Words / V
English words starting with V
150 words, from Vacancy to Vulnerable. Levels A1 to C2. Each one opens a full lesson.
Vacancynoun · A job that is available; also a hotel room that is free.B1Vacantadjective · Empty and not being used; of a post, not filled; of a look, showing no thought.C1Vacationnoun · A holiday from work or study, especially in American English.A2Vaccinateverb · To give a vaccine to protect against disease (vaccinate against / with).C1Vaccinenoun · A medicine given to protect you from a disease.A2Vacillateverb · To keep changing your opinion or decision (formal).C2Vacuousadjective · Showing no intelligence or serious thought; empty-headed.C2Vacuumnoun · A machine that sucks dirt from floors and carpets.A2Vacuum Cleanernoun · A machine that sucks dirt from floors and carpets.A1Vagrantnoun · A person without a settled home who wanders from place to place (also adjective; from homeless, already in the dictionary).C1Vagueadjective · Not clearly expressed, known, or remembered.C1Vainadjective · Too proud of your looks, abilities, or success (in vain = without success).B2Validadjective · Based on truth or reason, or legally acceptable.B2Validateverb · To prove that something is true, accurate, or acceptable; also to make a ticket usable.C1Validitynoun · The state of being logically or legally sound, or of measuring what it claims to measure.C1Valleynoun · Low land between hills or mountains, often with a river.A2Valuableadjective · Worth a lot of money, or very useful.A2Valuationnoun · A formal judgement of how much something is worth.C1Valuenoun · How useful or important something is, or what it is worth.B1Valvenoun · A device that opens and closes to control the flow of liquid, gas, or blood.B2Vannoun · A vehicle bigger than a car, used for carrying goods.A1Vandalismnoun · Deliberate damage to property, especially public property (usually uncountable).C1Vanillanoun · A sweet flavour from a plant, often used in ice cream and cakes.A2Vanishverb · To disappear suddenly, or to stop existing.B2Vanitynoun · Too much pride in appearance or achievements; also futility (vanity of).C1Vapidadjective · Dull and lacking spirit, interest, or flavour (from dull, already in the dictionary).C1Vapournoun · Tiny drops of liquid in the air, like steam from hot water.A2Variablenoun · A factor that can take different values in a study; also (adjective) likely to change.C1Variancenoun · The amount by which things differ; in statistics, a measure of spread; in planning, official permission to depart from a rule.C1Variantnoun · A form of something that differs slightly from the main type.C1Variationnoun · A change or slight difference in amount or form.B2Variedadjective · Including many different types or changing often.C1Varietynoun · A number of different types of something.A2Variousadjective · Several and of different kinds.A2Varnishnoun · A liquid that dries to a hard, shiny coat on wood or nails (often uncountable).B1Varyverb · To be different in size, amount, or type.B1Vasenoun · A container used to hold cut flowers.A2Vastadjective · Extremely large in area, size, or amount.B2VATnoun · Value added tax, a tax added to most UK goods and services.B1Vaultnoun · A secure room for valuables or archives; also an arched roof, or (verb) to jump over.C1Veg Boxnoun · A box of seasonal vegetables delivered from a farm or shop (UK).B1Veganadjective · Containing or using no animal products.A2Vegetablenoun · A plant or part of a plant eaten as food, such as a potato or carrot.A1Vegetariannoun · A person who does not eat meat or fish.A2Vegetationnoun · Plants in general, especially in a particular area (usually uncountable).C1Vehementadjective · Showing strong, often angry, feeling.C2Vehiclenoun · A machine that carries people or goods on roads, such as a car or bus.A2Veilnoun · A piece of thin cloth worn over the face or head; also something that hides (a veil of).B2Veinnoun · A tube in the body that carries blood back to the heart.B2Velcronoun · A fastening of two strips that stick when pressed together (often uncountable; originally a brand).B1Velocitynoun · Speed in a particular direction; in commentary, the rate at which something moves.C1Velvetnoun · A soft thick cloth with a short smooth pile on one side.A1Vending Machinenoun · A machine that sells snacks, drinks, or tickets when you put money in.B1Vendornoun · A person or firm that sells something, especially to an organisation.C1Veneernoun · A thin covering of better material; also a superficial appearance that hides something worse.C1Venerateverb · To respect someone or something deeply, as if it were almost sacred (formal).C2Ventverb · To express a strong feeling; also (noun) an opening for air or gas (vent through / on).C1Ventilateverb · To let fresh air into a room; also to discuss an issue openly (formal).C1Ventureverb · To dare to go or say something; also (noun) a new, risky business.B2Venuenoun · The place where an organised event happens.A2Veracitynoun · The quality of being true or of telling the truth (formal).C2Verandanoun · A covered platform along the outside of a house, with a roof and an open front.A1Verbnoun · A word that shows an action or a state, such as run or be.A2Verbaladjective · Spoken rather than written; also relating to words.B2Verboseadjective · Using more words than are needed.C2Verdantadjective · Green with grass or healthy plants (from green, already in the dictionary).C1Verdictnoun · An official decision in a court, or a judgement about something.B2Vergenoun · The edge of a road or path; on the verge of — very close to happening.C1Verifyverb · To check that something is true or accurate.C1Verisimilitudenoun · The appearance of being true or real.C2Veritableadjective · Used for emphasis: a true or genuine example of something (from genuine, already