SAT VOCAB

abstract (adj.)

hard to understand

advocate (n.)

a person who argues in favor of a position

affront (n.)

insult; a deliberate act of disrespect

alleviate (v.)

to relieve, usually temporarily or incompletely; to make bearable

allocate (v.)

to distribute; to assign; to allot

amass (verb)

to gather together or accumulate over time

ambiguous (adj.)

unclear in meaning; confusing; capable of multiple interpretations

ambivalent (adj.)

undecided; having opposing feelings simultaneously

amenable (adj.)

obedient; willing to give in to the wishes of another

amiable (adj.)

friendly; agreeable

amicable (adj.)

politely friendly; not hostile

amoral (adj.)

lacking a sense of right and wrong; neither good nor bad

amorous (adj.)

feeling loving, especially in a romantic sense

amorphous (adj.)

shapeless; without a regular or stable shape; blob

anachronism (n.)

something out of place in time or history; an incongruity

analogy (n.)

a comparison of one thing to another; similarity

annex (v.)

to add or attach; to incorporate

antagonistic (adj.)

hostile; acting in opposition

anthropomorphic (adj.)

ascribing human characteristics to nonhuman animals or objects

anticipate (v.)

to expect; to foresee

antipathy (n.)

firm dislike; hatred

antithesis (n.)

the direct opposite

apt (adj.)

accurate or appropriate

assert (v.)

to state firmly; to claim

assertion (noun)

statement

assiduous (adj.)

showing great care

autocratic (adj.)

ruling with absolute authority; extremely bossy

autonomous (adj.)

acting independently

bane (noun)

source of distress or harm

beguile (verb)

charm or enchant

benediction (n.)

a blessing; an utterance of good wishes

benefactor (n.)

one who provides help, especially in the form of a gift or donation

beneficial (adj.)

helpful

benevolent (adj.)

generous; kind; doing good deeds

benign (adj.)

gentle; not harmful; kind; mild

berate (verb)

scold or criticize

bereft (adj.)

deprived or lacking

bestow (v.)

give or award something

betrothal (n.)

engagement to be married

bias (noun)

prejudice

blandishment (noun)

a flattering statement used to persuade someone

bolster (verb)

support

bombast (n.)

pompous or pretentious speech or writing

bombastic (adj.)

inflated

bovine (adj.)

cow

braggart (noun)

someone who boasts

brawn (n.)

big muscles; great strength

brevity (noun)

concise

burgeon (v.)

to expand; to flourish

cacophony (noun)

a discordant mixture of sounds

cajole (verb)

persuade someone via flattery

callous (adj.)

cruel disregard for others

calumny (noun)

slander

camaraderie (noun)

friendship

candid (adj.)

truthful

candor (noun)

quality of being honest

capitalism (n.)

economic system with private business ownership

carouse (verb)

drink and party in a lively way

carp (verb)

complain about trivial matters

castigate (v.)

to criticize severely; to chastise

catastrophic (adj.)

involving large

cavort (verb)

dance around excitedly

censorious (adj.)

critical of others

cerebral (adj.)

brainy; intellectually refined

chronic (adj.)

occurring often and repeatedly over a long period of time

chronicle (n.)

a record of events in order of time; a history

circumlocution (noun)

using many words, particularly in an evasive way

circumnavigate (v.)

to sail or travel all the way around

circumscribe (v.)

to draw a line around; to set the limits; to define; to restrict

circumscribe (verb)

restrict within limits

circumspect (adj.)

cautious

circumvent (v.)

to get around something in a clever, occasionally dishonest way

clamor (noun)

a loud and confused noise

clout (noun)

influence or power

cognizant (adj.)

having knowledge of

colonization (n.)

process of settling in and controlling a foreign land

commensurate (adj.)

equal to

comparable (adj.)

similar to another thing

compensation (n.)

something given in exchange for services or to make up for loss

complacent (adj.)

self

complement (verb)

add to or make complete

compunction (noun)

a feeling of guilt

concede (v.)

to admit; to acknowledge as true; to yield

concomitant (adj.)

naturally accompanying

conducive (adj.)

helps produce positive or desired results

conduit (noun)

a vessel or channel for transporting something

conflagration (noun)

a large fire

conflate (verb)

to combine two or more ideas, pieces of information, or things into one

congregate (v.)

to come together

connive (verb)

trick; conspire

consensus (n.)

general agreement; majority of opinion

consign (verb)

assign or deliver something into someone else's custody

constituent (adj.)

being part of a whole

constructive (adj.)

helpful, useful

construe (verb)

interpret

contend (verb)

reckon with; struggle against

contentious (adj.)

likely to cause an argument

contiguous (adj.)

side by side; adjoining

contravene (verb)

violate the order of; conflict

contrite (adj.)

feeling of remorse or guilt