TOEFL economy and society vocabulary
326 words in this theme, levelled so you can tell what is worth your time at your band.
Economy and society vocabulary covers the language of markets, policy, labour and social change — the second-largest theme in the TOEFL bank. It appears in academic passages, in academic talks, and in the Writing section’s discussion prompts, which are frequently about social questions.
Why this theme earns your time
This theme pays twice: once for comprehension in Reading and Listening, and again for production in Write for an Academic Discussion, where a position on a social question needs the vocabulary to state it precisely.
What the words look like
Every entry carries its part of speech, pronunciation, CEFR level, the collocations it actually appears in, and a sentence using it. A sample from the bank:
| Word | CEFR | Meaning | In use |
|---|---|---|---|
| abstainv. /əbˈsteɪn/ | C2 | to choose not to vote or not to do somethingabstain from voting · abstain from alcohol | Two members abstained in the final vote. |
| breachn./v. /briːtʃ/ | C2 | a failure to follow rules; a gapa breach of contract · a security breach | Late payment is a breach of the agreement. |
| cordialadj. /ˈkɔːrdʒəl/ | C2 | friendly and politea cordial welcome · cordial relations | Relations between the rival labs stayed cordial. |
| disclosev. /dɪsˈkloʊz/ | C2 | to make secret information knowndisclose information · refuse to disclose | The firm must disclose all donations. |
| ethicn. /ˈeθɪk/ | C1 | a system of moral principles guiding behaviourresearch ethics · work ethic | Research ethics require informed consent from every participant. |
| hardshipn. /ˈhɑːrdʃɪp/ | B2 | severe difficulty in living conditionseconomic hardship · endure hardship | The diary records the winter's hardships plainly. |
| judgev./n. /dʒʌdʒ/ | B1 | to form an opinion; an official who decides casesjudge by appearances · a panel of judges | Do not judge the paper by its title. |
| mutualadj. /ˈmjuːtʃuəl/ | C1 | felt or done by two or more people towards each othermutual benefit · mutual respect | The arrangement brought mutual benefit to both departments. |
| plungev./n. /plʌndʒ/ | C1 | to fall or dive suddenlyplunge into · a sharp plunge | Temperatures plunge after sunset in the desert. |
| reimbursev. /ˌriːɪmˈbɜːs/ | C1 | to pay someone back money they have spentreimburse expenses · be reimbursed for | The department will reimburse your travel costs if you keep the receipts. |
| spurv./n. /spɜːr/ | C2 | to encourage or cause something to happenspur growth · on the spur of the moment | Tax relief spurred a wave of small builds. |
| trademarkn. /ˈtreɪdmɑːrk/ | C1 | a registered brand sign; a distinctive characteristica registered trademark · a trademark style | The shape of the bottle is a trademark. |
What to learn at your level
Most of this theme sits at CEFR C1 (36% of its words). At band 4 the B1 and B2 entries are the ones that move your score; grinding C1 vocabulary before the B2 layer is solid is the most common way to spend weeks and gain nothing.
| Level | Words | Share |
|---|---|---|
| A2 | 3 | 1% |
| B1 | 39 | 12% |
| B2 | 74 | 23% |
| C1 | 116 | 36% |
| C2 | 94 | 29% |
Recognising a word is not knowing it
Complete the Words asks you to *produce* a word from context with only its opening letters shown, and the writing tasks ask you to produce it from nothing. That is why the PrepScore drill makes you write the word rather than flip a card, and counts it mastered only after two correct productions in a row. See how the vocabulary drill works.
Drill this theme free
Twenty words a day at no cost, tested by production rather than recognition.
Frequently asked questions
Does the TOEFL test economics knowledge?
No. It tests whether you can follow an argument that happens to be about an economic or social topic. The subject knowledge is supplied by the passage.
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By PrepScore · Last reviewed · Editorial standards