Academic Word of the Day Set 1

This page contains words from Set 1

Today's word is:

2025-02-28

1

involvement   AWL OPAL NGSL

NOUN participation in an activity, process or event
But given the research highlights parental involvement as an important component for a successful music-learning experience, developing an understanding of the teaching method is vital. (McKenry 2019)
Climate impacts – such as droughts, floods or storms – affect people differently depending on their wealth and access to resources and on their involvement in decision making. (Klinsky 2021)
Despite a widespread belief that parent involvement in homework is good for kids, researchers are discovering that it can have both positive and negative effects. (Amatea 2015)
The word involvement is often found in texts regarding actions which governments or organisations would prefer to keep secret, as in the following examples.
Australia’s involvement in atomic testing expanded again in 1954, when it began supplying South Australian-mined uranium to the US and UK’s joint defence purchasing authority, the Combined Development Agency. (O’Brien 2021)
The potential involvement of Russia and the shadowy Wagner Group in the region complicates things further. While the group has denied involvement in the current conflict in Sudan, these denials appear increasingly questionable. (Lomas et al. 2023)
Kissinger and others in the White House tried to keep the campaign from the public for as long as they could, for good reason. It came as public opinion in the U.S. was turning against American involvement. The bombing campaign is also considered illegal under international law by many experts. (Ear 2023)
Common collocates for this word:

involvement

personal
parental
active
military
direct
alleged
political
emotional
close
possible
continued
full
increasing
growing
deep

Word Family: involvement (noun), involve (verb), involved (adjective)
Synonyms: complicity, implication, association
Lexical phrases: [of, with, for, …] the involvement of
Involvement derives from the verb involve, formed with the suffix -ment which changes a verb to a noun. You can see more examples on the suffixes page.
28/02/2025 - Set 1

Test your understanding of words 1 - 10 with these quick quizzes: Quiz 1 Quiz 1B Quiz 1C

2025-02-27

1

unlikely   AKL OPAL NGSL

adjective ATTRIBUTIVE PREDICATIVE GRADABLE not probable, not expected; difficult to believe; possibly untrue. This adjective deals with probability or believability.
Statistically improbable; predicative adjective
Stratus cloud is thin, so while conditions may feel gloomy, rain is unlikely, and at most will be a light drizzle. Stratus is identical to fog, so if you’ve ever been walking in the mountains on a foggy day, you’ve been walking in the clouds. (Christensen 2018)
Statistically improbable; attributive adjective
Humanity is the unlikely result of 4 billion years of evolution. (Longrich 2022)
Statistically improbable; predicative adjective
The fact that [Asian giant hornets] can’t tolerate extremely hot or cold temperatures makes it unlikely that they would spread to very hot or cold areas of North America. (Kawahara 2020)
Statistically improbable; predicative adjective
Remember that the chance of seeing a giant hornet anywhere outside of the Pacific Northwest is very unlikely. (Kawahara 2020)
Statistically improbable; attributive adjective
In the unlikely case that you see a giant hornet in Washington state, do not try to remove nests yourself or spray hornets with pesticides. (Kawahara 2020)
Statistically improbable; predicative and gradable adjective
It’s highly unlikely the world’s entire internet could ever go down due to the distributed and decentralised nature of the internet’s infrastructure. It has multiple redundant paths and systems. (Tuffley 2024)
Common collocates for this word:

unlikely

event
setting
places
combination
explanation
scenario
prospect
candidate
choice
source
occurrence
winner
location
possibility
situation

Word Family: unlikely (adjective), likely (adjective)
Synonyms: improbable, implausible, inconceivable, unthinkable
Lexical phrases: [be] unlikely to ...; in the unlikely event [that, of]...; it seems unlikely that ...;
27/02/25 - Set 1

