The most common English words
This table is a measurement of our own library. Every word in 175,160 published chapters was counted — 210,375,850 word occurrences across 12,550 books — and sorted by how often it occurs. Rank 1 is the word you will meet most often on an English page.
2,989 of those words have a page of their own: the US transcription, the part of speech, a learner definition, every sense the entry carries, and real sentences from different books with a link into the chapter each one came from.
Learn it in bands
Ranks 801 onward
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| Rank | Word | Sound | Part of speech | Meaning | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 801 | yours | /jʊrz/ | pronoun | the one or ones belonging to the person spoken to | 22,787 |
| 802 | piece | /piːs/ | noun | a separate part of a whole | 22,687 |
| 803 | La | /lɑː/ | noun | a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and… | 22,670 |
| 804 | pain | /peɪn/ | noun | a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder | 22,614 |
| 805 | merely | /ˈmɪrli/ | adverb | and nothing more | 22,585 |
| 806 | escape | /ɪˈskeɪp/ | noun | the act of escaping physically | 22,551 |
| 807 | history | /ˈhɪstəri/ | noun | the aggregate of past events | 22,519 |
| 808 | shot | /ʃɑːt/ | noun | the act of firing a projectile | 22,445 |
| 809 | music | /ˈmjuːzɪk/ | noun | an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in… | 22,408 |
| 810 | brown | /braʊn/ | noun | an orange of low brightness and saturation | 22,407 |
| 811 | promise | /ˈprɑːməs/ | verb | make a promise or commitment | 22,395 |
| 812 | safe | /seɪf/ | adjective | free from danger or the risk of harm | 22,384 |
| 813 | cast | /kæst/ | verb | put or send forth | 22,367 |
| 814 | fancy | /ˈfænsi/ | noun | something many people believe that is false | 22,351 |
| 815 | judge | /dʒʌdʒ/ | verb | determine the result of (a competition) | 22,339 |
| 816 | clothes | /kloʊðz/ | noun | clothing in general | 22,336 |
| 817 | running | /ˈrʌnɪŋ/ | adjective | (of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream | 22,274 |
| 818 | neck | /nek/ | noun | the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body | 22,231 |
| 819 | perfect | /pərˈfekt/ | adjective | being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish | 22,154 |
| 820 | colonel | /ˈkɜːrnəl/ | noun | a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who r… | 22,123 |
| 821 | lives | /lɪvz/ | noun | plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living | 22,071 |
| 822 | summer | /ˈsʌmər/ | noun | the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer s… | 22,037 |
| 823 | understood | /ˌʌndərˈstʊd/ | adjective | fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation | 22,037 |
| 824 | grave | /ɡreɪv/ | noun | death of a person | 22,003 |
| 825 | covered | /ˈkʌvərd/ | adjective | overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a com… | 22,000 |
| 826 | wide | /waɪd/ | adjective | having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other | 21,985 |
| 827 | mere | /mɪr/ | adjective | being nothing more than specified | 21,982 |
| 828 | observed | /əbˈzɜːrvd/ | adjective | discovered or determined by scientific observation | 21,951 |
| 829 | faith | /feɪθ/ | noun | a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny | 21,940 |
| 830 | talked | /tɔːkt/ | verb | past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with | 21,926 |
| 831 | dream | /driːm/ | noun | A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep. | 21,857 |
| 832 | surely | /ˈʃʊrli/ | adverb | definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”) | 21,847 |
| 833 | shut | /ʃʌt/ | verb | move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut | 21,844 |
| 834 | easily | /ˈiːzəli/ | adverb | with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”) | 21,831 |
| 835 | drink | /drɪŋk/ | verb | take in liquids | 21,814 |
| 836 | spring | /sprɪŋ/ | noun | the season of growth | 21,808 |
