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Word
English Vocabulary
Pick a CEFR level (A1–C2, plus C2+ for rare words beyond the CEFR scale) — 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.
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All 27,899 wordsC2+ is beyond the official CEFR scale: rare, specialist, and literary words kept for reference.
2049 words
strangeness
C2
/ˈstreɪndʒnəs/
the quality of being alien or not native
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subversion
C2
/səbˈvɝːʒən/
the deliberate, often covert undermining of an established government, institution, or system
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complacency
C2
/kəmˈpleɪsənˌsiː/
self-satisfaction, contentment with one's situation
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obstinacy
C2
/ˈɑbstɪnəsi/
The state, or an act, of stubbornness or doggedness.
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advocacy
B2
/ˈædvəkəsi/
public support for an idea, cause, policy, or course of action
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detriment
C1
/ˈdɛtɹɪmənt/
Harm or damage to something.
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correctness
B2
/kɝˈɛktnəs/
The quality of being free from mistakes; being right.
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dereliction
C2
/ˌdɛrəˈlɪkʃən/
Willful neglect of one's duty.
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kingship
C1
/ˈkɪŋ.ʃɪp/
the office, rank, or institution of a king
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papacy
C2
/ˈpeɪpəsi/
the office, authority, or institution of the pope and the system by which the Roman Catholic Church is governed
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preoccupation
C2
/ˌpɹiɑkjʊˈpeɪʃən/
The state of being so absorbed in a thought that you notice little else.
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ferment
C2
/fɚˈmɛnt/
a state of agitation or turbulent change or development
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incontinence
C2
/ɪnˈkɑːn.tən.əns/
inability to control the bladder or bowels, resulting in involuntary urination or defecation
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trepidation
C2
/ˌtrɛpɪˈdeɪʃən/
Anxiety over the uncertain future or possible ill-occurrence.
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extremity
C1
/ɪkˈstɹɛməti/
the greatest or utmost degree
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firmness
B2
/ˈfɝmnəs/
The quality of being fairly hard or solid to the touch.
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afterthought
C1
/ˈæftɚˌθɔt/
an idea, action, or addition considered only after an original decision or plan
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culpability
C2
/ˌkʌlpəˈbɪləti/
responsibility for a fault or wrongdoing; the state of deserving blame
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gravitation
B2
/ˌɡɹævˈteɪʃən/
The natural force that attracts all objects with mass toward each other.
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dalliance
C2
/ˈdæli.əns/
A wasting of time in idleness or trifles.
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deafness
C1
/ˈdɛfnəs/
The condition of being deaf; the lack or loss of the ability to hear.
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lockjaw
C1
/ˈlɑkˌdʒɔ/
an acute and serious infection of the central nervous system caused by bacterial infection of open wounds
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gladness
C1
/ˈɡlædnəs/
The state of being glad; joy.
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dissension
C2
/dɪˈsɛnʃən/
Strong disagreement that causes division within a group.
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monolith
C2
/ˈmɑn.əˌlɪθ/
a large single block of stone, especially one used as a monument
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attrition
C2
/əˈtɹɪʃən/
A gradual reduction in number, especially of staff who leave and are not replaced.
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stipulation
C2
/ˌstɪp.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/
A condition that must be met as part of an agreement.
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tizzy
C2
/ˈtɪz.i/
a state of nervous excitement, agitation, or confused distraction
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subdivision
B2
/ˈsʌbdɪvɪʒən/
A smaller part into which something larger has been divided.
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ruthlessness
C1
/ˈruːθləsnəs/
The quality of showing no pity or mercy.
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gestation
C2
/d͡ʒɛsˈteɪʃən/
the period during which an embryo develops, about 266 days in humans
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proliferation
C2
/pɹəˌlɪf.əˈɹæɪ.ʃən/
A rapid increase in the number or spread of something.
