ | n. | part of a cell that controls the development and appearance of a living thing | B2 |
| genetic | /dʒəˈnetɪk/ | adj. | concerning the parts of a cell that determine particular characteristics | B2 |
| genetically | adv. | caused or controlled, or by genes | L2 | |
| gradual | /ˈɡrædʒuəl/ | adj. | Happening slowly through small changes over time | B2 |
| grammatical | /ɡrəˈmætɪkəl/ | adj. | concerning grammatical rules | B2 |
| greenhouse | /ˈɡriːnhaʊs/ | n. | a glass or plastic building that keeps growing plants warm | B2 |
| habitat | /ˈhæbɪtæt/ | n. | the natural place, or type of place, where a plant or animal lives | B2 |
| hardware | /ˈhɑːdweə/ | n. | the physical parts of a computer or electronic system | B2 |
| harvest | /ˈhɑːvɪst/ | n. | the time of year to bring crops in from the fields | B2 |
| heritage | /ˈherɪtɪdʒ/ | n. | Traditions, buildings, and values passed down from earlier generations | B2 |
| homeless | /ˈhəʊmləs/ | adj. | Without a permanent place to live | B2 |
| horizontal | /ˌhɒrɪˈzɒntəl/ | adj. | flat or level | B2 |
| household | /ˈhaʊshəʊld/ | n. | all the people who live in a house; a family | B2 |
| identical | /aɪˈdentɪkəl/ | adj. | the same in every way | B2 |
| identification | /aɪˌdentɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ | n. | (card or paper) that proves who a person is | B2 |
| immigration | /ˌɪmɪˈɡreɪʃən/ | n. | the act of moving from one country to another for good | B2 |
| immune | /ɪˈmjuːn/ | adj. | not affected by something, such as a disease | B2 |
| impact | /ˈɪmpækt/ | n. | a striking effect or result to hit with force | B2 |
| import | /im'pɒ:t/ | n. | to bring items or goods from one country into another | L2 |
| incidence | /'insidəns/ | n. | the rate that something happens | L2 |
| inclusion | /in'kluʒən/ | n. | act of including; person/thing that is included | L2 |
| indicator | /'indikeitə/ | n. | an instrument that shows conditions in a machine, such as temperature, speed, pressure; in chemistry: a compound that changes color in the presence of an acid or a base | L2 |
| induce | /in'dju:s/ | v. | to cause, to persuade | L2 |
| inequality | /.ini'kwɒliti/ | n. | situation where things are not equal/fair | L2 |
| infect | /ɪnˈfekt/ | v. | to give someone a disease | B2 |
| infection | /ɪnˈfekʃən/ | n. | act or state of becoming infected with a disease | B2 |
| infinite | /ˈɪnfɪnət/ | adj. | without an end | B2 |
| inflation | /ɪnˈfleɪʃən/ | n. | continual rise in the prices of products | B2 |
| infrastructure | /'infrəstrʌktʃə/ | n. | the basic structure or features of a system or organization; the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area | L2 |
| innocent | /ˈɪnəsənt/ | adj. | not having done anything wrong or bad | B2 |
| innovation | /ˌɪnəˈveɪʃən/ | n. | new invention or idea that is created | B2 |
| instability | /.instə'biliti/ | n. | not stable; changeable | L2 |
| institution | /ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃən/ | n. | organization created for a particular cause or purpose | B2 |
| integration | /.inti'greiʃən/ | n. | act of bringing things together into a whole | L2 |
| intelligence | /ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns/ | n. | ability to learn, think about, and understand things | B2 |
| intensity | /in'tensəti/ | n. | great energy, strength, or concentration | L2 |
| interact | /ˌɪntərˈækt/ | v. | an action that is answered by a reaction, verbal or physical | B2 |
| interface | /ˈɪntəfeɪs/ | n. | a shared boundary between two persons or systems through which information is communicated. | B2 |
