300 IELTS Vocabulary Words: Meanings, Examples and PDF

This page covers 300 IELTS vocabulary words organized by topic — personality, emotions, action verbs, technology, environment, health, economy, and academic skills. Each entry includes a short meaning and a natural example.

A collocation is a common word pair, such as conduct research or heavy rain. Learning word combinations helps you use vocabulary accurately in writing and speaking. A free supplementary PDF worksheet is available to download below for offline practice — note that it is an earlier worksheet and does not contain all 300 words from this article.

Download the free PDF worksheet

How to Use This IELTS Vocabulary List

Read the meaning and the example together. Similar words are not always interchangeable.

Some words are formal or less common. Use them only when they fit your meaning.

• Spontaneous means unplanned: They gave spontaneous applause.
• Automatic means without conscious thought: Blinking is an automatic reflex.
• Dicey is informal. Risky is neutral.
• Unsustainable means unable to continue at the same level; it is not just a formal word for risky.

Character and Personality

Brave — Willing to face danger or pain. She made a brave choice.

Clever — Quick at learning and understanding. He found a clever solution.

Wise — Showing good judgment from experience. My mentor gave me wise advice.

Trustworthy — Honest and dependable. She is a trustworthy partner.

Beneficent — Generous and doing good (formal). A beneficent donor funded the clinic.

Animated — Lively and full of energy. They had an animated discussion about art.

Sincere — Honest and deeply felt. He offered a sincere apology.

Ambitious — Determined to succeed. She set an ambitious career goal.

Eccentric — Unconventional or slightly strange. The artist had an eccentric style.

Arrogant — Overly proud and unpleasant. His arrogant attitude annoyed his coworkers.

Immodest — Too proud or boastful. Bragging about wealth is immodest.

Impetuous — Acting quickly without thinking. Avoid making an impetuous decision.

Negative Traits and Appearance

Mischievous — Playfully causing trouble. The mischievous child hid the keys.

Naughty — Badly behaved, usually describing children. The naughty puppy chewed my shoe.

Infantile — Childish or immature in adults (disapproving). His infantile behavior ruined the meeting.

Mean — Unkind or spiteful. Do not make mean comments.

Hostile — Unfriendly and aggressive. The crowd became hostile after delays.

Aggressive — Forceful or ready to attack. His aggressive behavior worried us.

Vicious — Cruel and violent. The guard dog launched a vicious attack.

Negligent — Failing to take proper care. A negligent driver caused the crash.

Stupid — Lacking good sense (informal; use unwise in essays). That was an avoidable, stupid mistake.

Handsome — Good-looking, usually describing men. He grew into a handsome young man.

Beautiful — Very attractive or pleasing to see. The park has a beautiful lake.

Emotions and Feelings

A miser avoids spending money. Miser and miserable are not synonyms.

These words express emotions and emotional reactions. Choose words that reflect the exact intensity of the feeling.

Joy — Great happiness or pleasure. The children shouted with joy.

Ecstasy — extreme happiness. Winning brought her ecstasy.

Ardor — strong enthusiasm (formal). She spoke with ardor.

Mirth — laughter and amusement (literary). His joke caused mirth.

Comfort — Relief from distress or physical ease. Good friends provide immense comfort.

Misery — Extreme unhappiness or suffering. Chronic illness caused him deep misery.

Mourn — To feel or express deep grief for a loss. Citizens gathered to mourn the victim.

Remorse — Deep regret for a past mistake. He showed no remorse for his actions.

Morose — unhappy and unfriendly. He looked morose.

Livid — extremely angry. She was livid.

Infuriate — To make someone extremely angry. Constant delays infuriate commuters.

Terror — Extreme fear or panic. She froze in terror at the noise.

Hate — To dislike intensely. I hate driving in heavy traffic.

Jealous — Resentful of someone else's success or possessions. He felt jealous of his friend's promotion.

Doubt — Uncertainty about whether something is true. Experts cast doubt on the theory.

Cranky — Easily annoyed or irritable (informal). Tired toddlers often become cranky.

