If you’ve been studying English for a while, you know the positive feelings that come with expanding your knowledge and improving your skills.
You probably felt overjoyed the first time you read something in English and understood it. You might have found yourself trying to eavesdrop on native speakers as your listening skills got better. And I’m willing to bet you felt a little bit proud of yourself after having your first English-language conversation.
At this stage in your learning journey, memorizing more advanced English words is going to boost your confidence even further and provide you with a more comprehensive vocabulary base.
In this article, we’ll introduce and show examples of advanced-level English words in the following categories:
- Academic
- Business
- Medical
- Legal
In addition, we’ve included a bonus section where you can find more professional, impressive words you can use in place of their weaker counterparts.
- → Before we get ahead of ourselves, have you read our articles on Beginner words yet?
Table of Contents
- Advanced Academic Words
- Advanced Business Words
- Advanced Medical Words
- Advanced Legal Words
- Bonus: Alternative Words for Acing Your English Exam
- Conclusion
1. Advanced Academic Words
Do you plan on finishing high school or attending university in an English-speaking country? Then you’ll need a suitable vocabulary! Below are some of the most common advanced English words used in academic settings.
- → You can find a few more practical words on our Academia Vocab Builder!
Ambiguous Adjective | Unclear or uncertain; Able to be interpreted more than one way |
The results from the last election are rather ambiguous. |
Analyze Verb | To study something in a methodical manner in order to find relationships or patterns |
Peter had to analyze the data from his biotechnology experiment. |
Assessment Noun | A tool used to measure one’s knowledge or ability |
Each student was given a long assessment at the end of the semester. |
Contemporary Adjective / Noun | Adjective: Being of the current times Noun: Something or someone who existed at the same time as another |
Adjective: She doesn’t like contemporary artwork. Noun: Franklin D. Roosevelt was a contemporary of Albert Einstein. |
Controversy Noun | Quarrels or arguments resulting from opposing views on a topic of importance |
The new film sparked a lot of controversy. |
Credentials Noun | Documents or testimonials that indicate a person’s worthiness or ability to perform in a specific role |
Lilly was asked about her credentials during the interview. |
Curiosity Noun | Inquisitiveness or interest in something |
Curiosity is an important trait for any student to possess. |
Discrimination Noun | A prejudiced view; The act of judging others based on category and not their own personal merits or faults |
Please write an essay on how discrimination has affected your life. |
Evaluate Verb | To look over data in order to find patterns or relationships |
Tom and Susan evaluated the data from their experiment. |
Factor Noun | Any element that contributes to the success or accomplishment of something |
What is the most important factor in learning a language? |
Finesse Noun | A skillful, delicate, or refined manner of performing an action or completing a task |
Polly recited the poem with great finesse. |
Former Adjective | Previous; Coming before |
When was the last time you talked with a former classmate? |
Incident Noun | A (usually negative) occurrence |
We do not want a repeat of last week’s incident, do we? |
Inferior Adjective | Not as good as; Weaker than |
Opal’s math skills are inferior to Rick’s. |
Inquiry Noun | A question or series of questions asked in order to receiving information; An investigation |
My recent inquiry went unanswered. |
Irrational Adjective | Lacking reason, clarity of mind, or logic |
Her behavior that day was irrational and frightening. |
Irrelevant Adjective | Lacking relevance; Having nothing to do with the topic at hand |
The answer he gave was irrelevant and added no value to the discussion. |
Juvenile Adjective / Noun | Adjective: Childlike; Immature Noun: A child or minor |
Adjective: Cara hated his juvenile behavior. Noun: Because she was a juvenile, she was let off easy. |
Latter Adjective | Coming after |
Now, let’s discuss the latter point. |
Listless Adjective | Having no energy or enthusiasm |
After the breakup, Anne was listless. |
Motive Noun | A reason for doing or saying something |
What is the motive behind the president’s decision? |
Observe Verb | To watch closely |
I had the chance to observe petals falling from the tree. |
Outstanding Adjective | 1. Exceptional 2. Still needing to be dealt with |
1. Her performance for Theatre class was outstanding. 2. Will you pay the outstanding credit card balance? |
Parlance Noun | A specific way of using words; Jargon |
The two siblings had a special parlance between them. |
Proportion Noun | A number or percentage of something |
The proportion of people getting the COVID-19 vaccine is slowly increasing. |
Qualm Noun | A fear, doubt, or worry |
Evelynn had some qualms about her upcoming appointment. |
Subsequent Adjective | Coming after another thing (usually an event or action) |
The rain brought on a subsequent hailstorm. |
Vast Adjective | Wide; Expansive |
The ocean is incredibly vast. |
Widespread Adjective | Existing across a large area or population |
From where did this widespread belief originate? |
2. Advanced Business Words
If your long-term goal is to grow your career in an English-speaking country, you’ll need a strong set of relevant words and phrases to ensure your success. Below is a list of advanced English words for daily use in business settings.
