Vocabulary · Audiobook read-along
Vocabulary from Oedipus, King of Thebes
Oedipus, King of Thebes by Sophocles introduces these 48 key English words — graded A2–C2, each with a short definition and an example. Learn them before you read, or review them after. In the reader you can tap any word to hear it and see it highlighted in the sentence.
A2 words (10)
- abroad/əˈbrɔd/A2
- in a foreign country“markets abroad”
- absence/ˈæbsəns/A2
- the state of being absent“he was surprised by the absence of any explanation”
- admit/ədˈmɪt/A2
- declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of“He admitted his errors”
- afraid/əˈfreɪd/A2
- filled with fear or apprehension“afraid even to turn his head”
- aid/eɪd/A2
- a resource“visual aids in teaching”
- alive/əˈlaɪv/A2
- possessing life“the happiest person alive”
- amazing/əˈmeɪzɪŋ/A2
- affect with wonder“Your ability to speak six languages amazes me!”
- ancient/ˈeɪnʧənt/A2
- a very old person“ancient history”
- angry/ˈæŋgri/A2
- feeling or showing anger“angry at the weather”
- apart/əˈpɑrt/A2
- remote and separate physically or socially“existed over the centuries as a world apart”
B1 words (10)
- absolute/ˈæbsəˌlut/B1
- something that is conceived or that exists independently and not in relation to other things“no mortal being can influence the absolute”
- accomplish/əˈkɑmplɪʃ/B1
- put in effect“carry out a task”
- alarm/əˈlɑrm/B1
- fear resulting from the awareness of danger“I was horrified at the thought of being late for my interview”
- alike/əˈlaɪk/B1
- having the same or similar characteristics“all politicians are alike”
- altogether/ˌɔltəˈgɛðər/B1
- informal terms for nakedness“in the raw”
- anger/ˈæŋgər/B1
- a strong emotion“The news angered him”
- anxious/ˈæŋʃəs/B1
- eagerly desirous“anxious to see the new show at the museum”
- autumn/ˈɔtəm/B1
- the season when the leaves fall from the trees“in the fall of 1973”
- awake/əˈweɪk/B1
- stop sleeping“She woke up to the sound of the alarm clock”
- babe/beɪb/B1
- a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk“the baby began to cry again”
B2 words (10)
- abide/əˈbaɪd/B2
- dwell“You can stay with me while you are in town”
- accusation/ˌækjəˈzeɪʃən/B2
- a formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person“the newspaper published charges that Jones was guilty of drunken driving”
- adequately/ˈædəkwɪtli/B2
- in an adequate manner or to an adequate degree“he was adequately prepared”
- adore/əˈdɔr/B2
- love intensely“he just adored his wife”
- afterwards/ˈæftərwərdz/B2
- happening at a time subsequent to a reference time“he apologized subsequently”
- alien/ˈeɪliən/B2
- a person who comes from a foreign country“The will aliened the property to the heirs”
- aloft/əˈlɔft/B2
- at or on or to the masthead or upper rigging of a ship“climbed aloft to unfurl the sail”
- ambition/æmˈbɪʃən/B2
- a cherished desire“his ambition is to own his own business”
- anguish/ˈæŋgwɪʃ/B2
- extreme mental distress“It pains me to see my children not being taught well in school”
- annoy/əˈnɔɪ/B2
- cause annoyance in“Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me”
C1 words (9)
- abate/əˈbeɪt/C1
- make less active or intense“The storm abated”
- abhor/æˈbhɔr/C1
- find repugnant“I loathe that man”
- anoint/əˈnɔɪnt/C1
- choose by or as if by divine intervention“She was anointed the head of the Christian fundamentalist group”
- apace/əˈpeɪs/C1
- with rapid movements“he works quickly”
- askance/əˈskæns/C1
- (used especially of glances) directed to one side with or as if with doubt or suspicion or envy“her eyes with their misted askance look”
- assuage/əsˈweɪʤ/C1
- cause to be more favorably inclined“She managed to mollify the angry customer”
- aught/ɔt/C1
- a quantity of no importance“it looked like nothing I had ever seen before”
- augur/ˈɔgər/C1
- (ancient Rome) a religious official who interpreted omens to guide public policy“These signs bode bad news”
- banishment/ˈbænɪʃmənt/C1
- the state of being banished or ostracized (excluded from society by general consent)“the association should get rid of its elderly members--not by euthanasia, of course, but by Coventry”
C2 words (9)
- abridge/əˈbrɪʤ/C2
- reduce in scope while retaining essential elements“The manuscript must be shortened”
- accost/əˈkɔst/C2
- speak to someone“he was solicited by a prostitute”
- affrightC2
- an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety“The stranger who hangs around the building frightens me”
- amainC2
- at full speed“the children ran down the hill amain”
- beggaryC2
- a solicitation for money or food (especially in the street by an apparently penniless person)“they were reduced to mendicancy”
- begot/biˈgɔt/C2
- make children“Abraham begot Isaac”
- beseemC2
- accord or comport with“This kind of behavior does not suit a young woman!”
- choric/ˈkɔrɪk/C2
- relating to or written for or in the style of a Greek chorus“a choric Greek tragedy”
- deftnessC2
- skillful performance or ability without difficulty“his quick adeptness was a product of good design”