Academic Word of the Day Set 34

Previous Academic Word of the Day Sets

This page examines particular academic words and their usage in academic writing.

For each word, it examines the meaning or meanings of that word and its collocations, connotations, other words in the same word families, possible synonyms, antonyms, and lexical phrases, and provides examples of its use in authentic texts which are cited and listed in the bibliography. Occasionally, where an example is taken from a text which is particularly rich in examples of the headword, the citation is also a link to the source article. There is also an indication of whether the word appears in an academic word list. These are:

AWL: The Academic Word List
NAWL: The New Academic Word List
AKL: The Academic Keyword List
OPAL: The Oxford Phrasal Academic Lexicon
NGSL: The New General Service List (a basic word list rather than an academic one)

Occasionally a word not in one of these lists may be used, but only if it belongs to the same word family as a word in at least one of the lists. In this case it will be indicated. For example: AVOIDANCE AKL NGSL OPAL (avoid). "AVOIDANCE" does not appear in these lists but "avoid" does.

In the example sentences the words of the day are highlighted in red. Other 'academic words' are highlighted in bold.
Where the example sentences contain 'academic' words, these are highlighted in bold, as in this paragraph. Only words from the Academic Word List (AWL), the New Academic Word List (NAWL) or some from the Academic Keyword List (AKL) are highlighted. This gives you an idea of how common and important these words are in these types of academic or technical texts.

If you need to find or highlight academic words in a text you can use the Academic Word Highlighter. This gives you a choice about which word list to use for highlighting.

The words of the day appear in order by date. You can access each set from the previous sets pagerevious sets page.

2026-06-05

currency AWL NGSL: NOUN COUNTABLE money used in a particular country or region; general acceptance of a particular usage
Paper currency works when people trust it, knowing that it has been valued and accepted by others in the past, and will be valued and accepted in the future. (Shin 2025) It’s a common perception that students “earn” grades for their achievement at school; in this way, grades have become the primary currency of learning. (Coombs et al. 2023) Promoted by institutions like the World Bank, these are forms of economic development that have earned Bangladesh much needed foreign currency. (Baldwin 2022) Carbon dioxide is the currency of climate change and, in those terms, one tonne of methane emitted to the atmosphere (for example from livestock) is equivalent to 34 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. (Barton and Grace 2014) [...] the history of human beings using cash currency does go back a long time – 40,000 years. (Kusimba, 2017) Common collocates for this word:

currency

foreign
single
hard
European
common
local
domestic
new
convertible
international
stable
national
reserve
wide
strong

Word Family: currency (noun), current (adjective)
Synonyms: money, legal tender, general acceptance ,
05/06/2026 - Set 34

Test your understanding of the words in set 34 with these quick quizzes: Quiz 34 Quiz 34B Quiz 34C

2026-06-04

guideline AWL AKL NGSL: NOUN COUNTABLE a rule about how something should normally be done
For dietary guidelines to be useful, they need to be more specific about what variety means, and how we can monitor variety in our diet. (Pink et al. 2020) But the guideline panels defining diseases have usually provided little evidence to justify changing the definitions of diseases and rarely consider the harm the changes may cause. (Glasziou 2013) Interdisciplinary researchers are working to establish basic common guidelines for research design and conduct. (Prendergast n.d.) The guidelines all say AI tools can be used for routine tasks like improving grammar, revising sentence structure, or assisting with literature searches. These applications do not require specific acknowledgement. (Laher 2025) Scientists and engineers studying the “dark side” of human-robot interaction are developing guidelines to identify and prevent negative outcomes. (Vinjamuri 2023) Common collocates for this word:

guideline

national
original
general
clinical
accessibility
design
policy
exposure
draft
rough
test
sentencing
management
basic
applicable

Word Family: guideline (noun)
Synonyms: rule, direction, recommendation
04/06/2026 - Set 34

