Level: B2-C1
Academic Word List
The most useful words in academic texts, research, and university courses — each with a simple definition.
- List-1
- sector – a part or area of the economy or a field
- available – able to be used or found
- financial – about money or banking
- process – a series of actions to reach a result
- individual – a single person or thing
- specific – exact; clearly identified
- principle – a basic rule or belief
- estimate – to guess the size, amount, or value
- variables – things that can change
- method – a way of doing something
- data – measurements or figures collected for study
- research – careful study to learn new things
- contract – a written agreement between people
- environment – the natural world around us
- export – to send goods to another country
- source – where something comes from
- assessment – a judgment or evaluation
- policy – a plan of what to do in certain situations
- identified – recognized or named
- create – to make or produce something
- derived – taken or gotten from something
- factors – things that influence a result
- procedure – steps taken to do something
- definition – the meaning of a word
- assume – to believe something is true without proof
- theory – an idea or set of ideas to explain something
- benefit – something good or helpful
- evidence – facts or information that show something is true
- established – created or set up
- authority – the power or right to give orders
- major – very important or big
- issues – problems or topics for discussion
- labor – work, especially physical work
- occur – to happen
- economic – related to money, business, or the economy
- involved – included or taking part in something
- percent – a part out of 100
- interpretation – the way something is understood
- consistent – always acting or happening in the same way
- income – money earned from work or investments
- structure – the way something is built or organized
- legal – about the law
- concept – an idea
- formula – a rule or way of doing something using math or science
- section – a part of something
- required – needed; necessary
- constitutional – related to the rules or laws of a country
- analysis – careful study of something
- distribution – the way something is shared or spread out
- function – the purpose or job of something
- area – a region or space
- approach – a way of dealing with something
- role – the job or part someone plays
- legislation – a law or set of laws
- indicate – to show or point out
- response – a reaction or answer
- period – a length of time
- context – the situation or background
- significant – important; meaningful
- similar – almost the same
- List-2
- community – a group of people living in the same area
- resident – a person who lives in a place
- range – the difference between the smallest and largest amount
- construction – the act of building something
- strategies – plans to achieve a goal
- elements – basic parts of something
- previous – happening before; earlier
- conclusion – the end or result
- security – safety; protection from danger
- aspects – parts or features of something
- acquisition – the act of getting something
- features – important parts or qualities
- text – written words
- commission – a group given a special job
- regulations – rules made by an authority
- computer – an electronic machine for storing and using information
- items – things; objects
- consumer – a person who buys things
- achieve – to succeed in doing something
- final – last; at the end
- positive – good or helpful
- evaluation – judging or testing something
- assistance – help
- normal – usual or ordinary
- relevant – connected or related to the subject
- distinction – a difference between things
- region – a large area or part of a country
- traditional – following old ways or customs
- impact – an effect or influence
- consequences – results, usually of actions
- chapter – a section of a book
- equation – a math statement showing two things are equal
- appropriate – right or suitable
- resources – things that are useful or needed
- participation – taking part in something
- survey – a set of questions to get information
- potential – possible, but not yet real
- cultural – related to the ideas and customs of a group
- transfer – to move from one place to another
- select – to choose
- credit – money you can use and pay back later; praise for doing something
- affect – to make a change in something
- categories – groups or types
- perceived – seen or understood in a certain way
- sought – looked for or tried to get
- focus – to pay special attention to something
- purchase – to buy something
- injury – harm or damage to the body
- site – a place or location
- journal – a magazine or a daily written record
- primary – most important; first
- complex – not simple; with many parts
- institute – an organization for learning or research
- investment – putting money or effort into something to get a benefit
- administration – the people who manage an organization
- maintenance – keeping something in good condition
- design – a plan or drawing for making something
- obtained – got; received
- restricted – limited or controlled
- conduct – to lead or manage something
- List-3
- comments – notes or opinions about something
- convention – a usual way of doing things; a rule
- published – made available to the public
- framework – a basic structure that supports something
- implies – suggests without saying directly
- negative – not good; harmful
- dominant – most powerful or important
- illustrated – shown with pictures or examples
- outcomes – results
- constant – staying the same; not changing
- shift – a change or move
- deduction – taking away to find the answer; logical conclusion
- ensure – to make sure something happens
- specified – clearly stated or named
- justification – a reason to show something is right
- funds – money for a purpose
- reliance – depending on someone or something
- physical – about the body or material things
- partnership – working together with others
- location – a place or position
- link – a connection between things
- coordination – organizing people or things to work together
- alternative – another choice or option
- initial – first; at the beginning
- validity – being correct or true
- task – a job or duty
- techniques – ways of doing things
