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
progressively
C2+
/prəˈɡrɛsɪvli/
in a manner increasing steadily by stages or degrees
pup
C2+
/pʌp/
a young dog or the young of certain other animals
quandary
C2+
/ˈkwɑndri/
a state of uncertainty or perplexity over a difficult choice
rabid
C2+
/ˈræbɪd/
having or proceeding from extreme fanaticism; also, affected by rabies
refine
C2+
/rɪˈfaɪn/
to remove impurities from, or to improve by making small changes
relevancy
C2+
/ˈrɛləvənsi/
the quality of being pertinent or connected to the matter at hand
responsibly
C2+
/rɪˈspɑnsəbli/
in a sensible, accountable, or trustworthy manner
salient
C2+
/ˈseɪliənt/
most noticeable or important; prominent
sappy
C2+
/ˈsæpi/
excessively sentimental; also, full of sap
scrawny
C2+
/ˈskrɔni/
unattractively thin and bony
selflessness
C2+
/ˈsɛlfləsnəs/
the quality of caring more for others than for oneself
serpent
C2+
/ˈsɜrpənt/
a snake, especially a large or symbolically evil one
similitude
C2+
/sɪˈmɪlɪtud/
the quality of being similar; a comparison or likeness
solemn
C2+
/ˈsɑləm/
formal, serious, and dignified; grave
sonorous
C2+
/səˈnɔrəs/
having a deep, full, resonant sound
sparse
C2+
/spɑrs/
thinly distributed or scarce; not dense
spiciness
C2+
/ˈspaɪsinəs/
the quality of being pungent, hot, or piquant in flavor
sporadically
C2+
/spəˈrædɪkli/
occurring at irregular intervals; occasionally and scattered
stagy
C2+
/ˈsteɪdʒi/
excessively theatrical or artificial in manner
stupidity
C2+
/stuˈpɪdəti/
the quality of lacking intelligence or good sense
suade
C2+
/sweɪd/
to urge or persuade; an archaic short form of persuade
sundry
C2+
/ˈsʌndri/
of various kinds; several and miscellaneous
systematically
C2+
/ˌsɪstəˈmætɪkli/
in a methodical manner according to a fixed plan or system
tab
C2+
/tæb/
a small projecting flap or label; also a running bill or account
tierce
C2+
/tɪrs/
a third in fencing, music, or cards; an old liquid measure of a cask
tractable
C2+
/ˈtræktəbəl/
easy to control, manage, or deal with; docile
unalloyed
C2+
/ˌʌnəˈlɔɪd/
pure and unqualified; not mixed with anything that diminishes it
unassociated
C2+
/ˌʌnəˈsoʊʃiˌeɪtɪd/
not connected or linked with something else
unbelievably
C2+
/ˌʌnbɪˈlivəbli/
to an extent that is hard to credit; remarkably
unceasing
C2+
/ʌnˈsisɪŋ/
never stopping; continuous and relentless
unconnected
C2+
/ˌʌnkəˈnɛktɪd/
not joined or related; without logical link
undivided
C2+
/ˌʌndɪˈvaɪdɪd/
not split or shared; complete and whole
unhabited
C2+
/ʌnˈhæbɪtɪd/
not lived in; uninhabited
univocal
C2+
/juˈnɪvəkəl/
having only one possible meaning; unambiguous
unparalleled
C2+
/ʌnˈpærəˌlɛld/
having no equal; without comparison
unqualified
C2+
/ʌnˈkwɑləˌfaɪd/
lacking required qualifications; or complete and absolute
unrelenting
C2+
/ˌʌnrɪˈlɛntɪŋ/
not yielding in severity or determination; relentless
unrestricted
C2+
/ˌʌnrɪˈstrɪktɪd/
not limited or controlled by rules or conditions
unsettled
C2+
/ʌnˈsɛtəld/
not calm, fixed, or resolved; uneasy or changeable
unsufficient
C2+
/ˌʌnsəˈfɪʃənt/
not enough or adequate; an archaic form of insufficient
unyielding
C2+
/ʌnˈjildɪŋ/
not giving way to pressure; rigid or firmly resolute
vehemence
C2+
/ˈviəməns/
the quality of showing strong, forceful feeling or conviction
vend
C2+
/vɛnd/
to sell, especially in small quantities or by machine
virtuous
C2+
/ˈvɜrtʃuəs/
having or showing high moral standards; righteous
wakeful
C2+
/ˈweɪkfəl/
unable or not wanting to sleep; alert and watchful
wonderfully
C2+
/ˈwʌndərfəli/
in an extremely pleasing or remarkable way
abnormalism
C2+
/æbˈnɔrməˌlɪzəm/
