SAT Vocab

sat

Supplant

To replace
Example: As technology advances, new devices often supplant older models in the market.

Salvage

to save or rescue
Example: The firefighters were able to salvage several belongings from the burning house.

Scrupulous

diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details
Example: The accountant was scrupulous in reviewing the financial statements to avoid any errors.

Polemicist

a person who engages in controversial debate
Example: The polemicist made headlines for his heated arguments on political talk shows.

Pragmatist

someone who approaches problems in a practical way
Example: As a pragmatist, she focused on finding solutions that worked rather than getting lost in theoretical discussions.

Adept

very skilled or proficient at something
Example: He is adept at playing the piano, able to master complex pieces effortlessly.

Precocious

indicative of early development
Example: The precocious child was reading chapter books by the age of five.

Docile

easy to influence; submissive
Example: The dog was so docile that even young children could handle it without any trouble.

Contemporary

living or occurring at the same time
Example: Shakespeare and Cervantes were contemporary writers, living during the same period.

Seldom

rarely; infrequently
Example: He seldom visits the museum, only going once every few years.

Tedious

boring
Example: The meeting was so tedious that several people started checking their phones for entertainment.

Conducive

making a certain situation likely or possible
Example: A quiet room is conducive to productive studying.

Eclectic

deriving ideas or style from a broad range of sources
Example: Her taste in music is eclectic, ranging from classical symphonies to modern hip-hop.

Buttress

strengthen or defend
Example: The lawyer used several case studies to buttress his argument in court.

Paucity

lack of
Example: The paucity of resources in the region made it difficult for communities to thrive.

Novel

new or original
Example: The scientist presented a novel approach to solving the energy crisis.

Innocuous

mild or unharmful
Example: The comment was innocuous, but she still took offense.

Perpetual

continuing forever

Example: The machine was in perpetual motion, never stopping for a moment.

Impending

about to happen
Example: The dark clouds signaled an impending storm.

Ameliorate

to make something better
Example: The government introduced new policies to ameliorate living conditions in the slums.

Dogmatic

expressing opinions strongly as if they were facts
Example: His dogmatic views on politics often led to heated arguments with friends.

Ambiguous

open to more than one interpretation
Example: The instructions were ambiguous, leaving many participants confused about what to do next.

Unpretentious

pleasantly simple and modest
Example: Despite his wealth, he lived in an unpretentious house and drove an old car.

Accentuate

to make more noticeable or prominent
Example: The red scarf accentuated her outfit, adding a bright pop of color.

Amorphous

without a clearly defined shape or form
Example: The artist's sculpture was amorphous, with no distinct lines or recognizable figures.

Eclipsed

deprived of significance, power, or prominence
Example: The new project quickly eclipsed the old one in terms of importance.

Augmented

made greater in size or value
Example: The company augmented its profits by expanding into new markets.

Convened

come together for a meeting
Example: The board of directors convened to discuss the upcoming merger.

Rousing

exciting or stirring
Example: The crowd gave the speaker a rousing round of applause after his powerful speech.

Multifaceted

having many facets or aspects
Example: The issue is multifaceted, requiring solutions from both economic and social perspectives.

Surmise/Speculate/Conjecture

think or guess without evidence
Example: I can only surmise what their motives might have been, as there was no clear explanation.

Allay

lessen the intensity of something
Example: The doctor tried to allay the patient’s fears by explaining the procedure in detail.

Antecedent

a thing that precedes another

Example: The antecedent events leading up to the revolution were crucial for understanding its causes.

Postulate

suggest or assume as a basis for reasoning
Example: Scientists postulate that the universe is constantly expanding.

Tenuous

very weak or slight
Example: The connection between the two events seemed tenuous at best, with little evidence to support it.

Contentious

causing or likely to cause an argument
Example: The topic of climate change has become increasingly contentious in recent years.

Conspicuous

standing out and clearly visible
Example: Her bright red dress was conspicuous among the sea of black suits at the event.

Scrutinize

examine or inspect closely
Example: The manager scrutinized every detail of the report before sending it to the client.

Epitomizing

being a perfect example of
Example: The athlete epitomizes dedication, training for hours every day without fail.

Exacerbating

making a bad situation worse
Example: His refusal to apologize only exacerbated the tension in the room.

Precluding

preventing from happening
Example: The heavy rain precluded any possibility of having the picnic outdoors.

Redress

remedy or set right
Example: The company offered free repairs to redress the defects in the product.

Multitude

a large number of people or things
Example: The concert attracted a multitude of fans from across the country.

Acclaim

praise enthusiastically and publicly
Example: The author received widespread acclaim for her latest novel.

Rectify

put right or correct
Example: The engineer worked tirelessly to rectify the issue with the machinery.

Customary

according to usual practices
Example: It is customary to shake hands when greeting someone in many cultures.

Repudiate

refuse to accept or be associated with
Example: The politician publicly repudiated the allegations against him.

Engender

cause or give rise to
Example: His careless remarks engendered a lot of resentment among his coworkers.

Spurious

not being what it claims to be; false
Example: The lawyer argued that the spurious claims in the lawsuit lacked any supporting evidence.

Palpable

so intense as to seem almost tangible
Example: The tension in the room was palpable as the jury returned with the verdict.

Supplement

something added to enhance
Example: The athlete took a vitamin supplement to improve his overall health.

