163 words starting with F

• fabric noun

  cloth made by weaving or knitting threads

  My grandmother chose a soft cotton fabric to make the new curtains.

  Like cloth, material, textile

• face noun

  the front of the head, with the eyes, nose and mouth

  She washed her face with cold water in the morning.

  Like features

• facet noun

  one side or part of a situation or subject; one flat side of a cut gem

  Music is only one facet of the festival; there is also food and dancing.

  Like aspect, side, part

• facilitate verb

  to make an action or process easier

  Clear signs at the airport facilitate the movement of travelers.

  Like ease, help, assist

• facility noun

  a building or place made for a particular activity

  The new sports facility has a swimming pool.

  Like center

• fact noun

  something that is known to be true

  It is a fact that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level.

  Like truth, reality

• factor noun

  one of the things that causes or influences a result

  Rainfall is an important factor in how well crops grow.

  Like cause, element

• factorial noun

  the product of a whole number and all whole numbers below it down to 1

  The factorial of 4 is 4 times 3 times 2 times 1, which equals 24.

• factory noun

  a building where goods are made in large numbers using machines

  The factory near our town makes biscuits and noodles.

  Like plant, works

• faculty noun

  all the teachers of a college or university; a natural power of the mind or body

  The science faculty met to plan next year’s courses.

  Like staff

• fade verb

  to slowly become less bright, loud or strong

  The colors of the poster faded in the sun.

  Like dim, weaken

• fail verb

  to not succeed in doing something; to not pass a test

  He studied hard because he did not want to fail the math exam.

  Like flunk

• failure noun

  a lack of success

  The first rocket was a failure, but the second one worked.

  Like flop

• fair adjective

  treating people equally and in the right way

  It is not fair that only one team got to use the new ball.

  Like just, even-handed

• fairly adverb

  more than a little but not very; in a fair and honest way

  The test was fairly easy, so most students finished early.

  Like quite, rather

• faith noun

  strong trust in someone or something; a religion

  I have faith that my friends will keep their promise.

  Like trust, belief

• faithfully adverb

  in a loyal, honest and dependable way

  He faithfully fed the neighbor’s cat every day while they were away.

  Like loyally, reliably

• fall verb

  to drop down from a higher place

  In autumn, dry leaves fall from the trees and cover the ground.

  Like drop, tumble

• false adjective

  not true or correct

  Decide whether each sentence is true or false.

  Like untrue, incorrect, wrong

• familiar adjective

  well known to you because you have seen or heard it often

  The song sounded familiar because my mother used to sing it.

  Like recognizable, known

• family noun

  a group of people related to each other, such as parents and children

  My whole family eats dinner together every evening.

  Like relatives, household

• famous adjective

  known by many people

  Mount Everest is famous around the world.

  Like well-known, renowned

• fan noun

  a person who likes a sport, team, or famous person very much; a machine that moves air

  She is a big fan of the national cricket team.

  Like supporter, admirer

• fancy adjective

  decorated and expensive, not plain

  She wore a fancy dress with silver patterns to the wedding.

  Like elaborate, decorative

• fantastic adjective

  extremely good; very strange and imaginary

  The view of the Himalaya from the hilltop was fantastic.

  Like wonderful, amazing, excellent

• far adverb

  at or to a great distance

  The village is far from the main road.

  Like a long way

• farm noun

  land and buildings used for growing crops or raising animals

  My grandparents keep cows and goats on their farm near Chitwan.

• farmer noun

  a person who grows crops or raises animals for a living

  The farmer planted rice in the flooded fields.

• fascinate verb

  to interest someone so much that they keep watching or thinking about it

  The night sky over the Himalaya has always fascinated my younger sister.

  Like captivate, enthrall

• fashion noun

  a style of clothes, hair or behavior that is popular at a certain time

  Short jackets were the fashion when my father was a student.

  Like style, trend

• fast adjective

  moving or happening quickly

  The cheetah is the fastest land animal.

  Like quick, rapid, speedy

• fat adjective

  having a lot of extra flesh on the body; thick

  The fat cat slept in the sun all afternoon.

