Activity and Behavior: English Vocabulary List

to make someone do something specific, often by offering something attractive

"The sale enticed many shoppers to the store."

"The job offer included a high salary and a company car to entice the talented engineer to leave his current position."

to make someone not to do something

"His parents tried to dissuade him from quitting."

"His parents tried to dissuade him from dropping out of college but he had already made up his mind."

to make a person do something through reasoning or other methods

"She tried to persuade her friend."

"The salesman tried to persuade the customer to buy the more expensive model by highlighting its additional features."

to make an attempt at matching or surpassing someone or something, particularly by the means of imitation

"Young athletes emulate their heroes."

"Young athletes often try to emulate their sports heroes by copying their training routines and behaviors on and off the field."

to copy the style, technique, or subject matter of another artist or artwork

"She mimics the artist."

"The talented parrot can mimic human speech with surprising accuracy repeating words and phrases it has heard."

to push someone into taking action, particularly by evoking a strong emotion in them

"The speech galvanized the crowd into action."

"The inspiring speech by the leader helped to galvanize the crowd into taking action for their cause."

to persuade someone to do something by being kind and gentle, especially when they may be unwilling

"She coaxed the cat out of the tree."

"The mother tried to coax her young child into eating his vegetables by promising him a small piece of chocolate cake for dessert afterward."

to strongly encourage someone to take action

"Urgency impelled him to act quickly."

"The urgent need for money impelled him to take a second job at the factory."

to torment someone by showing or promising something desirable that remains just out of reach

"The smell tantalized our taste buds."

"The delicious smell from the bakery tantalized the hungry shoppers walking past on the busy street."

to give someone encouragement or motivation

"The success spurred him to work harder."

"The high tax rates may spur many wealthy citizens to move their money and businesses to other countries."

the act or state of avoiding excess or extremes in thought, behavior, or action

"Eating in moderation is healthy."

"Doctors always advise patients to practice moderation in eating and drinking."

the ability to perceive and respond to subtle changes, signals, or emotions in one's environment or in others

"Her sensitivity to criticism made her avoid feedback."

"She showed high sensitivity toward other people’s feelings during the difficult conversation."

the state of having mixed or opposing feelings

"His ambivalence became obvious quickly."

"She felt ambivalence about relocating abroad despite receiving an excellent employment opportunity."

the manner in which a child is raised, including the care, guidance, and teaching provided by parents or guardians

"His strict upbringing shaped his character."

"His strict upbringing taught him discipline and respect for others from early childhood."

a set of instructions given to someone regarding what they should eat or do to maintain or restore their health

"Follow a strict regimen."

"The athlete followed a strict daily regimen of exercise diet and eight hours of sleep."

mechanical learning by repetition and frequent recall rather than meaningful understanding

"She memorized the poem by rote."

"Many students still use rote learning instead of understanding concepts deeply."

one's natural desire and feeling to take a specific action or act in a particular manner

"She has an inclination to arrive late."

"She has a natural inclination toward music and started playing piano at a very young age."

a natural inclination to behave in a certain way or exhibit particular characteristics

"Propensity to worry."

"He has a strong propensity to worry about small problems unnecessarily."

a person's or animal's natural or inherent characteristics, influencing their behavior, mood, and emotional responses

"The horse had a calm temperament."

"The dog's calm temperament made him an excellent therapy animal for visiting hospital patients."

a sudden and unpredictable change in mood, behavior, or decision

"The child's caprice changed every minute."

"She changed her mind on a sudden caprice and canceled the trip."

an excessive or abnormal tendency to lie and fabricate stories, often without any clear motive or benefit

"He has mythomania."

"He has mythomania and often tells exaggerated stories that are not true."

a situation where there is a lot of noise caused by upset or angry people

"The announcement caused an uproar."

"The new law caused a huge public uproar across the entire country."

exhibiting excessive or irrational suspicion and mistrust of others

"He is paranoiac."

"The paranoiac man believed that his neighbors were spying on him and he installed security cameras all around his house."

characterized by the active involvement and engagement of people in decision-making or activities

"The democracy is participatory."

"The participatory workshop encouraged everyone to share their ideas and the group worked together to solve problems creatively."

fast-paced, frantic, and filled with intense energy or activity

"The pace is frenetic."

"The frenetic pace of the stock market caused traders to shout and wave their hands as prices changed every few seconds."

(of a person) noisy, disruptive, and often behaving in a disorderly or unruly way

"The fans are rowdy."

"The rowdy fans threw bottles onto the field and the referee stopped the game until the security guards restored order."

(of a person) eager to try new ideas, exciting things, and take risks

"He is adventurous."

"The adventurous traveler visited remote villages and hiked through dangerous jungles to discover new cultures."

(of a substance, activity, behavior, etc.) causing strong dependency, making it difficult for a person to stop using or engaging in it

"The game is addictive."

"The mobile game is addictive and players often spend hours trying to beat their high scores without realizing how much time has passed."

done swiftly and without careful thought, driven by sudden and strong emotions or impulses

"He is impetuous."

"The impetuous teenager bought a car without consulting his parents and he regretted the decision when he saw the high insurance costs."

done very quickly without wasting time or resources

"We need an expeditious reply."

"The lawyer handled the case in an expeditious manner and the client was pleased that the matter was resolved within two weeks."

quick and energetic in movement or action

"We took a brisk walk."

"We took a brisk walk around the neighborhood before breakfast because the cool morning air felt refreshing."

(of a job or lifestyle) including a lot of sitting and very little physical activity

"His lifestyle is sedentary."

"The sedentary lifestyle of office workers can lead to health problems so experts recommend taking breaks to walk and stretch throughout the day."

calm, quiet, and composed, often with a serious demeanor

"The horse is sedate."

