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
middle-class
C2+
/ˈmɪdəlˈklæs/
belonging to the socioeconomic group between the working class and the upper class
mandel
C2+
/ˈmændəl/
a surname or given name, especially in Germanic and Jewish usage
demander
C2+
a person or group that demands or asks for something
Koryak
C2+
/ˈkɔːriˌæk/
a member of an Indigenous people of the northern Kamchatka Peninsula and neighboring parts of the Russian Far East
unpeople
C2+
/ʌnˈpiːpəl/
to remove the inhabitants from a place or cause it to become deserted
Kalmyk
C2+
/kælˈmɪk/
a member of a traditionally Buddhist Oirat Mongol people living chiefly in Kalmykia near the northwestern Caspian Sea
ace
C2+
/eɪs/
a person who excels at something, or a playing card marked with a single pip
ass
C2+
/æs/
a donkey, or a foolish or stupid person
hereafter
C2+
/hɪɹˈæftɚ/
from now on or after this; the life after death
bitch
C2+
/bɪtʃ/
a female dog; (vulgar) a spiteful person or to complain
comfortless
C2+
/ˈkʌmfɚtləs/
without comfort, consolation, or ease
sober
C2+
/ˈsoʊbɚ/
not drunk; serious, solemn, or restrained
babe
C2+
/beɪb/
a baby or young child; an inexperienced person; an attractive person
blitheness
C2+
/ˈblaɪðnəs/
carefree cheerfulness or lighthearted indifference
flake
C2+
/fleɪk/
a small thin fragment; an unreliable person; to peel off
beleaguer
C2+
/bɪˈliɡɚ/
to surround with troops; to beset with difficulties or harassment
chum
C2+
/tʃʌm/
a close friend; (verb) to bait water with fish remains to attract fish
desist
C2+
/dɪˈsɪst/
to cease or stop doing something
bowelless
C2+
/ˈbaʊəlləs/
lacking compassion or pity; without bowels of mercy (archaic)
controller
C2+
/kənˈtroʊlɚ/
a person or device that directs or regulates something
crackpot
C2+
/ˈkrækpɑt/
an eccentric or foolish person with strange ideas
elder
C2+
/ˈɛldɚ/
older, or a senior and respected member of a group
geriatric
C2+
/ˌdʒɛriˈætrɪk/
relating to old people and their health care
jerk
C2+
/dʒɜrk/
a sudden sharp movement, or a contemptible person
luster
C2+
/ˈlʌstɚ/
a gentle sheen or radiant glow
mystic
C2+
/ˈmɪstɪk/
a person who seeks union with the divine, or spiritually mysterious
admirer
C2+
/ədˈmaɪrɚ/
a person who regards another with admiration
cleric
C2+
/ˈklɛrɪk/
a member of the clergy; an ordained religious official
comely
C2+
/ˈkʌmli/
(of a person) pleasant to look at; attractive
compassionless
C2+
/kəmˈpæʃənləs/
lacking compassion; pitiless
counselor
C2+
/ˈkaʊnsələr/
a person who gives professional advice or guidance
crank
C2+
/kræŋk/
an eccentric person; a bent arm-and-handle used to turn a shaft
defer
C2+
/dɪˈfɜr/
to postpone; or to yield respectfully to another's wishes
doer
C2+
/ˈduər/
a person who acts rather than merely talks or thinks
fellowship
C2+
/ˈfɛloʊˌʃɪp/
friendly companionship among people with shared interests
sophisticate
C2+
/səˈfɪstɪkət/
a worldly, cultured person of refined tastes
waver
C2+
/ˈweɪvɚ/
to be unsteady or undecided; to falter
adherent
C2+
/ædˈhɪrənt/
a supporter of a person, cause, or belief
anchorite
C2+
/ˈæŋkəˌraɪt/
a person who lives in seclusion for religious reasons; a hermit
antagonist
C2+
/ænˈtæɡənɪst/
a person who actively opposes or is hostile to another
betrayer
C2+
/bɪˈtreɪɚ/
a person who is disloyal to a trust or cause
breather
C2+
/ˈbriðɚ/
a brief pause for rest
canvass
C2+
/ˈkænvəs/
to solicit votes or opinions from people in an area
chinese
C2+
/ˌtʃaɪˈniz/
relating to China, its people, or its languages
crook
C2+
/krʊk/
a dishonest person, or a bent or hooked thing
dauntless
C2+
/ˈdɔntləs/
showing fearlessness and determination
dupe
C2+
/dup/
a person easily deceived, or to deceive such a person
fancier
C2+
/ˈfænsiɚ/
