SSAT Prep Flashcards

Adorn

to decorate or add beauty to something, often through embellishment or enhancements.

Aloof

not friendly or forthcoming; emotionally detached or distant.

Amiable

having a friendly and pleasant manner; sociable and easy to get along with.

Aghast

filled with shock or horror; greatly surprised and terrified.

Bias

a tendency to favor one thing over another, often resulting in unfair treatment or judgment.

Barren

land that is empty or devoid of vegetation; unable to produce crops or sustain life.

Boast

to talk with pride about one's achievements or possessions, often in a way that is exaggerated or self-satisfied.

Calamity

a disastrous event causing great damage or distress.

Colossal

extremely large or great in size, extent, or degree; massive.

Callous

showing an insensitive and cruel disregard for others; emotionally hardened.

Dearth

a scarcity or lack of something, often referring to insufficient supply or inadequate quantity.

Desist

to stop doing something; cease.

Depiction

the action of representing or portraying something in art, literature, or other forms.

Destitute

lacking the basic necessities of life, such as food, shelter, and clothing.

Eclectic

deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.

Effective

producing a desired or intended result, achieving goals efficiently.

Evict

to remove someone from a property or premises legally, often due to failure to pay rent.

Exult

to show or feel a lively or triumphant joy, especially after a success or victory.

Fathomable

able to be understood or comprehended.

Feeble

lacking physical strength, weak, or inadequate.

Fiasco

a complete and ignominious failure, typically in a public context.

Haphazard

characterized by a lack of order or planning; random.

Heritage

the traditions, achievements, beliefs, and culture passed down from previous generations.

Grapple

to struggle or deal with a difficult issue or challenge.

Guerrilla

terrorist, rebel

Hierarchy

a system of ranking or organizing people or groups based on authority or status.

Incite

to stir up or provoke behavior, often leading to violence or unrest.

Immune

cannot be hurt by something

insolent

showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect

lofty

elevated, soaring, towering

labyrinth

a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one’s way: a maze

lichen

a plantlike organism that typically forms a low crusty, leaflike or branching growth rocks

mosaic

a picture or pattern produced by arranging together small colored pieces of hard material

jovial

cheerful and friendly

keen

highly developed

motley

varied in apperance

nemesis

the agent of someone’s or something’s downfall

nuisance

an obnoxious or annoying person, thing, practice, etc.

nostalgia

thoughts of the past, yearning for the happiness of a former place or time

obedience

listening to someone or something

ornate

fancy, elaborate, elegant

obstinate

stubborn, determined, headstrong

pacify

appease, placate, smooth over

paradox

contradiction, absurdity, inconsistency

palpate

touch, massage, examine

quarantine

isolate, seclude, separate

quota

allotment, allowance, portion

Rectify

correct, improve, revise

Renaissance

renewal, rebirth, awakening

Sacrifice

give up, surrender, lose

silhouette

outline, shadow, shape

tamper

interfere, alter, damage

tentative

unsettled, indefinite, uncertain

unanimous

in agreement, unified, uncontested

unison

harmony and accord

vacant

empty, unoccupied, deserted

vertebrate

mammal, creature with a backbone, animal

wane

diminish, lessen, decrease

woe

suffering, sorrow, sadness

zeal

enthusiasm, devotion, intensity

abrupt

brief, blunt, rude

adversary

enemy, attacker, rival

boisterous

noisy, rowdy, unruly

candid

honest, blunt, outspoken

concur

agree, approve, assent

esoteric

mysterious, obscure, cryptic

florid

decorative, ornate, embellished

frugal

economical, thrifty, careful

innate

native, inborn, intrinsic

lackluster

dull, lifeless, boring

ambivalence

the state of contradictory attitudes or feelings

anomalous

deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected

appease

pacify or placate someone by playing by their demands

affront

an action or remark that causes outrage or offense

repeal

to cancel a law, or to revoke

replenish

fill up again

sentimental

of or prompted by feelings of sadness or nostalgia

scarce

insufficient for the demand

spectacle

visually striking or public display

preclude

prevent from happening; make impossible

pragmatic

dealing with things sensibly and realistically

parole

the release of a prisoner

obdurate

stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course of action

nuance

subtle differences or distinction

trivial

of little value or importance

toxic

something poisonous or harmful

tumultuous

making a loud, confused noise

bucolic

relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside

superfluous

unnecessary, especially through being more than enough

stifle

make unable to breathe properly

symbiosis

association between something and helping each other

apothecary

a person who prepared and sold medicines and drugs

fallacy

flaw in reasoning that makes an argument invalid

flamboyant

tending to attract attention because of their confidence

formidable

inspiring fear or respect through being large or powerful

eloquent

fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing

embezzle

steal something (usually money)

ergo

therefore

eradicate

destroy completely; put an end to

despondent

in low spirits from loss of hope or courage