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
awfulness
C2+
/ˈɔfəlnəs/
the quality of being extremely bad, or formerly, awe-inspiring
axiomatically
C2+
/ˌæksiəˈmætɪkli/
in a self-evident manner requiring no proof
babish
C2+
/ˈbeɪbɪʃ/
like a baby; childish or babyish
baboon
C2+
/bæˈbun/
a large African or Arabian ground-dwelling monkey with a dog-like muzzle
babyish
C2+
/ˈbeɪbiɪʃ/
characteristic of a baby; childishly immature
bacchanal
C2+
/ˈbækənəl/
a wild drunken revelry, or a worshipper of Bacchus
baconweed
C2+
/ˈbeɪkənˌwid/
a common name for goosefoot, a weedy edible plant
baffling
C2+
/ˈbæflɪŋ/
impossible to understand; perplexing
bairnish
C2+
/ˈbɛrnɪʃ/
childish or childlike, in Scots and Northern English usage
ballroom
C2+
/ˈbɔlˌrum/
a large room used for formal dancing
bannerfish
C2+
/ˈbænɚˌfɪʃ/
a tropical reef fish with a long trailing dorsal filament
bantling
C2+
/ˈbæntlɪŋ/
a young child or infant, often used disparagingly
barbarious
C2+
/bɑrˈbɛriəs/
barbarous; savage or uncivilized (archaic variant)
barbed
C2+
/bɑrbd/
having sharp projecting points; also pointedly critical
barony
C2+
/ˈbærəni/
the rank, domain, or estate of a baron
basswood
C2+
/ˈbæsˌwʊd/
the American linden tree or its soft, pale timber
bathtub
C2+
/ˈbæθˌtʌb/
a large container for bathing the whole body
battalion
C2+
/bəˈtæljən/
a large body of troops, typically several companies
bead
C2+
/bid/
a small pierced ball strung as ornament; also a drop of liquid
beauteous
C2+
/ˈbjutiəs/
beautiful (literary or poetic)
beautification
C2+
/ˌbjutəfəˈkeɪʃən/
the act of making something more beautiful
belatedly
C2+
/bɪˈleɪtɪdli/
later than should have been the case; tardily
belfry
C2+
/ˈbɛlfri/
a bell tower or the part of a tower housing bells
belle
C2+
/bɛl/
a beautiful woman, especially the most admired at an event
ben
C2+
/bɛn/
a high mountain or peak, especially in Scotland
bendsome
C2+
/ˈbɛndsəm/
flexible or pliant; easily bent (dialectal)
besotted
C2+
/bɪˈsɑtɪd/
infatuated or intoxicated to the point of foolishness
betone
C2+
/bɪˈtoʊn/
to give tone or sound to; to intone (rare)
billow
C2+
/ˈbɪloʊ/
a large rolling wave; to swell or surge outward
bitesheep
C2+
/ˈbaɪtʃip/
dialectal name for a plant or condition causing sheep to bite or fret, or a rough pasture
blee
C2+
/bli/
archaic word for complexion, color, or hue
bloc
C2+
/blɑk/
a group of countries or parties united by a common interest or purpose
blockheadedness
C2+
/ˈblɑkˌhɛdɪdnəs/
the quality of being stupid or obtusely dull-witted
blowy
C2+
/ˈbloʊi/
characterized by strong wind; windy or gusty
bludgeon
C2+
/ˈblʌdʒən/
a short heavy club; to strike repeatedly or to coerce forcefully
blusher
C2+
/ˈblʌʃər/
a cosmetic for adding color to the cheeks; also one who blushes
blushful
C2+
/ˈblʌʃfəl/
full of or marked by blushing; modest or rosy
bluster
C2+
/ˈblʌstər/
to speak loudly and aggressively with little effect; noisy empty boasting
bodeful
C2+
/ˈboʊdfəl/
foreboding or ominous; portending evil
boding
C2+
/ˈboʊdɪŋ/
a foreboding or presentiment; ominously prophetic
bogue
C2+
/boʊɡ/
a small sea bream of the genus Boops; dialectally to slink or sneak off
borderline
C2+
/ˈbɔrdərlaɪn/
barely acceptable or only just within a category; a boundary
boringly
C2+
/ˈbɔrɪŋli/
in a tediously dull manner
bowbent
C2+
/ˈboʊbɛnt/
bent like a bow; curved or stooped
bracing
C2+
/ˈbreɪsɪŋ/
fresh and invigorating; also a structural support
brainsick
C2+
/ˈbreɪnsɪk/
mentally disordered; mad or deranged
brashness
C2+
/ˈbræʃnəs/
the quality of being bold, hasty, or impudent
brassy
C2+
/ˈbræsi/
resembling brass in color or sound; loudly bold or tasteless
