Vocabulary Study Guide
English Learning Magazine • CEFR B1 Level
complaint
Definition:
A statement that something is wrong, unpleasant, or unsatisfactory.
Example:
She filed a
complaint
about the noisy neighbors.
commercialized
Definition:
Changed so that making money becomes more important than original purpose or enjoyment.
Example:
Many people think holidays have become too
commercialized
with all the advertising.
ruined
Definition:
Completely damaged or spoiled so it can’t be enjoyed or used.
Example:
The rain
ruined
our picnic plans.
camp
Definition:
A group of people who share the same opinion or preference about something.
Example:
I’m in the “pineapple on pizza”
camp
—I think it’s delicious!
commercialization
Definition:
The process of using something mainly to make money.
Example:
The
commercialization
of music festivals has made ticket prices very high.
corruption
Definition:
Dishonest or illegal behavior, especially by people in power.
Example:
The mayor resigned after evidence of
corruption
was found.
baked into
Definition:
Already included as a normal or essential part of something.
Example:
Flexibility is
baked into
the design of this software.
manipulate
Definition:
To control or influence someone unfairly, often to get them to buy something.
Example:
Advertisers sometimes
manipulate
emotions to sell products.
vehicle
Definition:
A means of transportation; e.g., car, bus
A means or way to achieve something.
Example:
She drives an electric
vehicle
.
Social media can be a
vehicle
for change.
has roots in
Definition:
Comes from or began in a particular place, idea, or time.
Example:
This tradition
has roots in
ancient celebrations of spring.
distort
Definition:
To twist or change something so it is no longer true or clear.
Example:
The photo filter
distorted
her face so she didn’t recognize herself.
neutral
Definition:
Not helping or harming; having no strong effect.
Example:
The new law was
neutral
—it didn’t really change anything.
intention
Definition:
A plan or idea that you have in your mind to do something.
Example:
His
intention
was to surprise her with flowers.
decorated
Definition:
Made more attractive with added colors, designs, or objects.
Example:
The classroom was
decorated
with student artwork.
manipulative
Definition:
Tending to control or influence others in a clever but unfair way.
Example:
He’s very
manipulative
—he always gets his way by making others feel guilty.
perspective
Definition:
A particular way of thinking about or seeing something.
Example:
Traveling gave her a new
perspective
on life.
pursuit
Definition:
The act of trying to achieve or get something.
Example:
He’s in constant
pursuit
of the perfect cup of coffee.
extravagant
Definition:
Spending or using much more money, time, or effort than necessary.
Example:
They threw an
extravagant
party with live music and a chocolate fountain.
lavish
Definition:
Very generous or impressive, often using a lot of money or resources.
Example:
The hotel offered a
lavish
breakfast with fresh pastries and tropical fruit.
secular
Definition:
Not connected with religion; neutral on religious matters.
Example:
The school follows a
secular
curriculum, so it doesn’t teach religious beliefs.
mechanism
Definition:
A method or system used to achieve a particular result.
Example:
Voting is a
mechanism
for choosing leaders in a democracy.
commercial activity
Definition:
Actions or processes related to buying, selling, or making money.
Example:
The city center is full of shops and other
commercial activity
.
enables
Definition:
Makes it possible for someone to do something.
Example:
This app
enables
users to learn a new language at their own pace.
commerce
Definition:
The activity of buying and selling goods and services.
Example:
Online
commerce
has grown quickly in the last ten years.
entails
Definition:
Involves something as a necessary part.
Example:
Being a teacher
entails
a lot of patience and preparation.
enhance
Definition:
To improve the quality, value, or appearance of something.
Example:
Adding plants can
enhance
the look of your living room.
attract
Definition:
To cause interest, attention, or admiration.
Example:
The colorful festival
attracted
visitors from all over the country.
cycle
Definition:
A series of events that are repeated regularly.
Example:
The seasons follow a natural
cycle
: spring, summer, autumn, winter.
inevitable
Definition:
Certain to happen and impossible to avoid.
Example:
Change is
inevitable
in life—nothing stays the same forever.
crucial
Definition:
Extremely important or necessary.
Example:
Good communication is
crucial
for a strong friendship.
transaction
Definition:
An agreement or exchange, especially involving money.
Example:
The online
transaction
was completed in seconds.
tangible
Definition:
Real and able to be touched; clear and definite.
Example:
After months of work, she finally had
tangible
results to show her boss.
empowering
Definition:
Giving someone more control, confidence, or strength.
Example:
Learning to fix her own car was an
empowering
experience.
infrastructure
Definition:
Basic systems and structures needed for a society or organization to work; e.g., roads, internet, power grid
Example:
The city is investing in green
infrastructure
like bike lanes and solar panels.
aspiring
Definition:
Hoping or trying to become something in the future.
Example:
She’s an
aspiring
chef who practices new recipes every weekend.
compassion
Definition:
A strong feeling of caring about others’ suffering and wanting to help.
Example:
The nurse showed great
compassion
to her patients.
purchasing
Definition:
The act of buying something.
Example:
Online
purchasing
has become very common during holidays.
democratized
Definition:
Made available or accessible to everyone, not just a few.
Example:
The internet has
democratized
access to education.
aligned
Definition:
Arranged or positioned in a straight line, or in agreement with something.
Example:
Our goals are
aligned
—we both want the project to succeed.
practical
Definition:
Useful or suitable for real-life situations; not just theoretical.
Example:
She gave me
practical
advice about managing my time.
takeaway
Definition:
The main point or lesson learned from something.
Example:
The
takeaway
from the meeting was: communication is key.
budget
Definition:
A plan for how to spend or save money.
Example:
We made a
budget
so we wouldn’t overspend on vacation.
internal
Definition:
Coming from or existing inside someone or something.
Example:
Her
internal
motivation helped her finish the marathon.
external
Definition:
Coming from or existing outside someone or something.
Example:
The company is facing
external
pressure from new competitors.
intentions
Definition:
Plans or aims that you have in your mind.
Example:
His
intentions
were good, but he accidentally hurt her feelings.
focus
Definition:
To give all your attention to something.
Example:
It’s hard to
focus
when your phone keeps making noise.
drift
Definition:
To move slowly and without direction or purpose.
Example:
After graduation, he
drifted
from job to job for a while.
engage with
Definition:
To become involved with something actively.
Example:
The teacher tried to
engage with
students with fun group activities.
wrap-up
Definition:
The final part of something, especially a meeting or event.
Example:
Let’s do a quick
wrap-up
before we leave: what did we learn today?