The 100 Most Common TOEIC Vocabulary Words — Mined From 9,678 Correct Answers
This is the TOEIC word list you actually need: the 100 words that most often ARE the correct answer, mined from 9,678 questions we analysed in our bank of 20,000+ original questions — each with type, meaning and a real collocation. The #1 word by a wide margin: enhance, correct 178 times.
How we built this list (and why it's not opinion)
We didn't ask a teacher for their favourite words. We pulled the correct answer of every one of 9,678 questions we analysed in the vocabulary (3,328), grammar (3,181) and incomplete-sentences (3,169) categories of the eng-test.com bank of 20,000+ original TOEIC-style questions, then counted how often each word appears as a correct answer. Rank = raw frequency, measured July 2026.
Two honest caveats. These numbers describe our own bank — written to mirror the real exam's style — not official ETS papers; eng-test.com is not affiliated with ETS, and TOEIC is a registered trademark of ETS. We also merged inflections of the same word (submit/submitted/submitting) into the single form most worth memorising.
The number in front of each word is its overall frequency rank (1–100). Study the tables in any order, but prioritise the low numbers.
Growth & improvement verbs (14 words)
The biggest theme in our data: TOEIC loves verbs that mean "make it better". enhance is the #1 word in the entire analysis — correct 178 times.
| Word | Type | Meaning | Common collocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. enhance | v. | improve the quality of | enhance efficiency |
| 2. improve | v. | make better | improve performance |
| 4. increase | v. | raise; go up | increase sales |
| 7. expand | v. | grow larger | expand operations |
| 13. foster | v. | encourage; promote | foster collaboration |
| 15. boost | v. | raise quickly | boost morale |
| 18. streamline | v. | make more efficient | streamline the process |
| 32. instill | v. | implant (values, ideas) | instill confidence |
| 39. develop | v. | create over time | develop a strategy |
| 55. optimize | v. | make as effective as possible | optimize workflow |
| 63. bolster | v. | strengthen; support | bolster confidence |
| 82. augment | v. | add to; supplement | augment revenue |
| 83. cultivate | v. | develop (skills, relationships) | cultivate relationships |
| 90. diversify | v. | add variety | diversify the portfolio |
Problems, risk & control (11 words)
Formal verbs for handling trouble. mitigate and curtail look intimidating but appear constantly as correct answers.
| Word | Type | Meaning | Common collocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16. prevent | v. | stop from happening | to prevent delays |
| 20. curtail | v. | cut back; reduce | curtail spending |
| 25. address | v. | deal with (a problem) | address the issue |
| 29. mitigate | v. | make less severe | mitigate risks |
| 44. resolve | v. | settle; solve | resolve the dispute |
| 47. minimize | v. | reduce to the lowest level | minimize errors |
| 53. reduce | v. | make smaller | to reduce costs |
| 72. protect | v. | keep safe | to protect data |
| 77. ensure | v. | make certain | ensure compliance |
| 80. secure | v. | obtain; make safe | secure funding |
| 94. safeguard | v. | protect from harm | safeguard information |
Documents, deadlines & approvals (15 words)
The paperwork cluster: everything that happens to reports, deadlines and requests. submit alone was the correct answer 140 times.
| Word | Type | Meaning | Common collocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3. submit | v. | hand in; send for approval | submit a report |
| 5. postpone | v. | move to a later time | postpone the meeting |
| 8. extend | v. | make longer | extend the deadline |
| 9. review | v. | examine carefully | review the contract |
| 26. confirm | v. | state that something is certain | confirm the reservation |
| 35. complete | v. | finish | complete the form |
| 42. update | v. | bring up to date | update the records |
| 56. delay | v. | make late | be delayed |
| 57. meet | v. | satisfy (a deadline, target) | meet the deadline |
| 61. require | v. | officially demand | be required to |
| 65. revise | v. | change and improve | revise the proposal |
| 67. approve | v. | officially accept | approve the budget |
| 69. defer | v. | postpone; put off | defer the payment |
| 88. register | v. | sign up officially | register for the seminar |
| 93. publish | v. | make publicly available | publish the results |
Meetings, projects & planning (19 words)
The classic Part 5 setting: meetings, launches and plans. Watch the fixed prepositions — participate in, convene a meeting.
| Word | Type | Meaning | Common collocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10. devise | v. | invent (a plan, method) | devise a strategy |
| 11. present | v. | show or explain formally | present the findings |
| 14. scrutinize | v. | examine very closely | scrutinize the figures |
| 17. attend | v. | be present at | attend the conference |
| 22. monitor | v. | watch and check | monitor progress |
| 27. implement | v. | put into effect | implement a policy |
| 37. assess | v. | judge; evaluate | assess performance |
| 49. launch | v. | start; introduce | launch a product |
| 50. participate | v. | take part | participate in the workshop |
| 54. allocate | v. | distribute (budget, resources) | allocate the budget |
| 60. take place | phr. | happen; be held | take place on Friday |
| 79. reallocate | v. | distribute again | reallocate resources |
| 85. conduct | v. | carry out | conduct a survey |
| 86. convene | v. | call (a meeting) together | convene a meeting |
| 87. design | v. | plan and create | designed to improve |
| 91. evaluate | v. | judge quality or value | evaluate the results |
| 92. manage | v. | be in charge of | manage the project |
| 97. establish | v. | set up; create | establish guidelines |
| 99. plan | n./v. | intention; to intend | a detailed plan |
Everyday office & operations (13 words)
Day-to-day workplace actions, including two compliance verbs that almost always come with a fixed preposition: adhere to and comply with.
