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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78 words
blackmail
C2
/ˈblæk.meɪl/
the crime or practice of demanding money or compliance by threatening to reveal a secret or damaging information
solitary
C2
/ˈsɑlɪˌtɛɹi/
Alone; done or existing without others.
thug
C2
/θʌɡ/
a violent criminal or a person hired to intimidate or attack others
abduction
C2
/æbˈdʌk.ʃn̩/
the act of taking a person away unlawfully by force or deception
arson
C2
/ˈɑɹsən/
malicious burning to destroy property
lynch
C2
/lɪnt͡ʃ/
to kill someone without legal authority or a trial, especially by a mob and often by hanging
posse
C2
/ˈpɑːsi/
a group of people summoned by a law officer to help keep order or pursue a suspect
smuggle
C2
/ˈsmʌɡəl/
to move goods or people secretly and illegally across a border or through controls
perpetrator
C2
/ˈpɝpəˌtɹeɪtɚ/
a person who commits a crime, harmful act, or other wrongdoing
gunman
C2
/ˈɡʌnmən/
a criminal armed with a gun, especially a professional killer.
penitentiary
C2
/ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəɹi/
used for punishment or reform of criminals or wrongdoers
assailant
C2
/əˈseɪlənt/
a person who physically attacks another person
felon
C2
/ˈfɛl.ən/
a person who has committed or been convicted of a felony, especially in United States law
smuggler
C2
/ˈsmʌɡlɚ/
a person who secretly and illegally carries goods or people into or out of a country or restricted area
guillotine
C2
/ˈɡɪl.ə.tiːn/
a machine for executing a person by dropping a heavy blade through the neck
apprehend
C2
/ˌæpɹɪˈhend/
To catch and arrest someone, especially a criminal.
avenger
C2
/əˈvɛndʒɚ/
a person who punishes someone in return for a wrong or injury
misdemeanor
C2
/ˌmɪsdəˈmiːnɝ/
A minor crime that is punished less severely than a serious one.
incriminate
C2
/ɪnˈkrɪm.ə.neɪt/
to provide evidence or information suggesting that someone is guilty of a crime or wrongdoing
swindler
C2
/ˈswɪndəlɚ/
a person who obtains money or property from others through deception or fraud
embezzlement
C2
/ɪmˈbɛzəlmənt/
the fraudulent theft or misappropriation of money or property entrusted to one's care
swag
C2
/swæɡ/
informal: money or goods obtained by theft or other illegal activity
pickpocket
C2
/ˈpɪkˌpɑːkət/
a thief who secretly steals from people's pockets or bags in public places
hooligan
C2
/ˈhuː.lɪ.ɡən/
a violent or destructive troublemaker, especially one acting as part of a group
mobster
C2
/ˈmɑːb.stɚ/
a member of an organized criminal gang, especially the Mafia
forger
C2
/ˈfɔrdʒɚ/
a person who fraudulently makes or alters documents, money, art, or other objects
ringleader
C2
/ˈɹɪŋˌliːdəɹ/
a person who leads (especially in illicit activities)
poacher
C2
/ˈpoʊ.t͡ʃɚ/
someone who hunts or fishes illegally on the property of another
behead
C2
/bɪˈhɛd/
to cut off a person's or animal's head, especially as a form of execution
punitive
C2
/ˈpju.nɪ.tɪv/
Intended as punishment.
abductor
C2
/æbˈdʌktɚ/
a person who unlawfully carries someone away and holds them captive
marauder
C2
/məˈrɔː.dɚ/
a person or member of a group that roams about to raid, steal, or attack
ferocity
C2
/fəˈɹɑsɪti/
Extreme fierceness or violence.
