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
populace
C2+
/ˈpɑpjələs/
the general public; the ordinary people of a place
postbox
C2+
/ˈpoʊstˌbɑks/
a public box into which letters are placed for collection by the post office
practician
C2+
/prækˈtɪʃən/
a person who practices an art or profession; a practitioner
pretender
C2+
/prɪˈtɛndɚ/
a person who makes a false or disputed claim, especially to a throne
preventer
C2+
/prɪˈvɛntɚ/
a person or thing that prevents something, or a rope securing a sail or boom
profligate
C2+
/ˈprɑflɪɡət/
recklessly wasteful or extravagant; a person of such habits
progeny
C2+
/ˈprɑdʒəni/
a person's descendants or an animal's offspring
prohibitor
C2+
/proʊˈhɪbɪtɚ/
a person or thing that forbids or prevents something
proletarian
C2+
/ˌproʊləˈtɛriən/
relating to the working class; a member of the working class
propitiation
C2+
/prəˌpɪʃiˈeɪʃən/
the act of appeasing or winning the favor of a deity or person
proprietorship
C2+
/prəˈpraɪətɚʃɪp/
the state of being an owner, or a business owned by one person
proscript
C2+
/ˈproʊskrɪpt/
a person who has been outlawed or condemned by proscription
protector
C2+
/prəˈtɛktɚ/
a person or thing that defends or guards against harm
provocator
C2+
/ˈprɑvəˌkeɪtɚ/
a person who deliberately provokes or incites trouble
pugilist
C2+
/ˈpjudʒəlɪst/
a person who fights with their fists; a boxer
punisher
C2+
/ˈpʌnɪʃɚ/
a person or thing that inflicts punishment
puppet
C2+
/ˈpʌpɪt/
a figure moved by strings or hands, or a person controlled by another
purge
C2+
/pɝdʒ/
to rid of unwanted elements; a sudden removal of people or things
puritan
C2+
/ˈpjʊrɪtən/
a person with strict moral views; relating to such austerity
pursuer
C2+
/pɚˈsuɚ/
a person who chases or follows another, or a plaintiff in Scots law
purveyor
C2+
/pɚˈveɪɚ/
a person or company that supplies goods or services
querent
C2+
/ˈkwɪrənt/
a person who consults an astrologer or fortune-teller with a question
reactionary
C2+
/riˈækʃəˌnɛri/
opposing political or social progress, favoring a return to former ways
recital
C2+
/rɪˈsaɪtəl/
a public performance of music or a detailed account of facts
recognizance
C2+
/rɪˈkɑɡnɪzəns/
a formal bond binding a person to fulfill an obligation, as appearing in court
reimburse
C2+
/ˌriɪmˈbɝs/
to repay a person for money they have spent or lost
reliever
C2+
/rɪˈlivɚ/
a person or thing that relieves; in baseball, a relief pitcher
remainderman
C2+
/rɪˈmeɪndɚˌmæn/
a person who inherits an estate after a prior interest ends
repairer
C2+
/rɪˈpɛrɚ/
a person who repairs or mends things
resister
C2+
/rɪˈzɪstɚ/
a person who opposes or withstands something
resolver
C2+
/rɪˈzɑlvɚ/
a person or thing that resolves something, such as a dispute or a name
reviewer
C2+
/rɪˈvjuɚ/
a person who writes critical assessments of books, films, or work
rioting
C2+
/ˈraɪətɪŋ/
violent public disorder by a crowd; engaging in such disorder
ripper
C2+
/ˈrɪpɚ/
a person or tool that rips; informally, something excellent
robber
C2+
/ˈrɑbɚ/
a person who steals from another by force or threat
rota
C2+
/ˈroʊtə/
a roster showing a rotation of duties among people
ruiner
C2+
/ˈruɪnɚ/
a person or thing that ruins or destroys something
ruminator
C2+
/ˈruməˌneɪtɚ/
one who ruminates; a person given to deep or anxious reflection
sanitarian
C2+
/ˌsænəˈtɛriən/
a specialist in public health and sanitation
saphead
C2+
/ˈsæpˌhɛd/
a foolish or simple-minded person
sapless
C2+
/ˈsæpləs/
lacking sap; dry, lifeless, or without vigor
sapskull
C2+
/ˈsæpˌskʌl/
a stupid or dull-witted person; a blockhead
schemer
C2+
/ˈskimɚ/
a person who devises cunning or underhanded plans
schoolfellow
C2+
/ˈskulˌfɛloʊ/
a person who attends or attended the same school as another
scoundrel
C2+
/ˈskaʊndrəl/
a dishonest or unprincipled person; a villain
scratcher
C2+
/ˈskrætʃɚ/
a person or thing that scratches; a tool for scratching
scrounger
C2+
/ˈskraʊndʒɚ/
