Prep Expert SAT Vocab: Lists 1-16

A comprehensive vocabulary set covering 320 SAT preparation words across 16 lists, including terms, synonyms, and verbatim definitions from the lecture notes.

Dexterity

Skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands

Inane

Silly; stupid

Impudent

Not showing due respect for another person; impertinent

Malevolent

Having or showing a wish to do evil to others

Disparage

Regard or represent as being of little worth

Prosaic

Ordinary, lacking imagination or excitement

Elusive

Difficult to find, catch, or achieve

Predatory

Seeking to exploit or oppress others

Candor

The quality of being open and honest

Disdain

Consider to be unworthy of one's consideration

Prudent

Showing good judgment and caution, especially in practical matters

Fortuitous

Fortunately happening by chance or accident rather than design

Tenuous

Weak, slender, or fragile, lacking strength or substance

Hackneyed

Lacking significance through having been overused; unoriginal and trite

Effectual

Successful in producing a desired or intended result

Aberration

A deviation from the normal or typical

Yield

To surrender to authority or To produce a result

Frugal

Living in a simple, thrifty, or sparing manner, often avoiding unnecessary expenses or waste

Peripheral

On the edge of something, not centrally important

Tangible

Objects or qualities that are physical, material, or substantial in nature, as opposed to abstract

Stoic

A person who is unaffected by or indifferent to pleasure or pain, showing self-control

Fanciful

Over-imaginative and unrealistic

Transient

Temporary or passing, not lasting or permanent

Circuitous

Longer than the most direct way

Censure

Formal disapproval or criticism

Brazen

Bold and without shame

Stately

Dignified and impressive in appearance, manner, or size

Contrite

Feeling or expressing remorse at the recognition that one has done wrong

Abstract

Existing in thought but not having physical existence

Superficial

Concerned only with surface appearances and lacking depth or substance

Capitulate

To cease resisting or fighting; to admit defeat or accept an unfavorable outcome

Alleviate

Make suffering less severe

Whimsical

Playfully quaint or fanciful, having a sense of unpredictable or fantastical charm

Chronicle

A factual written account of important events

Infamy

The state of being well known for some bad quality or deed

Facetious

Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor

Concede

Admit that something is true after first denying or resisting it

Ambivalent

Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas

Diligent

Having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties

Surmise

To make an educated guess or inference based on limited evidence or intuition

Adulation

Excessive admiration or praise

Repudiate

To reject, disown, or refuse to accept something, often due to disagreement or disapproval

Intrepid

Fearless or courageous in the face of danger, challenges, or difficult situations

Myriad

A countless or extremely great number

Insidious

Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects

Concerted

Jointly arranged or carried out

Posit

Assume as a fact; put forward as a basis of argument

Vindicate

To clear from blame, suspicion, or doubt, proving one's innocence or correctness

Conceive

Form a mental representation of; imagine

Recant

To officially withdraw or renounce a belief or statement previously made

Underscore

To emphasize or highlight the importance or significance of something

Obfuscate

Render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible

Obscure

Difficult to understand, ambiguous, or vague

Fastidious

Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail

Expend

Spend or use up a resource such as money, time, or energy

Culminate

Reach a climax or point of highest development

Oblige

Make legally or morally bound to do something

Constitute

Be a part of a whole

Laudatory

Expressing praise and commendation

Rebut

Offers arguments or evidence in response to a claim or accusation, contradicting or disproving it

Immutable

Unchanging over time or unable to be changed

Credence

Acceptance or belief in the truth, validity, or reliability of something

Benign

Not causing harm or injury; not malignant or dangerous

Nebulous

In the form of a cloud or haze; hazy

Enigma

A person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand

Emulate

To imitate or copy the actions, behavior, or style of someone or something

Ebullient

Cheerful and full of energy

Potency

The state or quality of being potent, powerful, or strong

Amicable

Characterized by friendliness and absence of discord

Latent

Existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or concealed

Contemporary

Belonging to the present time or occurring in the same period

Acquaintance

A person one knows slightly

Conjecture

An opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information

Clairvoyant

A person who claims to have a supernatural ability to perceive future events

Lucrative

Producing a great deal of profit

Conspicuous

Standing out so as to be clearly visible

Multidisciplinary

Combining several academic disciplines or professional specializations in an approach

Equanimity

Mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation

Disconcerting

Causing one to feel unsettled

Unanimity

Agreement or consensus among all participants

Disposition

A person's inherent qualities of mind and character

Pathogen

A bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease

Attrition

The process of reducing something's strength through sustained attack

Foreground

The part of a view that is nearest to the observer

Encapsulate

Express the essential features of something succinctly

Polarize

Divide or cause to divide into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs

Revelation

A surprising or remarkable disclosure or discovery, often bringing new understanding or insight

Emigrate

Leave one's own country in order to settle in another

Proponent

A person who advocates a theory, proposal, or action

Notion

A conception of or belief about something

Awe

A feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear

Cogent

Clear, logical, and convincing

Circumvent

To find a way around or bypass an obstacle, rule, or restriction

Coalesce

Come together to form one mass or whole

Tranquilly

In a calm, peaceful, and serene manner

Depravity

Moral corruption; wickedness

Furtive

Attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or trouble; secretive

Breadth

The quality of being comprehensive or inclusive, covering a wide range of topics or ideas

Brevity

Concise and exact use of words in writing or speech

Parasitic

Exploitative or benefiting at the expense of others