Unit 11 · Interchange Upper Intermediate Vocabulary List

so memorable that being forgotten is impossible

"The trip was unforgettable."

"The unforgettable trip to Paris included visiting the Eiffel Tower eating croissants and walking along the Seine river."

a social event where a person stays overnight at someone else's house, usually for fun

"The girls have a sleepover with popcorn and movies."

"The girls have a sleepover with popcorn and movies and they stay up talking until two in the morning."

a brief or intense romantic infatuation

"She has a crush."

"He admitted to having a huge crush on the new teacher, admiring her intelligence."

a feeling of great distress or sadness

"Heartbreak made her very sad."

"Heartbreak is an overwhelming and crushing emotional pain"

not fully developed mentally or emotionally, often resulting in behaviors or reactions that are childish

"His behavior is immature."

"His immature behavior at the meeting embarrassed everyone because he acted like a little child."

our sister or brother's son, or the son of our husband or wife's siblings

"My nephew loves to play football in the park with his friends."

"His nephew visited them every weekend and enjoyed playing video games together."

the obligation to perform a particular duty or task that is assigned to one

"The team leader accepts full responsibility."

"The team leader accepts full responsibility for the failure and does not blame the other members."

(of a person) ready to argue and often arguing

"He is argumentative."

"The argumentative child disagreed with everything his parents said and always wanted to have the last word in every discussion."

having a relaxed, worry-free nature

"Summer is a carefree time."

"Summer is a carefree time when school is out and children can play outside all day without worrying about homework."

based on reasonable and practical considerations rather than theory

"He is pragmatic."

"The pragmatic solution was not perfect but it solved the immediate problem and the team could fix the rest later."

(of a person) resistant to authority or control, often challenging established norms or rules

"The teenager is rebellious."

"The rebellious teenager dyed her hair bright purple and got a nose piercing without asking her parents for permission first."

neglecting one's duties or obligations, often causing harm or inconvenience to others

"The driver was irresponsible."

"The irresponsible pet owner left his dog in the hot car and a passerby called the police to rescue it."

a letter or number given by a teacher to show how a student is performing in class, school, etc.

"She received a high grade on the test."

"Achieving a passing grade requires diligent effort and consistent attendance."

added or extra to what is already present or available

"We need additional time."

"We need additional time to finish the project because the client added new requirements at the last minute."

something that a person says or writes that shows they regret what they did to someone

"He wrote a letter of apology."

"The newspaper printed an apology for the factual errors in yesterday's front page article."

a piece of writing that briefly analyzes or discusses a specific subject

"The student wrote an essay on climate change."

"A well-researched essay presents a coherent and persuasive argument on a given topic."

in the direction of a particular person or thing

"He walked toward the door."

"He walked slowly toward the door because he did not want to leave the party."

in a way that is easily understandable or noticeable

"He obviously did not know the answer."

"He obviously did not know the answer because he kept looking at the ceiling and avoiding eye contact."

an electrical device that is used to stop or control the flow of current in a circuit in case it is too strong

"The fuse stopped electricity."

"A fuse is a safety device that breaks the circuit when too much current flows through it."

to intentionally damage or undermine something, often for personal gain or as an act of protest or revenge

"Someone sabotages the factory machinery deliberately."

"The disgruntled employee tried to sabotage the project by deleting important files from the shared computer drive."

expressing a genuine or sincere emotion, feeling, or thought

"She gave a heartfelt apology."

"The heartfelt apology brought tears to her eyes and she forgave him for the hurtful things he had said."

achieving the intended or desired result

"The treatment is effective."

"The effective marketing campaign increased sales by fifty percent and the company reached its annual goal three months early."

the crime of demanding money or benefits from someone by threatening to reveal secret or sensitive information about them

"The spy used the secrets for emotional blackmail."

"Emotional blackmail is a dysfunctional dynamic where one person uses a sense of obligation"

to stop being angry or blaming someone for what they have done, and to choose not to punish them for their mistakes or flaws

"She forgives him for his mistake."

"It is very difficult to forgive someone who has betrayed your trust but holding onto anger is also unhealthy."

a formal or traditional act performed for a specific purpose, often in religious or cultural ceremonies

"Bar Mitzvah is a Jewish rite of passage for 13-year-old boys."

"A rite is a solemn ceremony or act prescribed in the liturgy of a religious group"

a journey that you take for fun or a particular reason, generally for a short amount of time

"The trip was long."

