SAT Greatest Hits

adhere

to believe in and follow the practices of

advocate

to publicly recommend or support

allude

to suggest or call attention to indirectly; to hint at

ambivalence

the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

analogous

comparable in certain respects, typically in a way which makes clearer the nature of the things compared

anecdote

a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

apprehensive

anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen

arbitrary

based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system

assert

to state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully

bias

prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair

brevity

concise and exact use of words in writing or speech

buttress

to increase the strength of or justification for; to reinforce

concede

to admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it

consensus

a general agreement

corroborate

to confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding)

decisive

settling an issue; producing a definite result

deference

humble submission and respect

degrade

to treat or regard (someone) with contempt or disrespect

denounce

to publicly declare to be wrong or evil

dispute

a disagreement, argument, or debate

divergent

tending to be different or develop in different directions

dormant

having normal physical functions suspended or slowed down for a period of time; in or as if in a deep sleep

eloquent

fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing

evoke

to bring or recall to the conscious mind

exert

to make a physical or mental effort

explicit

stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt

imminent

about to happen

impede

to delay or prevent (someone or something) by obstructing; to hinder

implicit

implied but not plainly expressed

impose

to take advantage of someone by demanding attention or commitment

indifference

lack of interest, concern, or sympathy

inevitable

certain to happen; unavoidable

invoke

to cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument

ironic

happening in the opposite way from what is expected and typically causing amusement because of this

novel

new or unusual in an interesting way

obscure

not discovered or known about; uncertain

obsolete

no longer produced or used; out of date

oppressive

unjustly inflicting hardship and constraint; weighing heavily on the mind or spirits

pervasive

spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people, especially in an unpleasant way

prevalence

the fact or condition of being prevalent, commonness

prominent

important; famous

provoke

to stimulate or give rise to a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome one in someone

reciprocate

to respond to (a gesture or action) by making a corresponding one

reconcile

to restore friendly relations between

refute

to prove (a statement or theory) to be wrong or false; disprove

renounce

to formally declare one’s abandonment of (a claim, right, or possession)

repression

the restraint, prevention, or inhibition of a feeling, quality, etc.

retain

to continue to have (something); keep possession of

skeptical

not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations

speculate

to form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence

substantiate

to provide evidence to support or prove the truth of

subtle

so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe

supplement

something that completes or enhances something else when added to it

tenuous

very weak or slight

undermine

to lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of

underscore

to emphasize or draw attention to

unobtrusive

not conspicuous or attracting attention

validate

to check or prove the validity or accuracy of (something)

verisimilitude

the appearance of being true or real

viable

capable or working successfully; feasible

enigmatic

difficult to interpret or understand, mysterious

venerable

greatly respected

multifarious

having many varied parts or aspects

auspicious

conducive to success, favourable

consecrate

to make or declare something sacred

inviolate

free or safe from injury or violation

belie

to disguise or contradict

innocuous

not harmful or offensive