Your teen will encounter these ninth grade vocabulary words across subjects — from history and English to physics and math — which is why they’re called academic vocabulary words. It’s increasingly important for your child to know these words to better understand what they read and hear in class. When your ninth 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 teen. Challenge yourself and your teen to use these words in everyday conversation. 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 decides to take one of these tests.
9th grade vocabulary words
| absolve | escalate | mediate |
| alleviate | evaluate | mortify |
| alternative | exacerbate | niche |
| ambivalent | excerpt | obscure |
| analyze | exemplify | obsolete |
| animosity | explicit | pacify |
| approximate | exposition | perception |
| arbitrary | falter | perspective |
| attribute | feasible | pertinent |
| beneficial | feign | ponder |
| comprehensive | fluctuate | prevalent |
| connotation | formulate | proponent |
| contrast | generate | punitive |
| credible | gist | rapport |
| cursory | hypothetical | rationale |
| cynic | impartial | reconcile |
| dearth | implausible | redundant |
| deficient | implication | respective |
| demonstrate | imply | retaliate |
| depict | incentive | sabotage |
| derive | incoherent | scrutiny |
| detract | indolent | simulate |
| devastate | infamous | squander |
| digress | infuriate | succumb |
| dilemma | innovation | tangible |
| diligent | intercede | technique |
| dissent | interpret | traumatic |
| distort | intimidate | turmoil |
| diversion | isolate | valid |
| elation | jeopardize | verify |
| elicit | lucrative | viable |
| elude | mandatory | vulnerable |
See the academic vocabulary lists for 8th grade and 10th grade, too.
Learn more about how to help your 9th 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: 9th grade college prep timeline
