SAT Vocab

abate

to reduce; to lessen

abbreviate

to shorten

abdicate

to give up a position

abberation

a departure from the norm or standard

abhor

to detest or loathe

abjure

to renounce or reject a previously held belief

abrogate

to abolish or annul formally

abstinence

refraining from what you want

acerbic

harsh, severe, sour, bitter

acquiesce

to comply, to submit

acrimony

bitterness or sharpness of manner, speech and behavior

acumen

insight, sharpness

adulation

a very high praise

adumbrate

to give an indication to something in advance

adversity

misfortune, hardship

aesthetic

having to do something with beauty

alacrity

liveliness and eagerness

amicable

agreeable, nice, friendly

anachronistic

out-of-date of innappropriate at the time in question

anathema

a hated person or thing; a curse

anecdote

short story

anonymous

nameless, without a disclosed identity

antagonist

rival, opponent

antipathy

disgust, aversion, hatred

approbation

approval, praise

arduous

hard, difficult

arid

very dry

arrogate

to claim, assume without right

ascetic

practicing self-denial

aspersion

slander, a damaging remark or criticism

assiduous

hard-working, persistent, persevering

asylum

sanctuary, refuge, safe place

belligerent

warlike, prone to arging and fighting

benevolent

kind, helpful

bias

prejudice, preconcieved notion

blandish

to praise somewhat dishonestly, to cajole

boisterous

loudly enthusiastic

boon

blessing or benefir, something to be grateful for

brazen

shameless, bold

brusque

rude, short, terse

buffet

to strike with force, to give a violent shock

burnish

to make brilliant or shiny

buttress

a prop or support

cacaphony

unpleasant sounds, harsh noise

cajole

to coax, to deceive by flattery

calumny

slander, a false or malicious statement made to harm a reputation

camaraderie

a feeling of close friendship and trust among a particular group of people

canny

careful, shrewd

capacious

large, spacious

capitulate

to surrender, to give up

capricious

fickle, unpredictable

cesure

to criticize harshly

circuitous

indirect, roundabout

clairvoyant

able to see into and predict the future

clemency

mercy, pity, kindness

cogent

to the point, relevant, convincing

collaborate

to work together

compassion

sympathy, mercy, feeling of wanting to help

compromise

to settle a dispute by agreeing to accept less than what was originially sought

concomitant

existing/happening along wiht something else

condescending

patronizing, disdainful, haughty

conditional

depending on something else

conflagration

a large fire

conformist

someone who follows the majority or the norm

congregation

a gatherine of people

contrite

sorry, remorseful

conundrum

a puzzling question, a difficult riddle or problem

coonvergence

coming together

credulity

gullibility, tendency to believe easily

cupidity

greed for fain, especially for money or property