261 words starting with A

• abandon verb

  to leave something or someone and not come back; to give up a plan

  They abandoned the trek because of the heavy snow.

  Like desert, give up

• abdominal adjective

  in or relating to the belly, the part of the body below the chest

  The doctor pressed gently on his belly to check for abdominal pain.

• ability noun

  the skill or power to do something

  She has the ability to solve hard puzzles quickly.

  Like skill, talent, capacity

• able adjective

  having the skill or power to do something

  After weeks of practice, she was able to swim across the pool.

  Like capable

• abroad adverb

  in or to a foreign country

  My cousin went abroad to study engineering in Japan.

  Like overseas

• absence noun

  the state of being away from a place

  The teacher noted my absence from class on Monday.

• absolute adjective

  complete and total

  There was absolute silence in the room during the exam.

  Like complete, total

• absolutely adverb

  completely; used to agree strongly

  The museum was absolutely full of children on Saturday.

  Like completely, totally, entirely

• absorb verb

  to take in a liquid, gas, heat or light; to take in and remember information

  A dry sponge can absorb a whole cup of spilled water.

  Like soak up, take in

• absorption noun

  the process of taking something in, such as water, heat or light

  Dark clothes heat up quickly in the sun because of their high absorption of light.

  Like uptake

• abstract adjective

  based on ideas, not real things you can touch or see

  Love and freedom are abstract ideas.

  Like theoretical, conceptual

• abuse noun

  cruel or harmful treatment; the wrong use of something

  Laws protect animals from abuse by their owners.

  Like misuse, mistreatment

• academic adjective

  relating to schools, colleges and studying

  Her academic results were the best in the class.

  Like scholarly, educational

• accelerate verb

  to go faster or make something go faster

  The bus began to accelerate as it left the narrow streets of Kathmandu.

  Like speed up

• acceleration noun

  the rate at which something’s speed increases

  A sports car has great acceleration, reaching high speed in just a few seconds.

• accent noun

  a way of pronouncing a language that shows where a person comes from

  Her cousin from London speaks Nepali with a slight English accent.

• accept verb

  to take something that is offered; to agree that something is true

  She accepted the prize with a big smile.

  Like receive, take

• acceptable adjective

  good enough to be allowed

  Is it acceptable to use a calculator in this test?

  Like satisfactory, allowed

• access noun

  the right or chance to use or reach something

  Every student has access to the library after school.

  Like entry, admission

• accident noun

  something bad that happens by chance, often causing damage or injury

  Nobody was hurt in the accident, but the bus and the car were both damaged.

  Like mishap

• accommodation noun

  a place to live or stay, such as a room or hotel

  We found cheap accommodation in a guesthouse near the lake.

  Like lodging

• accompany verb

  to go somewhere with someone

  My father will accompany us on the school trip to Nagarkot.

  Like escort, join

• accomplish verb

  to succeed in doing something

  We accomplished all our tasks before lunch, so we had the afternoon free.

  Like achieve, complete

• accord noun

  an official agreement between groups or countries

  The two schools reached an accord to share their science lab.

  Like agreement, treaty

• account noun

  an arrangement with a bank to keep your money; a report of an event

  My father opened a bank account for my savings.

  Like report, record

• accumulate verb

  to slowly collect or build up over time

  Dust will accumulate on the shelves if nobody cleans them for weeks.

  Like collect, gather, pile up

• accumulation noun

  a gradual build-up of something over time

  The accumulation of snow on the roof made it sag by the end of winter.

  Like build-up, collection

• accuracy noun

  the quality of being exactly right, with no mistakes

  The science teacher checked the accuracy of our measurements with a better ruler.

  Like correctness, exactness

• accurate adjective

  correct and exact

  A good watch keeps accurate time and is never more than a second wrong.

  Like exact, correct, precise

• accurately adverb

  in an exactly correct way, without mistakes

  She measured the length of the table accurately, to the nearest millimeter.

  Like precisely, exactly

• accuse verb

  to say that someone has done something wrong

  She accused her brother of eating her chocolate.

  Like blame, charge

• achieve verb

  to succeed in doing or getting something after effort

  She practiced every day to achieve her goal of running a marathon.

