The English language is enriched with more than a million words. There are numerous difficult words in English vocabulary. Learning an approximate count of 3000 words is enough for an individual to actively participate in an everyday English conversation. A rich vocabulary eases the trouble of expression, and it helps individuals improve their communication skills. The following article on difficult words in English will help you to build a wide and varied vocabulary.
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letters ‘A’ to ‘Z’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘A’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘B’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘C’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘D’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘E’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘F’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘G’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘H’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘I’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘J’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘K’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘L’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘M’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘N’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘O’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘P’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘Q’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘R’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘S’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘T
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘U’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘V’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘W’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘X’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘Y’
- Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘Z’
- How Can We Learn Tough English Words?
- Frequently Asked Questions on Difficult Words
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letters ‘A’ to ‘Z’
Are you thinking of a solution to enrich your English vocabulary? Practising difficult English words and using them frequently will help you. Use the comprehensive list of words given below to learn more hard words and improve your vocabulary.
List of Difficult Words in English:
The following list of words will help you improve your reading comprehension, language knowledge, communication skills, and expression of ideas to others. Always keep in mind that everything is hard until it’s made easy.
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘A’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Abandon | cease to support or look after someone |
| Abolish | formally put an end to (a system, practice, or institution) |
| Abscond | leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to avoid detection of or arrest for an unlawful action such as theft |
| Accelerate | (of a vehicle or other physical object) begin to move more quickly |
| Accretion | the process of growth or increase, typically by the gradual accumulation of additional layers or matter |
| Acumen | the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain |
| Adamant | refusing to be persuaded or to change one’s mind |
| Adverse | preventing success or development; harmful; unfavourable |
| Advocate | a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy |
| Affluent |
|
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘B’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Backbite | talk maliciously about someone who is not present |
| Baffle | totally bewilder or perplex |
| Ballad | a poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas |
| Banish | send (someone) away from a country or place as an official punishment |
| Barbaric | savagely cruel; exceedingly brutal |
| Barren | too poor to produce much or any vegetation |
| Bedlam | a scene of uproar and confusion |
| Benefactor | a person who gives money or other help to a person or cause |
| Beseech | ask (someone) urgently and fervently to do something |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘C’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Cajole | persuade (someone) to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery |
| Charisma | compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others |
| Chasm | a deep crack or opening in the earth, rock, or another surface |
| Chauvinist | a person with a prejudiced belief in their own superiority |
| Cliche | a phrase or opinion that is overused |
| Contagion | the communication of disease from one person to another by close contact |
| Countenance | a person’s face or facial expression |
| Cringe | have a feeling of awkwardness or embarrassment |
| Cue | a signal for action |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘D’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Dauntless | showing fearlessness and determination |
| Delicacy | fineness or intricacy of texture or structure |
| Delicate | very fine in texture or structure; of intricate workmanship or quality |
| Depict | show or represent by a drawing, painting, or other art form |
| Desolate | feeling or showing misery, unhappiness, or loneliness |
| Destitute | without the basic necessities of life |
| Devote | give all or a large part of one’s time or resources to (a person, activity, or cause) |
| Diabolical | disgracefully bad or unpleasant, characteristic of the Devil |
| Discrepancy | a lack of similarity between two or more facts |
| Dismantle | take (a machine or structure) to pieces |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘E’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Edifice | a building, especially a large, imposing one |
| Elegy | a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead |
| Endeavour | try hard to do or achieve something |
| Endure | suffer patiently |
| Enigma | a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand |
| Enslave | make (someone) a slave |
| Epitaph | a phrase or form of words written in memory of a person who has died, especially as an inscription on a tombstone |
| Extinction | the process of a particular thing ceasing to exist |
| Extricate | free (someone or something) from a constraint or difficulty |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘F’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Fasten | close up securely |
| Fathom | understand something after a lot of thought |
| Fete | a celebration or festival |
| Fidelity | faithfulness to a person |
| Flick | a sudden sharp movement |
| Flip | turn over with a sudden quick movement |
| Foresight | the ability to predict or the action of predicting what will happen or be needed in the future. |
| Fragile | easily broken or damaged |
| Franchise | an authorization granted by a government or company to an individual or group enabling them to carry out specified commercial activities |
| Futile | incapable of producing any useful result |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘G’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Gale | a very strong wind |
| Gallant | brave |
| Gambit | a device, action, or opening remark, typically one entailing a degree of risk, that is calculated to gain an advantage |
| Gamble | play games of chance for money; bet |
| Garment | an item of clothing |
| Gastronomy | the practice or art of choosing, cooking, and eating good food |
| Gaze | a steady intent look |
| Genial | friendly and cheerful |
| Genre | a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterised by similarities in form, style, or subject matter |
| Gibberish | meaningless speech or writing, nonsense |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘H’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Habitual | done or doing constantly or as a habit |
| Hail | call out to (someone) to attract attention |
| Harbinger | a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another |
| Haughty | arrogantly superior and disdainful |
| Havoc | widespread destruction |
| Heathen | a follower of a polytheistic religion |
| Hegemony | leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others |
| Hinder | create difficulties for (someone or something), resulting in delay or obstruction |
| Hostile | unfriendly; antagonistic |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘I’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Idiosyncracy | a mode of behaviour or way of thought peculiar to an individual |
| Idle | lazy, inactive |
| Imbibe | assimilate some ideas or knowledge |
| Imperative | of vital importance; crucial |
| Impetus | the force or energy with which a body moves |
| Incarnate | embodied in flesh; in human form |
| Indigenous | originating or occurring naturally in a particular place |
| Inevitable | certain to happen; unavoidable |
| Insane | mentally illness |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘J’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Jabber | talk rapidly and excitedly but with little sense |
| Jargon | special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand |
| Jaunt | a short journey for pleasure |
| Jolly | happy and cheerful |
| Jovial | cheerful and friendly |
| Judicious | having, showing, or done with good judgement or sense |
| Juncture | a particular point in events or time |
| Junk | old or discarded articles that are considered useless or of little value |
