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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.
1998 words
sensuous
C2
/ˈsɛnʃuəs/
giving pleasure to or strongly appealing to the physical senses
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transcendent
C2
/tɹæn(t)ˈsɛndənt/
beyond and outside the ordinary range of human experience or understanding
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cockerel
C2
/ˈkɑkərəl/
a young male domestic chicken, especially one less than a year old
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elapsed
C2
/ɪˈlæpst/
used of time that has passed
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vocational
C2
/voʊˈkeɪʃənəl/
Relating to a job, or to the skills and training needed for a particular kind of work.
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conceivably
C2
/kənˈsiːvəbli/
within the realm of possibility
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swampy
C2
/ˈswɑːmpi/
Soggy and marshy; wet like a swamp.
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fraternal
C2
/fɹəˈtɝnəl/
(of twins) derived from two separate fertilized ova
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magnificently
C2
/mæɡˈnɪfɪsəntli/
In a magnificent manner.
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stubby
C2
/ˈstʌb.i/
short, thick, and often blunt or stunted
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savagely
C2
/ˈsævɪdʒli/
In a wild, uncontrolled, or savage manner.
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hitherto
C2
/ˈhɪðəɹˌtu/
Until now; up to this point in time.
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hereabouts
C2
/ˈhɪrəˌbaʊts/
in this general vicinity
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arcane
C2
/ɑɹˈkeɪn/
Mysterious and understood by only a few people.
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verily
C2
/ˈvɛɹ.əl.i/
Truly; in truth (now old-fashioned or formal).
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pneumatic
C2
/nuˈmætɪk/
operated by compressed air or another gas
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gauche
C2
/ɡoʊʃ/
Awkward and lacking social grace; likely to say or do the wrong thing.
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lascivious
C2
/ləˈsɪviəs/
feeling or openly expressing strong sexual desire, often in an offensive or indecent way
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burly
C2
/bɝli/
large, strongly built, and muscular
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regulatory
C2
/ˈɹɛɡ.jə.ləˌtɔ.ɹi/
Relating to official rules that control how something is done.
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painstaking
C2
/ˈpeɪnˌsteɪkɪŋ/
Done with great care, attention to detail, and effort.
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biometric
C2
/ˌbaɪ.oʊˈmɛt.ɹɪk/
using measurable physical or behavioral characteristics to identify a person
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choppy
C2
/ˈtʃɑpi/
of water or weather, rough with many small, short waves
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seamless
C2
/ˈsiːmləs/
perfectly consistent and coherent
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retrospective
C2
/ˌɹɛt.ɹə(ʊ)ˈspɛk.tɪv/
Looking back on or relating to the past.
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inky
C2
/ˈɪŋki/
Of the colour of ink, especially black ink; dark.
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obtuse
C2
/əbˈt(j)us/
lacking in insight or discernment
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fawning
C2
/fɔnɪŋ/
attempting to win favor by flattery
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lurid
C2
/ˈlʊɹɪd/
Describing shocking or horrifying things, especially violence or sex, in too much vivid detail.
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nonchalant
C2
/ˌnɑn.ʃəˈlɑnt/
Calm and relaxed, showing that you are not worried or interested.
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horizontally
C2
/ˌhɔrɪˈzɑːntəli/
in a horizontal direction
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prostrate
C2
/ˈpɹɑstɹeɪt/
Lying flat on the ground, usually face down.
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tenfold
C2
/ˈtɛnfoʊld/
by ten times as much
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incestuous
C2
/ɪnˈsɛs.tʃu.əs/
involving or characterized by sexual relations between people too closely related to marry legally
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dorsal
C2
/ˈdɔɹ.səl/
belonging to or on or near the back or upper surface of an animal or organ or part
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reclusive
C2
/rɪˈkluːsɪv/
Choosing to live alone and avoid contact with other people.
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indelible
C2
/ɪnˈdeləbəl/
impossible or very difficult to erase, wash away, or remove
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tumultuous
C2
/tuˈmʌl.t͡ʃu.əs/
characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination
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totalitarian
C2
/ˌtoʊtəlɪˈtɛɹiən/
characterized by a government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control
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opaque
C2
/oʊˈpeɪk/
Not allowing light to pass through; not transparent.
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irrevocable
C2
/iˈɹɛvəkəbəl/
Impossible to change, reverse, or take back; final.
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constrained
C2
/kənˈstɹeɪnd/
Limited or restricted in what can be done.
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flighty
C2
/ˈflaɪti/
Acting on silly, sudden ideas rather than careful thought; not reliable.
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topsy-turvy
C2
/ˌtɑːp.siˈtɝː.vi/
confused, disordered, or arranged with normal relationships and priorities reversed
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intangible
C2
/ɪnˈtæn.d͡ʒə.bəl/
hard to pin down or identify
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bloodless
C2
/ˈblʌdləs/
destitute of blood or apparently so
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averse
C2
/əˈvɝːs/
Strongly opposed to or unwilling to do something (usually followed by 'to').
