IELTS vocabulary words: The ultimate list

When it comes to preparing for the IELTS, one of the most important things you need to focus on is your vocabulary. Having a wide range of words and phrases at your disposal will help you to express yourself clearly and accurately in the writing and speaking sections of the test.

In this guide, we have listed the most commonly used vocabulary words, synonyms, antonyms, and idioms to help you build a strong vocabulary.

50 commonly used vocabulary words
50 commonly used synonyms
50 commonly used antonyms
30 commonly used idioms
Tips to improve your vocabulary
Conclusion

Vocabulary is an integral part of the IELTS exam, and having a solid grasp of the English language can make all the difference in gaining a high IELTS score. Therefore, when preparing for this exam, it’s essential to focus on increasing your vocabulary knowledge to succeed.

50 commonly used vocabulary words

Knowing and understanding the commonly used vocabulary words can help you get a higher score in the listening, reading, and writing sections. To assist with your preparation, here is a list of 50 vocabulary words with meanings that are often seen in IELTS exams:

Accessible: easy to obtain or use;
Adequate: enough in quantity or quality;
Aggravate: make worse;
Appropriate: suitable or proper in the circumstances;
Assumption: something taken as true without proof;
Attribute: a quality or feature regarded as a characteristic of someone or something;
Compelling: very convincing;
Compromise: settle a dispute by mutual concession;
Constraint: limitation in freedom of action;
Decisive: settling an issue or producing a result;
Deficiency: lack of something needed or usual;
Deviate: depart from an established course or norm;
Disregard: show no concern for; ignore deliberately;
Duration: the length of time something lasts for;
Elevate: raise to a higher level or position in status, rank, etc
Eliminate: remove completely;
Enhance: make better or more attractive;
Equivalent: same in value, amount, function or meaning;
Exclusive: not including or admitting others;
Facilitate: to make easier;
Fluctuate: move or change erratically and rapidly between two extremes;
Hinder: prevent the progress of; obstruct;
Identify: recognize as being a particular person or thing;
Imminent: about to happen at any moment;
Implication: something suggested but not expressed directly;
Inhibit: restrain, limit, restrict freedom of action;
Insight: deep understanding, perception or discernment;
Integrate: combine to form a whole;
Intricate: complex and detailed in structure or arrangement;
Moderate: not excessive in degree, intensity, amount, etc
Needless: unnecessary;
Neglect: pay no attention to; ignore through carelessness;
Objective: not influenced by emotions or personal prejudices;
Paradoxical: seemingly contradictory but with an underlying truth;
Potentiality: possibility of becoming actual or realizable;
Prerequisite: something that is necessary before something else can happen or be done;
Relevant: pertinent or bearing upon the matter in hand;
Repercussion: an effect, especially a bad one, caused by a particular action or event;
Rigorous: demanding strict attention to rules and procedures;
Substantive: having substance or essential nature;
Thoroughly: completely and carefully;
Transactions: any business deals between people or organizations;
Transient: lasting for only a short time;
Valuable: of great worth because of its qualities, origin, etc
Variant: different from others of the same kind in behavior, form or degree;
Virtually: almost; in effect or affect;
Vulnerable: open to danger, attack or damage;
Warrant: provide a reason for believing something is true;
Widespread: existing in many places or among many people;
Yield: produce a result, outcome or profit

Also read: IELTS Speaking Exam Tips

50 commonly used synonyms

Learning a list of common synonyms is a great place to start whether you’re preparing for the IELTS exam or just want to improve your English vocabulary. Here are 50 commonly used synonyms in the IELTS test that can help you get an edge on the exam:

Arrive - Come
Begin - Start
Believe - Think
Claim - Assert
Demand - Require
Discuss - Talk about
Estimate - Guess
Examine - Inspect
Explain - Describe
Follow - Pursue
Guide - Lead
Ignore - Disregard
Imply - Suggest
Increase - Rise
Interest - Fascinate
Involve - Engage
Limit - Restrict
Link - Connect
Maintain - Keep
Observe - Notice
Obtain - Acquire
Oppose - Resist
Optimistic - Positive
Organize - Arrange
Participate - Join in
Perceive - Sense
Persist- Insist
Predict- Forecast
Reject - Refuse
Represent- Stand for
Reveal - Expose
Seek - Search
Select- Choose
Separate- Divide
Share - Divide
Shout - Yell
Show - Display
Suggest - Propose
Support - Back up
Supply - Provide
Survive - Endure
Take on - Undertake
Tend to - usually do
Understand - Comprehend
Unite - Join together
Urge - Encourage
Use - Utilize
Vary - Differ
Visit - Go to
Wait for - Expect

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50 commonly used antonyms

Knowing antonyms - words that are opposite in meaning - is essential for achieving a high score on the IELTS exam. To help you prepare, we have compiled a list of 50 commonly used antonyms on the IELTS exam:

