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 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)
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. 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.
CloseToday's word is:
- federal AWL OPAL NGSL
- ADJECTIVE concerning the central government rather than a regional one
The federal government announced last year that it wants to see more collaboration between academia and industry. (Charles and Keast 2016)This month the federal government announced a plan to ban live sheep exports, set to come into effect from May 1 2028. (O’Kane et al. 2025)Judicial review is the term given to the court’s power to review legislation that potentially conflicts with either federal law or the constitution, including any of the 27 amendments made since it was originally written. (Long 2022)In the 2022 federal election, two demographics were key to the final outcome: women and young people. (Chowdhury 2025)Federal and state governments have just released a national framework for generative AI in schools. (Furze and McKnight 2023)
Common collocates for this word:federal
government
republic
assembly
reserve
budget
parliament
court
state
level
district
authorities
agencies
judge
army
minister
Word Family: federal (adjective), federation (noun)
08/05/2026 - Set 32
Test your understanding of the words in set 32 with these quick quizzes: Quiz 32 Quiz 32B Quiz 32C - utilizeAWL NAWL OPAL
- VERB TRANSITIVE to make practical use of something
Obviously, not all of this data is useful to the music industry. But analytical software can utilize some of it to help the music industry understand the market. (Moon 2017) To help document more of the local variations of Ojibwe language in Michipicoten, I utilize a number of methods to gather vocabulary. (Chalykoff 2023) Another recommendation is that the government must invest in the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This should include “data infrastructure, systems and human resources to efficiently utilise data in decision making”. (Mlambo et al. 2025) More diverse groups of researchers may ask a broader range of questions, utilize more varied methods and tackle problems from a wider range of perspectives. (Rose, Odom, and Omland 2020) Older adults who have a reduced ability to utilize the nutrients they consume, athletes whose bodies need more substrate for tissue growth and repair, and pregnant or breastfeeding individuals whose protein intake is shared with another being, often need more protein. (McKendry 2025)
Common collocates for this word:utilize
technology
information
resources
knowledge
air
water
energy
material
oxygen
carbon
wood
output
energy
land
opportunities
Word Family: utilize (verb), utlilization (noun), utility (noun), utilitarian (adjective)
SynonymsTrue synonyms are rare: all of these have related meanings but are used in different contexts with different collocates: make use of, employ
07/05/2026 - Set 32 - motivate AWL OPAL NGSL
- VERB TRANSITIVE to make someone keen to do something
Enjoyment, an improved sense of well-being and even rediscovering aspects of our youth are all reasons that would motivate even the most reluctant among us to lace up our trainers. (Donnachie and Hunt 2017)Educational leaders must motivate and inspire others to want to accomplish necessary tasks. (Roache 2019)But whistleblowers are often motivated by the need to correct a wrong — even if it means taking a great personal risk. (Archambeault and Webber 2019)So far, scientific facts have not motivated Americans to support the huge societal transformations needed to stop climate change. (Allison and Miller 2019)We will not be motivated to protect nature, they assert, unless we appreciate the full range of “ecosystems services” nature provides to humans (water purification, pollination and the like). (Bruskotter, Vucetich, and Nelson 2015)
Common collocates for this word:motivate
people
others
employees
players
staff
pupils
students
children
yourself
myself
development
individuals
workers
women
individualism
Word Family: motivate (verb), motivationthe desire to do or achieve something (noun), motivational (adjective)
Synonyms: incentivize, stimulate, persuade
06/05/2026 - Set 32 - incidence AWL NAWL
- NOUN COUNTABLE the rate, or number of times, something happens
Incidence of dementia sharply rises at the age of 75 – and it is expected that the number of people in the UK living with dementia could triple by 2050. (Carrino and Pabon 2019)In a large US study, a higher heart rate was associated with a greater incidence of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and early death from heart-related and non-heart-related causes. (Beale and Nanayakkara 2018)There were significant increases in brain cancer incidence only in those aged 70 years or more. (Chapman 2016This text has many examples of the use of the word 'incidence''.)In a recent study using similar methods to find cases across 17 settings in six countries, we still found an eightfold difference in the incidence of psychosis between the 17 included settings. (Jongsma 2019)Our recent meta-analysis, published in The Lancet Public Health, looked at studies reporting the incidence of psychosis (that is, the number of new cases per year). (Jongsma 2019)
Common collocates for this word:incidence
high
increased
low
annual
increasing
true
reported
relative
specific
