by Olly Richards“Without grammar, very little can be conveyed but without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed”.
Have you ever heard of this?
It was said in 1972 by a famous British linguist named David Wilkins. And it basically means that we need both grammar and vocabulary to communicate.
But words carry more meaning than grammar. So having a wide vocabulary is really what will allow you to express yourself more effectively.
You may already know that some words are simple (e.g. animals, sad, food) while others are more advanced (fauna, heartbroken, sustenance).
In the next 5 minutes, you’ll not only find out why it’s important to learn more sophisticated words, but you’ll also discover 60 advanced English vocabulary words with examples.
Let’s begin.
Why Is It Helpful To Learn Advanced English Vocabulary?
Imagine you received some great news and you tell one of your friends about it. You might say, “I was so happy to hear the news!”
Your friend would have no problems understanding what you mean.
But if you’d like to express the idea of “great happiness” with more impact, you could say, “I was elated to hear the news!”
The adjective “elated” can communicate the idea of being very happy more colourfully so you can get your message across with more impact.
This is just one of the reasons why knowing advanced words can be helpful.
Here are a few more:
- If you’re able to use advanced English vocabulary, you can get a boost in confidence and self-esteem because you feel more capable of expressing complex thoughts and ideas.
- You can better understand tricky texts and ideas, so you can dive into a wider range of material (magazines, movies, books, etc.)
- You can write with more detail and depth.
Last but not least, if you’re planning to take an English exam such as TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency, you might get a higher score if you’re able to use advanced vocabulary well.
So let’s have a look at 60 advanced English vocabulary words that can help you become a more impactful communicator.
Advanced English Vocabulary Words To Do With Communication
1. To Snap
Definition: to suddenly become unable to control a strong feeling, especially anger
- When she asked me to cancel my trip, I just snapped (= got angry).
2. To Articulate
Definition: to express thoughts, feelings, or ideas clearly and effectively
- She cannot articulate her feelings very well.
3. To Summarise
Definition: to express the most important facts or ideas about something or someone in a short and clear form
- I'll just summarise the main points of the argument in a few words.
4. To Exclaim
Definition: to say something suddenly and loudly, especially because of strong emotion or pain
- “It is not fair!”, he exclaimed angrily.
5. To Instruct
Definition: to order or tell someone to do something, especially in a formal way
- He instructed me to leave the meeting.
6. Jargon
Definition: words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group of people, and are difficult for others to understand
- He always speaks in legal jargon.
7. To Plead
Definition: to ask for something in a strong and emotional way
- He was on his knees, pleading for forgiveness.
8. To Condemn
Definition: to say very strongly that you think something is bad, usually for moral reasons
- She publicly condemned the deal.
9. An Inquiry
Definition: an official process to discover the facts about something bad that has happened
- The police are conducting a murder inquiry.
Advanced English Vocabulary Words To Do With Relationships
10. A Broken Home
Definition: a family in which the parents do not now live together
- After years of living in a broken home filled with conflict and emotional turmoil, she finally decided to leave and start a new life.
11. To Click
Definition: to like and understand someone, especially the first time you meet
- I didn't really click with my new boss.
12. Rocky
Definition: difficult and not certain to continue or to be successful
- Their marriage was starting to get a bit rocky.
13. To Part
Definition: If two people part, or if one person parts from another, they leave each other.
- He has recently parted from his wife.
14. To Cut Ties With Someone
Definition: to abruptly and permanently end a relationship with someone
- He has cut ties with most of his friends.
15. A Spouse
Definition: A formal way to refer to a husband or wife
- A widow is a woman whose spouse has died.
16. To Bond
Definition: to develop a strong relationship with someone
- They failed to bond with their neighbours.
17. Sibling
Definition: a brother or sister
- I have three siblings: one brother and two sisters.
18. Unmarried
Definition: not married
- My daughter remained unmarried.
19. To Be On Good/Bad Terms With Someone
Definition: to have a good/bad relationship with someone
- They’re not on good terms with their family members.
20. Hospitality
Definition: when people are friendly and welcoming to guests and visitors
- The local people showed great hospitality.
Advanced English Vocabulary For Homes And Buildings
21. Infrastructure
Definition: the basic systems and services, such as transport and power supplies, that a country or organisation uses in order to work effectively
- The war has badly damaged the country's infrastructure.
22. A Mansion
Definition: a very large expensive house
- The street is lined with enormous mansions where the rich and famous live.
23. A Semi-Detached House
Definition: A house that has one wall that is joined to another house.
- We live in a semi-detached house.
