Wordbay · Well-read
Words for well-read adults
Words for confident readers: the kind you meet in a good newspaper or novel and may understand from context without being sure you could define them.
Each word below is shown with its respelling (the capitals are the stressed syllables), grouped by its main topic. In Wordbay, Well-read words come with Wordbay Pro; the Word of the day is free whatever its level, and every word’s page here is free to read. Other levels: Everyday and Advanced.
Emotions
- aghast uh-GAHST
- apoplectic AP-uh-PLEK-tik
- chagrin SHAG-rin
- compunction kum-PUNK-shun
- contrite kun-TRYT
- crestfallen KREST-faw-lun
- disconsolate dis-KON-suh-lut
- ebullient ih-BUL-ee-unt
- maudlin MAWD-lin
- pique PEEK
- rancour RANG-kuh
- rapture RAP-chuh
- rueful ROO-ful
- sanguine SANG-gwin
- umbrage UM-brij
- wistful WIST-ful
- woebegone WOH-bih-gon
Character
- callow KAL-oh
- capricious kuh-PRISH-us
- churlish CHUR-lish
- diffident DIF-ih-dunt
- dour DOOR
- fastidious fa-STID-ee-us
- feckless FEK-lus
- imperious im-PEER-ee-us
- intransigent in-TRAN-sih-junt
- irascible ih-RAS-ih-bul
- magnanimous mag-NAN-ih-mus
- mercurial mur-KYOOR-ee-ul
- obsequious ub-SEE-kwee-us
- officious uh-FISH-us
- punctilious punk-TIL-ee-us
- supercilious SOO-puh-SIL-ee-us
- truculent TRUK-yuh-lunt
Arguing & persuading
- ad hominem ad HOM-ih-nem
- blandishment BLAN-dish-ment
- casuistry KAZ-yoo-iss-tree
- cavil KAV-ul
- exhort ig-ZORT
- gainsay gayn-SAY
- harangue huh-RANG
- inveigle in-VAY-gul
- polemic puh-LEM-ik
- proselytise PROSS-uh-lih-tize
- red herring red HERR-ing
- rejoinder rih-JOIN-der
- remonstrate REM-un-strayt
- sophistry SOF-iss-tree
- specious SPEE-shus
- tendentious ten-DEN-shus
- wheedle WEE-dul
Work & business
- blackleg BLAK-leg
- busman’s holiday BUS-munz HOL-ih-day
- drudgery DRUJ-uh-ree
- emeritus ih-MER-ih-tus
- factotum fak-TOH-tum
- functionary FUNK-shuh-nuh-ree
- journeyman JUR-nee-mun
- malingerer muh-LING-guh-ruh
- menial MEE-nee-ul
- perfunctory puh-FUNK-tuh-ree
- perquisite PUR-kwih-zit
- presenteeism prez-un-TEE-iz-um
- purview PUR-vyoo
- secondment sih-KOND-munt
- sinecure SY-nih-kyoor
- superannuated soo-puh-RAN-yoo-ay-tid
- workmanlike WURK-mun-lyke
Money
- arrears uh-REERZ
- cheese-paring CHEEZ-pair-ing
- defray dih-FRAY
- fungible FUN-jih-bul
- honorarium on-uh-RAIR-ee-um
- impecunious im-pih-KYOO-nee-us
- indigent IN-dih-junt
- largesse lah-ZHESS
- lucre LOO-kuh
- moneyed MUN-eed
- munificent myoo-NIF-ih-sunt
- parsimonious par-sih-MOH-nee-us
- penury PEN-yoo-ree
