11+ vocabulary list

How to use this list

Pick eight to ten words at a time rather than the whole alphabet in one sitting. Check your child can use each word in a sentence as well as recognise it on sight, and return to words from a fortnight ago alongside the new ones; recognition fades fast if a word only comes up once.

Make it a daily routine

The slot only needs a few minutes, but it needs to be most days. Pick a letter or a theme, spend a few minutes on it, and rotate through the alphabet over several weeks. If a word won’t stick after a couple of sessions, hang a picture or a short story on it rather than repeating the definition.

The list, A to Z

A

affectionate, argument, assiduous, amply, askance, apprehensive, affinity, admission, augmenting, alliteration, arrogance, absence, anagram, antonym, ally, adjacent, atrocious, artful, abandon, abundance, abundant, accuse, accustom, acquainted, acquire, attached, across, address, adhere, adopt, advance, affable, alert, altitude, aptitude, ambition, amount, antiquity, anxious, appeal, appearance, approve, arduous, article, assemble, absurd, assistance, asunder, attempt, available, average, avoid, avowed, aggregate, anemone, awkward, abode

B

beck, belligerent, bewildered, brief, busyness, blissful, believe, boastful, bemoan, bray, beautiful, burgeon, breadth, breach, betray, bereft, bland, boisterous, belies, braggart, between, benign, bickering, business, boon, brevity, banish, bemused, beam, bicycle, busk, baleful, becoming, bruise, barren, besieged, bane, brusque, brazen, bleats, bolster, barbarian, bleak, bequeath, bittersweet, benevolent, benefit, brooding, broad, belittle, banal, brawn, burden, bargain

C

calamity, cemetery, chaos, charred, communicate, community, caution, cease, completely, complex, composition, comprehend, comrade, conceal, conceited, concentrated, conclude, condemned, consent, conserve, consideration, constant, contempt, content, contest, contract, contrast, candidate, conscience, conscious, careering, category, contribute, conventional, consist, conspire, consume, convert, convey, companion, company, compel, competition, caulking, convict, convince, correct, covert, covet, coy, credit, cultivate, cunning, curb, cure, curious, curt, custom, corrupt, crest-fallen, cajole, choreographer, clemency, coarse, coax, college, colour, combination, commence, committee, conferred, confine

D

device, devote, dictionary, debate, debrief, deceit, deceive, declare, deliberate, demolished, deny, deposit, depot, disperse, dispute, derelict, disarray, disastrous, disclose, discontent, dishevelled, dismal, distasteful, distinct, determine, develop, digest, dilapidated, diluted, drought, dumb, din, disappear, disappointed, distinguished, distress, divine, divinity, domestic, dose, dwelling, dainty, delirious, description, despair, desperately, despise, destitute, decline, definite

E

equilibrium, equestrian, ethereal, entire, entirely, environment, equip, equipment, equipped, erect, errand, especially, estimate, extended, exterior, extinction, extract, extremely, ebb, electromagnetic, experimentation, excommunication, extracurricular, economically, effectualness, expansiveness, expressionless, earnest, economical, elect, elude, embarrass, embrace, emerge, empire, employ, endeavour, endure, enterprise, existentialism, enlightenment, entertaining, embarrassingly, eccentric, embellishment, establishment, encouragement, enthusiastic, evaluation, explanation, exploitation, encyclopaedia, entrepreneur, encapsulated, exterminate, education, earthshaking, expressive, electrolysis, experiential, exclusion, extroverted, evident, exaggerate, excellent, excitement, exciting, exclaim, existence, expel, expense

F

fiasco, feasible, faux, frivolous, famine, feeble, fertile, flawless, foal, fortuitous, forestall, facilitate, foresight, flow, flagrant, flora, formidable, forge, furtively, foe, fatuous, fund, frail, flawed, flourish, foster, femininity, foremost, feral, florid, flee, fulfilled, fateful, fatigue, front, flippant, flattering, fatal, fact, forsake, feign, fluctuate, fanaticism, fallacious, forbid, frequent, friend, flatulence, fickle, foundation, fragrant, fleet, finesse, fraudulent, furtive, forthright, ferocity, futile, fastidious, frightful, frantic, fauna, figurative, foolhardy, fervour, frugal, favourite, fragment, flamboyant, flimsy, flitter

