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.
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All 27,237 words
183 words
truncheon
C2
/ˈtrʌn.tʃən/
a short, thick club carried as a weapon by a police officer
perjure
C1
/ˈpɝdʒɚ/
to knowingly make a false statement under oath and thereby commit perjury, usually used reflexively
trespasser
C2
/ˈtres.pæs.ɚ/
a person who enters or remains on another person's land or property without permission or legal right
brigand
C2
/ˈbɹɪɡənd/
an armed robber or outlaw, especially one belonging to a band
decapitate
C1
/diˈkæpəteɪt/
to cut off or otherwise remove the head of a person, animal, or figure
warder
B1
/ˈwɔɹdɚ/
a guard responsible for prisoners, especially in older British usage
bigamist
C2
/ˈbɪɡ.ə.mɪst/
a person who marries someone while still legally married to another person
embezzle
C2
/ɪmˈbɛzəl/
to fraudulently take money or property that has been entrusted to one's care, especially from an employer or organization
burgle
B2
/ˈbɝɡl̩/
To break into a building and steal things from it.
six-shooter
C1
/ˈsɪksˌʃuː.tɚ/
a revolver with a cylinder designed to hold six cartridges
filch
C2
/fɪltʃ/
to steal something, especially a small or relatively low-value item, in a furtive way
violator
C1
/ˈvaɪəleɪtɚ/
a person or organization that infringes a law, rule, agreement, right, boundary, or another person's bodily autonomy
gibbet
C2
/ˈdʒɪbɪt/
historical: a gallows or similar framework used to hang a person or display an executed person's body
aforethought
C2
/əˈfɔɹ.θɔt/
planned or considered in advance; premeditated, especially in the legal phrase 'malice aforethought'
housebreaking
C1
/ˈhaʊsˌbreɪ.kɪŋ/
the crime of entering a house or other building unlawfully, typically with the intention of stealing
fetter
C2
/ˈfet.ə/
a chain or shackle placed around the feet or legs to restrict movement
headsman
C2
/ˈhɛdzmən/
historical: an executioner who puts condemned people to death by beheading
safecracking
C2+
/ˈseɪfˌkræk.ɪŋ/
the practice of defeating a safe's or vault's security mechanisms in order to open it, especially illegally
corroborative
C2
/kəˈrɑːbəˌreɪtɪv/
serving to support, confirm, or strengthen a statement or conclusion with additional evidence
pugnacious
C2
/pəgˈnæʃɪs/
ready and able to resort to force or violence
matricide
C2
/ˈmeɪtrəˌsaɪd/
the killing of one's mother
parricide
C2
/ˈpærɪsaɪd/
the killing of one's father, mother, or another close relative
connivance
C2
/kəˈnaɪvəns/
secret or tacit approval of wrongdoing, especially by deliberately ignoring it
waylay
C2
/ˈweɪleɪ/
to wait for someone in order to attack them or stop them unexpectedly
nobble
C2
/ˈnɑː.bəl/
British informal: to bribe, persuade, intimidate, or otherwise secure improper influence over someone
larcenous
C2
/ˈlɑɹsənəs/
inclined to steal, or involving theft
purloin
C2
/pɚˈlɔɪn/
formal or humorous: to steal or wrongfully take something, often secretly or in breach of trust
cutpurse
C2
/ˈkʌtˌpɝs/
historical: a thief who steals purses or valuables from people in public, especially by cutting a purse from its fastening
bushranger
C2
/ˈbʊʃˌreɪn.dʒɚ/
historical Australian usage: an escaped convict or other outlaw who lived in the bush and survived by robbery
litigant
C2
/ˈlɪtɪɡənt/
a person or organization that is a party to a lawsuit
snitcher
C2+
/ˈsnɪtʃɚ/
an informer who secretly reports another person's wrongdoing to the police or another authority
malefactor
C2
/ˈmæl.əˌfæk.tɚ/
a person who commits a crime or other wrongful act; a criminal or evildoer
housebreaker
C2
/ˈhaʊsˌbreɪ.kɚ/
a person who illegally enters a house, usually by force, in order to steal or commit another crime
footpad
C2
/ˈfʊtˌpæd/
historical: a robber who traveled and attacked people on foot rather than on horseback
durance
C2
/ˈdʊɹəns/
literary or archaic: imprisonment or forced confinement, especially for a long time
exculpate
C2
/ˈekskəlpeɪt/
formal: to clear a person from blame, guilt, or an accusation
thievish
C2
/ˈθivɪʃ/
inclined or given to stealing
reave
C2
/riːv/
archaic or literary: to rob, plunder, or carry something away by force
