Academic Word of the Day

A daily examination of a particular academic (AWL) word and its usage in academic writing

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.

Today's word is:

2026-11-11

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

2026-11-10

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), technique (noun), technically (adverb), technician (noun)
Synonyms: technological, scientific, mechanical, specialised
10/11/2026 - Set 46

2026-11-09

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

2026-11-06

acquire AWL AKL NGSL: VERB TRANSITIVE to gain possession of something; to gain something through study, effort or experience
Acquiring a language happens naturally, it does not require conscious effort or formal instruction; it is something incidental and often unconscious. (Vazquez-Calvo, 2023) When we acquire a second language, the mother tongue serves as a basis for learning concepts in the second language, if it is already in place. (Aparicio, 2021) Many studies have demonstrated that individuals usually want more money to give up something they own than they are willing to pay to acquire a similar item from someone else. (Mathmann, Mortimer, and Grimmer 2019) In fact, babies can even acquire two (or more) languages together, if they hear them regularly. (Sorace, 2023) Only in the last 20 years have we acquired a basic biological understanding of how the eye’s retina tells the circadian system it is daytime. (Stevens, 2015) Common collocates for this word:

acquire

knowledge
land
shares
skills
information
control
language
power
qualifications
assets
infection
ownership
target
software
rights

Word Family: acquire (verb), acquisition (noun)
Synonyms: obtain, get, gain, secure
06/11/2026 - Set 45

Test your understanding of the words in set 45 with these quick quizzes: Quiz 45 Quiz 45B Quiz 45C

2026-11-05

distribute AWL OPAL NGSL: VERB TRANSITIVE to deliver, supply to various people, groups, customers ...
Editors work for publishers, the companies that help create the final form of the book and then distribute, advertise and sell it. (Farina, 2022) Disputes over fairness can create conflict. Families squabble over inheritances, societies polarise around the question of how to distribute wealth fairly, and nations become mired in territorial quarrels. (Feuerriegel et al., 2021) In contrast, almost all of the tropical species censused in our study are widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific (only 3% endemic to Australia). (Edgar, 2023) The challenge posed by AI is not simply how to distribute income, but how to sustain human flourishing in a world where work plays a smaller role. (Howley, 2026) To assess cooperation, individuals were also asked to play a simple resource allocation game where players were given a number of tokens (representing rice) and asked to distribute these between themselves and their camp mates.(Smith, 2017) Common collocates for this word:

distribute

copies
food
funds
relief
information
books
literature
software
land
goods
resources
products
handout
wealth
electricity

Word Family: distribute (verb), distribution (noun), distributive (adjective)
Synonyms: deliver, dispense, divide, disseminate
05/11/2026 - Set 45

2026-11-04

dominate AWL AKL OPAL NGSL: VERB TRANSITIVE to have control over (by force, authority); to have a commanding position in a market or oganisation
Today, light-frame wood construction dominates the U.S. residential market. (Fernández 2025) Analytical and creative thinking are key to disciplines that dominate the humanities, from history to political science and economics. (Coleborne and McGuire 2023) Polyethylene terephthalate, a polyester, dominates the market for beverage bottles and textile fibers. (Beckman, 2018) Australian, Amerindian, and countless other indigenous belief systems often portray nonhumans as kin with intrinsic value to be respected, rather than external objects to be dominated or exploited. (Alberro 2019) Many diseases are associated with microbial communities that are dominated by just a few species. (Langen, 2022) Common collocates for this word:

dominate

proceedings
nature
world
politics
men
women
people
debate
parliament
society
life
games
affairs
media
sanitation

Word Family: dominate (verb), domination (noun), dominant (adjective)
Synonyms: control, rule, command, govern
Lexical phrases: dominate by
04/11/2026 - Set 45

2026-11-03

occupy AWL OPAL NGSL: VERB TRANSITIVE to fill a space or period of time; to hold possession of
This makes the air expand to occupy a larger volume. (Sherwood 2023) There are also fewer places for wasps and bees to live these days because the cities and farmland that serve humans occupy ever more of their habitat. (Zehnder, 2020) But people occupied these parts of the world long before farming began. (Longrich, n.d.) The largest data servers in the world are China Telecom Data Centre, in Hohhot, China, which occupies 10.7 million square feet and The Citadel in Tahoe Reno, Nevada, which occupies 7.2 million square feet and uses 815 megawatts of power. (Vopson, 2021) The digital society occupies time and provides a way of getting away from everything that annoys us in our daily lives, but it doesn’t give us a reason to live. (Breton, 2024) Common collocates for this word:

occupy

positions
himself
accommodation
space
land
sites
territory
discussion
ground
centre
power
government
time
orbits
pitches

Word Family: occupy (verb), occupation (noun), occupational (adjective)
Synonyms: fill, control, conquer
03/11/2026 - Set 45

2026-11-02

pursue AWL AKL NGSL: VERB TRANSITIVE to follow; work towards a goal; try to capture
With people working longer hours, goals are often work-driven, leaving little time to pursue personal goals outside work. (Ahmed, 2023) The WTO can remain a forum for building consensus, but its future lies in fostering flexible partnerships rather than pursuing grand, all-encompassing trade deals. (Steinbach 2025) The archaeological and fossil records tell us our ancestors could have pursued farming, but did only so after they had little alternative. (Longrich, n.d.) Second, reallocation of existing grey space, like roads and canals, must be pursued fearlessly and systematically. (Croeser, 2023) Our survey involved 406 Indonesian mothers pursuing postgraduate education (master’s and doctorates) both at home and abroad. (Oktaviani et al., 2022) Common collocates for this word:

pursue

policies
careers
goals
activities
objectives
game
quality
research
business
claims
opportunities
matters
people
justice
politics

