50 Good Vocabulary Words to Use in an IELTS Essay
Boost your IELTS band score with these 50 good vocabulary words for IELTS essays. Learn meanings, usage, and example sentences to enhance your writing skills. You can use these vocabulary words in all 4 modules of IELTS.
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A powerful vocabulary is essential to achieve a high band score in IELTS Writing. This article presents 50 high-quality words that can elevate your IELTS essays, complete with definitions and example sentences to demonstrate proper usage.
Importance of Vocabulary in IELTS
IELTS exam (International English Language Testing System) is recognized by over 11,000 institutions worldwide, including top-tier universities such as Oxford, Harvard, and the University of Toronto. It is also accepted by immigration authorities in English-speaking countries like the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
In both the Academic and General Training IELTS tests, vocabulary plays a vital role. Whether you are writing an essay, describing a graph, or answering speaking questions, your lexical resource is one of the four IELTS band scores descriptors examiners assess. A rich vocabulary:
- Helps you avoid repetition
- Allows you to express complex ideas clearly
- Enhances coherence and clarity in essays
- Improves fluency and naturalness in speaking
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Tips for Improving IELTS Vocabulary
Effective communication requires an understanding of the complexities of the English language. Good IELTS Vocabulary skills are thus crucial for professions requiring regular interaction with the public and customers, including management and leadership positions. Avoiding misconceptions and miscommunications can be accomplished by being aware of the minor variances between words.
Now, let’s take a look at some tips for learning new vocabulary and incorporating it into everyday language use.
- Repeat new words. This practice helps to stick those words in your memory.
- Make a pictorial representation of the words. You can remember the meaning of a word better when you draw it on paper.
- Utilise the new word in a sentence. Try to remember it an hour later. Just before you go to bed, go over it. Use it once more the next day.
- Use new words in phrases. When we learn words in short chunks, such as phrases made up of many words and common dialogues, we recall them better. By doing this, you can also guarantee that you are aware of how to employ this verb in at least one sentence.
- Challenge yourself with vocabulary quizzes. The brain is stimulated when it perceives a challenge. Playing games that teach you new words and meanings is a fun way to increase your vocabulary.
- Make use of flashcards. Flashcards are a popular study tool for memorising important information, such as new phrases or vocabulary from a second language.
- The best way to increase your vocabulary is by improving your spelling. For example, when writing an essay, you might memorise a writing template. By doing this, you’ll acquire new words while also improving the quality of your language.
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50 Good Vocabulary Words for IELTS Essays
Below is a curated list of advanced vocabulary words suitable for IELTS Writing Task 2. These words are ideal for expressing opinions, analyzing problems, and developing arguments effectively.
Sl. No. | Word | Meaning & Example Sentence |
---|---|---|
1 | Aggrandize | Enhance power or wealth. Eg: The company’s mission is to aggrandize its market dominance. |
2 | Adjure | Urge or command earnestly. Eg: She adjured him to reveal the truth. |
3 | Dogmatic | Unwilling to consider other views. Eg: His dogmatic approach hindered productive discussion. |
4 | Gratuitous | Unnecessary or uncalled for. Eg: The essay included gratuitous comments irrelevant to the topic. |
5 | Ineffable | Too great to be expressed in words. Eg: The beauty of the landscape was ineffable. |
6 | Nimble | Quick and light in movement. Eg: A nimble mind helps in solving complex IELTS questions. |
7 | Xenophobia | Fear or dislike of foreigners. Eg: Xenophobia can hinder international cooperation. |
8 | Iconoclast | Someone who challenges established beliefs. Eg: He was known as an iconoclast in academic circles. |
