176 words starting with I

• ice noun

  water that has frozen and become solid

  The lake was covered with ice in the middle of winter.

• idea noun

  a thought or plan that someone forms in their mind

  Riya had a good idea for our science fair project.

  Like thought, notion, plan

• ideal adjective

  perfect, or the best possible

  A sunny day is ideal for drying clothes.

  Like perfect

• identical adjective

  exactly the same in every way

  The twins wore identical jackets, so the teacher could not tell them apart.

  Like same, matching, alike

• identification noun

  the act of recognizing who or what something is; an official document showing who you are

  The guidebook helps with the identification of birds by their colors.

  Like recognition

• identify verb

  to recognize and name who or what someone or something is

  Can you identify this bird from its song?

  Like recognize, name

• identity noun

  who or what a person or thing is

  He showed his card to prove his identity at the bank.

• ideology noun

  a set of beliefs on which a political or economic system is based

  The history lesson compared the ideologies of different nineteenth-century thinkers.

  Like beliefs, doctrine, philosophy

• ignore verb

  to pay no attention to something or someone on purpose

  He ignored the rain and kept playing football with his friends.

  Like disregard, overlook

• ill adjective

  not well; suffering from a disease

  She was ill with a cold and missed the trip.

  Like sick, unwell

• illegal adjective

  not allowed by law

  It is illegal to cut trees in the national park.

  Like unlawful, banned

• illness noun

  a disease or period of being sick

  She missed a week of school because of illness.

  Like sickness, disease

• illusion noun

  something that seems real or true to the eye or mind but is not

  The two lines look different lengths, but it is only an optical illusion.

  Like trick, deception, false impression

• illustrate verb

  to explain something by giving examples or pictures; to draw pictures for a book

  The teacher used a ball and a lamp to illustrate how day and night happen.

  Like show, demonstrate

• illustration noun

  a picture in a book that explains or decorates the text

  The book has colorful illustrations of every bird.

  Like picture, drawing

• image noun

  a picture, photograph or reflection

  The telescope sent back a clear image of the moon.

  Like picture, photo

• imagination noun

  the ability to form pictures and ideas in your mind

  With a little imagination, a box can become a spaceship.

  Like creativity

• imagine verb

  to form a picture of something in your mind

  Imagine you are standing on top of Mount Everest.

  Like picture, visualize

• immediate adjective

  happening at once, without any delay

  The burn needed immediate treatment with cool water.

  Like instant

• immediately adverb

  right now, without waiting

  Call me immediately when you arrive.

  Like at once, instantly, right away

• immigrant noun

  a person who has come to live in a new country

  Many immigrants open restaurants that serve food from their home country.

  Like newcomer, settler

• immigration noun

  the act of coming to live in a new country

  Immigration officers checked our passports at the airport.

• immune adjective

  protected from a disease, usually because the body can fight it

  Once you have had chickenpox, you are usually immune to it.

  Like resistant, protected

• impact noun

  a strong effect on someone or something; the force of one object hitting another

  The new library has had a big impact on how much students read.

  Like effect, influence

• implement verb

  to put a plan or decision into action

  The school implemented a new plan to save water.

  Like carry out, apply

• implementation noun

  the act of putting a plan or decision into action

  The implementation of the new timetable starts next month.

  Like execution, application

• implication noun

  a possible effect or result of an action or decision

  The new rule has implications for every student who takes the bus.

  Like consequence, effect

• implicit adjective

  suggested or understood without being stated directly

  There was an implicit agreement that everyone would help clean up after the party.

  Like implied, unspoken, understood

• imply verb

  to suggest something without saying it directly

  By yawning loudly, my brother implied that the long speech was boring.

  Like suggest, hint

• import verb

  to bring goods into a country from another country to sell

  Nepal imports petrol from India.

  Like bring in

• importance noun

  how much something matters

  Our teacher spoke about the importance of washing hands.

  Like value, significance

• important adjective

  having great value or effect; mattering a lot

  It is important to wash your hands before you eat.

  Like significant, key, essential

• importantly adverb

  used to show that something matters a great deal

  Most importantly, always wear safety glasses in the lab.

• impose verb

  to make a rule or tax that people must follow or pay

  The government imposed a tax on imported cars.

• impossible adjective

  not able to happen or be done

  It is impossible for a person to live without water for a month.

  Like not possible

• impress verb

  to make someone admire you or what you have done

  Her painting impressed the judges, and she won first prize.

  Like wow

• impression noun

  an idea or feeling you get about someone or something

  The new teacher made a good impression on the class.

