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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278 words
impermanence
C2+
/ɪmˈpɝmənəns/
the state of not lasting; transience
impound
C2+
/ɪmˈpaʊnd/
to seize and hold in legal custody, or to confine in a pound
incapacitate
C2+
/ˌɪnkəˈpæsɪˌteɪt/
to deprive of strength, ability, or legal capacity
infraction
C2+
/ɪnˈfrækʃən/
a breach or violation of a law, rule, or agreement
insanity
C2+
/ɪnˈsænɪti/
the state of being seriously mentally ill; extreme folly
involution
C2+
/ˌɪnvəˈluʃən/
the state of being intricate; a curling inward or shrinking process
junket
C2+
/ˈdʒʌŋkɪt/
a trip taken by an official at public expense, often as a perk
lawfully
C2+
/ˈlɔfəli/
in a manner permitted or recognized by law
lieutenant
C2+
/luˈtɛnənt/
a deputy or a junior commissioned military or police officer
nirvana
C2+
/nɪrˈvɑnə/
in Buddhism, a transcendent state free from suffering; perfect bliss or peace
particularize
C2+
/pɚˈtɪkjələˌraɪz/
to state or treat in detail; to specify individually
peacefulness
C2+
/ˈpisfəlnəs/
the state of being tranquil and free from disturbance
perfection
C2+
/pɚˈfɛkʃən/
the state of being flawless or complete
preoccupancy
C2+
/priˈɑkjəpənsi/
the act or state of occupying something before another
proclamation
C2+
/ˌprɑkləˈmeɪʃən/
an official public announcement
quash
C2+
/kwɑʃ/
to reject or void, especially by legal procedure
ravishment
C2+
/ˈrævɪʃmənt/
a state of intense delight or rapture
readiness
C2+
/ˈrɛdinəs/
the state of being prepared or willing
receivership
C2+
/rɪˈsivɚʃɪp/
the state of being managed by a court-appointed receiver
redundance
C2+
/rɪˈdʌndəns/
the state of being superfluous or excessive
repeal
C2+
/rɪˈpil/
to revoke or annul a law officially
rescript
C2+
/ˈriskrɪpt/
an official edict or written answer from an authority
ruination
C2+
/ˌruəˈneɪʃən/
the action of ruining or the state of being ruined
shirk
C2+
/ʃɝk/
to avoid or neglect a duty or responsibility
sovereign
C2+
/ˈsɑvrən/
a supreme ruler; possessing supreme or independent authority
submissive
C2+
/səbˈmɪsɪv/
inclined to yield to the authority or will of others
thrall
C2+
/θrɔl/
the state of being in another's power; a slave or captive
visitation
C2+
/ˌvɪzɪˈteɪʃən/
an official or supernatural visit, or an affliction regarded as divine punishment
wakefulness
C2+
/ˈweɪkfəlnəs/
the state of being awake or unable to sleep
wholeness
C2+
/ˈhoʊlnəs/
the state of being complete, undivided, or unbroken
wonderment
C2+
/ˈwʌndɚmənt/
a state of awed admiration or curiosity
abalienate
C2+
/æbˈeɪliəneɪt/
to transfer ownership of property to another, especially by legal conveyance
abhorrency
C2+
/əbˈhɔrənsi/
the state of abhorring; loathing or detestation
aboil
C2+
/əˈbɔɪl/
in a state of boiling or agitation
actuality
C2+
/ˌæktʃuˈæləti/
the state of existing in fact; reality as opposed to possibility
adrip
C2+
/əˈdrɪp/
dripping; in a state of dripping with liquid
anarchy
C2+
/ˈænɚki/
a state of disorder due to the absence of authority or government
answerability
C2+
/ˌænsərəˈbɪlɪti/
the state of being responsible or accountable to someone
antiparliamentary
C2+
/ˌæntiˌpɑrləˈmɛntəri/
opposed to parliament or to parliamentary government
arbiter
C2+
/ˈɑrbɪtɚ/
a person with authority to settle a dispute or decide what is right
arousal
C2+
/əˈraʊzəl/
the act of awakening or the state of being stirred to activity or excitement
ascendance
C2+
/əˈsɛndəns/
the state of having dominant power, influence, or control
augur
C2+
/ˈɔɡɚ/
to foretell or portend; a Roman official who interpreted omens
backchat
C2+
/ˈbækˌtʃæt/
impertinent or cheeky replies to someone in authority
bafflement
C2+
/ˈbæfəlmənt/
the state of being utterly puzzled or confused
beggary
C2+
/ˈbɛɡəri/
the state of extreme poverty or destitution
bylaw
C2+
/ˈbaɪlɔ/
a rule made by an organization or local authority to regulate its affairs
canonic
C2+
/kəˈnɑnɪk/
conforming to a canon or accepted rule; canonical
captivation
C2+
