Do you ever feel that there are so many new words in English that you have so much left to learn? If you do then, you are not the only one because expanding your English vocabulary is a crucial step to enhance your English-speaking skills in your daily life.
It also significantly improves your listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills, which is the most important thing in the IELTS test. By learning new words and their proper usage, you can build your confidence and perform better across all sections of the test, making it easy to achieve your desired band score. Read this article to learn lots of new words in English.
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New words in English with meaning
In recent years, the English language has continued to evolve with the introduction of new words that reflect our changing world and societal trends. These newly added words capture a wide array of modern phenomena, from advancements in technology to growing environmental concerns. The table below highlights some of these words along with their meanings, offering a glimpse into the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of the English language. You can consider using these words in your IELTS test to score a higher band.
New word | Meaning |
|---|---|
Climate breakdown | Harmful, potentially irreversible climate trends from unchecked global warming. |
Climate emergency | A situation requiring urgent action to reduce or halt climate change and avoid irreversible damage. |
Eco-anxiety | Anxiety caused by concerns about the potential impacts of climate change. |
Eco-chic | A style or product that is both fashionable and eco-friendly. |
Energy poverty | Lack of adequate access to safe, affordable electricity or fuel. |
Fitspiration | Inspiration for fitness, often from people or social media posts. |
Gig economy | A labour market characterised by short-term contracts or freelance work. |
Microplastic | Small plastic pieces are less than five millimetres long which can be harmful to aquatic life. |
Nomophobia | The fear or worry of being without a mobile phone or unable to use it. |
Parasocial | A one-sided, unreciprocated relationship felt by fans towards a prominent figure. |
Rewild | To return to a more natural or wild state, increasing biodiversity and restoring ecosystems. |
Slow fashion | A movement promoting eco-friendly, well-made clothing and reducing new clothing consumption. |
Skin streaming | Using very few but effective skincare products |
Sound bath | Listening to pleasant sounds from bowls, bells, and chimes for relaxation or meditation |
30 New words with meaning to use in daily communication
Here is a collection of 30 new words in English, complete with their meanings, that you can use to enhance your daily interactions and stay updated with current trends.
Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
Al desko | Eating at one's desk in the office. |
Binge-watch | Watching multiple episodes of a TV series in one sitting. |
Blamestorming | Group discussion seeks to assign blame for a problem rather than trying to solve it. |
Clickbait | Online content designed to attract clicks and views. |
Crowdfunding | Raising small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet. |
Deepfake | Fake video or audio recordings that appear real, are created using AI. |
Doomscrolling | Continuously scrolling through negative news, especially on social media. |
Glamping | Glamorous camping; luxurious camping accommodations. |
Hackathon | An event where programmers collaborate intensively on software projects. |
Hangry | Irritable or angry due to hunger. |
JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) | Enjoyment of personal time and solitude, contrasted with FOMO. |
Microaggression | Subtle, often unintentional, discrimination or offensive comments. |
Nomophobia | Fear or anxiety of being without one's mobile phone. |
Post-truth | Situations where emotions and beliefs have more influence on public opinion than objective facts. |
Sharenting | The overuse of social media by parents to share content about their children. |
Snowflake | A person who is overly sensitive to criticism or perceived slights. |
Swole | Extremely muscular or well-built. |
Woke | Being aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues, especially those related to social justice. |
10 trending new words in English in 2024
Here are ten trending new words in English that can be used in your daily interaction as well as in the IELTS test. These words reflect current cultural trends, technological advancements, and evolving social behaviours.
Rizz: The ability to charm or attract someone with charisma. This word is derived from the middle part of "charisma".
Life admin: Refers to the mundane but necessary tasks that keep our lives running smoothly, like sorting emails or scheduling appointments.
Eco-chic: A style or product that is both fashionable and environmentally friendly. It emphasises sustainability in design.
Shacket: A hybrid garment that combines the features of a shirt and a jacket, usually made of thicker fabric and worn over other clothing.
