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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.
943 words
refutation
C2
/ˌɹef.jʊˈtæɪ.ʃən/
the speech act of answering an attack on your assertions
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exfiltrate
C2
/ˈɛksfɪltɹeɪt/
to covertly remove data from a computer system or network
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simper
C2
/ˈsɪmpɚ/
To smile in a foolish, frivolous, self-conscious, coy, obsequious, or smug manner.
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telegraphy
C2
/təˈlɛɡɹəfi/
the practice or technology of transmitting coded messages over long distances by electrical, optical, or radio signals
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preferment
C2
/pɹɪˈfəːmənt/
the act of preferring
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adulterate
C2
/əˈdʌltəɹət/
To make something weaker or lower in quality by adding another substance.
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amortize
C2
/ˈæmɚtaɪz/
to liquidate gradually
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splutter
C2
/ˈsplʌtɚ/
to speak rapidly or confusedly with spitting sounds, especially from anger or excitement
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opine
C2
/oʊˈpaɪn/
To express an opinion; to state as an opinion; to suppose, consider (that).
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unfix
C2
/ʌnˈfɪks/
to loosen, detach, or remove something from a fixed position
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reconnoitre
C2
/ˌɹɛkəˈnɔɪtɚ/
To perform a reconnaissance (of an area; an enemy position); to scout with the aim of gaining information.
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relegate
C2
/ˈɹɛlɪˌɡeɪt/
To move someone or something to a lower or less important position.
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busk
C2
/bʌsk/
to perform music or another form of entertainment in a public place for voluntary donations
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imperil
C2
/ɪmˈper.əl/
formal: to put a person, thing, or undertaking at serious risk of harm, loss, or destruction
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pule
C2
/pjuːl/
to cry or whine weakly
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efface
C2
/əˈfeɪs/
to erase or remove marks, writing, or visible features
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stigmatize
C2
/ˈstɪɡ.mə.taɪz/
to describe or treat a person or group as shameful, disgraceful, or socially unacceptable
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garble
C2
/ˈɡɑː(ɹ)bəl/
To pick out such parts (of a text) as may serve a purpose not intended by the original author; to mutilate; to pervert.
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encamp
C2
/ɪnˈkæmp/
to set up or settle in a camp, usually for a limited time
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petrify
C2
/ˈpɛtrɪfaɪ/
to make someone so frightened that they cannot move or think clearly
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galvanism
C2
/ˈɡælvəˌnɪzəm/
electricity produced by chemical action, especially as understood in early electrical science
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disparagement
C2
The act of criticizing someone or something in a way that lowers their value; belittlement.
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mishandle
C2
/mɪsˈhændəl/
to deal with a situation incorrectly or ineffectively; to make a mistake in handling a situation.
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circumnavigation
C2
The act of travelling all the way around something, especially the world.
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edify
C2
/ˈɛdɪfaɪ/
To improve someone morally or intellectually through teaching.
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miscalculate
C2
/mɪsˈkælkjəleɪt/
to calculate a number, amount, distance, or other quantity incorrectly
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shilly-shally
C2
/ˈʃɪl.iˌʃæl.i/
to hesitate, waver, or waste time because one is unable or unwilling to make a decision
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satirize
C2
/ˈsætəraɪz/
to expose or ridicule the faults of a person, institution, or idea through satire
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blazon
C2
/ˈbleɪzən/
to display, describe, or proclaim something conspicuously or publicly
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deify
C2
/ˈdiː.ə.faɪ/
consider as a god or godlike
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equivocate
C2
/ɪˈkwɪvəˌkeɪt/
To render equivocal or ambiguous.
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extenuate
C2
/ɪkˈstɛnjəˌweɪt/
formal: to lessen or try to lessen the seriousness of a fault or offense by offering a partial excuse or mitigating circumstance
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enshrine
C2
/ɪnˈʃraɪn/
to establish and protect a principle or right in a law, constitution, or institution
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putrefy
C2
/ˈpjutɹəfaɪ/
To reach an advanced stage of decomposition.
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seclude
C2
/səˈkluːd/
formal: to keep oneself or another person apart from contact with other people
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suttee
C2
/sʌˈtiː/
the historical practice among some Hindu communities in South Asia in which a widow died, or was killed, on her husband's funeral pyre, sometimes under coercion
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elucidation
C2
/ɪˌlusɪˈdeɪʃən/
the act or process of making something clear by explaining it
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solemnize
C2
/ˈsɑːləmnaɪz/
to perform the official or religious ceremony of a marriage
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palter
C2
/ˈpɔl.tɚ/
To talk insincerely; to prevaricate or equivocate in speech or actions.
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paternalism
C2
/pəˈtɝnəlɪzəm/
the practice of limiting people's choices while claiming to act for their own good
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extrude
C2
/ɪkˈstɹuːd/
to shape a material by forcing it through a die or opening with a fixed cross-section
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enthrone
C2
/ɪnˈθroʊn/
to install a monarch or senior religious leader formally on a throne as a sign of office
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suggestibility
C2
/səˌdʒɛstəˈbɪləti/
the tendency to accept and act on other people's suggestions readily
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upbraid
C2
/ˌʌpˈbɹeɪd/
To criticize severely.
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harlotry
C2
/ˈhɑɹlətri/
dated and disparaging: prostitution, or the practice of engaging in sex for payment
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shamble
C2
/ˈʃæmbl̩/
To walk slowly and awkwardly, dragging or shuffling your feet.