/ˌkæptɪˈveɪʃən/
the state of being charmed or fascinated
chancery
C2+
/ˈtʃænsəri/
a court of equity or the public records office of a court
cloture
C2+
/ˈkloʊtʃɚ/
a procedure for ending debate and forcing an immediate vote
cocket
C2+
/ˈkɑkɪt/
a customs seal or sealed document certifying that duty has been paid on goods
competentness
C2+
/ˈkɑmpɪtəntnəs/
the state of being competent; adequate ability
completement
C2+
/kəmˈplitmənt/
the act of completing or the state of being complete (archaic)
completeness
C2+
/kəmˈplitnəs/
the state of being whole, full, or entire
compulsorily
C2+
/kəmˈpʌlsərəli/
in a way that is required by law or rule; obligatorily
confusedness
C2+
/kənˈfjuzɪdnəs/
the state of being confused or disordered
constitutionalization
C2+
/ˌkɑnstəˌtuʃənələˈzeɪʃən/
the act of embedding something within a constitution or making it constitutional
constitutionist
C2+
/ˌkɑnstəˈtuʃənɪst/
a supporter or adherent of a particular constitution or constitutional government
consul
C2+
/ˈkɑnsəl/
an official representing a state's commercial interests in a foreign city
contentment
C2+
/kənˈtɛntmənt/
a state of peaceful happiness and satisfaction
contravene
C2+
/ˌkɑntrəˈvin/
to act in violation of a law, rule, or principle
convincement
C2+
/kənˈvɪnsmənt/
the act or state of being convinced; firm conviction
dampness
C2+
/ˈdæmpnəs/
the state of being slightly wet
deemster
C2+
/ˈdimstər/
a judge in the Isle of Man
defiance
C2+
/dɪˈfaɪəns/
open resistance to authority or opposition
democratism
C2+
/dɪˈmɑkrəˌtɪzəm/
adherence to or advocacy of democratic principles and government
deregister
C2+
/diˈrɛdʒɪstɚ/
to remove from an official register or record
deviancy
C2+
/ˈdiviənsi/
the state of departing from accepted norms, especially of behavior
devolve
C2+
/dɪˈvɑlv/
to transfer power or duty to another; or to degenerate gradually
dictatorship
C2+
/dɪkˈteɪtɚˌʃɪp/
government by a single ruler with absolute power
dictatress
C2+
/dɪkˈteɪtrɪs/
a woman who rules with absolute authority
disassociation
C2+
/ˌdɪsəˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃən/
the act of separating or state of being disconnected
disobedient
C2+
/ˌdɪsəˈbidiənt/
failing or refusing to obey rules or authority
disobey
C2+
/ˌdɪsəˈbeɪ/
to fail or refuse to comply with a command or rule
emptiness
C2+
/ˈɛmptinəs/
the state of containing nothing or lacking meaning
enounce
C2+
/ɪˈnaʊns/
to state or proclaim formally; to enunciate
exemption
C2+
/ɪɡˈzɛmpʃən/
the state of being freed from an obligation; an instance of this
famousness
C2+
/ˈfeɪməsnəs/
the state of being widely known or celebrated
federally
C2+
/ˈfɛdərəli/
by or in relation to a central federal government
ferity
C2+
/ˈfɛrɪti/
the state of being wild, savage, or untamed
ferric
C2+
/ˈfɛrɪk/
of or containing iron, especially in its trivalent state
ferrous
C2+
/ˈfɛrəs/
containing or relating to iron, especially in its divalent state
fixedness
C2+
/ˈfɪksɪdnəs/
the state of being firmly set, immovable, or unchanging
flabbergastation
C2+
/ˌflæbɚɡæˈsteɪʃən/
a state of overwhelming astonishment or bewilderment
forgetness
C2+
/fɚˈɡɛtnəs/
forgetfulness; the state of being forgotten or oblivious
fullness
C2+
/ˈfʊlnəs/
the state of being full or complete
hereto
C2+
/ˌhɪrˈtuː/
to this document or matter (formal and legal)
hypnotic
C2+
/hɪpˈnɑtɪk/
inducing sleep or a trance-like state; mesmerizing
imperfection
C2+
/ˌɪmpɚˈfɛkʃən/
a flaw or fault; the state of being incomplete or defective
implead
C2+
/ɪmˈplid/
to bring a legal action against; to sue in a court of law
impotence
C2+
/ˈɪmpətəns/
the state of being powerless or lacking effective strength
incapability
C2+
/ɪnˌkeɪpəˈbɪləti/
the state of being unable to do something; lack of ability
incapacity
C2+
/ˌɪnkəˈpæsəti/
inability to do something, or legal disqualification from acting
incarceration
C2+
/ɪnˌkɑrsəˈreɪʃən/
the act of imprisoning or the state of being confined
inceptive
C2+
/ɪnˈsɛptɪv/
relating to or marking the beginning of an action or state