1,500 Vocabulary Words (Easy, Hard, Impossible)

Think you’ve mastered the English language? How charming.

Welcome to a vocabulary guide that will challenge even the most self-proclaimed wordsmiths. Prepare to master words that will make your autocorrect surrender and your friends suspect you swallowed a dictionary. Ready to level up?

Easy Vocabulary Words

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Vocabulary Words written in colorful font on a light blue background with stars — *I made this image with AI — Vocabulary Words*

Table of Contents

Let’s start with this list of easy vocabulary words.

Able: Having the power, skill, or means to do something.
About: On the subject of; concerning.
Above: At a higher level or layer.
Accept: To receive willingly.
Across: From one side to the other.
Act: To take action or do something.
Add: To combine or join together.
Afraid: Feeling fear or anxiety.
After: Following in time or order.
Again: Once more; another time.
Age: The length of time a person has lived.
Agree: To have the same opinion.
Air: The invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth.
All: The whole quantity or extent.
Allow: To give permission for something.
Almost: Not quite; very nearly.
Alone: Having no one else present.
Along: Moving in a constant direction on.
Already: Before or by now.
Also: In addition; too.
Always: At all times; on all occasions.
Am: First person singular present of “be.”
Among: Surrounded by; in the company of.
An: Indefinite article used before a vowel sound.
And: Used to connect words of the same part of speech.
Angry: Feeling strong annoyance or displeasure.
Animal: A living organism that feeds on organic matter.
Another: One more; an additional one.
Answer: A reaction to a question.
Any: Refers to one or more items or elements within a group or quantity, without specifying which ones.
Anyone: Any person or people.
Anything: Used to refer to a thing, no matter what.
Are: Second person singular and plural and first and third person plural present of “be.”
Around: Located on every side.
Ask: To say something in order to obtain an answer.
At: Expressing location or arrival in a particular place.
Away: To or at a distance from a particular place.
Baby: A very young child.
Back: The rear surface of the body.
Bad: Not good; of poor quality.
Bag: A container made of flexible material.
Ball: A round object used in games and sports.
Bank: An institution in the financial sector that accepts deposits from clients and invests those funds.
Bar: A place where alcoholic drinks are served.
Base: The lowest part of something.
Be: Exist.
Beach: A pebbly or sandy shore.
Bear: A large heavy mammal with thick fur.
Beat: To strike repeatedly.
Beautiful: Pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically.
Because: For the reason that.
Become: Begin to be.
Bed: A piece of furniture for sleep or rest.
Been: Past participle of “be.”
Before: During the period of time preceding.
Begin: Start; perform or undergo the first part of an action.
Behind: At or to the far side of something.
Believe: Accept something as true.
Best: Of the most excellent quality.
Better: Of a more excellent or effective type.
Between: At, into, or across the space separating two objects.
Big: Of considerable size or extent.
Bird: A warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate distinguished by feathers.
Bit: A small piece or amount.
Black: Of the very darkest color.
Blood: The red liquid circulating in the arteries and veins.
Blue: Of a color intermediate between green and violet.
Boat: A small vessel for traveling over water.
Body: The physical structure of a person or animal.
Book: A written or printed work consisting of pages.
Both: Used to refer to two things.
Box: A container with flat sides and a lid.
Boy: A male child or youth.
Bring: Take or go with to a place.
Brother: A man or boy in relation to other sons and daughters of his parents.
Build: Construct by putting parts together.
Burn: To be on fire.
Business: A person’s regular occupation or trade.
But: A word used to introduce something that contrasts with what was just said.
Buy: To obtain in exchange for payment.
By: Identifying the agent performing an action.
Call: To give a name to someone or something.
Came: Past tense of “come.”
Can: Be able to.
Cannot: Contraction of “can not”; unable to.
Car: A road vehicle powered by an engine.
Care: The provision of what is necessary for health or welfare.
Carry: Support and move from one place to another.
Case: An instance of a particular situation.
Catch: Intercept and hold.
Cause: A person or thing that gives rise to an action.
Center: The middle point of something.
Certain: Known for sure; established beyond doubt.
Change: To make or become different.
Check: Examine something to determine its accuracy.
Child: A young human being below the age of puberty.
Children: Plural of “child.”
Choice: An act of selecting between two or more possibilities.
Choose: Pick out or select.
City: A large town.
Class: A group of students taught together.
Clean: Free from dirt or impurities.
Clear: Easy to perceive or understand.
Close: Move so as to cover an opening.
Cold: Of or at a low temperature.
Color: The property possessed by an object of producing different sensations on the eye.
Come: Move or travel toward.
Common: Occurring, found, or done often.
Company: A commercial business.
Complete: Having all necessary parts.
Condition: The state of something.
Consider: Think carefully about.
Continue: Persist in an activity.
Control: The power to influence behavior.
Copy: A thing made to be similar to another.
Corn: A cereal plant.
Correct: Free from error.
Could: Past tense of “can.”
Country: A nation with its own government.
Course: The route or direction followed.
Cover: Place something over.
Create: Bring into existence.
Cross: A mark or object formed by two intersecting lines.
Cry: Shed tears.
Cup: A small bowl-shaped container for drinking.
Cut: Make an opening with a sharp tool.
Dad: Informal term for father.
Daily: Done every day.
Dance: Move rhythmically to music.
Dark: With little or no light.
Date: A particular day.
Daughter: A female child.
Day: A 24-hour period.
Dead: No longer alive.
Deal: Distribute cards in a game.
Dear: Regarded with deep affection.
Death: The end of life.
Decide: Make a choice.
Deep: Extending far down.
Degree: The amount or level.
Depend: Rely on.
Describe: Give an account in words.
Design: A plan or drawing.
Detail: An individual feature.
Develop: Grow or cause to grow.
Did: Past tense of “do.”
Die: Stop living.
Difference: A point or way in which things are dissimilar.
Different: Not the same.
Difficult: Needing much effort.
Dinner: The main meal of the day.
Direction: A course along which someone moves.
Do: Perform an action.
Doctor: A person qualified to practice medicine.
Dog: A domesticated carnivorous mammal.
Door: A hinged barrier for closing an opening.
Down: Toward or in a lower place.
Draw: Produce a picture.
Dream: A series of thoughts during sleep.
Dress: A one-piece garment.
Drink: Take liquid into the mouth.
Drive: Operate and control a vehicle.
Drop: Let or make something fall.
Dry: Free from moisture.
During: Throughout the course of.
Each: Every one of two or more people.
Ear: The organ of hearing.
Early: Happening or done before the usual time.
Earth: The planet on which we live.
East: The direction where the sun rises.
Easy: Achieved without great effort.
Eat: Put food into the mouth and chew.
Education: The process of receiving instruction.
Effect: A change resulting from an action.
Egg: An oval object laid by a female bird.
Eight: One more than seven.
Either: One or the other of two.
Electric: Powered by electricity.
Eleven: One more than ten.
Else: In addition; besides.
End: The final part.
Enough: As much as required.
Equal: Being the same in quantity or size.
Even: Flat and smooth.
Evening: The period of time at the end of the day.
Ever: At any time.
Every: All possible; each one.
Everyone: Every person.
Everything: All things.
Exact: Not approximated; precise.
Example: A thing characteristic of its kind.
Eye: The organ of sight.
Face: The front part of a person’s head.
Fact: A thing that is known to be true.
Fail: Be unsuccessful.
Fall: Move downward.
Family: A group of related people.
Far: At a great distance.
Farm: An area of land for growing crops.
Fast: Moving at high speed.
Father: A male parent.
Feel: Be aware of through touch.
Feet: Plural of “foot.”
Few: A small number of.
Field: An area of open land.
Fight: Take part in a violent struggle.
Figure: A number or amount.
Fill: Cause to become full.
Final: Coming at the end.
Find: Discover by searching.
Fine: Of high quality.
Finger: Each of the four slender jointed parts attached to either hand.
Finish: Bring to an end.
Fire: Combustion releasing heat and light.
First: Coming before all others.
Fish: A limbless cold-blooded vertebrate animal with gills.
Five: One more than four.
Floor: The lower surface of a room.
Fly: Move through the air.
Follow: Come after in time or order.
Food: Any nutritious substance that people eat.
Foot: The lower extremity of the leg.
For: Intended to belong to.
Force: Strength or energy.
Forget: Fail to remember.
Form: The visible shape.
Found: Past tense of “find.”
Four: One more than three.
Free: Not under the control of another.
Friend: A person with whom one has a bond.
From: Indicating the point in space at which a journey starts.
Front: The side that faces forward.
Full: Containing as much as possible.
Game: An activity for amusement.
Garden: A piece of ground for growing flowers.
Gather: Come together; assemble.
General: Affecting or concerning all.
