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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211 words
gradient
C2+
/ˈɡreɪdiənt/
a rate of inclination or change; a slope
harden
C2+
/ˈhɑrdən/
to make or become firm, rigid, or unyielding
indispose
C2+
/ˌɪndɪˈspoʊz/
to make unwilling or unfit; to make slightly unwell
inefficacious
C2+
/ˌɪnɛfɪˈkeɪʃəs/
failing to produce the intended effect; ineffective
inoffensive
C2+
/ˌɪnəˈfɛnsɪv/
not objectionable or likely to cause offense; harmless
intensification
C2+
/ɪnˌtɛnsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the act or process of making or becoming more intense
irritative
C2+
/ˈɪrɪˌteɪtɪv/
tending to cause irritation or inflammation
lawmaking
C2+
/ˈlɔˌmeɪkɪŋ/
the process of enacting laws; legislation
limber
C2+
/ˈlɪmbɚ/
supple and flexible; to make oneself supple
metamorphize
C2+
/ˌmɛtəˈmɔrfaɪz/
to transform or change in form; to metamorphose
nake
C2+
/neɪk/
to make naked; to strip or lay bare (archaic)
nutriment
C2+
/ˈnutrəmənt/
nourishment; something that provides sustenance for growth or life
obfuscate
C2+
/ˈɑbfəskeɪt/
to make obscure, unclear, or unintelligible, often deliberately
prettify
C2+
/ˈprɪtɪfaɪ/
to make superficially attractive
rework
C2+
/riˈwɝk/
to alter or process again in order to improve or correct
sharpen
C2+
/ˈʃɑrpən/
to make or become sharper, keener, or more acute
slacken
C2+
/ˈslækən/
to make or become slower, looser, or less intense
soften
C2+
/ˈsɔfən/
to make or become softer, gentler, or less severe
summation
C2+
/sʌˈmeɪʃən/
the process of adding things together; a concluding summary
thicken
C2+
/ˈθɪkən/
to make or become thicker or denser
transpose
C2+
/trænsˈpoʊz/
to cause two or more things to change places; to put in a different key
zealous
C2+
/ˈzɛləs/
showing fervent and energetic devotion to a cause
accentuate
C2+
/əkˈsɛntʃueɪt/
to make something more noticeable or prominent
accommodative
C2+
/əˈkɑmədeɪtɪv/
willing to help, oblige, or adapt to others' needs
accretion
C2+
/əˈkriʃən/
gradual growth or increase by the addition of layers or parts
accruement
C2+
/əˈkrumənt/
the process or result of accruing; an accumulation
adaptational
C2+
/ˌædæpˈteɪʃənəl/
relating to adaptation or the process of adjusting to conditions
aftercome
C2+
/ˈæftərˌkʌm/
a consequence or outcome that follows an event
animalize
C2+
/ˈænɪməˌlaɪz/
to make animal-like or sensual; to reduce to a brutish state
aromatize
C2+
/əˈroʊməˌtaɪz/
to make aromatic, or in chemistry to convert into an aromatic compound
automatize
C2+
/ɔˈtɑməˌtaɪz/
to make automatic, or to render a process habitual and unconscious
bedim
C2+
/bɪˈdɪm/
to make dim or obscure
befool
C2+
/bɪˈful/
to deceive or make a fool of someone
betterment
C2+
/ˈbɛtɚmənt/
the act or process of improving something
blithen
C2+
/ˈblaɪðən/
archaic or dialectal to make or become blithe; to gladden
bottleneck
C2+
/ˈbɑtəlnɛk/
a point of congestion that slows or limits a process or flow
causality
C2+
/kɔˈzæləti/
the relationship between cause and effect
complexification
C2+
/kəmˌplɛksɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the process of becoming or making more complex
complexify
C2+
/kəmˈplɛksɪˌfaɪ/
to make or become more complex
conservatism
C2+
/kənˈsɝvəˌtɪzəm/
a disposition to preserve existing institutions and resist abrupt change
constipate
C2+
/ˈkɑnstəˌpeɪt/
to cause difficulty in emptying the bowels; to clog or obstruct
conventionalize
C2+
/kənˈvɛnʃənəˌlaɪz/
to make conventional or render in a stylized, customary form
counteract
C2+
/ˌkaʊntɚˈækt/
to act against and reduce the effect of something
decadent
C2+
/ˈdɛkədənt/
characterized by decline or luxurious self-indulgence
deconcentrate
C2+
/ˌdikənˈsɛntreɪt/
to disperse or reduce the concentration of
densen
C2+
/ˈdɛnsən/
to make or become dense or thicker
densification
C2+
/ˌdɛnsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the process of making something more dense or compact
