Academic Word of the Day Set 46
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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 collocationsThe tendency of a particular word or phrase to be found in the proximity of another., connotationsThe additional or incidental meanings, associations or references which a word, phrase or sentence might have in addition to its obvious core meaning., other words in the same word familiesA group of words which share the same root and similar basic meaning but have different syntactic uses because of their different inflected forms or derived forms made with different affixes., possible synonymsA word which has the same meaning and use as another., antonymsA word which has the opposite meaning to another word., and lexical phrasesMulti-word chunks of language which may be of varying length and which have various functions., and provides examples of its use in authentic textsA text written by someone writing about matters in their own specialist area for other specialists or for the general public, but not for English teaching purposes. 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:
- AWLPresent in the Academic Word List: The Academic Word List
- NAWLPresent in the New Academic Word List: The New Academic Word List
- AKLPresent in the Academic Keyword List: The Academic Keyword List
- OPALPresent in the Oxford Phrasal Academic Lexicon: The Oxford Phrasal Academic Lexicon
- NGSLPresent in the New General Service List: The New General Service List (a basic word list rather than an academic one)
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 (AWLPresent in the Academic Word List), the New Academic Word List (NAWLPresent in the New Academic Word List) or some from the Academic Keyword List (AKLPresent in the Academic Keyword List) 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.
- available AWL AKL OPAL NGSL
- ADJECTIVE present and usable; ready
When technology was available, people relied on it, but when it was not available, people were still perfectly capable of remembering. As such it would be hasty to conclude that technology impairs our ability to remember. (Cecutti and Lee 2021) Students in our research also reported that accessible spaces and equipment – such as an ergonomic chair – were not reliably available during exams. (Tai et al. 2023) Humans have two primary modes of reasoning: deduction and induction. When we reason deductively, we tease out the implications of information already available to us. (Ellerton 2016) Countries across the globe could benefit from adopting this model, including South Africa, where despite industry pledges not to sell to schools, unhealthy foods and beverages remain easily accessible and available in schools. (Erzse 2023) While his estimated distance to the Sun was too low (the actual ratio is 390), on account of the lack of telescopic precision available at the time, the value for the ratio of the size of the Earth to the Moon is surprisingly accurate (the Moon has a diameter 0.27 times that of Earth). (Dorrian and Whittaker 2020) We could see something similar in academia, where each aspect of the research is made openly available, with acknowledgement of the originator, including ChatGPT. (Kingsley 2023)
Common collocates for this word:available
evidence
information
resources
data
space
time
options
technology
techniques
funds
sources
opportunity
figures
material
services
Word Family: available (adjective), availability1. the ability to obtain, reach, buy or use something. 2. the possibility of of being able to speak to someone. (noun)
Synonyms: accessibleeasy to use, obtain or enter, obtainable
20/11/2026 - Set 46 - legal AWL OPAL NGSL
- ADJECTIVE authorised by law; concerning the law
Legal procedure refers to the set of rules and processes followed in the legal system to resolve disputes and administer justice (Legal Procedure - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics n.d.) The court decided that the secretary of state did not have the legal authority to issue a search warrant, and therefore Carrington had trespassed. This case reflects the principle that “no man is above the law” – not even the secretary of state. (Clapham 2018) Historically, there is a deep inconsistency in how we treat different types of animals that is not easily overturned, even in the face of compelling legal and ethical arguments. (Johnson 2015) The practice of giving legal voice to entities that cannot speak for themselves is not a new one. (O’Bryan 2017) There is currently very little training, auditing or oversight of AI-driven activities from a regulatory or legal perspective. (Chu et al. 2022) Common collocates for this word:legal
aid
action
advice
system
services
profession
rights
proceedings
framework
costs
status
protection
rules
position
practice
Word Family: legal (adjective), legality (noun), legalise (verb)
Synonyms: lawful, legitimate, juridical, judicial, constitutional,
19/11/2026 - Set 46 - major AWL AKL OPAL NGSL
- ADJECTIVE very or more important; great or greater than; significant
