🔤 Vocabulary Bank
Build your English vocabulary — one word at a time.
1475 words found — page 27 of 31
surge
Intermediate
/sɜːrdʒ/
A sudden, sharp increase in something.
"There was a surge in online shopping during the pandemic."
surrounded by
Elementary
/sərˈaʊndɪd baɪ/
Completely or almost completely surrounded; with something all around
"The table is surrounded by comfortable chairs."
sustainable
Intermediate
/səˈsteɪnəbəl/
Able to be continued without harming the environment or using up resources.
"Sustainable fashion brands use organic cotton and ethical labor practices."
sweeten the deal
Upper Intermediate
/ˈswiːtən ðə diːl/
To make an offer more attractive by adding something valuable
"They sweetened the deal by throwing in free training for the first month."
syllable
Elementary
/ˈsɪləbl/
A unit of sound in a word; a word or part of a word spoken as one breath
"The word 'beautiful' has three syllables: beau-ti-ful."
symptom
Intermediate
/ˈsɪmptəm/
A sign or indication that someone has an illness or disease
"Fever is a common symptom of the flu."
synonyms
Intermediate
/ˈsɪnənɪmz/
Words with similar or the same meaning.
"'Happy' and 'delighted' are synonyms."
synopsis
Advanced
/sɪˈnɒpsɪs/
A brief summary of the main points of a longer work or research
"The synopsis should capture your dissertation's core contribution to the field."
syntactic economy
Advanced
/sɪnˈtæktɪk ɪˈkɒnəmi/
The principle of using minimal words while maintaining clear grammatical structure
"Academic writing prizes syntactic economy—saying more with fewer, stronger words."
syntactic embedding
Advanced
/sɪnˈtæktɪk ɛmˈbɛdɪŋ/
The grammatical process of placing a clause inside another clause in reported speech
"Syntactic embedding allows us to nest reported speech within complex sentence structures."
synthesize
Advanced
/ˈsɪnθəsaɪz/
To combine different ideas, information, or sources into a unified whole
"Your essay should synthesize at least three academic sources to build a cohesive argument."
tactful
Upper Intermediate
/ˈtæktfəl/
Showing skill in dealing with others without causing offense
"The moderator handled the heated exchange tactfully by focusing attention on facts."
tag question
Intermediate
/tæg ˈkwesʃən/
Short question added at sentence end to ask for agreement (isn't it? don't you?)
"That's a great idea, isn't it?"
tailor
Upper Intermediate
/ˈteɪlər/
To customize or adjust something to fit specific needs or requirements
"You should tailor your cover letter to match the job description."
takeaway
Intermediate
/ˈteɪkəweɪ/
The main idea or message that the audience should remember
"The main takeaway is that teamwork improves productivity."
Take care
Beginner
/teɪk keər/
A friendly way to say goodbye that shows you care about someone's wellbeing
"Before hanging up the phone, my mom always says 'Take care!'"
take it offline
Advanced
/teɪk ɪt ˈɔːflaɪn/
To continue a conversation privately rather than in a group setting
"This is getting complex—let's take it offline and discuss one-on-one."
take responsibility
Upper Intermediate
/teɪk rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪləti/
To accept that you are accountable for something
"He finally took responsibility for the mistake instead of blaming others."
take the bus/train/taxi
Elementary
/teɪk ðə bʌs/
To travel somewhere using public transport or a taxi
"I take the bus to work every morning."
take the floor
Upper Intermediate
/teɪk ðə flɔːr/
To start speaking in a meeting; to get the right to speak
"Before we close, I'd like to take the floor and address the budget issue."
Tall
Beginner
/tɔːl/
Having great height, especially used for people or buildings
"My father is very tall — he's over 6 feet."
tangential
Advanced
/tænˈdʒenʃəl/
Loosely connected or only slightly related to the main topic
"While the lecturer made some tangential remarks about historical context, they quickly returned to the core argument."
tangible
Upper Intermediate
/ˈtændʒəbl/
Real and able to be seen, touched, or clearly understood
"The speaker provided tangible examples from everyday life to support her abstract theory."
teacher
Beginner
/ˈtiːtʃər/
A person whose job is to teach students in a school
"My English teacher is very kind and helpful."
technical term
Intermediate
/ˈteknɪkəl tɜːrm/
A specialized word used in a specific field like science or medicine.