| Jurisdiction | the territory within which power can be exercised |
| Juxtapose | place or deal with close together for contrasting effect |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘K’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Kalopsia | the state in which everything, and everyone, looks beautiful |
| Keen | having or showing eagerness or enthusiasm |
| Keystone | the central principle on which all else depends |
| Kickoff | the start of an event or activity |
| Kindle | light or set on fire |
| Kinesis | movement; motion |
| Kinship | blood relationship |
| Kleptomania | a recurrent urge to steal, typically without regard for need or profit |
| Knight | a man who served his sovereign or lord as a mounted soldier in armour |
| Kudos | praise and honour received for an achievement |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘L’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Labyrinth | a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one’s way; a maze. |
| Lacuna | an unfilled space or interval; a gap |
| Lampoon | publicly criticise by using ridicule, irony, or sarcasm |
| Languid | pleasantly lazy and peaceful |
| Languish | lose or lack vitality; grow weak or feeble. |
| Leverage | the exertion of force by means of a lever |
| Luminary | a person who inspires or influences others |
| Lunatic | a mentally ill person |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘M’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Macrocosm | the whole of a complex structure |
| Magnanimous | generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person |
| Malapropism | the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one |
| Mandarin | a powerful official or senior bureaucrat |
| Manifestation | an event, action, or object that clearly shows or embodies something, especially a theory or an abstract idea |
| Manoeuvre | a movement or series of moves requiring skill and care |
| Mediocre | of only moderate quality; not very good |
| Merchandise | goods to be bought and sold |
| Mundane | lacking interest or excitement |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘N’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Narcissist | a person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves |
| Nemesis | the inescapable agent of someone’s or something’s downfall |
| Neophyte | a person who is new to a subject, skill, or belief |
| Nepotism | the practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs |
| Niche | a comfortable or suitable position in life or employment |
| Nirvana | a state of perfect happiness |
| Nocturnal | done, occurring, or active at night |
| Nomenclature | the devising or choosing of names for things, especially in a science or other discipline |
| Nullify | invalidate |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘O’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Oblivion | the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening. |
| Oblivious | not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one |
| Obscure | uncertain |
| Obsolete | no longer produced or used; out of date. |
| Odour | a distinctive smell, especially an unpleasant one |
| Omen | an event regarded as a portent of good or evil |
| Omnipotent | having unlimited power |
| Omnipresent | common or widespread |
| Omniscient | knowing everything |
| Overwhelm | defeat completely |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘P’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Pandemonium | uproar |
| Paramount | supreme |
| Paranoia | suspicion and mistrust of people or their actions without evidence or justification |
| Perplex | confuse |
| Petrify | make someone so frightened that they are unable to move |
| Pinnacle | the most successful point |
| Preamble | an introduction |
| Protocol | the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions |
| Pseudonym | a false name |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘Q’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Quadrilateral | a four-sided figure |
| Qualitative | relating to, measuring, or measured by the quality of something rather than its quantity |
| Quandary | uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation |
| Quantitative | relating to, measuring, or measured by the quantity of something rather than its quality |
| Quantum | the smallest amount or unit of something |
| Quarantine | a state, period, or place of isolation in which people or animals that have arrived from elsewhere or been exposed to infectious or contagious disease are placed |
| Quench | satisfy one’s thirst |
| Querulous | complaining in a weak high voice |
| Quibble | a slight objection or criticism about a matter of little value |
| Quintessence | the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘R’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Rampant | Getting worse quickly in an uncontrolled way |
| Realm | a kingdom |
| Rebuke | express sharp disapproval or criticism of someone because of their behaviour or actions |
| Reconnaissance | preliminary surveying or research |
| Reiterate | say something again or a number of times, typically for emphasis or clarity |
| Rejuvenate | give new energy or vigour to |
| Relegate | consign or dismiss to an inferior rank |
| Reminiscent | tending to remind one of something |
| Remorse | deep regret for a wrong committed |
| Renaissance | a revival of or renewed interest in something |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘S’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Sagacious | having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgement |
| Sarcasm | the use of irony to mock or convey contempt |
| Satire | the use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to criticise people’s stupidity or vices |
| Scornful | feeling or expressing contempt or derision |
| Scrutinise | examine or inspect closely and thoroughly |
| Semantics | the branch of linguistics and logic concerned with meaning |
| Seminal | strongly influencing later developments |
| Serendipity | the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way |
| Solace | comfort in a time of distress |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘T’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Taboo | a prohibited social practice |
| Tactful | sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues |
| Tactical | relating to or constituting actions carefully planned |
| Tangible | perceptible by touch, real |
| Tantamount | equivalent to |
| Taunt | a remark made in order to anger, wound, or provoke someone |
| Tenet | a principle or belief |
| Tenuous | very weak or slight |
| Termination | the action of bringing something to an end |
| Threshold | a point of entry or beginning |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘U’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Ubiquitous | found everywhere |
| Unanimous | a decision held or carried by everyone involved |
| Unbiased | showing no prejudice for or against something |
| Undaunted | not intimidated or discouraged by difficulty |
| Unilateral | performed by or affecting only one person, group, or country involved in a particular situation, without the agreement of another or the others |
| Unravel | undo |
| Upheaval | a sudden change or disruption to something |
| Utility | the state of being useful, profitable, or beneficial |
| Utopian | a state in which everything is perfect; idealistic |
| Utterance | a spoken word, statement, or vocal sound |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘V’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Valediction | the action of saying farewell |
| Valiant | showing courage or determination |
| Valour | great courage in the face of danger |
| Vengeance | punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong |
| Vernacular | the language spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region |
| Versatile | able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities |
| Versification | the making of poetry |
| Vertigo | a sensation of whirling and loss of balance |
| Vigilante | a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate |
| Vigorous | strong, healthy, and full of energy |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘W’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Wanderlust | a strong desire to travel |
| Wardrobe | a tall cabinet in which clothes may be hung or stored |
| Wayfarer | a person who travels on foot |
| Whimsical | playfully quaint or fanciful |
| Winsome | appealing in appearance or character |
| Wither | cease to flourish |
| Wizard | a man who has magical powers, especially in legends and fairy tales. |
| Wrangle | a long argument |
| Wrath | extreme anger |
| Wretched | in a very unhappy or unfortunate state |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘X’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Xenophobia | dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries |
| Xerox | photocopy |
| Xylography | the art of making woodcuts or wood engravings, especially by a relatively primitive technique |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘Y’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Yank | pull with a jerk |
| Yatter | endless talk |
Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘Z’
| Difficult Words | Meanings |
| Zeal | great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective |
| Zest | great enthusiasm and energy |
| Zippy | bright, fresh, or lively |
How Can We Learn Tough English Words?
