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
432 words
found
B2
/ˈfæʊ̯nd/
To start or set up an institution, company, or organization.
important
A1
/ɪmˈpɔɹ.tənt/
Having great value or meaning; mattering a lot.
truth
A2
/tɹuθ/
The real facts about something, rather than what is imagined or invented.
beauty
A2
/ˈbjuti/
The quality of being very pleasing to look at or experience.
meaning
A2
/ˈmi.nɪŋ/
What a word, sign, or action expresses or stands for.
purpose
A2
/ˈpɝpəs/
The reason why something is done or made.
reality
B1
/ɹiˈæləti/
The way things really are, as opposed to how they are imagined or hoped to be.
useless
B1
/ˈjuːs.ləs/
Not useful; having no practical value or purpose.
value
A2
/ˈvæl.ju/
How much something is worth in money.
ability
A2
/əˈbɪl.ə.ti/
the fact of being able to do something
useful
A2
/ˈjusfl̩/
Helpful or able to be used for a practical purpose.
teaching
B1
/ˈtiːt͡ʃɪŋ/
The job or activity of giving lessons to students.
existence
B1
/ɛɡˈzɪs.təns/
The fact or state of being real or present.
intention
B1
/ɪnˈtɛnʃn̩/
what you plan or mean to do.
symbol
A2
/ˈsɪmbəl/
A thing that stands for or represents an idea, quality, or feeling.
concept
B1
/ˈkɑn.sɛpt/
an abstract idea or general notion
wisdom
A2
/ˈwɪzdəm/
The ability to make good decisions using knowledge and experience.
absurd
B2
/æbˈsɚd/
completely unreasonable or silly; ridiculous
specifically
B1
/spəˈsəf.ə.kli/
In a clear and exact way, naming one particular thing.
ideal
A2
/aɪˈdi(ə)l/
The best possible; perfect for a particular purpose.
creation
B2
/kriːˈeɪʃən/
The act of making or bringing something into existence.
accidentally
B1
/ˌæk.sɪˈdɛnt(ə)li/
By chance and not on purpose.
principle
B1
/ˈprɪnsəpəl/
A basic truth or rule that explains how something works or guides how you act.
consciousness
B2
/ˈkɑnʃəsnəs/
The state of being awake and able to think and notice things.
philosophy
B1
/fɪˈlɑ.sə.fi/
The study of ideas about life, knowledge, truth, and the meaning of existence.
ego
C1
/ˈiɡo/
A person's sense of their own importance or value.
logic
B1
/ˈlɑ.d͡ʒɪk/
A sensible way of thinking that uses clear reasons.
essence
B1
/ˈɛsəns/
The most basic and important quality that makes something what it is.
pointless
B2
/ˈpɔɪntləs/
Having no purpose; not worth doing because it achieves nothing.
meaningless
C1
/ˈmiːnɪŋləs/
Having no meaning or sense.
phenomenon
B1
/fəˈnɑ.məˌnɑn/
Something that happens or exists and can be seen, especially something studied or noticed.
harassment
C1
/həˈɹæs.mənt/
Repeated, deliberate behaviour that pesters, threatens, or intimidates someone.
equivalent
B2
/ɪˈkwɪvələnt/
Equal in value, meaning, or effect.
morality
B2
/ˌmɔˈræləˌtiː/
Beliefs and standards about what is right and wrong behavior.
philosopher
B1
/fəˈlɑsəfɚ/
A person who studies or teaches ideas about life, knowledge, and the meaning of existence.
significance
B1
/səgˈnɪfɪkəns/
The importance or value of something.
meaningful
B1
/ˈmi.nɪŋ.fl̩/
Having real importance, value, or purpose.
commence
C1
/kəˈmens/
To begin or start.
necessity
B2
/nɪˈsɛsəti/
Something you must have; an essential thing.
seldom
B2
/ˈsɛldəm/
not often; rarely
intentionally
B1
/ɪnˈtɛn(t)ʃənəli/
on purpose; deliberately.
superstition
B1
/ˌs(j)u.pɚˈstɪ.ʃən/
A belief that is not based on reason, often involving luck, magic, or fear of the unknown.
suffice
C1
/ˈsʌ.fɪs/
to be enough for a particular purpose
satisfactory
B2
/sætɪsˈfækt(ə)ɹi/
Good enough for a particular purpose; acceptable.
faulty
B2
/ˈfɔlti/
Not working correctly because of a defect.
paradox
B2
/ˈpæɹ.əˌdɑks/
A statement that seems to contradict itself but may still be true.
interruption
B2
/ˌɪntəˈɹʌpʃən/
something that stops an activity for a while.
calamity
C2
/kəˈlæmɪti/
An event that causes great harm, loss, or suffering; a disaster.
anesthesia
C1
/ˌæn.əsˈθi.ʒə/
loss of bodily sensation with or without loss of consciousness
fanatic
C1
/fəˈnæt.ɪk/
A person with extreme, often unreasonable enthusiasm for a cause or belief.
