Size, amount and kind: vocabulary list

Words for how much, how common and how different: ubiquitous, negligible, disparate, superfluous. 149 words with meanings and example sentences.

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aberration noun level 2: something that departs from what is normal or expected. One cold day in July was an aberration in an otherwise hot summer.
abundant adj level 1: existing in large amounts; more than enough. Fresh water was abundant in the valley, so the village never ran short.
accurate adj level 1: correct in every detail. The map was so accurate that we found the cave without asking anyone.
anomaly noun level 2: something that does not fit the usual pattern. The one warm day in January was a weather anomaly.
arbitrary adj level 1: based on whim or chance rather than reason. The rule seemed arbitrary because nobody could explain the reasoning behind it.
arduous adj level 2: needing a lot of effort and endurance. The climb to the summit was arduous.
auspicious adj level 2: suggesting that success is likely. The sunny morning was an auspicious start to the festival.
banal adj level 2: so ordinary that it is boring. The film's banal dialogue made it forgettable.
benign adj level 2: gentle and kind, or not harmful. The doctor said the lump was benign.
circuitous adj level 2: longer than the direct way; indirect. We took a circuitous route to avoid the traffic.
coalesce verb level 2: to come together to form one whole. Small groups began to coalesce into a movement.
commensurate adj level 2: matching in size or degree. The pay should be commensurate with the experience.
compelling adj level 2: strongly holding attention or belief. The author made a compelling case for change.
comprehensive adj level 1: covering everything that matters; thorough. The guidebook gives a comprehensive overview of the region.
congenial adj level 2: pleasant because it suits one's tastes or nature. The congenial company made the evening fly by.
consistent adj level 1: always behaving or happening in the same way. Her consistent effort improved her scores month after month.
copious adj level 2: existing in large amounts. She took copious notes during the lecture.
crucial adj level 1: extremely important; decisive. Sleep is crucial for learning new skills.
cumbersome adj level 2: large and awkward to carry or use. The old computer was cumbersome and slow.
dearth noun level 2: a lack or scarcity of something. There is a dearth of affordable housing in the city.
defunct adj level 2: no longer existing or working. The defunct railway line is now a walking path.
deleterious adj level 2: causing harm or damage. Too little sleep has a deleterious effect on memory.
dilatory adj level 2: slow to act; delaying. The dilatory clerk took a week to reply.
discordant adj level 2: not in harmony; clashing. The discordant notes made the audience wince.
disparate adj level 2: so different that comparison is hard. The report combined disparate sources of data.
dissent noun level 2: disagreement with an official or common opinion. There was little dissent among the committee.
diverse adj level 1: made up of many different kinds. The club has a diverse membership, from students to retirees.
dormant adj level 2: temporarily inactive, as if asleep. The volcano has been dormant for centuries.
eccentric adj level 2: unconventional in an odd or unusual way. The eccentric professor wore a different hat every day.
eclectic adj level 2: drawing from many different sources. Her eclectic playlist ranged from jazz to folk to rock.
egregious adj level 2: outstandingly bad; shocking. The report revealed an egregious error in the accounts.
elaborate adj level 1: very detailed and carefully worked out. They made elaborate plans for the surprise party.
endemic adj level 2: regularly found in a particular place. The disease is endemic in the warm lowlands.
enormous adj level 1: extremely large. An enormous crowd gathered in the square.
erratic adj level 2: not regular or steady; unpredictable. The train service has been erratic all week.
essential adj level 1: absolutely necessary. Water is essential for all living things.
exemplary adj level 2: serving as an excellent example. Her exemplary behaviour earned the class's respect.
exhaustive adj level 2: thorough and complete. They carried out an exhaustive search of the building.
exhort verb level 2: to strongly urge someone to do something. The coach would exhort the team to try harder.
exigent adj level 2: urgent and demanding attention. The exigent need for water drove them onward.
expedient adj level 2: useful for a purpose, though not always fair. It seemed expedient to leave before the storm.
facade noun level 2: the front of a building, or a false outward appearance. Behind his cheerful facade, he was deeply worried.
feasible adj level 1: possible to do; practical. Building the bridge in a year is feasible if the weather helps.
finesse noun level 2: skill and delicacy in handling something. The pianist played with great finesse.
flagrant adj level 2: obviously and openly wrong. The referee punished the flagrant foul at once.
flexible adj level 1: able to bend or change easily. A flexible timetable lets students work at their own pace.
formidable adj level 2: causing fear or respect because of size or power. The team faced a formidable opponent in the final.
fortuitous adj level 2: happening by lucky chance. A fortuitous meeting led to their partnership.
fundamental adj level 1: forming the basic part of something. Reading fluently is fundamental to every other subject.
