SAT Vocab List #1

abashed

(adj.) ashamed or embarrassed

abduct

(v.) to carry off by force

agile

(adj.) flexible, nimble, and quick in movement

autonomy

(n.) self-reliance, independence

belabor

(v.) to repeat something unnecessarily or discuss it at too great a length

boisterous

(adj.) noisy and rowdy

cajole

(v.) to persuade by flattery or guile

capricious

(adj.) impulsive; making sudden and unpredictable changes

caustic

(adj.) 1. capable of burning or corroding;

2. biting, acidic

cursory

(adj.) hasty; not giving careful attention to

dearth

(n.) scarcity; a lack of abundance

deft

(adj.) skillful

diffident

(adj.) shy; lacking confidence

dilatory

(adj.) causing delay

duplicity

(n.) deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech

eccentric

(adj.) odd, strange, unconventional

epitome

(n.) the perfect example

exhort

(v.) to urge strongly

flippant

(adj.) casually disrespectful

futile

(adj.) useless

gregarious

(adj.) sociable

heinous

(adj.) shockingly evil

impetuous

(adj.) impulsive; acting without thought

jocular

(adj.) joking; good-humored

lethargic

(adj.) sluggish; physical and mental slowness

lionize

(v.) to treat someone like a celebrity

magnanimous

(adj.) very generous, kind, or forgiving

mercurial

(adj.) lively and changeable in temperament

narcissism

(n.) excessive love or admiration for oneself

nostalgia

(n.) a bittersweet longing for the past

obdurate

(adj.) stubborn

pariah

(n.) a social outcast

penchant

(n.) an inclination for or liking for something

petulant

(adj.) irritable, sulky

renounce

(v.) to give up a habit, pursuit, or practice; to reject or disavow a belief

sagacious

(adj.) shrewd, wise

succint

(adj.) concise

tedious

(adj.) long and boring

tractable

(adj.) easy to control or manage

urbane

(adj.) suave, refined, sophisticated