How Good Is Your Vocabulary Really? Quiz

By: David Copper
Estimated Completion Time
2 min
How Good Is Your Vocabulary Really? Quiz
Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

Salutations! Are you the spelling bee champion in your family or the word nerd among your coworkers? They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but your vocabulary always gives it all away. Nothing can make you look sillier than using the wrong word! If you want to make sure you're still on top of your word game, let's find out if you are as much of a genius as you think you are! 

You don't have to be a literary whiz to take this quiz, but it helps if you know your way around the library. We'll want to know about books you've read, and we'll check your spelling for mistakes. You won't feel like you're in school again, we promise. You will, however, feel like a well-educated student and be very proud of yourself for doing well at the end. It won't be easy, but we know you can do it! 

Once and for all, find out how others view your vocabulary. Do they hold back laughter when you try to use a big word and get it all wrong, or do they find themselves having to break out a dictionary when you aren't looking? Quiz yourself to find out!

Which of these people is an esteemed author?
Thomas Hardy
Tom Wolfe
Tom Jackson
Tommy Hilfiger
What does the word 'averse' mean?
A section in the bible
Unfavorable
Opposed to
Who knows?
Which of these things do you enjoy the most?
Working out
Dancing
Playing Scrabble
Reading ancient philosophy

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Do you listen to audio books?
I will occasionally.
I only read books!
If I don't have time to read.
What's an audio book?
Which of these words means 'a misleading appearance?'
Isle
Illusion
Allusion
Huh?
Which of these words means 'to avoid?'
Altar
I don't know.
Allude
Elude

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Did you do well in English class?
I got the best grade in the class!
I did okay.
I struggled.
I never went to class.
Which of these words means 'to receive?'
Except
Accent
Accept
They're all wrong!
Which of these words means 'the act of rising or climbing?'
Assent
Descent
Ascent
Decent

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Which of these people was a famous poet?
Robert Michum
Robert Frost
Rob Reiner
Robert Mapplethorpe
Which of these words means 'a lesson from a story or fable?'
Morass
Morale
Moron
Moral
Which of these things means 'praise or flattery?'
Compliment
Complement
Competent
Component

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Which of these was a book by Mark Twain?
"Adventures of Huckleberry Hound"
"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"
"A Tale of Two Cities"
"Vanity Fair"
Which of these words means 'to look furtively?'
Peak
Peek
Pique
What does 'furtively' mean?
Which of these words means 'to take a survey?'
Candy
Canvas
Canvass
Convoy

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Which of these words means 'a sense of morality?'
Conscience
Conscript
Conjecture
Conscious
Which of these words means 'to give advice?'
Compas
Compact
Council
Counsel
What is "To Kill a Mockingbird" about?
Hunting advice
Racial injustice
Cooking
International spies

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Have you done any reading today?
Does this quiz count?
I've read an article or two.
I read the headlines.
I've read several pages.
Which of these means 'illegal or forbidden?'
Elicit
Illicit
Illustrative
Ill
Which of these words means 'about to happen?'
Innate
Eminent
Inimitable
Imminent

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Which of these people was a famous poet?
Laurence Olivier
Sylvia Plath
Howard Cosell
Orson Welles
Which of these words means 'to surround?'
Imbibe
Antelope
Envelope
Envelop
Which of these words means 'to rule?'
Reign
Rain
Rein
Wren

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Which of these means 'standing still?'
Stationery
Stalemate
Stationary
Stiffled
Which of these words means 'courage or spirit?'
Metal
Meddle
Middle
Mettle
Which of these words means 'compassionate?'
Humerus
Humorous
Humane
Human

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Which of these means 'wary?'
Discreet
Dislocated
Distempered
Discrete
Which of these means 'the absence of war?'
Pristine
Peace
Piece
Peas
Which of these is a part of a flower?
Pedal
Petal
Portal
Peddle

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You Got: