Word finds difficult to learn

• #1

Hi all amazing members here.

Actually I know that we can say «find difficulty to do something«, for example : 👉🏻 » We will learn a word that some people might find difficulty to pronounce in English».

But some people say «find difficult to do something » for example: 👉🏻 «We will learn a word that some people might find difficult to pronounce in English».
So, kindly tell me which one is correct 🙏🏻

• #2

Actually I know that we can say «find difficulty to do something«, for example : 👉🏻 » We will learn a word that some people might find difficulty to pronounce in English».

You know??? I would mark it wrong. (AE)

We will learn a word that some people might find difficult to pronounce in English».

• #3

But look at this example from longman dictionary. I know this information from the dictionaries, of course. 😥

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• #4

Yes, but that is «have difficulty», not «find difficulty».

• #5

But look at this example from longman dictionary. I know this information from the dictionaries, of course. 😥

I know that we have to follow it by gerund, but I’d like to make sure if we can say » difficult» instead of difficulty.

Again: We will learn a word that some people might find difficulty pronouncing it»
OR
We will learn a word that some people might find difficult to pronounce it» ?

• #6

Yes, but that is «have difficulty», not «find difficulty».

Good, so that means » find difficult» is correct, right?

• #7

Good, so that means » find difficult» is correct, right?

Truncated references often lead discussions astray, but «We will learn a word that some people might find difficult to pronounce in English» is fine.

• #8

No.

Have difficulty in pronouncing

OR

Find difficult to pronounce.

You can’t pick and mix.

x-posted

• #9

Truncated references often lead discussions astray, but «We will learn a word that some people might find difficult to pronounce in English» is fine.

Do you mean that » have difficulty pronouncing it» is wrong too?

• #10

No.

Have difficulty in pronouncing

OR

Find difficult to pronounce.

You can’t pick and mix.

x-posted

I think (in ) is optional, isn’t it?

• #11

It’s clear now. Thanks a million to you all 🙏🏻

• #12

Do you mean that » have difficulty pronouncing it» is wrong too?

Yes, if you intend to produce, per your OP, «We will learn a word that some people might find difficulty pronouncing it in English.»

• #13

Yes, if you intend to produce, per your OP, «We will learn a word that some people might find difficulty pronouncing it in English.»

I’d like also to know why we can say have difficulty or difficult and can’t say find difficult? What’s wrong with the verb «find» ? Is it totally wrong to say find or it could be acceptable?

Note: please tell me if I used the word » acceptable» in a wrong way 😁🙏🏻

• #14

I’d like also to know why we can say have difficulty or difficult and can’t say find difficult? What’s wrong with the verb «find» ? Is it totally wrong to say find or it could be acceptable?

This is getting awfully complicated. Please provide complete sentences and context.

• #15

I’d like also to know why we can say have difficulty or

difficult

and can’t say find

difficult

?

I’m lost.

• #16

This is getting awfully complicated. Please provide complete sentences and context.

😅 Yeah, it could be confused. Well, from all you answers above, I understood the following:
Find difficult to pronounce it ✓
Have difficulty (in)

pronouncing

it ✓
Have difficulty to pronounce it ❎
Find difficulty to pronounce it ❎
Find difficulty pronouncing it ❎

Is this 👆🏻right?

• #17

😅 Yeah, it could be confused. Well, from all you answers above, I understood the following:
Find difficult to pronounce it ✓
Have difficulty (in)

pronouncing

it ✓
Have difficulty to pronounce it ❎
Find difficulty to pronounce it ❎
Find difficulty pronouncing it ❎

Is this 👆🏻right?

None of these are complete sentences.

• #18

Not complete sentences — try again.

x-posted, exasperated.

• #19

None of these are complete sentences.

Well, I will write them again

I find difficult to pronounce this word✓
I have difficulty (in)

pronouncing

this word ✓
I have difficulty to pronounce this word ❎
I find difficulty to pronounce this word ❎
I find difficulty pronouncing this word ❎

• #20

Where are we going with this?

Please reread:
Have difficulty with …ing
Find difficult to…

• #21

Where are we going with this?

Ok
Then
I have difficult to pronounce this word✓

• #23

Why ? 😥😥😥😥💔
What is wrong now?

• #24

Can we go back to your OP?

«find difficulty to do something»

is incorrect

Have difficulty with …ing
Find difficult to…

• #25

Where are we going with this?

Please reread:
Have difficulty with …ing
Find difficult to…

Well, I wrote up «I find difficult to pronounce this word» and you signed ❎.

• #26

Ok, in this case, we can say the first 2 sentences down 👇🏻, but we can not say the three other sentences.

I find difficult to pronounce this word✓
I have difficulty (in)

pronouncing

this word ✓

I have difficulty to pronounce this word ❎
I find difficulty to pronounce this word ❎
I find difficulty pronouncing this word ❎

• #27

I find it difficult to pronounce this word. The i correct.

• #28

Ok, in this case, we can say the first 2 sentences down 👇🏻, but we can not say the three other sentences.

I find difficult to pronounce this word✓
I have difficulty (in)

pronouncing

this word ✓

I have difficulty to pronounce this word ❎
I find difficulty to pronounce this word ❎
I find difficulty pronouncing this word ❎

Please reread the thread.

• #29

I find it difficult to pronounce this word. The i correct.

