Vocabulary builder

Full of serious and immediate danger.

“The climbers inched along the perilous ledge as loose stones clattered into the gorge below.”

To suffer something painful or difficult patiently over a long period.

“For three nights she had to endure the gnawing cold without a single blanket.”

Available only in very small quantities; insufficient for what is needed.

“Fresh water grew scarce, and the crew rationed each warm mouthful with care.”

A structure or place that protects from danger or bad weather.

“They lashed driftwood into a crude shelter before the storm finally broke over the island.”

Empty, bleak and lacking any sign of life or comfort.

“The desolate plateau stretched to the horizon, broken only by the wind and a single bent tree.”

To limit how much of something is used so that a small supply lasts longer.

“He decided to ration the last of the biscuits to one square each at dawn.”

Completely drained of energy or strength.

“Exhausted and shivering, she dragged herself the final metres towards the firelight.”

Able to recover quickly from hardship and keep going.

“Only the most resilient of the group still believed that rescue would come.”

Suffering from extreme and painful hunger.

“Famished after the long march, the soldiers stared longingly at the empty supply crates.”

Dangerous because hidden hazards make it hard to predict or trust.

“Beneath the fresh snow lay a treacherous crust of ice that gave way without warning.”

To search widely for food and other supplies, especially in the wild.

“Each morning they would forage along the shoreline for shellfish and edible weed.”

The state of being completely cut off from other people or help.

“The crushing isolation of the valley weighed on him more heavily than the cold ever did.”

A difficult, dangerous or distressing situation.

“No passing ship could possibly guess the plight of the survivors on that hidden reef.”

To keep trying despite difficulty, failure or discouragement.

“She vowed to persevere up the ridge even though every muscle screamed at her to stop.”

Very small in amount and clearly not enough.

“A meagre handful of rice was all that stood between the family and starvation.”

An organised journey undertaken for a particular purpose, often exploration.

“The expedition set out before sunrise, its mules laden with rope, lamps and tinned food.”

To begin a journey, or to board a ship or aircraft for one.

“They embarked at dawn, the harbour lights still glowing behind them.”

Requiring great and tiring effort to complete.

“The arduous climb left them gasping long before the summit came into view.”

To follow a winding course without hurrying or going directly.

“The path seemed to meander through the orchard, doubling back on itself again and again.”

The place to which someone or something is travelling.

“After eleven days of rain, the distant glow of their destination felt almost unreal.”

To travel or move across an area, especially a difficult one.

“To traverse the salt flats they walked only at night, when the heat finally relented.”

To move from one region or country to another, usually to settle.

“Whole families chose to migrate north, carrying everything they owned in two cases.”

A strong, restless desire to travel and explore the world.

“A familiar wanderlust stirred in her the moment the train pulled out of the station.”

A long journey made to a place of special, often spiritual, significance.

“Each spring he made the same quiet pilgrimage to the lighthouse where his father had worked.”

A longer, indirect route taken instead of the most direct one.

“The flooded bridge forced a wide detour through villages none of them had heard of.”

A long journey, especially by sea or in space.

“The voyage had begun in calm waters, but the third week brought towering grey waves.”

To plan and direct the route of a journey, especially using instruments.

“Without the stars to navigate by, the captain trusted only the worn compass in his palm.”

A point of entry or the beginning of a new stage or experience.

“Standing on the threshold of the unknown valley, she felt both terror and delight.”

A temporary stay in a place during a longer journey.

“Their brief sojourn in the mountain village stretched, happily, into a fortnight.”

To leave a place, especially to start a journey.

“They chose to depart while the streets were still empty and the air still cool.”

Bright green with rich, lush vegetation.

“Beyond the dunes lay a verdant valley where ferns brushed against their knees.”

To fall or flow downwards rapidly in large quantities, like a waterfall.

“Meltwater began to cascade over the granite, flashing silver in the early light.”

Calm, peaceful and free from disturbance.

“The lake was so tranquil that the reflected mountains seemed painted onto the water.”

Having a rough, uneven and often harsh natural surface.

“The rugged coastline tore at every wave that dared to approach it.”

The leaves of plants or trees considered together.

“Sunlight filtered through the dense foliage and dappled the forest floor with gold.”

Extremely dry because it has little or no rainfall.

“Nothing moved across the arid plain except a thin spiral of dust.”

To move or be shaped in smooth, wave-like rises and falls.

“The wheat began to undulate as the breeze rolled across the open field.”

In its original, unspoilt and perfectly clean condition.

“Their boots were the first to mark the pristine snow on the high pass.”

A strong, fast and overwhelming stream of water.

“Within minutes the gentle stream had swollen into a brown torrent.”

A wild, uncultivated region untouched by human development.

“For two hundred miles the wilderness offered neither road nor roof.”

Twisted, rough and knotted, usually through age or weather.

“A single gnarled oak clung to the cliff, bent almost flat by the constant wind.”

To shine with a soft, wavering, trembling light.

“Heat made the distant road shimmer until it dissolved into the horizon.”

A wide, continuous and open area of land, water or sky.

“Above the camp stretched an expanse of stars so dense it looked like spilt salt.”

