Advanced English (2) • ADJECTIVES, ADVERBS • 'S'

adjective C2 informal (comparative savvier, superlative savviest) • synonyms: shrewd, sharp, streetwise • tech-/media-/politically savvy; a savvy investor/negotiator/strategist; someone is savvy about something • freq in AmE: 6/10

having practical knowledge, sharp judgment, or intuitive understanding — especially in a specific domain like business, politics, media, or technology; implies street-smart competence rather than formal expertise

adjective C1 • synonyms: sheer, transparent, revealing • see-through fabric/blouse/curtain; wear/look/be see-through • freq in AmE: 5/10

describing a material that is transparent or semi-transparent enough to reveal what is underneath; often used for clothing, fabrics, or surfaces that allow visibility through them

adjective C1 social/political • synonyms: discriminatory, misogynistic, biased • sexist remark/attitude/policy; be called out as sexist; sexist assumptions/language/advertising • freq in AmE: 6/10

discriminating against people based on their sex or gender, especially in ways that reinforce stereotypes or unequal treatment — typically against women

adjective C1 • synonyms: astute, perceptive, insightful, clever • (shrewd decision/remark/analysis/move); shrewd observer/strategist/mind • freq in AmE: 6/10

clever, perceptive, and able to make accurate judgments — especially in practical, strategic, or psychological matters; often implies insight, tact, and mental sharpness

adjective C1 • synonyms: hilarious, uproarious, laugh-out-loud, riotous • side-splitting joke/comedy/story; absolutely side-splitting; side-splittingly funny • freq in AmE: 5/10

extremely funny; causing uncontrollable laughter — often used to describe comedy, jokes, or performances

adjective C2 [-er/-est only ] • synonyms: revealing, scanty, tight-fitting • skimpy dress/top/outfit; wear/look/feel skimpy • freq in AmE: 5/10

describing clothing that is very small, tight, or revealing; offering minimal coverage, often worn for stylistic, provocative, or seasonal reasons

adverb C2 • synonyms: scantily, revealingly, provocatively • dress/look/be skimpily dressed/clad; appear/pose skimpily • freq in AmE: 4/10

in a way that involves wearing very little clothing; revealingly or scantily dressed, often used to describe outfits that expose a lot of skin or offer minimal coverage

adjective C1 • synonyms: nervous, jumpy, timid, reactive • skittish horse/person/market • freq in AmE: 6/10

nervous, easily frightened, or prone to sudden movements or changes in mood — often used to describe animals, people, or markets that react unpredictably or with heightened sensitivity

adjective C2 informal / descriptive • synonyms: hasty, sudden, impulsive, quick • a snap decision/judgment/reaction/meeting; make a snap decision; give a snap response • freq in AmE: 7/10

done or made quickly and without much thought; sudden and often impulsive

collocation with snap adjective [adj + noun ] C2 informal • synonyms: hasty, instant, impulsive, spontaneous • make a snap decision; regret a snap decision; take a snap decision (BrE) • freq in AmE: 8/10

a quick and often impulsive decision made without much thought or consideration

adjective [before noun ] C1 • synonyms: loyal, committed, firm, unwavering • staunch supporter/ally/defender; staunch opposition/belief/stance • freq in AmE: 5/10

strongly loyal, committed, or dependable; used to describe people, beliefs, or support that is firm, unwavering, and deeply rooted — often in political, ideological, or emotional contexts

adjective [before noun ] C2 literary/descriptive • synonyms: sunlit, glowing, dappled with light • sun-dappled forest/meadow/porch/water; walk through a sun-dappled path; sun-dappled afternoon • freq in AmE: 2/10

lit or patterned with patches of sunlight, especially as filtered through leaves or other partial cover; evokes a warm, natural, and idyllic atmosphere

adjective C1 • synonyms: austere, bare, bleak, minimal, unadorned • (stark contrast/reality/beauty/setting); stark simplicity/severity • freq in AmE: 7/10

plain, severe, or bare in appearance or outline; lacking decoration, warmth, or embellishment — often evoking a sense of bleakness, minimalism, or emotional intensity

adjective C2 philosophical/scientific • synonyms: conscious, aware, feeling • sentient beings/entities/life; sentient experience/consciousness; non-sentient vs. sentient • freq in AmE: 4/10

able to perceive or feel things; having consciousness, awareness, or the capacity for subjective experience — especially in contrast to being purely mechanical or instinctual

adjective C2 informal (UK informal scrummy) • synonyms: delicious, tasty, mouthwatering • scrumptious meal/dessert/cake/snack; absolutely/truly/surprisingly scrumptious; scrumptious-looking/smelling/tasting • freq in AmE: 4/10

extremely tasty, delicious, or appealing — especially in a way that evokes pleasure, indulgence, or delight

adjective C1 informal • synonyms: stubby, squat, chunky • stumpy legs/fingers/pencil; stumpy little creature; short and stumpy build • freq in US: 4/10

short and thick in appearance; blunt, rounded, or disproportionately compact — often used to describe limbs, objects, or figures that appear squat or stubby

adjective C2 • synonyms: loose, lazy, weak, underperforming • slack rope/attitude/sales/work ethic; go slack; slack season/demand/performance • freq in physical/business/behavioral use: 7/10

