This week on The Missing Workbook
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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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All 27,899 wordsC2+ is beyond the official CEFR scale: rare, specialist, and literary words kept for reference.
4452 words
ravage
B2
/ˈɹævɪd͡ʒ/
To cause great damage to something; to destroy.
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overstep
B2
/ˌoʊvɚˈstɛp/
To go beyond what is allowed or acceptable.
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irrigate
C1
/ˈɪr.ə.ɡeɪt/
to supply land or crops with water through channels, pipes, or sprinklers
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staunch
C2
/stɔn(t)ʃ/
stop the flow of a liquid
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colonization
B2
/ˌkɑːlənɪˈzeɪʃən/
the act of colonizing
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redesign
B2
/ˌɹiː.dɪˈzaɪn/
design anew, make a new design for
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outdo
B2
/aʊtˈdu/
To do something better than someone else or better than before.
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placate
C2
/ˈpleɪkeɪt/
To calm; to bring peace to; to influence someone who was furious to the point that they become content or at least no longer irate.
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reread
B1
/ˌriˈrid/
to read a text again
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overwork
B1
/ˌoʊvɚˈwɝk/
To make someone or something work too hard.
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instigate
C2
/ˈɪnstəɡeɪt/
to cause, encourage, or provoke an action or event, especially one that is troublesome or unlawful
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dispersal
C2
/dɪˈspɝːsəl/
The act of spreading or scattering things or people over a wide area.
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froth
C2
/fɹɔθ/
become bubbly or frothy or foaming
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inclusion
C1
/ɪnˈkluːʒən/
The act of including someone or something in a group, list, or whole.
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coerce
C2
/koʊˈɝs/
to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means
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substantiate
C2
/səbˈstænʃiˌeɪt/
To prove that something is true by giving evidence.
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speer
C2+
/spɪɹ/
in Scots and northern English, to ask, inquire, or seek information
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diversify
B1
/daɪˈvɝsəˌfaɪ/
to make or become more varied in form, activity, or character
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mutilate
C2
/ˈmjuː.tɪˌleɪt/
destroy or injure severely
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corroboration
C2
/kəˌɹɑbəˈɹeɪʃən/
the act of confirming a statement or theory with independent evidence
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intensify
C1
/ɪnˈtɛnsɪfaɪ/
To become stronger or greater.
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premeditation
C1
/ˌpriːˌmɛdəˈteɪʃən/
thought, planning, or deliberation before an action is carried out
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jaundice
C2
/ˈd͡ʒɔndɪs/
distort adversely
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inaugurate
B2
/ɪˈnɔː.ɡjəˌreɪt/
to open, begin, or introduce something formally or ceremonially
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equip
B2
/ɪˈkwɪp/
To provide someone or something with the tools or supplies needed for a task.
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reunification
B1
/riːˌuːnəfəˈkeɪʃən/
The act of joining something back together after it has been divided, especially a country.
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unscrew
B1
/ʌnˈskruː/
to loosen or remove something by turning it
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sexton
C2
/ˈsɛk.stən/
A church official who looks after a church building and its graveyard and may act as a gravedigger and bell ringer.
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waddle
C1
/ˈwɑː.dəl/
to walk with short steps while the body sways from side to side
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curate
C2
/ˈkjʊɹɪt/
To carefully select and organize items, such as art, content, or products.
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redefine
C2
/ˌriːdɪˈfaɪn/
to define a word, idea, role, or boundary again or in a different way
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underline
A1
/ˈʌndɚˌlaɪn/
To draw a line under a word or text, usually to draw attention to it.
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enchant
C2
/ɪnˈt͡ʃænt/
To cast a spell upon (often one that attracts or charms).
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shingle
C2
/ˈʃɪŋgəl/
cover with shingles
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untangle
C1
/ʌnˈtæŋ.ɡəl/
To remove the knots or twists from something.
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icebreaker
C2
/ˈaɪsˌbɹeɪkəɹ/
an activity, remark, or question intended to reduce tension and help unfamiliar people begin interacting
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displease
B2
/dɪsˈpliːz/
to make someone feel annoyed, dissatisfied, or offended; to fail to please
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reprisal
C2
/ɹɪˈpɹaɪzəl/
The act of taking something from an enemy by way of retaliation or indemnity.
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overlay
C2
/ˌoʊvɚˈleɪ/
To lay or spread something over the surface of something else.
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patchwork
C1
/ˈpætʃˌwɝk/
the craft or method of sewing differently shaped pieces of fabric together into a larger design
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barbarism
C2
/ˈbɑɹbəˈɹɪzm̩/
A barbaric act.
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liaise
C2
/liːˈeɪz/
To work together and exchange information to reach a common goal.
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elicit
C2
/ɪˈlɪsɪt/
derive by reason
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disservice
C1
/dɪsˈsɝːvɪs/
an action that harms someone or something instead of helping, often despite good intentions
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foreclose
C1
/fɔːrˈkloʊz/
to take possession of mortgaged property after the borrower fails to make required payments
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condensation
C2
/ˌkɑndənˈseɪʃən/
The process by which a gas, especially water vapor, turns into a liquid.
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rebuke
C2
/ɹiˈbjuːk/
To criticise or scold someone sharply.
