English Words Starting With D

• defaulter

  nounC1
  /dɪˈfɔːltə(r)/A person or entity that fails to fulfill a legal or financial obligation, especially to pay a debt.
• defcon

  nounLow
  /ˈdɛfkɒn/A scale of military alert status, specifically used by the US armed forces.
• defeasance

  nounVery Low (C2+)
  /dɪˈfiːz(ə)ns/A legal provision or event that voids or terminates a contract, bond, or deed, especially in finance.
• defease

  verb-transitiveRare
  /dɪˈfiːz/To make void or annul; to discharge or terminate an obligation, typically a debt or legal liability, by setting aside funds specifically for that purpose.
• defeat

  nounverbverb-transitiveHigh
  /dɪˈfiːt/To win a victory over someone in a battle, competition, or election; to cause someone or something to fail.
• defeated

  adjectiveverbC1 (Upper Intermediate / Advanced)
  /dɪˈfiːtɪd/Having been beaten in a contest, battle, or struggle; having failed to win.
• defeatism

  nounC1
  /dɪˈfiːtɪz(ə)m/The attitude of expecting or accepting defeat too readily, without sufficient effort or hope.
• defeatist

  adjectivenounC1
  /dɪˈfiːtɪst/A person who expects or accepts failure readily, exhibiting a pessimistic attitude.
• defeature

  nounC2
  /dɪˈfiːtʃə/To deprive of or remove features; to mar the appearance or form of something.
• defecate

  verbverb-intransitiveverb-transitiveLow-frequency in everyday speech; more common in formal, medical, or technical registers.
  /ˈdɛf.ɪ.keɪt/To eliminate feces from the bowels; to have a bowel movement.
• defecation

  nounLow
  /ˌdɛfɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/The act of discharging feces from the bowels.
• defect

  nounverbverb-intransitiveB2
  /ˈdiːfekt/ (noun), /dɪˈfekt/ (verb)A fault, flaw, or shortcoming; an imperfection.
• defected

  adjectiveverbC1
  /dɪˈfɛktɪd/Past tense and past participle of 'defect' – to abandon one's country, political party, cause, or organization in order to join an opposing one.
• defection

  nounB2
  /dɪˈfɛkʃ(ə)n/The act of abandoning one's country, cause, allegiance, or political party to join or support another.
• defective

  adjectivenounC1
  /dɪˈfɛktɪv/Having a flaw, imperfection, or malfunction; not working or made correctly.
• defector

  nounB2/C1
  /dɪˈfɛktə/A person who abandons their country, political party, cause, or group, especially to join an opposing one.
• defederalize

  verb-transitiveVery low
  /diːˈfɛd(ə)rəlaɪz/To remove from federal government control, authority, or structure; to decentralize.
• defence

  nounB1
  /dɪˈfɛns/The action of protecting from or resisting attack, harm, or criticism.
• defence in depth

  nounC1-C2 / Upper-Intermediate to Advanced
  /dɪˈfens ɪn depθ/A military strategy involving multiple, layered lines of defence to slow and weaken an attack, making the overall position harder to breach.
• defence mechanism

  nounC1
  /dɪˈfens ˈmekənɪz(ə)m/A psychological strategy, often unconscious, used to protect oneself from anxiety, unpleasant thoughts, or emotional distress.

Showing 1461–1480 of 7181 words.