Lesson 5B · New English File Upper Intermediate Vocabulary List

to make someone extremely angry

"The delay infuriated the impatient customers."

"The unjust decision by the judge infuriated the victim's family who felt that the criminal had not been punished sufficiently."

to make a person feel ashamed, uneasy, or nervous, especially in front of other people

"His mistake embarrassed him greatly."

"His father's loud and embarrassing stories about his childhood never fail to embarrass him in front of his friends."

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."

to greatly surprise someone

"His talent amazes the entire audience."

"The young magician's tricks amazed the audience and left them wondering how he had performed them so perfectly."

to cause extreme fear in someone

"Loud noises terrify the small child."

"The thought of speaking in front of a large audience used to terrify me completely."

respecting or admiring a person or thing, particularly because of their excellent achievements or qualities

"We are impressed by them."

"The audience was deeply impressed by the young musician's technical skill and emotional depth during the performance."

causing mental or emotional strain or worry due to pressure or demands

"My job is stressful."

"The stressful job required her to meet tight deadlines and handle angry customers and she often came home feeling exhausted and overwhelmed at the end of the day."

feeling frightened or anxious

"The child is scared."

"The scared cat hid under the bed during the thunderstorm because the loud noises and bright flashes of lightning terrified the poor animal."

making us feel fear

"The movie is scary."

"The scary horror movie made her jump several times and she hid behind a pillow during the most frightening scenes with the killer and the ghosts."

filled with great pleasure or joy

"I am delighted."

"The delighted child tore open the birthday presents and squealed with joy when she saw the new bicycle."

very enjoyable or pleasant

"The day is delightful."

"The delightful garden was full of colorful flowers and buzzing bees on the warm summer afternoon."

feeling angry, upset, hurt, or annoyed due to rude or embarrassing remarks or behaviors

"He is offended."

"She was offended by his rude comment and walked away without saying another word to him."

to prevent someone from achieving success, particularly by nullifying their efforts

"Rain will frustrate the game."

"The constant bureaucratic hurdles seemed designed to frustrate any genuine attempts at reform."

to cause a person to become extremely tired

"The long walk will exhaust you."

"Running a marathon without proper training will undoubtedly exhaust even the most physically fit individuals."

to fill someone with the desire or motivation to do something, especially something creative or positive

"Great leaders inspire others daily."

"The young athlete hopes to inspire others with her story of overcoming injury and achieving her dreams."

to misunderstand or mistake a thing as something else or a person for someone else

"I confuse him with John."

"Do not confuse the two sisters because they look very similar but have very different personalities."

to experience great excitement and pleasure

"The roller coaster thrills riders."

"The exciting roller coaster ride continues to thrill visitors of all ages at the amusement park."

causing admiration because of size, skill, importance, etc.

"Her resume is impressive."

"The young athlete's impressive performance at the championship earned her a spot on the national team."

feeling so anxious that makes one unable to relax

"She is stressed."

"The stressed student stayed up all night studying for the final exam and drank five cups of coffee to stay awake."

causing someone to feel deeply hurt, upset, or angry due to being insulting, disrespectful, or inappropriate

"His comment is offensive."

"The offensive joke about his disability made him angry and he walked out of the room without saying a word."