1000 Vocabulary Words

Top 1000 Vocabulary Words That Everyone Should Know

Page 2 - 101 to 200 Words

The top 1,000 vocabulary words have been carefully chosen to represent difficult but common words that appear in everyday academic and business writing. These words are also the most likely to appear on the SAT, ACT, GRE, and ToEFL.

To create this list, we started with the words that give our users the most trouble and then ranked them by how frequently they appear in our corpus of billions of words from edited sources. If you only have time to study one list of words, this is the list.


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oppress, contend, stake, toil, perish, disposition, rail, cardinal, boast, advocate, bestow, allege, notwithstanding, lofty, multitude, steep, heed, modest, partial, apt, esteem, credible, provoke, tread, ascertain, fare, cede, perpetual, decree, contrive, derived, elaborate, substantial, frontier, facile, cite, warrant, sob, rider, dense, afflict, flourish, ordain, pious, vex, gravity, suspended, conspicuous, retort, jet, bolt, assent, purse, plus, sanction, proceeding, exalt, siege, malice, extravagant, wax, throng, venerate, assail, sublime, exploit, exertion, kindle, endow, imposed, humiliate, suffrage, ensue, brook, gale, muse, satire, intrigue, indication, dispatch, cower, wont, tract, canon, impel, latitude, vacate, undertaking, slay, predecessor, delicacy, forsake, beseech, philosophical, grove, frustrate, illustrious, device, pomp, entreat

101. oppress

come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority

Example Sentence: Those who managed to survive were later oppressed by Poland's post-war communist authorities.

—Reuters (Jan 18, 2012)


102. contend

compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others

Example Sentence: But eight men, however bold and stout-hearted, could not long contend with an enemy at least four times their number.

—Strang, Herbert


103. stake

a strong wooden or metal post with a point at one end so it can be driven into the ground

Example Sentence: His remains were buried in Cannon Street, and a stake was driven through the body.

—Andrews, William


104. toil

work hard

Example Sentence: He toiled in the sweat of his brow, tilling the stubborn ground, taking out stones, building fences.

—Adler, Felix


105. perish

pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life

Example Sentence: Simon Wiesenthal's parents are long since deceased, with his father dying in World War I and his mother perishing in the Holocaust.

—BBC (Feb 14, 2012)


106. disposition

your usual mood

Example Sentence: Melancholia — the state of mind — can hide behind seemingly sunny dispositions.

—Seattle Times (Dec 28, 2011)


107. rail

complain bitterly

Example Sentence: Mr. Gray railed against lengthy stage directions, saying he crossed them out in scripts before he would begin rehearsals with his actors.

—New York Times (Feb 7, 2012)


108. cardinal

(Roman Catholic Church) one of a group of more than 100 prominent bishops in the Sacred College who advise the Pope and elect new Popes

Example Sentence: Each time he names cardinals he puts his stamp on Roman Catholicism's future by choosing men who share his views.

—Chicago Tribune (Feb 18, 2012)


109. boast

show off

Example Sentence: Mr. Estes was also well connected politically, boasting that the president of the United States took his calls.

—New York Times (Dec 10, 2011)


110. advocate

a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea

Example Sentence: Well, safety advocates, consumers and the government dragged the automobile industry toward including seat belts, air bags, more visible taillights and other safety features.

—New York Times (Feb 19, 2012)


111. bestow

present

Example Sentence: He bestowed public buildings and river improvements in return for votes.

—Gilbert, Clinton W. (Clinton Wallace)


112. allege

report or maintain

Example Sentence: It is being fired into enclosed areas and homes, the human rights group alleges.

—BBC (Feb 7, 2012)


113. notwithstanding

despite anything to the contrary (usually following a concession)

Example Sentence: He seems to have taken things easily enough, notwithstanding the sorrow and suffering that surrounded him on every side.

—Adams, W. H. Davenport (William Henry Davenport)


114. lofty

of imposing height; especially standing out above others

Example Sentence: He found himself in an enormous hall with a lofty ceiling.

