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.
diadem, fallow, hubbub, dispassionate, harrowing, askance, lancet, rankle, ramify, gainsay, polity, credence, indemnify, ingratiate, declivity, importunate, passe, whittle, repine, flay, larder, threadbare, grisly, untoward, idiosyncrasy, quip, blatant, stanch, incongruity, perfidious, platitude, revelry, delve, extenuate, polemic, enrapture, virtuoso, glower, mundane, fatuous, incorrigible, postulate, gist, vociferous, purvey, baleful, gibe, dyspeptic, prude, luminary, amenable, willful, overbearing, dais, automate, enervate, wheedle, gusto, bouillon, omniscient, apostate, carrion, emolument, ungainly, impiety, decadence, homily, avocation, circumvent, syllogism, collation, haggle, waylay, savant, cohort, unction, adjure, acrimony, clarion, turbid, cupidity, disaffected, preternatural, eschew, expatiate, didactic, sinuous, rancor, puissant, homespun, embroil, pathological, resonant, libretto, flail, bandy, gratis, upshot, aphorism, redoubtable
an ornamental jeweled headdress signifying sovereignty
Example Sentence: I dethrone monarchs and the people rejoicing crown me instead, showering diadems upon my head.
—Tilney, Frederick Colin
undeveloped but potentially useful
Example Sentence: Several new prostate cancer drugs have been approved in the last couple of years, after a long fallow period, and others are in advanced development.
—New York Times (Nov 3, 2011)
loud confused noise from many sources
Example Sentence: There was some good-humoured pushing and thrusting, the drum beating and the church bells jangling bravely above the hubbub.
—Weyman, Stanley J.
unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice
Example Sentence: The commission sitting by, judicial, dispassionate, presided with cold dignity over the sacrifice, and pronounced it good.
—Candee, Helen Churchill Hungerford, Mrs.
extremely painful
Example Sentence: Belgium found itself in turmoil as hundreds of people came forward to offer harrowing accounts of abuse over several decades.
—New York Times (Jan 16, 2012)
with suspicion or disapproval
Example Sentence: A secret marriage in these days would be looked upon askance by most people.
—Wood, Mrs. Henry
a surgical knife with a pointed double-edged blade; used for punctures and small incisions
Example Sentence: His left arm was held by the second physician, while the chief surgeon bent over it, lancet in hand.
—Hay, Marie, Hon. (Agnes Blanche Marie)
gnaw into; make resentful or angry
Example Sentence: He was feeling more like himself now, though the memory of the bully’s sneering words rankled.
—Chadwick , Lester
have or develop complicating consequences
Example Sentence: Cometary science has ramified in unexpected ways during the last hundred years.
—Various
take exception to
Example Sentence: That Whitman entertained a genuine affection for men and women is, of course, too obvious to be gainsaid.
—Rickett, Arthur
a politically organized unit
Example Sentence: China needs a polity that can address its increasingly sophisticated society, and to achieve that there must be political reform, Mr. Sun said.
—New York Times (Mar 21, 2012)
the mental attitude that something is believable and should be accepted as true
Example Sentence: "Well-known brand names that promote new products receive more credence than newcomers that people don't know about."
—US News (Oct 6, 2010)
make amends for; pay compensation for
Example Sentence: She put her affairs in order and left instructions that those whom she had unwittingly wronged should be indemnified out of her private fortune.
—Butler, Pierce
gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts
Example Sentence: He became kindly and coaxing, leaning across the table with an ingratiating smile.
—King, Basil
a downward slope or bend
Example Sentence: In this frightful condition, the hunter grappled with the raging beast, and, struggling for life, they rolled together down a steep declivity.
—Goodrich, Samuel G. (Samuel Griswold)
expressing earnest entreaty
Example Sentence: The young man was then passionately importunate in the protestations of his love.
—Barr, Amelia Edith Huddleston
out of fashion
Example Sentence: My friend is very keen on the new crowd; everything else he declares is "passe."
—Holliday, Robert Cortes
cut small bits or pare shavings from
Example Sentence: Tad followed, whittling on a stick with his knife and kicking at the shavings as they fell.
—Kjelgaard, James Arthur
express discontent
Example Sentence: Those poor fellows above, accustomed to the wild freshness and freedom of the sea, how they must mourn and repine!
—O'Shea, John Augustus
strip the skin off
Example Sentence: Once at the moose and hastily flaying the hide from the steaming meat my attention became centered on the task .
—Sinclair, Bertrand W.
a small storeroom for storing foods or wines
Example Sentence: Mr. Goncalves’s larder holds staples like beefsteak , salt cod, sardines, olives, artichokes, hot and sweet peppers and plenty of garlic.