futile adj level 2: useless because it cannot succeed. It is futile to argue with the weather.
gratuitous adj level 2: done without good reason; unnecessary. The film had gratuitous scenes of violence.
gravity noun level 2: seriousness, or the force that pulls things to the earth. The gravity of the situation became clear to everyone.
hackneyed adj level 2: overused and no longer fresh or interesting. The movie relied on hackneyed plot twists.
haphazard adj level 2: lacking any order or plan. Books were stacked in a haphazard pile.
idiosyncrasy noun level 2: a peculiar habit or feature of one person. Eating dessert first was one of her harmless idiosyncrasies.
idyllic adj level 2: peaceful and picturesque. They spent an idyllic week by the lake.
illicit adj level 2: not allowed by law or custom. The police shut down the illicit trade.
immutable adj level 2: not able to be changed. The laws of nature are immutable.
impeccable adj level 2: without fault; perfect. Her manners were impeccable.
imperative adj level 2: of vital importance. It is imperative that we leave on time.
impervious adj level 2: not affected by; not allowing anything through. The coat is impervious to rain.
inadvertent adj level 2: done without meaning to. An inadvertent click deleted the file.
incessant adj level 2: continuing without a pause. The incessant noise kept her awake.
inchoate adj level 2: only just begun and not fully formed. He had only an inchoate idea of what the book would be about.
incongruous adj level 2: out of place or not fitting with its surroundings. A neon sign looked incongruous on the ancient stone wall.
indigenous adj level 2: originating in a particular place; native. The kiwi is indigenous to New Zealand.
inept adj level 2: having or showing no skill. The inept juggler dropped every ball.
inertia noun level 2: a tendency to do nothing or remain unchanged. Inertia kept the committee from taking any action.
inherent adj level 1: existing as a natural, permanent part of something. Some risk is inherent in any adventure.
innate adj level 2: existing from birth; natural. She has an innate sense of rhythm.
innocuous adj level 2: not harmful or offensive. The comment seemed innocuous, but it upset him.
inordinate adj level 2: unusually or excessively large. He spent an inordinate amount of time on the task.
insidious adj level 2: slowly and secretly causing harm. The insidious disease went unnoticed for years.
insipid adj level 2: lacking flavour or interest. The soup was insipid and needed salt.
interminable adj level 2: seeming to go on forever. The interminable speech put the audience to sleep.
latent adj level 2: present but not yet visible or active. The test revealed a latent talent for music.
lavish adj level 2: rich, abundant and extravagant. The couple threw a lavish party for two hundred guests.
lucrative adj level 2: producing a great deal of money. He left teaching for a more lucrative job.
lurid adj level 2: shockingly vivid or sensational. The newspaper printed lurid details of the crime.
malleable adj level 2: easily shaped or influenced. Gold is malleable and can be hammered into thin sheets.
mandate noun level 2: an official order or authority to act. The voters gave the mayor a clear mandate.
meander verb level 2: to follow a winding course, or to wander aimlessly. The river will meander through the green valley.
minimal adj level 1: as small in amount as possible. The storm caused minimal damage to the village.
minuscule adj level 2: extremely small. The text was minuscule and hard to read.
mundane adj level 2: ordinary and lacking excitement. She wrote about the mundane details of daily life.
nadir noun level 2: the lowest point of something. The team's nadir came with a loss by forty points.
negligible adj level 1: so small that it is not worth considering. The difference in cost was negligible.
notorious adj level 2: famous for something bad. The road is notorious for accidents.
noxious adj level 2: poisonous or very unpleasant. Noxious fumes drifted from the factory.
onerous adj level 2: needing heavy effort; burdensome. Cleaning the whole house was an onerous task.
opulent adj level 2: very rich and luxurious. The hotel lobby was opulent, with gold on every surface.
overt adj level 2: done or shown openly. There was no overt sign of trouble.
palatable adj level 2: pleasant to taste or acceptable to the mind. Salt made the plain soup more palatable.
paragon noun level 2: a perfect example of a quality. She was a paragon of patience with the little ones.
partisan adj level 2: strongly supporting one side, often without thought. The partisan crowd booed the visiting team.
paucity noun level 2: a small or insufficient amount. There is a paucity of evidence for the claim.
peripheral adj level 2: on the edge; of secondary importance. These are peripheral issues and can wait.
pernicious adj level 2: having a harmful effect, often gradually. The pernicious rumour slowly damaged her reputation.
perpetual adj level 2: never ending or changing. The mountain was capped in perpetual snow.
pervasive adj level 2: spreading through every part. The pervasive smell of smoke filled the house.
pivotal adj level 2: of vital importance to the outcome. The goal was pivotal to the team's victory.
