50 Good Vocabulary Words to use in an IELTS Essay
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In this article, we will explore a compilation of 50 good vocabulary words to use in an IELTS essay, gaining insights into their meanings and examining illustrative sentences that showcase their usage.
Importance of Vocabulary in IELTS
Thousands of colleges, including the world’s top universities such as Oxford, Harvard, and Yale, accept IELTS band scores for admission. The governments of English-speaking countries such as the USA, Australia, and the UK also accept IELTS for visa applications.
IELTS exam takers, however, frequently encounter substantial challenges. As the IELTS is designed to assess English language proficiency, one’s vocabulary proficiency, in particular, will exert a significant influence on all facets of the test. Consequently, the role of vocabulary assumes a paramount significance in the comprehensive preparation for the IELTS.
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Tips for Improving IELTS Vocabulary
Effective communication requires an understanding of the complexities of the English language. Good 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.
Ready to level up your vocabulary game? Grab our fast-selling IELTS Vocabulary Ebook!
List of Good Vocabulary Words for IELTS
Check this list for good vocabulary words to use in IELTS essays, given along with their meaning and an example sentence to illustrate how to use the word.
| Sl. No. | Word | Meaning with Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aggrandize | To enhance power, wealth, or status
Eg.: A generous grant, enabled the library to significantly aggrandize its collection of books on tape. |
| 2 | Adjure | Formal exertion on someone to do something.
Eg. : The doctor adjured his patient to concur for heart surgery. |
| 3 | Dogmatic | Thrusting one’s opinion or beliefs while reluctant to accept those of others.
Eg. : The leader seems quite dogmatic. |
| 4 | Gratuitous | Uncalled for or unwarranted
Eg.: The film was criticised for its gratuitous violence. |
| 5 | Ineffable | Too sacred to be spoken.
Eg. : Sculptures of temple deities are impossible to be described in words. |
| 6 | Nimble | Quick or agile in movement.
Eg. : The dancer is nimble in her movements. |
| 7 | Xenophobia | Fear of people from other countries.
Eg. : Xenophobia is not a good sign. |
| 8 | Iconoclast | Someone who criticizes or attacks cherished ideas and beliefs
Eg. : Notorious as an iconoclast, that music critic isn’t afraid to go after sacred cows. |
| 9 | Idiosyncratic | Something peculiar to an individual
Eg. : His teaching methods are idiosyncratic but successful. |
| 10 | Incumbent | A person who is currently in an official position.
Eg. : He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality. |
| 11 | Libertarian | Someone who cherishes ideas of free will
Eg. : This pinpoints a fundamental weakness in the libertarian defence of a market economy. |
| 12 | Licentious | Someone who is promiscuous
Eg. : A moralist who decried what she regarded as the licentious and corrupt culture of the entertainment industry |
| 13 | Ostracism | Excluding a person or certain section from society by the majority’s consent
Eg. : She broke taboos, risking ostracism and derision in the process. |
| 14 | Pejorative | Showing disapproval
Eg. : While the detective was supposed to be neutral, he described the suspect in a pejorative manner. |
| 15 | Sanctimonious | The pretence of being morally pious to exhibit moral superiority
Eg. : Leaders should deliver the message without sounding sanctimonious so everyone hears it and doesn’t tune out. |
| 16 | Travesty | Distorting facts or imitation
Eg. : The trial was a travesty of justice. |
| 17 | Vicissitude | An unwelcome or unpleasant change in circumstances or fortune
Eg. : He experienced several great social vicissitudes in his life. |
| 18 | Beseech | Asking someone to do something immediately or imploring them to do it
Eg. : She realised that it was the perfect time to beseech the former FBI agent for assistance. |
| 19 | Exodus | A circumstance when a huge number of people leave a particular place
Eg. : Villages are dying because of the exodus of people to the cities. |
| 20 | Scrutinise | To carefully or critically study in great detail
Eg. : When planning your next tactics, it is advisable to carefully scrutinize your opponent’s moves. |
| 21 | Indigenous | Occurring, living, or existing naturally in a particular place.
Eg. : The fruit is indigenous to Africa. |
| 22 | Epitome | something which is a perfect example of a particular type.
Eg. : The painting was the epitome of modern art. |
| 23 | Rhetoric | An art of effective speaking that is often considered insincere.
Eg. : He won the election due to his rhetoric skills. |
| 24 | Emulate | Imitate or copy someone.
Eg. : We should always emulate moral people to be successful. |
| 25 | Hurdle | a difficulty or obstacle.
Eg. : She crossed every hurdle in her path. |
| 26 | Competence | capability
Eg. : My competence in work has made me reach great heights. |
| 27 | Compendium | summary
Eg. : The book is accompanied by a compendium. |
| 28 | Compassion | pity
Eg. : People with too much ego don’t show any compassion. |
| 29 | Ruse | gimmick, a ploy
Eg. : Sam had a ruse to fool her. |
| 30 | Simpleton | fool
Eg. : She is a simpleton. |
| 31 | Clannish | exclusive
Eg. : Nowadays clannish dresses have become a new trend. |
| 32 | Flurry | commotion
Eg. : After the corona outbreak there was no flurry in the markets. |
| 33 | Quandary | Delicate situation
Eg. : I found myself in a quandary due to the budget cuts. |
| 34 | Proclivity | Inclination
Eg. : The new novel surmises in a way that hardly fits my own social proclivity. |
| 35 | Opulence | Wealth
Eg. : His opulence made her have many fake friends. |
| 36 | Overt | Obvious
Eg. : The person in the last smiled overtly at that woman. |
| 37 | Meddlesome | Interfering
Eg. : She made a meddlesome statement. |
| 38 | Lavish | Extravagant
Eg. : He came to grief because of his lavish spending habits. |
| 39 | Menace | Danger
Eg. : Pollution is a potential menace to the health of the people. |
| 40 | Refurbish | repair, renovate
Eg. : An individual can refurbish his/her image through discipline. |
| 41 | Raze | destroy completely
Eg. : Dozens of forests have been razed. |
| 42 | Rapt | fully attentive
Eg. : She listened to the lecturer with rapt interest. |
| 43 | Perpetuate | Maintain
Eg. : To perpetuate the teaching, teachers should make it memorable. |
| 44 | Malignant | deadly
Eg. : She died of malignant cancer. |
| 45 | Denigrate | besmirch
Eg. : We should not try to denigrate the personality of anyone. |
| 46 | Dauntless | bold
Eg. : She was dauntless in her pursuit of victory. |
| 47 | Decorum | grace
Eg. : Maintaining decorum in school is necessary. |
| 48 | Detriment | damage
Eg. : Drinking is detrimental to good health and hygiene. |
| 49 | Dreary | cheerless
Eg. : There will be a dreary meeting tomorrow. |
| 50 | Grotesque | ugly
Eg. : Her grotesque appearance makes her less popular. |
IELTS vocabulary level affects the overall band score of the candidate. If you wish to study in the top universities that require remarkably high scores, you must have a good vocabulary.
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You can also purchase the e-book on vocabulary from our online store: Vocabulary for IELTS [pdf] Fine-tune your English with vocabulary exercises from this book.
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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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Courtney Miller
Nehasri Ravishenbagam
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