SAT vocab words: o, p, & q

obdurate

stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course of action

obfuscate

render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible

oblivious

not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one

obsequious

obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree

obstinate

stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so

obviate

remove a need of difficulty

officious

assertive of authority in an annoyingly domineering way, especially with regard to petty or trivial matters

ominous

giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening; inauspicious

omnipotent

having unlimited power; able to do anything

opaque

not able to be seen through; not transparent

opulent

ostentatiously rich and luxurious or lavish

ostensible

stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so

ostentatious

characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice

palliate

make a disease or its symptoms less severe or unpleasant without removing the cause

palpable

able to be touched or felt

panacea

a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases

paragon

a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality

pariah

an outcast

parochial

relating to a church parish

parsimonious

unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy or frugal

paucity

the presence of something in only small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity

pedantic

excessively concerned with minor details or rules; overscrupulous

pejorative

expressing contempt or disapproval

penchant

a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something

penury

extreme poverty; destitution

perfunctory

carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection

pernicious

having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way

petulant

childishly sulky or bad-tempered

phlegmatic

having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition

pithy

concise and forcefully expensive

placate

make someone less angry or hostile

platitude

a remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful

plausible

seemingly reasonable or probable

plight

a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation

plummet

fall or drop straight down at high speed

poignant

evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret

polemic

a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something

ponderous

slow and clumsy because of great weight

portend

be a sign or warning that something momentous or calamitous is likely to happen

potentate

a monarch or ruler, especially an autocratic one

pragmatic

dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations

precarious

not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse

precipitate

cause an event or situation, typically one that is bad or undesirable, to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely

preclude

prevent from happening; make impossible

precocious

having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual

predilection

a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favor of something

prescience

the fact of knowing something before it takes place; foreknowledge

prevaricate

speak or act in an evasive way

proclivity

a tendency to choose or do something regularly; an inclination or predisposition toward a particular thing

prodigal

spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant

profligate

recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources

profound

very great or intense

prolific

present in large numbers or quantities; plentiful

propensity

an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way

propitious

giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable

prosaic

having the style or diction of prose; lacking poetic beauty

protean

tending or able to change frequently or easily

prowess

skill or expertise in a particular field

prudent

acting with or showing care and thought for the future

puerile

childishly silly and trivial

pugnacious

eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight

pulchritude

beauty

punctilious

showing great attention to detail or correct behavior

pungent

having a sharply strong taste or smell

quagmire

a soft boggy area of land that gives way underfoot

quandary

a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation

quell

put an end to rebellion or other disorder, typically by the use of force

querulous

complaining in a petulant or whiny manner

quintessential

representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class

quixotic

exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical