Advanced English (2) • VERBS • 'A'

verb [I or T ] C2 • synonyms: support • advocate for something; advocate change/reform/policy; actively advocate something • freq in AmE: 7/10 • Note ‼ as a verb: /ˈæd. və. keɪt/; as a noun: /ˈæd. və. kət/ — verb ends in -keɪt, noun ends in -kət

to publicly support, recommend, or argue in favor of a cause, policy, or idea; often used in formal, political, legal, or ethical contexts to express active endorsement or defense

verb [T ] C2 (formal) • synonyms: ease, improve, mitigate • ameliorate conditions/suffering/impact; strive/fail to ameliorate; policies/measures to ameliorate inequality/tension/crisis • freq in AmE: 3/10

to make something better or more tolerable, especially something bad, difficult, or undesirable

collocation with alleviate verb [T ] C1 • synonyms: ease anxiety, calm nerves • alleviate anxiety through therapy/breathing/support; alleviate social/performance anxiety; techniques to alleviate anxiety; quiet the racing mind • freq in AmE: 6/10

to reduce or ease feelings of worry, nervousness, or emotional tension; often used in therapeutic, medical, or supportive contexts

verb [T ] C1 • synonyms: prevent, avoid, forestall • avert crisis/disaster/conflict; avert danger/threat/escalation; successfully/barely/diplomatically avert • freq in AmE: 6/10

to prevent something bad or dangerous from happening

collocation with avert verb [T ] C1 • avert a crisis/tragedy/accident/conflict; successfully/narrowly/heroically avert; efforts/measures taken to avert • freq in AmE: 5/10

to prevent a major catastrophe, crisis, or failure from occurring — often through timely, strategic, or heroic action

collocation with avert verb [T ] C1 • avert a disaster/tragedy/breakdown/escalation; successfully/urgently/diplomatically avert; efforts/talks/measures to avert • freq in AmE: 6/10

to prevent a serious breakdown, conflict, or emergency situation — often through negotiation, intervention, or strategic action

collocation with avert verb [T ] C1 • avert conflict/war/violence/retaliation; diplomatically/successfully avert; efforts/talks/measures to avert • freq in AmE: 5/10

to prevent a situation from intensifying or worsening — especially in the context of conflict, violence, or diplomatic tension

collocation with avert verb [T ] C1 • avert conflict/escalation/invasion/retaliation; diplomatically/successfully/urgently avert; efforts/talks/measures to avert • freq in AmE: 5/10

to prevent the outbreak of war or armed conflict — often through diplomacy, negotiation, or strategic restraint

collocation with avert verb [T ] C1 • avert escalation/invasion/retaliation; diplomatically/successfully avert; efforts/talks/mediation to avert • freq in AmE: 5/10

to prevent a clash, dispute, or confrontation — especially between groups, nations, or individuals — before it escalates

avert verb [T ] C1 • synonyms: turn away, divert, withdraw • avert your eyes/gaze from something; avert your face/thoughts from something; quickly/deliberately/instinctively avert • freq in AmE: 4/10

to deliberately turn away one’s eyes, gaze from something; it can also refer to turning the face, attention, or thought away from something

verb [T ] C1 • synonyms: torment, plague, burden • afflict someone/region/community; afflict with disease/poverty/pain; be afflicted by trauma/injustice; afflict and weaken/devastate • freq in AmE: 4/10

to cause pain, suffering, or distress to someone or something; often used in medical, humanitarian, or moral contexts

verb [T ] C1 formal • synonyms: claim, affirm, contend • assert that...; assert opinion/innocence/belief; confidently/publicly/falsely assert; assert and defend/justify • (freq: 7/10)

to state something confidently and firmly as true, often without providing proof; used to express certainty or conviction

verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: demand, insist, affirm • assert rights/authority/boundaries; assert oneself; assert power/influence; begin/learn to assert • (freq: 6/10)

to act or speak in a way that demonstrates one’s rights, authority, or strength — especially when these are being ignored, challenged, or denied

verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: speak up, take initiative • assert yourself in meetings/relationships; learn to assert yourself; assert confidently/respectfully • (freq: 5/10)

to act or speak with confidence and self-assurance, especially in situations where one’s presence, opinion, or boundaries need to be acknowledged or respected