A fitness trend known as Japanese walking is capturing attention online, promising major health benefits with minimal equipment and time. (Pymer, 2025) 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) Martial law suspends key democratic freedoms, giving the military authority to exercise more powers in times of war or major threats to public safety. (Hynd, 2024) The Caltilius family resettled in Ostia – what was then a major port city to the north of Pompeii, 18 miles from Rome. There, they founded a temple to the Egyptian deity Serapis (Tuck, 2024) Over nine decades, efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution to recognize women’s rights have faced major challenges.(Rohlinger 2018) Common collocates for this word:major
part
problem
changes
role
factor
problems
source
change
contribution
cities
cause
impact
companies
issue
reason
Word Family: major (adjective), majoritymost; the greater part of; more than half of (noun)
Synonyms: important, significanthaving importance and meaning
18/11/2026 - Set 46 - appropriate AWL AKL OPAL NGSL
- ADJECTIVE suitable for a particular purpose, situation, or occasion
Emotions can be rational in the sense of being an appropriate response to a situation. (Nguyen 2019) Feeding your pet the appropriate amount would also help to restrict demand for pet food – and also tackle pet obesity. (Alexander, 2023) There are plenty of opportunities when you are out shopping to include your child in discussions and decisions where appropriate, or explain the financial decisions you make on their behalf. (Attard, 2017) The content may not have been delivered in a way that was sufficiently engaging, comprehensive, age-appropriate, frequent, individually tailored, or relevant to the school context. (McEvoy, 2025) We then ran focus groups with parents of children of these ages, to ensure that we had assigned appropriate principles to each age group. (Renaud & Prior, 2020) Common collocates for this word:appropriate
action
time
way
level
cases
form
response
measures
training
place
authority
circumstances
moment
method
technology
Word Family: appropriate (adjective), appropriately (adverb)
Synonyms: suitable, apt, fitting
17/11/2026 - Set 46 - complex AWL AKL OPAL NGSL
- ADJECTIVE consisting of many interconnected parts which may be difficult to understand
As analytical chemists, we strive to understand the composition of complex mixtures, especially new creations from sources such as plastic waste pyrolysis. (Kaplitz and Schug 2025) Creating an inclusive school environment is a complex task, one that requires a firm, unwavering commitment and coordinated action by all members of the school community. (Ruíz 2024) We have accepted the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in complex processes — from health care to our daily use of social media — often without critical investigation, until it is too late. (Chu et al. 2022) As biologist E O Wilson summarized, “All animals, while capable of some degree of specialized learning, are instinct driven, guided by simple cues from the environment that trigger complex behavior patterns.” (Craciun 2023) The Born-Oppenheimer approximation offers a way to simplify the complex problem of describing molecules at the atomic level. (Harrison 2023) Common collocates for this word:complex
process
system
issues
structure
set
problems
pattern
relationship
web
situation
nature
carbohydrates
ways
series
subject
Word Family: complex (adjective), complexitythe state of being difficult to understand because of the many features, parts and/or varied behaviours of the thing described; not simple (noun)
Synonyms: complicated, difficult, demanding, challenging, intricate,
16/11/2026 - Set 46 - consequent AWL
- ADJECTIVE as a result of; as a natural or logical result of
In our paper, we track a broader set of indicators to convey the effects of human activities on greenhouse gas emissions, and the consequent impacts on climate, our environment, and society. (Newsome & Ripple, 2019) The consequent doubling of computer performance for the same power every couple of years was known as Moore’s Law. (Fedrizzi & Malik, 2022) Their work shows the worst case scenario of ice sheet collapse and consequent sea-level rise can be avoided – and even partly reversed – if we manage to reduce the global temperatures projected for after 2100. (Hubbard, 2023) Retailers can design payment screens that allow customers to choose privately, reducing the feeling of being watched or judged, and the consequent negative feeling of social pressure. (Hoffmann et al., 2025) The growth of the Chinese economy must eventually slow down, inducing “that sinking feeling” of declinism and consequent behaviours. (Kim, 2013) Common collocates for this word:consequent
loss
increase
reduction
need
lack
changes
necessity
decrease
effects
failure
inability
development
decline
fall
difficulty
Word Family: consequent (adjective), consequencethe result, or effect, of an action (noun)
Synonyms: resulting, following, subsequent13/11/2026 - Set 46 - distinct AWL AKL OPAL NGSL
- ADJECTIVE separate and easily noticed to be different from others of a similar type;
