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Word
English Vocabulary
Pick a CEFR level (A1–C2, plus C2+ for rare words beyond the CEFR scale) — 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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View all levelsC2+ is beyond the official CEFR scale: rare, specialist, and literary words kept for reference.
1686 words
spit
C2+
/ˈspɪt/
expel saliva, phlegm, or sputum from the mouth
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ahem
C2+
/əˈhɛm/
To cough or clear one's throat so as to draw attention.
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pierce
C2+
/pɪɹs/
make a hole into
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gin
C2+
/d͡ʒɪn/
trap with a snare
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shovel
C2+
/ˈʃʊv.əl/
dig with or as if with a shovel
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spear
C2+
/spɪɹ/
pierce with a spear
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slate
C2+
/slet/
designate or schedule
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arc
C2+
/ɑɹk/
to an arch or curve
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revolt
C2+
/ɹɪˈvoʊlt/
make revolution
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self-defence
C2+
/ˌsɛlfdɪˈfɛns/
the act of defending yourself
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census
C2+
/ˈsɛnsəs/
to conduct a census
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extort
C2+
/ɪkˈstɔː(ɹ)t/
obtain by coercion or intimidation
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offset
C2+
/ˈɔf.sɛt/
produce by offset printing
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inter
C2+
/ɪnˈtɚ/
To bury in a grave.
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parody
C2+
/ˈpæɹədi/
To make a parody of something.
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causeway
C2+
/ˈkɔːz.weɪ/
to provide with a causeway
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parasol
C2+
/ˈpɛɹəˌsɑl/
To protect with, or as if with, a parasol; to shade.
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lyre
C2+
/ˈlaɪ.ɚ/
to play the lyre
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unearth
C2+
/ʌnˈɜː(ɹ)θ/
bring to light
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cower
C2+
/ˈkaʊɚ/
To crouch or cringe, or to avoid or shy away from something, in fear.
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forage
C2+
/ˈfoɹɪd͡ʒ/
wander and feed
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rationalize
C2+
/ˈɹæʃənəlaɪz/
remove irrational quantities from
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speer
C2+
/spɪɹ/
in Scots and northern English, to ask, inquire, or seek information
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searchlight
C2+
/ˈsɝːtʃˌlaɪt/
To scan or sweep across like a searchlight.
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pare
C2+
/pɛɹ/
to decrease gradually or bit by bit
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regale
C2+
/ɹɪˈɡeɪl/
To please or entertain (someone), especially with stories, tales or jokes.
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preamble
C2+
/ˈpriˌæmb(ə)l/
To speak or write a preamble; to provide a preliminary statement or set of remarks.
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saturate
C2+
/ˈsatjʊɹeɪt/
To cause to become completely permeated with, or soaked (especially with a liquid).
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preempt
C2+
/ˌpɹiːˈɛmpt/
take the place of or have precedence over
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raconteur
C2+
/ˌɹæk.ɑnˈtɝ/
To make witty remarks or stories.
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fash
C2+
/fæʃ/
Scots and Northern English: to trouble, bother, or worry someone, often oneself
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welter
C2+
/ˈwɛltɚ/
be immersed in
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pooh-pooh
C2+
/ˌpuːˈpuː/
to dismiss an idea, concern, or suggestion as foolish or unimportant, often contemptuously
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coiffure
C2+
/kwɑˈfjʊɚ/
To style or arrange hair.
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safecracking
C2+
/ˈseɪfˌkræk.ɪŋ/
the practice of defeating a safe's or vault's security mechanisms in order to open it, especially illegally
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bo-peep
C2+
/ˌboʊˈpiːp/
an old name for peekaboo, or an act of appearing suddenly and hiding again
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burnish
C2+
/ˈbɝnɪʃ/
to polish and make shiny
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self-immolation
C2+
/ˌsɛlf ˌɪməˈleɪʃən/
The act of setting oneself on fire, especially as a form of protest.
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polarize
C2+
/ˈpoʊ.lə.ɹaɪz/
To cause to have a polarization.
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intemperance
C2+
/ɪnˈtɛmpɛɹəns/
excess in action and immoderate indulgence of bodily appetites, especially in passion or indulgence
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watchout
C2+
/ˈwɑtʃˌaʊt/
the act or state of keeping watch for danger, trouble, or something expected
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yawp
C2+
/jɔp/
to utter a loud, harsh, or coarse cry
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underlie
C2+
/ˌʌn.dɚˈlaɪ/
to lie beneath something
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outfly
C2+
/aʊtˈflaɪ/
to fly better, faster, or further than.
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paean
C2+
/ˈpi.ən/
To sing a paean; to praise.
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unloosen
C2+
/ˌʌnˈluː.sən/
to loosen or unfasten something that is tied, fixed, or held tightly
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philander
C2+
/fɪˈlændəɹ/
To woo women; to play the male flirt.
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distain
C2+
/dɪˈsteɪn/
archaic or literary: to stain, discolor, or tarnish something
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malinger
C2+
/məˈlɪŋɡɚ/
To feign illness, injury, or incapacitation in order to avoid work, obligation, or perilous risk.
