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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106 words
sin
C1
/sɪn/
An act that breaks a religious or moral law.
custody
C1
/ˈkʌstədiː/
The legal right and duty to care for someone, especially a child.
accused
C1
/əˈkjuzd/
The person charged with a crime in a court of law.
breach
C1
/bɹiːtʃ/
An act of breaking a law, rule, agreement, or promise.
plea
C1
/pliː/
An urgent, emotional request for help.
congressman
C1
/ˈkɑːŋ.ɡrəs.mən/
a male member of a congress, especially a member of the United States House of Representatives
conviction
C1
/kənˈvɪk.ʃən/
A strong, firmly held belief or opinion.
enforcement
C1
/ɪnˈfoɹsm(ə)nt/
The act of making people obey a law, rule, or agreement.
sultan
C1
/ˈsʌltən/
a sovereign or ruler in certain Muslim countries, historically including the Ottoman Empire
lordship
C1
/ˈlɔɹd.ʃɪp/
The state or condition of being a lord.
rebellion
C1
/ɹɪˈbɛl.i.ən/
An organized, often armed, attempt to overthrow a government or ruler.
ruling
C1
/ˈɹuːlɪŋ/
An official decision made by a court or someone in authority.
magistrate
C1
/ˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪˌstɹeɪt/
An official who acts as a judge in a lower court, dealing with minor offences.
felony
C1
/ˈfɛləni/
A serious criminal offense, which, under United States federal law, is punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than one year or by the death penalty in the most serious offenses.
petition
C1
/pəˈtɪʃ.ən/
A formal written request, usually signed by many people, asking an authority to do something.
jurisdiction
C1
/d͡ʒʊɹɪsˈdɪkʃən/
The official power to make legal decisions and apply the law.
amendment
C1
/əˈmɛndmənt/
A change or addition made to a law, document, or formal proposal.
courtyard
C1
/ˈkɔɹt.jɑɹd/
An area, open to the sky, partially or wholly surrounded by walls or buildings.
militia
C1
/məˈlɪʃə/
A group of ordinary citizens trained as soldiers to fight in an emergency, rather than professional troops.
patent
C1
/ˈpætənt/
An official right giving an inventor sole control over making and selling an invention for a set period.
mandatory
C1
/ˈmæn.dəˌt(ɔ)ɹi/
Required by a rule or law; that must be done.
premier
C1
/pɹɪˈmɪəɹ/
Best, most important, or highest in rank.
formality
C1
/fɔːrˈmælɪti/
Something done only because it is required by custom or rule, without real importance.
dominant
C1
/ˈdɑmənənt/
Most powerful, important, or noticeable.
representation
C1
/ˌɹɛp.ɹə.zɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/
The act of speaking or acting on behalf of a person or group.
uphold
C1
/ˌʌpˈhəʊld/
To support or maintain a law, principle, or decision.
proceeding
C1
/pɹəˈsiːdɪŋ/
A legal action or process carried out in a court.
monarch
C1
/ˈmɑnɚk/
The ruler of an absolute monarchy or the head of state of a constitutional monarchy.
notary
C1
/ˈnoʊ.t̬ɚ.i/
a public official authorized to witness signatures, administer oaths, and certify that documents are genuine
judicial
C1
/d͡ʒuˈdɪʃəl/
Relating to courts of law, judges, or the legal system.
accordance
C1
/əˈkoɹ.dəns/
Agreement with a rule, plan, or system, usually in the phrase 'in accordance with'.
submission
C1
/səbˈmɪʃən/
The act of sending in something such as a piece of work or an application.
court-martial
C1
/ˈkɔrtˌmɑr.ʃəl/
a military court, or a trial held by such a court, for members of the armed forces accused of breaking military law
congressional
C1
/kəŋˈɡɹɛ.ʃə.nəl/
Relating to a congress, especially the United States Congress.
doctrine
C1
/ˈdɑk.tɹɪn/
A set of beliefs taught by a religion, political group, or other organization.
mandate
C1
/ˈmændeɪ̯t/
The authority to act, given to a government or leader by the people who voted for them.
censorship
C1
/ˈsɛnsɚʃɪp/
The use of state or group power to control freedom of expression or press, such as passing laws to prevent undesirable media from being published or propagated.
allegation
C1
/ˌæl.ɪˈɡæɪ.ʃən/
A claim, usually an accusation, that someone has done something wrong, made without proof.
loophole
C1
/ˈluːphoʊl/
an ambiguity, omission, or exception in a law or rule that allows its purpose to be avoided
critique
C1
/kɹɪˈtik/
A careful, detailed assessment of something's strengths and weaknesses.
bureaucratic
C1
/ˌbjʊɹəˈkɹætɪk/
Relating to complicated official rules and procedures, often seen as slow or unnecessary.
shambles
C1
/ˈʃæmbəlz/
A state of great disorder, mess, or confusion.
adjourn
C1
/əˈd͡ʒɝn/
to suspend or end a meeting or official session, often until a stated later time
compliance
C1
/kəmˈplaɪ.əns/
The act of obeying a rule, law, or official standard.
admiralty
C1
/ˈædmərəlti/
historical: the British government department and its officers formerly responsible for naval affairs
invisibility
C1
/ˌɪnˌvɪzəˈbɪləti/
the quality of not being perceivable by the eye
parliamentary
C1
/ˌpɑɹləˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/
Relating to or made by a parliament.