Aha, so you mean that we have to say:

I find it difficult to pronounce this word✓
I have difficulty (in)

pronouncing

this word ✓

I find difficult to pronounce this word ❎
I have difficulty to pronounce this word ❎
I find difficulty to pronounce this word ❎
I find difficulty pronouncing this word ❎

• #30

Yes.

Now was that so difficult?

• #31

Yes.

Now was that so difficult?

Hahaha, yeah, that was at the beginning, but now it’s easy and clear, so millions of thanks to you 😁🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Have you ever come across a word and deciphered its meaning only to know at the end that it meant something different? If this sounds familiar, this blog on 50 difficult words with meaning is for you. 

You must be wondering about the importance of learning difficult words in English. Well, these words can help you sail through competitive exams, enhance your communication skills, and many such things. Read ahead to learn about more such benefits of learning difficult words.

Benefits of improving your vocabulary

1. It will help you tackle aptitude tests

Popular study abroad tests like GRE, GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, SAT, etc. all have vocabulary sections and are very important when you’re applying to a university or looking for a job after graduation.

2. It will make it easier for you to interact with your peers abroad

You don’t wanna feel lost when they drop one of these words in your conversation. Because you may not believe it, they use these words way more often than we do.

3. It will sharpen your mind

That’s right, learning new words and languages hones the critical side of your brain! Which, as I’ve already said, is super important to nail your aptitude tests.

4. It will help you express yourself better

Have you ever felt like you can’t express yourself through words? The more you expand your vocabulary, the more opportunity you have to express your thoughts and emotions accurately.

5. It will help you succeed in your career

The more effective your communication skills are higher the chance you have of climbing the ladder of success! When you communicate smartly, you can influence and inspire people all around.

Case in point, let’s take a look at these 50 difficult words with meaning and expand our knowledge! But wait-

Why should I care about your list of 50 difficult words with meaning?

The first thing you should do while preparing for your GMAT or GRE is take a mock test. This will give you an idea of what your current aptitude levels are.

So what does that have to do with learning difficult words?

When you take the mock tests, you may find it difficult to understand the questions.

Not because the questions are difficult in themselves, but because they are written using words that are difficult to understand.

What’s more, the options given for the answer are even tougher to comprehend!

For example, here’s a Sentence Completion question from the Verbal Section of GRE–

Question

Colleagues describe Padgett as both forthright and reticent, humble and (i)………….., good-natured and (ii) …………. . And in her behavior as a businesswoman, Padgett herself does little to (iii) …………. these contradictions. She says she is pro-employee but is avowedly anti-union. She calls herself a pro customer but acknowledges that she runs a store with higher profit margins and prices than almost any other grocer.

Answer

(i) – a) diffident b) eccentric c) arrogant

(ii) – a) pricky b) solicitous c) phlegmatic

(iii) – a) dispel b) fulfill c) accentuate

Do you see what I’m trying to say?

GRE has 3 sections, with Verbal being one of the toughest ones.

The GMAT has 4 sections, namely, Verbal Reasoning, Analytical Reasoning, Integrated Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. You need a strong vocabulary to score well in 3 of these sections in the exam.

This is where our list of 50 difficult words with meanings comes in.

50 difficult words with meanings and sentences

Without further ado-

1. Belie – To give a false representation to; misrepresent
   Example – The smile on his lips belies the pain he’s been feeling 
2. Arrant – Complete and wholly
   Example – You are an arrant fool
3. Untoward – Inconvenient
   Example – I find attending lectures on Zoom untoward as it does not make me feel included in the class
4. Byzantine – Complex and intricate
   Example – You can’t just end a marriage like that, you have to complete the byzantine procedures of filing a divorce case in the courts
5. Conciliate – To make peace with
   Example – All attempts at conciliation have failed and civil war seems inevitable
6. Equivocate – To speak vaguely, with the intention of misleading someone
   Example – Politicians often say that they will work on the issue of climate change, but they are just equivocating to get the votes
7. Truculent – Have a fierce, savage nature
   Example – The truculent attitude of farmers to cheaper imports is inspiring
8. Diatribe – A verbal attack against a person
   Example – Because Sheila was unhappy with the administration, she launched a lengthy diatribe against the board during lunch.
9. Quisling – A traitor
   Example – He had the quisling owner of the factory arrested
10. Artless – without cunning or deceit
    Example – My artless comment was mistaken for rudeness

40 more to go!

1. Blinkered – To have a limited perspective
   Example – They’ve got a very blinkered view of life
2. Maudlin – Overly emotional
   Example – You didn’t invite me out here to listen to my maudlin rambling.
3. Invective – Abusive language
   Example – A woman had hurled racist invective at the family.
4. Remonstrate – To make objections while pleading
   Example – Whenever I refuse my young daughter anything, she likes to remonstrate by stomping her feet on the floor
5. Sartorial – Related to fashion
   Example – The wedding party arrived in sartorial splendor.
6. Sybarite – A person who indulges in luxury
   Example – A Sybarite on an inadequate income, was ever the man of action.
7. Inundate – Flooded
   Example – Her office was inundated with requests for tickets.
8. Curmudgeon – A surly person
   Example – Clearly, I only play a curmudgeon in the newspaper. 
9. Anodyne – Something that soothes or relieves pain
   Example – Morphine is the greatest anodyne we possess, and no drug yet discovered equals it in pain-relieving power. 
10. Gaffe – A socially awkward act
    Example – He didn’t realize what a gaffe he’d made.

