SAT Vocabulary

Abate

To reduce in intensity, amount, or degree.

Similar definitions: diminish, subside, wane

Example: "The storm finally began to         , and the residents emerged from their shelters."

Abhor

To regard with disgust or hatred; to detest.

Similar definitions: loathe, despise, detest

Example: "She came to          dishonesty and refused to work with anyone who had lied to her."

Abridge

To shorten or condense a text or work without losing the essential meaning.

Example: "The editor had to          the novel for the young readers' edition."

abrupt

Sudden and unexpected; without warning.

Example: "The car made an          stop."

absentminded

So lost in thought that you forget things or don't notice what's around you.

Example: "The          student walked past his own classroom."

Abstain

To restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something.

Similar definitions: refrain, forgo, desist

Example: "Members of the committee chose to          from voting on the controversial proposal."

abundant

Existing in large amounts; plentiful.

Example: "After the rain, wildflowers were          along the trail."

academic

Related to schooling or scholarly study.

Example: "She published an          article on climate policy."

accelerate

To move or cause to move faster; to speed up.

Example: "Drivers should          smoothly when merging onto the highway."

accessible

Easy to reach, obtain, or understand; approachable.

Example: "The museum made art          with clear labels and ramps."

accommodate

To provide what is needed or to make room for something.

Example: "The schedule was changed to          working students."

accomplishment

Something successfully done or achieved.

Example: "Finishing the marathon was a major         ."

accustomed

Used to something because it happens often.

Example: "She was          to waking up before dawn."

Acerbic

Sharp and direct in tone or style; biting and critical.

Similar definitions: caustic, cutting, sardonic

Example: "The critic's          review left the playwright feeling demoralized."

Acquiesce

To accept something reluctantly but without protest.

Example: "After hours of debate, the committee finally chose to          to the new policy."

acquire

To get or obtain something, often by effort, learning, or purchase.

Example: "She took extra classes to          the skills for the job."

Acrimony

Bitterness or ill feeling, especially in speech or debate.

Example: "The          between the two candidates was evident during the debate."

Acumen

The ability to make good judgments and quick decisions; keen insight.

Similar definitions: shrewdness, astuteness, discernment

Example: "Her financial          allowed the startup to become profitable within its first year."

Adamant

Refusing to change one's mind; stubbornly unyielding.

Similar definitions: resolute, inflexible, intransigent

Example: "Despite the pressure from his colleagues, he remained          in his opposition to the new policy."

adapt

To adjust or change so something fits new conditions or a new use.

Example: "Animals          when the climate changes."

adaptive

Able to adjust quickly to new conditions or challenges.

Example: "An          student changes tactics when a class gets tougher."

Adhere

To stick fast to a surface or object

Similar definitions: to follow or observe a principle, policy, or standard

Example: "The glue will          to most surfaces if they are clean and dry."

Admonish

To caution or warn someone; to express disapproval firmly but not harshly.

Similar definitions: reprimand, rebuke, chide

Example: "The teacher decided to          the students not to plagiarize their essays."

adumbrate

To foreshadow, or to outline only in a vague, sketchy way.

Example: "The prologue seems to          the disaster to come."

advance

To move something forward or to put forth an idea or claim.

Example: "In the article, the author sets out to          a bold new theory."

advantageous

Beneficial; giving a helpful edge.

Example: "It's          to save money before college."

Advertently

In a deliberate, intentional manner

Similar definitions: with full attention or consideration

Example: "He          left the door unlocked so his roommate could get in without a key."

advise

To give guidance or recommendations about what to do.

Example: "Counselors often          students to start their college applications early."

Advocate

To publicly recommend or support a cause or policy; one who does so.

Similar definitions: champion, promote, support

Example: "The organization will          for stricter environmental protections at the legislative hearing."

Aesthetic

Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty; a set of principles relating to art.

Similar definitions: artistic, visual, tasteful

Example: "The architect's minimalist          was evident in every room of the building."

Affable

Friendly, easy to talk to, and good-natured.

Similar definitions: amiable, genial, personable

Example: "The new principal was so          that students felt comfortable approaching him with concerns."

affectionate

Showing love, warmth, or fondness toward someone.

Example: "The          cat curled up on my lap."

Affinity

A natural liking for or attraction to a person, thing, or idea

Similar definitions: a similarity or relationship in structure

Example: "She has always had an          for mathematics and logical puzzles."

Aggravate

To make a problem, injury, or offense worse or more serious.

