sat.vocab

Abase

Abase

To humiliate or degrade someone (e.g., The deposed leader was abased by his conqueror.)

Abate

To reduce or lessen (e.g., The rain poured down for a while, then abated.)

Abdicate

To give up a position, usually one of leadership (e.g., The king abdicated his throne to the revolutionaries.)

Abduct

To kidnap or take by force (e.g., The evildoers abducted the fairy princess.)

Aberration

Something that differs from the norm (e.g., The Red Sox's World Series win in 1918 was an aberration.)

Abet

To aid, help, or encourage (e.g., The spy succeeded because he had a friend on the inside to abet him.)

Abhor

To hate or detest (e.g., Oswald began to abhor soccer after repeated failures.)

Abide

1. To put up with or tolerate. 2. To remain or endure (e.g., Chuck decided to abide by the decision.)

Abject

Wretched or pitiful (e.g., Eloise was abject after a series of unfortunate events.)

Abjure

To reject or renounce (e.g., The President abjured the evil policies of his predecessor.)

Anesthesia

Loss of sensation, often due to nerve damage or medical intervention.

Anguish

Extreme sadness or torment, often caused by distressing events or situations.

Animated

Lively, full of energy or enthusiasm, especially when discussing a passion.

Annex (v.)

To incorporate territory or space, often through conquest or legal means.

Annex (n.)

A room attached to a larger space, like a library or building.

Annul

To make void or invalid, typically referring to laws or agreements.

Anomaly

Something that deviates from the normal order or expectation, often unusual or unexpected.

Anonymous

Being unknown or unrecognized, such as an anonymous gift or message.

Antagonism

Hostility or opposition between individuals or groups.

Antecedent

Something that came before, especially in the context of traditions or history.

Burnish

to polish or shine, as in cleaning silverware.

Buttress (v.)

to support or hold up, like a column supporting a roof.

Buttress (n.)

something that offers support, such as a structure supporting a roof.

Cacophony

tremendous noise or disharmonious sound, like an orchestra playing badly.

Cadence

a rhythm or progression of sound, often emphasized in music.

Cajole

to urge or coax someone into doing something, like persuading a friend to attend a party.

Calamity

an event with disastrous consequences, such as a natural disaster.

Calibrate

to set or standardize, like adjusting a car's transmission for efficiency.

Callous

harsh, cold, or unfeeling, as in lacking remorse.

Calumny

an attempt to ruin someone's reputation by spreading lies.

Camaraderie

brotherhood or jovial unity, often leading to success in business.

Candor

honesty or frankness, like being surprised by a politician's openness.

Canny

shrewd or careful, as in a runner strategically planning their race.

Canvas (n.)

a piece of cloth for painting or a surface for inspection.

Canvas (v.)

to cover or inspect thoroughly, like searching a neighborhood for clues.

Capacious

very spacious, like a large office.

Capitulate

to surrender, often after a long battle.

Capricious

subject to whim or fickle behavior, making it hard to focus on goals.

Captivate

to get attention or hold interest, like a captivating fireworks display.

Carouse

to party or celebrate, as after a wedding.

Carp

to annoy or pester, like listening to constant complaints.

Catalog (v.)

to list or enter into a list, such as documenting injuries.

Catalog (n.)

a list or collection, like a catalog of new items.

Catalyze

to charge or inspire, like a speech reviving the economy.

Caucus

a meeting held by people working toward a common goal.

Caustic

bitter, biting, or acidic, like politicians exchanging insults.

Cavort

to leap about or behave boisterously, as children playing around a pool.

Conduit

A pipe or channel through which something passes.

Confection

A sweet, fancy food.

Confidant

A person entrusted with secrets.

Conflagration

A great fire.

Confluence

A gathering together.

Conformist

One who behaves the same as others.

Confound

To frustrate, confuse.

Congeal

To thicken into a solid.

Congenial

Pleasantly agreeable.

Congregation

A gathering of people, especially for religious services.

Congruity

The quality of being in agreement.

Connive

To plot, scheme.

Consecrate

To dedicate something to a holy purpose.

Consensus

An agreement of opinion.

Consign

To give something over to another’s care.

Consolation

An act of comforting.

Consonant

In harmony.

Constituent

An essential part.

Constrain

To forcibly restrict.

Construe

To interpret.

Diaphanous

Light, airy, transparent (e.g., Sunlight poured in through the diaphanous curtains, brightening the room.)

Didactic

1. Intended to instruct (e.g., She wrote up a didactic document showing new employees how to handle the company’s customers.) 2. Overly moralistic (e.g., His didactic style of teaching made it seem like he wanted to persuade his students not to understand history fully, but to understand it from only one point of view.)

Diffident

Shy, quiet, modest (e.g., While eating dinner with the adults, the diffident youth did not speak for fear of seeming presumptuous.)

Diffuse

1. To scatter, thin out, break up (e.g., He diffused the tension in the room by making a joke.) 2. Not concentrated, scattered, disorganized (e.g., In her writings, she tried unsuccessfully to make others understand her diffuse thoughts.)

Dilatory

Tending to delay, causing delay (e.g., The general’s dilatory strategy enabled the enemy to regroup.)

Diligent

Showing care in doing one’s work (e.g., The diligent researcher made sure to check her measurements multiple times.)

Diminutive

Small or miniature (e.g., The bullies, tall and strong, picked on the diminutive child.)

Dirge

A mournful song, especially for a funeral (e.g., The bagpipers played a dirge as the casket was carried to the cemetery.)

Disaffected

Rebellious, resentful of authority (e.g., Dismayed by Bobby’s poor behavior, the parents sent their disaffected son to a military academy to be disciplined.)

Disavow

To deny knowledge of or responsibility for (e.g., Not wanting others to criticize her, she disavowed any involvement in the company’s hiring scandal.)

Engender

to bring about, create, generate (During the Olympics, the victories of U.S. athletes engender a patriotic spirit among Americans.)

Enigmatic

mystifying, cryptic (That man wearing the dark suit and dark glasses is so enigmatic that no one even knows his name.)

Enmity

ill will, hatred, hostility (Mark and Andy have clearly not forgiven each other, because the enmity between them is obvious to anyone in their presence.)

Ennui

boredom, weariness (I feel such ennui that I don’t look forward to anything, not even my birthday party.)

Entail

to include as a necessary step (Building a new fence entails tearing down the old one.)

Enthrall

to charm, hold spellbound (The sailor’s stories of fighting off sharks and finding ancient treasures enthralled his young son.)

Ephemeral

short-lived, fleeting (She promised she’d love me forever, but her “forever” was only ephemeral:she left me after one week.)

Epistolary

relating to or contained in letters (Some people call me “Auntie’s boy,” because my aunt and I have such a close epistolary relationship that we write each other every day.)

Epitome

a perfect example, embodiment (My mother, the epitome of good taste, always dresses more elegantly than I do.)

Equanimity

composure (Even though he had just been fired, Mr. Simms showed great equanimity by neatly packing up his desk and wishing everyone in the office well.)

Goad

to urge, spur, incite to action

Gourmand

someone fond of eating and drinking

Grandiloquence

lofty, pompous language

Grandiose

on a magnificent or exaggerated scale

Gratuitous

uncalled for, unwarranted

Gregarious

drawn to the company of others, sociable

Grievous

injurious, hurtful; serious or grave in nature

Guile

deceitful, cunning, sly behavior

Hackneyed

unoriginal, trite

Hallowed

revered, consecrated

Hapless

unlucky

Harangue

a ranting speech

Hardy

robust, capable of surviving through adverse conditions