Advanced Vocabulary for TOEFL - Doubt and Certainty

Here you will learn some English words about doubt and certainty, such as "cinch", "scruple", "decisive", etc. that are needed for the TOEFL exam.

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to admit of [verb]

to let something happen or exist

Ex: This plan admits of various approaches to problem-solving .

to cinch [verb]

to secure, guarantee, or make certain of something

Ex: He cinched victory with a decisive last-minute goal .

to divine [verb]

to guess or deduce information using intuition or an inexplicable sense of inner knowledge

Ex: With a glance , he divined that something was wrong .

to guesstimate [verb]

to estimate something by calculating and guessing

Ex: We need to guesstimate how much time it will take to complete the project .

to hazard [verb]

to state an opinion, guess, suggestion, etc. even though there are chances of one being wrong

Ex:

to scruple [verb]

to hesitate or be dubious about doing something that one thinks might be wrong or immoral

to surmise [verb]

to come to a conclusion without enough evidence

Ex: Finding the office empty , she surmised that the meeting had been rescheduled without prior notice .

to warrant [verb]

to give good reasons to justify a particular action

Ex: The severity of the offense warranted a harsher punishment .

axiomatic [adjective]

clearly true and requiring no explanation

Ex: The principle is axiomatic — no one questions its validity .

ambiguous [adjective]

having more than one possible meaning or interpretation

Ex: The word " bank " is ambiguous , as it can refer to a financial institution or the side of a river .

apocryphal [adjective]

(of a statement or story) unlikely to be authentic, even though it is widely believed to be true

Ex: The film 's depiction of historical events was criticized for relying on apocryphal sources .

bewildered [adjective]

experiencing confusion

Ex: The sudden changes in her schedule left her feeling bewildered and overwhelmed with uncertainty .

categorical [adjective]

without a doubt

Ex: The scientist 's categorical statement confirmed the theory with certainty .

cliffhanging [adjective]

(of a situation, movie, etc.) having an unclear ending that makes it enticing

decisive [adjective]

(of a person) able to make clear, firm decisions quickly, especially in challenging situations

Ex: A decisive person knows when to act and is never swayed by indecision or doubt .

dogmatic [adjective]

convinced that everything one believes in is true and others are wrong

Ex: The leader was known for his dogmatic speeches that left little room for alternative perspectives .

equivocal [adjective]

having two or more possible meanings

Ex: The clues in the puzzle were designed to be equivocal , adding to the challenge .

halting [adjective]

acting or talking with hesitation due to uncertainty or lack of confidence

Ex:

incontrovertible [adjective]

true in a way that leaves no room for denial or disagreement

Ex: The witness ’s testimony was incontrovertible , making the case airtight .

reputed [adjective]

considered to be a certain way, though not necessarily confirmed

Ex:

robust [adjective]

remaining strong and effective even when facing challenges or difficulties

Ex: The theories have been tested in robust ways .

wavering [adjective]

unable to decide between two opinions, possibilities, etc.

buoyancy [noun]

a feeling of hopefulness and confidence that makes one remain cheerful, especially in sad or unpleasant situations

certitude [noun]

the feeling of complete certainty

Ex: His decision was made with absolute certitude , leaving no room for doubt .

conjecture [noun]

an idea that is based on guesswork and not facts

Ex: The judge warned against making conjecture without concrete evidence in the trial .

diffidence [noun]

shyness due to a lack of confidence in oneself

Ex: The student 's diffidence was apparent during class presentations .

educated guess [noun]

a guess that is made according to one's experience or knowledge thus is more likely to be true

Ex: His educated guess about the market trends was supported by recent data .

foregone conclusion [noun]

something that is assumed to be true or already decided upon before any evidence or arguments are presented

Ex: The academic 's research was so thorough that it made the success of her groundbreaking theory a foregone conclusion .

plight [noun]

an unpleasant, sad, or difficult situation

quandary [noun]

a state of uncertainty about what decision to make in a challenging situation

Ex: They found themselves in a quandary over which path to take .

vagueness [noun]

the lack of clear expression, knowing, describing, or decision

Advanced Vocabulary for TOEFL
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