30 more to go!

1. Vie – Compete for something
   Example – They are both vying for the same managerial position.
2. Decimation – Killing a large part of the population
   Example – It is likely the category five hurricane will decimate the small beach town.
3. Garrulous – Talking too much
   Example – He was so garrulous that he could not keep a secret.
4. Hubris – Overbearing pride
   Example – Her humble attitude was refreshing in a society to be saturated by hubris.
5. Dovetail – To fit together tightly
   Example – I’m following up on a few things that might dovetail.
6. Impetuous – Characterized by undue haste and lack of thought
   Example – In the past, impetuous young men would drop out of college and run off to join the army.
7. Circumlocution – Expressing someone in an indirect way
   Example – His admission came after years of circumlocution.
8. Surreptitious – Taking pains not to be caught or detected
   Example – He made a surreptitious recording with a concealed hand-held machine. 
9. Peripatetic – Traveling by foot
   Example – He had a peripatetic career as a salesman.
10. Magisterial – Someone who exercises unwarranted power
    Example – Their jurisdictions coincide for the most part with the magisterial and fiscal boundaries.

20 more to go!

1. Asperity – Harsh in manner 
   Example – There was a touch of asperity in his tone.
2. Decry – Express strong disapproval of 
   Example – He is impatient with those who decry the scheme.
3. Puerile – Displaying a lack of maturity 
   Example – Since my son is thirty-three years of age, I do not find his puerile behavior amusing.
4. Incontrovertible – Impossible to deny
   Example – We have incontrovertible evidence of what took place.
5. Inviolate – Something that must be kept sacred 
   Example – The constitution proclaims that public property shall be inviolate.
6. Puissant – Powerful
   Example – The young man has a puissant body.
7. Cosset – Excessive indulgence
   Example – He cosseted her with flowers and champagne.
8. Eclectic – Deriving the best ideas and styles from a diverse range of sources
   Example – My universities offer an eclectic mix of courses.
9. Iconoclast – Someone who criticizes or attacks cherished ideas and beliefs
   Example – His son Gegnesius 722 was taken to Constantinople, where he won over to his opinions the iconoclast emperor, Leo the Isaurian. 
10. Anachronism – Something that is inappropriate for the given time period
    Example – In today’s computer world, a floppy disk is an anachronism. 

10 more to go!

1. Enormity – An act of extreme wickedness
   Example – She stared at the fire, shocked by the enormity of what she had done.
2. Dolorous – Showing sorrow
   Example – Sally stopped. Then she uttered a dolorous phrase that we could all understand. My dog is dead, she said, as tears filled her eyes.
3. Solicitous – Showing hovering attentiveness
   Example – I appreciated his solicitous inquiry about my health.
4. Impugn – Attack as false or wrong
   Example – Her motives have been scrutinized and impugned.
5. Despot – A cruel and oppressive dictator
   Example – The despot claimed to be the chosen instrument of divine providence.
6. Splenetic – Very irritable
   Example – Next in line for the splenetic outburst of a disaffected supporter: Martin Chuffing Edwards.
7. Abrogate – To revoke 
   Example – The Supreme Court can abrogate laws deemed unconstitutional.
8. Inveterate – Habitual
   Example – She is an inveterate gambler.
9. Officious – Intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
   Example – ‘I’ll see,’ the nurse said, with an officious toss of her head.
10. Pillory – Ridicule or expose to public scorn
    Example – The offensive thing is that he has been so widely pilloried for doing so.

Some bonus words for you

1. Abject- without any hope 

Example- He lives in abject poverty. 

2. Candor- Honest

Example- She treated the matter with great candor. 

3. Cogent- Persuasive

Example- He had a cogent argument to make. 

4. Dearth- Shortage/scarcity

Example- The team has no dearth of good players. 

5. Evanescent- Short-lived

Example- The photographer perfectly captured that evanescent moment.

6. Cognizant-Aware 

Example- He is cognizant of the ongoing issue. 

7. Fatuous- Lack of intelligence 

Example- I was shocked by his fatuous remark. 

8. Mendacious- Lying

Example- Do not give them another mendacious story. It’s time you tell the truth. 

9. Disparate- Distinct 

Example- We are trying to put all disparate ideas to execute this plan. 

10. Ubiquitous– Present everywhere 

Example- He is one of the most ubiquitous media personalities today. 

I can’t remember difficult English words with meanings

I know! I’ve been there. This is why I’m going to share an amazing trick that Memory Athletes use to remember difficult words.

Sure, you’ll find a lot of resources both online and offline (we’re gonna cover that soon). Some of them will tell you to speak out loud and memorize the words every day until the day of your exam. Others will ask you to look at examples and use these words in your everyday life.

But they can only help you remember these words for maybe a week or two.

The method used by Memory Athletes, on the other hand, helped me so much I can remember the meanings of these words even today!

How to remember difficult English words?

We have ten amazing tips that will blow your mind!

1. Read the word and try to relate it to something you already know.
2. Break it into two words if that makes things easier for you.
   For example – for the word Inundated – I broke it into 3 words – ‘in’ ‘a’ and ‘date’
3. Create a mental image of these words in your mind
   I imagined myself being on a date with a guy
4. Relate this image to the actual meaning of the word!
5. Have fun while learning. Play word puzzles and quiz yourself when you want to relax.
6. Be more observant of what you read. Instead of glancing over unknown words, look up the meaning and note them down. 
7. Learn with a friend. Sometimes learning words can become mundane, so take the help of your friends and build your knowledge. 
8. Learn a few words at a time and don’t overburden yourself. Learn around 8-10 words a day.
9. Use these new words in your day-to-day life to retain them better. 
10. Revise what you have learned a day later and then a week later. 

