Tips to expand your English vocabulary

Expanding your vocabulary is a powerful way to enhance communication, deepen comprehension, and express yourself with precision. Whether you’re a language enthusiast, a student, or simply curious, building a robust vocabulary opens doors to richer conversations and a deeper understanding of the world.

The following strategies—ranging from immersive reading to engaging in word games and online communities—offer practical, engaging ways to grow your word bank and make learning a dynamic, lifelong habit.

Read widely and actively

Immerse yourself in diverse reading materials such as books, articles, blogs, and essays across genres like fiction, non-fiction, and news. When you come across unfamiliar words, jot them down, check their meanings using reliable dictionaries like Merriam-Webster or Oxford, and observe how they’re used in context to deepen your understanding. But before you look up their meaning, try to guess the meaning from context, then check a dictionary to confirm.

Use vocabulary-building apps

Leverage apps like Quizlet, which use spaced repetition to help you memorize words efficiently. Create personalized flashcards that include new words, their definitions, and example sentences to reinforce learning through regular review.

Learn words in context

Focus on understanding words through their use in real-life situations rather than memorizing isolated lists. Watch English movies, TV shows, or podcasts, and note interesting words or phrases. Using subtitles can help you identify and learn new vocabulary in context. Here you will probably be introduced to idioms, colloquialisms, and slang as well.

Practice word families and roots

Study prefixes, suffixes, and root words to unlock the meanings of unfamiliar terms. For example, knowing that “spect” means “to look” can help you understand words like “inspect” or “spectator,” creating connections that make learning easier.

Engage in active use

You’ll lose it if you don’t use it. Actively incorporate new words into your writing or conversations to solidify them in your memory. Try journaling, participating in online forums, or discussing topics with friends to practice using new vocabulary in meaningful ways.

Play word games

Make learning fun by engaging in word games like crosswords, Scrabble, or apps such as Wordle. These activities expose you to new words while challenging your ability to recall and apply them in an enjoyable format.

Set realistic goals

Aim to learn 5–10 new words each day and review them regularly to ensure retention. Consistent, manageable progress is more effective than cramming, helping you build a strong vocabulary over time.

Join online communities

Participate in platforms like Reddit, such as the r/EnglishLearning community, to observe how native speakers use words in real-time discussions. Engage by asking questions about unfamiliar terms to enhance your learning through interaction.

Be sure to check out our vocabulary lists:

• Vocabulary
• Confusing words
• Idioms
• Phrasal verbs
• Vocabulary-based lessons — While these are geared for teachers as lesson plans, you’ll find a lot of topics, vocabulary, example phrases, and conversations.