SAT prep 2.0

abundant

existing or available in large quantities; plentiful

pervasive

existing or spreading through every part of something

adhere to

believe in and follow the practices of

precursor

a person or thing that comes before another of the same kind

accentuate

make more noticeable or prominent

advocate

to publicly support or recommend

prohibitive

forbidding or restricting something; excessively high or difficult to pay

allude

to suggest or call attention to

analogous

comparable in certain respects, typically in a way which makes clearer the nature of the things compared

tranquil

calm

anecdote

a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

relevant

closely connected or appropriate to what is being done or considered

outsized

larger, greater, or more significant than what is considered typical

apprehensive

anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen

unattainable

not able to be reached or achieved

arbitrary

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

lineage

line of descent from an ancestor

assert

to state a fact or belief confidently or forcefully

bias

prejudice in favor of or against one thing, group, or person compared with another

concede

to admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it

coarseness

the quality of being rough or harsh

validate

to check or prove the accuracy or validity of something

corroborate

to confirm or give support to

substantiate

to provide evidence to support or prove the truth of

illusory

not real or true; deceptive

underscore

to emphasize or draw attention to

undermine

to lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of

consensus

a general agreement

decisive

settling an issue; producing a definite result

eloquent

fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing

exert

to make a physical or mental effort

dispute

a disagreement, argument, or debate

denounce

to publicly declare to be wrong or evil

skeptical

not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations

provoke

to stimulate or give rise to a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome one in someone

overlook

to miss or fail to notice something

repression

the restraint, prevention, or inhibition of a feeling or quality

speculate

to form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence

subtle

so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe

retain

to continue to have; keep possession of

degrade

to treat or regard someone with contempt or disrespect

divergent

tending to be different or develop in different directions

explicit

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

imminent

about to happen

counteract

to oppose or neutralize the effects of something by taking contrary or opposing actions; to offset or balance out

impede

to delay or prevent someone or something by obstructing

prominent

important; famous

reciprocate

to respond to a gesture or action by making a corresponding one

ingenious

clever, original, and inventive

refute

to prove a statement or theory to be wrong or false

prevalent

common

oppressive

unjustly inflicting hardship and constraint

novel

new or unusual in an interesting way

inevitable

certain to happen; unavoidable

obscure

to make unclear, uncertain, or difficult to understand

conventional

ordinary or commonplace

detractor

a person who tries to take away from the quality, value or reputation of something or someone

dispersed

spread widely

elicit

evoke or draw out a response, answer, or fact from someone in reaction to one’s own actions or questions

catalyze

to bring about a chemical reaction; to bring about or inspire

evade

to escape or slip away

exploit

to make full use of and derive benefit from; to treat someone unfairly in order to make money or gain an advantage

sporadic

occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places

momentous

of great importance or significance, especially in having a bearing on future events

pristine

clean and fresh as if new; spotless

constrict

to make narrower or tighten

ecology

study of the natural world

entomology

study of insects

genetics

study of genes

ornithology

study of birds

paleontology

study of fossils

zoology

study of animals

astronomy

study of stars and planets

botany

study of plants

neuroscience

science of the brain

geology

study of rocks

anthropology

study of human behavior and social organization

archaeology

study of historical human activity through the excavation of physical objects

economics

study of monetary systems

ethnography

study of individual cultures

folklore

study of traditional stories and myths

sociology

study of everyday human social behaviors and interactions

empirical

relying on hard data

hierarchy

system of rank

indigenous

native

inhibit

prevent or impede

pigment

color

predisposed

having a tendency toward

equitable

fair and just; treating everyone equally

regenerate

regrow

stimulus

something that provokes a specific response

indulgent

having or indicating a tendency to be overly generous

feasible

possible

oblivious

unaware

absolve

to clear of wrongdoing; pardon

behold

to see or observe something, often with a sense of wonder

acclaim

to praise openly

rectify

to correct or make right

chastise

to criticize severely

satiate

to satisfy