Have you heard the term ‘Semantics’ before? Semantics is the study of meanings. English is not our mother tongue, so it requires effort to learn. There are numerous difficult words in the English language. It is hard to acquire knowledge and apply it in day to day conversations. But by practising semantics, even the most difficult words in English can be learnt quickly. Mastering the English language will not be a Himalayan task if you are ready to learn new vocabulary on a regular basis. Start practising on simpler words and gradually step into difficult vocabulary words. Prepare a list of complex words with meaning and try to learn at least five new words from the list regularly to improve your wisdom in the English language.
Frequently Asked Questions on Difficult Words
Q1
List 20 hard words in English.
Labyrinth
Nirvana
Nomenclature
Pandemonium
Patriarchy
Pseudonym
Malapropism
Omniscient
Rejuvenate
Sagacious
Serendipity
Solace
Tangible
Tenet
Unbiased
Unilateral
Utopian
Valediction
Overwhelm
Whimsical
Xenophobia
Q2
List 10 difficult words starting with the letter ‘I’.
Iconoclast
Idiosyncrasy
Idle
Imbibe
Imperative
Impetus
Incarnate
Indigenous
Inevitable
Insane
Q3
What is semantics?
Semantics is the study of meanings.
Looking to build your vocabulary? Then practice this list of 300 «hard words» — the kind that used to be tested on the SAT before 2016. If you’re a high school student prepping for the SAT, check out Vocabulary.com’s
Roadmap to the SAT, which focuses on the vocabulary you’ll need to ace today’s SAT test.
300 words
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Full list of words from this list:
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abject
of the most contemptible kind
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aberration
a state or condition markedly different from the norm
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abjure
formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief
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abnegation
the denial and rejection of a doctrine or belief
-
abrogate
revoke formally
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abscond
run away, often taking something or somebody along
-
abstruse
difficult to understand
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accede
yield to another’s wish or opinion
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accost
approach and speak to someone aggressively or insistently
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accretion
an increase by natural growth or addition
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acumen
shrewdness shown by keen insight
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adamant
impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason
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admonish
scold or reprimand; take to task
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adumbrate
describe roughly or give the main points or summary of
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adverse
in an opposing direction
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advocate
a person who pleads for a person, cause, or idea
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affluent
having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value
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aggrandize
embellish; increase the scope, power, or importance of
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alacrity
liveliness and eagerness
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alias
a name that has been assumed temporarily
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ambivalent
uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
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amenable
disposed or willing to comply
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amorphous
having no definite form or distinct shape
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anachronistic
chronologically misplaced
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anathema
a formal ecclesiastical curse accompanied by excommunication
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annex
attach to
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antediluvian
of or relating to the period before the biblical flood
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antiseptic
thoroughly clean and free of disease-causing organisms
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apathetic
showing little or no emotion or animation
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antithesis
exact opposite
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apocryphal
being of questionable authenticity
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approbation
official acceptance or agreement
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arbitrary
based on or subject to individual discretion or preference
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arboreal
of or relating to or formed by trees
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arcane
requiring secret or mysterious knowledge
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archetypal
of an original pattern on which other things are modeled
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arrogate
seize and take control without authority
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ascetic
someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
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aspersion
a disparaging remark
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assiduous
marked by care and persistent effort
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atrophy
a decrease in size of an organ caused by disease or disuse
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bane
something causing misery or death
-
bashful
self-consciously timid
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beguile
influence by slyness
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bereft
lacking or deprived of something
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blandishment
flattery intended to persuade
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bilk
cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money
-
bombastic
ostentatiously lofty in style
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cajole
influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
-
callous
emotionally hardened
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calumny
a false accusation of an offense
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camaraderie
the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability
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candor
the quality of being honest and straightforward
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capitulate
surrender under agreed conditions
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carouse
engage in boisterous, drunken merrymaking
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carp
any of various freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae
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caucus
meet to select a candidate or promote a policy
-
cavort
play boisterously
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circumlocution
an indirect way of expressing something
-
circumscribe
draw a geometric figure around another figure
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circumvent
surround so as to force to give up
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clamor
utter or proclaim insistently and noisily
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cleave
separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument
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cobbler
a person who makes or repairs shoes
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cogent
powerfully persuasive
-
cognizant
having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization
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commensurate
corresponding in size or degree or extent
-
complement
something added to embellish or make perfect
-
compunction
a feeling of deep regret, usually for some misdeed
-
concomitant
following or accompanying as a consequence
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conduit
a passage through which water or electric wires can pass
-
conflagration
a very intense and uncontrolled fire
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congruity
the quality of agreeing; being suitable and appropriate
-
connive
form intrigues (for) in an underhand manner
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consign
give over to another for care or safekeeping
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constituent
one of the individual parts making up a composite entity
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construe
make sense of; assign a meaning to
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contusion
an injury in which the skin is not broken
-
contrite
feeling or expressing pain or sorrow
-
contentious
showing an inclination to disagree
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contravene
go against, as of rules and laws
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convivial
occupied with or fond of the pleasures of good company
-
corpulence
the property of excessive fatness
-
covet
wish, long, or crave for
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cupidity
extreme greed for material wealth
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dearth
an insufficient quantity or number
-
debacle
a sudden and complete disaster
-
debauch
a wild gathering
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debunk
expose while ridiculing
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defunct
no longer in force or use; inactive
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demagogue
a leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions
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denigrate
attack the good name and reputation of someone
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derivative
a compound obtained from another compound
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despot
a cruel and oppressive dictator
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diaphanous
so thin as to transmit light
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didactic
instructive, especially excessively
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dirge
a song or hymn of mourning as a memorial to a dead person
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disaffected
discontented as toward authority
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discomfit
cause to lose one’s composure
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disparate
fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
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dispel
cause to separate and go in different directions
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disrepute
the state of being held in low esteem
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divisive
causing or characterized by disagreement or disunity
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dogmatic
pertaining to a code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
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dour
showing a brooding ill humor
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duplicity
the act of deceiving or acting in bad faith
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duress
compulsory force or threat
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eclectic
selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
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edict
a formal or authoritative proclamation
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ebullient
joyously unrestrained
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egregious
conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
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elegy
a mournful poem; a lament for the dead
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elicit
call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response
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embezzlement
the fraudulent appropriation of funds or property
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emend
make corrections to
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emollient
a substance with a soothing effect when applied to the skin
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empirical
derived from experiment and observation rather than theory
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emulate
strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
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enervate
weaken physically, mentally, or morally
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enfranchise
grant freedom to, as from slavery or servitude
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engender
call forth
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ephemeral
anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day
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epistolary
written in the form of letters or correspondence
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equanimity
steadiness of mind under stress
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equivocal
open to two or more interpretations
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espouse
choose and follow a theory, idea, policy, etc.
