SAT VOCAB WORDS 2

abase

to humiliate, degrade; belittle, demean.

abate

to lessen or reduce; subside, dwindle.

abdicate:

to give up power; resign, relinquish.

abduct

to kidnap or seize by force; snatch, carry off.

aberration

a deviation from the norm; anomaly, irregularity.

abet

to assist in wrongdoing; aid, encourage.

abhor

to hate deeply; detest, loathe

abide

to tolerate or follow; accept, obey

abject

hopeless and miserable; wretched, degraded

abjure

to formally reject; renounce, forswear

abnegation

self-denial; renunciation, rejection

abort

to terminate early; cancel, halt

abridge

to shorten; condense, trim

abrogate

to cancel by authority; repeal, annul

abrupt

sudden or curt; hasty, blunt

abscond

(v.) to run away secretly; flee, bolt

absolution

formal forgiveness; pardon, mercy

abstain

to hold back voluntarily; refrain, avoid

abstruse

difficult to understand; obscure, puzzling

accede

to agree or comply; consent, yield

accentuate

to emphasize or highlight; stress, underscore

accessible

(adj.) easy to reach or understand; available, approachable

accessory

a supplementary item; add-on, ornament

acclaim

to praise publicly; applaud, commend

accolade

an award or honor; praise, recognition

accommodating

(adj.) willing to help; obliging, cooperative

accord

agreement or harmony; consensus, unity

accost

to approach aggressively; confront, hassle

account for

to explain or justify; clarify, rationalize

accretion

gradual growth; buildup, accumulation

acerbic

(adj.) sharp or bitter in tone; harsh, sarcastic

acquiesce

to give in passively; comply, yield

acrimony

bitterness or hostility; resentment, rancor

acumen

keen insight or skill; shrewdness, expertise

acute

(adj.) sharp or severe; intense, keen

adamant

(adj.) unyielding or firm; stubborn, resolute

adept

(adj.) highly skilled; proficient, expert

adhere

to stick to or follow; cling, comply

admonish

to warn or scold; reprimand, caution

adorn

to decorate or beautify; embellish, garnish

adroit

(adj.) skillful and clever; adept, nimble

adulation

excessive praise; flattery, worship

adulterate

to make impure; contaminate, dilute

adumbrate

to foreshadow or suggest; outline, hint

adverse

(adj.) unfavorable or harmful; negative, detrimental

advocate

to support or argue for; promote, endorse

aerial

(adj.) related to the air; airborne, flying

aesthetic

(adj.) concerned with beauty; artistic, tasteful

affable

(adj.) friendly and easy to talk to; sociable, approachable

affinity

a natural connection or liking; attraction, bond

affluent

(adj.) wealthy and well-off; rich, prosperous

affront

an insult or offense; slight, indignity

aggrandize

to increase in power or wealth; glorify, magnify

aggravate

to make worse; worsen, intensify

aggregate

a whole formed by parts; sum, total

aggrieved

(adj.) feeling wronged or offended; resentful, upset

agile

(adj.) quick and nimble; graceful, spry

agnostic

one who doubts religious certainty; skeptic, doubter

agriculture

farming or cultivation; agronomy, husbandry

aisle

a walkway between rows; corridor, passage

alacrity

eager readiness; enthusiasm, willingness

alias

a false or assumed name; pseudonym, nickname

allay

to ease or calm; soothe, alleviate

allege

to claim without proof; assert, accuse

alleviate

to lessen or relieve; ease, mitigate

allocate

to assign or distribute; designate, allot

aloof

(adj.) emotionally distant; detached, reserved

altercation

a noisy argument; dispute, quarrel

amalgamate

to combine or unite; merge, blend

ambiguous

(adj.) unclear or having multiple meanings; vague, equivocal

ambivalent

(adj.) having mixed feelings; uncertain, conflicted

ameliorate

to improve or make better; enhance, upgrade

amenable

(adj.) open to suggestion; cooperative, agreeable

amenity

a useful feature; convenience, facility

amiable

(adj.) friendly and pleasant; good-natured, warm

amicable

(adj.) done in a friendly way; peaceful, cordial

amorous

(adj.) full of love or desire; romantic, affectionate

amorphous

(adj.) without a clear shape; shapeless, vague

anachronistic

(adj.) out of place in time; outdated, misplaced

analgesic

pain reliever; painkiller, anesthetic

analogous

(adj.) comparable or similar; alike, equivalent

anarchist

one who opposes all government; rebel, revolutionary

anathema

something hated or cursed; abomination, pariah

anecdote

a short personal story; tale, narrative

anesthesia

loss of sensation; numbing, sedation

anguish

great pain or suffering; agony, torment

animated

(adj.) full of life or excitement; lively, spirited

animosities toward

strong hostility; hatred, resentment

annex

to add or attach; acquire, append

annul

to cancel legally; void, invalidate

anomaly

something unusual; irregularity, exception

anonymous

unnamed or unknown; unidentified, incognito

antagonism

hostility or opposition; conflict, enmity

antecedent

something that comes before; precursor, predecessor

antediluvian

(adj.) extremely old; ancient, outdated

anthology

a collection of writings; compilation, selection

antipathy

a strong dislike; aversion, hostility

antiquated

(adj.) outdated or old-fashioned; obsolete, archaic

antiseptic

(adj.) clean or sterile; disinfected, germ-free

antithesis

the direct opposite; contrast, reverse