dsat vocab all

  • Abate (verb) – to become less intense or widespread

  • Abet - to support or encourage

  • Abnegate - to deny or to give up the right or privilege to something

  • Abscond - to escape, runaway, or let go of something

  • Apprehend (verb) – to arrest someone for a crime; to understand or grasp something.

  • Aggravate (verb) – make (something bad) worse.
    Example: The noise from the construction site aggravated her headache.
    Related: aggravation (noun), aggravating (adj.)

  • Ameliorate (verb) – to make or grow better or more tolerable.

  • Anon (adverb) – soon; shortly.

  • Antipathy (noun) – a strong dislike or aversion.
    Example: The teacher had an antipathy towards the student.
    Related: sympathy, empathy, etc.
    Root: path- (“feeling”)

  • Apathetic (adjective) – showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern.
    Example: The apathetic audience didn’t even applaud after the performance.
    Related: apathy (noun)
    Root: path- (“feeling”)

  • Arcane (adjective) – known or understood by only a few people.
    Example: The ancient texts were arcane, and the scholars struggled to decipher them.
    Related: arcana (noun)

  • Assuage (verb) – to make (an unpleasant feeling or situation) less severe or intense.
    Example: The doctor gave the patient medication to assuage her pain.

  • Bereft (adjective) – deprived of or lacking something, especially a non-material asset; suffering the loss of a loved one. Example: She felt utterly bereft after the end of the long friendship.

  • Belligerent (adjective) – aggressively hostile or warlike.
    Example: The belligerent crowd was threatening to riot.
    Related: belligerence (noun)
    Root: bele- (“war”)

  • Benign (adjective) – harmless or not harmful.
    Example: The tumor was benign, so the doctor did not recommend surgery.
    Root: bene- (“good”)

  • Cacophony (noun) – a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.
    Example: The cacophony of traffic noise made it difficult to think.
    Related: cacophonous (adj.)
    Root: phon- (“sound”)

  • Capitulate (verb) – to cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand; to surrender.

  • Circumvent (verb) – find a way to avoid or get around (a rule, restriction, or obstacle).

  • Coalesce (verb) – come together to form a single unit.
    Example: The two companies coalesced to form a new entity.

  • Congenital (adjective) – existing at or dating from birth.
    Example: The child’s congenital heart defect required surgery.
    Roots: con- (with, together)

  • Conjecture (noun) – an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information.
    Example: The police made a conjecture about the suspect’s identity.
    Related: conjecture (verb)

  • Contrive (verb) – to create or bring about (an object or a situation) by deliberate use of skill and artifice; to plan or scheme ingeniously.

  • Copious (adjective) – large in quantity or amount.
    Example: The rainfall was copious.

  • Corollary (noun) – a direct or natural consequence or result; something that follows naturally from something else.

  • Diatribe (noun) – a long, forceful, and angry speech or piece of writing.
    Example: The politician’s diatribe against the opposition party was widely condemned.

  • Didactic - something that is intended to be taught

  • Disconcerting (adjective) – causing one to feel unsettled, confused, or worried.

  • Ditty (noun) – a short, simple song or poem.

  • Doth (verb) – an archaic third-person singular form of "do."

  • Dulcet (adjective) – sweet and soothing (often used ironically); pleasant to hear.

  • Eclectic (adjective) – deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. Example: The architect's design was eclectic, blending elements from different historical periods.

  • Edifice (noun) – a large, imposing building; a complex system of beliefs.

  • Espouse - to take up and support as a cause; to marry someone

  • Equanimity (noun) – mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation.

  • Exalt (verb) – to raise someone or something to a higher rank or level; to praise highly.

  • Exactitude (noun) – the quality of being precise or accurate.

  • Fastidious (adjective) – very careful and particular about what one does or requires.
    Example: The fastidious chef refused to use anything but the freshest ingredients.

  • Garrulous (adjective) – talking a lot, especially in a way that is considered to be tedious or annoying.
    Example: The garrulous old man talked our ears off.

  • Grandiloquent (adjective) – using lofty, pompous, or extravagant language, especially in a way that is intended to impress. Example: The politician's grandiloquent speech was filled with complex words but lacked substance.

  • Gratuitous - something that is required by the circumstance but done or provided freely

  • Gregarious (adjective) – fond of company and social activity.
    Example: The gregarious student was always surrounded by friends.

  • Hackneyed (adjective) – used so often that it has become boring or unoriginal.
    Example: The hackneyed phrase “the pen is mightier than the sword” is no longer very effective.

  • Idiosyncrasy - a way of behaving or thinking that is characteristic of a person

  • Impart (verb) – give or convey (information or knowledge).
    Example: The teacher imparted her knowledge to the students.