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evanescent
short-lived; tending to vanish or disappear
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evince
give expression to
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exacerbate
make worse
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exhort
spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts
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execrable
unequivocally detestable
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exigent
demanding immediate attention
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expedient
appropriate to a purpose
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expiate
make amends for
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expunge
remove by erasing or crossing out or as if by drawing a line
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extraneous
not belonging to that in which it is contained
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extol
praise, glorify, or honor
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extant
still in existence; not extinct or destroyed or lost
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expurgate
edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
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fallacious
containing or based on incorrect reasoning
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fatuous
devoid of intelligence
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fetter
a shackle for the ankles or feet
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flagrant
conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
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foil
hinder or prevent, as an effort, plan, or desire
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forbearance
good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence
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fortuitous
lucky; occurring by happy chance
-
fractious
easily irritated or annoyed
-
garrulous
full of trivial conversation
-
gourmand
a person who is devoted to eating and drinking to excess
-
grandiloquent
lofty in style
-
gratuitous
unnecessary and unwarranted
-
hapless
unfortunate and deserving pity
-
hegemony
the dominance or leadership of one social group over others
-
heterogenous
consisting of elements that are not of the same kind
-
iconoclast
someone who attacks cherished ideas or institutions
-
idiosyncratic
peculiar to the individual
-
impecunious
not having enough money to pay for necessities
-
impetuous
characterized by undue haste and lack of thought
-
impinge
infringe upon
-
impute
attribute or credit to
-
inane
devoid of intelligence
-
inchoate
only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
-
incontrovertible
impossible to deny or disprove
-
incumbent
necessary as a duty or responsibility; morally binding
-
inexorable
impossible to prevent, resist, or stop
-
inimical
tending to obstruct or cause harm
-
injunction
a judicial remedy to prohibit a party from doing something
-
inoculate
inject or treat with the germ of a disease to render immune
-
insidious
working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way
-
instigate
provoke or stir up
-
insurgent
in opposition to a civil authority or government
-
interlocutor
a person who takes part in a conversation
-
intimation
a slight suggestion or vague understanding
-
inure
cause to accept or become hardened to
-
invective
abusive language used to express blame or censure
-
intransigent
impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason
-
inveterate
habitual
-
irreverence
a mental attitude showing lack of due respect
-
knell
the sound of a bell rung slowly to announce a death
-
laconic
brief and to the point
-
largesse
liberality in bestowing gifts
-
legerdemain
an illusory feat
-
libertarian
an advocate of freedom of thought and speech
-
licentious
lacking moral discipline
-
linchpin
a central cohesive source of support and stability
-
litigant
a party to a lawsuit
-
maelstrom
a powerful circular current of water
-
maudlin
very sentimental or emotional
-
maverick
someone who exhibits independence in thought and action
-
mawkish
very sentimental or emotional
-
maxim
a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits
-
mendacious
given to lying
-
modicum
a small or moderate or token amount
-
morass
a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
-
mores
the conventions embodying the fundamental values of a group
-
munificent
very generous
-
multifarious
having many aspects
-
nadir
the lowest point of anything
-
negligent
characterized by undue lack of attention or concern
-
neophyte
a participant with no experience with an activity
-
noisome
offensively malodorous
-
noxious
injurious to physical or mental health
-
obdurate
stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
-
obfuscate
make obscure or unclear
-
obstreperous
noisily and stubbornly defiant
-
officious
intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
-
onerous
burdensome or difficult to endure
-
ostensible
appearing as such but not necessarily so
-
ostracism
the act of excluding someone from society by general consent
-
palliate
lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
-
panacea
hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases
-
paradigm
a standard or typical example
-
pariah
a person who is rejected from society or home
-
partisan
a fervent and even militant proponent of something
-
paucity
an insufficient quantity or number
-
pejorative
expressing disapproval
-
pellucid
transparently clear; easily understandable
-
penchant
a strong liking or preference
-
penurious
excessively unwilling to spend
-
pert
characterized by a lightly saucy or impudent quality
-
pernicious
exceedingly harmful
-
pertinacious
stubbornly unyielding
-
phlegmatic
showing little emotion
-
philanthropic
of or relating to charitable giving
-
pithy
concise and full of meaning
-
platitude
a trite or obvious remark
-
plaudit
enthusiastic approval
-
plenitude
a full supply
-
plethora
extreme excess
-
portent
a sign of something about to happen
-
potentate
a powerful ruler, especially one who is unconstrained by law
-
preclude
make impossible, especially beforehand
-
predilection
a predisposition in favor of something
-
preponderance
exceeding in heaviness; having greater weight
-
presage
a foreboding about what is about to happen
-
probity
complete and confirmed integrity
-
proclivity
a natural inclination
-
profligate
unrestrained by convention or morality
-
promulgate
state or announce
-
proscribe
command against
-
protean
taking on different forms
-
prurient
characterized by lust
-
puerile
displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
-
pugnacious
ready and able to resort to force or violence
-
pulchritude
physical beauty, especially of a woman
-
punctilious
marked by precise accordance with details
-
quaint
attractively old-fashioned
-
quixotic
not sensible about practical matters
-
quandary
state of uncertainty in a choice between unfavorable options
-
recalcitrant
stubbornly resistant to authority or control
-
redoubtable
inspiring fear
-
relegate
assign to a lower position
-
remiss
failing in what duty requires
-
reprieve
postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal
-
reprobate
a person without moral scruples
-
rescind
cancel officially
-
requisition
an authoritative demand
-
rife
excessively abundant
-
sanctimonious
excessively or hypocritically pious
-
sanguine
confidently optimistic and cheerful
-
scurrilous
expressing offensive, insulting, or scandalous criticism
-
semaphore
an apparatus for visual signaling
-
serendipity
good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries
-
sobriety
the state of being unaffected or not intoxicated by alcohol
-
solicitous
