Proliferate — To increase rapidly in number; to spread or multiply quickly. "Social media platforms have proliferated dramatically over the past decade." Collocates with: rapidly, widely, increasingly.

Exacerbate — To make a problem or negative situation worse. "The lack of investment has exacerbated the housing crisis." Near-synonym: aggravate, intensify, compound.

Alleviate — To reduce or lessen pain, suffering, or a problem. "Government subsidies can help alleviate poverty in rural communities." Near-synonym: mitigate, ease, relieve.

Inevitable — Certain to happen; impossible to avoid. "With rising temperatures, more frequent extreme weather events seem inevitable." Collocates: almost, arguably, seemingly, apparently.

Substantial — Large in size, value, or importance. "There is substantial evidence to suggest that diet affects mental health." Replaces: big, large, a lot of.

Detrimental — Causing harm or damage; having a negative effect. "Excessive screen time can be detrimental to children's social development." Collocates: detrimental to (always followed by "to").

Predominantly — Mainly; for the most part. "The workforce is predominantly composed of graduates under 30." Replaces: mostly, mainly, largely.

Arguably — Used to suggest that a claim can be supported with reasons, even if not everyone agrees. "This is arguably the most significant scientific discovery of the century." Softens strong statements.

Consequently — As a result; therefore. "The factory was closed; consequently, hundreds of workers lost their jobs." Used to show cause-and-effect.

Nonetheless / Nevertheless — Despite what has just been said; in spite of this. "The task was difficult. Nonetheless, the team delivered excellent results." Introduces a concession then a counter-argument.

Paramount — More important than anything else; supreme. "The safety of passengers is of paramount importance." Replaces: most important, top priority.

Disparity — A great difference or inequality between things. "There is a growing disparity between the wages of executives and frontline workers." Collocates: significant, growing, stark disparity.

Facilitate — To make a process easier; to help bring about. "Technology facilitates communication across vast distances." Replaces: help, make easier, support.

Attain — To succeed in achieving something, especially after effort. "Many young people struggle to attain a university degree due to financial constraints." Replaces: achieve, reach, accomplish.

Phenomenon (pl. phenomena) — A fact, occurrence, or event — often unusual or remarkable. "Climate migration is a growing global phenomenon." Note: "phenomena" is the plural — never say "a phenomena."

Prevalent — Widespread; common in a particular area or group. "Obesity has become increasingly prevalent in developed nations." Replaces: common, widespread, frequent.

Undermine — To gradually weaken or damage something. "Corruption undermines public trust in the government." Replaces: damage, weaken, erode.

Contend — To assert strongly; to argue or claim. "Some economists contend that a universal basic income would reduce poverty." Used to introduce arguments without stating they are true.

Tangible — Real and concrete; capable of being touched or clearly seen. "The policy has produced tangible benefits for local communities." Opposite: intangible.

Inequitable — Not fair or just; unfair in distribution. "The current tax system is inequitable — it disproportionately burdens lower-income households." Replaces: unfair, unjust.

Sustainable — Able to be maintained over a long period without causing harm. "Economic growth must be sustainable if future generations are to prosper." Collocates: sustainable development, sustainable solution.

Demographic — Relating to the structure and statistics of a population. "The ageing demographic poses significant challenges to pension systems." (noun or adjective).

Advocate — (verb) To publicly support or recommend. (noun) A person who supports a cause. "Many scientists advocate for stricter carbon emissions regulations."

Magnitude — The great size or extent of something; the importance of something. "The magnitude of the climate crisis demands immediate global action." Collocates: of great magnitude, the magnitude of the problem.

Consensus — General agreement among a group of people. "There is a growing scientific consensus that human activity is driving climate change." Collocates: reach a consensus, broad/general/scientific consensus.

Constraint — A limitation or restriction. "Financial constraints prevent many talented students from accessing higher education." Replaces: limitation, restriction, barrier.

Forthcoming — About to appear or happen; willing to give information. "Further details will be provided in a forthcoming report."

Empirical — Based on observation or experience rather than theory. "There is strong empirical evidence linking smoking to lung cancer." Key IELTS/TOEFL academic word.

Rhetoric — Language designed to persuade, often without substance. "The politician's speech was full of rhetoric but lacked concrete policy proposals." Collocates: empty rhetoric, political rhetoric.

Amplify — To increase in strength, size, or effect. "Social media can amplify misinformation at an alarming rate." Replaces: increase, magnify, intensify.

Holistic — Considering something as a whole rather than its parts in isolation. "We need a holistic approach to mental health that addresses social, physical, and psychological factors."

Discrepancy — A difference or inconsistency between two or more things. "There is a clear discrepancy between what the government reports and the actual unemployment figures."

Mitigate — To make something less severe, serious, or painful. "Renewable energy can help mitigate the effects of climate change." Replaces: reduce, lessen, minimise.

Unprecedented — Never having happened or existed before. "The pandemic caused unprecedented disruption to the global economy." Collocates: truly, historically, virtually unprecedented.

Viable — Capable of working successfully; feasible. "Solar energy is becoming an increasingly viable alternative to fossil fuels." Replaces: feasible, workable, practical.

Encompass — To include or cover a wide range of things. "The report encompasses a broad range of economic, social, and environmental factors." Replaces: include, cover, involve.

Correlate — To have a mutual relationship or connection. "Research suggests that exercise levels correlate positively with academic performance." Collocates: positively/negatively correlate with.

Intrinsic — Belonging naturally to something; essential. "There is intrinsic value in education beyond its economic benefits." Opposite: extrinsic.

Tacit — Understood or implied without being directly stated. "There was a tacit agreement between the two parties not to discuss the matter." Replaces: unspoken, implied, implicit.

Scrutinise — To examine closely and critically. "Government spending must be rigorously scrutinised to prevent waste." Replaces: examine, analyse, investigate closely.