Crackd Vocab SAT

Abject

Example: The family lived in abject poverty after losing everything in the fire.

utterly hopeless, miserable, unfortunate

Abjure

Example: He was forced to abjure his former beliefs under duress.

formally DISCLAIM or RENOUNCE a previously held belief

Abrogate

Example: The government threatened to abrogate the treaty.

revoke, abolish, terminate something completely

Abstruse

Example: The philosopher's theories were too abstruse for many students.

difficult to understand

Accost

Example: The man was accosted by a stranger on the street.

approach/speak to someone aggressively

Acumen

Example: Her business acumen allowed her to navigate the complex market successfully.

ability to make good judgments and quick decisions

\- shows awareness thru keen insight

Admonish

Example: The teacher had to admonish the student for talking during the lecture.

to scold gently; to warn

Adverse

Example: Despite the adverse weather conditions, they continued their climb.

opposing direction, something that works against something

Aggrandize

Example: He used his political power to aggrandize his own reputation.

to increase in power, influence, and reputation

Alias

Example: The spy used an alias to avoid being recognized.

an assumed name, name that is not one's true name

Amenable

Example: The children were amenable to their parents' suggestion for a quiet evening.

agreeable, willing to comply

Aberration

Example: The sudden drop in temperature was an aberration for this time of year.

something that differs from the norm

Abnegation

Example: The monk practiced abnegation of worldly possessions.

restrain/deny/reject, not allowing oneself to have something

Abscond

Example: The suspect absconded from the country to avoid prosecution.

run away (often taking something or someone along)

Accede

Example: The committee decided to accede to the public's demands.

yield to another's wish or opinion, give in to a request or demand, give consent

Accretion

Example: The accretion of sand formed new dunes along the coastline.

an increase by natural growth or addition

Adamant

Example: She was adamant that she would not change her decision.

refusing to be persuaded or to change one's mind

Adumbrate

Example: The attorney could only adumbrate the broad outlines of the complicated case.

describe roughly, give the main points, SUMMARY

Alacrity

Example: He accepted the new challenging project with alacrity.

liveliness and eagerness

Amorphous

Example: The amorphous blob of clay could be molded into anything.

shapeless, formless, vague

Anachronistic

Example: A typewriter in a modern office would be considered an anachronistic item.

out of date, chronologically misplaces

Anathema

Example: The idea of total government control was anathema to the proponents of freedom.

a formal ecclesiastical curse accompanied by excommunication

annex

Example: The larger country decided to annex the smaller territory.

attach to

antediluvian

Example: Her knowledge of ancient languages seemed positively antediluvian.

old, antiquated, of or relating to the period before the biblical flood

antiseptic

Example: The hospital room was kept meticulously antiseptic.

thoroughly clean & free of disease, clean, sterile

apathetic

Example: The apathetic student showed no interest in the lesson.

showing little or no emotion/animation

antithesis

Example: Love is often described as the antithesis of hate.

exact opposite

apocryphal

Example: The story of the hidden treasure was likely apocryphal.

being of questionable authenticity, unverifiable story

approbation

Example: The project received the approbation of the board of directors.

official acceptance/agreement

arbitrary

Example: The arbitrary decision made by the judge seemed unfair to many.

unreasonable; based on one's wishes or whims without regard for reason or fairness, UNFAIR

arboreal

Example: The arboreal creatures spent most of their lives in the trees.

relating or OR formed by trees

arcane

Example: The arcane rituals of the ancient society were known only to a few.

requiring secret/mysterious knowledge

archetypal

Example: The archetypal hero's journey is a common theme in mythology.

of an original patterns on which other things are modeled

arrogate

Example: The small country attempted to arrogate power over its neighbors.

to claim or take without right

ascetic

Example: The ascetic monk lived a life of extreme simplicity and discipline.

someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline

aspersion

Example: Casting an aspersion on someone's character can severely harm their reputation.

a damaging or derogatory statement

assiduous

Example: The assiduous student studied for hours every day.

showing great care and persistent effort

atrophy

Example: Muscles can atrophy if they are not used regularly.

decrease in size of an organ caused by disease/disuse

bane

Example: The dictator was the bane of his people's existence.

something causing misery or death

bashful

Example: The bashful child hid behind her mother when introduced to new people.

self-consciously timid

beguile

Example: The charming salesman tried to beguile the customer into buying the expensive car.

to deceive, mislead in a charmful & enchanting manner

bereft

Example: After the fire, the family was bereft of their home and all their possessions.

deprived of something

blandishment

Example: She used blandishments to try and convince her father to buy her a new car.

flattery intended to persuade

bilk

Example: The con artist tried to bilk the elderly woman out of her life savings.

cheat; defraud

bombastic

Example: His bombastic speeches always focused on himself rather than the issues.

pompous in speech and manner

cajole

Example: He tried to cajole his friend into going to the party.

influence or urge by gently urging, caressing, flattering

callous

Example: The callous disregard for human life shocked the nation.

emotionally hardened, unfeeling, insensitive

calumny

Example: The politician was a victim of calumny from his opponents during the election.