Humiliate — To make someone feel deeply ashamed. Never humiliate a colleague in public.

Crazy — Foolish or wildly irrational (informal; avoid in essays). That sounds like a crazy plan.

Miserable — very unhappy or uncomfortable. I felt miserable.

Actions: Change and Achievement

Use these action verbs to describe changes, processes, and formal decisions. Learn each verb with its natural collocation.

To accomplish — To finish a difficult task successfully. She worked hard to accomplish her goals.

To establish — To set up an organization or system. They plan to establish a research center.

To transform — To change something completely. Technology can transform the way we learn.

To elevate — To raise to a higher level. Higher wages will elevate living standards.

To accumulate — To build up gradually over time. Unpaid bills can accumulate very quickly.

To intensify — become stronger or make stronger. The storm intensified.

To diminish — To become smaller or weaker. Fresh water supplies continue to diminish.

To collapse — To fall down or fail suddenly. The old roof collapsed under heavy snow.

To desert — abandon someone or leave a duty. The guard deserted his post.

To disappear — stop being visible or present. The sun disappeared behind clouds.

To withstand — To resist damage from strong forces. Good steel can withstand extreme heat.

To survive — To continue living through difficulty. Small shops struggled to survive the crisis.

To evaluate — To judge the quality or value of something. Teachers will evaluate your final essay carefully.

To differentiate — To recognize the difference between things. It is hard to differentiate between them.

Actions: Communication and Compliance

Use conform to, but comply with. The dependent preposition changes with each verb.

To collect — To bring items or data together. Researchers collected data from several local clinics.

To inspect — To examine closely for safety or quality. Engineers will inspect the bridge tomorrow.

To emphasize — To give special importance to an idea. Doctors emphasize the need for regular sleep.

To illuminate — To make a topic clear and easy to understand. Real examples help illuminate this complex topic.

To convey — To communicate a message or feeling. Art can convey deep emotions without words.

To disclose — To make secret or private information public. The bank refused to disclose private records.

To notify — To inform someone officially about something. The school will notify parents by email.

To consult — ask for advice or information. We consulted a teacher.

To respond — To react or reply to something. The team failed to respond in time.

To conform — To follow rules or accepted standards. All products must conform to safety standards.

To admit — To agree that something is true. Leaders should admit their errors quickly.

To behave — To act in a particular way. Children must learn to behave in class.

To explode — To burst outward or increase suddenly. City traffic exploded over the past decade.

To vanquish — To defeat an enemy completely. The champion vanquished her rival in minutes.

Actions: Perception and Management

To magnify — To make something seem larger or more serious. Media reports often magnify minor risks.

To quake — shake strongly. He quaked with fear.

To disclaim — To deny responsibility formally. The company tried to disclaim all responsibility.

To foretell — predict the future. I cannot foretell the future.

To ignore — To pay no attention to something intentionally. Drivers must not ignore red traffic lights.

To encounter — To meet or experience unexpectedly. Students may encounter unfamiliar questions on tests.

To select — To choose carefully from a group. Please select the best answer from the list.

To vary — To differ in amount, degree, or nature. Rental prices vary by neighborhood and season.

To grab — take hold suddenly (often informal). She grabbed her bag.

To annoy — To make someone slightly angry. Loud ringtones can annoy people in quiet offices.

To hurry — To move or act quickly. We must hurry to catch the last bus.

To visualize — To form a clear mental picture. Athletes often visualize victory before competing.

To administer — manage or officially give something. She administered the test.

To maintain — To keep something in good condition or at the same level. It is vital to maintain high standards.

Academic Verbs and Source References

Use nominate to propose a candidate, but appoint to assign a role officially. A citation references an original source, while a quotation repeats exact spoken or written words.

To deduce — To reach a conclusion using logical reasoning. We can deduce the answer from the facts.

To cite — To mention a source or study as evidence. Always cite the original study in your paper.

To renounce — To give up a claim, right, or belief formally. The leader agreed to renounce further violence.

To assure — tell someone confidently to remove doubt. I assured him we were ready.

To impeach — formally accuse a public official of wrongdoing; also challenge credibility (legal). The lawyer impeached the witness’s credibility.