  Like accomplish, reach, attain

• achievement noun

  something good that you have done through hard work

  Climbing Everest was a great achievement for the young mountaineer.

  Like accomplishment, success

• acid noun

  a chemical that tastes sour and can burn or eat away materials

  Lemon juice contains a weak acid that gives it its sour taste.

• acidic adjective

  having a sour taste and able to turn blue litmus paper red

  Vinegar is acidic, so it turns blue litmus paper red and tastes sour.

• acknowledge verb

  to accept that something is true; to show that you have noticed someone

  She acknowledged that she had made a mistake in the sum.

  Like admit, accept, recognize

• acquire verb

  to get or gain something, such as a skill or an object

  She acquired a lot of useful knowledge by reading every day.

  Like gain, obtain, get

• acquisition noun

  the act of getting something; something you have got

  The museum’s latest acquisition is an ancient stone statue.

  Like purchase

• act verb

  to do something; to play a part in a play or film

  We must act quickly before the ice cream melts.

  Like behave, perform

• action noun

  something that is done; the process of doing something

  Quick action by the guard stopped the fire from spreading.

  Like act, deed

• activate verb

  to make something start working

  Press the green button to activate the alarm before you leave the house.

  Like switch on, start, trigger

• active adjective

  busy doing things; moving a lot

  My grandfather is still very active and walks every morning.

  Like energetic, lively, busy

• actively adverb

  in a way that involves doing things with energy, not just watching

  The students actively took part in planting trees around the school.

  Like energetically

• activity noun

  something you do for interest, fun or learning

  Painting is my favorite activity on rainy days.

  Like pastime

• actor noun

  a person who performs in plays, films, or TV shows

  The actor learned all his lines for the school play.

  Like performer, player

• actual adjective

  real; existing in fact

  The actual cost was higher than the price on the sign.

  Like real, true, genuine

• actually adverb

  really, in fact, especially when something is surprising

  The spider looked dangerous, but it was actually harmless.

  Like really, truly, in fact

• acute adjective

  sudden and very serious, especially of an illness or problem; very sharp and sensitive

  Dogs have an acute sense of smell and can find things we cannot.

  Like severe, sharp, keen

• adapt verb

  to change to suit new conditions

  Animals in the mountains adapt to the cold by growing thick fur.

  Like adjust

• adaptation noun

  a change in a living thing that helps it survive where it lives; the act of changing to suit new conditions

  Thick fur is an adaptation that helps the snow leopard survive in the cold Himalaya.

  Like adjustment

• adaptive adjective

  helping a living thing survive in its surroundings; able to change to suit new conditions

  Camouflage is an adaptive feature that helps animals hide from predators.

• add verb

  to put something with something else; to put numbers together to get a total

  If you add four and five, you get nine.

  Like include, total

• addition noun

  putting numbers together to find a total; something added to what was already there

  The new science lab is a great addition to our school.

  Like adding

• additional adjective

  more than what was first planned or given

  The teacher gave us additional time to finish the test.

  Like extra, more, further

• address noun

  the details of where a person lives or where a building is

  Write your home address on the envelope.

  Like location

• adequate adjective

  enough for a particular need

  Make sure you get adequate sleep before an exam.

  Like enough, sufficient

• adjacent adjective

  right next to something, or sharing a border with it

  Our classroom is adjacent to the library, so we can get books quickly.

  Like next to, neighboring, adjoining

• adjust verb

  to change something a little to make it work better

  He adjusted the telescope until the moon looked sharp.

  Like alter, modify

• adjustment noun

  a small change that makes something work or fit better

  After a small adjustment, the telescope showed the moon clearly.

  Like change, alteration

• administration noun

  the work of managing an organization; the people who do it

  The school administration decided to change the timetable.

  Like management

• admire verb

  to respect someone or think something is very good

  I admire my grandmother for her patience and her kindness to everyone.

  Like respect, look up to

• admission noun

  permission to enter a place, school or group; the money paid to enter

  Admission to the museum is free for students on Saturdays.

  Like entry, entrance

• admit verb

  to agree that something is true, often unwillingly; to let someone enter

  He admitted that he had broken the vase.

  Like confess, accept

• adolescent noun

  a young person between childhood and adulthood

  Many adolescents grow several centimeters taller in a single year.