Girl: A female child.
Give: Freely transfer possession.
Glass: A hard brittle substance.
Go: Move from one place to another.
God: A supreme being.
Gold: A precious yellow metal.
Good: To be desired or approved of.
Great: Of an extent, amount, or intensity considerably above average.
Green: Of the color between blue and yellow.
Ground: The solid surface of the earth.
Group: A number of people or things.
Grow: Undergo natural development.
Hair: Any of the fine threadlike strands growing from the skin.
Half: Either of two equal parts.
Hand: The end part of a person’s arm.
Hang: Suspend or be suspended.
Happen: Take place; occur.
Happy: Feeling or showing pleasure.
Hard: Solid, firm, and rigid.
Have: Possess, own, or hold.
He: Used to refer to a male person.
Head: The upper part of the human body.
Hear: Perceive with the ear.
Heart: A hollow muscular organ that pumps blood.
Heat: The quality of being hot.
Heavy: Of great weight.
Help: Make it easier for someone.
Her: Used to refer to a female person.
Here: In this place.
High: Of great vertical extent.
Hill: A naturally raised area of land.
Him: Used to refer to a male person.
His: Belonging to or associated with a male person.
Hold: Grasp, carry, or support with one’s hands.
Home: The place where one lives.
Hope: A feeling of expectation.
Horse: A large plant-eating domesticated mammal.
Hot: Having a high degree of heat.
Hour: A period of time equal to 60 minutes.
House: A building for human habitation.
How: In what way or manner.
Human: Relating to or characteristic of people.
Hundred: The number equivalent to ten times ten.
Husband: A married man.
I: Used by a speaker to refer to themselves.
Idea: A thought or suggestion.
If: Introducing a conditional clause.
Important: Of great significance.
In: Used to indicate that something is inside or within something else.
Include: Comprise or contain.
Inside: The inner side or surface.
Into: Expressing movement or action.
Iron: A strong, hard magnetic silvery-gray metal.
Is: Third person singular present of “be.”
It: Used to refer to a thing previously mentioned.
Its: Belonging to or associated with a thing.
Join: Link or connect.
Just: Based on or behaving according to what is morally right.
Keep: Have or retain possession.
Key: A small piece of shaped metal.
Kill: Cause the death of.
Kind: A group of people or things having similar characteristics.
King: The male ruler of an independent state.
Know: Be aware of through observation.
Lady: A polite or formal way of referring to a woman.
Land: The part of the earth’s surface that is not covered by water.
Language: The method of human communication.
Large: Of considerable or relatively great size.
Last: Coming after all others.
Late: Doing something or taking place after the expected time.
Laugh: Make spontaneous sounds expressing amusement.
Law: The system of rules recognized by a country.
Lay: Put down gently.
Lead: Cause to go with one.
Learn: Gain or acquire knowledge.
Leave: Go away from.
Left: On, towards, or relating to the side of a human body.
Leg: Each of the limbs on which a person or animal walks.
Length: The measurement of something from end to end.
Less: A smaller amount.
Let: Not prevent or forbid.
Letter: A character representing one or more sounds.
Level: A horizontal plane or line.
Lie: An intentionally false statement.
Life: The existence of an individual human being.
Light: The natural agent that stimulates sight.
Like: Having the same characteristics.
Line: A long, narrow mark.
List: A number of connected items.
Listen: Give attention to sound.
Little: Small in size.
Live: Remain alive.
Local: Relating to a particular area.
Long: Measuring a great distance.
Look: Direct one’s gaze.
Lose: Be deprived of.
Love: An intense feeling of deep affection.
Low: Of less than average height.
Machine: An apparatus using mechanical power.
Made: Past participle of “make.”
Main: Chief in size or importance.
Make: Form something by putting parts together.
Man: An adult human male.
Many: A large number of.
Mark: A small area on a surface.
Market: A regular gathering of people for the purchase and sale of provisions.
May: Expressing possibility.
Me: Used by a speaker to refer to himself or herself.
Mean: Intend to convey.
Measure: Ascertain the size or amount.
Meat: The flesh of an animal.
Meet: Come into the presence of.
Men: Plural of “man.”
Method: A particular form of procedure.
Middle: At an equal distance from the extremities.
Might: Past tense of “may.”
Mind: The element of a person that enables them to be aware.
Minute: A period of time equal to sixty seconds.
Miss: Fail to hit, reach, or come into contact with.
Modern: Relating to the present.
Moment: A very brief period of time.
Money: A medium of exchange.
Month: Each of the twelve named periods.
More: A greater or additional amount.
Morning: The period from sunrise to noon.
Most: Greatest in amount.
Mother: A woman in relation to her child.
Mountain: A large natural elevation.
Move: Go in a specified direction.
Much: A great amount.
Music: Vocal or instrumental sounds.
Must: Be obliged to.
Name: A word by which a person is known.
Nation: A large body of people united.
Natural: Existing in or caused by nature.
Near: At or to a short distance away.
Need: Require because it is essential.
Never: At no time in the past or future.
New: Not existing before.
Next: Coming immediately after.
Night: The period from sunset to sunrise.
No: Not any.
None: Not any.
North: The direction towards the point of the horizon.
Not: Used to express the negative.
Note: A brief record of points.
Nothing: Not anything.
Notice: Attention; observation.
Now: At the present time.
Number: An arithmetical value.
Object: A material thing.
Observe: Notice or perceive.
Of: Expressing the relationship between a part and a whole.
Off: Away from the place in question.
Offer: Present something for acceptance.
Office: A room for administrative work.
Often: Frequently.
Oh: An expression of surprise or understanding.
Oil: A viscous liquid.
Old: Having lived for a long time.
On: Physically in contact with.
Once: On one occasion.
One: The lowest cardinal number.
Only: And no one or nothing more besides.
Open: Allowing access.
Operate: Control the functioning of.
Opportunity: A chance to do something.
Or: Used to link alternatives.
Order: The arrangement of people or things.
Other: Used to refer to a person or thing that is different.
Our: Belonging to or associated with the speaker.
Out: Moving or appearing to move away.
Over: Extending directly upwards.
Own: Possess; admit or acknowledge.
Page: One side of a sheet of paper.
Paint: A colored substance spread over a surface.
Paper: Material manufactured in thin sheets.
Parent: A person’s father or mother.
Part: A piece or segment.
Party: A social gathering.
Pass: Move or cause to move.
Past: Gone by in time.
Pay: Give money that is due.
Peace: Freedom from disturbance.
People: Human beings in general.
Perhaps: Used to express uncertainty.
Period: A length of time.
Person: A human being.
Picture: A painting or drawing.
Piece: A portion of an object.
Place: A particular position.
Plan: A detailed proposal.
Plant: A living organism.
Play: Engage in activity for enjoyment.
Point: A particular spot.
Police: The civil force of a state.
Political: Relating to the government.
Poor: Lacking sufficient money.
Position: A place where someone is located.
Possible: Able to be done.
Power: The ability to do something.
Prepare: Make ready for use.
Present: In a particular place.
Press: Apply pressure to.
Price: The amount of money expected.
Private: Belonging to or for the use of one person.
Probable: Likely to be the case.
Problem: A matter regarded as unwelcome.
Process: A series of actions.
Produce: Make or manufacture.
Product: An article or substance.
Program: A planned series of events.
Project: An individual or collaborative enterprise.
Property: A thing or things belonging to someone.
Provide: Make available.
Public: Open to or shared by all people.
Pull: Exert force to move something.
Push: Exert force to move something away.
Put: Move to or place in a particular position.
Question: A sentence worded to elicit information.
Quick: Moving fast.
Quiet: Making little or no noise.
Race: A competition between runners.
Radio: The transmission of programs.
Rain: Moisture condensed from the atmosphere.
Raise: Lift or move to a higher position.
Range: The area of variation.
Rate: A measure, quantity, or frequency.
Rather: Used to indicate preference.
Reach: Stretch out an arm.
Read: Look at and comprehend.
Ready: Prepared for use.
Real: Actually existing.
Reason: A cause or explanation.
Receive: Be given or presented with.
Recent: Having happened not long ago.
Record: A thing constituting a piece of evidence.
Red: Of a color at the end of the spectrum.
Remain: Continue to exist.
Remember: Have in or be able to bring to one’s mind.
Remove: Take away.
Report: Give a spoken or written account.
Represent: Be entitled or appointed to act.
Require: Need for a particular purpose.
Research: The systematic investigation.
Resource: A stock or supply.
Respond: Say something in reply.
Rest: Cease work or movement.
Result: A consequence or outcome.
Return: Come or go back.
Rice: A swamp grass.
Rich: Having a great deal of money.
Right: Morally good.
Rise: Move from a lower position.
Road: A wide path that goes from one place to another.
Rock: The solid mineral material.
Role: An actor’s part in a play.
Room: Space that can be occupied.
Rule: One of a set of explicit regulations.
Run: Move at a speed faster than a walk.
Safe: Protected from or not exposed to danger.
Same: Identical; not different.
Save: Keep safe or rescue.

