Upper-Intermediate — Set 100

Set 100 of Upper-Intermediate covers 5 words: instinctive, impartial, revolutionary, insecure, terminal. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. instinctive · adjective/ɪnˈstɪŋ(k)tɪv/

   something that is done without thinking as a natural ability

   Web making in spiders and nest making in birds are examples of instinctive behaviour in animals.

   Synonyms: intuitive, natural, impulsive

2. impartial · adjective/ɪmˈpɑrʃ(ə)l/

   not influenced by other groups' ideas

   The immigration offices in many countries offer impartial advice on tax and insurance so that immigrants can choose the one that best suit them.

   Synonyms: fair, unprejudiced, neutral

3. revolutionary · adjective/ˌrɛvəˈluʃəˌnɛri/

   a development or an idea that completely changes the way it is done

   HPV vaccine against cervical cancer was a revolutionary breakthrough in medicine as it prevented many people from catching the deadly disease.

   Synonyms: radical, dramatic

4. insecure · adjective/ˌɪnsəˈkjʊr/

   feeling unconfident with what you can do and relationships with people around you

   People with Alzheimer's disease often feel insecure about their environment and in that case people around them are advised not to force the patient to remember the place.

   Synonyms: unconfident, uncertain, worried

   Origin: mid 17th century: from medieval Latin insecurus ‘unsafe’, from in- ‘not’ + Latin securus ‘free from care’, or from in- ‘not’ + secure

5. terminal · adjective/ˈtərmənəl/

   an illness that cannot be treated and results in death

   Some diseases which were terminal years ago are now cured thanks to new immunizations.

   Synonyms: fatal, deadly, lethal, incurable

   Origin: late Middle English (as adjective): from Latin terminalis, from terminus ‘end, boundary’