  Like feeling, opinion

• impressive adjective

  causing admiration because of size, skill, or quality

  The view from the top of the hill was impressive.

  Like striking, remarkable

• improve verb

  to make or become better

  Reading every day will improve your English.

  Like better, develop

• improvement noun

  a change that makes something better

  Her handwriting has shown a big improvement this year.

  Like progress, betterment

• impulse noun

  a sudden strong wish to do something without thinking first

  On an impulse, he bought a kite at the market.

  Like urge, whim

• incentive noun

  something that encourages a person to do something

  The prize was an incentive for students to read more books.

  Like motivation, encouragement

• inch noun

  a unit of length equal to about 2.5 centimeters

  My laptop screen measures fifteen inches from one corner to the opposite corner.

• incidence noun

  how often something happens, especially a disease or problem

  The incidence of colds rises during the winter months.

  Like rate, frequency, occurrence

• incident noun

  an event, especially an unusual or unpleasant one

  There was a small incident on the bus when a bag fell on someone’s foot.

  Like event, occurrence

• incline noun

  a surface that slopes up or down

  The cart rolled faster as it went down the incline.

  Like slope, gradient

• include verb

  to have something as one part of a whole

  The price of the ticket includes lunch and a guide.

  Like contain, cover, involve

• inclusion noun

  the act of making someone or something part of a group

  The inclusion of a map made the report much easier to follow.

  Like addition

• income noun

  money that a person earns or receives regularly

  Farming is the main source of income for many families.

  Like earnings

• incorporate verb

  to include something as part of a larger whole

  Our teacher incorporated music and games into the science lesson.

  Like include, integrate

• increase verb

  to become or make larger in number or amount

  The number of tourists in Pokhara increases every autumn when the skies are clear.

  Like grow, rise, raise

• increasingly adverb

  more and more as time passes

  Solar panels are becoming increasingly common on Nepali rooftops.

  Like more and more

• incredible adjective

  very hard to believe; extremely good or large

  The view of Everest at sunrise was incredible.

  Like amazing, unbelievable, astonishing

• incredibly adverb

  to a very great degree; in a way that is hard to believe

  The water in the mountain stream was incredibly cold.

  Like extremely, amazingly

• incumbent noun

  the person who holds an official position at present

  The incumbent will stay as club president until the new one is chosen.

  Like holder, officeholder

• indeed adverb

  really; certainly (used to make a statement stronger)

  The view from the top was indeed amazing.

  Like truly, really

• independence noun

  freedom from being controlled by another person or country

  Learning to cook gave my brother more independence.

  Like freedom, self-reliance

• independent adjective

  free from control by others; not needing help from others

  Nepal has always been an independent country.

  Like free, self-reliant

• independently adverb

  without help or control from other people

  The students worked independently on their projects before sharing them.

  Like alone, separately, on your own

• index noun

  a list at the back of a book showing where topics can be found

  Look in the index to find the page about volcanoes.

• indicate verb

  to show or point out something

  The arrow on the sign indicates the way to the exit.

  Like show, point to, signal

• indication noun

  a sign that shows something

  Dark clouds are an indication that rain is coming.

  Like sign, signal, hint

• indicator noun

  a sign that shows the state or level of something; a substance that changes color to show acid or base

  Litmus paper is an indicator that turns red in acid.

  Like sign, signal, measure

• indifference noun

  a lack of interest or concern

  The cat watched the barking dog with complete indifference.

  Like unconcern, disinterest, apathy

• indigenous adjective

  belonging naturally to a place, not brought from elsewhere

  The rhododendron is indigenous to the Himalaya and grows wild on its hillsides.

  Like native, local

• indirect adjective

  not going straight to a place or point; happening as a side result

  We took an indirect route to avoid the traffic in the city center.

  Like roundabout

• individual adjective

  for or about one person or thing, separately from others

  Each student gets individual help from the teacher.

  Like single, separate

• individually adverb

  one at a time; separately

  The teacher spoke to each student individually about their marks.

  Like separately, one by one, singly

• induce verb

  to cause something to happen; to persuade someone to do something

  Moving a magnet near a coil of wire can induce an electric current.

  Like cause, produce, persuade

• induction noun

  reasoning from particular examples to a general rule; producing an electric current using a changing magnetic field

  Electric cookers that heat by induction warm only the pan, not the stove top.

• industrial adjective

  relating to factories and the making of goods

  The industrial area outside the city has many large factories.

