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
335 words
work
A1
/wɜː(ɹ)k/
Activity that you do to make or achieve something, especially as a job.
job
A1
/dʒɑb/
The regular paid work that a person does to earn a living.
working
B1
/ˈwɝkɪŋ/
Present participle of work; doing a job or task.
office
A1
/ˈɔ.fɪs/
A room or building where people work, usually at desks.
running
A2
/ˈɹʊnɪŋ/
The activity or sport of moving quickly on foot.
meeting
A1
/ˈmitɪŋ/
An organized gathering of people for a particular purpose.
system
A2
/ˈsɪstəm/
A set of connected parts that work together as a whole.
mission
B1
/ˈmɪʃ.ən/
An important job or task that a person or group is given.
stage
A2
/steɪd͡ʒ/
A raised platform where actors, singers, or speakers perform in front of an audience.
manager
A2
/ˈmæn.ə.dʒəɹ/
A person whose job is to be in charge of a business, shop, or part of an organization.
career
B1
/kəˈɹɪɹ/
The job or profession you do over a long part of your working life.
crew
B2
/kɹu/
The people who work together to operate a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle.
project
A1
/ˈpɹɐʊ.d͡ʒekt/
A planned piece of work with a particular aim, done over a period of time.
gang
B2
/ˈɡæŋ/
An organized group of criminals.
interview
A1
/ˈɪn.(t)ɚ.vju/
a formal meeting where someone is asked questions to see if they are right for a job.
staff
A2
/stɑːf/
The group of people who work for a company, school, or organization.
assistant
A2
/əˈsɪstənt/
A person whose job is to help someone, especially in their work.
carter
B1
/ˈkɑrtɚ/
a person whose work is driving a cart or transporting loads by cart
hire
B1
/haɪɹ/
To give someone a job and pay them to work for you.
task
A2
/task/
A piece of work that you have to do.
mason
B2
/ˈmeɪsən/
a craftsman who works with stone or brick
miller
B2
/ˈmɪlər/
a person who owns or operates a mill, especially one that grinds grain into flour
interrupt
B1
/ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/
to stop someone from speaking or doing something by suddenly breaking in.
cooper
B2
/ˈkupɚ/
a craftsperson who makes or repairs wooden barrels, casks, buckets, and similar vessels
worker
A1
/ˈwɝ.kɚ/
A person who works at a particular job, especially physical work.
colleague
A2
/ˈkɑliɡ/
A person you work with, especially in a profession or business.
branch
A2
/bɹænt͡ʃ/
A part of a tree that grows out from the trunk.
assignment
B1
/əˈsaɪn.mənt/
A task or piece of work that you are given to do.
labor
A2
/ˈleɪ.bɚ/
Hard work, especially physical work done for pay.
cowboy
B1
/ˈkaʊˌbɔɪ/
a person who tends cattle, especially on horseback
employee
A2
/ˌɛm.plɔɪˈiː/
A person who is paid to work for a company or another person
skill
A1
/skɪl/
the ability to do something well, usually gained through learning or practice
promotion
B1
/pɹəˈmoʊʃn̩/
A move to a more important job or higher rank.
organized
A2
/ˈɔɹɡənaɪzd/
Arranged in a neat, efficient way.
bureau
B1
/ˈbjʊ.ɹoʊ/
A government department or office that deals with a particular task.
personnel
B2
/pɝ.səˈnɛl/
The people who work for an organization or in the armed forces.
profession
B1
/pɹəˈfeʃ.ən/
A type of job that needs special training or education, such as law or medicine.
embassy
B2
/ˈɛmbəsi/
The official building where a country's representatives work in a foreign country.
quote
B1
/kwəʊt/
To repeat the exact words that someone has written or said.
cooperate
B2
/koʊˈɑ.pəˌɹeɪt/
To work together with others toward a shared goal.
designer
B1
/dɪˈzaɪnɚ/
A person whose job is to plan how something will look or work.
warden
B1
/ˈwɔɹdən/
an official responsible for supervising a place, activity, or body of rules
shepherd
C2
/ˈʃɛpəɹd/
a herder of sheep, often on an open range
clerk
A2
/klɝk/
A person who works in an office keeping records or accounts.
ministry
C1
/ˈmɪnɪstɹi/
A government department responsible for a particular area, usually headed by a minister.
porter
B1
/ˈpɔɹtɚ/
a very dark sweet ale brewed from roasted unmalted barley
retirement
B2
/riːˈtaɪɝmənt/
The period of life after you stop working permanently.
cloth
B1
/klɔθ/
Material made by weaving or knitting fibres, used to make clothes and other things.
businessman
A2
/ˈbɪznəsmæn/
A man who works in business, especially as an owner or manager.
qualified
B1
/ˈkwɑ.lɪ.faɪd/
Having the right training, skills, or experience for a job or task.
