Learning words that start with ‘U’ is a great way for you to build your vocabulary and improve their reading, spelling, and communication skills. Although the letter ‘U’ is not as commonly used as some other letters in English, it introduces many useful and interesting words that children encounter in everyday life, school subjects, and conversations.
From simple words like up and umbrella to advanced words like unique and universe, ‘U’ words help you expand your language skills and develop confidence in speaking and writing. In this article, you will find vocabulary lists, category-based word collections, learning activities, spelling tips, and a comprehensive chart of ‘U’ words.
Table of Contents
What are Words That Start With U
Words that start with ‘U’ are English vocabulary words whose first letter is ‘U’. These words can be nouns, verbs, adjectives, or adverbs. Learning ‘U’ words helps you improve pronunciation, spelling, reading comprehension, and writing skills. Some of the words that start with ‘u’ are up, under, umbrella, uniform, uncle, and unique.
Common List of 'U' words: Reference Chart
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Ugly
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Unique
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Upload
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Umbrella
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Unite
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Upbeat
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Umpire
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Unity
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Uppercut
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Uncle
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Universe
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Upstairs
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Under
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University
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Upturn
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Underdog
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Unknown
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Urge
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Underline
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Unlucky
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Useful
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Understand
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Unpack
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Useless
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Unfit
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Unzip
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Username
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Uniform
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Update
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Usual
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Utensil
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Ultra
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Unflinching
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Utopia
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Unbiased
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Unprecedented
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Utter
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Unconditional
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Unravel
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Ubiquitous
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Undermine
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Unstable
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Ulterior
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Underscore
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Upheaval
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Uproar
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Upskill
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Upstanding
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Words That Start With U for Kids
Words That Start With U for Kindergarten or Preschool Kids
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Word
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What it Means
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Simple Sentence
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Under
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Below something
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The cat is under the table.
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Up
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In a higher position
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Look up at the stars!
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Us
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Me and others together
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Mom made food for us.
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Use
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To do something with
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Use your pencil to write.
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Umbrella
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Shield from rain
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Take your umbrella, it is raining.
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Uncle
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Your parent's brother
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My uncle tells great stories.
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Uniform
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Special set of clothes
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My uniform is blue and white.
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Upset
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Feeling sad or unhappy
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She was upset when she lost her toy.
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'U' words for Lower Elementary Kids
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Word
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Part of Speech
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Meaning
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Example Sentence
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Ugly
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Adjective
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Not pleasant to look at
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The witch wore an ugly hat.
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Unite
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Verb
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To come together as one
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Let us unite and solve the problem.
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Unique
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Adjective
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One of a kind; unlike anything else
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Your drawing is truly unique!
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Usual
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Adjective
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Happening regularly or normally
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He woke up at his usual time.
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Unkind
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Adjective
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Not kind; mean
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It is unkind to make fun of others.
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Unzip
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Verb
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To open a zip
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Unzip your bag and take out your book.
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Upstairs
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Adverb
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On a higher floor
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My bedroom is upstairs.
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Useful
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Adjective
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Helpful or practical
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A dictionary is a very useful book.
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Cool Words That Start With the Letter U for Kids
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Cool Word
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Meaning
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Ultrasound
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A sound wave technology used by doctors to see inside the body
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Unicorn
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A mythical horse with a single horn, a favourite in stories and fantasy
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Universe
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Everything that exists, including all stars, planets, and space
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Ukulele
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A small guitar-like instrument from Hawaii
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Underdog
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Someone who is not expected to win but tries hard anyway
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Upbeat
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Positive and cheerful in attitude
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Utopia
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A perfect, ideal world or place
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Unravel
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To undo something that is woven or tangled; also, to solve a mystery
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Positive Words That Start With Letter U for Children
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Positive Word
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Meaning
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Examples
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Uplifting
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Making you feel happier or more hopeful
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She gave an uplifting speech at assembly.
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Unbeatable
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Too good to be beaten or matched
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Your effort is unbeatable!
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Unwavering
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Staying firm and steady; not changing
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He had an unwavering belief in himself.
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Upstanding
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Honest and respected by others
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She is an upstanding member of the school.
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Unique
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Special; unlike anything or anyone else
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You are unique, there is no one like you!
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United
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Working or standing together as one
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The class felt united during the project.
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Unconditional
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Given freely, without any conditions
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A parent's love is unconditional.
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Unlimited
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Having no limits or boundaries
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Your potential is unlimited!
