SAT Words
Page 1: Vocabulary Definitions
A - C
abrupt: sudden or unexpected.
absorbed: deeply interested or involved.
accelerator: something that increases speed.
acceptable: able to be agreed on or tolerated.
accommodate: to provide space or meet needs.
accomplishment: an achievement or success.
acknowledged: recognized or admitted.
acquired: obtained or gained.
adhere: to stick to or follow.
advantageous: beneficial or favorable.
advocacy: support for a cause or idea.
aerial: done from or in the air.
aesthetic: related to beauty or art.
aggravate: to make worse or annoy.
alleviate: to relieve or reduce.
ambivalence: mixed feelings or uncertainty.
annotate: to add notes or explanations.
anon: soon; shortly.
anticipating: expecting or predicting.
appropriate: suitable or proper.
approximate: close but not exact.
acquisition: the act of gaining possession.
argue: to give reasons for or against something.
attribute (v): to regard as caused by.
authenticity: the quality of being genuine.
B - C
beneficial: helpful or advantageous.
beneficiary: a person who receives something good.
benign: harmless or kind.
binary: involving two parts.
bureaucratic: related to complex administrative procedures.
buttress: to support or strengthen.
bystander: a person who is present but not involved.
careful: acting with caution.
catastrophic: causing great damage or disaster.
challenged: faced with difficulties.
characteristic: a feature or quality.
circumvent: to avoid or bypass.
civilian: a person not in the military.
coincide: to happen at the same time.
collaborate: to work together.
collected with: gathered along with something.
discernible: able to be seen or understood.
commissioned: given authority to perform a task.
committed: dedicated or devoted to something.
Page 2: Vocabulary Definitions
C - D
common: shared by all.
comparable to: similar or equivalent to.
compelling: captivating or persuasive.
complementary: combining well to enhance each other.
compose: to create or write.
comprises: consists of.
concealed: hidden or kept secret.
concede: to admit or acknowledge reluctantly.
conceptualize: to form an idea in the mind.
concern about: worry or care about.
concerning: about or regarding.
conditions: the state of something.
confident: self-assured or certain.
confined to: limited to a specific space or range.
conflicted: feeling unsure or uncertain.
conform to: to follow rules or standards.
conjecture: an opinion based on incomplete information.
consistent with: in agreement with.
contemporary: modern or current.
contrive: to plan or devise cleverly.
controversial: causing disagreement or debate.
convey: to communicate or express.
corollary: a natural consequence or result.
counterintuitive: contrary to common sense.
created: brought into existence.
credited: recognized or acknowledged.
critical: very important or crucial.
decentralized: distributed away from a central point.
deceptive: misleading or false.
deciding: making a choice or judgment.
decisive: clear and conclusive.
defends: supports or protects.
delegate: to assign tasks to others.
delve: to dig deeply into something.
demands: strongly requests or requires.
demonstrative: showing feelings openly.
denied: refused or rejected.
derived from: originated from.
D - F
deviates: moves away from the standard.
dignity: self-respect and honor.
disconcerting: causing discomfort or confusion.
discourage: to dissuade or prevent.
disengage: to detach or withdraw.
disorienting: causing confusion or loss of direction.
Page 3: Vocabulary Definitions
D - E
disparate: very different or distinct.
dispute: a disagreement or argument.
distraction: something that diverts attention.
ditty: a short, simple song.
diverge: to move in different directions.
diversification: the process of varying.
dormant: inactive or asleep.
doth: archaic form of ‘does’.
doubts: feelings of uncertainty.
drafting: writing or preparing.
dulcet: pleasant to hear.
dynamic: energetic and constantly changing.
eclipse: to overshadow or surpass.
edifice: a large building or structure.
Elizabethan: related to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
elusive: hard to catch or define.
emigrate: to leave one country to live in another.
encourage: to inspire or support.
engulfs: completely covers or surrounds.
enhance: to improve or increase.
ensure: to make certain.
enthusiasm for: great interest in something.
epitomizing: being the perfect example of.
equanimity: calmness under stress.
E - F
establishes: sets up or creates.
etched: carved or engraved.
evaluate: to assess or judge.
evolving: changing and developing.
exalt: to praise highly.
exemplified: served as a good example of.
experiment with: to try or test something new.
explains: makes something clear or understandable.
exquisite: extremely beautiful.
extensive: large in size or amount.
fabricate: to make or invent something.
fanciful: imaginative or unrealistic.
fluctuate: to change or vary frequently.
foreground: the most prominent or important part.
foretells: to predict something beforehand.
forge: to create or form something with effort.
fortify: to strengthen.
foster: to encourage development.
fruitless: unsuccessful or unproductive.
fulfills: to carry out or achieve a purpose.
Page 4: Vocabulary Definitions
G - H
germinate: to begin to grow or develop.
grapple: to struggle or wrestle with something.
guild: an organization of people with similar interests.
handmade from: created or crafted by hand.
haphazard: lacking order or planning.
hast: archaic form of 'have'.
healthy: in good physical or mental condition.
hibernation: a state of inactivity during winter.
hierarchical: arranged in order of rank.
hinder: to obstruct or hold back.
hypothesize: to suggest an explanation.
illustrate: to explain or clarify with examples.
imitated: copied or reproduced.
imminent: about to happen.
impartial: not biased; fair.
impenetrable: impossible to pass through.
imperceptible: too small to be noticed.
implement: to put into effect.
important: of great significance.
imposing: impressive in appearance.
impractical: not workable or realistic.
improve on: to make better.
improvise: to create without preparation.
inadequate: not sufficient.
inauguration: a formal introduction.
indecipherable: impossible to read.
independent of: not influenced by others.
indicated by: shown by.
indifference: lack of interest.
indigenous: native to a specific region.
inexplicable: unable to be explained.
infrequent: rare or uncommon.
inherent: existing as a natural part.
innocuous: harmless.
inspecting: examining carefully.
inspirational: providing motivation or encouragement.
interchangeable: able to be substituted.
interjected: interrupted with a remark.
interminable: endless.
interpret: to explain the meaning of something.
intertribal: between different tribes.
intricate: very detailed or complex.
intriguing: fascinating or interesting.
intuitive: understood without reasoning.
