SAT Vocab

abase

(v.) to humiliate, degrade

abate

(v.) to reduce, lessen

abdicate

(v.) to give up a position, usually one of leadership

abduct

(v.) to kidnap, take by force

aberration

(n.) something that differs from the norm

abet

(v.) to aid, help, encourage

abhor

(v.) to hate, detest

abide

(v.) to put up with. to remain

abject

(adj.) wretched, pitiful

abjure

(v.) to reject, renounce

abnegation

(n.) denial of comfort to oneself

abort

(v.) to give up on a half-finished project or effort

abridge

(v.) to cut down, shorten

abrogate

(v.) to abolish, usually by authority

abscond

(v.) to sneak away and hide

absolution

(n.) freedom from blame, guilt, sin

abstain

(v.) to freely choose not to commit an action

abstruse

(adj.) hard to comprehend

accede

(v.) to agree

accentuate

(v.) to stress, highlight

accessible

(adj.) obtainable, reachable

acclaim

(n.) high praise

accolade

(n.) high praise, special distinction

accommodating

(adj.) helpful, obliging, polite

accord

(n.) an agreement

accost

(v.) to confront verbally

accretion

(n.) slow growth in size or amount

acerbic

(adj.) biting, biter in tone or taste

acquiesce

(v.) to agree without protesting

acrimony

(n.) bitterness, discord

acumen

(n.) keen insight

acute

(adj.) sharp, severe; having keen insight

adamant

(adj.) impervious, immovable, unyeilding

adept

(adj.) extremely skilled

adhere

to stick to something

admonish

(v.) to caution, criticize, reprove

adorn

(v.) to decorate

adroit

(adj.) skillful, dexterous

adulation

(n.) extremely praised

advocate

(v.) support, plead for, speak on behalf of

abstract

(adj.) theoretical, not concrete

affable

(adj.) friendly, easy going

affirmation

(n.) positive statement, assertion, agreement

alienate

(v.) to push someone away, or cause them to separate from people

aloof

(adj.) detached, apart, indifferent

altruistic

(adj.) unselfish, caring

ambidexterous

(adj.) use both hands with equal skill

ambiguous

(adj.) unclear, vague, having possible several interpretations

ambivalence

(n.) indecision, feeling of being pulled in two different directions

ameliorate

(v.) to make an unpleasant situation better, to improve

amity

(n.) friendship

amorphous

(adj.) without form or shape

analogous

(adj.) similar

anarchy

(n.) a lack of order, chaos

anathema

(n.) a religious curse, or the thing or person being cursed

antagonistic

(adj.) in hostile competition, oposing

antiquated

(adj.) too old to be useful, outdated

antithesis

(n.) opposite

apathy

(n.) lack of interest of concern

apex

(n.) top, highest point, summit

appease

(v.) calm pacify

arbitrary

(adj.) selected by random choice without solid reason

arcane

(adj.) secret, mysterious

archaic

(adj.) old, antiquated

arrogant

(adj.) acting superior, smug, or rude

articulate

(adj.) able to speak clearly and efficiently

ascendance

(n.) domination, controlling power

ascetic

(n.) person who rejects physical comfort and luxury

asperity

(adj.) roughness, harshness, irritability

assail

(v.) to attach with words or force

assiduous

(adj.) persistent, hardworking, diligent, attention to detail

assuage

(v.) relieve, ease, pacify

astute

(adj.)wise, insightfully clever, shrewd

atrophy

(v.) waste away, wither

audacious

(adj.) brazen, brash, nervy

augment

(v.) make larger, increase

auspicious

(adj.) taking place under promising conditions

austere

(adj.) stern, plain, without luxuries

avarice

(n.) greed

averse

feeling repelled, wanting to avoid

baleful

(adj.) harmful, menacing

banal

(adj.) boring, trite, insipid

beguile

(v.) to cheat or deceive, usually through charm; to amuse

belie

(v.) to give an impression that is the opposite of the way things really are; to misrepresent

belligerent

(adj.) having a strong tendency to argue and fight

benediction

(n.) good wishes, a blessing

benevolent

(v.) kindhearted, good natured, generous

benign

(adj.) gentle, kindhearted, mild

bequeath

(v.) to leave behind of hand down as a will; transmit

blight

(n.) decay, disease, wide spread death

bolster

(v.) to support, to reinforce

bombast

(n.) speech or writing meant to impress the audience; pompous

brevity

(n.) briefness; conciseness

bumptious

(adj.) pushy; obnoxiously self-assertive

cacophony

(n.) harshness of sound; opposite of harmony

cajole

(v.) to fool with flattery or false promises; coax; deceive

candor

(n.) honesty, frankness

capacious

(adj.) large, roomy, spacious

capitulate

(v.) surrender, yield

capricious

(adj.) unpredictable