SAT VOCAB 4

encomium

​a speech or piece of writing that praises somebody or something highly

Eg: The retiring professor received an _________ from her former students, praising her decades of dedication.

sinecure

ˈsaɪnɪkjʊr

​a job that you are paid for even though it involves little or no work

Eg: The position was little more than a ______, allowing him to collect a generous salary without doing much.

pastiche

a work of art, piece of writing, etc. that is created by deliberately copying the style of somebody/something else

Eg: She’s an expert in the art of ______and parody.

a work of art, etc. that consists of a variety of different styles

Eg: The film is a ________ of classic horror movies, combining elements from several different eras.

remuneration

​an amount of money that is paid to somebody for the work they have done

Eg: Generous _________ packages are often attached to overseas postings.

apotheosis

- ​the highest or most perfect development of something

Eg: The final performance was the _______ of her career.

- ​the best time in somebody’s life or career

Eg: Winning the Olympic gold medal was the ________ of her athletic career.

- ​a formal statement that a person has become a god

tribulation

great trouble, difficulty or mental pain

Eg: She endured many _________ before finally achieving her dream.

digress

to start to talk about something that is not connected with the main point of what you are saying

Eg: To _________ for a moment, I would like to remind you that there will be no classes next week.

admonitory

​that is a warning to somebody about their behaviour

Eg: The teacher gave him an ________ look after he disrupted the class for the third time.

truculent

​tending to argue or become angry; slightly aggressive

Eg: The normally polite student became __________ when the teacher questioned his answer.

proscription

the act of not allowing something

Eg: ___________ of the group could affect the trade negotiations.

expiration

​an ending of the period of time when an official document can be used, or when an agreement is legally acceptable

Eg: The license can be renewed on _______.

modicum

​a fairly small amount, especially of something good or pleasant

Eg: They should win, given a _________ of luck.

glut

a situation in which there is more of something than is needed or can be used

= surfeit

Eg: The market is experiencing a ______ of cheap smartphones.

hodgepodge

​a number of things mixed together without any particular order or reason

Eg: The museum's collection is a ________ of ancient artifacts, modern sculptures, and random souvenirs.

capricious

- ​showing sudden changes in attitude or behaviour

Eg: a movie star who was ______ and difficult to please

= unpredictable

- ​changing suddenly and quickly

= changable

Eg: They had to contend with _________ economic forces.

rehash

to arrange ideas, pieces of writing or pieces of film into a new form but without any great change or improvement

Eg: He just _______ songs from the 60s.

soft-pedal

to treat something as less serious or important than it really is

Eg: The government tried to ________ the seriousness of the economic crisis.

warp

- to become, or make something become twisted, or bent out of its natural shape, for example because it has become too hot, too wet, etc.

Eg: The window frames had begun to ______.

- to influence somebody so that they begin to behave in an unacceptable way

Eg: His experiences of violence __________ his view of relationships, making him distrustful and controlling.

stem

to stop something that is flowing from spreading or increasing

Eg: The government had failed to ________ the tide of factory closures.

vilify

​to say or write unpleasant things about somebody/something so that other people will have a low opinion of them

Eg: They were ________ by the press as ‘international terrorists’.

aggrieved

- (at/by sth) feeling that you have been treated unfairly

Eg: He had every right to feel _________ at the decision.

- suffering unfair or illegal treatment and making a complaint

Eg: The judge ordered the company to compensate the __________ consumers for the losses they had suffered.

anathema

​a thing or an idea that you hate because it is the opposite of what you believe

Eg: To the environmentalist, wasteful consumption is _________, contradicting everything she stands for.

backhanded

​having a meaning that is not directly or clearly expressed, or that is not intended

Eg: His _________ remark about my presentation suggested that he had expected me to fail.

a backhanded compliment

​a comment that seems to express approval but could also be understood as expressing a poor opinion of somebody/something

Eg: “You look surprisingly good in that dress” was clearly a _____________.

paltry

- ​(of an amount) too small to be considered as important or useful

Eg: This account offers a _______ 1 per cent return on your investment.

= meagre

- ​having no value or useful qualities

Eg: The committee rejected the proposal because it offered only _________ benefits to the community.

aspersions

​critical or unpleasant remarks or judgements

Eg: The politician accused his opponent of casting _________ on his integrity during the election campaign.

commendation

- praise; approval

Eg: The film deserves the highest _______.

