TOEFL頻出英単語300選｜意味・例文・覚え方のコツを完全網羅！

2025年5月20日 2025年5月20日

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TOEFLでスコアを伸ばすには何が必要でしょうか？

リスニングの集中力？スピーキングの瞬発力？

もちろんそれらも大事ですが、4技能すべての基盤になるのが語彙力です。

実際、Readingでは“この単語の意味は何か”を直接問う問題が出題され、Listeningでも学術的な語彙が次々と登場します。

さらにSpeakingやWritingでは、「適切な単語で自分の考えを表現できるか」が得点を左右します。

にもかかわらず、こんな悩みを抱えている人も多いのではないでしょうか？

「何の単語を覚えればいいかわからない」
「単語帳は持ってるけど、全部はとても覚えられない…」
「英検の単語とどう違うの？」

本記事では、そんな悩みに応えるべく、TOEFLに本当に出る単語300語を厳選し、意味と例文付きで紹介します。

これらの単語は、出題傾向、専門教材、過去問分析などに基づき、「出やすい」「覚えると差がつく」ものばかりです。

後半では、「覚え方のコツ」や「スコア別の語彙戦略」も解説していきます。

単語学習を“なんとなくの暗記”で終わらせないために、TOEFL対策に本気で取り組む方にこそ読んでほしい内容です。

Contents

TOEFLに頻出する英単語300選【意味・例文つき】
TOEFL単語を効率よく覚えるコツ
終わりに：語彙力はTOEFLスコアの“伸びしろ”

