Vocabulary Building: Strong Word Choices

• Spellbind is a verb meaning to fascinate or impress

Strong Words - List 1

• It's a pity = I feel sorry for
• Spacious = roomy = large
• Dressed up = dressed formally
• Yearn for = long for
• Turn up = appear
• Panting = out of breath
• Make it to = succeed in attending/doing (idiom)
• Massive = huge = enormous = gigantic
• Chandeliers = decorative hanging branches of light bulbs
• Stunning = extremely impressive or attractive
• Glitz = extravagant display/show
• Newly-weds = recently-married people
• Keep a straight face = manage to stop smiling/laughing (idiom)
• Fun-packed = fun-filled = full of fun

Strong Words - List 2

• Grapple with = handle
• Manage = deal with
• Definitely = sure
• Scathing = fierce = ferocious = cruel
• Go in vain = become useless
• Denunciation = public condemnation
• Rejection = criticism
• Core belief = strong opinion
• Solely = merely = only
• Accountable for = responsible for
• Irrespective of = regardless of
• Instilled = gradually established = implanted
• Very clear = easily understood
• (be) as plain as a pikestaff= as plain as day = as plain as the nose on your face = obvious
• Exemplary = ideal = role model
• Apart from = regardless of
• Assuredly = confidently = undoubtedly
• Reach the pinnacle = get to the peak/culmination
• Summit = highest point
• Collaborative = integrated = joint = mutual
• Dictate their future = determine their future
• Beat all odds = overcome improbability
• It's my unwavering credence = steady/resolute belief
• Negligent = careless
• Acutely = extremely
• To wrap up = in conclusion
• Sum up = recap

Strong Words - List 3

• (someone) went bananas = became extremely angry/excited
• (someone) went bananas = went mad/crazy
• (something) went bananas = became out of order/not working
• Extreme = ultimate = utmost = maximal
• Shredder = shredding (tearing) machine
• Emit rays of sunshine = very happy
• Ecstatic = elated = euphoric = extremely happy
• Finale = the most dramatic/exciting part in an entertainment
• Apparently = seemingly = it seems that
• Gouge = scrape out = remove from inside
• Misfortune = bad luck
• See..off = say goodbye to..
• Smash = break violently
• Torment = torture
• Immature = teenage
• Sob = weep noisily
• Rip = pull quickly or forcibly
• Misery = unhappiness = distress
• Needless to say = of course
• Ciao! = See you later!
• Fuming = furious = enraged
• Weird = bizarre = very strange
• Console = video games player
• Spiel = glib speech

Strong Words - List 4

• Contemplating = mediating = studying carefully
• Compulsory = obligatory = mandatory
• Imperative = crucial = significant
• Vehemently = extremely
• Aptitude = natural ability
• Mind-numbing = stressful
• Rejuvenating = refreshing
• Fulfilling = satisfying
• Sluggishness = lethargy = laziness
• Better shaped = in a good condition
• Ennui = boredom
• Marvelous = fantastic
• Alleviate = mitigate = relieve
• Hammered = instilled = implanted
• Exhilarating = thrilling = exciting
• Arduous = laborious

Strong Words - List 5

• Highlight (n.) = peak = culmination = pinnacle
• Summit = highest point
• (be) up to = depend on = rely on = count on = rely on
• Walk on air = feel elated
• Experiment (v.) = carry out trials
• Cuisines = styles of cooking
• Chops = thick slices
• Recipes = cooking directions
• Senior batch = elder group
• Had a blast = had a lot of fun
• Give out = distribute
• Spatula = cooking utensil
• Courtesy of = as a result of
• Scoop = ladle
• Throw up = vomit
• Gelato = Italian ice-cream
• Puke = vomit
• Kimchi = Korean pickled cabbage
• Embarrass = cause..to feel ashamed
• Tikka = Indian spice mixture
• Applaud = praise
• Lamb = young sheep
• Get credits = receive praise

