IELTS VOCABULARY

Absolve – to say formally that somebody does not have to take responsibility for something

Sentence – My good cousin, absolve yourself from that!

Alleviate – to make something less strong

Sentence – The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.

Animosity – a strong feeling of anger and of not liking somebody/something

Sentence – He felt no animosity towards his critics.

Arbitrary – not seeming to be based on any reason or plan and sometimes seeming unfair

Sentence – My choice is always arbitrary.

Credible – that you can believe

Sentence – I’m not sure that I find her story credible.

Cursory – quick and short

Sentence – He takes a cursory look inside then hurries back to the cabin.

Cynic – a person who believes that people only do things for themselves

Sentence – I see myself not as a cynic but as a realist.

Distort – to change something and show it falsely

Sentence – Her face was distorted by pain.

Elicit – to manage to get information, facts, a reaction, etc. from somebody

Sentence – They were able to elicit the support of the public.

Falter – to become weak or move in a way that is not steady

Sentence – The economy is beginning to falter.

Feasible – possible to do

Sentence – It’s not feasible to follow your proposals.

Feign – to pretend that you have a particular feeling or that you are tired or ill, etc.

Sentence – Some animal feign death when in danger.

Viable – that can be done

Sentence – There is no viable alternative.

Turmoil – a state of great noise or confusion

Sentence – My emotional turmoil had drained me.

Punitive – intended as a punishment

Sentence – He was awarded punitive damages .

Pertinent – closely connected with the subject being discussed

Sentence – That’s a very pertinent question.