🔤 Vocabulary Bank
Build your English vocabulary — one word at a time.
1214 words found — page 17 of 26
performance
Intermediate
/pərˈfɔːrməns/
The quality of work or results someone achieves in their job.
"Your performance this quarter has been excellent."
performance review
Intermediate
/pərˈfɔːrməns rɪˈvjuː/
A meeting where your manager discusses your work quality and progress
"I have my annual performance review next week, and I'm a bit nervous about it."
permission
Elementary
/pərˈmɪʃən/
When someone allows you to do something
"Do I have your permission to leave early?"
Persevere
Intermediate
/ˌpɜːsɪˈvɪə/
To continue doing something despite difficulty.
""You must persevere if you want to learn a new language.""
perspective
Upper Intermediate
/pərˈspektɪv/
A particular way of viewing things based on experience and attitude
"From an environmental perspective, the factory's expansion poses significant concerns."
persuasive
Intermediate
/pərˈsweɪsɪv/
Designed to convince someone to believe or do something.
"Travel guides use persuasive language to make destinations sound amazing."
persuasive technique
Upper Intermediate
/pərˈsweɪsɪv tekˈniːk/
A method or strategy used in writing to convince or influence readers to accept a particular viewpoint
"The author employed several persuasive techniques, including emotional appeals and expert testimony, to support her argument."
persuasive (writing)
Upper Intermediate
/pərˈsuːsɪv/
Effective at convincing someone to believe or do something
"Use persuasive language and logical reasoning throughout your essay."
phenomenological
Advanced
/fɛnɒmɪnəˈlɒdʒɪkəl/
Focused on subjective human experience and perception rather than objective facts
"The phenomenological approach to reading emphasizes the reader's lived experience and emotional response to the text."
phrasal verb
Intermediate
/ˈfreɪzəl vɜːrb/
A verb combined with a preposition or adverb that has a meaning different from the individual words
"The phrasal verb 'put up with' means to tolerate something unpleasant."
pick out
Elementary
/pɪk aʊt/
To notice and identify something specific among other things.
"Can you pick out the main idea from this conversation?"
picturesque
Intermediate
/ˌpɪktʃəˈresk/
Visually attractive, especially in an old-fashioned or rural way; like a picture
"The picturesque harbor filled with fishing boats made it the perfect place for photos."
piece of cake
Upper Intermediate
/piːs əv keɪk/
Something that is very easy to do
"The exam was a piece of cake; I finished it in half the time."
pinch
Elementary
/pɪntʃ/
A very small amount of something, about what you can hold between your fingers
"Add a pinch of salt — just a little bit!"
plateau
Intermediate
/pləˈtoʊ/
A level that stays stable without increasing or decreasing
"After rapid growth, the company's profits plateaued at $2 million monthly."
platform
Elementary
/ˈplætfɔːm/
The area where passengers wait to board a train or bus
"Excuse me, which platform does the London train leave from?"
play
Elementary
/pleɪ/
To take part in a game or sport, usually against others.
"Do you want to play football this weekend with us?"
play (a sport)
Elementary
/pleɪ/
To take part in a sport or game against others or for exercise
"I play football with my friends on Sundays."
pleased to meet you
Beginner
/pliːzd tə miːt juː/
A polite way to say you're happy to meet someone new
"When she introduced herself, I said, 'Pleased to meet you!'"
plot
Intermediate
/plɒt/
The main story or sequence of events in a book, film, or play.
"The plot of this mystery novel kept me guessing until the final chapter."
plot hole
Intermediate
/ˈplɑːt hoʊl/
A gap or inconsistency in a story that doesn't make logical sense.
"There's a huge plot hole: the character is in Paris in chapter 3 but in London in chapter 4 with no explanation."
plot twist
Intermediate
/plɒt twɪst/
An unexpected turn in the story that changes what you thought would happen
"The movie had a brilliant plot twist—the villain was actually the hero's brother!"
plummet
Intermediate
/ˈplʌm.ɪt/
To fall suddenly and rapidly; to drop sharply.