• industrialization noun

  the change to an economy based on factories and machine production

  Industrialization in Britain began in the eighteenth century with cotton mills.

• industrialize verb

  to develop many factories and machine production in a country or area

  Many Asian countries industrialized quickly in the twentieth century.

• industry noun

  the work of making goods, often in factories; a type of business

  The carpet industry employs many people in Nepal.

  Like business, manufacturing

• inequality noun

  an unfair difference between people in wealth, rights or chances; a math statement using signs such as < or >

  The statement 3 < 5 is an inequality, not an equation.

  Like unfairness, imbalance, disparity

• inevitably adverb

  in a way that cannot be avoided or prevented

  If you leave ice in the sun, it will inevitably melt.

  Like unavoidably, certainly

• infant noun

  a very young child or baby

  The infant slept peacefully in her mother’s arms.

  Like baby

• infect verb

  to pass a disease or germs to a person, animal or plant

  Wash your hands so you do not infect others with your cold.

  Like contaminate

• infection noun

  an illness caused by germs entering the body

  Washing your hands with soap helps prevent infection by killing germs on your skin.

• infectious adjective

  able to spread from one person or animal to another

  The flu is infectious, so stay home until you feel better.

  Like contagious, catching

• inference noun

  a conclusion you reach from the evidence you have

  From the wet ground, we made the inference that it had rained at night.

  Like conclusion, deduction

• inferior adjective

  lower in quality, value or rank

  The cheap pen was inferior to the one my uncle gave me.

  Like worse, lesser, poorer

• infinite adjective

  without any limit or end

  Some scientists think space may be infinite, stretching on forever in every direction.

  Like endless, limitless, boundless

• infinity noun

  a quantity, space or time without any end or limit

  The row of numbers goes on to infinity.

  Like endlessness

• inflation noun

  a general rise in prices over time

  Because of inflation, a bus ticket costs more than it did last year.

• influence noun

  the power to change how someone thinks or acts

  My grandfather had a great influence on my love of books.

  Like effect, impact

• influential adjective

  having the power to change what others think or do

  Marie Curie was one of the most influential scientists of her time.

  Like powerful, important, leading

• inform verb

  to tell someone facts or news officially

  The school informed parents that classes would start late on Monday.

  Like tell, notify, advise

• informal adjective

  relaxed and friendly, not official or following strict rules

  The principal had an informal chat with parents over tea.

  Like casual, relaxed

• information noun

  facts or details about something

  You can find information about the bus times on this board.

  Like facts, details, data

• inhibit verb

  to slow down or prevent a process or action

  Salt inhibits the growth of bacteria, so it keeps food fresh longer.

  Like prevent, restrain, hinder

• inhibition noun

  a feeling of shyness that stops you acting freely; the slowing or stopping of a process

  After a few songs, she lost her inhibitions and began to dance.

  Like shyness, restraint

• initial adjective

  happening at the beginning; first

  Our initial plan was to walk, but we took a bus instead.

  Like first, early, opening

• initially adverb

  at the beginning, before something changed

  Initially I found algebra hard, but now it is my favorite subject.

  Like at first, originally

• initiate verb

  to start a process or action

  The students initiated a campaign to keep the river clean.

  Like begin, start, launch

• initiation noun

  the start of something; a ceremony that makes someone a member of a group

  The initiation of the new reading program was announced at assembly.

  Like beginning, start, launch

• initiative noun

  the ability to act on your own without being told; a new plan to solve a problem

  She showed initiative by cleaning the classroom before anyone asked.

• inject verb

  to put a liquid such as medicine into the body with a needle

  The nurse injected the vaccine into my arm.

• injection noun

  a dose of medicine put into the body with a needle

  The baby got an injection to protect her from measles.

  Like shot, jab

• injure verb

  to hurt a part of a person’s or animal’s body

  He injured his ankle while playing football.

  Like hurt, wound

• injury noun

  damage to the body caused by an accident

  He couldn’t play in the match because of a knee injury.

  Like wound

• innate adjective

  present from birth, not learned

  Birds have an innate ability to build nests.

  Like inborn, natural, inherent

• inner adjective

  on the inside or close to the center

  The inner layer of the Earth is called the core.

  Like inside, internal, interior

• innocent adjective

  not guilty of a crime or wrong

  The boy was innocent; someone else had broken the window.

  Like blameless, not guilty

• innovation noun

  a new idea, method, or invention

  The mobile phone was a great innovation in communication.

  Like invention

• input noun

  ideas or information that someone gives to help; data put into a computer

  The teacher asked for our input on where to go for the class trip.

