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
4363 words
fortuity
C2+
/fɔrˈtuːɪti/
a chance occurrence; the quality of happening by accident
fragility
C2+
/frəˈdʒɪlɪti/
the quality of being easily broken or delicate
frolicsome
C2+
/ˈfrɑlɪksəm/
full of playful, lively high spirits
froward
C2+
/ˈfroʊwɚd/
stubbornly contrary and disobedient (archaic)
fugacious
C2+
/fjuˈɡeɪʃəs/
tending to disappear quickly; fleeting
garnish
C2+
/ˈɡɑrnɪʃ/
to decorate food with a small embellishment; such a decoration
geezer
C2+
/ˈɡiːzɚ/
an old man, often eccentric; (British slang) a man or fellow
germane
C2+
/dʒɚˈmeɪn/
relevant and appropriate to the matter under consideration
gigantic
C2+
/dʒaɪˈɡæntɪk/
of enormous size; immense
glaringly
C2+
/ˈɡlɛrɪŋli/
in a way that is obvious and conspicuous, especially badly so
globular
C2+
/ˈɡlɑbjələr/
shaped like a globe or sphere; composed of globules
gravid
C2+
/ˈɡrævɪd/
pregnant; full of eggs; heavy with significance
groovy
C2+
/ˈɡruːvi/
fashionable and excellent (informal, dated)
groundly
C2+
/ˈɡraʊndli/
thoroughly or fundamentally (archaic)
grownup
C2+
/ˈɡroʊnˌʌp/
an adult; characteristic of adults
grueling
C2+
/ˈɡruːəlɪŋ/
extremely tiring and demanding
gustful
C2+
/ˈɡʌstfəl/
full of relish or zest; tasty (archaic)
hep
C2+
/hɛp/
aware of or fashionable about the latest trends (dated slang)
idealism
C2+
/aɪˈdiːəˌlɪzəm/
the pursuit of high ideals; a philosophy stressing mind or ideas
immodest
C2+
/ɪˈmɑdɪst/
lacking modesty; indecent or conceitedly boastful
implicit
C2+
/ɪmˈplɪsɪt/
implied though not plainly expressed; absolute and unquestioning
incomplete
C2+
/ˌɪnkəmˈplit/
not finished or lacking some necessary part
indicative
C2+
/ɪnˈdɪkətɪv/
serving as a sign or indication of something
indifferently
C2+
/ɪnˈdɪfrəntli/
without interest or concern; in a mediocre manner
indistinguishable
C2+
/ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəbəl/
impossible to tell apart from something else
infantile
C2+
/ˈɪnfəntaɪl/
of or like an infant; childishly immature
informatory
C2+
/ɪnˈfɔrmətɔri/
giving information; instructive
infrequent
C2+
/ɪnˈfrikwənt/
not occurring often; rare
infuse
C2+
/ɪnˈfjuz/
to fill or imbue with a quality; to steep in liquid to extract flavour
inlet
C2+
/ˈɪnlɛt/
a small narrow arm of water reaching inland; an opening for intake
intimately
C2+
/ˈɪntɪmətli/
in a close, personal, or detailed way
inveterate
C2+
/ɪnˈvɛtərət/
having a long-established and unlikely-to-change habit
invincible
C2+
/ɪnˈvɪnsəbəl/
too powerful to be defeated or overcome
justiciar
C2+
/dʒʌˈstɪʃiər/
a high medieval English judicial and administrative officer of the crown
knotty
C2+
/ˈnɑti/
full of knots; complicated and difficult to solve
likeliness
C2+
/ˈlaɪklinəs/
the quality of being probable; likelihood
lone
C2+
/loʊn/
solitary; having no companions
longing
C2+
/ˈlɔŋɪŋ/
a strong, persistent yearning or desire
longsome
C2+
/ˈlɔŋsəm/
(archaic) tediously long; wearisome
loudness
C2+
/ˈlaʊdnəs/
the quality or degree of being loud; perceived sound intensity
macroscopic
C2+
/ˌmækrəˈskɑpɪk/
large enough to be seen by the naked eye; large-scale
markworthy
C2+
/ˈmɑrkwɜrði/
(rare) worthy of notice or remark; noteworthy
maxim
C2+
/ˈmæksɪm/
a short pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct
mayhap
C2+
/ˈmeɪhæp/
(archaic) perhaps; possibly
meagerly
C2+
/ˈmiɡərli/
in a scanty or insufficient manner
meditative
C2+
/ˈmɛdɪteɪtɪv/
given to or expressing deep, calm thought
mentionable
C2+
/ˈmɛnʃənəbəl/
fit or suitable to be mentioned
mildly
C2+
/ˈmaɪldli/
to a moderate degree; gently
misinform
C2+
/ˌmɪsɪnˈfɔrm/
to give someone false or misleading information
