Important Vocabulary Topics for CUET English 2025 You must Know

Overview: Among the various sections of the CUET exam, the English Language section plays an important role in assessing your language proficiency. Vocabulary, being a key part of this section, can make a big difference in scoring well. Know the important vocabulary topics for CUET English exam 2025 to score 250/250. 

Since the success rate in CUET English exam has been only between 0.2% - 0.78%, knowing all the topics that will be asked in the exam gives you an edge over your competitors. One of the sections that can significantly boost your score is Vocabulary. 

Around 10-12 questions are directly based on important vocabulary topics for CUET English exam, such as Idioms, phrases, synonyms, homonyms etc. 

Know in detail about all these topics and how to prepare them well in advance.

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Vocabulary Topics to Prepare for CUET English Exam 2025

Preparing for CUET and wondering how to tackle English language paper in CUET exam? Well, focusing on important vocabulary topics for CUET English will help you get a better CUET score + smarter communication skills for life.

The common topics from the vocabulary section asked in the CUET exam are: 

1. Idioms and Phrases
2. Synonyms and Antonyms 
3. One-word substitution 
4. Prefixes and Suffixes 
5. Homophones and Homonyms 

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Important Vocabulary Topics for CUET English Exam 2025

1- Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms and antonyms are one of the must-know vocabulary topics for CUET English question paper. They are essential because they test your ability to understand subtle differences in meaning and your overall vocabulary range. Knowing the right synonym or antonym helps in reading comprehension and sentence correction.

• Synonyms are words that have the same or similar meaning.
• Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings.

Example:

• Synonym of “honest” = truthful
• Antonym of “strong” = weak

Important Synonyms & Antonyms for CUET English 

2- Idioms & Phrases

• Idioms are phrases or expressions whose meanings are not interpreted literally.
• A phrase is a group of words that work together to express a meaning—but it’s not a full sentence on its own.

They are one of the most important vocabulary topics for CUET English since they are used in literary texts, conversations, and informal language. Knowing idioms will help you decode tricky phrases during reading comprehension passages.

Example: 

• Idiom: "She was over the moon after receiving the scholarship." What does "over the moon" mean? It means very happy!
• Phrase: At the eleventh hour – At the last possible moment. Eg: He submitted his assignment at the eleventh hour.

Important Idioms & Phrases for CUET English 

3- Homophones and Homonyms

• Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings (e.g., “flower” and “flour”).
• Homonyms are words that share the same spelling or pronunciation but have different meanings (e.g., "bat"—an animal or a tool used in sports).

One of the essential vocabulary topics for CUET English are homophones and homonyms since you may be tested on your ability to differentiate between similar-sounding words or those that share the same spelling but have different meanings.

This can appear in sentence correction or reading comprehension questions, so you must prepare them well during your CUET preparation.

Example: Choose the correct word: "The _____ was so good that I couldn't stop watching it."

• Scent
• Sent
• Cent
• Scented

Answer: Scent

Check: Idioms and Phrases for CUET 2025

4- Prefixes & Suffixes

One of the most important vocabulary topics for CUET English  based on CUET English previous years analysis is Prefixes & Suffixes. 

• A prefix is a word part added to the beginning of a word to create a new meaning. 
• A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word to create a new meaning.

Example:

• Un + happy = Unhappy 
• Re + write = Rewrite
• Act + ion = Action
• Quick + ly = Quickly

Ways to improve CUET Vocabulary in 30 days 

5- One-Word Substitutes

• One-word substitutes replace longer phrases or expressions. For example, instead of saying “a person who writes books,” you can use “author.”
• This topic is important for improving your writing style. 

Example: The term for a person who loves books is a:

1. Bibliophile
2. Philanthropist
3. Biologist
4. Philosopher

Answer: Bibliophile

Check: CUET English Books 2025

6- Phrasal verbs

Another one of the most important vocabulary topics for CUET English is Phrasal verbs. These are combinations of verbs and prepositions or adverbs that take on new meanings (e.g., "give up," "take off," "look after").

• Understanding phrasal verbs is crucial, especially since they are used frequently in both spoken and written English.
• They often appear in reading comprehension and sentence correction.

Example: Choose the correct meaning of the phrasal verb "give in":

1. To refuse
2. To agree reluctantly
3. To leave
4. To start

Answer: To agree reluctantly

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How to Prepare High-Scoring Vocabulary Topics for CUET English Exam 2025? 

To prepare important vocabulary topics for CUET English, follow these expert-recommended tips: 

• Don’t just memorise word lists. Read stories, articles, and news, and note how words are used.
• Maintain a Vocabulary Notebook and learn 5 new words daily
• Use Flashcards or Apps like Quizlet, WordUp, or Vocabulary.com
• Use CUET mocks tests, sample papers, and PYQs, regularly to recognise patterns in questions, improve speed and accuracy, strengthen recall under pressure.
• Use color-coded notes, apps, or sticky notes while making notes for different vocabulary topics to prepare for CUET English. 

Key Takeaways 

• Organise important vocabulary topics for CUET English into categories and include meanings, examples, and related words for better retention.
• Spend time every day learning, revising, and practising 5–10 new words to build steady progress.
• Break down big or unfamiliar words using roots (like "bio", "form") to guess their meaning quickly.
• Use vocabulary apps, flashcards, word games, or English shows to make learning fun and interesting.

Read: How to Prepare for CUET English Language 2025