IELTS Vocabulary
Muggy – When the weather is muggy, it is unpleasantly warm and the air contains a lot of water.
Sentence – But on this muggy August afternoon, with no open windows, its failure is guaranteed.
Overcast – with clouds in the sky and therefore not bright and sunny.
Sentence – Also, the monsoon overcast tended to cut down the amount of solar energy available.
Pollution – damage caused to water, air, etc. by harmful substances or waste.
Sentence – The pollution of the forest has seriously affected plant life and, to a lesser extent, wildlife.
Pour – to make a substance flow from a container, especially into another container, by raising just one side of the container that the substance is in.
Sentence – Gradually pour the liquid into the flour, working it in carefully with a wooden spoon.
Precipitation – water that falls from the clouds towards the ground, especially as rain or snow.
Sentence – All sad past, when time is slowly precipitation, you will find your own happiness is much larger than expected.
Rain – drops of water from clouds.
Sentence – A wanderer who is determined to reach his destination does not fear the rain.
Shower – a short period of rain or snow.
Sentence – He was unfortunately caught in the shower.
Smog – a mixture of smoke, gases, and chemicals, especially in cities, that makes the atmosphere difficult to breathe and harmful for health.
Sentence – We were prevented by heavy smog from seeing anything.
Accolade – praise and approval.
Sentence – Four restaurants have been awarded the highest accolade of a three – star rating.
Circumvent – to avoid something, especially cleverly or illegally.
Sentence – If you want to avoid the toll fee, then take this circumvent path.
Dearth – an amount or supply that is not large enough.
Sentence – Sometimes I find myself very lonely at night and the dearth of him hurts me.
Jargon – special words and phrases that are used by particular groups of people, especially in their work.
Sentence – The manual is full of the jargon and slang of self-improvement courses.
Sentence – There is something delightfully and liberatingly ludicrous about parading higgledy – piggledy in a line of walkers of all shapes and sizes.
Ludicrous – stupid or unreasonable and deserving to be laughed at.
Malice – the wish to harm or upset other people.
Sentence – I searched my soul for any malice that could have provoked his words, but found none.
Mettle – ability and determination when competing or doing something difficult.
Sentence – His first important chance to show his mettle came when he opened the new session of the Legislature.
Microcosm – a small place, society, or situation that has the same characteristics as something much larger.
Sentence – Belief in the microcosm reflecting the macrocosm and viceversa does not produce some bland reflection of a theory of stable order.
Morose – unhappy, annoyed, and unwilling to speak or smile.
Sentence – His morose ruminations were interrupted by Benny Katz, who wanted anyone he could find to listen to his tale of woe.
Mundane – very ordinary and therefore not interesting.
Sentence – On a more mundane level, can we talk about the timetable for next week?
Nettle – a wild plant with heart-shaped leaves that are covered in hairs that sting (= cause a painful reaction when touched).
Sentence – A shocked demean our and a couple of nettle stings to valiant rescuer Beverley were the only legacies.
Obdurate – extremely determined to act in a particular way and not to change despite what anyone else says.
Sentence – Remain obdurate and you will hang for your presumption, and many others with you.
Obtain – to get something, especially by asking for it, buying it, working for it, or producing it from something else.
Sentence – They tried by diplomatic maneuvers to obtain an agreement.
