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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675 words
seaman
C2+
/ˈsimən/
a sailor or person who works aboard a ship
settlor
C2+
/ˈsɛtlɚ/
a person who creates a trust by settling property on trustees
shapeless
C2+
/ˈʃeɪpləs/
lacking a definite or attractive form
songster
C2+
/ˈsɔŋstɚ/
a person who sings, or a songbird
sorcerer
C2+
/ˈsɔrsərɚ/
a person who practices magic by controlling evil spirits or supernatural powers
starter
C2+
/ˈstɑrtɚ/
a person or device that begins something; a first course of a meal
stopper
C2+
/ˈstɑpɚ/
a plug for sealing a bottle or other container
stratum
C2+
/ˈstreɪtəm/
a layer of material, especially rock, or a level of society
surfer
C2+
/ˈsɜrfɚ/
a person who rides waves on a surfboard
swine
C2+
/swaɪn/
a pig or pigs; a contemptible person
tactfulness
C2+
/ˈtæktfəlnəs/
skill in handling delicate situations without giving offense
teaser
C2+
/ˈtizɚ/
something that arouses interest by giving a brief preview
tinkerer
C2+
/ˈtɪŋkərɚ/
a person who enjoys experimenting with and repairing things
triad
C2+
/ˈtraɪæd/
a group or set of three related things or people
trickster
C2+
/ˈtrɪkstər/
a person who deceives or plays tricks on others
troublemaker
C2+
/ˈtrʌbəlˌmeɪkər/
a person who habitually causes difficulty or disturbance
trumpeter
C2+
/ˈtrʌmpətər/
a person who plays the trumpet
twister
C2+
/ˈtwɪstər/
a tornado; something that twists or perplexes
vendor
C2+
/ˈvɛndɚ/
a person or company that sells goods or services
vip
C2+
/ˌviːaɪˈpiː/
a very important person granted special privileges
wrecker
C2+
/ˈrɛkɚ/
a person or thing that causes destruction, or a vehicle used to tow wrecks
abbey
C2+
/ˈæbi/
a building occupied by a community of monks or nuns
abbot
C2+
/ˈæbət/
the head of a community of monks in an abbey
abecedarian
C2+
/ˌeɪbiːsiːˈdɛriən/
a person learning the alphabet or rudiments; a beginner
abettor
C2+
/əˈbɛtɚ/
a person who encourages or assists another in wrongdoing
abhorrer
C2+
/əbˈhɔrɚ/
a person who abhors or detests something
abstractor
C2+
/æbˈstræktɚ/
a person who prepares summaries or abstracts of documents
accepter
C2+
/əkˈsɛptɚ/
a person who accepts or agrees to something
acquirer
C2+
/əˈkwaɪrər/
a person or company that gains possession of something
adapter
C2+
/əˈdæptər/
a device or person that adapts one thing to fit another
addresser
C2+
/əˈdrɛsər/
a person who addresses or sends something to another
adjuster
C2+
/əˈdʒʌstər/
a person who settles claims or a device that regulates something
adulterer
C2+
/əˈdʌltərər/
a person who engages in extramarital sexual relations
affectedness
C2+
/əˈfɛktɪdnəs/
artificiality of manner; pretentious behavior meant to impress
aggressor
C2+
/əˈɡrɛsər/
a person or nation that initiates an attack or hostility
agrarian
C2+
/əˈɡrɛriən/
relating to cultivated land or agricultural society
allocator
C2+
/ˈæləˌkeɪtɚ/
a person or thing that distributes resources among uses or claimants
amnesty
C2+
/ˈæmnəsti/
an official pardon for people convicted of political or other offenses
analogue
C2+
/ˈænəˌlɔɡ/
a person or thing comparable to another in some respect
anchorless
C2+
/ˈæŋkɚləs/
lacking an anchor or any stabilizing foundation; adrift
animalian
C2+
/ˌænɪˈmeɪliən/
of, relating to, or characteristic of animals
anonym
C2+
/ˈænəˌnɪm/
an anonymous person, or a false or assumed name
anonymously
C2+
/əˈnɑnɪməsli/
without the name of the person responsible being known or revealed
anonymousness
C2+
/əˈnɑnɪməsnəs/
the state of being unnamed or of unknown identity
antehuman
C2+
/ˌæntiˈhjumən/
existing or occurring before the appearance of human beings
anticapitalist
C2+
/ˌæntiˈkæpɪtəlɪst/
opposed to capitalism, or a person holding such views
apologist
C2+
/əˈpɑlədʒɪst/
a person who argues in defense of a controversial doctrine or institution
apologizer
C2+
/əˈpɑləˌdʒaɪzɚ/
