English C2 Vocabulary

250 flashcards · English · by daniel-eder

Make something bad even worse.
Aggravate Example: The new treatment plan only aggravated her condition
Ongoing; continues for a long time.
Abiding Example: Abiding love for old movies.
Strong and healthy; physically fit.
Able-bodied Example: Our construction company requires only able-bodied workers.
To cancel; put an end to; terminate; finish something.
Abolish Example: Prohibition was abolished in 1933.
One who constantly forgets things or fails to notice things.
Absentminded Example: Sarah's absentminded husband forgot his car keys at the bar.
Available in large quantities; more than enough.
Abundant Example: The lake near our house is abundant in fish.
To make more noticeable.
Accentuate Example: Dan's new shirt accentuates his biceps.
To accumulate; gradually increase over time.
Accrue Example: I placed my money in a saving account to accrue interest.
Harsh, sarcastic and critical.
Acerbic Example: Someone left a very acerbic comment under my new video.
Unwillingness to change one's mind, decision, or belief.
Adamant Example: Mike was adamant in his decision to quit his job.
Sudden burst of inspiration; strong creative impulse.
Afflatus Example: In 1995, on a wave of afflatus, I wrote my first book.
Without clear purpose or intent.
Aimless Example: Jack's life became aimless after the death of his wife.
Similar in some way.
Akin Example: He spoke in a language akin to Spanish; this game is akin to football.
Unfriendly; stays away from others; distant.
Aloof Example: Jessica kept aloof from her father's new wife.
Delicious; something very tasty or smelly.
Ambrosial Example: Her mother's birthday cake was ambrosial.
Make someone dislike you or get mad at you.
Antagonize Example: After the divorce, Rebecca tried to antagonize our kids against me.
To give money; pay what is due.
Ante up Example: My landlord told me to ante up or vacate the apartment by the beginning of the month.
Too old; old-fashioned; no longer useful.
Antiquated Example: Antiquated system; antiquated beliefs; antiquated methods; antiquated laws.
To feel great or healthy again.
As right as rain Example: After the final stage of therapy, he is as right as rain now.
Very confident without being aggressive.
Assertive Example: If you want to get this job, you need to be more assertive.
Very close.
A stone’s throw Example: Her apartment is just a stone's throw from the city center.
A feeling of deep respect and approval combined with fear.
Awe Example: Sam was in awe of his strong father; Dina gazed at the soldiers with awe.
A strong and unfavorable reaction of a large number of people to political or social changes.
Backlash Example: Government faces backlash from voters; the backlash against default.
Feelings of enmity and hatred between people for events that occurred in the past.
Bad blood Example: There has been bad blood between John and Sarah for years.
Capable of doing something bad or hurting someone; evil; hateful.
Baleful Example: The bully gave me a baleful look.
Sterile; unable to produce anything.
Barren Example: This land is barren, we cannot grow anything here.
Crazy; mad; mentally unstable.
Batty Example: Dean gets a bit batty when we talk about politics.
Scream or cry very loudly.
Bawl Example: "Stop hitting my husband!" she bawled.
Face a difficult situation with courage and bravery.
Bear up Example: Donna is bearing up well under the strain of losing her apartment.
Make a hand or head gesture to encourage someone to come closer.
Beckon Example: She beckoned to the waiter.
Very poor; small in amount.
Beggarly Example: Dan received a beggarly sum for his excellent work.
Deeply in love with someone; thinking about someone all the time.
Besotted Example: Ronda is completely besotted with her new boyfriend.
Seductively attractive; delightful; fascinating; charming.
Bewitching Example: Craig was bewitched by Fiona's beauty.
To be filled with air; huge moving mass of something.
Billow Example: The sails billowed in the wind; billow of smoke.
Force yourself to do something extremely hard or unpleasant.
Bite the bullet Example: I hate doing this part of my job, but I have to bite the bullet and get it done.
Noisy; loud; full of energy and a little out of control.
Boisterous Example: A boisterous horse; boisterous children; boisterous crowd.
Silly; crazy; stupid.
Bonkers Example: Ron must be bonkers to take such a risk.
Large in amount; generous.
Bountiful Example: Bountiful supply of food; bountiful land.
Someone who talks about their accomplishments with extreme pride.
Braggart Example: He was so annoying and braggart, always talking about what a successful football player he was 20 years ago.
Improve your knowledge of something.
Brush up Example: You need to brush up on your French before you go to Paris.
Stupid and silly behavior that makes you laugh.
Buffoonery Example: John's buffoonery was funny, but completely out of place.
Difficult to carry out; hard to deal with.
Burdensome Example: All my problems were too burdensome for her, so she broke up with me.
Big; has strong muscles.
Burly Example: Burly powerlifter; burly worker.
To stop what you're doing.
Call it a day Example: I'm tired! Let's call it a day and go home.
Cruel; does not care about other people or their feelings.
Callous Example: It might sound a bit callous, but I don't care if she's alive.
Successfully complete or finish something.
Cap off Example: He capped off business meeting with a signed contract.
Disappointment; grief; distress; deep sorrow.
Chagrin Example: Much to his father's chagrin, John did not become a doctor.
A group of people (usually united by a common interest or purpose) who spend time together and don't allow others to join them.
Clique Example: A small clique of chess players; clique at work; clique at school.
Become blocked, obstructed, or filled.
Clogged Example: The waterways are clogged with leaves in autumn.
