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Negative situations – English vocabulary

33 words · English vocabulary · Created by OpenQuiz Team

33 English words with meanings: adverse, appalling, be most unsatisfactory, black future, break down… Study them with flashcards, quizzes and AI speaking…

Part of the learning path: Vocabulary in Daily Life - Advance

Word list

  1. adverse /'ædvɝ:s/ (adjective) — causing harm, trouble, or a bad effect
    Example: The weather was adverse for sailing.
    Synonyms: harmful, unfavorable, detrimental
  2. appalling /ə'pɔ:lɪŋ/ (adjective) — extremely bad or unpleasant
    Example: The conditions were appalling.
    Synonyms: terrible, horrible, awful
  3. be most unsatisfactory /bi: moʊst ,ʌnsætɪk'fæktəri/ (phrase) — Very bad and not good enough.
    Example: The service was most unsatisfactory.
    Synonyms: very poor, not good enough, unacceptable
  4. black future (phrase) — a future expected to be bad or hopeless
    Example: They feared a black future after the war.
    Synonyms: bleak future, grim future, hopeless future
  5. break down /breɪk daʊn/ (phrase) — stop working because of a problem or emotion
    Example: My phone broke down yesterday.
    Synonyms: stop working, fail
  6. carry the scars of /,kæri ðə skɑ:rz əv/ (phrase) — to still show signs of a painful past event
    Example: He still carries the scars of that accident.
    Synonyms: be affected by, bear the marks of
  7. deprivation /,di:prɪ'veɪʃən/ (noun) — the state of lacking something needed or wanted
    Example: Sleep deprivation can affect your health.
    Synonyms: lack, scarcity, dearth
  8. disruption /dɪs'rʌpʃən/ (noun) — a disturbance that stops something from continuing normally
    Example: The strike caused major disruption to trains.
    Synonyms: interruption, disturbance, breakdown
  9. distressing /'dɪstrəsɪŋ/ (adjective) — causing worry, sadness, or pain
    Example: The news was distressing for the whole family.
    Synonyms: upsetting, troubling, disturbing
  10. dog’s life /'dɔ:ɡz laɪf/ (phrase) — a very unhappy and difficult life
    Example: He felt he was living a dog's life.
    Synonyms: hard life, miserable life, tough existence
  11. doomsday scenario /'du:mzdeɪ sə'nɑ:rioʊ/ (noun) — a very bad future event that could destroy many things
    Example: The movie showed a doomsday scenario after the storm.
    Synonyms: apocalyptic scenario, worst-case scenario
  12. downside /'daʊnsaɪd/ (noun) — the bad part or disadvantage of something
    Example: The downside of the job is the long commute.
    Synonyms: drawback, disadvantage, negative
  13. fatality /fə'tæləti/ (noun) — a person who has died, especially in an accident or disaster
    Example: The crash caused one fatality.
    Synonyms: death, loss of life
  14. fight on your hands /faɪt ɑ:n jʊr hændz/ (phrase) — a difficult problem or serious trouble ahead
    Example: If the plan fails, you'll have a fight on your hands.
    Synonyms: serious trouble, hard problem
  15. flawed /flɔ:d/ (adjective) — having mistakes or weaknesses
    Example: The plan was flawed from the start.
    Synonyms: imperfect, faulty, defective
  16. go out (of) the window /ɡoʊ aʊt əv ðə 'wɪndoʊ/ (phrase) — to become useless or no longer matter
    Example: All our plans went out the window.
    Synonyms: vanish, become useless
  17. hackneyed /'hækni:d/ (adjective) — used too often and no longer fresh or interesting
    Example: The plot felt hackneyed and predictable.
    Synonyms: clichéd, stale, overused
  18. harrowing /'hær.oʊ.ɪŋ/ (adjective) — very upsetting or frightening because of terrible events
    Example: It was a harrowing experience.
    Synonyms: traumatic, distressing, terrifying
  19. has-been /'hæz bɪn/ (noun) — a person or thing that was once important but is not now
    Example: That old singer is a has-been now.
    Synonyms: washed-up person, former star
  20. hassle /'hæsəl/ (noun) — something annoying that causes trouble or extra work
    Example: Moving all those boxes was a hassle.
    Synonyms: annoyance, inconvenience, trouble
  21. hitch /hɪtʃ/ (noun) — a small problem that delays or stops progress
    Example: We hit a hitch before the meeting started.
    Synonyms: snag, problem, delay
  22. in a fix (phrase) — in a difficult situation with little chance of escape
    Example: We're in a fix because the car won't start.
    Synonyms: in trouble, in a jam, in a bind
  23. in a hole (phrase) — in serious trouble or a difficult position
    Example: If you miss the payment, you'll be in a hole.
    Synonyms: in debt, in trouble, in a jam
  24. in a spot (phrase) — in a difficult or awkward situation
    Example: I was in a spot when I forgot her name.
    Synonyms: in an awkward position, in a bind, in trouble
  25. insufferable /ɪn'sʌfərəbəl/ (adjective) — so unpleasant or annoying that it is hard to bear
    Example: His insufferable behavior made everyone leave early.
    Synonyms: unbearable, intolerable, exasperating
  26. It’s a real nightmare /ɪts ə ri:l 'naɪtmeə(r)/ (phrase) — a very bad and upsetting situation
    Example: Losing my wallet was a real nightmare.
    Synonyms: terrible situation, very bad experience, disaster
  27. It’s my worst nightmare /ɪts maɪ wɜ:rst 'naɪtmeə(r)/ (phrase) — the worst thing you can imagine happening
    Example: Missing the flight was my worst nightmare.
    Synonyms: worst fear, terrible thought, horrible thing
  28. lame /leɪm/ (adjective) — weak, unconvincing, or unable to work well
    Example: That was a lame excuse.
    Synonyms: weak, unconvincing, feeble
  29. last resort /læst rɪ'zɔ:rt/ (phrase) — something used only when all other choices have failed
    Example: As a last resort, they called the police.
    Synonyms: final option, ultimate measure, only choice
  30. lugubrious /lu:'ɡu:briəs/ (adjective) — sad and gloomy in a way that seems too serious
    Example: He gave a lugubrious speech after the loss.
    Synonyms: gloomy, sad, somber

…and 3 more words in this set.

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