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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2025-11-07

19

implicateAWL

VERB TRANSITIVE 1. to show or suggest that someone is involved in a crime or misdeed. 2. to suggest a cause and effect connection

Although still under investigation, the company responsible for production recalled the implicated product as a precaution. (Cowie and Romero 2018) Feral cats also eat many threatened species in Australia, and have been implicated in the decline of many species including the bilby, numbat, and western ground parrot. (Doherty 2015) While evidence clearly implicates El Niño, we found this climate cycle had a very large accomplice: the Moon. (Saintilan 2022) So several genes are implicatin the immune system, for example - and it's telling us there's something different about the immune system of people who go on to develop Alzheimer's disease. (Science X Network :: Phys.Org, Medical Xpress, Tech Xplore n.d.) Their findings implicate the protein in triggering a cascade of molecular processes in response to kidney injury that leads to inflammation, fibrosis (scarring) and loss of function. (Graciano n.d.) Word Family: implicate (verb), implication (noun)Synonyms: involve, associate, connect 07/11/2025 - Set 19Test your understanding of the words in set 19 with these quick quizzes: Quiz 19 Quiz 19B Quiz 19C

2025-11-06

19

internalAWL AKL OPAL NGSL

ADJECTIVE CLASSIFIER located inside something

Like people, fish have an internal clock that tells them when to do things like sleep and eat. (Brown 2019) But without the Earth’s internal heat, the plates would not have been moving. (Huang 2023) Our eyes don’t turn off in the dark, but instead they create very weak internal signals that mimic light. (Schmid 2021) Bacteria and archaea are single-celled creatures that lack internal membrane-enclosed structures, like a nucleus to hold their genetic material. (Noll 2023) Electric and hybrid gas/electric cars emit very low sounds at low speeds because they don’t have internal combustion engines producing noise and vibrations. (Walker 2022) Common collocates for this word:

internal

market
affairs
security
structure
audit
organs
organization
control
divisions
politics
management
power
injuries
quality
organisation

Word Family: internal (adjective), internally (adverb)Synonyms: inside, interior, domestic 06/11/2025 - Set 19

2025-11-05

19

investigationAWL AKL OPAL NGSL

NOUN COUNTABLE a careful search for information about a specific issue

But all good scientific questions have something in common: they will point scientists towards some sort of investigation they can do to try and find out an answer. (Parke 2022) Our investigation revealed that heatwaves have damaged many (but not all) reef communities over the past decade. (Edgar 2023) These findings are driving exciting investigations into animals' inner lives and their capacity for joy and spontaneity. (Craciun 2023) The strength of the relationship between periodontal disease and general health varies with the medical condition under investigation. (Roberts-Thomson 2012) Common collocates for this word:

investigation

detailed
full
scientific
thorough
empirical
formal
preliminary
criminal
independent
special
official
internal
experimental
subsequent
environmental

Word Family: investigation (noun), investigate (verb)Synonyms: search, inquiry 05/11/2025 - Set 19

2025-11-04

19

obvious  AWL AKL NGSL

ADJECTIVE DESCRIPTOR easy to see and understand

Planting trees to create shade is an obvious response to hot weather. (Croeser 2023) In the old days, autocrats often came to or retained power through military coups and violent crackdowns. Now the shift from democracy to autocracy is slower and less obvious. (Inglis 2019) 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) Is there a way to define placebos that clearly distinguishes them from drugs? This is not obvious, since defining placebos is also quite hard. (Dixon et al. 2025) It seems obvious that some people know more than others about birds or cars. (Gauthier 2024) Common collocates for this word:

obvious

reasons
way
example
choice
reason
examples
question
thing
answer
solution
point
signs
advantages
candidate
explanation

Word Family: obvious (adjective)Synonyms: clear, plain, evident 04/11/2025 - Set 19

2025-11-03

19

output  AWL AKL OPAL NGSL

NOUN the result, product or amount of a particular process

You could argue that rich countries simply have more resources so their companies are bound to be more productive – or have higher levels of output per worker. (Teal 2016) Whereas in South Korea the median worker produces US$193,000 of output a year, the comparable number in Ghana is US$10,000. (Teal 2016) A nonlinear system is one whose output does not vary in direct proportion to the input. (Palmer 2022) Research outputs – mostly publications – also increased dramatically. (Norton 2023) Through a mix of design and muddling through, the period from the 1980s to 2019 successfully delivered much higher enrolments and research outputs. (Norton 2023) Common collocates for this word:

output

real
industrial
total
agricultural
final
annual
cardiac
optimal
current
national
literary
efficient
lexical
increased
high

Word Family: output (noun)Synonyms: production, yield, product 03/11/2025 - Set 19

2025-10-31

19

phase  AWL OPAL NGSL

NOUN COUNTABLE 1. a particular part of a process or cycle; 2. a particular form of a substance (e.g. solid, liquid, gas)