Strong Words - List 6

• You get your act together = organize yourself
• Dissipate = disappear/cause to disappear
• First and foremost = in the first place
• Early bird = someone who tends to sleep early and get up early
• A night owl = someone who tends to stay up late
• Hail = praise enthusiastically
• Lambaste = criticize
• A boon = a blessing
• Tardiness = lateness
• Oppose = object to
• Hectic = restless/tiring
• Proposal = suggestion
• Dissipate = waste
• Delay (v.) = detain = make..late
• To no end = in vain
• Tranquility = quietness = serenity
• Lonesome = lonely/solitary
• Retain = absorb = understand fully
• Desolated = uninhabited
• Put simply = briefly/clearly
• Notion = idea
• Defer = postpone = put off
• Strident = acute/strong
• Gargantuan = giant
• Lessen = decrease =cut down = lower
• Strain = restriction
• Aggrandize = increase

Sophisticated Vocabulary - List A

• Assimilate (v.) = acculturate
• Abandon (v.) = desert = leave = quit
• Confine (v.) = enclose = limit
• Cure (n.) = remedy = medication
• Divorced from (phr.) = separated/isolated from
• Exploit (v.) = utilize = make use of
• Ethnicity (n.) = origin = race
• Habitat (n.) = home = territory
• Initiative (n.) = lead = action
• Indigenous (adj.) = local = native = aboriginal
• Integral (adj.) = essential
• In jeopardy (phr.) = at risk = at peril = endangered
• Oblige (v.) = force = compel
• In the face of (phr.) = in spite of
• Persist (v.) = persevere
• Retain (v.) = keep possession of
• Predominant (adj.) = main = chief
• Scenario (n.) = storyline
• Revival (n.) = comeback = restoration
• Shift (n.) = transfer = movement
• Resurgence (v.) = rebirth
• Cliché (n.) = stereotype = commonplace
• Suppress (v.) = restrain
• Surrogate = substitute (v.) = replace
• Target (v.) = select = pick out
• Wake-up call (n.phr.) = alert = caution

Sophisticated Vocabulary - List B

• boom(n.) = increase
• thriving (adj.) = successful
• consensus(n.) = general agreement
• boost (v.) = promote = improve
• engage in(phr.v.) = participate in
• devotion (n.) = dedication
• gray area (phr.) = unclear difference
• emerge (v.) = appear
• incentive (n.) = motivation
• estimate (v.) = roughly calculate
• labor (n.) = hard work
• evolve (v.) = develop gradually
• leisure (adj.) = spare/free
• execute (v.) = implement
• menial (adj.) = boring
• It dawned on me (phr.) = I realized it for the first time
• respectively (adv.) = successively
• pass your prime (phr.) = grow old
• respectively (adv.) = in consequence
• regard as (phr.v.) = consider
• the going rate (phr.) = the typical price
• rhythm (n.) = tempo/pace
• the going rate (phr.) = the typical salary
• sophisticated (adj.) = advanced
• the odds are that (phr.)= it's likely that
• sophisticated (adj.) = highly developed
• longevity (n.) = long life
• aforementioned(adj.) = mentioned before

Sophisticated Vocabulary - List C

• Campaign (n.) = organized movement = mission journey
• Alter (v.) = change
• Distort (v.) = deform
• Bias (n.) = prejudice
• Error-prone (adj.) = causing a mistake
• Concoct (v.) = fabricate
• Manipulate (v.) = utilize = exploit
• Credible (adj.) = believable
• Misleading (adj.) = deceptive = tricky = blinding
• Document (v.) = paper proof
• Prominent (adj.) = significant
• Ethical (adj.) = moral
• Scale (n.) = criterion
• Inherent (adj.) = essential
• Skyrocket (v.) = increase rapidly
• Left in the dark (phr.) = unaware
• Take...with a grain of salt (phr.) = disbelieve
• Legitimate (adj.) = legal = lawful
• Transformation (n.) = alteration = change
• Provoke (v.) = stimulate
• Unprecedented (adj.) = exceptional
• Scrutinize (v.) = inspect closely
• Visualize (v.) = imagine
• Tempting (adj.) = appealing = attractive

Sophisticated Vocabulary - List D

• Constrained = confined = limited
• profound = deep
• Resolve (n.) = determination = stamina
• Refuge = shelter/protection
• Inherently = instinctively = innately = intrinsically
• Accelerate = make... faster
• Acknowledge for = appreciate/value
• Outbreak = sudden start
• Adversity = misfortune = bad luck
• Milestone = important event / road sign
• Incline to = tend to
• Groundswell (n.) = sudden increase
• Allude to = speak indirectly about
• All the rage (adj.) = very popular and fashionable
• Liberate = emancipate = set... Free
• Eclipse (n.) = block/disappearance
• Potential = possible/probable
• Eclipse (v.) = surpass
• Consistent with = in agreement with
• Lore (n.) = traditional stories and beliefs
• Innate = intrinsic = instinctive = inherent
• Wane (v.) = decrease/get weakened
• Nurture (v.) = bring up = raise
• Blowup (n.) = fight/quarrel

