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.
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All 27,237 words
1623 words
fiend
C1
/fiːnd/
A cruel or evil person.
voluntary
C1
/ˈvɑ.lənˌt(ɛ)ɹi/
Done by choice, of one's own free will.
fairness
C1
/ˈfɛɚ.nəs/
The quality of treating people equally and according to the rules.
controversy
B2
/kənˈtɹɒv.ə.si/
A serious public argument or disagreement about something.
diversity
C1
/daɪˈvɜː(ɹ)sɪti/
The state of having many different kinds of people or things together.
interact
B1
/ˌɪn.tɚˈækt/
to talk to or do things with other people.
manhood
B2
/ˈmænhʊd/
the status of being a man
collaboration
C1
/kəˌlæbəˈɹeɪʃən/
The act of working together with others on a shared task.
seeker
B2
/ˈsikəɹ/
A person who is looking for something or trying to get it.
needless
B2
/ˈniːdləs/
Not needed and able to be avoided; unnecessary.
vocabulary
A2
/voʊˈkæb.jəˌlɛ.ɹi/
The set of words a person knows and uses.
midwife
C1
/ˈmɪd.waɪf/
A trained person who helps women during pregnancy and childbirth.
stun
B1
/stʌn/
To surprise or shock someone so much that they cannot react.
worldly
B2
/ˈwɜː(ɹ)ldli/
Concerned with ordinary life and material things rather than with religion or the spirit.
disposition
B2
/ˌdɪs.pəˈzɪʃ.ən/
A person's natural character or mood.
suburban
C1
/səˈbɜː(ɹ)bən/
Relating to or located in the residential areas on the edge of a city.
adviser
B1
/ædˈvaɪ.zɚ/
An expert who gives advice, especially as part of their job.
infrastructure
B2
/ˈɪnfɹəˌstɹʌkt͡ʃɚ/
The basic systems and facilities a country or community needs to function, such as roads, power, and water.
feminist
C1
/ˈfɛmənɪst/
A person who supports equal rights for women and men.
preference
B1
/ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/
A greater liking for one thing over another.
slob
C1
/ˈslɑb/
A lazy, untidy, or messy person.
concubine
C2
/ˈkɑːŋkjəbaɪn/
historical: a woman recognized as a man's sexual partner but given lower social or legal status than a wife
ballot
B2
/ˈbælət/
A piece of paper used to record a secret vote.
humanitarian
C1
/hjuˌmæ.nəˈtɛ.ɹi.ən/
Concerned with reducing human suffering and improving people's lives.
holocaust
B2
/ˈhɑl.əˌkɔst/
A huge act of destruction and loss of life, especially by war or fire.
sleepless
A2
/ˈsliːpləs/
Without sleep; unable to sleep.
swarm
B1
/swɔɹm/
A large group of insects, especially bees, flying close together.
researcher
B1
/ˈɹiˌsɝ.t͡ʃɚ/
A person who studies a subject in detail to discover new facts.
timid
C1
/ˈtɪmɪd/
Lacking courage or confidence; easily frightened.
supervise
B2
/ˈsu.pɚˌvaɪz/
To watch over and direct a person, group, or task to make sure it is done properly.
activist
C1
/ˈæk.tɪ.vɪst/
A person who works energetically to bring about social or political change.
likeness
B1
/ˈlaɪknəs/
The quality of being similar to someone or something.
outing
B2
/ˈaʊtɪŋ/
A short trip taken for pleasure, usually with other people.
trainee
B2
/tɹeɪˈni/
A person who is being trained for a job.
psyche
C1
/ˈsɑe.ki/
the human mind, especially its deep feelings, thoughts, and attitudes
succession
C1
/səkˈsɛʃən/
A number of people or things that follow one after another.
hysteria
C2
/hɪˈstɛɹiə/
Wild, uncontrollable emotion, especially fear or panic, that spreads through a group of people.
beginner
A2
/bəˈɡɪnɚ/
Someone who has just started learning or doing something.
bossy
B2
/ˈbɔsi/
Always telling other people what to do in an annoying way.
bio
B2
/ˈbaɪoʊ/
A short description of a person's life or background, often on a profile.
consultation
C1
/ˌkɑnsəlˈteɪʃən/
A meeting with an expert, such as a doctor or lawyer, to get advice.
youngster
C1
/ˈjʌŋstɚ/
A young person, especially a child or teenager.
infectious
B2
/ˌɪnˈfɛkʃəs/
Able to be passed from one person to another, used about a disease.
spam
C1
/ˈspæm/
Unwanted emails or messages, usually advertising, sent to many people at once.
trio
B2
/ˈtɹioʊ/
A group of three people or things considered together.
smoker
B1
/ˈsmoʊkɚ/
A person who regularly smokes tobacco.
hermit
C2
/ˈhɝmɪt/
A person who lives alone and avoids the company of others.
citizenship
B1
/ˈsɪtɪzənˌʃɪp/
The legal status of being a citizen of a particular country.
lush
B2
/lʌʃ/
Growing thickly and healthily; full of green plants.
