C2 Proficiency (CPE) Vocabulary: Advanced Words
C2 is about nuance: choosing the word that is exactly right in register and shade of meaning. That depends on a deep, specific vocabulary.
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C2 Proficiency is the highest Cambridge English qualification. The texts are literary, journalistic and academic, and the tasks test fine distinctions: the gap between disdain and plain dislike, or between a remark that is acerbic and one that is merely blunt. Candidates at this level already speak well. What separates them is the depth of their vocabulary.
The words below are advanced vocabulary from the Lexfall corpus, the kind that appears in C2 reading and that lifts C2 writing. They are grouped by part of speech, each with an example sentence.
40 words to know
Verbs
falter verb
To lose strength, momentum or confidence.
Her resolve never faltered, even when the campaign seemed doomed.
fester verb
To become worse over time, especially through being neglected or ignored.
Resentment festered in the office long after the restructure.
fob off verb
To deal with someone dismissively by giving them an unsatisfactory explanation or something inferior in place of what they want.
They fobbed me off with a voucher when I was clearly entitled to a full refund.
precipitate verb
To cause an event or situation, typically a bad one, to happen suddenly or prematurely.
The resignation of the chairman precipitated a fall in share prices.
tarnish verb
To damage or spoil the good reputation of someone or something.
The doping scandal tarnished the reputation of the entire sport.
wallow verb
To indulge in an unpleasant emotion, especially self-pity, without trying to move on.
After the defeat, the captain urged his players not to wallow in disappointment.
Nouns
acuity noun
Sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or perception.
At ninety, his mental acuity still outstripped that of his grandchildren.
brainchild noun
An idea or invention credited to a particular person.
The festival was the brainchild of a local schoolteacher.
chagrin noun
Distress or annoyance caused by failure or humiliation.
Much to his chagrin, the prize he had been certain of winning went to a younger colleague.
discernment noun
The ability to judge well, especially in distinguishing reliable from unreliable information.
Reading research summaries online demands real discernment.
disdain noun
The feeling that someone or something is unworthy of respect or consideration.
The critic made no attempt to hide his disdain for celebrity memoirs.
fervour noun
Intense and passionate feeling or enthusiasm.
The crowd sang the anthem with a fervour that sent shivers down his spine.
godsend noun
Something unexpected that is particularly welcome at a time of need.
The emergency grant was a godsend for the struggling theatre.
gripe noun
A minor complaint or grievance.
My main gripe with the hotel was the lack of hot water in the mornings.
mores noun
The essential customs and conventions of a community or society.
Austen's heroines must navigate the rigid social mores of the Regency gentry.
oeuvre noun
The complete body of work produced by an artist, writer or composer.
The exhibition surveys her entire oeuvre, from juvenilia to final canvases.
quagmire noun
An area of soft, wet ground that gives way underfoot.
A week of rain had turned the festival field into a quagmire.
sentimentality noun
Exaggerated and self-indulgent tenderness, sadness or nostalgia.
The director handles the reunion scene with restraint, avoiding any hint of sentimentality.
sojourn noun
A temporary stay in a place away from home.
After a brief sojourn in Lisbon, they pressed on towards the coast.
spate noun
A large number of similar things coming in quick succession.
Police have increased patrols following a spate of burglaries in the area.
subtext noun
An underlying and often distinct theme in a piece of writing or conversation.
The political subtext of the fairy tale would not have been lost on its original readers.
Adjectives
acerbic adjective
Sharp and cutting in tone, especially in humour or criticism.
The reviewer's acerbic tongue could dismantle a novel in a single sentence.
bereft adjective
Deprived of or entirely lacking something.
After the scandal the party was bereft of credible leaders.
commensurate adjective
Corresponding in size, degree or value to something else.
Teachers' salaries are hardly commensurate with the responsibilities they shoulder.
conciliatory adjective
Intended or likely to placate an opponent and reduce hostility.
He struck a conciliatory tone, acknowledging past grievances before setting out his own demands.
erudite adjective
Having or showing deep, wide-ranging learning.
His erudite footnotes were a book in themselves.
immutable adjective
Unchanging over time and unable to be altered.
He treated the schedule as though it were an immutable law of nature.
inclement adjective
Unpleasantly cold, wet or stormy, of the weather.
The expedition was postponed owing to persistently inclement conditions on the ridge.
inconsequential adjective
Not important or significant.
What seems an inconsequential detail in the first chapter turns out to be the key to the mystery.
indomitable adjective
Impossible to subdue, defeat, or discourage.
Despite starvation and cold, the defenders showed an indomitable will to hold the line.
irreverent adjective
Showing a playful lack of respect for things usually taken seriously.
The podcast's irreverent take on royal history won it a young audience.
opportune adjective
Occurring at an especially convenient or appropriate time.
The lull after dinner seemed an opportune moment to raise the subject.
sensuous adjective
Giving or appealing to keen pleasure through the physical senses.
The poem revels in the sensuous detail of colour, scent and sound.
sombre adjective
Dark, serious or gloomy in mood or appearance.
The sombre tone of the final chapter contrasts sharply with the playful opening.
trite adjective
Overused and consequently lacking originality or impact.
Ending the essay with a trite remark about following your dreams would undermine an otherwise strong argument.
unrequited adjective
Of love or affection that is not returned by the other person.
He nursed an unrequited love for her throughout their years as colleagues.
wily adjective
Skilled at gaining an advantage through cleverness or deception.
The wily old dealer let us think we had got the better of him.
Phrases and idioms
a baptism of fire phrase
A very difficult introduction to a new job or activity that tests someone severely.
Covering the election on her first week was a real baptism of fire for the young reporter.
beg the question phrase
To assume the truth of the very point that is being argued, or to invite an obvious further question.
Claiming the policy works because it is popular begs the question of what 'working' means.
Learning the list, not just reading it
Reading a list once does not make the words yours. Lexfall is a vocabulary app that teaches words like these a few at a time, then brings each one back with spaced review just before you would forget it. This page shows 40 of the 474 words on this list in the app.
It does not coach the exam or mark your work. It builds the vocabulary those things draw on.
This article is about vocabulary, not exam coaching. C2 Proficiency is a trademark of Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Lexfall is not affiliated with or endorsed by it.
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