SAT HOTLIST 10

Problems; puzzlement and disasters

adversity (n)

• great trouble or difficulty

• opposition / hostility

Ex: Friend show their true colors in times of …

Ex: The team faced … from their competitors who employed aggressive tactics to undermine their progress in the tournament.

conflagration (n)

• fire, a large disastrous fire

• conflict war

Ex: The … destroyed the warehouses.

Ex: The … between the 2 countries lasted for 10 years.

confounding (adj)

• puzzling; baffling

• mix up

• consume, waste

Ex: Tactics to … the enemies

Synonyms: confuse, baffle, bamboozle,…

cryptic (adj)

• hidden, hard to understand; mysterious, obscure

• not recognized

Ex: I got a … text message from Sam.

Ex: A … infection.

debacle (n)

a failure or breakdown; a collapse that is often nonsensical

Synonyms: fiasco, apocalypse. disaster, tragedy,…

enigma (n)

a riddle or mystery; a puzzling or baffling matter or person; an obscure piece of speech/writing

Synonyms: riddle, puzzle, mystification, head-scratcher

labyrinth (n)

a maze from which it is very hard to extricate (free) oneself

precarious (n)

• in a dangerous state because of not being safe or not being held in place firmly

Ex: The lorry was lodged in a very … way, with its front wheels hanging over the cliff.

• dangerous or risky; uncertain; a situation likely to get worse

Ex: Many borrowers now find themselves caught in a … financial position.

quandary (n)

a dilenma; a puzzling or confusing situation

Ex: I've had two job offers, and I'm in a real … about/over which one to accept.

turbulence (n)

• a state of confusion and lack of order

Ex: The era was characterized by political and cultural ...

• strong, uneven currents in air or water

Ex: The plane ran into some … over the Atlantic.

turmoil (n)

a very puzzling/confusing situation; tumult

Ex: The Stock Exchange is in … following a huge wave of selling.

tumult

a loud noise, especially that produced by an excited crowd, or a state of confusion, change, or uncertainty

Ex: You couldn't hear her speak over the … from the screaming fans.

fiasco (n)

• a complete failure

• a bulbous long-necked straw-covered bottle for wine