- excluded – left out; not included
- consent – permission
- proportion – part of a whole; a ratio
- demonstrate – to show or explain how to do something
- reaction – a response to something
- criteria – standards for judging or deciding
- minorities – small groups within a larger group
- technology – use of science to create new things
- philosophy – the study of ideas about life
- removed – taken away
- sex – whether someone is male or female
- compensation – payment for loss or work
- sequence – a series of things in order
- corresponding – matching or related
- maximum – the largest amount possible
- circumstances – the facts or situation
- instance – an example or single case
- considerable – large or significant
- sufficient – enough
- corporate – relating to a company or business
- interaction – communication between people or things
- contribution – something given to help
- immigration – moving to a new country to live
- component – a part of something
- constraints – limits or restrictions
- technical – relating to skills or knowledge in a field
- emphasis – special importance or attention
- scheme – a plan
- layer – a level or sheet over or under others
- volume – the amount of space or the amount of something
- document – a written or printed paper
- registered – officially recorded
- core – the central or most important part
- List-4
- overall – considering everything; total
- emerged – appeared or became known
- regime – a government or system of management
- implementation – the act of putting a plan into action
- project – a planned piece of work
- hence – for this reason; so
- occupational – relating to a job or profession
- internal – inside something
- goals – things you want to achieve
- retained – kept
- sum – the total amount
- integration – joining parts to make a whole
- mechanism – a system or way of working
- parallel – side by side and same distance apart
- imposed – forced on someone
- despite – even though
- job – work or employment
- parameters – limits or boundaries
- approximate – close to the exact amount
- label – a tag or name for something
- concentration – a lot of something in one place; focusing attention
- principal – main or most important; head of a school
- series – a number of things one after another
- predicted – said what would happen in the future
- summary – a short statement of the main points
- attitudes – ways of thinking or feeling about something
- undertaken – started or done
- cycle – a series of events that repeat
- communication – sharing information
- ethnic – relating to a particular cultural group
- hypothesis – an idea to be tested
- professional – relating to a job or career
- status – position or rank in society
- conference – a meeting for discussion
- attributed – thought to be caused by something
- annual – happening once a year
- obvious – easy to see or understand
- error – a mistake
- implications – possible effects or results
- apparent – easy to see or understand
- commitment – a promise to do something
- subsequent – happening after something else
- debate – a discussion with different opinions
- dimensions – measurements or size
- promote – to help something grow or succeed
- statistics – numbers that show information
- option – a choice
- domestic – relating to home or country
- output – the amount produced
- access – the ability to get or use something
- code – a set of rules or symbols
- investigation – a careful search or study
- phase – a stage in a process
- prior – before
- granted – given or allowed
- stress – worry or pressure
- civil – relating to citizens or society
- contrast – a difference between things
- resolution – a solution to a problem
- adequate – good enough; enough
- List-5
- alter – to change
- stability – not likely to change; steady
- energy – power to do work
- aware – knowing about something
- license – official permission to do something
- enforcement – making sure rules are followed
- draft – a first version of something
- styles – ways of doing or making something
- precise – exact; accurate
- medical – related to health or medicine
- pursue – to follow or try to get something
- symbolic – representing something else
- marginal – very small or unimportant
- capacity – the ability to hold or do something
- generation – all the people born around the same time
- exposure – contact with something
- decline – to become less or weaker
- academic – related to school or learning
- modified – changed
- external – outside; on the outside
- psychology – the study of the mind and behavior
- fundamental – very important; basic
- adjustment – a small change
- ratio – the relationship in size between two things
- whereas – while; in contrast
- enable – to make possible
- version – a form of something that is different in some way
- perspective – a point of view or way of seeing things
- contact – communication or touch with someone or something
- network – a group of connected people or things
- facilitate – to make something easier
- welfare – health and happiness
- transition – a change from one thing to another
- amendment – a change to a law or document
- logic – careful reasoning
- rejected – not accepted
- expansion – becoming larger
- clause – a part of a sentence or legal document
- prime – most important; best
- target – something you try to achieve or hit
- objective – a goal
- sustainable – able to last or continue
- equivalent – equal in value or meaning
- liberal – open to new ideas; generous
- notion – an idea or belief
- substitution – replacing one thing with another
- generated – produced or created
- trend – a general direction of change
- revenue – money earned by a business or government
- compounds – combinations of two or more things
- evolution – gradual change over time
- conflict – a serious disagreement or fight
- image – a picture or idea in your mind
- discretion – the ability to decide what to do
- entities – things that exist
- orientation – direction or position
- consultation – a meeting for advice or discussion
- mental – about the mind
- monitoring – watching or checking something regularly
- challenge – something difficult that needs effort
- List-6
- intelligence – the ability to learn and understand
- transformation – a big change
- presumption – a belief that something is true
- acknowledged – accepted as true
- utility – usefulness
- furthermore – also; in addition