corroboration
C2
/kəˌɹɑbəˈɹeɪʃən/
the act of confirming a statement or theory with independent evidence
highwayman
C2
/ˈhaɪ.weɪ.mən/
historical: an armed robber, typically on horseback, who stopped and robbed travelers on public roads
shackle
C2
/ˈʃæk.əl/
a metal restraint for a wrist or ankle, usually one of a connected pair; figuratively, anything that severely restricts freedom
truncheon
C2
/ˈtrʌn.tʃən/
a short, thick club carried as a weapon by a police officer
trespasser
C2
/ˈtres.pæs.ɚ/
a person who enters or remains on another person's land or property without permission or legal right
brigand
C2
/ˈbɹɪɡənd/
an armed robber or outlaw, especially one belonging to a band
bigamist
C2
/ˈbɪɡ.ə.mɪst/
a person who marries someone while still legally married to another person
embezzle
C2
/ɪmˈbɛzəl/
to fraudulently take money or property that has been entrusted to one's care, especially from an employer or organization
filch
C2
/fɪltʃ/
to steal something, especially a small or relatively low-value item, in a furtive way
gibbet
C2
/ˈdʒɪbɪt/
historical: a gallows or similar framework used to hang a person or display an executed person's body
aforethought
C2
/əˈfɔɹ.θɔt/
planned or considered in advance; premeditated, especially in the legal phrase 'malice aforethought'
fetter
C2
/ˈfet.ə/
a chain or shackle placed around the feet or legs to restrict movement
headsman
C2
/ˈhɛdzmən/
historical: an executioner who puts condemned people to death by beheading
corroborative
C2
/kəˈrɑːbəˌreɪtɪv/
serving to support, confirm, or strengthen a statement or conclusion with additional evidence
pugnacious
C2
/pəgˈnæʃɪs/
ready and able to resort to force or violence
matricide
C2
/ˈmeɪtrəˌsaɪd/
the killing of one's mother
parricide
C2
/ˈpærɪsaɪd/
the killing of one's father, mother, or another close relative
connivance
C2
/kəˈnaɪvəns/
secret or tacit approval of wrongdoing, especially by deliberately ignoring it
waylay
C2
/ˈweɪleɪ/
to wait for someone in order to attack them or stop them unexpectedly
nobble
C2
/ˈnɑː.bəl/
British informal: to bribe, persuade, intimidate, or otherwise secure improper influence over someone
larcenous
C2
/ˈlɑɹsənəs/
inclined to steal, or involving theft
purloin
C2
/pɚˈlɔɪn/
formal or humorous: to steal or wrongfully take something, often secretly or in breach of trust
cutpurse
C2
/ˈkʌtˌpɝs/
historical: a thief who steals purses or valuables from people in public, especially by cutting a purse from its fastening
bushranger
C2
/ˈbʊʃˌreɪn.dʒɚ/
historical Australian usage: an escaped convict or other outlaw who lived in the bush and survived by robbery
litigant
C2
/ˈlɪtɪɡənt/
a person or organization that is a party to a lawsuit
malefactor
C2
/ˈmæl.əˌfæk.tɚ/
a person who commits a crime or other wrongful act; a criminal or evildoer
housebreaker
C2
/ˈhaʊsˌbreɪ.kɚ/
a person who illegally enters a house, usually by force, in order to steal or commit another crime
footpad
C2
/ˈfʊtˌpæd/
historical: a robber who traveled and attacked people on foot rather than on horseback
durance
C2
/ˈdʊɹəns/
literary or archaic: imprisonment or forced confinement, especially for a long time
exculpate
C2
/ˈekskəlpeɪt/
formal: to clear a person from blame, guilt, or an accusation
thievish
C2
/ˈθivɪʃ/
inclined or given to stealing
reave
C2
/riːv/
archaic or literary: to rob, plunder, or carry something away by force
depredation
C2
/ˌdɛprəˈdeɪʃən/
an act of plundering, pillaging, or violently seizing property
hornswoggle
C2
/ˈhɔɹn.swɑ.ɡəl/
to deceive or trick someone, especially in order to deprive them of money or property
pilferer
C2
/ˈpɪlfəɹə(ɹ)/
a person who steals small items or small amounts
cracksman
C2
/ˈkræksmən/
dated or literary: a burglar, especially one skilled at breaking open safes
footmark
C2
/ˈfʊtˌmɑrk/
a mark or impression left by a foot or shoe on a surface
body snatcher
C2
/ˈbɑːdi ˌsnætʃɚ/
historical: a person who illegally removed recently buried corpses from graves, especially to sell them for anatomical dissection
unjudged
C2
/ˌʌnˈdʒʌdʒd/
not evaluated, decided, or subjected to a legal judgment or trial
peculation
C2
/ˌpek.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/
the embezzlement or fraudulent appropriation of money or property entrusted to one's care, especially public funds
malversation
C2
/ˌmæl.vɚˈseɪ.ʃən/
corrupt or dishonest conduct in a public office, trust, or administrative role
smouch
C2
/ˈsmaʊtʃ/
chiefly dialectal: to obtain something by stealing or trickery
defalcation
C2
/ˌdiːfælˈkeɪʃən/
law: intentional or reckless misuse of money or property entrusted to one's care
prisonhouse
C2
/ˈprɪzənˌhaʊs/
a prison or the principal building of a prison
amercement
C2
/əˈmɝsmənt/
historical law: a monetary penalty whose amount was set at the discretion of a court or lord