How? Let’s see-
Inundated means Flooded
So I imagined that the restaurant I was in started to flood!

I know what you’re thinking – it’s crazy.

But it works, doesn’t it? 

Now, you’ll never forget what inundated means.

Try out this trick with the words on this list and have fun while memorizing them. You’re welcome!

What are some of the most misspelled words?

When it comes to acing the English section, only learning the words is not enough. You need to learn to spell them the right way. So, here are some of the most misspelled words that you need to get right!

Misspelling	Correct spelling
Acomodate	Accommodate
Acheive	Achieve
Comitte	Committee
Definately	Definitely
Embaras	Embarrass
Fourty	Forty
Irrestable	Irresistible
Appearence	Appearance
Calender	Calendar
Concience	Conscience

Some confusing words you should know about 

Besides misspelling certain words, you might get confused with the usage of some words. So, here are some of the most commonly misused words. 

• Accept and Except 

Accept refers to accepting something, whereas except means to exclude something. 

• Illicit and Elicit 

Illicit is the other name for being unlawful. On the other hand, elicit means to evoke. 

• Effect and Affect 

While effect means an outcome, affect means influence. 

• Their, There, and They’re

While ‘their’ is a possessive word, there means a location, and ‘they’re’ is the contraction of ‘they are.’

Difficult words to pronounce in English 

Now that we have learned more than 50 new words with meaning, it’s time to pronounce some difficult words. Here you go! 

Word	Pronunciation
Accessory	ak-ses–uh-ree
Balmoral	bal-maw-ruh
Colonel	kur-nl
Epitome	uh–pi–tuh–mee
Hyperbole	hahy-pur-buh-lee

Where can I find more such words?

You’ll find online articles giving you multiple suggestions, including books like Six Weeks to Words of Power, Merriam-Webster’s Vocabulary Builder, and 1100 Words You Need to Know.

But instead of being swamped with so many books to read, I suggest you use only these 2 resources-

1. Word Power by Norman Lewis

This book is a delightful read!

In it, you will have to learn only 10 words a day.

But the teaching method (breaking down the word etymology) of the author is so phenomenal that you’ll end up understanding the meanings behind a thousand words by the end of this book.

What’s more, it has several exercises in the middle, that help you improve your grammatical and syntactic skills. This is perfect for those attempting tests like SAT, GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS, etc.

2. The GRE Vocabulary Flashcards on Magoosh

This app has hundreds of flashcards you can read from.

Go through a few flashcards every day, over and over again. Read the meanings, use the trick I gave above to remember these words, and look at the examples.

Then do it all over again. Because when it comes to remembering vocabulary words with meaning, practice will make you perfect!

3. 500 Absolutely Essential Words 

This is for people who want to build a foundation for strong English. The book has over 500 frequently used words with meanings and sample sentences, short reading passages, exercises, etc. This makes it quite helpful for students preparing for English proficiency exams.

4. English Vocabulary in Use Series

This series by Cambridge University Press can be used by students of all levels to improve their vocabulary. If you are preparing for TOEFL or IELTS, grab this series to score well in your exam. Each of these books is designed per various skill levels and gets more technical. It includes the following books-

• Elementary Vocabulary 
• Basic Vocabulary in Use
• Pre-intermediate and Intermediate Vocabulary
• Upper-Intermediate Vocabulary
• Advanced Vocabulary

5. Oxford Learner’s Pocket Word Skills

This book by Oxford has 32 modules, each covering various areas of different topics. It has over 180 topics with 3500 keywords and phrases presented in context. It also covers essay writing and spoken English sections. You can also test your knowledge with its ‘Cover and Check’ cards. This book is ideal for students preparing for Cambridge exams and IELTS.

How can I improve my vocabulary?

Here are a few ways you can learn more words and expand your vocabulary – 

• Build a habit of reading. You must read all kinds of texts – fiction, academic papers, articles, and interviews – to build a solid vocabulary and improve comprehension. 
• Keep a thesaurus and a dictionary handy, and learn to use the new words in the right context. 
• If you want to memorize words faster, you can try making flashcards for reference.
• Write. You can write about any topic that interests you, like laughter, your favorite movie, or a superhero. If you can’t come up with a topic, look for prompts online!
• Listening to music and watching movies in any language is a great way to build and strengthen your vocabulary.
• Moreover, making it a habit to converse in that language regularly can help you use the new words you learn effectively.

Key takeaways 

• Vocabulary is an important aspect of various competitive exams, including IELTS, TOEFL, GMAT, SAT, GRE, etc. It is essential for you to enhance your vocabulary to ace these exams.
• To begin with, you can go through these difficult words with meanings and try to use these words in your everyday life. 
• You can also use these words to enhance your English speech to grab people’s attention. 
• Besides learning more than 50 difficult words with meaning, you can also read books, journals, listen to music, etc., to enhance your vocabulary.
• So, grab your notebook and prepare well by revising these words!  

There you have it – 50 (well, 60) difficult words with meaning, resources to find more, and tips to remember these oh-so-new words.