  Like contribution

• inquiry noun

  a question asking for information; an official investigation

  The museum received many inquiries about its opening hours.

  Like question, query; investigation

• insect noun

  a small animal with six legs and a body in three parts, such as an ant or bee

  A butterfly is an insect that begins life as a caterpillar.

  Like bug

• insert verb

  to put something into something else

  Insert the key into the lock and turn it to the left.

  Like put in, place

• inside noun

  the inner part of something

  The inside of the papaya is full of black seeds.

  Like interior

• insight noun

  a clear, deep understanding of something

  The visit to the farm gave us insight into how rice is grown.

  Like understanding, awareness

• insist verb

  to say firmly that something must happen or is true

  My mother insisted that I wear a jacket because it was cold.

  Like demand, maintain

• inspire verb

  to give someone the wish and confidence to do something

  Her visit to the science center inspired her to become an engineer.

  Like motivate, encourage

• instability noun

  the state of being likely to change suddenly or fall

  The instability of the stack of books made it fall over.

  Like unsteadiness

• install verb

  to put a machine, program or equipment in place so it is ready to use

  The technician installed a new printer in the computer lab.

  Like set up

• instance noun

  one example of something happening

  There are many instances of animals helping each other in the wild.

  Like example, case

• instead adverb

  in place of something else

  It was raining, so we played indoors instead.

  Like rather

• instinct noun

  a natural behavior or feeling that is not learned

  Baby turtles follow their instinct and crawl toward the sea.

• institution noun

  a large organization such as a school, hospital, or bank

  Tribhuvan University is the oldest institution of higher learning in Nepal.

  Like organization, establishment

• institutional adjective

  relating to a large organization like a school, bank or hospital

  The library gets institutional support from the university.

  Like organizational

• instruction noun

  information that tells you how to do something

  Read the instructions carefully before you begin the experiment.

  Like direction, guideline

• instrument noun

  an object used to make music; a tool for careful work

  The sarangi is a traditional Nepali musical instrument.

  Like tool, device

• insurance noun

  an agreement to pay a company regularly so it pays you if something bad happens

  Car insurance helps pay for repairs after an accident.

  Like coverage, protection

• insure verb

  to pay a company that will pay you if something is lost or damaged

  My father insured the new motorbike against theft.

  Like cover

• integral adjective

  necessary and important as a part of a whole

  Music is an integral part of the Dashain festival.

  Like essential, vital, central

• integrate verb

  to combine things so they work together as one; to join and fit into a group

  The new students quickly integrated into the class.

  Like combine, join

• integration noun

  the combining of separate people or things into one whole

  The integration of art into science lessons made them more fun.

  Like combination, merging, unification

• intellectual adjective

  relating to the ability to think and understand ideas

  Chess is an intellectual game that needs careful planning.

  Like mental

• intelligence noun

  the ability to learn, understand and think

  Dolphins are known for their intelligence.

  Like cleverness, intellect

• intend verb

  to plan or mean to do something

  I intend to finish my homework before dinner.

  Like plan, mean, aim

• intense adjective

  very strong or great

  The intense heat of the sun dried the clothes quickly.

  Like strong, extreme, powerful

• intensity noun

  the strength or degree of something such as light, heat or feeling

  The intensity of the sunlight is greater at high altitude.

  Like strength, power

• intensive adjective

  involving a lot of effort or work in a short time

  She took an intensive English course over the winter holiday.

  Like concentrated, thorough

• intention noun

  something you plan or mean to do

  My intention is to finish my homework before dinner so I can play later.

  Like aim, plan, purpose

• interact verb

  to communicate or work with someone; to affect each other

  Children learn a lot when they interact with animals on a farm.

  Like communicate, mix, engage

• interaction noun

  the way people or things act on and affect each other

  Our teacher encourages interaction, so students ask questions and discuss ideas in class.

• interest noun

  a feeling of wanting to know more about something

  She has a strong interest in birds and their songs.

  Like curiosity, attention

• interestingly adverb

  used to point out a surprising or curious fact

  Interestingly, octopuses have three hearts and blue blood.

  Like curiously, surprisingly

• interface noun

  the way a person uses a computer program or device; a place where two things meet

  The new app has a simple interface that young children can use.

• interfere verb

  to get involved in something that is not your business; to stop something working properly

  Mobile phones can interfere with the plane’s radio signals.

  Like meddle, disrupt, hinder

• interior noun

  the inside part of something

  The interior of the temple is dark and cool.