a person who obtains things by begging, borrowing, or cadging
seafarer
C2+
/ˈsiˌfɛrɚ/
a person who travels by sea, especially a sailor
selfness
C2+
/ˈsɛlfnəs/
the quality of individual selfhood; egotism or self-regard
sender
C2+
/ˈsɛndɚ/
a person or device that sends something, such as a message
sinister
C2+
/ˈsɪnɪstər/
giving an impression of evil or threatening harm
sisterhood
C2+
/ˈsɪstərhʊd/
the bond or community among women, or a religious order of women
sitter
C2+
/ˈsɪtər/
a person who looks after a child, pet, or house, or who poses for a portrait
smasher
C2+
/ˈsmæʃər/
a person or thing that smashes; informally, something impressive
snicker
C2+
/ˈsnɪkər/
to laugh quietly and slyly, often disrespectfully
snoozer
C2+
/ˈsnuzər/
a person who dozes; informally, something tediously boring
societal
C2+
/səˈsaɪətəl/
relating to society or its organization
speechmaker
C2+
/ˈspitʃˌmeɪkɚ/
a person who makes speeches, especially frequently or skillfully
spiritualist
C2+
/ˈspɪrɪtʃuəlɪst/
a person who believes the dead can communicate with the living
spoilsport
C2+
/ˈspɔɪlˌspɔrt/
a person who spoils the pleasure or enjoyment of others
stature
C2+
/ˈstætʃɚ/
a person's natural height, or their standing and reputation
steadfastness
C2+
/ˈstɛdˌfæstnəs/
firm and unwavering loyalty, resolve, or constancy
stealer
C2+
/ˈstilɚ/
a person who steals; a thief
stinker
C2+
/ˈstɪŋkɚ/
a contemptible person or thing, or something that stinks
strengthener
C2+
/ˈstrɛŋθənɚ/
a thing that strengthens or reinforces something
strengthless
C2+
/ˈstrɛŋθləs/
lacking strength; feeble or powerless
stretcher
C2+
/ˈstrɛtʃɚ/
a framework for carrying an injured or sick person
stunner
C2+
/ˈstʌnɚ/
a strikingly impressive or attractive person or thing
submariner
C2+
/səbˈmɛrɪnɚ/
a member of the crew of a submarine
suer
C2+
/ˈsuɚ/
a person who sues or petitions; one who brings a lawsuit
superbrain
C2+
/ˈsupɚbreɪn/
a person of exceptional intelligence, or a vastly powerful collective mind
surety
C2+
/ˈʃʊrəti/
a person who takes responsibility for another's obligation, or a guarantee
tactless
C2+
/ˈtæktləs/
lacking sensitivity in dealing with others; undiplomatic
termless
C2+
/ˈtɝmləs/
having no limit or end; boundless
theorizer
C2+
/ˈθiəˌraɪzɚ/
a person who forms theories or speculates
threesome
C2+
/ˈθrisəm/
a group of three people
toiler
C2+
/ˈtɔɪlɚ/
a person who works hard and laboriously
traditionalist
C2+
/trəˈdɪʃənəlɪst/
a person who favors established customs over innovation
tramcar
C2+
/ˈtræmˌkɑr/
a streetcar running on rails laid in a public road
tramway
C2+
/ˈtræmˌweɪ/
a system of tracks for trams along public streets
treacher
C2+
/ˈtrɛtʃɚ/
archaic term for a traitor or deceiver
underwriter
C2+
/ˈʌndɚˌraɪtɚ/
a person or firm that assesses and assumes financial risk, as in insurance
unencumber
C2+
/ˌʌnɪnˈkʌmbɚ/
to free from a burden or impediment
unfriend
C2+
/ʌnˈfrɛnd/
to remove someone from one's list of contacts on a social network
uninitiate
C2+
/ˌʌnɪˈnɪʃiɪt/
a person not initiated into special knowledge; uninstructed
unveiling
C2+
/ʌnˈveɪlɪŋ/
a formal public revelation or first showing of something
vendee
C2+
/vɛnˈdi/
the person to whom something is sold; a buyer
victor
C2+
/ˈvɪktər/
a person who defeats an opponent; a winner
victuals
C2+
/ˈvɪtəlz/
food or provisions, especially for human consumption
violinist
C2+
/ˌvaɪəˈlɪnɪst/
a person who plays the violin
violoncellist
C2+
/ˌvaɪələnˈtʃɛlɪst/
a person who plays the violoncello (cello)
voluntarism
C2+
/ˈvɑlən.tɛˌrɪzəm/
the doctrine that the will is the fundamental principle of the individual or the universe
voluntarist
C2+
/ˈvɑlən.tɛrɪst/
a person who holds that the will is primary, or relating to such a doctrine
vulture
C2+
/ˈvʌl.tʃɚ/
a large carrion-eating bird of prey, or a person who preys on others' misfortune
whiz
C2+
/wɪz/
to move swiftly with a hissing sound, or an expert person
youngling
C2+
/ˈjʌŋ.lɪŋ/
a young person, animal, or plant (archaic or literary)