SAT Vocabulary Lists 11-20

alienate

to turn away the normal feelings of fondness toward anyone; to estrange

celestial

having to do with the heavens; divine

desecrate

to treat with disrespect

enervate

to weaken; to lessen the strength of

furtive

done quickly and with stealth to avoid being noticed; secret

incisive

keen; penetrating

lucid

easily understood; rational; clear; clear-minded

peruse

to study; to read

rejuvenate

to make young or fresh again

scapegoat

one taking the blame for the mistake and crimes of others

tawdry

gaudy and cheap; vulgarly ornamental

unethical

not conforming to approved standards of behavior, a socially accepted code, or professionally endorsed principles and practices

verbose

wordy; tedious

wither

to dry; to shrivel; to cause to lose courage or to be ashamed

zealot

a person who shows great enthusiasm for a cause

alleviate

to make easier to endure; to relieve; to diminish

censure

to blame; to criticize adversely

despot

monarch with unlimited power

engender

to cause; produce; bring into being

incongruous

inappropriate; out of place

philistine

narrow-minded; smugly conventional

relegate

to put in a less important position; to assign; to banish

scoff

to mock or jeer at; to make fun of

tedious

long or verbose and wearisome; tiresome; boring

ungainly

clumsy; awkward; hard to handle

viable

able to live or exist; practicable

writhe

to twist or squirm, as in pain; to suffer from shame or shyness

zenith

the point in the sky directly above one; the highest point

aloof

indifferent; unsympathetic; not interested; apart

chastise

to criticize severely

Altruistic

Thoughtful of the welfare of others

Ambiguous

Permitting more than one interpretation; not clearly defined

Chimerical

Absurd; wildly fanciful

Chronic

Lasting a long time; constant

Deter

To discourage; to keep someone from doing something

Devious

Not straightforward; lying; roundabout

Enhance

To add to; to make greater in value

Enigma

A puzzle; a baffling situation

Piety

Devotion and reverence, especially to god and family

Relic

A thing or part that remains from the past; something kept as sacred because it belonged to a saint

Scrupulous

Very honest and conscientious; careful about claimed expense

Temerity

Rashness; foolish or reckless boldness

Unimpeachable

Beyond doubt or reproach; unquestionable

Vicarious

Taking the place of another; experienced through sympathetic participation in the experience of another

Incontrovertible

Not able to be disputed or denied

Ambivalence

Condition of having conflicting attitudes

Ameliorate

To make better or more tolerable; to improve

Circumspect

Careful

Clairvoyant

Having exceptional insight

Devoid

Entirely without; lacking

Diatribe

A denunciation; bitter verbal attack

Ephemeral

Lasting for only a short time

Equanimity

Evenness of temper

Incorrigible

Too firmly fixed to be reformed or changed

Pique

To hurt the feelings of or make resentful; to arouse; to excite

Remorse

A deep feeling of sorrow or guilt over a wrong one has done

Scrutinize

To look at very carefully; to inspect minutely

Tenet

A principle, doctrine, or belief held as a truth by a group

Unobtrusive

Not readily noticeable; inconspicuous

Vilify

To defame; to slander; to cause a person to become vile

analogous

similar in certain qualities; comparable

animosity

active dislike; ill will

clandestine

secret

clemency

mercy; mildness

didactic

intended to instruct

diffuse

spread out; wordy

equivocate

to use ambiguous or unclear expressions in order to mislead; to be shifty; to hedge

esoteric

understood by only a few; little known; obscure

indefatigable

tireless

placate

to soothe; to pacify

repudiate

reject; to refuse to recognize, acknowledge or pay; to divorce or discard

sectarian

pertaining to a group within a larger group that is limited by common beliefs or interests; narrow-minded

tentative

made, done, or proposed experimentally; not definite or final; indicating timidity, hesitancy, or uncertainty

unscathed

undamaged; unharmed

vindictive

revengeful; unforgiving; bitter; spiteful

anonymity

condition of being nameless or unknown

antagonism

hostility, active opposition

coalesce

to grow together; to combine

colloquial

conversational; used in informal speech or writing

diminution

a lessening

discerning

keenly perceptive; shrewd

eulogy

high praise for a deceased person

euphemism

use of an indirect expression in place of one that is harsh

indigent

poverty stricken

placid

outwardly calm or composed; self-satisfied; peaceful

repugnant

disgusting; loathsome; objectionable; incompatible

sequester

to hide or keep away from others; to withdraw into seclusion; to confiscate; to segregate

terse

using only a few words but clear to the point; polished

untenable

that which cannot be maintained or occupied; incapable of being defended or held

virtuoso

one interested in the pursuit of knowledge; one with mastery skill or technique in any field

Antithesis

direct opposite

Commiserate

to sympathize with; to feel sorrow for another's suffering

Disdain

a feeling of contempt for anything that is regarded as unworthy; scorn

Evanescent

gradually disappearing; fleeting

Ingratiate

to make oneself acceptable

Plagiarize

to take ideas or writings from someone else and present them as one's own; to use without giving credit

Rescind

to cancel; to repeal; to set aside

Serene

unruffled; tranquil; unclouded

Threadbare

with the nap worn down so that the threads show; frayed or shabby; used so often that it is stale

Urbane

courteous, suave; polished