referendum
C1
/ˌɹɛfəˈɹɛndəm/
A direct vote by the public on a single political question or proposed law.
conform
C1
/kənˈfɔɹm/
To behave according to accepted rules, standards or customs.
watchdog
C1
/ˈwɑːtʃdɔːɡ/
a person or organization that keeps watch over others or monitors an institution or industry to prevent danger, illegality, abuse, waste, or unfairness
abolish
C1
/əˈbɑl.ɪʃ/
to officially end a law, system, or practice
advisory
C1
/ædˈvaɪz(ə)ɹi/
Having the role of giving advice rather than making decisions.
decorum
C1
/ɖɪˈkorəm/
Appropriate social behavior.
legitimacy
C1
/lɪˈdʒɪtəməsi/
the quality of being lawful, valid, or justified
dutiful
C1
/ˈduːtiːfəl/
Doing what you are supposed to do out of a sense of duty and respect.
justifiable
C1
/ˈdʒʌstəˌfaɪəbəl/
capable of being justified
boyhood
C1
/ˈbɔɪˌhʊd/
The state or condition of being a boy.
enact
C1
/ɪˈnækt/
To make a proposal into an official law.
alienation
C1
/ˌeɪli.əˈneɪʃən/
(law) the voluntary and absolute transfer of title and possession of real property from one person to another
renown
C1
/ɹɪˈnaʊn/
The state of being widely known and admired; fame.
empower
C1
/ɪmˈpaʊə(ɹ)/
To give someone the confidence, strength, or ability to control their own life and decisions.
entitlement
C1
/ənˈtaɪtəlmənt/
right granted by law or contract (especially a right to benefits)
insubordinate
C1
/ˌɪnsəˈbɔrdəˌneɪt/
Refusing to obey orders or accept authority.
mortally
C1
/ˈmɔrtəli/
in such a manner that death ensues, also in reference to hatred, jealousy, or fear
debtor
C1
/ˈdɛt.ɚ/
A person or firm that owes money; one in debt; one who owes a debt.
overrule
C1
/ˌoʊ.vɚˈɹul/
to use superior authority to reject or set aside a decision, ruling, or objection
extremity
C1
/ɪkˈstɹɛməti/
the greatest or utmost degree
gladness
C1
/ˈɡlædnəs/
The state of being glad; joy.
stiffness
C1
/ˈstɪfnəs/
firm resoluteness in purpose or opinion or action
petitioner
C1
/pəˈtɪʃənɚ/
Someone who presents a petition to some person in authority.
dignitary
C1
/ˈdɪɡ.nəˌter.i/
a person who holds a high rank or important public office
ratify
C1
/ˈræt.ə.faɪ/
to give formal approval to an agreement, treaty, or decision so that it becomes officially valid
allege
C1
/əˈlɛd͡ʒ/
To claim that someone has done something wrong, usually without proof yet.
governorship
C1
/ˈɡʌvɚnɚˌʃɪp/
the office, position, or authority of a governor
dutifully
C1
/ˈduːtiːfəli/
In a way that shows you are doing your duty, often willingly and without complaint.
transact
C1
/ˌtɹænˈzækt/
conduct business
despotism
C1
/ˈdɛspətɪzəm/
Government by a despot or despots: rule by a singular authority, either a single person or a tight-knit group, which rules with absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way.
unchangeable
C1
/ʌnˈt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒəbəl/
not changeable or subject to change
illegality
C1
/ˌɪl.iːˈɡæl.ə.ti/
the state or quality of being contrary to law
credential
C1
/kɹɪˈdɛnʃəl/
A qualification, achievement, or document that proves someone's status, skill, or right to do something.
swiftness
C1
/ˈswɪftnɪs/
The state of being swift.
unkindness
C1
/ʌnˈkaɪndnəs/
The collective noun for ravens
smallness
C1
/ˈsmɔlnəs/
the property of having relatively little strength or vigor
trustworthiness
C1
/ˈtɹʌst.wɜɹ.ði.nɛs/
The state or quality of being trustworthy or reliable.
adjudication
C1
/əˌdʒuːdɪˈkeɪʃən/
the formal process of settling a dispute or deciding a legal case
dispossess
C1
/ˌdɪs.pəˈzes/
to deprive a person or community of land, a home, or other property, especially by force or legal action
prevarication
C1
/pɹɪˌvæɹ.ɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/
Evasion of the truth.
hereinafter
C1
/ˈhɪɹɪnˈæftɚ/
in a later part of this document, statement, or text
indenture
C1
/ɪnˈdɛn.ʃɝ/
a formal contract binding a person to work for another for a fixed period, especially as an apprentice or servant
chargeable
C1
/ˈtʃɑːrdʒəbəl/
required to be paid for or capable of being assigned to an account
federalism
C1
/ˈfed.ɚ.əl.ɪ.zəm/
a system of government in which constitutional power is divided between a central authority and constituent regions or states
mayoralty
C1
/ˈmeɪ.ɚ.əl.t̬i/
the office or position of a mayor, or the period during which a particular mayor serves
leasehold
C1
/ˈliːsˌhoʊld/
a right or estate in land or property held for a fixed period under a lease
bureaucratically
C1
In a way that involves rigid official rules and procedures
liberalize
C1
/ˈlɪbərəlaɪz/
to make a law, system, or policy less restrictive and more open or permissive
grantee
C1
/ɡrænˈtiː/
a person or organization that receives a grant, award, right, or privilege