SAT Vocabulary

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 1.

to put up with

abide 2.

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 1.

to cut down, shorten

abridge 2.

shortened

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, polite

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

acute 2.

having keen insight

adamant

impervious, immovable, unyielding

adept

extremely skilled

adhere 1.

to stick to something

adhere 2.

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 1.

to argue in favor of something

advocate 2.

a person who argues in favor of something

aerial

somehow related to the air

aesthetic

artistic, related to the appreciation of beauty

affable

friendly, amiable

affinity

a spontaneous feeling of closeness

affluent

rich, wealthy

affront

an insult

aggrandize

to increase or make greater

aggregate 1.

a whole or total

aggregate 2.

to gather into a mass

aggrieved

distressed, wronged, injured

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

amalgamate

to bring together, unite

ambiguous

uncertain, variably interpretable

ambivalent

having opposing feelings

ameliorate

to improve

amenable

willing, compliant

amenity

an item that increases comfort

amiable

friendly

amicable

friendly

amorous

showing love, particularly sexual

amorphous

without definite shape or type

anachronistic

being out of correct chronological order

analgesic

something that reduces pain

analogous

similar to, so that an analogy can be drawn

anarchist

one who wants to eliminate all government

anathema

a cursed, detested person

anecdote

a short, humorous account

anesthesia

loss of sensation

anguish

extreme sadness, torment

animated

lively

annex 1.

to incorporate territory or space

annex 2.

a room attached to a larger room or space

annul

to make void or invalid

anomaly

something that does not fit into the normal order

anonymous

being unknown, unrecognized

antagonism

hostility

antecedent

something that came before

antediluvian

ancient

anthology

a selected collection of writings, songs, etc.

antipathy

a strong dislike, repugnance

antiquated

old, out of date

antiseptic

clean, sterile