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
ordinariness
C2+
/ˈɔrdənɛrinəs/
the quality of being commonplace or unremarkable
overt
C2+
/oʊˈvɜrt/
done or shown openly; not concealed
overweening
C2+
/ˌoʊvɚˈwinɪŋ/
showing excessive confidence, pride, or presumption
participial
C2+
/ˌpɑrtɪˈsɪpiəl/
of or relating to a participle
partisanship
C2+
/ˈpɑrtɪzənˌʃɪp/
strong, often blind allegiance to a party or cause
paste
C2+
/peɪst/
a soft, moist, sticky mixture used for adhering or as food
patently
C2+
/ˈpeɪtəntli/
in a clear and obvious manner
peevish
C2+
/ˈpivɪʃ/
easily irritated; querulous and bad-tempered
pejorative
C2+
/pɪˈdʒɔrətɪv/
expressing contempt or disapproval; disparaging
penchant
C2+
/ˈpɛntʃənt/
a strong habitual liking or inclination
peppy
C2+
/ˈpɛpi/
full of energy and high spirits; lively
performant
C2+
/pɚˈfɔrmənt/
operating efficiently and with high performance (chiefly technical)
perspicuous
C2+
/pɚˈspɪkjuəs/
clearly expressed and easily understood; lucid
perturbation
C2+
/ˌpɜrtɚˈbeɪʃən/
a disturbance or deviation from a normal or expected state
phenomenalistic
C2+
/fəˌnɑmənəˈlɪstɪk/
relating to or characteristic of phenomenalism
pigeonhole
C2+
/ˈpɪdʒənˌhoʊl/
to categorize narrowly, or a small compartment for papers
pike
C2+
/paɪk/
a long-bodied predatory freshwater fish, or a long-shafted spear
piteous
C2+
/ˈpɪtiəs/
arousing pity; pitiful
pitiable
C2+
/ˈpɪtiəbəl/
deserving or arousing pity
pitiful
C2+
/ˈpɪtɪfəl/
deserving pity, or contemptibly inadequate
pitilessness
C2+
/ˈpɪtɪləsnəs/
the quality of showing no mercy or compassion
plashy
C2+
/ˈplæʃi/
wet and marshy, or marked by splashing
playfulness
C2+
/ˈpleɪfəlnəs/
a lighthearted, fun-loving quality
pleasantness
C2+
/ˈplɛzəntnəs/
the quality of being agreeable or enjoyable
plenteous
C2+
/ˈplɛntiəs/
existing in great abundance; plentiful (literary)
pleonastic
C2+
/ˌpliəˈnæstɪk/
using more words than necessary; redundant
plight
C2+
/plaɪt/
a difficult or unfortunate situation
plump
C2+
/plʌmp/
having a full, rounded shape; pleasantly fat
pod
C2+
/pɑd/
a seed case of certain plants, or a small detachable compartment
pong
C2+
/pɔŋ/
a strong unpleasant smell (British informal)
porcine
C2+
/ˈpɔrsaɪn/
of, relating to, or resembling pigs
possibleness
C2+
/ˈpɑsəbəlnəs/
the quality or state of being possible
pouch
C2+
/paʊtʃ/
a small bag or pocket-like container
preclude
C2+
/prɪˈklud/
to prevent from happening; to make impossible
predominate
C2+
/prɪˈdɑmɪˌneɪt/
to be the strongest, most common, or most influential element
prejudiced
C2+
/ˈprɛdʒədɪst/
holding preconceived, usually unfavorable, opinions
prenatal
C2+
/priˈneɪtl/
occurring or existing before birth
preternatural
C2+
/ˌpritɚˈnætʃərəl/
beyond what is normal or natural; exceptional
pretext
C2+
/ˈpritɛkst/
a false reason given to conceal the real one
prizable
C2+
/ˈpraɪzəbl/
worthy of being valued or esteemed
prodigious
C2+
/prəˈdɪdʒəs/
remarkably or impressively great in extent or degree
productiveness
C2+
/prəˈdʌktɪvnəs/
the quality of yielding much or producing results
proficiency
C2+
/prəˈfɪʃənsi/
a high degree of skill or competence
proficient
C2+
/prəˈfɪʃənt/
competent or skilled in doing something
promiscuous
C2+
/prəˈmɪskjuəs/
indiscriminate or undiscriminating in mixing or choice
prosaic
C2+
/proʊˈzeɪɪk/
lacking imagination; dull and commonplace
puff
C2+
/pʌf/
a short, sudden burst of breath, air, or smoke
purchasable
C2+
/ˈpɝtʃəsəbl/
able to be bought
pureness
C2+
/ˈpjʊrnəs/