TOEFLに頻出する英単語300選【意味・例文つき】

TOEFLで高得点を目指すなら、まず押さえるべきは頻出単語です。

このリストでは出題されやすい語彙300語を掲載しています。

すべてに日本語訳と実用的な英語例文をつけているので、ただ「意味を暗記する」のではなく、文脈ごと理解→定着→アウトプットに活かすことができます。

TOEFL頻出英単語: A〜C

単語	意味（日本語）	例文
abundant	豊富な	The rainforest is known for its abundant biodiversity.
accumulate	蓄積する	Over the years, dust can accumulate on untouched surfaces.
accurate	正確な	The scientist recorded accurate measurements in the lab.
accustomed	慣れている	After a few weeks, she became accustomed to the new schedule.
acquire	獲得する、手に入れる	He managed to acquire a scholarship for his studies.
adamant	断固とした、頑固な	She was adamant about not changing her answer.
adequate	十分な	The hotel provided adequate facilities for business travelers.
adjacent	隣接した	The library is adjacent to the student center.
adjust	調整する	You need to adjust the seat before driving.
advantage	有利な点、利点	Speaking two languages gives you an advantage in global business.
adverse	不利な、有害な	Adverse weather conditions delayed the flight.
advocate	擁護する、主張する	She is known to advocate for environmental reforms.
aggregate	集計する、まとめる	The data was aggregated into a single report.
aggressive	攻撃的な、強引な	The team played with an aggressive strategy to win.
allocate	割り当てる	The manager allocated time slots for each speaker.
alter	変更する	They had to alter the plan due to budget cuts.
alternative	代替の、別の	Online learning is an alternative to classroom teaching.
amateur	未熟者、アマチュア	He joined the competition as an amateur.
ambiguous	曖昧な	The statement was ambiguous and open to interpretation.
ambitious	野心的な	She is ambitious and dreams of becoming a diplomat.
amend	修正する、改める	The organization plans to amend its constitution.
ample	有り余る、十分な	There is ample evidence to support the theory.
annual	年次の、毎年の	The annual report will be published in March.
anomaly	例外、異常	The data showed an anomaly that needs investigation.
antagonize	敵対させる、いらだたせる	His rude behavior antagonized the entire group.
appeal	懇願する、訴える	She made an appeal for donations.
arbitrary	恣意的な、任意の	The decision seemed arbitrary and unfair.
arduous	骨の折れる、非常に困難な	Preparing for TOEFL can be an arduous process.
assert	断言する、主張する	He asserted that the results were reliable.
assuage	和らげる	The teacher tried to assuage students’ anxiety before the test.
assume	仮定する、思い込む	Don’t assume the answer before reading the question.
augment	増強する	She took a second job to augment her income.
benign	良性の、無害な	The doctor assured me that the growth was benign and posed no health risk.
beneficial	有益な	Taking notes while reading can be beneficial for long-term retention.
benefit	利益、恩恵	One benefit of studying abroad is gaining cross-cultural communication skills.
bias	偏見	It’s important to avoid bias when writing an academic essay.
boast	自慢する	She boasted about scoring the highest grade on the TOEFL exam.
brash	生意気な、無遠慮な	His brash remarks offended several participants during the discussion.
brief	短時間の、簡潔な	The professor gave a brief overview before diving into the lecture.
brusque	ぶっきらぼうな	The receptionist’s brusque reply made the student feel unwelcome.
cacophony	不協和音、耳障りな音	The classroom turned into a cacophony of voices when the teacher stepped out.
cease	やめる、終わる	The two companies decided to cease their partnership after five years.
censure	厳しく非難する	The committee voted to censure the member for violating the code of conduct.
chronological	年代順の	Arrange the historical events in chronological order for the assignment.
clarify	明確にする	Could you clarify your point during the discussion?
coalesce	合体する、融合する	Different ideas coalesced into a single innovative proposal.
coerce	強制する	The manager tried to coerce the employee into working overtime.
cognizant	認識している、精通している	You should be cognizant of the rules before signing the contract.
coherent	首尾一貫した	Her explanation was coherent and easy to understand.
cohesion	結束、まとまり	Team cohesion is critical for the success of any group project.
coincide	同時に起こる、一致する	The exam dates coincide with my travel plans.
collapse	崩壊する	The roof collapsed after the heavy snowstorm.
collide	衝突する	Two trains collided on the same track early this morning.
commitment	献身、約束	Her commitment to volunteering is truly admirable.
community	共同体、地域社会	The community organized a clean-up event last weekend.
conceal	隠す	He tried to conceal the truth from his parents.
concur	同意する	I concur with your opinion on the proposal.
confer	協議する、話し合う	Experts will confer to finalize the conference agenda.
conflict	対立、衝突	There is a conflict between the new policy and existing laws.
consequently	その結果、として	She didn’t set an alarm; consequently, she missed the interview.
constrain	制限する、束縛する	Budget constraints limited the scope of the research.
contemplate	熟考する	He spent hours contemplating his future career path.
continuously	連続的に、絶え間なく	The system has been running continuously for 24 hours.
contradict	矛盾する、反論する	Your current statement contradicts what you said earlier.
contribute	貢献する、提供する	Each member contributes their ideas to improve the final result.
convene	招集する	The board will convene to vote on the proposal.
convey	伝える	She conveyed her gratitude with a warm smile.
copious	多量の、豊富な	He made copious notes during the lecture.
core	中心的な、主要な	Trust is the core value of this organization.
corrode	腐食する	The metal pipe began to corrode after years of exposure.
crucial	極めて重要な	Time management is crucial during the exam.
cumbersome	厄介な、扱いにくい	Carrying the cumbersome luggage through the airport was exhausting.
cumulative	累積的な	Your final score is based on cumulative performance.
curriculum	教育課程、カリキュラム	The new curriculum emphasizes critical thinking and creativity.