full of anxiety and concern
-
solipsism
the philosophical theory that the self is all that exists
-
spurious
plausible but false
-
staid
characterized by dignity and propriety
-
stolid
having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
-
subjugate
make subservient; force to submit or subdue
-
surfeit
indulge (one’s appetite) to satiety
-
surreptitious
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
-
swarthy
naturally having skin of a dark color
-
tangential
of superficial relevance if any
-
tome
a large and scholarly book
-
toady
a person who tries to please someone to gain an advantage
-
torpid
in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation
-
travesty
a composition that imitates or misrepresents a style
-
trenchant
having keenness and forcefulness and penetration in thought
-
trite
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
-
truculent
defiantly aggressive
-
turpitude
a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice
-
ubiquitous
being present everywhere at once
-
umbrage
a feeling of anger caused by being offended
-
upbraid
express criticism towards
-
utilitarian
having a useful function
-
veracity
unwillingness to tell lies
-
vestige
an indication that something has been present
-
vicissitude
a variation in circumstances or fortune
-
vilify
spread negative information about
-
virtuoso
someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
-
vitriolic
harsh, bitter, or malicious in tone
-
vituperate
spread negative information about
-
vociferous
conspicuously and offensively loud
-
wanton
a lewd or immoral person
-
winsome
charming in a childlike or naive way
-
yoke
join with stable gear, as two draft animals
-
zephyr
a slight wind
-
wily
marked by skill in deception
-
tirade
a speech of violent denunciation
Created on September 30, 2012
(updated August 18, 2021)
September 27, 2019
Did you know that it’s not just people who don’t have English as their first language who are looking for explanations for all kinds of difficult English words? There are tens of thousands of native English speakers who are looking for the correct way to spell or pronounce complicated English words. If you are a non native English speaker, things tend to get a lot more complicated. And if you are also a student, you really have a problem. Misspelling certain words in your essays will get you penalized quite harshly by your professor, so you may even need to consider using proofreading services. There are many weird words in English and we will try to show you how to spell the most common 101 of them. We even explain some funny Russian words in English.
Are There Any Weird Words in the English Language?
Many people don’t know that there are plenty of difficult English words. You may have encountered a couple of them over time, but there are hundreds. There are words that are difficult to spell and there are even words that are difficult to pronounce. However, it’s easy to learn the difficult English words to pronounce. Spelling is a bit more difficult to learn. Let’s take a look at the most difficult words in English and their explanation.
List of Difficult English Words to Spell
In most cases, students are having a pretty difficult time spelling certain words. Don’t worry, it’s not just you! Tens of thousands of students have visited our list of the most complicated English words so far. This means that most of these people have run into trouble with at least some of the following English words:
- Abjure – solemnly renounce something
- Abnegation – the action of renouncing or rejecting something
- Bashful – reluctant to draw attention to oneself
- Beguile – to charm someone in a deceptive way
- Bereft – deprived of or lacking something
- Blandishment – a flattering statement or action used to convince someone to do something
- Cajole – persuade someone to do something by flattery
- Callous – having an insensitive disregard for others
- Camaraderie – mutual trust and friendship among people
- Candor – the quality of being open and honest
- Debacle – a sudden failure
- Debunk – expose the falseness of an idea or belief
- Defunct – no longer existing
- Demagogue – a political agitator
- Eclectic –deriving ideas from a broad range of sources
- Ebullient – cheerful and full of energy (one of the most difficult English words)
- Egregious – outstandingly bad
- Fallacious – based on a mistaken belief
- Fatuous – silly and pointless
- Fetter – a chain used to restrain a prisoner
- Garrulous – excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters
- Gourmand – a person who enjoys eating
- Grandiloquent – pompous or extravagant in language or style
- Idiosyncratic – relating to idiosyncrasy
- Impecunious – having little or no money
- Knell – the solemn sound of a bell at a funeral
- Laconic – using very few words
- Largesse – generosity in bestowing money or gifts upon others
- Legerdemain – skilful use of one’s hands when performing tricks
- Maelstrom – a powerful whirlpool in the sea or a river
- Maudlin – self-pityingly or tearfully sentimental
- Maverick – an unorthodox or independent-minded person
- Negligent – failing to take proper care over something
- Neophyte – a person who is new to a subject or activity
- Obdurate – stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion
- Obfuscate – make obscure or unclear
- Obstreperous – noisy and difficult to control
- Palliate – make something less severe without removing the cause
- Paradigm – a typical example or pattern of something
- Quixotic – extremely idealistic
- Quandary – a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do
- Recalcitrant – having an obstinately uncooperative attitude
- Redoubtable – formidable, especially as an opponent
- Sanguine – optimistic or positive in a difficult situation
- Scurrilous – making or spreading scandalous claims about someone
- Toady – a person who behaves obsequiously to someone important
- Torpid – mentally or physically inactive
- Ubiquitous – present, appearing, or found everywhere
- Umbrage – offence or annoyance
- Upbraid – to find fault with someone
- Vicissitude – an unpleasant change of circumstances or fortune
- Vilify – speak or write about in an abusively disparaging manner
- Virtuoso – a person highly skilled in artistic pursuit
- Wanton – deliberate and unprovoked
- Winsome – attractive or appealing in a fresh, innocent way
- Yoke – the wooden crosspiece that is placed over the necks of two animals (part of the plough)
- Zephyr – a soft gentle breeze
- Wily – skilled at gaining an advantage
- Tirade – a long, angry speech of criticism
List of Difficult Words to Pronounce for Non Native English Speakers
- Rural – characteristic of the countryside rather than the town
- Otorhinolaryngologist – a specialist in the disorders of the ear or nose or throat (one of the most difficult English words to say)
- Colonel – a rank of officer in the army and in the US air force
- Penguin – a large flightless seabird of the southern hemisphere
- Sixth – constituting number six in a sequence
- Isthmus – a narrow strip of land with sea on either side
- Anemone – a plant of the buttercup family
- Squirrel – an agile tree-dwelling rodent with a bushy tail
- Choir – an organized group of singers
- Worcestershire – a former county in West-central England
List of Weird English Words
When it comes to the English dictionary, there are times when you won’t believe your eyes. There are hundreds of strange English words that almost nobody knows about. Truth be told, we never even heard about 80% of the following words:
- Bamboozled – to cheat or fool someone
- Bumfuzzle – to confuse someone
- Cattywampus – not lined up or not arranged correctly
- Discombobulate – to disconcert or confuse someone
- Flabbergast – to surprise someone greatly
- Foppish – a person concerned with his clothes in an excessive way.
