SAT Prep Vocabulary List 31-40

Malicious

adj. harmful, spiteful

Malleable

adj. capable of being molded or changed

Materialistic

adj. superficial; focus on material possessions

Maneuver

v. move skillfully or carefully

Masticate

v. grind or crush (food) with or as if with the teeth

Meadow

n. a piece of grassland, especially one used for hay

Medieval

adj. relating to the Middle Ages

Melodramatic

adj. extravagant or exaggerated (as of a melodrama)

Mesh

n. material made of a network of wire or thread

Meticulously

adv. in a precise and thorough way, sometimes to an excessive degree

Misogyny

n. hatred or prejudice against women

Modest

adj. simple and humble
adj. small in size or amount

Modify

v. to change, alter, or tweak

Mogul

n. an important or powerful person, especially in the motion picture or media industry

Momentous

adj. historically significant

Monochrome

adj. of, relating to, or made with a single color or hue

Monsoon

n. a seasonal prevailing wind in the region of South and Southeast Asia

Monstrous

adj. having an ugly or frightening appearance

Motif

n. a decorative design or pattern

n. a distinctive feature or dominant

Mutation

n. the way in which genes change and produce permanent differences

Nestle

v. lie or be situated in a half-hidden or obscured position

Nibble

v. take small bites out of

Noxturnal

adj. of, relating to, or occurring in the night

Novel

adj. new, innovative

Nuance

n. a subtle difference in meaning

Null

adj. legally void and ineffective

Objectivity

n. judgment based on observations instead of emotions or opinions

Obsolete

adj. no longer used; rare or uncommon

Oleophilic

adj. refers to a substance that absorbs oil liquids

Omnipotent

adj. almighty and all powerful

Onset

n. the beginning or early stages

Opine

v. to openly express an opinion

Ornate

adj. highly detailed and decorated

Oust

v. to remove or force out of (usu. a position or office)

Paddle

n. a short pole with a broad blade at one or both ends, used without an oarlock to move a small boat

v. move through the water in a boat using a paddle or paddles

Paramount

adj. predominant, superior, most important

palette

a thin board or slab on which an artist lays and mixes colors

papal

adj. relating to the position or authority of the Pope

Pass off

v. falsely represent a person or thing as being someone or something else

Patchwork

n. a thing composed of many different elements so as to appear variegated

pathogen

n. an organism causing disease to its host

Pay off

v. yield good results; succeed

peculiar

adj. strange, bizarre

peek out, protrude

v. to stick out slightly and be partly seen

penury

adj. a cramping and oppressive lack of resources, as money

perish

v. to die; to pass away

persecute

v. to cause suffering to

petulant

adj. cranky, pouty, irritable

physique

n. the form or shape of the human body

pinnacle

n. highest level or degree

pitch in

v. start to do something as part of a group

pitiable

adj. deserving pity

plantation

n. a large farm or estate in a tropical or semitropical zone

plausible

adj. reasonable and possibly true

poncho

n. a piece of clothing made of a single piece of material

poster child

n. someone or something that is used to represent a particular quality

postulate

v. to assert

potent

adj. having great influence

adj. having a strong, chemical effect

pragmatic

adj. practical, useful

precedent

n. an example or subject from earlier in time

predecessor

n. someone who comes before you (usu. in position or office)

precious

adj. of great value, not to be wasted or treated carelessly

premix

n. a substance or product consisting of ready-mixed elements

prescient

adj. having or showing knowledge of events before they take place

prescribe

v. to command orders

v. to issue authorization for medications

prestige

n. reputation or influence arising from success, achievement, rank, or other favorable

prevalence

n. the fact that something existing or happening often

principle

n. basic truth, assumption, or rule

prohibit

v. to command against, to outlaw

prolific

a. (of an artist, author, or composer) producing many works.

prompt

adj. punctual, on time

n. a cue to begin something; instructions

v. to incite, propel, or cause to act

promulgate

v. to put into law or formally declare

prosecute

v. to bring criminal action against someone (in a trial)

provocative

adj. intending to provoke, inspire, or arouse

proximity

n. nearness in space, time, or relationship

psyche

n. the human soul, mind, or spirit

qualitative

adj. involving qualities of something (features and content)

quantitative

adj. involving quantities (numbers and amounts)

quirk

n. a strange habit

Ramify

v. to split into two or more branches

Rash

adj. without attention to danger or risk

raw

adj. unrefined

adj. not processed; uncooked (as in food)

readily

adv. right away and without difficulty

reconsideration

n. thinking again about a previously made choice

reform

n. a change for the better; improvement

v. to improve via change

refute

v. to prove to be untrue, unfounded, or incorrect

reinforce

v. to strengthen or add support to

reluctantly

adv. somewhat unwillingly

Renounce

v. to give up (usu. power or a position)

v. to cast off

Reproach

v. to criticize

Repudiate

v. to refuse to recognize as true

v. to cast off

Resilient

adj. able to be happy, successful

resonate

v. produce or be filled with a deep, full, reverberating sound

v. evoke or suggest images, memories, and emotions

v. (of an idea or action) meet with someone's agreement.

retention

n. the act of keeping something