  Like teenager, youth

• adopt verb

  to start using a new idea or way; to take another person’s child into your family as your own

  Our school adopted a new plan to reduce plastic waste.

  Like take up, accept

• adult noun

  a fully grown person

  Children under twelve must come with an adult.

  Like grown-up

• advance verb

  to move forward; to make progress

  Medicine has advanced a lot in the last hundred years.

  Like progress, move forward

• advantage noun

  something that helps you or puts you in a better position

  Being tall is an advantage when you play basketball.

  Like benefit, edge

• adventure noun

  an exciting and unusual experience

  Crossing the river on a rope bridge was a real adventure.

  Like venture

• adverse adjective

  harmful or bad, causing problems

  Heavy rain had an adverse effect on the rice harvest this year.

  Like harmful, negative, unfavorable

• advertise verb

  to tell people about a product or event to make them buy it or come

  The shop advertised its sale on the radio.

  Like promote, publicize

• advertisement noun

  a notice, picture or film that tries to persuade people to buy something

  The advertisement on TV showed a new kind of chocolate.

  Like advert, ad, commercial

• advice noun

  an opinion about what someone should do

  My teacher gave me good advice about studying for exams.

  Like guidance, suggestion

• advise verb

  to tell someone what you think they should do

  The doctor advised me to drink more water.

  Like recommend, counsel, suggest

• adviser noun

  a person whose job is to help others decide what to do

  The school’s career adviser helped me choose my subjects.

  Like counselor, consultant

• advocate noun

  a person who publicly supports an idea or cause

  He is a strong advocate for clean rivers.

  Like supporter, champion

• aerosol noun

  tiny drops of liquid or bits of solid floating in a gas; a can that sprays liquid as a fine mist

  Smoke from forest fires adds aerosols to the air and makes the sky hazy.

  Like spray

• aesthetic adjective

  about beauty or how good something looks

  For aesthetic reasons, they painted the old school gate a bright blue.

  Like artistic

• affair noun

  an event or situation, often a public one; matters of business

  The wedding was a big affair with hundreds of guests.

  Like matter, event

• affect verb

  to cause a change in someone or something

  Too little sleep can affect how well you learn.

  Like influence, change

• affirm verb

  to state clearly and firmly that something is true

  The teacher affirmed that the test would be held on Friday as planned.

  Like confirm, declare, assert

• afford verb

  to have enough money to pay for something

  We could not afford a new bicycle, so we bought a used one.

• afraid adjective

  feeling fear or worry

  My little sister is afraid of the dark.

  Like scared, frightened, fearful

• afternoon noun

  the part of the day between noon and evening

  We play football every afternoon after school.

• afterward adverb

  at a later time, after something else has happened

  We played football in the morning and had lunch afterward.

  Like later, then

• again adverb

  one more time; once more

  I did not hear you, so please say it again.

  Like once more

• age noun

  the number of years a person or thing has lived or existed

  Children start school at the age of five.

  Like years

• agency noun

  a business or organization that provides a particular service

  We booked our trek through a travel agency in Thamel.

  Like office, bureau

• agenda noun

  a list of things to be discussed at a meeting

  The first item on the meeting’s agenda was the school picnic.

• agent noun

  a person whose job is to act or arrange things for others

  The travel agent booked our bus tickets to Pokhara.

  Like representative

• aggregate noun

  a total made by adding several amounts together

  Our team won the tournament with an aggregate of twelve goals across three matches.

  Like total, sum

• aggressive adjective

  ready to attack or fight; acting with great force to win

  The goose became aggressive and chased anyone who came near its nest.

  Like hostile, forceful

• ago adverb

  before now; in the past

  The Kathmandu Valley was a lake many thousands of years ago.

  Like earlier, back

• agree verb

  to have the same opinion as someone else

  We all agreed that the trip to Nagarkot was wonderful.

  Like concur

• agreement noun

  a plan or decision that two or more people accept

  The two schools reached an agreement to share the sports ground.

  Like deal, arrangement

• agricultural adjective

  connected with farming

  Much of Nepal’s agricultural land is used to grow rice and maize.

  Like farming

• agriculture noun

  the work and science of farming, growing crops and raising animals

  Many families in the hills of Nepal depend on agriculture for their living.