| 837 | flowers | /ˈflaʊərz/ | noun | plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms | 21,797 |
| 838 | lying | /ˈlaɪɪŋ/ | noun | the deliberate act of deviating from the truth | 21,755 |
| 839 | darkness | /ˈdɑːrknəs/ | noun | absence of light or illumination | 21,726 |
| 840 | whispered | /ˈwɪspərd/ | adjective | spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords | 21,712 |
| 841 | passing | /ˈpæsɪŋ/ | noun | (American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate | 21,711 |
| 842 | picture | /ˈpɪktʃər/ | noun | a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a … | 21,707 |
| 843 | crowd | /kraʊd/ | verb | cause to herd, drive, or crowd together | 21,695 |
| 844 | spite | /spaɪt/ | noun | feeling a need to see others suffer | 21,666 |
| 845 | occasion | /əˈkeɪʒən/ | noun | an event that occurs at a critical time | 21,653 |
| 846 | creature | /ˈkriːtʃər/ | noun | a living organism characterized by voluntary movement | 21,625 |
| 847 | speech | /spiːtʃ/ | noun | the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience | 21,587 |
| 848 | third | /θɜːrd/ | noun | one of three equal parts of a divisible whole | 21,571 |
| 849 | hot | /hɑːt/ | adjective | used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off… | 21,546 |
| 850 | stranger | /ˈstreɪndʒər/ | noun | anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found | 21,531 |
| 851 | begin | /bɪˈɡɪn/ | verb | take the first step or steps in carrying out an action | 21,530 |
| 852 | evil | /ˈiːvəl/ | noun | morally objectionable behavior | 21,515 |
| 853 | unless | /ənˈles/ | conjunction | except if; if not | 21,480 |
| 854 | shoulder | /ˈʃoʊldər/ | verb | lift onto one's shoulders | 21,434 |
| 855 | guess | /ɡes/ | verb | expect, believe, or suppose | 21,432 |
| 856 | latter | /ˈlætər/ | adjective | referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of … | 21,409 |
| 857 | shoulders | /ˈʃoʊldərz/ | noun | plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm | 21,404 |
| 858 | break | /breɪk/ | verb | terminate | 21,401 |
| 859 | exactly | /ɪɡˈzæktli/ | adverb | indicating exactness or preciseness | 21,393 |
| 860 | passion | /ˈpæʃən/ | noun | a strong feeling or emotion | 21,386 |
| 861 | spoken | /ˈspoʊkən/ | adjective | uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in comb… | 21,309 |
| 862 | spot | /spɑːt/ | noun | a point located with respect to surface features of some region | 21,289 |
| 863 | waited | /ˈweɪtɪd/ | verb | past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something | 21,285 |
| 864 | learn | /lɜːrn/ | verb | gain knowledge or skills | 21,266 |
| 865 | memory | /ˈmem.ər.i/ | noun | The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge. | 21,240 |
| 866 | seat | /siːt/ | noun | a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane) | 21,190 |
| 867 | pray | /preɪ/ | verb | address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer | 21,169 |
| 868 | forgotten | /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/ | adjective | Not remembered; lapsed from memory. | 21,145 |
| 869 | simply | /ˈsɪmpli/ | adverb | and nothing more | 21,140 |
| 870 | journey | /ˈdʒɜːrni/ | verb | undertake a journey or trip | 21,060 |
| 871 | wood | /wʊd/ | noun | the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees | 21,036 |
| 872 | fingers | /ˈfɪŋɡərz/ | noun | plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the t… | 21,032 |
| 873 | fixed | /fɪkst/ | adjective | (of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value | 21,013 |
| 874 | carriage | /ˈkærɪdʒ/ | noun | a railcar where passengers ride | 21,006 |
| 875 | pride | /praɪd/ | noun | a feeling of self-respect and personal worth | 20,973 |
| 876 | bound | /baʊnd/ | adjective | confined by bonds | 20,968 |
| 877 | remain | /rɪˈmeɪn/ | verb | stay the same; remain in a certain state | 20,966 |
| 878 | nobody | /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/ | pronoun | no person; not anyone | 20,962 |
| 879 | s | /es/ | noun | 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unit… | 20,954 |
