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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602 words
dissent
C2+
/dɪˈsɛnt/
the holding or expression of opinions at variance with the majority
disunite
C2+
/ˌdɪsjuˈnaɪt/
to break the unity of; to separate or set at variance
egress
C2+
/ˈiɡrɛs/
a way out or the act of going out; exit
enmesh
C2+
/ɪnˈmɛʃ/
to entangle or involve deeply in something
harry
C2+
/ˈhæri/
to harass or torment persistently; to raid or pillage
hassle
C2+
/ˈhæsəl/
an irritating inconvenience or annoyance; to pester or bother
hasten
C2+
/ˈheɪsən/
to move or act quickly; to cause something to happen sooner
heckle
C2+
/ˈhɛkəl/
to interrupt a speaker or performer with derisive comments
hield
C2+
/hild/
to incline, bend, or slope (archaic/dialectal)
inornate
C2+
/ˌɪnɔrˈneɪt/
plain and unadorned; without ornament
jab
C2+
/dʒæb/
to poke or thrust sharply; a quick punch or pointed remark
persevere
C2+
/ˌpɝsəˈvɪr/
to continue steadfastly despite difficulty or opposition
vex
C2+
/vɛks/
to annoy, irritate, or trouble
avow
C2+
/əˈvaʊ/
to declare or assert openly and confidently
beatify
C2+
/biˈætɪfaɪ/
to declare blessed, especially as a step toward sainthood
capitulation
C2+
/kəˌpɪtʃəˈleɪʃən/
the act of surrendering or ceasing to resist
chaffy
C2+
/ˈtʃæfi/
full of or resembling chaff; worthless or light
chortle
C2+
/ˈtʃɔrtəl/
to laugh in a breathy, gleeful, throaty way
cogitation
C2+
/ˌkɑdʒəˈteɪʃən/
the act of thinking deeply; careful reflection
commingle
C2+
/kəˈmɪŋɡəl/
to mix or blend together
considerate
C2+
/kənˈsɪdərət/
careful not to inconvenience or harm others; thoughtful
constuprate
C2+
/ˈkɑnstjʊˌpreɪt/
archaic, to ravish, violate, or defile
debauch
C2+
/dɪˈbɔtʃ/
to corrupt morally or lead into excess; a bout of indulgence
depauperate
C2+
/dɪˈpɔpərɪt/
impoverished or imperfectly developed, especially of a flora or organism
deride
C2+
/dɪˈraɪd/
to mock or ridicule with contempt
disallow
C2+
/ˌdɪsəˈlaʊ/
to refuse to allow or accept as valid
disengage
C2+
/ˌdɪsɪnˈɡeɪdʒ/
to release or detach from a connection or involvement
disengagement
C2+
/ˌdɪsɪnˈɡeɪdʒmənt/
the act of withdrawing from involvement or connection
distrust
C2+
/dɪsˈtrʌst/
lack of trust or confidence in someone or something
elegize
C2+
/ˈɛlɪˌdʒaɪz/
to compose an elegy for; to mourn or lament in verse
ensnarl
C2+
/ɛnˈsnɑrl/
to entangle or trap, as in a snarl or knot
erase
C2+
/ɪˈreɪs/
to remove or rub out; to obliterate
furbish
C2+
/ˈfɜrbɪʃ/
to brighten or restore by polishing or renovating
hex
C2+
/hɛks/
a magic spell or curse, or to cast such a spell on someone
hog
C2+
/hɑɡ/
a domesticated pig; also, to take or use selfishly
inbreathe
C2+
/ɪnˈbrið/
to breathe in; to inhale or inspire
incline
C2+
/ɪnˈklaɪn/
to lean or slope; also a sloping surface
jibe
C2+
/dʒaɪb/
a mocking remark; also, to be consistent or to taunt
obliterate
C2+
/əˈblɪtəˌreɪt/
to destroy utterly or wipe out all trace of
propagate
C2+
/ˈprɑpəˌɡeɪt/
to breed, spread, or transmit widely
raze
C2+
/reɪz/
to demolish or level completely to the ground
recompensation
C2+
/ˌrɛkəmpɛnˈseɪʃən/
the act of recompensing; compensation or repayment
scrabble
C2+
/ˈskræbəl/
to scratch or grope hurriedly, especially with the hands
snare
C2+
/snɛr/
a trap for catching animals, or anything that entangles
stifle
C2+
/ˈstaɪfəl/
to suppress, smother, or prevent from happening
surpass
C2+
/sɚˈpæs/
to exceed or be greater than; to outdo
undelight
C2+
/ˌʌndɪˈlaɪt/
lack or absence of delight; displeasure
unfasten
C2+
/ʌnˈfæsən/
to undo or release something that is fastened
usable
C2+
