noun · academic

mechanism

UK/ˈmekənɪzəm/US/ˈmɛkəˌnɪzəm/MECH·a·nism

Band 5-6task2speaking

a system of parts that work together; a method or process used to achieve something

Examples

One possible mechanism for the spread of the disease is airborne transmission.

The project set up a mechanism to monitor student progress.

Market mechanisms often fail to protect vulnerable consumers.

Band 8 sentence

The study aimed to identify the psychological mechanisms that mediate the relationship between stress and decision-making.

Collocations

  • a mechanism for/ to do something
  • control mechanism / feedback mechanism

Word family

mechanical adjectivemechanically adverb

Common mistakes

mechanicmechanism

a mechanism to controla mechanism for controlling / a mechanism to control something

Say it for a higher band

5way6method7+mechanism

Synonyms

method

Easily confused

method

Researchers tested several methods before identifying the underlying mechanism responsible for the effect.

Related words

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In Sublist 6

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