2025-02-26

1

approach   AWL AKL OPAL NGSL

NOUN COUNTABLE A way of addressing or dealing with an issue; an attitude towards an issue; a method
As you can see from the definition above an approach can be general or more particular. In the first example here the meaning is very general (it is modified by the adjective 'general' and four separate aspects are mentioned).
David Coghlan recommends a useful general approach to deciding what to do which involves four steps: be Attentive, be Intelligent, be Reasonable, and be Responsible. (Holian 2015)
Here approach is used in a slightly more specific way they are techniques, tactics, or methods.
Players can have different approaches. Some might simply want to solve the word, even if it takes six tries. Others try to do it in as a few guesses as possible. (Horstmeyer 2022)
Here we know that the meaning is more precise because the writer uses the word 'explicit' and gives some examples so it's more like a particular method.
Teachers who follow an explicit approach explain, demonstrate and model everything: from blending sounds together to decode words, to writing a complex sentence with figurative language, to kicking a football. (Hammond 2019)
The word approach is also used as a general or anaphoric noun (they are also known as a shell nouns) to refer back to a whole concept mentioned earlier. In this example 'this approach' refers back to [following] a general curriculum designed for the collective rather than the individual. In this case we can find the referent in the same sentence, but sometimes in may be much further back in the text or refer to a much larger stretch of text.
In traditional education, most students, regardless of background, ability or temperament, followed a general curriculum designed for the collective rather than the individual. In an era where individuality and personalisation have become pillars of modernity, the limitations of this approach are clear. (guillaume 2024)
Here we a have another example of approach used as an anaphoric noun. In this case the referent is in the previous sentence: making everyday items like cars electric, and installing smart systems to monitor and reduce energy use, it seems we’ll still be able to enjoy the comforts to which we’ve become accustomed while doing our bit for the planet – a state known as “green growth”
It’s a popular idea that the path to sustainability lies in high-tech solutions. By making everyday items like cars electric, and installing smart systems to monitor and reduce energy use, it seems we’ll still be able to enjoy the comforts to which we’ve become accustomed while doing our bit for the planet – a state known as “green growth”. But the risks of this approach are becoming ever clearer. (McMahon 2022)
Common collocates for this word:

approach

different
alternative
positive
similar
systematic
flexible
traditional
pragmatic
scientific
cautious
direct
fresh
particular
professional
practical

Word Family: approach (noun), approach (verb), approachable (adjective)
Synonyms: method, way, attitude, perspective, stance
26/02/2025 - Set 1

2025-02-25

1

illegality  AWL

NOUN COUNTABLE or UNCOUNTABLE The state of being against the law, illegal; an action which is prohibited by law
Fisheries crime denotes a vast and diverse category of illegality and criminality that aids or accompanies illegal fishing. Such crimes can include corruption, customs fraud, human and drugs trafficking and piracy. (Okafor-Yarwood and Bhagwandas 2021)
When dealing with issues involving wildlife and illegality, researchers often rely on sources whose identity must be kept hidden for their own protection. Recent studies carried out in this way include those focused on the illegal killing, processing, and trade of jaguar parts in South America. (Elwin and D’Cruze 2023)
The most common challenge was illegality and this was mentioned in almost a third of reports. In our coding of responses, illegality involved having to deal with the black market, social stigma around using illegal substances and difficulty with dose accuracy and purity. (Petranker and Anderson 2019)
This may be due to the growing illegality of these drugs since the 1990s. Nevertheless, the relatively easy availability of both legal and illegal substances, means that better interventions will can to be found to avert more people from using them. (Sagoe 2014)
Common collocates for this word:

illegality

alleged
possible
manifest
flagrant
blatant
police
technical
potential
corporate
gross
obvious
complete
international
serious
ouright

Word Family: illegality (noun), illegal (adjective), illegally (adverb), legal (adjective), legalize (verb), legally (adverb)
Synonyms: unlawfulness, crime, misdeed, wrongdoing, criminality, malpractice
Antonyms: legality, lawfulness, honesty, justice, morality
Lexical phrase: the illegality of
25/02/25 - Set 1

2025-02-24

1

policy   AWL AKL OPAL NGSL

NOUN COUNTABLE An agreed set of rules or procedures concerning how to proceed in given situations. A policy may be drawn up by any organisation including a government, a political party, a commercial enterprise, a sports club, and so on.
Governments and educational institutions have policies regarding many aspects of instruction, including teaching, and language.
A much more flexible and open teaching and language policy would help teachers and pupils to enable a meaningful learning environment in a multilingual and diverse classroom setting. (Kretzer 2019)
Governments have policies on many issues. One of the most important of these is foreign policy - how the government deals with other countries.
In January 2020, Mexico became the first country in Latin America to adopt a feminist foreign policy. Its strategy seeks to advance gender equality internationally; combat gender violence worldwide; and confront inequalities in all social and environmental justice program areas. (Lal and Graham 2021)
Governments and special interest groups may have policies on specific issues such as climate.
Understanding the relationship between public opinion and climate policy can help focus the efforts of climate campaigners. (Crawley 2021)
Common collocates for this word:

policy

foreign
social
economic
monetary
public
agrricultural
regional
industrial
fiscal
national
environmental

