Unit 11 · New Headway Advanced Vocabulary List

elaborate or sophisticated in style, often designed to impress

"She wore a fancy dress."

"She wore a fancy dress to the party and everyone complimented her on how elegant and beautiful she looked that evening."

fashionably fancy, often associated with wealth and high social standing

"The hotel is very posh."

"The posh hotel had marble floors and crystal chandeliers and a staff that catered to every need."

to talk with excessive pride about one's achievements, possessions, etc. often in exaggerated manner

"Do not brag about your wealth."

"He always brags about how much money he earns which makes his friends feel uncomfortable and annoyed."

restricted or limited in space, area, or movement

"The space is confined."

"The confined space of the elevator made her feel claustrophobic and she decided to take the stairs instead."

a strong feeling of longing, desire or craving for something or someone

"She feels a yearning to travel to far-off places."

"His yearning for adventure led him to sell everything and travel across South America alone."

lacking regulation, restraint, or governance, resulting in chaos, disorder, or wildness

"The fire is uncontrolled."

"The uncontrolled wildfire spread rapidly through the dry forest and firefighters worked around the clock to contain it."

characterized by unchecked, aggressive, or uncontrollable behavior

"Corruption is rampant."

"The rampant inflation made it impossible for ordinary people to afford basic necessities like food and housing."

an item of clothing that is worn on the body, including various types of clothing such as shirts, pants, dresses, etc.

"The garment was tailored."

"This delicate garment must be hand washed in cold water because machine washing would ruin the fabric."

a set of clothes that one wears together, especially for an event or occasion

"The outfit looks great."

"She chose an outfit that was simple but elegant."

involving many different parts or elements that make something difficult to understand or deal with

"The instructions are complicated."

"The complicated instructions confused the new employee and he had to ask his supervisor to explain them three times."

completely confused, often due to something that is difficult to explain or understand

"I am baffled by this problem."

"I am baffled by this math problem and I have no idea how to solve it."

confused or puzzled, often because of a complex or difficult situation or problem

"I am perplexed."

"The perplexed student stared at the math problem for twenty minutes and she still could not figure out how to solve it."

having an inferior quality or ranking, especially when compared to others of its kind

"The hotel was second-rate."

"The second rate hotel had dirty sheets and a broken air conditioner and we asked for a refund."

no longer useful, accepted, or relevant to modern times

"The system is antiquated."

"The antiquated system was slow and inefficient and needed to be replaced with modern technology."

having a preference or unfair judgment toward one side or viewpoint over others

"The article is biased."

"The biased article did not present both sides of the argument fairly and seemed to favor one candidate."

not fair or reasonable, lacking equality and fairness in treatment or decision-making

"The punishment was unjust."

"The law is unjust and punishes people for things that should not be crimes."

not favoring a particular party in a way that enables one to act or decide fairly

"The judge is impartial."

"The impartial judge listened carefully to both sides before making a fair decision that respected the law."

having strong, unreasonable, and unfair opinions or attitudes, especially about a particular race or religion, and refusing to listen to different opinions or ideas

"His bigoted remarks were offensive."

"His bigoted remarks offended everyone at the dinner and the host asked him to leave the party."

evenly distributed or in a state of stability

"Her diet is balanced."

"Her diet is balanced and includes plenty of fruits vegetables proteins and whole grains every day."

having imperfections, errors, or weaknesses

"The argument is flawed."

"The flawed argument fell apart when the opponent pointed out the logical inconsistencies in the reasoning."

containing no errors at all

"Her performance was faultless."

"Her performance was faultless and the judges gave her a perfect score of ten."

without any mistakes or errors

"His manners are impeccable."

"His manners are impeccable and he always says please and thank you and holds the door for others."

having a lot of value

"This is important."

"It is very important to drink enough water every day because dehydration can cause serious health problems over time."

having little or no importance

"The problem is trivial."

"Do not waste your time arguing about trivial matters because there are much more important issues that need your attention."

needing immediate action or attention

"This is urgent."

"The urgent message from the doctor required her to come to the hospital immediately for test results."

having little significance

"Don't be petty about small things."

"Do not be petty about small things like who ate the last cookie because it is not important."

things that are typical, common, or routine

"He ordered the usual stuff for breakfast."

"We went to the cafe and ordered the usual stuff like coffee sandwiches and cake for breakfast."

used to express approval or praise for someone's accomplishments, efforts, or ideas

"You did great stuff today!"

"The students presented lovely stuff at the science fair, and everyone was impressed."

a word or phrase that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word or phrase in the same language

"Happy is a synonym."

"A good synonym for the word "happy" is "joyful" or "cheerful" in most contexts."

to have a stronger and more determined character or to be more resilient in the face of difficulty

"She is made of tougher stuff."

"If you want to succeed in this business, you need to be made of sterner stuff than most people."

used to say that things can happen unexpectedly or unplanned, and sometimes there is nothing we can do about it

"The plan fell apart, but stuff happens — we will rebuild."

