300+ Vocabulary Words for IELTS + PDF (updated 2025)
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Having a robust IELTS vocabulary is essential for scoring high on the exam. Whether you’re preparing for the reading, writing, or speaking sections, expanding your vocabulary will give you a big advantage in your learning journey.
Why IELTS Vocabulary is Key to Success
A diverse vocabulary helps you understand complex reading passages and express ideas more clearly in writing. The best way to empower your IELTS vocabulary is by learning synonyms for common words. Learning IELTS words with their synonyms is a good strategy for achieving a good score in the exam.
Synonyms for Common IELTS Words
Below, we’ve compiled some powerful, academic word pairs that are particularly useful for the reading and writing sections of the IELTS exam. These synonym pairs will help you avoid repetition and demonstrate a stronger command of the English language.
| Common Word | Synonym(s) |
|---|---|
| Important | Crucial, Vital |
| Big | Significant, Substantial |
| Improve | Enhance, Boost |
| Help | Assist, Support |
| Show | Demonstrate, Illustrate |
| Increase | Rise, Surge |
| Decrease | Decline, Diminish |
| Understand | Comprehend, Grasp |
| Idea | Concept, Notion |
| Problem | Issue, Challenge |
Download the Complete IELTS Academic Wordlist
For a comprehensive guide to IELTS vocabulary, you can download the complete IELTS Academic Wordlist at the end of this article. This list includes high-frequency words that are critical for your exam success.
Check Also:
200+ IELTS Academic Word List & Examples and PDF
Essay Writing Tips & How to Avoid Typical Mistakes
2000+ Common Phrasal Verbs List From A-Z (Free PDF)
IELTS Synonyms Words List A to Z + PDF
IELTS Word List With Their Synonyms
Vocabulary Words for IELTS List 1
Here is the first list of IELTS vocabulary words with their synonyms:
| Blameless | innocent |
| Crazy | insane |
| Noted | famous |
| Madness | insanity |
| Arrogant | haughty |
| Awful | terrible |
| To disclaim | to deny |
| To vary | to differ |
| Accurate | correct |
| Sacristy | vestry |
| Dreadful | terrible |
| Immoderate | excessive |
| Cozy | comfortable |
| Garbage can | trashcan |
| Perception | insight |
| Warranty | guarantee |
| Immediate | instant |
| Mind | intellect |
| Vague | indistinct |
| Understandable | comprehensible |
| Indisputable | undeniable |
| Terror | fright |
| Highbrow | intellectual |
| Cube | dice |
| Remoted | isolated |
| Well timed | timely |
| Gratuity | tip |
| Disadvantaged | deprived |
| Abundant | ample |
| To misconceive | to misunderstand |
| Denims | jeans |
| Connect | join |
| Ecstasy | joy |
| Magistrate | justice of the peace |
| Eager | keen |
| Wise | knowing |
| Crusade | campaign |
| To establish | to set up |
| Neutral | impartial |
| Vicious | ferocious |
| Interplay | interaction |
| To desert | to abandon |
| Touchdown | landing |
| Oblique | indirect |
| To accomplish | to achieve |
| Hashish | cannabis |
| To close | to shut |
| Defective | faulty |
| Mischievous | impish |
| Dormant | inactive |
| Idle | lazy |
| Turbulent | blustering |
| To disclose | to reveal |
| Dally | loiter |
| Isolated | lonely |
| Missing | lost |
| Drab | dull |
| Fortunate | lucky |
| Hearsay | rumor |
| Mendacity | lying |
| Superb | magnificent |
| Leading | main |
| Chiefly | mainly |
| Aggressive | militant |
| Noon | midday |
| Vague | indistinct |
| Misfortune | mishap |
| Misread | misinterpret |
| Deceptive | misleading |
| Lacking | missing |
| Jealous | envious |
| Doubt | mistrust |
| Wrong | mistaken |
| Away | absent |
| To notify | to inform |
| Mannequin | model |
| Dicey | risky |
| Empty | drain |
| Misery | distress |
| Impartial | neutral |
| Impartial | neutral |
| To behave | to act |
| Bendy | flexible |
| Extra | additional |