recorded
reduced
overall
actual
long-run
observed
Word Family: incidence (noun), incident1. an event; something which happens (often unexpectedly); 2. a criminal or violent act (noun)
Synonyms: frequency, rate, occurrencean action, event; something which happens, extent
Lexical phrases: incidence of
05/05/2026 - Set 32 - acknowledge AWL NGSL
- VERB TRANSITIVE to accept that something is true
Interestingly, more than 90% of people who strongly identified as “conservationists” in the Ohio survey acknowledged nature’s intrinsic value. (Bruskotter, Vucetich, and Nelson 2015)It’s unsurprising that the giant ad-tech media platforms don’t want to follow the rules, but they must acknowledge that their great wealth and power come with a moral responsibility to society. (Dwyer 2021)The failure of various groups to acknowledge the truth about, say, climate change, is not explained by a lack of information about the scientific consensus on the subject. (Bardon 2020)Complex climate models, recently acknowledged in the Nobel Prize for Physics, not only indicate a warming of the Earth due to increases in carbon dioxide but also offer details of the areas of greatest warming. (Weatherhead 2021)Still, we expect the committee’s concerns to result in Australia amending the Reef 2050 Plan to better acknowledge climate change as a significant issue.(Day, Heron, and Hughes 2021)
Common collocates for this word:acknowledge
receipt
each other
people
service
letters
themselves
data
indebtedness
authorship
hunger
sexuality
diversity
encouragement
disability
loyalty
Word Family: acknowledge (verb), acknowledgementthe act of recognising the existence or value of something or someone (noun)
Synonyms: recognize, accept, cite
04/05/2026 - Set 32 - display AWL AKL NGSL
- NOUN COUNTABLE a means of showing or demonstrating something
High definition displays were introduced from 2003 to 2009 where they became the dominant display type available to the public. The successor, ultra high definition, has become today’s standard. (Murphy 2023)After maybe 45 minutes of this spectacular aerial display, the birds all at once drop down into their roost for the night. (Langen 2022)Biologists, mathematicians, physicists, computer scientists and engineers are all working to figure out how animals carry out these displays. (Langen 2022)Birds need feathers to fly, to save energy (by staying warm) and to put on special displays to attract mates. (Poropat 2020)Perhaps more surprising is the finding that classrooms with too much colour and too many display items, have a negative effect on learning outcomes.(Adoniou 2017)
Common collocates for this word:display
visual
national
permanent
impressive
fine
public
static
spectacular
special
dazzling
new
small
disappointing
magnificent
superb
Word Family: display (noun), display (verb)
Synonyms: exhibit, exhibition, demonstration
01/05/2026 - Set 32 - accurate AWL NGSL
- ADJECTIVE exact, correct, true
An ECG is the most accurate reading of your heart rate. (Beale and Nanayakkara 2018)And at the heart of this is an idea that sounds counterintuitive: by adding random numbers, or “noise”, to a climate model, we can actually make it more accurate in predicting the weather. (Fedrizzi and Malik 2022)We are also working on accurate forecasting of climate resilience traits against the predicted changes to climates in our fruit growing regions. (Bohra and Varshney 2023)The farther apart these sensory organs are on a hammerhead’s stretched-out head, the more accurate they are at pinpointing the location of food. (Naylor 2022)Our ancestors evolved in small groups, where cooperation and persuasion had at least as much to do with reproductive success as holding accurate factual beliefs about the world. (Bardon 2020)
Common collocates for this word:accurate
information
picture
description
assessment
reflection
estimate
account
records
way
figures
measurement
diagnosis
representation
record
measure
Word Family: accurate (adjective), accuracy (noun)
Synonyms: exact, precise, correct, true
30/04/2026 - Set 32 - precedent AWL
- NOUN COUNTABLE a decision taken in the past which is used as a reason for acting in a similar way in the present
It is a central principle of law: Courts are supposed to follow earlier decisions – precedent – to resolve current disputes. (Schultz 2021)The precedent of serving just two terms was originally established by Washington, the nation’s first president. (Yalof 2021)Unlike, apparently, future U.S. presidents, kings have never been immune from the law. In their official acts and the exercise of core powers, they have always been defined and constrained by legal precedent. (Rubenstein 2024)As for the federal government’s role, education is not specifically addressed in the Constitution, but a historical precedent of central government involvement does exist. (Hornbeck 2017)Over the centuries, courts have stated many reasons they should adhere to precedent. (Schultz 2021)
Common collocates for this word:precedent
dangerous
legal
judicial
historical
bad
important
good
biblical
unfortunate
happy
national
ominous
binding
ample
established
Word Family: precedent (noun), precedence (noun), precedeto come or place before (verb)
Synonyms: model, example, guideline, pattern1. a regular repeated arrangement of shapes, lines or colours; 2. a particular method, procedure, or behaviour which is always conducted in the same way.
