Academic Word of the Day

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)

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. They are also divided into sets of ten words, which are the ten words tested in each set of quizzes.

You can see all previous sets by going to the Previous Sets page.

You can see all previous Academic Word of the Day Quizzes by going to the Academic Word of the Day Quizzes page.

There are also occasional collocation quizzes to test recall of words in previous sets (mainly the previous 2 or 3 sets).

All the collocation quizzes are also available on the Academic Word of the Day Collocation Quizzes pages.

You can more collocates of words from various academic word lists by consulting the Collocation Dictionary.

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2025-10-24

18

technique  AWL

NOUN COUNTABLE a process needing skill and often particular tools or instruments

One more technique scientists have developed to see molecules is called cyro-electron microscopy. (Helms 2022) Volcanologists can predict if a volcano is about to erupt by using several techniques. (Skilling 2020) This technique, called the molecular clock, works by sampling the genetics of modern animals and comparing their DNA. (Anderson 2023) We could learn a thing or two from Aboriginal people and the techniques they have traditionally used to prevent bushfires. (Evans 2020) Mindfulness and relaxation techniques can enhance emotional intelligence and creativity, while a variety of different practices can help with assertiveness. (Becker and O’Connor 2019) Common collocates for this word:

technique

new
good
similar
different
classical
useful
statistical
basic
simple
effective
particular
analytical
alternative
powerful
standard

Word Family: technique (noun)Synonyms: skill, craft, proficiency, method, system24/10/2025 - Set 18Test your understanding of the words in set 18 with these quick quizzes: Quiz 18 Quiz 18B Quiz 18C

2025-10-23

18

accessible  AWL AKL OPAL NGSL

ADJECTIVE easy to use, obtain or enter

If our public spaces are not accessible to all, then they cannot be truly public. (Cucuzzella 2025) Our objective must be to teach students how to make our built environment more inclusive and universally accessible through creative means rather than basic technological add-ons. (Cucuzzella 2025) The road to an active lifestyle is more accessible and achievable than we thought – and is not just for gym regulars. (Diaz and Chastin 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) 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) Accessible venues will not just benefit wheelchair users. Older people, those with impaired mobility and people who push prams and tow suitcases all benefit. (Clifton 2024) Common collocates for this word:

accessible

areas
countryside
form
way
route
place
information
manner
source
service
introduction
parts
books
settlements
toilet

Word Family: accessible (adjective), access (verb), access (noun), accessibility (noun)Synonyms: reachable, attainable, available 23/10/2025 - Set 18

2025-10-22

18

annual  AWL AKL OPAL NGSL

ADJECTIVE happening once every year

When on annual leave, try to spend as much time as you can in nature because it is associated an improvement in both emotional and psychological health. (Burke 2022) The annual World Economic Forum in Davos brought together representatives from government and business to deliberate how to solve the worsening climate and ecological crisis. (Alberro 2020) The draft decision will be considered at the annual meeting of the World Heritage Committee in July, chaired by China and comprising 21 countries. (Day, Heron, and Hughes 2021) Fruit and vegetable growing is one of Australia’s most important agricultural sectors, with an annual production value (excluding wine grapes) exceeding A 11 billion in 2021–2022. (Bohra and Varshney 2023) 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) Common collocates for this word:

annual

report
meeting
conference
rate
budget
event
dinner
growth
income
fee
basis
turnover
accounts
sales
leave

Word Family: annual (adjective), annually (adverb)Synonyms: yearly 22/10/2025 - Set 18

2025-10-21

18

commitment  AWL AKL NGSL

NOUN COUNTABLE a promise or a willingness to do something

Interviewees emphasised the need for strategic and critical thinking skills, the ability to discern right from wrong and the commitment to do what is right. (Mlambo et al. 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) It said the plan requires stronger and clearer commitments, in particular on urgently addressing threats from climate change, and improving water quality and land management. (Day, Heron, and Hughes 2021) The timescale for the transition to 100% renewable energy – electricity, heat and transport – depends on each country or region and the commitment of its governments. (Diesendorf 2016) But to sustain these initiatives, government must demonstrate that its commitment to citizen participation is credible and is not part of a rudimentary check-list. (Bansah 2022) Common collocates for this word:

commitment

strong
personal
total
political
long-term
firm
real
clear
continuing
financial
full
continued
ideological
positive
genuine