To nominate — To propose someone for an election, job, or award. The committee will nominate two candidates today.

Citation — a reference to a source. Add a citation after the quotation.

Describing Scale, Quality and Change

These descriptive words show size, quality, and change. Choose each term carefully: near-synonyms can differ in meaning and formality.

Abundant — Existing in large quantities. The region has abundant natural resources.

Vast — Extremely large in area or amount. A vast majority of students agreed.

Enormous — Very large in size or scale. The project required an enormous budget.

Huge — very large. We made a huge mistake.

Vacant — Empty and not occupied. Several vacant seats remained in the hall.

Accurate — Correct and free from error. The lab report provided accurate figures.

Reliable — Consistently dependable. Commuters need fast and reliable buses.

Undeniable — impossible to deny. Her talent is undeniable.

Dubious — Doubtful or untrustworthy. His explanation sounded dubious to everyone.

Identical — Exactly alike in every way. The scientists tested two identical samples.

Vague — Unclear and lacking detail. The instructions were too vague to follow.

Stationary — not moving. The car remained stationary. Stationery means writing materials.

Dormant — Inactive for a period of time. The volcano has been dormant for centuries.

Inflexible — Unwilling to change or bend. Rigid managers follow inflexible workplace rules.

Turbulent — full of irregular movement or trouble. We had a turbulent flight.

Consecutive — Following in unbroken order. The city recorded five consecutive rainy days.

Obsolete — No longer in use due to newer items. Digital tools made that software obsolete.

Lethal — Capable of causing death. High chemical levels proved lethal to fish.

Dangerous — Likely to cause harm. Driving on icy roads is very dangerous.

Describing Tone, Pace and Condition

Unlawful — Prohibited by law. Dumping industrial waste remains strictly unlawful.

Defective — Flawed and not working correctly. The store replaced the defective device.

Infrequent — Not occurring often. Bus services are infrequent on weekends.

Spontaneous — natural and unplanned. They gave spontaneous applause.

Dark — Lacking light, or metaphorically gloomy and depressing. War marked a dark chapter in history.

Dry — Lacking moisture or rainfall. Farming is difficult in this dry climate.

Prompt — Done immediately without delay. The customer service team sent a prompt reply.

Aromatic — Having a pleasant and distinctive smell. Fresh herbs create an aromatic soup.

Revolting — Extremely unpleasant and causing disgust. Spoiled meat produces a revolting smell.

Torpid — inactive or slow (formal). He felt torpid after lunch.

Drab — Dull, cheerless, and lacking color. Workers repainted the drab office walls.

Superb — Of outstandingly high quality. The students delivered a superb presentation.

Monotonous — Dull, repetitive, and unchanging. Factory workers disliked the monotonous routine.

Awful — Very bad. Note: Best reserved for informal speaking. The town experienced awful winter weather.

Cozy — warm and comfortable. This room is cozy.

Essential — Absolutely necessary or vital. Clean drinking water is essential for health.

Intriguing — Fascinating and arousing curiosity. The scientist shared an intriguing hypothesis.

Inferior — Lower in quality or standard. Builders avoided using inferior materials.

Academic Concepts and Adverbs

Use these academic terms to express complex ideas clearly. Advanced words like virtue work best when used in accurate contexts.

Perception — a way of seeing or understanding something. Public perception has changed.

Understandable — easy to understand; also reasonable. Her anger was understandable.

Indisputable — Impossible to dispute or doubt. Clear evidence made the conclusion indisputable.

Neutral — Impartial and not taking sides. The committee maintained a neutral position.

Interplay — The way two or more things affect each other. Genes and habits show a complex interplay.

Oblique — Indirect rather than clearly stated. The speaker made an oblique comment.

Virtue — A commendable quality or practical advantage. Flexibility is one virtue of online learning.

Appreciable — Large enough to be noticed or measured. The city saw an appreciable drop in pollution.

Impediment — An obstacle that hinders progress. High fees formed an impediment to trade.

Abstract — A paper summary as a noun; theoretical rather than physical as an adjective. Read the abstract before studying abstract concepts.

