200+ Difficult Words in English Vocabulary

The English language is enriched with more than a million words. There are numerous difficult words in English vocabulary. Learning an approximate count of 3000 words is enough for an individual to actively participate in an everyday English conversation. A rich vocabulary eases the trouble of expression, and it helps individuals improve their communication skills. The following article on difficult words in English will help you to build a wide and varied vocabulary.

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letters ‘A’ to ‘Z’

Are you thinking of a solution to enrich your English vocabulary? Practising difficult English words and using them frequently will help you. Use the comprehensive list of words given below to learn more hard words and improve your vocabulary.

List of Difficult Words in English:

The following list of words will help you improve your reading comprehension, language knowledge, communication skills, and expression of ideas to others. Always keep in mind that everything is hard until it’s made easy.

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘A’

Difficult Words Meanings
Abandon cease to support or look after someone
Abolish formally put an end to (a system, practice, or institution)
Abscond leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to avoid detection of or arrest for an unlawful action such as theft
Accelerate (of a vehicle or other physical object) begin to move more quickly
Accretion the process of growth or increase, typically by the gradual accumulation of additional layers or matter
Acumen the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain
Adamant refusing to be persuaded or to change one’s mind
Adverse preventing success or development; harmful; unfavourable
Advocate a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy
Affluent
  1. having a great deal of money; wealthy
  2. (of water) flowing freely or in great quantity

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘B’

Difficult Words Meanings
Backbite talk maliciously about someone who is not present
Baffle totally bewilder or perplex
Ballad a poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas
Banish send (someone) away from a country or place as an official punishment
Barbaric savagely cruel; exceedingly brutal
Barren too poor to produce much or any vegetation
Bedlam a scene of uproar and confusion
Benefactor a person who gives money or other help to a person or cause
Beseech ask (someone) urgently and fervently to do something

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘C’

Difficult Words Meanings
Cajole persuade (someone) to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery
Charisma compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others
Chasm a deep crack or opening in the earth, rock, or another surface
Chauvinist a person with a prejudiced belief in their own superiority
Cliche a phrase or opinion that is overused
Contagion the communication of disease from one person to another by close contact
Countenance a person’s face or facial expression
Cringe have a feeling of awkwardness or embarrassment
Cue a signal for action

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘D’

Difficult Words Meanings
Dauntless showing fearlessness and determination
Delicacy fineness or intricacy of texture or structure
Delicate very fine in texture or structure; of intricate workmanship or quality
Depict show or represent by a drawing, painting, or other art form
Desolate feeling or showing misery, unhappiness, or loneliness
Destitute without the basic necessities of life
Devote give all or a large part of one’s time or resources to (a person, activity, or cause)
Diabolical disgracefully bad or unpleasant, characteristic of the Devil
Discrepancy a lack of similarity between two or more facts
Dismantle take (a machine or structure) to pieces

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘E’

Difficult Words Meanings
Edifice a building, especially a large, imposing one
Elegy a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead
Endeavour try hard to do or achieve something
Endure suffer patiently
Enigma a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand
Enslave make (someone) a slave
Epitaph a phrase or form of words written in memory of a person who has died, especially as an inscription on a tombstone
Extinction the process of a particular thing ceasing to exist
Extricate free (someone or something) from a constraint or difficulty

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘F’

Difficult Words Meanings
Fasten close up securely
Fathom understand something after a lot of thought
Fete a celebration or festival
Fidelity faithfulness to a person
Flick a sudden sharp movement
Flip turn over with a sudden quick movement
Foresight the ability to predict or the action of predicting what will happen or be needed in the future.
Fragile easily broken or damaged
Franchise an authorization granted by a government or company to an individual or group enabling them to carry out specified commercial activities
Futile incapable of producing any useful result

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘G’

Difficult Words Meanings
Gale a very strong wind
Gallant brave
Gambit a device, action, or opening remark, typically one entailing a degree of risk, that is calculated to gain an advantage
Gamble play games of chance for money; bet
Garment an item of clothing
Gastronomy the practice or art of choosing, cooking, and eating good food
Gaze a steady intent look
Genial friendly and cheerful
Genre a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterised by similarities in form, style, or subject matter
Gibberish meaningless speech or writing, nonsense

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘H’

