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.
418 words
hunchback
C2
/ˈhʌntʃ.bæk/
a dated and potentially offensive term for a person with a markedly hunched back or kyphosis
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verb
A2
/vɝb/
A word that describes an action, event, or state, such as 'run' or 'be'.
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hussy
C2
/ˈhʌsi/
old-fashioned, offensive: an insulting term for a woman or girl judged sexually immoral
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rhetoric
C2
/ɹɪˈtɒɹɪk/
Language used skillfully, especially in speeches, to persuade or impress people.
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rheumatism
C2
/ˈɹuːmətɪzəm/
an older, nonspecific term for painful or stiff conditions affecting joints, muscles, or connective tissue
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usage
B1
/ˈjuːsɪd͡ʒ/
The way that words in a language are normally used.
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libel
C2
/ˈlaɪbəl/
a published false statement in a lasting form, such as writing or an image, that unjustly damages a person's reputation; also the legal wrong of publishing it
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referendum
C1
/ˌɹɛfəˈɹɛndəm/
A direct vote by the public on a single political question or proposed law.
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conjunction
B2
/kənˈd͡ʒʌŋk.ʃn̩/
A word such as 'and', 'but', or 'because' that joins words, phrases, or clauses together.
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prose
B2
/ˈpɹoʊz/
Ordinary written or spoken language, as opposed to poetry.
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libido
C2
/ləˈbaɪˌdoʊ/
a Freudian term for sexual urge or desire
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euphemism
C2
/ˈjuː.fəˌmɪz.əm/
A mild or indirect word used in place of one that is harsh, blunt, or offensive.
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syllable
B2
/ˈsɪl.ə.bᵻl/
A single unit of sound in a word, usually one vowel sound with consonants around it.
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Burmese
C2
/bɝːˈmiːz/
the principal language of Myanmar, belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family
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discourse
C1
/ˈdɪs.kɔːɹs/
Serious discussion or the exchange of ideas about a subject, in speech or writing.
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pronunciation
A2
/pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃn̩/
The way in which a word or language is spoken.
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quotation
B1
/kwoʊˈteɪʃn̩/
A group of words taken from a book, speech, or person and repeated by someone else.
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fabrication
C2
/fæbɹɪˈkeɪʃən/
A made-up story or statement; a lie
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tater
C1
/ˈteɪ.tɚ/
a potato; an informal or dialectal term
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caption
B2
/ˈkæp.ʃən/
A short piece of text printed under a picture to explain it.
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cadence
C1
/ˈkeɪdəns/
the rhythmic flow or pattern of sounds in speech, writing, or movement
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query
C1
/ˈkwɪ.ɹi/
A question, especially one asking for information or expressing a doubt.
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creole
C2
/ˈkriː.oʊl/
a natural language that developed in a contact community from elements of two or more languages and became a community's first language
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rebuttal
C1
/ɹiˈbʌt.əl/
a statement or argument that contradicts or disproves a claim
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theorem
B2
/ˈθiərəm/
A mathematical statement that is expected to be true.
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retraction
C1
/rɪˈtrækʃən/
a public withdrawal of a statement, accusation, claim, or published finding
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primer
B2
/ˈprɪmɚ/
a small introductory book, especially one used to teach children to read or to explain the basics of a subject
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adjective
A2
/ˈæd͡ʒ.ɪk.tɪv/
a word that describes a noun, such as 'big' or 'happy'
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noun
A2
/nɒ(ʊ)n/
A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.
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behest
C2
/bɪˈhɛst/
An order or strong request, usually in the phrase "at the behest of".
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trollop
C2
/ˈtrɑː.ləp/
old-fashioned and offensive: an insulting term for a woman regarded as sexually promiscuous or immoral
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profanity
C1
/prəˈfæn.ə.t̬i/
offensive, obscene, or abusive language, especially swear words collectively
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vowel
B1
/ˈvaʊ.əl/
A speech sound made with the mouth open and the air flowing freely, such as the sounds of a, e, i, o, and u.
