DSAT Vocabulary

Vocab to know for the SAT!!

Abate

To reduce in intensity; to lessen

Abet

To support or encourage

Abhor

To hate something

Abnegate

To deny or to give up the right or privilege to something

Abscond

To escape, run away, or let go of something

Advocate

To support or argue for a cause

Allue

To refer to something indirectly; commonly used in literature

Ambiguity

Something that can be understood or interpreted in more than one manner

Analogy

A comparison of two otherwise unalike things based on resemblance of a particular aspect; widely used in literature

Apprehend

To arrest someone recognize the meaning of an idea or a thing

Articulate

To explain something clearly

Bane

Something capable of causing destruction or ruin

Bereft

Lacking something needed, wanted, or expected; a person grieving death of a loved one

Bias

To possess an inclined outlook towards an object or an idea

Berate

To scold someone strongly

Brevity

Something or event that is short in length or duration

Cache

A secure place that is used to store objects secretly

Capitalize

To profit from a resource or an opportunity

Capitulate

To surrender on terms agreed upon in advance

Credible

Something that can be trusted on the basis of logic or rationale

Corroborate

To support with evidence or authority

Complacent

Accepting something after being self-satisfied

Contrue

To construct or interpret meaning out of a sentence or words

Contentious

Inclined towards argument or dispute

Covet

Want or desire

Dearth

Lack or absence of something

Debunk

To expose the falseness of a fact

Defunct

Extinct or no longer functioning

Didactic

Something that is intended to be taught

Delegate

A representative; to entrust work or responsibility to another person

Dispel

To drive away something (can also be a belief system or a myth)

Doctrine

Something that can be trusted on the basis of logic or rationale

Dogma

Something considered an established opinion (can be a belief or a set of moral codes)

Eclectic

Composed of elements drawn from various sources; can be used to refer to a person who pursues an eclectic method or approach

Embezzle

To take something (usually money or property) dishonestly for one’s own use

Elicit

To draw out an answer or explanation often by skillful questioning or discussion

Empirical

Something capable of being derived, verified, or disproved by observation or experiment

Emulate

To try to be like or better than something

Espouse

To take up and support as a cause; to marry someone

Extort

To take something forcefully from a person

Expedite

To speed up the process or progress of an even

Extraneous

Alien; something that exists or comes from outside

Equivocal

Something that is unclear or uncertain in its meaning

Foil

A very thin sheet of metal; something or someone that serves as a contrast to another

Fallacy

A false or mistaken idea

Fortuitous

Fortunate or lucky

Flagrant

So bad as to be impossible to overlook

Grandiloquent

A lofty, extravagant, or bombastic style, especially used in literature

Gratuitous

Something that is required by the circumstance but done or provided freely

Hapless

Unfortunate

Hegemony

The social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group

Heterogenous

Something originating from an outside source; something consisting of different elements from various sources

Hubris

A heightened sense of self-pride or overconfidence

Idiosyncrasy

A way of behaving or thinking that is characteristic of a person

Impetuous

Impulsive

Impute

To blame someone unjustly

Incumbent

Someone who occupies a particular position or place

Incite

To move to action; to make something happen

Insurgent

Someone who revolts against civil authority or an established government; a rebel

Licentious

Someone who disregards moral, ethical or legal restraints

Linchpin

Someone or something that holds together multiple pieces or people together

Litigate

To decide and settle in a court of law

Maxim

Universal truth, fundamental principle, or rule of conduct, or proverb

Multifarious

Something or an event that has multiple variety

Nadir

The lowest point of something

Noxious

Something that is harmful or destructive

Opine

To put forth one’s point-of-view about something

Ostensible

To demonstrate or exhibit

Ostracism

The state of being outcasted or barred from a community or group

Paradigm

An example showing how something is to be done; a model

Partisan

A person who is strongly devoted to a particular cause or group

Pejorative

A word or phrase that has negative connotations

Penchant

Having persistant knack or interest in something

Placid

Free of disturbance; calm

Prerogative

An exclusive or special right, power, or privilege

Prompt

Something that asks someone to do or operate; being ready and quick to act

Prosecute

To carry on a legal action against an accused person to prove his or her guilt; to follow up to the end

Quaint

Something marked by beauty, skillful design or being strikingly old-fashioned

Quixotic

Impractical especially in the foolish pursuit of ideals

Refute

To deny or disregard

Relegate

To banish or send into exile; to carry out a decision

Requisition

To require or demand something, especially by an authority

Sanctity

The quality of being holy or sacred

Sanctuary

A safe or a sacred place

Sanguine

To be sure and certain of something; something that has the color of blood

Serendipity

The gift of finding valuable things not looked for

Solicit

To approach with a request or plea, to make a petition to, especially a judicial body

Spur

Impulsive; to move to action

Serrptitious

Done, made, or acquired by stealth and secrecy

Tirade

A long violent angry speech

Torpid

Someone lacking in energy or enthusiasm

Torrent

A violent or forceful flow of wind or water

Travesty

An inferior imitation of something

Ubiquitous

Existing or being everywhere at the same time

Undermine

To weaken or ruin secretly or gradually

Utilitarian

Someone who believes that the value of something lies in its usefulness

Veracity

Being true

Vestige

A trace or mark left by something

Vilify

To utter slanderous and abusive statements against

Warrant

To give proof of the authenticity or truth of something