Princeton 500 Flashcards Essential SAT Vocabulary

abase

deprive of self-esteem, confidence

abstinence

denial of an indulgence or appetite

abstract

apart from actual, specific, concrete ideas or events

abstruse

hard to understand

accessible

easy to approach or enter

acclaim

enthusiastic approval or welcome

acquiesce

to submit without protest

adept

skilled

adherence

faithful attachment

adroit

expert, skilled, or nimble

adulation

excessive adoration or admiration

advocate

to speak or write in favor of

aesthetic

related to beauty

affable

easy to approach or talk to

affluence

abundance of wealth

alacrity

cheerful willingness

allegation

an assertion made with little or no proof

alleviate

to make easier to endure

allude

to refer casually or indirectly

altruism

unselfish concern for others

ambiguous

open to several meanings or interpretations

ambivalent

uncertainty or fluctuation, mixed feelings

amiable

showing pleasant or good natured qualities

anachronism

something out of place in historical time

anecdote

a short, amusing story

animated

full of life or spirit

animosity

a feeling of strong dislike

antagonistic

acting in opposition to another

apathetic

having or showing little emotion

apprehensive

uneasy or fearful

appropriated

to take possession of

ardent

having intense or passionate feeling

arrogant

acting superior

articulate

using language easily or clearly

aspect

a part, feature, or phase

assertion

a statement or declaration, often without reasoning or support

assuage

to make milder or less severe

astute

having practical intelligence

atypical

not typical; not conforming to type

augment

to make larger

austere

severe in manner or appearance

authenticity

the quality of being authentic or genuine

autonomy

independence or freedom of will

banal

lacking originality

belabor

to explain or work at something beyond what is necessary

belie

to show to be false

belittle

to regard as less impressive or less important

benefactor

a person who gives a benefit; kindly helper

benign

having a kind disposition

bereft

deprived and made desolate

bleak

bare and desolate

bolster

to support or hold up

bureaucratic

rigidly committed to procedure or routine

burgeon

to grow or develop quickly

cacophony

harsh, loud, discordant sounds

calculated

carefully thought out or planned

camaraderie

a spirit of friendliness or good-fellowship

candid

frank, open, honest in speech

cantankerous

disagreeable to deal with

capitulate

to give up resistance

capricious

subject to or led by whim

captivate

to attract or hold the interest of

catalyst

something that causes an event or a change

cathartic

emotionally purging

caustic

severely critical or sarcastic

cavalier

showing arrogant disregard

cerebral

pertaining to the brain or intellect

charisma

personal magnetism or charm

chronicle

a record or history

circumscribe

to draw a line around or enclose

cite

to reference as an authority

clandestine

done with secrecy or concealment

coerce

use of force or intimidation to get results

coherent

logically connected or consistent

cohesive

united, integrated, or unified

collaboration

the act of working together

colleague

an associate

commend

to present as worthy of notice or praise

commerce

business; buying and selling

compatible

capable of living in harmony

compelling

having a powerful or irresistible effect

complacent

pleased with oneself

complement

something that completes or makes perfect

compliant

complying or yielding in a submissive way

comprehensive

of large scope

compromised

to make vulnerable

concede

to acknowledge as true or proper

concise

expressing much in a few words

condescending

looking down upon someone or something

conformist

a person who follows a group without questioning

conjecture

an opinion or theory that is unproven

connoisseur

a person with expert knowledge or taste

conscientious

careful, painstaking

consecration

dedication to the service or worship of a god

constraint

limitation or restriction

contemporary

of the present time period

contempt

to regard something as worthless

contentious

tending to argument or conflict

context

the facts or situation surrounding a person or thing

contrite

showing sincere remorse