- Gardyloo – a warning cry when somebody threw slops from the windows into the streets
- Jalopy – an old car in a dilapidated condition (just one of the weird words in the English dictionary)
- Lothario – a man who behaves irresponsibly in sexual relationships with women
- Taradiddle – a petty lie
- Tergiversate – to make conflicting or evasive statements
- Snickersnee – a large knife
- Collywobbles – stomach pain or queasiness
List of Funny Russian Words in English
- Pochemuchka – a child who asks many questions
- Perepodvypodvert – doing something in an overly complex or totally incomprehensible way
- Nedoperepil – somebody who drank more than they should have, but less than they could have
- Toska – sadness, melancholia, or lugubriousness
- Poshlost’ – vulgarity, banality, platitude, triteness, or triviality
- Kapel – small Christian place of worship
- Dacha – a country house or cottage in Russia
- Glazomer – the ability to measure without any instruments
List of Funny Old English Words
Of course, the dictionary contains a ton of funny English words. Many of these are old words that are rarely used nowadays. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use them in your essays. It’s always fun to see your teacher searching through the dictionary. So here are the most interesting old English words that are as funny as they get:
- Ultracrepidarian – giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one’s knowledge
- Philogrobolized – stupefied, or having a hangover
- Hum durgeon – an imaginary illness
- Quomodocunquize – that makes money in any possible way
- Zwodder – a drowsy, foolish frame of mind
- Groke – to look at somebody while they’re eating hoping they’ll give you some of their food
- Famelicose – pertaining to being hungry
- Bang-a-bonk – to sit lazily on a riverbank
- Crambo-clink – rime or riming
- Inisitijitty – a worthless, ridiculous-looking person (one of the most difficult words in English)
- Omperlodge – to disagree with or contradict someone
Why Does This List of Difficult Words to Pronounce in English Matter?
Many students have asked us why we bothered to make this list of 101 difficult English words. The truth is that we really enjoyed it. However, this list is of great help to people who are looking for ways to improve their vocabulary. Yes, many of these words may seem old-fashioned and obsolete. However, we guarantee you that your professor will greatly appreciate you using many of them. It shows that you are a well-read student and that you are not afraid to use uncommon language to make an impression. It also shows your professor that you are a master of the English vocabulary.
Another reason why you would want to take a look at our list of difficult English words to spell is to avoid any future errors. Your professor will swiftly penalize you for spelling errors in your academic papers. You can lose valuable points because of some improperly spelled words. Furthermore, you need to understand exactly what each word means and how it is used.
Do You Need to Learn These Words?
No, you don’t need to learn all these words. These are all the most complicated English words, but you can find plenty of synonyms for each one of them. So you can simply use a synonym instead of the words listed in our list. There are, however, times when you want to demonstrate your strong grasp of the English language. That’s when you may want to consider using words from this list. This is why we encourage you to bookmark this list of complicated English words. You can come back at any time. This list of difficult English words will always be free. However, we may update it to add more words in the future. We are all about helping students excel at school!
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What makes a word «difficult» in English? And how do you use difficult words?
What makes certain words difficult? It seems simple: words we often see in books, advertisements or online tend to be learned earlier and quicker. As a result, we find them easier than words that we rarely come across. So, if you see or hear a word often, you are likely to develop a sense of what it means; if you never see it, you are not likely to know its meaning.
Take, for example, words like «contact tracing,» «super-spreader,» or «self-isolating.» We didn’t hear them very frequently before Covid-19. We’ve become so familiar with them that they are no longer difficult: we see these words a lot, and we know what they mean. Now, compare those Covid-19 words with words like «verisimilitude» or «consanguineous.» Do you know what they mean? They don’t appear in the news, online blogs or articles very often, so you’re probably not very familiar with them.
How often we see or read words does not only determine how difficult they are. Our friends at Merriam-Webster
(the dictionary) have a list of long and hard words to spell, making them difficult as well. Another article tells us that our own intention to remember a word, how useful that word is to us, or the context can also determine its difficulty.
Further down this article, we’ve explained some fabulous words Moira Rose uses in the popular TV series, Schitt’s Creek. Complicated English words, like «confabulate,» will give you difficult synonyms for words you may already know.
So, let’s have a look at some difficult words in English. Perhaps you can start using them more frequently in your day-to-day life!
