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.
Choose your level
All 27,237 words
1536 words
absorption
C2+
/əbˈzɔrpʃən/
the process of taking in or soaking up, or deep mental engagement
accumbent
C2+
/əˈkʌmbənt/
reclining or leaning, as in lying down at a meal
acting
C2+
/ˈæktɪŋ/
the art of performing a role, or serving temporarily in a position
adduce
C2+
/əˈdus/
to cite or bring forward as evidence or proof
advantageously
C2+
/ˌædvənˈteɪdʒəsli/
in a way that confers benefit or favorable position
ambisyllabic
C2+
/ˌæmbɪsɪˈlæbɪk/
of a consonant belonging to two adjacent syllables at once
ambush
C2+
/ˈæmbʊʃ/
a surprise attack from a concealed position
antagonism
C2+
/ænˈtæɡəˌnɪzəm/
active hostility or opposition between people or forces
appropriator
C2+
/əˈproʊpriˌeɪtɚ/
a person who takes something for their own use, often without right
arbitration
C2+
/ˌɑrbɪˈtreɪʃən/
the settling of a dispute by an impartial third party outside court
aright
C2+
/əˈraɪt/
correctly or properly; in the right way
arriver
C2+
/əˈraɪvɚ/
a person who arrives, especially one newly come to a place
askew
C2+
/əˈskju/
not straight or level; to one side, crooked
aspirant
C2+
/ˈæspərənt/
a person who aspires to a position, office, or distinction
atemporal
C2+
/eɪˈtɛmpərəl/
existing outside of or unaffected by the passage of time
atmospherics
C2+
/ˌætməsˈfɛrɪks/
electrical interference in radio, or the mood-setting features of a place
autochthonal
C2+
/ɔˈtɑkθənəl/
native to or originating in the place where found; indigenous
backpedal
C2+
/ˈbækˌpɛdəl/
to reverse one's previous opinion or position
backsight
C2+
/ˈbækˌsaɪt/
a surveyor's sighting back to a known point, or the rear sight of a gun
backwash
C2+
/ˈbækˌwɑʃ/
the backward flow of water, or unwelcome aftereffects of an event
bangtail
C2+
/ˈbæŋˌteɪl/
a horse with its tail cut squarely across; informally, a racehorse
barkery
C2+
/ˈbɑrkəri/
a place where bark is stored or stripped, as for tanning
beakhead
C2+
/ˈbikˌhɛd/
the projecting forward part of an old sailing ship's bow
bequest
C2+
/bɪˈkwɛst/
something left to someone in a will; a legacy
billabong
C2+
/ˈbɪləˌbɔŋ/
an Australian backwater or stagnant pool left by a river
birthright
C2+
/ˈbɜrθraɪt/
a right, privilege, or possession to which a person is entitled by birth
blackwash
C2+
/ˈblækwɑʃ/
to defame or expose discreditable facts about someone; the opposite of whitewash
blanketflower
C2+
/ˈblæŋkɪtˌflaʊər/
a North American daisy-like wildflower of the genus Gaillardia with vivid red-yellow blooms
blockade
C2+
/blɑˈkeɪd/
the sealing off of a place to prevent goods or people entering or leaving
blot
C2+
/blɑt/
a dark stain or spot; to stain or to soak up liquid
bob
C2+
/bɑb/
to move quickly up and down; a short haircut or a small weight
broadside
C2+
/ˈbrɔdsaɪd/
a simultaneous firing of all guns on one side of a ship; a strong verbal attack
broker
C2+
/ˈbroʊkər/
an agent who arranges deals between buyers and sellers; to negotiate a deal
bunchflower
C2+
/ˈbʌntʃˌflaʊɚ/
a North American marsh plant of the genus Melanthium bearing clustered flowers
burgher
C2+
/ˈbɜrɡɚ/
a citizen of a town, especially a prosperous middle-class one
buttermilk
C2+
/ˈbʌtɚˌmɪlk/
the tangy liquid left after churning butter, used in baking
canine
C2+
/ˈkeɪnaɪn/
of or like dogs; a pointed tooth between the incisors and premolars
castaway
C2+
/ˈkæstəˌweɪ/
a person stranded after a shipwreck or in an isolated place
caudal
C2+
/ˈkɔdəl/
of, at, or near the tail or hind part
centering
C2+
/ˈsɛntɚɪŋ/
the act of placing at or moving toward the center; a temporary support for an arch
centrally
C2+
/ˈsɛntrəli/
in or from a central position or authority
chancel
C2+
/ˈtʃænsəl/
the part of a church near the altar, reserved for clergy and choir
checkmate
C2+
/ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt/
a chess position in which the king is trapped and the game ends
chug
C2+
/tʃʌɡ/
to move with or make a dull repeated engine sound; to gulp down a drink
clearing
C2+
/ˈklɪrɪŋ/
an open space in a forest; the settling of accounts between banks
coexistence
C2+
