Oxford 5000: 50 Words | Intermediate

Are you finding it hard to tackle the Oxford 5000 word list on your own? Welcome to Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.12. These are the essential words you need for fluent communication. This series breaks them down step-by-step, categorized by difficulty level, to make your learning journey easier and more consistent.

Today’s Learning Summary:

Series: Oxford 5000 Vocabulary
Level: Intermediate (B2 – C1)
Goal: Today’s 50 Essential Words
Episode: Ep.12

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.12 | 1 – 10

reasonable

fair and sensible
It’s reasonable to ask for help when things get too confusing.

ultimate

the best or most important; final
A warm smile is the ultimate way to make someone feel welcome.

relatively

in comparison with something else; to a certain degree
This test was relatively easy, so I finished it faster than usual.

precisely

exactly; with no mistakes
She woke up at 7 a.m. precisely, as if her body had its own alarm clock.

scandal

a situation that shocks people because someone did something wrong
The teacher laughed and said it wasn’t a scandal when I forgot my homework for the third time.

edition

a particular version of a book, magazine, or product
I bought the newest edition of the book because the cover looked much cooler.

investor

a person who puts money into something to make a profit
The investor smiled when the small café he supported became really popular.

corruption

dishonest or illegal behavior, especially by people in power
The movie showed how one act of corruption can destroy trust very quickly.

bent

not straight; curved
My umbrella was so bent after the windstorm that it looked like modern art.

trigger

something that causes something else to happen
The smell of coffee was the trigger that finally got me out of bed this morning.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.12 | 11 – 20

failed

not successful
My first pancake looked so failed that even the dog didn’t trust it.

combat

fighting or battle
The game puts you in a combat zone, but luckily it’s only virtual.

chunk

a thick piece or part of something
He ate a huge chunk of chocolate and immediately felt happier.

secure

safe and protected
I feel secure when my phone finally connects to the Wi-Fi without problems.

postwar

happening after a war
The town rebuilt quickly in the postwar years, adding new schools and parks.

imagery

pictures or descriptions that create strong mental images
The book’s rich imagery made me feel like I was walking through the story myself.

beside

next to
She sat beside me and quietly shared her snacks, which made my day.

van

a large vehicle used for carrying people or goods
They packed the van with camping gear and drove off for a weekend adventure.

cancer

a serious disease in which cells grow in an uncontrolled way
He learned that supporting a friend with cancer starts with simply being there.

initial

first; happening at the beginning
My initial plan was to study for one hour, but it quickly became three.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.12 | 21 – 30

via

by way of; through
We sent the file via email because it was the fastest option.

close

the end or final part of something
By the close of the day, everyone was ready for a long nap.

adopt

to begin to use or follow something
She decided to adopt a new study routine to stay more organized.

approve

to agree to or accept something
My teacher didn’t approve my joke, but my classmates loved it.

impress

to make someone admire you
He tried to impress his friends by cooking dinner, but he burned the toast instead.

exclusive

only for certain people; not shared with others
The café’s new “members only” room felt very exclusive, but the cookies were the real highlight.

rate

to judge or give a score to something
I would rate this movie an eight out of ten because it made me laugh nonstop.

desktop

the top surface of a desk, or a computer designed to sit on a desk
I cleaned my desktop so well that I finally found the pen I lost last month.

risky

dangerous or likely to cause problems
Jumping over a puddle looked fun, but it was a bit risky—I almost slipped.

enable

to make something possible
Reading every day can enable you to learn new words without stress.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.12 | 31 – 40

elderly

old; used to describe older people in a polite way
The elderly man smiled as he told a funny story from his childhood.

miserable

very unhappy or uncomfortable
I felt miserable until I had a warm cup of tea, and suddenly life seemed okay again.

interaction

the way people talk or act with each other
A simple friendly interaction can brighten someone’s whole day.

roster

a list of names, especially of people in a group or team
When I saw my name on the class roster, I knew the semester had officially begun.

emission

something released into the air, such as gas or smoke
The car’s low emission level made my science teacher smile proudly.

map

to plan or show something in detail
We tried to map our weekend plans, but “take a nap” ended up in every time slot.

punk

a loud, energetic style of rock music or someone who likes that style
My friend loves punk music so much that his hair tries to stand up like the singers’.

whip

to beat or mix something quickly
I tried to whip the cream fast, but it flew everywhere like tiny snowflakes.

ultimately

in the end; after everything is considered
She practiced every day and ultimately reached her goal of speaking confidently.

sheer

complete or absolute
Climbing that hill took sheer determination—and a lot of water.

Oxford 5000 Intermediate Ep.12 | 41 – 50

info

information; facts or details about something
He asked for more info because the instructions felt way too short.

endeavor

an effort to do something challenging
Learning a new language is an exciting endeavor that takes patience.

integral

very important; necessary to make something complete
Good sleep is an integral part of staying healthy and focused.

contrary

opposite
Her opinion was the contrary of mine, but we still had a fun conversation.

regional

related to a particular area or part of a country
The café serves a regional dish that tastes different in every city.

suite

a set of connected rooms, usually in a hotel
Our hotel suite was so big that we almost needed a map to find the bathroom.

wolf

a wild animal that looks like a large dog
The wolf watched the campfire from a distance, its eyes glowing like tiny flashlights in the dark.

audit

a careful check of accounts or records
They did an audit of the store and found three missing pencils and one cookie.

fee

a payment made for a service
There’s a small fee to join the club, but the free snacks make it worth it.

complicated

difficult to understand or deal with
The recipe looked so complicated that I felt tired just reading it.