- (for sth) an award or official statement giving public praise for somebody/something

Eg: There were 16 prize winners and 18 _________.

elemental

- ​wild and powerful; like the forces of nature

Eg: The storm unleashed an ______________ fury that left the coastline devastated.

- basic and important

Eg: Trust is __________ to any successful relationship.

obtuseness

​the fact of being slow or unwilling to understand something

Eg: His __________ was frustrating; he refused to understand why his comments had offended everyone.

mendacity

the act of not telling the truth

Eg: Her _________ eventually destroyed the trust she had built with her colleagues.

= lying

mendacious

not telling the truth

= lying

Eg: The witness gave a ________ account of what had happened that night.

abnegation

​the act of not allowing yourself to have something that you want; the act of rejecting something

Eg: His life was marked by ________, as he repeatedly sacrificed his own ambitions for his family.

guilelessness

tính thật thà, sự trong sáng, và không có sự gian xảo hay mưu mô

Eg: Her __________ made her easy to trust; she never tried to manipulate anyone.

cajole

to make somebody do something by talking to them and being very nice to them

Eg: He _________ me into agreeing to do the work.

= coax

prophylactic

ˌprəʊfəˈlæktɪk

​done or used in order to prevent a disease

Eg: The doctor prescribed __________ antibiotics before the surgery to prevent infection.

extirpate

to destroy or get rid of something that is bad or not wanted

Eg: The government launched a campaign to ______ corruption from the public sector.

insular

- only interested in your own country, ideas, etc. and not in those from outside

Eg: The British are often accused of being ______.

- having little contact with other people

Eg: people living restricted and sometimes ________ existences

- connected with an island or islands

Eg: The country’s _______ geography has shaped its culture and history for centuries.

unerring

​always right or accurate

Eg: Her ________ judgment has made her one of the most respected editors in the industry.

= unfailing

spirited

​full of energy, courage or determination

Eg: She gave a ________ defense of her decision despite intense criticism.

devious

- ​behaving in a dishonest or indirect way, or tricking people, in order to get something

Eg: He got rich by ______ means.

= deceitful = underhand

- route/path: a route or path that is not straight but has many changes in direction; not direct

Eg: We followed a _________ path through the mountains before reaching the village.

underhand

​secret and dishonest

Eg: I would never have expected her to behave in such an ________ way.

antidote

(to sth) a substance that controls the effects of a poison or disease

Eg: The doctor administered an _______ to counteract the effects of the poison.

(to sth) anything that takes away the effects of something unpleasant

Eg: A Mediterranean cruise was the perfect ______ to a long cold winter.

rebuke

​the act of speaking severely to somebody because they have done something wrong

= reprimand

Eg: He was silenced by her stinging _____.

eulogize

(as sth) to praise somebody/something very highly

Eg: The president ________ the scientist as a brilliant pioneer whose work had changed countless lives.

trepidation

​great worry or fear about something unpleasant that may happen

Eg: She approached the interview with __________, afraid that she would not be good enough for the position.

enviable

something that is ________ is the sort of thing that is good and that other people want to have too

Eg: She has an _________ reputation as one of the most talented young scientists in the country.

unenviable

​difficult or unpleasant; that you would not want to have

Eg: She was given the _________ task of telling the team that their project had been cancelled.

query

- to express doubt about whether something is correct or not or what something means

Eg: We _________ the bill as it seemed far too high.

- ​to ask a question; to put a question to somebody

Eg: I _______ a few people on the subject.

epitome

a perfect example of something

Eg: She is the _________ of elegance, always dressing with impeccable taste.

= embodiment

salubrious

​(of a place) pleasant to live in; clean and healthy

Eg: The coastal town is renowned for its _________ climate and clean air.

premeditated

​(of a crime or bad action) planned in advance

Eg: This was a callous, ____________ attack on a defenceless young man.

callous

​not caring about other people’s feelings, pain or problems

Eg: His _______ remarks about the victims shocked everyone in the room.