  Like farming

• ahead adverb

  in front; in the future

  There is a sharp turn ahead, so drive slowly.

  Like forward, in front

• aid noun

  help, especially money, food, or supplies given to people in need

  Many countries sent aid such as food and tents after the earthquake.

  Like help, support, assistance

• aim noun

  what you plan or hope to achieve

  The aim of the project is to plant one hundred trees.

  Like goal, purpose, target

• air noun

  the mix of gases around Earth that we breathe

  The air high in the mountains has less oxygen.

  Like atmosphere

• aircraft noun

  any vehicle that can fly, such as a plane or helicopter

  The aircraft took off from Kathmandu and flew past Mount Everest.

• airline noun

  a company that carries passengers and goods by plane

  Several airlines fly between Kathmandu and Pokhara.

  Like carrier

• airplane noun

  a flying vehicle with wings and one or more engines

  We took an airplane from Kathmandu to Pokhara and saw the mountains from the window.

  Like plane, aircraft

• alarm noun

  a device that makes a loud noise to warn people or wake them up

  My alarm rings at six every morning, so I am never late for school.

• album noun

  a collection of songs released together; a book for keeping photos

  The band’s new album has twelve songs, and my favorite is the third one.

• alcohol noun

  a colorless liquid found in drinks like beer and wine, also used to clean things

  The nurse wiped my arm with alcohol before the injection.

• algebra noun

  a branch of mathematics that uses letters and symbols to stand for unknown numbers

  In algebra class, we learned how to find x in simple equations.

• algorithm noun

  a set of step-by-step rules for solving a problem, often followed by a computer

  The search engine uses an algorithm to decide which pages to show first.

  Like procedure, method

• alien noun

  a creature from another planet; a person who is not a citizen of the country they live in

  The film was about a friendly alien who landed in a village.

  Like extraterrestrial, foreigner

• alive adjective

  living, not dead

  The plant was still alive even after two weeks without water.

  Like living

• allege verb

  to say something is true without giving proof

  The neighbor alleged that our goat had eaten his cabbages.

  Like claim, assert

• alliance noun

  an agreement between groups or countries to work together

  The two schools formed an alliance to share their science equipment.

  Like partnership, union, league

• allocate verb

  to give out a share of something for a particular purpose

  The school will allocate two rooms for the science fair projects.

  Like assign, distribute, allot

• allocation noun

  an amount of something given for a particular purpose

  Each class received an allocation of fifty new notebooks.

  Like share, allowance, quota

• allow verb

  to let someone do something

  The teacher allowed us to use calculators for the hardest part of the test.

  Like permit, let

• ally noun

  a country or person that agrees to help or support another

  The two friends were allies in every school debate.

  Like partner, supporter

• almost adverb

  very nearly, but not completely

  We are almost at the top of the hill.

  Like nearly

• alone adjective

  without any other people

  My grandmother does not like to stay alone in the house at night.

  Like by yourself, solo

• alongside adverb

  next to or together with

  Students worked alongside scientists on the project.

  Like beside, with

• already adverb

  before now, or sooner than expected

  I have already finished my homework, so I can go out to play.

• also adverb

  in addition; as well

  Maya plays the flute, and she also sings in the school choir.

  Like too, besides, additionally

• alter verb

  to change something, usually a little

  The tailor altered my trousers so they would fit better.

  Like change, adjust

• alternative noun

  another choice that can be used instead

  If the bus is late, walking is a good alternative.

  Like choice, option

• altitude noun

  the height of a place or object above sea level

  At high altitude in the Himalaya, there is less oxygen in the air.

  Like height, elevation

• altogether adverb

  completely; in total

  The rain stopped altogether by noon.

  Like completely, entirely; in all

• aluminum noun

  a light, silver-colored metal used for cans, foil and airplane parts

  Soft drink cans are made of aluminum because it is light and does not rust.

• always adverb

  at all times; every time

  The Sun always rises in the east and sets in the west.

  Like constantly, every time

• amaze verb

  to surprise someone very much

  The magician amazed the children with his card tricks.

  Like astonish, astound

• amendment noun

  a change made to a law or official document

  The club made an amendment to its rules so younger players could join.