Hard Vocabulary Words

Next up, hard vocabulary words for when language gets a little more tricky.

Abase: To lower in rank, prestige, or esteem.
Aberration: A departure from what is normal or expected.
Abet: To encourage or assist someone to do something wrong.
Abjure: To renounce a belief, cause, or claim formally.
Abrogate: To repeal or do away with a law or formal agreement.
Accede: To agree to a demand or request.
Accolade: An expression of praise or admiration.
Accretion: The process of growth or increase by gradual addition.
Acumen: The ability to make good judgments and quick decisions.
Admonish: To warn or reprimand someone firmly.
Adroit: Skillful and clever in using the hands or mind.
Adulation: Excessive admiration or praise.
Aegis: Protection or support of a particular person or organization.
Affable: Friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to.
Aggrandize: To increase the power, status, or wealth of.
Alacrity: Brisk and cheerful readiness.
Altruism: Selfless concern for the well-being of others.
Ameliorate: To make something better or more tolerable.
Amorphous: Without a clearly defined shape or form.
Anachronism: Something belonging to a period other than in which it exists.
Antipathy: A deep-seated feeling of aversion or dislike.
Apathetic: Showing or feeling no interest or enthusiasm.
Aplomb: Self-confidence or assurance, especially in a demanding situation.
Apocryphal: Of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as true.
Apropos: Very appropriate to a particular situation.
Ardor: Enthusiasm or passion.
Arrogate: To take or claim without justification.
Ascendancy: Occupation of a position of dominant power or influence.
Ascetic: Characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from indulgence.
Asperity: Harshness of tone or manner.
Aspersion: A negative comment that harms someone’s reputation.
Assiduous: Showing great care and perseverance.
Assuage: To make an unpleasant feeling less intense.
Astringent: Sharp or severe in manner or style.
Atrophy: The wasting away or decline of effectiveness due to underuse.
Augury: A sign of what will happen in the future; an omen.
Auspicious: Conducive to success; favorable.
Avarice: Extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
Aver: To state or assert to be the case.
Baleful: Threatening harm; menacing.
Banal: Boring and unoriginal.
Beguile: To charm someone in a tricky or misleading way.
Belie: To fail to give a true impression; to disguise.
Bellicose: Demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight.
Benign: Gentle and kindly; not harmful in effect.
Bilious: Bad-tempered; spiteful.
Blight: A thing that spoils or damages something.
Blithe: Showing a casual indifference considered to be callous.
Boorish: Rough and bad-mannered; coarse.
Bromide: A trite statement intended to soothe or placate.
Brook: To tolerate or allow.
Bucolic: Relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside.
Burnish: To polish something by rubbing.
Byzantine: Excessively complicated and intricate.
Cacophony: A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.
Cadge: To ask for or obtain something to which one is not strictly entitled.
Calumny: The making of false statements to damage someone’s reputation.
Canard: An unfounded rumor or story.
Candid: Truthful and straightforward; frank.
Capricious: Given to sudden changes of mood or behavior.
Castigate: To reprimand someone severely.
Cathartic: Providing psychological relief through open expression.
Censure: To express severe disapproval.
Chary: Cautiously or suspiciously reluctant to do something.
Chicanery: The use of trickery to achieve a purpose.
Churlish: Rude in a mean-spirited way.
Circuitous: Longer than the most direct way.
Circumscribe: To restrict within limits.
Circumspect: Wary and unwilling to take risks.
Clandestine: Kept secret or done secretively.
Clemency: Mercy; lenience.
Coalesce: To come together to form one mass or whole.
Cogent: Clear, logical, and convincing.
Commensurate: Corresponding in size or degree; proportionate.
Compendium: A collection of concise but detailed information.
Complaisant: Willing to please others; obliging.
Compliant: Inclined to agree with others or obey rules.
Conciliate: To stop someone from being angry; to placate.
Concomitant: Naturally accompanying or associated.
Conflagration: An extensive fire that destroys land or property.
Confluence: The junction of two rivers; an act of merging.
Confound: To cause surprise or confusion.
Consummate: Showing a high degree of skill; perfect.
Contentious: Causing or likely to cause an argument.
Contiguous: Sharing a common border; touching.
Contrite: Feeling or expressing remorse.
Conundrum: A confusing and difficult problem.
Convivial: Friendly, lively, and enjoyable.
Corroborate: To confirm or give support to a statement or theory.
Cosset: To spoil someone by caring for them too much.
Craven: Contemptibly lacking in courage.
Credulous: Having too great a readiness to believe things.
Culpable: Deserving blame.
Cupidity: Greed for money or possessions.
Curmudgeon: A bad-tempered or surly person.
Cursory: Hasty and therefore not thorough.
Daunt: To make someone feel intimidated.
Dearth: A scarcity or lack of something.
Debacle: A sudden and ignominious failure.
Debilitate: To make someone weak.
Decorum: Behavior in keeping with good taste.
Deference: Humble submission and respect.
Deleterious: Causing harm or damage.
Demagogue: A leader who seeks support by appealing to desires.
Demur: To raise doubts or objections.
Denigrate: To criticize unfairly.
Denizen: An inhabitant or occupant.
Deprecate: To express disapproval of.
Deride: To express contempt for; ridicule.
Desiccate: To remove moisture from.
Desultory: Lacking a plan or purpose.
Deterrent: Something that discourages an action.
Diaphanous: Light, delicate, and translucent.
Diatribe: A forceful and bitter verbal attack.
Didactic: Intended to teach.
Diffident: Modest or shy due to a lack of confidence.
Dilatory: Slow to act.
Disabuse: To persuade someone that an idea is mistaken.
Discern: To perceive or recognize something.
Discomfit: To make someone feel uneasy.
Discordant: Disagreeing or incongruous.
Disparate: Essentially different in kind.
Dissemble: To conceal one’s true motives.
Dissolute: Lax in morals; licentious.
Dissonance: Lack of harmony among musical notes.
Divulge: To make known private or sensitive information.
Dogged: Having or showing tenacity.
Doggerel: Comic verse composed in irregular rhythm.
Dogmatic: Inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true.
Dour: Relentlessly severe; stern.
Dross: Something regarded as worthless.
Dubious: Hesitating or doubting.
Dupe: To deceive or trick.
Duplicity: Deceitfulness; double-dealing.
Ebullient: Cheerful and full of energy.
Eclectic: Deriving ideas from a broad range of sources.
Edify: To instruct or improve morally or intellectually.
Efface: To erase from a surface.
Effrontery: Insolent or impertinent behavior.
Egregious: Outstandingly bad; shocking.
Elicit: To evoke or draw out a response.
Emaciated: Abnormally thin or weak.
Embellish: To make something more attractive.
Emollient: Having the quality of softening skin.
Empirical: Based on observation or experience.
Encomium: A speech or piece of writing that praises.
Endemic: Regularly found among particular people.
Enervate: To cause someone to feel drained.
Engender: To cause or give rise to.
Enigma: A person or thing that is mysterious.
Ephemeral: Lasting for a very short time.
Equanimity: Mental calmness in a difficult situation.
Equivocate: To use ambiguous language to conceal the truth.
Erudite: Having or showing great knowledge.
Eschew: To deliberately avoid.
Esoteric: Intended for or likely to be understood by a small number.
Eulogy: A speech or piece of writing that praises someone.
Euphemism: A mild word substituted for one considered too harsh.
Exacerbate: To make a problem worse.
Exculpate: To show that someone is not guilty.
Execrable: Extremely bad or unpleasant.
Exigent: Pressing; demanding.
Exonerate: To absolve from blame.
Expedient: Convenient and practical, possibly improper.
Expiate: To atone for guilt or sin.
Extant: Still in existence; surviving.
Extemporaneous: Spoken or done without preparation.
Extirpate: To root out and destroy completely.
Facetious: Treating serious issues with inappropriate humor.
Fallacious: Based on a mistaken belief.
Fatuous: Silly and pointless.
Feckless: Lacking initiative; irresponsible.
Fecund: Capable of producing offspring; fertile.
Felicitous: Well-chosen or suited to the circumstances.
Fervid: Intensely enthusiastic or passionate.
Fetter: A chain used to restrain a prisoner.
Flagrant: Obviously offensive.
Flippant: Not showing a serious or respectful attitude.
Flout: To openly disregard a rule.
Foment: To instigate or stir up undesirable actions.
Forbearance: Patient self-control.
Fractious: Irritable and quarrelsome.
Furtive: Attempting to avoid notice; secretive.
Gainsay: To deny or contradict.
Garrulous: Excessively talkative.
Gauche: Lacking ease or grace; unsophisticated.
Germane: Relevant to a subject under consideration.
Glib: Fluent but insincere and shallow.
Goad: To provoke or annoy to stimulate action.
Grandiloquent: Pompous or extravagant in language.
Gregarious: Fond of company; sociable.
Guileless: Devoid of guile; innocent and without deception.
Hackneyed: Lacking significance through overuse.
Harangue: A lengthy and aggressive speech.
Harbinger: A person or thing that announces the approach of another.
Hedonism: The pursuit of pleasure.
Hegemony: Leadership or dominance.
Hermetic: Complete and airtight.
Heterodox: Not conforming with accepted standards.
Iconoclast: A person who attacks cherished beliefs.
Idolatry: Extreme admiration, love, or reverence.
Immutable: Unchanging over time.
Impecunious: Having little or no money.
Imperturbable: Unable to be upset or excited.
Impervious: Not allowing fluid to pass through; unaffected.
Implacable: Unable to be appeased.
Importune: To ask someone pressingly.
Impute: To represent something as being done by someone.
Inchoate: Just begun; not fully formed.
Incongruous: Not in harmony.
Indolent: Wanting to avoid activity.
Ineluctable: Unable to be resisted; inescapable.
Inimical: Tending to obstruct or harm.
Iniquity: Immoral or grossly unfair behavior.
Innocuous: Not harmful or offensive.
Insipid: Lacking flavor; dull.
Insular: Ignorant of cultures outside one’s own.
Interdict: An authoritative prohibition.
Interloper: A person who becomes involved where they are not wanted.
Intractable: Hard to control or deal with.
Intransigent: Unwilling to change views.
Intrepid: Fearless; adventurous.
Inundate: To flood or overwhelm.
Inure: To accustom to something unpleasant.
Invective: Insulting or abusive language.
Invidious: Likely to arouse anger in others.
Irascible: Easily angered.
Irascible: (Already listed as 234) So replace with Iridescent: Showing luminous colors that seem to change.
Itinerant: Traveling from place to place.
Jaundiced: Affected by bitterness or resentment.
Jejune: Naive, simplistic, and superficial.
Jettison: To discard or abandon something.
Jingoism: Extreme patriotism, favoring aggressive policies.
Jocular: Fond of or characterized by joking.
