SAT Vocabulary

for all

despite

notwithstanding

despite

all but

essentially, more or less, very nearly

abase

to humiliate, degrade

aberration

a deviation from the norm

abet

to help, aid, encourage

abide

1. to put up with; 2. to remain

abjure

to renounce, reject

abnegation

denial of comfort to oneself

abound

exist in large numbers

abrogate

to abolish, usually by authority

abscond

to sneak away and hide

absolution

freedom from blame, guilt, sin

abstruse

difficult to comprehend

accost

to confront verbally

accretion

slow growth in size or amount

acerbic

biting, bitter in tone or taste

acquiesce

to agree without protesting (usually reluctantly)

acumen

keen insight

adroit

skillful, dexterous

adulation

extreme praise

adumbrate

to sketch out in a vague way

affront

an insult

aggrandize

to increase or make greater

alacrity

eagerness, speed

allay

to soothe, ease

aloof

distant, reserved

amalgamate

to bring together, unite

ameliorate

to improve

amenable

willing, compliant

amicable

friendly

anachronistic

being out of correct chronological order

anathema

something or someone that one vehemently dislikes

anomaly

something that does not fit into the normal order

antediluvian

ancient

anthology

a selected collection of writings, songs, etc.

antipathy

a strong dislike, repugnance

apathetic

lacking concern, emotion

apocryphal

fictitious, false, wrong

appraise

to assess the worth or value of

approbation

praise, condemnation, sanction

appropriate (v.)

to take, make use of

arable

suitable for growing crops

arbitration

the process or act of resolving a dispute

arcane

obscure

archetypal

the most representative or typical example of something

ardor

extreme vigor, energy, enthusiasm

arrogate

to take without justification

artifice

trick, trickery

ascetic

practicing restraint as a means of self-discipline, usually religious

ascribe

to assign, credit, attribute to

aspersion

an attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something

assiduous

hard-working, diligent

austere

very bare, bleak

avarice

excessive greed

balk

to stop, block abruptly

bane

a burden, annoyance

bard

a poet, often a singer as well

bashful

shy, excessively timid

beguile

to trick, deceive

bereft

devoid of, without

betray (2)

unintentionally reveal

bilk

to cheat, defraud

blandish

to coax by using flattery

bombastic

pretentious, pompous

brusque

short, abrupt, dismissive

buffet

1. to strike with force

2. an arrangement of food set out on a table

burnish

to polish, shine

cadence

a rhythm, progression of sound

cajole

to urge, coax, persuade by using flattery

callous (adj.)

harsh, cold, unfeeling

calumny

an attempt to spoil someone else’s reputation by spreading lies

candor

honesty, frankness

canny

shrewd, having good judgement

canvass

to sweep through, inspect

capitulate

to surrender

capricious

subject to whim, fickle

carouse

to party, celebrate by drinking alcohol

carp (v.)

to annoy, pester

catalyze

to charge, inspire, bring about

caucus

a meeting usually held by people working toward the same goal

caustic

bitter, biting, acidic

cavort

to leap about, behave boisterously

chastise

rebuke or reprimand severely

chronicle

1. a written history

2. to write a history

circumlocution

indirect, wordy language

circumscribed

marked off, bounded

circumspect

cautious

clairvoyant

able to perceive things that normal people cannot

clamor (2 definitions)

1. loud noise

2. to loudly insist or proclaim

clandestine

kept secret, usually because of illicitness

cleave

1. to divide into parts

2. to stick together firmly

cloying

sickeningly sweet, rich, or sentimental

coagulate

to thicken, clot

coalesce

to fuse into a whole

cogent

clear, logical, convincing

collateral

1. (adj.) secondary

2. (n.) security for a debt

commensurate

corresponding in size or amount

complicit

being an accomplice in a wrongful act

compound (1)

to combine parts