C2 English Nouns: Conflict, Governance & Law
Understanding and discussing the structures of power, justice, and societal struggle requires a specialised and formal vocabulary. This section of our C2 nouns list is dedicated to the terminology used in political science, history, and legal studies, providing the words necessary for high-level, critical analysis of societal systems.
Here you will find a detailed lexicon for Conflict, Violence & Warfare, including specific terms like insurgency, reprisal, and onslaught. It also contains a comprehensive list of nouns for Governance, Law & Authority, with essential vocabulary such as jurisprudence, edict, and impunity.
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- People, Roles & Occupations
- Personal Qualities & Character Traits
- Emotions & Mental States
- Conflict, Violence & Warfare
- Governance, Law & Authority
- Crime, Wrongdoing & Punishment
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- Knowledge, Learning & Wisdom
- Communication & Expression
- Religion, Spirituality & Belief
- Abstract Concepts & Phenomena
- Philosophy, Thought & Principles
- Natural World & Scientific Processes
- Time, Change & Stages
- Physical Structures, Places & Objects
- Groups & Social Organisation
- Events, Situations & Circumstances
- Hostility, Discord & Opposition
- Chaos, Turmoil & Disruption
- Calm, Rest & Stability
- Hardship, Adversity & Suffering
- Abundance, Scarcity & Resources
- Reputation, Status & Standing
- Tendency, Inclination & Preference
- Compliance, Procedure & Standards
- Ideologies & Movements
- Appearance, Surface & Perception
- Scale, Degree & Extent
Conflict, Violence & Warfare
| Word | Example Sentence | IPA (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| altercation | He was involved in a heated altercation with a neighbour. | /ˌɔːltəˈkeɪʃn/ |
| annihilation | The war threatened the total annihilation of the civilian population. | /əˌnaɪəˈleɪʃn/ |
| armistice | The two sides finally agreed to sign an armistice after years of fighting.
Word Partners: sign an armistice
|
/ˈɑːmɪstɪs/ |
| attrition | The army was weakened by a war of attrition.
Word Partners: war of attrition
|
/əˈtrɪʃn/ |
| backlash | The decision provoked a fierce public backlash. | /ˈbæklæʃ/ |
| barrage | He faced a barrage of questions from the waiting reporters.
Word Partners: a barrage of questions/criticism
|
/ˈbærɑːʒ/ |
| brinkmanship | The negotiations descended into a dangerous game of political brinkmanship.
Word Partners: political brinkmanship
|
/ˈbrɪŋkmənʃɪp/ |
| conflagration | What started as a minor dispute erupted into a full-scale conflagration. | /ˌkɒnfləˈɡreɪʃn/ |
| conquest | The Norman conquest of 1066 changed England forever.
Word Partners: Norman conquest, military conquest
|
/ˈkɒŋkwest/ |
| feud | The two families had been engaged in a bitter feud for generations. | /fjuːd/ |
| fodder | His controversial comments provided plenty of cannon fodder for the opposition press.
Word Partners: cannon fodder
|
/ˈfɒdə(r)/ |
| fray | The police were called in to break up the fray. | /freɪ/ |
| furor | The decision to close the local library caused a public furor. | /ˈfjʊərɔː(r)/ |
| gauntlet | The new policy has forced the company to run the gauntlet of public opinion.
Word Partners: run the gauntlet, throw down the gauntlet
|
/ˈɡɔːntlət/ |
| havoc | The storm wreaked havoc across the region. | /ˈhævək/ |
| holocaust | The painting depicts the horrors of a nuclear holocaust. | /ˈhɒləkɔːst/ |
| incursion | The army responded to a brief military incursion across the border.