Juxtapose: To place close together for contrast.
Kinetic: Relating to motion.
Kismet: Destiny; fate.
Knell: The solemn toll of a bell, usually signaling someone’s passing.
Lackadaisical: Lacking enthusiasm.
Laconic: Using very few words.
Lambaste: To criticize harshly.
Lassitude: A state of physical or mental weariness.
Lithe: Thin, supple, and graceful.
Loquacious: Tending to talk a great deal.
Lucid: Expressed clearly; easy to understand.
Lugubrious: Looking or sounding sad.
Machination: A plot or scheme.
Maelstrom: A powerful whirlpool.
Magnanimity: Generosity.
Malinger: To exaggerate illness to escape duty.
Maverick: An independent-minded person.
Mawkish: Sentimental in an exaggerated way.
Mendacious: Not telling the truth; lying.
Mercurial: Subject to sudden changes of mood.
Meretricious: Apparently attractive but having no value.
Meticulous: Showing great attention to detail.
Militate: To be a powerful factor in preventing.
Misanthrope: A person who dislikes humankind.
Mitigate: To make less severe.
Modicum: A small quantity of something.
Morose: Sullen and ill-tempered.
Multifarious: Many and of various types.
Mundane: Lacking interest or excitement; dull.
Myopic: Nearsighted; lacking imagination.
Nebulous: Vague or ill-defined.
Neophyte: A person new to a subject.
Nettle: To irritate or annoy.
Noisome: Having an extremely offensive smell.
Nonplussed: Surprised and confused.
Obdurate: Stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion.
Obviate: To remove a need or difficulty.
Occlude: To stop, close up, or obstruct.
Onerous: Involving a great deal of effort.
Opprobrium: Harsh criticism or censure.
Ostensible: Stated to be true but not necessarily so.
Ostentatious: Characterized by pretentious display.
Paean: A song of praise or triumph.
Palaver: Prolonged and idle discussion.
Palliate: To make less severe.
Panegyric: A public speech in praise of someone.
Pariah: An outcast.
Parsimonious: Unwilling to spend money.
Paucity: The presence of something in insufficient quantities.
Peccadillo: A small, relatively unimportant offense.
Pedagogy: The method and practice of teaching.
Pedantic: Overly concerned with minute details.
Pejorative: Expressing contempt or disapproval.
Penchant: A strong or habitual liking.
Penury: Extreme poverty.
Peremptory: Insisting on immediate attention.
Perfidious: Deceitful and untrustworthy.
Perfunctory: Carried out with minimal effort.
Petulant: Childishly sulky.
Phlegmatic: Having an unemotional disposition.
Pithy: Concise and forcefully expressive.
Placate: To make someone less angry.
Platitude: A remark used too often.
Plethora: An excessive amount.
Polemic: A strong verbal or written attack.
Portent: A sign that something is about to happen.
Pragmatic: Dealing with things sensibly.
Precarious: Not securely held; dangerous.
Precipitate: To cause to happen suddenly.
Predilection: A preference for something.
Prevaricate: To speak or act evasively.
Proclivity: A tendency to choose or do something regularly.
Profligate: Recklessly extravagant or wasteful.
Prolific: Producing many offspring.
Propensity: An inclination to behave a certain way.
Propitiate: To win the favor of by doing something pleasing.
Prosaic: Lacking poetic beauty.
Proscribe: To forbid by law.
Protean: Able to change frequently.
Prurient: Having excessive interest in sexual matters.
Puerile: Childishly silly.
Pugnacious: Eager to argue or fight.
Pulchritude: Beauty.
Quotidian: Occurring every day.
Rancor: Bitterness or resentfulness.
Rarefied: Distant from the lives of ordinary people.
Redolent: Strongly reminiscent.
Refractory: Stubborn or unmanageable.
Relegate: To consign to an inferior position.
Remonstrate: To make a forcefully reproachful protest.
Reprobate: An unprincipled person.
Repudiate: To refuse to accept.
Rescind: To revoke or cancel.
Restive: Unable to keep still; impatient.
Reticent: Not revealing one’s thoughts readily.
Ribald: Referring to sexual matters in an amusing way.
Ruminate: To think deeply about something.
Sacrosanct: Regarded as too important to be interfered with.
Salient: Most noticeable or important.
Sanguine: Optimistic or positive.
Sardonic: Grimly mocking or cynical.
Scurrilous: Making scandalous claims to damage reputation.
Sedulous: Showing dedication and diligence.
Sinecure: A position requiring little work.
Solecism: A grammatical mistake.
Solicitous: Showing interest or concern.
Soporific: Tending to induce sleep.
Specious: Misleading in appearance.
Spurious: Not being what it purports to be.
Stentorian: Loud and powerful voice.
Stolid: Calm and dependable.
Strident: Loud and harsh.
Stymie: To prevent or hinder progress.
Subjugate: To bring under domination.
Sublime: Of such excellence as to inspire awe.
Subterfuge: Deceit used to achieve a goal.
Supplant: To supersede and replace.
Surfeit: An excessive amount.
Surreptitious: Kept secret due to disapproval.
Tacit: Understood without being stated.
Tangential: Hardly touching a matter; peripheral.
Temerity: Excessive confidence.
Tenuous: Very weak or slight.
Tepid: Showing little enthusiasm.
Timorous: Showing or suffering from nervousness.
Tirade: A long, angry speech.
Torpor: A state of physical or mental inactivity.
Tractable: Easy to control or influence.
Transient: Lasting only for a short time.
Transmute: To change in form.
Trenchant: Vigorous or incisive in expression.
Truculent: Eager to argue or fight.
Tumid: Swollen; pompous.
Turgid: Swollen and distended.
Turpitude: Depravity; wickedness.
Umbrage: Offense or annoyance.
Unctuous: Excessively flattering.
Upbraid: To find fault with someone.
Urbane: Courteous and refined.
Vacillate: To waver between opinions.
Vacuous: Having or showing a lack of thought.
Variegated: Exhibiting different colors.
Vehement: Showing strong feeling.
Venal: Susceptible to bribery.
Veracity: Conformity to facts.
Verbose: Using more words than needed.
Vex: To make someone feel annoyed.
Vicissitude: A change of circumstances.
Vilify: To speak or write about in an abusive manner.
Viscous: Having a thick, sticky consistency.
Vituperate: To blame or insult in strong language.
Vociferous: Vehement or clamorous.
Volatile: Liable to change rapidly.
Wane: To decrease in vigor.
Wanton: Deliberate and unprovoked.
Waver: To be undecided between options.
Welter: A large number of items in no order.
Whimsical: Playfully quaint or fanciful.
Winsome: Attractive or appealing.
Wistful: Having a feeling of vague longing.
Zeal: Great energy in pursuit of a cause.
Zealous: Having or showing zeal.
Zephyr: A soft gentle breeze.
Zest: Great enthusiasm.
Ziggurat: A rectangular stepped tower.
Zydeco: A kind of dance music from southern Louisiana.
Acolyte: A person assisting in a religious service.
Adage: A proverb or short statement.
Adjure: To urge or request solemnly.
Benevolent: Well-meaning and kindly.
Camaraderie: Mutual trust among people.
Capitulate: To surrender.
Inane: Silly; stupid.
Nefarious: Wicked or criminal.
Recalcitrant: Uncooperative.
Stalwart: Loyal, reliable, and hardworking.
Taciturn: Uncommunicative.
Usurp: To take illegally by force.
Wary: Feeling caution.
Yoke: To join together.
Zenith: The time at which something is most powerful.
Abate: To become less intense.
Aberrant: Departing from an accepted standard.
Abjure: To renounce.
Abrogate: To repeal a law.
Abscond: To leave hurriedly and secretly.
Abstruse: Difficult to understand.
Accolade: An award.
Acrimonious: Angry and bitter.
Acumen: The ability to make good judgments.
Adverse: Preventing success.
Affluent: Having a great deal of money.
Alleviate: To make less severe.
Ambivalent: Having mixed feelings.
Amorphous: Without a clear shape.
Anachronistic: Belonging to a period other than that being portrayed.
Antithesis: A person or thing that is the direct opposite.
Arbitrary: Based on random choice.
Ascendancy: Dominant power.
Austere: Severe in manner.
Banal: Lacking in originality.
Benevolent: Well-meaning.
Blithe: Casual indifference.
Bombastic: High-sounding but with little meaning.
Candor: The quality of being open and honest.
Capricious: Given to sudden changes.
Censure: Express severe disapproval.
Churlish: Rude in a mean way.
Coerce: To persuade by force.
Coherent: Logical and consistent.
Complacent: Showing uncritical satisfaction.
Concise: Giving a lot of information clearly.
Condescend: Show feelings of superiority.
Conformist: A person who conforms to accepted behavior.
Contemptuous: Showing contempt.
Contrite: Feeling remorse.
Convoluted: Extremely complex and difficult to follow.
Dissonant: Lacking harmony.
Ephemeral: Lasting for a very short time.
Exacerbate: To make a problem or bad situation worse.
Idyllic: Extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque.
Illicit: Forbidden by law, rules, or custom.
Ineffable: Too great or extreme to be expressed in words.
Insidious: Something harmful that sneaks up on you slowly.
Intrepid: Fearless; adventurous.
Paradox: A seemingly absurd or contradictory statement that, when investigated, may prove to be well founded or true.
Redolent: Strongly reminiscent or suggestive of something.
Adroit: Clever or skillful.
Altruistic: Showing selfless concern.
Amorphous: Without a clearly defined shape.
Anomaly: Something that deviates from the norm.
Antipathy: A deep-seated feeling of dislike.
Antithesis: A person or thing that is the direct opposite.
Ardor: Enthusiasm or passion.
Yokel: An uneducated and unsophisticated person from the countryside.
Zealot: A person who is fanatical.
Abnegation: The act of renouncing or rejecting something.
Anathema: Something or someone that one vehemently dislikes.
Disparage: To say bad things about someone or something.
Fortuitous: Happening by a lucky chance; fortunate.
Frugal: Sparing or economical with regard to money or food.
Guile: Sly or cunning intelligence.
Haughty: Arrogantly superior and disdainful.
Impetuous: Doing things quickly without thinking first.
Indefatigable: Persisting tirelessly.
Ingenuous: Innocent and unsuspecting.
Lethargic: Affected by lethargy; sluggish and apathetic.
Obfuscate: To render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible.
Obsequious: Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.
Paradigm: A common example or the usual way of doing something.
Obstreperous: Noisy and difficult to control.
Prodigal: Spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.
Acerbic: (Especially of a comment or style of speaking) sharp and forthright.
Superfluous: Unnecessary, especially through being more than enough.
Tenacious: Tending to keep a firm hold of something; persistent.
Venerable: Someone or something that is highly respected, especially because they are old or wise.
Voracious: Really hungry or extremely eager to do something.
Abstemious: Not self-indulgent, especially when eating and drinking.
Aesthetic: Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.
Arduous: Involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.
Audacious: Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks.
Boon: A thing that is helpful or beneficial.
Brash: Self-assertive in a rude, noisy, or overbearing way.
Brusque: Abrupt or offhand in speech or manner.
Cajole: To try to get someone to do something by being nice or flattering.
Callous: Not caring about others and being insensitive.