Buzzed: Describes a feeling of excitement. For example, "He was buzzed to hear the news".
Fitspiration: A blend of "fitness" and "inspiration," referring to people or content that motivates others to pursue fitness goals.
Slow fashion: A movement that emphasises eco-friendly, well-made clothing, maintenance, and repair of garments to extend their lifespan, opposing fast fashion trends.
Girl dinner: A collection of snacks that require little preparation, considered sufficient as a meal for one. This term highlights a minimalist approach to meals.
Pretty privilege: The unearned societal advantages someone has by fitting into the beauty standards of their culture.
New English words to Ace the IELTS test
New words in English can significantly enhance performance in English language proficiency tests like IELTS in several ways:
Vocabulary range
A broad vocabulary allows test-takers to express themselves more clearly and precisely. It can help in various sections of the IELTS test:
Listening: Recognising and understanding a variety of words can improve comprehension during the listening test
Reading: A rich vocabulary helps in understanding complex texts and answering questions accurately
Writing: Using a wide range of vocabulary accurately can improve the lexical resource score
Speaking: Demonstrating the ability to use diverse vocabulary naturally can boost the speaking score
Contextual understanding
Learning new words often involves understanding their context, which can aid in better comprehension of reading passages and listening scripts. This understanding can help in accurately interpreting the meaning of sentences and paragraphs.
Synonyms and paraphrasing
Knowing synonyms and how to paraphrase can be particularly useful in the Writing and Speaking sections, where varied language use is assessed. It also helps in the Reading and Listening sections, where questions often use different words from the text or audio.
Collocations and idiomatic expressions
Familiarity with collocations (words that commonly go together) and idiomatic expressions can improve natural language use in both spoken and written English. This can make language use more fluent and coherent.
Enhanced reading speed and comprehension
A good vocabulary can increase reading speed and comprehension, as test-takers spend less time deciphering the meaning of unknown words. This can be crucial in time-limited sections of the test.
Tips and tricks to improve your vocabulary
Improving vocabulary for the IELTS test can significantly enhance your performance, especially in the Reading and Writing sections. Here are some tips and tricks to help you build a strong vocabulary:
1. Daily practice and exposure
Read widely: Engage with various reading materials like newspapers, magazines, academic journals, and novels. This exposes you to different words and contexts.
Use a vocabulary notebook: Write down new words you come across along with their meanings, example sentences, and synonyms.
Set a daily goal: Aim to learn a specific number of new words each day and review them regularly.
2. Contextual learning
Use words in context: Try to use new words in sentences or find texts that use these words. This helps in understanding how they are used.
Practice with IELTS materials: Use sample papers and practice tests available on the official IELTS website to see how vocabulary is used in the context of the IELTS exam.
3. Enhance understanding
Learn synonyms and antonyms: This not only helps in expanding your vocabulary but also in avoiding repetition in writing.
Understand word forms: Learn different forms of a word (e.g., noun, verb, adjective, adverb) to use them appropriately in sentences.
4. Engaging with media
Watch English movies and shows: Pay attention to how words are used in different contexts and try to mimic the usage.
Listen to podcasts and news: This helps in picking up new vocabulary and understanding pronunciation and usage.
5. Practice writing
Write regularly: Practice writing essays, letters, and reports. Use new vocabulary words to enhance your writing skills.
Get feedback: Have someone review your writing and suggest improvements, especially focusing on vocabulary usage.
6. Advanced techniques
Learn collocations: Understanding how words typically go together (e.g., 'make a decision', 'take a break') is crucial for natural language use.
Study word roots, prefixes, and suffixes: This helps in understanding the meanings of new words and expanding vocabulary more efficiently.
By including these tips and tricks into your study routine, you'll gradually build a good vocabulary, which is essential for achieving a high score on the IELTS test.
If you are planning to take the IELTS test and have questions related to the same, in that case, you can get in touch with your nearest IDP IELTS test centre. Our team of IELTS experts will answer all your queries.