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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: Her destructive habits of procrastination hindered her academic success .
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disastrous
disastrous
[Adjective]

very harmful or bad

Ex: The oil spill had disastrous effects on marine life and coastal ecosystems .
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elusive
elusive
[Adjective]

difficult to grasp mentally

Ex: The answer to the philosophical question remained elusive, debated by thinkers for centuries .
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grave
grave
[Adjective]

very bad or worrisome

Ex: The diplomats held a meeting to discuss the grave implications of the escalating conflict between the two nations .
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ineffective
ineffective
[Adjective]

not achieving the desired outcome or intended result

Ex: The manager 's leadership style was ineffective in motivating the team .
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undesirable
undesirable
[Adjective]

not wanted or considered unpleasant

Ex: Having an undesirable trait like laziness can hinder one 's success in their career .
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overwhelming
overwhelming
[Adjective]

too intense or powerful to resist or manage effectively

Ex: The overwhelming heat made it difficult to stay outside for long .
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in vain
in vain
[Adverb]

without success or achieving the desired result

Ex: The doctor worked tirelessly to save the patient , but unfortunately , all efforts proved to be in vain, and the patient could not be revived .
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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 deliberate sabotage doomed their chances of winning the competition .
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to neglect

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

Ex: The parents were accused of neglecting their children 's education by not providing adequate support for remote learning .
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to overshadow

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

Ex: The new skyscraper 's modern design overshadowed the historic buildings in the city skyline .
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breakdown
breakdown
[noun]

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

Ex: As a result of the breakdown, the group disbanded and stopped collaborating .
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burden
burden
[noun]

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

Ex: The environmental impact of industrial pollution is a burden that future generations will have to bear .
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catastrophe

a horrible event that causes much suffering and damage

Ex: The loss of biodiversity due to deforestation is viewed as an environmental catastrophe with long-term consequences .
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dead end
dead end
[noun]

a situation that shows no signs of progress or improvement

Ex: The strategy looked promising at first , but it soon proved to be a dead end.
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deficiency

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

Ex: The software 's biggest deficiency is its slow response time .
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fail
fail
[noun]

a mistake or unsuccessful act

Ex: The company 's latest advertising campaign was a fail, attracting little interest .
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fall
fall
[noun]

a reduction in size, amount, number, etc.

Ex: After the scandal , there was a sharp fall in the politician 's approval ratings .
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fault
fault
[noun]

a wrong move or act

Ex: The committee found a fault in the financial report , leading to an audit .
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hurdle
hurdle
[noun]

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

Ex: Passing the certification exam was the final hurdle he needed to clear to advance in his career .
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inconvenience

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

Ex: The arrangement of furniture created minor inconveniences.
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malfunction

a failure to function or work properly

Ex: The vending machine 's malfunction resulted in snacks getting stuck and customers being frustrated .
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mess
mess
[noun]

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

Ex: Her decision to ignore the maintenance warnings resulted in a mechanical mess that halted production for days .
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mishap
mishap
[noun]

a minor accident that has no serious consequences

Ex: The only mishap during the road trip was a flat tire , which we quickly fixed and continued on our way .
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odds
odds
[noun]

circumstances that make it difficult to achieve something

Ex: She fought against the odds and successfully completed her degree while working two jobs .
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oversight
oversight
[noun]

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

Ex: The overlooked safety procedure proved to be a critical oversight that resulted in an accident on the construction site .
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setback
setback
[noun]

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

Ex: After facing several setbacks, they finally completed the renovation of their home .
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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 film , with its low budget and unknown actors , became a surprise box office hit .
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to give {sb} trouble

to cause someone problems

Ex: The plumbing in our house has been giving us a lot of trouble lately.
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to no effect
to no effect
[phrase]

not yielding the expected result

Ex: They attempted to repair the old machine, but their efforts were to no effect; it still wouldn't work properly.
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up against
up against
[phrase]

in a challenging, confrontational, or adversarial situation

Ex: The small business was up against corporate giants.
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in the face of
in the face of
[preposition]

despite a challenging or difficult situation

Ex: He finished his presentation in the face of technical difficulties that caused delays .
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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: The politician 's popularity rose , but it came at the expense of his integrity .
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to evacuate

to leave a place to be safe from a dangerous situation

Ex: A chemical spill near the industrial area prompted citizens to evacuate nearby neighborhoods .
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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: Despite double-checking everything, Murphy's law kicked in, and our flight got delayed.
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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: Managing a diverse team can be like walking a tightrope, as the leader must balance different personalities and work styles.
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