Impossible Vocabulary Words

And then there are these impossible vocabulary words that make even stalwart wordsmiths tremble and retreat to their hidden library nooks.

Abeyance: A state of temporary disuse or suspension.
Abstemious: Moderate or sparing in eating and drinking.
Absquatulate: To leave suddenly or abruptly without notice.
Agastopia: Admiration of a particular part of someone’s body.
Anfractuous: Full of twists and turns; winding.
Anthropomorphic: Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities.
Autochthonous: Indigenous rather than descended from migrants or colonists.
Axiomatic: Self-evident or unquestionable.
Bacchanalian: Characterized by or given to drunken revelry.
Bathyscaphe: A deep-sea submersible vessel.
Blatherskite: Someone who talks a lot without saying anything important.
Boustrophedon: An ancient method of writing alternately from right to left and left to right.
Brobdingnagian: Gigantic; tremendous in size.
Callipygian: Having beautifully shaped buttocks.
Catachresis: Misuse or strained use of words.
Chiaroscuro: The treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting.
Cloaca: A common cavity at the end of the digestive tract for the release of both excretory and genital products in certain animal species.
Collywobbles: Stomach pain or queasiness.
Concinnity: How well different parts fit together in a pleasing way.
Contretemps: An unexpected and unfortunate occurrence.
Cunctation: The action of delaying or putting off something; procrastination.
Defenestration: The act of throwing someone out of a window.
Deipnosophist: A person skilled in the art of dining and dinner-table conversation.
Desideratum: Something that is needed or wanted.
Discombobulate: To disconcert or confuse someone.
Disingenuous: Not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.
Dodecahedron: A three-dimensional shape having twelve flat faces.
Embrocation: A liquid used for rubbing on the body to relieve pain from sprains and strains.
Emolument: A salary, fee, or profit from employment or office.
Ennui: A feeling of listlessness due to lack of excitement.
Epistemology: The theory of knowledge, especially regarding its methods, validity, and scope.
Eremite: A hermit or recluse, especially one under a religious vow.
Erstwhile: Former; of times past.
Exsanguinate: To drain of blood.
Floccinaucinihilipilification: The action of estimating something as worthless.
Fugacious: Tending to disappear; fleeting.
Fustigate: To criticize severely; to beat with a club.
Gobbledygook: Language that is meaningless or hard to understand; nonsense.
Gossamer: Something very light, thin, and insubstantial or delicate.
Hebetude: The state of being dull or lethargic.
Hemidemisemiquaver: A sixty-fourth note in music.
Honorificabilitudinitatibus: The state of being able to achieve honors.
Idiosyncratic: Peculiar or individual.
Imbroglio: An extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation.
Indefatigable: Persisting tirelessly.
Insouciant: Showing a casual lack of concern; indifferent.
Internecine: Destructive to both sides in a conflict.
Juxtaposition: The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
Labyrinthine: Irregular and twisting, like a labyrinth.
Lagniappe: Something given as a bonus or extra gift.
Limerence: The state of being infatuated with another person.
Logorrhea: Excessive and often incoherent talkativeness.
Malfeasance: Wrongdoing, especially by a public official.
Manichean: Dualistic; seeing things in black and white.
Mendacious: Not telling the truth; lying.
Meretricious: Apparently attractive but having no real value.
Monochromatic: Containing or using only one color.
Munificent: More generous than usual.
Nepenthe: A drug described in Homer’s Odyssey as banishing grief or trouble from a person’s mind.
Obfuscate: To render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible.
Omniscient: Knowing everything.
Onomatopoeia: A word that imitates the sound it represents, like “buzz” or “meow.”
Opprobrium: Harsh criticism or censure.
Oubliette: A secret dungeon with access only through a trapdoor in its ceiling.
Panacea: A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.
Parsimonious: Unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy.
Pellucid: Translucently clear.
Penultimate: Second to the last.
Perfidious: Deceitful and untrustworthy.
Peripatetic: Traveling from place to place, especially working or based in various places for relatively short periods.
Perspicacious: Being really good at understanding and noticing things quickly.
Phantasmagoria: A sequence of real or imaginary images like those seen in a dream.
Philatelist: A person who collects or studies stamps.
Phlegmatic: Having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis: A supposed lung disease; coined to be the longest word in English.
Precipitous: Dangerously high or steep.
Propinquity: The state of being close to someone or something; proximity.
Pseudepigrapha: Spurious or pseudonymous writings.
Pulchritude: Beauty.
Quagmire: A soft boggy area of land; a complex or hazardous situation.
Quixotic: Exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical.
Recondite: (Of a subject or knowledge) little known; abstruse.
Refulgent: Shining brightly.
Sagacious: Being really wise and having good judgment.
Salubrious: Health-giving; healthy.
Sanguine: Optimistic or positive, especially in a bad situation.
Sesquipedalian: Characterized by long words; long-winded.
Somnambulist: A person who sleepwalks.
Supercilious: Behaving as though one thinks one is superior to others.
Surreptitious: Kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.
Syzygy: When the sun, moon, and Earth line up, like during an eclipse.
Tautology: Saying the same thing twice using different words.
Tintinnabulation: The ringing or sounding of bells.
Transmogrify: To transform in a surprising or magical manner.
Truculent: Eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant.
Ubiquitous: Present, appearing, or found everywhere.
Ululation: A howling or wailing sound.
Unctuous: Excessively flattering or ingratiating; oily.
Usufruct: The right to enjoy the use and advantages of another’s property short of the destruction or waste of its substance.
Vicissitude: An unwanted or sudden change in your situation or luck.
Virtuosic: Showing exceptional artistic skill.
Vituperative: Bitter and abusive.
Vulpine: Relating to a fox or foxes.
Weltanschauung: A particular philosophy or view of life; the worldview of an individual or group.
Xanthous: Having yellowish, red, or brown hair.
Xenoglossy: The phenomenon of a person being able to speak a language they have never learned.
Xerophilous: Adapted to a very dry or desert environment.
Xylophobia: An irrational fear of wooden objects or forests.
Yclept: By the name of; called.
Ylem: In cosmology, the original substance from which all matter was formed.
Zeugma: A figure of speech where a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence.
Ziggurat: A large, step-shaped tower that usually has a temple on top.
Zydeco: A kind of black American dance music originally from southern Louisiana.
Zygomatic: Relating to the cheekbone.
Abecedarian: Arranged alphabetically; elementary or rudimentary.
Abnegation: The act of renouncing or rejecting something.
Abstruse: Difficult to understand; obscure.
Accipiter: A type of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.
Achromatic: Without color.
Adumbrate: To foreshadow or symbolize.
Aeolian: Relating to or arising from the action of the wind.
Aestival: Belonging to or appearing in summer.
Aggrandize: To increase the power, status, or wealth of.
Aleatory: Dependent on the throw of a dice or on chance; random.
Anachronism: A thing belonging to a period other than that in which it exists.
Anathema: Something or someone that one vehemently dislikes.
Anfractuous: Winding or circuitous.
Antediluvian: Really old-fashioned or from a long time ago.
Anthropocentric: Regarding humankind as the central or most important element of existence.
Antinomy: A contradiction between two beliefs or conclusions that are in themselves reasonable.
Apotheosis: The highest or most important point of something.
Appurtenance: An accessory or other item associated with a particular activity or style of living.
Aristocracy: The highest class in certain societies, especially those holding hereditary titles.
Arriviste: An ambitious or ruthlessly self-seeking person.