breachy
C2+
/ˈbritʃi/
of livestock, apt to break through fences; unruly
breakout
C2+
/ˈbreɪkaʊt/
a sudden escape, outbreak, or surge into prominence
briefness
C2+
/ˈbrifnəs/
the quality of being short in duration or expression; brevity
brittle
C2+
/ˈbrɪtəl/
hard but easily broken; also a hard sugary candy
brittleness
C2+
/ˈbrɪtəlnəs/
the quality of being hard yet liable to break or shatter
broadsheet
C2+
/ˈbrɔdʃit/
a large-format newspaper, traditionally one regarded as serious
broody
C2+
/ˈbrudi/
moodily silent or melancholy; (of a hen) inclined to incubate eggs
brutally
C2+
/ˈbrutəli/
in a savagely violent or harshly direct manner
bubblingly
C2+
/ˈbʌblɪŋli/
in a lively, effervescent, or enthusiastically cheerful manner
buffoonish
C2+
/bəˈfunɪʃ/
ridiculously foolish or clownish in behavior
bumptious
C2+
/ˈbʌmpʃəs/
offensively self-assertive or conceited
bumpy
C2+
/ˈbʌmpi/
having an uneven surface; marked by jolts or difficulties
buttery
C2+
/ˈbʌtɚi/
tasting of or resembling butter; a storeroom for provisions or liquor
cajolery
C2+
/kəˈdʒoʊləri/
persuasion by flattery, coaxing, or gentle deception
callant
C2+
/ˈkælənt/
a youth or lad (Scots and northern English dialect)
caloric
C2+
/kəˈlɔrɪk/
relating to heat or calories; an obsolete supposed fluid of heat
campestral
C2+
/kæmˈpɛstrəl/
of or relating to open fields or the countryside
canard
C2+
/kəˈnɑrd/
a false or baseless rumor or fabricated story
cancerous
C2+
/ˈkænsərəs/
relating to or affected by cancer; malignantly spreading
candelabrum
C2+
/ˌkændəˈlɑbrəm/
a large branched candlestick or lamp holder
capably
C2+
/ˈkeɪpəbli/
in a competent and effective manner
captious
C2+
/ˈkæpʃəs/
inclined to find trivial faults; carping
captivity
C2+
/kæpˈtɪvəti/
the condition of being imprisoned or confined
carl
C2+
/kɑrl/
a peasant or common man; a churlish fellow (archaic)
carpent
C2+
/ˈkɑrpənt/
to work as or like a carpenter; to construct in wood (rare)
carriable
C2+
/ˈkæriəbəl/
able to be carried or transported
casket
C2+
/ˈkæskɪt/
a coffin; a small ornamental box for valuables
caterpillar
C2+
/ˈkætɚˌpɪlɚ/
the larva of a butterfly or moth
cavern
C2+
/ˈkævɚn/
a large, often underground, chamber or cave
centuried
C2+
/ˈsɛntʃərid/
aged or enduring through centuries; centuries old
cerise
C2+
/səˈris/
a bright, deep cherry-red color
cervix
C2+
/ˈsɝvɪks/
the narrow neck-like passage at the lower end of the uterus
chalk
C2+
/tʃɔk/
a soft white limestone used for writing or marking
chancy
C2+
/ˈtʃænsi/
uncertain in outcome; risky
chasm
C2+
/ˈkæzəm/
a deep fissure or gulf in the earth, or a wide divergence
cheapen
C2+
/ˈtʃipən/
to lower the price, quality, or dignity of something
chink
C2+
/tʃɪŋk/
a narrow crack or opening; a sharp ringing sound
chivalrous
C2+
/ˈʃɪvəlrəs/
courteous and gallant, especially toward women
chubby
C2+
/ˈtʃʌbi/
plump and rounded in a pleasant way
civilized
C2+
/ˈsɪvəˌlaɪzd/
socially advanced, refined, and well-mannered
claret
C2+
/ˈklɛrət/
a dry red Bordeaux wine, or its deep purplish-red color
clearheaded
C2+
/ˌklɪrˈhɛdəd/
thinking sensibly and without confusion
clobber
C2+
/ˈklɑbɚ/
to hit hard or defeat decisively; British slang for clothing and gear
cloistral
C2+
/ˈklɔɪstrəl/
relating to a cloister; secluded and monastic
coercive
C2+
/koʊˈɝsɪv/
relating to or using force or threats to compel obedience
cohesive
C2+
/koʊˈhisɪv/
forming a united whole; sticking together
cohesiveness
C2+
/koʊˈhisɪvnəs/
the quality of holding or sticking together as a unified whole
collaboratively
C2+
/kəˈlæbərətɪvli/
in a way that involves working jointly with others