SAT Words

candid

(adj.) frank, honest, or straightforward

complacent

(adj.) marked by a fake satisfaction or happiness with the current state of things

equivocal

(adj.) unclear; open to more than one interpretation

dubious

(adj.) arguable, questionable, or debatable

enigmatic

(adj.) difficult to interpret

lament

(v.) to mourn a person's death or complain about something unsatisfactory

muse

(v.) to think about deeply

apprehensive

(adj.) fearful that something bad might happen

poignant

(adj.) evoking keen sadness

despondent

(adj.) sad or disheartened

mar

(v.) to impair and therefore make less than perfect

inexorable

(adj.) unstoppable or impossible to prevent

disdain

(n.) an intense dislike

contempt

(n.) a feeling of dislike for something you consider inferior

reproach

(v.) to express disapproval

provenance

(n.) origin

advent

(n.) an emergence or arrival of something

implore

(v.) to beg

entreat

(v.) to ask earnestly

beseech

(v.) to ask with enthusiasm

badger

(v.) to put pressure on someone by asking repeatedly

fervor

(n.) intense feelings of passion

exoneration

(n.) the act of showing that someone is not guilty

impressionable

(adj.) easily affected; inexperienced

onerous

(adj.) something difficult to carry out

arduous

(adj.) difficult and tiring

formidable

(adj.) fear-inspiring due to size

supersede

(v.) to become outdated; to be replaced

subjugate

(v.) to defeat or conquer

abate

(v.) to become less strong; to subside

impugn

(v.) to dispute validity

incongruous

(adj.) out of harmony

irreproachable

(adj.) perfect; blameless

immaculate

(adj.) clean; neat; pure

pragmatic

(adj.) dealing with things in a sensible and realistic way

inconsequential

(adj.) illogical; not yielding effective consequences

conspicuous

(adj.) obvious

flagrant

(adj.) clearly offensive

inconspicuous

(adj.) not easily noticeable

clandestine

(adj.) secretive and hidden; hard to see

empirical

(adj.) based on experiment

transient

(adj.) impermanent; lasting only a short time

ephemeral

(adj.) lasting a very short time

evanescent

(adj.) quickly leaving sight or memory

unfounded

(adj.) having no empirical support

unwarranted

(adj.) not justified or authorized

haphazard

(adj.) random; disorganized

erratic

(adj.) uneven; unpredictable in nature

accrue

(v.) to grow by accumulation

impede

(v.) to stop, prevent, or delay progress

pernicious

(adj.) creating enormous harm, especially when done gradually or gone unnoticed

adverse

(adj.) unfavorable; hostile

inundate

(v.) to overwhelm or flood

glut

(v.) to overfill or satisfy fully

saturate

(v.) to fill

broach

(v.) to bring up a subject in conversation

moot

(v.) to raise a question

synpase

(n.) a connection in the brain that allows a neuron to pass an electrical or chemical signal to other brain cells

proxy

(n.) an agent or a representative

squanderer

(n.) a spender; someone who likes wasting money and resources

analogous

(adj.) similar or comparable in a limited way

couch

(v.) to be expressed in a particular way

shelve

(v.) to decide not to proceed with a proposal or idea

hamper

(v.) to get in the way

table

(v.) to put aside for future consideration

air

(n.) demeanor or mood

doctor

(v.) to alter or modify in order to deceive

plastic

(adj.) changeable; malleable

affect

(v.) to pretend or simulate

embroider

(v.) to elaborate, embellish, or exaggerate

facility

(n.) a talent or innate ability; aptitude

account

(v.) to have an opinion

bank

(v.) to pile up high; to accumulate

conviction

(n.) a strong belief

host

(n.) myriad; multitude; variety

compound

(v.) to make more intense

solvent

(adj.) able to pay all debts

observe

(v.) to follow

state

(n.) government

flag

(v.) to lose energy; to tire

pine

(v.) to long for intensely and persistently

sheer

(adj.) pure

train

(v.) to fixate on

bent

(n.) a strong liking or inclination

qualify

(v.) to provide more information or a greater degree of detail

unqualified

(adj.) absolute; utmost

constitution

(n.) an individual’s physical makeup

patent

(adj.) glaringly obvious

regular

(adj.) even

realize

(v.) to achieve a goal

hobble

(v.) to prevent; to impede

temper

(v.) to soften the effect of

suspend

(v.) to intentionally stop for a time; to defer

bind

(v.) to put under an obligation

tender

(v.) to offer up, usually something formal

buckle

(v.) to bend and give way under pressure or strain

grief

(n.) annoyance

subdued

(adj.) unusually quiet; less active

august

(adj.) esteemed; revered; impressive

precipitate

(v.) to make something happen abruptly