The best way to improve on the verbal section of the SSAT and ISEE is to improve your vocabulary. On this page you can see a list of 110 high frequency words that commonly show up on both exams. For information on how to study vocabulary effectively, please see my other article.
- colleague; Noun: a co-worker or fellow classmate; grade level 6
- apathetic; Adjective: showing no interest or concern. Noun: apathy; grade level 8
- indifferent; Adjective: having no interest or concern about something; grade level 8
- despair; Noun: a feeling of intense hopelessness; grade level 9
- distraction; Noun: something that deters or hinders from a goal; grade level 8
- obstinate; Adjective: stubbornly resistant to authority or control; grade level 9
- elicit; Verb: to draw out by asking; grade level 9
- strict; Adjective: demanding rigid conformity to rules or standards; grade level 8
- gullible; Adjective: easily deceived or cheated; grade level 8
- restrict; Verb: to limit or confine; grade level 9
- frustrate; Verb: to thwart or disappoint; grade level 9
- malevolent; Adjective: wishing evil upon others; grade level 9
- foolhardy; Adjective: recklessly brave; grade level 9
- exposed; Verb: left unprotected or vulnerable; grade level 9
- reluctant; Adjective: unwilling or disinclined to do something; noun: reluctance; grade level 9
- malicious; Adjective: showing ill will, spite, or enjoyment of the pain of others; grade level 9
- deplore; Verb: to express deep disapproval of something ; grade level 9
- detest; Verb: to strongly dislike or abhor; grade level 9
- inflict; Verb: to cause or allow to happen; grade level 9
- accommodate; Verb: to adjust to meet the needs or demands of others; grade level 9
- fretful; Adjective: restless and impatient from desire or anxiety; grade level 9
- frenzy; Noun: a state of extreme excitement; grade level 9
- edify; Verb: to instruct and improve morally and spiritually; grade level 9
- aversion; Noun: a strong dislike for something grade level 9
- disdain; Noun: scornful disdain; grade level 9
- contempt; Noun: the feeling that others are not worth one’s notice; grade level 9
- diligent; Adjective: hardworking and persevering; grade level 8
- haggard; Adjective: exhausted and haggard in appearance; grade level 8
- lethargic; Adjective: tired and sluggish in movement or action; grade level 8
- intrude; Verb: to enter uninvited or without permission; grade level 8
- impetuous; Adjective: hastily and impulsive; grade level 8
- invaluable; Adjective: having inestimable worth; grade level 8
- interrogate; Verb: to question formally and systematically; grade level 8
- incomprehensible; Adjective: that cannot be understood or explained; grade level 9
- indignant; Adjective: feeling or showing anger at something unjust or wrong; grade level 8
- sparse; Adjective: thin or narrow in range or scope; grade level 6
- arbitrary; Adjective: chosen at random, unnecessarily, or for no reason; grade level 7
- intrinsic; Adjective: essential and inseparable from the nature of something; grade level 7
- profound; Adjective: having a depth of intellectual insight, perception, or understanding; grade level 9
- vacillate; Verb: to waver indecisively between one course of action and another; grade level 9
- dependable; Adjective: reliable or trustworthy under all conditions; grade level 9
- irrelevant; Adjective: not pertinent to the matter at hand; grade level 8
- constrained; Adjective: forced into a particular form, manner, or character; grade level 8
- despondent; Adjective: lacking hope and joy in life; grade level 9
- dissuade; Verb : to make less determined in purpose, opinion, or feeling ; grade level 9
- frugal; Adjective : careful with money; grade level 9
- importune; Verb : to beg persistently for something; grade level 9
- voluble; Adjective : talkative , especially excessively so; grade level 9
- taciturn; Adjective : habitually disposed to silence , uncommunicative , reserved , uncommunicative; grade level 8
- forthright; Adjective : open , frank , and direct in manner or speech; grade level 10
- modest; Adjective : not arrogant or boastful; grade level 8
- reluctant; Adjective : disinclined to do something because of apprehension or doubt; grade level 8
- acrimonious; Adjective : bitter in feeling or tone; grade level 9
- devious; Adjective : not straightforward, deceitful, or underhanded; grade level 8
- irrational; Adjective: lacking reason or sound judgment; grade level 8
- intractable; Adjective: difficult to manage or govern; grade level 8