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Learn more '100+ Positive Words in English: Lists, Examples, Benefits & Exercises'
More Words That Start With the Letter U
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Word
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Type
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Meaning
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Ubiquitous
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Adjective
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Appearing or found everywhere at the same time
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Ulterior
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Adjective
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Hidden; beyond what is stated openly
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Unambiguous
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Adjective
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Clear and leaving no room for doubt
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Unprecedented
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Adjective
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Never done or known before
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Utilitarian
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Adjective
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Designed for practical use rather than beauty
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Undermine
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Verb
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To weaken or damage something gradually
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Underscore
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Verb
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To emphasise or highlight something
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Unflinching
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Adjective
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Remaining strong and not afraid in a difficult situation
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Urge
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Verb/Noun
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To strongly encourage someone; a strong desire
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Unequivocal
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Adjective
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Leaving no doubt; perfectly clear
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Words Starting With U by Topic
Learning words in context makes them far easier to remember. Below are words that start with U organized across different topics.
Business
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Word
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Meaning
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Example
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Upturn
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An improvement in economic conditions
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The economy saw an upturn after new policies.
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Utilization
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The practical and effective use of something
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Better utilization of resources improves efficiency.
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Unit cost
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The price to produce one unit of a product
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Lower unit costs boost profit margins.
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Unemployment rate
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The percentage of people without jobs
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The unemployment rate dropped last quarter.
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Upselling
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Encouraging customers to buy more or pricier items
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Upselling increased the store's revenue.
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Underwriting
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Providing financial backing for a project or risk
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The bank is responsible for underwriting the loan.
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Uniformity
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The quality of being consistent and the same
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The franchise maintains uniformity across all outlets.
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User-friendly
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Easy for people to use
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The new app is designed to be user-friendly.
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Computers and the Internet
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Word
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Meaning
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Example
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Upload
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Send data from your device to a server or cloud
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Please upload your assignment to the portal.
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User interface
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The visual layout through which a person interacts with a device
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The user interface was redesigned for easier navigation.
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Username
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A unique name used to log into a system
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Enter your username and password to proceed.
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Uninstall
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Remove software from a computer
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Uninstall programmes you no longer need.
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Uptime
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The time a system remains operational and available
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The server maintains 99.9% uptime.
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Unicode
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A standard for encoding text from all world languages
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Unicode allows multilingual text in a single document.
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Uplink
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A signal sent up to a satellite or network
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The uplink established the satellite connection.
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Telephone and Mail
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Word
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Meaning
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Example
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Undelivered
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Not successfully delivered to the recipient
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The undelivered parcel was returned to the sender.
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Urgent mail
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Mail that needs to be sent or received quickly
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Please mark this as urgent mail.
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Unanswered
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Not replied to
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Several unanswered calls were on his phone.
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Unsubscribe
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Remove yourself from a mailing list
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Click here to unsubscribe from our newsletter.
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Unlisted
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A number not shown in public phone directories
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Their number is unlisted for privacy.
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Update
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Provide new or current information
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Please update your contact details.
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Television and Journalism
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Word
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Meaning
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Example
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Unbiased
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Fair; not favouring one side over another
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Good journalism should be unbiased.
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Uplink (TV)
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Transmitting video content to a satellite
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The news crew used a mobile uplink to broadcast live.
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Underreported
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Not given enough media coverage
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The crisis was underreported in the mainstream press.
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Update (news)
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A report with the latest information
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Stay tuned for a live update from our correspondent.
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Unsourced
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A claim made without citing a source
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Unsourced claims should never appear in a news article.
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Unscripted
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Not planned or written in advance
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The interview was unscripted and very candid.
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Sports
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Word
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Meaning
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Example
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Umpire
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An official who ensures rules are followed in a game
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'The umpire declared the batsman out.'
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Underdog
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A competitor not expected to win
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'The underdog team surprised everyone with their victory.'
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Uppercut
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An upward punching move in boxing
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'He landed a powerful uppercut in the final round.'
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Uniform
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The special clothing worn by athletes of a team
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'The players wore red and gold uniforms.'
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Upset
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An unexpected defeat of a favourite team or player
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'The tournament saw a major upset in the semi-finals.'
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Unbeaten
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Having not lost any match or game
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'The team remained unbeaten throughout the season.'
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Cooking
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Word
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Meaning
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Example
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Umami
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A rich, savoury taste one of the five basic tastes
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Mushrooms have a deep umami flavour.
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Unleavened
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Bread made without yeast or rising agents
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Roti and matzah are both unleavened breads.
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Utensil
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A tool or implement used in cooking
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Lay the utensils neatly beside the plate.
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Undercook
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To cook food for too little time
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Do not undercook chicken, it can be unsafe.
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Udon
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Thick Japanese wheat noodles used in soups
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Udon noodles are perfect for miso soup.
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Unflavoured
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Without added taste or seasoning
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Use unflavoured yogurt in the marinade.
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Learn more: "Cooking Verbs in English: Complete List With Meanings and Examples"
Festivals
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Word
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Meaning
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Example
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Utsav
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A Sanskrit/Hindi term meaning festival or celebration
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Diwali is a beautiful utsav celebrated across India.
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Unity
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A sense of togetherness during celebrations
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Festivals promote unity among community members.