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lisp
C1
/lɪsp/
a speech pattern or disorder in which sibilant sounds such as s and z are articulated atypically
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yore
C2
/jɔr/
a time long past, now used chiefly in the phrase 'of yore'
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rebus
C2+
/ˈɹibəs/
An arrangement of pictures, symbols, or words representing phrases or words, especially as a word puzzle.
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rhapsody
C2
/ˈræpsədi/
an intensely enthusiastic or emotional expression in speech or writing
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spiel
C2
/ʃpiːl/
a long, practiced speech intended to explain, promote, or persuade, especially a sales pitch
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assertion
C1
/əˈsɜɹʃən/
A confident statement that something is true.
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telecommunications
B1
/ˌtɛləkəˌmjuːnəˈkeɪʃənz/
The sending of information such as voice, text, and images over long distances by phone, radio, or the internet.
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testimonial
C2
/tɛstɪˈmoʊni.əl/
A written or spoken statement praising someone's worth, character, or a product.
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punctuation
A2
/ˌpʌŋk.t͡ʃuˈeɪ.ʃən/
The marks used in writing, such as commas, full stops, and question marks, that make the meaning clear.
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perpetuity
C2
/ˌpɝpəˈtuːɪti/
endless or indefinitely continuing duration, especially in the phrase in perpetuity
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linguistics
C1
/lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks/
the scientific study of human language, including its sounds, structures, meanings, use, acquisition, history, and variation
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nonce
C2
/nɑːns/
the present occasion or time, chiefly in the phrase for the nonce
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caveat
C2
/ˈkæviˌɑt/
a warning, reservation, or qualification attached to a statement or agreement
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endearment
C2
/ɪnˈdɪrmənt/
a word, name, gesture, or action that expresses affection
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schlep
C2
/ʃlɛp/
a Yiddish term for an awkward and stupid person
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aphasia
C2
/əˈfeɪʒə/
a disorder caused by damage to language areas of the brain that impairs speaking, understanding, reading, or writing
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abbreviation
C2
/əˌbɹi.viˈeɪ.ʃn̩/
a shortened form of a word or phrase used to represent the whole
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frivolity
C2
/fɹɪˈvɑlɪti/
lack of seriousness or sensible purpose in behavior, thought, or speech
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pronoun
B1
/ˈpɹoʊ.naʊn/
A word used in place of a noun, such as 'he', 'she', or 'it'.
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oratory
C2
/ˈɔ.ɹəˌtɔ.ɹi/
addressing an audience formally, usually a long and rhetorical address and often pompous
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personification
B2
/pɚˌsɑ.nə.fəˈkeɪ.ʃən/
A way of writing that gives human qualities to an object, animal, or idea.
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coefficient
B2
/ˌkoʊ.ɪˈfɪʃənt/
mathematics: a number or other constant that multiplies a variable or algebraic term
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prefix
B1
/ˈpɹiːfɪks/
A group of letters added to the front of a word to change its meaning, such as "un-" in "unhappy."
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grandpapa
C1
/ˈɡrændpəˌpɑ/
an informal or old-fashioned term for one's grandfather
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consonant
B1
/ˈkɑn.sə.nənt/
A speech sound made by blocking the airflow, such as b, t, or s; also a letter representing it.
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hyphen
B2
/ˈhaɪfən/
The punctuation mark (-) used to join words in a compound or to split a word at the end of a line.
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denunciation
C2
/dɪˌnənsiːˈeɪʃən/
A strong public statement criticizing someone or something.
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synonym
B2
/ˈsɪn.əˌnɪm/
A word or phrase that means the same, or nearly the same, as another.
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vitriol
C2
/ˈvɪtɹiəl/
cruel and bitter criticism; savagely hostile or abusive language
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tirade
C2
/ˈtaɪɹeɪd/
A long, angry or violent speech.
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soliloquy
B2
/səˈlɪləkwi/
A speech in a play in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud, alone on stage.
