🔤 Vocabulary Bank
Build your English vocabulary — one word at a time.
1234 words found — page 3 of 26
ballpark figure
Advanced
/ˈbɔːlpɑːrk ˈfɪɡər/
An approximate estimate or rough calculation, not exact
"Can you give me a ballpark figure for the project costs by Friday?"
bandwagon
Upper Intermediate
/ˈbændwæɡən/
A persuasive technique suggesting that many people agree with an idea, implying readers should too
"Using the bandwagon technique, the opinion piece stated 'Everyone knows that traditional education is outdated.'"
bandwidth
Intermediate
/ˈbændwɪdθ/
The amount of data your internet connection can transfer; higher bandwidth = faster speeds.
"Downloading large files uses a lot of bandwidth, so it's slow on our office Wi-Fi."
bargain
Elementary
/ˈbɑːɡɪn/
Something that costs less money than usual; good value for money
"These shoes were £40 on sale—what a bargain!"
base form
Elementary
/ˈbeɪs fɔːrm/
The original, unchanged form of a verb before adding any endings.
"The base form of 'worked' is 'work.'"
battery drain
Intermediate
/ˈbætəri dreɪn/
When a device loses power quickly because apps or features use too much energy.
"Streaming videos causes battery drain, so my phone dies in 2 hours."
beach
Elementary
/biːtʃ/
An area of sand or small stones by the sea where people go to relax and swim
"We spent the afternoon at the beach building sandcastles."
beat
Elementary
/biːt/
To mix something quickly and hard with a fork or mixer, not to hit
"Beat the eggs until they are yellow and light."
because
Elementary
/bɪˈkɔːz/
Word used to explain the reason or cause of something
"I didn't go out on Sunday because the weather was rainy."
behavioral question
Intermediate
/bɪˈheɪvjərəl ˈkwɛstʃən/
An interview question that asks you to describe a past situation where you demonstrated a specific skill or handled a challenge
"A behavioral question might ask: 'Tell me about a time when you had to manage multiple projects at once.'"
be into something
Elementary
/bi ˈɪntu/
To be interested in or enjoy something very much.
"My brother is really into video games; he plays every day."
benefits
Elementary
/ˈbenɪfɪts/
Extra advantages a company gives employees besides salary (like insurance, vacation)
"The job offers great benefits including health insurance and 20 days paid vacation."
Best before
Beginner
/best bɪˈfɔːr/
The date after which a food is safe to eat but may not taste as good.
"This yogurt is best before March 20th, but it's usually safe for a few days after."
beverage
Beginner
/ˈbɛvərɪdʒ/
A drink, such as coffee, tea, juice, or water
"This café serves hot beverages in winter and cold drinks in summer."
bias
Upper Intermediate
/ˈbaɪəs/
A preference or prejudice toward certain ideas that may prevent fair judgment
"The article showed a clear bias toward electric vehicles and didn't fairly address concerns about charging infrastructure."
bill/check
Beginner
/bɪl/ /tʃek/
The paper or card showing the total amount you need to pay (British vs American)
"Could I have the bill, please? (British) / Can I get the check? (American)"
biography
Elementary
/baɪˈɒɡrəfi/
A written account of someone's life and important experiences.
"I read a biography of Steve Jobs and learned about his childhood."
bioluminescent
Intermediate
/ˌbaɪoʊˌluːməˈnesənt/
Able to produce light naturally through a chemical reaction in living things
"Fireflies are bioluminescent insects that glow in the dark."
bitter
Elementary
/ˈbɪtə/
Having a sharp, unpleasant taste
"Black coffee is quite bitter without sugar."
board
Beginner
/bɔːrd/
A dark surface in a classroom where teachers write with chalk or markers
"The teacher writes the date on the board every morning."
boarding
Elementary
/ˈbɔːrdɪŋ/
Getting on a plane, train, or bus to travel somewhere
"Flight 447 is now boarding at gate 3."
boarding pass
Elementary
/ˈbɔːrdɪŋ pæs/
An official document that shows your seat number and flight information
"I showed my boarding pass to the gate agent before entering the airplane."
