SAT High-Frequency Vocabulary

200 high-frequency SAT words with concise definitions to support rapid vocabulary review.

abase

to humiliate or degrade

abate

to reduce; lessen

abdicate

to give up a position of power

abduct

to kidnap; take by force

aberration

a deviation from the norm

abet

to aid or encourage (often in wrongdoing)

abhor

to hate; detest

abide

to put up with; to remain

abject

wretched; pitiful

abjure

to renounce or reject

abnegation

self-denial; giving up comforts

abridge

to shorten; condense

abrogate

to abolish by authority

abscond

to sneak away and hide

absolution

freedom from guilt or blame

abstain

to choose not to do something

abstruse

hard to understand

accede

to agree or yield

accessible

reachable; obtainable

acclaim

high praise

accolade

special honor or distinction

acrimony

bitterness; discord

adamant

unyielding; inflexible

adept

extremely skilled

adhere

to stick to or follow faithfully

admonish

to warn or criticize gently

adroit

skillful; dexterous

adulation

excessive praise

adverse

unfavorable; harmful

advocate

to argue for; a supporter

aesthetic

having to do with beauty

affable

friendly; easy to talk to

affluent

wealthy

aggrandize

to increase in power or status

aggregate

a whole formed by parts; to collect

agnostic

doubting God can be proved

alacrity

eager speed or readiness

alias

a false name

allege

to assert without proof

alleviate

to relieve; make easier

aloof

emotionally distant

amalgamate

to unite; combine

ambiguous

unclear; having several meanings

ambivalent

having mixed feelings

ameliorate

to improve

amenable

willing to follow advice

amiable

friendly; good-natured

amorphous

without definite shape

anachronistic

out of chronological order

analgesic

pain-relieving medicine

analogous

similar; comparable

anarchist

one who opposes all government

anathema

a cursed, detested person

anecdote

a short, amusing story

anesthesia

loss of sensation

anguish

severe pain or sorrow

animated

lively; full of energy

annex

to add territory; an added room

annul

to make void or invalid

anomaly

something irregular or odd

anonymous

unknown; unnamed

antagonism

hostility; opposition

antediluvian

very old; ancient

anthology

a collected volume of works

antipathy

a strong dislike

antiquated

outdated; old-fashioned

antiseptic

clean; sterile

antithesis

the exact opposite

anxiety

intense uneasiness

apathetic

showing no interest; indifferent

apocryphal

of doubtful truthfulness

appease

to calm or satisfy

appraise

to assess value

apprehend

to arrest; to understand

approbation

official approval or praise

aquatic

related to water

arable

suitable for farming

arbiter

one who settles disputes

arbitrary

based on random choice

arcane

mysterious; known by few

archaic

ancient; outdated

archetypal

representative; classic

ardor

great enthusiasm

arid

extremely dry

arrogate

to take without right

artifact

an ancient object or relic

artisan

a skilled craftsperson

ascertain

to find out; determine

ascetic

self-denying; austere

ascribe

to attribute to

aspersion

a damaging remark

aspire

to aim for; hope to

assail

to attack violently

assiduous

hard-working; diligent

assuage

to ease or soothe

astute

clever; perceptive

asylum

a place of refuge; safe haven

atone

to make amends

atrophy

to waste away

attain

to achieve; reach