a person with a special interest in breeding or keeping something
fink
C2+
/fɪŋk/
an informer or contemptible person; to inform on someone
gossiper
C2+
/ˈɡɑsəpɚ/
a person who habitually spreads idle talk or rumors about others
greek
C2+
/ɡrik/
relating to Greece, its people, or its language
inhuman
C2+
/ɪnˈhjumən/
lacking human warmth or compassion; cruel and barbarous
mortality
C2+
/mɔrˈtæləti/
the condition of being mortal; the death rate within a population
outlier
C2+
/ˈaʊtˌlaɪɚ/
a person or value markedly different from the rest of a group
purchaser
C2+
/ˈpɝtʃəsɚ/
a person who buys something; a buyer
surrogate
C2+
/ˈsɝəɡət/
a substitute or stand-in for another person or thing
vernacular
C2+
/vɚˈnækjələr/
the everyday language of ordinary people in a region
acclaim
C2+
/əˈkleɪm/
enthusiastic public praise; to praise enthusiastically
assemblage
C2+
/əˈsɛmblɪdʒ/
a collection or gathering of things or people
barbarian
C2+
/bɑːrˈbɛriən/
an uncivilized or savage person; brutish
benefactor
C2+
/ˈbɛnɪfæktɚ/
a person who gives help or financial support
bouncer
C2+
/ˈbaʊnsɚ/
a person employed to eject troublemakers from a venue; a fast bowled ball
buddha
C2+
/ˈbudə/
a person who has attained enlightenment in Buddhism; an image of such a being
bugger
C2+
/ˈbʌɡɚ/
British vulgar term for a person or thing; to spoil or tire out
caricature
C2+
/ˈkɛrɪkətʃɚ/
an exaggerated representation of a person for comic or satirical effect
china
C2+
/ˈtʃaɪnə/
fine porcelain tableware; British rhyming slang for a close friend
cuss
C2+
/kʌs/
to swear or curse; informally, an awkward person or creature
daredevil
C2+
/ˈdɛrˌdɛvəl/
a recklessly bold person who takes dangerous risks
doings
C2+
/ˈduɪŋz/
activities or events, especially of a notable or social kind
dope
C2+
/doʊp/
an illicit drug; informally, information, or a foolish person
exemplar
C2+
/ɪɡˈzɛmplər/
a person or thing serving as a typical or ideal model
fabulist
C2+
/ˈfæbjəlɪst/
a composer of fables; a liar or inventor of tall tales
faultless
C2+
/ˈfɔltləs/
without flaw or error; perfect
garner
C2+
/ˈɡɑrnər/
to gather or collect, especially support or information
glimmer
C2+
/ˈɡlɪmər/
a faint or wavering light; a trace or hint
holler
C2+
/ˈhɑlər/
to shout or call out loudly
idler
C2+
/ˈaɪdlər/
a person who avoids work; also a freely rotating gear or pulley
ilk
C2+
/ɪlk/
a type or kind of person or thing
leech
C2+
/litʃ/
a blood-sucking worm; also, a person who exploits others parasitically
liability
C2+
/ˌlaɪəˈbɪləti/
legal responsibility; also, a person or thing causing disadvantage
matchless
C2+
/ˈmætʃləs/
so good as to have no equal; incomparable
oracle
C2+
/ˈɔrəkəl/
a person or agency considered to give wise or authoritative guidance
renegade
C2+
/ˈrɛnəˌɡeɪd/
a person who deserts a cause or group; a rebel
tenantless
C2+
/ˈtɛnəntləs/
having no tenant or occupant; vacant
abduct
C2+
/æbˈdʌkt/
to carry off a person by force or deception
accomplice
C2+
/əˈkɑmplɪs/
a person who helps another commit a crime
accuser
C2+
/əˈkjuːzər/
a person who charges another with a fault or crime
acquit
C2+
/əˈkwɪt/
to free a person from a criminal charge by verdict
acquittal
C2+
/əˈkwɪtəl/
a judgment that a person is not guilty of the charge
addlehead
C2+
/ˈædəlhɛd/
a foolish or muddle-headed person
adorer
C2+
/əˈdɔrər/
a person who loves or admires another deeply
adventurer
C2+
/ədˈvɛntʃərər/
a person who seeks out exciting or risky undertakings
airhead
C2+
/ˈɛrhɛd/
a silly or unintelligent person
allegiance
C2+
/əˈliːdʒəns/
loyalty or commitment to a person, cause, or nation
altruist
C2+
/ˈæltruɪst/
a person devoted to the welfare of others
arse
C2+
/ɑrs/
vulgar British term for the buttocks or a foolish person