in the dictionary).C1Vernacularnoun · The everyday language spoken by ordinary people in a place.C1Versatileadjective · Able to be used in many ways, or able to do many different things.C1Versenoun · A group of lines in a poem or song.A2Versionnoun · A form of something that is slightly different from other forms.B1Versuspreposition · Against; used to show two sides in a match, case, or comparison (often written vs).B2Verticaladjective · Upright; going straight up and down, not across.B2Veryadverb · Used to make an adjective or adverb stronger.A1Vesselnoun · A ship or large boat; also a tube in the body, or a container for liquid.B2Vestnoun · A piece of underwear worn on the upper body.A2Vestigenoun · A small remaining part of something that used to exist (from remnant, already in the dictionary).C1Vetnoun · A doctor for animals (British).A1Veterannoun · A person with long experience, especially a former member of the armed forces.B2Vetonoun · An official refusal to allow a decision; also (verb) to refuse in that way.C1Viapreposition · Going through a place, or using a particular method.B2Viableadjective · Able to work successfully.C1Vibrantadjective · Full of energy, colour, and life.B2Vicariousadjective · Felt through imagined participation in someone else’s experience.C2Vicenoun · Immoral or criminal behaviour; also a bad habit, or a tool for holding things.B2Vicinitynoun · The area around a place (in the vicinity of).C1Viciousadjective · Violent and cruel; of a circle, causing its own worsening (a vicious circle).C1Vicissitudenoun · A change of luck or circumstances, often difficult.C2Victimnoun · A person who has been hurt or has suffered because of something.B1Victornoun · The person or side that wins a contest, election, or war (formal).C1Victorynoun · Success in a game, fight, or competition.A2Videonoun · A recording of moving pictures that you watch on a screen.A1Video Gamenoun · A game played on a computer, console, or phone.B1Viewnoun · What you can see from a place; also an opinion.A2Viewernoun · A person who watches television.B1Viewpointnoun · An opinion or way of looking at a subject.B1Vigilantadjective · Watching carefully for possible danger or problems.C1Vigorousadjective · Strong, energetic, and determined.C1Vilifyverb · To say or write harsh, unfair things about someone (formal).C2Villanoun · A large house, often in the countryside or used as a holiday home.B2Villagenoun · A small group of houses in the country, smaller than a town.A2Village Hallnoun · A public building in a village used for meetings, clubs, and parties (UK).B1Vindicateverb · To show that someone or an idea was right after doubt or criticism.C2Vinenoun · A climbing plant that grapes grow on.A1Vinegarnoun · A sour liquid used in cooking, salad, and chips.A2Violateverb · To break a law, agreement, or right; also to enter a place without respect.B2Violencenoun · Behaviour that hurts people physically, or great force.B2Violentadjective · Using physical force to hurt; also sudden and strong.B2Violetnoun · A small plant with purple or white flowers; also a purple colour.A1Violinnoun · A wooden musical instrument with four strings, played with a bow.A2Viraladjective · Caused by a virus; of content, spreading very fast online.C1Virtualadjective · Done by computer rather than in person; also almost but not exactly.B2Virtuenoun · A good moral quality; also an advantage (by virtue of).B2Virusnoun · A very small thing that can make you ill; also harmful computer software.A2Visanoun · An official mark or document that allows you to enter a country.A2Visibleadjective · Able to be seen.A2Visionnoun · Sight; also an idea of the future, or a mental picture.B2Visitverb · To go to a person or place for a period of time.A2Visitornoun · A person who comes to see a person or a place.A1Visualadjective · Connected with seeing or with pictures.B2Vitaladjective · Absolutely necessary; also connected with keeping someone alive.B2Vitaminnoun · A natural substance in food that your body needs to stay healthy.A2Vitiateverb · To spoil or weaken the quality or legal force of something.C2Vituperateverb · To blame or insult someone in strong or violent language (formal).C2Vividadjective · Very bright, clear, or detailed, especially of colours or memories.B2Vocabularynoun · The words that a person knows, or the words of a language.A2Vocaladjective · Expressing opinions strongly and openly; also of the voice.C1Vocationnoun · A type of work you feel strongly suited to, often with a sense of calling.C1Vociferousadjective · Expressing opinions loudly and strongly.C2Voicenoun · The sound you make when you speak or sing.A2Voicemailnoun · A recorded phone message left when nobody answers (often uncountable).B1Voidadjective · Not legally valid; also empty (a void); as a noun, a gap.C1Volatileadjective · Likely to change suddenly and unpredictably; of a substance, easily becoming vapour.C1Volcanonoun · A mountain that can send out hot rock, ash, and smoke.A2Volitionnoun · The power to choose; of one’s own volition means willingly (formal).C2Volleyballnoun · A sport in which two teams hit a ball over a high net with their hands.A2Volumenoun · How loud a sound is; also one book in a set.A2Voluntaryadjective · Done by choice, not because you must; often unpaid.B2Volunteerverb · To offer to do something without being paid, or without being asked first.B1Voteverb · To show your choice in an election or a group decision.A2Voternoun · A person who votes in an election.A2Vouchernoun · A printed ticket or code that you can use instead of money.A2Vownoun · A serious promise, especially a formal or public one.B2Vowelnoun · A speech sound written with the letters a, e, i, o, or u.A2Voyagenoun · A long journey by sea or in space.B2Vulnerableadjective · Easy to harm, attack, or criticise.B2