English Vocabulary Dictionary | Word Meanings, Definitions & Examples
CEFR Level
an intense feeling of fear, shock, or disgust
"She screamed in horror when she saw the accident."
Friendly and welcoming to guests or strangers.
"The villagers were very hospitable to the travelers."
The friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests or strangers.
"We enjoyed the hospitality of our hosts during the holiday."
showing or feeling opposition, dislike, or hatred
"The soldiers entered a hostile territory."
every hour; happening or done each hour; continuously
"The weather report is updated hourly."
a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a home
"They spent their vacation on a beautiful house boat in the lake."
to remain in the air in one place without moving forward or backward
"The helicopter hovered over the city."
the central part of a place or activity where things converge
"The city is the hub of the country's trade network."
a low continuous sound; to make a low continuous droning sound
"The constant hum of the air conditioner helped her fall asleep peacefully."
A person who seeks to promote human welfare, or something relating to human welfare and compassion.
"The organization provides humanitarian aid to disaster victims."
Having or showing a modest view of one's importance; to lower pride or status.
"Despite his success, he remained humble."
Having a high amount of water vapor in the air; damp or moist.
"The weather was hot and humid during the summer."
funny; amusing; causing laughter;
"His humorous stories always make everyone laugh."
A violent tropical storm with very strong winds and heavy rain.
"The hurricane destroyed hundreds of homes along the coast."
a small simple shelter or house
"They lived in a small wooden hut near the river."
The process of providing an adequate amount of liquid to bodily tissues.
"Proper hydration is essential for maintaining body functions."
a colorless, odorless, highly flammable gas that is the lightest and most abundant chemical element in the universe
"Hydrogen is used as a clean fuel in many energy systems."
a wild animal of Africa and Asia that looks like a dog and makes a sound like laughter
"The hyena laughed in the darkness of the night."
Conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease, especially by being clean.
"Maintaining hygienic conditions in hospitals is crucial."
Extremely funny or uncontrollably emotional.
"The comedian's jokes were absolutely hysterical."
A person or thing regarded as a symbol of something, or a graphic symbol on a screen.
"The singer became a cultural icon."
Symbolic, legendary, famous, representing something significant or characteristic.
"The Eiffel Tower is an iconic landmark of France."
extremely cold; covered with ice; unfriendly or hostile
"The icy wind made everyone shiver."
identification; a document or number used to prove who someone is
"Please show your ID at the entrance."
Perfect or most suitable conditions for growth or development
"Winter creates an ideal environment for vegetable growth."
Exactly the same in every detail.
"The twins wore identical clothes."
the process of recognizing or proving who or what someone or something is
"You need proper identification to enter the building."
To recognize or establish who or what someone or something is.
"The root causes of the issue need to be identified."
a person who acts in a way that is considered very stupid or foolish
"He acted like an idiot at the party last night."
extremely stupid; foolish; senseless
"His idiotic behavior embarrassed everyone at the meeting."
Adjective: not active or in use; lazy. Verb: to spend time doing nothing.
"The workers sat idle during the power outage."
an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship; a person who is greatly admired
"The singer became a teenage idol after her hit song topped the charts worldwide."
lack of knowledge or awareness in general
"His ignorance about the subject was evident."
lacking knowledge, awareness, or education
"He made an ignorant comment about the culture."
The inability to read or write.
"Illiteracy remains a major challenge in many developing countries."
Unable to read or write.
"Many villagers were still illiterate in the past."
a false idea or belief; a deceptive appearance
"The magician created the illusion of a floating woman."
to explain or make something clear by using examples, pictures, or comparisons
"The teacher used diagrams to illustrate the concept."
Capable of being imagined or conceived.
"They offered every imaginable type of food at the festival."
Existing only in the imagination; not real.
"Children often have imaginary friends."
to copy someone's actions, speech, or behavior
"Children often imitate their parents."
the act of copying or mimicking someone or something
"Children learn many skills through imitation."
Not fully developed; childish or lacking maturity.
"His immature behavior annoyed everyone at the meeting."
Extremely large or great in size, amount, or degree.
"The project required an immense amount of effort."
Providing, involving, or characterized by deep absorption or immersion in something.
"The immersive experience of VR makes learning more interactive."
a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country
"The city has welcomed many new immigrants this year."
to come to live permanently in a foreign country
"He immigrated to Canada five years ago."
the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country
"Immigration policies vary from country to country."
About to happen; likely to occur very soon.
"Dark clouds signaled that a storm was imminent."
Not conforming to accepted standards of morality; unethical or wicked.
"He was fired for his immoral behavior."