- → You might also find it helpful to read through our article on How to Find a Job in the USA and our vocabulary list of Phrases for Doing Business Successfully.
→ You can also pick up some more advanced English for business in our Advanced lesson series.
Agenda Noun | 1. A plan or schedule (usually for a trip or meeting) 2. An underlying motive for doing or saying something |
1. The first thing on our agenda is to discuss our budget for this quarter. 2. Politicians always seem to have a hidden agenda. |
Alternative Adjective / Noun | Adjective: Different; Other Noun: An option that is available or offered in place of another |
Adjective: Are there any alternative methods available to us? Noun: I wish there was an alternative. |
Authorization Noun | Permission from a superior to do something |
You need authorization to make that purchase. |
Banknote Noun | A paper form of legal tender |
Can you deliver these banknotes to the appropriate department? |
Branch Noun | A company division or office; An extension or subdivision of a company |
The bank will be opening a new branch in my area. |
Clause Noun | A specific article or stipulation within a document |
The rules were clearly outlined in the third clause. |
Compensation Noun | Payment received for one’s work; Money or another asset given to someone to make up for injury or loss |
Dom was unsatisfied with the compensation he received for his labor. |
Consensus Noun | Agreement |
We have yet to reach a consensus concerning our email marketing campaign. |
Consumer Noun | One who purchases a product or service |
In marketing, it’s important to understand the wants and needs of the consumer. |
Counter-offer Noun | An offer given to negotiate terms after hearing an original offer |
Maria didn’t like the terms laid out, so she made a counter-offer. |
Estimate Noun / Verb | Noun: An educated guess Verb: The act of making an educated guess |
Noun: Isla made a quick estimate on how much the project would cost. Verb: In the United States, most self-employed persons must estimate their taxes every quarter. |
Expansion Noun | Growth |
The library network underwent a large expansion last year. |
Fiscal Adjective | Relating to taxes or other government revenue |
What was our gross income for the last fiscal year? |
Invoice Noun / Verb | Noun: A document containing information on services rendered and their costs Verb: The act of sending someone an invoice |
Noun: Have you sent Mr. Hayneedle the invoice yet? Verb: No, I still need to invoice him for our services. |
Monopoly Noun | Exclusive possession/control of a product or service |
The grocery store had a monopoly in the area, because it had no competitors. |
Reinforce Verb | To encourage or strengthen something |
Eva needed to reinforce the company guidelines. |
Rendezvous Noun / Verb | Noun: A scheduled meeting Verb: The act of attending a scheduled meeting |
Noun: We have scheduled a rendezvous with the stakeholders for tomorrow afternoon. Verb: I must rendezvous with my family at the airport next week. |
Revenue Noun | Generated income |
How can we generate more revenue next year? |
Strategy Noun | A detailed plan |
I am developing a new strategy for our customer service sector. |
Transfer Noun / Verb | Noun: A move or shift to another location Verb: The act of moving or shifting someone/something to another location |
Noun: Thank you for banking with us; the transfer was successful. Verb: Would you like to transfer to another department? |
Visual aid Noun | Images, graphs, tables, or charts used to help others visualize the presented information |
The presentation was quite dull because Tammy did not incorporate visual aids. |
Vocational Adjective | Relating to one’s field of work |
Can you describe your vocational goals? |
Workaholic Noun | One who works too much or too hard, especially if they seem addicted to working despite its consequences to their health |
Joe is a workaholic; he hardly ever leaves the office. |
3. Advanced Medical Words
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for healthcare workers is projected to increase 15% over the next decade. If you would like to pursue a medical career, knowing advanced English words related to medicine and health conditions is essential!
- → Please visit our free vocabulary lists for Medicine and Medical Treatments and Common Health Problems for additional words and phrases.
