Precise Adjectives — C1 English Vocabulary

This C1 vocabulary list gathers 60 advanced English words about precise adjectives — exact, vivid describing words. 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. cumbersome/ˈkʌm.bə.səm/

   “The machine is cumbersome.”

2. unwieldy/ʌnˈwiːl.di/

   “The parcel was unwieldy.”

3. ponderous/ˈpɒn.dər.əs/

   “His prose is ponderous.”

4. nimble/ˈnɪm.bəl/

   “She is nimble on her feet.”

5. deft/deft/

   “He gave a deft reply.”

6. clumsy/ˈklʌm.zi/

   “He is clumsy with tools.”

7. ungainly/ʌnˈɡeɪn.li/

   “The bird looked ungainly.”

8. lithe/laɪð/

   “The dancer is lithe.”

9. rugged/ˈrʌɡ.ɪd/

   “It is rugged terrain.”

10. frail/freɪl/

    “The old man looked frail.”

11. hardy/ˈhɑː.di/

    “These plants are hardy.”

12. rickety/ˈrɪk.ɪ.ti/

    “The chair was rickety.”

13. solid/ˈsɒl.ɪd/

    “The table is solid.”

14. jagged/ˈdʒæɡ.ɪd/

    “The rocks were jagged.”

15. slippery/ˈslɪp.ər.i/

    “The path was slippery.”

16. crumbly/ˈkrʌm.bli/

    “The cheese is crumbly.”

17. compact/kəmˈpækt/

    “The kit is small and compact.”

18. porous/ˈpɔː.rəs/

    “The stone is porous.”

19. viscous/ˈvɪs.kəs/

    “The liquid is viscous.”

20. brackish/ˈbræk.ɪʃ/

    “The water tasted brackish.”

21. parched/pɑːtʃt/

    “The land was parched.”

22. humid/ˈhjuː.mɪd/

    “The air was humid.”

23. balmy/ˈbɑː.mi/

    “It was a balmy evening.”

24. sweltering/ˈswel.tər.ɪŋ/

    “The day was sweltering.”

25. frigid/ˈfrɪdʒ.ɪd/

    “The wind was frigid.”

26. tepid/ˈtep.ɪd/

    “The coffee was tepid.”

27. scalding/ˈskɔːl.dɪŋ/

    “The water was scalding.”

28. putrid/ˈpjuː.trɪd/

    “The smell was putrid.”

29. rancid/ˈræn.sɪd/

    “The butter was rancid.”

30. stale/steɪl/

    “The bread was stale.”

31. mellow/ˈmel.əʊ/

    “The wine is mellow.”

32. zesty/ˈzes.ti/

    “The dish was zesty.”

33. succulent/ˈsʌk.jə.lənt/

    “The meat was succulent.”

34. delectable/dɪˈlek.tə.bəl/

    “The cake was delectable.”

35. wholesome/ˈhəʊl.səm/

    “It is a wholesome meal.”

36. nourishing/ˈnʌr.ɪʃ.ɪŋ/

    “Soup is nourishing.”

37. noxious/ˈnɒk.ʃəs/

    “The fumes were noxious.”

38. potent/ˈpəʊ.tənt/

    “It is a potent drug.”

39. innocuous/ɪˈnɒk.ju.əs/

    “The remark seemed innocuous.”

40. harmless/ˈhɑːm.ləs/

    “The snake is harmless.”

41. inert/ɪˈnɜːt/

    “The gas is inert.”

42. malleable/ˈmæl.i.ə.bəl/

    “Gold is very malleable.”

43. pliable/ˈplaɪ.ə.bəl/

    “The wire is pliable.”

44. rigid/ˈrɪdʒ.ɪd/

    “The frame is rigid.”

45. elastic/ɪˈlæs.tɪk/

    “The band is elastic.”

46. weightless/ˈweɪt.ləs/

    “Astronauts feel weightless.”

47. bulky/ˈbʌl.ki/

    “The coat is bulky.”

48. cavernous/ˈkæv.ən.əs/

    “The hall was cavernous.”

49. cramped/kræmpt/

    “The flat is cramped.”

50. lofty/ˈlɒf.ti/

    “The ceilings are lofty.”

51. squat/skwɒt/

    “It is a squat little building.”

52. towering/ˈtaʊ.ər.ɪŋ/

    “Towering cliffs lined the bay.”

53. sprawling/ˈsprɔː.lɪŋ/

    “It is a sprawling city.”

54. snug/snʌɡ/

    “The cabin was snug.”

55. roomy/ˈruː.mi/

    “The car is roomy.”

56. gaping/ˈɡeɪ.pɪŋ/

    “There was a gaping hole.”

57. bottomless/ˈbɒt.əm.ləs/

    “It seemed a bottomless pit.”

58. winding/ˈwaɪn.dɪŋ/

    “We drove up a winding road.”

59. meandering/miˈæn.dər.ɪŋ/

    “The meandering river was calm.”

60. circuitous/sɜːˈkjuː.ɪ.təs/

    “We took a circuitous route.”