DSAT Core Vocabulary and Key Claim Words

Comprehensive review flashcards covering essential core DSAT vocabulary and the critical 'claim' cluster across all lecture notes.

ADVANCE

To put forward a claim

ASSERT

To put forward an argument or state that something is true

CONJECTURE

(n.) hypothesis; (v.) hypothesize

(PRE)SUPPOSITION

An idea assumed beforehand about a subject

SURMISE

To assume; draw a conclusion without strong evidence

BOLSTER

To provide support for an argument

BUTTRESS

To provide support for an argument

SUBSTANTIATE

To provide evidence to support or prove a claim

CORROBORATE

To confirm or support a claim

CONCEDE

To admit that an opposing claim is true or valid

ACKNOWLEDGE

To accept or admit the validity of a claim

REBUT

To offer an argument against a claim believed to be false

REFUTE

To prove that a claim is false

GRAPPLE WITH

To try to deal with or understand a difficult problem

RUMINATE ABOUT

To think deeply about; turn something over in one's mind

INFER

To deduce or conclude from evidence and reasoning

PROPONENT

Person who supports a claim or course of action

DETRACTOR

Person who criticizes a claim or course of action

SKEPTIC

Person who questions or doubts a claim

ABRUPT

Sudden or unexpected

ADAMANT

Extremely stubborn; fixed in one's viewpoint

ACCENTUATE

To make more noticeable or prominent

ACCLAIM

Enthusiastic and public praise

ADAPTATION

A change made to accommodate new circumstances

ADVANTAGEOUS

Creating favorable circumstances

AESTHETIC

Related to the study or appreciation of beauty

AFFECTING

Touching the emotions; moving

AFFINITY

A strong attraction or liking

AMBIGUOUS

Unclear; open to more than one interpretation

AMBIVALENCE

Having mixed feelings

AMELIORATE

To make better; improve

AMORPHOUS

Shapeless; synonym for "nebulous"

ANOMALY

Deviation from the norm; atypical

ANTITHETICAL

Characterized by extreme contrast

APPEASE

To make peace by giving into demands

APPRAISE

To assess the value or quality of something

AUGMENT

To increase

AUSTERE

Very plain, without decoration

CATALYZE

To cause or speed up a reaction

CIRCUMVENT

To find a way around; avoid

COALESCE

To come together to form a single mass

CONFOUND

To utterly confuse, baffle

CONSENSUS

General agreement

CONSPICUOUS

Clearly visible; noticeable

CONTINGENT

Dependent upon; subject to

CONTRIVE

To think up

COPIOUS

Abundant; plentiful

CREDULOUS

Easily fooled

DEBACLE

A complete failure; fiasco

DEPLETE

To diminish

DESPONDENT

Feeling depressed

DEXTEROUS

Physically skilled, especially with one's hands

DISPARATE

Very different

DRACONIAN

Excessively harsh laws, rules, and punishments

ECCENTRIC

Highly odd or unconventional (person)

ECLIPSE

To overshadow or block

ELICIT

To draw out, usually a response

ELUSIVE

Difficult to find, catch, or achieve

ENGENDER

To cause or give rise to

EPHEMERAL

Very brief; short-lived

ERRATIC

Unpredictable; not regular

EVINCE

To reveal or show one's feelings

EXACERBATE

To make worse

EXORBITANT

Extreme and excessive

EXPLICIT

Stated directly and with complete clarity

FABRICATE

To invent or make up, typically with the intent to deceive

GALVANIZE

To energize, spur into action

HAPHAZARD

Random and disorganized

HETEROGENEOUS

Varied, diverse; synonym for "multifaceted"

IDIOSYNCRATIC

Highly particular, unique to an individual

ILLUSORY

Not real; based on an illusion

IMMINENT

About to happen

IMPEDE

To delay or prevent

IMPECCABLE

Faultless, spotless

IMPERATIVE

Of vital importance; crucial

INCONGRUOUS

Out of place; something that contrasts with its surroundings

INDELIBLE

Memorable; impossible to forget

INDUCE

To persuade or influence someone to do something

INELUCTABLE

Inescapable; inevitable

INFALLIBLE

Incapable of making mistakes

INFINITESIMAL

Extremely small; approaching zero

INGENIOUS

Very clever and cunning

INNOCUOUS

Harmless; the synonym "benign" may also be used

INSUPERABLE

Incapable of being overcome

JUXTAPOSITION

Placement of two things next to each other for contrast

LACONIC

Using few words; brief and to-the-point

LATENT

Existing but in hidden or dormant form

LEGACY

A long-lasting impact

LUCRATIVE

Very profitable

MERCURIAL

Unpredictable; constantly shifting moods

METICULOUS

Very careful and precise; the synonym "punctilious" may also be used

MITIGATE

To make a problem less severe

MOMENTOUS

Having great significance (a decision or event)

MORIBUND

Approaching death; on the verge of becoming obsolete

MULTIFACETED

Having many aspects

MUNDANE

Dull; uninteresting

NEBULOUS

Vague; undefined; synonym for "amorphous"

NEFARIOUS

Wicked and evil

NUANCE

A subtle shade of difference or meaning

OMINOUS

Threatening; giving the impression that something bad will happen