Status: English Vocabulary List

a balanced state between opposing influences or powers

"The chemical reaction reached equilibrium eventually"

"The ecosystem reached equilibrium after the wolves were reintroduced to control the deer population."

the quality of being fixed or steady and unlikely to change

"Stability is important."

"Political stability attracts foreign investment and helps the economy grow steadily over many years."

a confused or complicated mass of things that are twisted or interwoven together

"A tangled mess of wires."

"The legal matter became a complicated tangle that lasted for many years in the court."

to stay in the same state or condition

"The rain will remain."

"Despite the changes, their friendship continued to remain strong and unwavering through the years."

to intentionally keep, maintain, or preserve something in its current state, resisting removal, elimination, or alteration

"Please retain the receipt."

"It is advisable to retain all original documentation for future reference and verification purposes."

to cause something to remain in its original state without any significant change

"We preserve food by canning it."

"We need to preserve the old building because it is an important part of our city's history and culture."

to exist together in the same location or period, without necessarily interacting

"Different species coexist in this ecosystem."

"The different ethnic groups have managed to coexist peacefully in this diverse city for many decades without any major conflicts."

to temporarily put on hold a process or habit

"Suspend the meeting."

"The negotiations were suspended temporarily due to unforeseen circumstances."

to match or be similar to something else

"Your actions should correspond with your words."

"The signature on the check does not correspond to the customer's signature on file at the bank."

to be closely connected or have mutual effects

"Smoking correlates with several lung diseases."

"The study found that high levels of stress correlate with an increased risk of heart disease among middle aged adults."

(of a machine, factory, or similar system) not operating or in active use

"The car is idle."

"The idle engine sat in the garage for months without being started or driven anywhere."

perfect or idealistic, often in a romantic or nostalgic sense

"They live an idyllic life."

"They spent their vacation in an idyllic cottage by a peaceful lake in the mountains."

not operating or happening as expected

"The plan went awry."

"Despite meticulous planning, the entire outdoor event went awry when an unexpected storm rolled in without warning."

not subject to significant change or decline

"The economy is steady."

"The steady rain continued for three days and the farmers worried that their crops would be damaged by flooding."

having a poor condition, often because of being abandoned or neglected for a long time

"The ship is derelict."

"The derelict building had broken windows and graffiti all over its crumbling walls."

not currently in motion, operation, or expression

"The cells are quiescent."

"The quiescent volcano showed no signs of activity and scientists said it was safe."

lacking movement or circulation

"The stagnant air felt heavy."

"The stagnant water in the pond smelled bad and was full of mosquitoes and algae."