CAT Vocabulary — Word List for VARC & Practice
VARC is 34 of CAT’s 66 questions, and every RC passage is a vocabulary test in disguise.
Free with a Vidaara account (the account is free too — it saves your progress so the quiz can re-test the words you miss).
CAT stopped asking direct vocabulary questions years ago — and made vocabulary more important, not less. Reading Comprehension now carries VARC, and the passages are lifted from The Economist, Aeon and academic journals: prose written at the C1 level with C2 spikes. If you stumble on ubiquitous or paradigm, you lose time you cannot afford at three minutes per question. Our CAT track weights words 60% C1, with 20% B2 foundation and 20% C2 stretch.
Each word is taught with its meaning in English and Hindi, pronunciation, a usage example, synonyms and antonyms — bilingual support you can keep on during practice and switch off for mock conditions. The lock-in quiz re-tests your misses until they stick.
The CAT word mix — 9,556+ words at your level
Every exam track weights vocabulary by CEFR difficulty to match what the exam actually tests. For CAT:
Sample CAT vocabulary words
A taste of the list — each word in the builder also carries pronunciation, an example sentence, synonyms and antonyms:
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | हिन्दी अर्थ | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afterburner | Unknown | — | C2 | |
| Aftercare | Unknown | — | C2 | |
| Aftercrop | Unknown | — | C2 | |
| Afterdamp | Unknown | — | C2 | |
| Afterdeck | Unknown | — | C2 | |
| Aftereffect | Unknown | — | C2 | |
| Afterglow | Unknown | — | C2 | |
| Afterimage | Unknown | — | C2 | |
| Afterlife | Unknown | — | C2 | |
| Aftermath | Unknown | — | C2 | |
| Aftermost | Unknown | — | C2 | |
| Afterpains | Unknown | — | C2 |
These are the first few — open the builder to work through the full CAT-weighted list adaptively.
How to study CAT vocabulary — what actually works
- Read the example sentences like RC micro-passages — CAT never tests words naked, only in dense context.
- Master transition vocabulary (nevertheless, hitherto, purportedly): para-jumbles and para-summary questions hinge on it.
- Use the Hindi gloss to anchor a new word fast, then wean off it — VARC gives you no translations.
- Pair this with daily editorial reading; the builder gives you the words, editorials give you the speed.
CAT vocabulary — frequently asked questions
Does CAT ask direct vocabulary questions?
Not any more — but VARC passages are drawn from publications written at C1–C2 level, so weak vocabulary silently costs you reading speed and RC accuracy. Vocabulary preparation for CAT is really reading-speed preparation.
Are Hindi meanings available for CAT vocabulary?
Yes. Every word carries both English and Hindi meanings, and you can keep Hindi on during practice and turn it off in mock-test mode to simulate the real exam.
What level of vocabulary does CAT require?
Comfortable C1 with B2 foundations and some C2. This course weights words 20% B2, 60% C1 and 20% C2 — matched to the difficulty of actual CAT RC passages.
How should I split time between vocabulary and RC practice for CAT?
Roughly 20/80. Fifteen minutes of vocabulary a day in the builder, then spend the bulk of VARC time on timed RC — the vocabulary work pays off as faster, more accurate reading rather than as a separate score.