Homes and buildings – English vocabulary
57 words · English vocabulary · Created by Openquiz Team
57 English words with meanings: accommodate, accommodation, airy, balcony, brick… Study them with flashcards, quizzes and AI speaking practice on OpenQuiz.
Part of the learning path: Vocabulary for IELTS
Word list
- accommodate /ə'kɒmədeɪt/ (verb) — provide a place to live
Example:The hotel can accommodate up to 200 guests.
Synonyms: house, lodge, shelter - accommodation /ə,kɒmə'deɪʃən/ (noun) — a place to live
Example:We found cheap accommodation near the beach.
Synonyms: lodging, housing, residence - airy /'eəri/ (adjective) — open and full of fresh air
Example:The living room feels bright and airy with all the windows open.
Synonyms: spacious, breezy, well-ventilated - balcony /'bælkəni/ (noun) — a small outdoor platform on a building
Example:We sat on the balcony and enjoyed the evening breeze.
Synonyms: terrace, veranda, deck - brick /brɪk/ (noun) — a hard block used to build walls
Example:He used a red brick to build the garden wall.
Synonyms: block, stone, masonry - build /bɪld/ (verb) — make something by putting parts together
Example:They will build a new bridge across the river next year.
Synonyms: construct, erect, create - building /'bɪldɪŋ/ (noun) — a structure with walls and a roof
Example:The new office building has ten floors.
Synonyms: structure, edifice, property - ceiling /'si:lɪŋ/ (noun) — the top inside surface of a room
Example:The ceiling in the living room is painted white.
Synonyms: roof, upper surface, overhead - concrete /'kɒŋkri:t/ (noun) — a hard material used for building
Example:The foundation of the house is made of strong concrete.
Synonyms: cement, mortar, reinforced material - condemn /kən'dem/ (verb) — officially say a building must be torn down
Example:The old building was condemned because it was unsafe to live in.
Synonyms: denounce, criticize, disapprove - construct /'kɒnstrʌkt/ (verb) — build
Example:The workers are constructing a new shopping mall downtown.
Synonyms: build, assemble, erect - construction /kən'strʌkʃən/ (noun) — the act of building things
Example:The construction of the bridge took three years to complete.
Synonyms: building, development, creation - cosy /'kəʊzi/ (adjective) — warm and comfortable
Example:We sat by the fire in a cosy little cabin.
Synonyms: comfortable, snug, warm - cottage /'kɒtɪdʒ/ (noun) — a small house in the countryside
Example:They spent the weekend in a small cottage by the lake.
Synonyms: cabin, hut, house - cramped /kræmpt/ (adjective) — small and tight
Example:The apartment was too cramped for a family of four.
Synonyms: crowded, tight, confined - curved /kɜ:vd/ (adjective) — bending in a smooth line, not straight
Example:The road to the village was narrow and curved.
Synonyms: bent, arched, rounded - decorate /'dekəreɪt/ (verb) — make look nicer
Example:They decorated the living room with plants and paintings.
Synonyms: adorn, embellish, ornament - demolish /dɪ'mɒlɪʃ/ (verb) — tear down
Example:The city decided to demolish the old stadium to make space for a park.
Synonyms: destroy, tear down, raze - elevator /'elɪveɪtər/ (noun) — a machine that moves people up and down
Example:We took the elevator to the top floor of the building.
Synonyms: lift - exterior /ɪk'stɪəriər/ (noun) — outside
Example:The exterior of the house was painted white.
Synonyms: outside, outer surface, facade - facilities /fə'sɪlɪtiz/ (noun) — buildings and equipment
Example:The hotel offers excellent facilities, including a gym and a swimming pool.
Synonyms: amenities, resources, infrastructure - frame /freɪm/ (noun) — a border that holds a picture
Example:The picture was placed in a wooden frame.
Synonyms: border, structure, outline - haul /hɔ:l/ (verb) — pull or move
Example:They had to haul the heavy boxes up the stairs.
Synonyms: drag, pull, transport - high-rise /'haɪraɪz/ (adj) — very tall building
Example:They live in a high-rise apartment near the city center.
Synonyms: tower, skyscraper - horizontal /,hɒrɪ'zɒntəl/ (adjective) — flat
Example:Please keep the picture frame perfectly horizontal on the wall.
Synonyms: level, flat, even - housing /'haʊzɪŋ/ (noun) — places where people live
Example:The city needs more affordable housing for low-income families.
Synonyms: accommodation, residence, dwelling - infrastructure /'ɪnfrə,strʌktʃər/ (noun) — basic systems like roads and power
Example:The city needs to invest in better infrastructure.
Synonyms: framework, foundation, system - internal /ɪn'tɜ:nl/ (adj) — inside
Example:The internal structure of the device is quite complex.
Synonyms: inner, inside, interior - irreparable /ɪ'repərəbl/ (adj) — unable to be fixed
Example:The damage to the ancient painting was irreparable.
Synonyms: irreversible, irremediable, permanent - library /'laɪbrəri/ (noun) — a place with books to read or borrow
Example:I borrowed three books from the library yesterday.
Synonyms: book collection, reading room, archives
…and 27 more words in this set.
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