SAT Vocabulary

Aberrant

: deviating from the usual or natural type

Abound

to be present in large numbers or in great quantity : to be prevalent

accelerator

a muscle or nerve that speeds the performance of an action; a device (such as a gas pedal) for increasing the speed of a motor vehicle engine

accentuate

to make (something) more prominent or noticeable

acquisition

the act of acquiring something

adhere

to hold fast or stick by or as if by gluing, suction, grasping, or fusing

admonishment

to indicate duties or obligations to; to express warning or disapproval to especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner

advantageous

giving an advantage : FAVORABLE

advocacy

the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal : the act or process of advocating something

aerial

of, relating to, or occurring in the air or atmosphere

aesthetic

of, relating to, or dealing with aesthetics or the beautiful

aforementioned

mentioned previously

aggravate

to make (something) worse, more serious, or more severe : to intensify (something) unpleasantly

alleviate

to make (something, such as pain or suffering) more bearable

ambivalence

simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings (such as attraction and repulsion) toward an object, person, or action

animosity

: a strong feeling of dislike or hatred : ill will or resentment tending toward active hostility : an antagonistic attitude

annotate

to make or furnish critical or explanatory notes or comment

anticipating

to give advance thought, discussion, or treatment to

appropriate

especially suitable or compatible : FITTING

attribute

a quality, character, or characteristic ascribed to someone or something

authenticity

not false or imitation : REAL, ACTUAL

avaricious

greedy of gain : excessively acquisitive especially in seeking to hoard riches

bellicose

favoring or inclined to start quarrels or wars

beneficiary

a person or thing that receives help or an advantage from something : one that benefits from something

benign

of a mild type or character that does not threaten health or life

bureaucratic

of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a bureaucracy or a bureaucrat

buttress

a projecting structure of masonry or wood for supporting or giving stability to a wall or building

bystander

one who is present but not taking part in a situation or event : a chance spectator

cacophony

harsh or jarring sound; harshness in the sound of words or phrases

capricious

governed or characterized by caprice : IMPULSIVE, UNPREDICTABLE

catastrophic

a momentous tragic event ranging from extreme misfortune to utter overthrow or ruin

censure

a judgment involving condemnation; the act of blaming or condemning sternly

characteristic

a distinguishing trait, quality, or property

circumvent

to manage to get around especially by ingenuity or stratagem

coerce

to compel to an act or choice

coincide

to occupy the same place in space or time; to occupy exactly corresponding or equivalent positions on a scale or in a series

collaborate

to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor

collective

denoting a number of persons or things considered as one group or whole

commissioned

ordered to be made in exchange for payment

comparable

capable of or suitable for comparison

compelling

demanding attention; convincing

complementary

serving to fill out or complete

compose

to form by putting together : FASHION

comprises

to be made up of

concealed

: kept out of sight or hidden from view

concede

to acknowledge grudgingly or hesitantly; to accept as true, valid, or accurate

conceptualize

to form a concept of

concerning

relating to : REGARDING; causing concern or worry : creating reason for concern : TROUBLING

conform

to give the same shape, outline, or contour to : bring into harmony or accord

conjecture

inference formed without proof or sufficient evidence

contemporary

marked by characteristics of the present period : MODERN, CURRENT

contrive

DEVISE, PLAN

controversial

of, relating to, or arousing controversy

convention

an agreement between states for regulation of matters affecting all of them

convey

to bear from one place to another; to impart or communicate by statement, suggestion, gesture, or appearance

copious

yielding something abundantly; plentiful in number

corollary

something that naturally follows : RESULT

counterintuitive

contrary to what one would intuitively expect

credited

reliance on the truth or reality of something; the balance in a person's favor in an account

curtail

to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part;

cull

to select from a group : CHOOSE; ; : to hunt or kill (individuals) for culling

cultivated

REFINED, EDUCATED

daft

SILLY, FOOLISH (British)

dearth

: scarcity that makes dear

decentralized

: the dispersion or distribution of functions and powers

deceptive

: tending or having power to cause someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid : tending or having power to deceive

dedicate

: to devote to the worship of a divine being; to set apart to a definite use

delegate

a person acting for another (noun) ; to entrust to another (verb)

delve

archaic : EXCAVATE; to make a careful or detailed search for information

demonstrative

haracterized or established by demonstration; marked by display of feeling

denigrate

to attack the reputation of : DEFAME; : to deny the importance or validity of : BELITTLE

deprecate

to express disapproval of ; make little of

deride

to laugh at or insult contemptuously

derived

o form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information

deviates

to stray especially from a standard, principle, or topic

dignity

rmal reserve or seriousness of manner, appearance, or language

discernible

able to be perceived by a sense (such as sight or smell) or by the mind :

disconcerting

to throw into confusion (v) ; to disturb the composure of (v)

disengage

to release from something that engages or involves

disorienting

to cause to lose bearings : displace from normal position or relationship

disparate

markedly distinct in quality or character

dissent

to withhold assent or approval; to differ in opinion

distraction

something that distracts : an object that directs one's attention away from something else

diverge

to move or extend in different directions from a common point : draw apart

diversification

the act or practice of spreading investments among a variety of securities or classes of securities; the act or policy of increasing the variety of a company's products

dormant

: temporarily devoid of external activity; temporarily in abeyance yet capable of being activated

doubts

to call into question the truth of : to be uncertain or in doubt about

drafting

the act of drawing or pulling in a net; : the act or an instance of drinking or inhaling

dulcet

sweet to the taste; pleasing to the ear

dynamic

marked by usually continuous and productive activity or change; force or factor that controls or influences a process of growth, change, interaction, or activity : a dynamic force or factor

eclipse

the total or partial obscuring of one celestial body by another

edifice

a large or massive structure; a large abstract structure

effusive

marked by the expression of great or excessive emotion or enthusiasm

elusive

: tending to evade grasp or pursuit; hard to comprehend or define

emigrate

to leave one's place of residence or country to live elsewhere

empirical

originating in or based on observation or experience; elying on experience or observation alone often without due regard for system and theory

engender

: to cause to exist or to develop : PRODUCE

engulfs

: to flow over and enclose : OVERWHELM

enhance

HEIGHTEN, INCREASE

especially : to increase or improve in value, quality, desirability, or attractiveness

epitomizing

: to serve as the typical or ideal example of