20 IELTS Vocabulary Words With Meaning and Examples
Mastering diverse academic and formal vocabulary is crucial for scoring high on the IELTS exam. This curated list of 20 essential IELTS words covers topics ranging from environmental science and business to social issues and technology. By studying these terms and their practical uses, you will build the language confidence needed for high Band scores in reading, writing, and speaking.
The Words
| Word | Says like | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| impunity n. | im-PYOO-nuh-tee | Exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action. | You cannot break company rules with total impunity. |
| decibel n. | DES-uh-bel | A logarithmic unit used to measure the intensity of a sound or the power level of an electrical signal. | The loud music exceeded the safe decibel limit. |
| remediate v. | rih-MEE-dee-ayt | To clean up, restore, or reverse environmental damage in a contaminated area. | Workers tried to remediate the polluted soil near the river. |
| obituary n. | oh-BICH-oo-air-ee | A published notice of a person's death, often including a brief biography and details of funeral arrangements. | I read an obituary in the local newspaper this morning. |
| hospitable adj. | hoss-PIT-uh-buhl | Friendly and welcoming to visitors, guests, or strangers; providing an environment that fosters growth or comfort. | The hotel staff was warm and hospitable to every guest. |
| dressage n. | dreh-SAHZH | The art of training a horse to perform precise, controlled movements in response to subtle signals from the rider. | She practiced dressage every morning with her favorite horse. |
| alienation n. | ay-lee-uh-NAY-shuhn | The state or experience of being isolated from a group, activity, world, or one's own true self. | Moving to a new country caused a deep sense of alienation for him. |
| brackish adj. | BRAK-ish | Slightly salty, as is the mixture of river water and seawater in estuaries. | The fish lived in brackish water where the river met the sea. |
| bureaucracy n. | byoo-ROK-ruh-see | A system of government or administration in which most decisions are taken by state officials rather than elected representatives. | Slow government bureaucracy delayed the building permit for months. |
| absenteeism n. | ab-suhn-TEE-iz-um | The practice of regularly staying away from work or school without good reason; chronic unplanned absence. | High absenteeism at work led to serious project delays. |
| interpersonal adj. | in-ter-PUR-suh-nuhl | Relating to relationships or communication between people. | Good interpersonal skills are essential for effective leaders. |
| heresy n. | HAIR-uh-see | Belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious doctrine, or any opinion at odds with accepted consensus. | His idea was considered heresy by the traditional leaders. |
| extramarital adj. | ek-struh-MARE-ih-tul | Occurring outside of marriage. | The politician resigned after news of his extramarital affair. |
| subcontractor n. | sub-kon-TRAK-tor | An individual or business hired by a general contractor to perform a specific part of a larger project. | The main builder hired an expert subcontractor to do the plumbing. |
| smallholder n. | SMAWL-hohl-dur | An owner or tenant of a small agricultural holding or plot of land. | The smallholder grew organic vegetables on his plot of land. |
| philosophy n. | fi-LOS-uh-fee | A theory or attitude held by a person or organization that acts as a guiding principle for behavior. | Our company philosophy focuses on putting customers first. |
| deep learning n. | DEEP LURN-ing | A subfield of Machine Learning that uses Neural Networks with multiple layers (deep architectures) to learn complex patterns from large amounts of data. | Engineers used deep learning to improve speech recognition software. |
| arbitrary adj. | AR-bih-trer-ee | Based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system. | The teacher made an arbitrary decision to end class early. |
| municipality n. | myoo-nih-sih-PAL-ih-tee | A city or town that has corporate status and local government. | The local municipality approved plans for a new public park. |
| spoilage n. | SPOIL-idj | The process in which food deteriorates to the point that it is no longer edible or safe to consume. | Proper refrigeration prevents food spoilage during hot weather. |
Local Development and Challenges
The local municipality recently launched a new environmental initiative aimed at sustainable growth. A key goal was to help every local smallholder protect their crops against food spoilage caused by unexpected heat waves. At the same time, city engineers worked to remediate contaminated plots of land where brackish water had ruined crops near the coast. However, progress was hindered by slow bureaucracy and an arbitrary decision-making process that confused residents. High workplace absenteeism among project leaders further delayed implementation. To overcome these issues, the city adopted a modern business philosophy centered on clear communication and strong interpersonal skills. They hired an independent subcontractor who utilized deep learning models to predict climate trends and reduce noise pollution to an acceptable decibel level. The project team remained hospitable to community feedback, making sure residents did not feel a sense of alienation. In the end, the project proved that no official could act with impunity, and the town successfully created a healthier environment for all.
Common Usage
- IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 essays discussing urban planning and local government policy.
- IELTS Speaking Part 3 discussions on environmental restoration and sustainable farming.
- Academic reading passages regarding workplace management, employee absenteeism, and organizational psychology.
- Technology research summaries covering modern deep learning and artificial intelligence applications.
