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 7297–7378 of 7378 phrases
Verb + noun(2)
Adjective + noun(17)
-
sublime art
art that inspires profound admiration or awe through its beauty, grandeur, or emotional power
sublime beauty
beauty so impressive that it inspires deep admiration or awe
sublime indifference
an extraordinary or complete lack of concern, often described with irony
jocular expression
a playful or joking phrase, or an amused look on someone’s face
partial truth
a statement or account that is true in some respects but leaves out relevant facts
striking contrast
a difference that is especially noticeable
fleeting glimpse
a very brief sight of something
lingering doubt
uncertainty that remains after other concerns have passed
quiet confidence
assurance expressed calmly without boasting
careful reading
close attention to details and meaning while reading or interpreting something
close scrutiny
thorough and attentive examination
intellectual curiosity
a desire to investigate ideas and understand how things work
instinctive beliefs
convictions accepted intuitively before deliberate examination
harmonious system
an arrangement whose parts fit together without conflict
critical scrutiny
careful examination that tests claims rather than accepting them uncritically
dogmatic assurance
unquestioning confidence in a belief asserted without adequate openness to criticism
subjective certainty
a person's feeling of complete confidence, which does not itself establish objective truth
Noun + noun(2)
Verb + adverb(1)
Adverb + adjective(6)
-
deceptively simple
appearing easier or less complex than it really is
deeply rooted
firmly established through a long history or strong underlying causes
firmly established
securely recognized, supported, or in place
widely held
believed or accepted by many people
easily overlooked
liable to escape notice or attention
sharply defined
having clear and distinct boundaries or features
Verb + preposition/particle(3)
Fixed expression(51)
-
in memoriam
in memory of a person who has died
in situ
in the original position or location where something belongs or was found
in vitro
outside a living organism, in an artificial setting such as a laboratory container
in vivo
within a living organism rather than in an artificial laboratory setting
ipso facto
as a direct consequence of the fact just stated
magnum opus
the major work for which a writer, artist, or other creator is especially celebrated
mea culpa
an admission that a mistake or wrongdoing was one's own fault
memento mori
an object, image, or expression that reminds people of their mortality
mens rea
the mental element, such as intention or knowledge, required for a particular criminal offence
modus operandi
a characteristic method of carrying out an activity
mutatis mutandis
with the changes needed to make the same reasoning or arrangement fit a new situation
non sequitur
a statement or conclusion that does not logically follow from what came before it
nota bene
a written instruction calling special attention to a point
per capita
calculated or expressed for each person in a population
per diem
for each day; also, a daily allowance for expenses
per se
considered by itself, apart from other circumstances
persona non grata
a person who is unwelcome or officially unacceptable in a place or group
prima facie
appearing valid or convincing on an initial examination, before contrary evidence is considered
pro bono
describing professional work provided without the usual fee, often to help people with limited means
quid pro quo
something offered or provided in return for something else
res ipsa loquitur
a legal principle allowing the circumstances of an accident to support an inference of negligence
rigor mortis
the temporary stiffening of muscles and joints that follows death
sine qua non
a condition or element without which something cannot succeed or exist
stare decisis
the legal principle of following established judicial precedents
status quo
the existing arrangement or state of affairs
sub judice
currently being considered or decided by a court
sui generis
so distinctive that it belongs in a category of its own
tabula rasa
a blank or unformed starting state, especially a mind considered free of prior ideas
tempus fugit
an expression observing how quickly time passes or how limited it is
terra firma
solid land, especially in contrast with the sea or the air
ultra vires
beyond the legal powers or authority of a person or organization
vice versa
with the order or relationship of the two things reversed
vox populi
the opinions or collective voice of ordinary people
bottom falls out
a situation, market, or plan suddenly collapses or loses its support
wound up
tense, anxious, or angry and finding it difficult to relax
beggar-thy-neighbor policy
an economic policy intended to benefit one country at the expense of other countries
grasp of grammar
an understanding of how words and sentences are structured in a language
vague sense of
an indistinct feeling or awareness of something
curious mixture of
an unusual or intriguing combination of things
profound sense of
a deeply felt awareness or emotion
at first glance
on an initial brief look, before closer examination
at first sight
on first seeing or considering something
element of doubt
some remaining uncertainty within an otherwise confident judgment
on the ground of
on the stated basis or for the stated reason
possibility of error
the chance that a judgment or result may be mistaken
tyranny of custom
the restrictive influence of habits or conventions treated as unquestionable
open to question
reasonably subject to doubt or challenge
from the standpoint of
when considered from a particular perspective
great bulk of
the large majority or main portion of something
worth living
sufficiently meaningful or satisfying to make life feel valuable
verge of despair
the point of almost losing all hope