Determination and Struggles: English Vocabulary List

(of a crime, suicide, etc.) not done successfully

"He was charged with attempted murder."

"He was charged with attempted murder because he tried to kill his neighbor but failed."

not successful in achieving the desired result

"He is a failed actor."

"The failed experiment taught the scientists valuable lessons that helped them design a better study for their next research project."

presenting difficulties or concerns, often requiring careful consideration or attention

"His behavior is problematic."

"The problematic software crashed several times a day and the frustrated users demanded that the company release a fix immediately to address the issues."

not having a strong desire or motivation to succeed

"He is unambitious."

"The unambitious man was happy with his simple job and did not want a promotion or more responsibility."

to overcome challenges, defend beliefs, or achieve a difficult thing

"We battle challenges."

"The two armies will battle for control of the strategic city that lies between their countries."

to lessen the emotional pain or worry that someone feels by showing them sympathy and kindness

"She comforts her crying child gently."

"The mother tried to comfort her crying daughter by holding her tightly and whispering gentle words of reassurance."

to cause severe damage or harm to something, usually in a way that is beyond repair

"The storm ruins the outdoor wedding plans."

"The sudden rainstorm completely ruined our plans for a picnic in the park with our friends."

a general tendency to look on the bright side of things and to expect positive outcomes

"His optimism is a great asset in his work."

"Unrealistic optimism is a well-documented cognitive bias that causes a person to believe that they are at less risk of experiencing a negative event compared to other people."

a person who expects good things to happen and is confident about the future

"He is optimist."

"An optimist sees the bright side of a problem."

the negative quality of having doubts about the future and expect the worst possible outcomes

"His pessimism affects everyone here."

"Pessimism is a negative mental attitude that anticipates undesirable outcomes from any given situation"

a person who expects bad things to happen and sees the worst side of people and situations

"She is pessimist."

"A pessimist expects things to go wrong."

to fail to achieve success despite the attempts made

"This argument is going nowhere."

"We are getting nowhere with this argument so let us just stop talking about it."

an obligatory task that must be done as one's job

"It is my duty to help."

"It is the duty of every citizen to pay taxes honestly and on time to support the government."

the quality of working toward something despite difficulties

"Determination brings success."

"Her determination helped her finish the race."

to fail to meet someone's expectations or hopes, causing them to feel let down or unhappy

"His poor grades disappoint his parents badly."

"The team's poor performance disappointed the loyal fans who had traveled a long distance to watch the important match."

(of an activity) making one feel satisfied by giving one a desirable outcome

"Teaching is rewarding."

"Teaching is a rewarding profession because you get to help young minds grow and develop every day."

an action or behavior that someone does

"A good deed."

"His selfless deed of rescuing the child from the burning building was widely praised."

demanding a lot of time, effort, money, etc. to become successful

"This is a big project."

"Launching a successful startup requires a big investment of time, resources, and unwavering dedication."

feeling or showing deep sadness mixed with hopelessness and emotional pain

"She felt desperate."

"He was desperate after losing his job and facing mounting debts."

causing severe harm or complete failure

"The accident was fatal."

"The fatal accident on the highway killed three people and injured five others who were taken to the hospital."

in a way that is not satisfactory, acceptable, or successful

"He played badly."

"The team performed badly in the championship game, making numerous unforced errors."

having no possibility or expectation of improvement or success

"The situation is hopeless."

"The situation seemed hopeless but they did not give up and eventually found a solution to their problem after many attempts."

an uncool, unsuccessful, or contemptible person

"He is a loser."

"The arrogant businessman was widely regarded as a contemptible loser by his peers."

to think about a problem or an issue and start to deal with it

"We must address this."

"The government needs to address the housing crisis by building more affordable homes for young families."

to allow the presence of an unpleasant person, thing, or situation without complaining or giving up

"He cannot bear the pain."

"He could not bear the pain any longer so he decided to visit the emergency room immediately."

to face or deal with a problem or difficult situation directly

"She will confront her boss tomorrow."

"She finally decided to confront her colleague about the inappropriate comments he had been making."

the act or process of no longer having someone or something

"The loss was sad."

"The sudden loss of her best friend left her in a state of profound grief."

to accomplish or do something that was wished for, expected, or promised

"He needs to fulfill his dreams."

"Volunteering at the local shelter helped her fulfill her desire to give back to the community."

to obtain or achieve something that is needed or desired

"We will gain more."

"Through diligent study and practice, students can gain a deeper understanding of complex subjects."

to deal with a situation or problem successfully

"She can handle the pressure well."

"The customer service representative was trained to handle complaints calmly and find satisfactory solutions for clients."

to get something, often with difficulty

"He managed to obtain a visa."

"It can be difficult to obtain a visa for some countries without providing extensive documentation about your travel plans."

to defeat someone or something in a contest or battle

"They will overcome us."

"With courage and determination, the underdog team managed to overcome their stronger opponents."

to achieve something, especially after a lot of thinking or discussion

"We will reach home."

"After years of dedicated effort, she was finally able to reach her ambitious career goals."

to find a way to solve a disagreement or issue

"They need to resolve their differences peacefully."

"The couple sought counseling to resolve their differences and save their marriage from falling apart completely."

a great effort to fight back or break free

"Life has struggle."

"Their struggle for fairness took years."

to put a great deal of effort to overcome difficulties or achieve a goal

"Many students struggle with math."

"Many students struggle with time management during their first year of university because they have more freedom."

to make someone disappointed by not meeting their expectations

"Do not let down your team."

"I know you trusted me completely but I did not mean to let you down."

the act of giving something, such as a prize or reward, to someone in a formal or official event

"The prize presentation was."

"The student prepared a slide presentation for her biology class including diagrams and photos to help explain the process of photosynthesis."

a possibility arising from favorable circumstances

"A lucky chance appeared."

"There is a chance of rain later today."

the responsibility attributed to someone or something for a mistake or misfortune

"It is my fault."

"The accident was not entirely his fault; the road conditions were also very poor."

a goal that someone tries to achieve

"We reached target."

"They set a target for sales this year."

to no longer believe in someone showing any positive development in their behavior, relationship, etc.

"Do not give up on your dreams."

"Do not give up on your dreams just because you face a few obstacles and setbacks along the way."

lack of power or ability to act effectively

"Everyone has weakness."

"Her weakness was fear of public speaking."