Word Family: commitment (noun), commit (verb)Synonyms: promise, dedication, determination, guarantee 21/10/2025 - Set 18

2025-10-20

18

communicate  AWL AKL OPAL NGSL

VERB TRANSITIVE or INTRANSITIVE to share information with others through language, signs or other means

Neurons communicate with each other by sending chemical and electrical signals. (Chronaki 2019) Scholars often communicate by publishing research papers. (Behles 2021) But having longer top eyelashes can also help us express our feelings and communicate with others. (Moro and Stromberga 2020) These are called neurochemicals and are the way brain cells communicate with each other. (Hehr and Marusak 2021) Grammar is how we organise our words and sentences to communicate with others and to express ourselves. (Adoniou 2014) Common collocates for this word:

communicate

effectively
directly
better
successfully
clearly
verbally
well
efficiently
properly
easily
intelligibly
confidently
adequately
instantly
privately
orally

Word Family: communicate (verb), communication (noun), communicative (adjective)Synonyms: inform, report, notify 20/10/2025 - Set 18

2025-10-17

18

concentration  AWL OPAL NGSL

NOUN COUNTABLE 1. thinking carefully about something without being distracted; 2. the amount of one substance found in another

Thinking carefullySo we can think of concentration as the “mental energy” or “thinking petrol” your brain needs to focus. (Munro 2020) When it comes to lighting, for most people, brighter white lighting helps concentration. (Munro 2020) By planning studying sessions in a way that minimises external distractors, you could improve your concentration and overall performance. (Vasilev 2019)Amount of one substance found in another Researchers have shown protocells just will not form in the presence of the concentrations of sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium found in seawater. (Jordan 2019) That’s why we say that seawater has a much higher concentration of salt – or “salinity” – than the freshwater flowing through rivers and streams. (Little 2019) Had this event happened in a world where carbon dioxide concentrationswere instead at pre-industrial levels, the rains probably would have been less intense.(Clarke, Otto, and Harrington 2022) Common collocates for this word:

concentration

high
final
intense
industrial
increased
low
heavy
total
poor
great
critical
exclusive
increasing
large
admissible

Word Family: concentration (noun), concentrate (verb)Synonyms: diligence, absorption 17/10/2025 - Set 18

2025-10-16

18

cycle  AWL

NOUN COUNTABLE the return of a process to its starting point

There are 12 cycles of the moon each year, so the calendar was divided into twelve months. (Parish 2022) When we sleep we go through cycles consisting of light and deep stages of sleep. (Zajamsek and Micic 2020) As climate change affects the water cycle, some regions may have less precipitation and consequently less hydropower generation. (Tarroja 2022) Fire is part of that cycle, turning solid carbon in plants back into carbon dioxide gas. (Archibald 2021) While evidence clearly implicates El Niño, we found this climate cycle had a very large accomplice: the Moon. (Saintilan 2022) Milankovitch cycles have also influenced the migration and evolution of flora and fauna including our own species.(Davies and Lantink 2022) Common collocates for this word:

cycle

economic
hydrological
vicious
annual
solar
complete
whole
reproductive
new
lunar
natural
combined
entire
regular
menstrual

Word Family: cycle (noun), cycle (verb), cyclical (adjective)Synonyms: sequence, succession, circle 16/10/2025 - Set 18

2025-10-15

18

debate  AWL AKL OPAL NGSL

NOUN COUNTABLE a formal discussion taking place in person or through written communication

In 1938, a British engineer and amateur meteorologist made a discovery that set off a fierce debate about climate change. (Dee 2022) Scholarly debates need to be free and without let or hindrance. (Adesina 2020) The debate about no-platforming and “cancel culture” has largely revolved around free speech and the question of whether it is ever right to deny it. (Douglas and Lord 2020) But an important debate did surface – that is, the question of who, or what, is to blame for the crisis. (Alberro 2020) Our results clearly support the beneficial effects of both moderate and vigorous physical activity on cognitive functioning, fuelling an important scientific debate. (Cheval and Boisgontier 2023) Common collocates for this word:

debate

public
political
considerable
heated
great
parliamentary
national
current
lively
long
open
fierce
recent
major
important