| internship | /ˈɪntɜːnʃɪp/ | n. | A temporary job providing practical experience in a particular field | B2 |
| interval | /ˈɪntəvəl/ | n. | the distance between two points, numbers or times | B2 |
| investment | /ɪnˈvestmənt/ | n. | something purchased hoping its value will increase | B2 |
| isolation | /ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃən/ | n. | The state of being separated from other people or places | B2 |
| journalism | /'dʒə:nəlizm/ | n. | newspapers and magazines collectively; the profession of reporting or photographing or editing news stories for one of the media | L2 |
| jury | /ˈdʒʊəri/ | n. | group of people who listen to information about something and make a decision | B2 |
| landfill | /ˈlændfɪl/ | n. | A place where waste is buried in the ground | B2 |
| landmark | /'lændmɑ:k/ | n. | the position of a prominent or well-known object in a particular landscape; an event marking a unique or important historical change of course or one on which important developments depend | L2 |
| landscape | /ˈlændskeɪp/ | n. | a large area of countryside or land that has a particular quality or appearance | B2 |
| leadership | /ˈliːdəʃɪp/ | n. | quality of being able to guide or influence others | B2 |
| learner | /'lə:nə/ | n. | someone (especially a child) who learns (as from a teacher) or takes up knowledge or beliefs | L2 |
| likelihood | /ˈlaɪklihʊd/ | n. | the chance that something might happen | B2 |
| linear | /'liniə/ | adj. | made of lines | L2 |
| linguistic | /liŋ'^wistik/ | adj. | belonging to language | L2 |
| literacy | /ˈlɪtərəsi/ | n. | The ability to read and write | B2 |
| livestock | /ˈlaɪvstɒk/ | n. | farm animals kept for food, materials, or work | B2 |
| logical | /ˈlɒdʒɪkəl/ | adj. | sensible; reasonable | B2 |
| loneliness | /ˈləʊnlinəs/ | n. | Sadness caused by feeling alone or lacking close relationships | B2 |
| magnetic | /mæg'netik/ | adj. | having the properties of a magnet, being able to attract. | L2 |
| majority | /məˈdʒɒrəti/ | n. | amount that is more than half of a group | B2 |
| manufacture | /ˌmænjʊˈfæktʃə/ | v. | to produce large numbers of products in a factory | B2 |
| manuscript | /'mænjuskript/ | n. | a document, a piece of writing | L2 |
| marker | /'mɑ:kə/ | n. | something that is easy to recognize or identify | L2 |
| marketing | /ˈmɑːkɪtɪŋ/ | n. | activities that identify customers' needs and promote products or services | B2 |
| mathematical | /ˌmæθəˈmætɪkəl/ | adj. | concerning numbers and equations | B2 |
| matrix | /'meitriks/ | n. | a substance, situation, or environment in which something has its origin - in math: an arrangement of numbers in rows and columns | L2 |
| media | /ˈmiːdiə/ | n. | means of communication (tv, newspapers, internet) | B2 |
| mentor | /'mentɔ:/ | n. | an experienced or wise person who teaches or helps another person | L2 |
| merger | /'mə:dʒə/ | n. | n the combination of two or more commercial companies; n an occurrence that involves the production of a union | L2 |
| migrant | /'maigrənt/ | n. | traveler who moves from one region or country to another; habitually moving from place to place especially in search of seasonal work | L2 |
| migration | /maɪˈɡreɪʃən/ | n. | the process by which people or animals move to another place | B2 |
| military | /ˈmɪlɪtəri/ | adj. | concerning soldiers or the armed forces | B2 |
| minimal | /ˈmɪnɪməl/ | adj. | the smallest possible | B2 |
| minister | /ˈmɪnɪstə/ | n. | an official who heads a government department | B2 |