  Like plump, overweight

• father noun

  a male parent

  My father taught me how to ride a bicycle.

  Like dad

• fatigue noun

  great tiredness from hard work or lack of rest

  After the long trek to the base camp, the climbers felt deep fatigue.

  Like tiredness, exhaustion, weariness

• fault noun

  responsibility for a mistake; a weakness or problem in something

  It was my fault that we missed the bus because I was late.

  Like blame

• favor noun

  something kind you do to help someone

  Could you do me a favor and close the window?

  Like kindness, help, service

• favorite adjective

  liked more than all others

  My favorite food is dal bhat.

  Like best-loved, preferred

• fear noun

  the feeling you have when you think something bad may happen

  My little brother has a fear of the dark.

  Like fright, dread

• feature noun

  an important or noticeable part of something

  A long trunk is the most famous feature of an elephant.

  Like characteristic, quality

• federal adjective

  of a system in which states share power with a central government

  In a federal country, each state makes some of its own laws.

• fee noun

  money you pay for a service or to join something

  The entry fee for the museum is fifty rupees for students.

  Like charge, cost

• feed verb

  to give food to a person or animal

  My sister feeds the chickens with grain every morning before school.

  Like nourish

• feedback noun

  comments on how well someone has done something, used to improve it

  The coach gave us useful feedback after the football match.

  Like comments, response

• feel verb

  to have an emotion or sensation; to touch something to learn about it

  I feel tired after the long walk up to the temple.

  Like sense, experience

• fellow noun

  a man or boy; a person in the same group as you

  He is a friendly fellow who always helps his neighbors.

  Like man, companion

• female adjective

  of the sex that can give birth or lay eggs

  The female bird sat on the eggs to keep them warm.

• fence noun

  a barrier of wood, wire or metal around a field or garden

  The farmer built a fence to keep the goats out of the garden.

  Like barrier, railing

• fertility noun

  the ability of land to grow crops well; the ability to produce young

  Farmers add compost to improve the fertility of their fields.

  Like richness, productivity

• festival noun

  a special time when people celebrate, often with music, food, and events

  Tihar is a festival of lights when houses are decorated with oil lamps.

  Like celebration

• fetal adjective

  relating to a baby or young animal still developing inside its mother

  Doctors use sound waves to check fetal growth before a baby is born.

• fever noun

  a body temperature that is higher than normal, usually because of illness

  My brother stayed home from school because he had a fever.

  Like temperature

• fiber noun

  a thin thread of material; the part of plant food that helps digestion

  Each fiber of the rope is thin, but twisted together they make it strong.

  Like thread, strand

• fiction noun

  stories about people and events that are not real

  I like reading fiction, especially adventure stories.

• field noun

  an open area of land used for crops or animals; an area of study

  The farmers are planting rice in the field.

  Like area

• fight verb

  to struggle against someone or something using force or effort

  White blood cells fight germs in our bodies.

  Like battle, struggle

• figure noun

  a drawing or diagram in a book; a written number, such as 7

  Look at the figure on page twelve to see how the heart pumps blood.

  Like diagram, illustration, number

• file noun

  a set of information kept on a computer; a folder for keeping papers

  Save the file before you close the computer.

  Like document, folder

• fill verb

  to make something full

  Fill the bottle with water before the hike.

• film noun

  a story or event shown as moving pictures

  We watched a film about penguins in Antarctica.

  Like movie

• filter noun

  a device that removes dirt or other things from a liquid or gas

  We use a filter to clean our drinking water.

  Like strainer

• fin noun

  a thin flat part on a fish’s body that helps it swim and balance

  The shark’s fin cut through the water near the boat.

• final adjective

  coming at the end; last

  The final match of the tournament is on Sunday.

  Like last, closing

• finally adverb

  after a long time; as the last thing

  After three hours of walking, we finally reached the lake.

  Like at last, lastly

• finance noun

  the management of money

  She studied finance at college and now works at a bank.

  Like money matters

• financial adjective

  having to do with money

  The bank gives financial advice to farmers.

