1000 Most Common SAT Words

abase

(v.) to humiliate

abate

(v.) to reduce

aberration

(n.) something that differs from the norm

abhor

(v.) to hate

abide

1. (v.) to put up with

abject

(adj.) pitiful

abjure

(v.) to reject

abridge

(v.) to shorten

abscond

(v.) to sneak away and hide

absolution

(n.) freedom from blame, guilt, sin

abstruse

(adj.) hard to comprehend

accost

(v.) to confront verbally

accretion

(n.) slow growth in size or amount

acquiesce

(v.) to agree without protesting

acrimony

1. (n.) bitterness

acumen

(n.) keen insight

acumen

2. (adj.) having keen insight

admonish

1. (v.) to caution

adroit

(adj.) skillful

adulation

(n.) extreme praise

adumbrate

(v.) to sketch out in a vague way

affable

(adj.) friendly

affront

(n.) an insult

agnostic

(adj.) questioning God's existence

alacrity

(n.) eagerness, speed

allay

(v.) to soothe

aloof

(adj.) distant

amalgamate

(v.) to bring together

ambivalent

(adj.) having opposing feelings

amenable

(adj.) willing

amorphous

(adj.) without definite shape or type

anachronistic

(adj.) not in chronological order

analgesic

(n.) something that reduces pain

anathema

(n.) a cursed, detested person

antediluvian

(adj.) ancient

antipathy

(n.) a strong dislike

apocryphal

(adj.) false

appalling

(adj.) inspiring shock, horror, disgust

appraise

(v.) to assess the worth or value of

approbation

(n.) praise

arable

(adj.) suitable for growing crops

arbiter

(n.) one who can resolve a dispute and make a decision

arbitration

(n.) the process or act of resolving a dispute

arboreal

(adj.) of or relating to trees

arcane

(adj.) known only by a few

archaic

(adj.) outdated

archetypal

(adj.) the most representative

ardor

(n.) extreme enthusiasm

arrogate

(v.) to take without justification

ascertain

(v.) to perceive and learn

ascetic

(adj.) practicing restraint as a means of self-discipline

aspersion

(n.) a curse

assail

(v.) to attack

assiduous

(adj.) hard-working,

assuage

(v.) to ease

atrophy

(v.) to decay

austere

(adj.) very bare

avarice

(n.) excessive greed

aversion

(n.) a particular dislike for something

balk

(v.) to stop

banal

(adj.) commonplace

bane

(n.) a burden

bard

(n.) a poet/singer

bashful

(adj.) shy

beguile

(v.) to trick

benign

(adj.) favorable

bequeath

(v.) to pass on

bereft

(adj.) devoid of

beseech

(v.) to beg

bilk

(v.) to cheat

blandish

(v.) to coax through flattery

blight

1. (n.) a plague

2. (n.) something that destroys hope

boisterous

(adj.) loud and full of energy

brazen

(adj.) excessively bold

brusque

(adj.) abrupt, dismissive

buffet

1. (v.) to strike with force

2. (n.) an arrangement of food set out on a table

burnish

(v.) to polish, shine

buttress

1. (v.) to support, hold up

2. (n.) something that offers support

cacophony

(n.) disharmonious sound

cadence

(n.) a rhythm

cajole

(v.) to coax

callous

(adj.) harsh, cold

calumny

(n.) an attempt to spoil someone else's reputation by spreading lies

camaraderie

(n.) brotherhood

candor

(n.) honesty

canny

(adj.) shrewd

capacious

(adj.) spacious

capitulate

(v.) to surrender

capricious

(adj.) subject to whim

carouse

(v.) to party

carp

(v.) to annoy

caustic

(adj.) bitter, biting

cavort

(v.) to behave boisterously

censure

1. (n.) harsh criticism

2. (v.) to rebuke formally

cerebral

(adj.) related to the intellect

chide

(v.) to voice disapproval