| moderate | /ˈmɒdərət/ | adj. | average in size or amount | B2 |
| modification | /ˌmɒdɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ | n. | a small change to a machine, system, or plan | B2 |
| modified | /ˈmɒdɪfaɪd/ | adj. | Changed partly to suit a purpose or improve how something works | B2 |
| molecular | /mə'lekjulə/ | adj. | about or caused by molecules | L2 |
| molecule | /'mɒlikju:l/ | n. | two or more atoms chemically combined | L2 |
| mortality | /mɒ:'tæləti/ | n. | the quality or state of being human and being able to die | L2 |
| mortgage | /ˈmɔːɡɪdʒ/ | n. | long-term loan from a bank for buying property | B2 |
| namely | /'neimli/ | adv. | that is to say, specifically | L2 |
| neutral | /ˈnjuːtrəl/ | adj. | not involved; without strong feeling; without electrical charge; not acidic or akaline | B2 |
| norm | /nɔːm/ | n. | an established standard of performance or behavior | B2 |
| numerical | /njuːˈmerɪkəl/ | adj. | includes numbers | B2 |
| nutrient | /'nju:triənt/ | n. | a chemical, food, that animals and plants need to live, develop, and be healthy | L2 |
| nutrition | /njuˈtrɪʃən/ | n. | the process of obtaining and using food for health | B2 |
| obesity | /əʊˈbiːsəti/ | n. | A condition involving excess body fat that can harm health | B2 |
| observation | /ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃən/ | n. | careful watching and listening; remark or comment on something you have noticed | B2 |
| observe | /əbˈzɜːv/ | v. | to watch carefully; to make a comment | B2 |
| obtain | /əbˈteɪn/ | v. | To be given or to earn something through efforts | B2 |
| offence | /əˈfens/ | n. | An act that breaks a law or rule | B2 |
| offender | /ə'fendə/ | n. | n a person who transgresses moral or civil law | L2 |
| oral | /ˈɔːrəl/ | adj. | by mouth | B2 |
| organ | /ˈɔːɡən/ | n. | large wind instrument similar to a piano | B2 |
| organic | /ɔːˈɡænɪk/ | adj. | concerning food made with few or no chemicals | B2 |
| organism | /'ɒ:gənizm/ | n. | living thing, often one that is small | L2 |
| outer | /'autə/ | adj. | on or around something | L2 |
| overall | /ˌəʊvərˈɔːl/ | adj. | viewed as a whole; in general, not as details | B2 |
| overtime | /ˈəʊvətaɪm/ | n. | Extra working hours, or the money paid for them | B2 |
| ozone | /ˈəʊzəʊn/ | n. | A gas whose molecules each contain three oxygen atoms | B2 |
| paradigm | /'pærədaim/ | n. | a set of ideas that are used for understanding or explaining something | L2 |
| parliament | /ˈpɑːləmənt/ | n. | A country's group of representatives that debates and makes laws | B2 |
| partial | /'pɑ:ʃəl/ | adj. | not complete; being only part of something | L2 |
| particle | /'pɑ:tikl/ | n. | a very small piece of something | L2 |
| pathway | /'pɑ:θwei/ | n. | a path or way that you can walk | L2 |
| peak | /piːk/ | n. | the time or place when something or someone is best, greatest, highest | B2 |
| pedestrian | /pəˈdestriən/ | n. | a person walking rather than travelling in a vehicle | B2 |
| penalty | /'penəlti/ | n. | punishment for committing a crime or offense | L2 |
| pension | /'penʃən/ | n. | regular payments you receive after you retire | L2 |
| pesticide | /ˈpestɪsaɪd/ | n. | a chemical substance used to kill pests | B2 |
| prescription | /prɪˈskrɪpʃən/ | n. | A doctor's written order for medicine, or the medicine ordered | B2 |
| preserve | /prɪˈzɜːv/ | v. | to keep something in an unchanged or perfect condition | B2 |
| prevention | /prɪˈvenʃən/ | n. | Action taken to stop something unwanted from happening | B2 |
| privacy | /ˈprɪvəsi/ | n. | Freedom from unwanted access to personal information or private life | B2 |