Vocabulary Work - Section 1

• Basic Synonyms:
  • Indispensable
  • primary
  • vital
  • essential
  • fundamental
• Expressions for Basic
  • the backbone of
  • a part and parcel of
• Rudiments (formal)
  • the rudiments of (plural) = basic (you'll only have time to learn the rudiments of windsurfing in a week)
• Bare (only before nouns)
  • just enough, the most basic or simple (the family were short of the bare needs of life)
• Important synonyms:
  • crucia
  • salient
  • pivotal
• Expressions
  • can't be overlooked
  • attention should be paid/drawn to
  • an emphasis should be placed/put on
  • or a blind eye should not be turned to.
• Important and Basic are very close in meaning

Vocabulary Work - Section 2

• Form a danger
  • (Form/pose) a (menace, peril, hazard)
• Harm
  • (adversely/detrimentally) affect ...
  • To stretch the (vicious/brutal) arms to..
  • Work against ...........'s side
  • Have an (egregious (shocking)/appalling) influence on
• To be negatively affected
  • To be under the (adverse/detrimental/egregious/appalling) impact of...
  • To be the victim of...
  • To be an easy prey to.....
• To be under danger of
  • To (be) prone to....
  • To (be) susceptible to.....
  • To (be) vulnerable to.....
  • To (be) in jeopardy of
• dangerous
  • Precarious, perilous, hazardous, dodgy (inf), dicey, lethal

Vocabulary Work - Section 3

• To benefit
  • Exploit e.g. The money collected should be fully exploited to ensure the success of the charity project
  • to seize/clutch the opportunity e.g. Successful people are those who seize every opportunity.
  • to turn to your advantage e.g. Every critical situation should be turned to your advantage.
  • to use to (my/his) own good
• useful
  • have value in
  • Be appreciated e.g. Mobile phones are getting appreciated for getting people closer.
  • Advantageous e.g. Apple has many advantageous qualities that make it better than Samsung.
  • Fruitful e.g. Work done today can prove to be fruitful in the future.
  • To come in handy e.g. This money will come in handy when we go on vacation.
• Surely
  • Undoubtedly/definitely/unquestionably/with no shadow of doubt/ definitely
  • If you study hard, you'll surely get high grades.
• in a sanctuary/shelter/ a haven (safe/peaceful place)
  • Animals facing extinction should be kept away in shelters.
• Have a shield against
  • To be immune/ invulnerable to e.g. Everyone nowadays has to dine healthy in order to be immune to disease.

Vocabulary Work - Section 4

• Determination
  • Persistence e.g. Persistence is one of the ingredients of success.
  • Perseverance/Tenacity
• Motivation
  • Incentive (opp: disincentive)
  • Stimulus e.g. My last exam grade was a stimulus for me to perform better in the finals.
  • Spur e.g. The teacher's words provided her with the spur she needed.
  • Enticement
• Determined
  • Indefatigable e.g. He is an indefatigable person, he never gives up easily
  • Adamant (stubborn) / tenacious/ resolute/ purposeful/ Undeterred
• Dedicated
  • Committed, Devoted / Giving (his/her) all to
• To achieve
  • To accomplish/ to fulfil/ to turn something to be a reality/ to reach (your) goal/ to let a dream come true - to carry out
• Want sth. So much
  • To have a (fervent / ardent) desire to / to yearn for/to
  • To crave for/ to be hungry for/to - to be avid for
• To work very hard
  • To endeavour
  • to strive for/to/ toendeavour/ to put your best foot forward
  • to go all out (for/to)/ to give it your best shot, to put your heart and soul (into it)
  • Ambitious people never sit/settle on their laurels (always dissatisfied).

