SAT Vocabulary

cogent

logical, rational, convincing

obdurate

stubborn

nonchalant

casual, unconcerned, indifferent

ample

plentiful, more than enough

resolution

a course of action decided upon

penitent

being sorry for what you did, contrite

discretion

cautiousness, having good judgement

crass

crude, unrefined, having bad manners

capricious

indecisive, fickle

espouse

support, stand behind, defend

fervent

passionate, intense

vapid

flat, lifeless, dull

cultivate

to improve the growth of

winnow

narrow down, select from many

lucrative

profitable, money-making

garish

gaudy, showy, tastelessly bright

delegate

assign responsibility to another, designate

demeanor

outward behavior, attitude

potpourri

mixture medley

magnitude

large extent, great size

embellish

to make beautiful by decorating, to add fictitious details to a story

furnish

to supply, to provide

accentuate

emphasize, make something more prominent

concede

acknowledge, admit, acquiesce

feign

give a false impression, fake

perplex

confuse

erratic

odd, inconsistent

inexorable

impossible to stop, inevitable

facilitate

make easier, simplify

witty

clever, funny, amusing

correspond

be in agreement, go with something else

daunting

difficult, seemingly impossible

brevity

conciseness, shortness

frank

matter-of-fact, completely honest

bolster

to support or enhance

bequest

a legacy or inheritance, usually financial

buttress

brace, support

devious

sneaky, tricky

yield

amount produced, quantity returned

mundane

dealing with everyday life, ordinary, common

profound

great, intense

cower

recoil, shrink from

strident

having a harsh sound, shrill, screeching

benign

harmless, mild

ameliorate

improve make positive strides

fastidious

meticulous, fussy

deft

handy, skilled, clever handling of something

fluctuate

vary, diverge, change

egregious

extremely bad, shockingly terrible

penchant

a strong taste for something

insinuate

to hint at or to suggest slyly

innate

naturally-occurring within a person, inborn, integral

prosecute

to initiate a legal procedure against, to put on trial

affable

freindly, kind

abridge

shorten, condense, reduce

flagrant

blatantly offensive

mentor

guide, tutor, coach

dogged

stubborn, persistent

paragon

model of excellence, shining example

diligent

hard-working

invoke

call upon, appeal to, petition

plaudit

approval, great praise, endorsement

machinations

schemes, plots

obsequious

overly deferential, displaying eagerness to please

deprive

withhold, remove from possession

mishap

blunder, accident

dupe

to deceive a person

rebuke

reprimand, sign of sharp disapproval

flourish

thrive, bloom, grow

recluse

loner, hermit

impervious

unable to be passed through, impenetrable

surplus

extra amount, oversupply

pious

religious, dedicated

vitriolic

overly critical, scathing

reminisce

to fondly remember a past event, to enjoyably recollect

complacent

satisfied, contented, smug

evanescent

fleeting, passing, short-lived

adulation

praise, respect, worship

curtail

shorten, reduce

destitute

extremely poor

candor

honesty, truthfulness

defunct

no longer functioning or existing

indefatigable

persistent, tireless

indifference

lack of interest or concern for something

bereft

without, deprived of

contradiction

an opposite, reflecting as a difference

tactile

having to do with touch, tangible

insolent

rude, disrespectful, snobby

lavish

extravagant, overly generous

subjugate

conquer, force submission

immerse

submerge, get involved deeply

unorthodox

unconventional or abnormal in behavior or belief

encumberance

difficulty, hindrance, burden

ambiguous

unclear, confusing

conundrum

riddle, problem

naive

simple-minded, trusting

exigency

necessities, demands in a particular situation

vex

to annoy or irritate

autonomous

self-governing, self-determined

analogous

similar, alike