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
498 words
preempt
C2+
/ˌpɹiːˈɛmpt/
take the place of or have precedence over
aplomb
C2
/əˈplʌm/
Self-confidence; poise; composure.
semantic
C2
/sɪˈmæntɪk/
of or relating to meaning or the study of meaning
tinkler
C2
/ˈtɪŋklɚ/
British dialect, dated and sometimes offensive: an itinerant tinker, traveler, or member of a traveling community
gnostic
C2
/ˈnɑstɪk/
of or relating to Gnosticism
multifaceted
C2
/ˌməltiːˈfæsətɪd/
Having multiple facets or (geometric) faces.
sinuous
C2
/ˈsɪn.ju.əs/
Having curves in alternate directions; meandering.
howdy-do
C2
/ˌhaʊdiˈduː/
dated, especially US: an awkward, surprising, or troublesome situation, often in the phrase a pretty howdy-do
benefactress
C2
/ˈbɛnəˌfæktɹəs/
a woman who gives money or other help to a person or cause; now often replaced by the gender-neutral benefactor
raconteur
C2+
/ˌɹæk.ɑnˈtɝ/
To make witty remarks or stories.
fash
C2+
/fæʃ/
Scots and Northern English: to trouble, bother, or worry someone, often oneself
riposte
C2
/ɹɪˈpoʊst/
make a return thrust
finagle
C2
/ˈfɪnəgəl/
To obtain, arrange, or achieve by indirect, complicated and/or intensive efforts.
panoply
C2
/ˈpænəpli/
A splendid display of something.
agin
C2
/əˈɡɪn/
a dialect spelling of again
encyclopedic
C2
/ensaiːkloˈpʰiːdək/
broad in scope or content
misconstrue
C2
/mɪskənˈstruː/
To interpret erroneously, to understand incorrectly; to misunderstand.
anticlimax
C1
/ˈæn.tiˌklaɪ.mæks/
a disappointing or unimportant ending after a buildup that created expectations of something exciting or impressive
welter
C2+
/ˈwɛltɚ/
be immersed in
garrulous
C2
/ˈɡɛɹ.ə.ləs/
Excessively or tiresomely talkative.
swathe
C2
/swɑð/
To bind with a swathe, band, bandage, or rollers
askance
C2+
/əˈskæns/
with a side or oblique glance
weal
C2
/wil/
welfare, prosperity, or the common good, now chiefly archaic or literary
scintilla
C2
/sɪnˈtɪlə/
A small spark or flash.
venial
C2
/ˈviːni.əl/
easily excused or forgiven
dovetail
C2
/ˈdʌvˌteɪl/
To combine or fit (things) together well.
ribald
C2
/ˈɹɪb.əld/
coarsely vulgar or irreverently humorous, especially about sex
farrago
C2
/fəˈrɑːɡoʊ/
a confused mixture or assortment of miscellaneous things
assiduously
C2
/əˈsɪdwəsli/
with care and persistence
raiment
C2
/ˈɹeɪ.mənt/
Clothing, garments, dress, material.
palimpsest
C2
/ˈpælɪmpsɛst/
Something bearing the traces of an earlier, erased form.
jiggered
C2+
/ˈdʒɪɡɚd/
extremely tired; old-fashioned and informal in British English
tenable
C2+
/ˈten.ə.bəl/
capable of being maintained or justified; well-founded
tangential
C2
/tænˈd͡ʒɛn.t͡ʃəl/
of or relating to or acting along or in the direction of a tangent
self-effacing
C2+
Shy, extremely humble and modest; making oneself seem unnoticeable.
recommence
C1
/ˌriː.kəˈmens/
formal: to begin again or cause an activity to begin again
solus
C2
/ˈsoʊləs/
literary or in stage directions: alone; unaccompanied
belabor
C2
/bɪˈleɪbɝ/
to attack verbally with harsh criticism
faugh
C2
/fɔː/
an exclamation expressing disgust or contempt, especially in reaction to a foul smell
noway
C2
/ˈnoʊˌweɪ/
in no way or degree; not at all; now chiefly archaic or dialectal
mendacious
C2+
/mɛnˈdeɪʃəs/
given to lying
languorous
C2
/ˈlæŋ(ɡ)ərəs/
lacking energy, spirit, liveliness or vitality; languid, lackadaisical.
malodorous
C2
/ˌmælˈoʊ.də.ɹəs/
Having a bad odor.