depredation
C2
/ˌdɛprəˈdeɪʃən/
an act of plundering, pillaging, or violently seizing property
hornswoggle
C2
/ˈhɔɹn.swɑ.ɡəl/
to deceive or trick someone, especially in order to deprive them of money or property
pilferer
C2
/ˈpɪlfəɹə(ɹ)/
a person who steals small items or small amounts
cracksman
C2
/ˈkræksmən/
dated or literary: a burglar, especially one skilled at breaking open safes
footmark
C2
/ˈfʊtˌmɑrk/
a mark or impression left by a foot or shoe on a surface
body snatcher
C2
/ˈbɑːdi ˌsnætʃɚ/
historical: a person who illegally removed recently buried corpses from graves, especially to sell them for anatomical dissection
unjudged
C2
/ˌʌnˈdʒʌdʒd/
not evaluated, decided, or subjected to a legal judgment or trial
peculation
C2
/ˌpek.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/
the embezzlement or fraudulent appropriation of money or property entrusted to one's care, especially public funds
malversation
C2
/ˌmæl.vɚˈseɪ.ʃən/
corrupt or dishonest conduct in a public office, trust, or administrative role
smouch
C2
/ˈsmaʊtʃ/
chiefly dialectal: to obtain something by stealing or trickery
purloiner
C2+
/pərˈlɔɪnər/
a person who steals or takes something dishonestly
defalcation
C2
/ˌdiːfælˈkeɪʃən/
law: intentional or reckless misuse of money or property entrusted to one's care
sham
C2+
/ʃæm/
a fraud or pretence; fake; to feign
delinquency
C2+
/dɪˈlɪŋkwənsi/
minor crime or a failure to meet an obligation
justiciary
C2+
/dʒʌˈstɪʃiˌɛri/
an officer who administers justice, or relating to the administration of justice
nocent
C2+
/ˈnoʊsənt/
harmful or injurious; guilty
punition
C2+
/pjuˈnɪʃən/
the act of punishing; punishment
castigation
C2+
/ˌkæstɪˈɡeɪʃən/
severe criticism or punishment
unjust
C2+
/ʌnˈdʒʌst/
not fair or in accordance with justice
chastisement
C2+
/ˈtʃæstəzmənt/
severe punishment or rebuke
childlike
C2+
/ˈtʃaɪldˌlaɪk/
having the innocent or trusting qualities of a child
committal
C2+
/kəˈmɪtəl/
the act of consigning, as to prison, custody, or the grave
dovelike
C2+
/ˈdʌvlaɪk/
resembling a dove; gentle, innocent, or peaceable
lenient
C2+
/ˈliniənt/
merciful or tolerant, especially in punishment
abscond
C2+
/əbˈskɑnd/
to depart secretly and hurriedly, especially to avoid arrest or with stolen funds
admissible
C2+
/ædˈmɪsəbəl/
acceptable or allowable, especially as evidence in court
bastille
C2+
/bæˈstil/
a fortress or prison
criminate
C2+
/ˈkrɪməˌneɪt/
to accuse of or charge with a crime; to incriminate
crimination
C2+
/ˌkrɪməˈneɪʃən/
the act of accusing someone of a crime; an accusation
damnation
C2+
/dæmˈneɪʃən/
condemnation to eternal punishment in hell
exploratory
C2+
/ɪkˈsplɔrətɔri/
relating to or carried out for the purpose of investigation
fraudful
C2+
/ˈfrɔdfəl/
full of fraud; deceitful or treacherous
fraudulent
C2+
/ˈfrɔdʒələnt/
obtained, done, or characterized by deception or fraud
inculpate
C2+
/ɪnˈkʌlpeɪt/
to accuse or incriminate; to show as guilty
punitory
C2+
/ˈpjunɪtɔri/
inflicting or intended as punishment
sackless
C2+
/ˈsækləs/
innocent or guiltless; also dialectally feeble or simple-minded
brutality
C2+
/bruˈtæləti/
savage physical violence or cruelty
crimeful
C2+
/ˈkraɪmfəl/
full of crime; guilty or criminal (archaic)
detonate
C2+
/ˈdɛtəˌneɪt/
to explode or cause to explode with sudden violence
felonious
C2+
/fəˈloʊniəs/
involving or constituting a serious crime; criminal
imposure
C2+
/ɪmˈpoʊʒɚ/
an act of imposition or deception; a fraud or imposture
indict
C2+
/ɪnˈdaɪt/
to formally charge someone with a serious crime
inquisition
C2+
/ˌɪnkwəˈzɪʃən/
a prolonged or intensive, often harsh, questioning or investigation
judicatory
C2+
/ˈdʒudɪkəˌtɔri/
relating to the administration of justice; a court or tribunal
larceny
C2+
/ˈlɑrsəni/
the unlawful taking of another's personal property; theft
nefarious
C2+
/nəˈfɛriəs/
wicked or criminal in the extreme
nick
C2+
/nɪk/
a small cut or notch; (informal) to steal or arrest
prisonhouse
C2
/ˈprɪzənˌhaʊs/
a prison or the principal building of a prison
amercement
C2
/əˈmɝsmənt/
historical law: a monetary penalty whose amount was set at the discretion of a court or lord