The TOEFL Exam: Essential English Vocabulary: List 6

Set yourself up for success on the TOEFL Exam by mastering these common English vocabulary words.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. acceptable
    judged to be in conformity with approved usage
    Rolled-up sleeves at the table were not acceptable to Mrs. Hamilton. East of Eden
  2. ambiguous
    having more than one possible meaning
    It’s an ambiguous name, open to interpretation and possibility: the Studio. New York Times (Oct 17, 2019)
  3. compatible
    able to exist and perform in harmonious combination
    Society adopts the solution if it is compatible with the society’s values and other technologies. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
  4. conceivable
    capable of being imagined
    The idea was to record images of all different sizes and types of deer, from every conceivable angle, running, walking and standing. New York Times (Jul 20, 2017)
  5. consecutive
    one after the other
    In total, I interviewed him for four to five hours across two consecutive days. The Guardian (Jul 31, 2011)
  6. distinguish
    mark as different
    There was nothing to distinguish the sand there from the sand anywhere. Strange the Dreamer
  7. distort
    twist and press out of shape
    Everything in my field of vision wavered and was distorted as if seen in a curved mirror. Salon (Dec 14, 2013)
  8. distribute
    give to several people
    I helped distribute the groceries to the proper households, using the new red wagon. The View From Saturday
  9. enhance
    make better or more attractive
    I slurp my coffee as we travel, finding that the cream and sugar greatly enhance its flavor. Mockingjay
  10. estimate
    judge tentatively
    We estimated that there would be over twenty million people going to the polls, most of them voting for the first time. Long Walk to Freedom
  11. initiate
    set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for
    “I will talk to her at some point, I suppose, if she calls me, but I will not initiate the call,” he said. New York Times (Sep 15, 2017)
  12. inquire
    ask about
    “Do people live in those tiny houses?” she inquired. The Witch of Blackbird Pond
  13. interpret
    make sense of; assign a meaning to
    I won’t attempt to explain or interpret it, but will only record what happened. Flowers for Algernon
  14. minuscule
    very small
    Measuring in at a minuscule 2.5 micrometers, these particles are a tiny fraction of the width of a human hair. Science Magazine (Aug 6, 2018)
  15. nevertheless
    despite anything to the contrary
    "It's very rocky, it's very bumpy, but nevertheless the transition is going to occur." BBC (Jan 17, 2021)
  16. objective
    the goal intended to be attained
    “But our main objective will be to provide resources. Immediately.” Monday's Not Coming
  17. redundant
    repeating the same sense in different words
    “Oh, you mean, redundant, like saying the same thing over and over but in different ways?” The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
  18. scrutinize
    look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail
    I scrutinize the house, but there’s nothing to see. The Girl on the Train
  19. select
    pick out or choose from a number of alternatives
    The design was chosen from five finalists that were selected from more than 300 submissions. Washington Post (Jan 26, 2016)
  20. summarize
    briefly present the main points of something
    Authors are regularly asked by journalists to summarize a long book in one sentence. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
Created on Mon Jan 25 11:17:17 EST 2021 (updated Tue Sep 14 12:53:39 EDT 2021)

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