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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625 words
saccharine
C2
/ˈsækərɪn/
excessively sweet, sentimental, or flattering in an insincere or unpleasant way
vellum
C2
/ˈvɛləm/
fine parchment prepared from the skin of a young animal e.g. a calf or lamb
elfin
C2
/ˈɛlfɪn/
small, delicate, and finely featured in an attractive way
reverberate
C2
/ɹəˈvɜɹbəˌɹeɪt/
To be repeated as an echo; to ring or resound off surfaces.
vestigial
C2
/vɛˈstɪd͡ʒɪəl/
Remaining as a small trace of something that was once larger or more important.
kitschy
C2
/ˈkɪt͡ʃi/
effusively or insincerely emotional
scantily
C2
/ˈskæntɪli/
Sparingly; not plentifully; not fully; in a scanty manner.
ponderous
C2
/ˈpɑn.dɚ.əs/
Slow and heavy, moving in a clumsy way because of great weight.
unabated
C2
/ˌʌn.əˈbeɪ.t̬ɪd/
continuing without becoming weaker, less intense, or less extensive
perforce
C2
/pɚˈfɔɹs/
By constraint of circumstances; of necessity; as a matter of course.
insular
C2
/ˈɪnsəlɚ/
Not interested in new ideas or in people outside your own group; narrow-minded.
fellah
C2
/ˈfɛlə/
A peasant, farmer or agricultural laborer in the Middle East and North Africa.
prescient
C2
/ˈpɹɛʃ(i)ənt/
perceiving the significance of events before they occur
beaky
C2
/ˈbiki/
having a beak
dissemble
C2
/dɪˈsɛmbəl/
To hide your true feelings or intentions by pretending.
threepence
C2
/ˈθɹʌpəns/
The amount of money equal to that of three pence (old or new).
tetchy
C2
/ˈtɛt͡ʃi/
Easily annoyed or irritated; bad-tempered.
imperceptibly
C2
/ˌɪmpɝˈsɛptɪbli/
In a way too small or gradual to be noticed.
topographical
C2
Relating to the physical features and shape of an area of land.
niggling
C2
/ˈnɪɡ.əl.ɪŋ/
minor yet persistent and irritating, repeatedly demanding attention
sallow
C2
/ˈsæloʊ/
cause to become a sickly pale color
midwifery
C2
/ˈmɪdˌwaɪfəɹi/
The practice and skill of helping women through pregnancy and childbirth.
cogent
C2
/ˈkoʊd͡ʒn̩t/
Clear, logical, and convincing.
airless
C2
/ˈɛɹ.ləs/
having little or no fresh air or air circulation; stuffy
misbegotten
C2
/ˌmɪsbɪˈɡɑtən/
badly conceived, designed, or produced
bounteous
C2
/ˈbaʊn.ti.əs/
generous and willing to give freely
buffoonery
C2
/bəˈfuːnəɹi/
Silly, clownish behavior meant to amuse or that looks foolish.
acrimonious
C2
/ˌæk.ɹɪˈmoʊ.ni.əs/
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
helter-skelter
C2
/ˌheltərˈskeltər/
in confused, disorderly haste
lamplight
C2
/ˈlæmplaɪt/
The light emitted by a lamp.
derisive
C2
/dɪˈraɪsɪv/
Showing scorn or contempt; mocking.
remoteness
C2
/riːˈmoʊtnəs/
The quality of being remote.
fractious
C2
/ˈfɹæk.ʃəs/
Easily annoyed and inclined to complain or quarrel.
haphazardly
C2
/hæpˈhæzɚdli/
In a careless, random way, without any clear plan.
bristly
C2
/ˈbɹɪsli/
having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns or setae etc.
quixotic
C2
/kwɪkˈsɑtɪk/
not sensible about practical matters; overly idealistic or impractical
cocksure
C2
marked by excessive confidence
numeric
C2
/n(j)uˈmɛɹɪk/
measured or expressed in numbers
all-encompassing
C2
Including everything; very broad in scope.
russet
C2
/ˈrʌsɪt/
reddish-brown or brown with an orange tint
cerulean
C2
/səˈruːliən/
deep or vivid sky-blue, sometimes with a slight greenish tone
prurient
C2
/ˈpɹʊɹ.i.ənt/
Having or showing too much interest in sexual matters.
supercilious
C2
/ˌsu.pɚˈsɪ.li.əs/
expressive of contempt
curvaceous
C2
/kɚˈveɪ.ʃɪs/
(of a woman's body) having a large bosom and pleasing curves
phonetically
C2
/fəˈnɛtɪkli/
by phonetics
feebly
C2
/ˈfiːbli/
in a halting and feeble manner
ascendancy
C2
/əˈsɛndənsi/
The quality of being in the ascendant; dominant control, supremacy.
malformed
C2
/ˌmælˈfɔːrmd/
formed abnormally or with an incorrect shape or structure
materialization
C2
The process of something becoming real or taking a physical form.
