Academic Word of the Day Set 42
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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.
- volumeAWL AKL OPAL NGSL
- NOUN COUNTABLE the amount which a certain space can contain; the amount or number of something; the amount of sound produced; one of a related series of books
According to something called the “ideal gas law”, the volume increases in direct proportion to the temperature. (Sherwood, 2023) Another form of lung disease is referred to as restriction, or difficulty expanding the lungs. Restriction decreases the volume of the lungs and, subsequently, the amount of air they can take in. (Kadl and Sturek 2022) The volume of low-oxygen areas is projected to grow by about 7% by 2100 under a scenario of high-CO₂ emissions. (Duarte et al., 2021) These policies will substantially increase the volume of research to which scholars and readers worldwide have access. (Czerniewicz, 2015) As Poopó is unusually shallow, mostly just a few metres deep, relatively small changes in overall water volume make a big difference to its surface area. (Marti-Cardona & Torres-Batlló, 2021) Common collocates for this word:volume
large
total
high
sheer
low
final
single
full
small
specific
increased
equal
given
huge
slim
Word Family: volume (noun), volumetric (adjective)
Synonyms: quantity, amount
25/09/2026 - Set 42 - access AWL NGSL
- NOUN UNCOUNTABLE the ability to use or approach a utility, resource, or person
Beyond school Improving young people’s access to physical activity that will help them stay active in adult life should be a priority beyond schools. (Cox, 2023) Our new research shows that city size and population distribution matter when the priorities are access to amenities and equality of opportunities and outcomes – and not just economic growth. (Sarkar 2018) Despite adequate food production globally, poverty and inequality restrict many people’s access to healthy food. (Yasmeen, 2022) In the interpretation of this convention, the United Nations Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights has emphasised that: 'all children within a state, including those with an undocumented status, have a right to receive education and access to adequate food and affordable health care'. (Killander 2019) College libraries were short of relevant, good quality books and computer access was limited.(Dunne et al., 2021) Common collocates for this word:access
privileged
ready
full
limited
improved
automatic
special
physical
unrestricted
good
restricted
disabled
rapid
regular
early
Word Family: access (noun), access (verb), accessibleeasy to use, obtain or enter (adjective)
Synonyms: entry, approachA way of addressing or dealing with an issue; an attitude towards an issue; a method
Lexical phrases: access to
24/09/2026 - Set 42 - concept AWL AKL OPAL NGSL
- NOUN COUNTABLE an idea or principle
Scientists began experimenting with the concept of television more than a century ago. (Weitzen, 2022) New analysis of the language and gesture of South America's indigenous Aymara people indicates they have a concept of time opposite to all the world's studied cultures—so that the past is ahead of them and the future behind. (Kiderra 2006) Courts need the ability to exclude improperly obtained evidence, because integrity as a rule-of-law concept requires our courts to act coherently. (Clifton 2024) The concept of separation of powers is incorporated into just about every democratic constitution. It rests on the principle of the separation of powers between the three fundamental branches of government: executive, legislature and judiciary. (Bufacchi 2025) This aligns with the concept of mental accounting, which suggests that we value our money differently based on the mental category we assign it to. (Algarhi and Lagos 2024) Nobel laureate Richard Thaler introduced the concept of mental accounting in 1985, as a model of how we allocate money into to different categories for spending. (Farrell and Elkins 2025)
Common collocates for this word:concept
whole
original
legal
basic
central
difficult
key
different
simple
traditional
modern
general
elusive
strategic
abstract
Word Family: concept (noun), conceptualrelating to ideas, knowledge and memories and how we think about them (adjective)
Synonyms: idea, thought, notionan idea or belief, principlean idea about how something works or should work; a rule or guideline; an standard of of behaviour, theorya statement devised to explain facts upon which predictions or conjectures can be made and tested, hypothesisan idea which is open to testing and which can be refuted through demonstration or experiment
Lexical phrases: concept of
23/09/2026 - Set 42 - sector AWL OPAL NGSL
- NOUN COUNTABLE a particular part of an industry or the economy; a part of something, especially land or society
