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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107 words
goldmine
C2+
/ˈɡoʊldˌmaɪn/
a mine from which gold ore is extracted
provident
C2+
/ˈpɹɒvɪdənt/
providing carefully for the future
profundity
C2+
/pɹəˈfʌndɪti/
the quality of being physically deep
eightpence
C2+
/ˈeɪt.pəns/
the monetary sum of eight pence, especially in historical British currency
rouleau
C2+
/ruːˈloʊ/
a small roll, especially a roll of coins wrapped in paper
spondulicks
C2+
/spɑːnˈduːlɪks/
dated slang: money or available funds
aggrandize
C2+
/əˈɡrændaɪz/
to increase the power, wealth, or reputation of someone or something
lavish
C2+
/ˈlævɪʃ/
luxuriously abundant, or to give in great quantity
canny
C2+
/ˈkæni/
shrewd, careful, and quick-witted, especially in money matters
creditable
C2+
/ˈkrɛdətəbəl/
deserving credit or praise; reasonably good
destitute
C2+
/ˈdɛstəˌtut/
extremely poor and lacking the basic necessities of life
remuneration
C2+
/rɪˌmjunəˈreɪʃən/
money paid for work or a service; payment
aby
C2+
/əˈbaɪ/
to pay the penalty for; to atone for
kitty
C2+
/ˈkɪti/
a pool of money contributed by a group; informally, a kitten or cat
miserly
C2+
/ˈmaɪzɚli/
extremely reluctant to spend money; stingy
pelf
C2+
/pɛlf/
money or wealth, especially when regarded as ill-gotten or contemptible
riches
C2+
/ˈrɪtʃɪz/
abundant wealth or valuable possessions
barter
C2+
/ˈbɑːrtɚ/
to exchange goods or services without using money
comptroller
C2+
/kənˈtroʊlɚ/
a controller, especially one supervising financial accounts
delinquent
C2+
/dɪˈlɪŋkwənt/
failing in duty or guilty of an offense; overdue in payment
divest
C2+
/daɪˈvɛst/
to deprive or rid of something; to sell off assets or holdings
flog
C2+
/flɑɡ/
to beat with a whip or stick; informally, to sell persistently
mammon
C2+
/ˈmæmən/
wealth regarded as an evil influence or object of devotion
pocketbook
C2+
/ˈpɑkətˌbʊk/
a wallet or purse, or one's financial resources
poorly
C2+
/ˈpʊrli/
in a substandard manner, or in poor health
affluence
C2+
/ˈæfluəns/
an abundance of wealth or material possessions
billfold
C2+
/ˈbɪlˌfoʊld/
a folding wallet for holding paper money
catchpenny
C2+
/ˈkætʃˌpɛni/
cheap and showy, made only to sell quickly
disbursement
C2+
/dɪsˈbɝsmənt/
the payment or distribution of money from a fund
enactment
C2+
/ɪˈnæktmənt/
the process of making a bill into law; a statute so passed
greed
C2+
/ɡriːd/
an excessive desire for wealth or possessions
insure
C2+
/ɪnˈʃʊr/
to arrange financial compensation against loss, damage, or harm
outgo
C2+
/ˈaʊtˌɡoʊ/
money or resources spent; expenditure or outflow
richdom
C2+
/ˈrɪtʃdəm/
an archaic word for the state of being rich; wealth or richness
sorriness
C2+
/ˈsɑrinəs/
the state of being sorrowful, regretful, or pitifully poor
uneconomical
C2+
/ˌʌnˌikəˈnɑmɪkəl/
wasteful of money, time, or resources; not cost-effective
acquisitive
C2+
/əˈkwɪzətɪv/
eager to gain and possess things, especially wealth or property
avaricious
C2+
/ˌævəˈrɪʃəs/
extremely greedy for wealth or material gain
chaffer
C2+
/ˈtʃæfɚ/
to haggle or bargain over a price
cheeseparing
C2+
/ˈtʃiːzˌpɛrɪŋ/
excessively careful with money; stingy or miserly
fortuneless
C2+
/ˈfɔrtʃənləs/
without wealth or good fortune; luckless
garnishment
C2+
/ˈɡɑrnɪʃmənt/
a legal order to withhold money, typically from wages, to pay a debt
gratis
C2+
/ˈɡrætɪs/
free of charge; without payment
impoverish
C2+
/ɪmˈpɑvɚɪʃ/
to make poor, or to deprive of strength or richness
insolvent
C2+
/ɪnˈsɑlvənt/
unable to pay one's debts; bankrupt
lolly
C2+
/ˈlɑli/
a piece of candy, especially on a stick; (British slang) money
statism
C2+
/ˈsteɪtɪzəm/
the doctrine of concentrated economic and political control in the state
unpaid
C2+
/ʌnˈpeɪd/