"Profits plummeted after the company announced the product recall."
plural
Intermediate
/ˈplʊrəl/
Referring to more than one person or thing; the form of a noun used when talking about multiple items
"The plural form of the word cat is cats."
polarize
Upper Intermediate
/ˈpoʊlərɑɪz/
To divide people into two opposite groups with very different opinions
"The debate on climate change tends to polarize audiences into believers and skeptics."
polemical
Advanced
/pəˈlɛmɪkəl/
Involving heated debate or strong criticism; argumentative in nature
"The historian's polemical interpretation of these events sparked significant academic controversy."
policy
Upper Intermediate
/ˈpɒlɪsi/
An official plan or set of rules for doing something
"The company's strict attendance policy means employees must be on time every day."
polysemy
Advanced
/pɒlɪˈsiːmi/
When one word has multiple related meanings derived from the same source
"The word 'book' shows polysemy: it can mean the physical object, the act of reserving, or a record."
portfolio
Upper Intermediate
/pɔːtˈfoʊliəʊ/
A collection of different investments held by a person or company
"She diversified her portfolio by investing in stocks, bonds, and real estate."
position
Elementary
/pəˈzɪʃən/
A job or role in a company
"The position requires two years of experience in marketing."
possessive adjective
Beginner
/pəˈzɛsɪv ˈædʒɪktɪv/
A word that shows who owns or is connected to something (my, your, his, her).
"The possessive adjective 'my' tells us that the bag belongs to me."
possibility
Intermediate
/ˌpɒsəˈbɪləti/
The chance that something could happen or be true; something that might occur
"There is a possibility that the store might close early."
postcard
Elementary
/ˈpəʊst.kɑːrd/
A short message sent while traveling, usually about a vacation or trip.
"I received a postcard from my friend in Italy with beautiful photos."
postcode
Beginner
/ˈpəʊstkəʊd/
A code of letters and numbers showing where you live (British English; ZIP code in US)
"What's your postcode for delivery?"
postcolonial
Advanced
/pəʊstˈkɒlənɪəl/
Related to literature, theory, or culture that addresses the aftermath and legacy of colonial rule
"Postcolonial critics examine how *Heart of Darkness* both critiques and reinforces colonial stereotypes."
pour
Elementary
/pɔːr/
To let liquid flow from one container into another
"Pour the milk slowly into the bowl to mix it well."
Pour
Elementary
/pɔːr/
Cause liquid to flow from one container to another
"Pour the milk slowly into the mixture."
practical
Intermediate
/ˈpræktɪkəl/
Useful and related to real situations, not just theory.
"The guide gave practical advice about which train to take."
practice
Elementary
/ˈpræktɪs/
To do an activity repeatedly to improve your skills.
"I practice tennis twice a week to get better at the sport."
pragmatic
Advanced
/præɡˈmætɪk/
Dealing with things in a practical, realistic way based on actual circumstances rather than theory
"A pragmatic approach to the budget crisis involved both cost reduction and revenue increase."
precipitate
Advanced
/prɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/
To cause something to happen suddenly or unexpectedly; to bring about abruptly
"The assassination precipitated a chain of events that led to the outbreak of war."
predictable
Intermediate
/prɪˈdɪktəbəl/
Easy to guess or expect because you can see the pattern in advance
"The plot twist wasn't surprising — it was too predictable from chapter three."
preferred
Elementary
/prɪˈfɜːrd/
Something that's good to have but not necessary; more than required
"A Master's degree is preferred, but a Bachelor's degree is acceptable."
prefix
Upper Intermediate
/ˈpriːfɪks/
A group of letters added at the beginning of a word to change its meaning
"The prefix 'un-' in 'unhappy' means the opposite of happy."
premise
Advanced
/ˈpremɪs/
A statement or fact that an argument is based upon, used to support a conclusion
"The first premise of her argument was that all educated citizens vote responsibly."
preposition
Intermediate
/ˌprepəˈzɪʃən/
A word showing the relationship between a noun/pronoun and other words (in, at, about, for).
"I'm interested in learning guitar, not piano."
prescription
Intermediate
/prɪˈskrɪpʃən/
A written order from a doctor for a specific medicine
"I need to fill my prescription at the pharmacy for the antibiotics."
present continuous
Elementary
/ˈprezənt kənˈtɪnjuəs/
A verb tense that describes actions happening right now or at this moment
"The present continuous is formed with am/is/are plus the -ing form of the verb."