Difficult Words Meanings
Habitual done or doing constantly or as a habit
Hail call out to (someone) to attract attention
Harbinger a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another
Haughty arrogantly superior and disdainful
Havoc widespread destruction
Heathen a follower of a polytheistic religion
Hegemony leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others
Hinder create difficulties for (someone or something), resulting in delay or obstruction
Hostile unfriendly; antagonistic

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘I’

Difficult Words Meanings
Idiosyncracy a mode of behaviour or way of thought peculiar to an individual
Idle lazy, inactive
Imbibe assimilate some ideas or knowledge
Imperative of vital importance; crucial
Impetus the force or energy with which a body moves
Incarnate embodied in flesh; in human form
Indigenous originating or occurring naturally in a particular place
Inevitable certain to happen; unavoidable
Insane mentally illness

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘J’

Difficult Words Meanings
Jabber talk rapidly and excitedly but with little sense
Jargon special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand
Jaunt a short journey for pleasure
Jolly happy and cheerful
Jovial cheerful and friendly
Judicious having, showing, or done with good judgement or sense
Juncture a particular point in events or time
Junk old or discarded articles that are considered useless or of little value
Jurisdiction the territory within which power can be exercised
Juxtapose place or deal with close together for contrasting effect

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘K’

Difficult Words Meanings
Kalopsia the state in which everything, and everyone, looks beautiful
Keen having or showing eagerness or enthusiasm
Keystone the central principle on which all else depends
Kickoff the start of an event or activity
Kindle light or set on fire
Kinesis movement; motion
Kinship blood relationship
Kleptomania a recurrent urge to steal, typically without regard for need or profit
Knight a man who served his sovereign or lord as a mounted soldier in armour
Kudos praise and honour received for an achievement

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘L’

Difficult Words Meanings
Labyrinth a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one’s way; a maze.
Lacuna an unfilled space or interval; a gap
Lampoon publicly criticise by using ridicule, irony, or sarcasm
Languid pleasantly lazy and peaceful
Languish lose or lack vitality; grow weak or feeble.
Leverage the exertion of force by means of a lever
Luminary a person who inspires or influences others
Lunatic a mentally ill person

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘M’

Difficult Words Meanings
Macrocosm the whole of a complex structure
Magnanimous generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person
Malapropism the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one
Mandarin a powerful official or senior bureaucrat
Manifestation an event, action, or object that clearly shows or embodies something, especially a theory or an abstract idea
Manoeuvre a movement or series of moves requiring skill and care
Mediocre of only moderate quality; not very good
Merchandise goods to be bought and sold
Mundane lacking interest or excitement

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘N’

Difficult Words Meanings
Narcissist a person who has an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves
Nemesis the inescapable agent of someone’s or something’s downfall
Neophyte a person who is new to a subject, skill, or belief
Nepotism the practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs
Niche a comfortable or suitable position in life or employment
Nirvana a state of perfect happiness
Nocturnal done, occurring, or active at night
Nomenclature the devising or choosing of names for things, especially in a science or other discipline
Nullify invalidate

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘O’

Difficult Words Meanings
Oblivion the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening.
Oblivious not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one
Obscure uncertain
Obsolete no longer produced or used; out of date.
Odour a distinctive smell, especially an unpleasant one
Omen an event regarded as a portent of good or evil
Omnipotent having unlimited power
Omnipresent common or widespread
Omniscient knowing everything
Overwhelm defeat completely

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘P’

Difficult Words Meanings
Pandemonium uproar
Paramount supreme
Paranoia suspicion and mistrust of people or their actions without evidence or justification
Perplex confuse
Petrify make someone so frightened that they are unable to move
Pinnacle the most successful point
Preamble an introduction
Protocol the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions
Pseudonym a false name

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘Q’

Difficult Words Meanings
Quadrilateral a four-sided figure
Qualitative relating to, measuring, or measured by the quality of something rather than its quantity
Quandary uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation
Quantitative relating to, measuring, or measured by the quantity of something rather than its quality
Quantum the smallest amount or unit of something
Quarantine a state, period, or place of isolation in which people or animals that have arrived from elsewhere or been exposed to infectious or contagious disease are placed
Quench satisfy one’s thirst
Querulous complaining in a weak high voice
Quibble a slight objection or criticism about a matter of little value
Quintessence the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘R’

