Advanced English (2) • VERBS • 'S'

collocation with soar verb [I ] C1 • eagle/plane/spirit soars above the clouds; soar with joy/freedom • freq in AmE: 6/10

to fly or rise high into the sky, literally above the cloud layer; also used metaphorically to describe feelings of freedom, elevation, or transcendence

collocation with soar verb [I ] C1 • synonyms: glide, ascend, sweep • soar through the sky/air/clouds; soar like a bird/eagle/plane; soar freely/gracefully/in silence • freq in AmE: 6/10

to fly or glide high and effortlessly through the air, often with grace, speed, or power; used for birds, aircraft, mythical creatures, or metaphorically for freedom and transcendence

collocation with soar verb [I ] C1 • synonyms: rise, escalate, surge • someone/thing soars to new heights; soar to emotional/professional/creative heights; profits/performance/ambition soars • freq in AmE: 7/10

to reach an exceptionally high level of success, achievement, emotion, or intensity; often used metaphorically to describe breakthroughs, excellence, or elevated states

verb [I ] C2 economic/statistical • synonyms: surge, soar, jump • spike to something; prices/infections/stocks spiked; spike in demand/activity/rates • freq in AmE: 7/10

to rise suddenly and sharply, especially in reference to prices, statistics, or activity levels; often implies a short-term surge or abnormal increase

collocation with spur verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: stimulate, provoke, ignite • spur someone’s thinking; spur thinking about sth; spur critical/creative/deep thinking; ideas/questions/images spur thinking • freq in AmE: 6/10

to stimulate or provoke thought, reflection, or intellectual engagement; often used in contexts involving creativity, innovation, education, or debate

collocation with spur verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: prompt, drive, galvanize • spur someone into action; spur someone to act/respond/intervene; event/speech/emotion spurs someone into action • freq in AmE: 7/10

to strongly motivate or provoke someone to take immediate steps, make a decision, or begin doing something; often triggered by urgency, emotion, or external stimulus

verb [T ] C2 • synonyms: fuel, inflame, provoke • stoke fear/anger/hatred/resentment; stoke public/emotional tension; stoke something in someone; stoke unrest/outrage/division • freq in AmE: 5/10

to encourage or intensify negative emotions, ideas, or tensions in a group of people — often deliberately and with harmful consequences

verb [I] C2 • synonyms: ease, abate, diminish, fade • pain/storm/emotion subsides; wait for it to subside • freq in AmE: 6/10

to become less intense, violent, or severe; to gradually diminish or settle down

verb [I ] C2 (swell – swelled – swollen or swelled) formal • synonyms: expand, grow, enlarge • swell with pride/emotion; swell in size/number; swollen river/ankle; crowds swelled • freq in AmE: 6/10

to become larger or rounder in size, usually because of an increase in liquid, air, or emotion

verb [T ] C1 • synonyms: defraud, cheat, deceive, con • swindle someone out of something; swindle money/property/inheritance; be swindled by someone • freq in AmE: 6/10

to cheat someone out of money or possessions by deception, manipulation, or trickery; often implies deliberate and calculated dishonesty, especially in financial contexts