Word Partners: military incursion
|
/ɪnˈkɜːʃn/ |
| insurgency | The military struggled to contain the growing insurgency in the northern provinces. | /ɪnˈsɜːdʒənsi/ |
| insurrection | The government moved quickly to crush the armed insurrection. | /ˌɪnsəˈrekʃn/ |
| intimidation | The witness was threatened with violence and intimidation. | /ɪnˌtɪmɪˈdeɪʃn/ |
| joust | The knights prepared for the medieval joust. | /dʒaʊst/ |
| juggernaut | The company has become a corporate juggernaut, crushing all competition. | /ˈdʒʌɡənɔːt/ |
| mayhem | The unexpected announcement caused mayhem in the financial markets. | /ˈmeɪhem/ |
| melee | A general melee broke out after the referee's controversial decision. | /ˈmeleɪ/ |
| munition | The factory was secretly producing live munitions for the army.
Word Partners: live munitions
|
/mjuˈnɪʃn/ |
| onslaught | The town could not withstand the enemy onslaught.
Word Partners: enemy onslaught
|
/ˈɒnslɔːt/ |
| ordeal | The hostages described their ordeal at the hands of their captors. | /ɔːˈdiːl/ |
| quarantine | The ship was placed in quarantine after an outbreak of disease. | /ˈkwɒrəntiːn/ |
| ramification | The decision will have serious ramifications for the economy. | /ˌræmɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ |
| ravage | The country is still recovering from the ravages of war. | /ˈrævɪdʒ/ |
| reconnaissance | The spy plane was sent on a reconnaissance mission over enemy territory.
Word Partners: reconnaissance mission
|
/rɪˈkɒnɪsns/ |
| reprisal | The bombing was an act of reprisal for the earlier attack. | /rɪˈpraɪzl/ |
| retribution | He swore that he would seek retribution for his brother's murder. | /ˌretrɪˈbjuːʃn/ |
| rout | The election was a complete rout for the opposition party. | /raʊt/ |
| sabotage | The bombing was an act of industrial sabotage. | /ˈsæbətɑːʒ/ |
| scourge | Malaria remains a scourge in many parts of the world. | /skɜːdʒ/ |
| siege | The city was under siege for nine months.
Word Partners: under siege
|
/siːdʒ/ |
| skirmish | A brief border skirmish erupted between the two armies.
Word Partners: border skirmish
|
/ˈskɜːmɪʃ/ |
| stampede | The sudden noise caused a stampede among the cattle. | /stæmˈpiːd/ |
| standoff | After a week, the political standoff showed no signs of ending.
Word Partners: political standoff
|
/ˈstændɒf/ |
| stratagem | The general devised a cunning stratagem to outflank the enemy. | /ˈstrætədʒəm/ |
| strife | The country was torn apart by ethnic and religious strife. | /straɪf/ |
| subversion | He was arrested and charged with political subversion. | /səbˈvɜːʃn/ |
| upheaval | The revolution caused great social and political upheaval. | /ʌpˈhiːvl/ |
| uprising | The government brutally crushed the armed uprising.
Word Partners: armed uprising
|
/ˈʌpraɪzɪŋ/ |
| usurpation | The king's brother was executed for his attempted usurpation of the throne. | /ˌjuːzɜːˈpeɪʃn/ |
| vendetta | He carried on a personal vendetta against his former business partner. | /venˈdetə/ |
| vengeance | He swore to seek vengeance for his family's murder. | /ˈvendʒəns/ |
| volley | The soldiers fired a volley of shots at the target.
Word Partners: a volley of shots/abuse
|
/ˈvɒli/ |
| weaponry | The nation was accused of developing nuclear weaponry. | /ˈwepənri/ |
| wreckage | Divers explored the wreckage of the sunken ship. | /ˈrekɪdʒ/ |
Governance, Law & Authority
| Word | Example Sentence | IPA (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| accreditation | The university received full accreditation for its engineering courses.
Word Partners: full accreditation
|
/əˌkredɪˈteɪʃn/ |
| aegis | The project was conducted under the aegis of the United Nations.
Word Partners: under the aegis of
|
/ˈiːdʒɪs/ |
| affidavit | She swore an affidavit stating that the documents were genuine.
