Collocations
Collocations
Explore English words that belong together, with meanings, examples, and sentence practice. Browse by CEFR level or pattern, and add collocations to your deck for regular review.
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Showing 5377–5472 of 7378 phrases
Verb + noun(3)
Adjective + noun(58)
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colorful character
a person whose unusual behavior or personality makes them memorable
common core
the central set of features or elements shared by several things
competent testimony
a witness's account that meets the legal requirements for use as evidence
competitive examination
a test in which candidates' results determine who receives limited places or jobs
confident reply
an answer expressed with assurance and without hesitation
confusing jumble
a disorderly mixture that is difficult to understand or sort out
congratulatory telegram
a telegraph message expressing pleasure at someone's achievement or good fortune
conjugal visitation
permission for a prisoner to spend private time with a spouse, including sexual intimacy
conscious policy
a deliberate plan chosen with awareness of its purpose and effects
considerable extent
a large area or a substantial degree of something
convenient excuse
a reason that usefully allows someone to avoid an unwanted duty or situation
convincing victory
a win that clearly demonstrates the winner's superiority
cosmic catastrophe
a destructive event on the scale of planets, stars, or the wider universe
courageous action
something done despite fear or danger because it is believed to be right
cowled monk
a male member of a religious community whose head is covered by a hood
crazy quilt
a patchwork bedcover assembled from irregular pieces without a repeated overall pattern
crowded theater
a performance building filled with many people
cruel tyrant
a ruler who deliberately causes suffering through harsh and unjust power
decisive leadership
direction provided through firm choices and prompt action
deep sigh
a long, noticeable outward breath expressing a strong feeling
definitive biography
an account of someone's life regarded as especially complete and authoritative
delicate flavor
a subtle, gentle taste that is not strong or overpowering
delicious taste
a flavor that gives great pleasure when eaten or drunk
delightful surprise
an unexpected event or discovery that gives pleasure
democratic government
a system of rule in which the public can choose its leaders through voting
depressing picture
an account or impression of a situation that causes sadness or discouragement
diligent search
a careful and persistent attempt to find something
direct sunlight
sunlight reaching something without being blocked or shaded
dirty work
unpleasant, messy, or disagreeable tasks that others prefer to avoid
disastrous campaign
an organized effort that ends in serious failure or harm
disgusting smell
an odor that causes strong feelings of dislike or nausea
diverse population
a group of residents or inhabitants with varied backgrounds or characteristics
dizzy blonde
a dismissive stereotype of a blonde woman as silly or scatterbrained
dormant volcano
a volcano that is not currently erupting but may erupt again
downward trend
a general pattern of decreasing values or amounts
dramatic pause
a deliberate silence used to create tension or emphasize what follows
dramatic soprano
a soprano with a powerful voice suited to demanding dramatic opera roles
drastic revision
a major change that substantially alters an earlier version or opinion
dumb show
a dramatic performance that communicates through gestures and movement without speech
early morning
the first part of the morning, soon after the day begins
easygoing life
a relaxed way of living with little pressure or worry
economic cooperation
countries or organizations working together on trade, production, or financial development
electrolytic cell
a device in which an applied electric voltage drives a chemical reaction
embarrassing incident
an event that causes someone to feel awkward or ashamed
engaged couple
two people who have agreed to marry each other
english language
the language known as English, used in many countries for speech and writing
enormous boulder
a very large rounded rock
enthusiastic response
a reaction showing strong interest, approval, or excitement
equatorial diameter
the distance across a planet or other body through its center in the plane of its equator
equinoctial line
the imaginary circle around the sky halfway between the celestial poles
ethical objection
opposition based on beliefs about what is morally right or wrong
everlasting flower
a flower that keeps its shape and color when dried
exceptional kindness
unusually generous or considerate behavior toward another person
exciting novel
a novel that creates strong interest and eagerness to learn what happens next
exhausted soil
soil whose nutrients have been depleted by repeated use
experimental drug
a medicine being investigated to learn whether and how it works
explanatory paragraph
a paragraph that makes a point, process, or situation clearer
external ear
the outer part of the ear that collects sound and directs it inward
Noun + noun(18)
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color blindness
difficulty or inability in distinguishing certain colors from one another
comfort food
familiar food that creates feelings of reassurance, pleasure, or home
commerce secretary
the government official who leads the United States Department of Commerce
corn stalk
the upright main stem of a maize plant
couch grass
a rapidly spreading grass whose creeping underground stems make it a persistent garden weed
creek bed
the ground forming the channel along which a small stream flows
crepe paper
thin paper with a wrinkled surface, often colored for decorations
crown prince
a male royal officially designated as next in line to the throne
crown princess
a woman officially designated as next in line to inherit a royal throne
crystal violet
a dye that forms green crystals and produces a violet solution in water
dawn horse
an extinct, dog-sized early relative of modern horses with four-toed front feet
dial phone
a telephone on which numbers are selected by turning a numbered dial
dime bag
an informal name for a small packet of an illegal drug traditionally sold for ten dollars
distributor cap
the cover of an engine's ignition distributor that holds the connections to the spark-plug leads
district attorney
a public official who prosecutes criminal cases within a particular legal district
ego ideal
in psychoanalysis, an ideal image of personal excellence that someone tries to achieve
escape hatch
an opening with a cover that provides a way out in an emergency
export duty
a tax charged on goods sent out of a country
Verb + adverb(3)
Adverb + adjective(12)
-
commercially available
offered for purchase through ordinary business channels
commonly used
employed frequently or by many people
constantly moving
changing position continuously or again and again
conveniently located
situated where it is easy to reach or use
dangerously close
near enough to create a serious risk of harm
directly responsible
personally accountable for an action or result without an intervening responsible party
easily confused
likely to become uncertain or mixed up without much difficulty
easily excited
quick to become eager or emotionally stirred
emotionally secure
confident and stable in one's feelings and personal relationships
equally beautiful
having the same degree of beauty as something else being compared
evenly divided
separated into parts or groups of equal size
extensively used
used widely or to a large degree