Word Family: policy (noun), politic (adjective), political (adjective), politics (noun), politician (noun), politicize (verb),
Synonyms: plan, procedure, principle, scheme, practice, custom, system
24/02/2025 - Set 1

2025-02-21

1

scenario  AWL NAWL OPAL

NOUN COUNTABLE An imagined or expected event, series of events or outcome.
Many discussions of expected future events are pessimistic, so the word scenario often has a negative connotation, as in the following two examples, and you might see collocates such as worst-case, doomsday, apocalyptic, nightmare.
We detected 37 cases of abrupt change, distributed over three different climate change scenarios. These include the Arctic becoming ice-free even in winter, the Amazon rainforest dying off and the total disappearance of snow and ice cover on the Tibetan Plateau. (Drijfhout 2015)
This means an ecosystem predicted to collapse in the 2090s owing to the creeping rise of a single source of stress, such as global temperatures, could, in a worst-case scenario , collapse in the 2030s once we factor in other issues like extreme rainfall, pollution, or a sudden spike in natural resource use. (Cooper, Dearing, and Willcock 2023)
Scenarios are possible future events so you may also find estimates of how likely such an event may be.
I emphasise that the above are what I currently consider the most likely scenarios. The “likeliest” scenario could change at a moment’s notice. That is part of the fun and frustration of anticipating eruptions at poorly-known and remote volcanoes. (McGarvie 2014)
Common collocates for this word:

scenario

worst-case
following
best case
above
baseline
likely
typical
similar
whole
different
current
alternative
nightmare

Word Family: scenario (noun), scenarios (plural noun)
Synonyms: plan, concept, scheme, outline
Lexical phrases:
[in, under] this scenario
worst case scenario
21/02/2025 - Set 1

2025-02-20

1

regime  AWL NAWL OPAL

NOUN COUNTABLE A system of government, or a particular government. This word has strong connotations of disapproval; it is normally used to describe authoritarian governments where freedom of expression is limited, the rule of law is absent, and corruption is widespread
A system of government:
The novel [Nineteen Eighty-Four] presents a vision of a Britain taken over by a totalitarian regime in which the state exerts absolute power over its citizens. (Bentley 2017)
A particular government:
The regime’s brutal human rights record is a result of measures to consolidate its internal power. (Habib 2017)
The tentacles of the regime’s coercive power reach all the way from institutions to people’s everyday lives through surveillance, social controls and ideological indoctrination. It is a brutal reality that these kinds of oppressive measures are the rational and predictable way politics is practised in authoritarian dictatorships. (Habib 2017)
The military regimes of the past were brutally innovative. They made new rules, new institutions and new standards for how people should interact. They promised to make Africa an orderly and prosperous paradise. They failed, but their promises were popular. (Daly 2024)
The Court [International Criminal Court] has undeniably participated in processes that could be called “regime change”, especially in cases of regimes dominated by charismatic or exceptionally powerful individuals. But preventing those indicted of the most heinous crimes from maintaining positions of power is surely the whole point of international justice. (Cacciatori 2014)
Common collocates for this word:

regime

new
communist
military
old
regulatory
previous
political
authoritarian
existing
liberal
strict
complete
legal
repressive
oppresive

Word Family: regime (noun), regimes (plural noun)
Synonyms: government, administration, rule, control, reign
20/02/25 - Set 1

2025-02-19

1

objective   AWL OPAL NGSL

ADJECTIVE Based on evidence or established facts rather than personal opinion, bias, or prejudice
Critical thinking is the ability to analyse and evaluate information and arguments in a clear, rational and objective manner. (Matisonn 2025)
Although doctors try to be as objective as possible, no human being can be wholly objective (not influenced by personal feelings or opinions). (Sloan and Harwood 2023)
Psychology and intelligence researchers are unequivocal: men and women do not differ in actual IQ. There is no “smarter sex”. However, it was only with the development of objective measures of assessing intelligence that this notion was invalidated. (Reilly 2022)
The results of this study raise the question of why “ objectivity ” is often given much more weight in medicine than “ subjective ” patient reports and views. Part of the reason may be due to a mistaken belief that objective is similar in meaning to accurate. (Sloan and Harwood 2023)
Critics argue that supposedly “objective” publications are failing audiences by equating truth and lies or failing to consider the cultural biases of reporters, or the importance of journalists’ personal experience and opinions. (Walsh 2025)
Common collocates for this word:

objective

assessment
criteria
evidence
view
way
description
reality
risk
record
fact
analysis
truth
evaluation
measure
test

