Advanced English (2) • VERBS • 'I'

verb [I or T ] C2 formal • synonyms: brainstorm, conceptualize, generate ideas • ideate solutions/strategies/designs; meet to ideate; time to ideate before execution • freq in AmE: 4/10

to form ideas or concepts; to generate, imagine, or mentally create new possibilities — often used in creative, design, or strategic contexts

verb [I ] C2 formal / literary • synonyms: approach, loom, threaten, be imminent • impend over/upon something; danger/storm/crisis impends; feel something impend • freq in AmE: 4/10

to be about to happen soon, especially something unpleasant, threatening, or serious

verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: provoke, instigate, stir up • incite someone to do something; incite someone to something; incite violence/hatred/rebellion; incite someone to act • freq in AmE: 5/10

to provoke, stir up, or encourage someone to act — especially in a way that is violent, unlawful, or emotionally charged

collocation with incite verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: provoke, urge, instigate • incite someone to act/rebel/speak/fight; incite someone to violence/hatred/unrest; incite something in someone • freq in AmE: 4/10

to provoke or encourage a person or group to take a specific action — usually one that is aggressive, unlawful, or emotionally charged

collocation with incite verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: provoke, fuel, instigate • incite violence/unrest/hatred; incite violence against someone/group; accused of inciting violence • freq in AmE: 5/10

to provoke or encourage acts of physical aggression, unrest, or conflict — often through speech, media, or leadership that stirs intense emotions or hostility

collocation with induct verb [T ] C1 formal • synonyms: be drafted, be enlisted, be called up • be inducted into the army/military/service; induct someone into the army; army inductees; induction ceremony/process • freq in AmE: 5/10

to be formally enlisted or drafted into military service, often through an official ceremony or administrative process; implies transition from civilian to soldier status

verb [I or T ] C2 • synonyms: weave, entangle, merge • intertwine roots/hands/stories/ideas; emotionally/spiritually intertwined • freq in AmE: 6/10

to twist or weave things together, or to become closely connected or inseparable; often used metaphorically to describe deep emotional, thematic, or conceptual entanglement

collocation with intertwine verb [I or T ] C2 • synonyms: weave, entangle, merge • intertwine roots/hands/stories/ideas; emotionally/spiritually intertwined • freq in AmE: 6/10

to be closely connected, entangled, or inseparable from something else — often used to describe deep emotional, thematic, historical, or conceptual links between two entities

collocation with intertwine verb [I or T ] C2 • synonyms: deeply connected, tightly entangled • closely intertwined with identity/emotion/history • freq in AmE: 5/10

describes a relationship or connection that is deeply entangled, intimate, and inseparable — often used to emphasize the strength or complexity of the bond between two ideas, people, or phenomena

verb [I ] C2 negative • synonyms: interrupt, invade, encroach • intrude on/into/upon someone’s privacy/conversation/time • feel intruded upon; apologize for intruding • freq in AmE: 6/10

to enter a place, situation, or conversation where one is not wanted or does not belong; often implies disruption, lack of invitation, or violation of boundaries

collocation with intrude verb [I ] C2 (also intrude into something) • synonyms: entangled with, inseparable from • intertwined with culture/emotion/history/tradition; be inextricably intertwined with something • freq in AmE: 6/10

to enter or affect a situation, space, or experience in a way that is unwelcome or disruptive; often used to describe violations of privacy, time, or emotional boundaries

verb [T ] C1 • synonyms: deduce, conclude, extrapolate • infer meaning/intention; infer from context/evidence • freq in AmE: 6/10

to deduce or conclude information from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements

collocation with infer verb [T ] C1 • synonyms: deduce, conclude, extrapolate • infer something about someone from something; infer something implicitly/logically • infer cause/emotion/truth from data/tone/context • freq in AmE: 6/10

to deduce or conclude a specific idea, fact, or emotion based on a particular source of evidence or context

verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: suggest, insinuate, indicate • imply that...; imply criticism/disapproval; what are you implying?; strongly/clearly/implied meaning • freq in AmE: 8/10

to suggest something without saying it directly; to express or indicate by inference rather than explicit statement

expression with imply verb [T ] C2 • tone: defensive, ironic, confrontational • Are you implying that I...?; Are you implying that this is my fault? • freq in AmE: 7/10

a rhetorical question used to challenge or clarify a hidden suggestion, often when someone feels accused, misunderstood, or provoked

expression with imply verb [T] C2 • tone: suspicious, clarifying, defensive • What are you implying?; What exactly are you implying?; I don’t like what you’re implying • freq in AmE: 7/10

a direct question used to confront or clarify a hidden suggestion; often signals confusion, suspicion, or emotional tension

expression with imply verb [T] C2 • tone: apologetic, clarifying, conciliatory • I didn’t mean to imply that...; Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything; I didn’t mean to imply criticism • freq in AmE: 7/10

a softening phrase used to clarify that a previous statement was not intended as a suggestion, accusation, or insinuation; often used to defuse tension or correct a misunderstanding

verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: imply, suggest, allude, slander • insinuate that...; insinuate dishonesty/favoritism; Are you insinuating...?; subtly/cleverly/negatively insinuated • freq in AmE: 6/10

to suggest something unpleasant or accusatory in an indirect or subtle way; often used when someone implies criticism, blame, or suspicion without stating it openly

verb [T ] C1 (UK usually incentivise) • synonyms: encourage, motivate, stimulate • incentivize behavior/action/participation; incentivize through rewards/bonuses/tax breaks • be incentivized to act/comply/create • freq in AmE: 5/10

to encourage someone to do something by offering incentives such as rewards, benefits or advantages; often used in economic, corporate or governmental contexts

collocation with incentivize verb [T ] C1 (UK usually incentivise) • synonyms: motivate, encourage, prompt • incentivize someone to act/participate/change • be incentivized to respond/comply/create • freq in AmE: 5/10

to encourage a person to take a specific action by offering rewards, benefits or advantages; often used in business, policy or behavioral contexts

verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: flatter, curry favor, win over, suck up • ingratiate yourself with boss/group/voters • freq in AmE: 6/10

to deliberately try to gain someone's favor or approval by flattering, pleasing, or being overly accommodating — often implies manipulation, insincerity, or self-serving motives

collocation with infuse verb [T + prep ] C1 formal • synonyms: instill, embed • infuse something into something; infuse someone/something with something • infuse energy/emotion/meaning into sth; be infused with warmth/symbolism • freq in AmE: 6/10

to introduce or instill a quality, feeling, or idea into something else, often to enrich, energize, or transform it

verb [T ] C1 • synonyms: protect, shield, cover, buffer, guard, separate • insulate something from/against something; be well/badly insulated; insulated wires/walls; insulate yourself from something • freq in AmE: 8/10

(COVER) to cover or protect something to stop heat, sound, or electricity from escaping or entering; (figurative) to protect someone or something from unpleasant influences or experiences

collocation with insulate verb [T ] C1 formal (also insulate someone/something against something) • insulate someone from harm/pressure/reality/influence; emotionally/socially/financially insulated; attempt/seek to insulate • freq in AmE: 5/10

to protect someone from unpleasant experiences, influences, or pressures — often by creating distance, barriers, or buffers

verb [T ] C2 formal -rr- • synonyms: suffer, attract, bring upon oneself • incur costs/losses/expenses/debt/penalties; incur someone's wrath/anger/displeasure; incur consequences of your choices • freq in AmE: 6/10

to become subject to something unwelcome or unpleasant as a result of one’s actions — especially costs, penalties, or consequences

collocation with incur verb [T ] C2 formal -rr- • synonyms: suffer, sustain, experience • incur heavy/significant losses; incur losses due to X; investors/businesses incur losses • freq in AmE: 7/10

to suffer financial losses as a result of business operations, decisions, or external circumstances