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versatility
C1
/ˌvɜɹ.səˈtɪl.ɪ.ti/
The quality of having many different skills or uses
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naivety
C1
/nɑːˈiːvti/
A lack of experience, wisdom, or judgement; the quality of being too trusting.
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duality
C1
/d(j)uːˈælɪti/
A classification into two subclasses or opposed parts.
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impressionism
B2
/ɪmˈpɹɛʃənɪzəm/
A style of painting that uses visible brushstrokes to capture light and ordinary scenes.
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oddity
C1
/ˈɑdɪti/
A strange or unusual thing.
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friendliness
B1
/ˈfɹɛndlinəs/
The quality of being friendly and kind to others.
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permanence
B2
/ˈpɜɹmənəns/
The quality of lasting or staying the same for a very long time.
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inhumanity
C1
/ˌɪnhjuːˈmænəti/
lack of compassion or the quality of being cruel to other people
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inaction
C1
/ɪnˈækʃən/
the state of doing nothing, especially a failure to act when action is needed
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lucidity
C2
/luːˈsɪdəti/
clarity of expression, explanation, or style that makes something easy to understand
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attractiveness
B2
/əˈtræktɪvnəs/
The quality of being pleasant to look at or appealing.
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orthodoxy
C2
/ˈɔɹθədɑksi/
Correctness of doctrine and belief in regard to any doctrinal (i.e. philosophical or theological) system.
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sterility
C2
/stɝˈɪlɪti/
The condition of being unable to produce children or offspring.
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cessation
C1
/sɛˈseɪʃən/
The stopping or ending of something, whether for a while or for good.
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rigidity
C1
/ɹɪˈd͡ʒɪdɪti/
The quality or state of being rigid; lack of pliability; the quality of resisting change of physical shape.
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banality
C2+
/bəˈnælɪti/
The quality of being banal.
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jubilation
C2
/ˌd͡ʒuːbəlˈeiːʃən/
the utterance of sounds expressing great joy
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reverie
C1
/ˈɹɛvəɹi/
A state of dreaming while awake; a loose or irregular train of thought; musing or meditation; daydream.
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paraphrase
C2
/ˈper.ə.freɪz/
a restatement of a passage or idea in different words, usually to make its meaning clearer
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immensity
C2
/ɪˈmen.sə.ti/
the state or quality of being extremely large, extensive, or numerous
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duplicity
C2
/duˈplɪ.sɪ.ti/
The quality of being double or twofold.
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practicality
B2
/ˌpræktɪˈkæləti/
The quality of being useful and likely to work in a real situation.
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eligibility
B2
/ˌel.ə.dʒəˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/
the state of meeting the conditions required to take part in, receive, or be chosen for something
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irritability
C2
/ˌɪɹɪtəˈbɪlɪti/
a tendency to become annoyed, impatient, or angry easily
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touchstone
C1
/ˈtʌtʃˌstoʊn/
a standard, principle, or criterion by which the quality or truth of something is tested
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physicality
C1
The quality of being physical, especially relating to the body and its strength or presence.
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barbarity
C2
/bɑːrˈber.ə.ti/
extreme cruelty or brutal, inhuman behavior
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tedium
C1
/ˈtiːdiːəm/
The state of being bored, usually because something is long or repetitive.
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melancholia
C2
/ˌmɛlənˈkoʊliə/
historical psychiatry: a condition of profound depression, often with fear, guilt, slowed thought, or withdrawal
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brevity
C2
/ˈbɹɛvəti/
The quality of expressing something in few words; conciseness.
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functionality
B2
/ˌfəŋkʃəˈnælɪti/
The set of things a product or system can do; its useful features.
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truthfulness
B2
/ˈtɹuθfəlnəs/
The quality of being honest and telling the truth.
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modulation
C1
/ˌmɑd͡ʒəˈleɪʃən/
in electronics, the transmission of a signal by using it to vary a carrier wave
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eccentricity
C2
/ˌɛk.sɛnˈtɹɪs.ɪ.ti/
Strange or unusual behaviour; the quality of being odd.
