english words to enhance essay writing

accede

to agree to a request or a demand

accolade

an award or an expression of praise

accord

a formal or official agreement

acquit yourself

to act or behave in a specified way — used to express approval or (less commonly) disapproval of someone's behavior or performance

adequate

enough for some need or requirement

adjourn

to end something (such as a meeting or session) for a period of time

alibi

a claim that you cannot be guilty of a crime because you were somewhere else when the crime was committed

alimony

money that a court orders someone to pay regularly to a former wife or husband after a divorce

ambiguous

able to be understood in more than one way : having more than one possible meaning

anguish

extreme suffering, grief, or pain

antihistamine

a drug that is used to treat allergic reactions and colds

aquifer

a layer of rock or sand that can absorb and hold water

askance

in a way that shows a lack of trust or approval

augment

to increase the size or amount of (something)

avarice

a strong desire to have or get money

bacterium

any one of a group of very small living things that often cause disease

barometer

an instrument that is used to measure air pressure and predict changes in the weather

bestow

to give (something) as a gift or honor

bucolic

of or relating to the country or country life

bulwark

something that provides protection for or against something

callous

not feeling or showing any concern about the problems or suffering of other people

candid

expressing opinions and feelings in an honest and sincere way

circumspect

thinking carefully about possible risks before doing or saying something

circumvent

to avoid being stopped by (something, such as a law or rule) : to get around (something) in a clever and sometimes dishonest way

citation

a formal public statement that praises a person for doing something good or brave

civil

polite but not friendly : only as polite as a person needs to be in order to not be rude

coalesce

to come together to form one group or mass

cogent

very clear and easy for the mind to accept and believe

coherent

logical and well-organized : easy to understand

commute

to travel regularly to and from a place and especially between where you live and where you work

confine

to keep (someone or something) within limits : to prevent (someone or something) from going beyond a particular limit, area, etc.

construed

to understand (an action, event, remark, etc.) in a particular way

contentment

the state of being happy and satisfied : the state of being content

copious

very large in amount or number

corpulent

fat

credence

belief that something is true

credible

able to be believed : reasonable to trust or believe

cynical

believing that people are generally selfish and dishonest

dearth

the state or condition of not having enough of something

deference

a way of behaving that shows respect for someone or something

defiance

a refusal to obey something or someone : the act of defying someone or something

deficit

an amount (such as an amount of money) that is less than the amount that is needed

definite

said or done in such a way that others know exactly what you mean

deliberate

done or said in a way that is planned or intended : done or said on purpose

deplete

to use most or all of (something important) : to greatly reduce the amount of (something)

derive

to take or get (something) from (something else)

didactic

designed or intended to teach people something

diffident

lacking confidence : not feeling comfortable around people

disconcert

to make (someone) upset or embarrassed

discursive

talking or writing about many different things in a way that is not highly organized

dismay

to cause (someone) to feel very worried, disappointed, or upset

dispute

a disagreement or argument

divulge

to make (information) known : to give (information) to someone

domineering

tending too often to tell people what to do : often trying to control the behaviour of others

edict

an official order given by a person with power or by a government

effete

lacking strength, courage, or spirit

entreat

to ask (someone) in a serious and emotional way

expatiate

to speak or write about something in a way that includes a lot of details or uses many words