/ˌkoʊɪɡˈzɪstəns/
the state of existing together at the same time or place
concourse
C2+
/ˈkɑnkɔrs/
a large open space where crowds gather, as in a station
conk
C2+
/kɑŋk/
to hit on the head, or (of a machine) to break down suddenly
constructive
C2+
/kənˈstrʌktɪv/
serving to build up or improve; helpful rather than destructive
consumable
C2+
/kənˈsuməbəl/
able to be used up or eaten; an item intended to be consumed
contrariwise
C2+
/ˈkɑntrɛriˌwaɪz/
on the contrary; in the opposite way
contrastive
C2+
/kənˈtræstɪv/
showing or emphasizing differences between things
coronet
C2+
/ˈkɔrəˌnɛt/
a small crown worn by nobility below the rank of sovereign
currentness
C2+
/ˈkɜrəntnəs/
the state of being current or up to date
delegacy
C2+
/ˈdɛlɪɡəsi/
a body of delegates; the position of a delegate
demission
C2+
/dɪˈmɪʃən/
the act of relinquishing an office or position; abdication or resignation
demit
C2+
/dɪˈmɪt/
to resign from or relinquish an office, position, or membership
desecrate
C2+
/ˈdɛsɪˌkreɪt/
to treat a sacred place or thing with violent disrespect
desperado
C2+
/ˌdɛspəˈrɑdoʊ/
a bold, reckless criminal or outlaw, especially of the old West
dicky
C2+
/ˈdɪki/
unsound or unsteady; or a detachable shirt front
disinter
C2+
/ˌdɪsɪnˈtɜr/
to dig up something that has been buried, especially a corpse
disparity
C2+
/dɪsˈpɛrəti/
a great difference or inequality between things
displacement
C2+
/dɪsˈpleɪsmənt/
the act of moving something from its place or the resulting shift
dissympathy
C2+
/dɪsˈsɪmpəθi/
absence or opposite of sympathy; antipathy (rare)
disunion
C2+
/dɪsˈjunjən/
the breaking up of a union; separation or discord
diversified
C2+
/daɪˈvɜrsɪfaɪd/
varied; spread across different kinds to reduce risk
doorsill
C2+
/ˈdɔrsɪl/
the horizontal threshold at the bottom of a doorway
downwardly
C2+
/ˈdaʊnwərdli/
in a downward direction or toward a lower level
dragnet
C2+
/ˈdræɡnɛt/
a systematic search for criminals; a net drawn along the bottom
drifter
C2+
/ˈdrɪftər/
a person who moves aimlessly from place to place or job to job
easterly
C2+
/ˈistɚli/
situated toward or coming from the east
eden
C2+
/ˈidən/
a place of unspoiled happiness or delight
encircle
C2+
/ɛnˈsɝkəl/
to form a circle around; surround
encoffin
C2+
/ɛnˈkɔfɪn/
to place in a coffin (rare or literary)
endorser
C2+
/ɛnˈdɔrsɚ/
a person who publicly approves or signs the back of a document
entomb
C2+
/ɛnˈtum/
to place in a tomb; to bury or enclose as in a grave
entranceway
C2+
/ˈɛntrənsˌweɪ/
a passage or opening forming the entrance to a place
equipoise
C2+
/ˈɛkwɪˌpɔɪz/
a state of equilibrium or balance between opposing forces
evocation
C2+
/ˌɛvoʊˈkeɪʃən/
the act of calling up or summoning a memory, feeling, or spirit
expendable
C2+
/ɪkˈspɛndəbəl/
able to be sacrificed or used up as not essential
expulsion
C2+
/ɪkˈspʌlʃən/
the act of forcing someone to leave a place or organization
externally
C2+
/ɪkˈstɜrnəli/
on or from the outside; in external respects
extraparliamentary
C2+
/ˌɛkstrəˌpɑrləˈmɛntəri/
occurring or acting outside the bounds of parliament
extratemporal
C2+
/ˌɛkstrəˈtɛmpərəl/
existing or occurring outside of time, or beyond the temporal bone region
facade
C2+
/fəˈsɑd/
the front exterior of a building, or a deceptive outward appearance
feague
C2+
/fiɡ/
archaic: to whip, beat, or liven up, especially a horse
fess
C2+
/fɛs/
informal: to confess; also a horizontal band across a heraldic shield
footing
C2+
/ˈfʊtɪŋ/
a secure grip for the feet; a basis or established position
forlet
C2+
/fɔrˈlɛt/
to abandon, relinquish, or give up
fundus
C2+
/ˈfʌndəs/
the base or interior surface of a hollow organ opposite its opening
gage
C2+
/ɡeɪdʒ/
a pledge or token of challenge thrown down; to pledge
gam
C2+
/ɡæm/
a social visit between whaling ships; a school of whales; a leg
garrison
C2+
/ˈɡærɪsn/
troops stationed in a fortress; to station troops in a place
gauntlet
C2+
/ˈɡɔntlət/
an armored glove; an ordeal or punishment run between two rows
gazetteer
C2+
/ˌɡæzəˈtɪr/
a geographical dictionary or index of place names
habitue
C2+
/həˈbɪtʃuˌeɪ/
a person who frequents a particular place