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overrule
C1
/ˌoʊ.vɚˈɹul/
to use superior authority to reject or set aside a decision, ruling, or objection
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dispensation
C2
/ˌdɪspənˈseɪʃən/
The act of dispensing or dealing out; distribution
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slither
C2
/ˈslɪð.ɚ/
To move smoothly along the ground with a twisting, side-to-side motion, like a snake.
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philanthropy
C2
/fɪˈlæn.θɹə.pi/
The act of giving money and help to good causes to improve people's lives.
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flit
C2
/flɪt/
To move quickly and lightly from one place to another.
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concealment
C1
/kənˈsiːlmənt/
The practice of keeping secrets.
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colonize
B2
/ˈkɑː.lə.naɪz/
to settle people in a territory and establish political control over it, often displacing or subjugating its existing inhabitants
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reorganize
B2
/riːˈɔrgəˌnaɪz/
To organize something again or in a different, usually better, way.
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synthesize
C2
/ˈsɪnθəsaɪz/
combine so as to form a more complex, product
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astonish
B2
/əˈstɑnɪʃ/
To surprise someone very greatly.
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congregate
C1
/ˈkɑːŋgrəˌgeɪt/
to come together in a group, usually for a particular purpose
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overheat
B2
/ˌoʊ.vɚˈhiːt/
to become hotter than is safe, necessary, or desirable
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segue
C2
/ˈsɛɡweɪ/
To move smoothly from one state or subject to another.
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divination
C2
/ˌdɪvɪˈneɪʃən/
The practice of trying to predict the future or discover hidden things by supernatural means.
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digress
C2
/daɪˈɡɹɛs/
lose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking
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rename
C1
/ˌriːˈneɪm/
to give a person, place, organization, or thing a new name
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relent
C1
/ɹɪˈlɛnt/
to become less severe, harsh, or determined and finally yield
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misinterpret
B2
/ˌmɪs.ɪnˈtɝː.prət/
to understand, explain, or judge the meaning of something incorrectly
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sunbathe
B1
/ˈsʌnbeɪð/
To lie or sit in the sun in order to relax or get a tan.
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circumvent
C2
/səːkəmˈvɛnt/
to beat through cleverness and wit
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stipulate
C2
/ˈstɪpjuˌleɪt/
To state clearly that something must be done, as part of an agreement or rule.
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evert
C2
/iˈvɝt/
to turn a structure outward or inside out, especially an organ, sac, eyelid, or other body part
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outgrow
B2
/ˌɑʊtˈɡɹoʊ/
To grow too big for clothes, shoes, or other things.
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crimp
C2
/krɪmp/
to press, pinch, or fold something into small ridges, waves, or tight curls
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inhibit
C1
/ɪnˈhɪbɪt/
To slow down or hold back a process or action.
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familiarize
B2
/fəˈmɪliəɹaɪ̯z/
To learn about something or make someone learn about it.
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hibernate
C1
[ˈhɑɪbəˌnɛɪt]
(Of some animals) to spend the winter in a deep sleep-like state to save energy.
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whet
C2
/ˈwɛt/
make keen or more acute
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remit
C2
/ɹiˈmɪt/
To send money in payment for something.
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interject
C1
/ɪn.tɚˈd͡ʒɛkt/
To break into a conversation to say something.
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assimilation
C2
/əˌsɪməˈleɪʃən/
The process of a group taking on the customs and attitudes of a larger culture.
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animate
B2
/ˈæn.ə.mət/
To make something lively, exciting, or full of energy.
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misjudge
B2
/mɪsˈdʒʌdʒ/
to form an incorrect opinion or estimate of a person, situation, quantity, or outcome
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suckle
C2
/ˈsʌk.əl/
to feed by drawing milk from a breast or udder
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slobber
C2
/ˈslɑː.bɚ/
to let saliva or partly chewed food run out of the mouth
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orchestrate
C2
/ˈɔɹ.kəstˌɹeɪt/
to plan, coordinate, and direct the parts of a complex event or operation so they produce a desired result
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wheeze
C2
/ʍiːz/
To breathe with difficulty, making a whistling or rasping sound.
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dampen
C2
/ˈdæmpən/
To make a feeling or activity weaker or less lively.
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misplace
C1
/mɪsˈpleɪs/
To put something somewhere and then forget where it is; to lose temporarily.
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dismemberment
C1
/dɪsˈmɛmbɚmənt/
the act of cutting, tearing, or otherwise removing the limbs or parts of a body
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enclose
B1
/ənˈkloʊz/
To surround something with a wall, fence, or barrier
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hocus
C2
/ˈhoʊkəs/
dated: to trick, cheat, or deceive someone
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peruse
C2
/pɝˈuːz/
examine or consider with attention and in detail
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loiter
C2
/ˈlɔɪtɚ/
To stand or wait around a place with no clear purpose.
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dislodge
C1
/dɪˈslɑːdʒ/
To force or knock something out of its position
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publicize
B2
/ˈpʌblɪˌsaɪz/
To make something widely known to the public.
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lengthen
B2
/ˈlɛŋθən/
To make something longer.
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inflame
C2
/ɪnˈfleɪ̯m/
cause inflammation in
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embroider
B2
/ɪmˈbrɔɪ.dɚ/
to decorate cloth or clothing by sewing patterns or pictures directly onto it
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