Constancy — The quality of staying faithful or steady. Success requires constancy of effort.

Momentous — very important. It was a momentous decision.

Substantially — To a great or significant degree. Tuition fees rose substantially this year.

Especially — Particularly, to single out an item. Academic grammar is important, especially in writing.

Completely — Wholly and without omission. Engineers completely redesigned the bridge.

Exactly — Accurately and in precise detail. Follow the laboratory instructions exactly as written.

Deliberately — Intentionally and with purpose. The author deliberately omitted minor details.

Abstract Nouns and Formal Adjectives

Moderately — to a medium degree. The room was moderately warm.

Priority — Something treated as most important. Public safety must remain our top priority.

Previous — Happening or existing before. Results improved compared to the previous term.

Applicable — Relevant and suitable for use. The safety regulations are applicable to everyone.

Imperative — Crucially important or urgent. Taking swift action is imperative for recovery.

Moral — Relating to standards of right and wrong. Cheating presents a serious moral dilemma.

Abbreviate — To shorten a word or text. Writers often abbreviate lengthy technical terms.

Spotlight — To focus public attention on an issue. News articles spotlight urban poverty.

Disaster — A sudden event causing serious damage. The oil spill caused an environmental disaster.

Conflict — A serious disagreement or struggle. Diplomats worked hard to resolve border conflict.

Turmoil — A state of extreme confusion or disorder. The economy fell into serious turmoil.

Repute — General opinion or high standing. She studied under scholars of high repute.

Zenith — The highest or most successful point. The empire reached its zenith in trade.

Remark — A brief comment expressing an observation. The editor made an insightful remark.

Insurgent — rebelling against a government (adjective); a rebel (noun). They joined an insurgent group.

Uprising — An act of popular rebellion against power. Citizens led a peaceful uprising for reform.

Everyday Register and Usage

Some everyday words are informal. Choose academic alternatives in essays when you need formal style.

Isolated describes physical separation, while lonely describes emotional sadness. A person can be isolated without feeling lonely.

Dicey — risky or uncertain (informal). That plan looks dicey.

Bendy — easily bent (British, informal). We use bendy straws.

Lousy — very bad (informal). We had lousy service.

Rubbish — nonsense; also trash (British). That excuse is rubbish.

Extra — more than usual. We need extra time.

Informal — Casual and relaxed, not official. Suitable for everyday speech. The gathering has an informal dress code.

Blameless — Free from fault or guilt. The inquiry proved she was blameless.

Fortunate — Lucky having good results. We were fortunate to find tickets.

Isolated — Far away from other places. They live in an isolated mountain village.

Idle — Not working, active, or in use. The factory machines stood idle all weekend.

Disadvantaged — having fewer resources or opportunities. The school supports disadvantaged students.

Curative — intended to cure an illness. The report discusses curative care.

Convalesce — recover gradually after illness. He convalesced at home.

Insufferable — Unbearable or extremely annoying. The afternoon heat became insufferable.

Peaceable — avoiding conflict or violence. They were a peaceable group.

Warranty — a guarantee about a product. It comes with a warranty.

Gratuity — A tip given for good service. We left a generous gratuity for our server.

Discount — A deduction from the regular price. Students receive a ten percent discount on books.

Everyday Nouns, Adjectives and Verbs

Praise — Words expressing strong approval. Her hard work earned great praise.

Hearsay — information from others, not firsthand knowledge. That story is only hearsay.

Eager — Wanting very much to do something. The students were eager to start working.

Mediocre — Only average or second-rate in quality. His exam score was mediocre at best.

Disagreeable — Unpleasant or bad-tempered. The chemical gave off a disagreeable odor.

Unfortunate — Unlucky or regrettable. Heavy rain caused an unfortunate delay.

Fragrance — A sweet or pleasant smell. Fresh roses filled the room with fragrance.

Nightfall — the time when it gets dark. We arrived at nightfall.

Sundown — The time of day when the sun sets. We reached the quiet village at sundown.

Overseas — In or to a foreign country. Many students travel overseas for university.

