Common SAT Terms

vehement

urgent, passionate

supercillious

haughty, patronizing, pompous

rescind

to repeal, take back formally

emulate

imitate

realcitrant

disobedient/defiant of authority or control

ambulatory

walking

parismony

stinginess

blithe

carefree, cheerful

enthrall

to charm

irascible

irritable

contempt

reproachful disdain

tenacious

tough

rigorous

strict, harsh, severe

superficial

shallow, not thorough

subtle

not obvious

indifferent

not caring, callous, apathetic, aloof

futile

fruitless

contrite

deeply apologetic, remorseful

reticent

uncommunicative, restrained, tacit

brevity

briefness

benign

gentle, mind, kind, not harmful

revere

to worship

enigma

mystery

lucid

clear, easy to understand

redundant

repetitive, wordy

belligerent

combative, waging war, bellicose, pugnacious, hostile

anecdote

a brief, entertaining story

articulate

speaking clearly and well

deference

submission to another’s will, respect

candid

honest

dicernment

insight, able to see things clearly

abstract

theoretical

benevolent

generous, kind, good hearted

concilatory

making peace

servile

submissive, like a servant

acute

sharp

scruntinize

examine closely

virulent

extremely poisonous

incessant

never ending

deter

to prevent

banal

unoriginal

euphony

pleasant sound

deride

to ridicule, to jeer, to score, to scoff

heresy

an opinion violently opposed to established beliefs

philanthrophy

love of mankind

vacillate

to be indecisive, irresolute, undecided

vindicate

corroborate, substantiate

digress

to go off the subject

pragmatic

practical

disparge

to belittle, to say bad things about

esoteric

hard to understand, abstruse, profound

frivolous

not serious, trivial

amass

accumulate

volatile

explosive

stringent

strict

congenial

pleasant, agreeably suitable

eccentric

nonconventional, irregular, anomalous

provincial

narrow

pious

reverent, respectful, sanctimonious

prodigal

extravagant, wasteful

complacent

self satisfied

guile

cunning

squander

to waste

laudable

worthy of praise

depravity

moral corruption

extol

to praise

insipid

dull, trite, banal, prosaic, hackneyed

austere

forbidding, unadorned, without much money

fervor

passion

solemn

serious

didactic

instructive

prosaic

trite, banal humdrum

profuse

copious, extravagant

astute

perceptive, intelligent

fastidious

demanding, meticulous

languish

to become weak, listless or depressed

censure

to condemn severely, contempt

indolence

laziness

acquiesce

to permit, to consent

sycophant

one who sucks up to others, flatterer, yes man

caustic

like acid, corrosive, sharp, sarcastic

sage

wise

stoic

indifferent to pleasure or pain, to joy or grief, to fortune or misfortune

hedonistic

pleasure seeking, indulgent

fickle

capricious, unpredictable, erratic

lethargy

laziness

trepidation

fear

regulate

to control or maintain the rate of something (supervise)

appraisal

an assessment or evaluation of something

coerce

to persuade an unwilling person to do something by force or threats (pressure)

commodity

a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold

marginalize

to treat as insignificant or peripheral

estrange

alienate

access

the means or opportunity to approach or use something

accountability

the fact or condition of being responsible

empirical

based on observation or experience rather than theory