Able to produce abundant crops or vegetation.

“The fertile floodplain rewarded every seed the villagers pressed into its dark soil.”

A state of bleak, empty and lifeless ruin.

“After the wildfire, only blackened stumps interrupted the desolation.”

Showing great courage and determination, especially in danger.

“Her valiant attempt to reach the trapped miners earned the whole town’s respect.”

Not discouraged or frightened by difficulty or danger.

“Undaunted by the jeering crowd, she finished her speech without a tremor in her voice.”

Boldly refusing to obey or to give in to a powerful force.

“He stood defiant before the magistrate, refusing to name a single friend.”

Courage and strength of mind in enduring pain or adversity.

“It took quiet fortitude to nurse the village through that endless winter.”

Willing to take surprisingly bold and daring risks.

“Their audacious plan to cross the gorge by rope seemed reckless until it worked.”

Fearless and adventurous, especially in facing the unknown.

“The intrepid surveyor mapped the cave system entirely alone.”

To continue with effort despite difficulty or opposition.

“She chose to persevere with the campaign even after the funding collapsed.”

Brave, noble and willing to act for the good of others.

“A gallant stranger waded into the current without hesitating for a second.”

Firm determination to do something difficult.

“Nothing the storm threw at them could shake their resolve to reach the shore.”

Firmly loyal or committed and not changing under pressure.

“Through every setback he remained steadfast in his belief that they would be found.”

Showing fearless and persistent determination.

“The dauntless lifeboat crew launched a fourth time into the same black waves.”

To give someone the courage or confidence to act.

“Her calm voice seemed to embolden the younger climbers behind her.”

The quality of holding firmly to a purpose and refusing to give up.

“It was sheer tenacity, not luck, that carried her over the final ridge.”

Showing the great bravery associated with a hero.

“The heroic act went unreported for years, known only to the family it saved.”

To face or endure something dangerous or unpleasant with courage.

“They would have to brave the blizzard if anyone on the ridge was to live.”

To change something completely, usually for the better.

“A single conversation seemed to transform the way she saw her own future.”

Happening slowly over a period of time rather than suddenly.

“The gradual greening of the wasteland surprised even the people who had planted it.”

Very great, deep or far-reaching in effect.

“The journey had a profound effect on how he treated everyone he met afterwards.”

To develop gradually into a different and often more advanced form.

“The quiet hobby would slowly evolve into the work of her whole life.”

The process of changing from one state or stage to another.

“The transition from village school to city college unsettled him for months.”

Impossible to change back to a previous state.

“They warned that the loss of the wetland would be irreversible within a decade.”

A sudden, dramatic and often disruptive change.

“The factory’s closure brought an upheaval that reshaped the entire town.”

To adjust to new conditions in order to cope or succeed.

“Those who could adapt to the harsher winters were the ones who stayed.”

Lasting only for a very short time.

“Childhood summers, she realised too late, had been fleeting all along.”

To make something fresh, valid or strong again.

“The first rain in months seemed to renew the cracked and tired fields.”

To gradually wear away or weaken something over time.

“Each broken promise began to erode the trust the villagers had once felt.”

A complete and striking change in form, nature or character.

“His metamorphosis from a shy boy to a confident leader astonished his old teachers.”

Certain to happen and impossible to avoid.

“The closure felt inevitable once the river finally changed its course.”

To grow or develop strongly and successfully.

“Given a little space and light, the seedlings began to flourish overnight.”

To become dry, shrunken and lifeless, or to gradually decline.

“Without rain the orchard would surely wither before the harvest came.”

To find something hidden by digging or by careful searching.

“The students hoped to unearth the foundations of the village beneath the meadow.”

A surprising and previously unknown fact made suddenly clear.

“The letter contained a revelation that changed everything she believed about her family.”

Involving new and original methods or ideas before anyone else.

“Her pioneering research mapped a corner of the ocean no instrument had reached.”

Eager to learn by asking questions and investigating.

“The inquisitive child took the old radio apart just to see what made it speak.”

Showing deep insight or understanding.

“A profound silence followed the announcement, as everyone grasped its meaning.”

To make something clearer or easier to understand.

“One small experiment seemed to illuminate a problem scientists had puzzled over for years.”

To give someone greater knowledge or understanding of something.

“The guide patiently set out to enlighten the visitors about the ruined city.”

To recognise or work something out by careful observation.

“Only at dawn could they discern the faint outline of a path through the mist.”

A sudden, important advance or success after difficulty.

“The breakthrough came not in the laboratory but on a long walk home.”

To examine something carefully in order to discover the truth.

“She decided to investigate the strange readings before reporting them to anyone.”

New, original and not resembling anything known before.

“His novel approach to the problem made every expert in the room sit forward.”

A strong desire to know or learn something.

“Pure curiosity, and nothing else, drew her down the unmarked tunnel.”

Not yet mapped, explored or fully understood.

“Beyond the last marker lay uncharted forest that no survey had ever crossed.”

To become aware of or understand something through the senses or mind.

“Slowly she began to perceive a pattern in the marks scratched on the cave wall.”

A clear, deep and accurate understanding of something.

