Most Common SAT Vocabulary

A selection of key terms from the most common SAT vocabulary lists, including parts of speech, definitions, and synonyms directly from the provided lecture transcript.

apocryphal

(adj.) of doubtful authenticity; false, dubious

avarice

(n.) extreme greed; materialism, cupidity

benevolent

(adj.) kind and generous; charitable, compassionate

cacophony

(n.) harsh, jarring sound; dissonance, noise

cerebral

(adj.) intellectual rather than emotional; analytical, rational

esoteric

(adj.) understood by a select few; obscure, cryptic

evanescent

(adj.) quickly fading or disappearing; fleeting, short-lived

vacuous

(adj.) lacking ideas or intelligence

zephyr

(n.) a gentle breeze

abdicate

(v.) to give up power; resign, relinquish

abnegation

(n.) self-denial; renunciation, rejection

abrogate

(v.) to cancel by authority; repeal, annul

abstruse

(adj.) difficult to understand; obscure, puzzling

acquiesce

(v.) to give in passively; comply, yield

acrimony

(n.) bitterness or hostility; resentment, rancor

adroit

(adj.) skillful and clever; adept, nimble

alacrity

(n.) eager readiness; enthusiasm, willingness

amalgamate

(v.) to combine or unite; merge, blend

anachronistic

(adj.) out of place in time; outdated, misplaced

anathema

(n.) something hated or cursed; abomination, pariah

antediluvian

(adj.) extremely old; ancient, outdated

apathetic

(adj.) lacking interest or emotion; indifferent, unconcerned

arrogate

(v.) to claim without right; seize, appropriate

assiduous

(adj.) hardworking and diligent; persistent, industrious

astute

(adj.) sharp or clever; perceptive, shrewd

bombastic

(adj.) overly wordy or inflated; pompous, pretentious

capricious

(adj.) impulsive and unpredictable; erratic, whimsical

circumlocution

(n.) wordy or evasive language; verbosity, periphrasis

cognizant

(adj.) aware or informed; conscious, mindful

conflagration

(n.) a large fire; blaze, inferno

contrite

(adj.) feeling regretful; remorseful, apologetic

deleterious

(adj.) harmful or damaging; injurious, detrimental

demagogue

(n.) a leader who appeals to emotions and prejudice; agitator, firebrand

discursive

(adj.) rambling or unfocused; digressive, wordy

ebullient

(adj.) cheerful and full of energy; enthusiastic, exuberant

egregious

(adj.) remarkably bad; shocking, outrageous

ephemeral

(adj.) lasting a very short time; fleeting, brief

exigent

(adj.) requiring immediate attention; urgent, pressing

fastidious

(adj.) very attentive to detail; meticulous, fussy

garrulous

(adj.) excessively talkative; chatty, loquacious

grandiloquence

(n.) pompous or lofty speech; rhetoric, bombast

hegemony

(n.) dominance or leadership; control, supremacy

iconoclast

(n.) one who attacks traditions; rebel, nonconformist

immutable

(adj.) unchangeable; fixed, permanent

implacable

(adj.) unable to be calmed or satisfied; unyielding, relentless

ineffable

(adj.) too great to be expressed; indescribable, overwhelming

inexorable

(adj.) impossible to stop or persuade; relentless, unyielding

insidious

(adj.) harmful in a subtle way; sneaky, stealthy

intransigent

(adj.) unwilling to compromise; inflexible, unyielding

laconic

(adj.) using few words; terse, concise

magnanimous

(adj.) generous and forgiving; noble, big-hearted

mendacious

(adj.) dishonest or false; lying, deceitful

nadir

(n.) the lowest point; bottom, rock-bottom

obsequious

(adj.) overly flattering or submissive; fawning, servile

panacea

(n.) a universal cure; remedy, solution

parsimony

(n.) extreme stinginess; frugality, miserliness

perfidious

(adj.) disloyal or treacherous; deceitful, unfaithful

plethora

(n.) an excess or overabundance; surplus, flood

precocious

(adj.) advanced for one's age; gifted, talented

probity

(n.) honesty and integrity; uprightness, virtue

quixotic

(adj.) unrealistic and idealistic; impractical, dreamy

ruminate

(v.) to think deeply; ponder, reflect

sacrosanct

(adj.) extremely sacred or inviolable; holy, untouchable

serendipity

(n.) fortunate discovery by chance; luck, fluke

solipsistic

(adj.) self-centered or egoistic; narcissistic, egotistic

surreptitious

(adj.) secretive or stealthy

temerity

(n.) boldness or recklessness

ubiquitous

(adj.) present everywhere; pervasive

vacillate

(v.) to waver between choices; hesitate

venerate

(v.) to regard with deep respect; revere

vociferous

(adj.) loud and forceful; noisy

zenith

(n.) the highest point; peak