200+ Difficult Words with Meaning in English in 2024 

How good is your English vocabulary? How often do you explore new words, look for their correct pronunciation, and their meaning in the dictionary or the internet? There are multiple ways to improve our vocabulary. We can regularly read newspapers, books, magazines, and articles, listen to podcasts, watch movies and news channels, etc. These are some good and effective ways to not just enhance one’s English vocabulary but learn new words as well. Whether you are preparing for an English proficiency test or just learning out of personal interest, you can surely build a strong vocabulary and strengthen your grasp of the English language. Today, we will discuss 200+ difficult words with meaning in English. To give you a head start, here’s a new English word: Coulrophobia. 

What are Difficult Words? 

How do you define a word as “difficult”? Is it complex pronunciation or meaning? Or its length and structure? We surely have our own ways of understanding things, and same is the case with words. Words speak about themselves. Every word has it’s unique meaning, pronunciation, and purpose. There are synonyms too, but before understanding similar words, it is important to understand the true meaning of the listed word.  

To most people, words like ‘esoteric’, phylogenetic, and ‘synecdoche’ might be difficult as these are not commonly used in our daily conversations. Moreover, they have complex meanings, as they require specific knowledge to understand. 

New English Difficult Words  

There are over 170,000 English words in the Oxford Dictionary. Within these, there are over 4,700 obsolete words, meaning words that are no longer used. In 2023, 690 new words were added to the English dictionary. These new words emerged as a direct response to the need to refer to new situations or concepts. One very simple and easy way to form a new word is to merge existing words, which together make a sensible meaning of a new idea. Let’s look at some of the most popular new English words in 2023. 

20 Difficult Words with Meaning in English 

There are over 1.46 billion English speaking people in the world. English is not just a language. It serves a purpose beyond communication. It has become a global lingua franca, influencing and being influenced by cultures around the world. For many, English is a means of expressing identity. Many international businesses, trades, and financial organizations consider English as their default language. Universities across the world accept English proficiency scores to check whether a student is ready for college or not.  

Below we have highlighted 20 difficult words with meaning in English. These words, their meaning and examples will surely enhance your overall vocabulary skills. 

Adulting

Meaning: The practice of behaving in a way characteristic of a responsible adult, especially the accomplishment of mundane but necessary tasks. 

Example: “Paying bills and grocery shopping are just part of adulting.” 

Binge-watch

Meaning: To watch multiple episodes of a TV series or program at once. 

Example: “I spent the weekend binge-watching my favorite TV show.” 

Cancel Culture

Meaning: A modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles, either online or in the real world. 

Example: “Cancel culture has led to many public figures losing their careers.” 

Doomscrolling

Meaning: The act of consuming a large quantity of negative online news at once. 

Example: “Doomscrolling late at night made it hard for me to sleep.” 

Abnegation

Meaning: Renunciation of a belief or doctrine; Denial. 

Example: “His abnegation of luxury surprised everyone.” 

Iconoclast

Meaning: Someone who criticizes or attacks cherished ideas and beliefs. 

Example: “She was seen as an iconoclast for challenging traditional beliefs.” 

Fatuous

Meaning: Devoid of intelligence 

Example: “His fatuous remark was met with silence.” 

Idiosyncratic

Meaning: Something peculiar to an individual. 

Example: “Her idiosyncratic style made her stand out in the crowd.” 

Incumbent

Meaning: A person currently in an official position. 

Example: “It is incumbent upon us to act responsibly.” 

Inveterate

Meaning: Habitual 

Example: “He’s an inveterate traveler, always planning his next adventure.” 

Libertarian

Meaning: Someone who cherishes ideas of free will. 

Example: “Her libertarian views emphasize minimal government intervention in personal lives.” 

Licentious 

Meaning: A person who is promiscuous. 

Example: “His licentious behavior at the party shocked many of the guests.” 

Multifarious

Meaning: Multifaceted or diverse. 

Example: “Her multifarious interests include painting, coding, and hiking.” 