| 880 | born | /bɔːrn/ | adjective | brought into existence | 20,945 |
| 881 | direction | /dərˈekʃən/ | noun | a line leading to a place or point | 20,908 |
| 882 | circumstances | /ˈsɜːrkəmstænsəz/ | noun | your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to y… | 20,898 |
| 883 | believed | /bɪˈliːvd/ | verb | past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true | 20,884 |
| 884 | hill | /hɪl/ | noun | a local and well-defined elevation of the land | 20,825 |
| 885 | duke | /duːk/ | noun | a British peer of the highest rank | 20,809 |
| 886 | likely | /ˈlaɪkli/ | adjective | has a good chance of being the case or of coming about | 20,727 |
| 887 | Princess | /ˈprɪn.ses/ | noun | The daughter of a monarch; a female member of a royal family. | 20,724 |
| 888 | mark | /mɑːrk/ | verb | attach a tag or label to | 20,711 |
| 889 | knowing | /ˈnoʊɪŋ/ | adjective | evidencing the possession of inside information | 20,690 |
| 890 | reach | /riːtʃ/ | verb | reach a destination, either real or abstract | 20,680 |
| 891 | reading | /ˈriːdɪŋ/ | noun | the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message | 20,662 |
| 892 | walls | /wɔːlz/ | noun | plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its… | 20,634 |
| 893 | train | /treɪn/ | verb | create by training and teaching | 20,612 |
| 894 | warm | /wɔːrm/ | adjective | having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintain… | 20,597 |
| 895 | quietly | /ˈkwaɪətli/ | adverb | with low volume | 20,583 |
| 896 | game | /ɡeɪm/ | noun | a contest with rules to determine a winner | 20,556 |
| 897 | wonderful | /ˈwʌndərfəl/ | adjective | extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers | 20,474 |
| 898 | especially | /əˈspeʃli/ | adverb | to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common | 20,472 |
| 899 | remembered | /rɪˈmembərd/ | verb | past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection | 20,469 |
| 900 | places | /ˈpleɪsəz/ | noun | plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region | 20,457 |
| 901 | gate | /ɡeɪt/ | noun | a movable barrier in a fence or wall | 20,442 |
| 902 | lot | /lɑːt/ | noun | (often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent | 20,434 |
| 903 | greater | /ˈɡreɪtər/ | adjective | greater in size or importance or degree | 20,420 |
| 904 | dare | /der/ | verb | take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission | 20,413 |
| 905 | tall | /tɔːl/ | adjective | great in vertical dimension; high in stature | 20,391 |
| 906 | Peter | /ˈpiːtər/ | noun | disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Chr… | 20,363 |
| 907 | offered | /ˈɔːfərd/ | verb | past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish | 20,349 |
| 908 | entirely | /ɪnˈtaɪərli/ | adverb | to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally … | 20,306 |
| 909 | fallen | /ˈfɑːlən/ | adjective | having dropped by the force of gravity | 20,292 |
| 910 | sign | /saɪn/ | noun | a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that … | 20,273 |
| 911 | surprised | /sərˈpraɪzd/ | adjective | taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment | 20,255 |
| 912 | hung | /hʌŋ/ | verb | inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging | 20,253 |
| 913 | experience | /ɪkˈspɪriəns/ | verb | undergo or live through a difficult experience | 20,231 |
| 914 | declared | /dɪˈklerd/ | adjective | made known or openly avowed | 20,222 |
| 915 | proud | /praʊd/ | adjective | feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or … | 20,206 |
| 916 | servant | /ˈsɜːrvənt/ | noun | a person working in the service of another (especially in the household) | 20,193 |
| 917 | fool | /fuːl/ | noun | a person who lacks good judgment | 20,189 |
| 918 | seven | /ˈsevən/ | noun | the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one | 20,159 |
| 919 | touched | /tʌtʃt/ | adjective | having come into contact | 20,154 |
| 920 | discovered | /dɪˈskʌvərd/ | adjective | discovered or determined by scientific observation | 20,108 |