9 | Idiosyncratic | Unique or peculiar to an individual. Eg: Her idiosyncratic writing style stood out. |
10 | Incumbent | Current holder of a position. Eg: The incumbent leader initiated major reforms. |
11 | Libertarian | Advocates free will and minimal government. Eg: Libertarian ideals influenced the debate. |
12 | Licentious | Lacking legal or moral restraints. Eg: Critics denounced the film for its licentious scenes. |
13 | Ostracism | Exclusion from society. Eg: The activist faced ostracism for her bold opinions. |
14 | Pejorative | Expressing disapproval. Eg: His use of pejorative language was inappropriate. |
15 | Sanctimonious | Pretending moral superiority. Eg: The speaker's sanctimonious tone alienated the audience. |
16 | Travesty | A false or absurd imitation. Eg: The trial was a travesty of justice. |
17 | Vicissitude | Change of circumstances. Eg: Life is full of unpredictable vicissitudes. |
18 | Beseech | Urgently request. Eg: I beseech you to reconsider your decision. |
19 | Exodus | Mass departure. Eg: Urban migration has led to an exodus from rural areas. |
20 | Scrutinise | Examine closely. Eg: Always scrutinise your essay before submission. |
21 | Indigenous | Native to a place. Eg: Indigenous traditions must be preserved. |
22 | Epitome | A perfect example. Eg: She is the epitome of dedication. |
23 | Rhetoric | Persuasive or elaborate language. Eg: Political rhetoric can be misleading. |
24 | Emulate | Imitate. Eg: Many students try to emulate top scorers. |
25 | Hurdle | Obstacle. Eg: The biggest hurdle is time management. |
26 | Competence | Ability. Eg: Language competence is key in IELTS. |
27 | Compendium | A concise summary. Eg: The guide is a compendium of useful phrases. |
28 | Compassion | Sympathy. Eg: Compassion towards others improves social bonds. |
29 | Ruse | Trick or tactic. Eg: The writer’s humor is often a ruse to present serious issues. |
30 | Simpleton | Foolish person. Eg: He was treated like a simpleton despite his intellect. |
31 | Clannish | Exclusive. Eg: The group’s clannish behavior discouraged new members. |
32 | Flurry | Sudden activity. Eg: The announcement caused a flurry of excitement. |
33 | Quandary | Dilemma. Eg: She was in a quandary about which university to choose. |
34 | Proclivity | Natural tendency. Eg: His proclivity for writing was evident early on. |
35 | Opulence | Luxury. Eg: The opulence of the mansion was astonishing. |
36 | Overt | Open and observable. Eg: There was overt support for the new rule. |
37 | Meddlesome | Interfering. Eg: Meddlesome neighbors can cause tension. |
38 | Lavish | Excessive or abundant. Eg: He gave a lavish account of the event. |
39 | Menace | Threat. Eg: Air pollution is a menace to public health. |
40 | Refurbish | Renovate. Eg: They refurbished the old library. |
41 | Raze | Destroy. Eg: The building was razed to the ground. |
42 | Rapt | Deeply engaged. Eg: The class listened with rapt attention. |
43 | Perpetuate | Maintain or prolong. Eg: Myths perpetuate stereotypes. |
44 | Malignant | Dangerous or harmful. Eg: Malignant rumors spread rapidly. |
45 | Denigrate | Criticize unfairly. Eg: Do not denigrate someone’s efforts. |
46 | Dauntless | Fearless. Eg: The dauntless climber reached the summit. |
47 | Decorum | Proper behavior. Eg: Formal decorum is expected in IELTS interviews. |
48 | Detriment | Harm. Eg: Procrastination is a detriment to success. |
49 | Dreary | Dull or depressing. Eg: The essay lacked structure and felt dreary. |
50 | Grotesque | Distorted or absurd. Eg: The art installation looked grotesque but meaningful. |
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Your vocabulary proficiency significantly affects your performance in the IELTS Writing and Speaking sections. To reach Band 7 or above, you must demonstrate flexibility, accuracy, and a good range of less common vocabulary. Learning these 50 words is a strong step toward that goal.
Also, check:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use these vocabulary words in both the Academic and General Training IELTS essays
Is it necessary to use all 50 words in a single essay
Are there any specific words that examiners prefer in IELTS essays
Can I use idiomatic expressions from my native language in my IELTS essay
Is it better to use complex vocabulary even if I'm not entirely sure about its meaning


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