  • ​​Impetuous -  impulsive

  • Impute - to blame someone unjustly

  • Incessant (adjective) – continuing without interruption.
    Example: The rain was incessant.

  • Iridescent (adjective) – showing luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles.
    Example: The soap bubbles had an iridescent sheen as they floated in the air.

  • Lampoon (verb) – make fun of (someone or something) in a way that is intended to be humorous.
    Example: The newspaper lampooned the politician’s latest gaffe.

  • Licentious - someone who disregards moral, ethical or legal restraints

  • Mirth (noun) – amusement or laughter, especially as expressed in laughter.
    Example: The room was filled with mirth as the comedian delivered his jokes.

  • Morose (adjective) – bad-tempered or sullen.
    Example: The morose old man sat on the bench and stared into space.

  • Nadir - the lowest point of something

  • Noxious - something that’s harmful or destructive 

  • Obviate (verb) – make unnecessary or redundant.
    Example: The invention of the car obviated the need for horses and carriages.

  • Parsimonious (adjective) – very careful with money or resources.
    Example: The miser was a parsimonious man.
    Related: parsimony (noun)

  • Paucity (noun) – a small or limited amount of something.
    Example: There was a paucity of evidence to support his claims.

  • Pejorative -  a word or phrase that has negative connotations

  • Peripheral (adjective) – relating to or situated on the edge or periphery of something; of secondary importance.
    Example: The issue is peripheral to the main topic of discussion.

  • Precarious (adjective) – dangerous or uncertain.
    Example: The climber’s position was precarious and he could easily fall.
    Related: precarity (noun)

  • Profusion (noun) – an abundance or large quantity of something.
    Example: The garden was filled with a profusion of colorful flowers.

  • Progeny (noun) – the children or descendants of a person or animal.
    Example: The king’s progeny ruled the kingdom for many years.

  • Promulgate (verb) – make (something) known or public.
    Example: The government promulgated a new law.
    Related: promulgation (noun)

  • Placid - free of disturbance; calm

  • Prerogative - an exclusive or special right, power, or privilege

  • Quixotic - impractical especially in the foolish pursuit of ideals

  • Redress (verb) – to make right.

  • Reductive (adjective) – over-simplifying something by focusing on only one aspect of it.
    Example: The argument was reductive and did not address the real issues.
    Related: reduce (verb), reduction (noun)

  • Reprise (noun) – a repeated passage in music; a recurrence or renewal of something.
    Example: The orchestra played a reprise of the main theme at the end of the concert.

  • Relegate - to banish or send into exile; to carry out a decision

  • Rotunda (noun) – a round building or room, typically with a dome.
    Example: The state capitol building has a grand rotunda at its center.

  • Sanguine - to be sure and certain of something; something that has the color of blood

  • Sardonic (adjective) – grimly mocking or cynical.

  • Scrupulous (adjective) – very careful and honest in one’s work and dealings. Example: The detective was scrupulous in his investigation.
    Related: scruples (noun)

  • Serendipity (noun) – the occurrence of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
    Example: It was pure serendipity that they met on the same train and discovered they had mutual friends.

  • Serrptitious -  done, made, or acquired by stealth and secrecy

  • Sparse (adjective) – very few.

  • Squalid (adjective) – dirty, neglected, and unpleasant.
    Example: The neighborhood was squalid and rundown.
    Related: squalor (noun)

  • Subsume (verb) – include or contain something as part of a larger whole.
    Example: The theory subsumes all of the known facts about the phenomenon.
    Related: subsumption (noun)

  • Subversive (adjective) – seeking to overthrow or undermine a government or institution.
    Example: The group was subversive and opposed to the government.

  • Supplant (verb) – replace or take the place of someone or something else.
    Example: The new technology supplanted the old one.

  • Supposition (noun) – an uncertain belief or assumption; something that is supposed.
    Example: His theory was based on mere supposition rather than solid evidence.

  • Torpid - someone lacking in energy or enthusiasm

  • Undulate (verb) – to move in waves or curves.
    Example: The waves undulated gently on the surface of the lake.
    Related: oscillate (verb)

  • Ungainliness (noun) – the quality of being awkward, clumsy, or ungraceful.
    Example: His ungainliness was evident as he stumbled across the room.

  • Venerable (adjective) – respected and honored because of one’s age, wisdom, or character.
    Example: The venerable old man was a respected member of the community.
    Related: venerate (verb)

  • Veracity - being true

  • Wayward (adjective) – difficult to control or predict because of unusual or perverse behavior.
    Example: The wayward child often ignored his parents' instructions and did as he pleased.