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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65 words
hostage
C1
/ˈhɑs.tɪd͡ʒ/
A person held by force, used to make others do what the captor wants.
backing
C1
/ˈbæk.ɪŋ(ɡ)/
Support and approval given to a person, plan, or cause.
lethal
C1
/ˈliː.θəl/
Able to cause death; deadly.
propaganda
C1
/[ˌpɹɒp.əˈɡæn.də]/
Information, often biased or misleading, spread to promote a cause or point of view.
forge
C1
/fɔɹd͡ʒ/
To create or build something, especially a relationship, with great effort.
tailor
C1
/ˈteɪlɚ/
A person whose job is to make, repair, or alter clothes, especially suits.
intervene
C1
/ˌɪntə(ɹ)ˈviːn/
To become involved in a situation in order to change or stop something.
havoc
C1
/ˈhævək/
widespread destruction, disorder, or confusion
reasoning
C1
/ˈɹiːzənɪŋ/
The process of thinking carefully and logically to reach a conclusion.
disclose
C1
/dɪsˈkləʊz/
To make known information that was secret or private.
accelerate
C1
/ɪkˈsɛl.əˌɹeɪt/
To move faster or to make something move faster.
thereby
C1
/ðɛɹˈbaɪ/
As a result of that; by that means.
inflict
C1
/ɪnˈflɪkt/
To make someone suffer something unpleasant.
reproduction
C1
/ˌɹiːpɹəˈdʌkʃən/
The biological process by which living things produce offspring.
conjure
C1
/ˈkɑn.d͡ʒɚ/
To create a picture or feeling in someone's mind.
integral
C1
/ˈɪntəɡɹəl/
Essential to something and forming a necessary part of it.
elevate
C1
/ˈɛləveɪt/
To lift or raise something to a higher position.
escalate
C1
/ˈɛs.kjə.leɪt/
To become or make something more serious or intense.
expedite
C1
/ˈɛk.spɪˌdaɪt/
To make something happen faster; to speed up a process.
amend
C1
/əˈmɛnd/
To make formal changes to a document, law, or agreement.
incite
C1
/ɪnˈsaɪt/
to urge or provoke people to act, especially violently or unlawfully
disband
C1
/dɪsˈbænd/
to break up an organized group or cause it to stop operating
decision-making
C1
/dɪˈsɪʒənˌmeɪkɪŋ/
The process of making choices, especially important ones.
deteriorate
C1
/dɪˈtɪɹ.iə.ɹeɪt/
To become worse over time.
plummet
C1
/ˈplʌmət/
To fall very quickly and suddenly
inception
C1
/ɪnˈsɛpʃən/
the beginning or establishment of an organization, activity, or process
intensify
C1
/ɪnˈtɛnsɪfaɪ/
To become stronger or greater.
corrective
C1
/kəˈɹektɪv/
intended to correct a fault, problem, or harmful tendency
untangle
C1
/ʌnˈtæŋ.ɡəl/
To remove the knots or twists from something.
dislocation
C1
/ˌdɪs.loʊˈkeɪ.ʃən/
a serious disturbance that interrupts an established system, activity, or social order
relent
C1
/ɹɪˈlɛnt/
to become less severe, harsh, or determined and finally yield
tantamount
C1
/ˈtæntəˌmaʊnt/
Equal in effect or meaning to something else, even if not technically the same.
favorably
C1
/ˈfeɪvɝəbli/
In a way that shows approval or support.
dismemberment
C1
/dɪsˈmɛmbɚmənt/
the act of cutting, tearing, or otherwise removing the limbs or parts of a body
watershed
C1
/ˈwɔtɚʃɛd/
an event marking a unique or important historical change of course or one on which important developments depend
heighten
C1
/ˈhaɪ̯.tən/
To make a feeling, effect, or quality stronger or more intense.
enrichment
C1
/ɛnˈɹɪtʃmənt/
the act or process of improving the quality, value, or interest of something
stiffen
C1
/ˈstɪfən/
To become stiff, hard, or tense.
ensue
C1
/ɪnˈsuː/
To happen afterwards as a result or consequence.
mitigation
C1
/ˌmɪtɪˈɡeɪʃən/
the action of reducing the severity, harm, or painfulness of something
predictability
C1
/prɪˌdɪktəˈbɪləti/
the quality or degree of being possible to predict
interplay
C1
/ˈɪntɚˌpleɪ/
the way two or more things affect, respond to, or depend on one another
iteration
C1
/ˌɪt.əˈɹeɪ.ʃən/
the repetition of a process, statement, or sequence, or one cycle within that repetition
immortalize
C1
/ɪˈmɔː(ɹ).təˌlaɪz/
To make someone or something famous and remembered forever.
domesticate
C1
/dəˈmɛ.stɪ.keɪt/
To tame an animal so it can live with and be useful to humans.
proliferate
C1
/pɹəˈlɪf.əɹ.eɪt/
To increase quickly in number and spread widely.
diversification
C1
/dɪˌvɝːsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the process or result of making something more varied
stagnate
C1
/ˈstæɡneɪt/
to stop flowing or circulating and become still or stale
smolder
C1
/ˈsmoʊldɚ/
to burn slowly with heat and smoke but little or no flame
upend
C1
/ʌpˈɛnd/
to turn or set something on its end or upside down
rearrangement
C1
/ˌriː.əˈreɪndʒ.mənt/
the act or result of arranging people or things again in a different order or pattern
elaboration
C1
/ɪˌlæbɝˈeɪʃən/
The act of adding more detail or explanation to something.
congeal
C1
/kənˈdʒiːl/
to become or cause something to become thick, semisolid, or solid, especially through cooling
dissociate
C1
/dɪˈsoʊ.ʃi.eɪt/
to separate or disconnect someone or something from an association, relationship, or idea
interconnection
C1
/ˌɪntərkəˈnɛkʃən/
a reciprocal relationship or connection between two or more things
discolor
C1
/dɪsˈkʌlɚ/
to change color, or cause something to change color, usually in an unwanted way
derange
C1
/dɪˈɹeɪndʒ/
to disturb the order, arrangement, or normal operation of something; formal
reabsorb
C1
/ˌriː.əbˈzɔːrb/
to absorb something again after it has been released, separated, or excreted
inroad
C1
/ˈɪn.roʊd/
a noticeable advance, effect, or penetration, especially in the phrase make an inroad or make inroads
fossilize
C1
/ˈfɑː.səl.aɪz/
to become a fossil, or to preserve an organism or trace as a fossil
refashion
C1
/ˌɹiːˈfæʃ.ən/
to make or shape something again in a new form, style, or use
vitalize
C1
/ˈvaɪ.t̬ə.laɪz/
to give energy, vigor, or renewed activity to someone or something
systematize
C1
/ˈsɪstəmətaɪz/
to arrange facts, ideas, or activities into an organized and coherent system
inefficacy
C1
/ˌɪnˈɛfɪkəsi/
the inability to produce the intended result; lack of effectiveness
intransigence
C1
/ɪnˈtrænsɪdʒəns/
refusal to change one's views or to agree about something