English Vocabulary Dictionary | Word Meanings, Definitions & Examples
CEFR Level
Situated at the very heart or deepest part; most private or secret.
"She revealed her inmost thoughts to her closest friend."
An indirect or subtle reference, often suggesting something negative.
"The article was filled with innuendo about the politician's private life."
Happening at a bad or inconvenient time.
"His call came at the most inopportune moment."
A person who asks many questions, often in an official or harsh manner.
"The inquisitor demanded detailed answers from the witness."
An advance or significant progress, often at the expense of something else.
"The company made significant inroads into the mobile market."
Unhealthy or not conducive to well-being.
"They moved out of the insalubrious neighborhood for the sake of their health."
impossible to satisfy; always wanting more
"He had an insatiate desire for power."
impossible to understand or interpret
"His inscrutable expression made it hard to know what he was thinking."
lacking physical sensation or empathy; without feeling or sensitivity
"The dictator's insensate cruelty shocked the world."
Lacking perception, consciousness, or sensation.
"The rock is an insentient object with no awareness."
A badge or symbol that shows rank, position, or membership.
"The soldier proudly wore the insignia of his regiment."
lacking flavor, interest, or excitement; dull
"The soup was insipid and needed more seasoning."
rude or disrespectful behavior
"The teacher was shocked by the student's insolence."
Casual lack of concern; indifference.
"She carried herself with an air of insouciance, unbothered by the challenges ahead."
Showing a casual lack of concern; carefree.
"He gave an insouciant shrug and walked away."
To set up in position, office, or authority.
"The board decided to instate her as the new director."
A person who plays a musical instrument.
"The instrumentalist played a beautiful solo on the violin."
The state of being isolated or narrow-minded.
"The insularity of the group prevented them from accepting new ideas."
Impossible to overcome or surpass.
"The team faced insuperable challenges during the expedition."
Too extreme or difficult to be endured.
"The heat was insupportable during the long journey."
That cannot be suppressed or restrained.
"She had an insuppressible urge to laugh during the ceremony."
A violent uprising against an authority or government.
"The army was called in to suppress the insurrection."
A diplomatic approach that seeks to combine or coordinate different elements, interests, or parties into a unified whole.
"Integrative diplomacy strengthens alliances."
A natural outer covering, such as skin, shell, or rind.
"The snake sheds its integument as it grows."
The group of people engaged in intellectual and cultural pursuits in a society.
"The intelligentsia played a key role in shaping public opinion."
Lack of moderation or self-control, especially with drinking or eating.
"His intemperance in drinking ruined his health."
Lacking self-control; immoderate, especially in indulgence.
"The politician's intemperate remarks caused controversy."
The internal content of a concept; the set of attributes implied by a word or phrase.
"The intension of the word 'dog' includes being a mammal and domesticated."
To bury a dead body in the ground.
"They decided to inter the soldier with full honors."
to act or plead on behalf of someone in difficulty or trouble; to intervene between parties to help resolve a dispute
"She interceded with the teacher to give her brother another chance."
the act of intervening or pleading on behalf of another person
"The prisoner was released due to the intercession of influential leaders."
a person who intervenes or pleads on behalf of another
"He acted as an intercessor to resolve the conflict between the two families."
The agricultural practice of cultivating two or more crops simultaneously in the same field to maximize land use efficiency and improve soil health.
"Intercropping can help improve soil fertility and pest control."
to prohibit or forbid something by authoritative order, often by law or decree
"The court moved to interdict the sale of the illegal goods."
to fit or connect together securely so that two or more things are joined
"The gears interlock to ensure smooth movement of the machine."
a person who takes part in a conversation or dialogue
"She was a skilled interlocutor during the debate."
Given during the course of a legal action, not final but temporary or provisional.
"The judge issued an interlocutory order to maintain the status quo until the hearing."
A person who becomes involved in a situation or place where they are not wanted.
"He felt like an interloper at the private family gathering."
The act of burying a dead body in a grave or tomb.
"The interment took place at the family cemetery."
To suspend or stop for a time; to pause intermittently.
"The rain would intermit and then start again."
Relating to conflict within a group, often causing mutual destruction.
"The internecine conflict weakened the organization from within."
To insert something, often words, into a text or conversation; to estimate values between known data points.
"The editor interpolated a missing paragraph into the manuscript."
The act of inserting something into a text or estimating values within a sequence of data.
"The scientist used interpolation to predict the missing data points."
To place or insert between one thing and another; to intervene in a situation.
"He quickly interposed himself between the fighters to stop the quarrel."
The act of intervening or coming between two things, often to influence or prevent an outcome.
"The manager’s interposition prevented a heated argument from escalating."
A period between rulers or governments when normal leadership is suspended.
"The country faced instability during the interregnum after the king’s death."
expressed in the form of a question; relating to questioning
"The lawyer’s interrogatory tone made the witness uncomfortable."
a small space that lies between things
"Light filtered through the narrow interstices of the wall."
A low-lying tract of land along a river, usually fertile and flat.
"The farmers cultivated crops on the lush intervale by the river."