Advanced English (2) • ADJECTIVES, ADVERBS • 'A'

adjective C2 social/political • synonyms: discriminatory, exclusionary, biased • ableist language/attitudes/policies; be called out as ableist; ableist assumptions/design/structures • freq in AmE: 3/10

discriminating against people with disabilities; showing prejudice, bias, or systemic exclusion based on physical, mental, or neurodivergent differences

adjective C2 formal • adept at something; adept negotiator; adept with tools/technology • freq in AmE: 6/10 • Note ‼ When "adept" is an adjective, the stress is on the second syllable, but when it is a noun, the stress is on the first syllable.

very skilled or proficient at something; having natural talent or acquired mastery in a particular area

adjective C2 • synonyms: skillful, deft, clever, tactful • adroit response/move/negotiation; be adroit at something; adroit handling of a situation • freq in AmE: 4/10

clever, skillful, and resourceful — especially in handling situations, solving problems, or using one's hands or mind effectively

collocation with adroit adjective C2 • synonyms: skilled at, deft in, tactful with, clever at • be adroit at handling something; be adroit at negotiation/speech/law; surprisingly adroit at something • freq in AmE: 4/10

to be highly skilled, clever, or tactful in performing a specific task or handling a particular situation — often involving finesse, strategy, or precision

adjective C2 formal mainly disapproving • synonyms: bland, inoffensive, neutral • anodyne remark/statement/title; deliberately/safe/utterly anodyne • freq in AmE: 3/10

inoffensive, bland, or unlikely to provoke strong emotions or reactions; often used to describe language, statements, or content that is deliberately neutral or dull

adjective C1 • synonyms: passionate, fervent, devoted, fiery • ardent supporter/believer/love/activist; speak ardently; ardent pursuit of something • freq in AmE: 5/10

showing strong enthusiasm, passion, or intense devotion — often used to describe feelings, supporters, beliefs, or pursuits

adjective C2 • synonyms: achievable, realistic, reachable, feasible • attainable goal/result/target; make something attainable; set attainable expectations • freq in AmE: 6/10

possible to achieve or reach, especially with effort, planning, or realistic expectations

collocation with attainable adjective C2 • synonyms: realistic goal, achievable target, feasible aim • set/define/pursue an attainable goal; make goals attainable; attainable vs ideal goal • freq in AmE: 6/10

a realistic and achievable objective that can be reached through effort, planning, and discipline

adjective phrase C1 • synonyms: sensitive to, responsive to, in tune with • patterns: be attuned to something; become attuned to someone’s needs/signals • collocations: attuned to emotions/needs/nuances/changes • freq in AmE: 6/10

aware of, responsive to, or in harmony with something — especially subtle signals, needs, emotions, or environmental factors

adjective C1 • synonyms: severe, intense, critical • acute pain/shortage/problem/anxiety; face acute challenges; suffer from acute symptoms • freq in AmE: 7/10

very serious, intense, or severe in effect; used to describe problems, sensations, or conditions that are sharp and urgent

adjective C2 • synonyms: distant, reserved, detached • aloof attitude/manner/look; remain/stay aloof; emotionally/socially aloof • freq in AmE: 6/10

not friendly or forthcoming; emotionally or socially distant — often suggesting intentional detachment, reserve, or superiority

adjective • C2 literary/archaic • synonyms: underway, unfolding, brewing, in motion • a plot/change/mystery afoot; something is afoot • freq in AmE: 4/10

in progress or happening; underway — often used to describe plans, schemes, or events that are developing, especially behind the scenes or with a sense of intrigue

adjective C2 • synonyms: unclear, vague, equivocal • ambiguous answer/gesture/ending • freq in AmE: 7/10

having more than one possible meaning or interpretation; unclear, vague, or open to multiple understandings — whether intentionally or unintentionally

collocation with awry adjective / adverb C2 • synonyms: go wrong, backfire, derail • plans/efforts/experiments go awry; things went awry; go awry due to X; when everything goes awry • freq in AmE: 6/10

to fail to happen as planned or expected; to go wrong, especially in a way that causes disruption, confusion, or disappointment

adjective C1 • synonyms: responsible, answerable, liable, obliged, duty-bound • be accountable to someone/for something; hold someone accountable; publicly/socially/politically accountable • freq in AmE: 9/10

responsible for your actions and expected to explain them; required to justify decisions or outcomes to someone in authority

collocation with accountable adjective C1 • synonyms: demand responsibility, call to account, enforce consequences • hold leaders/teams/individuals accountable for actions/promises/errors • freq in AmE: 8/10

to make someone responsible for their actions, decisions, or outcomes — especially by expecting explanation, consequences, or correction

collocation with accountable adjective C1 • synonyms: answerable to, responsible to, report to, liable to • be accountable to someone (for something); hold someone accountable to someone • freq in AmE: 9/10

to be required to explain your actions or decisions to a person or authority; to be responsible to someone who has the right to judge your performance

collocation with accountable adjective C1 • synonyms: responsible for, answerable for, liable for, in charge of • be accountable for results/actions/performance; hold someone accountable for something • freq in AmE: 9/10

to be responsible for the results of your actions, decisions, or performance, and expected to explain or justify them

collocation with adverse adjective [before noun ] C2 • synonyms: unfavorable (US) • adverse effect; adverse reaction; adverse conditions; adverse publicity; adverse weather • face/overcome/work under adverse circumstances • freq in AmE: 6/10

conditions that are unfavorable, difficult, or harmful — often beyond one’s control and requiring resilience or adaptation

adverb [no obj ] C2 poetic–nautical • synonyms: on land, to shore, landward • come/go/swim ashore; arrive ashore after exile/storm; ashore after shipwreck/war; pull/bring something ashore • freq in AmE: 3/10

towards or onto the shore from the sea, a river, or another body of water; also used metaphorically to describe arrival, return, or emergence from a journey or ordeal

collocation with ashore adverb [no obj ] C2 poetic (also go ashore) • synonyms: land, disembark, arrive • come ashore after shipwreck/storm/exile; come ashore emotionally/spiritually; survivors/memories come ashore; freq in AmE: 4/10

to move from a body of water onto land, especially from a ship or after swimming; metaphorically, to arrive, return, or re-emerge after a journey, exile, or emotional ordeal

adjective C1 medical/intellectual/emotional • synonyms: severe, sharp, intense, perceptive • acute pain/condition/shortage/loneliness; acute awareness/sensitivity/insight; medically acute; emotionally acute; acute vs chronic • freq in AmE: 6/10

(medical) severe and sudden in onset; (intellectual) highly perceptive or sensitive; (emotional/situational) intense or deeply felt

adjective C1 • articulate speaker/leader/response; sound/seem/become articulate • freq in AmE: 7/10 ⇒ Note ‼ The adjective /ɑːrˈtɪkjələt/ has stress on the first syllable, while the verb /ɑːrˈtɪkjəleɪt/ shifts stress to the second and ends with -eɪt.

able to express thoughts, ideas, or feelings clearly, fluently, and effectively — both in speech and writing