If you think we should add something more to our blog about ’50 difficult words with meaning,’ reach out to us.

Or…drop a comment!

Liked this blog? Read next: Top 9 motivational speeches students should listen to

FAQs

Q1. What are the 10 difficult words?

Answer – Here are 10 difficult words you should look at-

1. Capitulate
2. Divisive
3. Extant
4. Fetter
5. Hegemony
6. Inoculate
7. Linchpin
8. Mores
9. Pariah
10. Reprobate

Q2. What is the hardest word to say?

Answer – Worcestershire is one of the hardest words to get right in English.

Q3. What is the most used word?

Answer – The most used word in English is ‘the.’

Q4. What is the oldest word?

Answer- Some of the words that researchers believe date back 15000 years include-

• Bark
• Mother
• Spit

Q5. Is vocabulary important for GRE?

Answer- Yes, having a strong vocabulary is crucial for you to score well on GRE. The Verbal Reasoning section is all about testing your vocabulary by asking questions on antonyms, analogies, sentence completion, etc. It is also one of the toughest sections of the exam. Therefore,  go through the difficult words with meaning to ace this section. 

Q6. What is contextual vocabulary?

Answer- Contextual vocabulary includes guessing the meaning of words by understanding the sentence without depending on a dictionary. 

Q7. What is the best way to retain difficult words for a longer period of time?

Answer- You can start by reading the words and jotting them down with the meaning. Then, try to use those difficult words in sentences to memorize them. 

Q8. What is a very long word?

Answer- Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is one of the longest difficult words in the English dictionary. 

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Recently we asked our EnglishClub Facebook fans, tweeters, and chatters to share the English words they find most difficult to pronounce. We posted the first 25 most difficult words along with audio practice right here on ESL Magazine.

Some of you loved the first 25 words and enjoyed practising these with us. A handful of you felt the words were not difficult enough. Many of you shared other words that you (or your students) find difficult.

Here are the first 25 words.

Here is the second batch (compiled based on comments from learners and teachers via EC, Facebook, and MyEC).

Let’s practise these words together:
1) Listen to the word. (wait for a one second pause after)
2) Say the word with me.
3) Say the sentence with me.

Are you ready?

26. gorgeous (allow a pause and then repeat with me)
The bride looked gorgeous on her wedding day.

27. thoroughly
I thoroughly enjoyed this week’s English class.

28. daughter
My daughter asked if she could have a friend over for a playdate.

29. challenge
I invite all English learners to take my monthly writing challenge.

30. enhance
You will enhance your vocabulary by reading the news.

31. variety
It is important to use sentence variety in your TOEFL essay.

32. influence
Celebrities influence how young people act and dress.

33. effect
The new company policy will take effect next month.

34. whistle
My grandfather taught me how to whistle when I was a child.

35. throughout
Racism has been a global issue throughout history.

36. adjective
What adjective would you use to describe EnglishClub.com?

37. island
Victoria is located on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

38. appliance
The washing machine is one appliance that many people could not live without.

39. shrimp
Spaghetti with shrimp is a meal my husband often cooks for dinner.

40. refrigerator
Another appliance that is considered a necessity is the refrigerator.

41. scissors
Left handed people require a special type of scissors.

42. cough
During the flu season, the students are taught to cough in their sleeves.

43. though
I am getting hungry. I can wait a little longer for dinner, though.

44. through
Our friends are going through a difficult divorce.

45. praise
Offering generic praise like “good job” is not enough to motivate a child.

46. free
Do you agree that the best things in life are free?

47. trade
We want to trade our car in for a minivan.

48. vocabulary
Expand your vocabulary by reading blogs when you are online.

49. psychologist
A psychologist told me that I need to learn how to relax.

50.genuine
The collector said our piece was a genuine antique.

Pronunciation note: I have a Canadian accent. Though Canadian spelling usually sides with British English, Canadian pronunciation is closer to the American accent. Your teacher may have a different accent, such as a British or Australian one.

Thanks again to all of the readers of ESL Magazine who helped create this second list. Share your own difficult words in the comments below. Add an example sentence and we may use it in an upcoming audio post.

Full list of words from this list:

