COBUILD English Dictionary

You can find the definition of pretty much any word simply by typing the word in to Google, but do you want to? Are you sure that this is the best way to find the definition that works best for you and your students? Vocabulary instruction is an important aspect of writing across the curriculum, but online dictionaries can be complicated for students learning English because definitions are often written to explain precisely what a word means for people who already speak the language. In my opinion, learner's dictionaries work well because they explain to students how words can actually be used, and my favorite online learner's dictionary is the COBUILD dictionary by Collins. This dictionary can be used by teachers to find easily explainable definitions or by more advanced English learners to find definitions on their own. Just be sure to check "American English" to avoid confusion with British uses. Here is a sample definition for the word "responsible":

Sample definition for the word "responsible"

And a link: COBUILD Dictionary

References

COBUILD Dictionary (2015). Collins. Retrieved from http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american-cobuild-learners/responsible