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annum
C2
/ˈænəm/
a year, used especially in the phrase per annum
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alliteration
C2
/əˌlɪtəˈreɪʃən/
the repetition of the same initial consonant sound in nearby words, especially in a phrase or line of verse
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axiom
C2
/ˈæk.si.əm/
A statement accepted as obviously true without needing proof.
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misnomer
C2
/ˌmɪsˈnoʊməɹ/
A term which is misleading, even if firmly established, technically correct, or both.
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coda
C2+
/ˈkoʊ.də/
The optional final sound of a syllable or word, occurring after its nucleus and usually composed of one or more consonants.
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negress
C2
/ˈniːɡrɪs/
an old-fashioned and now offensive term formerly used for a Black woman or girl
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parenthesis
C1
/pəˈrɛnθəsɪs/
a word, phrase, or clause inserted into a sentence as an explanation or aside
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generalization
B2
/ˌdʒɛnɝəlɪˈzeɪʃən/
A broad statement that is supposed to be true in most cases, based on only some examples.
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preposition
B1
/ˌpɹɛpəˈzɪʃən/
A word such as "in," "on," or "at" that shows the relationship between a noun and another word in a sentence.
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wrack
C2
/ɹæk/
Destruction or ruin (especially in the phrase 'wrack and ruin').
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snippet
C2
/ˈsnɪpɪt/
A small piece or part of something, such as a song, text, or conversation.
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pronouncement
C2
/prəˈnaʊns.mənt/
a formal or authoritative statement, especially one made publicly
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adverb
B1
/ˈæd.vɜɹb/
A word that describes or adds meaning to a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, such as 'quickly' or 'very'.
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howdy-do
C2
/ˌhaʊdiˈduː/
dated, especially US: an awkward, surprising, or troublesome situation, often in the phrase a pretty howdy-do
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patois
C2
/pæˈtwɑ/
a regional dialect of a language
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falsification
C2
/ˌfɔlsəfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the showing or proving that a claim, hypothesis, or statement is false
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dustman
C2
/ˈdʌstˌmæn/
a person employed to collect household refuse; an old-fashioned British term for a refuse collector
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freehold
C2
/ˈfriːˌhoʊld/
ownership of land or a building for an indefinite period, rather than for a fixed lease term
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philology
C2
/fɪˈlɑːlədʒi/
the scholarly study of historical texts through their language, transmission, literary context, and interpretation
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inaccuracy
C2
/ɪnˈæk.jɚ.ə.si/
A statement, passage etc. that is inaccurate or false.
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suffix
B1
/ˈsʌfɪks/
A group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning.
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gabble
C2
/ˈɡæbəl/
rapid and indistinct speech
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syllogism
C2
/ˈsɪlədʒɪz(ə)m/
An argument whose conclusion is supported by two premises, of which one contains the term that is the predicate of the conclusion, and the other contains the term that is the subject of the conclusion; common to both premises is a term that is excluded from the conclusion.
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grandsire
C2
/ˈɡrændsaɪɹ/
a grandfather, especially in old-fashioned or literary language
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truism
C2
/tɹuːizəm/
A statement that is so obviously true it hardly needs saying.
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aphorism
C2
/ˈæfərɪzəm/
a concise, memorable statement expressing a general truth or principle
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interjection
C1
/ˌɪn.tɚˈd͡ʒɛk.ʃən/
A word or short phrase used to express sudden emotion, such as "wow" or "ouch."
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corpuscle
C2
/ˈkɔɹˌpʌsəl/
a blood cell, especially a red or white blood cell; now chiefly used in older or nontechnical language
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roundelay
C2
/ˈɹaʊndəˌleɪ/
a song in which a line or phrase is repeated as the refrain
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bombast
C2
/ˈbɑːmbæst/
pompous, inflated language with little real meaning
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screed
C2
/skɹid/
A piece of writing (such as an article, letter, or list) or a speech, especially if long.
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referent
B2
/ˈɹɛf(ə)ɹənt/
The thing in the world that a word or phrase refers to.
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