262 SAT Vocab Words - Prepscholar

Agitate

v. to promote something (usu. a cause)

Pinnacle

n. highest level or degree

Adept

adj. having knowledge or skill (usu. in a particular area)

Allude

v. to make a secretive mention of something

Ambiguous

adj. unclear or vague in meaning

Ambitious

adj. having a powerful desire for success or achievement

Ambivalence

n. the state of being uncertain or stuck between two or more options

Analogous

adj. similar but not identical

Annihilate

v. to destroy or cause devastating destruction

Anomaly

n. something different from the norm

Anticipate

v. assume to be likely to happen

Assertion

n. a strong declaration

Authenticity

n. the quality of being real and true instead of fake and contrived

Bear

v. to have as a characteristic

v. to have (a child)

v. to bring forth

v. to put up with

Brevity

n. the quality of being brief or terse

Commission

n. the use of payment to request something (e.g., a service or product)

Complement

v. to make perfect or complete

Confine

v. to put limits on; to restrict

Conventional

adj. abiding by accepted standards

Devise

v. to come up with (a plan)

Dire

adj. hopeless and dangerous or fearful

Disparage

v. to belittle or speak down to

Dreary

adj. sad, gloomy, dull

Envy

n. excessive jealousy

v. to admire and be jealous of

Expend

v. to use up (as in energy or money)

Geriatric

adj. relating to old age

Imposing

adj. impressive (esp. in size or appearance)

Indifference

n. apathy, emotional detachment

Indulge

v. to give into; to satisfy or gratify

Lucrative

adj. capable of making a lot of money; profitable

Modest

adj. simple and humble

adj. small in size or amount

Momentous

adj. historically significant

Nuance

n. a subtle difference in meaning

Null

adj. legally void and ineffective

Obsolete

adj. no longer used; rare or uncommon

Opine

v. to openly express an opinion

Persecute

v. to cause suffering to

Plausible

adj. reasonable and possibly true

Principle

n. basic truth, assumption, or rule

Prohibit

v. to command against, to outlaw

Prosecute

v. to bring criminal action against someone (in a trial)

Qualitative

adj. involving qualities of something (features and content)

Ramify

v. to split into two or more branches

Reconsideration

n. thinking again about a previously made choice

Renounce

v. to give up (usu. power or a position)

v. to cast off

Secrete

v. to produce or release (a substance)

Sinister

adj. ominous, evil

Spur

v. to stimulate or incite

Squalid

adj. run-down, sordid, or sleazy

Taut

adj. pulled tight

Treacherous

adj. dangerous and unstable

Unadorned

adj. undecorated, plain

Vow

v. to promise

Abate

v. to become less active, less intense, or less in amount

Abstract

adj. existing purely in the mind; not representing actual reality

Abysmal

adj. extremely bad

Accordingly

adv. in accordance with

Acquisition

n. the act of gaining a skill or possession of something

Adapt

v. to make suit a new purpose

v. to accommodate oneself to a new condition, setting, or situation

Adequate

adj. having sufficient qualifications to meet a specific task or purpose

Advent

n. the arrival or creation of something (usu. historic)

Adversarial

adj. relating to hostile opposition

Advocate

n. someone who promotes or defends something v. to defend or promote something (usu. a belief, theory, opinion, etc.)

Aesthetic

adj. relating to beauty or refined taste

Afford

v. to be able to buy v. to be able to spare

Allow

v. to permit or consent to

Altercation

n. a noisy argument or confrontation

Antipathy

n. a strong feeling of dislike

Confide

v. to share something secretive with someone

Deficient

adj. not enough in degree or amount

Locomotion

n. movement

Perish

v. to die; to pass away

Raw

adj. unrefined

adj. not processed; uncooked (as in food)

Apex

n. the highest point of something

Apprehension

n. fearful expectation of something

Articulate

v. to clearly express in words

Artificial

adj. something made; not occurring naturally

Austere

adj. extremely plain adj. stern and forbidding

adj. relating to self-denial

Avenue

n. an intangible path or approach to something

Avid

adj. actively interested in or enthusiastic about something

Basic

adj. relating to the foundation or basis of something

Benevolent

adj. kind, generous

Bias

n. a preconception that prevents objectivity

Bittersweet

adj. tinged with a feeling of sadness

Bolster

v. to support, strengthen, or fortify

Boost

n. an increase or growth v. to increase or make grow

Brawl

n. an intense, loud fight v. to fight loudly and disruptively

Candid

adj. direct, blunt

Candor

n. the trait of being honest and frank

Capitalize

v. to use to your advantage

Capture

v. to trap or take possession of

v. to successfully represent or imitate

v. to captivate, mesmerize

v. to catch or seize

Civic

adj. relating to the city or citizens

Clinical

adj. emotionally unattached (usu. used in medical or scientific setting)

Clout

n. special advantage or power

Coarse

adj. indicating a rough texture

adj. lacking refinement or sophistication

Coincide

v. to happen at the same time

Comparable

adj. able to be compared

Competent

adj. sufficiently qualified

Complacent

adj. satisfied, with no desire to change or improve

Concede

v. to be forced to agree or surrender

v. to admit to a transgression