Word Family: pursue (verb), pursuit (noun), pursuant (adjective)
Synonyms: follow, seek, process, aspire
02/11/2026 - Set 45

2026-10-30

cite AWL AKL OPAL NGSL: VERB TRANSITIVE to acknowledge a source of information by providing a reference; to mention
When researchers write a scholarly article, they must cite the work of peers to provide context, detail sources of inspiration and explain differences in approaches and results. (Cabanac & Besançon, 2024) You’ll know from your own browsing that checking every hyperlink to read and evaluate the information cited requires effort. (Clarke, 2022) UNESCO and IUCN cited a 2019 report by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority which found the ecosystem’s long-term outlook had deteriorated from poor to very poor. (Day et al., 2021) For example, foods rich in the essential amino acid tryptophan are commonly cited as helping sleep, as tryptophan helps produce melatonin. (Mellor & Brown, 2021) While cats and foxes, fire, and habitat modification and destruction are often cited as key threats to native mammals, it’s important to recognise how these threats and others may interact. (Ritchie, 2022) Common collocates for this word:

cite

examples
evidence
cases
data
lack
page
line
use
part
formulae
theses
debates
instances
references
critics

Word Family: cite (verb), citation (noun)
Synonyms: refer to, quote, mention
Lexical phrases: cite [as, in]

30/10/2026 - Set 45

2026-10-29

extract AWL NGSL: VERB TRANSITIVE to take a substance (or information) from a source
Espresso methods extract the most caffeine for a few reasons. (Beckett, 2022) They were then able to extract human DNA from the pores of the tooth and deduce that this DNA had come from a female individual whose ancestry is most similar to ancient people found further east in Siberia and with Native Americans. (Langley 2023) This is because caffeine is water soluble and easy to extract, so it’s released early in brewing. (Beckett, 2022) Each person has a unique personal microbiome to protect against infection, digest and extract nutrients in food and synthesize vitamins. (Langen, 2022) For many useful compounds, like penicillin, it’s easier and cheaper to “grow” and extract them from moulds, plants or insects. (Addicoat, 2023) Common collocates for this word:

extract

information
energy
money
gold
water
concessions
themselves
data
plutonium
hydrogen
heat
coal
material
air
confessions

Word Family: extract (verb), extraction (noun), extract (noun)
Synonyms: remove
29/10/2026 - Set 45

2026-10-28

denote AWL NAWL OPAL: VERB TRANSITIVE to indicate or signify; refer to
“Genetics” and “epigenetics” may sound similar, but they denote two very different processes. (Crea, 2024) Loneliness usually denoted places rather than people: a lonely castle, a lonely tree, or wandering “lonely as a cloud” in Wordsworth’s poem of 1802. (Bound-Alberti, 2019) One way to measure disease transmission is with the reproduction number, denoted R. This is the average number of secondary cases generated by a typical infectious person. (Kucharski, 2014) For example, Næss used the term “mixed community” to denote places which comprise humans and those species who play a clear role in human affairs. (Ward, 2023) Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word dating back to the 1800s used to denote the concept of enjoying a slower-paced life while connecting with people you care about.(Pozzulo, 2026) Common collocates for this word:

denote

movement
classes
alertness
frailty
tensor
multiplication
causation
prestige
signature
competence
suspicion
possession
painting
beauty
respect

Word Family: denote (verb), denotation (noun)
Synonyms: indicate, signify, signal, mean
Lexical phrases: denote by
28/10/2026 - Set 45

2026-10-27

refine AWL: VERB TRANSITIVE to improve; purify; remove unwanted constituents
China mines 70% and refines 92% of these increasingly important metals, and manufactures 98% of the world’s rare earth magnets used in EVs, electronics, medical devices and other clean tech. (Tan, 2025) We’re currently working with NOAA to refine these techniques and bring them into wider use for better hurricane forecasting and earlier warnings so the public has more time to prepare. (Chen, 2024) Language learning never truly stops. Even in adulthood, people continue to develop and refine their first language, shaped by their education, work and social environment, and how they use it day to day. (Stollznow, 2026) Leaders who actively seek feedback can refine their strategies, adapt their leadership styles, and improve inclusiveness within their teams, leading to better decision-making and stronger team dynamics. (Stawnychko & Rafi, 2024) Until better measures are widely available, BMI will continue to be used, but studies like this underline the need to refine how it is interpreted.(Woods, 2025) Common collocates for this word:

refine

theory
petrol
gold
knowledge
interpretations
expressions
approaches
thoughts
requirements
matters
plans
methods
details
results

Word Family: refine (verb), refinery (noun)
Synonyms: improve, purity, process, filter
27/10/2026 - Set 45

2026-10-26

compile AWL: VERB TRANSITIVE to gather from various sources into one book, report, collection or list
We engaged with hundreds of scientists from around the world to compile a report, the Climate Change and Epidemics 2023 Synthesis, which was launched in Dubai at COP28. (Baxter et al., 2023) A standard operating procedure, or SOP, is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out complex routine operations. (Standard Operating Procedure - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics n.d.) Students had to compile a portfolio and discuss it in an interview to demonstrate their understanding and ability to apply the knowledge. (Maltitz, 2026) I recently revisited their stories and reflections, and I compiled the most enduring insights to offer to the next generation of graduates. (Abouchalache, 2025) To help polling operations find potential respondents, political and marketing consulting firms have compiled voter information, including demographic data and contact details. (Mumford et al., 2024) Common collocates for this word:

compile

lists
statistics
information
dictionaries
statements
reports
works
evidence
quizzes
directories
registers
highlights
maps
programs
orders

Word Family: compile (verb), compilation (noun)
Synonyms: collect, collate, assemble, gather
26/10/2026 - Set 45

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