CEFR Level
relating to a son or daughter; showing respect or affection toward parents
"He showed filial respect by caring for his aging parents."
a tactic of delaying legislative action by prolonged speech; to use such a tactic
"The senator filibustered for hours to prevent the bill from passing."
delicate ornamental work of fine wire, usually of gold or silver
"The necklace was decorated with intricate gold filigree."
a young female horse
"The filly ran swiftly across the meadow."
to obtain something by cleverness or trickery
"He finagled a free ticket by pretending to be a VIP guest."
a small songbird with a short, stout bill
"A colorful finch perched on the branch singing sweetly."
expensive or elaborate clothes, decorations, or accessories
"She attended the party in her finest finery."
difficult to please; very particular about details
"He is so finicky about his food that he only eats organic vegetables."
a person who is passionate about a cause, often inciting change or action
"The activist was a true firebrand, inspiring everyone around him to join the protest."
occurring in irregular bursts; not continuous or steady
"He had a fitful sleep due to the storm."
soft and loose; lacking firmness or muscle tone; weak
"His flabby arms showed he needed to exercise more."
soft, limp, or lacking firmness
"The fruit was overripe and flaccid."
a senior naval officer entitled to fly a flag to mark the command
"The flag-officer reviewed the fleet before the ceremony."
to whip or flog someone, either literally or as a form of punishment or self-discipline
"In history, some monks would flagellate themselves as penance."
to wave or swing something about wildly; to thrash about
"He flailed his arms to keep afloat in the water."
a person who lavishes praise, often insincerely and in order to gain advantage
"The king was surrounded by flatterers who only told him what he wanted to hear."
the accumulation of gas in the digestive system; excessive gas in the stomach or intestines
"Eating beans can sometimes cause flatulence."
a plant whose fibers are used to make linen and whose seeds are edible
"Flax is often used in making linen fabrics."
to strip off the skin of something or criticize severely
"The chef flayed the fish before cooking it."
a small spot or mark, often of a different color
"There was a fleck of paint on the floor."
The act of bending or the state of being bent, especially of a limb or joint.
"The doctor tested the patient's knee flection during the examination."
To develop wing feathers large enough for flight; to bring up until able to fly.
"The young birds will fledge in a few weeks."
A young bird that has just developed its feathers and is learning to fly; a beginner.
"The fledgeling was trying hard to take its first flight."
unstable, impulsive, or easily distracted; lacking seriousness or stability
"She’s too flighty to stick with one job for long."
lack of seriousness; showing a disrespectful or trivial attitude
"His flippancy during the meeting offended his colleagues."
not showing a serious or respectful attitude
"His flippant remarks annoyed the teacher."
to move quickly and lightly from one place to another
"Butterflies flitted from flower to flower."
a large sheet of floating ice
"The polar bears rested on the ice floe."
The process, state, or period of flowering.
"The garden reached its peak florescence in spring."
Having a red or flushed complexion; or excessively ornate and intricate.
"The speaker’s florid style made the lecture hard to follow."
A small fleet of ships or boats operating together.
"A flotilla of fishing boats left the harbor at dawn."
Floating debris from a shipwreck or things discarded and left floating.
"The beach was littered with flotsam after the storm."
A pipe or channel for smoke and waste gases produced by a fire, gas heater, or power station.
"The chimney flue needs to be cleaned regularly."
Having the power to influence or flowing freely (rare/archaic usage).
"The fluential speaker captivated the entire audience."
A stroke of luck; an unexpected piece of good fortune.
"Winning the lottery was a complete fluke."
To confuse or bewilder someone completely.
"The complicated puzzle flummoxed the students."
Completely confused or bewildered.
"He looked flummoxed after hearing the strange question."
having grooves or ridges, often for decoration
"The vase had a beautiful fluted design around the rim."
relating to or found in a river
"The fluvial deposits indicated the presence of an ancient river system."
a yellow flowering plant with leaves shaped like a horse's hoof, also known as coltsfoot
"The foal-foot plant grows wild in many meadows and is often the first flower to bloom in spring."
having an offensive, unpleasant smell
"The foetid smell from the garbage made it hard to breathe."
A minor weakness or eccentricity in someone's character.
"She loved him despite his little foibles."
To impose something unwelcome or unnecessary on someone.
"He tried to foist his old books onto his friends."
A sheet of paper folded once to form two leaves (four pages) of a book; also a term for a large book or manuscript.
"The library houses an ancient Shakespeare folio."
To instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action).
"The rebel leader tried to foment unrest among the people."
The action of instigating or stirring up; also the application of warm substances to the body to ease pain.
"His speech led to the fomentation of violence in the region."
To stroke or caress lovingly or gently.
"She fondled the kitten gently in her lap."
Silly or foolish behavior or actions.
"His constant foolery made the meeting hard to take seriously."
Recklessly bold or rash; taking foolish risks.
"It was foolhardy of him to climb the mountain without proper gear."
Free to go anywhere or do anything; not tied down by responsibilities.
"After graduating, he felt footloose and ready to explore the world."