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lollop
C2+
/ˈlɒləp/
informal: to move with a clumsy, rolling, or bouncing motion, usually at an unhurried pace
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unstop
C2+
/ʌnˈstɑp/
to clear a blockage from an opening, pipe, or passage
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detraction
C2+
/dɪˈtɹækʃən/
the act of discrediting or detracting from someone's reputation, especially by slander
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distend
C2+
/dɪˈstɛnd/
swell from or as if from internal pressure
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macerate
C2+
/ˈmæs.ə.ɹeɪt/
soften, usually by steeping in liquid, and cause to disintegrate as a result
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methink
C2+
/miˈθɪŋk/
archaic, poetic, or humorous, impersonal: it seems to me; now usually encountered in the forms methinks and methought
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teethe
C2+
/tiːð/
to grow or cut teeth
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infatuate
C2+
/ɪnˈfætʃuˌeɪt/
to fill someone with an intense but unreasoning and often short-lived attraction or admiration, usually used in the passive
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whinner
C2+
/ˈhwɪnər/
dialectal: to whine or cry in a weak, high-pitched manner
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enamour
C2+
/ɪˈnæmɚ/
to fill someone with love, admiration, or delight, now usually used in the passive as enamoured of or with
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maunder
C2+
/ˈmɔndɚ/
To speak in a disorganized or desultory manner; to babble or prattle.
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palliate
C2+
/ˈpælieɪt/
To relieve the symptoms of; to ameliorate.
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uncock
C2+
/ʌnˈkɑk/
to lower or release the cock or hammer of a firearm from the firing position
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emaciate
C2+
/ɪˈmeɪ̯.ʃiˌeɪ̯t/
grow weak and thin or waste away physically
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unsling
C2+
/ʌnˈslɪŋ/
to remove something from a slung or hanging position
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outjump
C2+
/ˌaʊtˈdʒʌmp/
to jump better than; particularly higher than, or further than.
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chouse
C2+
/t͡ʃaʊ̯s/
To cheat, to trick.
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chirk
C2+
/tʃɝːk/
to make a short, sharp chirping, squeaking, or creaking sound
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draggle
C2+
/ˈdræɡəl/
to make or become wet, dirty, or bedraggled by trailing through mud or water
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fecundate
C2+
/ˈfɛkənˌdeɪt/
formal: to make an organism, egg, or reproductive structure fertile; to fertilize or impregnate
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maculate
C2+
/ˈmækjʊleɪt/
To spot; to stain; to blur.
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sighter
C2+
/ˈsaɪ.tɚ/
a preliminary or practice shot used to test aim, range, or conditions
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lapidation
C2+
/ˌlæpɪˈdeɪʃən/
the act of pelting with stones
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halloa
C2+
/hæˈloʊ/
To utter an exclamation of "halloa".
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undig
C2+
/ʌnˈdɪɡ/
To undo the process of digging; to fill up (a hole or grave) or bury again (something unearthed).
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besprinkle
C2+
/bɪˈsprɪŋkəl/
literary: to scatter drops, grains, or small particles over something; to sprinkle all over
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unpeople
C2+
/ʌnˈpiːpəl/
to remove the inhabitants from a place or cause it to become deserted
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preconceive
C2+
/ˌpriːkənˈsiːv/
to form an idea, opinion, or expectation before having sufficient evidence or experience
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serry
C2+
/ˈsɛri/
archaic or literary: to crowd or press people or things closely together, especially in ranks or rows
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enamor
C2+
/ɪˈnæmɚ/
To cause to be in love.
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debouch
C2+
/dɪˈbuːʃ/
to emerge from a narrow or enclosed place into a wider, open area
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unwrinkle
C2+
/ʌnˈrɪŋkəl/
To remove wrinkles from.
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crimple
C2+
/ˈkrɪmpəl/
literary or archaic: to wrinkle, crinkle, curl, or crumple; to become wrinkled or curled
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ingurgitate
C2+
/ɪnˈɡɝdʒəteɪt/
rare: to swallow food or drink greedily or in large quantities
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pullulate
C2+
/ˈpʊl.jəˌleɪt/
formal: to multiply, breed, or increase rapidly and abundantly
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upheave
C2+
/ʌpˈhiːv/
literary or dated: to lift or force something upward powerfully, or to rise in that way
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unroof
C2+
/ʌnˈruːf/
to remove or tear the roof from a building or other covered structure
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begird
C2+
/bɪˈɡɝd/
To bind with a band or girdle; to gird.
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transportal
C2+
/tɹænˈspɔɹtəl/
the act or process of carrying something from one place to another; transport or conveyance; now rare
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bullyrag
C2+
/ˈbʊliˌræɡ/
to intimidate or dominate someone by bullying
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machinate
C2+
/ˈmækɪneɪt/
arrange by systematic planning and united effort
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chivy
C2+
/ˈtʃɪv.i/
to chase, harry, or drive someone or something about persistently
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superscribe
C2+
/ˌsuːpɚˈskraɪb/
to write an address, title, or other words on the outside or upper part of something
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discountenance
C2+
/dɪsˈkaʊntənəns/
formal or dated: to disapprove of something and discourage, withhold support from, or refuse to tolerate it
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ruinate
C2+
/ˈɹuːɪneɪt/
To reduce to ruins; to destroy.
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embay
C2+
/ɛmˈbeɪ/
to enclose, shelter, or surround as if within a bay
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unstring
C2+
/ʌnˈstrɪŋ/
to remove the string or strings from a bow, musical instrument, or similar object
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