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
738 words
invariably
B2
/ɪnˈvɛɹ.i.ə.bli/
Every time, without exception; always.
equinox
C2
/ˈekwəˌnɑːks/
either of the two times each year when the Sun crosses the celestial equator and day and night are approximately equal in length
durable
C1
/ˈdʊɹəbəl/
Able to last a long time without breaking or wearing out.
apprenticeship
C1
/əˈpɹɛn.tɪs.ʃɪp/
A period of training in which someone learns a skilled trade by working with an expert.
workaholic
B2
/ˈwɝːkəˈhɑːlɪk/
A person who feels they have to work all the time and finds it hard to stop.
obsess
B2
/əbˈsɛs/
To think or worry about someone or something all the time.
advent
B2
/ˈæd.vɛnt/
The arrival or beginning of something important, especially something new.
siesta
C2
/siˈɛstə/
a rest or nap taken in the early afternoon, especially in a hot climate
respite
C1
/ˈɹɛs.pɪt/
a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant
persecute
C1
/ˈpɝsəkjut/
To treat someone cruelly or unfairly over a long period, especially because of their race, religion, or beliefs.
imposition
C2
/ˌɪm.pəˈzɪʃən/
An unfair or unwelcome demand on your time, effort, or hospitality.
ungodly
B2
/ʌnˈɡɑdli/
Extremely unreasonable, especially about time.
long-time
C1
Having been the case for a long time; of long duration.
aberration
C2
/ˌæb.əˈɹeɪ.ʃn̩/
Something that is very different from what is normal or expected; a one-off departure from the usual.
antiquated
C1
/ˈæntɪˌkweɪtɪd/
Old-fashioned and no longer useful or suitable for modern times.
post-war
C1
Belonging to the period just after a war.
fixture
C1
/ˈfɪks.t͡ʃɚ/
A piece of equipment fixed in place in a building, such as a sink or light, that is sold with the house.
eventual
C2
/ɪˈvɛntʃuəl/
happening or existing at a later time or as the final result of a process
continual
B1
/kənˈtɪnjuəl/
Happening again and again over a period of time.
annually
B1
/ˈæn.ju.ə.li/
Once a year; every year.
prophetic
C1
/pɹəˈfɛtɪk/
Correctly predicting or seeming to predict what will happen in the future
precocious
C2
/pɹəˈkəʊʃəs/
Showing skills or maturity at an unusually early age, especially in a child.
primeval
C2
/pɹaɪ̯ˈmi.vəl/
Belonging to the earliest ages of the world; very ancient.
belated
C2
/bɪˈleɪtɪd/
coming, happening, or being done later than expected or appropriate
perpetuate
C1
/pɚˈpɛt͡ʃəˌweɪt/
to make something, especially something bad, continue for a long time
rickety
C2
/ˈrɪkəti/
Weak and likely to break or collapse; poorly built or worn out.
long-standing
C1
Having existed or continued for a long time.
yore
C2
/jɔr/
a time long past, now used chiefly in the phrase 'of yore'
instantaneously
C2
/ˌɪnstənˈtæniːəsli/
At once, with no delay at all.
elapsed
C2
/ɪˈlæpst/
used of time that has passed
weekday
A2
/ˈwiːkdeɪ̯/
Any day of the week except Saturday and Sunday.
outlast
B1
/ˌaʊtˈlæst/
to last, remain useful, or continue to exist longer than someone or something else
wintertime
B1
/ˈwɪn.tɚ.taɪm/
the season or period of winter
transitional
B1
/tɹænˈzɪʃənəl/
Relating to a period or stage of change from one state to another.
backpacking
B1
/ˈbækˌpækɪŋ/
Travelling cheaply with only the things you can carry in a backpack.
contested
C1
/kənˈtɛstəd/
Disagreed about or competed for by different sides.
absentee
B2
/ˌæb.sn̩ˈti/
a person who is not present where they are supposed to be, such as at work or school
sundial
B1
/ˈsʌnˌdaɪ.əl/
A device that shows the time by the shadow a pointer casts on a marked surface as the sun moves.
ephemeral
C2
/ɛˈfɛ.mə.ɹəl/
Lasting for only a short time.
millennial
C2
/mɪˈlɛniəl/
relating to a millennium or a period of one thousand years
perpetuity
C2
/ˌpɝpəˈtuːɪti/
endless or indefinitely continuing duration, especially in the phrase in perpetuity
divination
C2
/ˌdɪvɪˈneɪʃən/
The practice of trying to predict the future or discover hidden things by supernatural means.
sunbathe
B1
/ˈsʌnbeɪð/
To lie or sit in the sun in order to relax or get a tan.
suppertime
C2
/ˈsʌpɚˌtaɪm/
the customary or appointed time for eating supper
pervasive
C2
/pɚˈveɪ.sɪv/
Present or spreading everywhere; affecting every part of something.
zoology
C2
/zoʊˈɑləd͡ʒi/
The branch of biology that studies animals.
nonce
C2
/nɑːns/
the present occasion or time, chiefly in the phrase for the nonce
chronological
B1
/ˌkɹɑnəˈlɑd͡ʒɪkəl/
Arranged in the order in which events happened, from earliest to latest.
