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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136 words
calamity
C2
/kəˈlæmɪti/
An event that causes great harm, loss, or suffering; a disaster.
technicality
C2
/ˌtɛk.nɪˈkæl.ə.ti/
a small or specialized rule or detail that can have an important practical consequence
vigilance
C2
/ˈvɪd͡ʒɪlɪns/
vigilant attentiveness
monstrosity
C2
/mɑːnˈstrɑːsəti/
something hideous or frightful
sensibility
C2
/ˌsɛn(t)səˈbɪləti/
refined sensitivity to pleasurable or painful impressions
superfluous
C2
/suˈpɝflu.əs/
More than is needed; unnecessary.
transcend
C2
/trænˈsend/
to go beyond the ordinary limits, range, or physical constraints of something
bastion
C2
/ˈbæsti.ən/
a group that defends a principle
testy
C2
/ˈtɛsti/
easily irritated or annoyed
futility
C2
/fjuˈtɪləti/
the quality of being pointless or incapable of producing a useful result
skepticism
C2
/ˈskɛp.tɪˌsɪ.zəm/
doubt about the truth of something
catty
C2
/ˈkæti/
marked by or arising from malice
seminal
C2
/ˈsemɪnəl/
strongly influencing later ideas, work, or developments; formative and original
disintegration
C2
/dɪsˌɪnd.əˈɡɹeɪ.ʃən/
a loss (or serious disruption) of organization in some system
fruition
C2
/fɹuˈɪʃən/
The point at which a plan or effort is finally achieved and produces results.
logistic
C2
/ləˈdʒɪstɪk/
relating to the detailed organization and movement of people, materials, or equipment
denote
C2
/dɪˈnoʊt/
To be a sign of something; to indicate.
individualism
C2
/ˌɪndɪvɪˈduːəˌlɪzəm/
The belief that the freedom and self-reliance of each person matter more than the group or the state.
pithy
C2
/ˈpɪθi/
concise and full of meaning
happenstance
C2
/ˈhæpənˌstæns/
A chance event; something that happens by luck rather than planning.
connotation
C2
/ˌkɑnəˈteɪʃən/
A feeling or idea that a word suggests, beyond its literal meaning.
schism
C2
/ˈskɪzəm/
division of a group into opposing factions
reciprocity
C2
/ˌresɪˈprɑːsəti/
the practice or expectation of exchanging comparable actions, help, feelings, or advantages for mutual benefit
pragmatism
C2
/ˈpræɡməˌtɪzəm/
a philosophical tradition that evaluates ideas partly through their practical consequences and role in inquiry
mainstay
C2
/ˈmeɪn.steɪ/
a person or thing on which something chiefly depends for support or stability
convulsion
C2
/kənˈvʌlʃən/
a violent disturbance
indiscernible
C2
/ˌɪndɪˈsɝnəbəl/
impossible or extremely difficult to perceive clearly
anthropomorphic
C2
/ˌænθrəpəˈmɔrfɪk/
attributing human form, emotions, motives, or behavior to a god, animal, object, or natural process
unanimity
C2
/ˌjuːnəˈnɪməti/
complete agreement among everyone involved
rationalist
C2
/ˈræʃ.ən.əl.ɪst/
a follower of rationalism, especially one who regards reason as a principal source of knowledge
oration
C2
/ɔɹˈeɪʃən/
an instance of oratory
Aristotelian
C2
/ˌærɪstəˈtiliən/
relating to Aristotle, his writings, or the philosophical and logical tradition based on them
rationalism
C2
/ˈræʃ.ən.əl.ɪ.zəm/
in philosophy, the view that reason can provide at least some substantive knowledge independently of sensory experience, often through innate ideas or a priori reasoning
unshackle
C2
/ʌnˈʃækəl/
to free a person, activity, or system from restrictions, restraints, or control
promethean
C2
/prəˈmiːθiən/
daringly creative, inventive, or defiant of accepted limits
ontological
C2
/ˌɑːn.təˈlɑː.dʒɪ.kəl/
relating to ontology or to the nature, categories, and conditions of being and existence
conglomeration
C2
/kənˌɡlɑməˈreɪʃən/
a mixed mass or collection made up of many different things or previously separate parts
predominance
C2
/pɹɪˈdɑmənəns/
the state of having greater power, influence, importance, or quantity than others
unperturbed
C2
/ˌənpɝˈtɝːbd/
free from emotional agitation or nervous tension
formalism
C2
/ˈfɔrməˌlɪzəm/
strict adherence to prescribed forms, rules, or procedures, sometimes at the expense of substance
arcanum
C2
/ɑrˈkeɪnəm/
a secret, mystery, or piece of knowledge known only to initiates or specialists
disparagement
C2
The act of criticizing someone or something in a way that lowers their value; belittlement.
ostensible
C2
/ɑˈstɛns.ɪ.bəl/
Stated or appearing to be the reason or purpose, though the real one may be different.
