Word
intermediate
Meanings
at a middle level of skill, difficulty, or development; between beginner and advanced
in a middle position between two places, times, or things
coming between two stages in a process; not the first or final stage
Definition
Intermediate describes something that is in the middle level, stage, or position between two others.
Intermediate means “in between” rather than at the beginning or the most advanced stage. It is often used for language levels, courses, skills, or steps in a process. It can also describe a middle position between two places or things. In some contexts, it refers to something that comes between two stages as part of a sequence.
Examples
- After a year of study, I moved into an intermediate class that finally challenged my listening skills.
- If you want a steady pace, you can choose the intermediate route with a mix of uphill and flat sections.
- He found the intermediate steps confusing until he mapped the whole workflow from start to finish.
- She is at an intermediate level, so she can follow podcasts but still misses some idioms.
- They designed an intermediate prototype to test usability before committing to the final model.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse intermediate with immediate, but intermediate means “in between,” not “right away.”
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.