loose or not tight; lacking tension, speed, effort, or discipline — can describe physical objects, work ethic, or market conditions

adjective C1 • synonyms: torn, ripped, shredded • slashed fabric/sleeves/jacket; slashed surface/painting/structure • look/feel/appear slashed; be slashed open • freq in AmE: 4/10

cut with violent or forceful strokes, often leaving visible marks or openings; also used stylistically (e.g. fashion) or metaphorically to suggest fragmentation, aggression, or dramatic reduction

collocation with strenuous adjective C2 • synonyms: intense effort, hard physical work, exertion • strenuous activity after surgery/exercise/work; avoid/limit/engage in strenuous activity; strenuous as exhausting/demanding/risky • freq in AmE: 7/10

any task or movement that requires intense physical effort, energy, or endurance; often used in medical, fitness, or cautionary contexts to describe demanding exercise or labor

adjective C1 informal • synonyms: spiraled, curly, psychedelic, dizzy • swirly pattern/design/feeling/handwriting • freq in AmE: 4/10

having a twisting, spiraling, or curving shape or motion; often used to describe patterns, designs, movements, or sensations that evoke fluidity, whimsy, or disorientation

collocation with swirly adjective C1 informal • synonyms: psychedelic mood, dreamy energy, retro aesthetic • swirly vibe/aura/feel; evoke a swirly vibe • freq in AmE: 3/10

a mood, atmosphere, or aesthetic characterized by swirling patterns, dreamy motion, or whimsical energy; often evokes retro, psychedelic, or fluid sensations

adjective C1 (often disapproving) • synonyms: flashy, gaudy, flamboyant, ostentatious • showy outfit/display/style/gesture/car • freq in AmE: 5/10

attracting attention by being very noticeable, often in a way that lacks subtlety or good taste

adjective C2 • synonyms: immoral, dishonorable, shameful, corrupt, base, filthy • a sordid affair/scandal/deal/motive/story; sordid details/reality • freq in AmE: 7/10

(especially of actions, motives, or details) immoral, dishonorable, or dirty; involving unpleasant or shameful aspects of human nature

adjective C1 • synonyms: filthy, shabby, grimy, squalid, rundown, miserable • sordid conditions/apartment/slum/life/reality/neighborhood • freq in AmE: 7/10

(of a place, condition, or situation) dirty, unpleasant, and often connected with poverty or neglect; lacking comfort or decency

adjective [passive participle ] C1 • synonyms: scheduled, expected, designated • slated for release/demolition; slated to begin/arrive/be completed; slated as candidate/successor; officially/tentatively slated • freq in AmE: 5/10

officially scheduled or expected to happen at a particular time; also used to describe someone designated for a role, outcome, or treatment

collocation with slated adjective (or verb past participle) C1 • synonyms: scheduled for, planned for, expected to • be slated for release/completion/demolition; be slated for a position/role • slated for next year/month • freq in AmE: 7/10

to be scheduled, planned, or expected to happen at a particular time or to receive a particular role or position

collocation with slated adjective (or verb past participle) C1 • synonyms: scheduled to, expected to, due to • be slated to begin/start/announce/take over • originally/currently slated to do something; slated to happen next week/year • freq in AmE: 7/10

to be scheduled or expected to perform a particular action or take on a specific role in the future

adverb C1 • synonyms: apparently, ostensibly, on the surface • seemingly perfect/calm/random/unrelated; seemingly X but actually Y • freq in AmE: 7/10

appearing to be true or real, but possibly not; based on outward appearance or impression rather than confirmed fact

adjective C2 [approving ] • synonyms: polished, streamlined, stylish, glossy • sleek design/car/look/interface; sleek black dress; sleek strategy/approach/style • freq in AmE: 6/10

smooth, glossy, and elegant in appearance or design; streamlined and stylish, often suggesting sophistication or modernity

verb phrase [T ] C2 • synonyms: smooth down, flatten, tame, polish • sleek back/down hair/surface/emotions; sleeked into a bun; sleek back anger/fear/instincts • freq in AmE: 2/10

to make hair or a surface smooth, glossy, and flat by brushing, combing, or applying product; often used to describe deliberate styling or taming of texture

adjective C2 • synonyms: flexible/limber/pliable/graceful • supple leather/limbs/fabric/spine; keep/make/remain supple; supple movement/texture/gesture • freq in AmE: 5/10

flexible, soft, and able to bend or move easily without breaking; often used to describe materials, bodies, or movements that are graceful and resilient

adjective • B2–C2 • synonyms: shocking, jarring, eye-opening • startling fact/statistic/contrast/behavior • freq in AmE: 6/10

causing sudden surprise, shock, or alarm — often due to being unexpected, intense, or unusually vivid; surprising and sometimes worrying

adjective [gradable ] C2 • synonyms: nostalgic, tender, emotional • sentimental value/memory/gesture/tone; feel/become sentimental; overly/deeply sentimental; sentimental about past/childhood/objects • freq in AmE: 7/10

based on or influenced by emotions rather than reason; expressing or evoking tender feelings, especially nostalgia, affection, or sadness