  Like change, revision

• amount noun

  how much there is of something

  Add a small amount of salt to the soup.

  Like quantity, sum

• amplitude noun

  the size of a wave, measured from its middle to its highest point

  A louder sound has a sound wave with a larger amplitude.

• analogy noun

  a comparison that explains something by showing how it is like something else

  The teacher used an analogy, comparing the heart to a water pump.

  Like comparison

• analysis noun

  a careful study of something by looking at its parts

  The analysis of the water showed that it was safe to drink.

  Like examination, study

• analyst noun

  a person whose job is to study information closely and explain it

  A weather analyst studies satellite pictures to predict the monsoon.

• analyze verb

  to study something in detail to understand it

  Scientists analyze rock samples to learn how old they are.

  Like examine, study

• ancestor noun

  a family member who lived long before your grandparents

  Our ancestors came to this valley from the western hills hundreds of years ago.

  Like forefather, forebear

• ancient adjective

  from a very long time ago

  We visited an ancient temple built more than a thousand years ago.

  Like very old, old

• anger noun

  the strong feeling you have when something seems wrong or unfair

  He took a deep breath and counted to ten to calm his anger.

  Like rage, fury

• angle noun

  the space between two lines that meet, measured in degrees

  A right angle measures ninety degrees, like the corner of a square.

• angry adjective

  having a strong feeling against someone or something that has upset you

  My mother was angry when I left my muddy shoes on the carpet.

  Like mad, cross, annoyed

• animal noun

  a living thing that can move and feel, such as a dog or a bird

  The elephant is the largest land animal.

  Like creature, beast

• announce verb

  to tell people something officially or publicly

  The principal announced that school would close early.

  Like declare

• announcement noun

  a public statement about something

  The principal made an announcement about the school trip.

  Like statement, notice

• annual adjective

  happening once every year

  Our school holds an annual sports day in February.

  Like yearly

• answer noun

  what you say or write back to a question

  She wrote the correct answer to every question on the math test.

  Like reply, response

• anthropology noun

  the study of human beings, their cultures, and how they have developed

  In anthropology, students learn how different communities live, eat and celebrate.

• antibiotic noun

  a medicine that kills bacteria or stops them from growing

  The doctor gave her an antibiotic for her throat infection.

• antibody noun

  a protein made by white blood cells to fight a particular germ

  After a vaccine, the body makes antibodies that protect it from a disease.

• anticipate verb

  to expect something to happen and prepare for it

  We anticipated rain on the trek, so we packed umbrellas and raincoats.

  Like expect, predict

• antiquity noun

  the distant past, especially the time of ancient Greece and Rome; a very old object from that time

  The museum displays coins and pots from antiquity.

  Like ancient times

• anxiety noun

  a feeling of worry and nervousness

  Deep breathing helped reduce my anxiety before the exam.

  Like worry, nervousness

• anxious adjective

  worried and nervous about something

  She felt anxious before her music exam.

  Like worried, nervous, uneasy

• anymore adverb

  any longer (used in negative sentences)

  My cousin doesn’t live in Kathmandu anymore; she moved to Pokhara last year.

  Like any longer

• anyway adverb

  in spite of what was just said

  It was raining, but we went for a walk anyway.

  Like still, regardless

• anywhere adverb

  in or to any place

  You can sit anywhere you like in the hall.

• apart adverb

  separated by a distance or time; into pieces

  The two villages are five kilometers apart, on opposite sides of the hill.

  Like away, separately

• apartment noun

  a set of rooms for living in, usually on one floor of a larger building

  My cousin lives in an apartment on the fifth floor.

  Like flat

• apologize verb

  to say you are sorry

  He apologized to the teacher for arriving late to class that morning.

  Like say sorry

• apparent adjective

  easy to see or understand

  It was apparent from her smile that she had passed the test.

  Like clear, obvious, evident

• apparently adverb

  based on what you have heard or seen, though you are not sure

  Apparently, the bus is late because of a landslide.

  Like seemingly, it seems

• appeal verb

  to ask strongly and seriously for help; to be attractive or interesting to someone

  The school appealed to parents for books for the new library.

  Like request, ask, attract

• appear verb

  to come into sight; to seem

  Stars appear in the sky after the sun sets.