plethora noun level 2: a large or excessive amount. The menu offered a plethora of choices.
ponderous adj level 2: slow and clumsy because of weight; dull. The ponderous speech seemed to last for hours.
potential noun level 1: the possibility of future growth or success. The young player has real potential.
precarious adj level 2: not safe or stable; likely to fall or fail. The vase sat in a precarious position on the edge of the shelf.
precise adj level 1: exact and careful in detail. The recipe needs precise measurements.
prevalent adj level 1: widespread at a particular time or place. Colds are most prevalent in winter.
pristine adj level 2: in its original, unspoiled condition. The pristine beach had no footprints on it.
prodigious adj level 2: remarkably great in size or amount. The young pianist had a prodigious talent.
profound adj level 2: very great or deep. The speech had a profound effect on the audience.
profuse adj level 2: given or flowing in large amounts. He offered profuse thanks for the help.
propitious adj level 2: giving or showing good chances of success. It was a propitious moment to ask for a raise.
pungent adj level 2: having a sharp, strong smell or taste. The pungent smell of garlic filled the kitchen.
quaint adj level 2: attractively unusual or old-fashioned. They stayed in a quaint cottage by the sea.
rampant adj level 2: spreading in an uncontrolled way. Weeds ran rampant through the neglected garden.
redundant adj level 2: not needed because it repeats something else. "Free gift" is redundant: gifts are already free.
remedy noun level 2: a way of curing or solving a problem. Rest is the best remedy for a cold.
replete adj level 2: filled or well supplied with something. The garden was replete with roses.
reprehensible adj level 2: deserving blame or disapproval. Lying to the public was a reprehensible act.
reprieve noun level 2: a delay or cancellation of punishment or trouble. The rain gave the farmers a brief reprieve from the drought.
respite noun level 2: a short period of rest from something difficult. The shady bench offered a welcome respite from the heat.
rigorous adj level 2: extremely thorough and strict. The athletes follow a rigorous training plan.
robust adj level 2: strong and healthy; able to withstand stress. The robust old fence survived the storm.
satiate verb level 2: to satisfy fully, often to excess. The huge meal did satiate even the hungriest guest.
scarce adj level 1: not enough in supply; hard to find. Fresh water is scarce in the desert.
sedentary adj level 2: involving much sitting and little exercise. A sedentary job can be hard on the back.
serendipity noun level 2: a lucky discovery made by chance. By serendipity, she found the rare book at a yard sale.
significant adj level 1: important or large enough to matter. There was a significant drop in noise after the road was repaired.
spontaneous adj level 2: done on impulse, without planning. The crowd broke into spontaneous applause.
sporadic adj level 2: happening only now and then. There were sporadic showers through the morning.
squalid adj level 2: extremely dirty and unpleasant. The family lived in squalid conditions.
stable adj level 1: firm and not likely to change or fall. The table is stable now that the leg is fixed.
stupor noun level 2: a state of near-unconsciousness or dazed confusion. He sat in a stupor after the long journey.
subtle adj level 2: not obvious; delicate or slight. There was a subtle change in her tone.
superfluous adj level 2: more than is needed. Delete superfluous words to tighten your writing.
surfeit noun level 2: an excessive amount of something. A surfeit of sweets made the children feel ill.
tangential adj level 2: only slightly connected to the main point. The comment was tangential to the discussion.
tangible adj level 2: able to be touched; clear and real. There was tangible excitement in the hall.
tepid adj level 2: only slightly warm; lacking enthusiasm. The audience gave a tepid response.
turbulent adj level 2: full of violent or unsteady movement. The turbulent river tossed the little boat.
ubiquitous adj level 2: seeming to be everywhere at once. Smartphones are now ubiquitous.
unwieldy adj level 2: awkward to carry or manage because of size. The unwieldy parcel would not fit through the door.
vary verb level 1: to be different from one another, or to change from time to time. Prices vary from shop to shop.
vast adj level 1: extremely large in size or amount. A vast desert lay between the two cities.
vestige noun level 2: a small trace of something that once existed. The ruins are the last vestige of a great city.
virulent adj level 2: extremely harmful or bitterly hostile. The virulent attack on the author shocked readers.
wanton adj level 2: deliberate and without reason. The wanton destruction of the garden shocked the neighbors.
widespread adj level 1: found or happening over a large area. Concern about the flooding was widespread.
zenith noun level 2: the highest point. The empire reached its zenith in the twelfth century.

Other topics: People and character · Feelings and attitudes · Speaking, writing and arguing · Thinking and judging · Change, time and action · Science and research · Society, work and rules

Words to enjoy and learn from. These are original lists, and we do not claim any word appears on any particular test.