the quality of being unmixed or untainted
putatively
C2+
/ˈpjutətɪvli/
by general assumption; supposedly
rapacious
C2+
/rəˈpeɪʃəs/
aggressively greedy or grasping
rapt
C2+
/ræpt/
completely absorbed or fascinated
receptive
C2+
/rɪˈsɛptɪv/
willing to consider new ideas or suggestions
reciprocally
C2+
/rɪˈsɪprəkli/
in a mutual or corresponding manner
recondite
C2+
/ˈrɛkəndaɪt/
little known; abstruse and obscure
redolent
C2+
/ˈrɛdələnt/
strongly reminiscent or fragrant of something
regal
C2+
/ˈriɡl/
of, resembling, or fit for a monarch; majestic
regularity
C2+
/ˌrɛɡjəˈlærəti/
the quality of being even, consistent, or recurring
rejuvenate
C2+
/rɪˈdʒuvəneɪt/
to make young, fresh, or vigorous again
reliably
C2+
/rɪˈlaɪəbli/
in a dependable, consistently good manner
rememberable
C2+
/rɪˈmɛmbərəbl/
able to be remembered; memorable
renewal
C2+
/rɪˈnuəl/
the act of extending or making new again
renovate
C2+
/ˈrɛnəveɪt/
to restore to good condition; refurbish
residuary
C2+
/rɪˈzɪdʒuɛri/
relating to the part of an estate remaining after debts
resolutely
C2+
/ˈrɛzəlutli/
in a firm and determined manner
responsive
C2+
/rɪˈspɑnsɪv/
reacting quickly and positively to something or someone
revamp
C2+
/riˈvæmp/
to renovate or give new and improved form to something
revealingness
C2+
/rɪˈvilɪŋnəs/
the quality of disclosing or making something evident
riffle
C2+
/ˈrɪfəl/
to leaf through or flick quickly, or a shallow stretch of rippling water
ripple
C2+
/ˈrɪpəl/
a small wave or series of waves, or a spreading effect
rudeness
C2+
/ˈrudnəs/
the quality of being discourteous or impolite
sapling
C2+
/ˈsæplɪŋ/
a young, slender tree
satan
C2+
/ˈseɪtən/
the devil; the chief embodiment of evil in several religions
scallion
C2+
/ˈskæljən/
a long-stalked onion with a small bulb; a spring onion
sculpt
C2+
/skʌlpt/
to carve, model, or shape into a three-dimensional form
seemliness
C2+
/ˈsimlinəs/
the quality of being decorous, proper, or fitting
sempiternal
C2+
/ˌsɛmpɪˈtɝnəl/
everlasting; eternal and without end
sensitiveness
C2+
/ˈsɛnsətɪvnəs/
the quality of being easily affected or responsive to stimuli or feelings
seriousness
C2+
/ˈsɪriəsnəs/
the quality of being grave, earnest, or of grave importance
servile
C2+
/ˈsɝvəl/
excessively willing to please or obey; submissively obsequious
shady
C2+
/ˈʃeɪdi/
giving shade, or of doubtful honesty or legality
shaw
C2+
/ʃɔ/
a small wood or thicket; the leafy tops of root vegetables
signet
C2+
/ˈsɪɡnɪt/
a small seal, often set in a ring, used to authenticate documents
silken
C2+
/ˈsɪlkən/
made of or resembling silk; soft, smooth, and lustrous
silvery
C2+
/ˈsɪlvəri/
resembling silver in color or sound; clear and melodious
sincereness
C2+
/sɪnˈsɪrnəs/
the quality of being genuine and free from pretense; sincerity
slapdash
C2+
/ˈslæpˌdæʃ/
done hastily and carelessly; haphazard
sleeping
C2+
/ˈslipɪŋ/
being asleep, or temporarily inactive or dormant
snip
C2+
/snɪp/
to cut with small quick strokes of scissors, or a small cut
socialistic
C2+
/ˌsoʊʃəˈlɪstɪk/
tending toward or characteristic of socialism
soggy
C2+
/ˈsɑɡi/
saturated with moisture; heavy and wet
solidness
C2+
/ˈsɑlɪdnəs/
the quality of being firm, dense, or dependable; solidity
sorcerous
C2+
/ˈsɔrsərəs/
relating to or possessing the powers of sorcery
sorrowfully
C2+
/ˈsɑroʊfəli/
in a manner expressing or marked by deep sadness
soundness
C2+
/ˈsaʊndnəs/
the quality of being healthy, solid, or logically valid
southeasterly
C2+
/ˌsaʊθˈistɚli/
toward or coming from the southeast