"The sedate elderly couple enjoyed quiet evenings at home reading books and watching television instead of going to loud parties."

extremely busy and chaotic

"My schedule is hectic."

"Her schedule was so hectic that she barely had time to eat lunch between meetings and appointments all day long."

reacting to people and events quickly and in a positive way

"The child is responsive."

"The responsive website adjusts to fit any screen size and users can easily read the content on their phones tablets or computers."

involving direct participation or intervention in a task or activity, rather than simply observing or delegating it to others

"She has hands-on experience."

"The hands-on science class allowed students to conduct experiments themselves rather than just watching the teacher demonstrate."

poorly executed or managed, resulting in a failure to achieve the intended outcome

"The operation was bungled."

"The police bungled the investigation by failing to secure the crime scene and crucial evidence was lost or contaminated by careless officers."

involving or intended for the purpose of discovering or investigating something new or unknown

"The surgery is exploratory."

"The exploratory surgery was performed to find the cause of the patient's pain because the scans did not show any obvious problems."

(of a lecture, writing, etc.) likely to wander off the main topic in a confusing and incomprehensible way

"His speech was excursive."

"The excursive speech wandered from topic to topic and the audience had trouble following the speaker's main point."

having a lack of depth or concern for serious matters

"A frivolous expenditure was made."

"The lawsuit was frivolous and the judge dismissed it immediately because the plaintiff had no real evidence to support her claims."

carried out in a relaxed and unhurried manner

"We took a leisurely walk."

"We took a leisurely walk through the park enjoying the beautiful weather and the colorful flowers that were blooming everywhere."

in a very thorough and precise manner, paying close attention to every detail

"The students were rigorously tested."

"The students were rigorously tested on everything they had learned during the semester and the exam was very difficult."

without anyone's help, solely relying on one's own efforts

"He single-handedly saved the company."

"He single-handedly saved the company from bankruptcy by making some very smart and strategic investments."

in a manner that relates to strategies, plans, or the overall approach designed to achieve long-term goals or objectives

"The soldiers were strategically positioned on the hill."

"The soldiers were strategically positioned on the hill so that they could see the enemy approaching from a great distance."

with great care, attention, and effort

"She studiously practiced."

"The student studiously reviewed her notes for hours, determined to achieve the highest possible score on the exam."

in a manner driven by an uncontrollable urge or need, often repetitive or excessive

"He compulsively gambled."

"He compulsively rearranged the books on his shelf, finding a strange sense of order in the repetitive action."

in a gentle, affectionate, or caring manner

"He tenderly held her hand."

"He tenderly held her hand and looked into her eyes with love and affection during their first dance."

to undertake a risky or daring journey or course of action

"They venture out."

"The explorers decided to venture into the uncharted territory despite the dangers."

to playfully annoy someone by making jokes or sarcastic remarks

"Do not tease your little brother."

"The older children teased the new student about his accent but the teacher quickly stopped their hurtful behavior."

to continuously expose someone to something, such as information, questions, or criticisms

"They bombard the target."

"The relentless questions from the press continued to bombard the politician."

(of danger or something unpleasant) to exist or be present without being obvious or noticeable

"Danger will lurk."

"Despite the apparent calm, a sense of unease suggested that danger might lurk beneath the surface."

to engage in an activity without deep commitment or serious involvement

"She dabbles in watercolor painting."

"He likes to dabble in photography as a hobby but he has never taken a formal class on the subject."

to create an impression of something or someone that is false

"His smile belies his true sadness."

"His friendly smile belies his true feelings of anger and resentment towards the people who fired him from his job."

to copy someone's behavior or appearance accurately

"He imitates his father."

"The young child tried to imitate her older sister's dance moves even though she was not as coordinated."

to try to make someone do something in a forceful or persistent manner

"I urge you to go."

"She tried to urge her friend to reconsider the risky investment opportunity."

to participate in an event or activity

"Let's partake in the feast."

"We were invited to partake in the traditional wedding ceremony, which involved many symbolic rituals."

the ability to influence a person or situation through the strategic use of resources to achieve a desired outcome

"He used his knowledge as leverage."

"The company used financial leverage to expand its business operations successfully."

a mental disposition or attitude that favors one option over others

"His tendency is to agree."

"She has a tendency to overthink situations, which often causes her unnecessary stress."

a condition or situation that is similar or only appears to be similar to something

"It has a semblance of truth."

"Despite the chaos, the room maintained a semblance of order, which was quite surprising."

a set of fixed actions or behaviors performed regularly

"It is a daily ritual."

"The morning ritual of brewing coffee provided a moment of calm before the day began."

the manner or method of managing or dealing with something or someone

"How is the treatment?"

"The patient's successful recovery was attributed to the innovative treatment plan."

having a strong desire to win or succeed

"She is competitive."

"Her highly competitive nature drove her to consistently outperform her colleagues in every project."

full of energy, enthusiasm, and life

"The city is vibrant."

"The city's vibrant nightlife attracts young people from all over the country who come to enjoy the music."

quick and energetic in movement or action

"The walk was brisk."

"The brisk walk in the cold air woke her up and she felt ready to face the busy day ahead."

working or conducted secretly under the supervision of a law enforcement agency to gather information or catch criminals

"The cop was undercover."

"The undercover detective spent six months infiltrating the gang and gathering evidence for the police to arrest all of its members."

having chaotic and unstable characteristics

"The crowd is tumultuous."

"The tumultuous crowd surged forward and the police had to form a line to prevent anyone from entering the restricted area."

having a lack of depth or concern for serious matters

"He spends money on frivolous items."

"He spends money on frivolous items like expensive watches and shoes that he does not need."

in a relaxed, unhurried manner

"They walked leisurely."

"We enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the park, taking in the beautiful scenery at our own pace."