—Blasco Ib??ez, Vicente


115. multitude

a large indefinite number

Example Sentence: Department store chains in general have been strained in recent years as a "multitude" of alternatives has emerged, all competing for customers.

—Chicago Tribune (Dec 28, 2011)


116. steep

having a sharp inclination

Example Sentence: It was narrow and very steep, and had precipices in all parts, so that they could not mount upward except one at a time.

—Various


117. heed

pay close attention to; give heed to

Example Sentence: But Cain was already too far gone to heed the warning voice.

—Adler, Felix


118. modest

not large but sufficient in size or amount

Example Sentence: A healthy person living in an unfashionable city with no student loans to pay off can get by on a fairly modest income.

—Slate (Feb 17, 2012)


119. partial

being or affecting only a part; not total

Example Sentence: Generalizations of this sweeping order are apt to contain only partial truth.

—Clarke, Helen Archibald


120. apt

(usually followed by `to') naturally disposed toward

Example Sentence: Another reason to display beds at an electronics show: consumers are apt to use high-tech devices while tucked in.

—New York Times (Jan 9, 2012)


121. esteem

the condition of being honored (esteemed or respected or well regarded)

Example Sentence: Despite being held in the highest esteem by his fellow poets, Redgrove never quite achieved the critical reception or readership he deserved.

—The Guardian (Feb 10, 2012)


122. credible

appearing to merit belief or acceptance

Example Sentence: Mike Mullen, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has acknowledged receiving the memo but said he ignored it as not credible.

—New York Times (Dec 19, 2011)


123. provoke

provide the needed stimulus for

Example Sentence: It provoked a bigger reaction than we could ever have anticipated.

—The Guardian (Feb 10, 2012)


124. tread

a step in walking or running

Example Sentence: The farmer went down, his clumsy boots making no sound on the uncarpeted stairway, so careful was his tread.

—Woolson, Constance Fenimore


125. ascertain

learn or discover with certainty

Example Sentence: Health care providers and manufacturers can ascertain alternative treatment more effectively by tackling predicted drug shortage incidences early in the process.

—Forbes (Feb 13, 2012)


126. fare

proceed or get along

Example Sentence: A recent study breaks down how graduates with various college degrees are faring in today’s difficult job market.

—Washington Post (Feb 17, 2012)


127. cede

relinquish possession or control over

Example Sentence: Some militia chiefs say they will only cede command of their fighters once an organized military and security apparatus is in place.

—Reuters (Jan 3, 2012)


128. perpetual

continuing forever or indefinitely

Example Sentence: The river is a perpetual enjoyment, always something going on.

—Waddington, Mary King


129. decree

a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge)

Example Sentence: While the decree takes effect immediately, it requires Parliament’s approval within 60 days to remain in force.

—BusinessWeek (Jan 28, 2012)


130. contrive

make or work out a plan for; devise

Example Sentence: The wily Roc, never taken much by surprise, contrived to escape, but old Tributor and his men were all captured.

—Thornbury, Walter


131. derived

formed or developed from something else; not original

Example Sentence: Modern kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi are all members of the same species, derived from a single prehistoric plant variety.

—Slate (Feb 21, 2012)


132. elaborate

marked by complexity and richness of detail

Example Sentence: But the tobacco industry and owners of other convenience stores say tribal cigarette manufacturing is just an elaborate form of tax evasion.

—New York Times (Feb 22, 2012)


133. substantial

having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary

Example Sentence: Defence lawyers said the large number of forensic tests which had been carried out had failed to find any substantial evidence linked to the accused.

—BBC (Feb 23, 2012)


134. frontier

a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country

Example Sentence: Adding to the precarious security situation, tribesmen kidnapped 18 Egyptian border guards along the frontier with Israel in Sinai Peninsula.

—New York Times (Feb 9, 2012)


135. facile

arrived at without due care or effort; lacking depth

Example Sentence: As one teacher remarks about a troubled student, “There is no facile solution.”

—New York Times (Oct 11, 2011)


136. cite

make reference to

Example Sentence: The Federal Reserve has pledged low interest rates until late 2014, citing in part the weakness of the job market.

