English Vocabulary
Pick a CEFR level (A1–C2) — A1 is the friendliest place to start — and browse its words grouped by topic: travel, food, the body, emotions, and more. Each word shows its meaning, example sentences, and US/UK pronunciation.
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275 words
artificially
B2
/ˌɑːrtəˈfɪʃəli/
In a way made by people rather than naturally.
dropout
B2
/ˈdrɑːˌpaʊt/
A person who leaves school or college before finishing their course.
laborer
B2
/ˈleɪ.bɚ.ɹɚ/
A person who does hard physical work, especially work that needs strength rather than special skill.
mover
B2
/ˈmuːvə/
A person whose job is to help people carry their belongings to a new home.
humbug
B2
/ˈhəmˌbəɡ/
Dishonest talk or behaviour meant to trick people; nonsense.
gook
B2
/ɡuːk/
An offensive slur for an Asian person.
iceman
B2
/ˈaɪsmæn/
A person who delivers or sells blocks of ice, especially before fridges were common.
bathhouse
B2
/ˈbæθˌhaʊs/
A building with baths that the public can use to wash or relax.
villager
B2
/ˈvɪlɪd͡ʒɚ/
A person who lives in a village.
cyclist
B2
/ˈsaɪkəlɪst/
A person who rides a bicycle.
culturally
B2
/ˈkʌltʃɝəˌliː/
In a way that relates to the culture of a society or group.
landowner
B2
/ˈlændˌoʊ.nɚ/
a person or organization that owns land
pessimist
B2
/ˈpɛsɪmɪst/
A person who always expects bad things to happen.
educator
B2
/ˈɛd͡ʒəkeɪtɚ/
A person whose job is to teach or educate others.
gravestone
B2
/ˈɡɹeɪvstoʊn/
A stone placed on a grave that shows the name of the dead person.
namesake
B2
/ˈneɪmseɪk/
a person or thing that has the same name as another
certification
B2
/ˌsɝ.tɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/
An official qualification proving that a person is able to do something.
gatekeeper
B2
/ˈɡeɪt.kiː.pɚ/
a person who guards or controls passage through a gate or entrance
countryman
B2
/ˈkʌntɹimən/
A person from your own country.
Māori
B2
/ˈmaʊri/
a member of the Indigenous Polynesian people of Aotearoa New Zealand
mistreat
B2
/mɪsˈtɹiːt/
To treat a person or animal badly or cruelly.
impressionist
B2
/ˌɪmˈprɛʃənəst/
A painter who works in the Impressionist style.
authoritative
B2
/ɔːˈθɒɹɪtɪv/
Trusted as accurate and reliable because it comes from real knowledge.
colonization
B2
/ˌkɑːlənɪˈzeɪʃən/
the act of colonizing
swinger
B2
/ˈswɪŋ.ɚ/
a person who takes part in consensual partner-swapping or group sexual activity
shoplifter
B2
/ˈʃɑːˌplɪftɝ/
A person who steals goods from a shop.
motorist
B2
/ˈmoʊtɝɪst/
A person who drives a car.
theorist
B2
/ˈθiːəɹəst/
A person who develops or studies theories, especially in science or the arts.
walkabout
B2
A public walk by a famous person to meet ordinary people informally.
Shakespearean
B2
/ʃeɪkˈspɪɹi.ən/
Relating to William Shakespeare or his plays and poems.
retailer
B2
/ˈɹiteɪlɚ/
A person or business that sells goods directly to customers.
densely
B2
/ˈdɛnsli/
In a way where things or people are packed closely together.
orator
B2
/ˈɑɹ.ə.tɚ/
A skilled and persuasive public speaker.
cellist
B2
/ˈt͡ʃɛlɪst/
A person who plays the cello.
salesperson
B2
/ˈseɪlzˌpɝːsən/
A person whose job is to sell things, often in a shop.
passerby
B2
/ˌpæsɚˈbaɪ/
a person who happens to be walking or traveling past a place
publicize
B2
/ˈpʌblɪˌsaɪz/
To make something widely known to the public.
bulimia
B2
/bjuˈlimi.ə/
An eating disorder in which a person eats large amounts of food and then forces themselves to vomit
apostrophe
B2
/əˈpɑs.tɹə.fi/
The punctuation mark ('), used to show missing letters or possession.
humanist
B2
/ˈhjuːmənɪst/
A person who believes in human values and reason rather than in religion.
