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 6337–6432 of 7378 phrases
Adjective + noun(70)
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isolated village
A village separated from other settlements or difficult to reach.
joyous laughter
Laughter that expresses strong happiness.
kingly power
Authority or influence belonging to or traditionally associated with a king.
lanky kid
A child or young person who is unusually tall and thin.
large carnivore
A meat-eating animal of substantial body size.
large congregation
A substantial group of people gathered for religious worship.
last bastion
The final remaining group or place strongly defending a principle or way of life.
legal loophole
A gap or ambiguity in a law that allows someone to avoid its intended effect.
legible handwriting
Writing by hand that is clear enough to read.
legitimate government
A government regarded as having a lawful or properly recognized right to rule.
lifeless body
The body of a person or animal that is no longer alive.
lifelike portrait
A picture of a person that closely resembles their real appearance.
limited autonomy
A restricted degree of freedom to govern oneself or make independent decisions.
limitless supply
An amount that appears to have no end or practical limit.
literal depiction
A representation that closely follows what is actually present, without added symbolism or embellishment.
logical expectation
An anticipated result that follows reasonably from the available facts.
long diatribe
An extended speech or piece of writing filled with forceful criticism.
long drought
An extended period with very little or no rainfall.
long leash
A relatively large amount of freedom from close supervision or control.
loveless childhood
A period of growing up in which a person receives little or no affection.
luxurious suite
A group of rooms furnished to provide exceptional comfort and expensive surroundings.
masterful technique
A highly skilled and confident way of performing an activity.
masterly inactivity
Deliberate restraint from action because waiting is judged the most skillful course.
mathematical precision
A degree of exactness comparable to that used in mathematics.
mean value
An average used to represent the central size of a set of numerical values.
medieval knighthood
The institution or status of knights during the Middle Ages.
mere conjecture
An explanation or belief based only on speculation rather than sufficient evidence.
mere formality
A required step that has little practical importance or whose outcome is already expected.
mere pittance
An extremely small and inadequate amount of money.
mere rhetoric
Persuasive or impressive words unsupported by meaningful action or substance.
metaphysical philosophy
Philosophical thought concerning the basic nature of existence, reality, and causation.
meteoric shower
An event in which many meteors are seen crossing the sky within a short period.
modest inflation
A relatively small rise in the general level of prices.
moldy bread
Bread on which mold has grown.
momentary glimpse
A view of something that lasts only a very short time.
monumental scale
A size or extent that is impressively large.
moody silence
A refusal or failure to speak that suggests brooding unhappiness or irritation.
moonless night
A night during which the moon is not visible.
motherly love
Affection and protective care like that associated with a mother.
mountainous area
A region containing many mountains or high rugged landforms.
mournful news
Information that causes sadness or grief.
mutable nature
A character or essential quality that is liable to change.
national heritage
The traditions, historic places, and cultural achievements inherited by a country.
national landmark
A place or structure recognized as significant to a country's history or identity.
needless loss
The disappearance, destruction, or death of something or someone that could have been avoided.
neighboring tribe
A tribal community living near another community or area.
next month
The month immediately after the present one or another stated month.
nondescript clothes
Clothing with no distinctive or memorable features.
northward flow
Movement of traffic, water, or another stream toward the north.
notorious gangster
A member of an organized criminal group who is widely known for wrongdoing.
nuclear holocaust
Mass destruction and loss of life caused by nuclear warfare.
occult lore
Traditional knowledge or beliefs concerning hidden, magical, or supernatural matters.
offhand manner
A casual way of behaving that can seem thoughtless or dismissive.
old crone
An insulting or literary description of an elderly woman, often portrayed as unattractive or frightening.
old overcoat
A long outdoor coat that has been owned or used for many years.
olympian detachment
A lofty, aloof calm that seems removed from ordinary concerns.
ongoing evaluation
Assessment carried out while a project is still being implemented.
optimistic mood
A state of mind in which someone expects favorable results.
organic remains
Material left from once-living plants or animals.
organizational structure
The arrangement of roles, groups, and lines of responsibility within an organization.
outrageous amount
A quantity, especially of money, that seems far beyond what is reasonable.
overbearing behavior
Conduct that tries to dominate others and expects unquestioning obedience.
painful slowness
A rate of progress so slow that it causes distress or frustration.
painful stiffness
Difficulty moving a body part accompanied by pain.
papal dispensation
Permission granted by the pope to make an exception to a Church rule in a particular case.
partial monopoly
Control over part of a market or supply without complete exclusivity.
particular relevance
Special importance or a close connection to the specific matter under discussion.
passionate love
Intense romantic affection accompanied by strong emotion and desire.
perceptive eye
An ability to notice and understand details that others may miss.
personal cleanliness
The practice or state of keeping one's body and clothing clean.
Noun + noun(8)
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ivory black
An artist's black pigment traditionally made from charred ivory.
locust bean
A carob pod containing seeds and sweet pulp used in food or animal feed.
lynch law
The practice of mob punishment, especially killing, without a lawful trial.
monitor lizard
A large predatory lizard of the monitor group, native to warm regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia.
mountain climbing
The activity of ascending mountains, often using special skills or equipment.
mud puppy
An aquatic North American salamander that retains feathery external gills as an adult.
north west
The direction halfway between north and west.
parsley root
The edible root of parsley varieties grown as a root vegetable.
Verb + adverb(1)
Adverb + adjective(15)
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keenly aware
Very clearly conscious of a fact or situation.
long lost
Lost or out of contact for a long period before being found again.
marginally interesting
Interesting only to a small or limited degree.
materially different
Different in physical form or material conditions.
mighty tired
Very tired, in informal or regional speech.
morally unjustified
Lacking an acceptable reason when judged by principles of right and wrong.
mortally afraid
Extremely frightened, often expressed with dramatic emphasis.
most intriguing
Very interesting because of unusual or puzzling features, in formal usage.
most refreshing
Very welcome because it is pleasantly new or different.
mutually satisfactory
Acceptable to all the people or groups involved.
neatly dressed
Wearing clothing that looks clean, tidy, and carefully arranged.
negatively inclined
Disposed to oppose something or view it unfavorably.
nicely situated
Located in an attractive or convenient position.
overly subtle
So fine, indirect, or intricate that it becomes difficult to notice or understand.
particularly gruesome
More disturbing or horrifying than usual.