"Despite thorough preparation, the event ran into several problems — stuff happens, and the team handled it well."

used to convey satisfaction, approval, or encouragement towards something, such as a good performance, a successful task, or a delicious food or drink

"You finished the whole project alone? That is the stuff!"

"She delivered a flawless presentation under enormous pressure — now that is the stuff of a true professional."

to be very knowledgeable about or skillful in a particular field of work

"My mechanic really knows his stuff."

"Our history teacher really knows her stuff and can answer any question about ancient Rome perfectly."

a word or phrase that has an opposite or contrasting meaning to another word or phrase

"Hot is an antonym for cold."

"The word "hot" is a common antonym for the word "cold" in English vocabulary."

any piece of equipment that is mechanical, electric, etc. and performs a particular task

"The machine works."

"This machine automatically sorts the packages."

a machine or piece of equipment, especially electrical equipment, such as washing machine, dishwasher, etc. that is used for a particular task

"The kitchen is filled with modern appliances."

"The kitchen appliance broke down after only six months and needed to be replaced under warranty."

someone who buys and uses services or goods

"The consumer bought the product."

"Manufacturers must understand the evolving preferences of the modern consumer to remain competitive in the marketplace."

someone who goes to shops or online platforms to buy something

"The shopper looked busy."

"The shopper compared prices carefully before choosing what to buy."

to talk with excessive pride about one's achievements, abilities, etc. in order to draw the attention of others

"He boasts about his wealth constantly."

"The young man liked to boast about his accomplishments but his friends found his constant bragging annoying and tiresome."

restricted in scope, extent, or degree

"The time is limited."

"The limited time offer was only available for twenty four hours and customers rushed to take advantage of the discounts."

something that is caused by something else

"The test result was good."

"The result of the experiment surprised everyone because it contradicted the original hypothesis."

a phenomenon or event that follows from and is caused by a previous action or occurrence

"Serious consequence followed."

"The consequence of not paying your bills on time is that your credit score will drop and future loans will be more expensive or harder to get."

an intense desire or craving for something

"I have thirst."

"After the long hike, she had a terrible thirst for cold, refreshing water."

a benefit or gain resulting from something

"This is an advantage."

"Having prior experience in a similar role provided a significant advantage during the job interview."

an advantage or a helpful effect that is the result of a situation

"Exercise provides great benefit for mental health"

"Regular exercise provides the benefit of improved cardiovascular health and stronger bones."

not easy to understand or analyze

"The system is complex."

"The human brain is an incredibly complex organ that scientists are still trying to fully understand after many years of research."

substandard or below average

"The food is mediocre."

"The mediocre performance of the team disappointed the fans who had expected them to win the championship easily."

the styles and trends of clothing, accessories, makeup, and other items that are popular in a certain time and place

"This is new fashion."

"The latest fashion trends often emerge from runway shows and quickly influence what people wear globally."

a fashion or style that is popular at a particular time

"That is the current trend."

"The latest fashion trend involves wearing vibrant colors and bold accessories."

(of a thing) having been used or existing for a long period of time

"The house is old."

"The old tree in the backyard had been there for over a hundred years and provided shade for three generations."

having existed for an extended period of time

"The ancient ruins."

"Archaeologists study the ancient civilizations to understand their culture and historical impact."

old and often considered valuable due to its age, craftsmanship, or historical significance

"The clock is antique."

"The antique clock was over one hundred years old and still kept perfect time."

happening or existing in the present time

"The current situation is bad."

"The current situation is bad but the future looks much brighter if we work together."

existing at the start of a specific period or process

"The painting is original."

"The original painting hangs in the museum but visitors are only allowed to see copies of it for preservation purposes."

conforming to the latest trends or fashion

"This is up-to-date."

"Her fashion sense is always up-to-date with the latest global trends."

treating everyone equally and in a right or acceptable way

"The game was fair."

"The judge made a fair decision based on all the evidence presented."

based only on facts and not influenced by personal feelings or judgments

"The report is objective."

"The judge must be objective and not let personal feelings affect his decisions in the courtroom."

completely without mistakes or flaws, reaching the best possible standard

"The weather is perfect."

"The weather was perfect for a picnic so we packed our baskets and spent the whole afternoon at the park together."

not working properly or as intended

"The brake is faulty."

"The mechanic discovered that the accident was caused by a faulty brake system that had failed completely."

free from errors, mistakes, or faults

"The work is immaculate."

"The scientist presented an immaculate report, free from any factual errors."

extremely important or necessary

"This is a critical time."

"Having a clear understanding of the problem is critical to finding an effective solution that will last."

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."

the purpose or intended use of something

"What is its function?"

"The primary function of this device is to regulate air quality within the building."

an important or distinctive aspect of something

"This is a key feature."

"A prominent feature of the new smartphone is its advanced camera system."

an act of deciding to choose between two things or more

"The choice was easy."

"You have a choice between accepting the job offer now or waiting for a potentially better opportunity but waiting also carries some risk."

something that can or may be chosen from a number of alternatives

"This is one option."

"We discussed every possible option before making a final decision on the project."