Vocabulary words for adults, one word a day

open to more than one meaning

Synonym

unclear

Antonym

clear

In a sentence: The instructions were ambiguous, so Tom asked which page to start on.

to study something closely, part by part, to understand it

Synonym

examine

In a sentence: Priya will analyze the survey results before she writes her report.

to judge how good, large or serious something is

Synonym

gauge

In a sentence: The instructor will assess each draft against the same checklist.

to accept something as true without checking it

Synonym

suppose

Antonym

verify

In a sentence: Do not assume the library is open on Sunday; look at the hours.

an unfair leaning toward or against something

Synonym

prejudice

Antonym

impartiality

In a sentence: The editor checked the article for bias before it went out.

to make something easier to understand

Synonym

explain

Antonym

confuse

In a sentence: Ahmed emailed the professor to clarify the due date.

logical and easy to follow, with the parts fitting together

Synonym

logical

Antonym

disjointed

In a sentence: Her essay was coherent from the first paragraph to the last.

covering all or nearly all of a subject

Synonym

thorough

Antonym

partial

In a sentence: The handbook gives a comprehensive overview of the course.

to reach a decision or opinion after thinking something through

Synonym

decide

In a sentence: After reading both studies, Marcus concluded that the sample was too small.

to say or show the opposite of something

Synonym

dispute

Antonym

confirm

In a sentence: The new figures contradict what the first report claimed.

to show clearly, often with an example

Synonym

illustrate

In a sentence: Rosa used a short example to demonstrate how the formula works.

to judge the worth or quality of something after careful thought

Synonym

appraise

In a sentence: Teams will evaluate each proposal before the budget meeting.

stated plainly, leaving no room for doubt

Synonym

clear-cut

Antonym

implicit

In a sentence: The syllabus gave explicit instructions for citing sources.

a proposed explanation that can be checked by gathering evidence

Synonym

educated guess

In a sentence: Her hypothesis was that students who study in short blocks remember more.

suggested or understood without being stated directly

Synonym

implied

Antonym

explicit

In a sentence: There was an implicit expectation that everyone would arrive early.

certain to happen and impossible to avoid

Synonym

unavoidable

Antonym

avoidable

In a sentence: With so many people sharing one printer, a queue was inevitable.

to explain what something means

Synonym

explain

Antonym

misread

In a sentence: Lena asked her tutor to help her interpret the chart in chapter four.

based on facts rather than personal feelings

Synonym

impartial

Antonym

subjective

In a sentence: Dana tried to give an objective summary of both sides.

a particular way of looking at something; a point of view

Synonym

viewpoint

In a sentence: Hearing from a night-shift worker gave the class a new perspective.

closely connected to the matter being discussed

Synonym

pertinent

Antonym

irrelevant

In a sentence: Only include examples that are relevant to your main point.

large or important enough to be noticed

Synonym

notable

Antonym

trivial

In a sentence: Nia saw a significant improvement after she began outlining first.

based on personal feelings or opinions

Synonym

personal

Antonym

objective

In a sentence: Which essay is best is partly subjective, so the rubric lists clear criteria.

well supported by reasons or evidence; sound

Synonym

sound

Antonym

invalid

In a sentence: Carlos made a valid point about the cost of the longer route.

to speak or act in public support of an idea or a person

Synonym

champion

Antonym

oppose

In a sentence: Teresa advocates for quieter study rooms on the second floor.

to set something aside for a particular purpose

Synonym

assign

Antonym

withhold

In a sentence: The manager will allocate two hours a week to training.

to work together with others on a shared task

Synonym

cooperate

Antonym

compete

In a sentence: Three classmates collaborate on one slide deck each term.

to gather information from several places into one collection

Synonym

assemble

Antonym

scatter

In a sentence: Jon compiled the meeting notes into a single document.

a limit or restriction on what can be done

Synonym

restriction

Antonym

freedom

In a sentence: Time was the biggest constraint on the project.

to organize people or parts so they work well together

Synonym

organize

In a sentence: Grace coordinates the volunteers who staff the front desk.

a standard used to judge something; the plural is criteria

Synonym

standard

In a sentence: The first criterion on the rubric is a clear thesis.

to remove something completely

Synonym

remove

Antonym

add

In a sentence: The new form helped eliminate repeated data entry.

to make something better or stronger

Synonym

boost

Antonym

diminish

In a sentence: A clear diagram can enhance a short presentation.

