SAT Vocabulary: The 1000 Most Common SAT Words (Selected Set)

A set of SAT-style vocab flashcards drawn from the notes (selected terms from the early sections).

abase

to humiliate, degrade

abate

to reduce, lessen

abdicate

to give up a position, usually one of leadership

abduct

to kidnap, take by force

aberration

something that differs from the norm

abet

to aid, help, encourage

abhor

to hate, detest

abide

to put up with; to remain

abject

wretched, pitiful

abjure

to reject, renounce

abnegation

denial of comfort to oneself

abort

to give up on a half-finished project or effort

abridge

to cut down, shorten; shortened (as an adjective)

abrogate

to abolish, usually by authority

abscond

to sneak away and hide

absolution

freedom from blame, guilt, sin

abstain

to freely choose not to commit an action

abstruse

hard to comprehend

accede

to agree

accentuate

to stress, highlight

accessible

obtainable, reachable

acclaim

high praise

accolade

high praise, special distinction

accommodating

helpful, obliging

accord

an agreement

accost

to confront verbally

accretion

slow growth in size or amount

acerbic

biting, bitter in tone or taste

acquiesce

to agree without protesting

acrimony

bitterness, discord

acumen

keen insight

acute

sharp, severe; having keen insight

adamant

impervious, immovable, unyielding

adept

extremely skilled

adhere

to stick to something; to follow devoutly

admonish

to caution, criticize, reprove

adorn

to decorate

adroit

skillful, dexterous

adulation

extreme praise

adumbrate

to sketch out in a vague way

adverse

antagonistic, unfavorable, dangerous

advocate

to argue in favor of; a person who argues in favor of something

aerial

related to air

aesthetic

artistic, related to beauty

affable

friendly, amiable

affinity

a spontaneous feeling of closeness

affluent

rich, wealthy

affront

an insult

aggrandize

to increase or make greater

aggregate

a whole or total (noun); to gather into a mass (verb)

aggrieved

distressed, wronged

agile

quick, nimble

agnostic

believing that the existence of God cannot be proven or disproven

agriculture

farming

aisle

a passageway between rows of seats

alacrity

eagerness, speed

alias

a false name or identity

allay

to soothe, ease

allege

to assert, usually without proof

alleviate

to relieve, make more bearable

allocate

to distribute, set aside

aloof

reserved, distant

altercation

a dispute, fight