Word Partners: swear/sign an affidavit
|
/ˌæfəˈdeɪvɪt/ |
| anarchy | The country descended into anarchy after the collapse of the government. | /ˈænəki/ |
| ascendancy | The party enjoyed a period of political ascendancy in the 1980s. | /əˈsendənsi/ |
| autocracy | The country slowly transitioned from an autocracy to a democracy. | /ɔːˈtɒkrəsi/ |
| bequest | She left a generous bequest to the local hospital in her will. | /bɪˈkwest/ |
| chattel | The law no longer regarded women as the mere chattel of their husbands. | /ˈtʃætl/ |
| decree | The king issued a royal decree abolishing the old law. | /dɪˈkriː/ |
| dispensation | They were granted special dispensation to finish the project late.
Word Partners: special dispensation
|
/ˌdɪspenˈseɪʃn/ |
| dissolution | The prime minister announced the dissolution of parliament. | /ˌdɪsəˈluːʃn/ |
| dominion | The king's dominion extended across the entire continent. | /dɪˈmɪniən/ |
| edict | The emperor issued an edict banning the practice. | /ˈiːdɪkt/ |
| embargo | The government decided to impose a trade embargo on the country.
Word Partners: trade embargo, impose/lift an embargo
|
/ɪmˈbɑːɡəʊ/ |
| entrenchment | The political entrenchment of the ruling party made reform almost impossible.
Word Partners: political entrenchment
|
/ɪnˈtrentʃmənt/ |
| exchequer | The Chancellor of the Exchequer will present the budget tomorrow. | /ɪksˈtʃekə(r)/ |
| filibuster | The opposition party threatened to stage a filibuster to block the bill. | /ˈfɪlɪbʌstə(r)/ |
| garrison | A small garrison of troops was stationed at the remote outpost. | /ˈɡærɪsn/ |
| hegemony | The country sought to establish regional hegemony. | /hɪˈɡeməni/ |
| impeachment | The president faced the threat of impeachment proceedings.
Word Partners: impeachment proceedings
|
/ɪmˈpiːtʃmənt/ |
| imperialism | The country's long and complex history was shaped by imperialism. | /ɪmˈpɪəriəlɪzəm/ |
| incumbency | Her long incumbency gave her a significant advantage in the election. | /ɪnˈkʌmbənsi/ |
| inducement | The company offered a generous financial inducement to encourage early retirement. | /ɪnˈdjuːsmənt/ |
| injunction | The court issued an injunction to prevent the publication of the article.
Word Partners: issue/grant an injunction
|
/ɪnˈdʒʌŋkʃn/ |
| inquisition | He faced a relentless inquisition from the board about his financial decisions. | /ˌɪŋkwɪˈzɪʃn/ |
| jurisprudence | He was a leading scholar of Roman jurisprudence. | /ˌdʒʊərɪsˈpruːdns/ |
| liquidation | The company was forced to go into liquidation.
Word Partners: go into liquidation
|
/ˌlɪkwɪˈdeɪʃn/ |
| loophole | The accountants found a legal loophole that allowed the company to avoid paying tax. | /ˈluːphəʊl/ |
| oligarchy | The country was ruled by a corrupt oligarchy of wealthy businessmen. | /ˈɒlɪɡɑːki/ |
| ordinance | A new city ordinance regarding noise levels was passed by the council. | /ˈɔːdɪnəns/ |
| plebiscite | The government held a plebiscite on the issue of constitutional reform. | /ˈplebɪsɪt/ |
| postmortem | The postmortem examination revealed the cause of death. | /pəʊstˈmɔːtəm/ |
| prerogative | It is the manager's prerogative to make the final decision. | /prɪˈrɒɡətɪv/ |
| proclamation | The king issued a royal proclamation announcing the new holiday. | /ˌprɒkləˈmeɪʃn/ |
| procurement | The procurement of essential medical supplies was difficult during the crisis. | /prəˈkjʊəmənt/ |
| proxy | Since she could not attend the meeting, she voted by proxy.