the condition or an instance of being abnormal; an abnormality
acceptableness
C2+
/ækˈsɛptəbəlnəs/
the quality of being acceptable or satisfactory
adage
C2+
/ˈædɪdʒ/
a short, traditional saying expressing a general truth
adaptability
C2+
/əˌdæptəˈbɪləti/
the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions
adoptive
C2+
/əˈdɑptɪv/
related by adoption rather than by birth
adverseness
C2+
/ædˈvɝsnəs/
the quality of being adverse, hostile, or unfavourable
affirm
C2+
/əˈfɝm/
to state firmly as true; to declare positively
aforehand
C2+
/əˈfɔrˌhænd/
beforehand; in advance (archaic)
alfresco
C2+
/ælˈfrɛskoʊ/
in the open air; outdoors
allegoric
C2+
/ˌæləˈɡɔrɪk/
relating to or characterized by allegory
antiquarian
C2+
/ˌæntəˈkwɛriən/
relating to or dealing in antiques and old books; a collector of such
approachability
C2+
/əˌproʊtʃəˈbɪləti/
the quality of being easy to approach or talk to
aquamarine
C2+
/ˌækwəməˈrin/
a pale blue-green gemstone, or its colour
archetypical
C2+
/ˌɑrkəˈtɪpɪkəl/
serving as a typical or perfect example; archetypal
arguable
C2+
/ˈɑrɡjuəbəl/
open to dispute; able to be supported by argument
ascetic
C2+
/əˈsɛtɪk/
practicing severe self-discipline and abstaining from worldly pleasures
ascititious
C2+
/ˌæsɪˈtɪʃəs/
added or supplemental rather than inherent; adventitious
asinine
C2+
/ˈæsəˌnaɪn/
extremely stupid or foolish
assorted
C2+
/əˈsɔrtɪd/
consisting of various kinds grouped together
astronomical
C2+
/ˌæstrəˈnɑmɪkəl/
extremely large; relating to astronomy
atmospherical
C2+
/ˌætməsˈfɛrɪkəl/
relating to the atmosphere or surrounding air
attainture
C2+
/əˈteɪntʃɚ/
the condition of being attainted; disgrace or stain on one's honor
auld
C2+
/ɑld/
old (chiefly Scots dialect)
authentically
C2+
/ɔˈθɛntɪkli/
in a genuine or true manner
availableness
C2+
/əˈveɪləbəlnəs/
the quality of being available or able to be obtained
averagely
C2+
/ˈævərɪdʒli/
to an ordinary or middling degree
aversion
C2+
/əˈvɜrʒən/
a strong dislike or disinclination
avowal
C2+
/əˈvaʊəl/
an open declaration or frank admission
backbreaking
C2+
/ˈbækˌbreɪkɪŋ/
physically exhausting and arduous
baggy
C2+
/ˈbæɡi/
loose and hanging in folds
basal
C2+
/ˈbeɪsəl/
forming or belonging to a base; fundamental
bearable
C2+
/ˈbɛrəbəl/
able to be endured or tolerated
beautifulness
C2+
/ˈbjutɪfəlnəs/
the quality of being beautiful
beck
C2+
/bɛk/
a gesture of command or summons; a small stream (dialectal)
beingness
C2+
/ˈbiɪŋnəs/
the state or quality of existing; existence
believability
C2+
/bɪˌlivəˈbɪlɪti/
the quality of being credible or convincing
bhoy
C2+
/bɔɪ/
a boy or lad (Irish dialectal spelling)
blatantly
C2+
/ˈbleɪtəntli/
in an obvious and unashamed manner
blemish
C2+
/ˈblɛmɪʃ/
a small flaw that spoils appearance or perfection
bluebottle
C2+
/ˈbluˌbɑtəl/
a large buzzing fly with a metallic-blue body; (British slang) a policeman
bolster
C2+
/ˈboʊlstɚ/
to support or strengthen; a long firm pillow or cushion
brassbound
C2+
/ˈbræsˌbaʊnd/
bound or trimmed with brass; rigidly inflexible or hidebound
brawny
C2+
/ˈbrɔni/
physically strong and muscular
brooding
C2+
/ˈbrudɪŋ/
deeply and gloomily thoughtful; menacingly somber
broom
C2+
/brum/
a long-handled brush for sweeping floors; a yellow-flowered shrub
brumal
C2+
/ˈbruməl/
of or relating to winter; wintry
bulldog
C2+
/ˈbʊlˌdɔɡ/
a stocky short-faced dog breed; to attack or hold stubbornly
calculus
C2+
/ˈkælkjələs/
the mathematics of continuous change; a hard stone formed in the body
canary
C2+
/kəˈnɛri/
a small yellow songbird often kept as a pet
capableness
C2+
/ˈkeɪpəbəlnəs/
the quality of being able or competent