SAT Vocabs

After being overthrown and […], the deposed leader offered to bow down to his conqueror. (to humiliate, degrade)

abased

The rain poured down for a while, then […]. (to reduce, lessen)

abated

When he realized that the revolutionaries would surely win, the king […] his throne.

abdicated

The evildoers […] the fairy princess from her happy home.

abducted

In 1918, the Boston Red Sox won the World Series, but the success turned out to be an […], and the Red Sox have not won a World Series since.

aberration

The spy succeeded only because he had a friend on the inside to […] him.

abet

Because he always wound up kicking himself in the head when he tried to play soccer, Oswald began to [...] the sport. (to hate, detest)

abhor

Though he did not agree with the decision, Chuck decided to […] by it.

abide

Despite the beating they've taken from the weather throughout the millennia, the mountains [...]. (to remain)

abide

After losing all her money, falling into a puddle, and breaking her ankle, Eloise was […].

abject

To prove his honesty, the President [...] the evil policies of his wicked predecessor.

abjured

The holy man slept on the floor, took only cold showers, and generally followed other practices of [...]. (denial of comfort to oneself)

abnegation

After they ran out of food, the men, attempting to jump rope around the world, had to [...] and go home. (to give up on a half-finished project or effort)

abort

The publisher thought the dictionary was too long and [...] it.

abridged

Moby-Dick is such a long book that even the [...] version is longer than most normal books.

abridged

The Bill of Rights assures that the government cannot […] our right to a free press.

abrogate

In the confusion, the super-spy […] into the night with the secret plans.

absconded

Once all the facts were known, the jury gave Angela [...] by giving a verdict of not guilty. (freedom from blame, guilt, sin)

absolution

Everyone demanded that Angus put on the kilt, but he did not want to do it and [...].

abstained

Everyone else in the class understood geometry easily, but John found the subject [...].

abstruse

When the class asked the teacher whether they could play baseball instead of learn grammar they expected him to refuse, but instead he [...] to their request. (to agree)

acceded

Psychologists agree that those people who are happiest [...] the positive in life. (to stress, highlight)

accentuate

After studying with SparkNotes and getting a great score on the SAT, Marlena happily realized that her goal of getting into an Ivy-League college was [...].

accessible

Greg’s excellent poem won the […] of his friends.

acclaim

Everyone offered […] to Sam after he won the Noble Prize.

accolades

Though the apartment was not big enough for three people, Arnold, Mark, and Zebulon were all friends and were […] to each other.

accommodating

After much negotiating, England and Iceland finally came to a mutually beneficial [...] about fishing rights off the cost of Greenland. (an agreement)

accord

Though Antoinette was normally quite calm, when the waiter spilled soup on her for the fourth time in 15 minutes she stood up and [...] the man. (to confront verbally)

accosted

Stalactites are formed by the [...] of minerals from the roofs of caves. (slow growth in size or amount)

accretion

Jill became extremely […] and began to cruelly make fun of all her friends.

acerbic

Though Mr. Correlli wanted to stay outside and work in his garage, when his wife told him that he had better come in to dinner, he […] to her demands.

acquiesced

Though they vowed that no girl would ever come between them, Biff and Trevor could not keep […] from overwhelming their friendship after they both fell in love with the lovely Teresa.

acrimony

Because of his mathematical […], Larry was able to figure out in minutes problems that took other students hours.

acumen

Arnold could not walk because the pain in his foot was so […].

acute

Because she was so [...], Libby instantly figured out how the magician pulled off his “magic.”

acute

Though public pressure was intense, the President remained […] about his proposal.

adamant

Tarzan was […] at jumping from tree to tree like a monkey.

adept

We [...] the poster to the wall with tape.

adhered

He [...] to the dictates of his religion without question.

adhered

Joe’s mother [...] him not to ruin his appetite by eating cookies before dinner.

admonished

We [...] the tree with ornaments.

adorned

The [...] thief could pick someone’s pocket without attracting notice. (skillful, dexterous)

adroit

Though the book was pretty good, Marcy did not believe it deserved the […] it received.

adulation

The coach [...] a game plan, but none of the players knew precisely what to do. (to sketch out in a vague way)

adumbrated

Because of [...] conditions, the hikers decided to give up trying to climb the mountain.

adverse

Arnold [...] turning left at the stop sign, even though everyone else thought we should turn right.

advocated

In addition to wanting to turn left at every stop sign, Arnold was also a great [...] of increasing national defense spending.

advocate

We watched as the fighter planes conducted [...] maneuvers. (somehow related to the air)

aerial

We hired Susan as our interior decorator because she has such a fine [...] sense. (artistic, related to the appreciation of beauty)

aesthetic

People like to be around George because he is so [...] and good-natured. (friendly, amiable)

affable

Jerry didn’t know why, but he felt an incredible [...] for Kramer the first time they met. (a spontaneous feeling of closeness)

affinity

Mrs. Grebelski was [...], owning a huge house, three cars, and an island near Maine. (rich, wealthy)

affluent

Bernardo was very touchy, and took any slight as an […] to his honor.