to make a process easier or help it move along

Synonym

ease

Antonym

hinder

In a sentence: Ravi facilitated the meeting so everyone had a turn to speak.

to put a plan or decision into action

Synonym

carry out

In a sentence: The team will implement the new filing system on Monday.

to start something, such as a process or a conversation

Synonym

begin

Antonym

finish

In a sentence: Omar will initiate the sign-in change next week.

to keep something in good condition or going at the same level

Synonym

preserve

Antonym

neglect

In a sentence: Keiko works hard to maintain a regular study routine.

to reduce something to the smallest possible amount

Synonym

reduce

Antonym

maximize

In a sentence: Packing the night before helps minimize stress in the morning.

to make something harmful less severe

Synonym

lessen

Antonym

worsen

In a sentence: Backing up files will mitigate the damage if a laptop fails.

to get something, often by effort or by asking

Synonym

acquire

Antonym

lose

In a sentence: You can obtain a copy of the schedule from the front desk.

the result of an action or process

Synonym

result

In a sentence: The outcome of the review was a shorter, clearer form.

to put tasks in order of importance and handle the most important first

Synonym

rank

In a sentence: When everything is due on one day, prioritize by deadline.

something treated as more important than other things

Synonym

first concern

Antonym

afterthought

In a sentence: Finishing the lab report is her priority this week.

to find a solution to a problem or disagreement

Synonym

settle

In a sentence: The two coworkers resolved the scheduling conflict in one conversation.

to change something in order to improve or correct it

Synonym

amend

In a sentence: Please revise the first paragraph before you submit the draft.

to hand something in for others to consider

Synonym

turn in

Antonym

withdraw

In a sentence: Hana will submit her report by noon on Friday.

to keep something going over a long time

Synonym

continue

Antonym

halt

In a sentence: It is hard to sustain a new habit without a simple plan.

to check that something is true or correct

Synonym

confirm

Antonym

disprove

In a sentence: Before sending the invoice, verify the address with the client.

existing as an idea rather than as a physical thing

Synonym

theoretical

Antonym

concrete

In a sentence: Fairness is an abstract idea, so the author gave a real case.

good enough for a particular need

Synonym

satisfactory

Antonym

inadequate

In a sentence: Two pages of notes were adequate for the short briefing.

based on chance or personal whim rather than a reason

Synonym

random

Antonym

reasoned

In a sentence: The cutoff felt arbitrary because no one explained it.

giving much information in few words

Synonym

brief

Antonym

wordy

In a sentence: Miguel sent a concise summary instead of a long email.

staying the same in quality, style or behavior over time

Synonym

steady

Antonym

erratic

In a sentence: Her consistent effort showed in every weekly assignment.

made up of many different kinds

Synonym

varied

Antonym

uniform

In a sentence: The study group is diverse in age and background.

getting the result with little waste of time or effort

Synonym

productive

Antonym

wasteful

In a sentence: An efficient checklist saved the team an hour each week.

following accepted ideas of right and wrong

Synonym

principled

Antonym

unethical

In a sentence: Copying a classmate’s work is not ethical.

possible to do and likely to work in practice

Synonym

workable

Antonym

impractical

In a sentence: Moving the class online was feasible with the equipment they had.

able to change easily to fit new conditions

Synonym

adaptable

Antonym

rigid

In a sentence: Her flexible schedule lets her attend the evening session.

best possible for a given situation

Synonym

ideal

Antonym

suboptimal

In a sentence: Early morning is the optimal time for her to study.

exact and accurate in detail

Synonym

exact

Antonym

vague

In a sentence: The recipe card gave precise amounts for every ingredient.

not needed because it repeats something already there

Synonym

unnecessary

Antonym

essential

In a sentence: The last sentence was redundant, so Wei deleted it.

as much as is needed

Synonym

enough

Antonym

insufficient

In a sentence: Ten minutes was sufficient to review the agenda.

real enough to be seen, touched or measured

Synonym

concrete

Antonym

intangible

In a sentence: The new routine produced tangible results within a month.

able to be used in many different ways

Synonym

adaptable

Antonym

limited

In a sentence: A simple notebook is a versatile study tool.

absolutely necessary

Synonym

essential

Antonym

unnecessary

In a sentence: A reliable alarm is vital for a 6 a.m. class.