Essential Words for the TOEFL Lesson 17 Vocabulary Test
TARGET WORDS
- abysmal
adj. very bad; awful
syn. appalling
Her performance on the test was abysmal.
He made an abysmal attempt to lift the heavy couch.
- agitate (n. agitation; n. agitator)
- to shake or move; to cause worry
syn.disturb
The fact that she had not arrived by midnight agitated her parents.
He was known as a political agitator.
- comply (adj. compliant; n. compliance)
- to agree to follow a request or command; to adhere to specific standards
syn.acquiesce
A well-trained dog will comply when told to sit.
Students must maintain a B average to remain in compliance with the scholarship’s rules.
- confidential (v. confide; adv. confidentially; n. confidant)
adj. to be said or written in secret
syn. secret
We were told that the information is strictly confidential.
She confided to me that she had always wanted to be a movie star.
- delighted (adj. delightfully; adj. delightful; n. delight)
adj. to be satisfied; very happy
syn. elated
He was delighted with the results of the experiment.
It was a delightful afternoon.
- discreetly (adj. discreet)
adv. in a careful, polite manner
syn. cautiously
The teacher discreetly told the parents about their child’s inappropriate behavior.
You can count on me to be discreet.
- documented (adj. documentary; v. document; n. documentation)
adj. proven with written evidence
syn. proven
He had documented proof that the bank had made an error.
The car’s documentation was in order.
- endemic
adj. native to or commonly found in a specific place
syn. indigenous
Kiwi birds are endemic only to Australia.
The use of English is by no means endemic to English-speaking countries.
- evoke
- to call up or produce memories or feelings; to cause to remember
syn.remind
Hearing her favorite song evoked fond memories of her high school years.
Most sounds evoke hints of time and place.
- gradually (adj. gradual)
adv. slowly, but surely
syn. steadily
The bay has gradually deteriorated over the years.
There has been a gradual change in the climate over the past decade.
- impartial (n. impartiality)
adj. showing no favoritism; being fair or just
syn. objective
Teachers must be impartial judges of their students’ work.
Judges are known for their impartiality.
- inordinate (adv. inordinately)
adj. a large amount or quantity; more than reasonable
syn. excessive
The airlines had to cancel an inordinate number of flights due to the fog.
There was an inordinately large number of whales off the coast.
- intentionally (adj. intentional; n. intention; n. intent)
adv. with definite purpose and planning
syn. deliberately
The machine was left on intentionally.
Her action was an indication of her good intentions.
- intrinsic (adv. intrinsically)
adj. being a primary part of something
syn. inherent
A penny has little intrinsic value.
The forests of the Northwest are intrinsically rich in natural resources.
- inundate (n. inundation)
- to flood
syn.overwhelm
The radio stations were inundated with reports of a severe traffic accident.
The charity received an inundation of donations after the news story was published.
- mindset
- an established attitude or mood
syn.mentality
A person is more likely to succeed if he or she approaches projects with a positive mindset.
The political mindset is different in every region of the country.
- nominal (adv. nominally)
adj. very small; in form, but not in substance
syn. moderate
The office building was sold at a nominal price.
She was nominally successful as an actress.