CEFR Level
to abandon or give up something or someone
"He decided not to forsake his old friends despite his success."
a strong ability or talent; something one does particularly well
"Cooking is definitely her forte."
Direct and honest in speech or behavior; straightforward.
"She was forthright in her criticism of the policy."
The action of strengthening or protecting something.
"The fortification of food with vitamins prevents deficiencies."
To strengthen a place, person, or thing physically or mentally.
"They fortified the city walls to protect against invasion."
Courage and strength in facing difficulty or adversity.
"He showed great fortitude in dealing with the loss."
a group of four people or things, especially in games or social activities
"The foursome enjoyed a game of golf together."
An entrance hall or lobby in a building.
"The guests waited in the hotel foyer before checking in."
A break or crack in a hard object or material, typically a bone; to break or crack.
"He suffered a fracture in his leg after the accident."
The quality of being fragile; delicateness.
"The cornea's fragility increases with rubbing."
The process of breaking into fragments; division of habitat into isolated patches.
"Fragmentation of forests disrupts wildlife habitats."
Having been broken into fragments; disjointed or incomplete.
"The information was fragmented and difficult to understand."
Physically weak and delicate.
"The old man was too frail to walk without help."
The condition of being weak, delicate, or easily broken.
"Old age often comes with physical frailty."
A legal right to sell or distribute goods or services in a specific area; to grant such a right.
"He opened a new fast-food franchise in the city."
Relating to brothers or brotherhood; friendly and supportive.
"The two nations maintain a fraternal relationship."
Involving or using deceit, especially criminal deception.
"He was arrested for making fraudulent insurance claims."
Filled with or likely to result in something undesirable.
"The negotiations were fraught with tension and uncertainty."
As a noun, a fight or heated dispute; as a verb, to unravel or wear out through friction.
"He tried to stay calm, but his nerves began to fray during the argument."
a small brownish spot on the skin, often becoming more pronounced through exposure to the sun
"Her face was covered with cute freckles that appeared every summer."
Fast and energetic in a wild or uncontrolled way.
"The stock market experienced frenetic trading after the announcement."
Wildly excited or uncontrolled
"The frenzied crowd cheered as the band took the stage."
A state of uncontrolled excitement or wild behavior
"The news of the sale caused a shopping frenzy."
To worry or be anxious about something.
"Don't fret about the small mistakes; focus on the big picture."
extremely cold in temperature; lacking warmth or friendliness
"The explorers endured frigid conditions in the Arctic."
A decorative border of threads; the outer edge or margin of something.
"The festival had a fringe of small independent performances."
Lack of seriousness; silly or trivial behavior.
"The teacher discouraged frivolity during the exam."
Not having any serious purpose or value; silly or unimportant.
"She dismissed the frivolous complaint quickly."
to play and move about cheerfully, energetically, or playfully
"The children frolicked in the garden all afternoon."
Economical in use or expenditure; avoiding waste.
"She is very frugal and always saves a portion of her income."
The quality of being economical with resources; avoiding waste.
"His frugality allowed him to save enough money to buy a house."
The realization or fulfillment of a plan, project, or desire.
"Her dream of becoming a doctor finally came to fruition."
unsuccessful; futile; pointless;
"After hours of searching, their efforts proved fruitless."
used for emphasis, often expressing anger or frustration (vulgar slang)
"It was a fucking disaster!"
A person who has escaped from captivity or is in hiding, usually to avoid arrest.
"The police captured the fugitive after a long chase."
Having a strong, rich, and robust quality, especially of wine, coffee, or voice.
"He prefers a full-bodied red wine with his dinner."
to handle something clumsily or to make mistakes while doing something
"He fumbled with the keys and dropped them on the floor."
a group of spore-producing organisms such as mushrooms, molds, and yeasts
"Fungi play an important role in breaking down organic matter in nature."
a spore-producing organism feeding on organic matter, including molds, yeast, and mushrooms
"A strange fungus was growing on the old tree."
temporary leave of absence from work, especially that granted to an employee or soldier
"Many workers were placed on furlough during the crisis."
An outbreak of public anger or excitement.
"The politician's remarks created a furor in the media."
A long narrow trench made in the ground by a plow; to make wrinkles or grooves.
"The farmer plowed furrows in the field."
Attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble.
"He cast a furtive glance at the door before leaving."
Incapable of producing any useful result; pointless.
"All their efforts to save the old tree were futile."
A person who studies or predicts the future, especially trends in science, technology, or society.
"The futurist predicted major changes in transportation within the next decade."
