SAT Vocabulary Flashcards

A comprehensive collection of vocabulary words designed to enhance SAT vocabulary skills.

Memoir

A historical account or autobiography written from personal knowledge. Sentence: The retired general wrote a detailed memoir about his experiences during the war.

Dexterity

Skill in performing tasks especially with the hands. Sentence: Playing the piano requires a great deal of manual dexterity.

Harvest

The process or period of gathering in crops or to obtain something often with effort or skill. Sentence: The farmers worked long hours to finish the harvest before the first frost.

Degrade

To decline in physical condition or to humiliate belittle or demean someone. Sentence: Constant exposure to the sun will eventually degrade the quality of the paint.

Emerge

To move out of or away from something and become visible. Sentence: A beautiful butterfly began to emerge from the chrysalis.

Divert

To cause someone or something to change course or turn from one direction to another. Sentence: The police had to divert traffic away from the scene of the accident.

Retrospect

The act of looking back or reflecting on past events experiences or situations. Sentence: In retrospect, I realize that I should have taken the job offer.

Forge

To create something strong enduring or successful. Sentence: The two nations worked hard to forge a lasting peace treaty.

Inane

Silly stupid. Sentence: I was annoyed by his inane questions during the serious meeting.

Impudent

Not showing due respect for another person impertinent. Sentence: The teacher was shocked by the student's impudent behavior.

Vulgar

Lacking refinement or good taste or offensive or inappropriate. Sentence: The comedian's jokes were criticized for being vulgar and offensive.

Invigorate

To give strength or energy to. Sentence: A cold shower in the morning can invigorate your senses.

Malevolent

Having or showing a wish to do evil to others. Sentence: The villain in the story had a malevolent plan to destroy the city.

Disparage

To regard or represent as being of little worth. Sentence: It is unfair to disparage someone's hard work without knowing the facts.

Impartial

To be fair and just in judgment or decision making considering all relevant factors objectively. Sentence: A judge must remain impartial throughout the entire trial.

Prosaic

Ordinary lacking imagination or excitement. Sentence: Her prosaic writing style lacked any creative flair.

Pilgrimage

A pilgrim’s journey. Sentence: Thousands of people make a pilgrimage to the holy site every year.

Ratify

To formally approve or confirm something usually by a vote or signature. Sentence: The government voted to ratify the new trade agreement.

Elusive

Difficult to find catch or achieve. Sentence: The truth remained elusive despite the detective's best efforts.

Subtle

Delicate elusive or not immediately obvious. Sentence: There was a subtle hint of cinnamon in the cake.

Narrative

A spoken or written account of connected events a story. Sentence: The novel follows a non-linear narrative structure.

Predatory

Seeking to exploit or oppress others. Sentence: Some corporations use predatory pricing to eliminate competition.

Evoke

To bring or recall a feeling memory or image to the conscious mind. Sentence: The old photograph helped to evoke memories of my childhood.

Candor

The quality of being open and honest. Sentence: We appreciated the candidate's candor regarding his lack of experience.

Ideal

Satisfying one’s conception of what is perfect most suitable. Sentence: The sunny weather provided an ideal day for the outdoor wedding.

Suppress

To prevent the expression or occurrence of something. Sentence: He tried to suppress his laughter during the formal ceremony.

Renounce

To formally give up reject or disown something such as a claim belief or title. Sentence: The king was forced to renounce his claim to the throne.

Deviate

To depart from an established course. Sentence: Do not deviate from the path or you might get lost.

Pivotal

Of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something else. Sentence: The inventor's discovery played a pivotal role in the tech revolution.

Disdain

Consider to be unworthy of one’s consideration. Sentence: She looked at the messy room with clear disdain.

Prudent

Showing good judgment and caution especially in practical matters. Sentence: It would be prudent to save some money for unexpected emergencies.

Domestic

Of or relating to the running of a home or to family relations. Sentence: They handled their domestic chores together every weekend.

Abstain

To choose not to do something. Sentence: He decided to abstain from voting in the local election.

Perceptive

Having or showing keen insight understanding or awareness. Sentence: The psychologist was very perceptive about her patient's feelings.

Fortuitous

Happening by chance or accident rather than design. Sentence: It was fortuitous that I found my keys just before I needed to leave.

Overburdened

Loading with too great a burden. Sentence: The healthcare system was overburdened during the winter months.

Tenuous

Weak slender or fragile lacking strength or substance. Sentence: The connection between the two events was tenuous at best.

Hackneyed

Lacking significance through having been overused unoriginal and trite. Sentence: The movie's plot was filled with hackneyed clichés.

Annotate

To add notes giving explanation or comment. Sentence: Students were asked to annotate the text with their own observations.

Effectual

Successful in producing a desired or intended result. Sentence: The new law proved to be an effectual tool against crime.

Aberration

A deviation from the normal or typical. Sentence: The sudden drop in temperature was an aberration for this time of year.

Yield

To surrender to authority or to produce a result. Sentence: The farm began to yield a higher crop output after the new soil treatment.

Frugal

Living in a simple thrifty or sparing manner. Sentence: By being frugal, the couple managed to pay off their debt early.

Peripheral

On the edge of something not centrally important. Sentence: The witness only had a peripheral view of the incident.

Replicable

Capable of being replicated or reproduced. Sentence: The scientists ensured the experiment was replicable by others.

Stimulus

A factor or event that incites activity or development. Sentence: The tax cut acted as a stimulus for the local economy.

Monarch

A sovereign head of state especially a king or queen. Sentence: The monarch held a grand banquet for the visiting leaders.

Wary

Cautious watchful or suspicious of potential danger or problems. Sentence: Be wary of emails that ask for your personal passwords.

