sat vocabulary

abstract

theoretical; lacking substance (opposite of concrete)

acute

sensitive; sharp; discerning

advocate

(v) to promote; (n) one who promotes a cause

aesthetic

having to do with artistic beauty; artistic

alleviate

to relieve, make more bearable

amass

to accumulate

ambivalent

simultaneously feeling opposing feelings; uncertain

analogy

comparison

anarchy

absence of government or control

anecdote

a short account of an interesting or humorous incident

animated

alive; moving

anomaly

abnormality; irregularity

apathy

lack of interest or emotion

appease

pacify or soothe; relieve

apprehensive

fearful or anxious, especially about the future

arrogant

feeling superior to others

articulate

speaking clearly and well

ascertain

to determine with certainty

authentic

real

belittle

to make seem less important

belligerent

combative; quarrelsome

benevolent

kind, charitable

benign

harmless; gentle

bias

prejudice; tendency; tilt

brevity

briefness; short duration

candor

honest; straightforward

complacent

self-satisfied

compliant

yielding; submissive

concise

brief and to the point

condone

to overlook voluntarily; forgive

congenial

agreeably suitable; pleasant

conspicuous

easy to notice; obvious

contempt

scorn, extreme dislike or disdain

debilitate

to weaken

deference

humble submission and respect

denounce

to condemn openly

deplete

to use up; to reduce

despondent

depressed

deter

to prevent

digress

to stray from the main subject

diligent

hard-working

discernment

insight; ability to see things clearly

discriminate

to differentiate; to make a clear distinction; to see the difference

disdain

to regard with scorn or contempt

disparage

to degrade, to speak of negatively

dispassionate

impartial; calm, free from emotion

dissent

disagreement

distinguish

to tell apart; to cause to stand out

diverse

varied

divert

to change the direction of; to alter the course of; to amuse

dubious

doubtful; of unlikely authenticity

eccentric

not conventional; a little kooky; irregular

elaborate

detailed; careful; thorough

eloquent

well-spoken; expressive; articulate

empirical

based on observation or experiment

encroach

to make gradual inroads; to trespass

enhance

to make better; to augment

evoke

to summon or draw forth

explicit

fully and clearly expressed

extraneous

irrelevant; extra; unnecessary; unimportant

fanatic

one who is extremely devoted to a cause or idea

fickle

capricious; whimsical; unpredictable

frivolous

not serious; not solemn; with levity

futile

hopeless; without effect

gullible

overly trusting; willing to believe anything

heed

to listen to

hypothetical

uncertain; unproven

impartial

unbiased; neutral

imperative

completely necessary

implicit

implied

inavertent

lax; careless; without intention

incessant

unceasing; never ending

incoherent

jumbled; chaotic; impossible to understand

indifferent

having no interest or concern

indignation

anger as a result of something unjust

indulgent

lenient; yielding to desire

inevitable

unavoidable; bound to happen

innate

existing from birth, inborn; inherent

innovation

something newly introduced or created

instigate

to provoke; to stir up

ironic

satiric; unexpected

jeopardy

danger

lament

to mourn

lethargy

sluggishness; laziness; drowsiness; indifference

malicious

deliberately harmful

malleable

capable of being shaped

mediation

a settlement between conflicting parties

merger

a joining or marriage

negligence

carelessness

neutral

unbiased; not taking sides; objective

nostalgia

a bittersweet longing for things of the past

novel

fresh; original; new

objective

(adj) uninfluenced by emotions; (n) a goal

obscure

not readily noticed; vague

ominous

menacing; threatening

peripheral

unimportant

pervade

to be present throughout

pragmatic

practical; down-to-earth; based on experienced rather than theory

predecessor

someone or something that came before another

profound

deep; insightful