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Unveiling
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The official reveal of something new
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The unveiling of the new statue was a grand event.
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Upbeat
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Lively and positive; full of energy
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The festival had an upbeat atmosphere all evening.
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Universal
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Relating to everyone; enjoyed by all
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Music is a universal language at any festival.
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Natural Disasters
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Word
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Meaning
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Example
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Underwater
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Submerged beneath the water surface
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The coastal village was underwater after the tsunami.
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Unstable
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Not firm; likely to shift or collapse
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Unstable slopes can trigger landslides.
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Upheaval
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A sudden violent disruption or movement of the earth
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The earthquake caused a major upheaval in the city.
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Uprooted
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Pulled from the ground, often by storm or flood
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Hundreds of trees were uprooted by the cyclone.
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Uncontrollable
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Unable to be managed or stopped
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The wildfire was uncontrollable for several days.
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Uninhabitable
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Not safe or suitable for living
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The eruption made the area uninhabitable.
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Plants
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Word
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Meaning
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Example
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Undergrowth
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Low shrubs and plants growing beneath taller trees
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'The forest undergrowth was thick and hard to walk through.'
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Uprooting
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Pulling a plant out by its roots
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'Uprooting weeds prevents them from spreading.'
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Urn plant
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A type of bromeliad plant with an urn-shaped centre
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'The urn plant collects water in its cup-shaped leaves.'
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Umbrella tree
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A tropical tree with leaf clusters shaped like umbrellas
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'The umbrella tree provides excellent shade in gardens.'
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Upright
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Growing straight and vertical
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'Bamboo grows in an upright pattern.'
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Education
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Word
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Meaning
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Example
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Understand
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To grasp the meaning of something
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'Did you understand the chapter on fractions?'
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University
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A higher education institution offering degrees
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'She was admitted to a top university.'
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Uniform
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Standard dress code in schools
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'Students must wear their uniform every day.'
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Underline
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To draw a line beneath text for emphasis
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'Underline the key terms in each paragraph.'
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Unenrolled
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Not registered in a school or course
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'Unenrolled children miss out on vital early education.'
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Upskill
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Learn new or improved skills
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'The workshop helped teachers upskill in digital tools.'
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Undertake
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To begin or commit to a task or project
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'Students undertake research projects in final year.'
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Spelling and Phonics Tips for 'U' words
Mastering the spelling of 'U' words becomes much easier with a few phonics strategies:
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Short U sound: Words like 'umbrella', 'under', 'upset', and 'ugly' use the short /ʌ/ sound, like the 'u' in 'cup'.
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Long U sound: Words like 'uniform', 'unique', 'unite', and 'universe' use the long /juː/ sound, like saying the letter name 'U'.
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Silent U: In some words, the 'u' is silent.for example, 'guard' and 'guarantee'. Watch out for these patterns.
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U followed by a silent E: Words like 'use', 'fuse', and 'cute' follow the vowel-consonant-e rule, making the U long.
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UN- prefix: Many 'U' words use the prefix 'un-' to mean 'not' such as 'unkind', 'unhappy', 'unable', and 'unknown'.
Group Words by Prefix for Easy Learning
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Prefix
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Example Words
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UN-
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Unhappy, Unknown, Unkind, Unlucky, Unfit, Unsure, Unsafe, Unreal
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UNI-
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Unicorn, Uniform, Universe, Unity, Unicycle, Universal
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ULTRA-
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Ultraviolet, Ultrasound, Ultra-modern, Ultramarathon
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UNDER-
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Underline, Underdog, Underwater, Undermine, Underestimate
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UP-
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Upload, Upstairs, Upbeat, Uproar, Upskill, Upturn
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Activities to Help Your Child Learn Letter 'U' words
Engaging activities make vocabulary learning fun and effective. Here are some ideas for parents and teachers:
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'U' Words Hunt: Give students a magazine or newspaper and ask them to circle every word that begins with U. This builds awareness of how frequently 'U' words appear in everyday reading.
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Umbrella Word Web: Draw a large umbrella on paper and write 'U' in the centre. Ask children to write one 'U' words on each rib of the umbrella. Display these on a classroom wall for ongoing reference.
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'U' Words Flashcard Quiz: Create flashcards with the ‘U’ word on one side and a simple picture or definition on the other. Use these for quick daily reviews, just 5 minutes a day improves retention significantly.
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Sentence Building Game: Write five 'U' words on slips of paper. Ask students to pick one randomly and build a sentence using that word. Award extra points for sentences that use two or more 'U' words
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Spelling Bee with 'U' words: Organise a classroom spelling bee focused exclusively on 'U' words. Start with simple words (up, use) and progress to harder ones (ubiquitous, unequivocal) for older learners.
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Creative Story Writing: Ask students to write a short story in which every sentence must include at least one word starting with U. This challenges creativity while reinforcing vocabulary in context.
Explore more: "100+ List of English Vocabulary Words"