a person who apologizes or expresses regret
applier
C2+
/əˈplaɪɚ/
a person or device that applies something
arbitrator
C2+
/ˈɑrbɪˌtreɪtɚ/
an impartial person chosen to settle a dispute
archivist
C2+
/ˈɑrkɪvɪst/
a person who maintains and preserves archives of records or documents
archmagician
C2+
/ˌɑrtʃməˈdʒɪʃən/
a supreme or chief magician; a master of magic
aristocrat
C2+
/əˈrɪstəˌkræt/
a member of the nobility or hereditary ruling class
artefact
C2+
/ˈɑrtəˌfækt/
an object made by a human, especially one of historical interest
astrology
C2+
/əˈstrɑlədʒi/
the study of how the positions of stars and planets supposedly influence human affairs
aura
C2+
/ˈɔrə/
a distinctive atmosphere or quality surrounding a person or thing
authorship
C2+
/ˈɔθɚˌʃɪp/
the fact or identity of having written a particular work
autocracy
C2+
/ɔˈtɑkrəsi/
government by a single person holding absolute power
autoist
C2+
/ˈɔtoʊɪst/
a person who drives or travels by automobile; a motorist
automobilist
C2+
/ˌɔtəmoʊˈbilɪst/
a person who drives or rides in an automobile; a motorist
bargainer
C2+
/ˈbɑrɡɪnɚ/
a person who negotiates over terms or price
bather
C2+
/ˈbeɪðɚ/
a person who bathes, especially in the sea or a pool
beardy
C2+
/ˈbɪrdi/
having a beard or notably hairy; informally a bearded person
beautifier
C2+
/ˈbjutəˌfaɪɚ/
a person or thing that makes something beautiful
bedmate
C2+
/ˈbɛdˌmeɪt/
a person with whom one shares a bed
behaviorist
C2+
/bɪˈheɪvjərɪst/
a psychologist who studies observable behavior rather than inner states
bibber
C2+
/ˈbɪbɚ/
a person who drinks often or to excess; a tippler
bicyclist
C2+
/ˈbaɪsɪklɪst/
a person who rides a bicycle
blackball
C2+
/ˈblækbɔl/
to reject or exclude someone, especially by voting against their membership
bombshell
C2+
/ˈbɑmʃɛl/
a sudden and shocking piece of news; also a strikingly attractive person
boneless
C2+
/ˈboʊnləs/
having no bones; also figuratively lacking firmness or courage
boor
C2+
/bʊr/
a rude, ill-mannered, or insensitive person
botanist
C2+
/ˈbɑtənɪst/
a scientist who studies plants
bottler
C2+
/ˈbɑtlər/
a person or machine that bottles liquids; Australian slang for something excellent
boycott
C2+
/ˈbɔɪkɑt/
to refuse to deal with a person, company, or country as a protest
brainless
C2+
/ˈbreɪnləs/
foolish or stupid; lacking intelligence
bruiser
C2+
/ˈbruzɚ/
a tough, burly, aggressive person, especially a fighter
brute
C2+
/brut/
a savage or cruel person; relying on raw force rather than reason
budder
C2+
/ˈbʌdɚ/
a soft, butter-like cannabis concentrate; a thing or person that buds
bummer
C2+
/ˈbʌmɚ/
an unpleasant or disappointing experience; an idle loafer
bumpkin
C2+
/ˈbʌmpkɪn/
an unsophisticated or awkward rustic person
burgess
C2+
/ˈbɜrdʒɪs/
a citizen or freeman of a borough; a borough's representative in early legislatures
burster
C2+
/ˈbɜrstɚ/
something that bursts; an astronomical source emitting bursts of radiation
butterfingers
C2+
/ˈbʌtɚˌfɪŋɡɚz/
a clumsy person who frequently drops things
cabdriver
C2+
/ˈkæbˌdraɪvɚ/
a person who drives a taxicab for hire
cameraman
C2+
/ˈkæmrəˌmæn/
a person who operates a film or television camera
caper
C2+
/ˈkeɪpɚ/
a playful leap or madcap escapade; to skip about merrily
cartographer
C2+
/kɑrˈtɑɡrəfɚ/
a person who draws or makes maps
caterer
C2+
/ˈkeɪtərɚ/
a person or firm that provides food for events
celebrant
C2+
/ˈsɛləbrənt/
a person who officiates at or takes part in a religious rite
celebrator
C2+
/ˈsɛləˌbreɪtɚ/
a person who celebrates an occasion or event
centenarian
C2+
/ˌsɛntəˈnɛriən/
a person who is a hundred or more years old
chapman
C2+
/ˈtʃæpmən/
an itinerant dealer or peddler of goods
characteristically
C2+
/ˌkɛrəktəˈrɪstɪkli/
in a way typical of a person or thing
characterless
C2+
/ˈkɛrəktɚləs/
lacking distinctive qualities or individuality
charmer
C2+
/ˈtʃɑrmɚ/
a person with an attractive, beguiling manner