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externalize
C2
/ɪkˈstɝːnəlaɪz/
to express thoughts or feelings in an outward, observable form
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vacillate
C2
/ˈvæ.sə.leɪt/
to move or sway in a rising and falling or wavelike pattern
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bestir
C2
/bɪˈstɝ/
usually bestir oneself: to begin acting or moving with energy after a period of inactivity
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reprehend
C2
/ˌɹɛpɹəˈhɛnd/
express strong disapproval of
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subdivide
C2
/ˌsʌb.dɪˈvaɪd/
divide into smaller and smaller pieces
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enthuse
C2
/ɛnˈθuz/
To talk or write about something with great excitement and enthusiasm.
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flagellate
C2
/ˈflæ.d͡ʒəˌleɪt/
to whip or scourge, especially as punishment or religious mortification
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bifurcate
C2
/ˈbaɪfɚˌkeɪt/
to divide into two branches
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juxtapose
C2
/ˈd͡ʒʌkstəpoʊz/
to place side by side
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inhere
C2
/ɪnˈhɪə/
To be inherent; to be an essential or intrinsic part of; to be fixed or permanently incorporated with something.
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dapple
C2
/ˈdæp.əl/
to mark or cover something with contrasting spots or irregular patches of color, light, or shade
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misdeal
C2
/ˌmɪsˈdiːl/
to distribute playing cards incorrectly
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remonstrate
C2
/ˈɹɛ.mən.stɹeɪt/
To protest or argue against something, expressing strong disapproval.
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extirpate
C2
/ˈɛkstɚpeɪt/
To cause a population to go extinct in a particular region, but not across the entire range of the species or subspecies.
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betake
C2
/bɪˈteɪk/
to go or resort to a place or course of action, used chiefly in the reflexive phrase betake oneself
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trepanning
C2
/trɪˈpæn.ɪŋ/
the surgical act or process of boring or cutting an opening in the skull or another hard structure
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mell
C2
/mɛl/
To deal, concern oneself; to interfere or meddle.
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encumber
C2
/ɪnˈkʌmbə(ɹ)/
To weigh someone down or make movement difficult with a heavy load.
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individuation
C2
/ˌɪndəˌvɪdʒuˈeɪʃən/
the process or principle by which an individual is distinguished from other individuals or from a universal kind
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desiccate
C2
/ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/
To preserve by drying.
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interpolate
C2
/ɪnˈtɝ.pəˌleɪt/
to insert words or other material into a text, especially material added later or regarded as spurious
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parch
C2
/pɑːrtʃ/
to make something extremely dry or withered through intense heat or lack of moisture
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behove
C2
/bɪˈhoʊv/
formal: to be necessary, proper, or advantageous for someone
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anaesthetize
C2
/əˈnɛsθətaɪz/
to administer an anaesthetic to a person or animal, making them insensitive to pain or unconscious
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expostulate
C2
/ɪkˈspɑːstʃəleɪt/
to reason or protest earnestly with someone in an effort to dissuade or correct them, usually followed by with
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recompose
C2
/ˌɹikəmˈpoʊz/
to make oneself calm and controlled again
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convoke
C2
/kənˈvoʊk/
To convene, to cause to assemble for a meeting.
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regularize
C2
/ˈɹɛɡjəlɚaɪz/
To make regular.
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rankle
C2
/ˈɹæŋ.kəl/
To cause irritation, bitterness or acrimony.
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frizzle
C2
/ˈfrɪzəl/
to fry or grill something until it becomes crisp, curled, or slightly burned
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engorge
C2
/ɪnˈɡɔrdʒ/
to fill a body part or vessel excessively with blood or another fluid
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unclasp
C2
/ˌʌnˈklæsp/
to open or release a clasp or other fastening
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burgeon
C2
/ˈbɝː.d͡ʒən/
to grow and flourish
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deprecate
C2
/ˈdɛp.rɪˌkeɪt/
To declare something outdated and advise against using it, even though it still works (often of software features).
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exculpate
C2
/ˈekskəlpeɪt/
formal: to clear a person from blame, guilt, or an accusation
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append
C2
/ʌˈpɛnd/
to add something at the end of a document, list, or data structure
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computerize
C2
/kəmˈpjuːtɝˌaɪz/
To start using computers to do a job or run a system that was once done by hand.
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attenuate
C2
/əˈtɛnjuˌeɪt/
to become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude
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occlude
C2
/əˈkluːd/
To obstruct, cover, or otherwise block (an opening, a portion of an image, etc.).
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propitiate
C2
/ˌpɹəˈpɪʃieɪt/
To conciliate, appease, or make peace with someone, particularly a god or spirit.
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fledge
C2
/flɛdʒ/
of a young bird, to develop the feathers needed for flight or become able to fly
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obviate
C2
/ˈab.viˌeɪt/
to remove the need for something; to make it unnecessary
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palpitate
C2
/ˈpælpɪteɪt/
of the heart: to beat rapidly, strongly, or irregularly, especially from exertion or emotion
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vivisect
C2
/ˈvɪv.ə.sekt/
to operate on or dissect a living animal for scientific investigation
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cosset
C2
/ˈkɑsɪt/
To care for and indulge someone too much; to pamper.
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moulder
C2
/ˈmoʊl.dɚ/
to decay or crumble slowly, often until little remains; usually followed by away
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premeditate
C2
/priːˈmɛdɪteɪt/
think or reflect beforehand or in advance
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attestation
C2
/ˌæt.ɛˈsteɪ.ʃən/
the act of witnessing, certifying, or formally declaring that something is true or authentic
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acclimatization
C2
/əˌklaɪ.mə.t̬əˈzeɪ.ʃən/
the process of becoming adjusted to a new climate, altitude, or other environmental conditions
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caffeinate
C2
/ˈkæfɪˌneɪt/
To drink coffee or other caffeinated drinks to feel more awake and alert.
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