Websites That Can Help You Boost Your Vocabulary

The English language is the most spoken language in the world. There are other languages that are widely spoken in the world but for the purpose of this article, we would restrict ourselves to covering the vocabulary aspects of the English.

Have you ever wondered how you become proficient in a certain language? Well, by learning the vocabulary and also by being grammatically correct. Thus, in order to speak and write English like a pro, we have compiled a list of certain websites that will enable you to boost vocabulary.

Visuwords

This happens to be the best visual tool out there. By means of it, you can gain access to certain new words and hence can improve your vocabulary. By entering the word into Visuwords the tool present you with a graph displaying that word in connection with other words exhibiting different relation amongst them.

By hovering over a certain word you can get its meaning. Also, you have the ability to Zoom-in and zoom-out using your mouse wheel. An excellent amalgam of dictionary and thesaurus.

Dictionary.com

This site is the most commonly visited. As the name implies, it packs the dictionary in its comprehensive form. The website is not simply about providing you with the meanings of the words or its pronunciations rather it also provides with dictionary toolbar, RSS feeds and so on, in order to improve vocabulary and a chance at world explorer podcasts.

Thesaurus.com

It is an extension of the above website Dictionary.com and provides a detailed explanation of the words. Moreover, it describes what parts of speech the words belong to plus provide you with their synonyms and antonyms.

Definr

An immensely fast dictionary but why do we say that? It is because as soon as you begin typing it will start suggesting relevant words to you. On many occasion, the word pops up in your search merely after typing in 3-4 letters and then you can click on it to access its meaning. In addition, there are other tools that Definr packs which make the use of it worth your while.

Merriam-Webster Online

A great platform for learning English and improving your vocabulary. It is a combination of both dictionary and thesaurus. You can even find an inclusion of Spanish-English and medical dictionary therein.

The website offers ease in terms of looking up words and in turn, listening to their pronunciations. In addition, it packs resources like crosswords, word games and visual dictionary – a tool that mixes words with pictures.

MetaGlossary

Metaglossary.com is another such website where you can find meanings of the words in varying manners. For instance, you wish to look for a term, what MetaGlossary will do is gather all the links from across the web describing that word and presenting them to you under its search results. In other words, this site does a stellar job pulling definitions and/or meaning for a word from all around the web.

Thsrs

For example, you have long words that are both difficult to pronounce and write, with Thsrs you can get synonyms that are shorter in word length. Not all the times, it is right on the money but on most occasions it does what it says, providing you with shorter words instead, that holds the same meanings. It offers a browser plug-in as well where you can easily look for synonyms by simply right-clicking.

Wordsmith

Wordsmith is a resource for new words and is popular due to its ‘A Word a Day’ newsletter. With this, you get to have a new word emailed to your inbox.

BBC Learning English

A comprehensive resource as most of you must have figured and the name sums it all. It not only deals with English grammar and vocabulary but touches upon other numerous aspects of English language. You can find stories, quizzes, images and several communication tools so that your vocabulary is heightened.

ESL Quizzes

A part of the englishclub.com ESL Quizzes is your one-stop destination for those looking to learn the language from the very basics. This website just happens to be a vocabulary quiz and is laden with some decent amount of quizzes which are both nice and offers you the chance to learn new words and phrases.

Ninjawords

Similar to Definr, it is quick a dictionary tool, although, it does not show you the words as begin typing the word but is fast when it comes to displaying definition/meaning of the words once you hit the enter key. It also includes a random tab that can be utilised for playing around and learning newer words.

About.com's Quizzes

It is a good place to locate different types of quizzes that pertain to grammar and vocabulary. For listening practice, you can also engage yourself in listening quizzes so that you benefit from real-time listening exercise.

Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus

A free-to-try visual tool that shows related words in a map format. The map is interactive and enables you to easily locate the words’ meanings and pronunciations.

AskOxford

An online version of the famous dictionary by Oxford University Press. It’s comprehensive and packs certain vocabulary resources including a quotations dictionary.

Urban Dictionary

The USP of Urban Dictionary is that it deals in all forms of slangs. So if you don’t want what “something” means then better consult the Urban Dictionary.

Alpha Dictionary

The alpha dictionary does not directly show you the meaning of the searched word rather it searches all the online dictionaries (most of them) and displays them in the form of links where you can find the meaning of the selected word. So if you have a favourite dictionary then click on the corresponding link to view the definition and explanations.

In conclusion

Each of the above websites is meant to boost your vocabulary in English. By accessing these websites you can greatly benefit from the vocabulary building. Do you think we have missed out on a valuable resource? Let us know in comments.

Jordan James is an English professor and has been associated with leading institute for some time now. You can contact essay help company by following him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.