SAT Vocabulary

abase

(v.) to humiliate, degrade

abate

(v.) to reduce, lessen

abdicate

(v.) to give up a position, usually one of leadership

abduct

(v.) to kidnap, take by force

aberration

(n.) something that differs from the norm

abet

(v.) to aid, help, encourage

abhor

(v.) to hate, detest

abide

1. (v.) to put up with

abject

(adj.) wretched, pitiful

abjure

(v.) to reject, renounce

abnegation

(n.) denial of comfort to oneself

abort

(v.) to give up on a half-finished project or effort

abridge

1. (v.) to cut down, shorten

abrogate

(v.) to abolish, usually by authority

abscond

(v.) to sneak away and hide

absolution

(n.) freedom from blame, guilt, sin

abstain

(v.) to freely choose not to commit an action

abstruse

(adj.) hard to comprehend

accede

(v.) to agree

accentuate

(v.) to stress, highlight

accessible

(adj.) obtainable, reachable

acclaim

(n.) high praise

accolade

(n.) high praise, special distinction

accommodating

(adj.) helpful, obliging, polite

accord

(n.) an agreement

accost

(v.) to confront verbally

accretion

(n.) slow growth in size or amount

acerbic

(adj.) biting, bitter in tone or taste

acquiesce

(v.) to agree without protesting

acrimony

(n.) bitterness, discord

acumen

(n.) keen insight

acute

1. (adj.) sharp, severe

adamant

(adj.) impervious, immovable, unyielding

adept

(adj.) extremely skilled

adhere

1. (n.) to stick to something

admonish

(v.) to caution, criticize, reprove

adorn

(v.) to decorate

adroit

(adj.) skillful, dexterous

adulation

(n.) extreme praise

adumbrate

(v.) to sketch out in a vague way

adverse

(adj.) antagonistic, unfavorable, dangerous

advocate

1. (v.) to argue in favor of something

aerial

(adj.) somehow related to the air

aesthetic

(adj.) artistic, related to the appreciation of beauty

affable

(adj.) friendly, amiable

affinity

(n.)a spontaneous feeling of closeness

affluent

(adj.) rich, wealthy

affront

(n.) an insult

aggrandize

(v.) to increase or make greater

aggregate

1. (n.) a whole or total

aggrieved

(adj.) distressed, wronged, injured

agile

(adj.) quick, nimble

agriculture

(n.) farming

aisle

(n.) a passageway between rows of seats

alacrity

(n.) eagerness, speed

alias

(n.) a false name or identity

allay

(v.) to soothe, ease

allege

(v.) to assert, usually without proof

alleviate

(v.) to relieve, make more bearable

allocate

(v.) to distribute, set aside

aloof

(adj.) reserved, distant

altercation

(n.) a dispute, fight

amalgamate

(v.) to bring together, unite

ambiguous

(adj.) uncertain, variably interpretable

ambivalent

(adj.) having opposing feelings

ameliorate

(v.) to improve

amenable

(adj.) willing, compliant

amenity

(n.) an item that increases comfort

amiable

(adj.) friendly

amorous

(adj.) showing love, particularly sexual

amorphous

(adj.) without definite shape or type

anachronistic

(adj.) being out of correct chronological order

analgesic

(n.) something that reduces pain

analogous

(adj.) similar to, so that an analogy can be drawn

anarchist

(n.) one who wants to eliminate all government

anathema

(n.) a cursed, detested person

anecdote

(n.) a short, humorous account

anesthesia

(n.) loss of sensation

anguish

(n.) extreme sadness, torment

animated

(adj.) lively

annex

1. (v.) to incorporate territory or space 2. (n.) a room attached to a larger room or space

annul

(v.) to make void or invalid

anomaly

(n.) something that does not fit into the normal order

anonymous

(adj.) being unknown, unrecognized

antagonism

(n.) hostility

antecedent

(n.) something that came before

antediluvian

(adj.) ancient

anthology

(n.) a selected collection of writings, songs, etc.

antipathy

(n.) a strong dislike, repugnance

antiquated

(adj.) old, out of date

antiseptic

(adj.) clean, sterile

antithesis

(n.) the absolute opposite

anxiety

(n.) intense uneasiness

apathetic

(adj.) lacking concern, emotion

apocryphal

(adj.) fictitious, false, wrong

appalling

(adj.) inspiring shock, horror, disgust

appease

(v.) to calm, satisfy

appraise

(v.) to assess the worth or value of

apprehend

1. (v.) to seize, arrest 2. (v.) to perceive, understand, grasp

approbation

(n.) praise