Page 5: Vocabulary Definitions
I - J
invalidate: to disprove or make invalid.
inventive: creative or innovative.
invertebrate: an animal without a backbone.
involuntarily: done without intention.
iridescent: showing changing colors.
irrelevant to: not related.
jarring: shocking or disturbing.
juvenile: relating to young people.
laced: decorated or intertwined.
lacking: not having enough.
languish: to become weak.
latent: present but not active.
legitimacy: being lawful.
legitimate: authorized or justified.
likewise: in the same way.
localized: limited to a specific area.
mandates: official orders.
mandatory: required by law.
manifesto: a public declaration.
mastery over: complete control.
melancholy: a deep sadness.
melodic: having a pleasant melody.
methodology: a system of methods.
M
mimic: to imitate.
mirth: joy or amusement.
misrepresent: to give a false account.
moderation: avoiding extremes.
monarch: a king or queen.
moreover: in addition.
mutation: a change or alteration.
mystifying: confusing.
nanotubes: cylindrical structures made of carbon.
neglect: failure to care.
nondescript: lacking distinctive features.
novel: new or different.
nuanced: having subtle differences.
obscure: hard to understand.
observant: quick to notice.
obtained from: acquired from.
offhand: casual or without preparation.
operative: functioning.
ordinary: normal.
originates: begins.
ornamental: decorative.
Page 6: Vocabulary Definitions
O - P
overcome: to defeat.
overreacts: responds more emotionally.
overshadowed by: made less important.
paleobiologist: a scientist who studies ancient life.
parasitic: living off another organism.
participatory: involving participation.
paucity: scarcity or lack.
payload: the cargo carried by a vehicle.
perceive: to become aware.
peripheral: on the edge.
persist: to continue despite difficulties.
persistent: determined and continuing.
personal: relating to an individual.
pondering: thinking deeply.
porous: full of small holes.
portal: a doorway or gateway.
portraiture: the art of creating portraits.
posit: to put forward as a fact.
pragmatic: practical.
predation: the act of preying.
predatory: hunting others.
predecessor: someone who came before.
predetermined: decided in advance.
predicted: forecasted.
premeditated: planned beforehand.
preponderance: a great amount.
prescribed: recommended.
prestige: respect or admiration.
presume: to assume.
presupposes: takes for granted.
prevail: to win.
prevalent: common.
preventable: able to be stopped.
proclaims: announces officially.
produced: made.
profound: deep or intense.
profusion: a large amount.
prominently: standing out.
proponent: a supporter.
prosocular: helpful in a social way.
provokes: causes a reaction.
quarrel about: to argue.
Page 7: Vocabulary Definitions
Q - R
question: to inquire.
questioned: doubted or challenged.
react to: respond to something.
rebut: to argue against.
recant: to withdraw a statement.
receive: to get.
receptor: a structure that receives stimuli.
reciprocate: to return in kind.
recognizable: easily identified.
recount: to tell a story.
reflect: to show or express.
refute: to prove wrong.
regret: to feel sorrow.
reinforcing: strengthening.
relate: to connect.
relentless: persistent and intense.
remember: to recall.
renounce: to give up formally.
replenishes: refills.
replicable: able to be repeated.
representative: acting on behalf of others.
repressed by: held back.
reprise: a repeat performance.
repudiate: to reject.
repulsed: driven back.
require: to need.
resilient: able to recover.
respectively: in the order given.
responsiveness to: reacting quickly.
restored: brought back.
restrained: held back.
retaliates: strikes back.
revitalization: renewal.
ricocheting: bouncing off surfaces.
Rosetta Stone: a key to understanding something.
rotunda: a round room or building.
rudimentary: basic.
sampler: a collection of examples.
satisfactory: acceptable.
satisfying: fulfilling.
scholarly: academic.
secretive: keeping private.
selects: chooses.
shortcomings: weaknesses.
significant: important.
simple: easy to understand.
Page 8: Vocabulary Definitions
S - T
situate: to place or position.
skeptical: doubting.
smoothly: without difficulty.
speculate: to guess.
standard: a level of quality.
strenuously: with great effort.
struggling: facing difficulty.
study: to learn.
subsequent: coming after.
subsist: to survive.
subsistence: the means of survival.
substantial: large or important.
succumb: to give in.
supplement: to add to something.
supposition: an assumption.
surmise: to guess.
surpassed by: exceeded by.
surprise at: astonished by.
synchronization: coordination in time.
tenuous: weak.
tenure: holding a position.
thrive: to grow well.
tolerate: to endure.
tranquilly: peacefully.
transcending: rising above.
unanimity: complete agreement.
undeniable: impossible to deny.
underestimated: judged too low.
underscore: to emphasize.
ungainliness: awkwardness.
unimportant: not significant.
unintended: not planned.
universal: affecting everyone.
unknown: not known.
unobtrusive: not noticeable.
unoriginal: lacking creativity.
unpredictable: not predictable.
useful: helpful.
validate: to confirm.
variable: changeable.
verisimilitude: appearance of being true.
veteran: experienced person.
vigor: energy.
waive: to give up a right.
Page 9: Vocabulary Definitions
W - W
wayward: unpredictable.
widespread: occurring widely.
withdraw: to pull back.
worried: anxious or concerned.