—BusinessWeek (Feb 21, 2012)


137. warrant

show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for

Example Sentence: In the United Kingdom and Europe the devices are not used unless the need is warranted by the patient's medical condition.

—US News (Jan 17, 2012)


138. sob

weep convulsively

Example Sentence: He cried and trembled, sobbing, while they spoke, like the child he was.

—Weyman, Stanley J.


139. rider

a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)

Example Sentence: In horseback riding, a rider will give commands by squeezing or lengthening the reins and altering the position of his legs.

—Time (Jan 5, 2012)


140. dense

permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter

Example Sentence: Dense black smoke rose in the distance as demonstrators burned tires in Shiite villages.

—BusinessWeek (Feb 14, 2012)


141. afflict

cause physical pain or suffering in

Example Sentence: Melanoma globally afflicts nearly 160,000 new people each year.

—Reuters (Dec 16, 2011)


142. flourish

grow vigorously

Example Sentence: His business had been all along steadily flourishing, his patrons had been of high social position, some most illustrious, others actually royal.

—Petherick , Horace William


143. ordain

invest with ministerial or priestly authority

Example Sentence: One of the present bishops was consecrated when quite a young boy, and deacons are often ordained at sixteen, and even much earlier.

—Bird, Isabella L. (Isabella Lucy)


144. pious

having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity

Example Sentence: Mother, you see, is a very pious woman, and she attributes it all to Providence, saying that it was the Divine interference in her behalf.

—Various


145. vex

cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations

Example Sentence: There are vexing problems slowing the growth and the practical implementation of big data technologies.

—Forbes (Oct 21, 2011)


146. gravity

(physics) the force of attraction between all masses in the universe; especially the attraction of the earth's mass for bodies near its surface

Example Sentence: Once captured, the combined object will have a new center of gravity and may be spinning in an uncontrolled way.

—Science Magazine (Feb 15, 2012)


147. suspended

(of undissolved particles in a fluid) supported or kept from sinking or falling by buoyancy and without apparent attachment

Example Sentence: Frustrating enough at ground level, but can you imagine the agony about a stranded, ever-soggier Oreo being suspended 11 feet above the ground?

—Washington Post (Feb 21, 2012)


148. conspicuous

obvious to the eye or mind

Example Sentence: Its bright scarlet fruits are conspicuous in late autumn.

—Anonymous


149. retort

a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)

Example Sentence: Having put him in ill humour with this retort, she fled away rejoicing.

—Coster, Charles Th?odore Henri de


150. jet

an airplane powered by one or more jet engines

Example Sentence: Typhoon fighter jets, helicopters, two warships and bomb disposal experts will also be on duty to guard against security threats.

—Seattle Times (Feb 20, 2012)


151. bolt

run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along

Example Sentence: The blare of bugles was heard, and a few seconds afterwards Jackson, still facing the enemy, shouted: "By Jupiter, they're bolting, sir."

—Strang, Herbert


152. assent

to agree or express agreement

Example Sentence: His two companions readily assented, and the promise was mutually given and received.

—Keightley, Thomas


153. purse

a sum of money spoken of as the contents of a money purse

Example Sentence: She watched over her husband, kept his accounts, held the family purse, managed all his affairs.

—Shorter, Clement K.


154. plus

the arithmetic operation of summing; calculating the sum of two or more numbers

Example Sentence: The survey’s margin of error was plus or minus four percentage points.

—BusinessWeek (Dec 29, 2011)


155. sanction

give authority or permission to

Example Sentence: The Securities and Exchange Commission said last year it had sanctioned 39 senior officers for conduct related to the housing market meltdown.

—BusinessWeek (Feb 19, 2012)


156. proceeding

(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked

Example Sentence: Chu attended the special court-martial proceeding on Monday in Hawaii, Hill said.

—Reuters (Jan 30, 2012)


157. exalt

praise, glorify, or honor

Example Sentence: Some exalt themselves by anonymously posting their own laudatory reviews.

