SAT Vocabulary

Princeton Review

adhere

verb - to believe in and follow the practice of

advocate

verb - to publicly recommend or support

allude

verb - to suggest or call attention to indirectly; to hint at

ambivalence

noun - the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

analogous

adjective - comparable in certain respects, typically in a way which makes clearer the nature of the things compared

anecdote

noun - a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

apprehensive

adjective - anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen

arbitrary

adjective - based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system

assert

verb - to state a fact or belief confidently or forcefully

bias

noun - prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair

brevity

noun - concise and exact use of words in writing or speech

buttress

verb - to increase the strength of or justification for; to reinforce

concede

verb - to admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it

consensus

noun - a general agreement

corroborate

verb - to confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding)

decisive

adjective - settling an issue; producing a definite result

deference

noun - humble submission and respect

degrade

verb - to treat or regard (someone) with contempt or disrespect

denounce

verb - to publicly declare to be wrong or evil

dispute

noun - a disagreement, argument, or debate

divergent

adjective - tending to be different or develop in different directions

dormant

adjective - having normal physical functions suspended or slowed down for a period of time; in or as if in a deep sleep

eloquent

adjective - fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing

evoke

verb - to bring or recall to the conscious mind

exert

verb - to make a physical or mental effort

explicit

adjective - stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt

imminent

adjective - about to happen

impede

verb - to delay or prevent (someone or something) by obstructing; to hinder

implicit

adjective - implied but not plainly expressed

impose

verb - to take advantage of someone by demanding attention or commitment

indifference

noun - lack of interest, concern, or sympathy

inevitable

adjective - certain to happen; unavoidable

invoke

verb - to cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument

ironic

adjective - happening in the opposite way from what is expected and typically causing amusement because of this

novel

adjective - new or unusual in an interesting way

obscure

adjective - not discovered or known about; uncertain

obsolete

adjective - no longer produced or used; out of date

oppressive

adjective - unjustly inflicting hardship and constraint; weighing heavily on the mind or spirits

persuasive

adjective - spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people, especially in an unpleasant way

prevalence

noun - the fact or condition of being prevalent; commonness

prominent

adjective - important; famous

provoke

verb - to stimulate or give rise to a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome one in someone

reciprocate

verb - to respond to (a gesture or action) by making a corresponding one

reconcile

verb - to restore friendly relations between

refute

verb - to prove (a statement or theory) to be wrong or false; disprove

renounce

verb - to formally declare one’s abandonment of (a claim, right, or possession)

repression

noun - the restraint, prevention, or inhibition of a feeling, quality, etc.

retain

verb - to continue to have (something); keep possession of

skeptical

adjective - not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations

speculate

verb - to form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence

substantiate

verb - to provide evidence to support or prove the truth of

subtle

adjective - so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe

supplement

noun - something that completes or enhances something else when added to it

tenuous

adjective - very weak or slight

undermine

verb - to lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of

underscore

verb - to emphasize or draw attention to

unobtrusive

adjective - not conspicuous or attracting attention

validate

verb - to check or prove the validity or accuracy of (something)

verisimilitude

noun - the appearance of being true or real

viable

adjective - capable of working successfully; feasible