1. abject

   of the most contemptible kind

2. aberration

   a state or condition markedly different from the norm

3. abjure

   formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief

4. abnegation

   the denial and rejection of a doctrine or belief

5. abrogate

   revoke formally

6. abscond

   run away, often taking something or somebody along

7. abstruse

   difficult to understand

8. accede

   yield to another’s wish or opinion

9. accost

   approach and speak to someone aggressively or insistently

10. accretion

    an increase by natural growth or addition

11. acumen

    shrewdness shown by keen insight

12. adamant

    impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason

13. admonish

    scold or reprimand; take to task

14. adumbrate

    describe roughly or give the main points or summary of

15. adverse

    in an opposing direction

16. advocate

    a person who pleads for a person, cause, or idea

17. affluent

    having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value

18. aggrandize

    embellish; increase the scope, power, or importance of

19. alacrity

    liveliness and eagerness

20. alias

    a name that has been assumed temporarily

21. ambivalent

    uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow

22. amenable

    disposed or willing to comply

23. amorphous

    having no definite form or distinct shape

24. anachronistic

    chronologically misplaced

25. anathema

    a formal ecclesiastical curse accompanied by excommunication

26. annex

    attach to

27. antediluvian

    of or relating to the period before the biblical flood

28. antiseptic

    thoroughly clean and free of disease-causing organisms

29. apathetic

    showing little or no emotion or animation

30. antithesis

    exact opposite

31. apocryphal

    being of questionable authenticity

32. approbation

    official acceptance or agreement

33. arbitrary

    based on or subject to individual discretion or preference

34. arboreal

    of or relating to or formed by trees

35. arcane

    requiring secret or mysterious knowledge

36. archetypal

    of an original pattern on which other things are modeled

37. arrogate

    seize and take control without authority

38. ascetic

    someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline

39. aspersion

    a disparaging remark

40. assiduous

    marked by care and persistent effort

41. atrophy

    a decrease in size of an organ caused by disease or disuse

42. bane

    something causing misery or death

43. bashful

    self-consciously timid

44. beguile

    influence by slyness

45. bereft

    lacking or deprived of something

46. blandishment

    flattery intended to persuade

47. bilk

    cheat somebody out of what is due, especially money

48. bombastic

    ostentatiously lofty in style

49. cajole

    influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering

50. callous

    emotionally hardened

51. calumny

    a false accusation of an offense

52. camaraderie

    the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability

53. candor

    the quality of being honest and straightforward

54. capitulate

    surrender under agreed conditions

55. carouse

    engage in boisterous, drunken merrymaking

56. carp

    any of various freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae

57. caucus

    meet to select a candidate or promote a policy

58. cavort

    play boisterously

59. circumlocution

    an indirect way of expressing something

60. circumscribe

    draw a geometric figure around another figure

61. circumvent

    surround so as to force to give up

62. clamor

    utter or proclaim insistently and noisily

63. cleave

    separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument

64. cobbler

    a person who makes or repairs shoes

65. cogent

    powerfully persuasive

66. cognizant

    having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization

67. commensurate

    corresponding in size or degree or extent

68. complement

    something added to embellish or make perfect

69. compunction

    a feeling of deep regret, usually for some misdeed

70. concomitant

    following or accompanying as a consequence

71. conduit

    a passage through which water or electric wires can pass

72. conflagration

    a very intense and uncontrolled fire

73. congruity

    the quality of agreeing; being suitable and appropriate

74. connive

    form intrigues (for) in an underhand manner

75. consign

    give over to another for care or safekeeping

76. constituent

    one of the individual parts making up a composite entity

77. construe

    make sense of; assign a meaning to

78. contusion

    an injury in which the skin is not broken

79. contrite

    feeling or expressing pain or sorrow

80. contentious

    showing an inclination to disagree

81. contravene

    go against, as of rules and laws

82. convivial

    occupied with or fond of the pleasures of good company

83. corpulence

    the property of excessive fatness

84. covet

    wish, long, or crave for

85. cupidity

    extreme greed for material wealth

86. dearth

    an insufficient quantity or number

87. debacle

    a sudden and complete disaster

88. debauch

    a wild gathering

89. debunk

    expose while ridiculing

90. defunct

    no longer in force or use; inactive

91. demagogue

    a leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions

92. denigrate

    attack the good name and reputation of someone

93. derivative

    a compound obtained from another compound

94. despot

    a cruel and oppressive dictator

95. diaphanous

    so thin as to transmit light

96. didactic

    instructive, especially excessively

97. dirge

    a song or hymn of mourning as a memorial to a dead person

98. disaffected

    discontented as toward authority

99. discomfit

    cause to lose one’s composure

100. disparate

     fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind

101. dispel

     cause to separate and go in different directions

102. disrepute

     the state of being held in low esteem

103. divisive

     causing or characterized by disagreement or disunity

104. dogmatic

     pertaining to a code of beliefs accepted as authoritative

105. dour

     showing a brooding ill humor

106. duplicity

     the act of deceiving or acting in bad faith

107. duress

     compulsory force or threat

108. eclectic

     selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas

109. edict

     a formal or authoritative proclamation

110. ebullient

     joyously unrestrained

111. egregious

     conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible

112. elegy

     a mournful poem; a lament for the dead

113. elicit

     call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response

114. embezzlement

     the fraudulent appropriation of funds or property

115. emend

     make corrections to

116. emollient

     a substance with a soothing effect when applied to the skin

117. empirical

     derived from experiment and observation rather than theory

118. emulate

     strive to equal or match, especially by imitating

119. enervate

     weaken physically, mentally, or morally

120. enfranchise

     grant freedom to, as from slavery or servitude

121. engender

     call forth

122. ephemeral

     anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day

123. epistolary

     written in the form of letters or correspondence

124. equanimity

     steadiness of mind under stress

125. equivocal

     open to two or more interpretations

126. espouse

     choose and follow a theory, idea, policy, etc.