agenda
B1
/əˈd͡ʒɛn.də/
A list of the things to be discussed at a meeting.
salesman
B1
/ˈseɪlzmən/
A man whose job is to sell things, in a shop or by visiting customers.
expense
B1
/ɪkˈspɛns/
The money that you spend on something.
abortion
C1
/əˈbɔɹ.ʃn̩/
The deliberate ending of a pregnancy before the baby can survive on its own.
craft
B1
/ˈkɹäːft/
An activity that involves making things skilfully with your hands.
supervisor
B2
/ˈsupɚˌvaɪzɚ/
A person whose job is to oversee and direct the work of others.
resume
B2
/ɹɪˈzjuːm/
To start something again after stopping or pausing.
nursing
B2
/ˈnɝsɪŋ/
The job or skill of caring for sick or injured people as a nurse.
occupation
A2
/ˌɑkjʊˈpeɪʃən/
A person's job or regular paid work.
overtime
B2
/ˈoʊ.vɚˌtaɪm/
Time worked beyond one's normal working hours.
unemployed
B1
/ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪd/
Without a job, although able and willing to work.
employment
B1
/ɪmˈplɔɪmənt/
Paid work, or the state of having a job
dental
B2
/ˈdɛn.təl/
Relating to the teeth.
funding
B2
/ˈfʌndɪŋ/
Money provided for a particular purpose or project.
abigail
C2
/ˈa.bɪ.ɡeɪl/
historical: a lady's maid or female personal attendant
elaborate
C1
/ɪˈlæb.(ə.)ɹət/
Having many parts or details; carefully and richly worked out.
achievement
B1
/əˈt͡ʃiːv.mənt/
Something done successfully, especially after effort or skill.
carpenter
C1
/ˈkɑɹpəntɚ/
A person whose job is making and repairing wooden things
employer
A2
/ɪmˈplɔɪ.ɚ/
A person or company that pays others to work for them
weaver
C1
/ˈwi.vɚ/
a craftsman who weaves cloth
cripple
B2
/ˈkɹɪp(ə)l/
To seriously damage something so that it can no longer work properly.
wright
B1
/ɹaɪt/
someone who makes or repairs something (usually used in combination)
employ
A2
/ɪmˈplɔɪ/
To pay someone to work for you
contractor
C1
/ˈkɑːnˌtræktɝ/
A person or company hired to do a particular job under a contract, rather than as a regular employee.
sawyer
C2
/ˈsɔɪ.ɚ/
a person employed to saw wood, especially timber in a sawpit or sawmill
ax
B2
/æks/
A tool with a heavy metal blade on a handle, used for cutting wood.
fireman
B1
/ˈfaɪr.mən/
a man whose job is to extinguish fires; a dated or gender-specific term for a firefighter
canned
B1
/kænd/
Stored and preserved in a sealed metal can.
carver
C2
/ˈkɑɹvɚ/
someone who carves the meat
cooperative
B2
/kuˈɑp.ɹətɪv/
Willing to work with others and be helpful.
receptionist
A2
/ɹɪˈsep.ʃə.nɪst/
A person whose job is to welcome and help visitors and answer the phone at the front of an office or hotel.
journalism
B2
/ˈd͡ʒɝnl̩ˌɪzəm/
The work of collecting, writing, and reporting news for newspapers, TV, or the internet.
offshore
B2
/ɒfˈʃɔː(ɹ)/
Located in the sea, away from the coast.
malfunction
C1
/mælˈfʌŋkʃən/
To stop working properly or fail to work at all.
defect
C1
/ˈdiːfɛkt/
A fault or flaw that makes something imperfect or not work properly.
workplace
B1
/ˈwɝkˌpleɪs/
The place where someone works.
climax
C1
/ˈklaɪ.mæks/
The most exciting or important point of an event, story, or career.
digger
A2
/ˈdɪɡɚ/
A large piece of machinery that digs holes or trenches.
guild
C1
/ɡɪld/
an association of merchants or craftspeople formed to regulate a trade, protect common interests, and provide mutual support
organism
B1
/ɔʳˈɡan.ɪzəm/
A single living thing, such as an animal, plant, or microbe.
pathologist
C1
/pəˈθɑːlədʒəst/
An expert in pathology; a specialist who examines samples of body tissues for diagnostic or forensic purpose.
apparatus
C1
/ˌæp.əˈɹeɪ.təs/
A complex machine or set of equipment built for a particular job.
confide
C1
/kənˈfaɪd/
To tell someone a secret or private matter because you trust them.
florist
C2
/ˈflɔːrɪst/
a person who grows, arranges, or sells cut flowers and ornamental plants
cutler
C2
/ˈkʌtlɚ/
a person who makes, repairs, or sells knives and other cutlery
collier
B2
/ˈkɑliɚ/
someone who works in a coal mine