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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329 words
plod
C2
/plɑd/
the act of walking with a slow heavy gait
dint
C2
/dɪnt/
Especially in by dint of: force, power.
tyne
C2
/taɪn/
Scottish and Northern English, archaic: to lose, mislay, forfeit, or cease to possess something
incontrovertible
C2
/ˌɪŋˌkɑːntroʊˈvɝːtɪbəl/
impossible to deny or disprove
newfangled
C2
/ˌnuˈfæŋ.ɡəld/
of a new kind or fashion, gratuitously new
cornucopia
C2
/ˌkɔɹ.nəˈkoʊ.pi.ə/
An abundance or plentiful supply.
waft
C2
/wɑft/
be driven or carried along, as by the air
unassailable
C2
/ˌʌnəˈseɪləbl̩/
Undeniable, incontestable or incontrovertible.
disingenuous
C2
/ˌdɪs.ɪnˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.əs/
Not ingenuous; not frank or open.
tensile
C2
/ˈtɛn.sɪl/
of or relating to tension
counterintuitive
C2
/ˌkaʊntəɹɪnˈtuɪtɪv/
Contrary to intuition or common sense.
incredulous
C2
/ˌɪnˈkɹɛ.d͡ʒə.ləs/
Skeptical, disbelieving, or unable to believe.
zeitgeist
C2
/ˈtsaɪtˌɡaɪst/
the spirit of the time
propitious
C2
/pɹəˈpɪʃəs/
Favorable; advantageous.
rococo
C2
/rəˈkoʊˌkoʊ/
having excessive asymmetrical ornamentation
resurgence
C2
/riːˈsɝːdʒəns/
bringing again into activity and prominence
acolyte
C2
/ˈæk.ə.laɪt/
An altar server.
lunkhead
C2
/ˈlʌnk.hɛd/
informal and insulting: a stupid, clumsy, or slow-witted person
fatuous
C2
/ˈfæ.tʃu.əs/
Obnoxiously stupid; vacantly silly; content in one's foolishness.
temerity
C2
/təˈmɛɹ.ə.ti/
Effrontery; impudence.
highfalutin
C2
/ˌhaɪ.fəˈlu.tɪn/
informal and disapproving: pompous, pretentious, or designed to seem important or sophisticated
chauvinistic
C2
/ˌtʃoʊvəˈnɪstɪk/
Of or pertaining to chauvinism or chauvinists.
erstwhile
C2
/ˈɝst.waɪl/
Respected, honourable.
ragamuffin
C2
/ˈɹæɡəˌmʌfɪn/
A dirty, shabbily-clothed child; an urchin.
nohow
C2
/ˈnoʊˌhaʊ/
dated or dialectal: in no way; not at all
gild
C2
/ɡɪld/
To cover with a thin layer of gold; to cover with gold leaf.
negress
C2
/ˈniːɡrɪs/
an old-fashioned and now offensive term formerly used for a Black woman or girl
scurrilous
C2
/ˈskɜɹələs/
given to foul-mouthed abuse
plebeian
C2
/pliˈbiːən/
Of or concerning the plebs, the common citizens of ancient Rome.
filigree
C2
/ˈfɪləˌgriː/
A delicate and intricate ornamentation made from platinum, gold or silver (or sometimes other metal) twisted wire.
indefatigable
C2
/ˌɪn.dəˈfæt.ɪ.ɡə.bəl/
showing sustained enthusiastic action with unflagging vitality
collude
C2
/kəˈluːd/
to act in concert with; to conspire.
panacea
C2
/ˌpæn.əˈsiː.ə/
A solution to all problems.
deflower
C2
/diˈflaʊ.ɚ/
dated: to have sexual intercourse with a person regarded as a virgin, framed as taking that person's virginity
countermand
C2
/ˈkaʊntɚˌmænd/
To revoke (a former command); to cancel or rescind by giving an order contrary to one previously given.
redouble
C2
/riːˈdʌbəl/
to make twice as great or intense
slake
C2
/sleɪk/
To satisfy (thirst, or other desires).
tamp
C2
/tæmp/
press down tightly
hegemony
C2
/hɪˈd͡ʒɛ.mə.ni/
the dominance or leadership of one social group or nation over others
piddle
C2
/ˈpɪdəl/
informal: to spend time ineffectually on trivial matters; to work in a small or desultory way
pshaw
C2
/pʃɔː/
dated: used to express impatience, disbelief, contempt, or dismissal
bilious
C2
/ˈbɪl.jəs/
Resembling bile, especially in color.
sophomoric
C2
/sɑf(ə)ˈmɑɹɪk/
Conceited and overconfident of knowledge but poorly informed and immature.
pedagogical
C2
/ˌpɛdəˈgɑːdʒɪkəl/
of or relating to pedagogy
impugn
C2
/ɪmˈpjuːn/
To verbally assault, especially to argue against an opinion, motive, or action; to question the truth or validity of; cast doubt on.
unmanly
C2
/ʌnˈmænli/
dated, often disapproving: not showing qualities traditionally expected of a man, especially courage or self-control
frieze
C2
/ˈfɹiːz/
A banner with a series of pictures.
