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
855 words
fearful
C2+
/ˈfɪɹfəl/
feeling or causing fear; dreadful
crestfallen
C2+
/ˈkrɛstˌfɔlən/
sad and disappointed after a defeat or letdown
afflict
C2+
/əˈflɪkt/
to cause persistent pain or suffering to someone
awaken
C2+
/əˈweɪkən/
to wake from sleep or to rouse a feeling or awareness
bleak
C2+
/blik/
bare, cold, and cheerless; offering little hope
dejected
C2+
/dɪˈdʒɛktɪd/
sad and dispirited; low in spirits
forlornness
C2+
/fɚˈlɔɹnnəs/
the state of being abandoned, lonely, and miserable
despondency
C2+
/dɪˈspɑndənsi/
a state of deep dejection and loss of hope
frightful
C2+
/ˈfraɪtfəl/
causing fear or horror; dreadful or extreme
grievous
C2+
/ˈɡrivəs/
causing great suffering, harm, or sorrow; very serious
solace
C2+
/ˈsɑlɪs/
comfort in grief or distress; to console
bemoan
C2+
/bɪˈmoʊn/
to express grief, regret, or displeasure over something
wark
C2+
/wɑrk/
pain or ache; to ache (dialectal or archaic)
affliction
C2+
/əˈflɪkʃən/
a cause of persistent pain, distress, or suffering
blues
C2+
/bluːz/
a mood of melancholy; a melancholic African-American musical genre
conceited
C2+
/kənˈsiːtɪd/
excessively proud of oneself; vain
contentness
C2+
/kənˈtɛntnəs/
the state of being content; satisfaction (rare variant of contentedness)
exuberantness
C2+
/ɪɡˈzuːbərəntnəs/
the state of being lively, energetic, and full of joy
raging
C2+
/ˈreɪdʒɪŋ/
violently active or intense; furious
berserk
C2+
/bɚˈzɝk/
out of control with anger or excitement; frenzied
bewail
C2+
/bɪˈweɪl/
to express great sorrow or lamentation over something
engrieve
C2+
/ɪnˈɡriv/
to cause grief to; afflict with sorrow
excruciate
C2+
/ɪkˈskruʃieɪt/
to inflict severe pain or torment upon
worrisome
C2+
/ˈwɜrisəm/
causing anxiety or concern
allay
C2+
/əˈleɪ/
to diminish or relieve fear, doubt, or pain
assuage
C2+
/əˈsweɪdʒ/
to make an unpleasant feeling less intense
commiserate
C2+
/kəˈmɪzəˌreɪt/
to express sympathy or pity for someone's misfortune
doleful
C2+
/ˈdoʊlfəl/
expressing sorrow; mournful
elatedness
C2+
/ɪˈleɪtɪdnəs/
the state of being elated; great joy or high spirits
enchantment
C2+
/ɪnˈtʃæntmənt/
a feeling of great delight; a magic spell
fury
C2+
/ˈfjʊri/
wild or violent anger; intense force
giddy
C2+
/ˈɡɪdi/
feeling dizzy; or excited to the point of silliness
gladly
C2+
/ˈɡlædli/
in a willing and happy manner
impassive
C2+
/ɪmˈpæsɪv/
not feeling or showing emotion
lamentable
C2+
/ləˈmɛntəbəl/
deserving sorrow or regret; deplorable
pang
C2+
/pæŋ/
a sudden sharp feeling of pain or emotion
abuzz
C2+
/əˈbʌz/
filled with a low humming sound or excited activity
aggrievance
C2+
/əˈɡrivəns/
a grievance; a feeling or cause of being wronged
agitation
C2+
/ˌædʒəˈteɪʃən/
a state of nervous anxiety or vigorous stirring
apprehension
C2+
/ˌæprɪˈhɛnʃən/
anxiety or fear about the future; the act of arresting
commiseration
C2+
/kəˌmɪzəˈreɪʃən/
sympathy and sorrow expressed for another's misfortune
forbearing
C2+
/fɔrˈbɛrɪŋ/
patient and tolerant, refraining from acting on provocation or anger
fraught
C2+
/frɔt/
filled with or accompanied by something undesirable; tense and anxious
fret
C2+
/frɛt/
to worry or feel anxious in a persistent, nagging way
joyful
C2+
/ˈdʒɔɪfəl/
feeling, expressing, or causing great happiness
perturb
C2+
/pɚˈtɝb/
to make anxious or unsettled; to disturb a system slightly
shudder
C2+
/ˈʃʌdɚ/
to tremble convulsively from fear, cold, or revulsion
sullen
C2+
/ˈsʌlən/
badtempered and sulky; gloomy in mood or appearance
