SAT Vocab Lessons 5-8

profound

deep; insightful

enhance

to improve, to augment

phenomenon

an observable fact or occurence

enduring

lasting

advocate

to speak in favor of; to support

solitude

the state of being alone

tentative

temporary, not final

contemporary

living at the same time; modern

provocative

exciting; attracting attention

adversary

an opponent; enemy

gravity

seriousness

banal

common; dull; ordinary

depravity

moral corruptoin

temper

to moderate; to soften

censure

to blame; to criticize

extol

to praise

indulgent

pampering oneself; satisfying one’s own desires

erratic

irregular; without direction

insipid

bland, boring, tasteless

euphony

pleasant sound

antagonist

opposition; hostility; resistance

arbitrary

subject to individual judgement

austere

severe; without frills

expedite (expedient)

to make faster or easier

heresy

an opinion violently opposed to established beliefs

compromise

to settle by concession or surrender

condescend

to talk down to

fallacious (fallacy)

false; untrue

intangible

abstract; not capable of being touched or felt

arrogant

acting superior to others; snooty

compatible

able to co-exist; harmonious

dubious

doubtful

solicit

to ask for; to seek

elusive (elude)

tough to catch; hard to pin down

facilitate

to make easier; to help

static

stationary; not moving

ironic

satiric; unexpected

irrational

unreasonable; unpredictable

dogmatic

stubbornly opinionated

flagrant

shocking; outstandingly bad

frivolous

not serious; trivial; silly

taciturn

quiet; saying little

infamous

notorious; scandalous

redundant

repetitive; unnecessary; superfluous

authoritarian

like a dictator

exhaustive

thorough; complete

profuse

flowing freely; generous; excessive

expedient

useful for effecting a desired result

fastidious

not easy to please; overly critical

prosaic

uninspired; dull; banal

philanthropy

a desire to help mankind

languid

slow; tired; drooping; weak

astute

perceptive; clever

authentic

real; genuine

brevity

briefness

relevant

pertinent; important to know

incoherent

impossible to understand; chaotic

mitigate

to make milder; to make less severe

reprehensible

shameful; bad

augment

to add; to increase; to make bigger

engender

to create; to produce

deride

to ridicule; to make fun of

acclaim

praise; applause; admiration

lethargic

tired; languid; weak

fanatic

one who is very devoted to a cause or an idea

novel

new; unusual

solemn

serious; grave

ambivalent

undecided

reticent

quiet; uncommunicative; taciturn

ferver

passion; zeal; great enthusiasm

scanty

inadequate; minimal

dispassionate

free from passion or spirit

pragmatic

practical

didactic

instructive

deference

a show of respect

alleviate

to lighten or relieve

vacillate

to waiver between choices

endorse

to approve of; to give support to

conspicuous

easily seen; out in the open

negligence

carelessness; neglect; indifference