"We took a trip to the coast and enjoyed the sea air."

an expression of joy or approval offered to someone to acknowledge their achievement, success, or good fortune

"Congratulations on your new job!"

"Congratulations on your new job and I wish you all the best in your new role."

able to do things as one wants without needing help from others

"He is quite independent."

"The independent teenager managed her own finances and made her own decisions about her future."

at an earlier point in time

"Brush your teeth before you sleep."

"Brush your teeth before you go to sleep to prevent cavities and maintain good oral hygiene."

at a later time

"We went for a walk after dinner."

"We went for a walk after dinner and enjoyed the cool evening breeze by the lake."

for one single time

"I go to the cinema once a month."

"I go to the cinema once a month because I enjoy watching movies on the big screen."

a very short period of time

"Wait a moment"

"She paused for a moment to collect her thoughts before answering the difficult interview question."

used to show that something continues or lasts up to a specific point in time and often not happening or existing after that time

"Wait until tomorrow."

"Please wait here until I come back do not go anywhere else."

an event or stage that has a very important impact on the progress of something

"Graduating from college was a major milestone in her life."

"The baby's first word is a classic developmental milestone that every parent looks forward to with immense anticipation and excitement."

to leave your job and stop working, usually on reaching a certain age

"He will retire after forty years."

"After working for forty years my grandfather finally decided to retire and spend more time traveling with his family."

a legal document that gives someone permission to do something, such as drive a car or practice a profession

"I need a license."

"You must obtain a valid driver's license before you are legally permitted to operate a motor vehicle."

only relating or belonging to one person

"This is my personal opinion."

"This is my personal diary so please do not read it without asking me first."

serving to identify or distinguish something or someone

"Her laugh is characteristic."

"The characteristic smell of fresh bread filled the kitchen and made everyone hungry for dinner."

trying or wishing to gain great success, power, or wealth

"He is ambitious."

"The ambitious young lawyer worked eighty hours a week because she wanted to become a partner at the firm before she turned thirty."

able to be relied on to do what is needed or asked of

"My car is dependable."

"My car is dependable and has never broken down in the ten years I have owned it."

lacking experience and wisdom due to being young

"She is naive."

"The naive young woman believed everything the charming stranger told her and she was shocked when he disappeared with all of her savings."

having refined taste, elegance, and knowledge of complex matters

"She is sophisticated and smart."

"The sophisticated diplomat navigated the complex international negotiations with grace and skill."

deeply knowledgeable and experienced and capable of giving good advice or making good decisions

"The old man is wise."

"The wise old man shared his life experiences with the young people and taught them valuable lessons about patience hard work and kindness towards others."

the initial phase of medical training in which a graduate works under supervision in a hospital or clinic

"She is doing an internship."

"Her medical internship provided valuable hands-on experience in a busy hospital setting."

to try to find information in a dictionary, computer, etc.

"Students look up a word online."

"If you do not know the meaning of a word you should look it up in a reliable dictionary or online."

a small, round object, usually made of plastic or metal, sewn onto a piece of clothing and used for fastening two parts together

"The button is missing."

"She sewed a button onto the coat."

an unexpected and unpleasant event that happens by chance, usually causing damage or injury

"The accident happened suddenly."

"He witnessed a serious car accident at the intersection and immediately called emergency services to help the injured drivers before the ambulance arrived."

to say that a person or group has done something wrong

"They accuse him of stealing money."

"The woman decided to accuse her neighbor of stealing her mail because she saw him near her mailbox."

a desired outcome that guides one's plans or actions

"The purpose is clear."

"The purpose of the meeting was to solve the issue quickly."

a wrong move or act

"It was not my fault."

"The investigation revealed that the accident was not due to negligence but a mechanical fault."

up to now or the time stated

"She is still waiting for the bus."

"She is still waiting for the bus at the stop because it has not arrived despite being twenty minutes late."

to cause injury or physical pain to yourself or someone else

"Don't hurt yourself."

"Be careful when you are climbing the ladder, you don't want to hurt yourself and break a bone."

to present or propose something to someone

"The company offered him a job."

"The company offered him a generous salary package including health insurance and a company car."

to regain complete health after a period of sickness or injury

"Patients recover from illness slowly."

"It took the athlete several months to recover from his serious knee injury completely."

needed to be done for a particular reason or purpose

"Sleep is necessary."

"Getting enough sleep is necessary for your brain to function properly and for your body to repair itself overnight."

a conversation with someone about a serious subject

"We had a discussion."

"The committee members engaged in a lengthy discussion about the proposed budget changes."