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
207 words
Mr.
A1
/ˈmɪstɝ/
A title used before a man's name or surname.
cigar
C2
/sɪˈɡɑɹ/
a roll of tobacco leaves made to be smoked
filth
C2
/fɪlθ/
disgusting dirt, refuse, or other foul matter
bliss
C1
/blɪs/
Perfect or complete happiness.
mixture
B1
/ˈmɪkst͡ʃɚ/
A combination of different things mixed together.
jag
C2
/dʒæɡ/
a sharp projection or rough point on an edge or surface
mix-up
B2
/ˈmɪksˌʌp/
a mistake or confused situation caused by taking one person or thing for another
replica
B2
/ˈɹɛplɪkə/
An exact copy of something, especially of a famous object.
setback
B2
/ˈsɛtbæk/
A problem or event that delays progress or makes things worse.
loch
C2
/lɔx/
in Scotland, a lake or a narrow arm of the sea
charisma
C2
/kəˈɹɪzmə/
a personal attractiveness or interestingness that enables you to influence others
silverware
B2
/ˈsɪlvə(ɹ)ˌwɛə(ɹ)/
Knives, forks, and spoons used for eating.
madhouse
B2
/ˈmædˌhaʊs/
an extremely noisy, confused, or chaotic place or situation
starlight
C2
/ˈstɑː(ɹ)laɪt/
Light emitted from stars.
armageddon
C2
/ˌɑɹ.məˈɡɛ.dn̩/
the end of the world
dem
C2
/dɛm/
Clipping of Democrat.
hindsight
C2
/ˈhaɪn(d)saɪt/
Understanding of an event only after it has already happened.
smudge
C2
/ˈsmʌdʒ/
a blemish made by dirt
crutch
C2
/kɹʌt͡ʃ/
anything that serves as an expedient
salvo
C2
/ˈsælvoʊ/
a sudden outburst of cheers
godsend
C1
/ˈɡɑdˌsɛnd/
a person or thing that arrives unexpectedly and provides urgently needed help or good fortune
libido
C2
/ləˈbaɪˌdoʊ/
a Freudian term for sexual urge or desire
smut
C2
/smʌt/
sexually explicit or obscene writing, images, or other material, especially when regarded as having little artistic value
rummage
C2
/ˈrʌmɪdʒ/
a thorough search for something, often causing disorder or confusion
trove
C2
/troʊv/
a valuable or interesting collection of things, especially one that has been discovered
paraphernalia
C2
/ˌpɛɹəfɚˈneɪli.ə/
a collection of miscellaneous equipment or objects used for a particular activity
voyeur
C2
/vɔɪˈjɜɹ/
a viewer who enjoys seeing the sex acts or sex organs of others
inertia
C1
/ɪnˈɝ.ʃə/
a disposition to remain inactive or inert
dustbin
B1
/ˈdʌstbɪn/
A container for rubbish, kept until it is collected (British English).
drawback
C1
/ˈdɹɔˌbæk/
A disadvantage or negative feature of something.
depository
C1
/dɪˈpɑzɪtɔɹi/
a place, building, or institution where things are deposited for storage, safekeeping, or preservation
hullo
C2
/hʌˈləʊ/
an expression of greeting
paintbrush
B2
/ˈpeɪntˌbɹʌʃ/
A brush used for applying paint.
throwback
C2
/ˈθɹoʊ.bæk/
a reappearance of an ancestral trait or a person or thing resembling an earlier type
tidbit
C1
/ˈtɪdˌbɪt/
a small and especially tasty piece of food
zealot
C2
/ˈzɛl.ət/
a fervent and even militant proponent of something
scion
C2
/ˈsaɪ.ən/
a descendent or heir
outpouring
C1
/ˌaʊtˈpɔrɪŋ/
a large flow
stanza
B2
/ˈstænzə/
A group of lines in a poem, like a paragraph in writing.
milkmaid
C2
/ˈmɪlkmeɪd/
a woman who works in a dairy
goer
C2
/ˈɡoʊɚ/
One who, or that which, goes.
