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
bendsome
C2+
/ˈbɛndsəm/
flexible or pliant; easily bent (dialectal)
besotted
C2+
/bɪˈsɑtɪd/
infatuated or intoxicated to the point of foolishness
betone
C2+
/bɪˈtoʊn/
to give tone or sound to; to intone (rare)
billow
C2+
/ˈbɪloʊ/
a large rolling wave; to swell or surge outward
bitesheep
C2+
/ˈbaɪtʃip/
dialectal name for a plant or condition causing sheep to bite or fret, or a rough pasture
blee
C2+
/bli/
archaic word for complexion, color, or hue
bloc
C2+
/blɑk/
a group of countries or parties united by a common interest or purpose
blockheadedness
C2+
/ˈblɑkˌhɛdɪdnəs/
the quality of being stupid or obtusely dull-witted
blowy
C2+
/ˈbloʊi/
characterized by strong wind; windy or gusty
bludgeon
C2+
/ˈblʌdʒən/
a short heavy club; to strike repeatedly or to coerce forcefully
blusher
C2+
/ˈblʌʃər/
a cosmetic for adding color to the cheeks; also one who blushes
blushful
C2+
/ˈblʌʃfəl/
full of or marked by blushing; modest or rosy
bluster
C2+
/ˈblʌstər/
to speak loudly and aggressively with little effect; noisy empty boasting
bodeful
C2+
/ˈboʊdfəl/
foreboding or ominous; portending evil
boding
C2+
/ˈboʊdɪŋ/
a foreboding or presentiment; ominously prophetic
bogue
C2+
/boʊɡ/
a small sea bream of the genus Boops; dialectally to slink or sneak off
borderline
C2+
/ˈbɔrdərlaɪn/
barely acceptable or only just within a category; a boundary
boringly
C2+
/ˈbɔrɪŋli/
in a tediously dull manner
bowbent
C2+
/ˈboʊbɛnt/
bent like a bow; curved or stooped
bracing
C2+
/ˈbreɪsɪŋ/
fresh and invigorating; also a structural support
brainsick
C2+
/ˈbreɪnsɪk/
mentally disordered; mad or deranged
brashness
C2+
/ˈbræʃnəs/
the quality of being bold, hasty, or impudent
brassy
C2+
/ˈbræsi/
resembling brass in color or sound; loudly bold or tasteless
breachy
C2+
/ˈbritʃi/
of livestock, apt to break through fences; unruly
breakout
C2+
/ˈbreɪkaʊt/
a sudden escape, outbreak, or surge into prominence
briefness
C2+
/ˈbrifnəs/
the quality of being short in duration or expression; brevity
brittle
C2+
/ˈbrɪtəl/
hard but easily broken; also a hard sugary candy
brittleness
C2+
/ˈbrɪtəlnəs/
the quality of being hard yet liable to break or shatter
broadsheet
C2+
/ˈbrɔdʃit/
a large-format newspaper, traditionally one regarded as serious
broody
C2+
/ˈbrudi/
moodily silent or melancholy; (of a hen) inclined to incubate eggs
brutally
C2+
/ˈbrutəli/
in a savagely violent or harshly direct manner
bubblingly
C2+
/ˈbʌblɪŋli/
in a lively, effervescent, or enthusiastically cheerful manner
buffoonish
C2+
/bəˈfunɪʃ/
ridiculously foolish or clownish in behavior
bumptious
C2+
/ˈbʌmpʃəs/
offensively self-assertive or conceited
bumpy
C2+
/ˈbʌmpi/
having an uneven surface; marked by jolts or difficulties
buttery
C2+
/ˈbʌtɚi/
tasting of or resembling butter; a storeroom for provisions or liquor
cajolery
C2+
/kəˈdʒoʊləri/
persuasion by flattery, coaxing, or gentle deception
callant
C2+
/ˈkælənt/
a youth or lad (Scots and northern English dialect)
caloric
C2+
/kəˈlɔrɪk/
relating to heat or calories; an obsolete supposed fluid of heat
campestral
C2+
/kæmˈpɛstrəl/
of or relating to open fields or the countryside
canard
C2+
/kəˈnɑrd/
a false or baseless rumor or fabricated story
cancerous
C2+
/ˈkænsərəs/
relating to or affected by cancer; malignantly spreading
candelabrum
C2+
/ˌkændəˈlɑbrəm/
a large branched candlestick or lamp holder
capably
C2+
/ˈkeɪpəbli/
in a competent and effective manner
captious
C2+
/ˈkæpʃəs/
inclined to find trivial faults; carping
captivity
C2+
/kæpˈtɪvəti/
the condition of being imprisoned or confined
carl
C2+
/kɑrl/
a peasant or common man; a churlish fellow (archaic)
carpent
C2+
/ˈkɑrpənt/
