Core TOEFL Vocabulary Words (50+)
A precise academic vocabulary improves comprehension and expression across all TOEFL sections.
This curated list emphasises words that frequently appear in lectures, passages, and model responses.
Each entry has a concise definition, an easy “essence” cue, a natural example, and a quick MCQ for retrieval practice.
adjacent
Example: The library is adjacent to the main lecture hall.
‘Adjacent’ most nearly means:
aggregate
Example: The aggregate score determines placement.
In data, ‘aggregate’ refers to the:
allocate
Example: Funds were allocated for lab upgrades.
To allocate budget is to:
analogous
Example: The heart is analogous to a pump.
‘Analogous’ most nearly means:
anecdotal
Example: Anecdotal stories do not prove causation.
Anecdotal evidence is:
approximate
Example: The approximate travel time is two hours.
An ‘approximate’ value is:
articulate
Example: She articulated her viewpoint convincingly.
An articulate speaker is:
assert
Example: The author asserts that climate change is anthropogenic.
To assert a claim is to:
attain
Example: Students can attain fluency through daily practice.
To attain a goal is to:
augment
Example: Online lessons augment classroom instruction.
To augment resources is to:
coherent
Example: Her essay is coherent and persuasive.
A coherent argument is:
compelling
Example: The study presents compelling evidence.
A compelling reason is:
conducive
Example: Silence is conducive to concentration.
A conducive environment is:
constrain
Example: Limited resources constrained progress.
To constrain options is to:
corroborate
Example: Additional data corroborate the hypothesis.
To corroborate a claim is to:
criterion
Example: Clarity is one criterion for grading.
A criterion is a:
deem
Example: The pilot was deemed responsible.
To deem something is to:
discrepancy
Example: They found a discrepancy in the results.
A discrepancy is a:
feasible
Example: The proposal is feasible within the budget.
A feasible plan is:
mitigate
Example: Planting trees can mitigate air pollution.
To mitigate risk means to:
notion
Example: He had a vague notion of what the professor meant.
A notion is a:
nuance
Example: The essay captures the nuance of cultural identity.
‘Nuance’ most nearly means:
paradigm
Example: The scientific method is a paradigm for research.
A paradigm is a:
pertinent
Example: Please include only pertinent information in your essay.
Pertinent information is:
plausible
Example: Her explanation is plausible given the evidence.
A plausible argument is:
precise
Example: Give a precise definition of the concept.
Precise most nearly means:
prevalent
Example: Obesity is prevalent in developed countries.
If a trend is prevalent, it is:
profound
Example: The book had a profound impact on her thinking.
A profound idea is:
prone
Example: Children are prone to colds in winter.
Prone most nearly means:
reinforce
Example: Examples reinforce learning.
To reinforce an argument is to:
reliable
Example: Use reliable sources for your research.
A reliable source is:
reiterate
Example: The teacher reiterated the importance of practice.
To reiterate a point is to:
robust
Example: The experiment used a robust method.
Robust most nearly means:
salient
Example: Summarize the salient features of the report.
A salient detail is:
substantiate
Example: The lawyer substantiated her argument with data.
To substantiate a claim is to:
succinct
Example: Write your answer in a succinct way.
Succinct most nearly means:
superficial
Example: His analysis was superficial and missed key issues.
A superficial analysis is:
sustain
Example: The food sustained them during the journey.
To sustain effort is to:
tangible
Example: She provided tangible evidence of success.
Tangible most nearly means:
viable
Example: This is a viable solution to the problem.
A viable option is:
vulnerable
Example: The small company was vulnerable to market changes.
Someone vulnerable is:
warrant
Example: The results do not warrant further testing.
To warrant action is to:
widespread
Example: There was widespread support for the new policy.
If something is widespread, it is:
ambiguous
Example: The statement was ambiguous and caused confusion.
An ambiguous statement is:
convey
Example: The teacher conveyed the message clearly.
To convey an idea is to:
depict
Example: The painting depicts a peaceful countryside.
To depict is to:
diminish
Example: The medicine diminished her pain.
To diminish is to:
fluctuate
Example: Temperatures fluctuate throughout the day.
If values fluctuate, they:
FAQ
Quick answers to common questions.