Advanced Vocabulary for Academic and Professional Contexts

abrupt

speaking or acting in a way that seems unfriendly and rude

absurd

completely ridiculous; unreasonable

abyssal

relating to the deepest parts of the ocean

accentuate

to emphasize or make more noticeable

accessory

an extra item that is useful but not essential

acclaim

public praise; to praise enthusiastically

acclaimed

widely praised and admired

accommodate

to provide space for; to adjust to

accompaniment

something that goes together with something else

accrue

to accumulate or increase over time

acidify

to make or become acidic

acquainted

familiar with through experience or study

adept

highly skilled or proficient

adhere

to stick firmly to; to follow faithfully

adjacent

next to or adjoining

adorn

to decorate or make more attractive

advocate

to publicly support; a supporter of a cause

aesthetic

concerned with beauty or artistic appearance

affluent

wealthy; having a lot of money

aggregate

a total formed by combining parts; to gather together

agile

able to move quickly and easily

allege

to claim without proven evidence

alleviate

to make less severe or easier to bear

allocate

to distribute or assign for a purpose

ambiguous

having more than one possible meaning

ambitious

having a strong desire to succeed

amend

to improve or make changes to

ample

more than enough; plentiful

analogous

similar in important ways

anomaly

something that differs from what is expected

antagonize

to provoke hostility or anger

anticipate

to expect or predict

apathy

lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern

applaud

to praise or approve enthusiastically

arbitrary

based on random choice rather than reason

arduous

requiring great effort; difficult

articulate

to express clearly and effectively

ascend

to move upward; climb

assert

to state confidently

assess

to evaluate or judge

assimilate

to absorb or integrate into a larger group or system

astute

having sharp judgment; clever

attest

to confirm or provide evidence for

attribute

to regard as caused by; a characteristic

audacious

bold and fearless; willing to take risks

augment

to increase or make larger

autonomous

independent; self-governing

avid

very eager or enthusiastic

aversion

a strong dislike

bolster

to support or strengthen

brevity

shortness in time or words

candid

honest and straightforward

capricious

unpredictable; changing suddenly

catalyst

something that causes or speeds up change

categorical

absolute; without exceptions

cautious

careful to avoid danger or mistakes

cease

to stop

chronic

continuing for a long time

circumvent

to avoid or get around

coherent

clear, logical, and consistent

coincide

to occur at the same time

collaborate

to work together

commence

to begin

compel

to force or strongly persuade

complacent

self-satisfied and unaware of problems

complement

something that completes or enhances another thing

comprehensive

complete; covering many details

compromise

an agreement reached by mutual concessions

concede

to admit something is true

concise

expressing much in few words

concur

to agree

condense

to make more compact or shorter

confer

to discuss; to grant or bestow

confine

to restrict or limit

conform

to follow established rules or customs

consecutive

following one after another

consensus

general agreement

conspicuous

easily noticed; obvious

constitute

to make up; to form

constrain

to limit or restrict

constructive

helpful; intended to improve

consult

to seek advice or discuss

contend

to argue or compete

contradict

to state the opposite of

contrary

opposite in nature or direction

conventional

based on accepted customs or standards

convey

to communicate or make known

convincing

persuasive; believable

corroborate

to confirm or support with evidence

credible

believable; trustworthy

criterion

a standard used for judging

crucial

extremely important

culminate

to reach the highest point or final result

cumulative

increasing by successive additions

curtail

to reduce or limit

cynical

believing that people are motivated only by self-interest

debilitate

to weaken or make less effective

deceive

to mislead or trick

decipher

to figure out the meaning of something difficult

decline

to decrease or deteriorate