TOEFL頻出英単語: D〜F

単語	意味	例文
data	データ、資料	The researcher collected data from over 100 participants.
decay	衰退する、腐敗する	Without maintenance, old buildings begin to decay.
deceive	騙す	He tried to deceive the interviewer with false credentials.
decipher	解読する	It took hours to decipher the professor's handwritten notes.
declaration	宣言、発表	The company issued a declaration of bankruptcy.
decline	断る、低下する	She politely declined the invitation to the party.
deduce	推定する、推論する	We can deduce his intent from his previous actions.
deficient	不足した	A diet deficient in calcium can lead to bone problems.
degrade	劣化させる、質を下げる	Pollution continues to degrade air quality in urban areas.
demonstrate	実証する、示す	The student demonstrated her project to the class.
deny	否定する	He denied knowing anything about the missing file.
depict	描写する	This book vividly depicts life during the medieval era.
deplete	激減させる、使い果たす	Overuse of resources will deplete them faster than expected.
deposit	預ける、堆積させる	He deposited money into his savings account.
derive	由来する、引き出す	The English word 'algebra' derives from Arabic.
desirable	望ましい	Strong communication skills are desirable in this role.
despise	ひどく嫌う、軽蔑する	She despised dishonesty more than anything.
detect	検出する、見つける	The test can detect small amounts of the virus.
deter	抑止する、思いとどまらせる	Security cameras help deter criminal activity.
deviate	逸脱する	Try not to deviate from the original instructions.
devise	考案する	The engineers devised a way to reduce energy consumption.
devote	捧げる、充てる	He devotes two hours a day to practicing piano.
diatribe	痛烈な批判	The blog post turned into a diatribe against fast fashion.
digress	話が脱線する	Let me digress for a moment to tell you a quick story.
dilemma	ジレンマ、板挟み	She was in a dilemma about whether to quit her job.
diminish	減少する、小さくする	The noise gradually diminished as the car drove away.
displace	追い出す、移動させる	War has displaced thousands from their homes.
dispose	処分する	You should dispose of hazardous waste properly.
disproportionate	不釣り合いな、過度の	The punishment seemed disproportionate to the mistake.
disrupt	混乱させる、妨害する	The strike disrupted public transportation across the city.
distort	歪める	The politician's words were distorted by the media.
distribute	分配する、配布する	The aid agency distributed supplies to the survivors.
diverse	多様な	The university values a diverse student population.
divert	そらす、迂回させる	She tried to divert the conversation away from politics.
dominate	支配する、圧倒する	A few tech companies dominate the global market.
dynamic	活発な、絶えず変化する	The startup has a dynamic work culture.
ease	和らげる、容易さ	The new policy is designed to ease the burden on small business owners.
efficient	効率的な	The new engine is more efficient than the previous model, saving both time and fuel.
elicit	引き出す	The teacher tried to elicit more detailed responses from her students.
eliminate	排除する	The new rules aim to eliminate unfair advantages in the exam.
elite	エリートの、選ばれた	Only an elite group of students were selected for the international program.
eloquent	雄弁な	The senator delivered an eloquent speech about climate change.
emphasize	強調する	The instructor emphasized the importance of proofreading your essay.
endure	耐え抜く	She endured three years of intense study to earn her degree.
enhance	強化する、向上させる	The new interface was designed to enhance user experience.
entail	伴う、必要とする	Pursuing a PhD entails a significant amount of independent research.
equivalent	同等の	A score of 100 on this test is equivalent to an A grade.
erroneous	誤った	The scientist retracted his erroneous conclusion after further analysis.
estimate	見積もる、推定する	Can you estimate how long the project will take to complete?
evade	逃れる、回避する	He managed to evade answering the question directly.
evaluate	評価する	The committee will evaluate all scholarship applications next week.
evidence	証拠、証拠物件	There is strong evidence linking diet to heart disease.
evident	明白な	It was evident that she had prepared thoroughly for the presentation.
evolve	進化する、発展する	Language tends to evolve over time based on cultural changes.
exemplary	模範的な	Her exemplary behavior earned her a scholarship.
exclude	除外する	Late applications will be excluded from consideration.
exclusive	限定的な、独占的な	This area is part of an exclusive resort for members only.
expand	拡大する	The startup aims to expand into new markets next year.
expertise	専門知識	His expertise in artificial intelligence impressed the hiring committee.
exploit	利用する、搾取する	The documentary exposed how large companies exploit natural resources.
expose	暴露する、さらす	The journalist worked hard to expose corruption in the local government.
extension	延長、拡張	She asked for an extension on her research paper deadline.
extract	取り出す、抽出する	The lab technician will extract DNA from the samples.
Facilitate	容易にする、促進する	The new platform is designed to facilitate online collaboration among students.
Famine	飢饉	Due to the prolonged drought, the region is now facing a severe famine.
Feasible	実行可能な	Launching the new app within three months is feasible if we hire another developer.
Finite	有限の	The test must be completed within a finite amount of time.
Flaw	欠陥、欠点	The engineer discovered a flaw in the bridge design that required urgent repairs.
Fluctuate	変動する	Gas prices tend to fluctuate depending on global oil supply.
Focus	焦点を当てる、集中させる	This essay should focus on the economic impacts of climate change.
Fortify	強化する	The team fortified their argument with recent statistical data.
Framework	枠組み、骨組み	The framework for the project includes clear goals and timelines.
Frivolous	つまらない、軽薄な	Avoid making frivolous purchases when saving for study abroad.
Function	機能、役割	The primary function of this button is to reset your password.
Fundamental	基本的な	Time management is a fundamental skill for academic success.