occurrence
C1
/əˈkɝ.əns/
Something that happens; an event.
knowingly
B2
/ˈnoʊɪŋli/
In a way that shows you are fully aware of what you are doing; on purpose.
premise
C1
/ˈpɹem.ɪs/
A statement or idea that is accepted as true and used as the basis for an argument.
technicality
C2
/ˌtɛk.nɪˈkæl.ə.ti/
a small or specialized rule or detail that can have an important practical consequence
trusty
B2
/ˈtrʌsti/
Reliable and able to be depended on, often used jokingly of a familiar object.
mislead
B1
/mɪsˈliːd/
To give someone a false idea or impression, often on purpose.
vigilance
C2
/ˈvɪd͡ʒɪlɪns/
vigilant attentiveness
monstrosity
C2
/mɑːnˈstrɑːsəti/
something hideous or frightful
cynicism
C1
/ˈsɪnɪˌsɪzəm/
A distrustful attitude that assumes people act only out of selfishness.
sensibility
C2
/ˌsɛn(t)səˈbɪləti/
refined sensitivity to pleasurable or painful impressions
realist
C1
/ˈriːəlɪst/
A person who accepts situations as they truly are and deals with them in a practical way.
misconception
B2
/ˌmɪs.kənˈsɛp.ʃən/
A wrong idea or belief based on a misunderstanding.
superfluous
C2
/suˈpɝflu.əs/
More than is needed; unnecessary.
transcend
C2
/trænˈsend/
to go beyond the ordinary limits, range, or physical constraints of something
bastion
C2
/ˈbæsti.ən/
a group that defends a principle
adequately
B2
/ˈædəkwɪtli/
enough or well enough for a particular purpose
availability
B2
/əˌveɪ.ləˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/
The fact that something can be obtained or used.
testy
C2
/ˈtɛsti/
easily irritated or annoyed
futility
C2
/fjuˈtɪləti/
the quality of being pointless or incapable of producing a useful result
skepticism
C2
/ˈskɛp.tɪˌsɪ.zəm/
doubt about the truth of something
catty
C2
/ˈkæti/
marked by or arising from malice
compatibility
C1
/kəmˌpætəˈbɪləti/
the ability of people, ideas, or things to exist or work together without conflict
seminal
C2
/ˈsemɪnəl/
strongly influencing later ideas, work, or developments; formative and original
omission
C1
/oʊˈmɪʃən/
something that has been omitted
unify
B1
/ˈjuːnɪfaɪ/
To bring people or things together to form a single unit.
eloquence
B2
/ˈɛl.ə.kwəns/
The skill of speaking or writing in a powerful and persuasive way.
disintegration
C2
/dɪsˌɪnd.əˈɡɹeɪ.ʃən/
a loss (or serious disruption) of organization in some system
fruition
C2
/fɹuˈɪʃən/
The point at which a plan or effort is finally achieved and produces results.
commonality
C1
/ˌkɑməˈnæləti/
a feature or quality shared by two or more people or things
entanglement
C1
/ɪnˈtæŋɡəlmənt/
the state or process of becoming twisted together, trapped, or caught
incidence
C1
/ˈɪn.sɪ.dəns/
How often something happens, especially something unwanted.
unproven
B2
/ʌnˈpruːvən/
not demonstrated to be true, valid, or effective
logistic
C2
/ləˈdʒɪstɪk/
relating to the detailed organization and movement of people, materials, or equipment
involuntarily
B1
/ɪnˌvɑlənˈtɛɹɪli/
Without meaning to or without conscious control.
denote
C2
/dɪˈnoʊt/
To be a sign of something; to indicate.
individualism
C2
/ˌɪndɪvɪˈduːəˌlɪzəm/
The belief that the freedom and self-reliance of each person matter more than the group or the state.
metaphysics
C2+
/ˌmɛtəˈfɪzɪks/
the branch of philosophy studying being and reality
pertain
C1
/pərˈteɪn/
to relate to or be relevant to a particular subject or situation
pithy
C2
/ˈpɪθi/
concise and full of meaning
cessation
C1
/sɛˈseɪʃən/
The stopping or ending of something, whether for a while or for good.
abstraction
C1
/æbˈstɹæk.ʃn̩/
A general idea formed from specific examples, rather than a concrete thing.
touchstone
C1
/ˈtʌtʃˌstoʊn/
a standard, principle, or criterion by which the quality or truth of something is tested
modulation
C1
/ˌmɑd͡ʒəˈleɪʃən/
in electronics, the transmission of a signal by using it to vary a carrier wave
happenstance
C2
/ˈhæpənˌstæns/
A chance event; something that happens by luck rather than planning.
finality
C1
/faɪˈnælɪti/
the quality or state of being final, conclusive, and not open to further change
connotation
C2
/ˌkɑnəˈteɪʃən/
A feeling or idea that a word suggests, beyond its literal meaning.