| Difficult word in English | Synonym or Meaning |
|---|---|
| Abrogate | To revoke |
| Anachronism | Something inappropriate for the given time period |
| Arrant | Complete and wholly |
| Artless | Without cunning or deceit |
| Asperity | Harsh in manner |
| Belie | To give a false representation to; misrepresent |
| Byzantine | Complex and intricate |
| Cajole | Persuade by flattery or coaxing |
| Conciliate | To make peace with |
| Connecticutian | A native or resident of Connecticut |
| Consanguineous | Of the same blood or origin (descended from the same ancestor) |
| Demagogue | A political leader who uses rhetoric to appeal to prejudices and desires of ordinary citizens |
| Diatribe | A verbal attack against a person |
| Dilatory | Wasting time |
| Embourgeoisement | A shift to bourgeois values and practices |
| Equivocate | To speak vaguely, with the intention of misleading someone |
| Fatuous | Devoid of intelligence |
| Gaffe | A socially awkward act |
| Garrulous | Talking too much |
| Hoi Polloi | The common people generally |
| Hubris | Overbearing pride |
| Iconoclast | Someone who criticizes or attacks cherished ideas and beliefs |
| Impedimenta | Things that impede |
| Inchoate | Only partly in existence; imperfectly formed |
| Indefatigable | Showing sustained enthusiastic action with unflagging vitality |
| Inundate | Flooded |
| Invective | Abusive language |
| Jackasseries | The actions of a jackass |
| Martinet | Someone who demands exact conformity to rules and forms |
| Myrmecophilous | Fond of ants |
| Nonplussed | Filled with bewilderment |
| Omphaloskepsis | A lack of will to move, exert, or change |
| Panache | Distinctive and stylish elegance |
| Pillory | Ridicule or expose to public scorn |
| Polyphiloprogenitive | Extremely prolific; tending to produce offspring, or characterized by love of offspring |
| Psychotomimetic | Psychotic alteration of behavior and personality |
| Puissant | Powerful |
| Pulchritudinous | Physically beautiful |
| Quattuordecillion | A number equal to 1 followed by 45 zeros |
| Quisling | A traitor |
| Surreptitious | Taking pains not to be caught or detected |
| Sybarite | A person who indulges in luxury |
| Tergiversation | Evasion of straightforward action or clear-cut statement |
| Trichotillomania | An abnormal desire to pull out one’s hair |
| Truculent | Have a fierce, savage nature |
| Unabashed | Not embarrassed |
| Uncanny | Surpassing the ordinary or normal |
| Untoward | Inconvenient |
| Vicissitude | An unwelcome or unpleasant change in circumstances or fortune |
| Xenotransplantation | Transplantation of an organ between two different species |
Using difficult English words in a sentence
When you’ve read through the list of difficult or challenging English words, you may find some that you’ve heard before. Sometimes, you may even know the meaning of that difficult word, too. Yet, other words are less well-known. So, how do you use these words in a sentence?
Pillory
Let’s start with a strange one: Pillory. A pillory (as a noun) was used to shame criminals publicly. It is a wooden frame with holes for the head and hands. During the Middle Ages in Europe, criminals were sometimes locked in a pillory as punishment. Pillory is now also used as a verb to describe any process that leads to public humiliation.
«The artist was pilloried for creating a controversial sculpture.»
Truculent
Truculent derives from truculentus, a form of the Latin adjective trux, meaning «savage.» In English, it’s been used since the 16th century to describe people or things that are cruel and ferocious, such as tyrannical leaders. In modern-day, we also use this word to describe speech or writing that is harsh or a person who is very sure of themselves. For example, if you are quick to argue, always looking for a fight, and hard to please, you are truculent.
«America cannot afford a truculent child president,» said by John Kerry when he spoke about Donald Trump.
Pulchritudinous
Last, but not least, a very difficult word to pronounce, write, and probably remember. Pulchritudinous also originates in Latin (interesting fact: Over 60% of all English words have Greek or Latin roots!). Pulchritude is a descendant of the Latin adjective pulcher, which means «beautiful.» Therefore, in English, pulchritudinous, as an adjective, means «physically attractive» or «beautiful.»
«Jack loves to stand in front of his mirror, staring at his pulchritudinous face.»
Difficult words from Moira Rose on the TV series Schitt’s Creek
Check out these difficult words from Moira Rose’s on Schitt’s Creek
Those who’ve watched the TV show Schitt’s Creek, are undoubtedly aware of Moira Rose’s (Catherine O’Hara) extensive and unique vocabulary. Words like «balatron,» «dewdropper,» «frippet,» «callipygian,» «bedevil,» «confabulate,» «spanandry,» «bombilate,» and «pettifogging» (all real English words!) are used by Moira Rose are might seem difficult and confusing because we don’t hear them enough.
Here’s a guide to the Moira Rose terminology on Schitt’s Creek.
| Moira Rose’s Difficult Word | Synonym or Meaning |
|---|---|
| Balatron | A buffoon; one who speaks a lot of nonsense and is characterized by self-indulgence |
| Bedevil | Cause great and continual trouble to something |
| Blouson | A garment (such as a dress) having a close waistband with blousing of material over it |
| Bombilate | Buzz |
| Bolus | A pill or drug |
| Callipygian | Shapely buttocks |
| Chanteuse | A woman who is an accomplished nightclub singer |
| Chin-wag | To have a friendly conversation |
| Churlish | Lacking civility or graciousness |
| Confabulate | To hold an informal discussion |
| Dangersome | Dangerous |
| Dewdropper | A slacker |
| Encumber | To weigh down or burden |
| Epistle | A formal or elegant letter |
| Frippet | A frivolous or showy young woman |
| Inamorata | A woman with whom one is in love or has intimate relations |
| Habilimented | Clothed |
| Irksome | Annoying or tedious |
| Juvenescence | The state of being youthful |
| Mise en scène | The setting or surroundings |
| Oxidise | To dehydrogenate especially by the action of oxygen |
| Pablum | Bland, intellectual sustenance |
| Peccadillos | A slight offence |
| Pettifogging | Arguing over trivial things |
| Prestidigitator | A sleight-of-hand artist |
| Sephardic | Jewish or of Jewish descent |
| Spanandry | The extreme scarcity of males |
| Spittoon | A receptacle for spit |
| Peregrination | A long and meandering journey |
Can I use difficult English words in the IELTS Writing and Speaking test?
The IELTS Speaking test is supposed to represent a regular conversation between two people. So, you should probably avoid very formal language, which may include difficult words. For example, you don’t usually say “furthermore” or “moreover” in everyday conversations. Similarly, you would probably not use «consanguineous» to describe your relatives in a discussion with your friends or colleagues. However, you also don’t want to use overly informal language, such as slang.
For IELTS Writing, according to the marking criteria, if you use a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control, you’re on your way to achieving a Band 9. So, you could use difficult English words you learnt in this article in your IELTS Writing test. But be careful: you have to use these words correctly and in the right context. For example, describing a fashion model as pulchritudinous would be great. But, writing about a Ferrari as a pulchritudinous car, would probably raise some eyebrows.
You can get a high IELTS band score if you show the ability to use sophisticated, challenging, and difficult English words, or if you use idiomatic expressions appropriately. But perhaps stick with words you are familiar with or common idiomatic expressions that are well-known. We’ve provided some helpful lists with our Idioms A-Z: Explained.