TOEFL頻出英単語: G～O

単語	意味	例文
Gap	すき間、隔たり	The study revealed a significant gap in educational outcomes between urban and rural areas.
Garbled	不明瞭な、文字化けした	The radio transmission was so garbled that the message couldn’t be understood.
Generate	生み出す	The new wind farm is expected to generate enough electricity for 10,000 homes.
Grandiose	仰々しい、壮大すぎる	His grandiose plan to build a skyscraper in a small town was quickly rejected.
Guarantee	保証する	We can’t guarantee success, but we’ll support you every step of the way.
hackneyed	陳腐な	The professor warned us to avoid hackneyed expressions in our academic writing.
harsh	厳しい、耳障りな	The professor’s harsh feedback helped me improve my essay significantly.
hasty	性急な、軽率な	Making a hasty decision before reading the instructions can cost you points on the test.
hazardous	危険な	The laboratory clearly marked all hazardous materials with warning signs.
hesitate	ためらう	Don’t hesitate to ask the professor if you don’t understand a concept.
hierarchy	階層、序列	The university’s administrative hierarchy determines how decisions are made.
hindrance	障害、邪魔	Procrastination is often a major hindrance to academic success.
hollow	中が空洞の	The sculpture appeared solid but was actually hollow to reduce weight.
horror	恐怖	To his horror, he realized he had submitted the wrong assignment file.
hostile	敵対的な	The discussion became hostile when students disagreed on political issues.
hypothesis	仮説	She tested her hypothesis by conducting several controlled experiments.
identical	全く同じの	The twins are identical in appearance.
identify	特定する、確認する	The witness was able to identify the suspect quickly.
illiterate	読み書きのできない	In some rural areas, a large portion of the population remains illiterate.
illustrate	説明する、例証する	This chart helps illustrate the difference between the two methods.
impact	影響	The new curriculum had a major impact on student engagement.
impair	損なう	Too much noise can impair your ability to concentrate.
implement	実行する	The university decided to implement a new grading system.
imply	ほのめかす	Her tone seemed to imply disagreement.
impose	課す、押し付ける	The teacher imposed strict rules during the exam.
impoverish	貧しくする	The war impoverished the once-prosperous region.
incentive	動機付け、誘因	Scholarships serve as an incentive for academic excellence.
incessant	絶え間ない	The incessant noise from the street made it hard to sleep.
incidental	付随的な、些細な	Minor errors are considered incidental and won’t affect your grade.
incite	扇動する	The speech was intended to incite the audience to take action.
inclination	傾向、好み	She has an inclination to study late at night.
incompetent	無能な	The intern was fired for being completely incompetent.
inconsistent	一貫性のない	His statements were inconsistent with the evidence.
indefatigable	不屈の、疲れを知らない	The indefatigable campaigners worked day and night.
indicate	示す、指し示す	Survey results indicate a need for better facilities.
indisputable	議論の余地のない	It’s an indisputable fact that water boils at 100°C.
ineffective	効果がない	The new policy turned out to be ineffective.
inevitable	避けられない	Economic downturns are sometimes inevitable.
infer	推測する	From the tone of his voice, I could infer his disappointment.
inflate	膨らませる	You need a pump to inflate the air mattress.
influence	影響を与える	Family members can greatly influence a student's career choice.
inhibit	抑制する	Cold temperatures inhibit the growth of most bacteria.
initial	最初の	Initial tests suggest the software is reliable.
inquiry	調査、問い合わせ	The school launched an inquiry into the missing funds.
integral	不可欠な	Teamwork is an integral part of this project.