| 921 | smiling | /ˈsmaɪlɪŋ/ | noun | a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows… | 20,077 |
| 922 | finished | /ˈfɪnɪʃt/ | adjective | (of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state | 20,036 |
| 923 | sad | /sæd/ | adjective | experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness | 19,967 |
| 924 | allowed | /əˈlaʊd/ | verb | past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for… | 19,932 |
| 925 | afterwards | /ˈæftərwərdz/ | adverb | happening at a time subsequent to a reference time | 19,892 |
| 926 | expect | /ɪkˈspekt/ | verb | regard something as probable or likely | 19,889 |
| 927 | spent | /spent/ | adjective | depleted of energy, force, or strength | 19,889 |
| 928 | anxious | /ˈæŋkʃəs/ | adjective | eagerly desirous | 19,834 |
| 929 | army | /ˈɑːrmi/ | noun | a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state | 19,831 |
| 930 | pity | /ˈpɪti/ | noun | a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others | 19,786 |
| 931 | meeting | /ˈmiːtɪŋ/ | noun | a formally arranged gathering | 19,759 |
| 932 | start | /stɑːrt/ | verb | take the first step or steps in carrying out an action | 19,750 |
| 933 | particular | /pərˈtɪkjələr/ | adjective | unique or specific to a person or thing or category | 19,744 |
| 934 | killed | /kɪld/ | verb | past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly | 19,721 |
| 935 | holding | /ˈhoʊldɪŋ/ | noun | the act of retaining something | 19,713 |
| 936 | wise | /waɪz/ | adjective | having or prompted by wisdom or discernment | 19,656 |
| 937 | honest | /ˈɑːnəst/ | adjective | not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent | 19,570 |
| 938 | France | /fræns/ | noun | a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe | 19,555 |
| 939 | angry | /ˈæŋɡri/ | adjective | feeling or showing anger | 19,538 |
| 940 | charge | /tʃɑːrdʒ/ | verb | to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle | 19,534 |
| 941 | listened | /ˈlɪsənd/ | verb | past form of “listen” — hear with intention | 19,456 |
| 942 | food | /fuːd/ | noun | any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue | 19,447 |
| 943 | sword | /sɔːrd/ | noun | a cutting or thrusting weapon that has a long metal blade and a hilt with a hand guard | 19,440 |
| 944 | move | /muːv/ | verb | change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically | 19,435 |
| 945 | tired | /ˈtaɪərd/ | adjective | depleted of strength or energy | 19,405 |
| 946 | ear | /iːr/ | noun | the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium | 19,396 |
| 947 | notice | /ˈnoʊtəs/ | noun | an announcement containing information about an event | 19,396 |
| 948 | private | /ˈpraɪvət/ | adjective | confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy | 19,383 |
| 949 | Jack | /dʒæk/ | noun | a small worthless amount | 19,362 |
| 950 | condition | /kənˈdɪʃən/ | noun | a state at a particular time | 19,330 |
| 951 | courage | /ˈkɜːrədʒ/ | noun | a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear | 19,325 |
| 952 | aside | /əˈsaɪd/ | adverb | on or to one side | 19,272 |
| 954 | finally | /ˈfaɪnəli/ | adverb | after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay | 19,256 |
| 955 | liked | /laɪkt/ | adjective | found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form | 19,240 |
| 956 | serious | /ˈsɪriəs/ | adjective | concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities | 19,226 |
| 957 | wine | /waɪn/ | noun | fermented juice (of grapes especially) | 19,212 |
| 958 | faces | /ˈfeɪsəz/ | noun | plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to… | 19,183 |
| 959 | American | /əˈmerəkən/ | noun | a native or inhabitant of the United States | 19,176 |
| 960 | respect | /rɪˈspekt/ | noun | (usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point | 19,169 |
| 961 | winter | /ˈwɪntər/ | noun | the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter s… | 19,165 |
| 962 | fate | /feɪt/ | noun | an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future | 19,042 |