Asymptote: A line that continually approaches a given curve but does not meet it at any finite distance.
Aureate: Denoting, made of, or having the color of gold.
Autodidact: A self-taught person.
Bailiwick: One’s sphere of operations or particular area of interest.
Bellicose: Demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight.
Bifurcation: The division of something into two branches or parts.
Bilious: Affected by or associated with nausea or vomiting.
Blunderbuss: A short-barreled large-bored gun with a flared muzzle.
Bombastic: High-sounding but with little meaning; inflated.
Bowdlerize: To remove material considered improper or offensive.
Bromide: A trite and unoriginal idea or remark.
Byzantine: Really complicated, especially with lots of rules or details.
Cabalistic: Relating to or associated with mystical interpretation or esoteric doctrine.
Cachet: The state of being respected or admired.
Caduceus: An ancient Greek or Roman herald’s wand, typically with two serpents twined around it.
Caliginous: Misty, dim; dark.
Capricious: Given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.
Caryatid: A stone carving of a draped female figure, used as a pillar.
Castigate: To reprimand someone severely.
Catharsis: The process of releasing strong or repressed emotions.
Chimerical: Existing only as the product of unchecked imagination; fantastically visionary.
Circumlocution: The use of many words where fewer would do.
Circumscribe: To restrict something within limits.
Clandestine: Kept secret or done secretively.
Cognoscente: A connoisseur; a discerning expert.
Commensurate: Corresponding in size or degree; in proportion.
Concatenate: To link things together in a chain or series.
Concomitant: Naturally accompanying or associated.
Contumacious: Stubbornly or willfully disobedient to authority.
Coruscate: To flash or sparkle.
Crepuscular: Relating to twilight.
Cupidity: Greed for money or possessions.
Cynosure: Something or someone that everyone is looking at or paying attention to.
Defalcate: To embezzle funds.
Deleterious: Causing harm or damage.
Desuetude: A state of disuse.
Diaphanous: Light, delicate, and translucent.
Didactic: Intended to teach, particularly with moral instruction.
Diffident: Shy or lacking confidence.
Dilatory: Slow to act; intended to cause delay.
Dissemble: To conceal one’s true motives or feelings.
Dotard: An old person, especially one who has become weak or senile.
Ebullient: Cheerful and full of energy.
Edification: The instruction or improvement of a person morally or intellectually.
Effete: Affected, overrefined, and ineffectual.
Egregious: Outstandingly bad; shocking.
Evanescent: Quickly disappearing or fading away.
Exculpate: To show or declare that someone is not guilty of wrongdoing.
Fastidious: Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.
Feckless: Lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible.
Felicitous: Well chosen or suited to the circumstances; pleasing and fortunate.
Garrulous: Excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters.
Grandiloquent: Pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner.
Halcyon: A time in the past that was very happy and peaceful.
Heuristic: Enabling someone to discover or learn something for themselves.
Iconoclast: A person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions.
Impecunious: Having little or no money.
Implacable: Unable to be appeased or placated.
Inchoate: Just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary.
Inure: To accustom someone to something unpleasant.
Juxtapose: To place close together for contrasting effect.
Laconic: Using very few words; concise.
Loquacious: Tending to talk a great deal; talkative.
Magnanimous: Very generous or forgiving.
Maladroit: Ineffective or bungling; clumsy.
Maudlin: Self-pityingly or tearfully sentimental.
Mellifluous: Sweet or musical; pleasant to hear.
Meticulous: Showing great attention to detail.
Myriad: A countless or extremely great number.
Nadir: The lowest point in the fortunes of a person.
Nascent: Just coming into existence.
Nebulous: In the form of a cloud or haze; vague.
Neophyte: A person who is new to a subject.
Obdurate: Stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion.
Obsequious: Obedient to an excessive degree.
Ostensible: Stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so.
Ostentatious: Characterized by pretentious display.
Palimpsest: A manuscript on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later writing.
Panacea: A solution for all difficulties.
Paragon: A perfect example of something.
Pedagogue: A teacher, especially a strict one.
Pedantic: Overly concerned with minute details.
Perfunctory: Carried out with minimal effort.
Perspicaciously: Having a ready insight into things.
Phlegmatic: Having an unemotional disposition.
Platitude: A remark used too often to be interesting.
Plethora: An excessive amount of something.
Precipitous: Dangerously high or steep.
Propensity: An inclination to behave a certain way.
Pugnacious: Eager to argue or fight.
Quagmire: A difficult or precarious situation.
Recondite: Little known; abstruse.
Redolent: Strongly reminiscent of something.
Relegate: To consign to an inferior rank.
Salient: Most noticeable or important.
Sanguine: Optimistic in a bad situation.
Sardonic: Grimly mocking or cynical.
Scintillate: To emit flashes of light; sparkle.
Serendipity: The occurrence of events by chance in a happy way.
Solipsism: Theory that only the self is real.
Somnolent: Sleepy; drowsy.
Spurious: Not genuine; false.
Stentorian: Loud and powerful voice.
Stolid: Calm, dependable, showing little emotion.
Supercilious: Behaving as though superior.
Surreptitious: Kept secret due to disapproval.
Sycophant: A person who acts overly obedient toward someone important.
Tantamount: Equivalent in seriousness.
Temerity: Excessive confidence; audacity.
Trepidation: A feeling of fear about something.
Truculent: Eager to argue or fight.
Umbrage: Offense or annoyance.
Unctuous: Excessively flattering.
Untenable: Not able to be maintained.
Vacillate: To be indecisive.
Variegated: Exhibiting different colors.
Vehement: Showing strong feeling.
Venal: Showing susceptibility to bribery.
Veracity: Conformity to facts; accuracy.
Verbose: Using more words than needed.
Vestige: A trace of something disappearing.
Vicissitude: A change of circumstances.
Vindicate: Clear of blame or suspicion.
Vitriolic: Filled with bitter criticism.
Vociferous: Vehement or clamorous.
Voracious: Wanting or devouring great quantities.
Welter: A large number of items in no order.
Winsome: Attractive or appealing.
Xenophile: An individual attracted to foreign cultures.
Xeric: Containing little moisture; very dry.
Zephyr: A soft gentle breeze.
Zeitgeist: The defining spirit of a time.
Abnegation: The act of rejecting something.
Acrimonious: Angry and bitter.
Apropos: Very appropriate to a particular situation.
Asperity: Harshness of tone.
Astringent: Causing the contraction of body tissues.
Atavistic: Relating to ancestral characteristics.
Augury: A sign of what will happen.
Auspicious: Conducive to success.
Austere: Severe or strict.
Baleful: Threatening harm.
Beguiling: Charming in a deceptive way.
Belie: Fail to give a true notion.
Belligerent: Hostile and aggressive.
Burgeon: Begin to grow rapidly.
Burnish: Polish by rubbing.
Buttress: A projecting support of stone or brick.
Cadge: To ask for or obtain.
Calumny: The making of false statements.
Canard: An unfounded rumor.
Capricious: Given to sudden changes of mood.
Castigate: Reprimand severely.
Caustic: Able to burn or corrode.
Celerity: Swiftness of movement.
Chary: Cautiously or suspiciously reluctant.
Churlish: Rude in a mean-spirited way.
Clandestine: Kept secret or done secretively.
Cloying: Disgust with an excess of sweetness.
Commensurate: Corresponding in size or degree.
Compunction: A feeling of guilt.
Concomitant: Naturally accompanying.
Convivial: Friendly and lively.
Cosset: Care for and protect.
Craven: Contemptibly lacking in courage.
Cupidity: Greed for money.
Decorous: In keeping with good taste.
Defenestrate: Throw out of a window.
Denigrate: Criticize unfairly.
Deprecate: Express disapproval of.
Deride: Express contempt for.
Descry: Catch sight of.
Desiccate: Remove moisture.
Desultory: Lacking a plan or purpose.
Diatribe: A forceful verbal attack.
Didactic: Intended to teach.
Dilatory: Slow to act.
