Difficult IELTS Words

aback  

ad. by surprise; behind; in the rear

abbreviation  

n. shortening something by omitting parts of it

abolish  

v. cancel; put an end to; destroy completely

aboriginal  

a. being the first of its kind in a region; primitive; native

abound  

v. be full of; be plentiful

abrasion  

n. scratch; friction

abridge  

v. condense; shorten; reduce length of written text

abundance  

n. great or plentiful amount; fullness to overflowing

accelerate  

v. move faster; cause to develop or progress more quickly; occur sooner than expected

acclaim  

v. applaud; announce with great approval

accommodation  

n. living quarters provided for public convenience; something that meets a need; convenience

accord  

n. settlement or compromise of conflicting opinions; written agreement between two states

accumulate  

v. pile up; collect; mount up; increase

accumulation  

n. act of gathering or amassing, as into a heap or pile

accuser  

n. one who accuses; one who brings a charge of crime or fault

acquaint  

v. inform about; cause to come to know personally; make familiar

acquiesce  

v. consent or comply passively or without protest; assent

adept  

a. expert at; very skilled; having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude

adhere  

v. stick fast; stick to firmly; be compatible or in accordance with

adjacent  

a. adjoining; neighboring; close to; lying near

adjoin  

v. be next to; be contiguous to; border on

administrate  

v. administer; supply; supervise or be in charge of

adolescence  

n. state of growing up from childhood to manhood or womanhood; transitional period between youth and maturity

adoption  

n. accepting with approval; favorable reception

advent  

n. coming or arrival, especially of something extremely important

adverse  

a. in opposing direction; harmful or unfavorable; acting or serving to oppose

aerial  

a. of the air or atmosphere; produced by or found in the air; performed in the air

aesthetic  

a. elegant or tasteful; of or concerning appreciation of beauty or good taste

affectionately  

ad. with affection; lovingly; fondly; tenderly; kindly

affiliate  

n. A person, organization, or establishment associated with another, as a subordinate, subsidiary, or member

affirm  

v. assert; confirm

affix  

v. fasten; append; add on; secure to something

afflict  

v. cause pain, suffering or distress

affluent  

a. generously supplied with money, property, or possessions; prosperous or rich; plentiful; abundant

aggregate  

v. gather into a mass, sum, or whole; amount to

agitation  

n. anxiety; extreme emotional disturbance

agreeable  

a. ready to consent or submit; acceptable

airing  

a. exposure to air for freshening or drying; exposure to public attention; radio or television broadcast

aisle  

n. a passageway between rows of seats or shelves

albeit  

ad. even though; although; notwithstanding

allege  

v. state without proof; assert to be true

alleviate  

v. provide physical relief, as from pain; make easier; remove in part

allocate  

v. assign; distribute according to plan

allot  

v. parcel out in parts or portions; distribute to each individual concerned; assign as a share or lot

alloy  

v. combine; mix; make less pure; lessen or moderate

alphabetical  

a. arranged in customary order of the letters of a language

ambiguity  

n. state of being ambiguous; doubtfulness or uncertainty

ambiguous  

a. unclear or doubtful in meaning

amend  

v. change for the better; improve; remove faults or errors

amid  

ad. in the middle of; among; surrounded by

amidst  

ad. amid; in the middle of; among

amphibian  

a. able to live both on land and in water

amplify  

v. broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify; make larger or more powerful; increase

analyse  

v. resolve anything complex into its elements; separate into parts for purpose of examination of each separately

analytical  

a. of analysis; resolving into elements or parts

ancestor  

n. forefather; forebear; forerunner or predecessor

anecdote  

n. short account of amusing or interesting event; short narrative; secret story of history or biography

annihilate  

v. destroy completely; reduce to nonexistence

annuity  

n. annual payment of allowance or income; periodical payment, amounting to a fixed sum in each year

anoint  

v. apply oil, ointment, or a similar substance to; choose by or as if by divine intervention

antagonism  

n. active resistance; condition of being an opposing principle, force, or factor

antarctic  

a. opposite to the northern or arctic pole; relating to the southern pole or to the region near it

antenna  

n. metallic apparatus for sending or receiving electromagnetic waves

anthology  

n. book of literary selections by various authors

antonym  

n. word of opposite meaning; counter term

apex  

n. highest point; the vertex; usually pointed end of an object; the tip

apologetic  

a. offering or expressing an apology or excuse; serving as or containing a formal justification or defense

apparatus  

n. a group of parts that work together to perform given function; appliance or device for particular purpose

appease  

v. bring peace, quiet, or calm to; satisfy or relieve

append  

v. attach; add as supplement or appendix

appliance  

n. durable goods for home or office use; device or instrument for household use

applicant  

n. candidate

appraisal  

n. assessment; evaluation; the classification of someone or something with respect to its worth

