Essential Vocabulary Words for High School?

I'm looking to improve my vocabulary, specifically for college applications and standardized tests. Can anyone recommend a list of essential vocabulary words for high school students that I should be focusing on? Any resources or tips on how to learn and retain them effectively would be appreciated too!

It's great that you want to expand your vocabulary, as it can be beneficial for college applications and standardized tests. Here's a list of essential vocabulary words for high school students to get you started:

1. Adept

2. Benevolent

3. Conjecture

4. Disparage

5. Eloquent

6. Facetious

7. Gregarious

8. Hyperbole

9. Incredulous

10. Juxtapose

11. Kudos

12. Lucid

13. Mundane

14. Nefarious

15. Opulent

16. Palpable

17. Quandary

18. Redundant

19. Stoic

20. Trepidation

Keep in mind, this is a starter list, and you should aim to expand it further by encountering new words in context. Here are some tips and resources to help you learn and retain new vocabulary:

1. Read widely and actively: Read different types of content, such as novels, news articles, and essays in various fields. When encountering unfamiliar words, highlight or underline them, then look up their definitions and usage in context.

2. Use flashcards: You can create physical or digital flashcards with the vocabulary words on one side and their definitions and examples on the other. Popular digital flashcard apps include Quizlet and Anki. Review your flashcards regularly to retain the information.

3. Practice using the words: One effective way to retain new words is to use them in daily conversations or writing assignments. You could also maintain a vocabulary journal, where you write sentences or short paragraphs using the new words in context.

4. Word-a-day: Subscribe to a word-of-the-day service, like Merriam-Webster or Vocabulary.com, which sends you a new word with the definition and examples daily. Incorporate these words into your flashcards or vocabulary journal.

5. Participate in vocabulary-building games and apps: Games like Scrabble and apps like WordUp make learning new words fun and engaging. These resources often focus on vocabulary from standardized tests like SAT and ACT.