= cruel

= unfeeling

calloused

​(of the skin) made rough and hard, usually by hard work

Eg: Her __________ hands testified to a life of hard, physical work.

antithetical

(to sth) opposite to or completely different from something

Eg: A culture of violence is ___________ to the church’s traditional teaching.

synchronicity

​the fact of two or more things happening at exactly the same time

Eg: By _________, we both reached for the same book at exactly the same moment.

synchronization

- ​the fact of happening at the same time or moving at the same speed as something else; the act of making something do this

Eg: Contract and relax your muscles in __________ with your breathing.

- the act of linking data files between one computer or mobile device and another so that the information in the files on both machines is the same

Eg: The system provides full wireless connectivity and easy ____________ with other wireless devices.

antipathy

a strong feeling of dislike = hostility

Eg: His professional judgement was coloured by his personal __________.

convolution

- ​a thing that is very complicated and difficult to follow

Eg: The ________ of the plot made the novel difficult to follow.

- ​a twist or curve, especially one of many

Eg: The river winds through the valley in a series of __________.

inveterate

ɪnˈvetərət

- ​(of a person) always doing something or enjoying something, and unlikely to stop

Eg: He is an _______ smoker who has tried repeatedly to quit but always returns to the habit.

- ​(of a bad feeling or habit) done or felt for a long time and unlikely to change

Eg: The two families have an ________ hatred of each other that has lasted for generations.

chasm

- a deep opening or break in the ground

Eg: The ground dropped away into an awesome ______

- (between A and B) a very big difference between two people or groups, for example because they have different attitudes

= gulf

Eg: A deep _______ has emerged between the two political parties over immigration policy.

gulf

- a large area of sea that is partly surrounded by land

Eg: The ______of Mexico is bordered by the United States, Mexico, and Cuba.

- a large difference between two people or groups in the way that they think, live or feel

Eg: The _______ between rich and poor is enormous.

propinquity

prəˈpɪŋkwəti

​the state of being near in space or time

Eg: Their _______ to the university made commuting to classes extremely convenient.

= proximity

propitiate

to stop somebody from being angry by trying to please them

= placate

Eg: Sacrifices were made to _______ the gods.

inure to

to make somebody/yourself get used to something unpleasant so that they/you are no longer strongly affected by it

Eg: The prisoners quickly became ________ the harsh conditions.

subjugate

to defeat somebody/something; to gain control over somebody/something

Eg: The invading army sought to _________ the neighboring kingdom and seize its resources.

intercede

to speak to somebody in order to persuade them to be kind to somebody else or to help settle an argument

Eg: They ________ with the authorities on behalf of the detainees.

= intervene

accordance

in _______ with sth

according to a rule or the way that somebody says that something should be done

Eg: We acted in __________ with my parents’ wishes.

idiosyncratic

​unusual and particular to a person or thing

Eg: His teaching methods are ________ but successful.

soberly

- in a serious and sensible way

Eg: The committee _______ considered the possible consequences of the proposed policy.

- ​in a way that is plain and not bright

Eg: The room was _______ decorated in shades of gray and beige.

flamboyantly

​in a way that is different, confident and exciting and so attracts attention

Eg: He dressed _________, wearing a bright purple suit and a collection of gold rings.

fanfare

- a short loud piece of music that is played to celebrate somebody/something important arriving

Eg: A _______ of trumpets will sound for the King.

- a large amount of activity and discussion in the media to celebrate somebody/something

Eg: The product was launched amid much _________ worldwide.

provisional

- arranged for the present time only and likely to be changed in the future

Eg: We have made a _________ arrangement to meet on Friday, but the time may change.

= temporary

- ​arranged, but not yet definite

Eg: We have set a ________ date for the meeting, but it may change.

self-defeating

​causing more problems and difficulties instead of solving them; not achieving what you wanted to achieve but having an opposite effect

Eg: The company’s decision to cut staff was __________ , as it reduced costs but severely damaged productivity.

current

the fact of particular ideas, opinions or feelings being present in a group of people

Eg: Ministers are worried by this _______ of anti-government feeling.

banish

- to order somebody to leave a place, especially a country, as a punishment

Eg: He was ________ to Australia, where he died five years later.

= exile

- (from sth) to make somebody/something go away; to get rid of somebody/something

Eg: The sight of food _______ all other thoughts from my mind.

abiding

​(of a feeling or belief) lasting for a long time and not changing

Eg: She has an _______ love for classical music that has lasted since childhood.

visceral

- resulting from strong feelings rather than careful thought

Eg: She had a _______ dislike of all things foreign.

subsume

to include something in a particular group and not consider it separately

Eg: All these different ideas can be ________ under just two broad categories.

adumbrate

to give a general idea or description of something without details

Eg: The professor ________ the main arguments of the theory before explaining them in detail.

