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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2203 words
dotterel
C2+
/ˈdɑtərəl/
a small migratory plover of upland and tundra habitats
drab
C2+
/dræb/
dull and lacking brightness or interest; of a dull brownish color
drippy
C2+
/ˈdrɪpi/
tending to drip; (informal) weakly sentimental or feeble
ductile
C2+
/ˈdʌktəl/
able to be drawn out into a thin wire; easily molded or led
endow
C2+
/ɪnˈdaʊ/
to provide with property, income, or a quality or ability
endurable
C2+
/ɪnˈdʊrəbəl/
able to be borne or tolerated
energetically
C2+
/ˌɛnɚˈdʒɛtɪkli/
in a vigorous and active manner
engrave
C2+
/ɪnˈɡreɪv/
to cut or carve a design or text into a hard surface
enrapt
C2+
/ɪnˈræpt/
filled with delight or wonder; enraptured
equivalently
C2+
/ɪˈkwɪvələntli/
in an equal or interchangeable manner
erenow
C2+
/ɛrˈnaʊ/
before now; ere now
evanescent
C2+
/ˌɛvəˈnɛsənt/
quickly fading or vanishing; fleeting
exactitude
C2+
/ɪɡˈzæktɪtud/
the quality of being exact, precise, or accurate
exasperated
C2+
/ɪɡˈzæspəreɪtɪd/
intensely irritated and frustrated
excessiveness
C2+
/ɪkˈsɛsɪvnəs/
the quality of being too much or going beyond reasonable limits
expectant
C2+
/ɪkˈspɛktənt/
hopefully anticipating something; pregnant
fable
C2+
/ˈfeɪbəl/
a short tale conveying a moral, often with animal characters
facile
C2+
/ˈfæsəl/
achieved with little effort, often superficially so
factual
C2+
/ˈfæktʃuəl/
based on or concerned with facts; actually true
fantastical
C2+
/fænˈtæstɪkəl/
imaginative or fanciful; resembling something from fantasy
feckly
C2+
/ˈfɛkli/
mostly or for the most part (Scots dialect)
feminine
C2+
/ˈfɛmənɪn/
having qualities traditionally associated with women
fictitious
C2+
/fɪkˈtɪʃəs/
invented or imaginary; not real
flyer
C2+
/ˈflaɪɚ/
a small printed advertisement; one who flies
followingly
C2+
/ˈfɑloʊɪŋli/
in a manner that follows; subsequently or accordingly
fortuity
C2+
/fɔrˈtuːɪti/
a chance occurrence; the quality of happening by accident
fragility
C2+
/frəˈdʒɪlɪti/
the quality of being easily broken or delicate
frolicsome
C2+
/ˈfrɑlɪksəm/
full of playful, lively high spirits
froward
C2+
/ˈfroʊwɚd/
stubbornly contrary and disobedient (archaic)
fugacious
C2+
/fjuˈɡeɪʃəs/
tending to disappear quickly; fleeting
garnish
C2+
/ˈɡɑrnɪʃ/
to decorate food with a small embellishment; such a decoration
geezer
C2+
/ˈɡiːzɚ/
an old man, often eccentric; (British slang) a man or fellow
germane
C2+
/dʒɚˈmeɪn/
relevant and appropriate to the matter under consideration
gigantic
C2+
/dʒaɪˈɡæntɪk/
of enormous size; immense
glaringly
C2+
/ˈɡlɛrɪŋli/
in a way that is obvious and conspicuous, especially badly so
globular
C2+
/ˈɡlɑbjələr/
shaped like a globe or sphere; composed of globules
gravid
C2+
/ˈɡrævɪd/
pregnant; full of eggs; heavy with significance
groovy
C2+
/ˈɡruːvi/
fashionable and excellent (informal, dated)
groundly
C2+
/ˈɡraʊndli/
thoroughly or fundamentally (archaic)
grownup
C2+
/ˈɡroʊnˌʌp/
an adult; characteristic of adults
grueling
C2+
/ˈɡruːəlɪŋ/
extremely tiring and demanding
gustful
C2+
/ˈɡʌstfəl/
full of relish or zest; tasty (archaic)
hep
C2+
/hɛp/
aware of or fashionable about the latest trends (dated slang)
idealism
C2+
/aɪˈdiːəˌlɪzəm/
the pursuit of high ideals; a philosophy stressing mind or ideas
immodest
C2+
/ɪˈmɑdɪst/
lacking modesty; indecent or conceitedly boastful
implicit
C2+
/ɪmˈplɪsɪt/
implied though not plainly expressed; absolute and unquestioning
incomplete
C2+
/ˌɪnkəmˈplit/
not finished or lacking some necessary part
indicative
C2+
/ɪnˈdɪkətɪv/
serving as a sign or indication of something
indifferently
