D-F Words SSAT Upper Level Vocabulary

Dearth

A scarcity or lack of something; a shortage

Decrepit

worn out or ruined; feeble or infirm

Deleterious

causing harm or damage; injurious

Delirious

in a state of wild excitement or ecstasy; in acutely disturbed state of mind

Deluge

a severe flood; a heavy downpour of rain; an overwhelming quantity or amount of something

Demur

the action of defying or hesitating or objecting to something; to raise doubts or objections; to hesitate or delay

Denigrate

to criticize unfairly; to belittle or disparage

Desultory

lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm; disconnected; jumping from one thing to another without a clear plan or purpose

Dexterity

skill and grace in physical movement, especially in using the hands; mental skill or quickness

Diaphanous

characterized by a sense of lightness and transparency, almost fully translucent or transparent

Diatribe

A forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something; a rant; a prolonged and abusive speech or piece of writing

Dilettante

a person who dabbles in a field of interest without serious commitment or knowledge; a superficial or shallow enthusiast

Dour

relentlessly severe, stern, or gloomy in nature, manner, or appearance; sullen

Duplicity

deceitfulness; the state of being two-faced or hypocritical; dishonest behavior that is meant to trick someone

Ebullient

cheerful and full of energy; overflowing with enthusiasm or excitement; bubbling with enthusiasm

Eclectic

selecting ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources; a person who draws upon a broad range of sources of influences for their ideas, style, or taste

Egalitarian

believing in or based on the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities; someone who believes in or promotes equality for all people

Elucidate

To make something clear or easy to understand by explaining it thoroughly; to clarify or shed light on a topic or issue

Empirical

based on observation or experience instead of theory or pure logic; verifiable though observation or experimentation

Enervate

to weaken or deprive of strength or vitality; to drain of energy or enthusiasm; to exhaust or wear out

Ennui

a feeling of weariness, dissatisfaction, apathy, or boredom from lack of interest or excitement

Entourage

a group of attendants, assistants, or followers who accompany and support an importnat person

Epitome

a perfect example or embodiment of a particular type or quality; a summary or concise representation of a larger idea, concept or body of work

Eschew

to deliberately avoid or abstain from something; to keep away from or shun

Esoteric

intended for or understood by only a small number of people with specialized knowledge or interest; obscure or mysterious in nature; not widely known

Espouse

to adopt or support a particular belief, cause, or ideology; to advocate or promote

Eulogy

a speech or piece of writing that praises and commemorates something or someone, especially a tribute to a person who has recently died

Evanescent

slowly and imperceptibly disappearing or fading away; vanishing like vapor; transient or short-lived

Exculpate

to clear from guilt or blame; to vindicate or absolve from wrongdoing; to prove someone’s innocence

Extant

still in existence or in use; surviving or remaining after a long period of time; not extinct or obsolete

fiat

a decree or order issued by a government or a person in authority; a command or mandate with the force of law; a random order

finesse

delicate or intricate maneuvering; refinement or sophistication in behavior, style, or execution; to deal with or execute something with great skill and delicacy

Flagrant

shockingly or outrageously offensive, bad or reprehensible; glaringly obvious or blatant; clearly violating norms or standards

Fleeting

passing quickly or in a hurry; lasting for only a short time

Foible

A minor weakness or eccentricity in someone’s character