G

grudge, goblin, goblet, garnet, geyser, gammon, grove, grade, genre, grill, glove, graft, grime, glint, government, grate, gratitude, grave, gregarious, grieve, grief, grotesque, guarantee, guard, gratifying, garment, guile, guilt, grandeur, glib, galvanise, gable, gabbing, generalisation, growth, gloomy, gritty, gusto, gutsy, gnome, grout, gouge, geode, glitz, gastronomic, geological, geomagnetic, gravitationally, gentrification, groundbreaking, gratification, gratefulness, grasping, gracious, gruesome, geocentrically, generationally, genealogically, glutton, glorification, ghoulish, gingerly, generic, grammatical, glossary, graffiti, guardian, gorgeous, gigantic, garrison, granular, gauntlet, guaranty, grudging, gossamer, gargoyle, gravelly, greenish, gullible, graphic, glamour, gazette, glazing, gallant, grapple, glacial, glimmer, grating, garnish, ghastly, gearing, gesture, grizzly, granary, granule, gala, gale, guru, gulp, grub, gush, giro, goad, gild, gape, gaff, guff, glasses, globetrotting, greediness, granite, grievous, granulations, goose, graininess, gourmet

H

hypothermia, hairbreadth, hemisphere, hyphenated, herbaceous, hopefully, honourable, hazy, hove, howl, hark, horizontal, holographic, hypnotise, hyperinflation, hierarchically, handicraft, heedlessness, heavily, heavenly, heartrendingly, heartache, hedonistic, hairsplitting, hologram, hamlet, horrid, homage, herald, hinge, humid, hyper, hide, herd, hike, hail, hymn, husk, habitable, habitual, habitat, halt, handkerchief, hasty, helix, heroic, hoax, hex, hilarious, headquarters, hypothetical, hypocritical, happenstance, hieroglyphic, humble, humanise, haphazard, harlequin, holiday, hollow, hygienic, hospital, humanitarian, historical, hydro, hyperventilate, horticulture, haberdashery, homeopathically

I

invalid, isolation, immoral, immortal, incompatibility, interchangeable, impressionable, idiosyncrasy, idle, idol, ignorant, imitate, immediate, immerse, impudent, inaudible, inaugural, inaugurate, incision, inconspicuous, individual, inedible, inferior, influence, inhabit, innocuous, insane, inane, insert, interrupt, instrumental, intellectual, inherit, insatiable, inquisitive, interesting, interdependence, internalise, infrastructure, interpretation, identification, irreproachable, insufferable, inextricable, indigestible, ideological, instalment, inscription, inadvertent, informality, irrefutable, introverted, instinctual, innovation, irrational, illiterate, intensive, inspector, insoluble, intangible, intermediation, insignificant, industrialist, inexhaustible, incorporate, inflationary, infiltration, irregularity, increment, integral, incident, infusion, insolent, inspire, intense, intention, interfere, interior, interpret, interrogate, implicit, irritate, injury, island, invest, indigo, iguana, iambic, issue, insurmountable, indiscriminate, interpretative, interplanetary, immunisation, indeterminable

J

journalistic, jeopardise, journalism, jocundity, journaling, judgement, juvenile, jacquard, justice, jolt, jokingly, jowl, journey, journal, jubilee, janitor, jotting, jungle, jacket, jargon, jerky, jurisdiction, jibe, jasmine, jumbled, jumper, juxtapose, jellyfish, joyous, joint, juice, junior, junction, jutting, jumping, juggling, justifies, jittering, jewel, jest, jigsaw, jeopardy, judicial, jubilant, jaundice, jettison, jewelled

K

knotted, kooky, kilo, kilolitres, knowledge, kiwi, kerfuffle, kitten, kickstand, knockoff, kiddingly, kickboxed, keyboard, knitting, knitwear, kindling, kickback, kowtow, keynote, knight, knowledgeable, knee, karaoke, kestrel, knuckle, kneecap, knobbly, kettle, kidney, kingly, known, knock, kaleidoscopic, kindle, kinaesthetic, kinetic, kindliness, kitchen, kilometre, kinetically, knighthood, kiosk, knelt, kudos, karma, knoll, karat, knead, korma, kerb