| productivity | /.prəudʌk'tiviti/ | n. | rate at which something is made or that people work | L2 |
| projection | /prə'dʒekʃən/ | n. | an image on a screen | L2 |
| promotion | /prəu'məuʃən/ | n. | moving someone to a more important position | L2 |
| propaganda | /.prɒpə'gændə/ | n. | information that is spread for the purpose of promoting some cause | L2 |
| proportion | /prəˈpɔːʃən/ | n. | an amount that is a part of a whole thing | B2 |
| prosecute | /'prɒsikju:t/ | v. | conduct a prosecution in a court of law; bring a criminal action against (in a trial) | L2 |
| protein | /ˈprəʊtiːn/ | n. | a substance found in some foods, such as meat, that is needed by the body to stay healthy | B2 |
| psychology | /saɪˈkɒlədʒi/ | n. | the study of the mind and how it affects behaviour | B2 |
| publication | /ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃən/ | n. | process of producing a book or magazine | B2 |
| pulse | /pʌls/ | n. | beat of the heart | L2 |
| punishment | /'pʌniʃmənt/ | n. | the act of punishing someone | L2 |
| racism | /'reisizm/ | n. | the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races; discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race | L2 |
| radiation | /ˌreɪdiˈeɪʃən/ | n. | energy that is radiated or transmitted in the form of rays, waves or particles. | B2 |
| rapid | /ˈræpɪd/ | adj. | happening very quickly | B2 |
| rapidly | /ˈræpɪdli/ | adv. | with great speed | B2 |
| rational | /'ræʃənl/ | adj. | sensible; based on facts | L2 |
| recession | /rɪˈseʃən/ | n. | A period when economic activity falls and many businesses struggle | B2 |
| recovery | /rɪˈkʌvəri/ | n. | process of returning to a former state after problems | B2 |
| recreation | /ˌrekriˈeɪʃən/ | n. | Activities done for enjoyment and relaxation when not working | B2 |
| recruit | /rɪˈkruːt/ | v. | to get people to come and work, join, or study with you | B2 |
| recruitment | /rɪˈkruːtmənt/ | n. | the process of finding people to join an organisation | B2 |
| reduction | /rɪˈdʌkʃən/ | n. | making something smaller; reducing something | B2 |
| reform | /rɪˈfɔːm/ | v. | to improve society by removing abuse and injustices | B2 |
| regression | /ri'greʃən/ | n. | going back; in statistics: a type of correlational procedure that focuses on predicting the values of an outcome based on its correlation with another variable. | L2 |
| regulate | /ˈreɡjuleɪt/ | v. | to make rules or laws to control something or someone | B2 |
| regulation | /ˌreɡjəˈleɪʃən/ | n. | official rule that controls how something is done | B2 |
| rehabilitation | /'ri:(h)ə,bili'teiʃən/ | n. | a scheme to help someone who has been ill or in prison to return to a healthy, independent, and useful life | L2 |
| renewable | /rɪˈnjuːəbl/ | adj. | Naturally replaced and therefore available for continued use | B2 |
| resident | /ˈrezɪdənt/ | n. | someone who lives in a particular place | B2 |
| residential | /.rezi'denʃəl/ | adj. | used or designed for residence or limited to residences; of or relating to or connected with residence | L2 |
| resign | /rɪˈzaɪn/ | v. | to leave a job because you want to | B2 |
| resort | /rɪˈzɔːt/ | n. | a place where people go on holiday | B2 |
| respectively | /ri'spektivli/ | adv. | in the order people or things were mentioned | L2 |
| retail | /ˈriːteɪl/ | n. | concerning the business of selling products to the public for personal use | B2 |
| robbery | /ˈrɒbəri/ | n. | Stealing from a person or place using force or threats | B2 |
