English Vocabulary Difficult Words

Some English words are tricky to learn and use, but knowing them can really show how well you understand the language. These difficult words can make your speaking and writing more interesting and precise. In this blog post, we will look at some challenging English words that might seem hard at first but are very useful to know. We’ll explain what they mean and how you can use them in sentences. By the end of this, you’ll feel more confident about tackling these tough words!

English Vocabulary Difficult Words

• Abscond – Flee, escape secretly
• Belligerent – Aggressive, warlike behavior
• Cacophony – Harsh, discordant sounds
• Defenestration – Throwing out window
• Enervate – Weaken, drain energy
• Facetious – Flippant, not serious
• Grandiloquent – Pompous or extravagant
• Hapless – Unfortunate, luckless
• Iconoclast – Attacks cherished beliefs
• Jejune – Naive, simplistic, dry
• Kowtow – Act excessively subservient
• Lugubrious – Sad, gloomy, mournful
• Munificent – More generous, lavish
• Nefarious – Wicked, villainous, evil
• Obfuscate – Deliberately make unclear
• Parsimonious – Stingy, extremely frugal
• Quixotic – Exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic
• Recalcitrant – Resisting authority, control
• Sagacious – Wise, shrewd
• Taciturn – Silent, not talkative
• Ubiquitous – Present everywhere
• Vicissitudes – Changes of fortune
• Wheedle – Coax, persuade cunningly
• Xenophobia – Fear of foreigners
• Yokel – Unsophisticated country person
• Zephyr – Gentle, mild breeze
• Accolade – Award, honor, praise
• Banal – Common, trivial, ordinary
• Capricious – Impulsive, unpredictable
• Decorous – Proper, in good taste
• Ebullient – Bubbling with enthusiasm
• Flabbergasted – Astonished, shocked
• Garrulous – Excessively talkative
• Hedonism – Pursuit of pleasure
• Insidious – Subtly harmful, stealthy
• Juxtapose – Place side by side
• Laconic – Using few words
• Mendacious – Dishonest, lying
• Nihilism – Belief in nothing
• Ostentatious – Showy, pretentious
• Pejorative – Expressing contempt or disapproval
• Querulous – Complaining, whining
• Reticent – Reserved, silent, restrained
• Surreptitious – Secret, stealthy
• Truculent – Fierce, cruel, savage
• Unctuous – Oily, excessively flattering
• Vituperative – Bitter and abusive
• Winsome – Charming, pleasing
• Xeric – Dry, arid
• Zaftig – Having a full, shapely figure
• Acerbic – Biting, bitter in tone
• Bucolic – Pertaining to countryside
• Circuitous – Indirect, roundabout
• Dilatory – Tending to delay
• Extemporize – Improvise, speak without preparation
• Fractious – Irritable, quarrelsome
• Glib – Fluent but insincere
• Hubris – Excessive pride, arrogance
• Inculcate – Instill by persistent instruction
• Jingoism – Extreme patriotism, warlike foreign policy
• Lassitude – Lack of energy
• Mercurial – Quick, unpredictable changes in mood
• Noxious – Harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant
• Opulent – Rich, luxurious; wealthy
• Pernicious – Having a harmful effect
• Quotidian – Everyday, commonplace
• Reprobate – Morally unprincipled person
• Scrupulous – Diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details
• Trepidation – Fear, apprehension
• Umbrage – Offense, annoyance
• Verisimilitude – Appearing true or real
• Wizened – Shriveled or wrinkled with age
• Yen – Strong desire, craving
• Zeitgeist – Spirit of the time
• Abrogate – Repeal or do away with
• Broach – Bring up for discussion
• Conundrum – A confusing problem
• Deleterious – Causing harm or damage
• Effulgent – Radiant, splendorous
• Fecund – Fertile, productive
• Grandiose – Impressive, high-flown
• Histrionic – Overly theatrical, dramatic
• Immutable – Unchanging over time
• Jocular – Fond of or characterized by joking
• Liminal – Between stages, transitional
• Malapropism – Humorous misuse of words
• Neophyte – A person who is new to a subject
• Obdurate – Stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion
• Penury – Extreme poverty
• Quixotic – Exceedingly idealistic, unrealistic
• Recumbent – Lying down, reclining
• Specious – Misleadingly attractive, plausible but wrong
• Torpor – Physical or mental inactivity
• Usurp – Take illegally or by force
• Verdant – Green with grass or other vegetation
• Withering – Intense scorn or criticism
• Xenial – Friendly to strangers
• Yeoman – Peasant, small landowner
• Ziggurat – Terraced Mesopotamian temple tower
• Apostate – One who renounces religion

Explore More:

English Vocabulary Words A to Z

Vocabulary words Ending with V

Difficult Words Used In Daily Life

Read more: English Vocabulary Daily Use pdf