to work as or like a carpenter; to construct in wood (rare)
carriable
C2+
/ˈkæriəbəl/
able to be carried or transported
casket
C2+
/ˈkæskɪt/
a coffin; a small ornamental box for valuables
caterpillar
C2+
/ˈkætɚˌpɪlɚ/
the larva of a butterfly or moth
cavern
C2+
/ˈkævɚn/
a large, often underground, chamber or cave
centuried
C2+
/ˈsɛntʃərid/
aged or enduring through centuries; centuries old
cerise
C2+
/səˈris/
a bright, deep cherry-red color
cervix
C2+
/ˈsɝvɪks/
the narrow neck-like passage at the lower end of the uterus
chalk
C2+
/tʃɔk/
a soft white limestone used for writing or marking
chancy
C2+
/ˈtʃænsi/
uncertain in outcome; risky
chasm
C2+
/ˈkæzəm/
a deep fissure or gulf in the earth, or a wide divergence
cheapen
C2+
/ˈtʃipən/
to lower the price, quality, or dignity of something
chink
C2+
/tʃɪŋk/
a narrow crack or opening; a sharp ringing sound
chivalrous
C2+
/ˈʃɪvəlrəs/
courteous and gallant, especially toward women
chubby
C2+
/ˈtʃʌbi/
plump and rounded in a pleasant way
civilized
C2+
/ˈsɪvəˌlaɪzd/
socially advanced, refined, and well-mannered
claret
C2+
/ˈklɛrət/
a dry red Bordeaux wine, or its deep purplish-red color
clearheaded
C2+
/ˌklɪrˈhɛdəd/
thinking sensibly and without confusion
clobber
C2+
/ˈklɑbɚ/
to hit hard or defeat decisively; British slang for clothing and gear
cloistral
C2+
/ˈklɔɪstrəl/
relating to a cloister; secluded and monastic
coercive
C2+
/koʊˈɝsɪv/
relating to or using force or threats to compel obedience
cohesive
C2+
/koʊˈhisɪv/
forming a united whole; sticking together
cohesiveness
C2+
/koʊˈhisɪvnəs/
the quality of holding or sticking together as a unified whole
collaboratively
C2+
/kəˈlæbərətɪvli/
in a way that involves working jointly with others
collapsible
C2+
/kəˈlæpsəbəl/
able to be folded or compressed into a smaller form
collectively
C2+
/kəˈlɛktɪvli/
as a group; taken together as a whole
colleen
C2+
/kɑˈlin/
an Irish girl or young woman
colt
C2+
/koʊlt/
a young male horse, usually under four years old
combinatory
C2+
/ˈkɑmbɪnəˌtɔri/
relating to or involving combination, especially of elements
comfortableness
C2+
/ˈkʌmftɚbəlnəs/
the state or quality of being comfortable
commensurateness
C2+
/kəˈmɛnsərɪtnəs/
the quality of being proportionate or corresponding in measure
commie
C2+
/ˈkɑmi/
a communist (informal, usually derogatory)
communistic
C2+
/ˌkɑmjəˈnɪstɪk/
relating to or characteristic of communism
compactness
C2+
/kəmˈpæktnəs/
the quality of being densely packed or neatly small in size
comparability
C2+
/ˌkɑmpərəˈbɪləti/
the quality of being able to be compared or treated as similar
comparatively
C2+
/kəmˈpærətɪvli/
in comparison with something else; relatively
completive
C2+
/kəmˈplitɪv/
serving to complete; expressing completion, as a grammatical aspect
complexness
C2+
/kəmˈplɛksnəs/
the quality of being complex or intricate
comprehensible
C2+
/ˌkɑmprɪˈhɛnsəbəl/
able to be understood; intelligible
compulsatory
C2+
/kəmˈpʌlsəˌtɔri/
compelling or compulsory; tending to compel (archaic)
compulsive
C2+
/kəmˈpʌlsɪv/
resulting from or driven by an irresistible urge
concupiscence
C2+
/kɑnˈkjupɪsəns/
strong sexual desire; lust
condemnable
C2+
/kənˈdɛmnəbəl/
deserving of strong disapproval or censure
condescendingly
C2+
/ˌkɑndɪˈsɛndɪŋli/
in a patronizing manner that implies superiority
conformation
C2+
/ˌkɑnfɔrˈmeɪʃən/
the shape or structural arrangement of something
confrontal
C2+
/kənˈfrʌntəl/
a confrontation; characterized by confronting (rare)
conjunct
C2+
/kənˈdʒʌŋkt/
joined or associated together; combined
conscientiousness
C2+
/ˌkɑnʃiˈɛnʃəsnəs/
the quality of being careful, thorough, and dutiful in one's work
considerateness
C2+
/kənˈsɪdərətnəs/
the quality of being thoughtful of others' feelings and needs