C1 English Adjectives: State, Society & Academia
This part of our C1 adjective list delves into more formal and technical descriptors essential for high-level discourse. The vocabulary covers adjectives for defining Condition & State, using words like intact and vulnerable. It also provides a robust selection of terms related to Government, Law & Society, such as fiscal and judicial, alongside key vocabulary for Academic, Scientific & Technical contexts, including empirical and cognitive.
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Condition & State
| Word | Example Sentence | IPA (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| accessible | The building is fully accessible to wheelchair users. | /əkˈsesəbl/ |
| adverse | The drug may have adverse effects.
Word Partners: adverse effect, adverse reaction
|
/ˈædvɜːs/ |
| anonymous | The donation was made by an anonymous donor.
Word Partners: an anonymous donor, remain anonymous
|
/əˈnɒnɪməs/ |
| bare | She decorated the bare walls with posters. | /beə(r)/ |
| chronic | She suffers from chronic pain.
Word Partners: chronic pain, chronic illness
|
/ˈkrɒnɪk/ |
| countless | There are countless examples of this phenomenon. | /ˈkaʊntləs/ |
| disastrous | The policy had disastrous consequences.
Word Partners: disastrous consequences, disastrous effect
|
/dɪˈzɑːstrəs/ |
| dual | The device has a dual purpose.
Word Partners: dual role, dual purpose
|
/ˈdjuːəl/ |
| elaborate | They created an elaborate plan. | /ɪˈlæbərət/ |
| endless | The internet offers endless possibilities for learning.
Word Partners: endless possibilities
|
/ˈendləs/ |
| eternal | I'm tired of his eternal complaints about the weather. | /ɪˈtɜːnl/ |
| exclusive | The channel has secured exclusive rights to broadcast the games.
Word Partners: exclusive rights, exclusive interview
|
/ɪkˈskluːsɪv/ |
| fatal | He made a fatal error. | /ˈfeɪtl/ |
| flawed | The plan is fundamentally flawed.
Word Partners: fundamentally/seriously flawed
|
/flɔːd/ |
| forthcoming | Details will be announced in the forthcoming meeting. | /ˌfɔːθˈkʌmɪŋ/ |
| functional | The design is simple but functional. | /ˈfʌŋkʃənl/ |
| generic | The shop sells generic brands at lower prices.
Word Partners: generic brand
|
/dʒəˈnerɪk/ |
| handy | A smartphone really comes in handy when you're travelling.
Word Partners: come in handy
|
/ˈhændi/ |
| intact | The building remained largely intact after the earthquake.
Word Partners: remain intact
|
/ɪnˈtækt/ |
| integral | Music is an integral part of the ceremony.
Word Partners: integral part
|
/ˈɪntɪɡrəl/ |
| interactive | The museum has many interactive exhibits. | /ˌɪntərˈæktɪv/ |
| invisible | The damage is almost invisible to the naked eye. | /ɪnˈvɪzəbl/ |
| ironic | It's ironic that he lost his job teaching time management. | /aɪˈrɒnɪk/ |
| latter | Of the two options, I prefer the latter. | /ˈlætə(r)/ |
| lesser | He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge.
Word Partners: lesser extent, lesser of two evils, a lesser charge
|
/ˈlesə(r)/ |
| lethal | The spy carried a lethal weapon.
Word Partners: lethal dose, lethal weapon
|
/ˈliːθl/ |
| lifelong | They remained lifelong friends.
Word Partners: lifelong friend, lifelong commitment
|
/ˈlaɪflɒŋ/ |
| long-standing | They have a long-standing agreement.
Word Partners: long-standing relationship, long-standing tradition, long-standing agreement
|
/lɒŋ ˈstændɪŋ/ |
| long-time | He is a long-time supporter of the club.
Word Partners: long-time friend, long-time supporter
|
/lɒŋ taɪm/ |
| mature | She showed a very mature attitude to the problem. | /məˈtʃʊə(r)/ |
| mere | It was a mere coincidence that we met.
Word Partners: mere coincidence, a mere [noun]
|
/mɪə(r)/ |
| minute | The instructions were written in minute detail. | /maɪˈnjuːt/ |
| mutual | Their relationship is built on mutual respect.
Word Partners: mutual respect, mutual agreement, mutual benefit
|
/ˈmjuːtʃuəl/ |
| neighbouring | We have good relations with neighbouring countries. | /ˈneɪbərɪŋ/ |
| occasional | I enjoy the occasional glass of wine. | /əˈkeɪʒənl/ |
| operational | The new system is now fully operational.