Necessary — Needed to achieve a specific result. A valid passport is necessary for travel.

Difficult — Needing effort or skill; hard. Solving the problem proved very difficult.

Steady — Regular, balanced, and continuous. She made steady progress in her writing.

Immune — protected from or unaffected by something. He is immune to criticism. Also: immune from prosecution.

Ban — officially forbid. The school banned phones.

Dilute — make thinner with liquid or weaker. She diluted the paint.

Immediate — Happening right away without delay. The urgent problem requires an immediate reply.

Infamous — Well known for a bad reason. The old prison was infamous for harsh guards.

Education and Learning

Curriculum — The subjects studied in a school or course. The curriculum includes math, science, and English.

Enroll — To register formally as a student or participant. She enrolled in an online language course.

Literacy — The ability to read and write. Low literacy rates limit economic growth.

Pedagogy — The theory and practice of teaching. Good pedagogy supports active learning.

Tuition — Teaching given to a student, or the fee charged for it. Private tuition helped him pass the exam.

Scholarship — A grant of money awarded to support a student. She won a full scholarship to study abroad.

Thesis — A long written argument submitted for a degree. She spent two years writing her doctoral thesis.

Lecture — A formal talk given to a group of students. The professor gave a two-hour lecture on climate policy.

Assessment — A process of evaluating knowledge or ability. Continuous assessment replaces a single final exam.

Plagiarize — To copy someone's work and present it as your own. Students who plagiarize face serious penalties.

Credential — A qualification proving ability or experience. Employers check each applicant's credentials carefully.

Bilingual — Able to speak two languages fluently. Growing up bilingual is an advantage in global careers.

Mentor — An experienced person who guides a less experienced one. Her mentor advised her on which courses to take.

Remedial — Intended to help learners improve skills they find difficult. The school offers remedial reading classes.

Vocational — Related to the skills needed for a particular job. Vocational training leads directly to skilled employment.

Syllabus — An outline of the topics covered in a course. Students received the syllabus on the first day of class.

Academic — Relating to education, especially at university level. She has an outstanding academic record from her degree.

Environment and Ecology

Sustainable — Able to continue without harming the environment. The company switched to sustainable packaging materials.

Biodiversity — The variety of living species in a habitat. Deforestation threatens biodiversity in tropical forests.

Emissions — Gases or other substances released into the air. Cleaner transport can help reduce carbon emissions.

Renewable — Naturally replenished and not permanently used up. Solar power is a renewable energy source.

Contaminate — To make something impure or harmful. Industrial runoff contaminated the river water.

Ecosystem — A community of living things and their environment. Wetlands form a rich ecosystem that filters water.

Erosion — The gradual wearing away of soil or rock. Heavy rain accelerated coastal erosion dramatically.

Habitat — The natural environment where a species lives. Urban growth destroys the natural habitat of many birds.

Deforestation — The large-scale clearing of forest land. Deforestation destroys habitats and releases stored carbon.

Conservation — The protection of the natural environment. Wildlife conservation requires both funding and policy.

Footprint — The environmental impact of a person or activity. Public transport can reduce your carbon footprint.

Pollution — Harmful substances introduced into the environment. Heavy traffic causes air pollution.

Drought — A long period with little or no rainfall. The drought destroyed crops across several provinces.

Resource — Something useful that people can draw on. Clean water is a valuable natural resource.

Atmosphere — The layer of gases surrounding Earth. Some gases trap heat in the atmosphere.

Fuel — A substance used to produce energy. These buses use less fuel.

Climate — The usual weather conditions of a region. A warmer climate can affect local crops.

Recycle — To convert waste materials into reusable materials. Households are encouraged to recycle paper and glass.

Technology and Innovation

Intelligence — The ability to learn, understand, and solve problems. Artificial intelligence can help summarize information.

Algorithm — A set of rules a computer follows to solve a problem. A search algorithm ranks results by relevance.

Automation — Using machines or software to do work with little human input. Automation reduces manufacturing costs significantly.

Digital — Related to data or systems using numbers and computers. The government moved all records to a digital database.