2026-06-03

infrastructure AWL: NOUN UNCOUNTABLE systems, communications, services, and utilities which help a country or city to function well
Bendable concrete makes infrastructure safer, extends its service life and reduces maintenance costs and resource use. (Li 2018) Inefficient global power transmission and distribution infrastructure requires additional electricity generation to compensate for losses. (Surana and Jordaan 2019) People working from home in rural locations also had problems due to a lack of digital infrastructure, poor connectivity and a lack of digital skills. (Igboekwu, Plotnikova, and Lindop 2023) The lack of maintenance has contributed to leaking pipes and faulty infrastructure which now needs to be fixed as a matter of urgency as it contributes to major physical water losses. (Plessis 2022) Another recommendation is that the government must invest in the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This should include “data infrastructure, systems and human resources to efficiently utilise data in decision making”. (Mlambo et al. 2025) Common collocates for this word:

infrastructure

social
economic
necessary
industrial
technological
physical
basic
existing
national
associated
poor
supportive
inadequate
massive
urban

Word Family: infrastructure (noun)
Synonyms: foundation, basis, utility
03/06/2026 - Set 34

2026-06-02

schedule AWL NGSL: NOUN COUNTABLE a plan of times for completing particular tasks
You may find it helpful to set an ideal sleep schedule and try to stick to it each day. (McMakin 2021) Farmers are rooted to their fields, their schedules dictated by the seasons. (Longrich 2020) Longer fire seasons are making it harder to schedule fuel reduction burns, and reducing the amount of time for firefighters to rest and recover between fire seasons. (Doddridge 2022) Ultimately, gaining more control over your time is not about rigidly adhering to a schedule or productivity hacks. (Bó & Kolpashnikova, 2025) Every time daylight savings starts or stops, our circadian timing system shifts to the new schedule.(Ferguson, 2011) Common collocates for this word:

schedule

busy
hectic
tight
punishing
daily
following
gruelling
original
attached
demanding
detailed
domestic
heavy
exhausting
packed

Word Family: schedule (noun), schedule (verb)
Synonyms: calendar, program, agenda, plan
02/06/2026 - Set 34

2026-06-01

controversy AWL NAWL: NOUN COUNTABLE an ongoing public dispute or debate
many A controversy is a fundamentally healthy process that leads to scientific clarification. (Auffret & Hassan, 2018) This critical thinking process is essential to science, and without a scientific controversy, it is not possible to reach consensus on new scientific concepts. (Auffret & Hassan, 2018) In fact, a polemic is often created by the ideological twisting of a scientific debate or controversy in order to serve a pre-defined political or economic aim. (Auffret & Hassan, 2018)many Public scientific controversies are not just about the science. They invariably involve differences in values concerning ethics and social choices. (Martin, 2014) This controversy started over whether butter is harder at room temperature than it used to be. Although that question has melted away, it’s instructive to trace this story from its start. (LeBlanc 2021) Common collocates for this word:

controversy

considerable
political
great
public
continuing
current
major
fierce
renewed
religious
bitter
fresh
recent
international
prolonged

Word Family: controversy (noun), controversial (adjective)
Synonyms: dispute, argument, disagreement
Lexical phrases: controversy [about, concerning]

01/06/2026 - Set 34

2026-05-29

duration AWL NAWL OPAL: NOUN COUNTABLE how long something lasts
Combined with climate change and increasing frequency and duration of drought in many regions of the world, the problem is getting worse. (Derry et al. 2023) Doctors have long wondered why the duration of cough varies so much following an upper respiratory viral or bacterial infection. (Enfield 2023) Individuals also need seven hours of sleep consistently, without too much fluctuation in duration. (Sahakian et al. 2022b) This finding seems to support other evidence suggesting there is a link between sleep duration and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. (Sahakian et al. 2022b) A number of studies show that the increases in frequency, severity and duration of heat waves, for example, affect ecosystems, human lives, commerce and agriculture. (Weatherhead 2021) Common collocates for this word:

duration

short
mean
long
expected
limited
total
indefinite
median
prolonged
modified
fixed
likely
full
brief
entire

Word Family: duration (noun)
Synonyms: extent, period, term
Lexical phrases: duration of

