🔤 Vocabulary Bank
Build your English vocabulary — one word at a time.
1475 words found — page 9 of 31
Did/Didn't
Elementary
/dɪd/ /ˈdɪdənt/
The auxiliary verb used to form past tense questions and negatives in English.
"**Did** you **go** to the party? I **didn't go** because I was tired."
did + verb
Elementary
/dɪd/
Helper word for making past questions and negatives; use base verb form after it
"Did you finish your project? I didn't understand the question."
digit
Beginner
/ˈdɪdʒɪt/
A single number from 0 to 9; also used to mean any number written as a symbol
"The number 25 has two digits: 2 and 5."
digress
Advanced
/daɪˈɡres/
To move away from the main topic or subject being discussed
"If I may digress briefly, this historical context is crucial to understanding the current situation."
Diligent
Intermediate
/ˈdɪlɪdʒənt/
Having or showing care and effort in your work.
""She is a diligent student who always completes her homework.""
dip
Intermediate
/dɪp/
A sudden temporary decrease or drop in a graph or chart
"There was a sharp dip in attendance during the summer holidays."
diplomatic immunity
Advanced
/ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk ɪˈmjuːnəti/
Official protection from legal action granted to diplomats and government representatives
"The ambassador claimed diplomatic immunity when questioned about the controversial statement."
direct address
Intermediate
/dɪˈrekt əˈdres/
Speaking directly to the reader using 'you' to create a personal connection
"When a blogger writes 'You know that feeling?' they're using direct address to connect with readers."
direct flight
Elementary
/dɪˈrekt flaɪt/
A flight that goes from one place to another without stopping
"Is there a direct flight from London to Tokyo, or do we have to change planes?"
disambiguate
Advanced
/ˌdɪsæmˈbɪɡjueɪt/
To clarify or remove confusion about multiple possible meanings
"The teacher disambiguated the difference between 'affect' and 'effect' with clear examples."
disappointing
Elementary
/ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntɪŋ/
Not as good as you expected or hoped
"The breakfast was disappointing—there were only two options."
discount
Elementary
/ˈdɪs.kaʊnt/
A reduction in price; paying less than the normal cost
"The store is offering a 20% discount this weekend."
Discount
Elementary
/ˈdɪskaʊnt/
A reduction in price or special cheaper price for customers
"Is there a discount if I buy two?"
Discount / Bargain
Elementary
/ˈdɪs.kaʊnt/ /ˈbɑː.ɡɪn/
Discount = reduction in price; Bargain = something sold at a lower price than usual
"The store offered a 20% discount, so I got a real bargain on that jacket."
discouraged
Intermediate
/dɪsˈkɜːrɪdʒd/
Losing confidence or motivation; feeling less hopeful or willing to continue.
"He felt discouraged after failing the driving test twice."
discourse
Advanced
/ˈdɪskɔːrs/
Written or spoken communication; the characteristic style and conventions of communication within a particular field or community
"Heavy nominalisation is standard in scientific discourse but less common in journalistic writing."
discourse marker
Upper Intermediate
/ˈdɪskɔːrs ˈmɑːrkər/
A word or phrase used to connect ideas and show relationships between sentences or paragraphs
"The discourse marker 'however' shows a contrast between two ideas."
discourse markers
Advanced
/ˈdɪskɔːrs ˈmɑːrkərz/
Words or phrases that connect ideas and show relationships between clauses in speech
"Words like 'well', 'you see', and 'I mean' are discourse markers often omitted in reported speech."
discover
Elementary
/dɪˈskʌvər/
Found something new or important that wasn't known before
"Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492."
discrepancy
Intermediate
/dɪsˈkrepənsi/
A difference between two things that should be the same; an inconsistency
"There's a discrepancy between the invoice and the actual amount we paid."
dismissive
Intermediate
/dɪsˈmɪsɪv/
Showing a lack of interest or respect; treating someone's concern as unimportant
"The staff was dismissive when I complained about my cold food."
dissatisfied
Intermediate
/ˌdɪsˈsætɪsfaɪd/
Not happy or content with something received or experienced
"I'm dissatisfied with the quality, and I want to discuss options."
distill
Upper Intermediate
/dɪˈstɪl/
To extract or reduce something to its most important elements
"The author distills complex ideas into simple, memorable points."
