Home › Vocabulary › Basic words: numbers, time, verbs › Precise adjectives Practise this list
Ways to practise
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list The list of adjectives that say how sure something is. The third entry is notoire , and English took the same word and kept only the bad half. Notoire in French is register-neutral: it means widely known, established, common knowledge — un fait notoire is an acknowledged fact, and sa rigueur est notoire is a compliment. English « notorious » is always an accusation: it needs a bad thing to attach to, and « his rigour is notorious » reads as sarcasm. The noun follows the same split — la notoriété is simply how well known somebody is, while « notoriety » is fame for the wrong reasons. So the English here is « well known » or « widely acknowledged », and the cognate is the one word that cannot be used. Latin notus , known, carried no judgement at all.
The words
View Compact With examples
Adjective (50)
Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective goes
flagrant blatant Adjective B2 La contradiction est flagrante. The contradiction is blatant.
manifeste obvious Adjective B2 Il y a une erreur manifeste dans le calcul. There is an obvious mistake in the calculation.
notoire widely known Adjective B2 Sa rigueur est notoire. His meticulousness is widely known.
avéré established Adjective B2 Le fait est avéré depuis longtemps. The fact has long been established.
indéniable undeniable Adjective B2 Le progrès est indéniable. The progress is undeniable.
incontestable indisputable Adjective B2 Sa compétence est incontestable. Her competence is indisputable.
contestable questionable Adjective B2 Le calcul reste contestable. The calculation remains questionable.
approximatif approximate Adjective B2 Ce chiffre est approximatif. This figure is approximate.
rigoureux rigorous Adjective B2 La méthode est rigoureuse. The method is rigorous.
sommaire cursory Adjective B2 Une description sommaire suffit ici. A cursory description is enough here.
exhaustif exhaustive Adjective B2 La liste n’est pas exhaustive. The list is not exhaustive.
succinct succinct Adjective B2 Un résumé succinct vaut mieux qu’un long texte. A succinct summary is worth more than a long text.
superflu superfluous Adjective B2 Ce paragraphe est superflu. This paragraph is superfluous.
indispensable indispensable Adjective B2 Ce document est indispensable au dossier. This document is indispensable to the file.
préalable prior Adjective B2 Un accord préalable est requis. Prior agreement is required.
ultérieur subsequent Adjective B2 Nous en parlerons à une date ultérieure. We shall discuss it at a subsequent date.
imminent imminent Adjective B2 Le départ est imminent. Departure is imminent.
éphémère short-lived Adjective B2 Le succès a été éphémère. The success was short-lived.
ponctuel one-off Adjective B2 Il s’agit d’un incident ponctuel. This is a one-off incident.
récurrent recurrent Adjective B2 Le problème est récurrent. The problem is recurrent.
systématique systematic Adjective B2 Le contrôle est systématique. The checking is systematic.
aléatoire random Adjective B2 Le résultat est aléatoire. The outcome is random.
délibéré deliberate Adjective B2 C’était un choix délibéré. It was a deliberate choice.
involontaire unintentional Adjective B2 L’omission était involontaire. The omission was unintentional.
spontané spontaneous Adjective B2 Sa réaction a été spontanée. Her reaction was spontaneous.
réfléchi considered Adjective B2 Une décision réfléchie prend du temps. A considered decision takes time.
hâtif hasty Adjective B2 Le jugement était hâtif. The judgement was hasty.
prématuré premature Adjective B2 Il est prématuré de conclure. It is premature to draw a conclusion.
tardif late Adjective B2 La réponse est arrivée tardive et incomplète. The answer arrived late and incomplete.
opportun opportune Adjective B2 Le moment est opportun. The moment is opportune.
inopportun inopportune Adjective B2 La remarque était inopportune. The remark was inopportune.
judicieux judicious Adjective B2 Le choix du lieu est judicieux. The choice of venue is judicious.
hasardeux risky Adjective B2 La comparaison est hasardeuse. The comparison is risky.
périlleux perilous Adjective B2 L’entreprise est périlleuse. The undertaking is perilous.
anodin innocuous Adjective B2 La question n’était pas anodine. The question was not innocuous.
décisif decisive Adjective B2 Le dernier argument a été décisif. The last argument was decisive.
marginal marginal Adjective B2 L’effet reste marginal. The effect remains marginal.
considérable considerable Adjective B2 La différence est considérable. The difference is considerable.
négligeable negligible Adjective B2 L’écart est négligeable. The discrepancy is negligible.
substantiel substantial Adjective B2 Une part substantielle du budget y passe. A substantial part of the budget goes on it.
dérisoire derisory Adjective B2 La somme est dérisoire. The sum is derisory.
excessif excessive Adjective B2 Le délai est excessif. The time limit is excessive.
modéré moderate Adjective B2 Une hausse modérée est acceptable. A moderate increase is acceptable.
nuancé nuanced Adjective B2 Son avis est nuancé. Her view is nuanced.
tranché clear-cut Adjective B2 Sa position est tranchée. His position is clear-cut.
ambigu ambiguous Adjective B2 La formulation est ambiguë. The wording is ambiguous.
univoque unambiguous Adjective B2 La consigne doit être univoque. The instruction must be unambiguous.
équivoque equivocal Adjective B2 Sa réponse était équivoque. Her answer was equivocal.
prépondérant predominant Adjective B2 Ce facteur est prépondérant. This factor is predominant.
secondaire secondary Adjective B2 La question du coût est secondaire ici. The question of cost is secondary here.
Back to the quiz ↑
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
This list belongs to Basic words: numbers, time, verbs — 24 lists and 1 392 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Hear and recognise these words in the listening trainer
The quiz needs JavaScript. Everything above works without it.
← Arguing and objecting Organising work → 