SAT Vocab Powerscore pages 40-50

propensity

a natural tendency

raze

to tear down

rebuke

to sharply criticize or reprimand

remiss

careless and neglectful

reproach

to blame; to express criticism towards

sanction

to approve

scoff

to laugh at and show open disrespect

solemn

intensely serious

stagnant

not moving, flowing, or progressing

stymie

to stump or hinder

subversive

supporting the overthrowing of a government

sully

to make dirty or unpure

tact

consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offense

tactile

having to do with the sense of touch

transcend

to rise above or exceed the limits

transient

passing quickly or staying briefly

trite

repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse

vacillate

to waver or move back and forth

vanquish

to defeat

verbose

using or containing too many words

vicarious

experienced through another person

wane

to grow smaller

wistful

expressing longing or yearning

agnostic

a person who believes the existence of God is impossible to prove

amateur

a person who pursues a study or sport as a pastime rather than as a profession

anarchist

a person who encourages revolt against established laws or government

aristocrat

a person who belongs to the highest or most privileged class in a society

ascetic

a person who practices self

authoritarian

a person who expects unquestioned obedience

autocrat

a person who rules with complete power and authority

avenger

a person who seeks justice or revenge

bard

a poet

belittler

a person who takes away the importance of another person or situation

benefactor

a person who helps people or institutions, especially with financial help

beneficiary

a person or group that receives funds or other benefits

boor

a person who is rude, clumsy, and lacking social manners

bourgeois

a person who belongs to the middle class

buffoon

a person who amuses others by joking or clowning around

bureaucrat

an official in a government or other administrative group, often concerned with details and order

cartographer

a person who makes maps

cavalier

a man who is chivalrous and gallant

charlatan

a person who falsely claims to possess skills or knowledge; an imposter

chronicler

a person who keeps a record of events

clairvoyant

a person who can see the supernatural, such as spirits or the future

colleague

a person that one works with in the same field or profession

combatant

a person who fights

compatriot

a person from your own country

connoisseur

a person who is an expert critic in a certain field

constituent

a citizen who is represented in a government by an elected official

courtier

a member of a royal court or a person who seeks favor through excessive flattery

curator

a person who manages a museum

defector

a person who deserts a country or group in order to join another country or group

demagogue

a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions and prejudices

derelict

a person without a home, job, or property

despoiler

a person who steals goods

despot

a ruler with complete power

devotee

an ardent follower and admirer

dignitary

a person who has a high

dilettante

a person who engages in an activity without serious intentions or inquiry

dissembler

a person who conceals his real feelings by professing false beliefs

egotist

a person who is conceited, boastful, and self

emancipator

a person who frees others from bondage

emissary

a person sent on a mission to represent the interests of someone else

entrepreneur

a person who organizes a business venture and assumes the risk for it

expatriate

a person who lives outside his own country, often to renounce allegiance

explicator

a person who explains or interprets

glutton

a person who eats too much or who has an extreme capacity for something

gourmand

a person who enjoys eating good food

hedonist

a person dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure

iconoclast

a person who attacks cherished ideas or traditional institutions

ingenue

an artless, innocent young girl, especially as portrayed on the stage

insinuator

a person who gives hints or suggestions in a sly manner

interlocutor

a person who takes part in a conversation

layperson

a person who is not a member of the clergy or a particular profession

lobbyist

a person who persuades legislators to vote in favor of a specific cause

martinet

a person who rigidly demands that rules are followed; a strict disciplinarian

matriarch

the female head of a family

maverick

a person who chooses to be independent in behavior or thought

mediator

a person who negotiates or settles disagreements between parties

mercenary

a person hired to fight for a country other than his own

misanthrope

a person who hates and distrusts mankind

miscreant

a person who is evil or villainous

miser

a stingy person who lives in miserable conditions in order to save money

missionary

a person who is sent on a religious or charitable mission

mogul

a very wealthy or powerful person

muse

the person who is the source of an artist's inspiration

narcissist

a person who has excessive love or admiration of himself

naysayer

a person who always expresses a negative attitude

nomad

a person without a permanent home, who wanders from place to place

obstructionist

a person who purposely blocks progress

oracle

a person who can see the future

pariah

a person who is rejected; an outcast

patriarch

the male head of a family

patron

a customer

philanthropist

a person who makes charitable donations intended to increase human well

popularizer

a person who makes something popular with the general public

populist

a person who supports the rights and powers of the common people

prig

a person regarded as arrogant and annoying

prodigy

a person, often a child, who is extraordinarily gifted or talented

proponent

a person who supports a cause; an advocate