Meaning: Difficult to understand or interpret.Example: The ancient text was inscrutable to the modern scholar without translation.

Inscrutable

Meaning: Most noticeable or important.Example: The salient point of the argument was that the proposal was too expensive.

Salient

Meaning: Causing annoyance, frustration, or worry.Example: The vexatious noise of the construction site next door kept the neighbors up all night.

Vexatious

Meaning: A departure from what is normal, usual, or expected.Example: The athlete's poor performance in the competition was an abberation from his usual record.

Aberration

Meaning: A person, thing, or situation that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.Example: The disappearance of the plane remains an enigma to investigators.

Enigma

Meaning: Attempting to avoid notice or attention, secretive.Example: The spy's furtive movements were captured on video by a surveillance camera.

Furtive

Meaning: Fond of company, sociable.Example: The dog was so gregarious that it greeted every visitor to the house with wagging tail.

Gregarious

Meaning: Having keen insight, mentally sharp.Example: The perspicacious detective quickly solved the crime.

Perspicacious

Meaning: Bewildered, confused, unsure how to react.Example: She was left feeling nonplussed by the strange turn of events.

Nonplussed

Meaning: A very large number or variety.Example: The book contained a myriad of facts and figures about the history of the region.

Myriad

Meaning: Wicked or criminal.Example: The thieves had a nefarious plan to rob the bank and get away with the money.

Nefarious

Meaning: High-sounding but with little meaning, inflated.Example: The CEO's email to employees was filled with bombastic language about the company's success.

Bombastic

Meaning: To place side by side for comparison or contrast.Example: The author juxtaposed the protagonist's inner thoughts with her outward actions.

Juxtapose

Meaning: Present, appearing, or found everywhere.Example: Fast food chains are ubiquitous in the United States.

Ubiquitous

Meaning: Regard or represent as being of little worth, belittle.Example: The politician's opponent disparage his record as a failed leader.

Disparage

Meaning: To kneel, bow or bend in reverence or worship.Example: The athlete genuflected before the game as a sign of respect for his opponents.

Genuflect

Meaning: A profound change in form or nature.Example: Her experiences during the war caused a metamorphosis in her beliefs and attitudes.

Metamorphosis

Meaning: Stubborn, unyielding, resistant to persuasion.Example: The obdurate boss would not listen to any suggestions from her employees.

Obdurate

Meaning: Complaining or whining in a petulant manner.Example: The querulous child whined about not getting the toy he wanted.

Querulous

Meaning: A person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another.Example: The first snowfall of the year is often seen as a harbinger of winter.

Harbinger

Meaning: Calmness, composure, evenness of temper.Example: He faced the criticism with equanimity and did not let it bother him.

Equanimity

Meaning: Clear, transparent, easy to understand.Example: Her voice was a limpid and pure as a mountain stream.

Limpid

Meaning: A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.Example: The construction site next door was a cacophony of drilling, hammering, and shouting.

Cacophony

Meaning: Self-evident, unquestionable.Example: The idea that people have the right to free speech is axiomatic in democratic societies.

Axiomatic

Meaning: Stubborn, unwilling to compromise.Example: The union leaders were intransigent in their demands for higher wages.

Intransigent

Meaning: Having great enthusiasm or passion for something.Example: The zealous artist poured his heart and soul into his paintings.

Zealous

Meaning: Complaining, whining, fretful.Example: The patient was querulous and demanded constant attention from the nurses.

Meaning: Lasting for a very short time.Example: The beauty of cherry blossoms is ephemeral and only lasts for a few days.

Ephemeral

Meaning: To criticize or berate harshly, to use abusive language towards.Example: He vituperated his boss in a scathing email that he later regretted sending.

Vituperate

Meaning: A confusing and difficult problem or question.Example: Solving this math problem was a conundrum that took me hours to figure out.

Conundrum

C2 words for IELTS - Group 2. These 30 words are at Level C2 (the highest level) so you can test your skills and improve your vocabulary.

Genuflect

Similar ideas to Genuflect

Define the cost of success

Quid pro quo

Optimistic explanatory style