appreciable  

a. considerable; perceptible

apprentice  

n. works for an expert to learn a trade; beginner; learner

approximate  

v. approach; come near

apt  

a. likely; exactly suitable; appropriate; quick to learn or understand

aquatic  

a. consisting of, relating to, or being in water

arbitrary  

a. randomly chosen; determined by chance or impulse, and not by reason or principle

archaic  

a. no longer current or applicable; antiquated

ardent  

a. displaying or by strong enthusiasm or devotion; passionate

arduous  

a. demanding great effort or labor; difficult

arid  

a. lacking moisture, especially having insufficient rainfall to support trees or woody plants

armour  

n. defensive covering, as of metal, wood, or leather, worn to protect the body against weapons

arouse  

v. excite; stimulate; awaken from or as if from sleep

array  

v. set out for display or use; place in orderly arrangement

arsenal  

n. stock or supply, usually of weapons

ascend  

v. climb; mount

ascent  

n. the act of rising or going upward

ascertain  

v. find out for certain; discover with certainty; make sure of

ascribe  

v. inscribe or dedicate; attribute to a specified cause, source, or origin; assign as a quality

aspiration  

n. ambition; longing

aspire  

v. seek to attain; long for; strive toward an end

assert  

v. declare or state with confidence; put oneself forward boldly

assorted  

a. varied; miscellaneous

astound  

v. affect with wonder; surprise; shock

astronaut  

n. person to pilot, navigate, or as a crew member of spacecraft

asylum  

n. a place offering protection and shelter

attain  

v. achieve or accomplish; gain

attendee  

n. person who is present and participates in a meeting

attribute  

n. essential quality; reputation; honor

audible  

a. perceptible; heard or perceptible by the ear

augment  

v. make greater, as in size, extent, or quantity

authenticity  

n. quality of being genuine or trustworthy

authoritative  

a. having weight of authority; peremptory and dictatorial

automate  

v. replace or enhance human labor with machines

automation  

n. act or process of converting the controlling of a machine or device to a more automatic system, such as computer or electronic controls

autonomy  

n. independence; self-government or the right of self-government; self-determination

auxiliary  

a. helper, additional or subsidiary

avail  

v. turn to advantage of; be of service to; profit; promote

avalanche  

n. fall or slide of a large mass, as of snow or rock, down a mountainside

avenue  

n. a method or means by which something may be accomplished

avert  

v. prevent; turn or cause to turn off or away

avian  

n. thin A bird-like or flying creature

aviation  

n. design, development, and production of aircraft

awake  

v. rouse from sleep;stir the interest of; excite

axis  

n. the center around which something rotates; pivot

backstage  

ad. In or toward the area behind the performing space in a theater, especially the area comprising the dressing rooms

bacterium  

n. single celled organism with no nucleus

badminton  

n. game played on a court with light long-handled rackets

baffle  

v. frustrate as by confusing or perplexing; impede force or movement of

bamboo  

n. plant of the family of grasses, and genus Bambusa, growing in tropical countries

barbaric  

a. resembling uncivilized persons, lacking refinement

barometer  

n. instrument for determining the weight or pressure of the atmosphere

barrage  

n. an artificial obstruction, such as a dam, built in a watercourse to increase its depth or to divert its flow; rapid and continuous delivery of linguistic communication

barricade  

n. structure set up across a route of access to obstruct the passage of an enemy

barter  

v. trade goods or services without the exchange of money

bay  

n. body of water partially enclosed by land but with a wide mouth; reddish-brown animal, especially a horse having a black tail

bead  

n. small piece of material, such as glass, plastic, or wood, that is pierced for stringing

beautician  

n. one skilled in giving cosmetic treatments; one who does hair styling, manicures, and other beauty treatments

beneficial  

a. helpful; tending to promote physical well-being

berth  

n. space for ship to dock or anchor; allotted place; place to sleep or stay; appointment or job

beset  

v. attack from all sides; trouble persistently; hem in

bewilder  

v. lead into perplexity or confusion; perplex with mazes

bibliography  

n. list of works of a specific author or publisher; list of writings relating to a given subject

bilateral  

a. two-sided; mutual

bilingual  

n. using or able to use two languages, especially with equal or nearly equal fluency

bitumen  

n. mineral pitch; black, tarry substance, burning with a bright flame

blade  

n. sharp cutting edge of a knife; sword or knife; swords-man

blaze  

n. brilliant burst of fire; flame

bloc  

n. a group of nations, parties, or persons united for common action

blot  

n. spot or stain, as of ink on paper; blur; weak point or failing

blunder  

n. serious mistake typically caused by ignorance or confusion

boast  

v. show off oneself; speak of with excessive pride

bonding  

n. formation of a close human relationship, as between friends; emotional and physical attachment occurring between a parent or parent figure

bookcase  

n. case with shelves for holding books, especially one with glazed doors

bookkeeper  

n. one who keeps accounts; one who has charge of keeping books and accounts in an office

bookstall  

n. stall where books are sold, as on a street; table with enclosed sides, for displaying books for sale

boom  

n. deep resonant sound, as of an explosion

boot up  

v. start a computer using its bootstrap procedure