= outline

slick

- done or made in a way that is clever and efficient but often does not seem to be sincere or lacks important ideas

Eg: The politician delivered a ________ speech that sounded impressive but contained few concrete ideas.

- speaking very easily and smoothly but in a way that does not seem sincere

Eg: He is a _______ speaker who can make almost any idea sound convincing.

= glib

- ​done quickly and smoothly

Eg: The crowd enjoyed the team's ______ passing.

= skilful

- ​smooth and difficult to hold or move on

Eg: The roads were ______ with rain.

= slippery

blitz

- a sudden attack

Eg: Five shops were damaged in a firebomb ______.

- a sudden organized effort to deal with something or achieve something

Eg: an advertising/a media ______ (= a lot of information about something on television, in newspapers, etc.)

sweeping

- having an important effect on a large part of something

Eg: Security forces were given _______ powers to search homes.

- too general and failing to think about or understand particular examples

Eg: The article makes a ________ claim that social media is harmful to all teenagers.

- ______ victory: a victory by a large number of votes, etc.

Eg: The opposition won a ________ victory, securing nearly every seat in parliament.

-

supercilious

behaving towards other people as if you think you are better than they are

Eg: The dress shop assistant was very ________.

= superior

piety

the state of having or showing a deep respect for somebody/something, especially for God and religion; the state of being pious

Eg: He performed his religious duties with genuine _______ rather than out of social obligation.

heretical

- (of a religious belief or opinion) against the principles of a particular religion

Eg: The priest was accused of promoting ________ beliefs that contradicted the teachings of the Church.

- ​(of a belief or opinion) disagreeing strongly with what most people believe

Eg: Many economists consider this view of how markets work to be _______.

precentor

một chức sắc hoặc thành viên trong nhà thờ có nhiệm vụ hướng dẫn, tổ chức âm nhạc và điều phối các nghi thức thờ phượng

Eg: The cathedral’s _______ is responsible for organizing the music for major services.

resumption

​the act of beginning something again after it has stopped

Eg: They demanded the immediate ______ of the aid programme.

contiguous

​touching or next to something

Eg: The bruising was not ________ to the wound.

eclectic

​not following one style or set of ideas but choosing from or using a wide variety

Eg: She has an ________ taste in music, ranging from classical symphonies to underground hip-hop.

eclecticism

​the fact of not following one style or set of ideas but choosing from or using a wide variety

Eg: The architect’s _________ is evident in the building’s combination of Gothic, Art Deco, and modern elements.

perspicuous

- clear and easy to understand

Eg: This theory provides a simpler and more ________ explanation than its rival.

- thinking, writing, or speaking clearly

Eg: His understanding of evolution was ________ and penetrating.

overweening

​showing that you are too confident or proud

Eg: His __________ confidence led him to underestimate his opponents.

= arrogant

tentative

- ​(of an arrangement, agreement, etc.) not definite or certain because you may want to change it later

Eg: We made a _________ arrangement to meet on Friday.

- ​not behaving or done with confidence
Eg: Her English is correct but _______.

= hesitant

excise

sth (from sth): to remove something completely

Eg: He carefully ________any passages that might cause offence.

excision

​the act of removing something completely from something; the thing removed

Eg: The editor insisted on the ________ of several controversial passages before the book could be published.

protean

​able to change quickly and easily

Eg: Her ________ talents allow her to excel in fields ranging from music to mathematics.

grandiloquence

​a style of speech or writing that uses long or complicated words in order to impress people

= pomposity

Eg: The politician’s speech was full of ___________, but it contained few practical proposals.

temerity

​extremely confident behaviour that people are likely to consider rude

Eg: He had the ________ to question the professor’s expertise in front of the entire class.

lassitude

​a state of feeling very tired in mind or body; lack of energy

Eg: After weeks of intense work, she was overcome by _______ and struggled to concentrate.

punctiliousness

behaviour that is very careful and correct so that you perform your duties exactly as you should

Eg: Her ________ was evident in the way she checked every detail of the contract before signing it.