L

latitude, laughable, liquorice, lighting, limerick, loophole, largely, learned, lengthy, lexicon, labour, lament, landlord, locomotive, literally, logistics, legendary, lucrative, limitless, limousine, labyrinth, longitude, laundry, loftiness, longevities, legalisation, luminescent, loom, literature, limitation, likelihood, lacklustre, liability, landscape, lodging, lateral, lottery, lineage, lobster, lunatic, lullaby, leaves, lustre, leeway, laden, locus, lousy, latch, lanky, logo, lest, language, linguistic, latter, lavish, lean, leisure, lofty, loneliness, loyal, luxurious, legislator, loveless, lovingly, loquacious, lukewarm, librarian, lenient, liable, liberal, liberty, library, lightning, limb, limit, linger, lodge, liberate, laboratory, lavatory, lustrous, liquify, localise, laureate, legitimately, lecture, lamentation

M

malleable, misconception, merchandise, miscellaneous, misunderstood, murderous, multiplication, measurable, meaningless, masculine, magnanimous, masochistic, masterful, maintain, marketable, melodramatic, meditative, materialise, muscular, microscopic, mollusc, maintenance, materialistic, mathematically, malicious, magnification, millionaire, martyr, matriculation, multicoloured, mythological, multisensory, majority, metaphor, majestic, malady, margin, mariner, matte, maximum, meagre, meant, merchant, mercy, mere, meek, meticulous, minimum, moderate, modest, moral, mortal, mysterious, manufacture, measurement, masterpiece, mountainous, mischievous, malfeasance, magisterial, monastic, marginalise, mediaeval, manipulate, misconstrue, microphone, marathon

N

northern, needlepoint, negative, necessitate, neglect, nonchalance, nonsensical, nightingale, nauseous, noted, nuisance, nuance, nefarious, normative, noteworthy, neutralise, novelist, nondescript, numinous, nymph, nullify, nightmarish, nevertheless, notification, neighbourhood, natural, nearsighted, nightfall, newspaper, nurture, neurological, neuropathically, nation, narrative, notorious, numerical, notoriety, narration, nameless, network, neither, nucleus, naughty, naive, notify, nectar, nurse, niche, notch, nomad, neat, necessary, nimble, numb

O

omniscient, omnipotent, obstructive, overstimulate, organisation, occasionally, overwhelming, occupation, oxymoron, oath, object, objection, oblige, obscure, obstinate, occupy, occur, odour, offend, omen, opportunity, oppose, oppress, option, ordeal, origin, orthodontist, ostentatious, officious, omnivore, otherworldly, overestimate, oversimplify, objectify, obsolete, obtuse, outstanding, occurrence, ordinarily, ornamental, outstretch, operation, owners, offspring, oxidation, opportune, optimism, officer, outline, ominous, oracle, orange, oxygen, octopus, orientation, objectivity, originality, orchestrate, overzealous, obligation, opposition

P

peak, peculiar, perceive, palate, plane, paid, painstaking, programme, prohibit, prominent, promote, prompt, pronunciation, parallel, passive, pasture, perilous, perish, permit, perplexed, pompous, poultry, precarious, prejudice, present, privilege, probably, proclaim, procure, profession, profit, proportion, prosperous, provoke, public, punctual, puncture, purpose, pugnacious, palm, persuade, physical, pigment, pioneer, placid, pledge, plume, plunder, plunge, polarity, psalm, pathetic, precipitation

Q

quarrel, quiz, quarantine, quicksand, queenly, quill, quarterly, quotation, quartz, quarry, quiver, quaint, quell, quench, queue, quiet, quagmire, querulous, questionnaire, quotable, quantitative, quintessence, questionable, quarter, quicksilver, qualitative, quadrillion, quintillion, quilt, quantity, quilting, quadrant, quack, quirk, quintet, quartet, quieter, quake, queasy, quite, query, quest, quail, qualm, quad

R

rhetoric, ridiculous, regress, remainder, recommend, retrieval, raiment, ramble, rank, rare, release, repent, reprimand, reserve, reside, residence, resign, resolve, resort, restaurant, restore, restrain, retreat, reveal, revive, rhyme, reconfigure, rapture, relationship, ratio, respectively, registration, recreational, resurrection, reproduction, reflective, reflex, really, rally, received, recite, refuse, responsible, respiratory, respectable, reminiscent, reconstruct, rudimentary, refreshment, restorative, romanticism, religion, resilient, receptive, regional, rightful, radical, roaster, rescue, rhythm, retro, rigid, roam, robust, rogue, rowdy, rural, ramification, radio, revolutionary, reinforce, retrospective