| rotation | /rəʊˈteɪʃən/ | n. | movement in a circle around a central point | B2 |
| rural | /ˈrʊərəl/ | adj. | relating to parts of a country that are outside towns and cities, with fields, woods, etc. | B2 |
| sample | /ˈsɑːmpəl/ | n. | to try something to see if you like it (e.g., food) | B2 |
| satellite | /ˈsætəlaɪt/ | n. | A device orbiting Earth or another body, collecting or transmitting information | B2 |
| scarce | /skeəs/ | adj. | not available in large enough amounts to meet demand | B2 |
| scenario | /si'nɑ:riəu/ | n. | an outline; an imagined sequence of events in a plan or project | L2 |
| scholarship | /ˈskɒləʃɪp/ | n. | money given to a student to pay for education | B2 |
| sector | /ˈsektə/ | n. | area that includes certain kinds of job | B2 |
| seminar | /ˈsemɪnɑː/ | n. | a small class at a college or university | B2 |
| sensitivity | /.sensə'tiviti/ | n. | being sensitive; in physiology: the ability of an organism or part of an organism to react to stimuli; in electronics: the ability of a radio device to react to incoming signals | L2 |
| separation | /.sepə'reiʃən/ | n. | a line that seperates; a point of parting; a gap | L2 |
| shareholder | /'ʃєə.həuldə/ | n. | someone who owns a part of a corporation | L2 |
| sharply | /'ʃɑ:pli/ | adv. | in a well delineated manner; changing suddenly in direction and degree | L2 |
| shift | /ʃɪft/ | v. | to change in position or direction | B2 |
| shortage | /ˈʃɔːtɪdʒ/ | n. | a situation in which there is not enough of something | B2 |
| significant | /sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/ | adj. | large enough to be noticed or have an effect; important | B2 |
| simulation | /.simju'leiʃən/ | n. | a copy; a method that is used to study and analyze the characteristics of the real world | L2 |
| simultaneously | /siməl'teiniəsly; (?@) saim-/ | adv. | at the same time as | L2 |
| skilled | /skɪld/ | adj. | Having the training and ability to do something well | B2 |
| slight | /slaɪt/ | adj. | very small in degree or amount | B2 |
| slum | /slʌm/ | n. | a poor urban area with overcrowded housing in bad condition | B2 |
| species | /ˈspiːʃiːz/ | n. | a group of related animals or plant | B2 |
| sporting | /'spɒ:tiŋ/ | adj. | relating to or used in sports; involving risk or willingness to take a risk | L2 |
| stable | /ˈsteɪbəl/ | adj. | in a good situation or condition; not likely to change | B2 |
| statistical | /stəˈtɪstɪkəl/ | adj. | about statistics | B2 |
| steady | /ˈstedi/ | adj. | firmly fixed, supported, or balanced; not shaking, rocking, or likely to fall over | B2 |
| storage | /ˈstɔːrɪdʒ/ | n. | a safe place to keep something until it is needed | B2 |
| strategy | /ˈstrætədʒi/ | n. | careful plan or method for achieving a goal | B2 |
| suburban | /sə'bə:bən/ | adj. | relating to or characteristic of or situated in suburbs | L2 |
| sufficiently | /səˈfɪʃəntli/ | adv. | to a degree great enough to do something | B2 |
| surgery | /ˈsɜːdʒəri/ | n. | medical treatment in which a doctor cuts into a body | B2 |
| surveillance | /sə:'veiləns/ | n. | close observation of a person or group (usually by the police) | L2 |
| suspect | /səˈspekt/ | v. | to think that someone may have committed a crime or done something wrong | B2 |
| sustainable | /səˈsteɪnəbl/ | adj. | capable of continuing for a long time at the same level; does not damage the environment | B2 |
| systematic | /ˌsɪstəˈmætɪk/ | adj. | done in a thorough, logical or planned way | B2 |
| teamwork | /ˈtiːmwɜːk/ | n. | People working together effectively to achieve a shared goal | B2 |
