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
sapling
C2+
/ˈsæplɪŋ/
a young, slender tree
satan
C2+
/ˈseɪtən/
the devil; the chief embodiment of evil in several religions
scallion
C2+
/ˈskæljən/
a long-stalked onion with a small bulb; a spring onion
sculpt
C2+
/skʌlpt/
to carve, model, or shape into a three-dimensional form
seemliness
C2+
/ˈsimlinəs/
the quality of being decorous, proper, or fitting
sempiternal
C2+
/ˌsɛmpɪˈtɝnəl/
everlasting; eternal and without end
sensitiveness
C2+
/ˈsɛnsətɪvnəs/
the quality of being easily affected or responsive to stimuli or feelings
seriousness
C2+
/ˈsɪriəsnəs/
the quality of being grave, earnest, or of grave importance
servile
C2+
/ˈsɝvəl/
excessively willing to please or obey; submissively obsequious
shady
C2+
/ˈʃeɪdi/
giving shade, or of doubtful honesty or legality
shaw
C2+
/ʃɔ/
a small wood or thicket; the leafy tops of root vegetables
signet
C2+
/ˈsɪɡnɪt/
a small seal, often set in a ring, used to authenticate documents
silken
C2+
/ˈsɪlkən/
made of or resembling silk; soft, smooth, and lustrous
silvery
C2+
/ˈsɪlvəri/
resembling silver in color or sound; clear and melodious
sincereness
C2+
/sɪnˈsɪrnəs/
the quality of being genuine and free from pretense; sincerity
slapdash
C2+
/ˈslæpˌdæʃ/
done hastily and carelessly; haphazard
sleeping
C2+
/ˈslipɪŋ/
being asleep, or temporarily inactive or dormant
snip
C2+
/snɪp/
to cut with small quick strokes of scissors, or a small cut
socialistic
C2+
/ˌsoʊʃəˈlɪstɪk/
tending toward or characteristic of socialism
soggy
C2+
/ˈsɑɡi/
saturated with moisture; heavy and wet
solidness
C2+
/ˈsɑlɪdnəs/
the quality of being firm, dense, or dependable; solidity
sorcerous
C2+
/ˈsɔrsərəs/
relating to or possessing the powers of sorcery
sorrowfully
C2+
/ˈsɑroʊfəli/
in a manner expressing or marked by deep sadness
soundness
C2+
/ˈsaʊndnəs/
the quality of being healthy, solid, or logically valid
southeasterly
C2+
/ˌsaʊθˈistɚli/
toward or coming from the southeast
southeastern
C2+
/ˌsaʊθˈistɚn/
of, in, or toward the southeast
southwestern
C2+
/ˌsaʊθˈwɛstɚn/
of, in, or toward the southwest
spatter
C2+
/ˈspætɚ/
to scatter or splash in small drops
speedily
C2+
/ˈspidəli/
in a quick or rapid manner
spherical
C2+
/ˈsfɛrɪkəl/
shaped like or relating to a sphere
splendid
C2+
/ˈsplɛndɪd/
magnificent or very impressive; excellent
spontaneousness
C2+
/spɑnˈteɪniəsnəs/
the quality of acting on impulse without planning or external prompting
sprinkle
C2+
/ˈsprɪŋkəl/
to scatter small drops or particles over a surface
squab
C2+
/skwɑb/
a young domestic pigeon raised for eating
squarely
C2+
/ˈskwɛrli/
directly and exactly; in a straightforward manner
sterling
C2+
/ˈstɜrlɪŋ/
of excellent quality; British currency or sterling silver
stupendous
C2+
/stuˈpɛndəs/
extremely impressive or astonishing in size or degree
subtlety
C2+
/ˈsʌtəlti/
the quality of being delicate, fine, or hard to perceive
sunniness
C2+
/ˈsʌninəs/
the quality of being full of sunshine or cheerfully bright
superiority
C2+
/səˌpɪriˈɔrəti/
the state of being greater in quality, rank, or ability
supplemental
C2+
/ˌsʌpləˈmɛntəl/
added to complete or enhance something; additional
surfboard
C2+
/ˈsɜrfbɔrd/
a long narrow board used for riding ocean waves
surly
C2+
/ˈsɜrli/
bad-tempered and unfriendly
sycophantic
C2+
/ˌsɪkəˈfæntɪk/
behaving obsequiously to gain advantage; fawning
tart
C2+
/tɑrt/
sharp or sour in taste; a small open pastry with filling
technic
C2+
/ˈtɛknɪk/
a technical method or skill; relating to technique
tenaciousness
C2+