24. Warehouse
Definition: a large building for storing goods that are going to be sold
- We have several thousand of the books in our warehouse.
25. A Staircase
Definition: a set of stairs and the structure around them
- I have a spiral staircase in my house.
26. A Landmark
Definition: a building that you can easily recognise, especially one that helps you to know where you are
- The Colosseum is a historic landmark.
27. A Complex
Definition: a group of buildings or rooms that are used for a particular purpose
- A complex of buildings collapsed during the earthquake.
28. A Loft
Definition: the space under the roof of a house or other building
- Our loft is full of stuff.
29. Reconstruction
Definition: when you build something again after it has been damaged or destroyed
- The classrooms are in need of immediate reconstruction.
30. Premises
Definition: the land and buildings owned by someone, especially by a company or organisation
- The company is moving to new premises.
Advanced English Vocabulary For Personality
31. Eccentric
Definition: behaving in a strange and unusual way
- He's an eccentric professor.
32. Resourceful
Definition: Good at finding ways to solve problems
- When we didn't have much money, we had to be more resourceful.
33. Anti-Social
Definition: An anti-social person does not like being with other people
- I hope they won't think I'm anti-social if I don't go to the party.
34. Cynical
Definition: believing that people are only interested in themselves and are not sincere
- Many people have become cynical about politicians.
35. Trustworthy
Definition: Someone who is trustworthy can be trusted
- He assured me she was completely trustworthy.
36. Elated
Definition: extremely happy and excited
- We were elated at the news.
37. Versatile
Definition: having many different skills
- She's a versatile player.
38. To Irritate
Definition: to annoy someone
- His comments really irritated me.
39. Ruthless
Definition: not caring if you hurt or upset other people when you try to get what you want
- Hitler was a ruthless dictator.
40. Chatty
Definition: liking to talk
- I have very chatty friends.
Advanced English Vocabulary For Describing Things
41. Shabby
Definition: looking untidy and in bad condition
- They lived in a shabby apartment.
42. Luxurious
Definition: very comfortable and expensive
- They stayed in a luxurious hotel.
43. Defective
Definition: not in good condition or not working correctly
- If the goods are defective you should get a full refund.
44. Monotonous
Definition: If something is monotonous, it is boring because it stays the same.
- He has a monotonous voice.
45. Bland
Definition: If food is bland, it does not have much taste.
- The meal was a bit bland.
46. Noticeable
Definition: Easy to see or be aware of
- There was a noticeable difference in his behaviour after the injury.
47. Staggering
Definition: Very shocking and surprising.
- He earns a staggering amount of money.
48. Fragrant
Definition: With a pleasant smell
- A garden full of wonderfully fragrant flowers.
49. Scarce
Definition: rare or not available in large amounts
- Food was becoming scarce.
50. Sensational
Definition: Very exciting or extremely good.
- The movie was sensational.
Advanced English Vocabulary To Do With Actions
51. To Stamp
Definition: to put your foot down on the ground hard and quickly, often to show anger
- “No!” she shouted, stamping her foot.
52. To Sprinkle
Definition: to gently drop small pieces of something over a surface
- Sprinkle the cake with sugar before serving.
53. A Hunt
Definition: a search for something or someone
- After a long hunt we finally found a house we liked.
54. To Giggle
Definition: to laugh in a nervous or silly way
- She started giggling and couldn't stop.
55. A Glare
Definition: A long, angry look
- She gave me an angry glare.
56. To Wreck
Definition: to destroy or badly damage something
- The explosion wrecked several cars and damaged nearby buildings.
57. To Grin
Definition: to smile a big smile
- He grinned at me from the entrance.
58. A Gaze
Definition: a long look at someone or something
- He turned his gaze on me.
59. To Grasp
Definition: to take hold of something or someone firmly
- He grasped my hand enthusiastically.
60. An Escape
Definition: when someone succeeds in getting out of a place or a dangerous or bad situation
- He made his escape on the back of a motorbike.
How To Learn Advanced English Vocabulary
So, did you learn any new advanced English vocabulary words from this list?
While studying a list like this might be a great way to start learning advanced English vocabulary, if you really want to expand your vocab you need to learn words in context.
To do that, you can apply the rules of the StoryLearning method and read books in English. This will help you expose yourself to a great number of advanced English words, as well as phrasal verbs in English, English idioms and common English phrases.
Not only that, when reading short stories in English, you’ll see the same words again and again, which will help you memorise and remember them.
And, of course, you’ll have much more fun than studying a list because you’re reading an enjoyable story!