deuced
C2
/ˈduː.sɪd/
old-fashioned informal: very or extremely, used for emphasis
straightway
C2
/ˈstreɪtweɪ/
immediately or without delay, now chiefly literary or archaic
vociferous
C2
/voʊˈsɪfəɹəs/
conspicuously and offensively loud
vitriolic
C2
/ˌvɪt.riˈɑ.lɪk/
of a substance, an especially strong acid
supplicant
C2
/ˈsʌplɪkənt/
one who comes to humbly ask or petition
lubber
C2
/ˈlʌb.ɚ/
dated or insulting: a large, clumsy, lazy, or foolish person
inst
C2
/ˈɪnstənt/
dated, in correspondence: of the present month, used after a stated date
importune
C2
/ɪmpɔɹˈtuːn/
beg persistently and urgently
womanish
C2
/ˈwʊmənɪʃ/
dated and derogatory, especially of a man: having traits stereotypically associated with women and judged weak or unsuitable
higgledy-piggledy
C2
/ˌhɪɡəldiˈpɪɡəldi/
mixed together or arranged in a confused, disorderly way, with no clear plan or pattern
braw
C2+
/brɔ/
in Scots, fine, excellent, handsome, or pleasing
hardscrabble
C2
/ˈhɑɹdˌskɹæbəl/
barely satisfying a lower standard
penumbra
C2
/pəˈnʌm.bɹə/
A region around the edge of a sunspot, darker than the sun's surface but lighter than the middle of the sunspot.
cadge
C2
/kæd͡ʒ/
To obtain something by wit or guile; to convince people to do something they might not normally do.
mordant
C2
/ˈmoɹd(ə)nt/
Any substance used to facilitate the fixing of a dye to a fibre; usually a metallic compound which reacts with the dye using chelation.
melange
C2
/məˈlɑnʒ/
A mixture of different things; a disordered mixture.
de rigueur
C2
/də rɪˈɡɝː/
required by custom, etiquette, convention, or current fashion
gree
C2
/ɡriː/
dialectal or archaic: one step in a flight of stairs
grizzle
C2
/ˈɡrɪz.əl/
chiefly British, informal and disapproving: to cry fretfully or complain continually
peripatetic
C2
/ˌpɛrəpəˈtɛtɪk/
traveling especially on foot
blackamoor
C2
/ˈblæk.əˌmɔɹ/
historical and offensive: an obsolete racial label for a Black person, especially one perceived as African or North African; also formerly used for a Black servant
enthrall
C2
/ɪnˈθɹɔːl/
To hold spellbound.
homogenous
C2
/həˈmɑd͡ʒɪnəs/
Having the same genetic structure; exhibiting homogeny.
simper
C2
/ˈsɪmpɚ/
To smile in a foolish, frivolous, self-conscious, coy, obsequious, or smug manner.
niggard
C2
/ˈnɪɡɚd/
archaic: a person who is extremely unwilling to spend or give; a miser
amortize
C2
/ˈæmɚtaɪz/
to liquidate gradually
demotic
C2
/dɪˈmɑ.tɪk/
of or for the common people
obstreperous
C2
/əbˈstɹɛpəɹəs/
boisterously and noisily aggressive
coterie
C2
/ˈkoʊtəɹi/
A circle of individuals who associate with one another for a common purpose.
indecorous
C2+
lacking propriety and good taste in manners and conduct
negroid
C2
/ˈniːɡrɔɪd/
dated and offensive: relating to a discredited racial category formerly applied to people of sub-Saharan African ancestry on the basis of supposed physical traits
doggerel
C2
/ˈdɑːgɝəl/
a comic verse of irregular measure
insouciance
C2
/ɪnˈsuːsi.əns/
Carelessness, heedlessness, indifference, or casual unconcern.
bombast
C2
/ˈbɑːmbæst/
pompous, inflated language with little real meaning
clew
C2
/kluː/
an archaic or literary spelling of clue: a fact or sign that helps solve a problem or find something
empiricism
C2
/ɛmˈpɪrəˌsɪzəm/
A pursuit of knowledge purely through experience, especially by means of observation and sometimes by experimentation.
explicable
C2
/ɪkˈsplɪkəbəl/
capable of being explicated or accounted for
imponderable
C2+
/ɪmˈpɑːndəɹəbl/
difficult or impossible to evaluate with precision
unprepossessing
C2
Unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
putrefy
C2
/ˈpjutɹəfaɪ/
To reach an advanced stage of decomposition.
starveling
C2
/ˈstɑɹvlɪŋ/
literary: a person, animal, or plant made thin and weak by lack of food
toilsome
C2
/ˈtɔɪlsəm/
requiring prolonged, tiring effort; laborious
vertiginous
C2
/vɜː(ɹ)ˈtɪd͡ʒɪnəs/
having or causing a whirling sensation
swart
C2
/ˈswɔrt/
dark in color or complexion; now chiefly archaic or literary and potentially offensive when applied to a person
whoso
C2
/ˈhuːˌsoʊ/
archaic: whoever; whatever person
intemperance
C2+
/ɪnˈtɛmpɛɹəns/
excess in action and immoderate indulgence of bodily appetites, especially in passion or indulgence
snod
C2
/snɑd/
neat, trim, smooth, or orderly; chiefly Scottish and northern English
winnow
C2
/ˈwɪnoʊ/
the act of separating grain from chaff
mimetic
C2
/mɪˈmɛtɪk/
exhibiting mimicry
peart
C2+
/pɝːt/
chiefly Southern and Midland US: lively, cheerful, or in good spirits
inanity
C2
/ɪˈnænɪti/
Something that is inane.
vacillate
C2
/ˈvæ.sə.leɪt/
to move or sway in a rising and falling or wavelike pattern
solipsistic
C2
Of, relating to, or being disposed to solipsism.