Word Partners: fully operational
|
/ˌɒpəˈreɪʃənl/ |
| overwhelming | The team won by an overwhelming majority. | /ˌəʊvəˈwelmɪŋ/ |
| residential | This is a quiet residential area. | /ˌrezɪˈdenʃl/ |
| respective | The students returned to their respective classrooms. | /rɪˈspektɪv/ |
| robust | The company is in robust health.
Word Partners: robust debate, robust health
|
/rəʊˈbʌst/ |
| sacred | The temple is a sacred site.
Word Partners: sacred site, sacred duty
|
/ˈseɪkrɪd/ |
| serial | He was convicted as a serial offender.
Word Partners: serial killer, serial offender
|
/ˈsɪəriəl/ |
| sheer | It was sheer luck that we arrived on time.
Word Partners: sheer luck, sheer determination
|
/ʃɪə(r)/ |
| situated | The hotel is situated near the beach. | /ˈsɪtʃueɪtɪd/ |
| sole | She was the sole survivor of the crash.
Word Partners: sole purpose, sole responsibility, sole survivor
|
/səʊl/ |
| stark | There is a stark contrast between the two areas. | /stɑːk/ |
| subsequent | Subsequent investigations revealed further irregularities. | /ˈsʌbsɪkwənt/ |
| suburban | They live in a quiet suburban area. | /səˈbɜːbən/ |
| tender | Cook the meat until it is tender. | /ˈtendə(r)/ |
| upcoming | She's preparing for her upcoming exams. | /ˌʌpˈkʌmɪŋ/ |
| varied | She has had a long and varied career. | /ˈveərid/ |
Government, Law & Society
| Word | Example Sentence | IPA (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| administrative | There were some administrative errors in the system. | /ədˈmɪnɪstrətɪv/ |
| civic | It is our civic duty to vote.
Word Partners: civic duty, civic centre
|
/ˈsɪvɪk/ |
| colonial | The country was under colonial rule for centuries.
Word Partners: colonial rule, colonial power
|
/kəˈləʊniəl/ |
| congressional | The congressional committee will investigate the matter.
Word Partners: congressional committee, congressional hearing
|
/kənˈɡreʃənl/ |
| constitutional | The law was challenged on constitutional grounds.
Word Partners: constitutional rights, constitutional crisis, constitutional grounds
|
/ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃənl/ |
| diplomatic | The dispute was resolved through diplomatic channels.
Word Partners: diplomatic relations, diplomatic channels
|
/ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk/ |
| electoral | They are calling for electoral reform.
Word Partners: electoral system, electoral reform
|
/ɪˈlektərəl/ |
| high-profile | It was a high-profile case that attracted media attention.
Word Partners: high-profile case
|
/haɪ ˈprəʊfaɪl/ |
| humanitarian | The UN launched a humanitarian mission to the region.
Word Partners: humanitarian crisis, humanitarian aid, humanitarian mission
|
/hjuːˌmænɪˈteəriən/ |
| ideological | There are deep ideological differences between the parties.
Word Partners: ideological differences, ideological divide
|
/ˌaɪdiəˈlɒdʒɪkl/ |
| indigenous | The indigenous people have lived here for centuries.
Word Partners: indigenous population, indigenous people
|
/ɪnˈdɪdʒənəs/ |
| institutional | We need to tackle institutional racism.
Word Partners: institutional racism, institutional reform
|
/ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənl/ |
| judicial | The case is now part of the judicial process.
Word Partners: judicial system, judicial review, judicial process
|
/dʒuːˈdɪʃl/ |
| legislative | The legislative body passed the new law.
Word Partners: legislative body, legislative power
|
/ˈledʒɪslətɪv/ |
| mandatory | A valid passport is a mandatory requirement for international travel.
Word Partners: mandatory requirement
|
/ˈmændətəri/ |
| municipal | The municipal council approved the development.
Word Partners: municipal council, municipal government
|
/mjuːˈnɪsɪpl/ |
| naval | He served in the naval forces for ten years.
Word Partners: naval forces, naval base
|
/ˈneɪvl/ |
| non-profit | She works for a non-profit organisation.
Word Partners: non-profit organisation
|
/nɒn ˈprɒfɪt/ |
| post-war | The country experienced rapid growth in the post-war period.