Difficult Words Meanings
Rampant Getting worse quickly in an uncontrolled way
Realm a kingdom
Rebuke express sharp disapproval or criticism of someone because of their behaviour or actions
Reconnaissance preliminary surveying or research
Reiterate say something again or a number of times, typically for emphasis or clarity
Rejuvenate give new energy or vigour to
Relegate consign or dismiss to an inferior rank
Reminiscent tending to remind one of something
Remorse deep regret for a wrong committed
Renaissance a revival of or renewed interest in something

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘S’

Difficult Words Meanings
Sagacious having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgement
Sarcasm the use of irony to mock or convey contempt
Satire the use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to criticise people’s stupidity or vices
Scornful feeling or expressing contempt or derision
Scrutinise examine or inspect closely and thoroughly
Semantics the branch of linguistics and logic concerned with meaning
Seminal strongly influencing later developments
Serendipity the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way
Solace comfort in a time of distress

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘T’

Difficult Words Meanings
Taboo a prohibited social practice
Tactful sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues
Tactical relating to or constituting actions carefully planned
Tangible perceptible by touch, real
Tantamount equivalent to
Taunt a remark made in order to anger, wound, or provoke someone
Tenet a principle or belief
Tenuous very weak or slight
Termination the action of bringing something to an end
Threshold a point of entry or beginning

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘U’

Difficult Words Meanings
Ubiquitous found everywhere
Unanimous a decision held or carried by everyone involved
Unbiased showing no prejudice for or against something
Undaunted not intimidated or discouraged by difficulty
Unilateral performed by or affecting only one person, group, or country involved in a particular situation, without the agreement of another or the others
Unravel undo
Upheaval a sudden change or disruption to something
Utility the state of being useful, profitable, or beneficial
Utopian a state in which everything is perfect; idealistic
Utterance a spoken word, statement, or vocal sound

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘V’

Difficult Words Meanings
Valediction the action of saying farewell
Valiant showing courage or determination
Valour great courage in the face of danger
Vengeance punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong
Vernacular the language spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region
Versatile able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities
Versification the making of poetry
Vertigo a sensation of whirling and loss of balance
Vigilante a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate
Vigorous strong, healthy, and full of energy

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘W’

Difficult Words Meanings
Wanderlust a strong desire to travel
Wardrobe a tall cabinet in which clothes may be hung or stored
Wayfarer a person who travels on foot
Whimsical playfully quaint or fanciful
Winsome appealing in appearance or character
Wither cease to flourish
Wizard a man who has magical powers, especially in legends and fairy tales.
Wrangle a long argument
Wrath extreme anger
Wretched in a very unhappy or unfortunate state

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘X’

Difficult Words Meanings
Xenophobia dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries
Xerox photocopy
Xylography the art of making woodcuts or wood engravings, especially by a relatively primitive technique

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘Y’

Difficult Words Meanings
Yank pull with a jerk
Yatter endless talk

Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘Z’

Difficult Words Meanings
Zeal great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective
Zest great enthusiasm and energy
Zippy bright, fresh, or lively

How Can We Learn Tough English Words?

Have you heard the term ‘Semantics’ before? Semantics is the study of meanings. English is not our mother tongue, so it requires effort to learn. There are numerous difficult words in the English language. It is hard to acquire knowledge and apply it in day to day conversations. But by practising semantics, even the most difficult words in English can be learnt quickly. Mastering the English language will not be a Himalayan task if you are ready to learn new vocabulary on a regular basis. Start practising on simpler words and gradually step into difficult vocabulary words. Prepare a list of complex words with meaning and try to learn at least five new words from the list regularly to improve your wisdom in the English language.

Frequently Asked Questions on Difficult Words

Q1

List 20 hard words in English.

Labyrinth
Nirvana
Nomenclature
Pandemonium
Patriarchy
Pseudonym
Malapropism
Omniscient
Rejuvenate
Sagacious
Serendipity
Solace
Tangible
Tenet
Unbiased
Unilateral
Utopian
Valediction
Overwhelm
Whimsical
Xenophobia

Q2

List 10 difficult words starting with the letter ‘I’.

Iconoclast
Idiosyncrasy
Idle
Imbibe
Imperative
Impetus
Incarnate
Indigenous
Inevitable
Insane

Q3

What is semantics?

Semantics is the study of meanings.

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