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
748 words
beadle
C2
/ˈbiːdəl/
historically, a minor parish officer who kept order, carried messages, or performed ceremonial duties
guideline
B2
/ˈɡaɪdˌlaɪn/
A general rule or piece of advice that tells you how something should be done.
allege
C1
/əˈlɛd͡ʒ/
To claim that someone has done something wrong, usually without proof yet.
governorship
C1
/ˈɡʌvɚnɚˌʃɪp/
the office, position, or authority of a governor
polygamist
C2
/pəˈlɪɡəmɪst/
someone who is married to two or more people at the same time
peerage
B2
/ˈpɪr.ɪdʒ/
the rank, title, or dignity of a British peer
litigious
C2
/lɪˈtɪdʒəs/
inclined to settle disputes by bringing lawsuits
mutinous
C2
/ˈmjuːtɪnəs/
Refusing to obey those in authority; ready to rebel.
sycophant
C2
/ˈsɪkəfænt/
One who uses obsequious compliments to gain self-serving favour or advantage from another; a servile flatterer.
ineligible
C2
/ɪnˈɛlɪdʒəbəl/
not qualified or permitted to be chosen, receive something, or take part
verboten
C2+
/ˌfəɹˈboʊt(ə)n/
excluded from use or mention
codicil
C2
/ˈkɑdəsəl/
a legal document added to a will to explain, modify, add, or revoke a provision
penalize
B2
/ˈpɛnəˌlaɪz/
To punish someone for breaking a rule or law.
polis
C2
/ˈpɑːlɪs/
an ancient Greek city-state, regarded as a political community together with its territory
naturalization
B2
/ˌnætʃ(ə)rələˈzeɪʃən/
the legal process by which a non-citizen acquires citizenship of a country
misnomer
C2
/ˌmɪsˈnoʊməɹ/
A term which is misleading, even if firmly established, technically correct, or both.
chicanery
C2
/ʃɪˈkæɪn(ə)ɹi/
Deception by the use of trickery, quibbling, or subterfuge.
dutifully
C1
/ˈduːtiːfəli/
In a way that shows you are doing your duty, often willingly and without complaint.
infringe
B2
/ɪnˈfɹɪnd͡ʒ/
To break or violate a law, agreement, or someone's rights.
recidivism
C2
/rəˈsɪdɪˌvɪzəm/
Committing new offenses after a crime committed in the past.
transact
C1
/ˌtɹænˈzækt/
conduct business
despotism
C1
/ˈdɛspətɪzəm/
Government by a despot or despots: rule by a singular authority, either a single person or a tight-knit group, which rules with absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way.
unchangeable
C1
/ʌnˈt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒəbəl/
not changeable or subject to change
pilfer
C2
/ˈpɪl.fɚ/
To steal in small quantities, or articles of small value; to practise petty theft.
onus
C2
/ˈoʊnəs/
a responsibility, duty, or burden placed on someone
jurist
C2
/ˈdʒʊr.ɪst/
an expert or scholar in law and legal theory
illegality
C1
/ˌɪl.iːˈɡæl.ə.ti/
the state or quality of being contrary to law
elaborately
C2
/ɪˈlæbrətli/
with elaboration
credential
C1
/kɹɪˈdɛnʃəl/
A qualification, achievement, or document that proves someone's status, skill, or right to do something.
burgomaster
C2
/ˈbɝːɡəˌmæstɚ/
the mayor or chief magistrate of a town in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, or certain other European countries
swiftness
C1
/ˈswɪftnɪs/
The state of being swift.
calumny
C2
/ˈkæləmni/
Falsifications or misrepresentations intended to disparage or discredit another.
urbane
C2+
/ɜɹˈbeɪn/
Of a person (usually a man): having refined manners; courteous, polite, suave.
abeyance
C2
/əˈbeɪ.ən(t)s/
Expectancy; a condition when an ownership of real property is undetermined; lapse in succession of ownership of estate, or title.
unkindness
C1
/ʌnˈkaɪndnəs/
The collective noun for ravens
deputation
C2
/ˌdɛpjəˈteɪʃən/
a group of people appointed to represent others or present a request
contravention
C2
/ˌkɑntrəˈvɛnʃən/
an action that violates or conflicts with a law, rule, order, agreement, or obligation
causation
C2
/kɔˈzeɪ.ʃən/
The act or agency by which an effect is produced.
archon
C2
/ˈɑɹ.kɑn/
one of the chief magistrates of ancient Athens
ordain
C2
/ɔɹˈdeɪn/
To officially make someone a priest, minister, or other religious leader
excusable
C2
/ɪksˈkjuːzəbəl/
Possible to excuse; worthy of being excused.
functionary
C2
/ˈfʌŋ(k).ʃəˌnɛ.ri/
an official, especially one in a government or large organization, who performs prescribed duties
smallness
C1
/ˈsmɔlnəs/
the property of having relatively little strength or vigor
easement
C2
/ˈiːz.mənt/
law: a right to cross or use another person's land for a specified purpose without owning it
self-government
C2+
/ˈsɛlfˈgʌvɝnmənt/
The governance of a region by its own populace; autonomy.
trustworthiness
C1
/ˈtɹʌst.wɜɹ.ði.nɛs/
The state or quality of being trustworthy or reliable.
adjudication
C1
/əˌdʒuːdɪˈkeɪʃən/
the formal process of settling a dispute or deciding a legal case
testator
C2
/ˈtɛˌsteɪtər/
law: a person who has made a legally valid will
deviance
C2
/ˈdiːvɪəns/
Actions or behaviors that violate formal and informal cultural norms such as laws and customs.
