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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38 words
safecracking
C2+
/ˈseɪfˌkræk.ɪŋ/
the practice of defeating a safe's or vault's security mechanisms in order to open it, especially illegally
snitcher
C2+
/ˈsnɪtʃɚ/
an informer who secretly reports another person's wrongdoing to the police or another authority
purloiner
C2+
/pərˈlɔɪnər/
a person who steals or takes something dishonestly
sham
C2+
/ʃæm/
a fraud or pretence; fake; to feign
delinquency
C2+
/dɪˈlɪŋkwənsi/
minor crime or a failure to meet an obligation
justiciary
C2+
/dʒʌˈstɪʃiˌɛri/
an officer who administers justice, or relating to the administration of justice
nocent
C2+
/ˈnoʊsənt/
harmful or injurious; guilty
punition
C2+
/pjuˈnɪʃən/
the act of punishing; punishment
castigation
C2+
/ˌkæstɪˈɡeɪʃən/
severe criticism or punishment
unjust
C2+
/ʌnˈdʒʌst/
not fair or in accordance with justice
chastisement
C2+
/ˈtʃæstəzmənt/
severe punishment or rebuke
childlike
C2+
/ˈtʃaɪldˌlaɪk/
having the innocent or trusting qualities of a child
committal
C2+
/kəˈmɪtəl/
the act of consigning, as to prison, custody, or the grave
dovelike
C2+
/ˈdʌvlaɪk/
resembling a dove; gentle, innocent, or peaceable
lenient
C2+
/ˈliniənt/
merciful or tolerant, especially in punishment
abscond
C2+
/əbˈskɑnd/
to depart secretly and hurriedly, especially to avoid arrest or with stolen funds
admissible
C2+
/ædˈmɪsəbəl/
acceptable or allowable, especially as evidence in court
bastille
C2+
/bæˈstil/
a fortress or prison
criminate
C2+
/ˈkrɪməˌneɪt/
to accuse of or charge with a crime; to incriminate
crimination
C2+
/ˌkrɪməˈneɪʃən/
the act of accusing someone of a crime; an accusation
damnation
C2+
/dæmˈneɪʃən/
condemnation to eternal punishment in hell
exploratory
C2+
/ɪkˈsplɔrətɔri/
relating to or carried out for the purpose of investigation
fraudful
C2+
/ˈfrɔdfəl/
full of fraud; deceitful or treacherous
fraudulent
C2+
/ˈfrɔdʒələnt/
obtained, done, or characterized by deception or fraud
inculpate
C2+
/ɪnˈkʌlpeɪt/
to accuse or incriminate; to show as guilty
punitory
C2+
/ˈpjunɪtɔri/
inflicting or intended as punishment
sackless
C2+
/ˈsækləs/
innocent or guiltless; also dialectally feeble or simple-minded
brutality
C2+
/bruˈtæləti/
savage physical violence or cruelty
crimeful
C2+
/ˈkraɪmfəl/
full of crime; guilty or criminal (archaic)
detonate
C2+
/ˈdɛtəˌneɪt/
to explode or cause to explode with sudden violence
felonious
C2+
/fəˈloʊniəs/
involving or constituting a serious crime; criminal
imposure
C2+
/ɪmˈpoʊʒɚ/
an act of imposition or deception; a fraud or imposture
indict
C2+
/ɪnˈdaɪt/
to formally charge someone with a serious crime
inquisition
C2+
/ˌɪnkwəˈzɪʃən/
a prolonged or intensive, often harsh, questioning or investigation
judicatory
C2+
/ˈdʒudɪkəˌtɔri/
relating to the administration of justice; a court or tribunal
larceny
C2+
/ˈlɑrsəni/
the unlawful taking of another's personal property; theft
nefarious
C2+
/nəˈfɛriəs/
wicked or criminal in the extreme
nick
C2+
/nɪk/
a small cut or notch; (informal) to steal or arrest