vainglorious
C2
/ˌveɪnˈɡlɔː.ɹi.əs/
imperious self-importance
hist
C2
/hɪst/
an archaic call used quietly to attract attention or command silence
aplomb
C2
/əˈplʌm/
Self-confidence; poise; composure.
semantic
C2
/sɪˈmæntɪk/
of or relating to meaning or the study of meaning
tinkler
C2
/ˈtɪŋklɚ/
British dialect, dated and sometimes offensive: an itinerant tinker, traveler, or member of a traveling community
gnostic
C2
/ˈnɑstɪk/
of or relating to Gnosticism
multifaceted
C2
/ˌməltiːˈfæsətɪd/
Having multiple facets or (geometric) faces.
sinuous
C2
/ˈsɪn.ju.əs/
Having curves in alternate directions; meandering.
howdy-do
C2
/ˌhaʊdiˈduː/
dated, especially US: an awkward, surprising, or troublesome situation, often in the phrase a pretty howdy-do
benefactress
C2
/ˈbɛnəˌfæktɹəs/
a woman who gives money or other help to a person or cause; now often replaced by the gender-neutral benefactor
riposte
C2
/ɹɪˈpoʊst/
make a return thrust
finagle
C2
/ˈfɪnəgəl/
To obtain, arrange, or achieve by indirect, complicated and/or intensive efforts.
panoply
C2
/ˈpænəpli/
A splendid display of something.
agin
C2
/əˈɡɪn/
a dialect spelling of again
encyclopedic
C2
/ensaiːkloˈpʰiːdək/
broad in scope or content
misconstrue
C2
/mɪskənˈstruː/
To interpret erroneously, to understand incorrectly; to misunderstand.
garrulous
C2
/ˈɡɛɹ.ə.ləs/
Excessively or tiresomely talkative.
swathe
C2
/swɑð/
To bind with a swathe, band, bandage, or rollers
weal
C2
/wil/
welfare, prosperity, or the common good, now chiefly archaic or literary
scintilla
C2
/sɪnˈtɪlə/
A small spark or flash.
venial
C2
/ˈviːni.əl/
easily excused or forgiven
dovetail
C2
/ˈdʌvˌteɪl/
To combine or fit (things) together well.
ribald
C2
/ˈɹɪb.əld/
coarsely vulgar or irreverently humorous, especially about sex
farrago
C2
/fəˈrɑːɡoʊ/
a confused mixture or assortment of miscellaneous things
assiduously
C2
/əˈsɪdwəsli/
with care and persistence
raiment
C2
/ˈɹeɪ.mənt/
Clothing, garments, dress, material.
palimpsest
C2
/ˈpælɪmpsɛst/
Something bearing the traces of an earlier, erased form.
tangential
C2
/tænˈd͡ʒɛn.t͡ʃəl/
of or relating to or acting along or in the direction of a tangent
solus
C2
/ˈsoʊləs/
literary or in stage directions: alone; unaccompanied
belabor
C2
/bɪˈleɪbɝ/
to attack verbally with harsh criticism
faugh
C2
/fɔː/
an exclamation expressing disgust or contempt, especially in reaction to a foul smell
noway
C2
/ˈnoʊˌweɪ/
in no way or degree; not at all; now chiefly archaic or dialectal
languorous
C2
/ˈlæŋ(ɡ)ərəs/
lacking energy, spirit, liveliness or vitality; languid, lackadaisical.
malodorous
C2
/ˌmælˈoʊ.də.ɹəs/
Having a bad odor.
deuced
C2
/ˈduː.sɪd/
old-fashioned informal: very or extremely, used for emphasis
straightway
C2
/ˈstreɪtweɪ/
immediately or without delay, now chiefly literary or archaic
vociferous
C2
/voʊˈsɪfəɹəs/
conspicuously and offensively loud
vitriolic
C2
/ˌvɪt.riˈɑ.lɪk/
of a substance, an especially strong acid
supplicant
C2
/ˈsʌplɪkənt/
one who comes to humbly ask or petition
lubber
C2
/ˈlʌb.ɚ/
dated or insulting: a large, clumsy, lazy, or foolish person
inst
C2
/ˈɪnstənt/
dated, in correspondence: of the present month, used after a stated date
importune
C2
/ɪmpɔɹˈtuːn/
beg persistently and urgently
womanish
C2
/ˈwʊmənɪʃ/
dated and derogatory, especially of a man: having traits stereotypically associated with women and judged weak or unsuitable
higgledy-piggledy
C2
/ˌhɪɡəldiˈpɪɡəldi/
mixed together or arranged in a confused, disorderly way, with no clear plan or pattern
hardscrabble
C2
/ˈhɑɹdˌskɹæbəl/
barely satisfying a lower standard
penumbra
C2
/pəˈnʌm.bɹə/
A region around the edge of a sunspot, darker than the sun's surface but lighter than the middle of the sunspot.
cadge
C2
/kæd͡ʒ/
To obtain something by wit or guile; to convince people to do something they might not normally do.
mordant
C2
/ˈmoɹd(ə)nt/
Any substance used to facilitate the fixing of a dye to a fibre; usually a metallic compound which reacts with the dye using chelation.
melange
C2
/məˈlɑnʒ/
A mixture of different things; a disordered mixture.