Barron's HSPT 3rd Edition Commonly Tested Words Complete List

abate

(v.) to make less in amount, degree, etc.; to subside, become less; to nullify; to deduct, omit

abet

to Aid

abjure

to renounce, to give up something

abode

to wait or delay, a temporary stay

accord

(n.) agreement, harmony; (v.) to agree, be in harmony or bring into harmony; to grant, bestow on

acrid

Harsh in taste or odor; sharp in manner or temper

adamant

hard stubborn

adept

(adj.) thoroughly skilled; (n.) an expert

adjacent

(adj) near, next to, adjoining.

advocate

A person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.

affable

(adj.) courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to

affliction

a cause of great suffering and distress

agile

nimble quick

akin

related to or alike

allege

To assert without proof

allot

to distribute

aloof

distant or unsympathetic in attitude

allure

(v.) to entice, tempt; to be attractive to; (n.) a strong attraction; the power to attract, charm

ambiguous

doubtful or uncertain; can be interpreted several ways

amiss

(adj.) faulty, imperfect, not as it should be; (adv.) in a mistaken or improper way, wrongly

anarchy

(n) a lack of government and law; confusion

antithesis

the opposite

apathetic

Feeling or showing little emotion

apex

(n.) the highest point, tip

apocryphal

doubtful in authenticity

ardor

passion

articulate

able to speak clearly and expressively

aspire

(v.) to have ambitious hopes or plans, strive toward a higher goal, desire earnestly; to ascend

assimilate

(v.) to absorb fully or make one's own; to adopt as one's own; to adapt fully

assuage

to make easier

astute

wise in a clever or pratical way, (adj.) shrewd, crafty, showing practical wisdom

atrocity

An act of great cruelty and wickedness

audacious

fearless and daring

augment

(v.) to make larger, increase

avert

To turn away

avid

(adj) desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

avuncular

Helpful friendly(uncle like)

awry

(adj., adv.) in a turned or twisted position or direction; wrong, out of the right or hoped-for course

banter

(v.) to exchange playful remarks, tease; (n.) talk that is playful and teasing

barter

(n.) an exchange in trade; (v.) to exchange goods

bellicose

warlike

benefactor

(n.) one who does good to others

benighted

being in a state of intellectual darkness; ignorant; unenlightened

benign

good

bigot

Narrow-minded, prejudiced person

bizarre

weird, odd

blatant

..., (adj.) noisy in a coarse, offensive way; obvious or conspicuous, especially in an unfavorable sense

bleak

blank

Blithe

Happy

Boon

Gift

Breach

A break(n) to break(v)

Cache

A hiding place

Candid

..., Completely honest, straightforward

Capacious

..., (adj.) able to hold much, roomy

Capricious

..., changing one's mind quickly and often

Capsize

To flip over, (v.) to turn bottom side up, upset

Cascade

To descend

Chaff

..., Husks of grain separated from the seed by threshing.

Chastise

..., To punish severely

Circumlocution

Talking in a roundabout way

Citadel

..., (n.) a fortress that overlooks and protects a city; any strong or commanding place

Clad

..., A diagram that is based on patterns of shared, derived traits and that shows the evolutionary relationships between groups of organisms

Clarify

To clear up

Cogent

..., convincing and well-reasoned

Cogitate

..., To think about deeply and carefully

Component

..., A part or element of a larger whole.

Concur

To agree

Confiscate

..., (v.) to seize by authority; to take and keep

Connoisseur

..., a person with expert knowledge or discriminating tastes

Console

Comfort

Copious

..., Abundant; plentiful

counterfeit

(n.) an imitation designed to deceive; (adj.) not genuine, fake; (v.) to make an illegal copy

covet

(v.) to desire something belonging to another

credulous

too trusting; gullible

crucial

(adj.) of supreme importance, decisive, critical

crusade

1096 Christian Europe aim to reclaim Jerusalem and aid they Byzantines; 1st success and the rest a failure; weakens the Byzantines; opens up trade

culminate

(v.) to reach a high point of development; to end, climax

debut

A first appearance

deceptive

Intending to mislead or trick

decipher

Decode

decree

An order having the force of law

deface

to mar the appearance of; vandalize

defer

respect; courtesy

deplete

To use up

deplore

(v.) to feel or express regret or disapproval

deploy

(v.) to position or arrange; to utilize; to form up

deter

To discourage

dexterous

(adj.) skillful in the use of hands or body; clever

dialect

A regional variety of a language distinguished by vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation.

dilemma

a choice between two unpleasant or difficult options

Diminutive

small

Dire

..., A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives

Discern

..., (v.) to see clearly, recognize

Discreet

..., careful

Discrete

..., Distinct, separate

Disdain

..., Intense dislike

Disgruntled

..., (adj., part) in bad humor, discontented, annoyed

Dismal

..., Causing great sadness or pessimism

Dispatch

..., (v.) to send off for a purpose; to kill; (n.) an official message; promptness, speed; the act of killing

Distraught

..., (adj.) very much agitated or upset as a result of emotion or mental conflict