Similar definitions: exacerbate, worsen, intensify

Example: "Running on the injured leg only served to          the condition."

aggressive

Bold and forceful in pursuing goals or taking action.

Example: "The campaign used an          strategy to win attention."

alienate

To make someone feel isolated or turn them away from you.

Example: "Rude jokes can          potential supporters."

Alleviate

To make suffering, deficiency, or a problem less severe.

Similar definitions: relieve, ease, mitigate

Example: "The new medication was designed to          chronic pain without causing dependency."

allude

To refer to something indirectly; to hint at it.

Example: "In her speech, she chose to          to the scandal without naming it."

ambiguity

A lack of clarity because something can be understood in more than one way.

Example: "The          of the instructions led to mistakes."

Ambiguous

Open to more than one interpretation

Similar definitions: having a double meaning, unclear or inexact

Example: "The politician's          statement left reporters unsure about his true position."

ambivalence

Mixed feelings or uncertainty about something because you see both sides.

Example: "Her          about the move showed in her hesitant smile."

Ambivalent

Having mixed or contradictory feelings about someone or something

Example: "She felt          about moving to a new city—excited for new opportunities but sad to leave friends behind."

Ameliorate

To make something better or more tolerable

Similar definitions: to improve

Example: "The new policies were designed to          the living conditions in disadvantaged communities."

amenable

Willing to cooperate or go along; open to suggestions.

Example: "She was          to extending the deadline."

Amiable

Having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner.

Similar definitions: affable, cordial, congenial

Example: "The          host made every guest feel welcome at the reception."

amplify

To make louder or stronger, or to add detail to an idea.

Example: "The speaker used stories to          her main point."

anachronistic

Out of place in time; belonging to a different historical period.

Example: "A smartphone in a medieval painting looks         ."

analogous

Similar in a way that makes a meaningful comparison.

Example: "The heart is          to a pump, pushing blood through vessels the way a pump pushes water through pipes."

Animosity

Strong hostility or antagonism

Similar definitions: intense dislike or hatred

Example: "Decades of          between the two families made reconciliation difficult."

annotate

To add brief notes or comments to a text to explain or clarify it.

Example: "Please          the chapter with questions and key points."

annulment

Official act of declaring something legally invalid, especially a marriage.

Example: "The court granted an         , declaring the marriage void."

anodyne

Harmless and unlikely to offend; bland.

Example: "The CEO issued an          statement after the scandal."

anomalous

Unusual or out of place; not fitting the normal pattern.

Example: "An          result made the team recheck their data."

Anomaly

Something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected

Example: "The strange reading on the instrument was an          that puzzled the scientists."

Antagonist

One who opposes or contends with another

Similar definitions: an adversary or opponent

Example: "The novel's          was a corrupt politician who tried to thwart the hero at every turn."

antagonistic

Hostile or actively opposed to someone or something.

Example: "His          tone turned a debate into an argument."

Antagonize

To cause someone to become hostile; to provoke opposition.

Similar definitions: provoke, irritate, alienate

Example: "His dismissive comments only served to          the very voters he needed to win."

Antecedent

A thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another

Similar definitions: in grammar, a word or phrase replaced by a pronoun

Example: "The American Revolution had an          in the Enlightenment's emphasis on individual rights."

Anthropogenic

Originating from human activity

Similar definitions: caused or produced by humans

Example: "Climate scientists agree that current global warming trends are primarily         ."

anticipate

To expect or prepare for something before it happens.

Example: "We          a heavy crowd, so we’re opening extra lines."

Antipathy

A deep-seated feeling of aversion or dislike toward something.

Similar definitions: hostility, aversion, animosity

Example: "Her long-standing          toward bureaucracy made her reluctant to apply for government grants."

Apathetic

Showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern.

Similar definitions: indifferent, disinterested, listless

Example: "Voters were          about the election, with turnout reaching a historic low."

apocryphal

Of doubtful authenticity, though widely told or believed.

Example: "That          tale about the CEO sleeping under the desk went viral."

appreciate

To recognize the value of; to be grateful for.

Example: "I truly          her honest feedback."

Apprehensive

Anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen.

Similar definitions: anxious, uneasy, worried

Example: "She was          about her first day at the new school, unsure how her classmates would receive her."

approximate

Nearly correct; close to the real amount or value.

Example: "The map gives an          distance between the towns."

Arbitrary

Based on random choice or personal whim rather than reason or system.