| Word | Type | Meaning | Common collocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. relocate | v. | move to a new location | relocate the office |
| 12. adhere | v. | follow strictly | adhere to the policy |
| 21. display | v. | show; exhibit | display the merchandise |
| 23. adjust | v. | change slightly | adjust the schedule |
| 30. shut down | phr. v. | stop operating | shut down the plant |
| 31. comply | v. | act according to rules | comply with regulations |
| 33. follow | v. | act according to | follow the instructions |
| 34. adapt | v. | change to fit new conditions | adapt to change |
| 36. wear | v. | have on the body | wear safety equipment |
| 48. provide | v. | give; supply | provide training |
| 70. answer | v. | reply; respond to | answer inquiries |
| 73. store | v. | keep for later use | store the files securely |
| 95. assist | v. | help | assist with the setup |
High-value formal nouns (8 words)
Harder nouns that separate 700+ scorers. discrepancy alone appeared 41 times as a correct answer.
| Word | Type | Meaning | Common collocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28. discrepancy | n. | difference; inconsistency | a discrepancy in the invoice |
| 43. dissent | n. | disagreement | without dissent |
| 68. aptitude | n. | natural ability | an aptitude for numbers |
| 74. impact | n. | strong effect | a significant impact |
| 75. track | n. | record of performance | track record |
| 76. apprehension | n. | anxiety; worry | express apprehension |
| 89. resilience | n. | ability to recover | build resilience |
| 100. resistance | n. | opposition | resistance to change |
Adjectives & adverbs (13 words)
Modifiers TOEIC uses to test word forms — know both the adjective and its adverb (efficient/efficiently).
| Word | Type | Meaning | Common collocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19. effective | adj. | producing the desired result | an effective solution |
| 38. diligently | adv. | with steady effort | work diligently |
| 46. imperative | adj. | absolutely necessary | it is imperative that |
| 52. comprehensive | adj. | complete; covering everything | a comprehensive report |
| 62. attributable | adj. | caused by | attributable to |
| 64. efficient | adj. | working without waste | more efficient |
| 66. unanimous | adj. | agreed by everyone | a unanimous decision |
| 71. crucial | adj. | extremely important | a crucial role |
| 78. promptly | adv. | without delay | respond promptly |
| 81. significant | adj. | large; notable | a significant increase |
| 84. thoroughly | adv. | completely and carefully | thoroughly reviewed |
| 96. available | adj. | ready to use or obtain | available online |
| 98. instrumental | adj. | playing a key role | instrumental in the success |
Connectors & grammar words (7 words)
Small words that dominate grammar questions. They look easy, but due to vs. despite is a classic Part 5 trap.
| Word | Type | Meaning | Common collocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24. before | prep./conj. | earlier than | before the deadline |
| 40. during | prep. | throughout (a period) | during the meeting |
| 41. whose | pron. | of whom; of which | the employee whose |
| 45. due to | prep. | because of | due to bad weather |
| 51. within | prep. | inside (a limit) | within 30 days |
| 58. despite | prep. | in spite of | despite the delay |
| 59. including | prep. | with ... included | including taxes |
How to memorise all 100 words
- Learn the collocation column, not the word alone — the exam tests adhere to and comply with as whole chunks. The full method is in vocabulary memory techniques.
- Use spaced repetition: review each batch on day 1, 3, 7 and 14. Ten words a day clears this list in ten days.
- Study by theme, table by table — related words anchor each other in memory far better than an alphabetical list.
- Meet each word in a real sentence within 24 hours: a free 5-question session on eng-test.com does exactly that.
Turn the list into points
Words stick when they cost you points first. Test yourself against real-style items in our TOEIC sample questions, see which categories learners miss most in the TOEIC reading stats, apply the list with our Part 5 tips — or jump straight into a free 5-question session at eng-test.com.
Frequently asked questions
How many TOEIC vocabulary words do I need?
- Around 600–1,000 business words for a 600+ score. Start with these 100 — in our data they are the words most often required to answer correctly, so they give the fastest return per hour of study.
Where does this TOEIC word list come from?
- We mined the correct answers of 9,678 vocabulary, grammar and incomplete-sentence questions we analysed in the eng-test.com bank of 20,000+ original TOEIC-style questions, and ranked words by how often each one was the correct answer.
What is the most common TOEIC vocabulary word?
- In our bank it is enhance, the correct answer 178 times, followed by improve and submit at 140 each — all formal business verbs.
How should I memorise TOEIC vocabulary?
- Ten words a day with spaced repetition (review on day 1, 3, 7 and 14), always inside a collocation like adhere to or meet the deadline, then test yourself in real practice questions the same day.
Is TOEIC vocabulary different from everyday English vocabulary?
- Yes. It is heavily business and workplace English: formal verbs (enhance, comply, mitigate), office nouns (discrepancy, aptitude) and connectors (due to, despite) that rarely appear in casual conversation.
Are 100 words enough to pass the TOEIC test?
- No single list is enough on its own, but these 100 are the highest-leverage starting point. Combine them with grammar review and timed reading practice to convert vocabulary into an actual score.