SAT Vocabulary

subjective

based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions

derisory

ridiculously small or inadequate

anomalous

abnormal; irregular

ephemeral

lasting for a very short time

corroborate

to support with evidence

lucid

clear, understandable

prodigal

foolishly generous, not thrifty

feign

to pretend

arbitrary

random, capricious, impartial

intrepid

bold, fearless

antipathy

strong feeling against, dislike for

dogma

firmly held disbelief

pertinent

clearly relevant

variance

difference, disagreement

engender

to create, foster

eccentric

unusual, strange

defer

to postpone or to submit to another

torque

rotational force, twist

paradox

seeming contradiction or an actual contradiction

implicit

implied though not plainly expressed

specious

having the deceptive look of truth

antagonism

hostility, enmity

synthesis

the combination of diverse elements into one

discrete

distinct, separate

precursor

a necessary predecessor

catalyst

a thing that sets another in motion or causes change

profound

deep, thoughtful

digress

to move away from

tangential

peripheral, no on the subject at hand

porous

having pores, having minute holes

circumlocution

excessive speaking, wordiness

perturb

to disquiet, upset

impenetrable

unable to penetrate, pierced

desiccate

to dry out, dehydrate

phenomenon

an occurrence

tacit

unspoken yet understood

whimsy

caprice, a playful thing

abstract

theoretical or to summarize or a summary

inherent

in the essential nature of a thing

dubious

doubtful, questionable

platitude

a trite saying, bromide

fallacy

a logical flaw, mistake

demur

to raise doubts or objections or to show reluctance

assert

to state without need of proof

inquisitive

curious, seeking knowledge

mundane

everything, dull

coherent

intelligible, consistent

equivocal

wavering, vacillating

harangue

long, complaining speech

jargon

specialized vocabulary

succinct

concise, stating in few words

diffuse

to spread thinly, or scattered

articulate

well- spoken, intelligible, speak clearly and distinctly

garrulous

extremely talkative

orate

to make a speech, esp. pompously

laconic

few words, reticent

chicanery

flim-flam, trickery

furtive

secret, sneaky

volatile

unstable, likely to explode or vaporize

extemporize

to speak spontaneously

zealot

one who has great enthusiasm esp for a cause

espouse

to take to oneself, to adopt a belief

provocative

tending to simulate

superfluous

excess, extra

malevolent

evil, having evil intent

paragon

an ideal, perfect model

nullify

negate, make invalid

consummate

complete, accomplish, perfect, to a high degree

arduous

difficult, strenuous

felicity

happiness, pleasantness

guile

cunning, trickery

imperative

necessary, immediately important

capitulate

give in, surrender

obsequious

sycophantic-flatter, fawning

placate

please, pacify

affluent

wealthy

zeal

fanatical enthusiasm

inhibit

restrain, forbid

plasticity

malleability, stretchiness

resolute

determined, faithful

connoisseur

one who appreciates fine things

decorous

in good taste, very proper

euphemism

mild word or phrase substituted for an offensive one

pedantic

overly scholarly

bombast

pompous speech

misanthrope

one who hates humanity

disingenuous

seemingly honest while not being so

propriety

appropriateness, social acceptability

objective

empirically provable, existing independently

affiliation

connecting, association

apposite

relevant, to the point

antithesis

direct opposite

heterogeneous

mixed, made up of unlike elements

paradigm

model, theoretical framework

precedent

earlier example setting a rule

correspond

to match, to conform, to parallel

nuance

slight distinction

trivial

minor, not important

subordinate

depending on, subservient

depletion

lessening