SAT Vocabulary Words

scrutinize [v.]

to examine closely and critically

unravel [v.]

to investigate and solve a complex mystery or problem

adversary [n.]

an opponent or enemy

advocate [v.]

to publicly recommend or support

aesthetic [adj.]

concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty

alleviate [v.]

to make suffering or a problem less severe

ambiguous [adj.]

open to more than one interpretation; unclear

anomaly [n.]

something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected

apathetic [adj.]

showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern

arbitrary [adj.]

based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system

articulate [v.]

to express an idea or feeling fluently and clearly

astute [adj.]

having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people

augment [v.]

to make something greater by adding to it; increase

austere [adj.]

severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance; simple

benevolent [adj.]

well-meaning and kindly

bolster [v.]

to support or strengthen; prop up

bureaucratic [adj.]

relating to a system of government or business with many complicated rules

candid [adj.]

truthful and straightforward; frank

capricious [adj.]

given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior

catastrophic [adj.]

involving or causing sudden great damage or suffering

censure [v.]

to express severe disapproval of someone or something, typically in a formal statement

coincide [v.]

to occur at or during the same time

collaborate [v.]

to work jointly on an activity or project

compelling [adj.]

evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way

complacent [adj.]

showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements

conjecture [n.]

an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information

conspicuous [adj.]

standing out so as to be clearly visible

constrain [v.]

to compel or force someone toward a particular course of action

controversial [adj.]

giving rise or likely to give rise to public disagreement

convey [v.]

to make an idea, impression, or feeling known or understandable to someone

corroborate [v.]

to confirm or give support to a statement, theory, or finding

counterintuitive [adj.]

contrary to intuition or to what would be expected

deference [n.]

humble submission and respect

deliberate [adj.]

done consciously and intentionally

delineate [v.]

to describe or portray something precisely

demolish [v.]

to comprehensively refute or defeat an argument or theory; to pull down a structure

denounce [v.]

to publicly declare to be wrong or evil

deplore [v.]

to feel or express strong disapproval of

deprecate [v.]

to express disapproval of

deprive [v.]

to deny a person or place the possession or use of something

derivative [adj.]

imitative of the work of another person, and usually disapproved of for that reason

devoid [adj.]

entirely lacking or free from

digress [v.]

to leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing

diminish [v.]

to make or become less

disdain [n.]

the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one's consideration or respect

disillusion [v.]

to cause someone to realize that a belief or an ideal is less good than they had believed

disparage [v.]

to regard or represent as being of little worth

disseminate [v.]

to spread something, especially information, widely

divergent [adj.]

tending to be different or develop in different directions

dogmatic [adj.]

inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true

dormant [adj.]

having normal physical functions suspended or slowed down for a period of time; temporary inactivity

earnest [adj.]

resulting from or showing sincere and intense conviction

eccentric [adj.]

unconventional and slightly strange

efficacious [adj.]

successful in producing a desired or intended result

eloquent [adj.]

fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing

elucidate [v.]

to make something clear; explain

embellish [v.]

to make something more attractive by the addition of decorative details or features

eminent [adj.]

famous and respected within a particular sphere or profession

empathy [n.]

the ability to understand and share the feelings of another

empirical [adj.]

based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic

emulate [v.]

to match or surpass a person or achievement, typically by imitation

endorse [v.]

to declare one's public approval or support of

enduring [adj.]

continuing or long-lasting

enhance [v.]

to intensify, increase, or further improve the quality, value, or extent of

enigma [n.]

a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand

ephemeral [adj.]

lasting for a very short time

epitome [n.]

a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type

equivocal [adj.]

open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous

eradicate [v.]

to destroy completely; put an end to

erratic [adj.]

not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable

erroneous [adj.]

wrong; incorrect

erudite [adj.]

having or showing great knowledge or learning

esoteric [adj.]

intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge

esteem [n.]

respect and admiration, typically for a person

evade [v.]

to escape or avoid, especially by cleverness or trickery

evoke [v.]

to bring or recall to the conscious mind

exacerbate [v.]

to make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse

exacting [adj.]

making great demands on one's skill, care, or mind

exasperate [v.]

to irritate intensely; infuriate

exclude [v.]

to deny access to or bar someone from a place, group, or privilege

exempt [adj.]

free from an obligation or liability imposed on others

exonerate [v.]

to absolve someone from blame for a fault or wrongdoing

exotic [adj.]

originating in or characteristic of a distant foreign country

expedient [adj.]

convenient and practical, although possibly improper or immoral

explicit [adj.]

stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt

exploit [v.]

to make full use of and derive benefit from a resource

exponent [n.]

a person who supports an idea or theory and tries to convince others of its truth

expressive [adj.]

effectively conveying thought or feeling

extol [v.]

to praise enthusiastically

extraneous [adj.]

irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with

extravagant [adj.]

lacking restraint in spending money or using resources

fabrication [n.]

the action or process of inventing or manufacturing something, typically with deceitful intent

facet [n.]

a particular aspect or feature of something

facetious [adj.]

treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant

facilitate [v.]

to make an action or process easy or easier

fallacious [adj.]

based on a mistaken belief

feasible [adj.]

possible to do easily or conveniently

feign [v.]

to pretend to be affected by a feeling, state, or injury

fervent [adj.]

having or displaying a passionate intensity

fickle [adj.]

changing frequently, especially as regards one's loyalties, interests, or affection