vocab list SAT updated

toady

one who flatters in the hope of gaining favors

tirade

a long speech marked by harsh or biting language

intransigent

refusing to compromise, often on an extreme opinion

torpid

lethargic, dormant, lacking motion

abase

to humiliate, degrade

tranquil

calm, peaceful

poignant

deeply emotionally affecting, moving

hint

an indirect suggestion

subjugate

to bring under control; to conquer and make submissive

abdicate

to give up a position, usually one of leadership

intractable

difficult to control; unmanageable

tortuous

winding

tractable

easily controlled

esoteric

understood by only a select few

abate

to reduce, lessen

interminable

without possibility of end

eschew

to shun, avoid

polemic

an aggressive, critical speech or written argument against a specific opinion

espouse

to take up as a cause, support

ethereal

heavenly, exceptionally delicate or refined

platitude

an overused or uninspired remark, cliché

plaudits

enthusiastic approval, applause

plausible

believable, reasonable

solicitous

concerned, attentive

plethora

an abundance, excess, a great bunch

transmute

to change or alter in form

pliable

flexible; easily influenced

raze

to demolish; to level to the ground

respite

a break or a rest (usually from something unpleasant)

saccharine

sickeningly, overly sweet (either in flavor or in personality)

sacrosanct

holy, something that should not be criticized

pragmatic

practical; sensible; realistic

penchant

tendency, partiality, preference

penitent

remorseful, regretful, seeking forgiveness from sin

recapitulate

to sum up, repeat

reclusive

solitary, shunning society

culpable

deserving blame

debacle

a disastrous failure

diminishing

intimidating, causing one to lose courage

defer

to postpone something; to yield to another's wisdom or experience

deferential

showing respect for another's authority

defile

to make unclean, impure

deft

skillful, capable

hedonist

one who believes pleasure should be the primary pursuit of humans

heinous

shockingly wicked, repugnant

implacable

incapable of being appeased or mitigated

impudent

casually rude, insolent, impertinent

inane

silly and meaningless

incendiary

inflammatory, combustible, causing an explosive situation

indefatigable

incapable of defeat; tireless

litigant

someone engaged in a lawsuit

malefaction

a crime

maverick

an independent, nonconformist person

nadir

the lowest point of something

indigenous

native to; originating in a region

lithe

graceful, flexible, supple

detract

to exclude from a community

pacify

to soothe, ease

paragon

model of perfection

tome

a large book

pariah

an outcast

perilous

of dangerously uncertain outcome

guile

deceitful actions or behavior

maudlin

overly sentimental

maxim

a common saying of advice or virtue

******

lacking in quality or stature

officious

offering unwanted help or service

olfactory

relating to the sense of smell

ominous

foreboding or foreshadowing evil, portentous

hail

to come from

hapless

unlucky

sybarite

one devoted to pleasure and luxury, a hedonist

mendacious

inclined to lie or mislead

mercurial

quick and changeable in temperament

discreet

prudent or inconspicuous

discrete

separate, distinct, individual

meritorious

deserving of praise or merit

truculent

eager to fight, violent

aberration

a deviation from the expected course

domicile

a residence, a home

alacrity

cheerful readiness

veracious

honest, truthful

verbose

wordy

vicarious

experienced through another's actions

abscond

to sneak away and hide

brusque

short, abrupt, dismissive

ameliorate

to improve, to make better

brazen

excessively bold, brash

cliché

a trite, overused expression

corpulent

very fat

cosmopolitan

worldly, sophisticated

incessant

unending, annoyingly non-stop

incisive

clear, sharp, direct, cutting

incontrovertible

indisputable

incorrigible

incapable of correction, delinquent

indigent

very poor, impoverished

noxious

harmful, unwholesome

nuance

a slight variation in meaning, tone, expression

truncate

to shorten by cutting off

meticulous

extremely careful and precise with details