—New York Times (Feb 18, 2011)
having the nap worn away so that the threads show through
Example Sentence: They were all poor folk , wrapped in threadbare cloaks or tattered leather.
—Brackett, Leigh Douglass
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
Example Sentence: Television video showed a heavily damaged building and a grisly scene inside, with clothing and prayer mats scattered across a blood-splattered floor.
—New York Times (Aug 19, 2011)
not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society
Example Sentence: Responding to criticism that cash payments are a classic means of tax evasion, he said he had done nothing untoward.
—New York Times (Aug 2, 2011)
a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual
Example Sentence: One of his well-known idiosyncrasies was that he would never allow himself to be photographed.
—Le Queux, William
make jokes or quips
Example Sentence: "I could have joined the FBI in a shorter period of time and with less documentation than it took to get that mortgage," she quipped.
—Reuters (Oct 13, 2010)
without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
Example Sentence: There was no blatant display of wealth, and every article of furniture bore signs of long though careful use.
—Bull, Charles Livingston
stop the flow of a liquid
Example Sentence: She did not attempt to stanch her tears, but sat looking at him with a smiling mouth, while the heavy drops fell down her cheeks.
—Stockley, Cynthia
the quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and inappropriate
Example Sentence: Hanging out wet clothes and an American flag at the North Pole seemed an amusing incongruity.
—Cook , Frederick A.
tending to betray; especially having a treacherous character as attributed to the Carthaginians by the Romans
Example Sentence: The perfidious Italian at length confessed that it was his intention to murder his master, and then rob the house.
—Billinghurst, Percy J.
a trite or obvious remark
Example Sentence: But details are fuzzy and rebel leaders often resort to platitudes when dismissing suggestions of discord, saying simply that "Libya is one tribe."
—Wall Street Journal (Jun 20, 2011)
unrestrained merrymaking
Example Sentence: But all this revelry — dancing, drinks, exuberant youth — can be hard to manage.
—New York Times (Jun 3, 2010)
turn up, loosen, or remove earth
Example Sentence: So she did what any reporter would do: she delved into the scientific literature and talked to investigators.
—New York Times (Dec 27, 2010)
lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
Example Sentence: Prosecutors often spend time weighing mitigating and extenuating circumstances before deciding to seek the death penalty.
—Washington Post (Oct 15, 2011)
a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma)
Example Sentence: Would it be a polemic that denounced Western imperialism for using cinema to undermine emerging nations like Kazak hstan?
—New York Times (Oct 4, 2010)
hold spellbound
Example Sentence: I was delighted, enraptured, beside myself--the world had disappeared in an instant.
—Spielhagen, Friedrich
someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
Example Sentence: Each of the seven instrumentalists was a virtuoso in his own right and had ample opportunity to prove it, often in long, soulful solos.
—New York Times (May 3, 2010)
look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
Example Sentence: A moment later he would collapse, sit glowering in his chair, looking angrily at the carpet.
—Hecht, Ben
found in the ordinary course of events
Example Sentence: Now, it would seem, that the Chinese are getting back to their everyday concerns, paying attention to events more mundane and less cataclysmic.
—New York Times (Mar 20, 2012)
devoid of intelligence
Example Sentence: They're too stupid, for one thing; they go on burning houses and breaking windows in their old fatuous way.
—McKenna, Stephen
impervious to correction by punishment
Example Sentence: She scolded and lectured her sister in vain; Cynthia was incorrigible.
—Various
maintain or assert
Example Sentence: In fact, when Einstein formulated his cosmological vision, based on his theory of gravitation, he postulated that the universe was finite.
—Scientific American (Jul 26, 2011)
the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
Example Sentence: The syntax was a little off, even comical at times, but I got the gist of what was going on.
—Time (May 6, 2010)
conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry
Example Sentence: The complaints grew so loud and vociferous that even President Obama was forced to address the backlash from Lisbon on Saturday.
—New York Times (Nov 23, 2010)
supply with provisions
Example Sentence: And we will agree also to purvey food for these horses and people during nine months.
—Villehardouin, Geoffroi de
deadly or sinister
Example Sentence: “But he is dead,” put in Fanning, wondering at the baleful expression of hatred that had come into the man’s face.
—Burnham, Margaret
laugh at with contempt and derision
Example Sentence: So much did their taunts prey upon him that he ran away from school to escape their gibes.
—Hubbard, Elbert
irritable as if suffering from indigestion
Example Sentence: One may begin with heroic renunciations and end in undignified envy and dyspeptic comments outside the door one has slammed on one's self.
—Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
a person excessively concerned about propriety and decorum
Example Sentence: Criticising high-profile programmes about teenage sex education often means risking being written off as a prude.
—The Guardian (Feb 11, 2011)
a celebrity who is an inspiration to others
Example Sentence: Founded in 1947, the group's members have included such luminaries as Walt Disney, Spencer Tracy and another American president, Ronald Reagan.
—Seattle Times (Apr 11, 2011)
disposed or willing to comply
Example Sentence: He, Jean Boulot, being so amenable to sensible argument, would at once fall in with his views.
—Wingfield, Lewis
habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition
Example Sentence: I crossed my arms like a willful child.
—New York Times (Aug 18, 2011)
having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
Example Sentence: "True; but——" "Just so," interrupted Mr. Fauntleroy, in his decisive and rather overbearing manner.
—Wood, Mrs. Henry
a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it
Example Sentence: The throne was elevated on a dais of silver steps.
—Tracy, Louis
make automatic or control or operate automatically
Example Sentence: And because leap seconds are needed irregularly their insertion cannot be automated, which means that fallible humans must insert them by hand.
—Economist (Jan 12, 2012)
weaken mentally or morally
Example Sentence: The reviewers have enervated men’s minds, and made them indolent; few think for themselves.
—Rossetti, William Michael
influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
Example Sentence: On one level, I expected incessant flattery in attempts to wheedle equipment or even money from American forces.
—New York Times (Aug 16, 2010)
vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
Example Sentence: The audience, surprisingly large given the inclement weather, responded with gusto, applauding each song, including those within the Shostakovich cycle.
—New York Times (Mar 2, 2010)
a clear seasoned broth
Example Sentence: The meat soups are called broths, bouillon, or consommé, according to their richness.
—Ronald, Mary
infinitely wise
Example Sentence: Robbe-Grillet responds that his work is in fact far less objective than the godlike, omniscient narrator who presides over so many traditional novels.
—The Guardian (May 13, 2010)
not faithful to religion or party or cause
Example Sentence: They are atheist conservatives — Mr. Khan an apostate to his family’s Islamic faith, Ms. Mac Donald to her left-wing education.
—New York Times (Feb 18, 2011)
the dead and rotting body of an animal; unfit for human food
Example Sentence: Habitually his diet is not carnivorous, but he will eat at times either carrion or living flesh.
—Reid, Mayne
compensation received by virtue of holding an office or having employment (usually in the form of wages or fees)
Example Sentence: As the TUC has pointed out, those incomes – except for senior executives, whose emoluments seem to know few bounds – are rising more slowly than prices.
—The Guardian (Jan 8, 2011)
lacking grace in movement or posture
Example Sentence: Thomas looked up furtively and saw that an ungainly human figure with crooked legs was being led into the church.
—Gogol, Nikolai Vasilievich
unrighteousness by virtue of lacking respect for a god
Example Sentence: That, however, is unbelief, extreme impiety, and a denial of the most high God.
—Bente, F. (Friedrich)
the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities
Example Sentence: But there are people who really do not want to import what they regard as Western decadence, especially public drunkenness.
—BBC (Jun 11, 2011)
a sermon on a moral or religious topic
Example Sentence: In his New Year's homily, the pope said "words were not enough" to bring about peace, particularly in the Middle East.
—Reuters (Jan 2, 2011)
an auxiliary activity
Example Sentence: Unlike many retired doctors, whom he says often have no life outside their profession, he always knew sailing would become his avocation.
—Newsweek (Nov 17, 2010)
avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
Example Sentence: Mr. Bloomberg said he would take several steps to circumvent obstacles to his proposals posed by city labor unions.
—New York Times (Jan 12, 2012)
deductive reasoning in which a conclusion is derived from two premises
Example Sentence: The conclusions arrived at by means of syllogisms are irresistible, provided the form be correct and the premises be true.
—Webster, W. F. (William Franklin)
assembling in proper numerical or logical sequence
Example Sentence: In the case of early printed books or manuscripts, which are often not paged, special knowledge is needed for their collation.
—Rooke, Noel
wrangle (over a price, terms of an agreement, etc.)
Example Sentence: Obama said while officials can haggle over the makeup of spending cuts, the policy issues have no place in the measure.
—BusinessWeek (Apr 6, 2011)
wait in hiding to attack
Example Sentence: Sir Samuel Clithering was not, of course, a member of it; but he lurked about outside and waylaid us as we went in.
