SAT Vocab 67-99

Nadir

n. the worst moment, or the moment of least hope and least achievement

Neophyte

n. someone who has recently become involved in an activity and is still learning about it

Noisome

adj. very unpleasant and offensive

Noxious

adj. Something, especially a gas or other substance, that is noxious is poisonous or very harmful

Obdurate

adj. extremely determined to act in a particular way and not to change despite what anyone else says

Obfuscate

v. to make something less clear and harder to understand, especially intentionally

Obstreperous

adj. difficult to deal with and noisy

Officious

adj. too eager to tell people what to do and having too high an opinion of your own importance

Ostensible

adj. appearing or claiming to be one thing when it is really something else

Palliate

v. to reduce the bad effects of something

Paradigm

n. a model of something, or a very clear and typical example of something

Pariah

n. a person who is not accepted by a social group, especially because they are not liked, respected, or trusted

Paucity

n. the fact that there is too little of something

Pejorative

adj. expressing disapproval or suggesting that something is not good or is of no importance

Quaint

adj. attractive because of being unusual and especially old-fashioned

Quixotic

adj. having or showing ideas that are different and unusual but not practical or likely to succeed

Quandary

n. a state of not being able to decide what to do about a situation in which you are involved

Quibble

v. to argue about, or say you disapprove of, something that is not important

Quiescence

n. the state of being temporarily quiet and not active

Recalcitrant

adj. (of a person) unwilling to obey orders or to do what should be done, or (of an animal) refusing to be controlled

Redoubtable

adj. very strong, especially in character; producing respect and a little fear in others

Relegate

v. to put someone or something into a lower or less important rank or position

Reprieve

n. an official order that stops or delays the punishment, especially by death, of a prisoner

Rescind

v. to make a law, agreement, order, or decision no longer have any (legal) power

Sanctimonious

adj. acting as if morally better than others

Sanguine

adj. (of someone or someone’s character) positive and hoping for good things

Scurrilous

adj. expressing unfair or false criticism that is likely to damage someone’s reputation

Serendipity

n. the fact of finding interesting or valuable things by chance

Sobriety

n. the state of being sober

Tangential

adj. of or along a tangent

Torpid

adj. not active; moving or thinking slowly, especially as a result of being lazy or feeling that you want to sleep

Trenchant

adj. severe, expressing strong criticism or forceful opinions

Trite

adj. expressed too often to be interesting or seem sincere