  Like monetary, economic

• find verb

  to discover something by looking or by chance

  I finally found my lost pencil under the sofa.

  Like discover, locate

• fine adjective

  good or acceptable; very thin or in very small pieces

  The beach was covered in fine white sand.

  Like good, thin

• finger noun

  one of the five long parts at the end of your hand

  She counted to ten on her fingers.

• finish verb

  to come to the end of something; to stop doing something because it is done

  Finish your homework before you go out to play.

  Like complete, end

• finite adjective

  having a limit or an end

  The Earth has a finite amount of oil, so it will run out one day.

  Like limited, bounded

• fire noun

  the flames, heat and light made when something burns

  We sat around the fire to keep warm on the cold night.

  Like flame, blaze

• firm adjective

  solid and not easy to press or move

  Make sure the ladder is on firm ground before you climb.

  Like solid, hard

• firmly adverb

  in a strong, steady or definite way

  Hold the rope firmly so you don’t slip.

  Like tightly, securely

• firstly adverb

  used to introduce the first point in a list

  Firstly, wash your hands; secondly, set the table.

  Like first

• fish noun

  an animal that lives in water and breathes through gills

  We saw many colorful fish in the pond.

• fit verb

  to be the right size or shape for someone or something

  These shoes fit me perfectly.

  Like suit, match

• fix verb

  to repair something that is broken

  My father fixed the broken chair with some glue.

  Like repair, mend

• flag noun

  a piece of cloth with a design that stands for a country or group

  Nepal’s flag is the only national flag that is not a rectangle.

  Like banner

• flash noun

  a sudden bright light that lasts a very short time

  We saw a flash of lightning over the hills before the rain started.

  Like flare

• flat adjective

  smooth and level, without high or low parts

  The Terai is mostly flat land, good for growing rice.

  Like level, even, smooth

• flesh noun

  the soft part of a body between the skin and bones; the soft inside of a fruit

  The flesh of a ripe mango is sweet and orange.

  Like meat, pulp

• flexibility noun

  the ability to bend easily; the ability to change to suit new conditions

  Yoga improves the flexibility of your back and legs.

  Like suppleness, adaptability

• flexible adjective

  able to bend easily; able to change to suit new conditions

  Bamboo is flexible and does not break easily in the wind.

  Like bendable; adaptable

• flight noun

  a trip in an airplane; the act of flying

  The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla takes about 35 minutes.

  Like trip, journey

• flip verb

  to turn something over quickly

  Flip the coin and see whether it lands on heads or tails.

  Like turn over, toss

• float verb

  to stay on top of water without sinking; to move slowly through the air

  A piece of wood will float on water.

  Like drift

• flood noun

  a large amount of water covering land that is usually dry

  After heavy rain, a flood covered the fields near the river.

• floor noun

  the flat surface you walk on inside a room; one level of a building

  Our classroom is on the second floor of the building.

  Like story, level

• flow verb

  to move along smoothly and steadily, like water in a river

  The Bagmati River flows slowly through the middle of Kathmandu.

  Like run, stream

• flower noun

  the colorful part of a plant that makes seeds

  Red rhododendron flowers cover the hills of Nepal in spring.

  Like bloom, blossom

• fluid noun

  a substance that flows, such as a liquid or a gas

  Drink plenty of fluids when you are hiking in hot weather.

  Like liquid

• flux noun

  constant change; the flow of energy or particles through an area

  The rules of the new game were in flux until the last week of practice.

  Like change, flow

• fly verb

  to move through the air using wings or in an aircraft

  Birds fly south when the weather gets cold.

• focus verb

  to give all your attention to one thing; to make a picture sharp

  Try to focus on your reading and not on the noise outside.

  Like concentrate

• fold verb

  to bend paper or cloth so that one part lies flat on another

  Fold the paper in half to make a card.

  Like bend, crease

• folk noun

  people in general; traditional music of ordinary people

  The old folk in the village tell wonderful stories.

  Like people

• follow verb

  to go or come after someone or something; to do what you are told

  Follow the path along the river to reach the waterfall.