  Like emerge, seem

• appearance noun

  the way someone or something looks

  The old temple’s appearance changed after it was repaired.

  Like look

• appendix noun

  an extra section at the end of a book or report; a small tube attached to the large intestine

  The answers to the exercises are in the appendix at the back of the book.

  Like supplement

• applause noun

  the sound of people clapping their hands to show they liked something

  The young singer received loud applause at the end of the school concert.

  Like clapping

• apple noun

  a round fruit with red, green or yellow skin and crisp white flesh

  Mustang is famous for its sweet, crunchy apples.

• application noun

  a formal written request; a program on a computer or phone

  She filled out an application to join the summer science camp.

  Like request, app

• apply verb

  to ask formally for something, such as a job or a place; to put on a surface

  My brother applied to study engineering at a university.

  Like request, spread

• appoint verb

  to choose someone officially for a job or position

  The school appointed a new principal at the start of the year.

  Like name, assign

• appointment noun

  an arranged time to meet someone, such as a doctor

  I have a dentist appointment at four o’clock on Tuesday.

  Like meeting

• appreciate verb

  to be thankful for something; to understand the value of something

  I really appreciate your help with my homework.

  Like value, be grateful for

• approach verb

  to come nearer to someone or something

  The deer ran away as we approached.

  Like near, come close

• appropriate adjective

  suitable or right for a particular situation

  Wear appropriate shoes for the hike.

  Like suitable, proper

• approval noun

  the act of agreeing to or accepting something officially; liking for something

  We need the principal’s approval before the trip.

  Like permission, consent

• approve verb

  to officially agree to something; to think something is good

  The school approved our plan for a science club.

  Like accept, agree to

• approximate adjective

  close to the correct number or amount, but not exact

  The approximate distance from Kathmandu to Pokhara is two hundred kilometers.

  Like rough, estimated

• approximately adverb

  close to an exact number but not exactly

  The school is approximately two kilometers from my house.

  Like about, roughly

• approximation noun

  a number or answer that is close to the correct one but not exact

  Using 3.14 for pi is a good approximation for most school problems.

  Like estimate

• arbitrary adjective

  chosen by chance or by personal wish, not for a good reason

  The order of names on the list is arbitrary, so don’t read anything into it.

  Like random

• archaeology noun

  the study of the past by digging up and examining old objects and buildings

  Archaeology has shown that people lived in the Kathmandu Valley thousands of years ago.

• architect noun

  a person whose job is to design buildings

  The architect drew plans for a new library with large windows.

  Like designer

• architecture noun

  the art of designing buildings; the style of buildings

  Bhaktapur is known for its beautiful Newari architecture, with carved wooden windows.

• area noun

  a part of a place or region; the size of a surface

  This area of the forest is home to many rare birds.

  Like region, zone, space

• argue verb

  to speak angrily with someone because you disagree; to give reasons for an opinion

  My brothers argue about which channel to watch every evening.

  Like quarrel, disagree

• argument noun

  an angry disagreement; reasons given to support an idea

  My sisters had an argument about who would use the computer first.

  Like quarrel, disagreement

• arise verb

  to begin to happen or appear

  Problems can arise if you don’t plan your project carefully.

  Like occur, appear, come up

• arm noun

  the part of the body between the shoulder and the hand

  She held the baby goat in her arms.

• army noun

  a large group of soldiers trained to fight on land for a country

  My uncle joined the army and now helps people after floods and landslides.

  Like military

• arrange verb

  to put things in order; to plan something

  Arrange the books on the shelf by size.

  Like organize, order, plan

• arrangement noun

  a plan made for something to happen; the way things are placed

  The flower arrangement on the table had marigolds and roses.

  Like plan, layout

• array noun

  a large group of things arranged in an orderly way; numbers or objects set out in rows and columns

  The market had a colorful array of fruits and vegetables.

  Like range, collection, arrangement

• arrest verb

  (of the police) to take and hold someone who may have broken the law

  The police arrested the man who had stolen bicycles from the market.

  Like detain

• arrival noun

  the act of reaching a place

  The arrival of the train was delayed by an hour.

  Like coming

• arrive verb

  to reach a place at the end of a journey

  The train arrived at the station on time.

