CEFR Level
Barely sufficient or inadequate in amount, degree, or quantity.
"There was scant evidence to support the claim."
Small in quantity; insufficient or meager.
"The refugees survived on scanty food supplies."
A person who is unfairly blamed for problems, mistakes, or faults of others.
"He became the scapegoat for the company’s financial troubles."
severely critical; harshly scornful
"The critic wrote a scathing review of the movie."
to search through waste or discarded material to find useful items
"The children scavenged for food in the garbage dump."
an animal or person that feeds on dead or discarded material
"Vultures are natural scavengers that clean up the environment."
a simplified or symbolic representation of a system or plan
"The engineer showed a schematic of the electrical circuit."
Relating to schools, education, or academic learning.
"The school organizes scholastic competitions every year."
brilliantly clever, exciting, or sparkling
"Her scintillating conversation kept everyone entertained."
a descendant of a wealthy, aristocratic, or influential family
"He is the scion of a wealthy industrialist family."
to speak about something in a mocking or dismissive way
"He scoffed at the idea of moving abroad."
to burn the surface of something slightly
"The fire scorched the walls of the building."
showing contempt or disdain; expressing scorn
"She gave him a scornful look when he made the rude comment."
to put an end to something; also a type of whisky
"The report scotched the rumors of a merger."
a dishonest or unscrupulous person; a villain
"That scoundrel cheated the old man out of his savings."
to clean or brighten the surface of something by scrubbing; to search thoroughly
"She scoured the kitchen until it shone."
A source of great pain or punishment; to whip or inflict suffering on someone.
"Disease and poverty remain a scourge in many regions."
To frown in an angry or bad-tempered way.
"She scowled when she heard the unfair remark."
Determined and willing to fight or argue; also messy or disorganized.
"Despite being small, he was a scrappy fighter."
to write or draw something quickly and carelessly, making it hard to read
"He scrawled his signature at the bottom of the page."
very thin and bony, often looking unhealthy
"The scrawny boy could barely lift the heavy bag."
a person who writes documents, especially in ancient times; a professional copyist
"In ancient Egypt, scribes recorded important events."
A practice game or informal match, often in sports, especially football.
"The team had a scrimmage before the official season started."
Relating to or contained in the scriptures or holy writings.
"The priest gave a scriptural reference during the sermon."
A compulsive need to continuously scroll through content on digital devices, particularly smartphones and social media platforms.
"Scrolling addiction is a growing concern among smartphone users."
untidy or unkempt in appearance; shabby and worn
"The scruffy old dog wandered through the streets looking for food."
extremely tasty or delicious
"She baked a scrumptious chocolate cake for the party."
A moral or ethical consideration that restrains actions.
"He had no scruples about lying to get ahead."
Extremely attentive to details and careful about doing what is right.
"She was scrupulous in her research to ensure accuracy."
to examine something carefully and thoroughly, often to find details or faults
"The lawyer scrutinized the contract before signing it."
to mark or scratch the surface of something by rubbing
"He scuffed his shoes on the pavement."
a short, confused fight or struggle; to engage in such a fight
"Two players scuffled on the field after the foul."
to create or shape something by carving or molding
"The artist sculpted a beautiful statue from marble."
To move quickly with short, hurried steps.
"The mice scurried across the kitchen floor when the lights turned on."
To run hurriedly with short, quick steps; or to deliberately sink a ship.
"The children scuttled back to their seats when the teacher entered."
A tool with a long curved blade used for cutting grass or grain.
"The farmer sharpened his scythe before harvesting the wheat."
A meeting where people attempt to communicate with the spirits of the dead.
"They held a seance to contact their late grandmother."
To burn or scorch the surface of something with intense heat.
"The chef seared the steak to lock in the flavor."
In a way that seems to look for hidden meanings or truth.
"She looked at him searchingly, hoping for an honest answer."
A view or painting of the sea.
"The artist painted a beautiful seascape at sunset."
Appropriate to the time of year or season.
"We had seasonable weather for autumn."
Experienced in a particular activity; also, flavored with spices.
"She is a seasoned teacher with over 20 years of experience."
To formally withdraw from a political or organizational union.
"Several states threatened to secede from the union."
The action of formally withdrawing from membership of a federation or body.
"The secession of the southern states led to the Civil War."
To keep someone away from other people; to isolate.
"The monk chose to seclude himself in the mountains."
Placed apart from other people or things; private and quiet.
"They spent their vacation in a secluded beach house."
The state of being private, away from other people.
"She spent the weekend in complete seclusion in her cabin."
Of mediocre or inferior quality.
"The movie was entertaining but clearly second-rate compared to the original."
to produce and release a substance from a cell, gland, or organ
"The pancreas secretes insulin to regulate blood sugar levels."
a process by which substances are produced and discharged from a cell or gland
"Insulin secretion is crucial for blood sugar regulation."
