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
748 words
prosecute
B2
/ˈpɹɒsɪkjuːt/
To officially accuse someone of a crime and try them in court.
immortality
B2
/ˌɪmɔːɹˈtæləti/
The state of being able to live forever.
patent
C1
/ˈpætənt/
An official right giving an inventor sole control over making and selling an invention for a set period.
mandatory
C1
/ˈmæn.dəˌt(ɔ)ɹi/
Required by a rule or law; that must be done.
premier
C1
/pɹɪˈmɪəɹ/
Best, most important, or highest in rank.
ownership
B2
/ˈoʊnɚʃɪp/
The fact of owning something; legal possession.
outlaw
B1
/ˈaʊt.lɔ/
A criminal, especially one who is on the run from the law.
competent
B2
/ˈkɒmpətənt/
Having enough skill, knowledge, or ability to do something well.
formally
B1
/ˈfɔɹ.mə.li/
In a serious or official way, following accepted rules.
formality
C1
/fɔːrˈmælɪti/
Something done only because it is required by custom or rule, without real importance.
dominant
C1
/ˈdɑmənənt/
Most powerful, important, or noticeable.
bankruptcy
B2
/ˈbæŋkˌɹʌp(t).si/
The legal state of being unable to pay your debts.
regent
B2
/ˈriː.dʒənt/
a person who governs temporarily for a monarch who is absent, underage, or unable to rule
superstitious
C2
/ˌs(j)u.pɚˈstɪ.ʃəs/
showing ignorance of the laws of nature and faith in magic or chance
representation
C1
/ˌɹɛp.ɹə.zɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/
The act of speaking or acting on behalf of a person or group.
violate
B2
/ˈvaɪəˌleɪt/
To break a law, rule, agreement, or promise.
nomination
B2
/ˌnɑmɪˈneɪʃən/
The act of officially suggesting someone for a job, position, or award.
obedient
B2
/əˈbidiənt/
Willing to do what you are told by someone in authority.
regulation
B1
/ˌɹɛɡjʊˈleɪʃən/
An official rule made by a government or organization.
uphold
C1
/ˌʌpˈhəʊld/
To support or maintain a law, principle, or decision.
proceeding
C1
/pɹəˈsiːdɪŋ/
A legal action or process carried out in a court.
informer
B2
/ˌɪnˈfɔrmɝ/
A person who tells authorities about improper or illegal activity.
suspense
C2
/səˈspɛns/
an uncertain cognitive state
lawful
B1
/ˈlɔfl̩/
Allowed by or in accordance with the law.
registry
B2
/ˈredʒ.ɪ.stri/
an official list or database in which names, events, property, or other information are recorded
administrative
B2
/ədˈmɪn.əˌstɹeɪ.tɪv/
Relating to the management or organization of a business, institution, or system.
monarch
C1
/ˈmɑnɚk/
The ruler of an absolute monarchy or the head of state of a constitutional monarchy.
overthrow
B2
/ˌoʊvɚˈθɹoʊ/
To remove a government or leader from power, especially by force.
unmarried
A2
/ʌnˈmæɹ.id/
not married or related to the unmarried state
govern
B1
/ˈɡʌv.ɚn/
To officially rule and control a country, state, or organization.
commonly
B1
/ˈkɑmənli/
Often; usually; as a general rule.
bey
C2
/beɪ/
historical: a governor, ruler, or other high official in the Ottoman Empire and some of its former territories
statute
C2
/ˈstæt͡ʃuːt/
enacted by a legislative body
notary
C1
/ˈnoʊ.t̬ɚ.i/
a public official authorized to witness signatures, administer oaths, and certify that documents are genuine
enforce
B2
/ɪnˈfoɹs/
To make sure a law, rule, or agreement is obeyed.
juror
B2
/ˈd͡ʒʊɹɚ/
A member of a jury in a court of law.
oblivion
C2
/əˈblɪviːən/
total forgetfulness
legislation
B2
/ˌlɛd͡ʒɪˈsleɪʃən/
A law or set of laws made by a government.
unauthorized
B2
/əˈnɔθɝˌaɪzd/
Done or made without official permission.
prefect
B2
/ˈpɹiːfɛkt/
An older school pupil given authority over other students.
judicial
C1
/d͡ʒuˈdɪʃəl/
Relating to courts of law, judges, or the legal system.
righteousness
B2
/ˈɹaɪt͡ʃəsnəs/
The quality of being morally good and doing what is right.
perjury
C2
/ˈpɜː(ɹ)d͡ʒəɹi/
The deliberate giving of false or misleading testimony under oath.
etiquette
C2
/ˈɛt.ɪˌkɛt/
The manners or decent behaviour to be observed in social or professional life; conventional decorum; the ceremonial code of polite society.
accordance
C1
/əˈkoɹ.dəns/
Agreement with a rule, plan, or system, usually in the phrase 'in accordance with'.
labyrinth
C2+
/ˈlæb.ə.ɹɪnθ/
A maze-like structure built by Daedalus in Knossos, containing the Minotaur.
submission
C1
/səbˈmɪʃən/
The act of sending in something such as a piece of work or an application.
