Academic Success Vocabulary

verb to exert pressure or force in a specified direction

• The construction workers were instructed to bear down and focus on completing the project on time.
• Hey, we need to bear down and study for this exam if we want to pass.
• Dude, you gotta bear down and get your act together before it's too late.
• She knew she had to bear down and face her fears in order to overcome them.

adjective determined or resolved to do something

preposition having a strong inclination or intention

• The detective was bent on solving the case no matter what.
• She's really bent on getting that promotion at work.
• He's bent on partying all night long.
• The politician was bent on gaining more power in the upcoming election.

adjective Conscientious is an adjective that describes someone who is diligent, careful, and thorough in their work or duties.

• She is a conscientious worker who always completes her tasks thoroughly and on time.
• I appreciate how conscientious you are about double-checking your work.
• Dude, you gotta be more conscientious about locking your phone when you're not using it.
• Being conscientious is like having a built-in quality control system for everything you do.

adjective describing the state of having nothing in one's hands

adverb modifying the verb 'to be' to indicate the state of having nothing in one's hands

• Despite their efforts, the team returned empty handed from the negotiation.
• We went to the store looking for the new video game, but we came back empty handed.
• I thought I would find some cool stuff at the garage sale, but I ended up leaving empty handed.
• He searched for answers in the old books, but he came back empty handed.

noun a bold or extravagant gesture or action, made especially to attract attention

verb to grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment

• Under the right conditions, a company can flourish and expand rapidly.
• With some hard work and dedication, your garden will flourish in no time.
• Once you find your passion, you'll see yourself flourish like never before.
• With love and care, a relationship can flourish and grow stronger over time.

verb to defeat or overcome someone or something

preposition used to indicate that someone or something is being defeated or outperformed

• Despite his best efforts, the opponent's skill eventually got the better of him.
• I thought I could beat him, but his skills got the better of me.
• I was sure I could win, but he totally got the better of me.
• Sometimes our emotions can get the better of us in difficult situations.

preposition A word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence. In this case, 'in' shows the location or position of the noun 'bag'.

• With all the necessary documents submitted, our victory in the court case is practically in the bag.
• I aced the final exam, so passing the class is totally in the bag.
• Once we secure the funding, the project will be in the bag.
• After months of training, winning the marathon feels like it's finally in the bag.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb to meet a certain standard or level of performance

article a word that is used with a noun to specify grammatical definiteness of the noun

• In order to make the grade in this class, you will need to consistently submit high-quality work.
• I'm not sure if I'll be able to make the grade in math this semester.
• I really hope I can make the grade on this test, I didn't study much.
• She knew she had to work hard to make the grade in the competitive industry.

adjective showing dedication and diligence; hard-working

• The sedulous student spent hours in the library studying for the exam.
• She's always been a sedulous worker, never missing a deadline.
• He's a sedulous dude, always grinding and hustling.
• The sedulous bee tirelessly collected nectar from flower to flower.

noun a word used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

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

adverb a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb or a word group, expressing a relation of place, time, circumstance, manner, cause, degree, etc.

pronoun a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

• It is important to see it through until the end in order to achieve success.
• Just keep pushing forward and see it through, you got this!
• Don't give up now, you gotta see it through no matter what.
• Life is like a journey, you have to see it through all the ups and downs to reach your destination.

adjective a confident and self-reliant person or manner

• The CEO appeared self-assured during the press conference.
• She always seems so self-assured, like nothing can faze her.
• He's got this cool, self-assured vibe that draws people to him.
• Her self-assured demeanor was like a shield against any doubts or insecurities.

noun the ability to control one's feelings and overcome one's weaknesses; the ability to pursue what one thinks is right despite temptations to abandon it

• Self-discipline is crucial for achieving success in any endeavor.
• If you want to reach your goals, you gotta have some self-discipline.
• You gotta have some serious self-discipline if you wanna make it big.
• Self-discipline is like a muscle that needs to be exercised regularly to stay strong.

verb to improve or make progress, especially in terms of behavior or performance

• It is important for employees to shape up and meet the company's standards.
• Hey, you need to shape up if you want to keep your job.
• Dude, you really need to shape up or you're gonna get fired.
• If you want to succeed in life, you need to shape up and take control of your actions.

verb to continue doing something despite difficulties or challenges

• Despite the challenges, it is important to stick it out until the project is completed.
• I know it's tough, but you just have to stick it out and see how it goes.
• Hey, don't give up now, just stick it out a little longer!
• Sometimes life throws obstacles at us, but we have to stick it out and keep moving forward.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• The company must strive against market competition to maintain its leading position.
• We have to strive against all odds to make this project successful.
• I'm constantly striving against haters who try to bring me down.
• She felt like she was striving against a strong current in her efforts to achieve her goals.

adjective not prepared or equipped for a particular situation or task

• The team was unready to present their findings to the board.
• I was totally unready for the surprise party they threw me.
• She was so unready for the exam, she didn't even study.
• His mind was unready to accept the truth of what had happened.

noun A clutch hitter is a baseball player who performs well under pressure situations, especially late in the game.

• The team relies on him as their clutch hitter in high-pressure situations.
• He always comes through in the clutch when the game is on the line.
• He's the go-to guy when we need a clutch hitter in the lineup.
• She's like a clutch hitter in life, always able to handle tough situations with ease.

noun A word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea.

verb A word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun.

adverb A word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, indicating manner, time, place, or degree.

preposition A word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence.

• She tends to have a hard time understanding complex mathematical equations.
• I always have a hard time waking up early in the morning.
• He has a hard time wrapping his head around the new video game controls.
• They have a hard time letting go of past grudges.

noun quotient - the result of dividing one quantity by another

• The achievement quotient of the students in the school was significantly higher than the national average.
• Did you hear about Sarah's achievement quotient? It's off the charts!
• My achievement quotient is through the roof after acing that exam.
• His achievement quotient in life is a reflection of his hard work and dedication.