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
puissance
C2
/ˈpjuːɪ.s(ə)ns/
power to influence or coerce
bifurcate
C2
/ˈbaɪfɚˌkeɪt/
to divide into two branches
juxtapose
C2
/ˈd͡ʒʌkstəpoʊz/
to place side by side
descant
C2
/ˈdɛskænt/
A lengthy discourse on a subject.
whithersoever
C2+
/ˌwɪðərsoʊˈevər/
to whatever place; wherever, in an archaic or literary style
bastardization
C2
declaring or rendering bastard
betake
C2
/bɪˈteɪk/
to go or resort to a place or course of action, used chiefly in the reflexive phrase betake oneself
alliterative
C2
/əˈlɪt.ə.rə.tɪv/
using or characterized by the repetition of the same initial sound in nearby words or stressed syllables
idolatrous
C2+
/aɪˈdɒlətrəs/
relating to or practicing idolatry
desiccate
C2
/ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/
To preserve by drying.
behove
C2
/bɪˈhoʊv/
formal: to be necessary, proper, or advantageous for someone
burgeon
C2
/ˈbɝː.d͡ʒən/
to grow and flourish
bathos
C2
/ˈbeɪθɑs/
an abrupt descent from an elevated or serious style to something trivial, ordinary, or ridiculous
unexperienced
C2
/ˌʌn.ɪkˈspɪr.i.ənst/
not encountered, undergone, or known through experience
occlude
C2
/əˈkluːd/
To obstruct, cover, or otherwise block (an opening, a portion of an image, etc.).
ramification
C2+
/ˌɹæməfəˈkeɪʃən/
a development that complicates a situation
ribaldry
C2
/ˈrɪbəldri/
coarse, vulgar, or sexually indecent humor, language, or behavior
effluvium
C2
/ɪˈfluːvi.əm/
A gaseous or vaporous emission, especially a foul-smelling one.
wrongheaded
C2
/ˈrɔŋˌhɛdɪd/
obstinately perverse in judgment or opinion
somnolent
C2
/ˈsɑːmnələnt/
Causing literal or figurative sleepiness.
haint
C2
/heɪnt/
an eye-dialect spelling of hain’t or ain’t, meaning has not, have not, am not, is not, or are not
cozen
C2
/ˈkoʊzən/
to cheat or trick
antipode
C2
/ˈæn.tɪ.poʊd/
direct opposite
rhapsodize
C2
/ˈræpsəˌdaɪz/
To say (something) with exaggerated or rapturous enthusiasm.
epistolary
C2
/ɪˈpɪstəˌlɛɹi/
written in the form of or carried on by letters or correspondence
querulous
C2
/ˈkwɛɹ(j)ələs/
habitually complaining
sepulchral
C2
/səˈpʌlkɹəl/
of or relating to a sepulchre
untempered
C2
not moderated or controlled
synoptic
C2
/sɪˈnɑːptɪk/
presenting a summary or general view of a whole
veracious
C2
/vəˈɹeɪ.ʃəs/
precisely accurate
aspersion
C2
/əˈspɝːʒən/
a disparaging remark
piffling
C2
/ˈpɪflɪŋ/
(informal) small and of little importance
jings
C2
/dʒɪŋz/
dated or dialectal: an exclamation of surprise or emphasis
argal
C2
/ˈɑrɡəl/
archaic or humorous: therefore; thus
insouciant
C2
/inˈsusiənt/
Casually unconcerned; carefree, indifferent, nonchalant.
quare
C2
/kwɛr/
strange, unusual, or remarkable; dated and dialectal, especially in Ireland
distain
C2+
/dɪˈsteɪn/
archaic or literary: to stain, discolor, or tarnish something
parenthetical
C2
/pɝɛnˈθɛtɪkəl/
an expression in parentheses, especially serving as an aside or supplementary piece of content
crants
C2
/krænts/
obsolete: a garland or wreath, especially one carried before a maiden's bier and afterward hung over her grave
malinger
C2+
/məˈlɪŋɡɚ/
To feign illness, injury, or incapacitation in order to avoid work, obligation, or perilous risk.
elegiac
C2
/ˌɛləˈd͡ʒaɪək/
expressing sorrow often for something past
manful
C2
/ˈmæn.fəl/
dated: showing courage, determination, or resolution
distend
C2+
/dɪˈstɛnd/
swell from or as if from internal pressure
trull
C2
/trʌl/
archaic and disparaging: a woman who sells sex, or a woman insultingly characterized as sexually immoral
meretricious
C2
/ˌmɛɹɪˈtɹɪʃəs/
like or relating to a prostitute
outré
C2
/uːˈtreɪ/
strikingly unconventional, bizarre, or beyond accepted limits of taste or behavior
irresolute
C2
/ɪˈrɛz.əˌl(j)uːt/
uncertain how to act or proceed
redound
C2
/rɪˈdaʊnd/
contribute
fustian
C2
/ˈfʌs.t͡ʃən/
inflated, pompous, or pretentious speech or writing
improvident
C2
/ɪmˈpɹɒvɪdənt/
failing to provide for the future; reckless
penurious
C2
/pəˈnjʊə.ɹi.əs/
Miserly; excessively cheap.
