Many test-prep words don't just mean something; they carry an attitude. Noticing whether a word is positive or negative is often enough to answer a question.
Sort by tone
| Positive | Negative | Neutral |
|---|---|---|
| magnanimous, meticulous | belligerent, egregious | equivocal |
| cogent, conciliatory | hackneyed, disparage | esoteric, eclectic |
| extol, alacrity | audacious (often) | circumspect, reticent |
Opposite pairs
- extol (praise) / disparage (belittle)
- garrulous (talkative) / reticent (reserved)
- belligerent (hostile) / conciliatory (peace-making)
- innocuous (harmless) / egregious (shockingly bad)
Words with a story
Egregious comes from Latin e grege, “out of the flock”: it once meant standing out for good reasons. Hackneyed comes from the hackney, a horse for hire that was worked until it was worn out, like an overused phrase.
Use them carefully
Reticent means reserved in speaking. “She was reticent to go” is common, but a test will expect “reluctant” there.
Independent study material, not affiliated with College Board or ETS.