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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211 words
offset
C2+
/ˈɔf.sɛt/
produce by offset printing
causal
C2+
/ˈkɔ.zəl/
Of, relating to, or being a cause of something; causing.
polarize
C2+
/ˈpoʊ.lə.ɹaɪz/
To cause to have a polarization.
draggle
C2+
/ˈdræɡəl/
to make or become wet, dirty, or bedraggled by trailing through mud or water
counteractant
C2+
/ˌkaʊntɚˈæktənt/
a thing that counteracts, offsets, or reduces the effect of something else
pullulate
C2+
/ˈpʊl.jəˌleɪt/
formal: to multiply, breed, or increase rapidly and abundantly
ruinate
C2+
/ˈɹuːɪneɪt/
To reduce to ruins; to destroy.
uglify
C2+
/ˈʌɡ.lɪ.faɪ/
to make a person, place, or thing ugly or less attractive
attemper
C2+
/əˈtɛmpər/
archaic: to moderate, soften, or adjust something by blending it with another quality
dissimilate
C2+
/dɪˈsɪmɪleɪt/
rare: to make two or more things unlike, or to become less similar
aggravate
C2+
/ˈæɡrəˌveɪt/
to make a problem worse, or to annoy someone
darken
C2+
/ˈdɑɹkən/
to make or become dark or gloomy
resistant
C2+
/rɪˈzɪstənt/
able to withstand or opposing the effect of something
annihilate
C2+
/əˈnaɪəˌleɪt/
to destroy completely or reduce to nothing
decrement
C2+
/ˈdɛkrəmənt/
a reduction or decrease in amount; to reduce by steps
ameliorate
C2+
/əˈmiljəˌreɪt/
to make better or more tolerable; to improve
efficacious
C2+
/ˌɛfɪˈkeɪʃəs/
effective in producing a desired result
augment
C2+
/ɔɡˈmɛnt/
to make greater by adding to; to increase
changeable
C2+
/ˈtʃeɪndʒəbəl/
liable to change; able to be altered or varied
consequential
C2+
/ˌkɑnsəˈkwɛnʃəl/
following as a result or important in effect
entail
C2+
/ɪnˈteɪl/
to involve something as a necessary consequence
futile
C2+
/ˈfjutəl/
incapable of producing any useful result; pointless
potency
C2+
/ˈpoʊtənsi/
the power or strength of something to produce an effect
alteration
C2+
/ˌɔltəˈreɪʃən/
a change or modification to something
animadvert
C2+
/ˌænɪmædˈvɜrt/
to comment critically or make hostile remarks
differentiation
C2+
/ˌdɪfəˌrɛnʃiˈeɪʃən/
the process of recognizing or making something different
inflexible
C2+
/ɪnˈflɛksəbəl/
not able to be bent, or unwilling to change
loosen
C2+
/ˈlusən/
to make or become less tight or firmly fixed
meliorate
C2+
/ˈmiljəˌreɪt/
to make or become better; to improve
nurture
C2+
/ˈnɝtʃɚ/
to care for and encourage the growth or development of
reconsideration
C2+
/ˌrikənˌsɪdəˈreɪʃən/
the act of thinking about a decision again, often to change it
telling
C2+
/ˈtɛlɪŋ/
having a striking or revealing effect; significant
unstable
C2+
/ʌnˈsteɪbəl/
likely to change, fail, or collapse; not steady
atomize
C2+
/ˈætəˌmaɪz/
to reduce to fine particles, or to fragment into units
deterioration
C2+
/dɪˌtɪriəˈreɪʃən/
the process of becoming progressively worse
effectual
C2+
/ɪˈfɛktʃuəl/
producing the intended result; effective
enliven
C2+
/ɪnˈlaɪvən/
to make more lively or interesting
ineffectual
C2+
/ˌɪnəˈfɛktʃuəl/
failing to produce the intended effect; lacking force
nobilitate
C2+
/noʊˈbɪlɪteɪt/
to make noble; to raise to the rank of nobility (archaic)
transmogrify
C2+
/trænzˈmɑːɡrɪfaɪ/
to transform, especially in a surprising or grotesque way
unification
C2+
/ˌjuːnɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the process of being united into a single whole
volatile
C2+
/ˈvɑːlətəl/
liable to sudden change; easily evaporated or unstable
acquaint
C2+
/əˈkweɪnt/
to make familiar with or aware of something
blacken
C2+
/ˈblækən/
to make or become black or dark; to defame
changeful
C2+
/ˈtʃeɪndʒfəl/
full of or subject to change; variable
contentious
C2+
/kənˈtɛnʃəs/
causing or likely to cause disagreement; argumentative
deprave
C2+
/dɪˈpreɪv/
to corrupt morally; to make wicked or perverted
eternalize
C2+
/ɪˈtɜrnəˌlaɪz/
