SAT VOCAB English 3-AP

assertion

a declaration or statement

adept

skillful

coherent

logically connected

cohesive

condition of sticking together

didactic

intended to instruct

discourse

verbal expression or exchange; conversation

eloquence

the ability to speak vividly or persuasively

dire

urgent, dreadful

rhetoric

the art of using language effectively and persuasively

lucid

easily understood; clear

atrophy

waste away

biased

prejudiced

exemplar

representative example

impartial

not in favor of one side or the other, unbiased

incontrovertible

not able to be denied or disputed

integrity

trustworthiness; completeness

objectivity

treating facts without influence from personal feelings or prejudices

plausible

seemingly valid or acceptable; credible

substantiated

supported with proof or evidence; verified

vindicated

free from blame

condescending

treating people as weak or inferior

contemptuous

feeling hatred; scornful

desolate

bare, barren, empty

disdain

(n) contempt; scorn; (v) to regard or treat with contempt; to look down on

haughty

arrogant; vainly proud

imperious

arrogantly domineering or overbearing

patronizing

treating in a condescending manner

conflagration

a widespread fire

arid

describing a dry, rainless climate

squalid

rundown, sorid, sleazy

convoluted

intricate; complex

cryptic

difficult to comprehend

impede

to slow the progress of

quandary

a state of uncertainty or perplexity

indolent

lazy

innovative

novel or new (idea or invention)

lament

express grief for; mourn

listless

lacking energy

melancholy

sadness; depression

infer

to guess, conclude or derive by guessing

disparity

inequality in age, rank, or degree; difference

impinge

hinder; interfere with

geriatric

relating to old age

servile

submissive; like a servant

suppressed

subdued; kept from being circulated

dubious

doubtful; of unlikely authenticity

fabricated

made; concocted to deceive

hypocrisy

the practice of pretending to be something one is not; insincerity

slander

false charges and malicious oral statements about someone

lucrative

capable of making a lot of money; profitable

embellish

to make beautiful by ornamenting; to decorate

florid

describing flowery or elaborate speech

opulent

exhibiting a display of great wealth

ornate

elaborately decorated

ostentatious

describing a showy or pretentious display

poignant

profoundly moving; touching

inconsequential

unimportant

superficial

concerned only with what is on the surface or obvious; shallow

tenuous

having little substance or strength; shaky; unsure; weak

trivial

of little importance or significance

enumerate

to specify or count

effusive

emotionally unrestrained; gushy

egregious

conspicuously bad or offensive

frenetic

wildly exciting or active

gratuitous

given freely; unearned; unwarranted

superfluous

extra; unnecessary

elusive

difficult to capture

expend

to use up (as in energy or money)

transient

passing away with time; passing from one place to another

flourish

to prosper, grow, or make fast progress

alleviate

to ease a pain or burden

asylum

a place of retreat or security

fluctuate

to rise and fall, unstable

benevolent

well-meaning; generous

benign

kind and gentle

scrutinize

to examine carefully or critically

sinister

ominous, evil

sanction

to give official authorization or approval

candor

sincerity; openness

frank

open and sincere in expression; straightforward

exemplary

commendable; worthy of imitation

idealize

to consider perfect

stark

very plain, devoid of details or features

paramount

of chief concern or importance

venerated

highly respected

catalog

to make an itemized list of

facile

done or achieved with little effort; easy

fastidious

possessing careful attention to detail; difficult to please

meticulous

extremely careful and precise

solvent

able to pay one’s debt

alienated

removed or disassociated from (friends, family, homeland)

abstract

not applied to actual objects

anachronism

something out of place in time or sequence

athropomorphism

the attribution of humanlike characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, or forces of nature

apparatus

equipment; a group of machines

tentative

not yet finalized

archetype

a perfect example; an original pattern or model

brittle

easily broken when subjected to pressure

treacherous

dangerous and unstable

tactful

skilled at dealing with people