Abundant - Scarce
Acceptable - Unacceptable
Accurate - Inaccurate
Advantageous - Disadvantageous
Ample - Insufficient
Apparent - Unclear
Awful - Wonderful
Bad - Good
Begin - End
Before - After
Certain - Uncertain
Cheerful - Gloomy
Clear - Confusing
Complicated - Simple
Correct - Incorrect
Deceive - Reveal
Defeat - Triumph
Destroy - Construct
Difficult - Easy
Disappear - Emerge
Disagreeable - Agreeable
Disastrous - Fortunate
Discuss- Be Silent
Doubtful- Certain
Eliminate- Introduce
Empty- Full
Exclude - Include
Fail - Succeed
False- True
Far - Near
Finish - Start
Hide - Show
Hasten - Delay
High - Low
Hinder- Assist
Impair - Enhance
Improve - Worsen
Increase - Decrease
Inferior - Superior
Innocent - Guilty
Late - Early
Little - Much
Neglect - Care
Negative - Positive
Novel - Common
Old- Young
Poor - Rich
Preceding- Following
Rough - Smooth
Unimportant - Important

30 commonly used idioms

Idioms are a great way to spice up your IELTS essay and demonstrate your mastery of the English language. Below is a list of 30 idioms commonly used in the IELTS exam:

A blessing in disguise - something that seems bad at first, but turns out to be good
Barking up the wrong tree - wasting energy looking in the wrong direction for something desired
Beat around the bush - avoid saying what you mean; not get to the point
Bite off more than one can chew - take on a task that is too difficult for one's abilities
Break the ice - start a conversation or do something to make people feel more relaxed and comfortable with each other
Cross roads - decide between two alternatives; make a choice
Cry over spilt milk - worry or complain uselessly about something that has already happened and cannot be changed
Cut corners - do things too quickly or cheaply, usually with poor results
Down to earth - practical; realistic; not idealistic or overly ambitious
Face the music - accept unpleasant consequences for one's own actions
Get cold feet - become scared of doing something; lose one's nerve at the last minute
Go off the deep end - become very angry or upset suddenly; go crazy with rage; lose control of oneself completely due to strong emotion
Hit the nail on the head - accurately describe a situation or find the correct solution to a problem
Jump the gun - do something too soon; act before it is time and not wait as planned
Keep one's chin up - remain brave and confident in spite of difficulties or disappointment
Let the cat out of the bag - reveal a secret carelessly or by mistake
Make hay while the sun shines - take advantage of opportunity; use available resources for best results while they are still available
Miss the boat - fail to take advantage of an opportunity because one was too slow or indecisive
Off the hook - no longer have to worry about facing unpleasant consequences for one's own actions
Pull strings - use influence and connections to get something done
Rain on someone's parade - spoil someone else's fun or success; criticize without good reason
Reach for the sky - strive for the highest goals; aim high in life
Ride roughshod over - treat people or rules without respect or consideration; act with total disregard for other people's feelings or opinions
See eye to eye - agree completely; have the same opinion about something as someone else does
Speak of the devil - an expression used when the person you are talking about appears unexpectedly; an exclamation of surprise at coincidental timing of events that were just being discussed
Take the bull by the horns - face a difficult or dangerous situation boldly and directly; tackle a problem head-on with courage
Throw caution to the wind - act without any regard for consequences; take risks without considering potential dangers
Turn a deaf ear - ignore what someone is saying; deliberately refuse to listen or pay attention to advice or requests
Under the weather - feeling sick or ill; not in good health; slightly unwell
Up in arms - very angry, indignant, and ready to fight against something unjust or wrong.

Also read: Best Books for IELTS Preparation in 2023

Tips to improve your vocabulary

A good understanding of a wide range of vocabulary is key to doing well on tests. Here are some tips to help you improve your vocabulary when preparing for IELTS exams:

Read A Lot: Reading regularly will expose you to new words and phrases that can help expand your vocabulary. Try reading books that are written in language that’s slightly more difficult than what you normally use so you can pick up new words and phrases.
Use Flashcards: Create flashcards with new words and phrases you learn while studying for the exam, and then test yourself frequently to help commit them to memory. Try creating digital cards as well so you can review them on the go whenever you have a few minutes of free time.
Take Notes: When reading books or other material related to the IELTS exam, take notes of any new words or phrases that stand out to you. This is another great way to track your progress and remember what words are important for the test.
Get Creative: Being creative can help you find more effective ways of learning vocabulary for the IELTS exam. Try playing word association games with yourself or create visual cues associated with individual words.
Memorize Roots and Affixes: Learning the roots and affixes of words can help you understand their meaning more easily. This will also make it easier to recognize similar words with the same root or affixes, even if they’re not exactly the same.

Conclusion

Boosting your vocabulary is essential for success on the IELTS exam. Through reading, memorization techniques, and learning about idioms and collocations, you can make sure you have an adequate understanding of the English language skills necessary to achieve a high score.