29/05/2026 - Set 34

2026-05-28

insight AWL AKL OPAL NGSL: NOUN COUNTABLE the ability to understand things intuitively; a sudden realisation about how something works
Our findings provide new insights on what constitutes a healthy and active lifestyle. (Diaz & Chastin 2021) This story, if true, recounts the earliest known circumnavigation of Africa, but also contains an interesting insight into the astronomical knowledge of the ancient world. (Dorrian and Whittaker 2020) AI tools may also be able to help investors decipher monetary policy announcements, providing insights into their potential effects on financial markets. (Oh 2023) The bot’s response: “There will always be a demand for creative, original content that requires the unique perspective and insight of a human writer.” (Baron 2023) Inspired by the link between emotional reappraisal and creative thinking, we wanted to see whether we could use this insight to develop ways to help people be more creative. (Zhu 2023) Common collocates for this word:

insight

fascinating
valuable
real
unique
great
revealing
rare
interesting
useful
psychological
considerable
clear
rational
detailed
remarkable

Word Family: insight (noun), insightful (adjective)
Synonyms: intuition, perception, comprehension
Lexical phrases: insight(s) into

28/05/2026 - Set 34

2026-05-27

protocol AWL NAWL OPAL: NOUN COUNTABLE a set of rules explaining how to behave in particular (often formal) situations
The protocol is poised to deliver significant gains for Africa. It embodies the spirit of African integration and marks progress in regional partnerships. (Sam & PhD, 2018) The Montreal Protocol, which came into force just four years after the ozone hole was discovered in 1985, has been enormously successful in preventing many ozone-depleting gases from entering the atmosphere. (Smale et al., 2024) YouTube, Instagram and TikTok are built using the same rules, or protocols, developed by Cerf and Berners-Lee. (Martin 2023) Despite retaining the centrality of the WHO, we suggest a new protocol to provide the basis for the independent collection, sharing and transfer of information between countries and with the WHO. (Gillespie & Gluckman, 2020) The AU’s protocol defines free movement as the right to enter and exit member states and move freely within them, subject to the states’ laws and procedures. (Sam & PhD, 2018) Common collocates for this word:

protocol

social
national
separate
additional
royal
identical
experimental
secret
standard
final
special
elaborate
diplomatic
strict
reliable

Word Family: protocol (noun)
Synonyms: code, etiquette, usage, convention
27/05/2026 - Set 34

2026-05-26

supplement AWL NGSL: NOUN COUNTABLE an addition; something extra
Around half of UK adults currently take a food supplement – but vitamins and minerals are usually only needed in small amounts and too much of a good thing can be bad for you. (Kamdar, 2025) Companies sometimes claim their supplement is “scientifically proven” to cure illness or boost brain function, with no credible research to back it up. (Bernard, 2025) In the winter, though, you won’t get enough from sunshine, which is why the UK government recommends that everyone should consider taking vitamin D supplements in the autumn and winter. (Buscha 2023) Garlic supplements can help reduce high blood pressure, with some studies finding effects similar to certain prescribed medications. (Kamdar, 2025) It challenges us to publish archaeological data that is sometimes only revealed for the first time in the supplements of paleogenomics papers. (Prendergast 2022) Common collocates for this word:

supplement

educational
literary
special
cumulative
dietary
small
magic
useful
single
valuable
multi-mineral
nutritional
important
lexical
corresponding

Word Family: supplement (noun), supplement (verb)
Synonyms: , addition, extension, extra
Lexical phrases: supplement [to, for]

26/05/2026 - Set 34

2026-05-25

reluctance AWL: NOUN UNCOUNTABLE a lack of willingness to do something
This reluctance to reach out to old friends is puzzling because a large body of research demonstrates that social relationships are a strong predictor of health and happiness. (Castaneto & Aknin, 2025) They trigger a myriad of emotional and behavioural responses, including aggression, resentment, fear, avoidance and reluctance to forgive. (Carr 2023) Their child’s reluctance to go to school has escalated into a more significant psychological problem, called school refusal. (Dudley & Sheen, 2018) But confusion about the long-term consequences of building up debt is common – and is often compounded by a reluctance to talk about money and debt. (Appleyard, 2023) Reluctance to admit defeat, even when the battle is hopelessly lost, is a surprisingly understudied phenomenon. (March, 2020) Common collocates for this word:

reluctance

great
marked
understandable
obvious
certain
apparent
natural
general
extreme
considerable
continuing
initial
increasing
growing
palpable

Word Family: reluctance (noun), reluctant (adjective)
Synonyms: unwillingness, disinclination, diffidence
Lexical phrases: reluctance to

25/05/2026 - Set 34

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