The 7,500 core words are printed in red. Any word printed in black is a "reference word," used less frequently and typically only needed for passive recognition during reading.
When you download community lists, you may notice they contain around 6,000 words instead of 7,500. This is due to how homonyms are counted. Macmillan's system counts different meanings of the same spelling as separate words (e.g., the noun 'bank' and the verb 'to bank' are distinct entries), but many curators merge them into single entries. The list you find is still the same high-quality, high-frequency vocabulary set.
: For these 7,500 red words, the Macmillan Dictionary provides extensive details, including typical collocations (words that go together), grammatical patterns, and metaphorical uses. macmillan 7500 words list pdf
From describing emotions and weather to navigating workplaces and shopping, the list contains the descriptive adjectives and nouns required for spontaneous, real-world interactions. How to Effectively Study the 7500 Words List
A: No. This is designed for 16+ (university/adult). Use the Cambridge "Starters" list for children. The 7,500 core words are printed in red
You can easily print a PDF to make physical flashcards, highlight words you struggle with, or write down personalized sentence examples directly in the margins. How the 7,500 Words Build Communication Power
★★☆ : High-frequency words found across various contexts. This is due to how homonyms are counted
Developed by linguist David James, this works perfectly with a large PDF:
Instead of hunting for a perfect official PDF, consider building your own from the Macmillan Dictionary API (if available) or by scraping the "red word" markers from their online dictionary (respecting their terms of use). Tools like Python with requests and BeautifulSoup can generate a custom PDF tailored to your needs.