turnkey
C2
/ˈtɜː(ɹ)nˌkiː/
a complete product that is ready to be deployed immediately, without further customization
freehold
C2
/ˈfriːˌhoʊld/
ownership of land or a building for an indefinite period, rather than for a fixed lease term
unreality
C2
/ˌənriːˈæləti/
The state of being unreal.
recidivist
C2
/ɹɪˈsɪdɪvɪst/
One who falls back into prior habits, especially criminal habits.
sequestration
C2
/ˌsɛkwəˈstreɪʃən/
law: the seizure, isolation, or placing in custody of property by legal authority
droit
C2
/dɹɔɪt/
a legal right, entitlement, or lawful claim
approver
B1
/əˈpruvɚ/
a person or authority empowered to approve a request, decision, or proposal
selectman
C2
/səˈlɛktmən/
a member of an elected board that serves as the chief administrative authority of a New England town
protrusion
C2
/pɹəˈtɹuːʒən/
Something that sticks out from a surface; a bulge.
comitatus
C2
/ˌkɑmɪˈteɪtəs/
historical: a band of warriors or nobles bound by loyalty to a ruler or military leader
interdict
C2
/ˈɪntɚdɪkt/
To forbid (an action or thing) by formal or legal sanction.
conveyancing
C2
/kənˈveɪənsɪŋ/
the legal work of preparing documents and completing the transfer of property from one owner to another
dispossess
C1
/ˌdɪs.pəˈzes/
to deprive a person or community of land, a home, or other property, especially by force or legal action
enunciation
C2
/ɪˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/
The act of enunciating, announcing, proclaiming, or making known; open attestation; declaration.
indemnify
C2
/ɪnˈdɛm.nɪ.faɪ/
To secure against loss or damage; to insure.
alternation
C2
/ˈɔl.tɚˌneɪ.ʃən/
successive change from one thing or state to another and back again
repudiation
C2
/rɪˌpjuːdiˈeɪʃən/
the act of rejecting, disowning, or refusing to accept something as valid
presentment
C2
/prɪˈzɛntmənt/
an appearance, representation, or image presented to the mind
pleasantry
C2
/ˈplɛzəntɹi/
A playful remark; a jest.
intestate
C2
/ɪnˈtɛsteɪt/
having died without leaving a legally valid will
lawgiver
C2
/ˈlɔˌɡɪv.ɚ/
One who provides laws to a society.
usurpation
C2
/ˌjuː.sɚˈpeɪ.ʃən/
the wrongful seizure and exercise of power, office, authority, or a right
prevarication
C1
/pɹɪˌvæɹ.ɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/
Evasion of the truth.
hereinafter
C1
/ˈhɪɹɪnˈæftɚ/
in a later part of this document, statement, or text
legalistic
C2
/ˌliːɡəˈlɪstɪk/
excessively concerned with the strict and literal application of laws or rules, often at the expense of their purpose
preferment
C2
/pɹɪˈfəːmənt/
the act of preferring
indenture
C1
/ɪnˈdɛn.ʃɝ/
a formal contract binding a person to work for another for a fixed period, especially as an apprentice or servant
unenforceable
C2
/ˌʌn.ɪnˈfɔːr.sə.bəl/
of a law, rule, or policy, impossible or impracticable to make people obey
tyrannous
C2
/ˈtɪɹənəs/
using authority in a cruel, oppressive, unjust, or arbitrary way; characteristic of a tyrant
narrowness
C2
/ˈnɛroʊnəs/
a restriction of range or scope
imbroglio
C2
/ɪmˈbɹoʊljoʊ/
A complicated situation; an entanglement.
gabelle
C2
/ɡəˈbɛl/
historical: a tax, especially the compulsory salt tax imposed in pre-Revolutionary France
legatee
C2
/ˌlɛɡəˈti/
law: a person or organization that receives a legacy under a will
pragmatically
C2
/prægˈmætɪkəli/
in a realistic manner
deterministic
C2
/dɪˌtɝ.mɪˈnɪs.tɪk/
Having at most one instruction associated with any given internal state.
chargeable
C1
/ˈtʃɑːrdʒəbəl/
required to be paid for or capable of being assigned to an account
enshrine
C2
/ɪnˈʃraɪn/
to establish and protect a principle or right in a law, constitution, or institution
sternness
C2
/ˈstɝːnnəs/
the quality of being grim, severe, or foreboding
enthrone
C2
/ɪnˈθroʊn/
to install a monarch or senior religious leader formally on a throne as a sign of office
polity
B2
/ˈpɑ.lə.ti/
An organized society or state with its own form of government.
rejoinder
C2
/ɹɪˈd͡ʒɔɪndɚ/
a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)
diffidence
C2
/ˈdɪfɪdəns/
The state of being diffident, timid or shy; reticence or self-effacement.
federalism
C1
/ˈfed.ɚ.əl.ɪ.zəm/
a system of government in which constitutional power is divided between a central authority and constituent regions or states
usufruct
C2
/ˈjuzəˌfɹəkt/
the legal right to use another person's property and receive its benefits or profits without destroying or substantially damaging it
scofflaw
C2
/ˈskɔfˌlɔ/
One who habitually violates minor laws or fails to answer trivial court summonses (such as parking tickets).
monarchical
C2
/məˈnɑːkɪk(ə)l/
having the characteristics of or befitting or worthy of a monarch
unequally
C2
/ʌnˈiːkwəli/
Not equally, unevenly, sometimes unfairly.