SAT words! ch. 1-13

beneficial

producing good effects; helping to achieve a good result

advantageous

providing a positive outcome; favorable

constructive

helpful and improving; tending to build up or make better

conducive

making something possible or easy to do

practical

concerned with what is real rather than imagined or theoretical

pragmatic

realistic; concerned with real applications, consequences, or events

reinforce

to strengthen or support something

bolster

to support or hold up

buttress

to reinforce; to provide physical support

utilize

to make effective use of

employ

to apply or make use of a skill or resource

exploit

to use something to one’s advantage; often implies unfairness, but can also refer to practical or strategic use

leverage

to make use of; to achieve a particular result

expedite

to speed something up; to do something quickly

facilitate

to assist; to aid the progress of something or someone

accommodate

to provide something needed or wanted

apt

appropriate; suited to a purpose

relevant

important or meaningful to the current topic, subject, or situation

pertinent

important to the current situation or matter

efficacious

producing the desired outcome or result

means

a method or tool used to achieve a result or objective

medium

a method or tool for doing something

mechanism

a system or process designed for a particular goal

boon

something that provides and advantage or positive gain

benign

not harmful; gentle and kind

innocuous

not harmful or offensive

nuisance

something that causes inconvenience or irritation

forestall

to prevent something from happening by acting before it can occur

preclude

to make something impossible; to prevent something from happening

impede

to slow or delay the progress of something

inhibit

to restrain or hold back; to prevent someone or something from doing something

hamper

to slow the movement or progress of someone or something

hinder

to slow or obstruct the progress of someone or something

thwart

to successfully stop someone or something; to prevent something from happening

stymie

to prevent or hinder the progress of

undermine

to gradually damage or weaken something or someone

compromise

to endanger or weaken

crude

unfinished; rough (as in rough draft)

makeshift

serving as a temporary substitute

rudimentary

basic or simple in form

exacerbate

to make more severe

aggravate

to worsen a problem or condition; informally, to irritate or provoke

endanger

to cause (someone) to be at risk

jeopardize

to put someone or something in danger or at risk

adverse

unfavorable or harmful; preventing or opposing success

detrimental

tending to cause harm; to have a negative effect

insidious

subtle and dangerous; gradual and harmful

pernicious

extremely harmful or wicked

bane

a cause of great distress or harm

speculate

to develop a conclusion without knowing the facts

surmise

to make an educated guess based on incomplete information

presume

to suppose something to be true without proof or confirmation

conjecture

a conclusion formed without supporting evidence

supposition

a belief based on limited or no evidence

hypothesize

to propose a possible explanation or theory

postulate

to propose an idea for the sake of an argument

posit

to put forward as an argument

contend

to take a particular in an argument

maintain

to strongly defend one’s position in an argument

grapple

to engage in a mental or intellectual struggle

delve

to explore thoroughly for a deeper understanding, often with great effort

heed

to listen to

observe

to watch and pay attention to something

scrutinize

to closely and thoroughly investigate or examine something

peruse

to read something thoroughly and carefully

calculate

to determine based on careful consideration or estimation

formulate

to create an idea or plan with systematic thought

devise

to plan or invent by careful thought

appraise

to evaluate the worth, importance, or value of something

gauge

to measure something with accuracy

predicate

to base a claim on a specific fact or idea

extrapolate

to predict or infer from given data or past experiences

deduce

to conclude through the use of logic

determine

to decide something using facts and data

demonstrate

to show or prove something clearly and convincingly

ascertain

to find out; to establish something with certainty

epiphany

a sudden realization

relevation

the sudden discovery of a surprising fact

feasible

capable of being achieved; likely or probable

viable

practical; workable

plausible

unproven but still capable of being true or possible

tenable

able to be maintained or defended

contradict

to assert the opposite, to deny the truth

rebut

to provide evidence or arguments that contradict or challenge a claim or argument

refute

to prove that someone or something is false

establish

to show to be true or certain by determining the facts

substantiate

to use proof or evidence to support a claim

validate

to confirm something is true, often by checking evidence

corroborate

to confirm or support another person’s explanation, statement, or theory

affirm

to state or declare positivity, often with strong belief or authority

be [a] testimony

to prove that something exists or is true

evince

to be evidence of; indicate

rational

having the ability to reason well

analytical

using logical reasoning to examine something

sound

based on solid reasoning or evidence

compelling

convincing; difficult to argue against

cogent

logical and convincing, esp. of an idea or argument

promote

to support or actively encourage

advocate

to argue on behalf or in support of another person or idea

endorse

to declare public support or approval