It is crucial to ensure that waste sector staff are protected and recovered materials are uncontaminated and safe to use in supply chains. (Stringfellow, Williams, and Roberts n.d.) Most of those come from the energy sector and the combustion of fossil fuels. (Barton & Grace, 2014) The automotive sector uses increasing amounts of thermoplastics, primarily to reduce weight and hence achieve greater fuel efficiency standards. (Beckman, 2018) It’s no coincidence that almost every single sector of industry is contributing to the planet’s downfall, either. (Alberro, 2019) Artisanal and small-scale mining also accounts for 40% of gold produced in Ghana, making it an attractive sector for revenue generation. (Bansah, 2022) Common collocates for this word:sector
private
public
voluntary
financial
independent
industrial
informal
agricultural
personal
monetary
rented
commercial
corporate
retail
formal
Word Family: sector (noun)
Synonyms: area1. a two dimensional space; 2. a subject or activity under discussion, district, zone
22/09/2026 - Set 42 - chapter AWL NGSL
- NOUN COUNTABLE a part of a book or other text; a subgroup of a special interest society; a period ( e.g. in someone's life or career)
In the opening chapter of A Passage to India, Forster references influenza, a word that stems from the Latin influentia (“to flow into”). (Mourant, 2025) First, it is now clear this amendment will be placed in its own separate chapter at the end of the Constitution in a new section 129. (Twomey, 2023) This is why later chapters spend so much time discussing geography and deployment of forces, rather than fighting techniques. (McDonald, 2023) The university’s local chapter of the American Association of University Professors, an organization of professors and academics in the U.S., quickly denounced this requirement. (Sarat, 2026) After graduating from college, I embarked on the next chapter of my academic journey in the United States and reconnected with “Journey to the West” from a different perspective. (Hao, 2023) Common collocates for this word:chapter
previous
social
final
following
new
introductory
preceding
whole
concluding
short
separate
penultimate
brief
entire
excellent
Word Family: chapter (noun)
Synonyms: part, section1. a part; 2. a subdivision of a written text, especially a legal one., perioda length of time, branch
21/09/2026 - Set 42 - motive AWL NAWL
- NOUN COUNTABLE the reason for going something
Capitalism is driven by profit. Some of the earliest descriptions of the profit motive that drives the whole system come from Adam Smith. (Karaca, 2025) Arson can also be the primary or secondary motive – is setting the fire the main purpose, or is the fire being used to disguise another activity? (McGregor & Weston, 2023) So in the midst of that heated disagreement, try and remember that the key to change is often finding a shared belief or motive. (Kappes & Sharot, 2019) And though farmers might not be ideal targets for ransomware attacks, farms could be tempting targets for hackers with other motives, including terrorists. (Doctor & Grispos, 2022) Across cultures and countries, social motives are the most common reason young people give for drinking alcohol. (Kuntsche & Callinan, 2018) Common collocates for this word:motive
ulterior
real
prime
main
political
possible
improper
underlying
apparent
dominant
good
sexual
racial
specific
strong
Word Family: motive (noun), motivateto make someone keen to do something (verb), motivationthe desire to do or achieve something (noun), motivational (adjective)
Synonyms: reason, cause, purpose, grounds, motivation, incentive
Lexical phrases: motive [for, behind]
18/09/2026 - Set 42 - partner AWL NGSL
- NOUN COUNTABLE a person with whom you have a close or intimate relationship; a co-owner of a business; someone with whom you cooperate for a particular reason
Research shows that ‘phubbing’ – ignoring a partner to look at your phone – can lower relationship satisfaction and spark retaliation. (Hart & Carnelley, 2025This text has many examples of the use of the word 'partner'.) There’s no point in collaborating with partners who don’t bring additional expertise and resources to the table. (Charles and Keast 2016) We found that the more confident one volunteer was, the more confident the partner became, and vice versa. (Kappes & Sharot, 2019) Some collaborative projects end up carrying a partner or two, which puts considerable strain on everyone else – and can affect relationships that would otherwise be productive. (Charles & Keast, 2016) Having just one self-employed partner can significantly disrupt the work-family balance. (Daronkola, 2024This text has many examples of the use of the word 'partner'.) Common collocates for this word:partner
senior
new
outgoing
sexual
junior
other
salaried
equal
dominant
deceased
ideal
full
surviving
perfect
limited
Word Family: partner (noun), partner (verb), partnershipan agreement to work together for a common purpose (noun)
Synonyms: companion, teammate, colleague, accomplice, collaborator