- accurate – correct; without mistakes
- diversity – having many different kinds
- attached – connected or joined to something
- recovery – getting better after being sick or hurt
- assigned – given a task or job
- tapes – long, narrow strips used for recording or tying things
- motivation – the reason for doing something
- bond – a strong connection
- edition – a particular version of a book or newspaper
- nevertheless – in spite of that; anyway
- transport – to move something from one place to another
- cited – mentioned as an example
- fees – money paid for a service
- scope – the range or limits of something
- enhanced – improved; made better
- incorporated – included as part of something
- instructions – steps that tell you what to do
- subsidiary – a company controlled by another company
- input – ideas or information given to help
- abstract – not concrete; existing as an idea
- ministry – a government department
- capable – able to do something
- expert – a person with a lot of knowledge or skill
- preceding – coming before
- display – to show
- incentive – something that encourages you to do something
- inhibition – a feeling that stops you from doing something
- trace – a small sign of something
- ignored – not noticed or not given attention
- incidence – how often something happens
- estate – land or property
- cooperative – working together
- revealed – shown or made known
- index – an alphabetical list with page numbers
- lecture – a talk given to teach something
- discrimination – unfair treatment of someone
- overseas – in another country, especially across the sea
- explicit – clear and direct
- aggregate – the total amount
- gender – being male or female
- underlying – basic but not obvious
- brief – short in time or length
- domain – an area of activity or knowledge
- rational – based on reason, not emotion
- minimum – the smallest amount possible
- interval – a period of time between events
- neutral – not supporting either side
- migration – the movement from one place to another
- flexibility – being able to change easily
- federal – relating to the national government
- author – the writer of a book or article
- initiatives – new plans or actions
- allocation – sharing or giving out something
- exceed – to go beyond a limit
- List-7
- intervention – action taken to help or change something
- confirmed – proved to be true
- definite – clear; certain
- classical – traditional; old and respected
- chemical – a substance used in chemistry
- voluntary – done by choice; not forced
- release – to let go or set free
- visible – able to be seen
- finite – having limits
- publication – something printed and shared with the public
- channel – a way of sending information
- file – a collection of papers or information stored together
- thesis – a long essay for a degree
- equipment – the tools needed for a job
- disposal – getting rid of something
- solely – only; not involving others
- deny – to say something is not true
- identical – exactly the same
- submitted – given for review or decision
- grade – a mark showing how well you did
- phenomenon – something that happens or is seen
- paradigm – a model or pattern
- ultimately – finally; in the end
- extract – to take out
- survive – to stay alive
- converted – changed from one form to another
- transmission – sending or passing something on
- global – worldwide
- inferred – guessed based on evidence
- guarantee – a promise that something will happen
- advocate – a person who supports something
- dynamic – always changing or active
- simulation – imitation of a real situation
- topic – a subject to talk or write about
- insert – to put in
- reverse – to change to the opposite
- decades – periods of ten years
- comprise – to be made up of
- hierarchical – arranged in levels of importance
- unique – one of a kind
- comprehensive – covering everything; complete
- couple – two things or people
- mode – a way or method of doing something
- differentiation – showing the difference between things
- eliminate – to remove or get rid of
- priority – something important that must be done first
- empirical – based on real experience or evidence
- ideology – a set of ideas or beliefs
- somewhat – a little; not completely
- aid – help or support
- foundation – the base or beginning of something
- adults – people who are fully grown
- adaptation – a change to fit a new situation
- quotation – words taken from someone else’s speech or writing
- contrary – the opposite
- media – ways of communicating (TV, internet, etc.)
- successive – coming one after another
- innovation – a new idea or way of doing something
- prohibited – not allowed
- isolated – alone; separated from others
- List-8
- highlighted – made something stand out or be noticed
- eventually – in the end; after a period of time
- inspection – careful checking or looking at something
- termination – the end of something
- displacement – being moved from one place to another
- arbitrary – based on personal choice, not reason
- reinforced – made stronger
- denote – to show or mean
- offset – to balance or reduce the effect of something
- exploitation – using someone or something unfairly
- detected – found or discovered
- abandon – to leave behind
- random – chosen without a plan or pattern
- revision – a change or update
- virtually – almost; nearly
- uniform – all the same
- predominantly – mainly; mostly
- thereby – because of that
- implicit – not said directly, but understood
- tension – stress or worry
- ambiguous – not clear; having more than one meaning
- vehicle – something used for transport
- clarity – being clear or easy to understand
- conformity – behaving the same as others
- contemporary – modern; happening now
- automatically – done without thinking or control
- accumulation – a gradual increase or collection
- appendix – extra information at the end of a book
- widespread – found in many places; common
- infrastructure – the basic systems needed for a country or organization
- deviation – a difference from what is usual
- fluctuations – frequent changes
- restore – to bring back to a former state
- guidelines – rules or advice for how to do something
- commodity – something valuable that can be bought or sold
- minimizes – makes something as small as possible
- practitioners – people who work in a certain job, especially in medicine or law