TOEFL technology vocabulary
164 words in this theme, levelled so you can tell what is worth your time at your band.
Technology vocabulary on the TOEFL covers computing, engineering and the language of systems and processes — module, interface, configure, deploy. It appears in academic talks and in the practical texts of Read in Daily Life.
Why this theme earns your time
Process language is the part that transfers. Words describing how something is set up, connected or replaced work identically in a lecture about a manufacturing process and in a notice about a campus network outage.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| activatev. /ˈæktɪveɪt/ | B2 | to make something start workingactivate an account · activate the alarm | Swipe your card to activate the printer. |
| breakthroughn. /ˈbreɪkθruː/ | B2 | an important discovery that solves a long-standing problemscientific breakthrough · achieve a breakthrough | The lecture describes a breakthrough in solar cell design that doubled energy conversion rates. |
| corrosionn. /kəˈroʊʒən/ | C1 | the gradual destruction of metal by chemical reactions such as rustprevent corrosion · corrosion resistance | The engineering lecture explained how salt water speeds up corrosion on steel bridges. |
| durableadj. /ˈdʊrəbəl/ | B2 | able to last a long time without breaking or wearing outdurable materials · highly durable | The materials lecture explained why carbon fiber is both lightweight and remarkably durable. |
| foldern. /ˈfoʊldər/ | B1 | a cover for holding papers; a directory on a computera shared folder | Move the scans into a dated folder. |
| implementv. /ˈɪmpləmɛnt/ | B2 | to put a plan or system into actionimplement a plan · implement a policy | The university will implement a new online registration system starting next semester. |
| loadn./v. /loʊd/ | B2 | an amount carried; to put goods on; to fill a programa heavy load · load a truck | The bridge takes twice its design load. |
| monitorv. /ˈmɑːnɪtər/ | B1 | to watch and check something carefully over a period of timemonitor progress · closely monitor | Sensors on the bridge monitor vibrations and send the data to campus researchers. |
| pistonn. /ˈpɪstən/ | C2 | a part that moves up and down inside a cylindera piston engine | The piston seals wear after long use. |
| robustadj. /roʊˈbʌst/ | C1 | strong and unlikely to faila robust system · robust health | The design is robust enough for field use. |
| staticadj. /ˈstætɪk/ | B2 | not moving or changing; relating to electricity that does not flowstatic electricity · remain static | The professor explained why static electricity builds up when certain materials rub together. |
| typen./v. /taɪp/ | A2 | a kind or category; to write with a keyboarda type of · type up notes | Two types of error show up in the log. |
What to learn at your level
Most of this theme sits at CEFR B2 (41% 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 | 2 | 1% |
| B1 | 29 | 18% |
| B2 | 67 | 41% |
| C1 | 44 | 27% |
| C2 | 22 | 13% |
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
Do I need computing knowledge for the TOEFL?
No. The passages explain what they are about; you need the language, not the domain expertise.
Keep reading
By PrepScore · Last reviewed · Editorial standards