English Vocabulary Dictionary | Word Meanings, Definitions & Examples
CEFR Level
to make a hole through something; to penetrate with a sharp object
"The arrow will pierce through the target."
a person who journeys to a sacred place for religious reasons; a traveler
"The pilgrim walked for days to reach the holy shrine."
a strong vertical support or mainstay of a structure or system
"The ancient temple was supported by massive stone pillars."
a small, inflamed elevation of the skin; a spot on the skin, especially on the face
"She was embarrassed about the pimple on her forehead."
to squeeze tightly between the fingers; to take a small amount
"She pinched a bit of salt into the soup."
to long intensely for something or someone; to suffer from longing
"He pined for his hometown after moving abroad."
to locate or identify something with precision
"The detective was able to pinpoint the exact location of the suspect."
a person who is among the first to explore, develop, or innovate in a field
"She is a pioneer in renewable energy research."
Involving new ideas or methods; being the first to develop or use new methods, ideas, or products.
"The scientist made pioneering discoveries."
a long tube through which liquids or gases are transported
"The company is building a new pipeline to transport natural gas."
the practice of attacking and robbing ships at sea; the unauthorized use or reproduction of copyrighted material
"Software piracy costs companies billions of dollars annually."
a person who attacks and robs ships at sea; someone who illegally copies or uses another's work
"The pirate captured the merchant ship and stole its treasure."
a small handheld gun designed to be fired with one hand
"The officer drew his pistol when he saw the suspect."
a large hole in the ground or a hollow area
"The workers dug a deep pit to build the foundation."
the quality of a sound; the level or degree of intensity; a throw or toss
"The singer's pitch was perfect during the performance."
a large container with a handle used for pouring liquids
"She filled the pitcher with cold water for the guests."
deserving or arousing pity; very small or inadequate
"The team's performance was pitiful compared to last year."
the smallest unit of a digital image or display
"The image is blurry because some pixels are missing."
the act of putting something or someone in a particular position or job
"The company arranged job placement for the graduates."
a person who makes plans or a book used for organizing schedules and tasks
"She uses a daily planner to organize her meetings."
a large green banana-like fruit that is usually cooked before eating
"Plantain can be fried, boiled, or baked and is a staple food in many tropical countries."
a large area of land where crops are grown, often for commercial purposes
"The sugarcane plantation stretched for miles across the valley."
a soft mixture applied to walls or used to cover wounds; or to cover or coat with plaster
"The workers plastered the walls to make them smooth."
an elevated flat area of land or a period of little change
"After months of growth, sales reached a plateau."
seeming reasonable or probable
"Her explanation of the event sounded plausible."
full of fun and high spirits; lively
"The puppy was very playful, running around the garden."
a series of games played to determine a champion among top teams
"The team qualified for the playoffs after a strong season."
a request or appeal, especially in a legal context
"The defendant entered a guilty plea in court."
to make an emotional or earnest request; to state in court
"She pleaded with him to stay."
giving pleasure or enjoyment
"Reading a good book is a pleasurable activity."
a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something
"He gave a pledge to support the cause."
Existing in great quantity; abundant.
"Food and water were plentiful in the village."
a secret plan or scheme, often with bad intentions
"The villain made a plot to steal the treasure."
a large farming tool used to break up and turn over soil before planting crops
"The oxen pulled the heavy plough across the field."
to take hold of and quickly remove; to gather courage or determination
"She plucked a flower from the garden."
a device used to connect or block an opening
"She inserted the plug into the socket."
a small platform on which a person stands to speak or conduct an orchestra
"The speaker stepped onto the podium to deliver the speech."
having qualities of poetry; expressive, beautiful, or imaginative
"Her speech had a poetic rhythm that captivated the audience."
having a sharp end; direct and unambiguous
"She made a pointed remark about his behavior."
Containing poison; capable of causing illness or death.
"Some mushrooms are highly poisonous."
to push something with a finger or a pointed object
"He poked the fire with a stick."
relating to the North or South Pole; opposite in nature or character
"Penguins live in polar regions of the Earth."
to make smooth and shiny by rubbing; to improve or refine
"She needs to polish her shoes before the interview."
refined, sophisticated, and elegant in appearance or behavior
"She gave a polished performance at the recital."
in a way that relates to politics or government
"The country is politically divided between two major parties."
a survey of public opinion or voting in an election
"The poll revealed that most people favored the new policy."
fine powder produced by flowers, used in fertilization
"Bees collect pollen from flowers to make honey."
Harmful substances that contaminate the environment, including air, water, and soil, potentially causing damage to living organisms and ecosystems.
"Pollutants in the air can have harmful effects on human health."