Analgesic Adjective / Noun | Adjective: Reducing, relieving, or preventing pain Noun: A drug or other medium that reduces, relieves, or prevents pain |
Adjective: The doctor prescribed some analgesic drugs after the surgery. Noun: Many analgesics are habit-inducing and not for long-term use. |
Anemia Noun | A condition characterized by a low red blood cell count; Symptoms include dizziness and lack of energy |
Nina had to take an iron supplement due to her anemia. |
Anesthesia Noun | The controlled loss of sensation, commonly used before surgery or other medical operations |
Ray was put under anesthesia before his major surgery. |
Aneurysm Noun | A bulge in an artery resulting from a weakened point in the artery wall |
Liza suffered an aneurysm after working out too hard. |
Anomaly Noun | Something that varies from the norm |
The doctors discovered an anomaly during Gerald’s annual checkup. |
Anorexia Noun | Loss of appetite; A condition in which one starves oneself and exercises excessively in order to lose weight |
Jasmine was hospitalized due to her anorexia. |
Aphasia Noun | A condition in which one has difficulty understanding or using speech |
Aphasia made it difficult for Henry to communicate with his family. |
Apnea Noun | A condition in which one’s breathing stops for extended periods while they sleep, especially common in those who are obese or have heart/lung problems |
Tom’s wife told him to see a doctor for his sleep apnea. |
Arthritis Noun | A condition in which one’s joints are swollen and tender |
His grandmother takes medication for her arthritis. |
Asymptomatic Adjective | Showing no symptoms |
Many people who contract COVID-19 are asymptomatic. |
Atrophy Noun / Verb | The wasting away of something, usually muscle |
Noun: He experienced muscle atrophy during his long hospitalization. Verb: His muscles began to atrophy during his long hospitalization. |
Autopsy Noun | An examination done postmortem to pinpoint one’s cause of death |
The autopsy revealed the man died of a heart attack. |
Benign Adjective | Not cancerous; Not likely to spread or be harmful |
Lucille was relieved to hear that her tumor was benign. |
Biopsy Noun | An examination done on human tissue to determine if a disease is present |
Where are the results from the biopsy? |
Bronchitis Noun | A condition in which the bronchial tubes (which carry air to/from the lungs) become inflamed |
His coughing was a symptom of bronchitis. |
Carcinogenic Adjective | Causing cancer |
Processed meat and alcohol are said to be carcinogenic. |
Cardiology Noun | A branch of medicine focusing on heart problems and other issues related to the circulatory system |
Mellany studied cardiology for several years. |
Cauterization Noun | The act of burning a section of the body in order to stop excessive bleeding or remove infected skin |
Kevin’s wound required cauterization. |
Chemotherapy Noun | A standardized procedure using several drugs to target cancer cells |
Their grandfather had finally finished his last round of chemotherapy. |
Chronic Adjective | Long-lasting or permanent |
Some medical conditions are chronic, such as arthritis. |
Colic Noun | A condition in which a newborn baby cries for several hours a day over the course of several weeks |
Valerie hadn’t slept all week because her baby had colic. |
Cranium Noun | The skull |
He’s lucky he didn’t fracture his cranium after that fall! |
Dementia Noun | A condition encompassing symptoms such as memory loss and difficulty with speech |
Sara’s aunt was diagnosed with dementia and could not remember her. |
Dermatitis Noun | A general term for skin conditions or diseases |
Sometimes, lotion can soothe the skin of those with dermatitis. |
Diagnosis Noun | The identification of a condition based on symptoms |
Buck anxiously waited to hear the diagnosis. |
Hemorrhage Noun / Verb | Noun: A condition in which a ruptured vessel bleeds Verb: To suffer a hemorrhage |
Noun: There’s a hemorrhage in his brain that must be treated immediately. Verb: Once her brain began to hemorrhage, there was nothing more they could do. |
Psychiatry Noun | The study and treatment of mental and/or emotional issues |
Kellie studied psychiatry so that she could become a therapist. |
Residency Noun | A period of time (usually several years) during which medical students practice what they’ve learned firsthand |
After completing his five-year residency, Hector celebrated with friends and family. |
Therapy Noun | The act of working with a therapist to overcome problems that interfere with your life (anxiety, depression, etc.) |
Joyce began therapy after her divorce. |
4. Advanced Legal Words
Is it your parents’ dream for you to become a lawyer or a judge? Then you’d better study up! And I don’t mean on laws—there’s a ton of terminology and other advanced English terms you’ll need to know before donning that judicial robe.
- → There are a few additional words on our Law Vocab Builder page. Hear their pronunciation and practice along!