to make eternal or perpetual; to immortalize
fruitless
C2+
/ˈfrutləs/
failing to achieve the desired result; unproductive
inconvenience
C2+
/ˌɪnkənˈvinjəns/
trouble or difficulty causing discomfort; also, to cause such trouble
metamorphose
C2+
/ˌmɛtəˈmɔrfoʊz/
to change completely in form or nature; to transform
operative
C2+
/ˈɑpərətɪv/
functioning or having effect; in operation
progression
C2+
/prəˈɡrɛʃən/
a process of developing or moving gradually toward a stage
adventitious
C2+
/ˌædvɛnˈtɪʃəs/
arising from an external or accidental cause rather than inherently
afoot
C2+
/əˈfʊt/
in the process of happening or being planned
approximation
C2+
/əˌprɑksɪˈmeɪʃən/
a value or result that is close but not exact
bootless
C2+
/ˈbutləs/
useless or unavailing; without result
brighten
C2+
/ˈbraɪtən/
to make or become brighter or more cheerful
computation
C2+
/ˌkɑmpjuˈteɪʃən/
the act or result of calculating something
continuate
C2+
/kənˈtɪnjuət/
uninterrupted or continuous; to make continuous
divulge
C2+
/daɪˈvʌldʒ/
to make known or reveal a secret or private information
efficacity
C2+
/ˌɛfɪˈkæsəti/
the power or capacity to produce a desired effect; efficacy
efficacy
C2+
/ˈɛfɪkəsi/
the ability to produce a desired or intended result
elucidate
C2+
/ɪˈlusɪdeɪt/
to make something clear by explanation
envenom
C2+
/ɪnˈvɛnəm/
to fill with poison; to embitter or make malignant
freshen
C2+
/ˈfrɛʃən/
to make or become fresh, cleaner, or more invigorated
gladden
C2+
/ˈɡlædən/
to make glad or joyful
invalidate
C2+
/ɪnˈvælɪdeɪt/
to make something no longer valid or legally binding
narration
C2+
/næˈreɪʃən/
the act or process of telling a story or describing events
nonspecific
C2+
/ˌnɑnspɪˈsɪfɪk/
not specific; vague or not limited to a particular cause or type
nullify
C2+
/ˈnʌlɪˌfaɪ/
to make legally void or cancel out the effect of
quieten
C2+
/ˈkwaɪətən/
to make or become quiet or calm
refinement
C2+
/rɪˈfaɪnmənt/
the process of improving something, or cultivated elegance of manner
shorten
C2+
/ˈʃɔrtən/
to make or become shorter in length, duration, or extent
adaption
C2+
/əˈdæpʃən/
the process of adapting; an adaptation
addle
C2+
/ˈædəl/
to confuse or muddle; (of an egg) to become rotten
attrist
C2+
/əˈtrɪst/
to sadden or make sorrowful
authentication
C2+
/ɔˌθɛntɪˈkeɪʃən/
the process of verifying that something is genuine or valid
bane
C2+
/beɪn/
a cause of great distress or ruin
causeless
C2+
/ˈkɔzləs/
having no cause or justification; groundless
chafe
C2+
/tʃeɪf/
to make sore by rubbing; to feel or cause irritation
constrict
C2+
/kənˈstrɪkt/
to make narrower or tighter; to limit
convolute
C2+
/ˈkɑnvəˌluːt/
to twist or coil together; to make intricate
deactivate
C2+
/diˈæktəˌveɪt/
to make something inactive or render it inoperative
deflect
C2+
/dɪˈflɛkt/
to cause to change direction; to turn aside, especially blame or attention
diehard
C2+
/ˈdaɪˌhɑrd/
a person who stubbornly resists change or clings to a cause
differentialize
C2+
/ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃəˌlaɪz/
to make or mark as different; to differentiate
diminishment
C2+
/dɪˈmɪnɪʃmənt/
the act or process of becoming or making smaller or less
discomfit
C2+
/dɪsˈkʌmfɪt/
to make uneasy or embarrassed; to thwart or defeat
dying
C2+
/ˈdaɪɪŋ/
approaching death or ceasing to exist; the process of death
embellishment
C2+
/ɪmˈbɛlɪʃmənt/
a decorative detail or an exaggeration added to make something more appealing
endear
C2+
/ɪnˈdɪr/
to make beloved or cause to be liked
estrange
C2+
/əˈstreɪndʒ/
to cause someone to become hostile or indifferent where affection existed
famish
C2+
/ˈfæmɪʃ/
to suffer or cause to suffer from extreme hunger
foreground
C2+
/ˈfɔrɡraʊnd/
the part of a scene nearest the viewer; to make prominent
gradation
C2+
/ɡrəˈdeɪʃən/
a gradual change through a series of stages or degrees