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English Words Starting With F

5,868 entries — pick a word to see its definition, pronunciation, and usage.

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Noun Verb Adjective Adverb Plural noun Combining form Verb (transitive)Verb (intransitive)Verb (ambitransitive)

foray
nounverbverb-intransitive+1B2 (Upper Intermediate)
/ˈfɒr.eɪ/A sudden, brief, and often tentative venture into new territory or a new activity.
forb
nounC2/Rare
/fɔːb/A herbaceous flowering plant, other than a grass.
forbade
verbC1
/fəˈbæd/The past tense of 'forbid,' meaning to authoritatively prohibit or order someone not to do something.
forbear
verbverb-intransitiveverb-transitiveC1
/fɔːˈbeə(r)/To refrain or hold oneself back from doing something, especially with patience and self-control.
forbearance
nounC2
/fɔːˈbeə.rəns/patient self-control; restraint; the act of refraining from exercising a legal right.
forbes
nounB1
/fɔːbz/A surname, most commonly associated with the American business magazine and media company Forbes.
forbes-robertson
nounRare
/ˌfɔːbz ˈrɒbətsən/A hyphenated surname referring most notably to the distinguished late 19th/early 20th-century British Shakespearean actor, Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson.
forbid
verbverb-transitiveB2
/fəˈbɪd/to command or instruct someone not to do something; to make an action, behavior, or event not allowed.
forbiddance
nounLow (C2 level vocabulary, primarily formal/legal contexts)
/fəˈbɪd(ə)ns/The act of forbidding; a formal prohibition or ban.
forbidden
adjectiveverbB2
/fəˈbɪd.ən/Not allowed; officially or morally prohibited.
forbidden band
nounVery Low
/fəˈbɪd.ən bænd/A range of energy levels that electrons in a solid material cannot occupy.
forbidden city
nounB2
/fəˈbɪd.ən ˈsɪt.i/The former imperial palace in Beijing, China, now a museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
forbidden fruit
nounC1
/fəˈbɪd.ən fruːt/A literal or metaphorical fruit that is prohibited from being consumed or obtained, originating from the biblical story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
forbidden transition
nounC1/C2 (Very Low in general English, used only in specialised technical contexts)
/fəˈbɪd.ən trænˈzɪʃ.ən/In physics (especially quantum mechanics and spectroscopy), a transition between two energy levels of a quantum system that is highly improbable according to the standard selection rules, making it extremely unlikely to occur under normal conditions.
forbore
verbC2
/fɔːˈbɔː/To stop oneself from doing or saying something; to refrain.
forborne
verbC1
/fɔːˈbɔːn/The past participle of 'forbear' - to have refrained or held back from doing something; to have shown patience or tolerance.
forbush decrease
nounC2/Extremely Low Frequency (technical jargon)
/ˈfɔːbʊʃ dɪˈkriːs/A rapid decrease in the intensity of galactic cosmic rays observed on Earth, typically lasting a few days.
force
nounverbverb-intransitive+1High (B1/B2)
/fɔːs/Physical strength, power, or energy that causes movement or a change in motion.
force cup
nounLow
/ˈfɔːs ˌkʌp/A simple, hand-held, rubber suction device, typically with a wooden handle, used to clear blocked drains or toilets by creating pressure and suction.
force de frappe
nounC2
/ˌfɔːs də ˈfrap/A military term literally meaning 'strike force', referring specifically to France's independent nuclear deterrent, comprised of its strategic nuclear weapons systems and the doctrine governing their use.

Showing 3801–3820 of 5868 words.