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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164 words
descry
C2+
/dɪˈskraɪ/
to catch sight of or discern something distant or obscure
disfigure
C2+
/dɪsˈfɪɡjɚ/
to spoil the appearance of; mar
disfigurement
C2+
/dɪsˈfɪɡjɚmənt/
a spoiling of appearance; a marring blemish
earsplitting
C2+
/ˈɪrˌsplɪtɪŋ/
extremely loud and harsh to the ear
embitter
C2+
/ɪmˈbɪtɚ/
to make someone feel resentful or bitter
espial
C2+
/ɪˈspaɪəl/
the act of spying or catching sight of something
flare
C2+
/flɛr/
a sudden bright burst of flame or light; a signaling fire
footstep
C2+
/ˈfʊtstɛp/
the sound or mark of a foot taking a step
fragrancy
C2+
/ˈfreɪɡrənsi/
sweetness of smell; fragrance
garish
C2+
/ˈɡɛrɪʃ/
obtrusively bright, showy, or gaudy
gride
C2+
/ˈɡraɪd/
to scrape or cut with a grating sound
guffaw
C2+
/ɡəˈfɔ/
a loud, hearty burst of laughter
guise
C2+
/ˈɡaɪz/
an external appearance or pretence concealing the truth
haptic
C2+
/ˈhæptɪk/
relating to the sense of touch or tactile perception
hark
C2+
/hɑːrk/
to listen attentively; used to call attention to a sound
hooter
C2+
/ˈhutɚ/
a device that makes a hooting sound, such as a horn or siren
illogical
C2+
/ɪˈlɑdʒɪkəl/
lacking sound reasoning; contrary to logic
inartistically
C2+
/ˌɪnɑrˈtɪstɪkli/
in a manner lacking artistic taste or skill
kowtow
C2+
/ˈkaʊˈtaʊ/
to act with excessive deference; to kneel and touch the forehead to the ground
marbleize
C2+
/ˈmɑrbəˌlaɪz/
to give something the streaked, mottled appearance of marble
monition
C2+
/moʊˈnɪʃən/
a warning or admonition; a formal notice
optic
C2+
/ˈɑptɪk/
relating to the eye or vision; a lens or eye
outstare
C2+
/ˌaʊtˈstɛr/
to stare at someone longer than they can, until they look away
pasty
C2+
/ˈpeɪsti/
pale and unhealthy in appearance; also a filled folded pastry
pat
C2+
/ˈpæt/
to touch lightly with a flat hand; also exactly apt or glib
pinched
C2+
/pɪntʃt/
drawn and tense in appearance, especially from cold, hunger, or strain
pitchy
C2+
/ˈpɪtʃi/
resembling, full of, or covered with pitch; intensely dark
putrefaction
C2+
/ˌpjutrəˈfækʃən/
the decay of organic matter accompanied by a foul smell
quack
C2+
/kwæk/
a fraudulent medical practitioner, or the sound a duck makes
reptilelike
C2+
/ˈrɛptaɪlˌlaɪk/
resembling a reptile in appearance or manner
scratchy
C2+
/ˈskrætʃi/
rough and irritating to the touch; making a harsh, grating sound
screaming
C2+
/ˈskrimɪŋ/
making or characterized by loud, shrill cries; strikingly conspicuous
seemly
C2+
/ˈsimli/
conforming to accepted notions of propriety or good taste
sensate
C2+
/ˈsɛnseɪt/
perceived by or endowed with the senses; sensory in nature
sensory
C2+
/ˈsɛnsəri/
relating to sensation or the physical senses
shriek
C2+
/ʃrik/
a shrill, piercing cry or sound
sightlessness
C2+
/ˈsaɪtləsnəs/
the state of being unable to see; blindness
spectral
C2+
/ˈspɛktrəl/
ghostly in appearance, or relating to a spectrum of light
spiceless
C2+
/ˈspaɪsləs/
lacking spice, flavor, or piquancy; bland
squawk
C2+
/skwɔk/
a loud harsh cry, especially of a bird
stygian
C2+
/ˈstɪdʒiən/
very dark, gloomy, or infernal, like the river Styx
sunnily
C2+
/ˈsʌnəli/
in a cheerful, bright, or sunny manner
superimposition
C2+
/ˌsupɚˌɪmpəˈzɪʃən/
the placing of one thing over another, especially so both remain visible
sweetness
C2+
/ˈswitnəs/
the quality of being sweet in taste, sound, or temperament
tacky
C2+
/ˈtæki/
showing poor taste and quality; or slightly sticky to the touch
tintinnabulation
C2+
/ˌtɪntɪˌnæbjəˈleɪʃən/
the ringing or sound of bells
unkempt
C2+
/ʌnˈkɛmpt/
untidy or disheveled in appearance
unmind
C2+
/ʌnˈmaɪnd/
to take no notice of; disregard
unspicy
C2+
/ʌnˈspaɪsi/
lacking spice or pungent flavor; mild
velvety
C2+
/ˈvɛlvəti/
soft and smooth like velvet in texture, sound, or taste
veneer
C2+
/vəˈnɪr/
a thin decorative covering; a deceptive outward appearance
visibility
C2+
/ˌvɪzɪˈbɪlɪti/
the state of being able to be seen; the distance one can see
waxen
C2+
/ˈwæk.sən/
made of or resembling wax; smooth, pale, and lifeless in appearance
whiff
C2+
/wɪf/
a brief, faint smell carried on the air, or a slight trace of something
acoluthic
C2+
/ˌækəˈluːθɪk/
psychology: relating to a residual or fading sensation that immediately follows a stimulus
brool
C2+
/bruːl/
a low roaring sound or deep, sustained murmur
aglare
C2+
/əˈɡler/
glaring fiercely or shining with a harsh, dazzling light
field-glass
C2+
/ˈfiːldˌɡlæs/
a small portable telescope, often held in one hand, for viewing distant objects outdoors
halitus
C2+
/ˈhælɪtəs/
exhaled breath, especially when perceptible by its warmth or odor
sensibile
C2+
/ˌsɛn.səˈbɪl.i/
philosophy, especially in Bertrand Russell: an object with the metaphysical and physical status of a sense-datum that can become one when perceived but need not actually be perceived
plunkety-plunk
C2+
/ˌplʌŋkətiˈplʌŋk/
onomatopoeic: a repeated dull plunking or clopping sound, such as hoofbeats or notes on a stringed instrument
screak
C2+
/skriːk/
to make a harsh, high-pitched creaking or screeching sound
outgaze
C2+
/ˌaʊtˈɡeɪz/
to look at someone more steadily or persistently until they look away
lynx-eyed
C2+
/ˈlɪŋksˌaɪd/
having exceptionally keen sight or powers of observation
bombinate
C2+
/ˈbɒmbɪneɪt/
rare: to make a continuous buzzing, humming, or droning sound
indiscernibility
C2+
/ˌɪndɪˌsɝnəˈbɪləti/
the state of being impossible to perceive, distinguish, or tell apart
deave
C2+
/diːv/
Scots and Northern English: to deafen, stun, or weary someone with loud or persistent noise
crepitate
C2+
/ˈkrɛp.ɪ.teɪt/
to make a series of sharp crackling or rattling sounds