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happenstance
C2
/ˈhæpənˌstæns/
A chance event; something that happens by luck rather than planning.
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finality
C1
/faɪˈnælɪti/
the quality or state of being final, conclusive, and not open to further change
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dryness
C1
/ˈdraɪnəs/
objectivity and detachment
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escarpment
C2
/ɪˈskɑrpmənt/
a long, steep slope or cliff separating two areas of relatively level ground
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schism
C2
/ˈskɪzəm/
division of a group into opposing factions
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assignation
C2
/ˌæsɪɡˈneɪʃən/
often dated: a secret appointment to meet, especially between lovers
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condiment
C2
/ˈkɑn.də.mənt/
a preparation (a sauce or relish or spice) to enhance flavor or enjoyment
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locomotion
C2
/ˌloʊ.kəˈmoʊ.ʃən/
Movement, or the ability to move from one place to another.
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governorship
C1
/ˈɡʌvɚnɚˌʃɪp/
the office, position, or authority of a governor
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predilection
C2
/ˌpɹɛ.dəˈlɛk.ʃn̩/
A strong liking or preference for something.
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uniformity
C1
/ˌjunɪˈfɔɹməti/
The state of being the same everywhere or all the time, with no variation.
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deforestation
B2
/dɪˌfɔrɪˈsteɪʃən/
The cutting down or destruction of forests, often to use the land for farming.
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tribulation
C2
/ˌtrɪbjəˈleɪʃən/
great trouble, suffering, or distress
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superstructure
C2
/ˈsuːpɚˌstɹʌktʃɚ/
a structure, system, or set of ideas built upon an underlying foundation or basis
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malformation
C2
/ˌmælfɔɹˈmeɪʃən/
an abnormal shape or structure, especially one arising during bodily development
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affectation
C2
/ˌæfɛkˈteɪʃən/
A way of behaving or speaking that is not natural and is meant to impress others.
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Bolshevism
C2
/ˈbɑlʃəˌvɪzəm/
historical and political: the revolutionary Marxist doctrine and strategy of the Bolshevik faction led by Lenin
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predictability
C1
/prɪˌdɪktəˈbɪləti/
the quality or degree of being possible to predict
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profitability
C2
/ˌpɹɑ.fɪ.təˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/
The ability of a business to make a profit; the degree to which it is profitable.
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conflagration
C2
/ˌkɑnfləˈɡɹeɪʃən/
a large, destructive, and uncontrolled fire
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temerity
C2
/təˈmɛɹ.ə.ti/
Effrontery; impudence.
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cubism
B2
/ˈkjuːbɪzəm/
An early 20th-century art style that shows objects as sets of flat geometric shapes.
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unwillingness
C1
/ənˈwɪlɪŋnɪs/
the trait of being unwilling
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perversity
C2
/pə(ɹ)ˈvɜː(ɹ)sɪti/
A deliberate tendency to behave in an unreasonable or contrary way.
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coherence
B2
/koʊˈhɪɹ.ən(t)s/
The quality of being logical, clear, and consistent, so that all the parts fit together well.
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durability
C2
/dəɹəˈbɪləti/
permanence by virtue of the power to resist stress or force
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expediency
C2
/ɛkˈspiː.dɪ.ən.si/
The quality of being fit or suitable to effect some desired end or the purpose intended; suitability for particular circumstance or situation.
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modernism
C2
/ˈmɑːdɝˌnɪzəm/
A movement in art, architecture, and literature in the early 20th century that broke deliberately with older styles.
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solemnity
C1
/səˈlɛmnɪti/
The quality of being deeply serious and sober or solemn.
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hedonism
C2
/ˈhiːdənɪzəm/
The philosophical belief that happiness, particularly sensual pleasure, is the highest good in life.
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