Innovation — A new idea, method, or product that creates value. Product innovation keeps companies ahead of competitors.

Cybersecurity — Protecting computers and data from digital attacks. Firms invest heavily in cybersecurity to protect data.

Prototype — An early model built to test a new design. Engineers built a prototype before full production began.

Data — Facts and statistics collected for reference or analysis. Researchers analyzed data from ten thousand survey responses.

Bandwidth — The amount of data a network can transmit at one time. Video calls require high bandwidth to run smoothly.

Upload — To send a file from a device to the internet. She uploaded the report to the shared cloud folder.

Disruptive — Describing technology that radically changes an industry. Ride-sharing apps were disruptive to the taxi industry.

Software — Programs and operating information used by computers. The hospital installed new medical software last month.

Platform — An online environment for services or user interaction. The course is delivered through an e-learning platform.

Wireless — Operating without a physical connection. Most offices now use wireless internet connections.

Virtual — Created by computer software and not physically real. The conference was held in a virtual meeting room online.

Database — An organized collection of data stored electronically. The hospital keeps patient records in a secure database.

Work and Employment

Productive — Achieving a significant amount of work or result. Working from home made the team more productive.

Redundant — No longer needed; also made unemployed when a job disappears. Fifty workers were made redundant after the merger.

Collaborate — To work jointly with others toward a shared goal. The two departments collaborated on the new project.

Incentive — Something that motivates someone to take action. A performance bonus is a strong incentive to work hard.

Commute — To travel regularly between home and work. She commutes two hours each day by train.

Entrepreneur — A person who starts and manages a business. The young entrepreneur launched an app at twenty-two.

Candidate — A person applying for a job or position. Three candidates were shortlisted for the manager role.

Resign — To voluntarily leave a job or position. She resigned from the company after five years of service.

Outsource — To hire an external company to do work. Many firms outsource their customer support overseas.

Flexible — Able to change or adapt to different conditions. Flexible working hours improve employee satisfaction.

Productivity — The effectiveness of effort, measured by output. Better equipment can improve productivity.

Promotion — An advancement to a higher rank or position. Hard work and results led to her promotion to director.

Workforce — The people engaged in or available for work. The aging workforce is a challenge for many economies.

Health and Medicine

Chronic — Lasting a long time, often referring to illness. He manages a chronic back condition with regular therapy.

Diagnose — To identify a disease or problem through examination. The doctor diagnosed her with high blood pressure.

Epidemic — A widespread outbreak of a disease in a community. Officials declared an epidemic after cases rose.

Vaccine — A substance that protects against a disease. The vaccine was approved after successful clinical trials.

Nutrition — The process of consuming food for growth and health. Good nutrition in childhood supports healthy development.

Well-being — A healthy and comfortable physical or mental state. Regular breaks support employee well-being.

Sedentary — Spending much time seated and physically inactive. A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease.

Symptom — A sign of a disease or physical problem. Fever is a common symptom of many infections.

Therapy — Treatment intended to heal or relieve a condition. She attended speech therapy twice a week.

Preventive — Aimed at stopping a disease or problem before it occurs. Preventive care reduces hospital admissions significantly.

Obesity — A medical condition involving excessive body fat. Regular exercise can help reduce obesity risk.

Allergy — A harmful reaction to a substance that is usually harmless. Her nut allergy requires her to carry an injector pen.

Rehabilitation — A program to help someone recover ability or health. Rehabilitation after surgery can take many months.

Prescribe — To authorize a medicine or treatment for a patient. The doctor prescribed antibiotics for the infection.

Economy and Society

Inflation — A general rise in prices reducing the value of money. High inflation makes everyday goods more expensive.

Recession — A period of temporary economic decline. Unemployment rose sharply during the recession.

Inequality — Unequal distribution of resources or opportunities. Income inequality has widened over the past two decades.

Poverty — The state of having very little money or resources. Education is one route out of poverty for many families.

Consumer — A person who buys goods or services for personal use. Rising prices squeeze consumer spending power.

Export — To send goods or services to another country for sale. Japan exports cars to markets across the world.