Ice sheets and glaciers melt during warmer phases, which are called interglacials, and expand during colder phases, which are called glacials. (Su 2022) So the Universities Accord review panel has an unenviable task. It wants to see a radical new phase of “growth for skills.” (Norton 2023) The phases of the Moon do not exactly coincide with the solar calendar. (Heineman 2020) The technique is known as simulated annealing because early on – like hot metal in the early phase of cooling – the system is pliable and changeable. (Palmer 2022) Most things come in three phases: solid, liquid or gas. (Bosi 2021) During the main-sequence phase, a star fuses all the hydrogen in its core to helium. (Jeeson-Daniel 2013) Common collocates for this word:

phase

new
final
acute
early
solid
critical
aqueous
stationary
transitional
contracting
passing
total
active
current
cephalic

Word Family: phase (noun)Synonyms: stage, period 31/10/2025 - Set 19

2025-10-30

19

projected  AWL

ADJECTIVE PARTICIPIAL something planned or expected to happen in the future

Tanzania, for its part, has had a good harvest with an estimated 4 million tonnes of excess maize this year. This is seven times the projected import requirements for Malawi in 2024 and is enough to cover the region’s overall deficit. (Mahuma and Landani 2024) If future increases in groundwater use for irrigation and other needs are also considered, the projected reduction in water storage and increase in drought could be even more severe. (Pokhrel 2021) Opinion polls during an election tend to tell you one, or both, of two things: the projected vote share for each political party, and the projected number of seats each party will get. (Bunting 2024) The projected decline in atmospheric oxygen, even in the worst-case scenarios with massive fossil fuel burning and deforestation, will be very small relative to the very large atmospheric reservoir. (Duarte et al. 2021) In the face of widespread retreat of polar glaciers and the projected deglaciation of large areas of the Arctic, it is essential to understand how, and how quickly, areas change after ice disappears. (Pazo, Oliva, and Pérez 2025) Common collocates for this word:

projected

deficit
increase
growth
sales
spending
expenditure
cost
demand
images
budget
costs
figures
fall
image
campaign

Word Family: projected (adjective), project (verb)Synonyms: anticipated, impending 30/10/2025 - Set 19

2025-10-29

19

resolve  AWL AKL OPAL NGSL

VERB TRANSITIVE to bring a problem or medical issue to a satisfactory conclusion

The common cold is normally a mild illness that resolves without treatment in a few days. (Barlow 2019) This sort of conflict can feel impossible to resolve. (Carr 2023) Though not a very satisfying answer, most coughs really will eventually resolv on their own. (Enfield 2023) Usually, our inflammatory response resolves quite quickly, but some people may develop chronic inflammation throughout their body. (Hoffman 2022) One of the primary challenges of Ethiopian federalism lies in its inability to entirely resolve conflicts. (Yimenu 2023) Common collocates for this word:

resolve

itself
problems
disputes
conflicts
differences
matters
issues
complaints
conflict
difficulties
themselves
uncertainty
family
ambiguities
cases

Word Family: resolve (verb), resolution (noun)Synonyms: settle, finalise 29/10/2025 - Set 19

2025-10-28

19

status  AWL OPAL NGSL

NOUN UNCOUNTABLE the condition, rank, official position of a person or thing

A human being’s very sense of self is intimately tied up with his or her identity group’s status and beliefs. (Bardon 2020) Adults reach their peak career earnings and status in their late 40s and 50s. (Arnett 2022) Apart from their authority to possess firearms, individual police officers have no special status in law when it comes to the use of such force. (Clapham 2017) While earlier studies defined a family’s socioeconomic status by one or two factors, such as income, we looked at 11 different elements. (Hu and Morgan 2024) We found that students from families with lower socioeconomic status did worse than kids from families with higher status. (Hu and Morgan 2024) Common collocates for this word:

status

social
marital
legal
low
high
special
equal
professional
current
economic
new
financial
political
independent
nutritional

Word Family: status (noun)Synonyms: condition, class, grade, rank 28/10/2025 - Set 19

2025-10-27

19

summarise  AWL AKL OPAL

VERB TRANSITIVE to create a short form of a text containing only the most important information

Bar charts summarise data across different categories, but present them next to each other. This makes it easier to compare several categories at once. (White 2025) Cochrane reviews summarise the results in a multitude of studies, and are regularly updated to absorb new research. (Mar and Collignon 2018)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) For example, millions of people now use the technology to summarise lengthy documents, draft emails and increase their productivity at work.(Dezuanni et al. 2024) While scatterplots summarise trends, they sometimes show unusual results that would go unnoticed if measurements were charted separately. (White 2025) Word Family: summarise (verb), summary (noun)Synonyms: condense, abridge, abstract, outline 27/10/2025 - Set 19

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, attention 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