/ˈjuːzəbəl/
able to be used; fit for use
abear
C2+
/əˈbɛr/
dialectal or archaic: to endure or tolerate
adjudge
C2+
/əˈdʒʌdʒ/
to declare or pronounce judicially or formally
agglomerate
C2+
/əˈɡlɑmərˌeɪt/
to collect or form into a rounded mass or cluster
algate
C2+
/ˈɔːlɡeɪt/
archaic: always, in any case, or nevertheless
antic
C2+
/ˈæntɪk/
a wild, playful, or absurd act; grotesquely comical
becalm
C2+
/bɪˈkɑm/
to make still or quiet; to leave (a ship) motionless for want of wind
beclart
C2+
/bɪˈklɑrt/
to smear or daub with mud or filth
befall
C2+
/bɪˈfɔl/
to happen to, especially as something bad or fateful
befriend
C2+
/bɪˈfrɛnd/
to act as a friend to; to help or favor
belibel
C2+
/bɪˈlaɪbəl/
to libel or defame thoroughly
bemingle
C2+
/bɪˈmɪŋɡəl/
to mingle or mix together thoroughly
bemuse
C2+
/bɪˈmjuz/
to bewilder or confuse, often mildly
bereave
C2+
/bɪˈriv/
to deprive of someone or something, especially by death
besoothe
C2+
/bɪˈsuð/
to soothe thoroughly; to calm or comfort
betrayal
C2+
/bɪˈtreɪəl/
the act of being disloyal or treacherous to a trust
blackguard
C2+
/ˈblæɡɑrd/
an unprincipled, contemptible scoundrel
blear
C2+
/blɪr/
dim or blurred, as with tears or fatigue; to dim
brazen
C2+
/ˈbreɪzən/
bold and shameless; made of or like brass
condescend
C2+
/ˌkɑndɪˈsɛnd/
to behave as though superior; to deign
constrain
C2+
/kənˈstreɪn/
to compel or restrict within limits
continuation
C2+
/kənˌtɪnjuˈeɪʃən/
the act of continuing or a part that extends something
crawling
C2+
/ˈkrɔlɪŋ/
moving slowly on hands and knees or close to the ground
creeping
C2+
/ˈkripɪŋ/
moving or developing slowly and stealthily
debar
C2+
/dɪˈbɑr/
to exclude or prohibit from something
defunct
C2+
/dɪˈfʌŋkt/
no longer existing, functioning, or in use
demoralize
C2+
/dɪˈmɔrəlaɪz/
to weaken the confidence, morale, or resolve of someone
dern
C2+
/dɝn/
secret or hidden; (dialectally) to darn or mend
disavow
C2+
/ˌdɪsəˈvaʊ/
to deny any responsibility for or connection with something
disjoin
C2+
/dɪsˈdʒɔɪn/
to separate or disconnect things that were joined
dispart
C2+
/dɪsˈpɑrt/
to part asunder; to divide or separate
draffy
C2+
/ˈdræfi/
consisting of or like draff or dregs; worthless, refuse-like
entrap
C2+
/ɪnˈtræp/
to catch in or as if in a trap; to lure into wrongdoing
entreat
C2+
/ɪnˈtrit/
to ask someone earnestly or anxiously to do something; to implore
exemplification
C2+
/ɪɡˌzɛmpləfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the act of illustrating or showing something by example
formulation
C2+
/ˌfɔrmjəˈleɪʃən/
the act of expressing something precisely; a prepared mixture
gird
C2+
/ɡɝd/
to encircle or fasten with a belt; to prepare oneself for action
gripe
C2+
/ɡraɪp/
to complain persistently; a minor grievance
habituate
C2+
/həˈbɪtʃuˌeɪt/
to accustom someone or oneself to something through repetition
impending
C2+
/ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ/
about to happen, especially something threatening or unwelcome
imprecise
C2+
/ˌɪmprɪˈsaɪs/
not exact, accurate, or clearly defined
initialize
C2+
/ɪˈnɪʃəlaɪz/
to set to a starting state; to prepare a device or variable for use
intermingle
C2+
/ˌɪntərˈmɪŋɡəl/
to mix or blend together
intern
C2+
/ˈɪntɜrn/
a trainee gaining supervised practical experience; to confine as a prisoner
liss
C2+
/lɪs/
(archaic/dialectal) relief or respite; to relieve or assuage
mistrust
C2+
/ˌmɪsˈtrʌst/
lack of trust or confidence; to regard with suspicion
negate
C2+
/nɪˈɡeɪt/
to nullify or render ineffective
nictitate
C2+
/ˈnɪktɪˌteɪt/
to wink or blink, especially with a nictitating membrane