It’s junior year, so if you’re going to add anything to your teen’s to-do list, it better be worth it. Trust us, this list of 11th grade academic vocabulary words is worth it. Help your teen learn the meanings, uses, and spellings of these words. These are terms your teen will encounter in every subject this year. When teens know these words, they better understand what they read and hear in class, rather than getting lost because of unknown terms. When your 11th grader knows these words well enough to use them in writing and presentations, it will add precision, nuance, and eloquence to your teen’s work.

Share this list, courtesy of Hyde Park Central School District, with your high school junior. 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’s reading comprehension and writing assignments now, they’re words that will pop up on college admissions tests (if your child chooses to take one of these tests).

11th grade vocabulary words

aberration conciliatory incessant
abstract contract incidental
accolade copious incite
accommodate cordial incorrigible
aesthetic dearth indict
affinity debilitate indoctrinate
altercation decadence insurgent
ameliorate deference intangible
amicable delineate judicious
anarchy deprecate lavish
anomaly despot listless
appall devious meager
archaic didactic meander
arduous disparage negligent
articulate dissonance obliterate
astute duplicity ponderous
authoritarian edifice preclude
aversion effervescent prerequisite
biased egregious proximity
brevity elusive rectify
cajole equivocal rescind
callous erroneous resolution
capitulate exemplary rigorous
catalyst expedient scrutinize
catharsis extraneous substantiate
caustic formidable surmise
censure frivolous tirade
chastise grueling turbulence
clamor haphazard unimpeachable
coalesce heretic unobtrusive
cognizant hindrance usurp
commiserate hypocrisy vacillate
composure iconoclast whimsical
     

See the academic vocabulary lists for 10th grade and 12th grade, too.

Learn more about how to help your 11th grader with reading skills:

• Read: Getting ready for college reading
• Read: Making high school reading more inclusive
• Watch: Is your teen learning the research skills needed for college?
• Do: How to help a child find their purpose
• Check out: 11th grade college prep timeline