SAT Vocab

vocab to learn for the sat

Abate (v)

to reduce in amount, degree, or severity; The headache abated after taking medicine.

Abate (v)

to reduce in amount, degree, or severity; The headache abated after taking medicine.

Abhor (v)

to hate or detest; She abhors cruelty to animals.

Abstain (v)

to refrain or hold back voluntarily; He abstained from smoking.

Accretion (n)

a gradual buildup or growth by addition; An accretion of dust covered the furniture.

Acerbic (adj)

sharp, biting, or caustic in tone; She made an acerbic retort.

Acquire (v)

to gain possession of; He acquired a taste for opera.

Acumen (n)

keen insight or judgment; She has excellent business acumen.

Adhere (v)

to stick fast or cleave; The stamp adhered to the envelope.

Admonish (v)

to caution or advise against; The teacher admonished the students not to be late.

Affable (adj)

friendly, good natured, and easy to talk to; He had an affable manner that made everyone comfortable.

Aesthetic (adj)

relating to beauty or good taste; She appreciated modernist aesthetics in art.

Alleviate (v)

to relieve or make more bearable; Medication helped alleviate her pain.

Amiable (adj)

friendly and good natured; His amiable personality drew people to him.

Ample (adj)

more than sufficient in size or scope; We had ample time to finish the test.

Analogous (adj)

similar or comparable in certain respects; This process is analogous to how a cell works.

Anomaly (n)

something that deviates from the norm; Finding the artifact was an archaeological anomaly.

Antipathy (n)

a deep dislike or aversion; He had an antipathy for crowds.

Arbitrary (adj)

chosen at random, without reason; It seemed an arbitrary decision,
without rationale.

Arrogant (adj)

having an exaggerated sense of self

Aspire (v)

to strive for or ambition to achieve a goal; She aspired to become an engineer.

Aversion (n)

a strong feeling of dislike, distaste, or hostility; He had an aversion to spinach since childhood.

Banal (adj)

lacking originality, freshness, or novelty; The movie’s banal plot was forgettable.

Belittle (v)

to make someone or something seem unimportant; The bullies belittled the shy student.

Belligerent (adj)

hostile, aggressive, or pugnacious; The belligerent gang was known for fighting.

Benevolent (adj)

characterized by or expressing goodwill; He made a benevolent donation to the animal shelter.

Bolster (v)

to give vital support, reinforce, or strengthen; Extra tutoring helped bolster the struggling math student’s skills.

Bombastic (adj)

high

Boon (n)

a blessing, timely benefit, or assistance; Winning the scholarship was a boon that enabled her to attend college.

Brevity (n)

concise expression without wasted words; Brevity is essential in a 30

Brusque (adj)

abrupt or offhand in speech or manner; rudely concise; My request was met with a brusque refusal.

Byzantine (adj)

very complicated or intricate; The byzantine tax codes were impossible to decipher.

Callous (adj)

showing little sympathy for others; insensitive; He acted in a callous way toward those less fortunate.

Calm (adj)

free from agitation, disturbance, or tumult; absent of wind; The calm lake reflected the serene sky.

Candor (n)

honesty, frankness, or sincere expression; I appreciated her candor and straightforward advice.

Capricious (adj)

characterized by or subject to whim; impulsive; unpredictable; My capricious toddler was happy one minute, fussy the next.

Castigate (v)

to punish or criticize severely; The boss castigated the employee for repeated mistakes.

Censure (v)

blame or condemn; The senator was censured for unethical conduct.

Character (n)

moral qualities distinctive to an individual; integrity and values; She
is known for her outstanding character and ethics.

Circumspect (adj)

cautious or prudent, especially in speech or action; We were circumspect in sharing details until we understood the risks involved.

Coarse (adj)

rough, harsh, or uneven in texture; lacking refinement or elegance; His coarse language was inappropriate at the dignified ceremony.

Complex (adj)

composed of interconnected or complicated parts; The complex ma

Concise (adj)

expressing much in few words; a concise summary of the research findings.

Conform (v)

to act in accordance with rules, standards, or customs; She refused to conform by wearing the uniform.

Conscientious (adj)

guided by or in accordance with conscience or sense of right; governed by principle; a conscientious decision after much deliberation.

Constant (adj)

remaining unchanged or fixed; showing loyalty or faithfulness; Water’s boiling point is a physical constant.

Contemplate (v)

to consider thoughtfully; She contemplated all possible outcomes before deciding.

Contribute (v)

to give or supply along with others; We all contributed food to the potluck dinner.

Dearth (n)

scarcity or lack; There is a dearth of jobs in this struggling economy.

Defiant (adj)

boldly resistant to authority or any opposing force; The defiant
protestors refused to disperse.

Delicate (adj)

fragile, frail, or vulnerable; requiring gentle handling; The delicate crystal shattered when dropped.

Demonstrate (v)

to establish or prove by example; clear explanation; The experiment demonstrated the laws of physics.

