TOEIC Vocabulary List: Workplace English Words

authenticate verbC1

To verify the identity of a user or the validity of a request before granting access.

Staff must authenticate with a hardware key before opening the payroll system.

fabricate verbC2

To make or build an industrial product, especially by putting together different parts or materials.

The steel frames are fabricated at our facility in Ohio and then shipped to the site.

liquidate verbC1

To wind up a company by selling its assets to pay its debts.

Creditors voted to liquidate the retailer after rescue talks collapsed.

outsource verbC1

To pay an outside company to carry out work previously done within an organisation.

The firm has decided to outsource its payroll processing to a specialist provider.

reimburse verbC1

To pay back money that someone has spent or lost.

We will reimburse any travel costs you incurred while attending the interview.

restock verbC1

To fill a shop or storage area with new supplies to replace those sold or used.

The vending machines on the ground floor will be restocked this afternoon.

supersede verbC2

To replace something older, especially a rule or document, so that it no longer applies.

This policy supersedes all previous guidelines on remote working.

tamper verbC1

To interfere with something in order to damage or alter it without permission.

Do not accept the package if the seal appears to have been tampered with.

addendum nounC1

An item of additional material added to a document or contract.

The revised service levels were set out in an addendum signed the following week.

amenity nounC1

A useful or pleasant feature or service provided in a building or area.

The new office complex offers amenities such as a gym, a café and secure bicycle storage.

appointee nounC2

A person who has been chosen for a particular job or official position.

The new appointee to the finance director role will start in early March.

appraiser nounC2

A person who carries out a formal assessment of an employee's performance.

Each appraiser must complete a training course before conducting annual reviews.

attendee nounC1

A person who is present at a meeting, conference or event.

Each attendee will receive a printed agenda and a name badge at the registration desk.

callback nounC1

A later reference in a talk to an image or line introduced earlier, creating cohesion and recognition.

His closing callback to the leaking bucket drew knowing nods from the panel.

caterer nounC1

A person or company that provides food and drink for events.

The caterer needs the final number of attendees by Wednesday so they can prepare enough lunches.

concourse nounC2

A large open area inside an airport or station where people gather or pass through.

Passengers for flight 52 to Toronto should proceed to Gate 18 in the B concourse.

contingency reserve nounC1

Budget or time set aside for identified risks that may or may not materialise, drawn down at the manager's discretion.

That's what the contingency reserve is for; draw it down and log the risk it covered.

demotion nounC1

The act of moving an employee to a lower rank or position.

Staff were reassured that the restructuring would not result in anyone's demotion or loss of pay.

disbursement nounC1

The paying out of money, especially from a fund or on behalf of a client.

The solicitor's bill listed the fee separately from disbursements such as court charges.

extrusion nounC2

The process of forming a material into a continuous shape by forcing it through an opening.

Aluminium extrusion accounts for most of the plant's annual output.

forklift nounC1

A small vehicle with two metal prongs at the front used for lifting heavy goods.

Only trained staff may operate the forklift when unloading pallets in the warehouse.

intercom nounC1

A system that allows people in different parts of a building to speak to each other.

When the courier arrives, buzz him in using the intercom at the front desk.

layoff nounC1

The ending of an employee's job because there is not enough work or money.

The firm announced 200 layoffs at its Midlands plant following a sharp fall in orders.

lifecycle nounC1

The series of stages a product goes through from development to withdrawal from the market.

Extending the product lifecycle through regular upgrades has reduced our development costs.

moulding nounC2

The process of shaping a material such as plastic by pressing it into a hollow form.

Our injection moulding facility can produce up to ten thousand units per day.

realignment nounC2

A change to the priorities or structure of something to suit new conditions.

A strategic realignment towards online sales is recommended in the final section of the report.

receivable nounC1

Money owed to a business by its customers.

Late receivables strained the company's cash flow.

reorganisation nounC1

The process of changing the way an organisation or system is arranged.

Following the reorganisation, the marketing and sales teams will report to a single director.

retiree nounC1

A person who has stopped working, usually because of their age.

The company continues to provide health insurance for retirees and their spouses.

retraining nounC1

Training that teaches employees new skills for a different job or changed role.

Staff affected by the automation programme will be offered retraining in data analysis.

shareholding nounC1

The quantity of shares in a company that a person or organisation owns.

After three rounds, the founder's shareholding had fallen below a quarter of the company.

signatory nounC1

A party that has signed an agreement and is bound by its terms.

Every existing shareholder had to be a signatory to the revised investment agreement.

subcontractor nounC1

A company or person hired by a main contractor to carry out part of a job.

The electrical wiring will be handled by a subcontractor, so the main builder can focus on the roof.

wholesaler nounC1

A business that buys goods in large quantities and sells them to retailers.

We buy directly from the manufacturer rather than through a wholesaler to keep prices low.

commensurate adjectiveC1

Corresponding in size or degree to something else.

The consulting fee was commensurate with the scale of savings the engagement was expected to deliver.

ergonomic adjectiveC2

Designed to be comfortable and efficient for people to use, reducing physical strain.

Staff who work long hours at a computer can request an ergonomic chair through the facilities team.

inoperable adjectiveC2

Not able to be used or to function as intended.

The loading bay lift has been inoperable since Tuesday, so please use the rear entrance.

redeemable adjectiveC1

Able to be bought back or paid off by the issuer before or at maturity.

The preference shares were redeemable at par after five years.

sundry adjectiveC1

Describing miscellaneous items of minor individual value that are grouped together.

Small unclassified receipts were posted to a sundry income account.

tentative adjectiveC1

Not certain or fixed and therefore open to change.

A tentative agreement has been reached with the union, subject to a staff vote.