integrate	統合する	We aim to integrate all departments into one system.
interpret	解釈する	Students are required to interpret the results of the experiment.
intervene	介入する	The teacher had to intervene to stop the argument.
intrepid	勇敢な	The intrepid student volunteered to go first.
intricate	複雑な、入り組んだ	The instructions were too intricate for beginners.
invasive	侵入的な、拡大性の	The invasive species threatened local wildlife.
investigate	調査する	The agency will investigate the cause of the failure.
irascible	短気な	The irascible chef yelled at his staff for every mistake.
irony	皮肉	It’s a cruel irony that he failed the driving test on his birthday.
irresolute	優柔不断な	She remained irresolute even after hearing all the arguments.
jargon	専門用語	Legal documents are full of legal jargon that most people can’t understand.
jointly	共同で、一緒に	The two companies jointly announced a new collaborative project.
knack	コツ、才能	She has a knack for remembering people’s names even after one meeting.
labor	労働、労力	Building a house requires a lot of manual labor.
lag	遅れる、遅れ	We started the race together, but I began to lag behind after a few kilometers.
lampoon	風刺する	The cartoonist often lampoons politicians in his comic strip.
languish	衰える、放置される	During the drought, the crops languished in the fields.
lecture	講義	The professor will give a 30-minute lecture before the discussion.
leery	用心深い	I’m leery of walking alone at night in that part of town.
legislate	法律を制定する	The government plans to legislate new environmental regulations.
legitimate	正当な、合法の	She has a legitimate claim to the inheritance.
lenient	寛大な	The judge was lenient and gave the teenager a second chance.
likely	〜しそうな、あり得る	It’s likely that I’ll pass the exam since I’ve studied so much.
ludicrous	ばかげた	His claim that he can “read minds” is absolutely ludicrous.
maintain	維持する、主張する	He maintains his innocence despite the evidence against him.
major	主要な	Climate change is a major global issue that we need to address.
manipulate	操作する	The company tried to manipulate the survey results in its favor.
maximum	最大限の	To get the maximum benefit from this exercise, do it every day.
mediocre	平凡な、二流の	The meal was mediocre – not terrible, but nothing special either.
mend	修繕する	Her mother will mend the hole in her shirt.
method	方法	Her method for studying vocabulary involves using flashcards and apps.
migrate	移動する、移住する	Every fall, the birds migrate south to warmer regions.
minimum	最小限の	You need a minimum score of 70 to pass the class.
misleading	誤解を招く	The advertisement is misleading because the product doesn’t work as shown.
mitigate	和らげる、軽減する	They built floodwalls to mitigate the damage from future storms.
modify	修正する、変更する	I need to modify my diet to eat less sugar.
morose	不機嫌な、陰気な	He’s been morose ever since he didn’t make the football team.
negligent	怠慢な	The negligent babysitter was on her phone while the child wandered off.
nonchalant	無頓着な、平然とした	He greeted me in a nonchalant way, as if nothing had happened.
notion	概念、考え	She has a notion that bigger cars are safer, which isn’t always true.
obey	従う	My dog is well trained and always obeys my commands.
obtain	手に入れる	You will need to obtain permission before using that copyrighted photo.
obvious	明らかな	It’s obvious that she loves music – look at all those posters of musicians in her room.
occupy	占める	These files occupy a lot of space on my hard drive.
opponent	相手、対戦相手	In the final match, she will face her toughest opponent.
oppress	虐げる、圧迫する	For years, the regime oppressed its people and denied them basic rights.
origin	起源、源	Researchers are trying to find the origin of the virus.