| 963 | castle | /ˈkæsəl/ | noun | a large and stately mansion | 19,030 |
| 964 | promised | /ˈprɑːməst/ | verb | past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment | 19,018 |
| 965 | battle | /ˈbætəl/ | noun | a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war | 19,013 |
| 966 | middle | /ˈmɪdəl/ | noun | an area that is approximately central within some larger region | 18,917 |
| 967 | kill | /kɪl/ | verb | cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly | 18,909 |
| 968 | heads | /hedz/ | noun | plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in an… | 18,877 |
| 969 | laughing | /ˈlæfɪŋ/ | adjective | showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness | 18,873 |
| 970 | rising | /ˈraɪzɪŋ/ | adjective | advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status | 18,860 |
| 971 | shore | /ʃɔːr/ | noun | the land along the edge of a body of water | 18,858 |
| 972 | lose | /luːz/ | verb | fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense | 18,828 |
| 973 | mistress | /ˈmɪstrəs/ | noun | an adulterous woman; a woman who has an ongoing extramarital sexual relationship with a… | 18,817 |
| 974 | watching | /ˈwɑːtʃɪŋ/ | noun | the act of observing; taking a patient look | 18,814 |
| 975 | everybody | /ˈevribɑːdi/ | pronoun | every person | 18,774 |
| 976 | breast | /brest/ | noun | the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen | 18,763 |
| 977 | gentle | /ˈdʒentəl/ | adjective | soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe | 18,763 |
| 978 | island | /ˈaɪlənd/ | noun | a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water | 18,706 |
| 979 | shadow | /ˈʃæd.oʊ/ | noun | A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface. | 18,704 |
| 980 | drawn | /drɔːn/ | adjective | showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering | 18,646 |
| 981 | forest | /ˈfɔːrəst/ | noun | the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area | 18,641 |
| 982 | sharp | /ʃɑːrp/ | adjective | (of something seen or heard) clearly defined | 18,631 |
| 983 | feelings | /ˈfiːlɪŋz/ | noun | emotional or moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignit… | 18,614 |
| 984 | /ˈpɑːkət/ | noun | a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles | 18,590 | |
| 985 | appear | /əˈpɪr/ | verb | give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect | 18,565 |
| 986 | companion | /kəmˈpænjən/ | noun | a friend who is frequently in the company of another | 18,562 |
| 987 | silver | /ˈsɪlvər/ | noun | a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and ther… | 18,529 |
| 988 | bank | /bæŋk/ | noun | sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water) | 18,527 |
| 989 | fit | /fɪt/ | verb | be agreeable or acceptable to | 18,513 |
| 990 | bent | /bent/ | noun | a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way | 18,507 |
| 991 | matters | /ˈmætərz/ | noun | plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern | 18,507 |
| 992 | sick | /sɪk/ | adjective | affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function | 18,473 |
| 993 | box | /bɑːks/ | noun | a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid | 18,402 |
| 994 | telling | /ˈtelɪŋ/ | adjective | disclosing unintentionally something concealed | 18,355 |
| 995 | south | /saʊθ/ | noun | the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line | 18,342 |
| 996 | vain | /veɪn/ | adjective | characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance | 18,335 |
| 997 | mad | /mæd/ | adjective | roused to anger | 18,307 |
| 998 | nice | /naɪs/ | adjective | pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance | 18,295 |
| 999 | leaves | /liːvz/ | noun | plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants | 18,284 |
| 1,000 | golden | /ˈɡoʊldən/ | adjective | having the deep slightly brownish color of gold | 18,265 |
| 1,001 | honor | /ˈɑːnər/ | noun | a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction | 18,253 |
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