- pittance PIT-unss
- profligate PROF-lih-gut
- spendthrift SPEND-thrift
- usury YOO-zhuh-ree
Politics & society
- autocracy aw-TOK-ruh-see
- cronyism KROH-nee-iz-um
- demagogue DEM-uh-gog
- disenfranchise dis-in-FRAN-chyze
- egalitarian ih-gal-ih-TAIR-ee-un
- gerrymander JERR-ee-man-duh
- hegemony hih-JEM-uh-nee
- hustings HUSS-tingz
- jingoism JING-goh-iz-um
- meritocracy merr-ih-TOK-ruh-see
- oligarchy OL-ih-gar-kee
- plutocracy ploo-TOK-ruh-see
- populism POP-yuh-liz-um
- sectarian sek-TAIR-ee-un
- suffrage SUF-rij
- technocrat TEK-nuh-krat
- theocracy thee-OK-ruh-see
Science & thinking
- asymptote AS-im-toht
- confound kun-FOWND
- corollary kuh-ROL-uh-ree
- emergent ih-MUR-junt
- entropy EN-truh-pee
- equilibrium ee-kwih-LIB-ree-um
- falsifiable FAWL-sih-fy-uh-bul
- heterogeneous het-uh-roh-JEE-nee-us
- heuristic hyoo-RIS-tik
- latent LAY-tunt
- orthogonal or-THOG-uh-nul
- paradigm PARR-uh-dyme
- parsimony PAR-sih-muh-nee
- precipitate prih-SIP-ih-tayt
- stochastic stuh-KAS-tik
- taxonomy tak-SON-uh-mee
- viscous VIS-kus
Nature & weather
Body & health
- anaemic uh-NEE-mik
- atrophy AT-ruh-fee
- convalesce kon-vuh-LESS
- emaciated ih-MAY-see-ay-tid
- hale HAYL
- homeostasis hoh-mee-oh-STAY-sis
- lassitude LAS-ih-tyood
- lissom LISS-um
- palliative PAL-ee-uh-tiv
- pallid PAL-id
- panacea pan-uh-SEE-uh
- prophylactic prof-ih-LAK-tik
- salubrious suh-LOO-bree-us
- sinewy SIN-yoo-ee
- somnolent SOM-nuh-lunt
- soporific sop-uh-RIF-ik
- tactile TAK-tyle
Food & drink
- abstemious ub-STEE-mee-us
- ambrosial am-BROH-zee-ul
- bibulous BIB-yuh-lus
- carouse kuh-ROWZ
- comestible kuh-MES-tih-bul
- epicure EP-ih-kyoor
- gastronomy gas-TRON-uh-mee
- gourmand GOOR-mund
- imbibe im-BYB
- libation ly-BAY-shun
- provender PROV-in-duh
- repast rih-PAHST
- satiate SAY-shee-ayt
- slake SLAYK
- sumptuous SUMP-choo-us
- toothsome TOOTH-sum
- victuals VIT-ulz
Art & music
- bravura bruh-VYOOR-uh
- cacophony kuh-KOF-uh-nee
- chiaroscuro kee-ar-uh-SKOOR-oh
- coda KOH-duh
- cognoscenti kon-yuh-SHEN-tee
- impasto im-PASS-toh
- kitsch KITCH
- leitmotif LYTE-moh-teef
- oeuvre UR-vruh
- pastiche pass-TEESH
- patina PAT-ih-nuh
- provenance PROV-uh-nunss
- rococo ruh-KOH-koh
- sonorous SON-uh-russ
- staccato stuh-KAH-toh
- timbre TAM-buh
- triptych TRIP-tik
Books & writing
- allegory AL-ih-guh-ree
- antihero AN-tee-heer-oh
- bibliophile BIB-lee-uh-fyle
- bildungsroman BIL-doongz-roh-mahn
- bowdlerise BOWD-luh-ryze
- denouement day-NOO-mon
- deus ex machina day-us eks MAK-ih-nuh
- elegy EL-ih-jee
