Reading & Writing
The digital SAT asks Words in Context questions: pick the word that best fits a passage. Knowing the precise meaning of tenuous, candid or ephemeral is the difference between two tempting answers.
SAT · IELTS · Exam prep
Build your SAT & IELTS vocabulary while you read
Rest your mouse on mitigate, ubiquitous or corroborate and SnapDic shows a plain meaning, an example and three synonyms — tagged SAT or IELTS so you know it's a word worth keeping. 1,037 exam words are built in and work offline.
Mac app version 1.0.1 · macOS 14 or later · Apple Silicon and Intel.
1,037SAT & IELTS words built in
690SAT words
468IELTS academic & topic words
3,000+synonyms for paraphrasing
Words are points on both exams
Vocabulary isn't a separate test any more — it's woven into every section. Here is where it counts.
Writing & Speaking
Lexical Resource is one of the four equally weighted criteria — about a quarter of your Writing and Speaking band. Examiners reward range, precision and good paraphrasing.
Reading & Listening
Answers are often paraphrased: the question says reduce, the passage says mitigate. Learning synonyms in groups helps you spot the match fast.
Speed under time pressure
Every unknown word slows you down. The more academic words you recognise instantly, the more time you keep for the hard questions.
Five ways SnapDic helps you prepare
1
Understand hard words without losing the passage
Switching to a dictionary tab breaks your concentration — exactly what you can't afford in a reading section. With SnapDic you rest your mouse on a word and the meaning appears right above it. Your eyes never leave the text.
Read real academic English — The Economist, science news, opinion pieces — and every exam word you meet is explained in place.
2
Three synonyms for every exam word — ready for paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is the core skill in IELTS Writing Task 1 and 2: you mustn't copy the question's words. Each SnapDic exam entry lists three synonyms, so alleviate brings relieve, ease and mitigate with it.
Learn words in families like these and your essays sound varied and precise, not repetitive.
3
Review what you met, not a random list
Every word you look up is listed in the SnapDic panel, so a reading session turns into a ready-made revision list. SnapDic Plus keeps your lookups by day, so you can review last week's words before test day.
Words you met in real context stick far better than words memorised from a list.
4
Know which words are worth learning
Exam words are tagged SAT, IELTS or both, and general words show a level from A1 to C2. Skip what you already know and focus your time on high-value vocabulary.
5
Every form, every spelling
Hover mitigated, mitigates or mitigating and you still get mitigate. British and American spellings — urbanisation, urbanization — both work, which matters for IELTS.
What you see when you hover an exam word
Real entries from SnapDic's exam vocabulary, written in plain learner English.
Hover a word
mitigate
SAT · IELTS word · verb
to make something bad less harmful or serious
e.g. Trees can mitigate the effects of pollution.
via SnapDic exam vocabulary · synonyms: alleviate, reduce, lessen
ubiquitous
SAT · IELTS word · adjective
seeming to be everywhere at the same time
e.g. Smartphones are now ubiquitous.
via SnapDic exam vocabulary · synonyms: omnipresent, pervasive, universal
corroborate
SAT · IELTS word · verb
to provide evidence that supports a statement or idea
e.g. Witnesses corroborated his story.
via SnapDic exam vocabulary · synonyms: confirm, support, verify
ephemeral
SAT word · adjective
lasting for only a very short time
e.g. Fame on social media is often ephemeral.
via SnapDic exam vocabulary · synonyms: fleeting, transient, short-lived
fluctuate
IELTS word · verb
to change often in amount or level
e.g. Prices fluctuate from week to week.
via SnapDic exam vocabulary · synonyms: vary, change, rise and fall
urbanization
IELTS word · noun
the process of people moving from the countryside to towns and cities
e.g. Rapid urbanisation causes housing shortages.
via SnapDic exam vocabulary · synonyms: city growth, urban expansion
From unknown word to exam-ready in four steps
Repeat this loop every day and your active vocabulary grows without extra study time.
How SnapDic fits each part of the exam
| Exam section | What it tests | How SnapDic helps |
|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | Words in context, precise word choice, reading complex passages | Exact learner definitions and example sentences for 690 SAT words, shown as you read practice passages |
| IELTS Academic Reading | Long academic texts, paraphrased questions | Instant meanings in the passage, plus synonyms that train you to spot paraphrases |
| IELTS Writing Task 1 | Describing charts and trends | Trend vocabulary such as fluctuate, plummet and surge, with alternatives to avoid repetition |
| IELTS Writing Task 2 | Arguing a position on a common topic | Topic words — environment, cities, technology, education — with collocations shown in the examples |
| IELTS Speaking | Lexical range and natural expressions | 1,020 built-in idioms and phrasal verbs, tagged by register, so you know what sounds natural |
A 20-minute daily routine that adds up
Small, steady sessions beat last-minute cramming. Here's a routine that works with SnapDic.
10 min
Read one article
Pick something slightly above your level — science, economics or opinion. Hover every word you're unsure of.
5 min
Review your Lookups
Open the SnapDic panel. Say each word aloud, read its example and cover the definition to test yourself.
5 min
Use three new words
Write three sentences, or one short paragraph, using today's words and one of their synonyms.
Weekly
Take a timed practice test
Turn SnapDic off and work under real conditions. Afterwards, turn it on and look up every word that slowed you down.
Tips from the classroom
- Learn word families, not single words. Analyse, analysis, analytical — IELTS examiners notice accurate word forms.
- Watch the register. Academic essays need substantial, not a lot of. SnapDic's idiom tags warn you when a phrase is informal.
- Don't force rare words. A precise common word beats a fancy one used wrongly. Read the example sentence before you use a new word.
- Read widely. The SAT and IELTS draw passages from science, history, social studies and literature — vary your reading to match.
Turn every article into exam practice
SnapDic is free for Chrome and Mac, with 1,037 SAT and IELTS words built in.
Frequently asked questions
How many SAT and IELTS words does SnapDic include?
1,037 exam words: 690 tagged SAT, 468 tagged IELTS, and 121 that are useful for both. Each has a plain-English definition, an example sentence and three synonyms.
Will SnapDic raise my SAT or IELTS score?
No tool can promise a score. SnapDic makes the vocabulary part of your preparation faster: you understand difficult words without leaving the passage, you learn synonyms for paraphrasing, and you can review every word you looked up. Combined with regular practice tests, that is time well spent.
Does it work with practice tests and reading online?
SnapDic works wherever you read on your Mac: articles, PDFs, practice materials and websites. Use it while you study and practise, then turn it off during timed mock exams so you practise under real conditions.
Does SnapDic recognise word forms like mitigated or fluctuating?
Yes. Exam words are matched in their common forms, so hovering mitigated, mitigates or mitigating all show the entry for mitigate. British and American spellings such as urbanisation and urbanization are both recognised.
Does it work offline?
Yes. The whole exam vocabulary list is built into the app, together with 127,000+ general dictionary words, so you can study without an internet connection.
Is SnapDic free?
Yes. Every lookup is free and unlimited. SnapDic Plus is an optional one-time upgrade that removes ads and saves your lookups by day.
Keep exploring: English idioms for IELTS Speaking · Learn English by reading · Word levels A1–C2 · SnapDic for Mac