Jump to Section
- 50 Difficult English Words and their Meanings
- 12 Hardest Words to Pronounce and Tricks to Actually do that
- Why is it Important to Have a Good Vocabulary?
- How to Learn the Most Difficult Words in English?
- Final Thoughts on Difficult English Words and Their Meanings
No matter how long you have been learning the English language, still while reading a book, magazine or while watching a movie you do come across words that might startle you and call for your prolonged look. In fact, the sole reason behind it is the vastness of the language. So, don’t you wonder how to unscramble this mystery when at the same time, there are uncountable words to know about in this language? There exist countless words which we make use of, some words more often than others.
So, this article will help you out to know a little about this plethora of words. We are going to talk about some of the hardest English words and subsequently about words that are difficult to pronounce.
50 Difficult English Words and their Meanings
Words Beginning from A
- Ascetic – avoiding physical pleasures because of religious reasons
- Abnegation – an action made to reject someone or something
- Archetypal – someone having all the qualities of a particular type of lifestyle
- Aggrandize – adding to the power or wealth of an individual or country
- Anachronistic – placing someone or something chronologically wrong
- Alacrity – having great willingness and eagerness for something
Words Beginning from B
- Beguile – charm in a deceptive way
- Blandishment – statement for gently pleasuring someone
Words Beginning from C
- Convivial – friendly character
- Cajole – persuading someone with your nice behaviour
- Construe – understanding something
- Callous – not caring about others
- Camaraderie – the mutual feeling of trust
- Circumlocution – expressing something in a long way
- Clamour – demanding something
- Cognizant – being aware
Words Beginning from D
- Demagogue – a political leader will manipulate skills
- Denigrate – unfair criticism
- Didactic – teaching moral lesson
- Disparate – people or things with different qualities together
Words Beginning from E
- Eclectic – generating ideas
- Egregious – bad and shocking in a huge way
- Embezzlement – to steal
- Enervate – feeling out of energy
- Ephemeral – lasting for a short period
- Equanimity – a very calm state of mind
Words Beginning from F
- Fatuous – something pointless
Words Beginning from G
- Gratuitous – anything that has some harmful effect
Words Beginning from I
- Iconoclast – any statue
- Idiosyncratic – something unusual
- Incumbent – a person with an official position
- Inveterate – having a habit for a long time
Words Beginning from L
- Libertarian – a person of the state who conveys a message to people
- Licentious – lack of standards
Words Beginning from M
- Mendacious – lying
- Multifarious – different kinds or variety
Words Beginning from O
- Obdurate – not changing your mind according to others
- Ostracism – excluding from something
Words Beginning from P
- Pejorative – expressing criticism
- Pertinacious – sticking to your actions or words
- Phlegmatic – not getting angry easily
- Promulgate – making an official announcement
Words Beginning from Q
- Quotidian – everyday event
Words Beginning from R
- Recalcitrant – tough to control
Words Beginning from S
- Sanctimonious – acting superior to others
- Solipsism – self-centred
Words Beginning from T
- Travesty – not have qualities in a shocking way
Words Beginning from U
- Ubiquitous – something very common
Words Beginning from V
- Vicissitude – changes and problems of life that you have to deal with
- Vociferous – saying what is on your mind in a confident way
12 Hardest Words to Pronounce and Tricks to Actually do that
Good pronunciation is a very important part of the language but there are some words with which we can struggle. Hence, we have come up with a list of some of the most difficult words to pronounce and techniques to be able to actually do that:
- Synecdoche- made to represent whole (SE-NEK-DE-QKE)
- Segue- smooth transition (SE-QGWA)
- Quinoa- a crop (KEN-WA)
- Posthumous- occurring or awarded (PAS-CHE-MES)
- Onomatopoeia- a figure of speech that resonates with sounds (ONO-MATO-POEIA)
- Ignominious- something shameful (IG-NE-MI-NE-ES)
- Draught- the flow of cold air (DRAFT)
- Conch- a type of shell (KANJK)
- Cache- computing hardware (K’ASH)
- Boatswain- merchant officer (‘BO-SEN)
- Anemone- a flowering plant (E-NE-ME-NE)
- Anathema- an idea you hate (E-NA-THE-ME)
Moreover, audios will help you the best in understanding words. So, the video mentioned below will help you in understanding the pronunciation of some really difficult words better:
Why is it Important to Have a Good Vocabulary?
There are a lot of words to convey the same meaning but each word helps in conveying the meaning in a different way. That is why it is important to have a good vocabulary. In fact, we write and read a lot of things throughout the day and if we don’t have a good knowledge of words then we will definitely face difficulties in it. Additionally, repeating the same word over and over again in a piece of content can leave a bad impression on the person reading it or listening to it.
And if you are preparing for some kind of competitive exams then you can not ignore vocabulary at any cost. They have special sections for words, their meanings, synonyms, and antonyms so you need to build up your vocabulary in order to excel in that section. So, it can be said that a good vocabulary is required for day-to-day life as well as for appearing for advanced exams.
To summarize, the video mentioned below will tell you some simple ways and tricks by which you can easily improve your vocabulary:
How to Learn the Most Difficult Words in English?
It is not possible for us to learn all the difficult worlds together in one go. So here are some simple ways by which you can learn difficult English words:
- Make reading a part of your life because while reading books you come across a lot of words that are unknown to you and will gradually become a part of your dictionary.
- Also, maintain a separate notebook for your vocabulary. Whenever you come across a new word note it in your diary with its meaning and read it whenever you get time.
- Further, you can also take the help of vocabulary books and videos for a little better understanding.
- Nonetheless, You can also play games like crosswords as they will help you learn new words in a fun way.
- Also, try to include the new words that you learn in your language so that you can remember them for a long time.
Final Thoughts on Difficult English Words and Their Meanings
In conclusion, one needs to understand that keeping up with the new additions and changes taking place in the language becomes really important. Above all, with the help of this article, you would have been able to add a lot of things to your knowledge and boost your vocabulary to a whole new level. So, the next time whenever you are writing a piece of content use these new words so that you can surprise the people reading it.
To know about more such interesting facts, you can head to the Podium Blog.