/təˈneɪʃəsnəs/
the quality of holding firmly to a course or purpose
tenuous
C2+
/ˈtɛnjuəs/
very weak, slight, or insubstantial
tepid
C2+
/ˈtɛpɪd/
lukewarm; lacking enthusiasm
terse
C2+
/tɜrs/
sparing in words; abrupt and concise
thinly
C2+
/ˈθɪnli/
in a thin layer or sparse manner
thoughtfulness
C2+
/ˈθɔtfəlnəs/
the quality of being considerate or absorbed in thought
thusly
C2+
/ˈðʌsli/
in this way; thus (often used jocularly or affectedly)
ticking
C2+
/ˈtɪkɪŋ/
the rhythmic sound of a clock; strong fabric for mattress covers
tint
C2+
/tɪnt/
a shade or variety of a color; to color slightly
tolerability
C2+
/ˌtɑlərəˈbɪləti/
the quality of being bearable or endurable
tome
C2+
/toʊm/
a large, heavy, or scholarly book
tormentous
C2+
/tɔrˈmɛntəs/
causing or full of torment; tormenting
tortuous
C2+
/ˈtɔrtʃuəs/
full of twists and turns; excessively complicated
transfigurate
C2+
/trænsˈfɪɡjəreɪt/
to transform into something more beautiful or exalted
transparence
C2+
/trænsˈpɛrəns/
the quality of being transparent; transparency
transparentness
C2+
/trænsˈpɛrəntnəs/
the state or quality of being transparent
trickery
C2+
/ˈtrɪkəri/
the practice of deceiving or cheating by cunning means
trifling
C2+
/ˈtraɪflɪŋ/
of little value or importance; trivial
trueness
C2+
/ˈtrunəs/
the quality of being true, accurate, or faithful
tunny
C2+
/ˈtʌni/
a tuna, especially a large food and game fish of the genus Thunnus
tutorial
C2+
/tuˈtɔriəl/
a session or guide giving instruction in a particular subject
twig
C2+
/twɪɡ/
a small thin shoot growing from a branch or stem
unaccompanied
C2+
/ˌʌnəˈkʌmpənid/
having no companion or escort; without musical accompaniment
unalike
C2+
/ˌʌnəˈlaɪk/
not similar; different
unbothered
C2+
/ʌnˈbɑðərd/
not troubled, annoyed, or concerned
unchastely
C2+
/ʌnˈtʃeɪstli/
in an unchaste or immodest manner
unclean
C2+
/ʌnˈklin/
dirty; morally or ritually impure
uncleanly
C2+
/ʌnˈklɛnli/
habitually dirty; in an unclean manner
unconstrained
C2+
/ˌʌnkənˈstreɪnd/
not restricted or limited; free
unctuous
C2+
/ˈʌŋktʃuəs/
excessively flattering or ingratiating; oily
undefined
C2+
/ˌʌndɪˈfaɪnd/
not clearly stated, described, or determined
undeniably
C2+
/ˌʌndɪˈnaɪəbli/
in a way that cannot be denied or disputed
undependable
C2+
/ˌʌndɪˈpɛndəbəl/
not able to be relied upon
undesirable
C2+
/ˌʌndɪˈzaɪərəbəl/
not wanted or desirable; objectionable
undue
C2+
/ʌnˈdu/
excessive or unwarranted; more than is appropriate
unending
C2+
/ʌnˈɛndɪŋ/
having or seeming to have no end
unexciting
C2+
/ˌʌnɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ/
not exciting; dull
unfinished
C2+
/ʌnˈfɪnɪʃt/
not brought to an end or completed
unfully
C2+
/ʌnˈfʊli/
not fully; incompletely
ungraceful
C2+
/ʌnˈɡreɪsfəl/
lacking grace or elegance; clumsy
uniformness
C2+
/ˈjunəfɔrmnəs/
the quality of being uniform or unvarying
uninvolved
C2+
/ˌʌnɪnˈvɑlvd/
not taking part in or affected by something; detached
unlawfulness
C2+
/ʌnˈlɔfəlnəs/
the quality of being against the law; illegality
unmitigated
C2+
/ʌnˈmɪtəˌɡeɪtəd/
absolute; not lessened or softened in any way
unnaturally
C2+
/ʌnˈnætʃərəli/
in a way that is not natural or normal
unparticular
C2+
/ˌʌnpərˈtɪkjələr/
not particular or fussy; indiscriminate
unpolished
C2+
/ʌnˈpɑlɪʃt/
not polished; lacking refinement or finish
unproblematic
C2+
/ˌʌnprɑbləˈmætɪk/
not presenting any problem or difficulty
unquestionable
C2+
/ʌnˈkwɛstʃənəbəl/
not able to be disputed or doubted; certain
unreal
C2+
/ʌnˈriəl/
not real or existing; seeming imaginary or implausible