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
1623 words
lidless
C2+
/ˈlɪdləs/
having no lid; (poetic) ever-watchful, never closing
lifesaver
C2+
/ˈlaɪfˌseɪvɚ/
a person or thing that rescues someone from difficulty or danger
lifesaving
C2+
/ˈlaɪfˌseɪvɪŋ/
serving to save lives; the skill of rescuing people from drowning
looker
C2+
/ˈlʊkɚ/
(informal) a strikingly attractive person
loyalist
C2+
/ˈlɔɪəlɪst/
a person who remains loyal to a government, ruler, or cause
luminary
C2+
/ˈlumɪˌnɛri/
a person of prominence or brilliance in a field; a celestial light
lustreless
C2+
/ˈlʌstɚləs/
lacking shine or brilliance; dull
magnet
C2+
/ˈmæɡnɪt/
an object that attracts iron; a person or thing that draws others
mandatary
C2+
/ˈmændəˌtɛri/
a person or state to whom a mandate is given to act on another's behalf
manslaughter
C2+
/ˈmænˌslɔtər/
the unlawful killing of a person without premeditated malice
marginalize
C2+
/ˈmɑrdʒənəˌlaɪz/
to treat as insignificant or push to the edges of society
measureless
C2+
/ˈmɛʒərləs/
having no measurable limit; boundless or immense
mechanization
C2+
/ˌmɛkənəˈzeɪʃən/
the replacement of human or animal labor with machinery
meddler
C2+
/ˈmɛdlər/
a person who interferes in matters that are not their concern
memento
C2+
/məˈmɛntoʊ/
an object kept as a reminder of a person or event
memorabilia
C2+
/ˌmɛmərəˈbɪliə/
objects valued for their connection to memorable people or events
mends
C2+
/mɛndz/
repairs or restores; third-person form of mend
mettle
C2+
/ˈmɛtəl/
a person's spirit, courage, and resolve under pressure
migrant
C2+
/ˈmaɪɡrənt/
a person or animal that moves from one region to another
mineworker
C2+
/ˈmaɪnˌwɝkər/
a person employed to extract minerals from a mine
misfit
C2+
/ˈmɪsˌfɪt/
a person poorly suited to their environment or situation
mister
C2+
/ˈmɪstər/
a form of address for a man; informal title or term of address
modeler
C2+
/ˈmɑdələr/
a person who makes models or constructs representations of systems
moniker
C2+
/ˈmɑnɪkər/
a name or nickname
monopersonal
C2+
/ˌmɑnoʊˈpɜrsənəl/
existing as or relating to a single person
mores
C2+
/ˈmɔreɪz/
the customs and moral conventions of a community
muster
C2+
/ˈmʌstər/
to assemble or summon, especially troops or courage
napper
C2+
/ˈnæpər/
a person who naps, or slang for the head
nonesuch
C2+
/ˈnʌnˌsʌtʃ/
a person or thing without equal; a paragon
noninhabitant
C2+
/ˌnɑnɪnˈhæbətənt/
a person who is not an inhabitant of a place
nonpublic
C2+
/nɑnˈpʌblɪk/
not open to or intended for the general public; private
nonsailor
C2+
/nɑnˈseɪlər/
a person who is not a sailor
numskull
C2+
/ˈnʌmˌskʌl/
(informal) a stupid person; a dolt
nurseryman
C2+
/ˈnɝsəriˌmæn/
a person who owns or works at a plant nursery
obit
C2+
/ˈoʊbɪt/
an obituary; a notice of a person's death
objector
C2+
/əbˈdʒɛktɚ/
a person who expresses opposition or dissent to something
obligee
C2+
/ˌɑblɪˈdʒi/
a person to whom another is bound by a contract or legal obligation
obligor
C2+
/ˈɑblɪɡɔr/
a person who is legally bound to fulfill an obligation to another
obloquy
C2+
/ˈɑbləkwi/
strong public criticism or verbal abuse; disgrace from such censure
obtainer
C2+
/əbˈteɪnɚ/
a person who acquires or gets possession of something
offenseless
C2+
/əˈfɛnsləs/
causing no offense; inoffensive and harmless
officeholder
C2+
/ˈɔfɪsˌhoʊldɚ/
a person who holds a public or official position
opprobrium
C2+
/əˈproʊbriəm/
harsh public disgrace or scorn arising from shameful conduct
originator
C2+
/əˈrɪdʒəˌneɪtɚ/
a person who creates or initiates something
ostracization
C2+
/ˌɑstrəsɪˈzeɪʃən/
the act of excluding someone from a group or society
overwinter
C2+
/ˌoʊvɚˈwɪntɚ/
to spend or survive through the winter
pandemia
C2+
/pænˈdimiə/
a widespread epidemic affecting a whole region or population
pandemian
C2+
/pænˈdimiən/
relating to or characteristic of a pandemic; sensual or worldly in older usage
parentage
C2+
/ˈpɛrəntɪdʒ/
the identity and origins of one's parents; ancestry
parishioner
C2+
/pəˈrɪʃənər/
a member or inhabitant of a church parish