Disabuse: Persuade that an idea is mistaken.
Discomfit: Make someone feel uneasy.
Discordant: Disagreeing or incongruous.
Dissemble: Conceal true motives.
Dissonance: Lack of harmony.
Distend: Swell from inside.
Divest: Deprive of power or possessions.
Doggerel: Comic verse composed in irregular rhythm.
Dogmatic: Inclined to lay down principles.
Dross: Something regarded as worthless.
Ebullience: The quality of being cheerful.
Eclectic: Deriving ideas from various sources.
Efface: Erase from a surface.
Effete: Affected, overrefined.
Effrontery: Insolent behavior.
Egregious: Outstandingly bad.
Egress: The action of going out.
Emollient: Having the quality of softening.
Encomium: A speech or piece of writing that praises.
Enervate: Cause to feel drained.
Entreat: Ask someone earnestly.
Ephemeral: Lasting for a very short time.
Equanimity: Mental calmness.
Equivocate: Use ambiguous language.
Evanescent: Soon passing out of sight.
Exculpate: Show that someone is not guilty.
Exigent: Pressing; demanding.
Expiate: Atone for guilt or sin.
Extant: Still in existence.
Extirpate: Root out and destroy.
Fallow: Inactive.
Fatuous: Silly and pointless.
Fawn: Give a servile display.
Feckless: Lacking initiative.
Fecund: Capable of producing offspring.
Felicity: Intense happiness.
Foment: Instigate.
Forbearance: Patient self-control.
Fortuitous: Happening by chance.
Fractious: Irritable.
Gainsay: Deny or contradict.
Garrulous: Excessively talkative.
Germane: Relevant to a subject.
Grandiloquent: Pompous in style.
Halcyon: Denoting a past happy period.
Harangue: A lengthy aggressive speech.
Hegemony: Leadership or dominance.
Hermetic: Complete and airtight.
Iconoclast: A person who attacks beliefs.
Imbroglio: An extremely confused situation.
Impecunious: Having little money.
Impugn: Dispute the truth.
Inchoate: Just begun.
Indolent: Wanting to avoid activity.
Ineluctable: Unable to be resisted.
Inimical: Tending to harm.
Iniquity: Immoral behavior.
Innocuous: Not harmful.
Insipid: Lacking flavor.
Insouciant: Showing a lack of concern.
Intransigent: Unwilling to change views.
Inure: Accustom to something unpleasant.
Inveterate: Having a long-established habit.
Irascible: Easily angered.
Itinerant: Traveling from place to place.
Jejune: Naive, simplistic.
Jettison: Throw or drop from an aircraft or ship.
Juggernaut: A huge force.
Kismet: Destiny; fate.
Lachrymose: Tearful.
Lackadaisical: Lacking enthusiasm.
Laconic: Using very few words.
Lambaste: Criticize harshly.
Loquacious: Talkative.
Lugubrious: Looking sad.
Magnanimity: Generosity.
Malinger: Exaggerate illness to escape duty.
Mendacious: Not telling the truth.
Alembic: An apparatus used in distillation; something that refines or transmutes as if by distillation.
Antinomy: A contradiction between two beliefs or conclusions that are in themselves reasonable.
Asseverate: To declare earnestly or solemnly; affirm positively.
Autarky: Economic independence or self-sufficiency.
Bailiwick: One’s sphere of operations or area of interest.
Bloviate: To speak pompously and at length.
Borborygmus: A rumbling or gurgling noise in the intestines.
Brummagem: Cheap, showy, or counterfeit.
Caducity: The infirmity or weakness of old age; senility.
Caitiff: A contemptible or cowardly person.
Caliginous: Misty, dim; obscure or dark.
Caterwaul: To make a shrill howling or wailing noise.
Circumambient: Surrounding; encompassing on all sides.
Clerisy: A distinct class of learned or literary people.
Concatenate: To link together in a series or chain.
Consanguineous: Relating to people descended from the same ancestor.
Contumely: Insolent or insulting language or treatment.
Crepitate: To make a crackling or popping sound.
Delitescent: Hidden; latent.
Deracinate: To uproot or remove from one’s homeland.
Diapason: A full, rich outpouring of harmonious sound.
Dithyramb: A passionate or inflated speech, poem, or other writing.
Ecumenical: Representing a number of different Christian churches; universal.
Efflorescence: Blooming of flowers; state of flowering.
Eidolon: An idealized person or thing; a specter or phantom.
Embrangle: To embroil or entangle.
Encomium: A speech or piece of writing that praises highly.
Enervate: To cause someone to feel drained of energy; weaken.
Epigone: A less distinguished follower or imitator.
Eremitic: Relating to a hermit or recluse.
Eructation: A belch.
Exegesis: Critical explanation or interpretation of a text.
Exiguous: Very small in size or amount; scanty.
Farrago: A confused mixture; hodgepodge.
Fustigate: To criticize severely; to cudgel.
Garrulity: Excessive talkativeness.
Harridan: A strict, bossy, or belligerent old woman.
Heterodox: Not conforming with accepted standards or beliefs.
Idempotent: Unchanged when multiplied by itself.
Ineluctable: Impossible to avoid or escape.
Inveigh: To speak or write about something with great hostility.
Jactitation: Extremely restless tossing and twitching.
Lacustrine: Relating to lakes.
Largesse: Generosity in bestowing money or gifts.
Logorrhea: Excessive and often incoherent talkativeness.
Lucubration: Study or meditation, especially at night.
Malapropism: The mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one.
Marmoreal: Made of or likened to marble.
Mephitic: Foul-smelling; noxious.
Miasma: An unpleasant or unhealthy atmosphere.
Mordacious: Denoting or using biting sarcasm or invective.
Nepenthe: A drug or potion to induce forgetfulness of pain or sorrow.
Nugatory: Of no value or importance.
Obeisance: Deferential respect or homage.
Obloquy: Strong public criticism.
Opsimath: A person who begins to learn or study late in life.
Otiose: Serving no practical purpose; idle.
Peregrination: A journey, especially a long or meandering one.
Peroration: The concluding part of a speech.
Phlegmatic: Having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.
Plenipotentiary: A person invested with full power to transact business.
Pluvial: Relating to or characterized by rainfall.
Procrustean: Enforcing uniformity without regard to natural variation.
Prolegomenon: A critical or discursive introduction to a book.
Propinquity: Nearness in place or time; proximity.
Puerile: Childishly silly and trivial.
Pusillanimous: Showing a lack of courage.
Quaquaversal: Directed outward from a common center in all directions.
Quisling: A traitor who collaborates with an enemy force.
Ratiocination: The process of exact thinking; reasoning.
Rebarbative: Unattractive and objectionable.
Recrudescent: Breaking out anew or resurgent.
Rodomontade: Boastful or inflated talk or behavior.
Sartorial: Relating to tailoring or clothing.
Sedulous: Showing dedication and diligence.
Somniloquy: Talking in one’s sleep.
Splenetic: Bad-tempered; spiteful.
Susurration: Whispering or rustling sound.
Sybarite: A person devoted to luxury and pleasure.
Sycophant: A person who acts obsequiously toward someone important.
Tergiversate: To abandon a belief; to be evasive.
Termagant: A harsh-tempered or overbearing woman.
Thaumaturgy: The working of miracles or magic feats.
Truculent: Eager or quick to argue or fight.
Uxorious: Having or showing excessive fondness for one’s wife.
Weltanschauung: A particular philosophy or view of life.
Whilom: Former; erstwhile.
Xenophobia: Dislike or fear of people from other countries.
Xeric: Characterized by or adapted to a dry environment.
Xylography: The art of engraving on wood.
Ylem: The primordial matter of the universe.
Zaftig: (Of a woman) having a full, rounded figure.
Zeugma: A figure of speech where a word applies to multiple parts.
Zoilist: A person who is highly critical; a carping critic.
Zugzwang: A situation in chess where a player is forced to make a disadvantageous move.
Zymurgy: The study or practice of fermentation in brewing.
Abecedarian: Arranged alphabetically; rudimentary.
Absquatulate: To leave abruptly.
Agelast: A person who never laughs.
Aleatory: Dependent on luck or chance.
Anacoluthon: A sentence that lacks grammatical sequence.
Anathema: Something or someone detested.
Anfractuous: Winding or circuitous.
Apodictic: Clearly established or beyond dispute.
Apotheosis: The highest point in development.
Asseveration: A solemn or emphatic declaration.
Bathos: An abrupt transition from the lofty to the commonplace.
Bombination: A buzzing or humming noise.
Cenotaph: A monument to someone buried elsewhere.
Circumlocution: The use of many words where fewer would do.
Concatenation: A series of interconnected things.