court-martial
C1
/ˈkɔrtˌmɑr.ʃəl/
a military court, or a trial held by such a court, for members of the armed forces accused of breaking military law
scapegoat
C2
/ˈskeɪpˌɡoʊt/
Someone unfairly blamed or punished for some failure.
rebellious
B2
/ɹəˈbɛliəs/
Refusing to obey rules or those in authority.
requirement
B1
/ɹɪˈkwaɪɹmənt/
Something that you must have or do, especially by rule or law.
privy
C2
/ˈprɪvi/
sharing secret or private knowledge of something, normally followed by to
untrue
C2
/ʌnˈtɹuː/
not true to an obligation or trust
ancestral
C2
/ænˈsɛs.təɹ.əl/
inherited or inheritable by established rules (usually legal rules) of descent
congressional
C1
/kəŋˈɡɹɛ.ʃə.nəl/
Relating to a congress, especially the United States Congress.
relaxation
B2
/rᵻˌlækˈseɪ.ʃən/
The state of resting and being free from work, stress, or worry.
doctrine
C1
/ˈdɑk.tɹɪn/
A set of beliefs taught by a religion, political group, or other organization.
neatly
B2
/ˈniːtli/
with neatness
copyright
B1
/ˈkɑpiˌɹaɪt/
The legal right to control who can copy, publish, and sell a creative work.
mandate
C1
/ˈmændeɪ̯t/
The authority to act, given to a government or leader by the people who voted for them.
writ
B2
/ɹɪt/
Authority, power to enforce compliance.
eviction
C2
/ɪˈvɪk.ʃən/
the expulsion of someone, such as a tenant, from the possession of land by process of law
unofficial
B2
/ʌn.əˈfɪʃ.əl/
Not announced or confirmed by an authority; not yet official
alderman
C2
/ˈɔldəɹmən/
a member of a municipal council, especially in a city or in a historical system of local government
rigor
C2
/ˈɹɪɡɚ/
excessive sternness
emir
C2
/əˈmɪr/
a ruler, prince, governor, or military commander in an Islamic country or polity
viceroy
C2
/ˈvaɪsˌrɔɪ/
a governor who rules a country, colony, or province as the representative of a monarch
bureaucracy
B2
/bjʊˈɹɑ.kɹə.si/
A system of government or management run through many departments and strict official rules.
corroborate
C2
/kəˈɹɑbəɹeɪ̯t/
to support with evidence, authority, or make more certain or confirm
censorship
C1
/ˈsɛnsɚʃɪp/
The use of state or group power to control freedom of expression or press, such as passing laws to prevent undesirable media from being published or propagated.
gentry
C2
/ˈd͡ʒɛntɹi/
People of education and good breeding.
annihilation
C2
/əˌnaɪ.əˈleɪ.ʃən/
total destruction
allegation
C1
/ˌæl.ɪˈɡæɪ.ʃən/
A claim, usually an accusation, that someone has done something wrong, made without proof.
litigation
C2+
/ˌlɪtɪˈɡeɪ̯ʃən/
The conduct of a lawsuit.
loophole
C1
/ˈluːphoʊl/
an ambiguity, omission, or exception in a law or rule that allows its purpose to be avoided
compulsory
B2
/kəmˈpʌlsəɹi/
that must be done because of a rule or law
similarity
B1
/ˌsɪm.əˈlæɹ.ə.ti/
The state of being alike, or a feature that two or more things share.
vapor
B2
/ˈveɪpɚ/
Cloudy diffused matter such as mist, steam or fumes suspended in the air.
assert
B2
/əˈsɝt/
To state firmly that something is true.
borough
B2
/ˈbɝː.oʊ/
a town or district that is an administrative unit, especially in the United Kingdom
prerogative
C2
/prɪˈrɑɡətɪv/
a right or privilege belonging exclusively to a particular person, group, or position
provision
B2
/pɹəˈvɪʒ.ən/
A condition or rule in a law or contract.
evict
C2
/iˈvɪkt/
expel from one's property or force to move out by a legal process
critique
C1
/kɹɪˈtik/
A careful, detailed assessment of something's strengths and weaknesses.
scepter
C2
/ˈsɛp.tɚ/
a ceremonial staff carried by a monarch as an emblem of royal authority
bureaucratic
C1
/ˌbjʊɹəˈkɹætɪk/
Relating to complicated official rules and procedures, often seen as slow or unnecessary.
regency
B2
/ˈriːdʒənsi/
government by a regent on behalf of a monarch who is absent, underage, or unable to rule
shambles
C1
/ˈʃæmbəlz/
A state of great disorder, mess, or confusion.
adjourn
C1
/əˈd͡ʒɝn/
to suspend or end a meeting or official session, often until a stated later time
voter
B2
/ˈvoʊtɚ/
A person who votes or has the right to vote in an election.
compliance
C1
/kəmˈplaɪ.əns/
The act of obeying a rule, law, or official standard.
admiralty
C1
/ˈædmərəlti/
historical: the British government department and its officers formerly responsible for naval affairs
invisibility
C1
/ˌɪnˌvɪzəˈbɪləti/
the quality of not being perceivable by the eye
parliamentary
C1
/ˌpɑɹləˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/
Relating to or made by a parliament.
aristocratic
C2
/ˌæɹɪstəˈkɹætɪk/
belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy
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