The 1000 Most Common SAT Words – Core Vocabulary Review

A curated set of core SAT vocabulary terms with concise definitions to aid exam review. Use these flashcards to test recall and understanding of high-frequency words.

abase

to humiliate or degrade

abate

to reduce, lessen

abdicate

to give up a position of leadership

abduct

to kidnap, take by force

aberration

something that differs from the norm

abet

to aid, help, encourage

abhor

to hate, detest

abide

to put up with; to remain

abject

wretched, pitiful

abjure

to reject or renounce

abnegation

denial of comfort to oneself

abort

to give up on a half-finished project

abridge

to shorten or cut down

abrogate

to abolish by authority

abscond

to sneak away and hide

absolution

freedom from blame or guilt

abstain

to choose not to commit an action

abstruse

hard to comprehend

accede

to agree

accentuate

to emphasize or highlight

accessible

obtainable, reachable

acclaim

high praise

accolade

special distinction, award

accommodating

helpful, obliging, polite

accord

an agreement

accost

to confront verbally

accretion

slow growth in size

acerbic

biting or bitter in tone

acquiesce

to agree without protest

acrimony

bitterness or discord

acumen

keen insight

acute

sharp, severe; having keen insight

adamant

unyielding, immovable

adept

extremely skilled

adhere

to stick to; to follow devoutly

admonish

to caution or criticize

adorn

to decorate

adroit

skillful, dexterous

adulation

extreme praise

adumbrate

to sketch out vaguely

adverse

antagonistic, unfavorable

advocate

to argue for; a supporter

aerial

related to the air

aesthetic

artistic, appreciating beauty

affable

friendly, amiable

affinity

a natural liking or closeness

affluent

rich, wealthy

affront

an insult

aggrandize

to increase in power or size

aggregate

a total; to gather into a mass

aggrieved

distressed, wronged

agile

quick, nimble

agnostic

one who believes God’s existence can’t be proven

agriculture

farming

aisle

a passageway between rows

alacrity

eagerness, speed

alias

a false name or identity

allay

to soothe or ease

allege

to assert without proof

alleviate

to relieve, make more bearable

allocate

to distribute, set aside

aloof

reserved, distant

altercation

a dispute or fight

amalgamate

to unite or combine

ambiguous

uncertain, interpretable in several ways

ambivalent

having opposing feelings

ameliorate

to improve

amenable

willing, compliant

amenity

something that adds comfort

amiable

friendly

amicable

friendly, without disagreement

amorphous

without definite shape

anachronistic

out of correct chronological order

analgesic

pain reliever

analogous

similar so comparisons can be made

anarchist

one who wants no government

anathema

a cursed or detested person

anecdote

a short, humorous account

anesthesia

loss of sensation

anguish

extreme sadness or torment

animated

lively

annex

to add territory; an added room

annul

to make void or invalid

anomaly

something abnormal

anonymous

unknown, unrecognized

antagonism

hostility

antecedent

something that came before

antediluvian

ancient, very old

anthology

a collection of writings or songs

antipathy

strong dislike

antiquated

old, outdated

antiseptic

clean, sterile

antithesis

the exact opposite

anxiety

intense uneasiness

apathetic

lacking concern or emotion

apocryphal

fictitious, of doubtful authenticity

appalling

shocking, horrifying

appease

to calm or satisfy

appraise

to assess the value of

apprehend

to seize or arrest; to understand