  Like pursue, obey, trail

• food noun

  things that people and animals eat

  Rice, lentils and vegetables are common foods in Nepal.

  Like nourishment

• fool noun

  a person who acts without good sense

  I felt like a fool when I forgot my own address.

  Like idiot

• foot noun

  the part of the leg that you stand on

  I hurt my foot when I tripped on the step.

• football noun

  a game in which two teams try to kick a ball into a goal

  We play football on the school ground after classes.

  Like soccer

• footnote noun

  a short note at the bottom of a page that explains or gives a source

  The footnote showed which book the writer had taken the quotation from.

  Like note

• force noun

  a push or pull that makes something move or change

  Gravity is the force that pulls things toward the ground.

  Like push, pull

• forecast noun

  a statement about what is likely to happen, especially the weather

  The weather forecast says it will rain tomorrow.

  Like prediction

• foreign adjective

  from or about another country

  Many foreign tourists come to see the Himalaya.

  Like overseas

• forest noun

  a large area of land covered with trees

  Tigers and rhinos live in the forest of Chitwan National Park.

  Like woods, woodland

• forever adverb

  for all time in the future

  I will remember that trip to the mountains forever.

  Like always, eternally

• forget verb

  to fail to remember something

  Don’t forget to bring your water bottle on the trip.

  Like overlook

• form noun

  a paper with spaces to write information in; the shape of something

  Fill in this form with your name and address.

  Like document, shape

• formal adjective

  following official or serious rules of behavior or dress

  Students wore formal clothes for the prize-giving ceremony.

  Like official, proper

• formally adverb

  in an official way that follows accepted rules

  The new library was formally opened by the mayor on Saturday.

  Like officially

• format noun

  the way something is arranged or set out

  The exam has a new format, with fewer long questions.

  Like layout, arrangement

• formation noun

  the way something is made or shaped; a particular arrangement

  The formation of clouds starts when warm air rises and cools.

  Like creation, shape

• former adjective

  having been something in the past but not now

  The former school building is now a museum.

  Like previous, earlier

• formula noun

  a rule written with letters and numbers; the symbols that show what a chemical is made of

  The formula for the area of a rectangle is length times width.

  Like equation

• formulation noun

  the act of creating and expressing an idea or plan; a mixture made by following a recipe

  The formulation of a clear question is the first step of any project.

  Like creation, development

• forth adverb

  forward or onward; out from a place

  The monkey swung back and forth on the branch.

  Like forward

• fortunate adjective

  having good luck

  We were fortunate to see a rhino in Chitwan.

  Like lucky

• fortune noun

  a very large amount of money; luck, good or bad

  He made a fortune by selling tea from his own gardens.

  Like wealth, riches; luck

• forum noun

  a meeting or website where people discuss a subject

  Students used an online forum to share ideas for the science fair.

  Like meeting

• forward adverb

  toward the front; ahead

  Please step forward when your name is called.

  Like ahead, onward

• fossil noun

  the remains or shape of an ancient plant or animal preserved in rock

  We found a fossil of a sea shell high in the mountains near Mustang.

• found verb

  to start a school, company or organization

  The school was founded in 1965 by a group of teachers.

  Like establish, start, set up

• foundation noun

  the solid base under a building; an organization that gives money for good causes

  Builders dug deep to lay a strong foundation for the new school.

  Like base, basis

• founds verb

  to start an organization, school or town

  Her great-grandfather founded the first school in their village.

  Like establish, start, set up

• fraction noun

  a number that shows part of a whole, such as 1/2 or 3/4; a small part of something

  Only a fraction of the students had seen snow before the trip.

  Like part, portion, piece

• fracture noun

  a crack or break, especially in a bone

  The X-ray showed a small fracture in his wrist after he fell from his bike.

  Like break, crack

• fragment noun

  a small piece broken off something

  Scientists found fragments of an old pot in the ground.

  Like piece, bit, scrap

• frame noun

  a border that holds a picture, window or door; the main structure of something

  We put the family photo in a wooden frame.

  Like border, structure

• framework noun

  a structure that supports something; a set of ideas or rules used to plan something

  The steel framework of the bridge was built first.