Word Family: debate (noun), debate (verb), debatable (adjective)Synonyms: discussion, deliberation, argument 15/10/2025 - Set 18

2025-10-14

18

domestic  AWL OPAL NGSL

ADJECTIVE taking place at home or in a home country

Although 96% of all these countries have some form of domestic anti-trafficking legislation in place, many of them appear to have failed to prohibit other types of human exploitation in their domestic law. (Allain and Schwarz 2020) Currently, gold contributes 12% to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product. (Bansah 2022) One Indigenous community there is successfully growing peaches and lemons for the domestic market and avocados for the international market, while also planting native pines on their communal lands. (Fernández 2024) The advent of precision farming comes at a time of significant upheaval in the global supply chain and as the number of foreign and domestic hackers with the ability to exploit this technology continues to grow. (Doctor and Grispos 2022) This requires both the discovery of new technologies and the application of these technologies to new and existing industries, in both domestic and international markets. (Coleborne and McGuire 2023) Common collocates for this word:

domestic

product
market
violence
policy
service
life
economy
law
rates
demand
affairs
work
politics
servants
consumption

Word Family: domestic (adjective), domesticity (noun)Synonyms: native, home, indigenous, home-grown, endemic 14/10/2025 - Set 18

2025-10-13

18

emerge  AWL AKL OPAL

VERB INTRANSITIVE to appear, come into view or existence

Without the daily ebb and flow of water, it’s possible life would never have emerged from the sea onto land. (Laycock 2023) The industry emerged and developed in regions with coal resources and rapid industrialisation, such as the UK. (Bauer and Nielsen 2021) Since our species, Homo sapiens, emerged about 300,000 years ago in Africa, we have spread around the world. (Su 2022) If the attack was successful, the fox will emerge from the snow with a lemming in its mouth. (Job 2021) And over time humans in various cultures have noticed patterns that emerge in numbers, and developed mathematical systems around them. (Galligan 2019) Terms like vagrant, native, invasive, migrant and colonist all emerge from centuries of political discourses describing which persons belong where. (Craciun 2023) Common collocates for this word:

emerge

eventually
then
suddenly
finally
soon
ultimately
probably
often
never
occasionally
necessarily
slowly
always
gradually
typically

Word Family: emerge (verb), emergence (noun)Synonyms: appear, come out, become visible/apparent 13/10/2025 - Set 18

2025-10-10

17

illustrate  AWL

VERB TRANSITIVE to show or make clear with graphics, by demonstration or by detailed explanation

Tangram is accessible and yet challenging, and an excellent educational tool. It’s still used in schools today to help illustrate mathematical concepts and develop mathematical thinking skills. It even features a paradox or two. (Britz 2022) Publishers may also find illustrators for a book, although many authors want to illustrate their own. (Farina 2022) Particularly fascinating are the remains of daily life, including pottery and tools, which illustrate the technological progress of these prehistoric communities. (Bashir 2024) The term “late capitalism” seems to be everywhere as a trending meme – often used as a kind of shorthand to illustrate the absurdities of certain free market economies. (Aviles 2022) Among the most important collections are objects from the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms of Egypt (2660BC to 900BC) that illustrate the intertwining of two great civilisations. (Bashir 2024) Common collocates for this word:

illustrate

points
concepts
examples
ways
principles
aspects
differences
ideas
changes
problems
methods
stories
trends
books
techniques

Word Family: illustrate (verb), illustration (noun), illustrative (adjective)Synonyms: picture, image, example, description, demonstration, Lexical phrases: illustrate the [point, difference, fact, extent, difficulty, problem, importance, ...]10/10/2025 - Set 17Test your understanding of the words in set 17 with these quick quizzes: Quiz 17 Quiz 17B Quiz 17C

2025-10-09

17

justify  AWL AKL OPAL NGSL

VERB TRANSITIVE show (or attempt to show) that something is correct or reasonable

