SAT VOCAB PREP

Advocate

To support a cause

Underscore

To emphasize

Undermine

To weaken

Anecdote

A short story

Corroborate

Substantiate

To support with evidence

Concede

To admit, especially to acknowledge an opponent's point

Skeptical

Doubtful

Reconcile

To make things compatible

Infer

To draw a conclusion

Innovative

Creative, new

Diverge

To go off in a different direction

Contend

To claim, to make an argument

Refute

To dispute, to prove false

Inevitable

Unavoidable, certain to happen

Shortcoming

A flaw or weak point

Counterargument

An argument against a prior one

Foreshadow

To suggest what will happen in the future

Phenomenon

Any observable occurrence

Obsolete

Outdated, no longer in use

Indifferent

Having no opinion or interest

Ambivalent

Torn between conflicting feelings

Apprehensive

Nervous, doubtful

Dismay

Disappointment, distress

Evoke

To bring to mind, to draw forth

Conventional

Typical, traditional

Undertake

To take on a task

Cultivate

To nurture, to promote growth

Ironic

Directly opposing what was expected

hypothetical

made-up, not yet proven

speculate

to guess, to think about

conjecture

a guess

superficial

lacking depth or substance

allude

to refer to

implication

meaning, significance, consequence

condemn

denounce

rebuke

reproached

to criticize harshly

empathy

compassion and understanding

extol

to praise highly

revere

to respect greatly

impede

inhibit

hinder

hamper

to obstruct progress

thwart

to stop

deter

to discourage

forestall

to block

bolster

to boost up

endorse

to approve

espouse

to adopt a cause as one’s own

proponent

a supporter

enhance

to improve

supplement

to add to

earnest

sincere, serious, enthusiastic

pragmatic

practical, sensible

indignation

resentment

anger or offense

disdain

scorn

to hate deeply

contempt

deep hatred

cynical

bitterly distrusting

reluctant

hesitant, lacking enthusiasm

misgivings

doubts, concerns, distrust

resignation

an attitude of having given up

pessimistic

expecting bad outcomes, unhopeful

optimistic

expecting good outcomes, hopeful

objective

based on facts, not on opinions

subjective

based on opinions, not facts

tentative

uncertain, not definite

ambiguous

unclear, having more than one meaning

unequivocal

clear, leaving no room for doubt

emphatic

forceful

divert

to draw attention away

digress

to go off-topic

detract

to take away from

innate

inherent

intrinsic

natural, inborn

compromise

to weaken, to make vulnerable

qualify

to limit, to make less strong

temper

moderate

to make less extreme

mitigate

to make less intense or severe

relent

to become more mild

supplant

to replace

extraneous

unnecessary, irrelevant

implicit

not directly stated

empirical

based on evidence

unfounded

not based on any evidence

repudiate

to reject as false

debunk

to disprove

assert

to state with confidence

elaborate

to add more details to, highly detailed

reiterate

to repeat again

replicate

to copy

simulate

to create an imitative version

cognitive

relating to thought or knowledge

subsequently

later, after

corrupt

dishonest, immoral

objectionable

offensive, causing an objection

yield

to produce

prompt

spur

to incite, to cause to happen

groundbreaking

pioneering, new, revolutionary

safeguard

to protect

prevalent

pervasive

widespread

prolific

producing abundantly

proliferate

to spread rapidly

disseminate

to spread widely

burgeon

to grow rapidly

facilitate

to make easier