DSAT Vocabulary Study Set #1: Key Terms and Definitions

abrupt

adj- sudden and unexpected

acceptable

adj- able to be accepted or considered satisfactory

accessible

adj- possible to enter or use; easy to obtain

accessory

n- a thing which can be added to something else in order to make it more useful, versatile, or attractive.

accidental

adj- unintentional

acclaim

n- public praise and recognition

accomplishment

n- an achievement, a success

acknowledged

adj- recognized as true or existing

acquire

v- to gain possession of something

adhere

v- to stick to or follow closely

adjust

v- to change something so it serves its purpose better

advantageous

adj- providing an advantage or benefit

advise

v- to help with information, knowledge or ideas in making a decision

affinity

n- a natural attraction or connection to something

aggravate

v- to make a situation worse or more serious

aggressive

adj- ready or likely to attack or confront

ambiguous

adj- unclear or open to interpretation

ambivalence

n- mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

ameliorate

v- to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming

amount

n- a quantity of something

analogy

n- a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way

animosity

n- strong hostility or ill will towards someone or something

anomaly

n- something out of the ordinary

annotate

v- to add notes or comments to a text or diagram

antagonistic

adj- hostile, unfriendly

antecedent

n- a thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another

anticipate

v- to expect beforehand

appreciated

adj- recognized for its value or quality

appropriate

adj- suitable or proper in the circumstances

approximate

adj- close to the actual, but not exact

assert

v- to declare or state as truth

argue

v- to make a claim OR to fight verbally

arrive

v- to reach a place or an idea

ascribe

v- to attribute to a certain cause or source

attached

adj- connected or joined to something

atypical

adj- not typical or usual, abnormal

avoided

v- stayed away from or kept clear of

beneficial

adj- producing or promoting a favorable result, advantageous

beneficiary

n- a person who receives benefits or profits from something

benevolent

adj- well-meaning; generous

blemish

n- a noticeable imperfection

buttress

v- to support or strengthen;

n- a source of defense or support

capitalizing

v- taking advantage of or making the most of a situation

careful

adj- taking care to avoid mistakes or harm

catalog

v- to make an itemized list of OR n- an itemized list

catastrophic

adj- involving or causing sudden great damage or suffering

cause

n- the reason why something happens OR v- to make something occur

challenge

v- to test one's abilities or to dispute the truth or validity of something

characteristic

n- trait

characterization

n- the creation or description of characters in a story

circumvent

v- to find a way around something, to avoid or bypass

coated

adj- covered with a layer of a particular substance

collaboration

n- shared work to achieve a goal

collect

v- to bring together in one place

commercialization

n- the process of making something more suitable or attractive for sale in a commercial market

common

adj- shared by or belonging to 2 or more people or groups OR typical

commonalities

n- similarities or shared features between 2 or more things or people

commonplace

adj- ordinary and widespread

comparable

adj- similar

complementary

adj- combining in a way that enhances or emphasizes the qualities of each other

compliance

n- the action or fact of following a wish, command, or rule

compliment

n- an expression of praise or approval OR v- to praise

compose

v- to create or put together by combining various elements or parts

complicate

v- to make more difficult or complex

conceal

v- to hide or keep secret

concede

v- to admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it

conceptualize

v- to form a concept or idea in the mind

concern

n- a feeling of worry or anxiety about something OR v- to cause worry or anxiety

confident

adj- feeling or showing faith in oneself or one's abilities

conform

v. to comply with rules and standards

consistent

adj- in agreement or harmony with something else

conspicuous

adj- clearly visible and prominent

constrict

v- to make something narrower or tighter

construct

v- to build

contentious

adj- controversial or likely to cause an argument

contingent on

idiom- dependent on something that is not yet certain

contracted

v- became smaller or tighter OR entered into a formal agreement

contradiction

n- a direct opposition between things compared; inconsistency

contrived

adj- created or arranged in a way that seems artificial or unrealistic

controversial

adj- causing disagreement or argument

convey

v- to communicate or make known

copious

adj- plentiful or abundant

cordial

adj- warm and friendly

corroborate

v- to confirm or give support to a statement, theory, or finding

counterattack

n- an attack made in response to an attack by the enemy

create

v- to bring something into existence or cause it to happen

criteria

n- standards by which something is judged or decided

critical

adj- of crucial importance OR expressing adverse or disapproving comments or judgments

criticize

v- to condemn or judge something harshly

deceptive

adj- misleading

decide

v- to determine or settle a question

defend

v- to protect or guard against attack, danger, or injury

delegate

v- to entrust or assign responsibility or authority to someone

demand

v- to request or require something to be done or given

deny

v- to refuse to something that is requested or demanded

deplete

v- to use up or exhaust a resource or supply

describe

v- to give an account of something in words

despise

v- to hate or look on something with scorn

determine

v- to decide or come to a conclusion