In addition to everything else your teen is learning, it’ll help your child if you introduce this list of tenth grade vocabulary words early in the year. Help your teen learn the meaning, uses, and spelling of these words. These are terms your teen will encounter across subjects this year, which is why they’re referred to as academic vocabulary words. Teens who know these words will better understand the information they read and what they hear in class, rather than getting lost because of unknown terms. And, when your tenth grader knows these words well enough to use them in writing and presentations, it will add precision, nuance, and eloquence to your child’s schoolwork.

Share this list, courtesy of Hyde Park Central School District, with your teen. Challenge yourself and your teen to use these words in everyday conversation and to learn all of these words before the year ends. Not only will knowing these words help your child excel now, they’re words that will pop up on the SAT and ACT, too, if your child chooses to take one of these tests.

10th grade vocabulary words

abstract divert oppose
admonish dormant panacea
advocate egocentric perfunctory
alternative elusive preposterous
ambiguous emulate precarious
analogy equitable precipitate
anarchy eradicate preclude
assiduous estrange proficient
assimilate exacerbate propensity
augment expedite qualitative
authentic fabricate quantitative
belligerent facilitate recalcitrant
bolster fortuitous redeem
bureaucratic fraudulent rejuvenate
circumvent heinous relegate
coalition hypothetical relinquish
cohesive illicit repugnant
collaborate imminent resilient
comply impetuous retrospect
concurrent incongruous sanction
connotation indigenous spontaneous
constituent indiscriminate static
contingent inherent stringent
criteria jurisdiction subordinate
demeanor lax subsidize
deplore meticulous tenuous
derogatory negligent travesty
disparity nonchalant tumult
disseminate oblivious unilateral
dissident obscure validate
distraught omnipotent vindicate
docile opportune zealot
     

See the academic vocabulary lists for 9th grade and 11th grade and 12th grade, too.

Learn more about how to help your 10th grader with reading skills:

• Read: Getting ready for high school reading
• Read: Making high school reading more inclusive
• Watch: Is your teen learning the research skills needed for college?
• Do: Give intellectual graffiti a try
• Check out: 10th grade college prep timeline