  Like structure, frame

• free adjective

  costing no money; able to do what you want

  Entry to the park is free for children under five.

  Like costless, independent

• freedom noun

  the right to do or say what you want

  Children enjoy the freedom of the long summer vacation.

  Like liberty, independence

• freely adverb

  without being controlled or limited

  In the park, the deer can move freely across the open grass.

  Like without restriction, at will

• freeze verb

  to become solid, or turn into ice, because of cold

  On cold winter nights, the water in the bucket outside freezes solid.

• frequency noun

  how often something happens; the number of waves passing a point each second

  Each radio station broadcasts at a different frequency, so you can tune in to the one you want.

  Like rate

• frequent adjective

  happening often

  There are frequent buses between Kathmandu and Bhaktapur.

  Like common, regular

• frequently adverb

  often, many times

  It frequently rains in the afternoon during the monsoon.

  Like often, regularly

• fresh adjective

  newly made, picked, or arrived; not old or spoiled

  We bought fresh vegetables at the morning market.

  Like new, crisp

• friction noun

  the force that resists movement when two surfaces rub together

  Friction between the tires and the road helps a bus stop safely.

  Like resistance, rubbing

• friend noun

  a person you know well and like, who is not family

  My best friend and I sit together in every class.

  Like pal, companion, buddy

• friendly adjective

  kind and pleasant toward other people

  The new student was friendly and quickly made many friends.

  Like kind, warm

• friendship noun

  the relationship between people who like and trust each other

  Their friendship began on the first day of school.

  Like companionship

• frighten verb

  to make someone feel afraid

  The sudden noise frightened the birds, and they flew away.

  Like scare, startle

• fringe noun

  the outer edge of an area or group

  They built their house on the fringe of the forest.

  Like edge, border, margin

• front noun

  the part of something that faces forward or is seen first

  The tallest students stood at the back and the shortest at the front.

  Like face, head

• fruit noun

  the part of a plant that holds seeds and can often be eaten

  Apples, bananas and oranges are my favorite fruits.

• fuel noun

  a material burned to produce heat or power

  Cars use petrol as fuel.

• fulfill verb

  to do what is promised or needed; to make a dream happen

  He fulfilled his dream of becoming a pilot.

  Like achieve, complete, meet

• full adjective

  holding as much as possible; with no empty space

  The bus was so full that we had to stand.

  Like filled, packed

• fully adverb

  completely; in every way

  The new bridge will be fully open next month.

  Like completely, totally, entirely

• fun noun

  enjoyment and pleasure

  We had a lot of fun at the water park.

  Like enjoyment, pleasure

• function noun

  the job or purpose of something

  The function of the roots is to take in water from the soil.

  Like purpose, role

• functional adjective

  practical and useful; working properly

  The old kitchen is simple but functional.

  Like practical, working

• fund noun

  money saved or collected for a special purpose

  The class started a fund to buy new library books.

  Like savings

• fundamental adjective

  forming the base from which everything else develops; most basic

  Adding and subtracting are fundamental skills in mathematics.

  Like basic, essential

• fundamentally adverb

  in the most basic and important way

  The two plans are fundamentally different, so we must choose one.

  Like basically, essentially

• fungus noun

  a living thing such as a mushroom or mold that feeds on dead or living matter

  A gray fungus was growing on the old bread in the cupboard.

• funny adjective

  making you laugh

  My grandfather told us a funny story about his school days.

  Like amusing, comic, humorous

• furniture noun

  movable things like chairs, tables, and beds in a room

  We moved all the furniture to one side to clean the carpet.

• further adjective

  more or extra; at a greater distance

  For further information, ask the teacher after class.

  Like more, additional

• furthermore adverb

  used to add more information

  The bus was cheap; furthermore, it was faster than the train.

  Like moreover, in addition

• fusion noun

  the joining of two or more things into one; the joining of atomic nuclei, which releases energy

  The Sun produces light and heat through the fusion of hydrogen.

  Like merging, union, blend

• future noun

  the time that will come after now

  In the future, more cars may run on electricity.