vacuous
C2+
/ˈvækjuəs/
lacking thought, intelligence, or content; empty
afeared
C2+
/əˈfɪrd/
archaic or dialectal word for afraid
altercation
C2+
/ˌɔːltɚˈkeɪʃən/
a noisy or angry argument or dispute
blameless
C2+
/ˈbleɪmləs/
free from guilt or fault; innocent
dolesome
C2+
/ˈdoʊlsəm/
causing or expressing sorrow; dismal (archaic, literary)
elate
C2+
/ɪˈleɪt/
to fill with high spirits or exhilarated joy
ennui
C2+
/ɑnˈwi/
a feeling of listless weariness and dissatisfaction from boredom
exaltation
C2+
/ˌɛɡzɔlˈteɪʃən/
a feeling of great joy or elation; the act of raising in rank
feared
C2+
/fɪrd/
regarded with fear; dreaded
fearlessness
C2+
/ˈfɪrləsnəs/
the quality of being without fear; courage
gloom
C2+
/ɡlum/
partial darkness or a feeling of deep sadness and despondency
hurtful
C2+
/ˈhɜrtfəl/
causing emotional pain or distress
infuriate
C2+
/ɪnˈfjʊrieɪt/
to make someone extremely angry
insensate
C2+
/ɪnˈsɛnseɪt/
lacking physical sensation or feeling; unfeeling
luxuriate
C2+
/lʌɡˈʒʊrieɪt/
to take great pleasure in something; to indulge oneself
mortification
C2+
/ˌmɔrtəfɪˈkeɪʃən/
a feeling of deep humiliation; also the death of tissue
repulsion
C2+
/rɪˈpʌlʃən/
a feeling of intense disgust, or a force driving things apart
rouse
C2+
/raʊz/
to wake someone or stir into action or strong feeling
uneasiness
C2+
/ʌnˈiːzinəs/
a feeling of anxiety or discomfort
vent
C2+
/vɛnt/
to give free expression to a strong emotion
wail
C2+
/weɪl/
to give a prolonged high-pitched cry of grief or pain
aflutter
C2+
/əˈflʌtər/
in a state of nervous or excited agitation
agape
C2+
/əˈɡeɪp/
with the mouth wide open in wonder; also selfless Christian love
antipathy
C2+
/ænˈtɪpəθi/
a deep-seated feeling of dislike or aversion
apoplectic
C2+
/ˌæpəˈplɛktɪk/
overcome with rage; furious to the point of seeming illness
bellyache
C2+
/ˈbɛliˌeɪk/
a pain in the stomach; to complain peevishly
benumb
C2+
/bɪˈnʌm/
to deprive of feeling or sensation; to deaden
bogey
C2+
/ˈboʊɡi/
an evil spirit or source of fear; in golf, one over par
capricious
C2+
/kəˈprɪʃəs/
given to sudden, unpredictable changes of mood or behavior
chilling
C2+
/ˈtʃɪlɪŋ/
provoking fear or apprehension
compunction
C2+
/kəmˈpʌŋkʃən/
a feeling of guilt or moral scruple that deters wrongdoing
deter
C2+
/dɪˈtɝ/
to discourage someone from acting through fear or doubt of consequences
enrage
C2+
/ɪnˈreɪdʒ/
to make someone intensely angry
fatherland
C2+
/ˈfɑðɚˌlænd/
one's native country, especially regarded with patriotic emotion
fearless
C2+
/ˈfɪrləs/
showing no fear; brave
fervor
C2+
/ˈfɝvɚ/
intense and passionate feeling or enthusiasm
griefful
C2+
/ˈɡriːffəl/
full of grief; sorrowful (archaic)
guiltiness
C2+
/ˈɡɪltinəs/
the state or feeling of being guilty
hurty
C2+
/ˈhɝti/
causing or feeling pain (informal)
pacify
C2+
/ˈpæsɪˌfaɪ/
to calm or soothe; to quell unrest or anger
pained
C2+
/peɪnd/
showing or feeling hurt, distress, or annoyance
painless
C2+
/ˈpeɪnləs/
causing no pain; involving little effort or difficulty
pique
C2+
/pik/
a feeling of irritation or resentment; to stimulate interest or arouse
restful
C2+
/ˈrɛs(t)fəl/
giving a feeling of peace and relaxation; tranquil
revel
C2+
/ˈrɛvəl/
to take great pleasure or delight; to celebrate boisterously
rueful
C2+
/ˈrufəl/
expressing regret or sorrow, often in a wry, resigned way
ruthful
C2+
/ˈruθfəl/
an archaic word meaning full of sorrow or compassion; pitiful
sorrowful
C2+
/ˈsɑroʊfəl/
feeling or expressing deep sadness or grief