Princeton SAT Vocabulary Review

Flashcards based on the most frequently occurring vocabulary words on the SAT, providing definitions for key terms.

enigma

a mystery hard to understand or explain

apathy

lack of emotion or interest

indifferent

having no preference

revere

to worship to honor

candor

frankness; honesty

reticent

restrained uncommunicative

aesthetic

concerning art or beauty

ascetic

without indulgence or luxuries

disdain

contempt

autonomy

self-rule; independence

innocuous

harmless; insignificant

banal

commonplace; dull; ordinary

ambiguous

unclear, undecided

anarchy

lack of government; chaos

ameliorate

to improve

atrophy

to waste away from lack of use

innovate

to make changes; to modernize

servile

overly submissive, cringing

extol

to praise

augment

to add to; increase

benevolent

kindly; to wish well

derision

contempt; ridicule

disparity

Inequality

flagrant

glaringly wrong; conspicuously faulty

indolence

laziness

acquiesce

to give in; agree

prodigal

extravagant; wasteful

capricious

whimsical, unpredictable

prosaic

commonplace; uninspired; dull

austere

severe; strict

complacent

smug; self-satisfied

compliance

conforming to a request or demand

dubious

doubtful

ephemeral

short-lived, fleeting

inevitable

unavoidable; bound to happen

insipid

bland; boring

obscure

unclear; clouded; partially hidden

depravity

corruption; wickedness

discern

to distinguish one thing from another

expedite

to quicken

peripheral

on the edge; unimportant

tacitum

quiet; uncommunicative; silent

apprehensive

fearful; worried

expedient

advantageous; convenient

fastidious

finicky, overly critical

novel

new, interesting

parsimony

stinginess

provincial

narrow-minded; unsophisticated

respite

a break, a rest

anecdote

a brief, humorous story

drone

to talk on and on in a dull way

pedestrian

commonplace; ordinary