40 Vocabulary Words Worth Knowing for ASVAB Word Knowledge
Forty useful words for Word Knowledge practice, each with a plain meaning and a synonym, grouped by theme, plus how to study them so they stick.
No list can tell you which words will be on your ASVAB — the questions are controlled material, and on the computer version each test-taker gets different ones. What a list can do is give you useful words to practice with: the kind of general, educated vocabulary that Word Knowledge measures. Here are 40, each with a plain meaning and a synonym, grouped so they're easier to remember.
How to use this list
Word Knowledge tests two things, according to the official ASVAB program: choosing the correct meaning of a word in context, and identifying the best synonym. So for each word below, don't stop at the definition:
- Read the meaning and the synonym.
- Write your own sentence with the word.
- Cover the right-hand columns and test yourself the next day.
Effort and character
| Word | Meaning | Synonym |
|---|---|---|
| diligent | careful and hardworking | industrious |
| tenacious | not giving up | persistent |
| meticulous | very careful about details | thorough |
| negligent | failing to take proper care | careless |
| reluctant | unwilling | hesitant |
| resilient | able to recover quickly | tough |
| adept | very skilled | proficient |
| prudent | wise and careful | sensible |
| frugal | careful with money | thrifty |
| candid | honest and direct | frank |
Feelings and attitudes
| Word | Meaning | Synonym |
|---|---|---|
| apprehensive | worried about what may happen | uneasy |
| benevolent | kind and well-meaning | generous |
| hostile | unfriendly and aggressive | antagonistic |
| impartial | not taking sides | unbiased |
| discreet | careful not to draw attention or reveal secrets | tactful |
| vigilant | watchful for danger | alert |
| pragmatic | focused on what works in practice | practical |
| eloquent | expressive and persuasive when speaking | articulate |
Size, amount and change
| Word | Meaning | Synonym |
|---|---|---|
| abundant | existing in large amounts | plentiful |
| affluent | wealthy | rich |
| deplete | to use up | exhaust |
| abate | to become less intense | lessen |
| mitigate | to make less severe | ease |
| fortify | to make stronger | reinforce |
| volatile | likely to change suddenly | unstable |
| trivial | of little importance | minor |
| obsolete | no longer in use | outdated |
Time and certainty
| Word | Meaning | Synonym |
|---|---|---|
| imminent | about to happen | impending |
| inevitable | certain to happen | unavoidable |
| tedious | long and boring | monotonous |
| arduous | requiring great effort | strenuous |
Seeing, saying and understanding
| Word | Meaning | Synonym |
|---|---|---|
| conspicuous | easy to notice | noticeable |
| scrutinize | to examine closely | inspect |
| lucid | clear and easy to understand | clear |
| ambiguous | open to more than one meaning | unclear |
| concise | brief but complete | succinct |
| emulate | to try to match by imitating | imitate |
| jeopardize | to put at risk | endanger |
| adverse | harmful or unfavorable | unfavorable |
| feasible | possible to do | workable |
Word parts you can see in these
Several of these words decode from pieces covered in Roots, Prefixes and Suffixes:
- benevolent — bene- = good
- lucid — luc = light (a lucid explanation "sheds light")
- inevitable — in- = not, evit- = avoid → "not avoidable"
- ambiguous — ambi- = both (it could go either way)
- impartial — im- = not + partial → "not taking a part"
Words in context
Half of Word Knowledge is about words used in sentences, so practice reading them that way. For example:
The storm's imminent arrival forced the town to close the bridge.
Even if you weren't sure what imminent means, "forced the town to close the bridge" tells you the storm was coming soon — which points straight to about to happen.
Practice it under time
On the computer version of the ASVAB, Word Knowledge gives you 9 minutes for 15 scored questions — about 36 seconds each — so recognition has to be quick. Word Knowledge Practice Test covers the section in detail.
Our free practice test includes Word Knowledge with those time limits, plus the other three AFQT sections, and ends with an AFQT estimate — a practice estimate, not an official score. Our questions are our own, in the style of the test.
Quick answers
Are these words on the ASVAB?
No list can promise that. ASVAB questions are controlled testing material, and the computer version gives each person different questions. These are general vocabulary words for practice.
How many words should I learn for the ASVAB?
There's no official number. Plan a steady routine instead: a few words a day, used in your own sentences and reviewed the next day.
What does "imminent" mean?
About to happen — for example, "an imminent storm."
What's a synonym for "meticulous"?
Thorough. Meticulous means very careful about details.
Sources
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