—Birmingham, George A.
someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
Example Sentence: Frank had studied something of almost everything and imagined himself a savant.
—Roussel, John
a group of people having approximately the same age
Example Sentence: The current cohort of college students is, as many have pointed out, the first truly digital generation.
—Washington Post (Dec 1, 2011)
excessive but superficial compliments given with affected charm
Example Sentence: "You couldn't ask too much of me," he returned, with no unction of flattery, but the cheerfully frankexpression of an ingenuous heart.
—Ogden, George W. (George Washington)
command solemnly
Example Sentence: “I adjure thee,” she said, “swear to me that you will never go near those Christians again or read their books.”
—Pennell, T. L. (Theodore Leighton)
a rough and bitter manner
Example Sentence: Relations with India have been slowly improving, although talks ended in acrimony last July with the two sides indulging in a public spat over Kashmir.
—BBC (Feb 10, 2011)
loud and clear
Example Sentence: “He has been the single, clarion voice for commuter rail in central Florida for 20 years,” said Mayor Ken Bradley of Winter Park .
—New York Times (Jun 27, 2011)
(of liquids) clouded as with sediment
Example Sentence: The thick turbid sea rolled in, casting up mire and dirt from its depths.
—Reynolds, Mrs. Baillie
extreme greed for material wealth
Example Sentence: Well educated, but very corrupt at heart, he found in his insatiable cupidity many ways of gaining money.
—Kraszewski, Jozef Ignacy
discontented as toward authority
Example Sentence: The financial crisis, largely caused by banker incompetence, has created legions of disaffected customers.
—Forbes (Sep 15, 2011)
surpassing the ordinary or normal
Example Sentence: In fact, they regarded the Spaniards as superior beings endowed with preternatural gifts.
—Gilson, Jewett Castello
avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of
Example Sentence: Morrissey is among those seniors who are eschewing nursing homes in favor of independent living.
—Washington Post (Mar 23, 2012)
add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing
Example Sentence: He then expatiated on his own miseries, which he detailed at full length.
—Manzoni, Alessandro
instructive (especially excessively)
Example Sentence: Let us have a book so full of good illustrations that didactic instruction shall not be needed.
—Various
curved or curving in and out
Example Sentence: In origami parlance, Mr. Joisel was a wet-folder, dampening his paper so that he could coax it into sinuous curves.
—New York Times (Oct 20, 2010)
a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
Example Sentence: The current session of Parliament has so far produced only rancor, as opposition parties have shut down proceedings with angry, theatrical protests against corruption.
—New York Times (Aug 14, 2011)
powerful
Example Sentence: The ship was not fighting now, but yielding—a complacent leviathan held captive by a most puissant and ruthless enemy.
—Tracy, Louis
characteristic of country life
Example Sentence: His rural, homespun demeanor ordinarily might elicit snickers from India’s urban elite.
—New York Times (Aug 18, 2011)
force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action
Example Sentence: But Mr. Marbury, often embroiled in controversy during his N.B.A. days, seems to have found some measure of peace in China.
—New York Times (Apr 1, 2012)
caused by or evidencing a mentally disturbed condition
Example Sentence: "Fixated individuals" — mentally ill people with a pathological focus on someone, often a stranger — make up the first group.
—Time (Apr 26, 2011)
characterized by resonance
Example Sentence: His eyes were piercing but sad, his voice grand and resonant, suiting well the wrathful, impassioned Calvinism of his sermons.
—Barr, Amelia Edith Huddleston
the words of an opera or musical play
Example Sentence: In many great operas, composers have had to whittle down an epic literary work into a suitable libretto.
—New York Times (Mar 6, 2010)
move like a flail; thresh about
Example Sentence: Exercise is prescribed, but when she joins an aqua aerobics class, she flails embarrassingly.
—New York Times (Apr 12, 2012)
discuss lightly
Example Sentence: Hillary Clinton’s name has been bandied about, but she’s made it clear she’s not interested.
—Time (Mar 20, 2012)
costing nothing
Example Sentence: "Would you admit them gratis?" asked Mr. Castlemaine with a smile, "or would they have to pay, like ordinary residents in an hotel?"
—Hocking, Joseph
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
Example Sentence: The inevitable upshot of their growing social power was that brands wanted an expanded visual presence.
—The Guardian (Jul 27, 2010)
a short pithy instructive saying
Example Sentence: General Sherman's famous aphorism that "War is Hell," has become classic.
—Fletcher, Samuel H.
worthy of respect or honor
Example Sentence: Captain Miles Standish was a redoubtable soldier, small in person, but of great activity and courage.
—Mann, Henry