17/09/2026 - Set 42 - project AWL OPAL NGSL
- NOUN COUNTABLE a special, time limited piece of work with a particular goal
Then, at the end of their degree, selected assessments or a final project can be used to demonstrate a student’s learning. (Tai et al. 2023) The students in our project expressed anxiety and sometimes guilt that they had spent too much time on their apps. By their own estimation, they were using apps for about eight hours a day. (Conroy, Knox, and Davis 2025) But the project might require new ways of thinking, different skill-sets and different resources. (Charles & Keast, 2016) This resulted in a research project in which we mapped and analysed the fossil lock-ins of plastics and petrochemicals. (Bauer & Nielsen, 2021) It matters if they are kind, thoughtful and empathetic. The converse is also true. It is the kiss of death to a project if an individual is arrogant or patronising or somehow offends their hosts. (Peake & Wallis, 2023) Common collocates for this word:project
whole
major
particular
current
ambitious
minor
special
joint
entire
successful
long-term
similar
political
collaborative
exciting
Word Family: project (noun), project (verb)
Synonyms: plan, schemea plan to achieve a particular objective, taska particular piece of work, often assigned and time limited, objectivebased on evidence or established facts rather than personal opinion, bias, or prejudice, goal
16/09/2026 - Set 42 - series AWL AKL OPAL NGSL
- NOUN COUNTABLE a number of related objects or events
The most obvious difference wasn’t the working memory capacity – that is, the ability to keep track of a series of events – but the search strategies that were used. (Völter 2019) Students couldn’t follow the entire video and felt it was too long. As a result, the team had to edit it into a series of much shorter clips — some as brief as 16 seconds — so they could capture the attention of their audience. (Kianpour 2025) This was demonstrated by a series of clever experiments in which participants had the option to be idle (waiting in a room for 15 minutes for an experiment to start) or to be busy (walking for 15 minutes to another venue to participate in an experiment). (Ku 2021) What’s more, a series of cost-benefit studies have found that providing a safety net for families not only helps the families who receive assistance but also society as a whole. (Maguire-Jack, Sokol, and Herrenkohl 2025) 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) Common collocates for this word:series
new
whole
long
continuous
complex
recent
current
proportional
regular
short
occasional
great
international
endless
continuing
Word Family: series (noun)
Synonyms: sequencea series of items or events in a particular order, set, group
Lexical phrases: series of
15/09/2026 - Set 42 - statistic AWL OPAL NGSL
- NOUN COUNTABLE information about things which can be counted and analysed
The central feature of statistics is data: designing ways to collect, summarise, visualise, present and draw inferences from data. (Speed, 2014This text has many examples of the use of the word 'statistic'.) But we also identified a lack of clarity in the communication of government statistics, since most appeared in a relatively vague or imprecise form. (Lewis and Cushion 2016) We looked at their scores on achievement tests administered by the National Center for Education Statistics. (Hu and Morgan 2024) In order to establish cause-and-effect, we need to go beyond the statistics and look for separate evidence (of a scientific or historical nature) and logical reasoning. (Borwein (Jon) and Rose 2014) A Grade Point Average (GPA) is a summary statistic that represents a student’s average performance in their studies over a stated period of time, such as one semester. (Sadler, 2015) When reading and interpreting statistics, one must take great care to understand exactly what the data and its statistics are implying – and more importantly, what they are not implying. (Borwein (Jon) and Rose 2014)
Common collocates for this word:statistic
revealing
important
staggering
startling
alarming
stark
depressing
astonishing
misleading
useful
economic
corroborating
sobering
heartening
tell-tale
Word Family: statistic (noun), statistical (adjective)
Synonyms: dataInformation of any kind collected and stored, usually in digital form, for various uses.
14/09/2026 - Set 42
2025-09-25
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2025-09-24
42
2025-09-23
42
2025-09-22
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2025-09-21
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2025-09-18
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2025-09-17
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2025-09-16
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2025-09-15
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2025-09-14
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