{"id":23129,"date":"2026-04-07T10:38:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T10:38:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=23129"},"modified":"2026-04-07T15:40:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T15:40:32","slug":"whats-on-the-asvab-word-knowledge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/asvab\/whats-on-the-asvab-word-knowledge\/","title":{"rendered":"What&#039;s on the ASVAB: Word Knowledge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Word Knowledge (WK) subsection of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/asvab\/what-is-the-asvab\/\">ASVAB<\/a> is essentially a test of your vocabulary. However, that\u2019s not the entire story. While knowing the definitions of many words will certainly help you in this section, there are other ways to identify the correct answer and eliminate the wrong answers in ASVAB word knowledge questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>ASVAB Word Knowledge: CAT vs. Paper<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are slight variations in the amount of time you have to complete the Word Knowledge section and how many questions you will need to answer depending on the format you choose to take the ASVAB.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>If you are taking the CAT-ASVAB, you will have 9 minutes to answer 15 vocabulary questions.&nbsp;<\/li><li>If you are taking the paper-and-pencil ASVAB, you have 11 minutes to complete a total of 35 questions.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Whichever version of the test you\u2019re taking, your goal is the same: find the synonym for a given word in a fraction of a minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>ASVAB Word Knowledge Question Format<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A little more than half of the questions in the WK section will ask you to define words with no context. These types of questions can be called No-Context WK questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although these question types do not provide you with context clues, there are decoding strategies, or ways of guessing a word\u2019s meaning, that can help you answer these questions correctly. Decoding strategies that involve understanding words\u2019 prefixes, suffixes, and roots will be a major emphasis of doing well on Word Knowledge questions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The other type of question you\u2019re likely to see in this section will ask you to define a word that appears in the context of a sentence. We\u2019ll call these In-Context WK questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>The Kaplan Method for Word Knowledge Questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Below is the method Kaplan recommends using to answer Word Knowledge questions on the ASVAB correctly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4>The Kaplan Method for ASVAB Word Knowledge Questions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 1:<\/strong> Identify the word\u2019s meaning, or apply decoding strategies to guess its meaning.<br><strong>Step 2:<\/strong> Make a prediction.<br><strong>Step 3:<\/strong> Look for your prediction among the answer choices, or strategically eliminate incorrect answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Word Knowledge Practice Question<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Practice applying the Kaplan Method to answer this sample Word Knowledge question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Question<\/th><th>Analysis<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>The unusually cold weather was an anomaly.<\/td><td><strong>Step 1:<\/strong> Anomaly means \u201csomething unusual,\u201d or \u201csomething that doesn\u2019t seem to fit expectations.\u201d<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Answers Choices:<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Step 2:<\/strong> Make a prediction before looking at the choices: the answer choice will mean \u201cout of the ordinary\u201d or \u201cunexpected.\u201d<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>(A) oddity<\/td><td><strong>Step 3: <\/strong>Correct. Oddity closely matches that prediction.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>(B) ally<\/td><td>An ally is a friend. Incorrect.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>(C) anonymity<\/td><td>Anonymity is the state of not being known. Incorrect.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>(D) heat wave<\/td><td>A heat wave is not, by definition, out of the ordinary. Also, in the context of the sentence, a heat wave does not make sense. Incorrect.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2>Decoding Strategies for Guessing the Meaning of a Word<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Below are useful decoding strategies you can use to answer Word Knowledge questions on the ASVAB.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>How to Break Words Apart<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most effective decoding strategies is to break a word into parts. We can do this because many long words in English are composed of a prefix (a first part that affects the word\u2019s meaning) and\/or a suffix (a final part that can also affect the word\u2019s meaning), plus a word root (a middle part that often derives from a Greek or Latin word).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, consider the word convolution. It breaks into parts like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>con + volu + tion<\/li><li>prefix + word root + suffix<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Suppose that you didn\u2019t know what the word convolution means, but you did know that the prefix con\u2013 means \u201ctogether\u201d and that the word root volu means \u201cturning\u201d or \u201crolling.\u201d The suffix \u2013tion indicates that the word is a noun. So you could guess that a convolution is something rolled up together. And that\u2019s a pretty good guess: In fact, convolution means a \u201ccoil or twist\u201d or \u201cthe act of coiling.\u201d It can also refer to a complicated thought process that might be described as \u201ctwisty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>How to Use Positive or Negative Charge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the secrets to success in the WK section of the ASVAB is knowing that you don\u2019t actually need precise definitions of the words that are being tested. As long as you can confidently eliminate three answer choices as being incorrect, you\u2019ll find your way to the correct answer. That means that many times, just knowing if a word is positive, negative, or neutral will be enough to answer the question correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you know what the word gregarious means? If so, then great, this is an easy question for you. But let\u2019s say you don\u2019t know what it means. What do you do then? Well, you can start by breaking the word down into parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But let\u2019s imagine that you aren\u2019t familiar with the root greg. While you may be tempted to throw in the towel and give up, try something else: do you think gregarious has a positive, negative, or neutral charge?