The Farm Protection Plan
Synonyms & Antonyms
| Word | Synonym(s) | Antonym(s) |
|---|---|---|
| impunity | immunity, exemption | accountability |
| decibel | volume level | — |
| remediate | decontaminate, restore | contaminate, pollute |
| obituary | death notice | biography |
| hospitable | welcoming, accommodating | inhospitable, hostile |
| dressage | horsemanship | — |
| alienation | estrangement | integration |
| brackish | semi-saline | freshwater |
| bureaucracy | administration, civil service | autocracy |
| absenteeism | truancy, non-attendance | attendance, punctuality |
| interpersonal | social | impersonal |
| heresy | heterodoxy, dissent | orthodoxy |
| extramarital | adulterous | marital |
| subcontractor | tradesperson, vendor | general contractor |
| smallholder | peasant farmer | latifundist |
| philosophy | ideology, credo | — |
| arbitrary | capricious | rational |
| municipality | borough, council | — |
| spoilage | decay, deterioration | freshness |
Words People Confuse
- impunity vs. punity: Punity is an obsolete term for punishment; impunity means without punishment.
- decibel vs. hertz: Hertz measures sound frequency (cycles per second), whereas decibel measures sound intensity and volume.
- remediate vs. mediate: Mediate means to intervene in a dispute between parties, whereas remediate means to fix or repair environmental contamination.
- obituary vs. eulogy: An obituary is a written news article or notice; a eulogy is a spoken speech of praise.
- hospitable vs. hospitality: Hospitality is the noun form describing the generous reception of guests.
- dressage vs. rodeo: 'Rodeo' emphasizes raw speed, cattle work, and unpolished riding, contrasting sharply with dressage's refined precision.
- alienation vs. isolation: Isolation is physical or literal distance; alienation is psychological separation even while surrounded by others.
- brackish vs. saline: Saline implies full ocean-level or higher salt concentration, whereas brackish is only moderately salty.
- bureaucracy vs. democracy: Democracy means rule by the people through elected representatives, whereas bureaucracy means administration by appointed officials.
- absenteeism vs. presenteeism: Absenteeism is staying away from work, whereas presenteeism is attending work while sick or unproductive.
- interpersonal vs. intrapersonal: Intrapersonal refers to things occurring within an individual's own mind, whereas interpersonal refers to relations between different people.
- heresy vs. apostasy: Heresy is holding twisted or unapproved beliefs within a faith; apostasy is completely abandoning the religion.
- extramarital vs. premarital: Premarital refers to things happening before marriage; extramarital refers to things happening outside an existing marriage.
- subcontractor vs. contractor: A contractor holds the main contract; a subcontractor works under the contractor.
- smallholder vs. landholder: Landholder refers broadly to anyone holding land, regardless of estate size.
- philosophy vs. strategy: Strategy is the plan for one game; philosophy is the belief system for all games.
- deep learning vs. Machine Learning: Deep Learning is a specialized subfield of Machine Learning that uses multi-layered neural networks.
- deep learning vs. Neural Network: Deep Learning specifically refers to Neural Networks with many hidden layers, enabling them to learn more complex representations.
- arbitrary vs. haphazard: Haphazard is messy/disorganized; arbitrary is a choice made without a logical basis.
- spoilage vs. contamination: Spoiled food is visibly or smellably bad; contaminated food may look and smell perfectly fine but still be dangerous.
Common Mistakes
✓ The manager used an arbitrary system based purely on his personal mood that day.
"Arbitrary" means based on random choice or whim, not on established reasons or logical systems.
✓ The estuarine plants thrived in the brackish water where the river met the sea.
"Brackish" specifically describes water that is slightly salty, typical of where freshwater mixes with seawater.
✓ The city worked to remediate the toxic chemical spill near the river.
While "remedy" fits general personal fixes, "remediate" specifically refers to restoring contaminated or environmentally damaged areas.
Explore More
- framework: Complements words like philosophy and bureaucracy when discussing structured systems in academic writing.
- irrigation: Pairs naturally with smallholder and remediate when analyzing environmental and agricultural IELTS topics.
- foster: Connects well with interpersonal and hospitable when discussing positive social or organizational dynamics.
- dogmatism: Extends your vocabulary on beliefs and doctrines alongside heresy and philosophy.
FAQ
How will learning these vocabulary words help me on the IELTS exam?
These high-level academic words frequently appear in IELTS Reading passages and help you write more precise, Band 7+ essays in Writing Task 2.
What is the difference between brackish water and saline water?
Brackish water is slightly salty, usually created when river water mixes with seawater, whereas saline water refers to fully salty sea water.
How is deep learning different from general computer science terms?
Deep learning specifically refers to advanced machine learning using multi-layered artificial neural networks, making it a precise term for modern tech topics.
Can arbitrary be used in both formal and informal contexts?
Yes, arbitrary is widely used in both formal academic writing and everyday speech to describe decisions made without a clear reason or system.
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.