Similar definitions: random, capricious, inconsistent

Example: "The students found the grading system          because similar essays received very different scores."

Arcane

Known or understood by very few

Similar definitions: mysterious, secret, obscure

Example: "The professor specialized in          medieval texts that few scholars could translate."

Arduous

Involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.

Similar definitions: strenuous, laborious, grueling

Example: "The          climb to the summit took the hikers nearly ten hours."

Articulate

Having or showing the ability to speak fluently and express ideas clearly.

Example: "The          speaker captivated the audience with her clear and compelling arguments."

artificial

Made by humans rather than found in nature; an imitation or fake.

Example: "The bouquet looked         , and the petals felt like plastic."

aspirational

Aiming for higher success or status; meant to inspire ambition.

Example: "She set an          goal to attend a top university."

assemble

Gather or put parts together into a whole.

Example: "Volunteers will          the furniture."

Assert

To state or declare positively and often forcefully or aggressively

Example: "She continued to          her innocence despite the mounting evidence against her."

Astute

Having an ability to notice and understand things clearly; mentally sharp.

Example: "The          investor noticed the market trend before anyone else."

attenuate

To make something weaker or less intense.

Example: "New filters help          the engine noise."

Atypical

Not representative of a type, group, or class

Similar definitions: not typical or usual

Example: "Her          response to the medication prompted the doctor to try a different treatment."

Augment

To make something greater by adding to it; to increase.

Similar definitions: supplement, enhance, enlarge

Example: "She took a part-time job to          her income while finishing graduate school."

Austere

Severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance

Similar definitions: having no comforts or luxuries, simple and unadorned

Example: "The monastery's          rooms contained only a bed, a desk, and a chair."

authentic

Real or genuine; not fake or copied.

Example: "The museum confirmed the painting was         ."

Autonomous

Having the freedom to act independently; self-governing.

Similar definitions: independent, self-sufficient, sovereign

Example: "The department preferred to remain         , resisting attempts by central management to oversee its decisions."

auxiliary

Providing extra help or support; serving as a backup.

Example: "The hospital relied on          generators during the blackout."

axiomatic

Obviously true and accepted without needing proof.

Example: "It seems          that hard work improves your chances."

Banal

So lacking in originality as to be boring; trite.

Similar definitions: trite, clichéd, hackneyed

Example: "The film's          plot disappointed critics who had expected something more inventive from the director."

Beguile

To charm or enchant someone, sometimes in a deceptive way

Similar definitions: to cheat or deceive

Example: "The con artist would          elderly victims with his charming manner and false promises."

belabor

To repeat or explain something too much.

Example: "The speaker tended to          the obvious until the audience began to sigh."

belie

To give a false impression of something, or to show that something is false.

Example: "The grim unemployment numbers          the mayor's cheerful speech about the economy."

Belligerent

Hostile and aggressive; inclined or eager to fight.

Similar definitions: aggressive, combative, antagonistic

Example: "The          customer refused to leave the store and threatened the employees."

beneficial

Helpful; producing a good or useful result.

Example: "Daily reading is          for your vocabulary."

beneficially

In a way that is helpful or good for someone or something.

Example: "Rather than wasting the surplus, the council chose to spend it          on new parks and libraries."

Beneficiary

A person who derives advantage from something, especially a trust, will, or life insurance policy

Example: "She named her daughter as the          of her life insurance policy."

Benevolent

Well-meaning and kindly; characterized by generosity and goodwill.

Similar definitions: charitable, generous, philanthropic

Example: "The          donor contributed millions to fund scholarships for underprivileged students."

benign

Harmless or gentle; not likely to cause damage or hurt.

Example: "The doctor confirmed the growth was         ."

bereft

Lacking something needed or wanted; deprived.

Example: "After the storm, the village was          of electricity."

betray

To reveal or show something, often unintentionally.

Example: "His nervous laugh seemed to          his fear."

Bias

Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another

Example: "The journalist tried to report without         , presenting both sides of the controversial issue."

bland

Dull and lacking strong flavor, interest, or character.

Example: "The speech was         , and the audience quickly tuned out."

Blemish

A small mark or flaw that makes something imperfect

Example: "The otherwise flawless diamond had a tiny          visible only under magnification."

blithe

Casually cheerful and unconcerned, sometimes not noticing or caring about problems.

Example: "He gave a          shrug and ignored the warning."

boastful

Showing too much pride by bragging about yourself or your achievements

Example: "Her          comments annoyed the team."