—New York Times (Jan 26, 2012)


158. siege

the action of an armed force that surrounds a fortified place and isolates it while continuing to attack

Example Sentence: Rebellion broke out, and finally the aged Caliph, after enduring a siege of several weeks, was murdered in his own house.

—Nicholson, Reynold


159. malice

feeling a need to see others suffer

Example Sentence: He viewed the moths with malice, their fluttering wings fanning his resentment.

—Lyman, Olin L.


160. extravagant

recklessly wasteful

Example Sentence: Advisers say new millionaires are prone to mistakes, like making extravagant purchases or risky deals with friends.

—Reuters (Feb 2, 2012)


161. wax

increase in phase

Example Sentence: Carols had existed for centuries, though their popularity waxed and waned as different governments and religious movements periodically declared them sinful.

—Time (Dec 12, 2011)


162. throng

press tightly together or cram

Example Sentence: Deafening cheers rent the air as he landed; hundreds thronged around him to clasp his hand.

—Strang, Herbert


163. venerate

regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of

Example Sentence: He venerated me like a being descended from an upper world.

—Blasco, Vicente


164. assail

attack someone physically or emotionally

Example Sentence: His campaign even issued a press release assailing other rivals for, in Mr. Paul’s view, taking Mr. Romney’s quote about firing people out of context.

—New York Times (Feb 16, 2012)


165. sublime

of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style

Example Sentence: He was uneven, disproportioned, saying ordinary things on great occasions, and now and then, without the slightest provocation, uttering the sublimest and most beautiful thoughts.

—Ingersoll, Robert Green


166. exploit

draw from; make good use of

Example Sentence: As humans increasingly exploit the deep seas for fish, oil and mining, understanding how species are dispersed is crucial, Copley said.

—Scientific American (Jan 3, 2012)


167. exertion

use of physical or mental energy; hard work

Example Sentence: One day overcome by exertion, she fainted in the street.

—Ingersoll, Robert Green


168. kindle

catch fire

Example Sentence: Then a match was kindled and fire applied.

—Warner, Susan


169. endow

furnish with an endowment

Example Sentence: The grammar school here, founded in 1533, is liberally endowed, with scholarships and exhibitions.

—Various


170. imposed

set forth authoritatively as obligatory

Example Sentence: The Arab League has already suspended Syria and imposed economic sanctions.

—BusinessWeek (Feb 22, 2012)


171. humiliate

cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of

Example Sentence: The letter claims pensioners are too often patronised, humiliated, denied privacy or even medical treatment.

—BBC (Feb 22, 2012)


172. suffrage

a legal right guaranteed by the 15th amendment to the US Constitution; guaranteed to women by the 19th amendment

Example Sentence: There has been a great deal said in this country of late in regard to giving the right of suffrage to women.

—Ingersoll, Robert Green


173. ensue

issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end

Example Sentence: An uproar ensued months after the approval, when opponents realized the online gambling measure had been slipped in.

—New York Times (Feb 16, 2012)


174. brook

a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)

Example Sentence: He walked across the little bridge over the brook and at once his mood changed.

—Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley)


175. gale

a strong wind moving 45-90 knots; force 7 to 10 on Beaufort scale

Example Sentence: The gale was accompanied, as usual, by incessant rain and thick weather, and a heavy confused sea kept our decks always flooded.

—Fitzroy, Robert


176. muse

reflect deeply on a subject

Example Sentence: Musing about the Big Picture may be a lot more gratifying than focusing on the details of the specific policies that aren’t working.

—Time (Jan 24, 2012)


177. satire

witty language used to convey insults or scorn

Example Sentence: There’s plenty of humor on Russian television, though not much political satire; Mr. Putin put a stop to that long ago.

—New York Times (Feb 13, 2012)


178. intrigue

cause to be interested or curious

Example Sentence: Designing and building models that intrigue and educate without overwhelming has been challenging.

—Science Magazine (Nov 24, 2011)


179. indication

something that serves to indicate or suggest

Example Sentence: Authorities said an autopsy found no indications of foul play or obvious signs of trauma on Houston.

