B2 · Upper-Intermediate

Business & Commerce — B2 English Vocabulary

This B2 vocabulary list gathers 50 upper-intermediate English words about business & commerce — capital, mergers and the corporate world. Every word comes with its British-English pronunciation and a natural example sentence, so you learn each one in real context. When you are ready, open the flashcards to practise and remember them for good.

  1. corporate/ˈkɔː.pər.ət/

    “She works in the corporate world.”

  2. acquisition/ˌæk.wɪˈzɪʃ.ən/

    “The acquisition cost millions.”

  3. stakeholder/ˈsteɪkˌhəʊl.də/

    “Every stakeholder was consulted.”

  4. profitable/ˈprɒf.ɪ.tə.bəl/

    “The venture proved highly profitable.”

  5. venture/ˈven.tʃə/

    “They funded a risky venture.”

  6. capital/ˈkæp.ɪ.təl/

    “The firm needs more capital.”

  7. liability/ˌlaɪ.əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/

    “The old factory is a liability.”

  8. dividend/ˈdɪv.ɪ.dend/

    “Shareholders received a dividend.”

  9. outsourcing/ˈaʊtˌsɔː.sɪŋ/

    “Outsourcing reduced their costs.”

  10. recession/rɪˈseʃ.ən/

    “Sales fell during the recession.”

  11. bankruptcy/ˈbæŋk.rəpt.si/

    “The firm filed for bankruptcy.”

  12. overheads/ˈəʊ.və.hedz/

    “High overheads cut their profit.”

  13. forecast/ˈfɔː.kɑːst/

    “The sales forecast looks good.”

  14. quota/ˈkwəʊ.tə/

    “Each seller has a monthly quota.”

  15. incentive/ɪnˈsen.tɪv/

    “Bonuses are a strong incentive.”

  16. clientele/ˌkliː.ɒnˈtel/

    “The shop has a loyal clientele.”

  17. distribution/ˌdɪs.trɪˈbjuː.ʃən/

    “They improved their distribution network.”

  18. logistics/ləˈdʒɪs.tɪks/

    “Logistics can be very complex.”

  19. franchise/ˈfræn.tʃaɪz/

    “He bought a coffee franchise.”

  20. inventory/ˈɪn.vən.tər.i/

    “They counted the inventory.”

  21. surplus/ˈsɜː.pləs/

    “The country has a trade surplus.”

  22. deficit/ˈdef.ɪ.sɪt/

    “The budget deficit grew.”

  23. procurement/prəˈkjʊə.mənt/

    “She manages procurement.”

  24. retailer/ˈriː.teɪ.lə/

    “The retailer offered a discount.”

  25. commodity/kəˈmɒd.ɪ.ti/

    “Oil is a valuable commodity.”

  26. startup/ˈstɑːt.ʌp/

    “Her startup grew quickly.”

  27. profit margin/ˈprɒf.ɪt ˌmɑː.dʒɪn/

    “The profit margin is small.”

  28. subsidiary/səbˈsɪd.i.ər.i/

    “It is a subsidiary of a larger firm.”

  29. board/bɔːd/

    “The board approved the plan.”

  30. merchandise/ˈmɜː.tʃən.daɪs/

    “The store sells branded merchandise.”

  31. investor/ɪnˈves.tə/

    “An investor backed the project.”

  32. competitive/kəmˈpet.ɪ.tɪv/

    “The market is very competitive.”

  33. lucrative/ˈluː.krə.tɪv/

    “It is a lucrative business.”

  34. yield/jiːld/

    “The investment gave a high yield.”

  35. supplier/səˈplaɪ.ə/

    “We found a cheaper supplier.”

  36. consumerism/kənˈsjuː.mə.rɪ.zəm/

    “Consumerism drives the economy.”

  37. branding/ˈbræn.dɪŋ/

    “Good branding boosts sales.”

  38. premises/ˈprem.ɪ.sɪz/

    “The company moved to new premises.”

  39. portfolio/pɔːtˈfəʊ.li.əʊ/

    “She has a varied investment portfolio.”

  40. audit/ˈɔː.dɪt/

    “The accountant carried out an audit.”

  41. takeover/ˈteɪkˌəʊ.və/

    “The takeover was hostile.”

  42. speculate/ˈspek.jə.leɪt/

    “Some people speculate on shares.”

  43. downsize/ˌdaʊnˈsaɪz/

    “The firm had to downsize.”

  44. viable/ˈvaɪ.ə.bəl/

    “The plan is not financially viable.”

  45. wholesaler/ˈhəʊl.seɪ.lə/

    “The wholesaler sells in bulk.”

  46. commercialise/kəˈmɜː.ʃəl.aɪz/

    “They want to commercialise the idea.”

  47. monetise/ˈmʌn.ɪ.taɪz/

    “He found a way to monetise the app.”

  48. conglomerate/kənˈɡlɒm.ər.ət/

    “The brand belongs to a conglomerate.”

  49. patent/ˈpæt.ənt/

    “They filed a patent for the design.”

  50. fiscal/ˈfɪs.kəl/

    “The fiscal year ends in March.”