Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Word Smart: How to Build an Educated Vocabulary

Rate this book
Knowing which words to use and how to use them is key to communicating accurately and effectively. That’s why more than one million people have used this book to improve their vocabularies.

To find out which words you absolutely need to know, The Princeton Review researched the vocabularies of educated adults by analyzing major newspapers and books and focusing on the words that people misunderstand or misuse. We also examined the SAT and other standardized tests to determine which words are tested most frequently.

All of the entries in Word Smart, 4th Edition are necessary for an impressive vocabulary, and learning and using these words effectively can help you to get better grades, score higher on tests, and communicate more confidently at work.

400 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 1995

Loading interface...
Loading interface...

About the author

The Princeton Review

1,957 books32 followers
The Princeton Review is an education services company providing tutoring, test preparation and admission resources for students. It was founded in 1981. and since that time has worked with over 400 million students.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
88 (45%)
4 stars
63 (32%)
3 stars
22 (11%)
2 stars
10 (5%)
1 star
9 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Scott.
21 reviews8 followers
September 14, 2009
This is not really a book that you will want to read from cover to cover, but instead keep it by your bedside and pick up between whatever you happen to be reading at the time. Browse a few of the 1500 + words, abbreviations, and technical terms and you may discover something you never knew before. I'm particularly fond of querulous. Words are a powerful tool.
Profile Image for Amy C..
128 reviews34 followers
August 11, 2018
This vocabulary book encapsulates a plethora of ubiquitous and sometimes complex words. The layout of this guide allows for facile access and comprehension. I re-read this book every now and then to bolster the state of my lexicon, and I can indubitably affirm that this book has contributed immensely to enhancing my vocabulary.
13 reviews4 followers
January 24, 2016
This "book" acts more of a textbook than a novel but I would recommend it to anyone inspired to maximize their lexicon. The key to this book is to take your time and put in the work. If you superciliously read this book you will learn nothing. Albeit, this book did take a while to complete, it was quite the useful resource.
Profile Image for Ly Nguyen.
280 reviews78 followers
April 10, 2022
This publication seemed to work well for the useful content that it provided. In "Word Smart", one can find the necessary and fundamental vocabulary for several exams. In this publication, several vocabulary, usage, as well as the contexts could be found. They were also usually classified into applicable categories, tailored to most users. Personally, I found this publication resourceful and informative. It also seemed to be applicable. I think that this publication is worthwhile in terms of vocabulary building.
5 reviews1 follower
February 18, 2018
I DON'T KNOW OF A BETTER BOOK (This has intentionally been written in caps)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
89 reviews41 followers
July 30, 2016
I know that this is not really a "book," but this deserves some praise. Even though I relish English classes and reading, I dislike one aspect: vocabulary words. Yes, they can be so subtle and beautiful. Yes, they can shake one's heart and spark a light. But it is not easy to acquire these words, especially if you are not use to looking up words whilst reading. After scavenging numerous methods to learn words, my hands finally grasped this book.

Some GREAT points:
- sample sentences-- it not only tells you the meaning, but also HOW the word is used in sentences. (some of them are quite amusing!)
- tips-- compares the word(s) with other similar words to give you the differences + subtle nuances tips
- mini quizzes-- good for when you are bored and check your vocab. acquisition

Recommend this to anyone who hungers to learn not only the meaning, but also the function of the word. ( a must-have for aspiring writers and readers alike)
27 reviews
April 25, 2008
I am not really "reading" this book. When I have time riffle through it. It is fun to me to learn new words.
Profile Image for Stacey.
42 reviews
April 25, 2016
I always debate about whether or by these books gel or hurt students?
Profile Image for Xareny.
4 reviews
November 22, 2013
Good book to learn new words, correct your spelling, and pronunciation!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.