- dexterous; Adjective: skillful in using the hands or in performing a task; grade level 8
- serene; Adjective : free from worry, agitation, or trouble; grade level 9
- intuition; Noun : immediate knowledge without proof or conscious reasoning; grade level 8
- indicative; Adjective : pointing out or showing clearly something present, past, or future; grade level 6
- verbatim; Adverb : word for word; grade level 7
- precipitate; Verb : to cause to happen sooner than it would have happened; grade level 9
- ponderous; Adjective : (of a thing) extremely heavy or bulky; grade level 8
- prudent; Adjective : careful and sensible; grade level 10
- grotesque; Adjective : wildly or oddly distorted and often grotesquely shaped; grade level 9
- prodigious; Adjective : unusually great in size, quantity, or extent; grade level 9
- predilection; Noun: a disposition in favor of something; grade level 9
- persuade; Verb : to convince of a point of view or cause to do something; grade level 9
- expedient; Adjective : practical rather than ideal; grade level 8
- sensory; Adjective : relating to the senses; grade level 8
- abstruse; Adjective : difficult to understand; grade level 11
- fervent; Adjective : showing great warmth and intensity of feeling; grade level 8
- sparse; Adjective : thin or narrow in range or scope; grade level 6
- extensive; Adjective: broad in scope or content; grade level 6
- plight; Noun: a situation that is difficult to endure ; grade level 9
- empathy; Noun: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another; grade level 9
- discretion; Noun: the ability to make responsible decisions; grade level 9
- ambiguous; Adjective: unclear or uncertain; open to more than one interpretation; grade level 9
- censure; Noun: strong criticism; grade level 9
- indicted; Verb: to formally accuse someone of a crime in a court of law; grade level 9
- sparse; Adjective: not dense; not crowded; grade level 9
- abhor; Verb: to hate something very much; grade level 9
- relinquish; Verb: to give up something; grade level 9
- implore; Verb: to beg; to plead with; grade level 9
- consternation; Noun: a feeling of confusion or dismay; grade level 9
- effusive; Adjective: emotional; unrestrained; grade level 9
- abject; Adjective: extremely sad and miserable; grade level 9
- acumen; Noun: keen judgment or insight; grade level 9
- dispute; Verb: to argue about something; grade level 9
- arrogant; Adjective: having or showing feelings of unwarranted importance out of overbearing pride; grade level 9
- deleterious; Adjective: harmful; destructive; grade level 9
- admonish; Verb: to warn; to urge against something; grade level 9
- superficial; Adjective: on the surface only; lacking depth ; grade level 9
- sensible; Adjective: aware of what is true or real; able to think clearly; grade level 9
- facilitate; Verb: to make something easier; grade level 9
- incongruous; Adjective: not fitting in; not appropriate; grade level 9
- dilemma; Noun: a difficult problem to be solved or faced; grade level 9
- inappropriate; Adjective: not appropriate for a situation; unsuitable; grade level 9
- adjourn; Verb: to end an official meeting temporarily; grade level 9
- intrusive; Adjective: placing unreasonable demands on someone; grade level 9
- indulgent; Adjective: overly generous and lenient; grade level 9
- inept; Adjective: inadequate and incompetent; grade level 9
- ingratiate; Verb: to gain favor by deliberate attempts to please; grade level 9
- initiate; Verb: to introduce; to begin; grade level 9
- lament; Verb: to express grief or unhappiness; grade level 9
- lucid; Adjective: easily understood; clear and bright; grade level 9
- meticulous; Adjective: very careful; grade level 9
- prodigious; Adjective: extraordinary; grade level 9
- querulous; Adjective: Complaining continually; grade level 9
- refrain; Verb: to keep oneself from doing something; grade level 9
- sage; Noun: a person who is respected for his or her knowledge and good judgement; grade level 9
- strident; Adjective: harsh and unpleasant; grade level 9
- tenacious; Adjective: not willing to stop trying or give up; grade level 9
- vehement; Adjective: strong and forceful; showing strong feelings; grade level 9
- vigilant; Adjective: staying alert especially to danger; grade level 9
- propitious; Adjective: presenting favorable circumstances; grade level 9
- intrepid; Adjective: courageous; grade level 9
- flagrant; Adjective: very obvious; glaring; grade level 9