- epigraph EP-ih-grahf
- epistolary ih-PIS-tuh-luh-ree
- hagiography hag-ee-OG-ruh-fee
- juvenilia joo-vuh-NIL-ee-uh
- marginalia mar-jih-NAY-lee-uh
- picaresque pik-uh-RESK
- purple prose pur-pul PROHZ
- roman à clef roh-mon ah KLAY
- verisimilitude verr-ih-sih-MIL-ih-tyood
Time
- anachronism uh-NAK-ruh-niz-um
- antediluvian an-tee-dih-LOO-vee-un
- circadian sur-KAY-dee-un
- ephemeral ih-FEM-uh-rul
- epoch EE-pok
- erstwhile URST-wyle
- evanescent ev-uh-NESS-unt
- halcyon HAL-see-un
- hitherto hith-uh-TOO
- immemorial im-ih-MOR-ee-ul
- incipient in-SIP-ee-unt
- moribund MORR-ih-bund
- nascent NAS-unt
- perpetuity pur-pih-TYOO-ih-tee
- precursor prih-KUR-suh
- primordial pry-MOR-dee-ul
- vestigial ve-STIJ-ee-ul
Talking & language
- argot AR-goh
- bombast BOM-bast
- circumlocution sur-kum-luh-KYOO-shun
- equivocate ih-KWIV-uh-kayt
- laconic luh-KON-ik
- loquacious luh-KWAY-shus
- malapropism MAL-uh-prop-iz-um
- mellifluous meh-LIF-loo-us
- neologism nee-OL-uh-jiz-um
- obfuscate OB-fuss-kayt
- patois PAT-wah
- pithy PITH-ee
- platitude PLAT-ih-tyood
- prevaricate prih-VARR-ih-kayt
- solecism SOL-ih-siz-um
- vociferous vuh-SIF-uh-rus
- voluble VOL-yoo-bul
Law & order
- abeyance uh-BAY-unss
- abscond ub-SKOND
- arraign uh-RAYN
- codicil KOH-dih-sil
- collusion kuh-LOO-zhun
- dereliction der-ih-LIK-shun
- exculpate EK-skul-payt
- impunity im-PYOO-nih-tee
- indemnity in-DEM-nih-tee
- litigious lih-TIJ-us
- malfeasance mal-FEE-zunss
- probate PROH-bayt
- recidivist rih-SID-ih-vist
- recuse rih-KYOOZ
- scofflaw SKOF-law
- sequester sih-KWES-tuh
- subpoena suh-PEE-nuh
Travel & places
- antipodean an-tip-uh-DEE-un
- archipelago ah-kih-PEL-uh-goh
- bivouac BIV-oo-ak
- circumnavigate sur-kum-NAV-ih-gayt
- cosmopolitan koz-muh-POL-ih-tun
- environs in-VY-runz
- hostelry HOS-tul-ree
- insular IN-syuh-luh
- itinerant eye-TIN-uh-runt
- meander mee-AN-duh
- perambulate puh-RAM-byuh-layt
- peripatetic per-ih-puh-TET-ik
- sequestered sih-KWES-tud
- topography tuh-POG-ruh-fee
- traverse truh-VURS
- vagabond VAG-uh-bond
- wayfarer WAY-fair-uh
Love & friendship
- amity AM-ih-tee
- amorous AM-uh-rus
- betrothed bih-TROHTHD
- companionable kum-PAN-yuh-nuh-bul
- conjugal KON-juh-gul
- convivial kun-VIV-ee-ul
- coquettish ko-KET-ish
- cordial KOR-dee-ul
- dalliance DAL-ee-unss
- doting DOH-ting
- enamoured ih-NAM-urd
- fidelity fih-DEL-ih-tee
- lovelorn LUV-lorn
- paramour PARR-uh-moor
- philander fih-LAN-duh
- solicitous suh-LIS-ih-tus
- tryst TRIST
Humour & insults
Philosophy & belief
- apostate uh-POS-tayt
