Academic Excellence Vocabulary

verb present participle of the verb aspire

adjective having ambitions or hopes of achieving something

• The aspiring young artist spent hours in the studio perfecting her craft.
• My cousin is an aspiring chef and loves experimenting with new recipes.
• I'm an aspiring musician, hoping to make it big one day.
• The aspiring entrepreneur saw every setback as a learning opportunity.

noun the quality of being bright, radiant, or intelligent

adjective brilliant (related adjective)

• The scientist's research was praised for its brilliance and innovation.
• Wow, your performance on stage was pure brilliance!
• That new song is straight fire, it's absolute brilliance!
• The artist's use of color and light created a brilliance that seemed to glow from the canvas.

adjective describing someone who is careful and hardworking in their tasks

• The diligent student always completed their assignments ahead of schedule.
• She's a diligent worker, always putting in extra hours to get the job done.
• He's a real go-getter, always on top of things and super diligent.
• Like a bee diligently collecting nectar, she worked tirelessly to achieve her goals.

verb to be greater in number or size than something else

• The company's revenue is expected to exceed last year's earnings.
• I didn't realize the cost would exceed our budget.
• I can't believe she exceeded all expectations with that presentation.
• His kindness knows no bounds, it exceeds all limits.

noun a strong or eager interest or enthusiasm

adjective having or showing eagerness or enthusiasm

• His keenness for detail is what sets him apart as a top-notch researcher.
• She has a keenness for fashion and always knows the latest trends.
• I can tell by his keenness to hang out that he really wants to be friends.
• The artist's keenness of vision allowed her to capture the essence of the sunset in her painting.

verb Competing with someone or something in order to achieve the same objective or goal.

• The two companies are rivaling for the top spot in the industry.
• The two teams are rivaling to see who can finish the project first.
• The two rappers are rivaling for the title of best in the game.
• His determination is rivaling that of a lion hunting its prey.

adjective describing someone who has a natural ability or skill in a particular area

• She is a talented pianist who has won numerous awards.
• My friend is so talented at drawing, it's amazing to watch.
• That girl is seriously talented at singing, she's got pipes!
• His talented hands crafted a masterpiece out of clay.

verb To defeat decisively in a competition or conflict

• The team was able to trounce their opponents in the final match, securing their victory.
• We totally trounced them in the game last night, it was epic!
• We trounced those guys so hard, they didn't stand a chance.
• Her confidence trounced any doubts she had about the presentation.

adverb In a meritorious manner; deserving praise or reward

• She was awarded meritoriously for her exceptional work in the field of science.
• He meritoriously earned a promotion for his hard work and dedication.
• They totally meritoriously aced that exam without even studying.
• The artist's painting was meritoriously praised for its unique style and creativity.

adjective describing someone as very intelligent or quick-witted

• She is known for being whip smart, always excelling in her studies and work.
• My friend is whip smart when it comes to math, she can solve any problem in seconds.
• That guy is whip smart, he always knows how to get what he wants.
• Her wit is whip smart, always quick with a clever comeback.

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence

• Accomplishing the project ahead of schedule was a great achievement for the team.
• We're so close to accomplishing our goal, let's keep pushing!
• Dude, we totally crushed it in accomplishing that task!
• She felt like she was climbing a mountain when accomplishing her dreams.

noun a person who has achieved a goal or success, especially in the face of adversity

• The achievers in the company were recognized during the annual awards ceremony.
• The achievers at the school were given special certificates for their hard work.
• The achievers in our group totally nailed the presentation!
• The achievers in society are like shining stars in the night sky, guiding others towards success.