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever heard the word gregarious used in conversation, then you probably heard it used to describe a person. And was the person using the word gregarious delivering a compliment or an insult?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, you may be thinking to yourself, \u201chmm, okay, I don\u2019t really know what gregarious means, but I\u2019m pretty sure I\u2019ve heard it used to compliment someone, so this is a positive word.\u201d Now look through the answer choices. Which of them, if applied to a person, would be considered positive?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Three answer choices are either negative or neutral. Only one is positive when applied to a person. So select the one that is positive when applied to a person and move on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, using a word\u2019s positive or negative charge should never be your first strategy when tackling a WK question. Use this approach only when you have a general but not specific understanding of the word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p>The root greg means \u201cto flock to,\u201d and the suffix \u2013ious means \u201cto be full of.\u201d Therefore, gregarious means \u201cliving with others, like a flock of animals.\u201d<\/p><cite>ASVAB Expert Tip<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3>How to Use Real-World Context to Guess the Meaning of a Word<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most common\u2014and effective\u2014ways of guessing a word\u2019s meaning is to place the word in context. Even if you may not know a textbook definition of the word, perhaps you remember it being used in a specific phrase. Ask yourself, \u201cwhere have I heard this word before?\u201d Sometimes, you will realize that you did know the meaning of the word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, broach is one of those words that comes from Middle English, so knowing Latin and Greek roots won\u2019t be very helpful. And if you can\u2019t rattle off a specific definition of the word right away, you may think that this is a lost point. But ask yourself if you have heard this word used in a common phrase before. Does \u201cbroaching the subject\u201d ring a bell?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps you\u2019ve heard a parent, teacher, or television character use this phrase. Something along the lines of: \u201cWell, I didn\u2019t want to talk about it, but Donny broached the subject anyway.\u201d Using the context of how the word is used in a phrase you\u2019ve heard before is a remarkable way to understand the \u201cfuzzy definition\u201d of a word. In this example, broach would mean something like \u201cbring up\u201d or \u201cstart to discuss.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>How to Make the Most of In-Context WK Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the decoding strategies discussed above, you can also use the sentence itself to help you answer In-Context WK questions. Context simply means the words or phrases surrounding an underlined word, and using context involves looking for clues in those other words in order to help you guess at the underlined word\u2019s meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several ways context can be helpful. Sometimes the sentence signals that the underlined word resembles another idea in the sentence. In other cases, sentences may contain words that signal that the underlined word contrasts with or forms an unexpected combination with another idea in the sentence. Sometimes context merely tells you whether an underlined word has a negative or positive connotation. In many cases, this deduction may be enough to answer the WK question. Finally, sometimes the context surrounding an underlined word\u2019s meaning simply defines that word or hints at its meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>How to Eliminate WK Answer Choices Based on Logic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you really can\u2019t come up with a prediction, or if context is proving to be no help, then you may in some cases be able to eliminate answer choices by thinking logically about them. For example, if two answer choices mean nearly the same thing, they must be wrong, since the ASVAB has only one right answer for each question.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If two answer choices have opposite meanings, it may be likely that one of them is correct. That\u2019s because test makers often include an answer choice that means the opposite of the correct answer. So eliminating answer choices based on logic usually helps you to narrow choices down to two. You may need to use another strategy or simply guess in order to select from the remaining two choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div   class='av_promobox  avia-button-yes   avia-builder-el-0  avia-builder-el-no-sibling '>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><p>Want more info like this? Check out Kaplan&#8217;s ASVAB Total Prep Book.<\/p>\n<\/div><div  class='avia-button-wrap avia-button-right ' ><a href='https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/ASVAB-Total-Prep-2025-2026-Kaplan\/dp\/150629720X?crid=37TVIAKCBKVLZ&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jGI7BoCiebg-zubp7JWt4Y150_Rq5T_2Ce2URvMJlImYbMc2tBi_5nQqSGmSZxpUblztrYCMTLuS6RLU2eqP_LEZOCh9YWsEQFhcoNDmmYypIxaBfceDGSl708OTCcr5I37m-a6y87ED-PuZPidl7WsKjQC00y-jAOqIIN-vhSnvDnyTNTmkVfnaOAIZWcq0pqFyjspu5OtoB9qJvx1gRqlJF3yIAcMZoOU4YbACNdU.2HPpqWa_feymFVZXkOjDkk0cde8emtu4bOpPWxkAMu8&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=kaplan+asvab+prep+plus+2025-2026&amp;qid=1769193894&amp;sprefix=Kaplan+ASVAB%2Caps%2C239&amp;sr=8-2&amp;linkCode=ll2&amp;tag=kaptest-asvab-product-page-20&amp;linkId=ef8d500350fbfb7c8781631e5eb2bdec&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl '  class='avia-button  avia-color-theme-color   avia-icon_select-no avia-size-large avia-position-right '   ><span class='avia_iconbox_title' >ASVAB Total Prep Book<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Written by Kaplan experts, reviewed by Jacob Zampier. Jacob is College &amp; STEM Commercial Manager at Kaplan, overseeing several products including ASVAB, Police and TOEFL.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Word Knowledge (WK) subsection of the ASVAB is essentially a test of your vocabulary. However, that\u2019s not the entire story. While knowing the definitions of many words will certainly help you in this section, there are other ways to identify the correct answer and eliminate the wrong answers in ASVAB word knowledge questions. ASVAB [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49249,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[302],"tags":[303],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23129"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23129"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49394,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23129\/revisions\/49394"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}