unaltered
C2
/əˈnɔltɝd/
remaining in an original state
barefaced
C2
/ˈber.feɪst/
openly shameless, audacious, or unconcealed
salivary
C2
/ˈsælɪˌvɛɹi/
Relating to or producing saliva.
glitzy
C2
/ˈɡlɪtsi/
Very showy and glamorous, sometimes in a flashy or shallow way.
perusal
C2
/pəˈɹuːzl̩/
The act or process of perusing, or an instance of it.
utilization
C2
/ˌjuːtələˈzeɪʃən/
The act of using something, or the degree to which it is used.
subnormal
C2
/ˌsʌbˈnɔːr.məl/
below the usual, expected, or average level
consequent
C2
/ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwənt/
Following as a result, inference, or natural effect.
uproarious
C2
/ʌpˈrɔriəs/
characterized by loud, uncontrolled noise or laughter
sacredness
C2
/ˈseɪkrɪdnɪs/
the quality of being sacred
squirmy
C2
/ˈskwɝmi/
Constantly twisting and wriggling; unable to stay still.
disadvantageous
C2
/ˌdɪˌsædˌvænˈteɪdʒəs/
constituting a disadvantage
scanty
C2
/ˈskænti/
lacking in amplitude or quantity
laxity
C2
/ˈlæk.sə.ti/
a lack of strictness, care, or discipline
falsity
C2
/ˈfɔl.sɪ.ti/
the state of being false or untrue
tricolor
C2
/ˈtraɪˌkʌlər/
having or displaying three different colors
brindle
C2
/ˈbrɪndəl/
an animal coat pattern of irregular dark streaks or patches on a lighter brown, tawny, or gray background
treacherously
C2
In a way that betrays trust; disloyally and deceitfully.
insufficiently
C2
/ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃəntli/
to an insufficient degree
wretchedly
C2
/ˈɹɛt͡ʃədli/
in a wretched manner
lugubrious
C2
/ləˈɡ(j)u.bɹi.əs/
Gloomy, mournful or dismal, especially to an exaggerated degree.
inversely
C2
/ˌɪnˈvɝːsli/
in an inverse or contrary manner
derisively
C2
/dɝˈɪsɪvli/
In a mocking, scornful way.
teetotaller
C2
/ˈtitoʊtəlɚ/
a total abstainer from alchohol
obstinately
C2
/ˈɑbstɪnətli/
In an obstinate manner.
twopence
C2
/ˈtʌ.pəns/
a former United Kingdom silver coin
infallibility
C2
/ɪnˌfæləˈbɪləti/
The quality of never being wrong or never making a mistake.
ultramarine
C2
/ˌʌltrəməˈriːn/
a vivid deep-blue pigment originally made by grinding lapis lazuli and now also produced synthetically
surreptitious
C2
/səˌɹɛpˈtɪʃəs/
Done secretly to avoid being noticed.
revelatory
C2
/[ˈɹɛvələtoɹi]/
Revealing something surprising or previously unknown.
unfeasible
C2
/ʌnˈfi.zə.bəl/
Not able to be done or carried out; not practical.
verisimilitude
C2
/ˌvɛrəsəˈmɪləˌtuːd/
The quality of seeming real or true to life.
prehensile
C2
/pɹiˈhɛnsəl/
adapted for grasping especially by wrapping around an object
indiscrete
C2
/ɪndɪsˈkɹiːt/
Not divided or separated into distinct parts.
fleecy
C2
/ˈfliːsi/
resembling fleece in being soft, light, white, or fluffy
elephantine
C2
/ɛl.əˈfæn.tin/
Extremely large and heavy.
euphemistically
C2
/ˌjuːfəˈmɪstɪkli/
In a way that uses mild words to replace harsh or offensive ones.
hauntingly
C2
/ˈhɔntɪŋli/
In a way that is beautiful or moving and stays in your mind
tyro
C2
/ˈtaɪɹoʊ/
someone new to a field or activity
obtainable
C2
/əbˈteɪnəbəl/
capable of being obtained
heuristic
C2
/hjuˈɹɪstɪk/
That employs a practical method not guaranteed to be optimal or perfect; either not following or derived from any theory, or based on an advisedly oversimplified one.
truism
C2
/tɹuːizəm/
A statement that is so obviously true it hardly needs saying.
appellation
C2
/ˌæpəˈleɪʃən/
A name or title by which someone is addressed or identified; a designation.
universality
C2
/ˌju.nɪ.vɝˈsæl.ə.ti/
the quality of being universal
unexceptional
C2
/ˌʌnɪkˈsɛpʃənəl/
Ordinary and not special in any way.
tacitly
C2
/ˈtæsɪtli/
In a way that is understood without being said directly.
antithetical
C2
/ˌæntɪˈθɛtɪkəl/
Directly opposed; in complete contrast.