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C1 Level Wordlist - Struggles and Setbacks

Here you will learn some English words about struggles and setbacks, such as "disastrous", "doom", "neglect", etc. prepared for C1 learners.

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CEFR C1 Vocabulary
destructive
destructive
[Adjective]

causing a lot of damage or harm

Ex: The destructive hurricane left a trail of devastation in its wake. 
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disastrous
disastrous
[Adjective]

very harmful or bad

Ex: The storm's disastrous impact left thousands of homes without power. 
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elusive
elusive
[Adjective]

difficult to grasp mentally

Ex: The concept of time felt elusive, slipping away no matter how hard they tried to focus. 
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grave
grave
[Adjective]

very bad or worrisome

Ex: The doctor delivered the grave news that the patient's condition had deteriorated overnight. 
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ineffective
ineffective
[Adjective]

not achieving the desired outcome or intended result

Ex: The medication proved to be ineffective in treating the patient's condition. 
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undesirable
undesirable
[Adjective]

not wanted or considered unpleasant

Ex: The undesirable side effects of the medication outweighed its potential benefits. 
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overwhelming
overwhelming
[Adjective]

too intense or powerful to resist or manage effectively

Ex: The overwhelming urge to help those in need drove her to volunteer at the local shelter. 
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in vain
in vain
[Adverb]

without success or achieving the desired result

Ex: Despite hours of searching, the lost keys were found in vain, and she had to get a spare set. 
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to doom
to doom
[Verb]

to intentionally cause something or someone to fail or experience a negative outcome by creating specific conditions

Ex: The unethical business practices were sure to doom the company's reputation and success in the long run. 
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to neglect

to fail to do something, particularly as a result of carelessness

Ex: The landlord neglected to repair the leaking roof, causing water damage to the apartment. 
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to overshadow

to cause a person or thing to come across as less significant

Ex: His older brother's achievements in sports overshadowed his own academic success in the family. 
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breakdown
breakdown
[noun]

a failure in the progress or effectiveness of a relationship or system

Ex: The communication breakdown led to the project's failure. 
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burden
burden
[noun]

a responsibility or task that causes hardship, stress, etc.

Ex: The financial burden of student loans weighed heavily on her after graduation. 
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catastrophe

a horrible event that causes much suffering and damage

Ex: The earthquake in the region caused widespread devastation and was considered a natural catastrophe. 
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dead end
dead end
[noun]

a situation that shows no signs of progress or improvement

Ex: The investigation reached a dead end when the witness disappeared. 
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deficiency

a flaw, weakness, or shortcoming that reduces the effectiveness, quality, or completeness of something

Ex: Her argument was convincing despite a few logical deficiencies. 
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fail
fail
[noun]

a mistake or unsuccessful act

Ex: The launch of the new product was a major fail due to poor marketing. 
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fall
fall
[noun]

a reduction in size, amount, number, etc.

Ex: The fall in oil prices has significantly impacted the global economy. 
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fault
fault
[noun]

a wrong move or act

Ex: It was her fault that the project missed its deadline due to her delay. 
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hurdle
hurdle
[noun]

a difficulty or problem that must be overcome in order to achieve something

Ex: The biggest hurdle for the startup was securing enough funding to launch their product. 
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inconvenience

the state or quality of being not useful, suitable, or convenient

Ex: The room's location posed an inconvenience for the guests. 
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malfunction

a failure to function or work properly

Ex: The sudden malfunction of the elevator left everyone stranded on the top floor. 
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mess
mess
[noun]

a situation with many problems or difficulties, caused particularly by someone who is careless

Ex: The project's budget overrun created a financial mess that took months to sort out. 
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mishap
mishap
[noun]

a minor accident that has no serious consequences

Ex: Despite a small mishap with the cake, the birthday party was a great success. 
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odds
odds
[noun]

circumstances that make it difficult to achieve something

Ex: Despite the odds being against her, she managed to finish the marathon in record time. 
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oversight
oversight
[noun]

a mistake made because of forgetting to do or not noticing something

Ex: The delay in shipping was due to an oversight in the warehouse, where the order was not processed on time. 
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setback
setback
[noun]

a problem that gets in the way of a process or makes it worse

Ex: The unexpected financial setback forced them to postpone their expansion plans. 
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underdog
underdog
[noun]

an individual, team, etc. who is regarded as weaker compared to others and has little chance of success as a result

Ex: The underdog team surprised everyone by defeating the reigning champions in the final match. 
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to give {sb} trouble

to cause someone problems

Ex: His old car often gives him trouble in cold weather. 
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to no effect
to no effect
[phrase]

not yielding the expected result

Ex: He tried to convince them to change their minds, but his arguments were to no effect. 
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up against
up against
[phrase]

in a challenging, confrontational, or adversarial situation

Ex: The candidate was up against a tough opponent. 
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in the face of
in the face of
[preposition]

despite a challenging or difficult situation

Ex: They completed the marathon in the face of extreme heat and exhaustion. 
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at the expense of
at the expense of
[preposition]

causing a negative consequence or cost to someone or something in order to benefit another

Ex: His success came at the expense of his personal life, as he devoted all his time to work. 
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to evacuate

to leave a place to be safe from a dangerous situation

Ex: As the wildfire rapidly approached the neighborhood, residents were instructed to evacuate immediately. 
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Murphy's law
Murphy's law
[phrase]

a principle stating that if there is a possibility for a bad thing to happen, it will happen

Ex: The bus is always late but today when I was late it came on time - that's Murphy's law! 
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to [walk|tread] a tightrope

to be in a situation where one has to be careful about every decision they make because even one mistake can pose a great risk

Ex: I’m walking a tightrope at the moment; one more mistake and I might lose my job. 
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