Word Partners: post-war era, post-war period
|
/pəʊst wɔː(r)/ |
| provincial | The provincial government announced new funding.
Word Partners: provincial government
|
/prəˈvɪnʃl/ |
| secular | France is a secular state.
Word Partners: secular state, secular society
|
/ˈsekjələ(r)/ |
| supreme | The supreme court will hear the case next month.
Word Partners: supreme court, supreme confidence
|
/suːˈpriːm/ |
| tribal | There are still strong tribal loyalties in the region.
Word Partners: tribal conflict, tribal leader, tribal loyalties
|
/ˈtraɪbl/ |
| unconstitutional | The court ruled that the law was unconstitutional. | /ˌʌnˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃənl/ |
| vocal | She is a vocal critic of the new policy.
Word Partners: vocal critic
|
/ˈvəʊkl/ |
Academic, Scientific & Technical
| Word | Example Sentence | IPA (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| aesthetic | The building has great aesthetic appeal.
Word Partners: aesthetic appeal, aesthetic value
|
/iːsˈθetɪk/ |
| agricultural | The region depends on agricultural production.
Word Partners: agricultural land, agricultural production
|
/ˌæɡrɪˈkʌltʃərəl/ |
| architectural | We studied the city's unique architectural style. | /ˌɑːkɪˈtektʃərəl/ |
| clinical | The drug has undergone clinical trials.
Word Partners: clinical trial, clinical practice
|
/ˈklɪnɪkl/ |
| cognitive | The disease affects cognitive function.
Word Partners: cognitive development, cognitive function
|
/ˈkɒɡnətɪv/ |
| ecological | The oil spill caused ecological damage. | /ˌiːkəˈlɒdʒɪkl/ |
| empirical | The theory is supported by empirical evidence.
Word Partners: empirical evidence, empirical research
|
/ɪmˈpɪrɪkl/ |
| evolutionary | Darwin's evolutionary theory changed our understanding of life.
Word Partners: evolutionary theory, evolutionary process
|
/ˌiːvəˈluːʃənri/ |
| experimental | The treatment is still at the experimental stage.
Word Partners: experimental stage, experimental research
|
/ɪkˌsperɪˈmentl/ |
| fiscal | The government announced new fiscal measures.
Word Partners: fiscal policy, fiscal year, fiscal measures
|
/ˈfɪskl/ |
| linear | There is no simple linear relationship between diet and health.
Word Partners: linear relationship
|
/ˈlɪniə(r)/ |
| magnetic | The magnetic field affects the compass.
Word Partners: magnetic field
|
/mæɡˈnetɪk/ |
| mathematical | She has exceptional mathematical ability. | /ˌmæθəˈmætɪkl/ |
| medieval | The castle dates back to medieval times.
Word Partners: medieval period, medieval history, medieval times
|
/ˌmediˈiːvl/ |
| oral | Students must pass an oral examination.
Word Partners: oral exam, oral examination, oral tradition
|
/ˈɔːrəl/ |
| organisational | Good organisational skills are essential for this job. | /ˌɔːɡənaɪˈzeɪʃənl/ |
| philosophical | The book raises important philosophical questions. | /ˌfɪləˈsɒfɪkl/ |
| psychiatric | He was admitted for psychiatric treatment.
Word Partners: psychiatric treatment, psychiatric hospital
|
/ˌsaɪkiˈætrɪk/ |
| specialised | The job requires specialised knowledge. | /ˈspeʃəlaɪzd/ |
| statistical | The report contains statistical analysis of the data.
Word Partners: statistical analysis, statistical data
|
/stəˈtɪstɪkl/ |
| strategic | The port is of great strategic importance.
Word Partners: strategic importance, strategic plan
|
/strəˈtiːdʒɪk/ |
| structural | The building has structural problems.
Word Partners: structural damage, structural change, structural problems
|
/ˈstrʌktʃərəl/ |
| surgical | The patient required a minor surgical procedure.
Word Partners: surgical procedure, surgical operation
|
/ˈsɜːdʒɪkl/ |
| systematic | We need a more systematic approach to the problem. | /ˌsɪstəˈmætɪk/ |
| tactical | The general made several tactical errors. | /ˈtæktɪkl/ |
| theatrical | The politician was known for his dramatic theatrical performances in parliament. | /θiˈætrɪkl/ |
| theoretical | Her argument was based on a solid theoretical framework. | /ˌθɪəˈretɪkl/ |