multicolored
C2+
/ˈmʌltiˌkʌlərd/
having many colours
noneffervescent
C2+
/ˌnɑnˌɛfərˈvɛsənt/
not bubbling or fizzing; lacking effervescence
nonsingular
C2+
/ˌnɑnˈsɪŋɡjələr/
of a matrix, having an inverse; invertible
nook
C2+
/nʊk/
a small, secluded, or sheltered corner or recess
normalize
C2+
/ˈnɔrməˌlaɪz/
to bring into conformity with a standard or norm; to make normal
normative
C2+
/ˈnɔrmətɪv/
relating to or prescribing a norm or standard
noticeably
C2+
/ˈnoʊtɪsəbli/
to a degree that is clearly perceptible
obese
C2+
/oʊˈbis/
grossly overweight; excessively fat
observably
C2+
/əbˈzɜrvəbli/
in a way that can be observed or perceived
observational
C2+
/ˌɑbzərˈveɪʃənəl/
based on observing rather than experimenting or theorizing
occult
C2+
/əˈkʌlt/
relating to supernatural or mystical forces; hidden from ordinary view
older
C2+
/ˈoʊldər/
comparative of old; having lived or existed longer
opaqueness
C2+
/oʊˈpeɪknəs/
the quality of not letting light through; obscurity of meaning
operant
C2+
/ˈɑpərənt/
producing effects; relating to behavior modified by its consequences
oppressive
C2+
/əˈprɛsɪv/
unjustly harsh or burdensome; weighing heavily on the spirit
outlandish
C2+
/aʊtˈlændɪʃ/
bizarre, strange, or unfamiliar in a striking way
pamphlet
C2+
/ˈpæmflɪt/
a small unbound booklet, often on a topical or political subject
paucity
C2+
/ˈpɔsɪti/
the presence of something in only small or insufficient quantities
pliable
C2+
/ˈplaɪəbəl/
easily bent without breaking; easily influenced
pliant
C2+
/ˈplaɪənt/
bending readily; supple or easily influenced
polished
C2+
/ˈpɑlɪʃt/
smooth and shiny from rubbing; refined and accomplished
predisposition
C2+
/ˌpridɪspəˈzɪʃən/
an inclination or tendency to a particular condition or behavior
progressively
C2+
/prəˈɡrɛsɪvli/
in a manner increasing steadily by stages or degrees
pup
C2+
/pʌp/
a young dog or the young of certain other animals
quandary
C2+
/ˈkwɑndri/
a state of uncertainty or perplexity over a difficult choice
rabid
C2+
/ˈræbɪd/
having or proceeding from extreme fanaticism; also, affected by rabies
refine
C2+
/rɪˈfaɪn/
to remove impurities from, or to improve by making small changes
relevancy
C2+
/ˈrɛləvənsi/
the quality of being pertinent or connected to the matter at hand
responsibly
C2+
/rɪˈspɑnsəbli/
in a sensible, accountable, or trustworthy manner
salient
C2+
/ˈseɪliənt/
most noticeable or important; prominent
sappy
C2+
/ˈsæpi/
excessively sentimental; also, full of sap
scrawny
C2+
/ˈskrɔni/
unattractively thin and bony
selflessness
C2+
/ˈsɛlfləsnəs/
the quality of caring more for others than for oneself
serpent
C2+
/ˈsɜrpənt/
a snake, especially a large or symbolically evil one
similitude
C2+
/sɪˈmɪlɪtud/
the quality of being similar; a comparison or likeness
solemn
C2+
/ˈsɑləm/
formal, serious, and dignified; grave
sonorous
C2+
/səˈnɔrəs/
having a deep, full, resonant sound
sparse
C2+
/spɑrs/
thinly distributed or scarce; not dense
spiciness
C2+
/ˈspaɪsinəs/
the quality of being pungent, hot, or piquant in flavor
sporadically
C2+
/spəˈrædɪkli/
occurring at irregular intervals; occasionally and scattered
stagy
C2+
/ˈsteɪdʒi/
excessively theatrical or artificial in manner
stupidity
C2+
/stuˈpɪdəti/
the quality of lacking intelligence or good sense
suade
C2+
/sweɪd/
to urge or persuade; an archaic short form of persuade
sundry
C2+
/ˈsʌndri/
of various kinds; several and miscellaneous
systematically
C2+
/ˌsɪstəˈmætɪkli/
in a methodical manner according to a fixed plan or system
tab
C2+
/tæb/
a small projecting flap or label; also a running bill or account
tierce
C2+
/tɪrs/
a third in fencing, music, or cards; an old liquid measure of a cask