Vocabulary List for IELTS 2
Here is the second list of IELTS vocabulary words with their synonyms:
| To administer | to manage |
| Murderer | assassin |
| To maintain | to preserve |
| Mediocre | fair |
| Aromatic | fragrant |
| Dispute | debate |
| Ambitious | aspiring |
| To foretell | to predict |
| To ignore | to disregard |
| Virtue | advantage |
| To cope | to manage |
| Appreciable | considerable |
| Disagreeable | unpleasant |
| Rubbish | nonsense |
| To bear on sth. | to affect |
| Lousy | awful |
| To consult | to refer to |
| Cranky | cross |
| Mackintosh | waterproof coat |
| Pocket book | notebook |
| Middleman | intermediary |
| Paper money | notes |
| Infamous | notorious |
| Mirth | fun |
| Selection | choice |
| To quake | to tremble |
| Today | nowadays |
| Hate | loathe |
| Mean | unkind |
| Contaminate | defile |
| Impediment | obstacle |
| Construction (lit.) | interpretation |
| Hostile | antagonistic |
| To function | to operate |
| Apparent | obvious |
| Comfort | consolation |
| Unstated | unspoken |
| Enormous | huge, immense |
| Sincere | honest |
| Imperfect | faulty |
| Obsolete | out of date |
| Above | overhead |
| Total | entire, |
| Twosome | pair |
| Especially | particularly |
| Monotonous | boring |
| To hurry | to rush |
| Ardor | passion |
| Gut | intestine |
| Identical | duplicate |
| Immodest | conceited |
| Untrue | unfaithful |
| Achieve | accomplish |
| To annoy | to irritate, to bother |
| Awkward | clumsy |
| Completely | totally |
| To elevate | to raise, to promote |
| Insolvent | bankrupt |
| To rue | to regret |
| Essential | fundamental |
| Peaceable | peaceful |
| Nightfall | dusk |
| Handsome | good |
| Stupid | dense |
| Zenith | peak |
| Vacant | empty |
| Fragrance | perfume |
| Maybe | perhaps, possibly |
| Aid | help, assist |
| Bad (not good) | poor, naughty |
| Magician | conjurer |
| Unfortunate | unlucky |
| Gravestone | headstone |
| Housebreaking | burglary |
| To grab | to seize |
| Refrain | chorus |
| To disappear | to vanish |
| Painting | portray |
| Adjourn | postpone |
| Instructions | directions |
| Momentous | powerful |
| Priority | precedence |
| Stationary | fixed |
| Praise | compliment |
| Insufferable | unbearable |
| Previous | preceding |
| Exactly | precisely |
| Mistrust | distrust |
| Early | premature |
| Untimely | premature |
| Antagonize | provoke |
| Citation | quotation |
| Naughty | disobedient |
| Cheesy | corny, tacky |
| Huge | vast |
| Hole | gap |
| Magnify | expand |
| Lethal | deadly |
| Immune | exempt |
| Mourn | grieve |
| Ban | forbid |
| Infrequent | rare |
| Spontaneous | automatic |
| To cite | to quote |
| Uncooked | raw |
| Arrive | reach, come |
| Dark | dismal |
| Unlawful | illegal |
| Knowingly | deliberately |
| Moderately | reasonably |
| Insurgent | rebel |
| Uprising | rebellion |
| Clerk | receptionist |
| Miserable | depressing |
| Curative | healing |
| Equity | fairness |
| Immature | inexperienced |
| Artful | crafty |
| Practically | virtually |
| Conscious | aware |
| To arrive | to reach |
| Apparent | evident |
| Crook | criminal |
| Unvoiced | voiceless |
Vocabulary Words for IELTS List 3
Here is the third list of IELTS vocabulary words with their synonyms:
| Negligent | inattentive |
| To differentiate | to distinguish |
| Inferior | substandard |
| Win | succeed |
| Hold | grasp |
| To nominate | to appoint |
| To near | to approach |
| To impact | to affect |
| Charter | constitution |
| Eccentric | unusual |
| Consecutive | successive |
| Morose | sullen |
| Disagree | differ |
| Invoice | bill |
| To withstand | to resist |
| Insupportable | intolerable |
| Meeting | assembly |
| To convey | to communicate |
| To denationalize | to privatize |
| Abstract | summary |
| Attractive | appealing |
| Illiberal | intolerant |
| To overhaul | to overtake |
| Anyway | besides |
| To respond | to reply |