- ascetic uh-SET-ik
- determinism dih-TUR-mih-niz-um
- dualism DYOO-uh-liz-um
- empiricism em-PIRR-ih-siz-um
- epistemology ih-pis-tih-MOL-uh-jee
- hedonism HEE-duh-niz-um
- nihilism NY-ih-liz-um
- ontology on-TOL-uh-jee
- pantheism PAN-thee-iz-um
- providence PROV-ih-dunss
- relativism REL-uh-tiv-iz-um
- sacrilege SAK-rih-lij
- solipsism SOL-ip-siz-um
- stoicism STOH-ih-siz-um
- transcendent tran-SEN-dunt
- utilitarian yoo-til-ih-TAIR-ee-un
Old & rare words
- bumbershoot BUM-buh-shoot
- cattywampus kat-ee-WOM-puss
- collywobbles KOL-ee-wob-ulz
- fain FAYN
- flapdoodle FLAP-doo-dul
- flibbertigibbet flib-ur-tee-JIB-it
- gallimaufry gal-ih-MAW-free
- hornswoggle HORN-swog-ul
- hugger-mugger HUG-uh-mug-uh
- jollification jol-ih-fih-KAY-shun
- mayhap MAY-hap
- panjandrum pan-JAN-drum
- quidnunc KWID-nunk
- tatterdemalion tat-uh-duh-MAY-lee-un
- widdershins WID-ur-shinz
- wiseacre WYZE-ay-kuh
- zounds ZOWNDZ
Borrowed words
- bête noire bet NWAH
- cause célèbre kawz suh-LEB-ruh
- éminence grise em-ee-nonss GREEZ
- enfant terrible on-fon teh-REE-bluh
- ersatz AIR-zats
- fernweh FAIRN-vay
- flâneur flah-NUR
- frisson FREE-son
- joie de vivre zhwah duh VEE-vruh
- kismet KIZ-met
- kvetch KVETCH
- mensch MENSH
- sangfroid son-FRWAH
- schmaltz SHMAWLTS
- wabi-sabi wah-bee-SAH-bee
- weltschmerz VELT-shmairts
- wunderkind VOON-duh-kint
Words you didn’t know
- armscye ARMZ-eye
- callipygian kal-ih-PIJ-ee-un
- crapulence KRAP-yoo-lunss
- dottle DOT-ul
- escutcheon ih-SKUTCH-un
- furcula FUR-kyoo-luh
- griffonage GRIF-uh-nij
- kerf KURF
- lemniscate lem-NIS-kut
- lethologica leth-uh-LOJ-ih-kuh
- muntin MUN-tin
- octothorpe OK-tuh-thorp
- pandiculation pan-dik-yoo-LAY-shun
- pilcrow PIL-kroh
- purlicue PUR-lih-kyoo
- ullage UL-ij
- zarf ZARF
Commonly confused
- adverse AD-vurss
- allude uh-LOOD
- appraise uh-PRAYZ
- apprise uh-PRIZE
- averse uh-VURSS
- censure SEN-shuh
- continual kun-TIN-yoo-ul
- continuous kun-TIN-yoo-us
- elude ih-LOOD
- eminent EM-ih-nunt
- imminent IM-ih-nunt
- ingenious in-JEE-nee-us
- ingenuous in-JEN-yoo-us
- militate MIL-ih-tayt
- mitigate MIT-ih-gayt
- prescribe prih-SKRIBE
- proscribe pruh-SKRIBE
Often misused
- beg the question BEG thuh KWES-chun
- cohort KOH-hort
- comprise kum-PRIZE
- electrocute ih-LEK-truh-kyoot
- enervate EN-uh-vayt
- fulsome FUUL-sum
- hoi polloi hoy puh-LOY
- home in hohm IN
- moot MOOT
- noisome NOY-sum
- pristine PRIS-teen
- refute rih-FYOOT
- restive RES-tiv
- reticent RET-ih-sunt
- simplistic sim-PLIS-tik
- travesty TRAV-uh-stee
- viable VY-uh-bul