Word Family: objective (adjective), objectively (adverb), objective (noun - with a completely different meaning)
Synonyms: impartial, unbiased, unprejudiced, dispassionate
Antonyms: subjective, prejudiced, biased
19/02/25 - Set 1

2025-02-18

1

manipulate   AWL OPAL

VERB TRANSITIVE VERB 1. to control or change something (often by using your hands or particular tools);
2. to influence or control someone's behaviour in order gain a personal advantage
3. to exercise control over a situation, process, or event in order to gain an advantage.
The first of these was the original meaning. The second meanings are now by far the more common usage.
Even in the following fairly neutral use of the verb manipulate there is still the notion of gaining an advantage ('help improve tomato yield') even if not a personal one.
For example, research led by Zachary Lippman at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York is using genome editing to manipulate traits that can help improve tomato yield. (Caicedo and Razifard 2020)
Manipulate is often used in scientific and technical descriptions of particular techniques.
A new technique called the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was allowing researchers to sequence and manipulate tiny quantities of DNA. (Benton 2020)
Quantum computers manipulate physical systems called qubits (for quantum bits) to perform a calculation. (Fellous-Asiani 2022)
The following three are examples of the more common usage of manipulate, with negative connotations.
Undoubtedly you’ve heard reports that hackers and even foreign governments are using social media to manipulate and attack you. (Matthews 2020)
A Machiavellian boss may seek to manipulate with flattery or bullying, promising reward or threatening punishment. They are less likely to trust you, causing them to micromanage and criticise. (Fernando and Liyanagamage 2023)
There’s plenty of evidence that social media platforms were misusing my data, and allowing trolls and bots to exploit their systems, to manipulate my thinking. (Inglis 2018)
The adjective is 'manipulative'. This word is only used in the negative sense of exercising control over another person. See examples in this article about manipulative communication.
Common collocates for this word:

manipulate

people
information
data
images
others
text
situations
events
graphics
objects
materials
behaviour
symbols
numbers
words

Word Family: manipulate (verb), manipulation (noun), manipulative (adjective)
Synonyms: handle, work, operate, control, influence
18/02/2025 - Set 1

2025-02-17

1

complement   AWL NAWL

NOUN and VERB COUNTABLE NOUN / TRANSITIVE VERB The general meaning of complement concerns completion, addition, or enhancement.
1. NOUN - something which completes;
But if you’re able to get over that initial aversion, pickles can become perfect complement to any dish. (Miller and Symsack 2022)
2. NOUN - the complete set of something;
We attempted to shed light on the Picts’ origins and legacy by sequencing whole genomes – the full complement of DNA in human cells – from skeletons excavated at two cemeteries. (Morez and Flink 2023)
3. NOUN - one of two parts which go together;
We call this measure of quality of life “healthy life expectancy” and its complement “unhealthy life expectancy.” (Vadiveloo 2017)
4. NOUN - a word, phrase or clause which completes another grammatical element;
See the complement examples in the glossary
5. VERB - to add something;
Electricity system operators and investors could use pumped hydro energy storage to complement the growing deployment of renewable energy. (Forcey 2013)
6. VERB - to complete, match or enhance;
By the late 1800s, in addition to red, it became fashionable to paint barns with other color schemes, especially those designed to complement the architectural styles and finishes of owners’ houses. (Visser 2021) "Many tunes have the typical structure of this style: two repeated parts of the same eight-bar length, that often complement each other musically." (Sturm and Ben-Tal 2017)
Common collocates for this word:

complement

full
perfect
necessary
logical
useful
natural
valuable
entire
ideal
usual
normal
total
desired
essential

Word Family: complement (noun), complement (verb), complementary (adjective)
Synonyms: counterpart, supplement, completion
Grammar: A complement is also something which completes a particular grammatical structure. See examples in the glossary.
Do not confuse complement with compliment. A compliment is an expression of admiration or respect. To compliment is to praise. Compliment is not present in any of the academic word lists.
17/02/2025 - Set 1