Vocabulary Work - Section 5

• Decrease
  • to lessen
  • to dwindle
  • to decline
  • to diminish
  • to cut down/back on (use it in informal writing)
  • to wane (gradually): e.g. This singer's popularity waned during that period.
  • to keep something to the minimum: e.g. Such salient steps being taken will definitely keep the adverse consequences to the minimum.
• To Fall
  • to collapse
  • to deteriorate
  • to relapse (health): e.g. The patient's health is dramatically relapsing. It is absolutely imperative to do an operation.
  • Alleviate/mitigate (to make sth less severe): e.g. On building such a factory, the all time suffered problem of unemployment will be greatly alleviated.
  • to plummet/plunge (to fall suddenly and quickly from a high level or position)
• Share prices plummeted/plunged to an all-time low
• The bus plunged from the bridge into the river.

Vocabulary Work - Section 6

• Increase
  • upsurge (n.) (usually singular) a sudden large increase in sth
  • to escalate (v.) (disappear)
  • boom (n.) sudden increase
  • to spike (v.) to rise quickly and reach high value
  • to rocket (v.) to increase very quickly and suddenly
  • to augment (v.)
  • to bump up/ to increase or raise sth
  • to burgeon/mushroom (v.) to rapidly grow or increase in number
• boost
  • assist/reinforce/ elevate (mood) / ameliorate (improve)
  • foster (to encourage something to develop)
• Support
  • Enhance e g. Apple tries to enhance their cameras each and every year.
  • (opinion) advocate/to be heart and soul with
  • Buttress; to support or give strength to somebody/sth
• Help
  • Assist/aid credit goes to
  • it's all down to... make it possible for... is meant to... is the recipe of...provided that/with the proviso that/It's not until...that if/it weren't for... owe thanks to
• Clear
  • Indisputable/conspicuous/prominent/ evident/ apparent obvious
  • (exp.) remove the dust from...
  • (exp.)... is there for all to see
  • Patent (deg/disapproving) (used to emphasize that sth bad is very clear and obvious) e.g. It was a patent lie.

Vocabulary Work - Section 7

• Barrier
  • Obstacle e.g. He overcame the obstacles of poverty and neglect.
  • Barricade e.g. Police erected barricades to keep the crowds from approaching the crime scene.
  • Hurdle e.g. Yes, she had crossed that last hurdle of doubt.
  • Stumbling block e.g. Lack of funds is a major stumbling block to the project.
  • Hindrance (to hinder) e.g. There was, of course, no hindrance to a man having more than one job.
• Limit
  • Curb e.g. We've got to curb the damage as much as possible.
  • Demarcate e.g. The farmer was determined to demarcate his fields in an effort to keep out his neighbor's cattle.
  • Constrict e.g. The declining economy has constricted job opportunities.
  • To set/draw (a barrier/ceiling/pattern/boundaries) e.g. Differences in opinions have set a barrier between the two friends over time.
• To separate
  • (exp.) create a gap between e.g. cultural differences created a gap between the coworkers.
  • (exp.) keep a health/an unhealthy distance (between/from) e.g. She had to keep a healthy distance from everyone after the death of her husband.
  • Build a (barrier) between e.g. After getting divorced, Sara built a barrier around herself.
  • To split up e.g. The two policemen split up in search for the thieves. - Break the bond e.g. Break the bond, and Death will save you both.
• Opposite: bridge the chasm = narrow the gap

Vocabulary Work - Section 8

• A lot of
  • A bank/wealth of ...
  • Multiple/multitudinous/ample
  • A myriad of
  • Masses/heaps/tonnes/oodles
  • A gogo e.g. There are photos a gogo on our website
  • A blizzard/a glut of
  • awash with (having something in large quantities) e.g. The computer market is awash with software of computer.
• Greatly
  • Dramatically
  • drastically
• Complete
  • Pure e.g. Children should be encouraged to read for the pure delight of it.
  • Cut-and-out
  • Thorough e.g. 1997 a thorough understanding of the rules and regulations.
  • Downright e.g. The whole situation is downright bizarre.
  • Utter e.g. First, he felt utter confusion, then anger.
  • sheer eg. Thielemann was at length overborne by sheer weight of numbers.
• Suitable
  • Eligible; to be cut out for
  • It's (not) the ...for you/me
  • Felicitous e.g. There is one friend who declares that she has never had a felicitous dream in her life.
  • Convenient e.g. Put things where they will be most convenient for you.
  • Appealing e.g. Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident to come forward.
  • Not suitable/not somebody's cup of tea e.g. she was not feeling comfortable talking with him, he was not her cup of tea.