disaffect
C2+
/ˌdɪsəˈfɛkt/
to make discontented or disloyal
discriminative
C2+
/dɪˈskrɪmɪˌneɪtɪv/
making or able to make fine distinctions; selective
disimprovement
C2+
/ˌdɪsɪmˈpruvmənt/
a change for the worse; deterioration
disinfection
C2+
/ˌdɪsɪnˈfɛkʃən/
the process of cleaning something to destroy bacteria and germs
effectuation
C2+
/ɪˌfɛkʧuˈeɪʃən/
the act of bringing something about or putting it into effect
efficaciously
C2+
/ˌɛfəˈkeɪʃəsli/
in a way that produces the intended result effectively
eke
C2+
/ik/
to make something last by using it sparingly or with effort
facsimilize
C2+
/fækˈsɪməˌlaɪz/
to make an exact copy or reproduction of something
falsify
C2+
/ˈfɔlsəˌfaɪ/
to alter or misrepresent something so as to deceive
fanatical
C2+
/fəˈnætɪkəl/
filled with excessive, uncritical zeal for a cause
fancify
C2+
/ˈfænsəˌfaɪ/
to make something more ornate or elaborate
gesticulate
C2+
/dʒɛˈstɪkjəˌleɪt/
to make expressive gestures with the hands and arms while speaking
impinge
C2+
/ɪmˈpɪndʒ/
to encroach upon or have an effect on something
imprint
C2+
/ˈɪmprɪnt/
a mark made by pressure, or a lasting impression or effect
indecisive
C2+
/ˌɪndɪˈsaɪsɪv/
unable to make decisions, or not producing a clear result
indurate
C2+
/ˈɪndʊreɪt/
to make or become hard, or to harden in feeling
instable
C2+
/ɪnˈsteɪbəl/
not stable; liable to change or collapse (archaic for unstable)
intellection
C2+
/ˌɪntəˈlɛkʃən/
the action or process of understanding by the intellect; reasoning
intoxicate
C2+
/ɪnˈtɑksəˌkeɪt/
to make drunk; to excite or elate beyond self-control
irrelate
C2+
/ˌɪrɪˈleɪt/
to make or render unrelated; to disconnect from relation
maturation
C2+
/ˌmætʃəˈreɪʃən/
the process of becoming fully developed or ripe
minify
C2+
/ˈmɪnəˌfaɪ/
to make smaller or reduce in size or importance
mitigate
C2+
/ˈmɪtɪˌɡeɪt/
to make less severe, serious, or painful
neaten
C2+
/ˈnitn̩/
to make tidy or orderly
necessitate
C2+
/nəˈsɛsəˌteɪt/
to make necessary or unavoidable
pejorate
C2+
/ˈpɛdʒəreɪt/
to make or become worse; to acquire a more negative meaning
pinken
C2+
/ˈpɪŋkən/
to make or become pink in color
powerless
C2+
/ˈpaʊɚləs/
without the ability, influence, or strength to act or change things
prequalification
C2+
/ˌprikwɑlɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the process of determining eligibility in advance
promulge
C2+
/prəˈmʌldʒ/
to make widely known or proclaim formally; promulgate
prototype
C2+
/ˈproʊtəˌtaɪp/
an original model on which later versions are based; to make one
pulverize
C2+
/ˈpʌlvəˌraɪz/
to reduce to fine powder or dust; to crush thoroughly
purification
C2+
/ˌpjʊrəfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the process of removing impurities or contaminants
quicken
C2+
/ˈkwɪkən/
to make or become faster, or to come to life
ratiocination
C2+
/ˌræʃiˌɑsɪˈneɪʃən/
the process of methodical, logical reasoning
recreate
C2+
/ˌrikriˈeɪt/
to create again or reproduce; to refresh through enjoyable activity
redden
C2+
/ˈrɛdən/
to make or become red, especially to flush or blush
refreshen
C2+
/riˈfrɛʃən/
to make fresh again; to revive or invigorate
regrettable
C2+
/rɪˈɡrɛtəbəl/
giving cause for regret; unfortunate
repeatable
C2+
/riˈpitəbəl/
able to be done or reproduced again with the same result
replicate
C2+
/ˈrɛpləˌkeɪt/
to make an exact copy of, or reproduce a result or process
sadden
C2+
/ˈsædən/
to make or become sorrowful
scourge
C2+
/skɝdʒ/
a cause of great suffering; a whip; to afflict or punish severely
signalize
C2+
/ˈsɪɡnəlaɪz/
to make notable or distinguish; to indicate by a signal
singularize
C2+
/ˈsɪŋɡjələraɪz/
to make singular or distinguish as unique
slump
C2+
/slʌmp/
a sudden decline or a sagging collapse
spoilage
C2+
/ˈspɔɪlɪdʒ/
the process or result of food or goods becoming unfit for use
sudation
C2+
/suˈdeɪʃən/
the process of sweating; perspiration
suffocate
C2+
/ˈsʌfəkeɪt/
to die or cause to die from lack of air or inability to breathe