  Like reach, come

• arrow noun

  a thin stick with a sharp point shot from a bow; a sign shaped like this showing a direction

  Follow the arrows on the wall to find the science lab.

• art noun

  making things like paintings, drawings and sculptures to show ideas or beauty

  Thangka painting is a famous art of the Himalaya.

  Like craft

• article noun

  a piece of writing in a newspaper or magazine

  I read an article about snow leopards in the newspaper.

  Like report, story

• articulate verb

  to express ideas clearly in words

  She was able to articulate her ideas about the project very well.

  Like express, put into words

• artifact noun

  an object made by people long ago, especially one studied for history

  The students saw ancient artifacts, such as clay pots and bronze tools, at the museum.

  Like relic

• artificial adjective

  made by people rather than by nature

  The hotel lobby was full of artificial flowers that never needed water.

  Like man-made, synthetic, fake

• artist noun

  a person who paints, draws, or makes other works of art

  The artist painted a large picture of Mount Everest.

• artistic adjective

  good at painting, drawing or making beautiful things with imagination

  My sister is very artistic and painted a lovely picture of Phewa Lake.

  Like creative

• artwork noun

  a painting, drawing, sculpture or similar thing made to be looked at

  The children’s artwork was displayed on the walls of the hall.

  Like work of art

• ashamed adjective

  feeling bad because you did something wrong or silly

  He felt ashamed that he had forgotten his friend’s birthday.

  Like embarrassed, guilty

• aside adverb

  to one side; away for later use

  She set aside some money each week to buy a new bike.

• ask verb

  to say something to get an answer or information; to request

  If you do not understand, ask the teacher to explain again.

  Like question, inquire, request

• aspect noun

  one part or feature of a situation, idea or problem

  Cost is one important aspect to think about when planning a school trip.

  Like feature, side, part

• assembly noun

  a gathering of people for a purpose, such as a school meeting; the act of putting parts together

  The whole school sang the national anthem at the morning assembly.

  Like gathering, meeting

• assert verb

  to state firmly that something is true

  The scientist asserted that her results were correct and could be repeated.

  Like declare, claim, state

• assess verb

  to judge the quality, value or amount of something

  The teacher will assess our science projects next week.

  Like judge, evaluate

• assessment noun

  a judgment about the value or quality of something

  The teacher’s assessment showed that my writing had improved.

  Like evaluation, judgment

• asset noun

  something useful or valuable that a person or group owns

  A good library is a great asset to any school.

  Like resource, advantage

• assign verb

  to give someone a task or job to do

  The teacher assigned each group a different planet to study.

  Like allocate, give

• assignment noun

  a piece of work given to a student or worker to do

  Our history assignment is to write two pages about the Licchavi kings.

  Like task

• assist verb

  to help someone do something

  The nurse assisted the doctor during the check-up.

  Like help, aid

• assistance noun

  help or support

  If you need assistance, ask the person at the front desk.

  Like help, aid

• assistant noun

  a person who helps someone in their work

  The doctor’s assistant took my temperature.

  Like helper, aide

• associate verb

  to connect two things in your mind

  Many people associate the smell of marigolds with Tihar.

  Like connect, link, relate

• association noun

  a group of people who join together for a shared purpose

  The parents’ association raised money for new library books.

  Like society, club, organization

• assume verb

  to think something is true without being sure

  I assumed the shop was open, but it was closed for the holiday.

  Like suppose, presume, guess

• assumption noun

  something you believe is true without proof

  We made the assumption that the shop would be open, but it was closed.

  Like guess, belief

• assure verb

  to tell someone confidently that something is true so they stop worrying

  The pilot assured the passengers that the flight would be smooth.

  Like reassure, promise

• athlete noun

  a person who is good at sports and trains for them

  The athlete trained every morning for the marathon.

  Like sportsperson

• athletic adjective

  physically strong, fit and good at sports

  He is very athletic and runs five kilometers every morning.

  Like sporty, fit

• atmosphere noun

  the layer of gases around the Earth; the mood of a place

  The Earth’s atmosphere protects us from harmful rays from the sun.

  Like air, mood

• atom noun

  the smallest unit of a chemical element

  A water molecule is made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

• atomic adjective

  relating to the tiny units that make up chemical elements

  Hydrogen has the atomic number one because it has one proton.

