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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2203 words
mistakable
C2+
/mɪˈsteɪkəbəl/
liable to be misunderstood or confused with something else
modestly
C2+
/ˈmɑdəstli/
in an unassuming manner; to a limited or moderate extent
monologue
C2+
/ˈmɑnəlɔɡ/
a long speech by one speaker, especially in a play or performance
mouthful
C2+
/ˈmaʊθfʊl/
an amount of food or drink that fills the mouth; a long or hard-to-say word
muzzy
C2+
/ˈmʌzi/
confused, dazed, or fuzzy; blurred and indistinct
naturalistic
C2+
/ˌnætʃərəˈlɪstɪk/
imitating nature or real life closely; based on naturalism
nay
C2+
/neɪ/
no; used to introduce a stronger or more emphatic restatement
necessar
C2+
/ˈnɛsəsər/
necessary (archaic or truncated variant)
necessariness
C2+
/ˈnɛsəsɛrinəs/
the quality or state of being necessary
nestling
C2+
/ˈnɛstlɪŋ/
a young bird too young to leave the nest
nimious
C2+
/ˈnɪmiəs/
excessive; more than enough (rare)
noblesse
C2+
/noʊˈblɛs/
the noble class; nobility, especially in the obligation of high rank
nonalcoholic
C2+
/ˌnɑnælkəˈhɔlɪk/
containing no alcohol
noncredible
C2+
/ˌnɑnˈkrɛdəbəl/
not believable or convincing
nonexcessive
C2+
/ˌnɑnɪkˈsɛsɪv/
not excessive; kept within reasonable limits
nonextreme
C2+
/ˌnɑnɪkˈstrim/
not extreme; moderate
nonoptional
C2+
/ˌnɑnˈɑpʃənəl/
not optional; mandatory or required
normality
C2+
/nɔrˈmæləti/
the condition of being normal or usual
nosegay
C2+
/ˈnoʊzɡeɪ/
a small bunch of flowers, especially a fragrant one
obsequious
C2+
/əbˈsikwiəs/
excessively obedient or attentive in a servile, fawning way
obsessional
C2+
/əbˈsɛʃənəl/
of or marked by an obsession; preoccupied to an unhealthy degree
oddly
C2+
/ˈɑdli/
in a strange or unexpected manner
offhanded
C2+
/ˌɔfˈhændəd/
casual, curt, or unceremonious, often to the point of rudeness
oftentimes
C2+
/ˈɔfəntaɪmz/
frequently; many times
onerous
C2+
/ˈoʊnərəs/
involving heavy obligation, effort, or difficulty; burdensome
ordinariness
C2+
/ˈɔrdənɛrinəs/
the quality of being commonplace or unremarkable
overt
C2+
/oʊˈvɜrt/
done or shown openly; not concealed
overweening
C2+
/ˌoʊvɚˈwinɪŋ/
showing excessive confidence, pride, or presumption
participial
C2+
/ˌpɑrtɪˈsɪpiəl/
of or relating to a participle
partisanship
C2+
/ˈpɑrtɪzənˌʃɪp/
strong, often blind allegiance to a party or cause
paste
C2+
/peɪst/
a soft, moist, sticky mixture used for adhering or as food
patently
C2+
/ˈpeɪtəntli/
in a clear and obvious manner
peevish
C2+
/ˈpivɪʃ/
easily irritated; querulous and bad-tempered
pejorative
C2+
/pɪˈdʒɔrətɪv/
expressing contempt or disapproval; disparaging
penchant
C2+
/ˈpɛntʃənt/
a strong habitual liking or inclination
peppy
C2+
/ˈpɛpi/
full of energy and high spirits; lively
performant
C2+
/pɚˈfɔrmənt/
operating efficiently and with high performance (chiefly technical)
perspicuous
C2+
/pɚˈspɪkjuəs/
clearly expressed and easily understood; lucid
perturbation
C2+
/ˌpɜrtɚˈbeɪʃən/
a disturbance or deviation from a normal or expected state
phenomenalistic
C2+
/fəˌnɑmənəˈlɪstɪk/
relating to or characteristic of phenomenalism
pigeonhole
C2+
/ˈpɪdʒənˌhoʊl/
to categorize narrowly, or a small compartment for papers
pike
C2+
/paɪk/
a long-bodied predatory freshwater fish, or a long-shafted spear
piteous
C2+
/ˈpɪtiəs/
arousing pity; pitiful
pitiable
C2+
/ˈpɪtiəbəl/
deserving or arousing pity
pitiful
C2+
/ˈpɪtɪfəl/
deserving pity, or contemptibly inadequate
pitilessness
C2+
/ˈpɪtɪləsnəs/
the quality of showing no mercy or compassion