body
Beginner
/ˈbɑːdi/
The main message or content in the middle of an email
"The body of my email explained what I needed help with."
body paragraph
Intermediate
/ˈbɒdi ˈpærəɡrɑːf/
The middle paragraphs of an article that provide supporting details and background information
"The body paragraphs explained why the company made this decision and what customers said about it."
boil
Elementary
/bɔɪl/
Heat liquid until it makes bubbles and steam
"Boil water for 5 minutes before adding the pasta."
book
Beginner
/bʊk/
An object made of pages bound together that contains information or stories
"I read an English book in the library."
book a flight
Elementary
/bʊk ə flaɪt/
To buy and reserve a plane ticket in advance
"I need to book a flight to Paris for next month."
booking reference
Elementary
/ˈbʊkɪŋ ˈrefərəns/
Your confirmation code for your flight reservation
"Can I see your passport and booking reference, please?"
born
Elementary
/bɔːrn/
Past participle of 'be born' — when and where someone started their life
"My grandmother was born in 1945 in a small village."
boss
Elementary
/bɒs/
The person who is in charge and supervises your work
"My boss is very kind and gives helpful feedback."
break a habit
Upper Intermediate
/breɪk ə ˈhæbɪt/
To stop doing something regularly that you've done for a long time
"It took her six months to break the habit of checking her phone constantly."
breaking news
Intermediate
/ˈbreɪkɪŋ njuːz/
Important recent events that are being reported for the first time
"The TV station interrupted the program to announce breaking news about the earthquake."
break the ice
Upper Intermediate
/breɪk ðə aɪs/
To start a conversation or make people feel comfortable in an awkward situation
"The teacher told a funny joke to break the ice on the first day of class."
breathtaking
Intermediate
/ˈbreθteɪkɪŋ/
Extremely impressive or beautiful; stunning.
"The breathtaking view from the mountain makes the hike worth the effort."
brief
Elementary
/briːf/
Short and containing only the most important information
"Keep your postcard brief because there isn't much space to write."
broadcast
Intermediate
/ˈbrɔːdkɑːst/
A programme or information sent out by radio or television to many people at the same time
"The football match broadcast started at 3 PM on BBC Radio 2."
Budget
Elementary
/ˈbʌdʒ.ɪt/
The total amount of money you plan to spend
"My budget for new shoes is £80, so I'm looking for something within that price range."
bulletin
Intermediate
/ˈbʊlətɪn/
A short news report or announcement, usually on radio or TV.
"The 6 o'clock news bulletin reported on the election results."
bullet point
Elementary
/ˈbʊlət pɔɪnt/
A symbol (• or -) used to separate items in a list
"Use bullet points to make your list easy to read."
bunch
Beginner
/bʌntʃ/
A group of things held or growing together, like bananas or flowers
"I'll take a bunch of bananas, please."
bureaucracy
Upper Intermediate
/bjʊˈrɒkrəsi/
A system of government with many officials and complex rules
"Getting a visa through bureaucracy can take months due to all the paperwork required."
bustling
Intermediate
/ˈbʌs.təl.ɪŋ/
Full of activity and energy; busy and lively
"The night market is bustling with food vendors, shoppers, and street musicians."
busy
Beginner
/ˈbɪzi/
Very occupied with things to do; not free or available.
"Thursday is busy. Can we meet Friday instead?"
by contrast
Advanced
/baɪ ˈkɒntrɑːst/
Showing a sharp difference between two things being compared
"The first experiment yielded conclusive results; by contrast, the second produced ambiguous data."
by-phrase
Advanced
/baɪ freɪz/
A prepositional phrase starting with 'by' that identifies the agent in passive sentences
"The treaty was signed by both countries in 1995."
by the way
Intermediate
/baɪ ðə weɪ/
Used to introduce something you just thought of; adds a conversational feel
"The party was amazing! By the way, did you ever finish that book I recommended?"
café
Beginner
/kæˈfeɪ/
A small restaurant where people drink coffee and eat light food.
"Let's meet at the café near the train station tomorrow."
call
Beginner
/kɔːl/
To phone someone or communicate with them by telephone
"I'll call you tomorrow at 3 o'clock."