How to Improve Your Vocabulary Fast

Enhancing your vocabulary rapidly can be both an enjoyable and rewarding endeavor.

A robust vocabulary not only improves your communication skills but also boosts your confidence in both personal and professional settings. Here are some effective strategies to help you expand your vocabulary quickly:

Read Actively and Diversely

Engage with Varied Materials: Dive into books, newspapers, journals, and online articles across different genres and subjects.
Note New Words: Keep a notebook or use a digital app to jot down unfamiliar words you encounter.
Contextual Learning: Try to understand the meaning of new words from the context before looking them up.

Use Flashcards

Create Personalized Flashcards: Write the new word on one side and its definition and an example sentence on the other.
Review Regularly: Go through your flashcards daily to reinforce your memory.
Digital Flashcards: Utilize apps like Anki or Quizlet for convenient, on-the-go learning.

Leverage Vocabulary Apps and Websites

Interactive Learning: Use apps like Memrise, Duolingo, or Vocabulary.com that gamify the learning process.
Word Games: Engage in word puzzles like crosswords, Scrabble, or Wordle to make learning fun.

Learn Word Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes

Understand Word Formation: Familiarize yourself with common Latin and Greek roots to decipher unfamiliar words.
Build Word Families: Recognize how different words are related through their roots.

Practice Writing

Daily Journaling: Write about your day using new vocabulary words.
Creative Writing: Compose short stories or poems incorporating the words you’ve learned.
Peer Feedback: Exchange writings with friends or mentors for constructive feedback.

Engage in Conversations

Use New Words: Incorporate recently learned vocabulary into your daily conversations.
Join Discussion Groups: Participate in book clubs or debate societies to practice and hear diverse vocabularies.
Language Exchange: Partner with someone who is also looking to improve their vocabulary.

Set Specific Goals

Daily Targets: Aim to learn a certain number of new words each day.
Thematic Learning: Focus on specific themes or topics each week (e.g., technology terms, literary devices).

Utilize Mnemonic Devices

Create Associations: Link new words to images, stories, or phrases that make them more memorable.
Acronyms and Rhymes: Develop catchy acronyms or rhymes to aid recall.

Teach Others

Explain Definitions: Teaching new words to someone else can reinforce your own understanding.
Discussion Groups: Start a vocabulary group where members share and discuss new words.

Consistent Review and Practice

Regular Quizzing: Test yourself periodically on the words you’ve learned.
Use Spaced Repetition: Review words at increasing intervals to move them into long-term memory.
Reflect on Progress: Keep track of the words you’ve mastered to stay motivated.

Immerse Yourself in the Language

Media Consumption: Watch movies, listen to podcasts, and follow shows in the language you’re learning.
Subtitles and Transcripts: Use subtitles to match spoken words with their written form.

Subscribe to “Word of the Day” Services

Daily Learning: Use apps or websites that send you a new word every day.
Immediate Application: Try to use the “word of the day” in conversation or writing.

Watch this helpful video about how to get a better vocabulary fast:

YouTube Video by Interactive English — Vocabulary Words

Final Thoughts: Vocabulary Words

Another way to improve your vocabulary is to subscribe to my email newsletter and read more of the word guides on this website.

There are a ton of other vocabulary word lists for you to enjoy.