reappearance
C1
/ˌriːəˈpɪrəns/
the act of someone appearing again or an event happening again
nib
C2
/nɪb/
the pointed part of a pen that contacts the writing surface and delivers ink
laugher
C1
/ˈlæfɚ/
a person who laughs, especially one with a characteristic or frequent laugh
libidinous
C2
/lɪˈbɪ.dɪ.nəs/
driven by lust
bravura
C2
/brəvˈjʊrə/
brilliant and showy technical skill
joist
C2
/d͡ʒɔɪst/
beam used to support floors or roofs
calyx
C2
/ˈkæ.lɪks/
(botany) the whorl of sepals of a flower collectively forming the outer floral envelope or layer of the perianth enclosing and supporting the developing bud
hotchpotch
C2
/ˈhɒt͡ʃpɒt͡ʃ/
a confused or miscellaneous mixture of different things
cigarillo
C2
/ˌsɪɡ.əˈrɪl.oʊ/
a small, narrow cigar, usually only somewhat larger than a cigarette and wrapped in tobacco leaf or tobacco-based material rather than ordinary paper
cheroot
C2
/ʃəˈruːt/
a short, narrow cigar with both ends cut flat
lasciviousness
C2
/ləˈsɪvi.əsnəs/
feeling morbid sexual desire or a propensity to lewdness
miscellany
C2
/ˈmɪsəˌleɪni/
a varied collection or mixture of different kinds of things
dottle
C2
/ˈdɑː.təl/
the partly burned or unburned plug of tobacco left in the bowl of a pipe
reinterpretation
C2
/riːɪnˌtɝːprəˈteɪʃən/
a new or different interpretation
unsaved
C2
/ˌʌnˈseɪvd/
not preserved, rescued, or protected from loss or destruction
knobble
C2+
/ˈnɒb.əl/
a small knob
postprandial
C2
/ˌpoʊs(t)ˈpɹæn.di.əl/
following a meal, especially dinner
rencontre
C2
/rɑːnˈkɑːntrə/
literary or archaic: a chance or unexpected meeting or encounter
promptitude
C2
/ˈprɑːmp.təˌtuːd/
the characteristic of doing things without delay
appurtenance
C2
/əˈpɝtənəns/
an accessory, subordinate part, or piece of equipment belonging to something more important
limn
C2
/lɪm/
to depict, describe, or delineate clearly in words or images
glacis
B2
/ˈgleɪsəs/
A gentle, gradual slope.
'm
A1
Miss
A1
're
A1
's
A1
flatout
C2
apex
C2+
/ˈeɪpɛks/
the highest point or culmination of something
kismet
C2+
/ˈkɪzmɛt/
destiny or fate
beau
C2+
/boʊ/
a woman's male admirer or boyfriend; a dandy
crux
C2+
/krʌks/
the decisive or most important point at issue
dusk
C2+
/dʌsk/
the darker stage of twilight before night
pastime
C2+
/ˈpæstaɪm/
an activity done regularly for enjoyment
throe
C2+
/θroʊ/
a sharp pang or spasm, especially in struggle or agony
acme
C2+
/ˈækmi/
the highest point of achievement or perfection
dame
C2+
/deɪm/
a woman of rank or, in British usage, a titled honorific equal to a knight
ellipsis
C2+
/ɪˈlɪpsɪs/
the omission of words, or the mark (…) indicating such omission
feck
C2+
/fɛk/
vigor or effectiveness; worth (Scots and Irish dialect)
hiatus
C2+
/haɪˈeɪtəs/
a pause or gap in a sequence, series, or activity
interpunct
C2+
/ˈɪntɚˌpʌŋkt/
a centered dot (·) used to separate words or mark a division
lingo
C2+
/ˈlɪŋɡoʊ/
the specialized vocabulary or jargon of a particular group
paragon
C2+
/ˈpærəˌɡɑn/
a model of excellence or perfection
amplitude
C2+
/ˈæmplɪtuːd/
the extent or magnitude of something; the range of a wave
brat
C2+
/bræt/
a badly behaved or spoiled child
cockscomb
C2+
/ˈkɑksˌkoʊm/
the crest of a rooster; a jester's cap; a vain conceited man
lemma
C2+
/ˈlɛmə/
a subsidiary proposition proved as a step toward a theorem; a headword
ado
C2+
/əˈduː/
fuss, trouble, or commotion over something trivial
aphrodisia
C2+
/ˌæfrəˈdɪziə/
sexual desire or arousal
apocalypse
C2+
/əˈpɑkəlɪps/
a catastrophic event; a revelation of the end of the world
cantrip
C2+
/ˈkæntrɪp/
a magic spell or mischievous trick
compendium
C2+
/kəmˈpɛndiəm/
a concise but comprehensive summary of a subject
continuum
C2+
/kənˈtɪnjuəm/
a continuous sequence with no sharp divisions
crossroad
C2+
/ˈkrɔsˌroʊd/
a point where roads intersect; a critical turning point
curlicue
C2+
/ˈkɝlɪˌkju/
a fancy twist, curl, or flourish, as in writing
finale
C2+
/fɪˈnæli/
the closing section of a performance or event