C1 · Advanced

Time, Fate & Memory — C1 English Vocabulary

This C1 vocabulary list gathers 60 advanced English words about time, fate & memory — time, destiny and remembrance. 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. fleeting/ˈfliː.tɪŋ/

    “It was a fleeting moment.”

  2. transient/ˈtræn.zi.ənt/

    “Fame is transient.”

  3. ephemeral/ɪˈfem.ər.əl/

    “Beauty can be ephemeral.”

  4. perpetual/pəˈpetʃ.u.əl/

    “He lives in perpetual motion.”

  5. interminable/ɪnˈtɜː.mɪ.nə.bəl/

    “The meeting was interminable.”

  6. momentary/ˈməʊ.mən.tər.i/

    “There was a momentary pause.”

  7. concurrent/kənˈkʌr.ənt/

    “They ran concurrent trials.”

  8. retrospect/ˈret.rə.spekt/

    “In retrospect, he was right.”

  9. premonition/ˌprem.əˈnɪʃ.ən/

    “She had a premonition of danger.”

  10. impending/ɪmˈpen.dɪŋ/

    “An impending storm threatened.”

  11. belated/bɪˈleɪ.tɪd/

    “He sent belated thanks.”

  12. premature/ˌprem.əˈtʃʊə/

    “It was a premature decision.”

  13. timely/ˈtaɪm.li/

    “It was a timely warning.”

  14. untimely/ʌnˈtaɪm.li/

    “His untimely death shocked all.”

  15. chronological/ˌkrɒn.əˈlɒdʒ.ɪ.kəl/

    “List the events in chronological order.”

  16. perennial/pəˈren.i.əl/

    “It is a perennial problem.”

  17. erstwhile/ˈɜːst.waɪl/

    “His erstwhile allies turned away.”

  18. antecedent/ˌæn.tɪˈsiː.dənt/

    “It had a clear antecedent.”

  19. forerunner/ˈfɔːˌrʌn.ə/

    “It was a forerunner of the modern car.”

  20. precursor/priˈkɜː.sə/

    “The deal was a precursor to peace.”

  21. interim/ˈɪn.tər.ɪm/

    “An interim leader was chosen.”

  22. duration/djʊˈreɪ.ʃən/

    “For the duration of the trip, it rained.”

  23. interval/ˈɪn.tə.vəl/

    “There was a short interval.”

  24. juncture/ˈdʒʌŋk.tʃə/

    “At this juncture, we must decide.”

  25. providence/ˈprɒv.ɪ.dəns/

    “He trusted in providence.”

  26. predestined/ˌpriːˈdes.tɪnd/

    “He felt predestined to lead.”

  27. inevitability/ɪnˌev.ɪ.təˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/

    “Death is an inevitability.”

  28. preordained/ˌpriː.ɔːˈdeɪnd/

    “The outcome seemed preordained.”

  29. fortuitous/fɔːˈtjuː.ɪ.təs/

    “It was a fortuitous meeting.”

  30. serendipitous/ˌser.ənˈdɪp.ɪ.təs/

    “It was a serendipitous discovery.”

  31. happenstance/ˈhæp.ən.stɑːns/

    “They met by happenstance.”

  32. karma/ˈkɑː.mə/

    “He believes in karma.”

  33. omen/ˈəʊ.mən/

    “A black cat is a bad omen.”

  34. portent/ˈpɔː.tent/

    “The comet was seen as a portent.”

  35. prophecy/ˈprɒf.ə.si/

    “The prophecy came true.”

  36. foretell/fɔːˈtel/

    “No one can foretell the future.”

  37. augur/ˈɔː.ɡə/

    “The signs augur well.”

  38. reminiscence/ˌrem.ɪˈnɪs.əns/

    “She shared a reminiscence.”

  39. nostalgic/nɒsˈtæl.dʒɪk/

    “He felt nostalgic about school.”

  40. reminisce/ˌrem.ɪˈnɪs/

    “They love to reminisce.”

  41. commemorate/kəˈmem.ə.reɪt/

    “We commemorate the fallen.”

  42. memorialise/məˈmɔː.ri.ə.laɪz/

    “They want to memorialise her.”

  43. evoke/ɪˈvəʊk/

    “Old songs evoke the past.”

  44. hark back/ˌhɑːk ˈbæk/

    “These designs hark back to the fifties.”

  45. obliterate/əˈblɪt.ə.reɪt/

    “Time can obliterate memory.”

  46. forgetful/fəˈɡet.fəl/

    “He grew forgetful with age.”

  47. ageless/ˈeɪdʒ.ləs/

    “Her style is ageless.”

  48. primordial/praɪˈmɔː.di.əl/

    “It taps a primordial fear.”

  49. hereafter/ˌhɪərˈɑːf.tə/

    “What happens hereafter is unknown.”

  50. thenceforth/ˌðensˈfɔːθ/

    “Thenceforth they were enemies.”

  51. hiatus/haɪˈeɪ.təs/

    “After a long hiatus, she returned.”

  52. recur/rɪˈkɜː/

    “The dream tends to recur.”

  53. perpetuate/pəˈpetʃ.u.eɪt/

    “Such tales perpetuate a harmful myth.”

  54. transitory/ˈtræn.zɪ.tər.i/

    “Joy can be transitory.”

  55. eternal/ɪˈtɜː.nəl/

    “They swore eternal friendship.”

  56. everlasting/ˌev.əˈlɑː.stɪŋ/

    “He sought everlasting fame.”

  57. instantaneous/ˌɪn.stənˈteɪ.ni.əs/

    “The reaction was instantaneous.”

  58. protracted/prəˈtræk.tɪd/

    “It was a protracted dispute.”

  59. presage/ˈpres.ɪdʒ/

    “Dark clouds presage rain.”

  60. yesteryear/ˈjes.tə.jɪə/

    “It recalls the stars of yesteryear.”