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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destructive

[Adjective]

causing a lot of damage or harm

Ex: Her destructive habits of procrastination hindered her academic success .

disastrous

[Adjective]

very harmful or bad

Ex: The oil spill had disastrous effects on marine life and coastal ecosystems .

elusive

[Adjective]

difficult to grasp mentally

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

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 .

ineffective

[Adjective]

not achieving the desired outcome or intended result

Ex: The manager 's leadership style was ineffective in motivating the team .

undesirable

[Adjective]

not wanted or considered unpleasant

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

overwhelming

[Adjective]

too intense or powerful to resist or manage effectively

Ex: The overwhelming heat made it difficult to stay outside for long .

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 .

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 .

to neglect

[Verb]

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 .

to overshadow

[Verb]

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 .

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 .

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 .

catastrophe

[noun]

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 .

dead end

[noun]

a situation that shows no signs of progress or improvement

Ex: The negotiations have reached a dead end, with no progress made on either side .

deficiency

[noun]

an existing weakness or fault in someone or something

Ex: He was able to overcome his deficiency in public speaking through consistent practice .

fail

[noun]

a mistake or unsuccessful act

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

fall

[noun]

a reduction in size, amount, number, etc.

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

fault

[noun]

a wrong move or act

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

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 .

inconvenience

[noun]

difficulties caused by something that makes one irritated or uncomfortable

Ex: He found it a great inconvenience to commute two hours each day to work .

malfunction

[noun]

a failure to function or work properly

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

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.

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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

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 .

to give somebody trouble

[phrase]

to cause someone problems

Ex: The plumbing in our house has been giving us a lot of trouble lately.

to no effect

[phrase]

not yielding the expected result

Ex: They attempted to repair the old machine , but their efforts to no effect; it still would n't work properly .

up against

[phrase]

faced with a problem or difficult situation

Ex: The community was up against numerous obstacles as they worked to rebuild after the natural disaster.

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 .

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 .

to evacuate

[Verb]

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 .

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.

to walk a tightrope

[phrase]

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 walking a tightrope, as the leader must balance different personalities and work styles .

C1 Level Wordlist

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C1 Level Wordlist - Struggles and Setbacks