SAT Vocab

Precocious

(adj.) showing unusually early development (especially in talents and mental capacity)

Frivolous

Lacking in seriousness or importance

Forerunner

predecessor; one that comes before and indicates the approach of another

Relic

a custom or object that has been around for a very, very long time

Proponent

(n.) one who puts forward a proposal; one who supports a cause or belief

Partisan

a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person

Zealot

someone passionately devoted to a cause

Scrupulous

exact, careful, attending thoroughly to details; having high moral standards, principled

Supplant

to take the place of

Polemicist

a person who engages in controversial debate

Pragmatist

practical person; one who is concerned with usefulness

Outspoken

speaking out freely or boldly; frank; vocal; not reserved

Scorn

the feeling or belief that someone or something is worthless or despicable; contempt.

Docile

(adj.) easily taught, led, or managed; obedient

Adept

(adj.) thoroughly skilled; (n.) an expert

Thwarted

prevent (someone) from accomplishing something.

Eradicated

completely erased; wiped out

Tenuous

flimsy; not solid

Eclectic

made up of a variety of sources or styles

Confounded

bewildered; confused; perplexed

Mercenary

a soldier who fights for money rather than loyalty to a country

Despot

a dictator with absolute power

infinitesimal

extremely small

potent

powerful; highly effective

toxic

poisonous

pedestrian

ordinary or dull

apathy

a lack of feeling, emotion, or interest

indifference

a lack of interest or concern

fervor

intense and passionate feeling

stalwart

strongly built and sturdy. or loyal/reliable

timid

showing a lack of courage or confidence; easily frightened

zealous

enthusiastic

conspire

to plan together secretly to do something wrong or illegal

ubiquitously

existing everywhere, widespread

perennially

existing for a long time/lasting

comprehensive

covering or including everything

incessant

never stopping, going on all the time

abhor

to hate

benevolent

kindly, charitable

expedite

to make easy, cause to progress faster

pathology

study of disease

divulge

(v.) to tell, reveal; to make public

confidences

secrets

extraordinary

very unusual; remarkable

dogmatic

stubbornly opinionated

pretentious

pompous, self-important

subsumed

include or absorb (something) in something else.

concede

(v.) to admit as true; to yield, submit

waive

to give up

refute

to prove incorrect

generalize

inferring that the results for a sample apply to the larger population

renounce

to give up or resign something

paradox

A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.

dissension

disagreement, sharp difference of opinion

deference

humble submission and respect

auspicious

favorable; fortunate

derivative

unoriginal; taken from something already existing

enigmatic

mysterious, inexplicable

venerable

accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character

multifarious

having great variety; numerous and diverse

dubious

doubtful

futile

useless; pointless

galvanizing

adj. thrilling, exciting, stimulating

avant-garde

pioneering/innovative

wilfully

deliberately, voluntarily

transcending

to rise above or go beyond the limits

synopsis

(n.) a brief statement giving a general view of some subject, book, etc.; a summary

ambivalence

the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes

renunciation

rejection; refusal to acknowledge

animosity

strong dislike; bitter hostility

negating

invalidate; make ineffective

prefiguring

foreshadowing

entrenching

fixing firmly within; solidifying

substantiating

Providing evidence to support or prove the truth of

subversive

(adj.) intended to undermine or overthrow; (n.) one who advocates or attempts to undermine a political system

profound

Having great depth or seriousness

cryptic

(adj.) puzzling, mystifying, or enigmatic

conflate

to combine into one

contemporary

(adj.) belonging to the same period of time as oneself; (n.) a person of the same time

lament

to express sorrow; to grieve

surmise

(verb) suppose that something is true without having evidence to confirm it.

contrive

create or bring about (an object or a situation) by deliberate use of skill and artifice.

innocuous

(adj) not harmful or offensive.

paucity

(noun) the presence of something only in small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity.

verisimilitude

(noun) the appearance of being true or real.

corollary

(noun) a proposition that follows from (and is often appended to) one already proved / a direct or natural consequence or result.

buttress

(noun) a source of defense or support.

(verb) increase the strength of or justification for; reinforce.

ambient

(adj) relating to the immediate surroundings of something.

fanciful

(adj) (of a person or their thoughts and ideas) overimaginative and unrealistic.

abstruse

(adj) difficult to understand; obscure.

apprehension

(noun) anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen.

(noun) understanding; grasp.

(noun) the action of arresting someone.

solicitous

(adj) characterized by or showing interest or concern.

lackadaisical

(adj) lacking enthusiasm and determination; carelessly lazy.

trite

(adj) (of a remark, opinion, or idea) overused and consequently of little import; lacking originality or freshness.

ostentatious

(adj) characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice.

bellicose

warlike

patron

a person who provides financial support for the arts

kindred

(noun) one's family and relations.

(adj) similar in kind; related.

facility

(noun) an ability to do or learn something well and easily; a natural aptitude.

copious

(adj) abundant in supply or quantity.