false accusation of an offense

camaraderie

Example: There was a strong sense of camaraderie among the teammates.

the quality of trust/familiarity/sociability among friends or ppl

capitulate

Example: After weeks of siege, the city was forced to capitulate.

surrender under agreed conditions

carouse

Example: They decided to carouse all night to celebrate their victory.

to party, celebrate

carp

Example: She tends to carp about every little thing, never satisfied.

to complain or find fault in a petty or nagging way

a type of fish also

caucus

Example: The local party caucus will meet to choose their nominee for the upcoming election.

meeting of political parties to select a candidate OR promote policies

cavort

Example: The puppies cavorted playfully in the snow.

to romp or prance around exuberantly

circumlocution

Example: The politician's speech was full of circumlocution, avoiding direct answers.

talking in circles, indirect way of expressing things

clamor

Example: A great clamor arose from the crowd when the results were announced.

uproar, proclaim insistently & noisily

cleave

Example: The axe was used to cleave the log in half.

To cut or split open

cobbler

Example: The old cobbler carefully mended the worn-out boots.

person who makes/repairs shoes

cogent

Example: Her cogent arguments convinced the jury of her client's innocence.

powerfully persuasive

cognizant

Example: He was cognizant of the risks involved in his daring venture.

having knowledge or being aware of

commensurate

Example: The punishment was commensurate with the crime committed.

corresponding in size or degree; in proportion

compunction

Example: He felt no compunction for his dishonest actions.

remorse, regret (usually for a misdeed)

concomitant

Example: The increased stress was a concomitant effect of his new promotion.

following or accompanying as a consequence

conduit

Example: The river serves as a natural conduit for rainwater runoff.

a pipe, passage, channel thru which water can pass

conflagration

Example: The conflagration consumed the entire forest.

very intense & uncontrolled fire

congruity

Example: The congruity between their goals made working together easy.

the quality of being in agreement, suitable & appropriate

connive

Example: The two friends connived to surprise their mother with a party.

to plot, scheme

consign

Example: She was forced to consign her precious belongings to a storage unit.

give over/transfer for care or safekeeping

constituent

Example: Each citizen is a constituent of the democratic system.

one of the parts that make up the whole thing

construe

Example: His silence was construed as agreement.

to understand or explain

contusion

Example: He had a large contusion on his leg after falling down the stairs.

bruise/injury where skin isn't broken

contrite

Example: The contrite child apologized sincerely for breaking the vase.

feeling or expressing pain/sorrow

contentious

Example: The contentious debate lasted for hours with no clear resolution.

showing an inclination to disagree

contravene

Example: Building without a permit would contravene local regulations.

to violate or go against of rules/laws

convivial

Example: He was a convivial host, always making sure his guests were entertained.

fond of partying & having pleasures of good company

corpulence

Example: His corpulence was a concern for his health.

state of being very fat

covet

Example: He began to covet his neighbor's new sports car.

wish, long, or craving for

cupidity

Example: The politician's cupidity led him to engage in corrupt practices.

extreme greed for material wealth

dearth

Example: There was a dearth of evidence to support his claims.

lack, scarcity in quantity/number

debacle

Example: The economic debacle led to widespread unemployment.

sudden & complete disaster

debauch

Example: The party turned into a drunken debauch by midnight.

wild gathering

debunk

Example: The scientist worked to debunk the common myths about climate change.

expose as false

defunct

Example: The old telephone booth was now defunct.

no longer in existence or use, inactive

demagogue

Example: The demagogue stirred up the crowd with fiery, emotional rhetoric.

leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions

denigrate

Example: His political rivals tried to denigrate his character with false accusations.

attack the good name/reputation of someone

derivative

Example: Many modern medicines are derivative compounds from natural substances.

compound obtained from another compound

despot

Example: The people suffered under the harsh rule of the despot.

cruel & oppressive dictator

diaphanous

Example: The diaphanous curtains allowed the morning light to filter into the room.

lightweight and transparent, transmitting light

didactic

Example: The didactic novel was clearly intended to teach a moral lesson.

instructive in an excessive manner

dirge

Example: The dirge played slowly as the coffin was lowered into the ground.

a funeral hymn or mournful speech

disaffected

Example: The disaffected youth joined the protest against the government.

rebellious, resentful of authority

discomfit

Example: The sudden question threatened to discomfit the speaker.

cause to lose one's composure

disparate

Example: The two cultures had disparate views on the role of family.

different

dispel

Example: The news helped to dispel the fears of the community.

cause to separate & go in diff directions

disrepute

Example: His reputation fell into disrepute after the scandal.

state being held in low esteem

divisive

Example: The divisive issue split the party into two factions.

causing conflict, opposition by disgreement/disunity

dogmatic

Example: He held dogmatic beliefs that he refused to change, no matter the evidence.

stubbornly & strongly opinionated

dour

Example: The dour expression on his face indicated his displeasure.

stern, unyielding, gloomy, ill-humored

duplicity

Example: His duplicity became obvious when he was caught lying again.

act of deceiving or acting in bad faith

duress

Example: He claimed he signed the contract under duress.

compulsory force or threat