ethos
C2
/ˈiθɑs/
The set of values, beliefs, and character that define a person, group, or culture.
wane
C2
/ˈweɪn/
To gradually become weaker, smaller, or less.
ides
C2
/aɪdz/
in the Roman calendar, the fifteenth day of March, May, July, and October and the thirteenth day of every other month
predictive
B2
/pɹɪˈdɪk.tɪv/
Able to show or suggest what is likely to happen in the future.
oversleep
A2
/ˌoʊvərˈsliːp/
to sleep longer or later than intended
out-of-date
B1
No longer current, modern, or useful.
timepiece
C2
/ˈtaɪmˌpiːs/
an instrument for measuring and showing time, especially a clock or watch
outmoded
C2
/ˌaʊtˈmoʊdəd/
No longer useful or accepted because newer things have replaced it; out of date.
Olympiad
B2
/əˈlɪmpiæd/
A major competition modelled on the Olympic Games, often held every four years in a particular field such as maths or science.
flagging
C2
/ˈflæɡɪŋ/
Becoming weaker, slower, or less lively.
vestige
C2
/ˈvɛs.tɪd͡ʒ/
an indication that something has been present
penultimate
C1
/pɪˈnʌl.tə.mət/
coming immediately before the last in a sequence; second to last
chronology
C2
/kɹəˈnɑl.ə.d͡ʒi/
The arrangement of events in the order they happened.
uniformity
C1
/ˌjunɪˈfɔɹməti/
The state of being the same everywhere or all the time, with no variation.
preexisting
B2
/ˌpriː.ɪɡˈzɪs.tɪŋ/
already existing before a particular time, event, or situation
trice
C2
/traɪs/
only in 'in a trice': a very short time; an instant
cubism
B2
/ˈkjuːbɪzəm/
An early 20th-century art style that shows objects as sets of flat geometric shapes.
midwinter
C2
/ˌmɪdˈwɪntɚ/
the middle and often coldest part of winter
annum
C2
/ˈænəm/
a year, used especially in the phrase per annum
envisage
C1
/ɛnˈvɪzɪd͡ʒ/
To imagine or picture something as a future possibility.
chronologically
C2
/ˌkɹɒnəˈlɒdʒɪkli/
In the order in which things happened in time.
repertory
C1
/ˈɹɛp.əɹˌtɔɹ.i/
A system in which a theatre company performs several different plays in turn during a season.
inborn
B2
/ˈɪn.bɔɹn/
Present from birth rather than learned.
archival
C2
/ˌɑɹˈkaɪv(ə)l/
Relating to an archive or to old records and documents kept for the future.
unsuspected
C2
/ˌənsəˈspɛktɪd/
Not suspected; not thought to be involved or present.
circadian
C2
/sɚˈkeɪ.di.ən/
of or relating to biological processes occurring at 24-hour intervals
synchronous
C2
/ˈsɪŋkɹənəs/
occurring or existing at the same time or having the same period or phase
provisionally
B2
/prəˈvɪʒənəli/
temporarily and subject to later change or confirmation
noontime
C2
/ˈnuːnˌtaɪm/
the time around noon or midday
predictor
B2
/pɹɪˈdɪk.tɚ/
Something that helps you know or guess what is likely to happen.
eventide
C2
/ˈiːvənˌtaɪd/
evening or the late part of the day around sunset; literary or poetic
foretaste
C2
/ˈfɔɹteɪst/
an early sample or indication of an experience that will occur more fully later
impermanent
B2
Lasting only for a limited time; not permanent.
conferencing
B2
/ˈkɑːnfrənsɪŋ/
The activity of holding meetings or discussions among several people, often by phone or video.
ephemera
C2
/ɪˈfɛməɹə/
Things that last or are useful for only a short time, especially printed items like tickets or posters.
vernal
C2
/ˈvɝnəl/
relating to, occurring in, or characteristic of spring
unpromising
C2
/ənˈprɔmɪsɪŋ/
Showing little sign of future success or good results.
yester
C2
/ˈjɛs.tɚ/
Of or pertaining to yesterday.
successively
C1
/səkˈsɛsɪvli/
in proper order or sequence
antediluvian
C2
/ˌæn.ti.dəˈlu.vi.ən/
Extremely old-fashioned, as if from a much earlier age.
gloaming
C2
/ˈɡloʊ.mɪŋ/
twilight or dusk, especially the dim light just after sunset
elapse
C1
/ɪˈlæps/
of time: to pass or go by
demographically
C1
/ˌdɛməˈgræfɪkli/
In terms of the makeup of a population by age, race, income, and so on
fortnightly
B1
/ˈfɔrtˌnaɪtli/
every two weeks
erst
C2
/ɝst/
archaic or literary: formerly; in the past
nostalgically
C2
In a way that shows a fond, slightly sad longing for the past.
yesternight
C2
/ˈjestɚˌnaɪt/
archaic: during the night immediately before today; last night
half-yearly
B2
/ˌhæfˈjɪrli/
occurring, published, or paid every six months