distraction
Upper Intermediate
/dɪˈstrækʃən/
Something that takes your attention away from what you should focus on
"Notifications are a major distraction that prevents active listening."
ditransitive
Advanced
/daɪˈtrænzɪtɪv/
A verb that takes two objects, creating alternative passive constructions
"Verbs like 'give' are ditransitive: 'They gave him a medal' or 'He was given a medal.'"
divergent
Advanced
/daɪˈvɜːrdʒənt/
Differing or moving in different directions; having conflicting opinions or findings
"The two studies reach divergent conclusions, which requires careful analysis in your synthesis."
dividend
Upper Intermediate
/ˈdɪvɪdend/
A share of a company's profit paid to people who own stock
"The bank announced a 5% dividend to its shareholders this quarter."
dizzy
Elementary
/ˈdɪzi/
When your head feels like it's spinning; you feel unbalanced
"I stood up too quickly and felt dizzy for a moment."
documentary
Upper Intermediate
/ˌdɒkjuˈmentəri/
A film or TV program that shows real events and facts, not a story
"I watched a fascinating documentary about climate change last night."
Do/Does
Beginner
/duː/ /dʌz/
Auxiliary verbs used to ask yes/no questions in present tense
"Do you like ice cream? Does she play tennis?"
dollar
Beginner
/ˈdɑːlər/
The main money unit used in the USA and some other countries.
"I have twenty dollars in my wallet."
Dosage
Beginner
/ˈdoʊsɪdʒ/
The amount of medicine or supplement you should take at one time.
"The dosage for this vitamin is one tablet per day with food."
double
Beginner
/ˈdʌbəl/
Two of the same number together; used to say numbers quickly.
"My code is double-two, double-zero (meaning 2200)."
double-check
Intermediate
/ˌdʌbəl ˈtʃek/
Verify something a second time to make sure it is correct or hasn't changed
"Let me double-check the restaurant address before we leave."
double entendre
Advanced
/ˌduːbəl ɒnˈtɑːndrə/
A word or phrase with two meanings, one usually innocent and one suggestive or humorous
"The comedian's double entendre had the audience groaning and laughing simultaneously."
download
Intermediate
/ˌdaʊnˈloʊd/
To bring files or data from the internet onto your device.
"Can you download the file from the link I sent you?"
downtown
Elementary
/ˌdaʊn.ˈtaʊn/
The central business and shopping area of a city.
"My new job is downtown, so I take the train every morning."
do yoga
Elementary
/duː ˈjoʊɡə/
To practice yoga exercises for flexibility, strength, and relaxation
"I do yoga three times a week to stay healthy."
Do you have
Beginner
/du ju hæv/
A polite question to ask if something is available in the restaurant or cafe
"Do you have any vegetarian options?"
Do you have...?
Beginner
/duː juː ˈhæv/
A question to ask if a shop has something you want to buy
"I asked, 'Do you have this shirt in a larger size?'"
Do you have this in...?
Elementary
/duː juː hæv ðɪs ɪn/
Polite way to ask if an item is available in a different size, color, or style
"Do you have this shirt in blue?"
Do you take card?
Elementary
/duː juː teɪk kɑːrd/
Question asking if the store accepts payment by credit or debit card
"That's £25. Do you take card?"
drain
Elementary
/dreɪn/
Remove liquid from food using a strainer
"Drain the pasta to remove the hot water."
draw a conclusion
Upper Intermediate
/drɔː ə kənˈkluːʒən/
To decide something based on evidence or reasoning
"Based on the data, we can draw a conclusion that the strategy was successful."
drill down
Advanced
/drɪl daʊn/
To examine something in detail or investigate deeper into data
"We need to drill down into these sales figures to understand the decline."
due to
Intermediate
/ˈdjuː tu/
Because of something; caused by something specific.
"Due to a warehouse error, my order arrived three weeks late."
ecosystem
Intermediate
/ˈiːkoʊsɪstəm/
A community of living organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment.
"Coral reef ecosystems support thousands of fish species."
editorial scrutiny
Advanced
/ˌedɪˈtɔːrɪəl ˈskruːtɪni/
Careful examination and evaluation by editors before publication
"Your article will undergo rigorous editorial scrutiny before it appears in print."