C2+
/ɪnˈdɪfrəntli/
without interest or concern; in a mediocre manner
indistinguishable
C2+
/ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəbəl/
impossible to tell apart from something else
infantile
C2+
/ˈɪnfəntaɪl/
of or like an infant; childishly immature
informatory
C2+
/ɪnˈfɔrmətɔri/
giving information; instructive
infrequent
C2+
/ɪnˈfrikwənt/
not occurring often; rare
infuse
C2+
/ɪnˈfjuz/
to fill or imbue with a quality; to steep in liquid to extract flavour
inlet
C2+
/ˈɪnlɛt/
a small narrow arm of water reaching inland; an opening for intake
intimately
C2+
/ˈɪntɪmətli/
in a close, personal, or detailed way
inveterate
C2+
/ɪnˈvɛtərət/
having a long-established and unlikely-to-change habit
invincible
C2+
/ɪnˈvɪnsəbəl/
too powerful to be defeated or overcome
justiciar
C2+
/dʒʌˈstɪʃiər/
a high medieval English judicial and administrative officer of the crown
knotty
C2+
/ˈnɑti/
full of knots; complicated and difficult to solve
likeliness
C2+
/ˈlaɪklinəs/
the quality of being probable; likelihood
lone
C2+
/loʊn/
solitary; having no companions
longing
C2+
/ˈlɔŋɪŋ/
a strong, persistent yearning or desire
longsome
C2+
/ˈlɔŋsəm/
(archaic) tediously long; wearisome
loudness
C2+
/ˈlaʊdnəs/
the quality or degree of being loud; perceived sound intensity
macroscopic
C2+
/ˌmækrəˈskɑpɪk/
large enough to be seen by the naked eye; large-scale
markworthy
C2+
/ˈmɑrkwɜrði/
(rare) worthy of notice or remark; noteworthy
maxim
C2+
/ˈmæksɪm/
a short pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct
mayhap
C2+
/ˈmeɪhæp/
(archaic) perhaps; possibly
meagerly
C2+
/ˈmiɡərli/
in a scanty or insufficient manner
meditative
C2+
/ˈmɛdɪteɪtɪv/
given to or expressing deep, calm thought
mentionable
C2+
/ˈmɛnʃənəbəl/
fit or suitable to be mentioned
mildly
C2+
/ˈmaɪldli/
to a moderate degree; gently
misinform
C2+
/ˌmɪsɪnˈfɔrm/
to give someone false or misleading information
multicolored
C2+
/ˈmʌltiˌkʌlərd/
having many colours
noneffervescent
C2+
/ˌnɑnˌɛfərˈvɛsənt/
not bubbling or fizzing; lacking effervescence
nonsingular
C2+
/ˌnɑnˈsɪŋɡjələr/
of a matrix, having an inverse; invertible
nook
C2+
/nʊk/
a small, secluded, or sheltered corner or recess
normalize
C2+
/ˈnɔrməˌlaɪz/
to bring into conformity with a standard or norm; to make normal
normative
C2+
/ˈnɔrmətɪv/
relating to or prescribing a norm or standard
noticeably
C2+
/ˈnoʊtɪsəbli/
to a degree that is clearly perceptible
obese
C2+
/oʊˈbis/
grossly overweight; excessively fat
observably
C2+
/əbˈzɜrvəbli/
in a way that can be observed or perceived
observational
C2+
/ˌɑbzərˈveɪʃənəl/
based on observing rather than experimenting or theorizing
occult
C2+
/əˈkʌlt/
relating to supernatural or mystical forces; hidden from ordinary view
older
C2+
/ˈoʊldər/
comparative of old; having lived or existed longer
opaqueness
C2+
/oʊˈpeɪknəs/
the quality of not letting light through; obscurity of meaning
operant
C2+
/ˈɑpərənt/
producing effects; relating to behavior modified by its consequences
oppressive
C2+
/əˈprɛsɪv/
unjustly harsh or burdensome; weighing heavily on the spirit
outlandish
C2+
/aʊtˈlændɪʃ/
bizarre, strange, or unfamiliar in a striking way
pamphlet
C2+
/ˈpæmflɪt/
a small unbound booklet, often on a topical or political subject
paucity
C2+
/ˈpɔsɪti/
the presence of something in only small or insufficient quantities
pliable
C2+
/ˈplaɪəbəl/
easily bent without breaking; easily influenced
pliant
C2+
/ˈplaɪənt/
bending readily; supple or easily influenced
polished
C2+
/ˈpɑlɪʃt/
smooth and shiny from rubbing; refined and accomplished
predisposition
C2+
/ˌpridɪspəˈzɪʃən/
an inclination or tendency to a particular condition or behavior