From tropical forests to polar ice caps and abyssal depths, the annual journey of Earth around the Sun brings distinct seasons to all corners of the planet. (Carrasco and Tonkin 2025) These specialists, with different training and distinct work cultures, don’t always see eye to eye on study design, research pace or interpretation of results. (Sawchuk and Prendergast 2019) It [the transitional constitution] provides for the establishment of the three arms of government – legislature, executive and judiciary – with distinct powers and functions. (Deng 2025) If we consider dingoes distinct from both dogs and wolves, the most appropriate name would be Canis dingo — recognising the dingo as its own species with a long, separate evolutionary history. (Smith et al., 2025) introducing distinct browser designs can lead to user confusion, misunderstanding and a false sense of security, especially when it is now widely known that such inconsistency can breed confusion, and from that, frustration and lack of use. (Carroll 2023) Common collocates for this word:distinct
possibility
types
impression
groups
advantage
ways
parts
categories
phases
forms
advantages
species
areas
stages
levels
Word Family: distinct (adjective), distinctive (adjective), distinction1. a particular difference which sets something apart from others of a similar type; 2. a mark or recognition of excellence (noun), distinguish (verb)
Synonyms: different, dissimilarunlike, different, not the same, diversedifferent; including many different types
12/11/2026 - Set 46 - previous AWL AKL OPAL NGSL
- ADJECTIVE occurring before; prior
Meanings come from context, from convention, from older stories and from previous usage. (Gruner, 2020) A warning, however, lies in geological deposits from the volcano’s previous eruptions. (Cronin, 2022) The same aircraft had a series of pressurisation alarms on two previous flights, and was scheduled for a maintenance inspection at the completion of the flight. (Drury 2024) Lots of compelling and exciting new findings about adult development point to the importance of rethinking previous theories, assumptions and stereotypes about the course of adult life. (Arnett 2022) Another approach is periodic price adjustments: setting the price based on a moving average of previous months’ import costs. (Onyeiwu 2024) Common collocates for this word:previous
year
day
chapter
night
studies
experience
section
evening
work
month
research
convictions
occasions
decade
knowledge
Word Family: previous (adjective), previously (adverb)
Synonyms: prior, preceding, former, earlier
11/11/2026 - Set 46 - technicalAWL OPAL NGSL
- ADJECTIVE relating to technique, especially concerning machinery or scientific methods
Taking a comprehensive view, leadership qualities include personal attributes, technical and professional competencies, values and attitudes, and conduct. (Veldsman 2016) Many people view climate change as a scientific issue – a matter of physical, biological and technical systems. (Allison and Miller 2019) Often lawmakers rewrite laws passed through initiative. Some revisions change key components of the initiatives, while others amend technical details. (Whitesell 2024) The cable and connector are part of a bigger technical specification called USB-4. (Foucart 2023) The EU took until December 2021 to finalise the technical rules defining sustainable investments. (Yadav 2022) Common collocates for this word:technical
support
problems
college
assistance
expertise
terms
information
skills
knowledge
change
services
education
director
aspects
standards
Word Family: technical (adjective), techniqueneeding skill and often particular tools or instruments (noun), technically (adverb), technician (noun)
Synonyms: technological, scientific, mechanical, specialised
10/11/2026 - Set 46 - civil AWL NGSL
- ADJECTIVE relating to citizens or members of a community and their relation with each other and the state or community
Loyalty as citizens and civil society activists lies in ideas—about democracy, equality, justice, sustainability, and other virtues, goodness, and public civility; not in people or individuals.” (Sabarini, 2025) Countries, civil society and businesses are all calling for a global treaty to end marine plastic pollution. (Bauer & Nielsen, 2021) The yearly gathering sees business, political and civil society leaders convene in the Swiss mountain resort with academics, journalists and celebrities to discuss global economic agendas. (Morrissey 2023) Black students at the university, just over 100 miles to the west of Ferguson, raised concerns about their safety, civil rights and racial equity in society and on campus. (Alsmadi & O’Brien, 2021) Civil disobedience involves accepting the rule of law in general while simultaneously breaking a specific law. (Torcello, 2024) Common collocates for this word:civil
war
service
servants
rights
society
aviation
liberties
law
engineering
disobedience
proceedings
action
defence
liability
courts
Word Family: civil (adjective), civility (noun), civilisation (noun), civilise (verb)
Synonyms: courteous, communal, pubic, civic, neighbourly, respectful
09/11/2026 - Set 46
2025-11-20
46
2025-11-19
46
2025-11-18
46
2025-11-17
46
2025-11-16
46
2025-11-13
46
2025-11-12
46
2025-11-11
46
2025-11-10
46
2025-11-09
46
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