127. evanescent

     short-lived; tending to vanish or disappear

128. evince

     give expression to

129. exacerbate

     make worse

130. exhort

     spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts

131. execrable

     unequivocally detestable

132. exigent

     demanding immediate attention

133. expedient

     appropriate to a purpose

134. expiate

     make amends for

135. expunge

     remove by erasing or crossing out or as if by drawing a line

136. extraneous

     not belonging to that in which it is contained

137. extol

     praise, glorify, or honor

138. extant

     still in existence; not extinct or destroyed or lost

139. expurgate

     edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate

140. fallacious

     containing or based on incorrect reasoning

141. fatuous

     devoid of intelligence

142. fetter

     a shackle for the ankles or feet

143. flagrant

     conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible

144. foil

     hinder or prevent, as an effort, plan, or desire

145. forbearance

     good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence

146. fortuitous

     lucky; occurring by happy chance

147. fractious

     easily irritated or annoyed

148. garrulous

     full of trivial conversation

149. gourmand

     a person who is devoted to eating and drinking to excess

150. grandiloquent

     lofty in style

151. gratuitous

     unnecessary and unwarranted

152. hapless

     unfortunate and deserving pity

153. hegemony

     the dominance or leadership of one social group over others

154. heterogenous

     consisting of elements that are not of the same kind

155. iconoclast

     someone who attacks cherished ideas or institutions

156. idiosyncratic

     peculiar to the individual

157. impecunious

     not having enough money to pay for necessities

158. impetuous

     characterized by undue haste and lack of thought

159. impinge

     infringe upon

160. impute

     attribute or credit to

161. inane

     devoid of intelligence

162. inchoate

     only partly in existence; imperfectly formed

163. incontrovertible

     impossible to deny or disprove

164. incumbent

     necessary as a duty or responsibility; morally binding

165. inexorable

     impossible to prevent, resist, or stop

166. inimical

     tending to obstruct or cause harm

167. injunction

     a judicial remedy to prohibit a party from doing something

168. inoculate

     inject or treat with the germ of a disease to render immune

169. insidious

     working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way

170. instigate

     provoke or stir up

171. insurgent

     in opposition to a civil authority or government

172. interlocutor

     a person who takes part in a conversation

173. intimation

     a slight suggestion or vague understanding

174. inure

     cause to accept or become hardened to

175. invective

     abusive language used to express blame or censure

176. intransigent

     impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason

177. inveterate

     habitual

178. irreverence

     a mental attitude showing lack of due respect

179. knell

     the sound of a bell rung slowly to announce a death

180. laconic

     brief and to the point

181. largesse

     liberality in bestowing gifts

182. legerdemain

     an illusory feat

183. libertarian

     an advocate of freedom of thought and speech

184. licentious

     lacking moral discipline

185. linchpin

     a central cohesive source of support and stability

186. litigant

     a party to a lawsuit

187. maelstrom

     a powerful circular current of water

188. maudlin

     very sentimental or emotional

189. maverick

     someone who exhibits independence in thought and action

190. mawkish

     very sentimental or emotional

191. maxim

     a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits

192. mendacious

     given to lying

193. modicum

     a small or moderate or token amount

194. morass

     a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot

195. mores

     the conventions embodying the fundamental values of a group

196. munificent

     very generous

197. multifarious

     having many aspects

198. nadir

     the lowest point of anything

199. negligent

     characterized by undue lack of attention or concern

200. neophyte

     a participant with no experience with an activity

201. noisome

     offensively malodorous

202. noxious

     injurious to physical or mental health

203. obdurate

     stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing

204. obfuscate

     make obscure or unclear

205. obstreperous

     noisily and stubbornly defiant

206. officious

     intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner

207. onerous

     burdensome or difficult to endure

208. ostensible

     appearing as such but not necessarily so

209. ostracism

     the act of excluding someone from society by general consent

210. palliate

     lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of

211. panacea

     hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases

212. paradigm

     a standard or typical example

213. pariah

     a person who is rejected from society or home

214. partisan

     a fervent and even militant proponent of something

215. paucity

     an insufficient quantity or number

216. pejorative

     expressing disapproval

217. pellucid

     transparently clear; easily understandable

218. penchant

     a strong liking or preference

219. penurious

     excessively unwilling to spend

220. pert

     characterized by a lightly saucy or impudent quality

221. pernicious

     exceedingly harmful

222. pertinacious

     stubbornly unyielding

223. phlegmatic

     showing little emotion

224. philanthropic

     of or relating to charitable giving

225. pithy

     concise and full of meaning

226. platitude

     a trite or obvious remark

227. plaudit

     enthusiastic approval

228. plenitude

     a full supply

229. plethora

     extreme excess

230. portent

     a sign of something about to happen

231. potentate

     a powerful ruler, especially one who is unconstrained by law

232. preclude

     make impossible, especially beforehand

233. predilection

     a predisposition in favor of something

234. preponderance

     exceeding in heaviness; having greater weight

235. presage

     a foreboding about what is about to happen

236. probity

     complete and confirmed integrity

237. proclivity

     a natural inclination

238. profligate

     unrestrained by convention or morality

239. promulgate

     state or announce

240. proscribe

     command against

241. protean

     taking on different forms

242. prurient

     characterized by lust

243. puerile

     displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity