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vegetative
C2
/ˈvɛdʒəteɪtɪv/
relating to plant growth or to asexual propagation from stems, roots, leaves, or other nonreproductive parts
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adrenal
C2
/əˈdriːnəl/
relating to the adrenal glands or the hormones they secrete
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nobly
C2
/ˈnoʊbli/
in a noble manner
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insipid
C2
/ˌɪnˈsɪpəd/
lacking interest or significance or impact
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indiscriminate
C2
/ˌɪndɪˈskrɪmənət/
not marked by fine distinctions
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cathartic
C2
/kəˈθɑɹtɪk/
Purgative; inducing mental or physical catharsis.
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serpentine
C2
/ˈsɝ.pənˌtaɪn/
resembling a serpent in form
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ephemeral
C2
/ɛˈfɛ.mə.ɹəl/
Lasting for only a short time.
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posthumous
C2
/ˈpɑs.t͡ʃə.məs/
occurring or coming into existence after a person's death
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ambivalent
C2
/æmˈbɪvələnt/
uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
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sporadic
C2
/spɝˈædɪk/
recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances
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combustible
C2
/kəmˈbʌstəbəl/
capable of catching fire and burning
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friendless
C2
/ˈfrɛndləs/
Without friends (without a friend).
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patriarchal
C2
/ˌpeɪtɹiˈɑɹkl̩/
relating to a social system in which men hold primary power and authority
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warlike
C2
/ˈwɔɹlaɪk/
suggesting war or military life
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millennial
C2
/mɪˈlɛniəl/
relating to a millennium or a period of one thousand years
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inscrutable
C2
/ˌɪnˈskɹuːtəbl̩/
Impossible to understand or read; mysterious.
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despondent
C2
/dɪˈspɑːndənt/
without or almost without hope
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remorseful
C2
/ɹɪˈmɔː(ɹ)sfʊl/
Feeling deep regret and guilt for something you have done wrong.
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exponential
C2
/ˌek.spəˈnen.ʃəl/
describing growth or decay whose rate is proportional to the quantity's current value, producing repeated multiplication over equal intervals
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witless
C2
/ˈwɪtləs/
lacking intelligence, understanding, or sound judgment; foolish
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unchallenged
C2
/ʌnˈtʃæl.ɪndʒd/
not questioned, disputed, or opposed
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meteorological
C2
/ˌmitiəɹəˈlɑd͡ʒɪkl̩/
Relating to the weather or the study of the weather.
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ocular
C2
/ˈɑkjəlɚ/
relating to the eye or eyesight
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indiscriminately
C2
/ˌɪndɪˈskrɪmənətˌliː/
In an indiscriminate manner.
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unconscionable
C2
/ənˈkɔn.ʃən.ə.bəl/
Not conscionable; unscrupulous and lacking principles or conscience.
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gibbon
C2
/ˈɡɪbən/
a small tailless ape of Southeast Asian forests, with very long arms adapted for swinging between branches
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natty
C2
/ˈnæti/
Natural, as opposed to steroid enhanced.
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virginal
C2
/ˈvɜː(ɹ)d͡ʒɪnəl/
Pure and untouched; like a virgin.
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confrontational
C2
/ˌkɒnfɹənˈteɪʃənˈəl/
Likely to cause an argument or fight; aggressive and hostile.
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undetermined
C2
/ˌəndɪˈtɝːmɪnd/
not yet having been ascertained or determined
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dozy
C2
/ˈdoʊzi/
sleepy, sluggish, or not fully alert
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sacrilegious
C2
/ˌsækrəˈlɪdʒəs/
showing gross disrespect for, or violating, something regarded as sacred
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virulent
C2
/ˈvɪr.jə.lənt/
able to cause severe disease; highly infectious or harmful
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empathetic
C2
/ˌɛmpəˈθɛtɪk/
showing empathy or ready comprehension of others' states
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scholarly
C2
/ˈskɑːlɝli/
Connected with serious academic study and research
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thermonuclear
C2
/ˌθɜɹ.moʊˈn(j)uk.li.əɹ/
relating to nuclear fusion reactions that occur or are initiated at extremely high temperatures
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torrid
C2
/ˈtɔɹɪd/
emotionally charged and vigorously energetic
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melodious
C2
/məˈloʊdi.əs/
Pleasant to listen to; having a beautiful tune.
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woeful
C2
/ˈwəʊfəl/
Full of woe; sorrowful; distressed with grief or calamity.
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bandy
C2
/ˈbæn.di/
curved outward at or below the knees; bowlegged
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olfactory
C2
/ɑlˈfæktəri/
relating to the sense of smell or to the organs used for smelling
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duplex
C2
/ˈdu.plɛks/
allowing communication in opposite directions simultaneously
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boorish
C2
/ˈbʊr.ɪʃ/
rough, rude, and insensitive in behavior or manners
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palatable
C2
/ˈpælətəbəl/
Pleasant to taste; good to eat.
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logistic
C2
/ləˈdʒɪstɪk/
relating to the detailed organization and movement of people, materials, or equipment
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genteel
C2
/d͡ʒɛnˈtiːl/
Affectedly proper or refined; somewhat prudish refinement; excessively polite.
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ornate
C2
/ɔɹˈneɪt/
Decorated with a lot of complicated detail, sometimes too much.
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transcendental
C2
/ˌtɹænˌ(t)sɛnˈdɛntl̩/
existing outside of or not in accordance with nature
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