"The article explained the technical term 'photosynthesis' in simple language."
technical vocabulary
Intermediate
/tekˈnɪkəl vəˈkæbjəler.i/
Specialized words used in a specific field like science, medicine, or technology.
"The biology article used a lot of technical vocabulary that I didn't understand at first."
teen (as in thirteen, fourteen, etc.)
Beginner
/tiːn/
Numbers 13-19; they have a different sound than twenty, thirty, etc.
"I'm nineteen years old."
Tell me about a time when
Intermediate
/tel mi əˈbaʊt ə taɪm wen/
A question asking for a specific real example from your past to prove your abilities.
"She asked, 'Tell me about a time when you had to solve a difficult problem.'"
temperature
Elementary
/ˈtempərətʃər/
How hot or cold something is, measured in degrees
"The temperature will reach 30 degrees on Friday."
tense
Elementary
/tens/
A form of a verb that shows when an action happens (past, present, or future)
"The present tense describes actions that are happening now or regularly."
tentative
Advanced
/ˈtentətɪv/
Not certain or fixed; provisional, subject to change
"The conclusion was **tentative**, pending further research and analysis."
terminal
Elementary
/ˈtɜːrmɪnəl/
Large building at the airport where passengers check in and board planes
"Which terminal does the Barcelona flight leave from?"
terrace
Intermediate
/ˈter.əs/
A flat area, usually with a view, where you can eat or sit outdoors
"The café's terrace overlooks the harbor — the perfect place for an evening drink."
testator
Advanced
/ˈtestətər/
A person who has made a valid will; someone whose will is being executed
"The testator's wishes were clearly outlined in the document signed before three witnesses."
than
Elementary
/ðæn/
A word used to introduce the second part of a comparison between two things
"This house is bigger than that house."
That'll be...
Beginner
/ðæt wɪl biː/
A phrase shop assistants use to tell you the total price
"The shop assistant said, 'That'll be £15.99, please.'"
That's £...
Beginner
/ðæts/
What a shopkeeper says to tell you the total price
"'That's £12.99 altogether.'"
that's all/nothing else
Beginner
/ðæts ɔːl/ /ˈnʌθɪŋ els/
Phrases to say you've finished ordering and don't want anything more
"Two coffees, please. That's all, thanks."
that sounds great
Elementary
/ðæt saʊndz ɡreɪt/
A phrase showing you think something is interesting or enjoyable
"That sounds great! When should I arrive?"
the bill / the check
Beginner
/ðə ˈbɪl/ or /ðə ˈtʃek/
The document showing how much you need to pay at a restaurant
"We finished eating. Can we have the bill, please?"
the line is bad
Elementary
/ðə laɪn ɪz bæd/
The phone connection is unclear or has poor sound quality
"Can you hear me? The line is bad on my end."
then
Beginner
/ðen/
Next; after that; used to connect actions in order
"I shower. Then I have breakfast. Then I leave home."
thesis
Intermediate
/ˈθiːsɪs/
The main idea or central argument that a speaker is trying to prove or explain.
"The lecturer stated her thesis in the first minute: 'Social media changes how we think about friendship.'"
thesis statement
Upper Intermediate
/ˈθiːsɪs ˈsteɪtmənt/
A single sentence that presents the main argument or central idea that an entire essay will support and develop
"Her thesis statement clearly argued that renewable energy should replace fossil fuels within the next decade."
thesis statement (writing)
Upper Intermediate
/ˈθiːsɪs ˈsteɪtmənt/
The main argument or claim you will prove in your essay
"Your thesis statement should clearly express your position on the topic."
the thing is
Intermediate
/ðə θɪŋ ɪz/
Phrase used to introduce an important reason or explanation
"The thing is, I don't have enough time to finish this project."
think on one's feet
Advanced
/θɪŋk ɑːn wʌnz fiːt/
To respond quickly and intelligently without prior preparation
"During the Q&A session, the CEO had to think on his feet to answer unexpected questions."
thirsty
Beginner
/ˈθɜːrsti/
Feeling the need to drink something
"It's hot outside. I'm thirsty. Can I have some water?"