CEFR B2 · upper-intermediate
B2 is where English starts to feel like literature. These words appear in novels, opinion articles, and dramas, and they let you describe people and situations precisely instead of with “good”, “bad”, and “very”.
Updated
Short answer
B2 vocabulary is upper-intermediate English: words like meticulous, hesitant, uncanny, and underestimate. In TeakReader’s word list they are roughly the 20,000th to 30,000th most common words. Knowing them is what lets you read most modern novels and classics with only occasional lookups.
Grouped by topic. The number after each word is its rank in our frequency list: lower means more common. Check any other word →
clever at understanding situations and people
An astute buyer checks the price twice.
rude and disrespectful
The boy gave an insolent reply to his teacher.
thinking about other people’s feelings
It was considerate of you to call.
slow to act or speak because you are unsure
She was hesitant to ask for help.
very careful about every small detail
He keeps meticulous notes of every meeting.
always obeying others
The dog lay down in a submissive way.
skilled and experienced
She is proficient in three languages.
saying the opposite of what you mean, to mock someone
“Great job,” he said with obvious sarcasm.
the quality of not giving up
Her tenacity won her the job in the end.
saying what you think honestly
I appreciated his frankness about the problem.
find your way; or deal with something difficult
It took weeks to navigate the new system.
punish someone for harm they did to you or others
He swore to avenge his brother.
avoid someone or something on purpose
After the scandal, his friends shunned him.
leave someone or something forever (formal)
She would never forsake her family.
block a way or stop progress
A fallen tree obstructed the road.
think something is smaller or easier than it is
Never underestimate a quiet opponent.
make or become completely wet
Soak the beans in water overnight.
look through things without a clear plan
I like to browse in old bookshops.
think deeply in silence, often to relax
He meditates for ten minutes every morning.
ask for information (UK, formal)
I am writing to enquire about the job.
calm and not easily upset
The lake was placid in the early morning.
full of light fog
We walked through the misty hills.
covered in oil or fat
The chips were too greasy to finish.
perfectly clean or tidy
Her kitchen is always immaculate.
strange in a way that is hard to explain
I had an uncanny feeling I had been there before.
pale and strange, like a ghost
A ghostly light shone in the window.
difficult and needing care
Parking here is a bit tricky.
serious and sad; or dark in colour
The mood at the funeral was sombre.
that you can predict
Prices will stay high for the foreseeable future.
made at home, not bought
Nothing beats homemade bread.
a person who has just arrived
The newcomers were welcomed with a party.
the time when the sun comes up
They left the camp at daybreak.
forms and documents you must complete
Buying a house involves a lot of paperwork.
a large fall of snow down a mountain; or a huge amount
We got an avalanche of emails after the sale.
a detailed plan
The report is a blueprint for the new city.
a medicine against a poison; or a cure for a bad feeling
Laughter is the best antidote to stress.
loud, angry public protest or noise
The decision caused an uproar.
poison from a snake or insect; or great anger in words
She spoke with real venom.
a quick, sharp reply
“That’s your problem,” she retorted.
the feeling that things are spinning
The medicine can cause dizziness.
In real English
Classics such as The Secret Garden, Sherlock Holmes, and Treasure Island; modern novels; quality newspapers; and dramas like Sherlock or Breaking Bad.
Lists help, but words stick when you meet them again in a story. TeakReader shows the new words before each chapter, and lets you tap any word for its meaning and level while you read.
Not sure a book is right for you? See classic books by reading level or TV shows by English level.
Study tips
FAQ
There is no single official number. One widely cited study (Milton, 2010) links B2 with knowing roughly 3,250–3,750 of the most common base words. Our list ranks every word form separately (help, helps, helped, helpful) and includes names and variants, so its rank ranges are much larger than these counts.
No. The official reference is the Cambridge English Vocabulary Profile. Our levels come from how common each word is in large English frequency lists, which matches the CEFR closely for most words but not all. We use the same method for our book levels and the free word checker.
Meet them in context. Read books or watch shows slightly above your level, look up the words you keep seeing, and review them a few times over the next weeks. A list is a good start, but words stick when you see them again in real stories.
Use the free English word level checker. Type any word to see its estimated CEFR level and how common it is, or paste a paragraph to see which words are hard.
Ready to read
TeakReader shows the level of every word you tap and turns the hard ones into flashcards. Free on iPhone, iPad, and Android.