S

system, stupefy, subterfuge, subterranean, subtropical, successful, succumb, sibilance, slope, sly, soldier, sow, special, stern, stomach, stoop, stout, stress, stretched, stubborn, subdued, submissive, submit, sufficient, suggest, summit, superfluous, superior, supposed, surprise, suspect, suspend, symbol, smile, sensationalise, synonym, semiotics, simile, similar, serendipity, sacred, sacrifice, sane, sanitary, satin, score, scripture, secure, seize, size, seldom, separate, shoulder, shrine, shrink, signature, sincere, sincerely, sleek, sighted

T

transatlantic, transpiration, typewriter, traditional, temperament, territorial, termination, turbulent, tranquillity, torch, turquoise, tolerable, tenacious, tasteless, tributary, tax, tangerine, thimble, thyme, temperate, tempestuous, temptation, torment, traitor, tries, trifle, trivia, trivial, twilight, tyrant, transfigured, telegraphic, tender, translate, trigonometry, theatrical, threadbare, thrift, thunder, thermometer, technological, themselves, transcript, triangular, trajectory, thickening, transitory, toxic, tyranny, timber, tarantula, terrific, thriller, traffic, tragedy, twelfth, tackle, trace, tingle

U

unquestionable, unenthusiastic, universal, ultraviolet, unlawful, unitard, uncanny, united, upward, uproar, urchin, uncomfortable, underestimate, untrustworthy, unemployment, unparalleled, unauthorised, unidentified, universality, unimaginable, unfathomable, uniform, union, unite, unnecessary, unorthodox, unsurpassed, until, underprivileged, unsophisticated, unacceptable, unprecedented, unsettled, understandable, uncontrollable, understatement, undetectable, unflattering, uncertainty, undertake, unrivalled, utilitarian, utilise, unlikely, utter, usher, urged

V

vocabulary, volume, vindictive, vociferous, vernacular, victorious, validate, vampire, virtual, vacant, vanished, vapour, vast, vehicle, veil, venerable, ventilation, vessel, vicarious, virtuous, volatile, video, vulnerable, vermillion, vegetarian, vocational, ventriloquist, verify, variable, violent, veterinarian, visibility, vaccination, vindication, vigilante, vexed, victimise, vulgar, verbal, vacation, vocation, verbatim, villager, virility, villain, vinegar, vanilla, volcano, verdant, vagrant, verbena, vomit, veneer, violet, virtue, violin, vacate, vinaigrette, virgin

W

whirlpool, winter, withdrawn, witless, wealthy, wharf, watch, white, whisper, waitress, wimpish, wasteful, weary, weird, wholesome, wilderness, witchcraft, wisp, wither, wilful, widespread, whatsoever, withdrawal, wavelength, wholly, worthy, wound, wretched, wistful, whimsical, wishful, weather, western, warmheartedness, worthless, woebegone, woe, wheelbarrow, winged, watercolour, wrath, wraith, worship, wireless, worldwide, whereupon, widow, window, welfare, weapon, wellness, writer, wizard, willow, wheeze, wrinkle, webbed, waive, waist, wheel, wave, whisk, whirl, waxen, whim, wick, wherever, whenever, wreckage

X

xylophone, x-ray, xi, xanthic, xenial, xyloid

Y

yield, youth, yellow, yeast, yoke, yesterday, yodel, yammering, yapping, yawn, yucky, yule, yearning, yarrow, yoghurt, yearly, younger, yelled, yelped, yacht, yoga

Z

zealous, zoo, zesty, zebra, zigzag, zeitgeist, zombie, zircon, zip, zygote, zenith, zodiac, zany, zapped, zoomed, zone, zine, zinc, zero, zeal

Top tips

• Work through the list in small chunks: eight to ten words is plenty for one sitting.
• Say each word out loud together before your child writes it down.
• Check meaning as well as spelling, since verbal reasoning tests both.
• Group words that share a pattern (like ‘-ious’ endings) to make spelling easier to remember.
• Come back to earlier letters regularly rather than moving through once and stopping.
• Keep a running list of words your child has ticked off, so progress is visible.

How to prepare

A word list is most useful when it’s tied to real exam practice, so pair it with regular papers rather than treating it as a standalone task. Our spelling and vocabulary series works through structured word groups with exercises close to what your child will meet in verbal reasoning and English papers, and our Children’s Classics workbooks are a good way to meet new vocabulary in the context of a story.

New words stick through short, repeated exposure. A few entries from this list each day, revisited during the week, beats trying to learn a page at a time.