SAT High-Frequency Vocabulary List

326 vocabulary flashcards covering all terms listed in the lecture notes, formatted for quick SAT study and review.

abate

to subside; to decrease

abridge

to condense; to shorten

abstemious

temperate; sparing

abstract

theoretical; non-representational

abstruse

obscure; profound

accessible

easy to approach; obtainable

acclaim

to applaud; praise

accolade

an award of merit

acknowledge

to recognize; to admit

acquiesce

to agree without protesting

acrid

sharp; bitterly pungent

acrimonious

bitter in words or manner

adulation

excessive flattery; admiration

adversary

an opponent

adversity

hardship; misfortune

advocate

to support or speak in favor of

aesthetic

pertaining to beauty or art

affable

warmly friendly; amiable

affirmation

confirmation; declaration of truth

aggregate

to accumulate; total

alleviate

to relieve; to lessen

aloof

reserved; distant

altruistic

unselfishly generous; concerned for others

ambiguous

unclear; having multiple meanings

ambivalence

conflicting or contradictory feelings

amorphous

having no definite form; shapeless

anachronistic

out of chronological order; involving a time error

analogous

comparable; similar

anarchist

one who advocates abolishing authority

anecdote

a short amusing or interesting story

animosity

hatred; hostility

anomaly

irregularity; deviation from the norm

antagonism

hostility; active opposition

antediluvian

extremely ancient; prehistoric

antidote

a remedy or medicine to counteract poison

antipathy

strong dislike; aversion

antiquated

old-fashioned; obsolete

apathy

lack of interest or feeling; indifference

apocryphal

of doubtful authenticity; untrue

appease

to pacify; to soothe

apprehension

fear; anxiety

arable

suitable for growing crops

arbitrary

random; capricious

archaic

antiquated; ancient

ardent

intense; passionate

arrogance

overbearing pride; haughtiness

articulate

expressing oneself clearly; effective

artifact

an object made by humans

artisan

a skilled craftsman

ascendancy

domination; controlling influence

ascetic

practicing self-denial

aspire

to strive for; to long for

assiduous

diligent; hard-working

assuage

to ease; to lessen; to soothe

astute

wise; shrewd

atrophy

to waste away

attribute

to ascribe; to explain

audacious

bold; daring

augment

to increase; to enlarge

austere

stern; simple; without luxury

authoritarian

favoring complete obedience; domineering

autonomous

self-governing; independent

avarice

greediness; insatiable desire for wealth

aversion

strong dislike; antipathy

avert

to prevent; to turn away

beguile

to mislead; to charm; to pass time pleasantly

belie

to contradict; to give a false impression

benevolent

kind; generous; charitable

bequeath

to hand down by will

bleak

cold or cheerless; unpromising

blighted

damaged; suffering from disease

bolster

to support; to reinforce

braggart

a boaster

brevity

conciseness; briefness

buttress

to support; a supporting structure

cacophonous

harsh-sounding; inharmonious

cajole

to coax; to persuade by flattery

calculated

deliberately planned; intended

candor

frankness; honesty

capricious

unpredictable; fickle; whimsical

carping

petty criticism; fault-finding

censorious

highly critical; fault-finding

censure

to blame; to criticize harshly

certitude

absolute certainty; conviction

charlatan

a fraud; a quack

circumlocution

an indirect or roundabout expression

cliché

an overused phrase

coalesce

to combine; to fuse

coercion

use of force to get compliance

colloquial

informal; pertaining to everyday speech

combustible

easily burned; flammable

commemorate

to honor the memory of

compile

to assemble; to gather

complacency

self-satisfaction; smugness

complementary

serving to complete or enhance

compliance

readiness to yield; conformity

composure

mental calmness

comprehensive

thorough; inclusive

concede

to admit; to yield

conciliatory

appeasing; reconciling; soothing