Professional Development Vocabulary

adverb An adverb is a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or other adverb. In this case, 'anxiously' describes how something is done or the manner in which an action is performed.

• She waited anxiously for the results of her job interview.
• He was anxiously waiting for her text message.
• I was anxiously freaking out before the big presentation.
• The storm clouds gathered anxiously on the horizon.

adverb An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. It describes how an action is done, such as 'constantly' meaning continuously or without stopping.

• The scientist's research is constantly evolving as new data is collected.
• My mom is constantly reminding me to clean my room.
• I'm constantly bugging my friends to hang out with me.
• His mind is like a whirlwind, constantly spinning with new ideas.

verb Continuing is a present participle form of the verb continue, which means to persist or carry on with a task or activity.

• The company is continuing its efforts to expand into new markets.
• She's continuing to work on her project even though it's late.
• I can't believe he's still continuing to date that girl after everything she's done.
• The artist's work is like a river, constantly continuing to flow and evolve.

adjective causing someone to feel awkward, self-conscious, or ashamed

• The speaker's embarrassing mistake during the conference caused quite a stir.
• It was so embarrassing when I tripped and fell in front of everyone at the party.
• I can't believe I accidentally sent that embarrassing text to my boss!
• The team's embarrassing defeat in the championship game was a tough pill to swallow.

noun a school that awards advanced academic degrees, such as master's or doctoral degrees

• After completing my undergraduate studies, I decided to pursue further education by attending graduate school.
• I'm thinking about applying to grad school to continue my education.
• I'm planning to level up and go to grad school next year.
• Graduate school is like climbing a mountain, each step taking you closer to your academic peak.

noun a person who is not competent or qualified to do a particular task or job

adjective not having or showing the necessary skills to do something successfully

• The board decided to remove the incompetent manager from his position.
• I can't believe they hired such an incompetent person for the job.
• That guy is totally incompetent, he has no idea what he's doing.
• Her lack of preparation made her seem incompetent in the eyes of her colleagues.

verb to continue at the same pace or level

adverb continuously or without stopping

• It is important to keep up with the latest research in your field to stay competitive.
• Hey, make sure you keep up with your assignments so you don't fall behind.
• I need to keep up with my Instagram feed to see what everyone is up to.
• She struggled to keep up with the fast pace of the conversation.

noun A person who gives lectures or talks on a particular subject

verb None

adjective None

adverb None

pronoun None

preposition None

conjunction None

interjection None

article None

• The lecturer presented a comprehensive analysis of the economic theory.
• The lecturer went over the main points of the chapter in class.
• The lecturer totally rocked the lecture today!
• The lecturer's words were like music to my ears, so captivating and enlightening.

noun a person engaged or qualified in a profession

adjective relating to or belonging to a profession

• The lawyer demonstrated a high level of professional conduct during the court proceedings.
• She's a really professional hair stylist - always does a great job!
• That DJ is so professional - he really knows how to keep the party going.
• In the world of competitive sports, he is considered a professional in his field.

noun a course taken as a reminder or to refresh one's memory

• After many years in the workforce, it may be beneficial to take a refresher course to update your skills.
• I haven't used that software in a while, maybe I should take a refresher course.
• I totally bombed that test, I need to take a refresher course ASAP.
• Reading classic novels is like taking a refresher course in literature.

noun A period of paid leave granted to a university teacher or other worker for study or travel, traditionally one year for every seven years worked.

• The professor is taking a sabbatical to focus on their research.
• My coworker is off on sabbatical, lucky them!
• I wish I could take a sabbatical and just chill for a while.
• Sometimes taking a sabbatical from social media can be really refreshing.

noun a school or program that is held during the summer months, usually offering additional or remedial education

• The university offers a variety of courses during the summer school session.
• I'm thinking of taking a class at summer school to get ahead.
• I heard summer school is a breeze, you should totally do it.
• Attending summer school in this industry means constantly learning and improving your skills.

noun a person who teaches, especially in a school

• The teacher provided detailed feedback on the students' essays.
• The teacher helped us understand the difficult math problem.
• My teacher is super chill and lets us listen to music during class.
• Life is the greatest teacher, offering lessons in every experience.

noun the action of teaching a person or animal a particular skill or type of behavior

verb to teach a person or animal a particular skill or type of behavior

• The company offers comprehensive training programs for all new employees.
• I'm going to a training session tomorrow to learn how to use the new software.
• I aced my training, I'm basically a pro now.
• Life's challenges are just like training for a marathon, you have to push through the pain to reach the finish line.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun, in this case, 'unfeminine' describes something that is not traditionally feminine or characteristic of a woman

• Many people mistakenly believe that being strong and assertive is unfeminine.
• She thinks wearing sneakers with a dress is unfeminine, but I think it's cool.
• Some guys think playing sports is unfeminine, but they're just insecure.
• The decision to prioritize work over family was seen as unfeminine by traditional standards.

adjective describing a person who is not curious or eager to learn

• The uninquisitive nature of the student hindered their ability to fully grasp the material.
• She's pretty uninquisitive when it comes to trying new foods.
• He's so uninquisitive, he never bothers to ask any questions.
• Her mind was like an uninquisitive fortress, closed off to new ideas.

verb to reach the same level or progress as someone or something

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

• I need to catch up with my colleagues to discuss the latest project updates.
• Let's catch up with each other over coffee and chat about what's been happening.
• I haven't seen you in ages, we should catch up soon!
• It's important to catch up with technology advancements to stay competitive in the market.

noun the practice of advancing one's career often at the expense of other personal or ethical considerations

• Careerism is often seen as a negative trait in the world of academia.
• I think his careerism is what drives him to constantly seek promotions.
• Her careerism is off the charts - she'll do anything to climb the corporate ladder.
• In the jungle of the business world, careerism is the survival of the fittest.

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 other adverb

pronoun a word that takes the place of a noun

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

conjunction a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses

article a word that specifies or limits a noun

• Having a cloud hanging over you can impact your productivity in the workplace.
• It's tough to have a cloud hanging over you when you're trying to enjoy a day off.
• I hate feeling like I have a cloud hanging over me all the time.
• When you have a cloud hanging over you, it can feel like everything is going wrong.

noun a person's employment status when they are not currently working but are actively seeking employment

preposition indicating the relationship or connection of two things in relation to each other

• She is currently between jobs as she looks for a new position in her field.
• He's just between jobs right now, but he's confident he'll find something soon.
• I've been between gigs for a while now, but I'm enjoying the break.
• Being between jobs can feel like being in limbo, unsure of what the future holds.

noun A cubicle rat is a person who spends a lot of time working in an office cubicle, often in a monotonous or repetitive job.

• The cubicle rat diligently worked on his tasks in the office.
• The cubicle rat was busy typing away at his desk.
• The cubicle rat was glued to his computer screen all day.
• He felt like a cubicle rat trapped in a maze of paperwork.

noun a person who receives advice or guidance from someone else

• The advisor met with the advisee to discuss their academic progress.
• The student advisor sat down with their advisee to chat about classes.
• The advisor caught up with their advisee to shoot the breeze.
• The mentor guided their advisee through the maze of course selections.

noun A person, place, thing, or idea.

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

adverb A word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

• Afterworking hours, employees are expected to complete any outstanding tasks.
• Let's grab a drink afterworking today.
• I'm so tired afterworking all day.
• Ideas often come to me afterworking on a project for a while.