| Precis | summary |
| Dry | arid |
| To minimize | to play down |
| Satisfied | convinced |
| Vain | useless |
| To conform | to comply |
| Conflict | clash |
| Twister | tornado |
| To float | to drift |
| Instinct | intuition |
| To admit | to confess |
| To intensify | to heighten |
| Intriguing | fascinating |
| Moderate | lenient |
| Minor | lesser |
| To infect | to contaminate |
| To vacuum | to hoover |
| Removable | detachable |
| Sundown | sunset |
| Joy | delight |
| Encourage | support |
| Class | lesson, course |
| To vanquish | to conquer |
| Turmoil | disturbance |
| To transform | to convert |
| To deprave | to corrupt |
| To chop | to cut |
| To diminish | to decrease |
| To involve | to entail |
| To magnify | to exaggerate |
| Constancy | fidelity |
| Ornament | decoration |
| Diminish | curtail |
| Nugatory | worthless |
| Revolting | disgusting |
| Torpid | lethargic |
| Prompt | immediate |
| To operate | to function |
| Vast | huge |
| To inspect | to examine |
| To collect | to gather |
| Impetuous | reckless |
| To receive | to get |
| Beneficent | generous |
| Nameless | anonymous |
| To confuse | to mix up |
| Overseas | abroad |
| To deduce | to infer |
| High | elevated |
| Convalesce | recover |
| Outside | external |
| To renounce | to give up |
| More and more | increasingly |
| To grouse | to grumble |
| To assure | to guarantee |
| Advocate | support |
| Coiffure | hairstyle |
| Forehead | brow |
| Discount | reduction |
| To appear | to seem |
| Except | apart from |
| To survive | to outlive |
| Migrant | drifting |
| Dead | lifeless |
| Notwithstanding | however |
| A native | a local |
| To visualize | to imagine |
| Informal | casual |
| To begin | to start |
| Infuriate | enrage |
| Animated | lively |
| Chorus | refrain |
| Necessary | essential |
| Provided | if |
| Remorse | regret |
| Domesticate | cultivate |
| Steady | regular |
| Testament | testimony |
| If | whether |
| Applicable | relevant |
| Difficult | hard |
| Trustworthy | reliable |
| Mend | repair |
| Moral | ethical |
| Nobility | the aristocracy |
| Repute | reputation |
| Abbreviate | condense |
| Unhurt | unharmed |
| Imperative | crucial |
| Dilute | weaken, thin |
| Prosperous | affluent |
| To fabricate | to manufacture |
| Reasonable | fair |
| Idler | loafer |
| Mandatory | required |
| Suppress | restrain |
| Dossier | file |
| Lucid | clear |
| Complete | total |
| Diverse | distinct |
| Backside | behind, bottom |
| To answer | to reply |
| Home | domestic |
| Matters | things |
| Correct | right |
| Brow | forehead |
| Remainder | the rest |
| Object | thing |
| Hermetic | airtight |
| To learn | to memorize |
| Considerate | thoughtful |
| Considerate | thoughtful |
| Urgent | important |
| Inconsiderate | thoughtless |
| Silly | foolish |
IELTS Words with Meaning List 4
Here is the fourth list of IELTS vocabulary words with their synonyms:
| Words | Meanings |
| To evaluate | to assess |
| Substantially | considerably |
| Dangerous | unsafe |
| Hall | corridor |
| French dressing | vinaigrette |
| To explode | to blow up |
| To collapse | to break down |
| To accumulate | to build up |
| Livid | furious |
| Remark | comment |
| Vibrate | tremble |
| Inflexible | rigid |
| To select | to choose |
| Spotlight | highlight |
| To illuminate | to clarify; to light up |
| Disaster | catastrophe |
| To encounter | to come across |
| To emphasize | to stress |
| Innocent | harmless |
| Undeniable | indisputable |
| Humiliate | embarrass |
| Beautiful | attractive |
| To impeach | to question |
| Bloodless | cold |
| Hard | tough |
| Dubious | doubtful |
| Reliable | dependable |
| Material | fabric |
| Infantile | childish |
| To imagine | to suppose, to assume |
| Clever | intelligent |
| Deliberately | intentionally |
| Last | final |
| Brave | courageous |
| Winery | vineyard |