plashy
C2+
/ˈplæʃi/
wet and marshy, or marked by splashing
playfulness
C2+
/ˈpleɪfəlnəs/
a lighthearted, fun-loving quality
pleasantness
C2+
/ˈplɛzəntnəs/
the quality of being agreeable or enjoyable
plenteous
C2+
/ˈplɛntiəs/
existing in great abundance; plentiful (literary)
pleonastic
C2+
/ˌpliəˈnæstɪk/
using more words than necessary; redundant
plight
C2+
/plaɪt/
a difficult or unfortunate situation
plump
C2+
/plʌmp/
having a full, rounded shape; pleasantly fat
pod
C2+
/pɑd/
a seed case of certain plants, or a small detachable compartment
pong
C2+
/pɔŋ/
a strong unpleasant smell (British informal)
porcine
C2+
/ˈpɔrsaɪn/
of, relating to, or resembling pigs
possibleness
C2+
/ˈpɑsəbəlnəs/
the quality or state of being possible
pouch
C2+
/paʊtʃ/
a small bag or pocket-like container
preclude
C2+
/prɪˈklud/
to prevent from happening; to make impossible
predominate
C2+
/prɪˈdɑmɪˌneɪt/
to be the strongest, most common, or most influential element
prejudiced
C2+
/ˈprɛdʒədɪst/
holding preconceived, usually unfavorable, opinions
prenatal
C2+
/priˈneɪtl/
occurring or existing before birth
preternatural
C2+
/ˌpritɚˈnætʃərəl/
beyond what is normal or natural; exceptional
pretext
C2+
/ˈpritɛkst/
a false reason given to conceal the real one
prizable
C2+
/ˈpraɪzəbl/
worthy of being valued or esteemed
prodigious
C2+
/prəˈdɪdʒəs/
remarkably or impressively great in extent or degree
productiveness
C2+
/prəˈdʌktɪvnəs/
the quality of yielding much or producing results
proficiency
C2+
/prəˈfɪʃənsi/
a high degree of skill or competence
proficient
C2+
/prəˈfɪʃənt/
competent or skilled in doing something
promiscuous
C2+
/prəˈmɪskjuəs/
indiscriminate or undiscriminating in mixing or choice
prosaic
C2+
/proʊˈzeɪɪk/
lacking imagination; dull and commonplace
puff
C2+
/pʌf/
a short, sudden burst of breath, air, or smoke
purchasable
C2+
/ˈpɝtʃəsəbl/
able to be bought
pureness
C2+
/ˈpjʊrnəs/
the quality of being unmixed or untainted
putatively
C2+
/ˈpjutətɪvli/
by general assumption; supposedly
rapacious
C2+
/rəˈpeɪʃəs/
aggressively greedy or grasping
rapt
C2+
/ræpt/
completely absorbed or fascinated
receptive
C2+
/rɪˈsɛptɪv/
willing to consider new ideas or suggestions
reciprocally
C2+
/rɪˈsɪprəkli/
in a mutual or corresponding manner
recondite
C2+
/ˈrɛkəndaɪt/
little known; abstruse and obscure
redolent
C2+
/ˈrɛdələnt/
strongly reminiscent or fragrant of something
regal
C2+
/ˈriɡl/
of, resembling, or fit for a monarch; majestic
regularity
C2+
/ˌrɛɡjəˈlærəti/
the quality of being even, consistent, or recurring
rejuvenate
C2+
/rɪˈdʒuvəneɪt/
to make young, fresh, or vigorous again
reliably
C2+
/rɪˈlaɪəbli/
in a dependable, consistently good manner
rememberable
C2+
/rɪˈmɛmbərəbl/
able to be remembered; memorable
renewal
C2+
/rɪˈnuəl/
the act of extending or making new again
renovate
C2+
/ˈrɛnəveɪt/
to restore to good condition; refurbish
residuary
C2+
/rɪˈzɪdʒuɛri/
relating to the part of an estate remaining after debts
resolutely
C2+
/ˈrɛzəlutli/
in a firm and determined manner
responsive
C2+
/rɪˈspɑnsɪv/
reacting quickly and positively to something or someone
revamp
C2+
/riˈvæmp/
to renovate or give new and improved form to something
revealingness
C2+
/rɪˈvilɪŋnəs/
the quality of disclosing or making something evident
riffle
C2+
/ˈrɪfəl/
to leaf through or flick quickly, or a shallow stretch of rippling water
ripple
C2+
/ˈrɪpəl/
a small wave or series of waves, or a spreading effect
rudeness
C2+
/ˈrudnəs/
the quality of being discourteous or impolite