SAT Vocabulary

abase

to humiliate, degrade

abate

to reduce, lessen

aberration

something that differs from the norm

abet

to aid, help, encourage

abject

wretched, pitiful

abjure

to reject, renounce

abnegation

denial of comfort to oneself

abrogate

to abolish, usually by authority

absolution

freedom from blame, guilt, sin

abstain

to freely choose not to commit an action

abstruse

hard to comprehend

accede

to agree

accretion

slow growth in size or amount

acerbic

biting, bitter in tone or taste

acquiesce

to agree without protesting

acrimony

bitterness, discord

acumen

keen insight

adroit

skillful, dexterous

adulation

extreme praise

adumbrate

to sketch out in a vague way

aesthetic

artistic, related to the appreciation of beauty

affable

friendly, amiable

affluent

rich, wealthy

affront

an insult

aggrandize

to increase or make greater

aggrieved

distressed, wronged, injured

alacrity

eagerness, speed

allay

to soothe, ease

aloof

reserved, distant

altercation

a dispute, fight

amalgamate

to bring together, unite

ameliorate

to improve

amenable

willing, compliant

amorphous

without definite shape or type

anachronistic

being out of correct chronological order

analgesic

something that reduces pain

anarchist

one who wants to eliminate all government

anathema

a cursed, detested person

antagonism

hostility

antecedent

something that came before

antediluvian

ancient

anthology

a selected collection of writings, songs, etc.

antipathy

a strong dislike, repugnance

antiseptic

clean, sterile

antithesis

the absolute opposite

apathetic

lacking concern, emotion

apocryphal

fictitious, false, wrong

approbation

praise

appropriate

to take, make use of

arable

suitable for growing crops

arbiter

one who can resolve a dispute, make a decision

arbitrary

based on factors that appear random

arbitration

the process or act of resolving a dispute

arboreal

of or relating to trees

arcane

obscure, secret, known only by a few

archaic

of or relating to an earlier period in time, outdated

archetypal

the most representative or typical example of something

ardor

extreme vigor, energy, enthusiasm

arrogate

to take without justification

ascertain

to perceive, learn

ascetic

practicing restraint as a means of self-discipline, usually religious

aspersion

a curse, expression of ill-will

assiduous

hard-working, diligent

assuage

to ease, pacify

atrophy

to wither away, decay

auspicious

favorable, indicative of good things

austere

very bare, bleak

avarice

excessive greed

banal

dull, commonplace

beguile

to trick, deceive

behemoth

something of tremendous power or size

benevolent

marked by goodness or doing good

benign

favorable, not threatening, mild

berate

to scold vehemently

bereft

devoid of, without

bilk

cheat, defraud

blandish

to coax by using flattery

blight

1. a plague, disease

2. something that destroys hope

bombastic

excessively confident, pompous

boon

a gift or blessing

bourgeois

a middle-class person, capitalist

brazen

excessively bold, brash

brusque

short, abrupt, dismissive

buffet

to strike with force

burnish

to polish, shine

cajole

to urge, coax

callous

harsh, cold, unfeeling

calumny

an attempt to spoil someone else's reputation by spreading lies

candor

honesty, frankness

canny

shrewd, careful

capacious

very spacious

capitulate

to surrender

capricious

subject to whim, fickle

carouse

to party, celebrate

carp

to annoy, pester

caucus

a meeting usually held by people working toward the same goal

caustic

bitter, biting, acidic

cavort

to leap about, behave boisterously

censure

harsh criticism

cerebral

related to the intellect