244. pugnacious

     ready and able to resort to force or violence

245. pulchritude

     physical beauty, especially of a woman

246. punctilious

     marked by precise accordance with details

247. quaint

     attractively old-fashioned

248. quixotic

     not sensible about practical matters

249. quandary

     state of uncertainty in a choice between unfavorable options

250. recalcitrant

     stubbornly resistant to authority or control

251. redoubtable

     inspiring fear

252. relegate

     assign to a lower position

253. remiss

     failing in what duty requires

254. reprieve

     postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal

255. reprobate

     a person without moral scruples

256. rescind

     cancel officially

257. requisition

     an authoritative demand

258. rife

     excessively abundant

259. sanctimonious

     excessively or hypocritically pious

260. sanguine

     confidently optimistic and cheerful

261. scurrilous

     expressing offensive, insulting, or scandalous criticism

262. semaphore

     an apparatus for visual signaling

263. serendipity

     good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries

264. sobriety

     the state of being unaffected or not intoxicated by alcohol

265. solicitous

     full of anxiety and concern

266. solipsism

     the philosophical theory that the self is all that exists

267. spurious

     plausible but false

268. staid

     characterized by dignity and propriety

269. stolid

     having or revealing little emotion or sensibility

270. subjugate

     make subservient; force to submit or subdue

271. surfeit

     indulge (one’s appetite) to satiety

272. surreptitious

     marked by quiet and caution and secrecy

273. swarthy

     naturally having skin of a dark color

274. tangential

     of superficial relevance if any

275. tome

     a large and scholarly book

276. toady

     a person who tries to please someone to gain an advantage

277. torpid

     in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation

278. travesty

     a composition that imitates or misrepresents a style

279. trenchant

     having keenness and forcefulness and penetration in thought

280. trite

     repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse

281. truculent

     defiantly aggressive

282. turpitude

     a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice

283. ubiquitous

     being present everywhere at once

284. umbrage

     a feeling of anger caused by being offended

285. upbraid

     express criticism towards

286. utilitarian

     having a useful function

287. veracity

     unwillingness to tell lies

288. vestige

     an indication that something has been present

289. vicissitude

     a variation in circumstances or fortune

290. vilify

     spread negative information about

291. virtuoso

     someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field

292. vitriolic

     harsh, bitter, or malicious in tone

293. vituperate

     spread negative information about

294. vociferous

     conspicuously and offensively loud

295. wanton

     a lewd or immoral person

296. winsome

     charming in a childlike or naive way

297. yoke

     join with stable gear, as two draft animals

298. zephyr

     a slight wind

299. wily

     marked by skill in deception

300. tirade

     a speech of violent denunciation

Created on September 30, 2012
(updated August 18, 2021)

Pronunciation is important. If you speak clearly, people understand what you’re saying, which is the aim of communication. Difficult words exist in every language. Of course, when you’re first learning a foreign language, all words seem to fit this description. To help you overcome your fear of difficult Russian words, we’ve prepared a list of words that Russian students and native speakers alike find challenging. To learn how to pronounce words like these, learn Russian with our tutors who will help you achieve perfect pronunciation.

3 Russian Words with Complicated Consonants

Do you still have trouble pronouncing the word “здравствуйте” (zdravstvuite), one of the Russian ways of saying hello? Don’t blame yourself: this difficult word contains eight consonants, some of which follow each other. Here are more words that may be difficult for you to pronounce:

• соответственно (sootvetstvenno) – accordingly

• свидетельствовать (svidetel’stvovat’) – to testify

• среднестатистический (srednestatisticheskii) – average

To make pronunciation easier, try to spell out the words.

4 Russian Words that Contain “ы”

Non-native Russian speakers struggle to pronounce words that contain “ы,” as it has no analogue in English. Try these four words:

• пыль (pyl’) – dust

• сыр (syr) – cheese

• мышь (mysh’) – mouse

• бык (byk) – bull

These words are short and don’t have many consonants, but people still struggle with them. If you’re among those who confuse “ы” with “и,” now’s the time to learn the correct pronunciation.

5 Russian Words with “ш” and “щ”

The letter “ш” sounds like a snake’s hiss, while “щ” is a combination of “ш” and “ч.” These letters usually cause a lot of trouble, and what’s worse, sometimes they’re used together.

• шифровальщик (shifroval’shchik) – cipher officer

• соответствующий (sootvetstvuiushchii) – relevant

• защищать (zashchishchat’) – to defend

• подшипник (podshipnik) – ball bearing

• штукатурка (stukaturka) – plaster

4 Difficult Russian Place Names

If you ever travel to Russia and get lost, be ready to pronounce strange place names:

• Улица Кржижановского – ulitsa Krzhizhanovskogo – Krzhizhanovskogo Street

• Площадь 1905 года – Ploshad’ tysyacha devyat’sot pyatogo goda – 1905 Square

• Станция Краснопресненская – stantsiya Krasnopresnenskaya – Krasnopresnenskaya Station

• Улица Фрунзенская – ulitsa Frunzenskaya – Frunzenskaya Street

Streets in Russia often bear the names of famous people. For example, Gleb Krzhizhanovskii was a Soviet scientist, and Michail Frunze was a Red Army commander in the Russian Civil War. Both 1905 Square and Krasnopresnenskaya Station are named in honor of the Russian Revolution of 1905.

8 More Difficult Russian Words

For additional practice, learn how to pronounce these eight words:

• достопримечательность (dostoprimechatel’nost’) – tourist attraction

• квалификационный (kvalifikatsionnyi) – qualifying

• неодушевленность (neodushevlyonnost’) – inanimation

• ввод (vvod) – enter

• флуоресцентный (fluorestsentnyi) – fluorescent

• жаворонок (zhàvoronok) – early riser

• спровоцировать (sprovotsirovat’) – provoke

• используемый (ispol’zuemyi) – used

Learn How to Pronounce Difficult Russian Words

This list is by no means exhaustive, but they’re a good start if you want to improve your pronunciation. If you’re eager to overcome the challenges of Russian, master your Russian pronunciation by working with a tutor.