- Mai Duc Nguyen
New English Words of the Month – April 2021

1. (n) milestone: an important or remarkable achievement
Example: Last month, the app hit the incredible milestone of attracting 500,000 users.
2. (adj) substantial: to be in big quantity or of great importance
Example: The COVID-19 pandemic led to substantial changes in the way airlines operate.
3. (n) occurrence: something that exists or is happening, often in an unexpected or unpleasant way
Example: Students in this village learn how to cope with natural disasters from an early age, as earthquakes are common occurrences here.
4. (adj) perilous: to be very dangerous or risky
Example: Unregulated gun ownership can be highly perilous, as it leads to severe violence and social chaos.
5. (v) inflict: to cause something unexpected or unpleasant to happen
Example: The overwork culture can inflict enormous stress and a reduction in productivity among employees.
6. (n) crucible (in a non-manufacturing context): a harsh environment in which you are tested or in which different ideas come together to form a solution
Example: These military tests force future soldiers to go into the crucible of patience.
7. (n) breakeven: the point at which a company’s profit is zero and it starts to make positive profit
Example: There are companies that are worth billions of dollars on the stock market but still have not reached the breakeven point.
8. (n) variation: the differences among/ between subjects in terms of size, level, amount, etc.
Example: As the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the US, there was a great deal of variation in the way states combatted the public health emergency.
9. (adj) inherent: the basic or core qualities/ characters that form a subject
Example: This marketing proposal is inherently flawed because it assumes that all customers will increase spending as price declines.
10. (n) blueprint: a comprehensive plan to build something or complete a task
Example: This book provides readers with a blueprint for turning negative feedback at work into concrete steps to grow a career.
What other new words have you learned this month? Please share with others by commenting below!
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