• attach verb

  to fasten or join one thing to another

  Attach your photo to the application form.

  Like fasten, connect, fix

• attachment noun

  a file sent with an email; a feeling of love or liking

  I sent my homework as an attachment to the email.

• attack verb

  to try to hurt or damage someone or something

  Some insects attack the leaves of rice plants.

  Like assault, strike

• attempt noun

  a try at doing something

  She cleared the high jump on her second attempt.

  Like try, effort

• attend verb

  to go to an event or place, such as a school or meeting

  All students must attend the morning assembly.

  Like go to, be present at

• attendance noun

  being present somewhere; the number of people present

  Attendance at school was high this week.

  Like presence, turnout

• attention noun

  careful listening, watching or thinking

  Please pay attention while the teacher explains the experiment.

  Like focus, care

• attitude noun

  the way you think and feel about something, shown in how you act

  She has a positive attitude toward learning new things.

  Like outlook, approach, view

• attract verb

  to pull something toward itself; to make someone interested

  A magnet attracts iron nails but not pieces of wood or plastic.

  Like draw, pull, lure

• attraction noun

  a place or thing people visit because it is interesting

  The old palace is the city’s main tourist attraction.

  Like sight, draw

• attractive adjective

  pleasant to look at; interesting

  The garden looks very attractive with all its colorful flowers.

  Like beautiful, appealing

• attribute noun

  a quality or feature of someone or something

  Patience is an important attribute for a teacher.

  Like quality, feature, trait

• auction noun

  a public sale where things are sold to the person who offers the most money

  The old painting was sold at an auction for a very high price.

• audience noun

  the people who watch or listen to a show, talk, or game

  The audience clapped loudly at the end of the school play.

  Like viewers, listeners, spectators

• audio adjective

  relating to recorded or broadcast sound

  The teacher played an audio recording of a native speaker reading the poem.

  Like sound

• audit noun

  an official check of an organization’s accounts or records

  An audit of the club’s money showed that every rupee was spent correctly.

  Like inspection, review

• aunt noun

  the sister of your father or mother, or your uncle’s wife

  My aunt sent us apples from Mustang.

• author noun

  the person who wrote a book or article

  The author of this book lives in Kathmandu.

  Like writer

• authority noun

  the power to give orders and make decisions; a person or group with that power

  The principal has the authority to close the school on a snowy day.

  Like power, control

• automatically adverb

  by itself, without a person needing to control it

  The lights turn on automatically when it gets dark.

• autonomy noun

  the freedom to make your own decisions and govern yourself

  The older students were given more autonomy to choose their own project topics.

  Like independence, self-rule, freedom

• autumn noun

  the season between summer and winter

  In autumn the sky over Kathmandu is clear and blue.

  Like fall

• availability noun

  whether something is free to be used or bought at a particular time

  Check the availability of seats before you book the bus to Chitwan.

• available adjective

  able to be got, used or bought

  Tickets for the show are available at the front desk.

  Like obtainable, ready

• average adjective

  usual or typical; found by adding amounts and dividing by how many there are

  The average temperature in Kathmandu in January is about ten degrees.

  Like typical, normal

• avoid verb

  to stay away from someone or something; to keep something from happening

  Wear a helmet to avoid head injuries when cycling.

  Like prevent, dodge

• award noun

  a prize given for doing something well

  She won an award for her science project.

  Like prize, honor

• aware adjective

  knowing about something

  Are you aware that the exam starts at nine?

  Like conscious, informed

• awareness noun

  knowledge or understanding of something

  The campaign raised awareness among students about saving water at home.

  Like knowledge, understanding

• away adverb

  to or at a distance from a place

  The bird flew away when the cat came near.

  Like off

• awful adjective

  very bad or unpleasant

  The weather was awful, so we stayed indoors and played games.

  Like terrible, dreadful

• axiom noun

  a statement accepted as true without proof, used as a starting point in reasoning

  It is an axiom of geometry that only one straight line passes through two points.

  Like principle, assumption

• axis noun

  an imaginary line through the middle of something that turns around it; a line on a graph used for measuring

  The Earth spins on its axis once every twenty-four hours.