patroness
C2+
/ˈpeɪtrənəs/
a woman who supports or sponsors a person, cause, or institution
patronless
C2+
/ˈpeɪtrənləs/
lacking a patron or sponsor
pedant
C2+
/ˈpɛdənt/
a person who is overly concerned with minor rules and details
personation
C2+
/ˌpɜrsəˈneɪʃən/
the act of assuming another person's identity, especially to deceive
persuader
C2+
/pərˈsweɪdər/
a person or thing that convinces or induces someone to act
pharmacopolist
C2+
/ˌfɑrməˈkɑpəlɪst/
a seller of medicines; an apothecary or druggist
pillory
C2+
/ˈpɪləri/
a wooden frame for publicly punishing offenders; to expose to public ridicule
placard
C2+
/ˈplækɑrd/
a printed sign or notice for public display; to post such notices
plantation
C2+
/plænˈteɪʃən/
a large estate on which crops are grown, often using resident labor
plotter
C2+
/ˈplɑtɚ/
a person who plans a secret scheme, or a device for drawing graphs
podium
C2+
/ˈpoʊdiəm/
a raised platform on which a person stands to speak, conduct, or receive an award
polluter
C2+
/pəˈlutɚ/
a person or organization that releases harmful substances into the environment
popinjay
C2+
/ˈpɑpɪnˌdʒeɪ/
a vain, conceited person, especially one given to showy dress or chatter
populace
C2+
/ˈpɑpjələs/
the general public; the ordinary people of a place
postbox
C2+
/ˈpoʊstˌbɑks/
a public box into which letters are placed for collection by the post office
practician
C2+
/prækˈtɪʃən/
a person who practices an art or profession; a practitioner
pretender
C2+
/prɪˈtɛndɚ/
a person who makes a false or disputed claim, especially to a throne
preventer
C2+
/prɪˈvɛntɚ/
a person or thing that prevents something, or a rope securing a sail or boom
profligate
C2+
/ˈprɑflɪɡət/
recklessly wasteful or extravagant; a person of such habits
progeny
C2+
/ˈprɑdʒəni/
a person's descendants or an animal's offspring
prohibitor
C2+
/proʊˈhɪbɪtɚ/
a person or thing that forbids or prevents something
proletarian
C2+
/ˌproʊləˈtɛriən/
relating to the working class; a member of the working class
propitiation
C2+
/prəˌpɪʃiˈeɪʃən/
the act of appeasing or winning the favor of a deity or person
proprietorship
C2+
/prəˈpraɪətɚʃɪp/
the state of being an owner, or a business owned by one person
proscript
C2+
/ˈproʊskrɪpt/
a person who has been outlawed or condemned by proscription
protector
C2+
/prəˈtɛktɚ/
a person or thing that defends or guards against harm
provocator
C2+
/ˈprɑvəˌkeɪtɚ/
a person who deliberately provokes or incites trouble
pugilist
C2+
/ˈpjudʒəlɪst/
a person who fights with their fists; a boxer
punisher
C2+
/ˈpʌnɪʃɚ/
a person or thing that inflicts punishment
puppet
C2+
/ˈpʌpɪt/
a figure moved by strings or hands, or a person controlled by another
purge
C2+
/pɝdʒ/
to rid of unwanted elements; a sudden removal of people or things
puritan
C2+
/ˈpjʊrɪtən/
a person with strict moral views; relating to such austerity
pursuer
C2+
/pɚˈsuɚ/
a person who chases or follows another, or a plaintiff in Scots law
purveyor
C2+
/pɚˈveɪɚ/
a person or company that supplies goods or services
querent
C2+
/ˈkwɪrənt/
a person who consults an astrologer or fortune-teller with a question
reactionary
C2+
/riˈækʃəˌnɛri/
opposing political or social progress, favoring a return to former ways
recital
C2+
/rɪˈsaɪtəl/
a public performance of music or a detailed account of facts
recognizance
C2+
/rɪˈkɑɡnɪzəns/
a formal bond binding a person to fulfill an obligation, as appearing in court
reimburse
C2+
/ˌriɪmˈbɝs/
to repay a person for money they have spent or lost
reliever
C2+
/rɪˈlivɚ/
a person or thing that relieves; in baseball, a relief pitcher
remainderman
C2+
/rɪˈmeɪndɚˌmæn/
a person who inherits an estate after a prior interest ends
repairer
C2+
/rɪˈpɛrɚ/
a person who repairs or mends things
resister
C2+
/rɪˈzɪstɚ/
a person who opposes or withstands something
resolver
C2+
/rɪˈzɑlvɚ/
a person or thing that resolves something, such as a dispute or a name
reviewer
C2+
/rɪˈvjuɚ/
a person who writes critical assessments of books, films, or work
rioting
C2+
/ˈraɪətɪŋ/
violent public disorder by a crowd; engaging in such disorder