29/04/2026 - Set 32 - domain AWL NAWL OPAL
- NOUN COUNTABLE an area (physical or intellectual) over which a person (or group) has control
Many characters come into the public domain on New Year’s Day (Public Domain Day) every year. (Hook 2024)In Australia, films made in Australia get 70 years of copyright protection once made public, so all Australian films made public before 1955 are now in the public domain. (Hook 2024)In 1956, Ginsburg enrolled in Harvard Law School, one of only nine women in her year alongside about 500 men. Reflecting the prevailing mindset of the time, which regarded the study and practise of law as the proper domain of men, the Harvard dean, Erwin Griswold, asked each of the nine women how they could justify taking the place of a man. (McLoughlin 2020)Professor of Public Affairs Hugh Heclo argued many years ago that politicians don’t just “puzzle” over complex problems, they also “power”. To put it another way, both power and knowledge are the domain of politics. (Bortz 2016)Humanity can benefit from AI tools. But we urgently need to ensure the risks they pose don’t proliferate, especially in the military domain. (Sanders, Liivoja, and Assaad 2024)
Common collocates for this word:domain
public
private
particular
functional
specific
exclusive
political
affective
spatial
digital
basic
extracellular
social
small
specified
Word Family: domain (noun)
Synonyms: field, area1. a two dimensional space; 2. a subject or activity under discussion, sphere, territory, estate, property
28/04/2026 - Set 32 - enhancement AWL
- NOUN COUNTABLE the process or result of increasing the amount, value, or quality or something
Ushering in a new era of individualized brain monitoring and enhancement poses many ethical questions. (Brandt-Rauf 2025)Surprisingly, the field of economics might provide us with one useful way of thinking through the ethics of genetic enhancement. (Johnson 2019This text has many examples of the use of the word 'enhancement'.)Both experts and society still need to decide what constitutes ethical use of gene editing for enhancement, and what benefits enhancements might have to either the individual or society – or both. (Johnson 2019This text has many examples of the use of the word 'enhancement'.)In Australia and all around the world, students, academics and professionals of various stripes are increasingly experimenting with new cognitive enhancement technologies to boost their memory, attention, reflexes, clarity of thought and ability to function well with little sleep. (Jane and Vincent 2014)At present, social attitudes towards cognitive enhancement range from fanatical enthusiasm to dismissive scepticism and frightened resistance. (Jane and Vincent 2014)
Common collocates for this word:enhancement
significant
environmental
sensible
visual
general
major
image
performance
career
revenue
health
security
productivity
system
environmental
Word Family: enhancement (noun), enhance (verb)
Synonyms: improvement, revision, refinement, developmentA process, or the result, of change. This process may be a natural one or the result of human intervention. Usually this process is seen as a positive one; an improvement., upgrade,
27/04/2026 - Set 32
2026-05-08
32
2026-05-07
32
2026-05-06
32
2026-05-05
32
2026-05-04
32
2026-05-01
32
2026-04-30
32
2026-04-29
32
2026-04-28
32
2026-04-27
32
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