Secluded; separated from the outside world; one who stays away from the usual busy life.
Cloistered Example: Most IT specialists lead a cloistered life; she cloistered herself away with her smartphone.
Know nothing about a particular subject or in general.
Clueless Example: I'm completely clueless about programming.
To become rough or less polite.
Coarsen Example: His hands were coarsened by years of work; last year in prison had coarsened him.
Gently persuade someone to do something.
Coax Example: It took a lot of coaxing before my dad agreed to buy me a new computer.
Extremely large; gigantic.
Colossal Example: Colossal effort; colossal amount of money; colossal sacrifice.
Super friendly; harmoniously suited.
Companionate Example: Companionate marriage; companionate love.
Cover or hide something; prevent disclosure.
Conceal Example: Conceal the truth; conceal identity.
Being too proud of yourself; narcissistic.
Conceited Example: I don't want to sound conceited, but I'm the smartest person in this room.
Following one after another in a certain order.
Consecutive Example: The numbers 10, 11, and 12 are consecutive.
More than enough; plentiful.
Copious Example: She drinks copious amounts of coffee.
Flirty; playful; behaves in a way that seems very attractive.
Coquettish Example: A coquettish outfit; coquettish smile; coquettish girl.
Friendly and warm.
Cordial Example: Cordial relations between the two countries.
Filled with people or things.
Crammed Example: Her closet is crammed with clothes.
Showing a lack of courage.
Craven Example: A craven traitor; craven deserter.
Something that breaks easily into many small parts or pieces.
Crumbly Example: This cake has a very crumbly texture.
Be very slow and waste time.
Dawdle Example: Stop dawdling! We will miss our plane.
To lose clear vision (temporarily) when looking at bright light.
Dazzle Example: John was dazzled by the sunlight.
To make someone or something weaker.
Debilitate Example: They were debilitated by hunger and disease.
Lying; dishonest; not telling the truth.
Deceitful Example: Deceitful behavior; deceitful politician; deceitful child.
To release the air or gas from; to make someone less confident or strong.
Deflate Example: Deflate the balloon; she was deflated by losing a job.
To persistently try to persuade or convince someone not to do something.
Dehort Example: He tried to dehort her not to buy that red car.
Extremely sad, bad, or unacceptable.
Deplorable Example: She lived in deplorable conditions.
Deserves to be hated; extremely unpleasant.
Detestable Example: Detestable coward; detestable fraud.
Dishonest but skillful; will do everything to achieve the goal.
Devious Example: Devious businessman; devious politician.
Without much light.
Dimly Example: Dimly room; dimly streets.
A strong feeling of fear, anxiety, or disappointment.
Dismay Example: "He stole my car and left me on the road!" she said in dismay.
Feeling as if you are losing your balance and might fall.
Dizzy Example: When I got to the top of the mountain, I felt a little dizzy.
Causing great suffering or fear; extremely unpleasant or bad.
Dreadful Example: Dreadful experience; dreadful behavior; dreadful news.
Completely wet.
Drenched Example: Drenched by rain; drenched with sweat.
To become smaller or less in number.
Dwindle Example: Her savings dwindled to 100 bucks; dwindling resources; dwindling population.
Extremely happy, enthusiastic, and full of excitement.
Ecstatic Example: John was ecstatic about his new car.
Mysterious, frightening, very strange.
Eerie Example: It's a bit eerie to walk down a dark path at night.
Extremely happy, proud, or excited.
Elated Example: Serena was elated with her new dress.
To involve someone in an argument, trouble, or a difficult situation.
Embroil Example: My wife embroiled me in an argument with her parents.
Attractive; causing a strong desire or interest; makes you want it.
Enticing Example: His offer was so enticing, but I had to refuse.
Former; previous.
Erstwhile Example: Erstwhile lover; erstwhile friends; erstwhile employer.
Causing great physical or emotional pain.
Excruciating Example: Excruciating memories; excruciating back pain.
To breathe out.
Exhale Example: Take a deep breath, wait 7 seconds and exhale slowly.
Full of energy or excitement; lively.
Exuberant Example: Exuberant performance; exuberant crowd.
Extremely hungry.
Famished Example: When is breakfast? I am famished.
Something so stupid, ridiculous, or silly that you can't take it seriously.
Farcical Example: It was a farcical trial; farcical behavior; farcical situation.
Become weaker; tired; exhausted.
Fatigued Example: She's fatigued from the long ride.
Giving someone a lot of attention that isn't sincere; be extremely nice to someone.
Fawn over Example: Most people hate waiters who fawn over them.
Feel a little unwell; slightly ill.
Feel under the weather Example: I'm feeling a bit under the weather and won't be going to work today.
Courageous; forceful; not afraid to argue with people.
Feisty Example: Feisty young activists; feisty fighter.
Searching for something (like information) very carefully and thoroughly.
Ferret out Example: I want to ferret out the truth about her past.
Extremely violent, aggressive, and intimidating.
Ferocious Example: Her dog was very ferocious.
Extremely passionate about someone or something; highly enthusiastic.
Fervid Example: Fervid followers; fervid orator.
Super weak; easily broken; extremely thin.
Flimsy Example: Flimsy door; flimsy construction; flimsy dress.
Showing great love, care, or strong liking.
Fondly Example: He smiled fondly at his son.
Lonely, sad, and unhappy; abandoned.
Forlorn Example: This house is forlorn and empty; she looked so forlorn standing there alone.