affront

Joseph always dropped the names of the famous people his father knew as a way to [...] his personal stature. (to increase or make greater)

aggrandize

The three branches of the U.S. Government form an [...] much more powerful than its individual parts.

aggregate

The dictator tried to [...] as many people into his army as he possibly could. ((v.) to gather into a mass)

aggregate

The foreman mercilessly overworked his […] employees.

aggrieved

The dogs were too slow to catch the […] rabbit.

agile

Joey’s parents are very religious, but he is [...].

agnostic

It was a huge step in the progress of civilization when tribes left hunting and gathering and began to develop more sustainable methods of obtaining food, such as [...]. (farming)

agriculture

Once we got inside the stadium we walked down the [...] to our seats.

aisle

For some reason, Chuck loved to help his mother whenever he could, so when his mother asked him to set the table he did so with [...]. (eagerness, speed)

alacrity

He snuck past the guards by using an [...] and fake ID. (a false name or identity)

alias

The chairman of the Federal Reserve gave a speech to try to […] investors’ fears about an economic downturn.

allay

The policeman had [...] that Marshall committed the crime, but after the investigation turned up no evidence, Marshall was set free.

alleged

This drug will [...] the symptoms of the terrible disease, but only for a while.

alleviate

The Mayor [...] 30 percent of the funds for improving the town’s schools. (to distribute, set aside)

allocated

The scientist could sometimes seem [...], as if he didn’t care about his friends or family, but really he was just thinking about quantum mechanics. (reserved, distant)

aloof

Jason and Lionel blamed one another for the car accident, leading to an [...].

altercation

Because of his great charisma, the presidential candidate was able to [...] all democrats and republicans under his banner.

amalgamate

Some people think Caesar married Cleopatra for her power, others believe he was charmed by her beauty. His actual reasons are [...]. (uncertain, variably interpretable)

ambiguous

My feelings about Calvin are […] because on one hand he is a loyal friend, but on the other, he is a cruel and vicious thief.

ambivalent

The tense situation was […] when Sam proposed a solution everyone could agree upon.

ameliorated

Our father was […] when we asked him to drive us to the farm so we could go apple picking.

amenable

Bill Gates’s house is stocked with so many [...], he never has to do anything for himself.

amenities

An [...] fellow, Harry got along with just about everyone. (friendly)

amiable

Claudia and Jimmy got divorced, but […] and without hard feelings.

amicably

Whenever Albert saw Mariah wear her slinky red dress, he began to feel quite [...]. (showing love, particularly sexual)

amorous

The effort was doomed from the start, because the reasons behind it were so [...] and hard to pin down.

amorphous

In this book you’re writing, you say that the Pyramids were built after the Titanic sank, which is [...].

anachronistic

Put this [...] on the wound so that the poor man at least feels a little better.

analgesic

Though they are unrelated genetically, the bone structure of whales and fish is quite […].

analogous

An [...], Carmine wanted to dissolve every government everywhere. (one who wants to eliminate all government)

anarchist

I never want to see that murderer. He is an [...] to me.

anathema

After dinner, Marlon told an […] about the time he got his nose stuck in a toaster.

anecdote

When the nerves in his spine were damaged, Mr. Hollins suffered [...] in his legs. (loss of sensation)

anesthesia

Angelos suffered terrible […] when he learned that Buffy had died while combating a strange mystical force of evil.

anguish

When he begins to talk about drama, which is his true passion, he becomes very [...].

animated

After defeating them in battle, the Russians [...] Poland. ((v.) to incorporate territory or space)

annexed

He likes to do his studying in a little [...] attached to the main reading room in the library.

annex

After seeing its unforeseen and catastrophic effects, Congress sought to [...] the law.

annul

“That rip in the space-time continuum is certainly a spatial [...],” said Spock to Captain Kirk.

anomaly

Mary received a love poem from an [...] admirer.

anonymous

Superman and Bizarro Superman shared a mutual [...], and often fought. (hostility)

antagonism

The great tradition of Western culture had its […] in the culture of Ancient Greece.

antecedent

The [...] man still believed that Eisenhower was president of the United States and that hot dogs cost a nickel. (ancient)

antediluvian

The new [...] of Bob Dylan songs contains all his greatest hits and a few songs that you might never have heard before. (a selected collection of writings, songs, etc.)

anthology

I know you love me, but because you are a liar and a thief, I feel nothing but [...] for you. (a strong dislike, repugnance)

antipathy

That [...] car has none of the features, like power windows and steering, that make modern cars so great.

antiquated

The [...] hospital was very bare, but its cleanliness helped to keep patients healthy. (clean, sterile)

antiseptic