Cosmic

Relating to the universe or cosmos. Sentence: The telescope captured stunning images of cosmic phenomena.

Juvenile

Relating to young people. Sentence: The legal system has specific courts for juvenile offenders.

Tangible

Objects or qualities that are physical material or substantial. Sentence: There is no tangible evidence to support the claim.

Stoic

Being unaffected by or indifferent to pleasure or pain. Sentence: He remained stoic even when faced with significant challenges.

Rhetoric

The art of using language effectively and persuasively. Sentence: The politician used powerful rhetoric to sway the crowd.

Fanciful

Overimaginative and unrealistic. Sentence: The child's story was a fanciful tale of dragons and magic.

Condescending

Looking down upon others or considering oneself as more knowledgeable. Sentence: We disliked his condescending attitude toward the interns.

Transient

Temporary or passing not lasting or permanent. Sentence: The beauty of the sunset is transient, lasting only a few minutes.

Circuitous

Longer than the most direct way. Sentence: We took a circuitous route to avoid the heavy traffic.

Inexplicable

Unable to be explained or accounted for. Sentence: Her sudden departure was completely inexplicable to her friends.

Censure

Formal disapproval or criticism. Sentence: The committee voted to censure the member for misconduct.

Harbinger

A herald of something to come often serving as a sign or indication of future events. Sentence: The first bloomed flower is a harbinger of spring.

Brazen

Bold and without shame. Sentence: His brazen lies were eventually exposed by the media.

Stately

Dignified and impressive in appearance manner or size. Sentence: The stately mansion stood at the end of a long driveway.

Infrastructure

Basic physical and organizational structures and facilities. Sentence: The city needs to invest more in its aging infrastructure.

Nefarious

An action or activity that is wicked or criminal. Sentence: The group was arrested for their nefarious activities online.

Aide

A person who helps in particular work. Sentence: The governor's top aide handled the press conference.

Adhere

To remain attached or connected to something. Sentence: You must adhere to the safety guidelines while in the lab.

Contrite

Feeling or expressing remorse at the recognition that one has done wrong. Sentence: After the argument, he felt contrite and offered an apology.

Entitled

Believing oneself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment. Sentence: Some people feel entitled to special treatment without earning it.

Pretentious

Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance than actually possessed. Sentence: The restaurant's atmosphere was a bit too pretentious for my taste.

Abstract

Existing in thought but not having physical existence. Sentence: The concept of justice can be quite abstract.

Inhibit

To hinder restrain or prevent an action or process. Sentence: Fear of failure can inhibit a person's creative growth.

Correlate

To establish a connection or correspondence between elements. Sentence: Research shows that exercise can correlate with better mental health.

Superficial

Concerned only with surface appearances and lacking depth. Sentence: They had a superficial conversation about the weather.

Twentieth Century

The period from 1901 to 1999. Sentence: Modern technology advanced rapidly throughout the 20th century.

Ascend

To go up or climb. Sentence: We watched the balloon slowly ascend into the sky.

Undermine

To weaken sabotage or subvert from below. Sentence: Constant criticism can undermine a student's confidence.

Adversity

Difficulties or misfortune. Sentence: She showed great strength in the face of adversity.

Porous

Capable of allowing the passage of substances through pores. Sentence: The porous rock allowed water to seep through easily.

Dismissive

Feeling that something is unworthy of consideration. Sentence: He was dismissive of any ideas that were not his own.

Profound

Having deep meaning significance or insight. Sentence: The book had a profound impact on my understanding of philosophy.

Rudimentary

Basic or undeveloped lacking complexity or sophistication. Sentence: They only had a rudimentary knowledge of the local language.

Cultivate

To prepare and use land for crops or to promote growth. Sentence: It takes time to cultivate a garden full of flowers.

Capitulate

To cease resisting or fighting to admit defeat. Sentence: The army was forced to capitulate after being surrounded.

Dynamic

Characterized by constant change or progress. Sentence: The tech industry is a dynamic field that changes daily.

Acquire

To buy or obtain an object or asset. Sentence: The company plans to acquire several smaller startups.

Contemplate

To think deeply or carefully about something. Sentence: I need more time to contemplate the consequences of this choice.

Alleviate

To make suffering less severe. Sentence: This medicine will help to alleviate your headache.

Vigor

Physical or mental strength energy or vitality. Sentence: She performed the dance routine with great vigor and grace.

Satire

A literary or artistic work that uses irony or exaggeration to criticize. Sentence: The play was a sharp satire of modern political life.

Colonial

Relating to control exercised by one country over another. Sentence: The museum features artifacts from the colonial era.

Aboriginal

Being the first inhabitants of a region. Sentence: The group worked to preserve Aboriginal traditions and history.

Conceal

To hide or keep something from being seen. Sentence: He tried to conceal his identity by wearing a mask.

Inconsequential

Not important or significant. Sentence: The minor error in the report was mostly inconsequential.

Whimsical

Playfully quaint or fanciful. Sentence: The room was decorated in a whimsical style with bright colors.

Chronicle

A factual written account of important events. Sentence: The book serves as a chronicle of the city's history.

Foster

To encourage development especially something desirable. Sentence: The teacher worked hard to foster a sense of community in the class.

Invasive

Tending to spread prolifically and harmfully. Sentence: The invasive weeds quickly took over the entire garden.

Infamy

The state of being well known for some bad quality or deed. Sentence: The dictator's name will live in infamy for his cruel deeds.

Facetious

Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor. Sentence: I was being facetious when I said I could win the lottery.

Intrigue

To arouse curiosity or interest. Sentence: The mystery novel was filled with political intrigue.