There are two explanations that could justify this firstborn effect. (Sabolova 2020) Terrorists often justify their bloody acts on the basis of perceived social, economic and political unfairness. (Lemieux 2017) On balance, you’re justified in buying an electric vehicle, assuming you want one. Overall operating costs are far lower than for other vehicles. Public charger issues affect a small percentage of trips. (Pellegrini and Rose 2024) Other studies have found motivated reasoning being employed to justify keeping overpayments and self-allocating annual bonuses, among other examples. (Mortimer and Grimmer 2022) If each of us had to justify each rule from scratch (why we drive on the left in some countries, and on the right in others; why we say please and thank you), our minds would grind to a halt. (Chater 2020) Common collocates for this word:

justify

themselves
action
termination
rejection
use
retention
punishment
expenditure
claims
discontinuance
complacency
induction
inclusion
interference
exclusion

Word Family: justify (verb), justification (noun), justifiable (adjective), justifiably (adverb)Synonyms: excuse, warrant, support, defend, validate 09/10/2025 - Set 17

2025-10-08

17

location  AWL AKL OPAL NGSL

NOUN COUNTABLE a place, where something is situated

The location of these dots tells scientists how the atoms are arranged in the molecule. (Helms 2022) Where and when depends on their age, location, parental preference and local policies. (Negussie 2022) For refugees, their primary settlement location is decided by the Australian government. (Collins 2019) They can travel hundreds of miles before settling in a new location. (Marley 2025) Scientists can drive these instruments to locations near the tornado, but stop at a safe distance. (Houser 2022) Common collocates for this word:

location

geographical
exact
central
precise
general
particular
ideal
physical
different
convenient
secret
spatial
suitable
specific
single

Word Family: location (noun), locate (verb)Synonyms: place, position, site, situation 08/10/2025 - Set 17

2025-10-07

17

minority  AWL AKL NGSL

NOUN COUNTABLE a smaller part of a group

These findings suggest that minority government does not present the widespread illegitimacy and inefficiency to the electorate that is sometimes claimed by political leaders. (Prosser and Biddle 2025) This can create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for minority ethnic students, providing them with role models who they can relate to and who understand their cultural backgrounds. (Adebayo 2023) A lack of diverse books is failing children from minority backgrounds. (Adam 2019) Many educators or adults unwittingly promote stereotypical, outdated or exotic views of minority groups. (Adam 2019) News frames also can lead to misrepresentations of minority groups in news coverage, which can create and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. (Ashley 2019) Common collocates for this word:

minority

ethnic
small
tiny
significant
substantial
white
sizeable
national
large
racial
dominant
powerful

vocal
privileged

Word Family: minority (noun), minor (adjective)07/10/2025 - Set 17

2025-10-06

17

physical  AWL AKL OPAL NGSL

ADJECTIVE ATTRIBUTIVE relating to a body or something concrete (rather than abstract)

Physical education (PE) is a fundamental part of school life. (Cox 2023) Scientists have been studying the associations between mental and physical health for some time. (Doyle 2022) Our results provide scientific evidence for the cognitive benefits of moderate and vigorous physical activity. (Cheval and Boisgontier 2023) Another type of sneeze is psychogenic, meaning it’s caused by something more mental than physical. (Sorg 2021) Long chains convey important physical properties, such as strength and toughness, that short molecules simply cannot match. (Beckman 2018) Common collocates for this word:

physical

environment
geography
education
world
contact
sciences
condition
activity
abuse
violence
appearance
strength
science
symptoms
geographers

Word Family: physical (adjective), physics (noun)Synonyms: material, solid, concrete, tangible 06/10/2025 - Set 17

2025-10-03

17

publish  AWL OPAL NGSL

VERB TRANSITIVE to make something (a text or art work) available for public consumption or viewing

Our new research is published today in the journal Nature. (Edgar 2023) Finally, in 1997, Pääbo and his colleagues published the first Neanderthal DNA sequences. (Götherström and Dalén n.d.) This is the year famous physicist Albert Einstein published his general theory of relativity. (Webb 2023) Social media tends to encourage users to publish, “like” and forget, rather than engage in conversation. (Cowling and Vanderburg 2018) Even when it is published, this kind of research is often not attributed to its actual authors. (Czerniewicz 2015) Common collocates for this word:

publish

details
information
books
material
reports
results
examination
news
guidelines
newspapers
accounts
proposals
letters
plans
data

