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Handle academic reading and writing
The vocabulary of essays, research and argument. Academic words you meet in serious reading, explained plainly.
Words worth knowing
- illustrate
verb · B2 · Upper Intermediate
clarify by giving an example of
- conversely
adverb · C1 · Advanced
with the terms of the relation reversed
- assumption
noun · B2 · Upper Intermediate
a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn
- infer
verb · C1 · Advanced
reason by deduction; establish by deduction
- connotation
noun · C2 · Proficient
what you must know in order to determine the reference of an expression
- allusion
noun · C2 · Proficient
passing reference or indirect mention
- obscure
verb · B2 · Upper Intermediate
make less visible or unclear
- compile
verb · B1 · Intermediate
get or gather together
- condone
verb · C2 · Proficient
excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with
- bolster
verb · C1 · Advanced
support and strengthen
- interpret
verb · B2 · Upper Intermediate
make sense of; assign a meaning to
- ambiguity
noun · C1 · Advanced
an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context
- profound
adjective · B2 · Upper Intermediate
showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth
- concession
noun · C1 · Advanced
a contract granting the right to operate a subsidiary business
- artifact
noun · C1 · Advanced
a man-made object taken as a whole
- comprehensive
adjective · A2 · Elementary
including all or everything
- inevitable
adjective · B2 · Upper Intermediate
incapable of being avoided or prevented
- alleviate
verb · C1 · Advanced
provide physical relief, as from pain
- premise
noun · B2 · Upper Intermediate
a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn
- hypothesis
noun · B2 · Upper Intermediate
a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations
- imperative
adjective · B2 · Upper Intermediate
requiring attention or action
- arbitrary
adjective · B2 · Upper Intermediate
based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice
- plausible
adjective · C1 · Advanced
apparently reasonable and credible, and therefore convincing
- discrepancy
noun · C1 · Advanced
a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions
Packs for this goal
- SAT Vocabulary
Build stronger vocabulary for SAT reading and writing.
Lessons for this goal
- How to Improve Your Vocabulary: A Practical Method
A concrete, step-by-step method for building vocabulary through reading, targeted lookup, and spaced review.
- How to Use Context Clues to Figure Out Unfamiliar Words
A practical guide to spotting definition, contrast, example, and cause-effect clues that reveal a word’s meaning.
- 20 Academic Words Worth Knowing (and How to Use Them)
A practical list of academic vocabulary that appears across disciplines, with plain-English definitions and example sentences for each word.
- How to Hedge Claims in Academic Writing
A guide to hedging language in academic writing, why it matters, how to calibrate certainty, and which phrases to use for different levels of confidence.