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
hellish
C2+
/ˈhɛlɪʃ/
extremely unpleasant or torturous; of or like hell
heroic
C2+
/hɪˈroʊɪk/
having the courage or qualities of a hero
hesitancy
C2+
/ˈhɛzɪtənsi/
reluctance or uncertainty about acting or speaking
hideous
C2+
/ˈhɪdiəs/
extremely ugly or repulsive
higher
C2+
/ˈhaɪɚ/
at or to a greater height, degree, or rank
hindmost
C2+
/ˈhaɪndˌmoʊst/
farthest to the rear; last
honker
C2+
/ˈhɑŋkɚ/
something that honks, such as a goose or a car horn; informally, a large nose
horrendous
C2+
/hɔˈrɛndəs/
extremely unpleasant, shocking, or dreadful
horrid
C2+
/ˈhɔrɪd/
causing horror or strong distaste; very disagreeable
howdy
C2+
/ˈhaʊdi/
an informal greeting; hello
humdrum
C2+
/ˈhʌmˌdrʌm/
dull, monotonous, and lacking variety
iconic
C2+
/aɪˈkɑnɪk/
widely recognized and admired as a representative symbol
immodestly
C2+
/ɪˈmɑdɪstli/
in a manner lacking decency, restraint, or humility
imperfect
C2+
/ɪmˈpɝfɪkt/
not perfect; flawed or incomplete
imperfectly
C2+
/ɪmˈpɝfɪktli/
in a flawed or incomplete manner
imperious
C2+
/ɪmˈpɪriəs/
arrogantly domineering or overbearing
implausible
C2+
/ɪmˈplɔzəbəl/
not seeming reasonable or probable; hard to believe
implicative
C2+
/ɪmˈplɪkətɪv/
tending to imply or involve something by inference
implicitness
C2+
/ɪmˈplɪsɪtnəs/
the quality of being implied rather than directly stated
impreventable
C2+
/ˌɪmprɪˈvɛntəbəl/
that cannot be prevented; unpreventable
impudent
C2+
/ˈɪmpjədənt/
boldly disrespectful or impertinent
inbred
C2+
/ˈɪnˌbrɛd/
produced by breeding among close relatives, or deeply ingrained
incarnation
C2+
/ˌɪnkɑrˈneɪʃən/
a living embodiment of a deity, spirit, or quality in bodily form
incidentally
C2+
/ˌɪnsɪˈdɛntəli/
by the way; as a minor or unconnected point
incisively
C2+
/ɪnˈsaɪsɪvli/
in a sharp, clear, and analytically penetrating manner
incompletely
C2+
/ˌɪnkəmˈplitli/
in a manner that is not whole or fully finished
incontinent
C2+
/ɪnˈkɑntɪnənt/
unable to control bodily discharges; lacking self-restraint
indisposed
C2+
/ˌɪndɪˈspoʊzd/
slightly unwell; unwilling or disinclined
individualistic
C2+
/ˌɪndəˌvɪdʒuəˈlɪstɪk/
characterized by self-reliance and independence from the group
ineluctable
C2+
/ˌɪnɪˈlʌktəbəl/
impossible to avoid or escape; inevitable
inescapable
C2+
/ˌɪnɪˈskeɪpəbəl/
unable to be avoided or evaded
inessential
C2+
/ˌɪnɪˈsɛnʃəl/
not necessary or fundamental; dispensable
infelicitous
C2+
/ˌɪnfɪˈlɪsɪtəs/
not apt or well-chosen; unfortunate in expression
informally
C2+
/ɪnˈfɔrməli/
in a relaxed, casual, or unofficial manner
infrequently
C2+
/ɪnˈfrikwəntli/
not often; rarely
interminable
C2+
/ɪnˈtɜrmɪnəbəl/
endless or seemingly without limit, especially tediously so
intermittently
C2+
/ˌɪntərˈmɪtəntli/
at irregular intervals; occasionally and not continuously
intricacy
C2+
/ˈɪntrɪkəsi/
the quality of being complex; a complicated detail
intrinsicality
C2+
/ɪnˌtrɪnsɪˈkælɪti/
the quality of being intrinsic or essential by nature
intrusive
C2+
/ɪnˈtrusɪv/
intruding or encroaching where not welcome; obtrusive
inventive
C2+
/ɪnˈvɛntɪv/
having or showing creativity and originality in devising things
investigative
C2+
/ɪnˈvɛstɪˌɡeɪtɪv/
relating to detailed inquiry or systematic examination
involute
C2+
/ˈɪnvəˌlut/
intricate or complex; curled or rolled inward
inwrought
C2+
/ɪnˈrɔt/
worked or woven into something as decoration; intricately blended in
irresponsibility
C2+
/ˌɪrɪˌspɑnsəˈbɪlɪti/
the quality of acting without proper care or accountability
irriguous
C2+
/ɪˈrɪɡjuəs/
well-watered; supplying or marked by irrigation (archaic, literary)
