Random words for IELTS

the quality of being happy and liking to make jokes (n)

JOCULARITY

E.g: She is known for jocularity in her dealings with the press

angry because of something that is wrong or not fair (a)

INDIGNANT

E.g: She wrote an indignant letter to the paper complaining about the council’s action.

praising people in authority in a way that is not sincere, usually in order to get some advantage from them (a)

SYCOPHANTIC

E.g: There was sycophantic laughter from the audience at every one of his terrible jokes.

serious, boring and old-fashioned (a)

STAID

E.g: In an attempt to change its staid image, the newspaper has created a new section aimed at younger readers.

always determined and energetic in trying to achieve sth and never willing to admit defeat (a)

INDEFATIGABLE

E.g: Annie was an indefatigable campaigner for better community services.

Synonyms: tireless, unflagging

having the quality of continuing to make an effort to do/achieve sth, even when this is difficult/takes a long time (a)

PERSEVERANT

E.g: Farming is for people who are ambitious and perseverant.

wanting to discover as much as you can about things, sometimes in a way that annoys people (a)

INQUISITIVE

E.g: She could see inquisitive faces looking out from the windows next door.

not affected by a treatment, change, or process (a)

REFRACTORY

E.g: This is a chronic and disabling condition that is refractory to treatment.

difficult to control; unwilling to obey (a)

REFRACTORY

E.g: a refractory child

very poor (a)

INDIGENT

E.g: We are a non-profit agency that provides legal services to indigent clients.

Synonyms: destitute, impecunious, impoverished, penniless, penurious, poverty-stricken

a feeling of embarrassment/worry that prevents you from saying/doing what you want (n)

INHIBITION

E.g: After a couple of drinks, he lost his inhibitions and started to talking and laughing loudly.

the act of stopping/slowing down a process, or the fact of this happening (n)

INHIBITION

E.g: The therapy provides inhibition of inflammation.

the quality of being sad and serious (n)

LUGUBRIOUSNESS

E.g: The music had an air of lugubriousness.

kindness and generosity, esp towards an enemy/sb you have defeated (n)

MAGNANIMITY

E.g: They were embarrassed into magnanimity by their all-out victory.

using as much effort, as many different methods, etc. as possible in order to achieve sth

ALL-OUT

E.g: We made an all-out effort to get the project finished on time.
The army launched an all-out assault on the city.

to become worse (v)

DETERIORATE

E.g: She was taken into hospital last week when her condition suddenly deteriorated.

Synonyms: degenerate, debase

to make a bad situation worse (v)

AGGRAVATE

E.g: Attempts to restrict parking in te city centre have further aggravated the problem of traffic congestion.

Synonyms: exacerbate

unwillingness to spend money (n)

STINGINESS

E.g: Is giving your unwanted gifts as birthday presents good for the environment, or just stinginess?

careful when using money/food, or (of a meal) cheap/small in amount (a)

FRUGAL

E.g: a frugal lifestyle

to feel unhappy about spending money on sth/time doing sth (v)

BEGRUDGE

E.g: She begrudged paying so much for an ice cream cone.

to feel unhappy because sb has sth that you think they don’t deserve (v)

BEGRUDGE

E.g: I don’t begrudge him his freedom.

do not want to make an effort to do sth (a)

NOT BE ARSED

E.g: I can’t be arsed to go shopping this afternoon.

to do sth unwillingly and in a way that shows that you think you are too important to do it (v)

DEIGN

E.g: If she deigns to reply to my letter, I’ll be extremely surprised.

the quality of not being willing to spend money/to give/use a lot of sth (n)

PARSIMONY

E.g: She criticized the government parsimony with defence investment.

a strong wish to have money and not to spend it (n)

MISERLINESS

E.g: Bear in mind that miserliness, cowardice and greed ruin a person.

treating everyone fairly and in the same way (a)

EQUITABLE

E.g: an equitable tax system

unusual/different from what is around/generally happening (a)

INCONGRUOUS

E.g: Critics of the new building say its style is incongruous with its surroundings.

the ability of sth to produce an intended result (n)

EFFICACY

E.g: The study is a serious attempt to understand the efficacy of case incentives as a way of promote learning.

strongly (adv)

STAUNCHLY

E.g: staunchly loyal/independent