firefighter
B1
/ˈfaɪ.ɚˌfaɪ.tɚ/
A person whose job is to put out fires.
infect
B2
/ɪnˈfɛkt/
To pass a disease to a person, animal, or thing.
exploitation
C1
/ˌɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃn̩/
The unfair treatment of people in order to benefit from their work or situation.
selfless
B2
/ˈsɛlfləs/
caring more about other people's needs than your own
novelist
B1
/ˈnɑvəlɪst/
A person who writes novels.
genocide
C1
/ˈd͡ʒɛnəsaɪd/
The deliberate killing of a large group of people because of their ethnicity, religion, or nationality.
characteristic
B1
/ˌkæɹ(ə)ktəˈɹɪstɪk/
A typical quality or feature of someone or something.
chaperone
C1
/ˈʃæ.pəˌɹoʊn/
a responsible adult who accompanies and supervises one or more younger people, historically for safety and social propriety
huddle
C2
/ˈhʌdəl/
To crowd closely together, often for warmth or safety.
spokesman
B2
/ˈspoʊksmən/
A man who speaks officially on behalf of a person or group.
cannibal
C1
/ˈkænɪbəl/
a person who eats human flesh
oversee
C1
/ˌoʊ.vɚˈsi/
To watch over and direct a person, group, or piece of work to make sure it is done properly.
landmark
C1
/ˈlændmɑɹk/
A well-known building or feature that is easy to recognize and helps people find their way.
biography
B1
/baɪˈɑɡɹəfi/
The written story of a person's life.
schoolteacher
B1
/ˈskuːlˌtiːtʃɝ/
A person who teaches in a school.
archaeologist
B2
/ˌɑɹ.kiˈɑ.lə.d͡ʒɪst/
A person who studies human history by digging up and examining old objects and remains.
endorsement
C1
/ɛnˈdɔrsmənt/
Public approval or support for a person, product, or idea.
insider
C1
/ɪnˈsaɪdɚ/
A person who has special knowledge about how a group, company, or organization works from within.
palate
C2
/pəˈleʈ/
The roof of the mouth, which separates the mouth from the nasal passage.
coordinator
C1
/koʊˈɔrdəˌneɪtɝ/
A person whose job is to organize people or activities so they work well together.
curator
C2
/kjʊəˈɹeɪtə(ɹ)/
A person who manages and organizes a collection in a museum, gallery, or library.
learner
A2
/[ˈlɝ.nɚ]/
A person who is learning something.
sever
C2
/ˈsɛv.ɚ/
to cut off from a whole
follower
B2
/ˈfɑːloʊɝ/
A person who subscribes to someone's posts on social media.
supporter
B1
/səˈpɔɹ.tɚ/
A person who supports a team, leader, or cause.
mutually
C1
/ˈmjut͡ʃuəli/
In a way that is shared by or affects two or more people equally
integrated
C1
/ˈɪn.tɪ.ɡɹeɪtəd/
Combined with other parts to form a single, well-working whole.
entertainer
B1
/ˌɛntɚˈteɪnɚ/
A person whose job is to amuse an audience, such as a singer, actor, or comedian.
nobleman
B2
/ˈnoʊbl̩mən/
A man of high social rank, especially one with an inherited title.
middle-class
C2+
/ˈmɪdəlˈklæs/
belonging to the socioeconomic group between the working class and the upper class
suitor
C1
/ˈsutɚ/
A man who wants to marry or have a romantic relationship with a particular woman.
teammate
B1
/ˈtiːmˌmeɪt/
A person who is on the same team as you.
high-profile
C1
/ˌhaɪˈproʊfaɪl/
Receiving a lot of public attention; well known.
communal
C1
/kəˈmju.nəl/
for or by a group rather than individuals
pedestrian
B2
/pəˈdɛstɹiən/
A person who is walking, especially in a street or area where there are vehicles.
incurable
B2
/ˌɪnˈkjʊɹəbl/
Not able to be cured.
cadaver
C2
/kəˈdævɚ/
the dead body of a human being
staple
C1
/ˈsteɪpəl/
A basic, essential food or item that people use regularly.
coordination
C1
/koʊˌoɹdɪˈneɪʃən/
The organizing of people or activities so they work well together.
mathematician
B1
/ˌmɛθ.(ə.)məˈtəʃ.ən/
A person who studies or is an expert in mathematics.
caveman
B2
/ˈkeɪvˌmæn/
an early human popularly imagined as living in caves
militant
C1
/ˈmɪlɪtənt/
Strongly active and aggressive in support of a cause, and ready to fight for it.
obituary
B2
/əˈbɪt͡ʃəˌwɛɹi/
An article in a newspaper about a person who has recently died, often describing their life.
nationality
A1
/ˌnæʃ.əˈnæl.ɪ.ti/
The legal status of belonging to a particular nation or country.
astronomer
B1
/əˈstɹɑ.nə.mɚ/
A scientist who studies the stars, planets, and the universe.
selective
C1
/səˈlɛktɪv/
Careful about what you choose, accepting only the best or only certain things.
mimic
B2
/ˈmɪm.ɪk/
To copy the way someone speaks or behaves, often to make people laugh.