methink
C2+
/miˈθɪŋk/
archaic, poetic, or humorous, impersonal: it seems to me; now usually encountered in the forms methinks and methought
unlooked-for
C2
/ʌnˈlʊkt fɔr/
not expected or anticipated; unforeseen
imbrue
C2
/ɪmˈbɹuː/
literary: to stain or soak something deeply, especially with blood
dey's
C2
/deɪz/
eye dialect: there is, there are, or they are
lubra
C2
/ˈluː.brə/
dated and offensive Australian term for an Aboriginal Australian woman
numismatic
C2
/ˌnuːmɪˈsmætɪk/
Of or pertaining to numismatics.
nymphomaniacal
C2+
/ˌnɪm.fə.məˈnaɪ.ə.kəl/
dated, offensive, and usually applied to a woman: supposedly having excessive or uncontrollable sexual desire
appertain
C2
/ˌæpɚˈteɪn/
formal or literary: to belong or relate to something as a natural or rightful part
compendious
C2
/kəmˈpɛn.di.əs/
concise while still containing the essential information about a subject
immure
C2
/ɪˈmjʊə(ɹ)/
To put or bury within a wall.
bobbish
C2+
/ˈbɑbɪʃ/
in good health and spirits; hearty or cheerful; dated British slang
caparison
C2
to put a caparison on
unforthcoming
C2+
Not forthcoming; laconic or uncooperative.
incommode
C2
/ˌɪn.kəˈmoʊd/
to cause inconvenience, discomfort, or difficulty to someone
nowise
C2
/ˈnoʊwaɪz/
in no way or manner; not at all, now chiefly archaic or literary
thraldom
C2
/ˈθrɔːl.dəm/
a state of bondage, servitude, or complete subjection to another power
rubicund
C2+
/ˈɹubəˌkənd/
Possessing a red complexion; ruddy.
rodomontade
C2
/ˌɹɑː.də.mənˈteɪd/
formal or literary: vain, boastful, or pretentious talk or behavior
venery
C2
/ˈvɛnəri/
the pursuit of sexual pleasure
phantasmal
C2
/fænˈtæzməl/
resembling a phantom; ghostly or spectral
eclat
C2
/eɪˈklɑː/
brilliant, stylish, or conspicuous effect or display
beseem
C2
/bɪˈsiːm/
to be suitable or appropriate for someone or something; to befit
doggery
C2
/ˈdɔːɡəri/
historical US: a cheap, disreputable saloon or tavern
unclose
C2
/ʌnˈkloʊz/
archaic or literary: to open, become open, or release from a closed position
ordure
C2
/ˈɔːr.dʒɚ/
solid bodily waste; dung or excrement; literary or formal
inveigh
C2
/ɪnˈveɪ/
To draw in or away; to entice, inveigle.
unexampled
C2
/ˌʌnɪɡˈzæmpəld/
having no known precedent or parallel; unlike anything previously encountered
nugatory
C2
/ˈn(j)uːɡətɔɹi/
of no real value
abnegate
C2
/ˈæb.nɪ.ɡeɪt/
to deny or renounce
magniloquent
C2
/mæɡˈnɪləkwənt/
formal and usually disapproving: using lofty, grandiose, or pompous language
auspice
C2
/ˈɔspɪs/
Patronage or protection.
imprecation
C2
/ˌɪm.pɹɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/
the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil and usually serves as an insult
quondam
C2+
/ˈkwɑːn.dəm/
former; belonging to an earlier time or once holding a particular role
behoof
C2
/bɪˈhuːf/
advantage, benefit, or interest, chiefly in the formal phrase for someone's behoof
seraphic
C2
/səˈɹæf.ɪk/
of or relating to an angel of the first order
chirk
C2+
/tʃɝːk/
to make a short, sharp chirping, squeaking, or creaking sound
archaism
C2
/ˈɑɹ.kiˌɪz.əm/
an old-fashioned word, expression, spelling, grammatical form, custom, or stylistic feature no longer in ordinary use
paronomasia
C2
/ˌpɛɹ.ə.noʊˈmeɪ.ʒi.ə/
rhetoric: a pun or play on words, especially one exploiting similar sounds with different meanings
fiddledeedee
C2+
/ˌfɪdəldiːˈdiː/
an exclamation expressing impatience, disbelief, scorn, or dismissal of something as nonsense
chuckleheaded
C2+
/ˈtʃʌkəlˌhɛdɪd/
informal and insulting: stupid, foolish, or slow-witted
assemblance
C2
/əˈsɛmbləns/
an assembling, gathered collection, or assemblage; obsolete
coterminous
C2
/kəˈtɝ.mɪ.nəs/
Having matching boundaries; or, adjoining and sharing a boundary.
sure-enough
C1
/ˌʃʊrɪˈnʌf/
informal: real, actual, or genuine, especially when the fact is surprising or emphatic
whereunto
C2
/wɛːɹʌnˈtuː/
Unto what or which; to what purpose.
prosy
C2
/ˈproʊzi/
dull, tedious, or lacking imagination, especially in speech or writing