Averse

having a strong dislike or opposition to something
Example: She was averse to the idea of going skydiving, as heights made her extremely uncomfortable.

Obscure

not discovered or known about; uncertain.

"his origins and parentage are obscure"

Localized

restrict (something) to a particular place or part of the body.

"we can localize the forest fire and be sure that adjacent territories will be safe"

Conceding

admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it.

"I had to concede that I'd overreacted"

Abysmal

extremely bad; appalling
Example: The team's performance was abysmal, resulting in a crushing defeat.

Complacent

showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements
Example: Despite the warnings, he became complacent and stopped putting in effort at work.

Deference

humble submission and respect
Example: Out of deference to her experience, the team leader asked for her opinion before making a decision.

Emphatic

showing or giving emphasis; expressing something forcibly and clearly
Example: He was emphatic in his refusal to attend the meeting, leaving no room for negotiation.

Imprudent

not showing care for the consequences of an action; rash
Example: His imprudent decision to invest all his savings in one stock resulted in financial loss.

Insatiable

impossible to satisfy
Example: Her insatiable curiosity drove her to explore every corner of the museum.

Null

having no legal or binding force; invalid
Example: The contract was declared null and void after it was discovered that both parties had violated the terms.

Pragmatic

dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical considerations
Example: The CEO took a pragmatic approach to the company's budget cuts, focusing on essential areas.

Rash

acting without careful consideration of the possible consequences
Example: His rash decision to drop out of school left him with limited career options.

Reproach

to express disapproval or disappointment
Example: She looked at him with reproach when he failed to show up for their important meeting.

Squalid

extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially as a result of poverty or neglect
Example: The squalid conditions of the abandoned building shocked the volunteers who came to help.

Tactful

showing sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues
Example: She was tactful in handling the delicate situation, making sure not to offend anyone.

Unadorned

lacking decoration; plain and simple
Example: The room was unadorned, with only a bed and a single chair as furniture.

Unmitigated

Warrant

Advance/Assert/Conjecture/Posit/Proffer/Speculate/Hypothesize

Make a claim
Example Sentence: She asserted that the data supported her theory.

Bolster/Buttress/Substantiate

Support a claim
Example Sentence: He buttressed his argument with additional research.

Ambivalence/Skepticism/Rebut/Refute

Question a claim
Example Sentence: His skepticism about the new policy was clear during the meeting.

Grapple with/Mull over/Ruminate about

Think about
Example Sentence: She mull over her options before making a final decision.

Converge/Integrate/Intersect

Coming together
Example Sentence: The two companies converged to create a stronger market presence.

Infer/Surmise

Draw a conclusion
Example Sentence: From the clues, she was able to infer the suspect’s motive.

Copious/Multitude/Plethora/Profusion

Large amount
Example Sentence: The library had a plethora of resources on the topic.

Dearth/Paucity

Small amount
Example Sentence: There was a paucity of evidence to support the claim.

Disparate/Heterogeneous/Eclectic

Different, diverse
Example Sentence: The city has an eclectic mix of cultures and traditions.

Conspicuous/Distinctive/Salient

Noticeable, striking
Example Sentence: The salient feature of the building was its bright red facade.

Benign/Innocuous

Kind/Harmless
Example Sentence: The medicine had no side effects and was considered innocuous.

Inherent/Innate/Intrinsic

Inborn/Natural
Example Sentence: Her talent for music seemed innate from a very young age.

Latent

Existing but not yet developed or visible; hidden potential
Example Sentence: Her latent talent for painting was discovered later in life.

Replicable

Able to be copied or reproduced
Example Sentence: The experiment's results were replicable, ensuring its validity.

Predetermined

Decided in advance
Example Sentence: The outcome of the election seemed predetermined due to strong public opinion.

Operative

In effect or functioning
Example Sentence: The new law became operative as soon as it was signed.

Contempt

Contempt – A feeling that something or someone is worthless or beneath consideration
Example Sentence: She spoke with contempt about the unfair treatment she had witnessed.

Hew

To chop or cut something, especially wood, with an axe or similar tool; also means to conform or adhere to something
Example Sentence: The carpenter hewed the log into sturdy beams for the cabin.

Swoon

To faint or be overwhelmed by strong emotion, often admiration or excitement
Example Sentence: Fans began to swoon as the band walked onto the stage.

Disparate

Different in kind; not allowing comparison.

The interests of the two groups were too disparate to find common ground.

Inexplicable

Unable to be explained or accounted for.

The sudden change in his attitude was inexplicable to everyone.

Commonplace

Ordinary or unremarkable.

Smartphones have become commonplace in today’s society.

Latent

Existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or concealed.

Her latent talent for singing was discovered at a local audition.

Predetermined

Established or decided in advance.

The route for the marathon was predetermined by the event organizers.

Operative

Functioning or having effect.

The new law will become operative next month.

Discounted

Regarded as being unworthy of consideration because it lacks credibility.

The scientist’s theory was discounted due to lack of evidence.

Redefined

To define again or differently.

Her approach to the project redefined our expectations.

Exploited

Make full use of and derive benefit from (a resource).

The company exploited new technology to gain a competitive edge.

Elicit

To draw out a response or reaction.

The teacher asked a question to elicit responses from the students.

Dispassionately

In an impartial and unemotional manner.

She dispassionately reviewed both sides of the argument.