SSAT question vocab

adjourn

adjourn

(v.) to stop proceedings temporarily; move to another place

adroit

skillful, expert in the use of the hands or mind

adverse

unfavorable

Ail

to suffer from sickness; to cause to suffer

ailment

illness

alleviate

to relieve

altruism

unselfish regard for the welfare of others

ambivalent

Having mixed feelings

ameliorate

to make better or more tolerable

animosity

strong dislike; bitter hostility

ardency

passion

assimilate

(v.) to absorb fully or make one's own; to adopt as one's own; to adapt fully

assuage

(v.) to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench

augment

to make larger, increase

auspicious

favorable

averse

having a deep-seated distaste; opposed, unwilling

Bashful

shy

begrudge

to resent another's success; to envy

brevity

shortness

cadence

rhythm

candor

honesty

censure

to criticize harshly

chaste

morally pure

Confide

to trust (another) with information or a secret

contempt

the feeling that a person or a thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn.

culmination

the highest point of attainment; the end or climax

cursory

hasty, not thorough

curtail

cut short

daunt

to overcome with fear, intimidate; to dishearten, discourage

defamation

Act of harming or ruining another's reputation

deride

to ridicule, laugh at with contempt

dingy

dirty, dull, or shabby

disparate

fundamentally different; entirely unlike

dualistic

The theory that the universe has been ruled from its origins by two conflicting powers, one good and one evil, both existing as equally ultimate first causes

dubious

doubtful

eccentric

unconventional and slightly strange

effusive

emotionally excessive; overly demonstrative

eloquent

persuasive and moving, especially in speech

embellish

to decorate

encumber

to weigh down or burden

enthrall

to captivate

exacerbate

to make worse

extricate

(v.) to free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort

farcical

absurd; ludicrous

feckless

(adj.) lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable

flaunt

to show off

fringe

the outside boundary or surface of something

fruitful

bringing forth much; productive

furbish

polish, burnish, shine

grandiose

(adj.) grand in an impressive or stately way; marked by pompous affectation or grandeur, absurdly exaggerated

Gripe

to complain

Hazy

unclear

heinous

(adj.) very wicked, offensive, hateful

Hue

a particular shade of a given color

immutable

unchangeable

infallible

free from error; absolutely dependable

injurious

harmful

laudable

worthy of praise

malleable

capable of being shaped

mar

to spoil, damage, injure

mellifluous

sweetly flowing

null

nothing

obstinate

stubborn

orate

to make a speech, especially pompously

orient

to locate

ostentation

excessive showiness

ostracize

(v.) to exclude from a group, banish, send away

parsimonious

stingy, miserly; meager, poor, small

percuss

to examine by striking

pertinent

relevant

peruse

(v.) to read thoroughly and carefully

pious

devoutly religious

poise

graceful and elegant bearing in a person

prolific

(adj.) abundantly productive; abundant, profuse

propensity

(n.) a natural inclination or predilection toward

rendition

An interpretation or translation; a performance

repose

to rest

resplendent

shining; glowing

revere

to honor, to regard with respect

rout

an overwhelming defeat

secular

Non-religious

spoof

a humorous copy of a film/movie, television programme, etc.

sporadic

(adj.) occurring at irregular intervals, having no set plan or order

subside

wear off or die down

supercilious

proud and contemptuous; showing scorn because of a feeling of superiority

superficial

near the surface

surly

(adj.) angry and bad-tempered; rude

tempestuous

turbulent, stormy

terse

brief and to the point; concise

transmute

to transform

uncouth

Lacking good manners

Vagabond

A person who wanders from place to place

vehemence

the display of strong feeling; passion

verbose

wordy

Vile

extremely unpleasant

vivacious

lively

vivid

bright, distinct, and clear

vociferous

loud and noisy; compelling attention

Writhe

(v.) to make twisting or turning movements in a way that suggests pain or struggle

zealous

enthusiastic