IELTS advanced verbs

List made by board

abrogate (əˈbrəʊg)

to cancel or repeal something

abstain (əbˈsteɪn)

to choose not to do something

accelerate (əˈseləˌreɪt)

to make something happen faster

acclimatize (əˈklaiməˌtaɪz)

to adjust to a new climate or environment

accost (əˈkɒst)

to approach and speak to someone in a sudden or aggressive way

acerbic (əˈsɜːbɪk)

sharp or harsh in tone or manner

acquiesce (əˈkweɪʃ)

to agree to something reluctantly or without protest

adamant (ˈædəmənt)

refusing to change one's mind

admonish (ədˈmɒnɪʃ)

to warn or scold someone

adroit (əˈdrəʊt)

skillful and clever

adulate (əˈdjuːleɪt)

to praise or admire someone excessively

advocate (ˈadvəkət)

to support or recommend something

aegis (ˈiːdʒɪs)

protection or sponsorship

alienate (əˈliːəneɪt)

to make someone feel distant or uninvolved

ambiguous (æmˈbɪɡjuəs)

having more than one possible meaning

ameliorate (əˈmiːliəreɪt)

to make something better or more bearable

amorphous (əˈmɔːfəs)

lacking definite shape or form

analyze (ˈænəlaɪz)

to examine something carefully in order to understand it

anathema (əˈnæθəmə)

something that is strongly disliked or forbidden

appraise (əˈpreɪz)

to estimate the value of something

articulate (ɑːˈtɪkjʊlət)

to express oneself clearly and fluently

ascetic (əˈsɛtɪk)

practicing or believing in severe self-discipline and self-denial

assess (əˈses)

to estimate the size, importance, or value of something

assiduous (əˈsɪdjuəs)

diligent and hardworking

assuage (əˈswɑːʒ)

to make something less severe or intense

atrophy (əˈtrɒfi)

to waste away or degenerate

augment (ɔːˈɡʌnt)

to make something larger or greater

beleaguer (bɪˈleɪɡə)

to surround and attack someone or something

bolster (ˈbɒlstə)

to strengthen or support something

burgeon (ˈbɜːdʒən)

to grow or develop rapidly

cajole (kəˈdʒɒl)

to persuade someone to do something by using gentle persuasion

circumscribe (sərˈkʌmskraɪb)

to limit or restrict something

circumvent (sərˈkəʊmvent)

to avoid or get around something

clandestine (klænˈdestin)

done in secret

compendium (kɒmˈpɛndəʊm)

a book or collection that contains a summary of a particular subject

compensate (ˈkɒmpənseɪt)

to give someone something in return for something they have lost or suffered

comprise (kəmˈpraiz)

to consist of

conceptualize (kɒnˈseptʃʊəlaɪz)

to form a concept of something

congeal (kənˈdʒiːl)

to thicken or solidify

connoisseur (kənˈnɒsjʊə)

a person who has a great knowledge and appreciation of something, especially fine art, food, or wine

consolidate (kənˈsɒlɪdeɪt)

to make something stronger or more secure

conspire (kənˈspɪə)

to secretly plan or plot something

contemplate (kənˈtemplɪˌteɪt)

to think deeply about something

converge (kənˈvɜːdʒ)

to move towards each other

corroborate (kɔːˈrɒbəreɪt)

to provide evidence to support something

criticize (ˈkrɪtɪsaɪz)

to judge something harshly

dearth (dɛːθ)

a lack of something

decipher (diːˈsɪfər)

to decode or interpret something

deconstruct (diːˈkɒnstrʌkt)

to analyze something in order to understand its constituent parts

deem (diːm)

to believe or consider something to be true

delegate (ˈdɛlɪɡeɪt)

to give someone else the authority to do something

delineate (dɪˈlɪneɪt)

to describe or outline something

demise (dɪˈmaɪz)

the end of something

demystify (dɪˈmɪstɪfaɪ)

to make something less mysterious or confusing

denigrate (dɪˈnɪɡreɪt)

to speak about someone or something in a way that makes them seem bad or unimportant

denote (dɪˈnəʊt)

to indicate or signify something

deprecate (ˈdɛprəˌkeɪt)

to express disapproval of something

deride (dɪˈraɪd)

to make fun of or ridicule someone or something

derivation (dɪˈrɪvəɪʃən)

the process of deriving something from something else

deter (dɪˈtɜː)

to discourage or prevent someone from doing something

detriment (dɪˈtrɪmɪnənt)

something that causes harm or damage

dexterity (dɛkˈstɛrɪti)

skill and ease in using the hands

disabuse (dɪsəˈbjuːz)

to free someone from a false belief

disentangle (dɪˈsenˈtænɡl)

to free something from entanglement

disintegrate (dɪˈsɪntəˌgreɪt)

to break down into smaller parts

dismantle (dɪsˈmæntl)

to take something apart

disseminate (dɪˈsemɪneɪt)

to spread something widely

ebullient (ɪˈbjuːljənt)

cheerful and excited

elicit (ɪˈlɪsɪt)

to draw out or bring forth something

elucidate (ɪˈluːsɪˌdeɪt)

to make something clear or easy to understand

emulate (ɪˈmjuːleɪt)

to try to equal or surpass someone or something

emulate (ɪˈmjuːleɪt)

to try to equal or surpass someone or something

engender (enˈdʒendə)

to cause something to happen

enigma (ɪˈnɪɡmə)

a puzzle or mystery

enquire (ɪnˈkwaɪə)

to ask for information

envision (ɪnˈvɪʒən)

to imagine something

epitome (ɪˈpɪtəmi)

a perfect example of something

equivocate (ɪˈkwɪvɒkeɪt)

to speak or act in a way that is deliberately ambiguous or misleading

eschew (ɪˈskjuː)

to avoid or reject something

espouse (ɪˈspaʊz)

to adopt or support a particular belief or cause

evaluate (ˌevəˈluːeɪt)

to judge the value or importance of something

evince (ɪˈvɪns)

to show or demonstrate something

exacerbate (ɪɡˈzæsəˌbeɪt)

to make something worse

excogitate (ɪksˈkɒɡɪteɪt)

to think about something carefully and thoroughly

exculpate (ɪkˈskʌlpeɪt)

to clear someone of blame

exemplify (ɪɡˈzɛmplɪfaɪ)

to be a good example of something

expedient (ɪkˈspɪdɪənt)

practical and efficient, even if not strictly moral

exploit (ɪkˈsplɔɪt)

to use someone or something for one's own advantage

expound (ɪkˈspaʊnd)

to explain something in detail

extemporaneous (ɪkstɪˈmɛnərəs)

done or spoken without preparation

extol (ɪkˈstɒl)

to praise or admire someone or something highly

extraneous (ɪkˈstrenɪəs)

not essential or relevant

facade (fəˈsɑːd)

the face of a building, especially the front

facilitate (fəˈsɪlɪteɪt)

to make something easier

feckless (ˈfɛkləs)

irresponsible and lacking in willpower

fervent (ˈfɜːvənt)

having or showing great warmth or intensity of feeling

flourish (ˈflʌrɪʃ)

to grow or develop successfully

fortuitous (fɔːˈtjuːɪtəs)

happening by chance in a lucky way

foster (ˈfɒstə)

to encourage or promote something

fragment (ˈfrægmənt)

to break something into small pieces