| theft | /θeft/ | n. | n the act of taking something from someone unlawfully | L2 |
| theory | /ˈθɪəri/ | n. | idea or set of ideas that try to explain facts or events | B2 |
| therapy | /ˈθerəpi/ | n. | treatment intended to help fix your problem or medical illness | B2 |
| toxic | /'tɒksik/ | adj. | poisonous; harmful | L2 |
| trait | /treɪt/ | n. | a characteristic | B2 |
| treaty | /ˈtriːti/ | n. | an agreement between nations | B2 |
| triple | /ˈtrɪpəl/ | adj. | Three times as much, or consisting of three parts | B2 |
| tropical | /'trɒpikl/ | adj. | hot and humid; near to the equator | L2 |
| tuition | /tjuˈɪʃən/ | n. | money paid for teaching at a school or university | B2 |
| tumor | /'tju:mə/ | n. | a mass of abnormal cells that develops when cancerous cells divide and grow uncontrollably | L2 |
| tutorial | /tjuːˈtɔːriəl/ | n. | A lesson where a tutor teaches individuals or small groups | B2 |
| undergraduate | /ˌʌndəˈɡrædʒuət/ | n. | a college student who is working toward his or her first degree | B2 |
| unemployment | /.ʌnim'plɒimənt/ | n. | the number of people in an area who want to work but do not have a job | L2 |
| urban | /ˈɜːbən/ | adj. | concerning a city; located in a city | B2 |
| usage | /ˈjuːsɪdʒ/ | n. | the way something is used | B2 |
| vacancy | /ˈveɪkənsi/ | n. | A job or position available for someone to fill | B2 |
| vaccination | /ˌvæksɪˈneɪʃən/ | n. | Giving a vaccine to help protect someone against disease | B2 |
| vaccine | /ˈvæksiːn/ | n. | a substance that trains the immune system to resist disease | B2 |
| valid | /ˈvælɪd/ | adj. | sound; just; well-founded | B2 |
| validity | /və'liditi/ | n. | how true something is; in statistics: the ability of a test to measure what it is intended to measure. | L2 |
| vegan | /ˈviːɡən/ | n. | Someone who avoids animal foods and usually other animal products | B2 |
| verbal | /ˈvɜːbəl/ | adj. | using speech, rather than being written | B2 |
| vertical | /ˈvɜːtɪkəl/ | adj. | a line going up/down; not horizontal | B2 |
| violent | /ˈvaɪələnt/ | adj. | done with force; likely to cause physical damage | B2 |
| virtual | /ˈvɜːtʃuəl/ | adj. | Created by computers or experienced through an online connection | B2 |
| vitamin | /ˈvɪtəmɪn/ | n. | a substance that is healthy for your body and can be found in foods or taken as a medicine | B2 |
| vocational | /vəʊˈkeɪʃənəl/ | adj. | Relating to practical skills and training for a particular job | B2 |
| voter | /ˈvəʊtə/ | n. | a person who can vote in an election | B2 |
| warming | /'wɔ:miŋ/ | n. | imparting heat | L2 |
| wealth | /welθ/ | n. | large amount of money and possessions | B2 |
| wealthy | /ˈwelθi/ | adj. | having a great amount of money or property | B2 |
| welfare | /ˈwelfeə/ | n. | a government program to help poor people | B2 |
| whereas | /hwєər'æz/ | conj. | taking into consideration the fact that | L2 |
| wireless | /'waiəlis/ | n. | transmission by radio waves; having no wires | L2 |
| workforce | n. | n the force of workers available | L2 |
Other topics
Data sources and credits
- Headwords and English definitions: New General Service List 1.2 & New Academic Word List 1.2 — Browne, C., Culligan, B. & Phillips, J., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Phonetics, CEFR levels, example sentences and Chinese glosses: Word Atlas — Word Atlas contributors — CC BY 4.0. Modified: fields selected, senses shortened, Chinese converted to Traditional characters.
- More phonetics and Chinese translations: ECDICT (MIT)
- Scheduling: ts-fsrs (MIT)
- The topic decks and all page texts are our own.