SAT Vocab

ABASH

To embarrass or disconcert.

ABSTRACT

Theoretical, not concrete.

ABSTRUSE

Difficult to comprehend.

ACUMEN

Insight regarding a certain topic.

ADEPT

To be good at, to have skill towards.

ADROIT

Skillful at executing a task.

AGGREGATE

Sum total.

ALOOF

Withdrawn, disconnected.

AMBIVALENCE

Mixed feelings leading to indecisiveness.

ANOMALY

An exception or deviation.

ANTAGONISM

Open hostility, ill-will.

ANTIPODE

Opposite or places on the opposite side of the globe from each other.

ANTIQUITY

The state of being ancient.

APPARITION

A ghost, spirit, a ghostly presence.

ARCANE

Secretive, cryptic.

ARTICULATE

To say clearly, to outline or speak precisely.

ASPERSION

An unkind or cruel comment about a person.

AUTONOMY

Rule over oneself without any interference.

AVUNCULAR

Benevolent, kind, sympathetic.

BANAL

Unremarkable, common.

BELIE

To disprove or negate.

BELITTLE

To make someone feel badly or unimportant.

BELLIGERENT

Aggressive.

BENEVOLENT

Kind and caring.

BENIGN

Not harmful, good-hearted.

BEREFT

Lacking or without joy.

BOMBAST

To exaggerate and rave about something.

BOORISH

Lacking manners.

BREVITY

Succinctness, shortness of time.

BUCOLIC

Having a simple and "homey" appearance.

BUREAUCRACY

A large and far-reaching governmental system.

BYZANTINE

Hard to comprehend, intricate.

CACOPHONY

Harsh noise that is almost painful to listen to.

CANDOR

To be completely truthful.

CANTANKEROUS

Irritable and grouchy.

CAPRICIOUS

Random and whimsical.

CENSURE

To be reprimanded for poor behavior.

CHICANERY

Deception, dishonesty.

CHIDE

To scold or reprimand.

CHURLISH

Crude and vulgar.

CLAIRVOYANT

Knowing the future, someone who is very intuitive.

CONCEDE

To back down or give in.

CONCISE

Precise and succinct.

CONDUCIVE

Leading to, facilitating, encouraging.

CONFLAGRATION

A devastating and catastrophic fire.

CONSECRATE

To be deemed or made sacred.

CONTEMPTUOUS

Feeling strong disapproval or condescension.

CONVIVIAL

Friendly and sociable.

CONVOLUTED

Complicated and elaborate.

COPIOUS

A large number, bountiful.

CORROSIVE

Causing something to be ruined or destroyed.

CRYPTIC

Difficult to understand, vague.

CURRENCY

The acknowledgment of something shared among many people.

CURSORY

Done quickly without worrying about detail.

CURTAIL

To limit something.

DALLIANCE

Flirtation, wasting time on something unimportant.

DECIPHER

To figure out or make clear.

DECOROUS

Seemly, appropriate.

DEFERENCE

Respect and accommodation for others.

DEFT

Talented and skillful.

DELETERIOUS

Bad for someone's health.

DELIBERATE (adj)

Careful, cautious.

DELIBERATE (adv)

To consider and think about.

DELUD

To fool or trick.

DENUNCIATION

A rejection of an idea or condemnation of something.

DERELICT

Not taken care of.

DERIVATIVE

Uninventive, created from something else.

DETERRENT

Something that repels or discourages someone.

DEVOID

Without, completely lacking.

DIAPHANOUS

So sheer as to be almost transparent.

DICTUM

A concise, truthful statement.

DIDACTIC

Educational, intended to teach a lesson.

DIFFIDENT

Shy and introverted.

DIGRESS

To go on a tangent.

DILETTANTE

A novice.

DISCERNMENT

The act of understanding and using insight.

DISCRIMINATE

To discern or tell apart.

DISINGENUOUS

Lacking sincerity.

DISMAY

To shock or surprise.

DISPASSIONATE

Unbiased, calm.

DISPERSE

To scatter or break up a group.

DISSENT

To disagree.

DISTINCT

Unique, specific, noticeable.

DOWAGER

A matriarch, often a woman with high status.

DUBIOUS

Doubtful or not certain.

ECCENTRIC

Odd or strange.

EDIFY

To teach or inform.

EFFACE

To wipe off or erase.

EFFUSION

An unrestrained pouring forth.

EGALITARIAN

The concept of equality for all people.

EGOCENTRIC

Self-absorbed.

ELABORATE

Having extreme detail.

ENIGMA

A mystery or puzzle.

ENLIGHTENING

Educational and informative.

EPHEMERAL

Brief or fleeting.

EQUIVOCAL

Perplexing or confusing.

EQUIVOCATE

To evade a question.

ERRATIC

Crazy or random.

ERRONEOUS

Incorrect.

ERUDITE

Scholarly or academically educated.