Word Family: publish (verb), publication (noun), public (adjective/noun)Synonyms: promote, promulgate, release, divulge, circulate, spread03/10/2025 - Set 17

2025-10-02

17

reaction  AWL

NOUN COUNTABLE a response to a stimulus, action or event

Sneezing can also occur as a reaction to more unusual stimuli. (Sorg 2021) Breathing pure oxygen sets off a series of runaway chemical reactions. (Lynch 2020) This law says that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. (James 2022) Such techniques involve exposing individuals to emotionally charged situations to change their emotional reactions. (Ezenwa 2023) This process, called photosynthesis, is one of the most amazing chemical reactions on the planet. (Ashton 2022) Common collocates for this word:

reaction

immediate
chemical
natural
allergic
adverse
rapid
public
positive
normal
emotional
instinctive
violent
simple
angry
strong

Word Family: reaction (noun), react (verb), reactive (adjective)Synonyms: reply, response 02/10/2025 - Set 17

2025-10-01

17

reliable  AWL AKL OPAL NGSL

ADJECTIVE dependable, trustworthy, giving consistent results

As my students ask, why does it have to be so hard to get reliable information?(Ashley 2019) Google searches don’t necessarily identify objective and reliable information. (Behles 2021) We now need other reliable data and new modelling approaches to trace the evolution of the moon through time. (Davies and Lantink 2022) Play is one of the most reliable ways to tell if an animal is happy, as only happy animals play. (Starling 2021) These impulses can be measured using an electrocardiogram (ECG), which is the most reliable and informative measure of your heart rate.(Beale and Nanayakkara 2018) Common collocates for this word:

reliable

information
guide
source
method
way
data
evidence
sources
means
methods
indicator
results
indication
estimates
supply

Word Family: reliable (adjective), rely (verb), reliance (noun), reliably (adverb)Synonyms: dependable, trustworthy 01/10/2025 - Set 17

2025-09-30

17

sequence  AWL OPAL NGSL

NOUN COUNTABLE a series of items or events in a particular order

At any given position in our DNA sequence, we have two nucleotides, one on the chromosome inherited from our mother and one on the chromosome from our father. (Abbatangelo 2023) Finally, in 1997, Pääbo and his colleagues published the first Neanderthal DNA sequences. (Götherström and Dalén n.d.) They might also outline a plot, or the sequence of events that will happen in the story. (Farina 2022) Pääbo’s discoveries show us that gene sequences from our extinct relatives influence the physiology of modern-day humans. (Götherström and Dalén n.d.) But much of the precious information is sealed off to genetic scientists because formalin, the chemical often used to preserve specimens, damages DNA and makes sequences hard to recover. (Barlow, Major, and Wüster 2023) Common collocates for this word:

sequence

whole
logical
chronological
short
following
random
infinite
correct
particular
historical
modern
evolutionary
long
developmental
linear

Word Family: sequence (noun), sequence (verb), sequential (adjective)Synonyms: order, progression, series 30/09/2025 - Set 17

2025-09-29

17

shift  AWL AKL OPAL

NOUN COUNTABLE a movement or change of position, direction or stance

The date of the first animals marks a shift in the history of life on Earth. (Anderson 2023) As the shift towards brackish aquaculture continues, crop cultivation will become even more challenging. (Chen and Mueller 2018) Convergence refers to the shifts people make to their speech to approximate that of those around them. (Wade 2022) In turn, this leads to seasonal shifts in the prevailing wind, which often bring rains during the warm season in tropical areas including India and the top end of Australia. (Sherwood 2023) And while the shift from “This is what we all do” to “This is what we all ought to do” is a well-known ethical fallacy, it is deeply embedded in human psychology. (Chater 2020) Common collocates for this word:

shift

upward
significant
major
red
spectral
gradual
fundamental
blue
subtle
slight
massive
rural
cultural
general
rightward

Word Family: shift (noun), shift (verb)Synonyms: change, deviation, movement, variation, revolution, Lexical phrases: shift [from, to, towards]29/09/2025 - Set 17