Word Partners: by proxy
|
/ˈprɒksi/ |
| quorum | The meeting had to be postponed because they failed to reach a quorum.
Word Partners: reach a quorum
|
/ˈkwɔːrəm/ |
| ratification | The treaty is still awaiting ratification by several member states. | /ˌrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ |
| recourse | The only recourse left was to take the matter to court. | /rɪˈkɔːs/ |
| regent | The prince served as regent until the young king came of age. | /ˈriːdʒənt/ |
| registrar | They went to the registrar's office to give notice of their marriage. | /ˌredʒɪˈstrɑː(r)/ |
| reimbursement | Please keep all your receipts to claim reimbursement for your expenses. | /ˌriːɪmˈbɜːsmənt/ |
| remuneration | The job offers a generous remuneration package, including a company car.
Word Partners: remuneration package
|
/rɪˌmjuːnəˈreɪʃn/ |
| reparation | The government agreed to pay reparations to the victims of the conflict.
Word Partners: pay reparations
|
/ˌrepəˈreɪʃn/ |
| repatriation | The museum is facing calls for the repatriation of stolen artefacts. | /riˌpætriˈeɪʃn/ |
| requisition | The army issued a requisition for all available vehicles in the area. | /ˌrekwɪˈzɪʃn/ |
| restitution | The court ordered the company to pay full restitution to the victims. | /ˌrestɪˈtjuːʃn/ |
| revocation | The revocation of his pilot's licence was immediate. | /ˌrevəˈkeɪʃn/ |
| secession | The province threatened secession from the federation. | /sɪˈseʃn/ |
| secretariat | The report was submitted to the UN Secretariat. | /ˌsekrəˈteəriət/ |
| segregation | The policy of racial segregation was finally abolished. | /ˌseɡrɪˈɡeɪʃn/ |
| seizure | The government ordered the seizure of all enemy assets.
Word Partners: seizure of assets
|
/ˈsiːʒə(r)/ |
| sequestration | The jury was held in sequestration for the duration of the high-profile trial. | /ˌsiːkwəˈstreɪʃn/ |
| severance | Upon being made redundant, he received a generous severance payment.
Word Partners: severance pay/package/payment
|
/ˈsevərəns/ |
| sinecure | The advisory role was little more than a well-paid sinecure. | /ˈsaɪnɪkjʊə(r)/ |
| statute | The practice is prohibited by a federal statute. | /ˈstætʃuːt/ |
| subpoena | The court issued a subpoena for him to testify.
Word Partners: issue a subpoena
|
/səˈpiːnə/ |
| suffrage | The movement campaigned for universal suffrage. | /ˈsʌfrɪdʒ/ |
| summons | He received a court summons for dangerous driving.
Word Partners: court summons
|
/ˈsʌmənz/ |
| supremacy | The country sought to establish military supremacy in the region. | /suˈpreməsi/ |
| tariff | The government decided to impose a tariff on imported steel.
Word Partners: impose a tariff on
|
/ˈtærɪf/ |
| tribunal | The case was brought before an international tribunal. | /traɪˈbjuːnl/ |
| tribune | He was seen as a tribune of the people, fighting for the rights of the common man. | /ˈtrɪbjuːn/ |
| trusteeship | The failed company was put under government trusteeship. | /trʌˈstiːʃɪp/ |
| tyranny | The people rose up against the tyranny of the oppressive regime. | /ˈtɪrəni/ |
| ultimatum | He issued an ultimatum: either agree to his terms or face the consequences. | /ˌʌltɪˈmeɪtəm/ |
| valuation | They hired an expert to provide an independent valuation of the property. | /ˌvæljuˈeɪʃn/ |
| verification | The claims in the report require independent verification. | /ˌverɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ |
| veto | The president is expected to use his veto to block the legislation.
Word Partners: use/exercise a veto
|
/ˈviːtəʊ/ |
| waiver | She signed a waiver releasing the company from liability. | /ˈweɪvə(r)/ |
| warranty | The washing machine came with a five-year warranty. | /ˈwɒrənti/ |