populate
B2
/ˈpɑː.pjə.leɪt/
to live in a place or supply it with inhabitants
worldview
B2
The overall way a person or group sees and understands life and the world.
protester
B2
/pɹəˈtɛstəɹ/
A person who publicly shows strong disagreement with something, often as part of a group.
figurative
B2
/ˈfɪɡəɹətɪv/
Using words in a non-literal way, such as in metaphors and similes.
personification
B2
/pɚˌsɑ.nə.fəˈkeɪ.ʃən/
A way of writing that gives human qualities to an object, animal, or idea.
reformer
B2
/rɪˈfɔːrmɚ/
a person who works to improve or change an institution, law, religion, or society
passer
B2
/ˈpæs.ɚ/
a person who passes by a place, especially in the compound passer-by
deliverer
B2
/dɪˈlɪv.ɚ.ɚ/
a person who rescues or frees others from danger, captivity, or oppression
legislator
B2
/ˈlɛd͡ʒɪˌsleɪtɚ/
A person who makes or votes on laws, especially a member of a parliament or congress.
subculture
B2
/ˈsʌbˌkʌltʃɚ/
A group within a society whose customs, tastes, or beliefs differ from the main culture.
islander
B2
/ˈaɪləndɚ/
A person who lives on an island
quarrelsome
B2
/ˈkwɔɹəlsəm/
Tending to argue with people; easily annoyed and ready to fight.
humanize
B2
/ˈhjuːməˌnaɪz/
To make someone or something seem more human, sympathetic, or easy to relate to.
salesmanship
B2
/ˈseɪlzmənˌʃɪp/
The skill of persuading people to buy products, services, or ideas.
layabout
B2
/ˈleɪəˌbaʊt/
A lazy person who avoids work.
skateboarder
B2
a person who rides a skateboard
well-wisher
B2
/ˈwɛlˌwɪʃər/
a person who hopes for and expresses support for another person's or cause's success or welfare
furor
B2
/ˈfjɔːɹɔː/
A sudden, widespread outburst of anger or excitement among many people.
spokeswoman
B2
/ˈspoʊkˌswʊmən/
A woman who speaks officially on behalf of a person or group.
accessibility
B2
/əkˌsɛs.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/
How easy it is to reach, enter, or use something.
doorkeeper
B2
/ˈdôr-ˌkē-pər/
A person who guards an entrance and controls who goes in and out.
resettle
B2
/ˌɹiːˈsɛt.əl/
to settle or begin living again in a different place
unworldly
B2
Not interested in money, possessions, or social success; spiritually minded.
personify
B2
/pə(ɹ)ˈsɒnɪfaɪ/
To be a perfect example of a particular quality.
dehumanize
B2
/dɪˈhjuːmənaɪz/
To treat people as if they are not human, removing their dignity and human qualities.
lawmaker
B2
/ˈlɔˌmeɪkɝ/
A person who creates or passes laws, such as a member of parliament or congress.
chewer
B2
/ˈtʃuːɚ/
a person or animal that chews, especially a person who habitually chews tobacco
popularize
B2
/ˈpɑːpjəlɝˌaɪz/
To make something widely known and liked by ordinary people.
essayist
B2
/ˈɛ.seɪ.ɪst/
A person who writes essays.
bewilder
B2
/bɪˈwɪldɚ/
To confuse someone completely, especially with too many choices or details.
examinee
B2
/ɪɡˌzæməˈni/
A person who is taking an examination or test.
nonprofessional
B2
/ˌnɑːnprəˈfɛʃənəl/
Not done as a paid job; amateur.
cyberaddict
B2
A person who is addicted to using computers or the Internet.
first person
B2
native speaker
B2
netsurfer
B2
A person who browses the Internet.
third person
B2
barnacle
B2
/ˈbɑːrnəkəl/
a marine crustacean with a shell that attaches itself permanently to surfaces such as rocks or ship hulls
bicker
B2
/ˈbɪkɚ/
to argue about petty and trivial matters
lunatic
B2
/ˈluːnətɪk/
a person with severe mental illness
pester
B2
/ˈpɛstɚ/
to annoy or bother someone persistently
putter
B2
/ˈpʌtər/
a golf club with a flat, curved face used for rolling the ball on the green
stag
B2
/stæɡ/
a male deer, especially a red deer over five years old