not yet paid; working without payment
unvaluable
C2+
/ʌnˈvæljuəbəl/
beyond price; of inestimable worth (archaic for invaluable)
wealthiness
C2+
/ˈwɛlθinəs/
the state of being rich or having abundant possessions
acquittance
C2+
/əˈkwɪtəns/
a written release confirming a debt or obligation has been discharged
affluent
C2+
/ˈæfluənt/
having an abundance of wealth; prosperous
aggrandizement
C2+
/əˈɡrændɪzmənt/
the increase of one's power, wealth, or reputation
ailing
C2+
/ˈeɪlɪŋ/
in poor health or in difficulty; unwell or failing
billholder
C2+
/ˈbɪlˌhoʊldɚ/
a clip or rack for holding bills or papers; one who holds a bill
boodle
C2+
/ˈbudəl/
slang for money, especially counterfeit or bribe money; ill-gotten gains
bouillabaisse
C2+
/ˌbujəˈbeɪs/
a rich Provençal stew of mixed fish and shellfish
champerty
C2+
/ˈtʃæmpɚti/
an illegal bargain to fund another's lawsuit for a share of the proceeds
chargeless
C2+
/ˈtʃɑrdʒləs/
free of cost or free of electrical charge
culmen
C2+
/ˈkʌlmən/
the ridge along the upper part of a bird's bill
cupidity
C2+
/kjuˈpɪdɪti/
excessive greed for wealth or possessions
deflation
C2+
/dɪˈfleɪʃən/
a fall in the general price level; the act of letting out air
dispend
C2+
/dɪsˈpɛnd/
to spend or expend, especially money (archaic)
divvy
C2+
/ˈdɪvi/
to divide and share out, especially money or spoils
doss
C2+
/dɑs/
to sleep rough or in cheap lodging; to idle (British slang)
economically
C2+
/ˌikəˈnɑmɪkli/
in a way relating to the economy or to thrift
extolment
C2+
/ɪkˈstoʊlmənt/
the act of praising highly; lavish praise
extravagantly
C2+
/ɪkˈstrævəɡəntli/
in a wastefully lavish or excessive manner
fleece
C2+
/flis/
a sheep's woolly coat; also to swindle of money
gaud
C2+
/ɡɔd/
a showy ornament or cheap trinket
groggery
C2+
/ˈɡrɑɡəri/
a cheap tavern or barroom selling liquor
honorary
C2+
/ˈɑnəˌrɛri/
conferred as an honor without the usual duties, payment, or qualifications
illiquid
C2+
/ɪˈlɪkwɪd/
not easily converted into cash; lacking ready money
impost
C2+
/ˈɪmpoʊst/
a tax or duty, especially one levied on imported goods
indebtedness
C2+
/ɪnˈdɛtɪdnəs/
the state of owing money or gratitude
indigent
C2+
/ˈɪndɪdʒənt/
poor and needy; lacking the means of subsistence
liquidity
C2+
/lɪˈkwɪdɪti/
the availability of cash or easily convertible assets
lousily
C2+
/ˈlaʊzɪli/
(informal) in a very bad or poor manner
luxe
C2+
/lʌks/
luxurious or elegantly expensive
noncompensation
C2+
/ˌnɑnˌkɑmpənˈseɪʃən/
failure or absence of compensation or payment
overdraw
C2+
/ˌoʊvɚˈdrɔ/
to withdraw more money than an account holds; to exaggerate
parsimonious
C2+
/ˌpɑrsəˈmoʊniəs/
unwilling to spend money or resources; excessively frugal
parsimony
C2+
/ˈpɑrsəmoʊni/
extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources
prepay
C2+
/priˈpeɪ/
to pay for something in advance
profuse
C2+
/prəˈfjus/
produced or given in great abundance; lavish
recessionary
C2+
/rɪˈsɛʃəˌnɛri/
relating to or characteristic of an economic recession
recoup
C2+
/rɪˈkup/
to regain or recover something lost, especially money
reimposition
C2+
/ˌriɪmpəˈzɪʃən/
the act of imposing something again, such as a tax or restriction
scam
C2+
/skæm/
a dishonest scheme to cheat someone of money or trust
stipend
C2+
/ˈstaɪpɛnd/
a fixed regular payment, especially an allowance or salary
surcharge
C2+
/ˈsɝtʃɑrdʒ/
an additional charge or payment levied on top of the standard cost
taking
C2+
/ˈteɪkɪŋ/
the act of seizing or acquiring; in the plural, money received
tithe
C2+
/taɪð/
a tenth of one's income given to the church or as a tax
underwrite
C2+
/ˌʌndɚˈraɪt/
to accept financial liability for, or to fund or guarantee
unpriced
C2+
/ʌnˈpraɪst/
having no price marked or assigned
usance
C2+
/ˈjuzəns/
the time allowed by custom for payment of a foreign bill of exchange