—Seattle Times (Feb 15, 2012)


180. dispatch

send away towards a designated goal

Example Sentence: More than one assassin was dispatched by the Turkish authorities to murder Napoleon.

—Various


181. cower

crouch or curl up

Example Sentence: The knaves lowered their weapons and shrank back cowering before him.

—Weyman, Stanley J.


182. wont

an established custom

Example Sentence: He made his customary slick feeds to open teammates, but as is their wont, the Nets struggled at times to convert points on his passes.

—New York Times (Feb 20, 2012)


183. tract

a system of body parts that together serve some particular purpose

Example Sentence: When probiotics flourish in the digestive tract, nutrients are better absorbed and bad bugs are held at bay, research suggests.

—Seattle Times (Jan 10, 2012)


184. canon

a collection of books accepted as holy scripture especially the books of the Bible recognized by any Christian church as genuine and inspired

Example Sentence: For me, all novels of any consequence are literary, and they take their place, high and low, in the canon of English literature.

—The Guardian (Jan 10, 2011)


185. impel

cause to move forward with force

Example Sentence: Some power beyond his comprehension was impelling him toward the neighboring city.

—Blasco Ibez, Vicente


186. latitude

freedom from normal restraints in conduct

Example Sentence: Great employees often get more latitude to bring up controversial subjects in a group setting because their performance allows greater freedom.

—Inc (Feb 21, 2012)


187. vacate

leave behind empty; move out of

Example Sentence: Their number diminished sharply after Villaraigosa announced last week that he wanted protesters to vacate the grounds by Monday or be forcibly removed.

—Chicago Tribune (Nov 30, 2011)


188. undertaking

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

Example Sentence: "Let my epitaph be, Here lies Joseph, who was unsuccessful in all his undertakings."

—Marvin, Frederic Rowland


189. slay

kill intentionally and with premeditation

Example Sentence: "It were shame," said Lancelot, "for an armed to slay an unarmed man."

—Unknown


190. predecessor

one who precedes you in time (as in holding a position or office)

Example Sentence: Heller fills in the blanks about Taft, overshadowed by colorful predecessor Teddy Roosevelt.

—Seattle Times (Feb 22, 2012)


191. delicacy

the quality of being beautiful and delicate in appearance

Example Sentence: This refinement appears in his works, which are full of artistic grace and dainty delicacy.

—Drake, Samuel Adams


192. forsake

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

Example Sentence: "I'm surprised," said Philip, cautiously opening fire, "that you were ever allowed to forsake your native land."

—Hay, Ian


193. beseech

ask for or request earnestly

Example Sentence: Utterly distraught, he ran up and down the bank, hunting for his clothes, calling, crying out, imploring, beseeching help from somewhere.

—Frank , Ulrich


194. philosophical

of or relating to philosophy or philosophers

Example Sentence: His arguments, like Einstein’s, were qualitative, verging on highly philosophical.

—Scientific American (Jan 30, 2012)


195. grove

a small growth of trees without underbrush

Example Sentence: Soon after we came to Pasadena, father bought an orange grove of twenty-five acres.

—Chamberlain, James Franklin


196. frustrate

hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of

Example Sentence: Frustrated after two years of missed budget targets, finance chiefs demanded Greek officials put their verbal commitments into law.

—BusinessWeek (Feb 13, 2012)


197. illustrious

widely known and esteemed

Example Sentence: She will be joining an illustrious list of recipients that include Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul II and Princess Diana.

—BBC (Feb 24, 2012)


198. device

an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose

Example Sentence: You’ve probably also noticed that the telephone and computer are no longer the only devices on your employees’ desks.

—Forbes (Feb 26, 2012)


199. pomp

cheap or pretentious or vain display

Example Sentence: Throughout U.S. history, Americans have been fascinated by royal pomp -- even on a movie screen.

—Reuters (Feb 21, 2011)


200. entreat

ask for or request earnestly

Example Sentence: "Let me go now, please," she entreated, her eyes unable to meet his any longer.

—Hope, Anthony


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