SAT Vocabulary Essentials (A–Z)

A curated set of 133 SAT-level vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from A to Z to aid exam review and mastery.

abase

to humiliate, degrade

abate

to reduce, lessen

abdicate

to give up a position of power or responsibility

aberration

something that differs from the norm

abhor

to hate, detest

abscond

to sneak away and hide

balk

to stop, block abruptly

banal

dull, commonplace

benevolent

marked by goodness or doing good

benign

favorable, not threatening, mild

bequeath

to pass on or hand down

bombastic

excessively confident, pompous

cacophony

tremendous noise, disharmonious sound

cajole

to urge or coax with flattery

candor

honesty, frankness

capricious

subject to whim, fickle

caustic

bitter, biting, acidic

clandestine

secret or hidden

dearth

a lack or scarcity

debunk

to expose the falseness of something

deleterious

harmful, injurious

demure

quiet, modest, reserved

despot

a ruler with total, often brutal, power

diffident

shy, quiet, modest

ebullient

extremely lively and enthusiastic

efface

to wipe out, erase

egregious

extremely bad, flagrant

elated

overjoyed, thrilled

empirical

based on observation or experience

enigmatic

mysterious, puzzling

facile

1) easy; 2) superficial or simplistic

fastidious

meticulous, very demanding

fervent

ardent, passionate

flagrant

offensive, egregious

fortuitous

happening by chance, often fortunate

frugal

thrifty; economical in use

garrulous

excessively talkative

grandiose

magnificent or exaggerated in scale

gratuitous

uncalled-for, unwarranted

gregarious

sociable, drawn to company

guile

cunning or sly behavior

hallowed

holy, revered

hardy

robust; capable of withstanding hardship

hegemony

domination over others

heinous

shockingly wicked

hiatus

a break or gap in duration

hypocrisy

pretending to believe what one does not

iconoclast

one who attacks common beliefs

immutable

not changeable

impecunious

poor; having no money

imperious

commanding, domineering

implacable

incapable of being appeased

incorrigible

incapable of correction

jubilant

extremely joyful, happy

judicious

having sound judgment

juxtaposition

placing two things side by side for comparison

knell

the solemn sound of a bell indicating death

kudos

praise for an achievement

laconic

using few words, terse

languid

sluggish from fatigue or weakness

latent

hidden but capable of emerging

lethargic

sluggish, apathetic

lucid

clear and easily understood

luminous

brightly shining

magnanimous

noble and generous

malevolent

wishing harm to others

malleable

capable of being shaped

mendacious

lying, untruthful

mercurial

subject to sudden change of mood

meticulous

extremely careful with details

nadir

the lowest point

nebulous

vaguely defined, cloudy

nefarious

heinously villainous

negligent

habitually careless

nomadic

wandering from place to place

notorious

widely and unfavorably known

obdurate

stubborn, unyielding

obscure

unclear, partially hidden

obstinate

stubborn, not yielding

odious

hateful, repulsive

ominous

foreshadowing evil

opulent

wealthy and luxurious

pacific

soothing, peaceful

palatable

agreeable to taste or mind

panacea

a remedy for all ills

paradox

a seemingly contradictory statement that may be true

paragon

a model of excellence

pejorative

derogatory, uncomplimentary

quagmire

a difficult, muddy situation

quell

to put down forcibly

querulous

whiny, complaining

quixotic

idealistic but impractical

quotidian

occurring daily; commonplace

rancor

deep, bitter resentment

raucous

loud and boisterous

recalcitrant

defiant, unapologetic

reclusive

avoiding the company of others

resilient

able to recover quickly

resolute

firm, determined

sacrosanct

extremely sacred; beyond criticism