Acquit Verb | To clear someone of all charges against them |
The man accused of robbery was acquitted of the crime. |
Adjudicate Verb | To make an informed decision on a dispute |
The jury plays a large role in adjudicating a case. |
Affidavit Noun | A written statement signed over oath and used as court evidence |
William had to sign an affidavit to gain access to his funds. |
Appeal Noun / Verb | Noun: A request to change a ruling Verb: The act of requesting a change to a ruling |
Noun: He quickly filed an appeal to reverse the ruling. Verb: Olivia appealed to the higher court on the issue. |
Apprehend Verb | To arrest |
The criminal was apprehended by police at his home. |
Arraign Verb | To call someone to court in order to answer a charge against them |
Alyssa was arraigned due to suspicion of her involvement in a crime. |
Bail Noun / Verb | Noun: A specified amount of money to be paid in order to release someone from jail Verb: The act of paying said amount of money |
Noun: Riley posted bail to release her son from jail. Verb: Wayne refused to bail his father out of jail. |
Bankruptcy Noun | A legal process which allows debtors who cannot repay their debts to be relieved of the responsibility |
Her mother filed for bankruptcy last year. |
Class-action lawsuit Noun | A situation where several plaintiffs may simultaneously file and prosecute a complaint against the same party |
Did you hear about that class-action lawsuit on the news? |
Complaint Noun | A formal statement concerning an issue that one would like resolved |
Jose decided to file a complaint against his neighbor. |
Curfew Noun | A specific time by which time a person should not be outside of their home |
The city government imposed a curfew of 11 p.m. on its citizens. |
Deed Noun | A legal document that proves one’s ownership (of a house, property, car, etc.) |
The Gallagers couldn’t find the deed to their home. |
Defendant Noun | The party in court that has been accused of a crime or misdemeanor |
The defendant kept his head down as he walked into the courtroom. |
Detention Noun | The act of detaining someone |
She underwent detention because she was a major suspect. |
Embezzlement Noun | Handling the money of another in a way that is unauthorized, especially when done for personal financial gain |
The businessman and his colleague were charged with embezzlement. |
Equity Noun | 1) A principle that encourages fairness in court rulings, especially those that are not straightforward 2) The actual value of a property |
1) The court used the principle of equity in its ruling. 2) The equity of the home was not impressive. |
Espionage Noun | The act of spying on the political or military status of another country for the sake of one’s own country |
The woman was openly accused of espionage. |
Evict Verb | To legally remove someone as a resident of your home or other owned property |
Matthew had to evict his friend from their shared apartment. |
Expiration Noun | The act of ceasing to be valid by a specified date |
Before the expiration of the contract, you will need to renew it. |
Felony Noun | A crime |
Robert’s brother committed a felony many years ago. |
Foreclosure Noun | A situation where a mortgagor is forced to put their home up for sale due to not being able to make their payments |
The foreclosure wreaked havoc on the family’s finances. |
Impeachment Noun | The act of legally removing someone from their station, especially in government |
The government official faced impeachment as a result of his actions. |
Infringement Noun | The act of breaking an agreement or limiting one’s right to something |
Jessica sued her company over the infringement of her contract with them. |
Interrogation Noun | The act of questioning someone in order to gain information (or a confession) |
The interrogation lasted several hours, but yielded no results. |
Jurisprudence Noun | A legal system |
Abigail was well-studied in U.S. jurisprudence. |
Legislation Noun | Laws on a given topic that are considered collectively |
What are your thoughts on the current legislation? |
Legitimate Adjective | Adhering to the law |
Tristan was uncertain whether the company’s actions were legitimate. |
Liable Adjective | Legally responsible for |
The court deems you liable for the damage. |
Magistrate Noun | A court official who typically helps in resolving smaller disputes |
The magistrate resolved a minor dispute between neighbors. |
Malpractice Noun | Physical activity that has been handled in an illegal or negligent manner |
The hospital was sued for malpractice by a former patient. |
Marshal Noun | The administrative head of a police department |
Wendy was served the eviction notice via the marshal. |
Misdemeanor Noun | A petty crime |
The teenager had several misdemeanors on her record. |
Negligent Adjective | Lacking the due care, caution, or diligence required for a given task or role |
The court found him negligent in his duties. |
Null and void Adjective | No longer binding or applicable |
This contract is now null and void. |
Nullify Verb | To cause an agreement or contract to be no longer binding or applicable |
How can I nullify the agreement? |
Parole Noun | A release from jail or prison, based on a set of rules the releasee must agree and adhere to |
Noun: The prisoner was placed on parole. |
Penalty Noun | A specified amount of money owed for breaking an agreement or contract, or otherwise failing to meet legally binding expectations |
Sylvia had to pay a penalty of $1000 for breaking the contract. |
Perjury Noun | The act of lying while under oath |
Barney was accused of perjury. |
Plaintiff Noun | A person who accuses another party of committing a crime |
The plaintiff accused the defendant of stealing her money. |
Prosecutor Noun | One who performs the act of prosecuting a party in court |
The prosecutor put forth the case against the defendant. |
Premarital Adjective | Relating to a time prior to one’s marriage |
The couple drafted and signed a premarital agreement. |