  Like inside

• intermediate adjective

  between two levels, especially between beginner and advanced

  She moved from the beginner class to the intermediate class in chess.

  Like middle, midway

• internal adjective

  inside something, such as the body, a building or a group

  The heart and lungs are internal organs of the body.

  Like inner, inside

• international adjective

  involving two or more countries

  Tribhuvan Airport has many international flights.

• interpret verb

  to explain the meaning of something; to translate what someone says into another language

  Scientists interpret the data to understand how glaciers are changing.

  Like explain, translate

• interpretation noun

  an explanation of the meaning of something

  Each student gave a different interpretation of the poem.

  Like explanation, understanding

• interrupt verb

  to stop someone speaking or doing something for a short time

  Please do not interrupt while your classmate is presenting.

  Like break in, disturb, cut in

• interval noun

  a period of time between two events; a gap between two things

  The bus to Bhaktapur leaves at intervals of fifteen minutes.

  Like gap, break, pause

• intervene verb

  to become involved in a situation to change or stop it

  The referee intervened when the two players started arguing.

  Like step in, interfere

• intervention noun

  an action taken to improve or stop a situation

  Quick intervention by the teacher stopped the argument.

  Like action

• interview noun

  a meeting where someone is asked questions, for a job or for a news report

  She had an interview for a job at the bank.

• interviewer noun

  a person who asks someone questions to find out about them

  The interviewer asked the scientist how she became interested in stars.

• introduce verb

  to tell people each other’s names when they first meet; to bring in something new

  Let me introduce my friend Sita, who just moved here from Pokhara.

  Like present, bring in

• introduction noun

  the first part of a book or talk; telling people each other’s names when they first meet

  The introduction of the book explains what each chapter is about.

  Like opening, beginning

• invade verb

  to enter a place in large numbers and spread through it

  Weeds quickly invaded the empty field after the rain.

  Like overrun, spread into

• invasion noun

  the arrival of a large number of unwanted things or people in a place

  An invasion of ants spoiled our picnic by the river.

  Like influx, intrusion

• invent verb

  to make or design something that did not exist before

  Alexander Graham Bell is said to have invented the telephone.

  Like create, devise

• inversion noun

  the turning of something upside down or into the opposite order

  In a temperature inversion, warm air sits above cold air and traps smoke.

  Like reversal

• invert verb

  to turn something upside down or into the opposite order

  Invert the glass of water over a card, and the water will not fall out.

  Like flip, turn over, reverse

• invest verb

  to put money into something hoping to make more money later

  My uncle invested his savings in a small tea farm.

  Like put money into, fund

• investigate verb

  to look carefully at the facts to find out the truth

  Scientists are investigating why the glacier is melting so fast.

  Like examine, look into, probe

• investigation noun

  a careful study to find out the facts about something

  The class did an investigation into how fast plants grow.

  Like inquiry, study, examination

• investment noun

  money put into something to make a profit later

  Buying land near the city was a good investment.

• investor noun

  a person who puts money into a business to make a profit

  An investor gave money to help the company build a new factory.

  Like backer

• invitation noun

  a request, spoken or written, asking someone to come to an event

  We received an invitation to my cousin’s birthday party.

• invite verb

  to ask someone to come to an event

  We invited all our friends to the party.

  Like ask

• involve verb

  to include something as a needed part; to make someone take part

  The science project involved measuring rainfall every day.

  Like include, require

• involvement noun

  the act of taking part in something

  Parents’ involvement in school events makes them more fun.

  Like participation

• ion noun

  an atom or group of atoms that has an electric charge from gaining or losing electrons

  Table salt in water breaks into sodium and chloride ions.

• iron noun

  a strong, hard gray metal; a tool heated to press clothes flat

  Iron is a strong metal that is mixed with carbon to make steel.

• irrelevant adjective

  not connected with the subject being discussed

  His comment about football was irrelevant to our science discussion.

  Like unrelated, beside the point

• irrigation noun

  the supply of water to land or crops through channels or pipes

  Irrigation canals bring river water to the rice fields of the Terai.

  Like watering

• island noun

  a piece of land with water all around it

  Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean.

  Like isle

• isolate verb

  to keep someone or something apart from others

  The scientists isolated the sick plants so the disease wouldn’t spread.

  Like separate

• issue noun

  an important subject or problem that people discuss

  Clean drinking water is an important issue in many villages.

  Like matter, topic, problem

• item noun

  a single thing in a list or group of things

  There are ten items on the shopping list.

  Like thing, object, article