irritant
C2+
/ˈɪrɪtənt/
something that causes irritation or annoyance
java
C2+
/ˈdʒɑvə/
coffee (informal); also a high-quality coffee from the island of Java
jocose
C2+
/dʒoʊˈkoʊs/
given to or marked by joking; humorous and playful
jointly
C2+
/ˈdʒɔɪntli/
together with another or others; in a shared manner
jolly
C2+
/ˈdʒɑli/
cheerful and good-humored; (British) very or extremely
jones
C2+
/ˈdʒoʊnz/
a strong craving or addiction (slang); to crave intensely
jovial
C2+
/ˈdʒoʊviəl/
cheerful and good-humored
keg
C2+
/kɛɡ/
a small barrel, especially one used for beer
knowingness
C2+
/ˈnoʊɪŋnəs/
the quality of seeming to know more than one reveals
laconic
C2+
/ləˈkɑnɪk/
using very few words; terse to the point of brusqueness
lengthiness
C2+
/ˈlɛŋθinəs/
the quality of being unduly long or protracted
lewd
C2+
/lud/
crude and offensive in a sexual way
lightness
C2+
/ˈlaɪtnəs/
the quality of having little weight, or of being bright or carefree
livable
C2+
/ˈlɪvəbəl/
fit or comfortable to live in or with
lucid
C2+
/ˈlusɪd/
clearly expressed and easy to understand; clear-minded
luminous
C2+
/ˈlumɪnəs/
giving off or full of light; radiant
lustful
C2+
/ˈlʌstfəl/
full of strong sexual desire
luxuriousness
C2+
/lʌɡˈʒʊriəsnəs/
the quality of being richly comfortable and sumptuous
madid
C2+
/ˈmædɪd/
wet or moist
mawkish
C2+
/ˈmɔkɪʃ/
excessively sentimental in a feeble or sickly way
mercilessness
C2+
/ˈmɜrsɪləsnəs/
the quality of showing no mercy or compassion
merrily
C2+
/ˈmɛrɪli/
in a cheerful and lively manner
midget
C2+
/ˈmɪdʒɪt/
a very small thing or, now offensively, a very short person
mightiness
C2+
/ˈmaɪtinəs/
the quality of being powerful or great
misanthropic
C2+
/ˌmɪsənˈθrɑpɪk/
disliking or distrusting humankind
mistakable
C2+
/mɪˈsteɪkəbəl/
liable to be misunderstood or confused with something else
modestly
C2+
/ˈmɑdəstli/
in an unassuming manner; to a limited or moderate extent
monologue
C2+
/ˈmɑnəlɔɡ/
a long speech by one speaker, especially in a play or performance
mouthful
C2+
/ˈmaʊθfʊl/
an amount of food or drink that fills the mouth; a long or hard-to-say word
muzzy
C2+
/ˈmʌzi/
confused, dazed, or fuzzy; blurred and indistinct
naturalistic
C2+
/ˌnætʃərəˈlɪstɪk/
imitating nature or real life closely; based on naturalism
nay
C2+
/neɪ/
no; used to introduce a stronger or more emphatic restatement
necessar
C2+
/ˈnɛsəsər/
necessary (archaic or truncated variant)
necessariness
C2+
/ˈnɛsəsɛrinəs/
the quality or state of being necessary
nestling
C2+
/ˈnɛstlɪŋ/
a young bird too young to leave the nest
nimious
C2+
/ˈnɪmiəs/
excessive; more than enough (rare)
noblesse
C2+
/noʊˈblɛs/
the noble class; nobility, especially in the obligation of high rank
nonalcoholic
C2+
/ˌnɑnælkəˈhɔlɪk/
containing no alcohol
noncredible
C2+
/ˌnɑnˈkrɛdəbəl/
not believable or convincing
nonexcessive
C2+
/ˌnɑnɪkˈsɛsɪv/
not excessive; kept within reasonable limits
nonextreme
C2+
/ˌnɑnɪkˈstrim/
not extreme; moderate
nonoptional
C2+
/ˌnɑnˈɑpʃənəl/
not optional; mandatory or required
normality
C2+
/nɔrˈmæləti/
the condition of being normal or usual
nosegay
C2+
/ˈnoʊzɡeɪ/
a small bunch of flowers, especially a fragrant one
obsequious
C2+
/əbˈsikwiəs/
excessively obedient or attentive in a servile, fawning way
obsessional
C2+
/əbˈsɛʃənəl/
of or marked by an obsession; preoccupied to an unhealthy degree
oddly
C2+
/ˈɑdli/
in a strange or unexpected manner
offhanded
C2+
/ˌɔfˈhændəd/
casual, curt, or unceremonious, often to the point of rudeness
oftentimes
C2+
/ˈɔfəntaɪmz/
frequently; many times
onerous
C2+
/ˈoʊnərəs/
involving heavy obligation, effort, or difficulty; burdensome