Ostracism

Meaning: Excluding a person or certain section from society by the majority’s consent 

Example: “After the scandal, he faced social ostracism from his former friends.” 

Pertinacious

Meaning: Someone who is stubbornly unyielding 

Example: “Her pertinacious efforts to solve the problem eventually paid off.” 

Quotidian

Meaning: Something that is of daily occurrence 

Example: “His quotidian routine included a morning jog and a cup of coffee.” 

Recalcitrant

Meaning: Resistant to authority. 

Example: “The recalcitrant student refused to follow the teacher’s instructions.” 

Sanctimonious

Meaning: The pretense of being morally pious to exhibit moral superiority 

Example: “His sanctimonious speeches about morality were often met with eye rolls.” 

Travesty

Meaning: Distorting facts or imitation. 

Example: “The poorly executed remake was a travesty of the original film.” 

Vicissitude

Meaning: An unwelcome or unpleasant change in circumstances or fortune.  

Example: “She faced the vicissitudes of life with remarkable resilience.” 

30 New English Words with Meaning  

In this section, we will discuss 30 new English words with their meaning. These new English words have emerged from the exciting words and have modified their previous meaning. Let’s learn these new words.  

New English Words for IELTS 

Learning new and difficult English words can significantly help individuals prepare for English proficiency tests like IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, etc. English proficiency tests are conducted to measure a candidate’s understanding of the English language in four sections; Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. Understanding new words, their meanings and right pronunciation can surely enhance a candidate’s overall score on the test. Here are 15 new English words for IELTS. 

English Words for Children 

English is the primary language of international communication. Fluently speaking and understanding English language enables people from different backgrounds to share their thoughts and express ideas. Children in schools are taught English from an early age. Here are 50 English words for children with their meaning.  

Tips to Enhance English Vocabulary 

Enhancing English vocabulary requires time and consistent practice. You can surely learn 50 or 60 words a day or even more than that, but the term ‘vocabulary’ is not limited to some mere words. Vocabulary is the sum of all the words, their meaning, synonyms, antonyms, and examples used in a language. Here are some easy tips designed to enhance English vocabulary in real-time. 

Build a Reading Habit 

The first step towards enhancing English vocabulary is to build a reading habit. Reading is a great way to improve vocabulary and learn something new. This is because when we read something and come across new words as part of a story, we are more likely to remember it for a longer period. There are multiple sources available, like newspapers, magazines, academic and fictional books, journals, etc. 

Write Down New Words 

Writing down every new word you come across will take your vocabulary to a new level. You can remember new words and their meaning in a better way by writing them. Writing words and their meanings yourself rather than seeing them in books or screens makes learning efficient. If a word is difficult to pronounce, you can translate it into your language and then relate it. 

Practice Space-repetition Reviews 

Spaced repetition is a learning technique in which words are reviewed after some time. The more often and regularly we see new words and their meaning, the more likely we are to learn them. One popular way of doing so is to make sticky notes and paste them on the walls of your room, door, or fridge. This way, you will see them every time you pass, and you can easily understand their meaning. 

Learn a Word a Day 

Learning new words or anything new requires commitment. It’s a test that requires effort and regular practice. You can make a long-term plan by focusing on short goals, like making a 30-day goal of learning 30 new words, by learning a word a day. 

Use It or Lose It 

In order to remember words for a longer period, one of the best ways is to follow the ‘use it or lose it’ practice. You can use new vocabulary the moment you are speaking or writing in English. This practice allows you to use new words in daily life. 

Difficult English Words to Pronounce 

One reason why some words are listed as difficult is their complex pronunciation. To pronounce such difficult words, try to break them into pieces and then speak one part at a time. Here are 20 difficult English words to pronounce. 

Conclusion 

Learning new and difficult words is part of life. We come across new words and phrases, read them, understand their meaning, and examples, and eventually learn them. This is how the cycle of learning new words works. Some difficult words with meaning might be more challenging than others but with the tips listed above, one can surely enhance their overall English vocabulary. 

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