TOEFL頻出英単語: P～R

単語	意味	例文
parsimonious	極度に倹約な、けちん坊の	The parsimonious old man hates spending money, even on necessities.
partake	参加する、加わる	I was feeling sick and decided not to partake in the soccer match.
partial	部分的な；えこひいきの	She’s partial to chocolate ice cream, preferring it over other flavors.
paucity	不足、欠乏	During the drought, the town had a paucity of fresh water.
peak	頂点、最高潮	Winning the championship was the peak of his career.
peripheral	周辺的な、重要でない	That’s a peripheral issue – we need to focus on the main problem first.
permeate	浸透する、行き渡る	The smell of freshly baked bread permeated the entire house.
persist	持続する、固執する	Despite the difficulties, she persisted in pursuing her dream.
pertain	関係する、付随する	These regulations pertain only to international students.
phase	段階、局面	The project is in its final phase and will be completed next month.
poll	世論調査	According to the latest poll, more than 60% of people support the new law.
potent	強力な	These sleeping pills are very potent, so only take one.
pragmatic	実用的な、現実的な	We need a pragmatic solution, not just a idealistic plan.
praise	称賛する	The teacher praised the student for her well-written essay.
precede	先行する	The bride was preceded by the flower girls walking down the aisle.
precise	正確な、精密な	When collecting data, it’s important to take precise measurements.
prestigious	名声のある、一流の	Harvard is one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
prevalent	広く行き渡った	Smartphone use is prevalent among teenagers these days.
primary	主要な、第一の	My primary goal this year is to improve my English speaking skills.
prior	前の、先の	Prior to moving here, I lived in Osaka.
proceed	続行する、進む	After a short break, we proceeded with the meeting.
progeny	子孫	The scientist’s theory is that the progeny of these two plants will be resistant to drought.
promote	促進する、昇進させる	They launched a campaign to promote recycling in the city.
prosper	繁栄する	Small businesses can prosper with the help of supportive local policies.
proximity	近接、距離の近さ	The proximity of the post office to my home is very convenient.
quarrel	口論、口げんか	Nina and her boyfriend always quarrel over money.
range	範囲	The shop sells shoes in a range of sizes, from very small to extra large.
rank	地位、階級	He eventually rose to the rank of professor at the university.
rebuke	叱責する	She was rebuked by her parents for staying out past midnight.
recapitulate	要約する	At the end of his presentation, the speaker recapitulated his main points.
recede	後退する	Two days after the flood, the water finally receded from the streets.
recommend	推薦する、勧める	I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in science.
reform	改革する	The new mayor promised to reform the outdated policies at city hall.
regulate	規制する、調整する	The government regulates the amount of chemicals in drinking water.
reinforce	補強する、強化する	The builders reinforced the walls with steel beams.
reject	拒否する	Lydia rejected my invitation to the homecoming dance.
rely	頼る	I rely on my morning coffee to wake me up.
resign	辞任する	Due to his declining health, the mayor decided to resign from office.
resist	抵抗する	I had to resist the temptation to eat cake while on my diet.
resolve	決意する、解決する	Matt resolved to get better grades next semester by studying every night.
restrict	制限する	My doctor told me to restrict myself to one cup of coffee a day.
retain	保持する	Even after moving to the US, she retained her Japanese citizenship.
retract	撤回する、引っ込める	The newspaper had to retract the story after it turned out to be false.
retrieve	取り戻す、回収する	Alexis got out of the car to retrieve the ball her little brother threw.
rhetorical	修辞的な	When I asked “Who cares?”, it was a rhetorical question – I didn’t expect an answer.
rigid	硬直した、融通が利かない	The rules at this school are very rigid and allow no flexibility.