Deride (v)

to ridicule, mock, or scornfully laugh at; The bullies derided the shy student’s stutter.

Desolate (adj)

depressing, bleak, lifeless; barren; The remote desert island was completely desolate.

Detach (v)

to separate or disengage from association; He detached the document from the email before forwarding.

Diligent (adj)

characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic application; The diligent student made sure to study every day.

Disclose (v)

to make known, reveal, or uncover; The CEO disclosed the company’s financial problems.

Dismal (adj)

causing gloom or depression; The dismal weather matched her sad mood.

Disperse (v)

to spread or scatter widely; The police dispersed the rowdy crowd that gathered in the park.

Dubious (adj)

doubtful or suspect; of uncertain quality or outcome; She had dubious qualifications for the job.

Dull (adj)

boring, monotonous, lacking sharpness; The dull lecture soon put me to sleep.

Eclectic (adj)

deriving ideas or style from a diverse range of sources; Their home decor had an eclectic mix of modern and antique.

Edify (v)

to instruct, improve, or enlighten; The book was both entertaining and edifying.

Egalitarian (adj)

relating to or believing in equality for all people; He advocated an egalitarian society.

Elicit (v)

to draw forth or bring out; Skillful questioning elicited her eyewitness account.

Eminent (adj)

prominent, distinguished, or noteworthy; The eminent scholar was awarded the Nobel Prize.

Empathy (n)

the ability to understand another’s perspective, feelings, or difficulties; She showed genuine empathy for the grieving widow.

Enigma (n)

something or someone puzzling, mysterious, or difficult to understand; The coded message was an enigma they couldn’t decipher.

Equivocal (adj)

open to more than one interpretation; purposefully vague or ambiguous; His equivocal instructions left me confused about what to do.

Evoke (v)

to summon or call forth; Childhood photos evoked strong memories from long ago.

Exact (adj)

precise, accurate, or correct in every detail; Could you give me the exact amount needed?

Expedient (adj)

suitable for achieving a particular end; pragmatically useful; In a crisis, quick action may be more expedient than detailed planning.

Explicit (adj)

clearly and directly stated, leaving no room for confusion; The teacher was explicit that assignments must be turned in on time.

Extol (v)

to praise highly or glorify; The eulogy extolled the deceased’s virtues and accomplishments.

Extricate (v)

to free or release from a difficult situation or entanglement; Firefighters extricated the injured driver from the mangled car.

Facilitate (v)

to make easier or help bring about; The mediator helped facilitate an agreement.

Fathom (v)

to understand something thoroughly; I couldn’t fathom his reason for quitting without notice.

Fatuous (adj)

silly, foolish, smugly ignorant; He made fatuous arguments that revealed little understanding of the issue.

Feckless (adj)

weak, ineffective, incompetent; irresponsible; His feckless leadership led the company to ruin.

Fervor (n)

great warmth and intensity of feeling; She spoke with fervor about her political beliefs.

Fickle (adj)

frequently changing, erratic; His fickle behavior left her confused.

Flagrant (adj)

glaringly bad or offensive; a flagrant foul during the game; flagrant disregard for the law.

Flimsy (adj)

thin and easily bent or damaged; lacking plausibility; She offered a flimsy excuse for missing class.

Flout (v)

to openly disregard rules or conventions; She flouted the school dress code with her outfit.

Frugal (adj)

practicing or reflecting economy in use of resources; simple, plain, cost

Garrulous (adj)

excessively talkative, especially about trivial matters; My garrulous neighbor loved chatting over the fence each morning.

Germane (adj)

relevant and appropriate for the subject at hand; His rambling anecdote was not germane to the discussion.

Grave (adj)

serious; requiring consideration; The doctor had a grave expression when giving the prognosis.

Gregarious (adj)

sociable, seeking and enjoying the company of others; Humans are naturally gregarious and form bonds through social contact.

Gross (adj)

blatant, outrageous, or unambiguous; lacking refinement or dignity; His gross exaggerations undermined his credibility.

Guile (n)

cunning, deceitful shrewdness or treachery; She betrayed her friend out of pure guile.

Gullible (adj)

easily persuaded to believe something; naive, credulous; The scammer took advantage of gullible people.

Haughty (adj)

arrogantly superior, disdainful, looking down on others; The haughty queen barely acknowledged the peasants.

Hesitate (v)

to pause in uncertainty or have difficulty choosing; She hesitated before exiting the stage, nerves getting the best of her.

Hinder (v)

to hamper, obstruct, or delay; The snowstorm will likely hinder travel plans.

Hostile (adj)

having or showing ill will, animosity, opposition; The hostile crowd shouted angrily at the politician.

Hyperbole (n)

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally; Saying he was starving was hyperbole; he just wanted a snack.

Iconoclast (n)

one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions; The rebel was an iconoclast who challenged the status quo.

Idolize (v)

to worship or admire intensely and often excessively; Young girls often idolize celebrities and pop stars.