evidential
C2
/ˌɛvɪˈdɛnʃəl/
serving as evidence or relating to the evidence available for a claim
determinist
C2
/dɪˈtɝmənɪst/
a person who holds that events, including human actions, are determined by prior causes or conditions
ontology
C2
/ɑnˈtɑlədʒi/
the branch of metaphysics concerned with being, existence, and the fundamental kinds of things that exist
preeminence
C2
/pɹiˈɛmənəns/
the state of being more important, powerful, skilled, or respected than others
sublimity
C2
/səˈblɪməti/
the quality of inspiring awe through exceptional beauty, grandeur, or nobility
schema
C2
/ˈskiː.mə/
an organized pattern, framework, or abstract form that can be applied to particular cases
plenum
C2
/ˈplɛnəm/
a meeting attended by all members of a committee, legislature, or other body
individuation
C2
/ˌɪndəˌvɪdʒuˈeɪʃən/
the process or principle by which an individual is distinguished from other individuals or from a universal kind
lacuna
C2
/ləˈkjuːnə/
a gap, omission, or missing part in a text, argument, record, or body of knowledge
finitude
C2
/ˈfɪn.əˌtuːd/
the state or quality of being finite, bounded, or limited
empiricist
C2
/emˈpɪr.ə.sɪst/
a philosopher or thinker who holds that knowledge comes chiefly from experience and observation
metaphysician
C2
/ˌmɛtəfɪˈzɪʃən/
a philosopher who studies or develops theories about metaphysics
organon
C2
/ˈɔɹ.ɡəˌnɑn/
an instrument of thought or a systematic body of principles used in scientific or philosophical inquiry
transcendentalism
C2
/ˌtrænsenˈdentəlˌɪzəm/
a nineteenth-century American philosophical and literary movement that emphasized spiritual intuition, individual conscience, and the inherent goodness of people and nature
evanescence
C2
/ˌɛvəˈnɛsəns/
the event of fading and gradually vanishing from sight
marketability
C2
/ˌmɑːrkɪtəˈbɪlɪti/
How easily something can be sold; its appeal to buyers.
unproved
C2
/ʌnˈpruːvd/
not demonstrated, established, or confirmed by proof or sufficient evidence
refutable
C2
/rɪˈfjuː.t̬ə.bəl/
capable of being disproved or shown to be false
conjuncture
C2
/kənˈdʒʌŋk.tʃɚ/
a combination of events or circumstances, especially one creating a critical situation
fixity
C2
/ˈfɪksəti/
the state of being firmly fixed in position or kept stable
indispensability
C2
/ˌɪn.dɪˌspɛn.səˈbɪl.ə.ti/
the quality of being absolutely necessary and impossible to do without
totemic
C2
/təʊˈtɛmɪk/
Treated as a powerful symbol that represents a group or idea.
heterodox
C2
/ˈhɛt.ɚ.əˌdɑks/
not conforming to accepted or orthodox beliefs, doctrines, or methods, especially in religion, economics, or scholarship
rationalistic
C2
/ˌræʃənəˈlɪstɪk/
relating to rationalism or emphasizing reason as the primary source of knowledge
postulation
C2
/ˌpɑːs.tʃəˈleɪ.ʃən/
the act of proposing or assuming a claim, entity, or principle as a basis for reasoning
prurience
C2
/ˈpɹʊəɹiəns/
An excessive or unhealthy interest in sexual matters.
sublunary
C2
/sʌbˈlunəɹi/
literary: belonging to this earthly world rather than to heaven or a spiritual realm
antinomy
C2
/ænˈtɪn.ə.mi/
a contradiction between two principles or conclusions that each appear reasonable or justified
immutability
C2
the quality of being incapable of mutation
impassivity
C2
/ˌɪm.pæˈsɪv.ə.ti/
apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions
perfectibility
C2
/pɚˌfɛktəˈbɪləti/
the capacity to improve progressively, especially toward moral, intellectual, or social excellence
anthropocentric
C2
/ˌænθrəpoʊˈsɛntrɪk/
regarding human beings as the central or most important element of existence, especially when interpreting nature or assigning value
subjectivism
C2
/səbˈdʒɛktəˌvɪzəm/
the doctrine that knowledge, value, or reality depends fundamentally on the experiencing subject
incomprehensibility
C2
/ɪnˌkɑːm.prɪˌhɛn.səˈbɪl.ə.ti/
the quality of being incomprehensible
nonmaterial
C2
/ˌnɑːn.məˈtɪr.i.əl/
not composed of physical matter; immaterial
uncontestable
C2
/ˌʌnkənˈtɛstəbəl/
not open to reasonable dispute or challenge; undeniable
conveniency
C2
Convenience.
infinitude
C2
/ɪnˈfɪnɪˌtud/
the state or quality of having no limit or end; boundlessness
espousal
C2
/esˈpaʊzəl/
formal: the act of adopting, supporting, or becoming committed to a belief, cause, policy, or practice
irrevocability
C2
/iˌɹɛvəkəˈbɪləti/
The state or condition of being irrevocable
undistributed
C2
/ˌəndɪˈstrɪbjuːtɪd/
not divided, allocated, or spread among recipients or locations
desideratum
C2
/dɪˌsɪdəˈɹɑːtəm/
something considered necessary or highly desirable
contradistinction
C2
/ˌkɑntɹədɪˈstɪŋkʃən/
a distinction made by directly contrasting one thing with another
unembodied
C2
/ənɛmˈbɒdɪd/
not having a material body
monistic
C2
/məˈnɪstɪk/
relating to monism, the view that reality is ultimately one or consists of a single kind of substance
disembody
C2
/ˌdɪs.ɪmˈbɑː.di/
to separate a spirit, voice, idea, or consciousness from a physical body
syllogistic
C2
/ˌsɪləˈdʒɪstɪk/
relating to syllogisms or reasoning through syllogisms
practicability
C2
/ˌpræk.tɪ.kəˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/
the quality of being feasible, workable, or capable of being put into practice
supposable
C2
/səˈpoʊzəbəl/
capable of being supposed, imagined, or assumed
interpenetration
C2
/ˌɪntərˌpɛnəˈtreɪʃən/
mutual penetration or overlapping presence within the same space or system
circumscription
C2
/ˌsɝkəmˈskrɪpʃən/
the act of drawing a boundary around something or limiting its extent
monadology
C2
/ˌmɑnəˈdɑlədʒi/
a metaphysical doctrine or study of monads, especially Leibniz's theory that reality consists of simple immaterial substances
unextended
C2
/ˌʌnɪkˈstɛndɪd/
lacking spatial extension; not occupying measurable space