50 Good Vocabulary Words to use in an IELTS Essay

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Updated On Nov 16, 2023

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 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.

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.

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.

Our eBook

You can also purchase the e-book on vocabulary from our online store: Vocabulary for IELTS (Essential words for popular topics in 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

Yes, many of the vocabulary words provided are versatile and can be used effectively in both Academic and General Training essays

Is it necessary to use all 50 words in a single essay

No, it's not necessary to use all 50 words in one essay. Instead, aim to incorporate relevant words naturally where they fit to enhance the clarity and sophistication of your writing

Are there any specific words that examiners prefer in IELTS essays

Examiners look for a range of vocabulary, so there are no specific words preferred. Focus on using vocabulary that suits the context and effectively communicates your ideas

Can I use idiomatic expressions from my native language in my IELTS essay

It's generally better to avoid idiomatic expressions from your native language unless they are commonly used in English. Focus on using idiomatic expressions relevant to the English language

Is it better to use complex vocabulary even if I'm not entirely sure about its meaning

It's advisable to use vocabulary you fully understand. Using complex words incorrectly may negatively impact your essay's coherence and coherence is also an important scoring criterion in IELTS essays