“The diary offered a rare insight into how the explorers truly felt that winter.”

Giving off or reflecting a soft, glowing light.

“The luminous moon turned the snowfield into a sheet of pale glass.”

A harsh, jarring mixture of loud and unpleasant sounds.

“A cacophony of horns and shouting swallowed her words before she could finish.”

Having an unpleasantly sharp, bitter smell or taste.

“An acrid smell of scorched wiring drifted from behind the cupboard.”

Calm, peaceful and completely untroubled.

“Her serene expression never changed, even as the questions grew sharper.”

Having a rough, sharp and uneven edge or outline.

“Jagged peaks bit into the orange sky like a row of broken teeth.”

Having a pleasant, sweet smell.

“Fragrant pine drifted down the slope and settled over the silent camp.”

Soaked completely through with liquid.

“Her sodden coat hung heavily from her shoulders as she trudged inside.”

Hard but easily broken or snapped.

“The brittle leaves crackled into dust beneath every careful step.”

To make or speak in a low, soft, continuous sound.

“The stream continued to murmur somewhere beyond the dark hedgerow.”

Partial or total darkness, often with a heavy, depressing quality.

“A single lamp barely dented the gloom of the long stone corridor.”

Sending out bright light, warmth or evident happiness.

“Her radiant smile told them the news long before she spoke it aloud.”

Extremely cold, or coldly unfriendly in manner.

“A frigid wind sliced through the gap in the boards and snuffed the candle.”

To shine with a sparkling, wet or oily light.

“Dew began to glisten on every blade as the first sun reached the meadow.”

Uncomfortably heavy, intense or weighing on the mind.

“The oppressive heat pressed down until even speaking felt like an effort.”

Pleasantly soft and smooth to the touch or in appearance.

“A velvety darkness folded over the valley as the last light withdrew.”

Anxious or fearful that something bad may happen.

“She felt apprehensive the moment the lights flickered and the music stopped.”

Extremely happy and full of joyful excitement.

“Elated, the climbers hugged on the summit as the cloud finally cleared.”

A strong feeling that something bad is about to happen.

“A heavy foreboding settled over the crew as the gulls suddenly vanished.”

A deep, thoughtful and lingering sadness.

“A quiet melancholy filled the empty house where the family had once laughed.”

Strange and frightening in a mysterious way.

“An eerie stillness hung over the village, with no birds and no voices.”

Severe mental or physical pain and suffering.

“The anguish in his letter was impossible to read aloud without pausing.”

A state of calm, peaceful and untroubled feeling.

“A sudden serenity replaced her panic as the boat drifted into the bay.”

Causing or feeling nervous strain and unable to relax.

“The tense silence in the room broke only when the telephone finally rang.”

Feeling or expressing great triumphant happiness.

“A jubilant crowd lined the harbour as the lost trawler came home.”

Feeling utterly lonely, miserable and without comfort.

“He felt desolate watching the train carry the last of his friends away.”

Suggesting that something bad or threatening is going to happen.

“An ominous bank of cloud rolled in just as the boats reached open water.”

Showing gentle, thoughtful longing or regret.

“A wistful look crossed her face whenever the old song came on the radio.”

A powerful feeling of fear about something that may happen.

“A cold dread crept over them as the footsteps on the stairs grew slower.”

Feeling very excited, lively and full of energy.

“Exhilarated by the freezing spray, she laughed for the first time in days.”

Dark, serious and gloomy in mood or appearance.

“A sombre crowd gathered at the gate, speaking only in low murmurs.”

As a direct result of what has just been stated.

“The bridge had collapsed; consequently, the village was cut off for a week.”

In spite of what has just been said; even so.

“The path was flooded; nevertheless, they pressed on towards the ridge.”

In addition to what has been said, adding a further point.

“The plan was costly; furthermore, it ignored the wishes of the villagers.”

Used to contrast two different facts or situations.

“The first text celebrates the storm, whereas the second clearly fears it.”

Happening or coming after something else in time.

“They reached the cabin at dusk and subsequently lit the only remaining lamp.”

Used to introduce a fact that contrasts with the main statement.

“Although the rescue seemed impossible, the crew refused to turn back.”

During the same period of time as something else.

“The leaders argued by the fire; meanwhile, the children quietly packed the boat.”

Used to introduce a statement that contrasts with what came before.

“The map promised a shortcut; the marsh, however, told a different story.”

In a way that is alike or comparable to what was just stated.

“The first explorer kept a diary; similarly, the second recorded every day.”

For that reason; as a logical consequence.

“No supplies had arrived; therefore, the search would have to wait until morning.”

Introducing a statement that is the opposite of the previous one.

“One survivor remembered the cold; conversely, the other recalled only the silence.”

At the very beginning, before later developments.

“Initially the climb felt simple, but the weather changed within the hour.”

In the end, after everything else has been considered.

“Ultimately, it was a stranger’s small kindness that saved the expedition.”

In spite of; without being prevented by something.

“Notwithstanding the warnings, the captain ordered the ship out of the harbour.”

In the same way; also.

“The villagers shared their bread; the travellers, likewise, shared their maps.”