SAT Vocabulary - 1000 Most Common SAT Words

A comprehensive vocabulary list of common SAT words with their definitions, extracted from the lecture transcript.

abase

to humiliate, degrade

abate

to reduce, lessen

abdicate

to give up a position, usually one of leadership

aberration

something that differs from the norm

abstruse

hard to comprehend

accolade

high praise, special distinction

acumen

keen insight

adroit

skillful, dexterous

alacrity

eagerness, speed

ameliorate

to improve

anachronistic

being out of correct chronological order

antediluvian

ancient

arbiter

one who can resolve a dispute, make a decision

assiduous

hard-working, diligent

astute

very clever, crafty

benevolent

marked by goodness or doing good

bombastic

excessively confident, pompous

capricious

subject to whim, fickle

circumlocution

indirect and wordy language

cogent

intellectually convincing

cupidity

greed, strong desire

debauch

to corrupt by means of sensual pleasures

demagogue

a leader who appeals to a people’s prejudices

diaphanous

light, airy, transparent

ebullient

extremely lively, enthusiastic

egregious

extremely bad

enervate

to weaken, exhaust

epitome

a perfect example, embodiment

exonerate

to free from guilt or blame, exculpate

fatuous

silly, foolish

garrulous

talkative, wordy

hegemony

domination over others

ignominious

humiliating, disgracing

inchoate

unformed or formless, in a beginning stage

ineffable

unspeakable, incapable of being expressed through words

insatiable

incapable of being satisfied

intrepid

brave in the face of danger

juxtaposition

the act of placing two things next to each other for implicit comparison

lethargic

in a state of sluggishness or apathy

maverick

an independent, nonconformist person

nefarious

heinously villainous

obsequious

excessively compliant or submissive

panacea

a remedy for all ills or difficulties

pejorative

derogatory, uncomplimentary

plethora

an abundance, excess

precocious

advanced, developing ahead of time

profligate

dissolute, extravagant

quixotic

idealistic, impractical

resplendent

shiny, glowing

sagacity

shrewdness, soundness of perspective

surreptitious

stealthy

ubiquitous

existing everywhere, widespread

vacillate

to fluctuate, hesitate

winsome

charming, pleasing

zephyr

a gentle breeze