PSAT Vocab

Definitions and examples

Altruistic

Def: unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others, often demonstrated through acts of kindness and generosity.

Ex: Nuns and nurses are usually very altruistic people.

ambivalent

Def: having contrary feelings or attitudes, uncertain as to a course of action

Ex: I am ambivalent about a permanent relationship with him, because I like him one day and don’t the next.

angular

Def: lean; sharp cornered

Ex: The patient has lost so much weight that this face has become quite angular.

arrogant

Def: overbearingly assuming; insolently proud

Ex: because the girl was so arrogant, she had few friends

aversion

Def: strong disinclination, disliking

Ex: I have an aversion to getting married

discern

Def: to differentiate between two or more things

Ex: Because of the fog, I was barely able to discern the landing strip.

disdain

Def: intense dislike; to treat with contempt; to reject as unworthy

Ex: Never having had to do manual labor, he disdained the idea of becoming a cotton picker

disparage

Def: to degrade, to speak of someone or something in a derogatory manner

Ex: His disparaging remarks about me caused the committee to give the job to another person

disparity

Def: inequality, the condition of being unequal in age, rank, or degree

Ex: the couple got married even though there was a great disparity in their ages.

embellish

Def: to decorate, to make beautiful with ornamentation

Ex: He would often embellish his narratives with anecdotes about famous people.

engender

Def: to cause, to produce, to create

Ex: His angry words engendered strife in his relationship with his wife.

innocuous

Def: harmless, resulting no injury

Ex: Since the drink is innocuous, its okay for us to have some.

insipid

Def: boring and stupid

Ex: I am bored by your insipid talk.

lament

Def: to mourn or express sorrow in a demonstrative manner

Ex: She lamented the death of her father in a very lachrymose manner.

laud

Def: to praise or extol

Ex: Her performance was lauded by all of the critics

obscure

Def: difficult to see, vague

Ex: Because the meaning of the play was obscure, I was unable to enjoy it

ostentatious

Def: showy of pretentious

Ex: the ostentatious socialite wore her mink fur coat even during the warmest days of August

prodigal

Def: wasteful, a person defined by given extravagance

Ex: the prodigal son squandered his inheritance

repudiate

Def: to reject or disown

Ex: he announced that he would repudiate all debts that had been created by his wife

reticence

Def: restraint in speech, reluctance to speak

Ex: A lawyer must have great reticence in discussing matters that could violate his client’s rights.