Subsidy — Money given by a government to support an industry. The government provides a subsidy to renewable energy firms.

Expenditure — Money spent by a government, person, or organization. Public expenditure on healthcare increased this year.

Output — The amount produced by a person or system. Factory output increased during the summer.

Fiscal — Relating to government revenue and spending. The fiscal policy aims to reduce the national deficit.

Deficit — The amount by which spending or imports exceed income or exports. The government plans to reduce its budget deficit.

Austerity — Government policies to reduce spending and debt. Austerity measures cut public services for several years.

Welfare — Government support provided to those in need. The welfare system provides housing help for low-income families.

Academic Skills and Discourse

Hypothesis — A proposed explanation to be tested through research. The scientist formed a hypothesis before running the experiment.

Evidence — Facts or information that support a conclusion. Strong evidence links poor sleep to reduced performance.

Analyze — To examine something in detail to understand it. The report analyzes trends in global energy use.

Conclude — To reach a judgment based on reasoning or evidence. We can conclude that demand has risen steadily.

Relevant — Closely connected to the topic or matter at hand. Choose only relevant examples to support your argument.

Coherent — Logical and clearly connected in structure. A coherent essay guides the reader step by step.

Justify — To give reasons or evidence to support a claim. You must justify each point with specific examples.

Objective — Not influenced by personal feelings; fair and factual. Academic writing should remain objective throughout.

Counterargument — A reason given against an opposing view. Address the main counterargument before stating your position.

Paraphrase — To restate something in different words. Paraphrase the source rather than copying it directly.

Reference — A mention of a source used in research or writing. Each reference in the list includes the author and year.

Terminology — Specialized words used in a particular field. Medical terminology can be difficult for non-specialists.

Practice and Download the PDF

Try the questions below, then open the answer key.

Write your own short sentences with words you want to remember. The PDF is an earlier supplementary worksheet; this web page contains the full 300-word list.

Study tip: Group words by topic and review five to ten entries each day. Spaced repetition works better than cramming the full list at once.

Study tip: When you learn a new word, write it in a sentence about your own life. Personal context helps you remember meaning and usage together.

Study tip: Learn words with their collocations. Both conduct research and do research are natural; conduct is more formal.

Frequently asked questions

How many words are in this list? This article covers exactly 300 IELTS vocabulary words with meanings and short examples, organized by topic.

Is the PDF the same 300 words? No. The downloadable PDF is a separate earlier worksheet covering a selection of vocabulary. It is useful supplementary practice, but it does not include all 300 words from this article.

How long does it take to learn these words? There is no fixed timetable. Reviewing ten words a day with a sentence of your own takes about five weeks to cover the full list. Consistent daily practice matters more than the time spent in a single session.

Should I learn synonyms for every word? Focus on accurate meaning and natural collocations first. A synonym that fits one context may not work in another, so always check how a word is actually used before replacing it.

Practice exercises

1. The news was ___. (miserable / depressing)
2. The station is ___ from other towns. (isolated / lonely)
3. They chose her for the job. They will ___ her. (nominate / appoint)
4. Which identifies a source: citation or quotation?
5. Natural, unplanned applause is ___. (spontaneous / automatic)
6. Replace informal dicey: This investment is dicey.
7. We must conform ___ the rules. (at / to / of)
8. We can ___ the answer from these facts. (deduce / illuminate)
9. Open for three ___ days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. (consecutive / stationary)
10. Cost is an ___ to progress. (virtue / impediment / constancy)
11. Replace informal lousy: lousy service → ___ service. (poor / fortunate)
12. A volcano is inactive but may erupt again. Dormant or stationary?
13. Working from home can ___ traffic. (elevate / diminish)
14. She offered a ___ apology. (sincere / beneficent)
15. They ___ responsibility for the damage. (disclaim / gather)

Download the PDF

Download the supplementary practice worksheet — free PDF

More free PDFs

• IELTS Academic Wordlist PDF – Download
• 500 Words You Need to Know for IELTS PDF – Download
• 100 Important IELTS Synonyms Quiz (MCQ) – Download

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