C1 · Advanced

Politics & Power — C1 English Vocabulary

This C1 vocabulary list gathers 60 advanced English words about politics & power — statecraft, authority and intrigue. 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. statecraft/ˈsteɪt.krɑːft/

    “He was a master of statecraft.”

  2. hegemony/hɪˈdʒem.ə.ni/

    “They challenged American hegemony.”

  3. despot/ˈdes.pɒt/

    “The despot ruled by fear.”

  4. autocrat/ˈɔː.tə.kræt/

    “The autocrat silenced all critics.”

  5. oligarchy/ˌɒl.ɪˈɡɑː.ki/

    “Power lay with a small oligarchy.”

  6. demagoguery/ˈdem.ə.ɡɒɡ.ər.i/

    “His speech was pure demagoguery.”

  7. partisanship/ˈpɑː.tɪ.zən.ʃɪp/

    “Bitter partisanship stalled the bill.”

  8. incumbent/ɪnˈkʌm.bənt/

    “The incumbent won re-election.”

  9. constituent/kənˈstɪt.ju.ənt/

    “Each constituent can write to the MP.”

  10. enfranchise/ɪnˈfræn.tʃaɪz/

    “The reform will enfranchise millions.”

  11. disenfranchise/ˌdɪs.ɪnˈfræn.tʃaɪz/

    “The law could disenfranchise the poor.”

  12. plebiscite/ˈpleb.ɪ.saɪt/

    “A plebiscite settled the question.”

  13. statesmanship/ˈsteɪts.mən.ʃɪp/

    “The crisis called for statesmanship.”

  14. realpolitik/reɪˈɑːl.pɒl.ɪ.tiːk/

    “It was a decision of cold realpolitik.”

  15. coup/kuː/

    “The army staged a coup.”

  16. junta/ˈdʒʌn.tə/

    “A military junta seized power.”

  17. self-determination/ˌself.dɪˌtɜː.mɪˈneɪ.ʃən/

    “They demanded self-determination.”

  18. annexation/ˌæn.ekˈseɪ.ʃən/

    “The annexation sparked outrage.”

  19. secede/sɪˈsiːd/

    “The region voted to secede.”

  20. insurgency/ɪnˈsɜː.dʒən.si/

    “The insurgency lasted a decade.”

  21. dissident/ˈdɪs.ɪ.dənt/

    “The dissident was jailed.”

  22. propagandist/ˌprɒp.əˈɡæn.dɪst/

    “He worked as a propagandist.”

  23. authoritarian/ɔːˌθɒr.ɪˈteə.ri.ən/

    “It is an authoritarian regime.”

  24. totalitarian/təʊˌtæl.ɪˈteə.ri.ən/

    “They feared a totalitarian state.”

  25. autonomous/ɔːˈtɒn.ə.məs/

    “The province is now autonomous.”

  26. sovereign/ˈsɒv.rɪn/

    “Each sovereign state has a vote.”

  27. electorate/ɪˈlek.tər.ət/

    “The electorate rejected the plan.”

  28. incarcerate/ɪnˈkɑː.sə.reɪt/

    “They incarcerate political enemies.”

  29. subjugate/ˈsʌb.dʒə.ɡeɪt/

    “Empires sought to subjugate weaker nations.”

  30. oppress/əˈpres/

    “The regime continued to oppress dissent.”

  31. tyrant/ˈtaɪ.rənt/

    “The tyrant crushed all opposition.”

  32. nepotism/ˈnep.ə.tɪ.zəm/

    “The firm is riddled with nepotism.”

  33. clout/klaʊt/

    “She has real political clout.”

  34. lobbyist/ˈlɒb.i.ɪst/

    “A lobbyist met the minister.”

  35. demagogic/ˌdem.əˈɡɒɡ.ɪk/

    “He used demagogic tactics.”

  36. faction/ˈfæk.ʃən/

    “A rival faction split the party.”

  37. bloc/blɒk/

    “The trade bloc met in Geneva.”

  38. annex/əˈneks/

    “They threatened to annex the islands.”

  39. usurp/juːˈzɜːp/

    “He tried to usurp the throne.”

  40. abdicate/ˈæb.dɪ.keɪt/

    “The king chose to abdicate.”

  41. reign/reɪn/

    “Her reign lasted forty years.”

  42. centrist/ˈsen.trɪst/

    “He is a moderate centrist.”

  43. ideologue/ˈaɪ.di.ə.lɒɡ/

    “He is a rigid ideologue.”

  44. demobilise/diːˈməʊ.bɪ.laɪz/

    “The army began to demobilise.”

  45. repression/rɪˈpreʃ.ən/

    “Years of repression followed.”

  46. puppet/ˈpʌp.ɪt/

    “He was a mere puppet ruler.”

  47. patronage/ˈpæt.rə.nɪdʒ/

    “He owed his job to patronage.”

  48. gerrymander/ˈdʒer.iˌmæn.də/

    “They tried to gerrymander the districts.”

  49. bipartisan/baɪˈpɑː.tɪ.zən/

    “It was a rare bipartisan effort.”

  50. statutory/ˈstætʃ.ə.tər.i/

    “There is a statutory right to leave.”

  51. dominion/dəˈmɪn.jən/

    “The empire held dominion over the seas.”

  52. ascendancy/əˈsen.dən.si/

    “The party is in the ascendancy.”

  53. machination/ˌmæk.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/

    “He feared a secret machination.”

  54. demarcate/ˈdiː.mɑː.keɪt/

    “Treaties demarcate the border.”

  55. enact/ɪˈnækt/

    “Parliament will enact the law.”

  56. repeal/rɪˈpiːl/

    “They voted to repeal the tax.”

  57. depose/dɪˈpəʊz/

    “Rebels moved to depose the king.”

  58. incite/ɪnˈsaɪt/

    “He was charged with trying to incite a riot.”

  59. quell/kwel/

    “Troops were sent to quell the unrest.”

  60. suppress/səˈpres/

    “The state tried to suppress the report.”