IELTS Vocabulary Part – 173

To annoy – to make someone angry.

Sentence – Harry’s remarks were beginning to annoy me but he saw the red light and changed the subject.

Awkward – difficult to use, do, or deal with.

Sentence – I was the first to ask him awkward questions but there’ll be harder ones to come.

Completely – in every way or as much as possible.

Sentence – The spokesman was completely discombobulated by the hecklers.

Post – letters, etc. that are delivered to homes or places of work.

Sentence – The package had been badly crushed in the post.

To elevate – to raise something or lift something up.

Sentence – Those moments are nearly profound, and elevate the film above the slacker cliches in which it wallows.

Insolvent – (especially of a company) not having enough money to pay debts, buy goods, etc.

Sentence – The court ordered the dissolution of seven insolvent housing loan companies.

To rue – to feel sorry about an event and wish it had not happened.

Sentence – Cwmbran were left to rue the goals they conceded in their 3-2 win at home two weeks ago.

Essential – necessary or needed.

Sentence – I have long since abandoned the notion that higher education is essential to either success or happiness. Hot houses of learning do not always grow anything edible.

Peaceable – without violence; peaceful.

Sentence – He was a dreamer, dithering and peaceable: Ireland would not be saved by such as he.

Nightfall – the time in the evening when it becomes dark.

Sentence – We then set out for Muscat, but with nightfall approaching, we landed in Abu Dhabi.

Zenith – the highest point reached by a heavenly body (= any object existing in space, especially a planet, or the sun) as it travels around, or appears to travel around, another body.

Sentence – When it had almost reached its zenith, the second rod also moved, so that the motion of the wheel was continued.

Handsome – A handsome man is physically attractive in a traditional, male way.

Sentence – I think my husband is the most handsome man in the world, but I realize my judgment is rather subjective.

Stupid – silly or unwise; showing poor judgment or little intelligence.

Sentence – A blunt knife may be sharpened on a stone, but if a man is stupid there is no help for his stupidity.

Vacant – not filled or occupied; available to be used.

Sentence – They want to sell the house with vacant possession so they have asked their tenants to leave.

Fragrance – a sweet or pleasant smell.

Sentence – I could detect subtle variances in fragrance as we strolled through the garden.

Maybe – used to show that something is possible or that something might be true.

Sentence – maybe god wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one, so that when we finally meet the person, we will know how to be grateful.

Aid – help, assist.

Sentence – Aid workers were said to have been filled with dismay by the appalling conditions that the refugees were living in.

Magician – a person who has magic powers in stories, or who performs tricks for entertainment.

Sentence – Every magician has a trick that goes wrong, but you can turn this to your advantage by pretending it was deliberate and making the audience laugh.

Unfortunate – unlucky or having bad effects.

Sentence – When we entered the room, the teacher was yelling at some unfortunate student.

Gravestone – a stone that shows where a dead person is buried, usually with the name and the years of birth and death of that person written on it.

Sentence – A better solution might be to transform the gravestone itself into a powerful visual icon.