PSAT VOCABULARY

• 1. Abeyance: a state of temporary suspension; postponement

  - The project was held in abeyance until the board approved the budget.

  2. Abdicate: to renounce; resign; relinquish

  - The king decided to abdicate the throne in favor of his son.

  3. Aesthetic: a set of principles guiding an artistic movement; concerned with beauty; artistic; tasteful

  - The new building has a modern aesthetic with its clean lines and minimalist design.

  4. Ambiguous: unclear; open to interpretation; having a double meaning

  - The ambiguous phrase puzzled the readers, leaving them to wonder about the author's intent.

  5. Ambivalent: having mixed feelings; uncertain; indecisive

  - She was ambivalent about the job offer and needed more time to make a decision.

  6. Amicable: friendly; likable

  - Despite their differences, the two leaders maintained an amicable relationship.

  7. Anachronistic: outdated; belonging to an earlier period; antiquated

  - The young tech entrepreneur's style was anachronistic, favoring vintage clothing from the 1920s.

  8. Apathetic: uninterested; unconcerned; indifferent

  - Voter turnout was low due to the apathetic attitude of the electorate.

  9. Autonomous: self-governing; independent

  - The autonomous region has its own government and operates independently from the central authority.

  10. Benevolent: kind; caring; benign

  - The benevolent donor contributed a large sum to the children's hospital.

  11. Benign: kind; friendly; benevolent

  - The doctor assured her that the tumor was benign and not a cause for concern.

  12. Blithe: indifferent; unconcerned; careless

  - His blithe disregard for the rules landed him in trouble.

  13. Callow: inexperienced; immature; naive

  - The callow intern made several mistakes but was eager to learn.

  14. Capricious: unpredictable; volatile

  - The capricious weather made it difficult to plan outdoor activities.

  15. Contentious: controversial; heated

  - The debate became contentious as both sides refused to compromise.

  16. Cumbersome: awkward; unmanageable; difficult to carry

  - The cumbersome package was too heavy for one person to lift.

  17. Digress: to deviate or go off subject

  - During the lecture, the professor would often digress onto unrelated topics.

  18. Divergent: differing; varying; unalike

  - Their divergent opinions on the issue led to a lively discussion.

  19. Dogmatic: opinionated; unyielding; offering opinions and principles as truths

  - His dogmatic approach to management caused conflicts within the team.

  20. Eminent: respected and famous

  - The eminent scientist was awarded a Nobel Prize for her groundbreaking research.

  21. Empathy: the ability to understand the feelings of others

  - A good counselor shows empathy towards their clients' problems.

  22. Ephemeral: fleeting; brief

  - The beauty of the sunset was ephemeral, lasting only a moment before night fell.

  23. Esoteric: specialized; obscure; intended for a small audience

  - The esoteric subject was only understood by a handful of experts in the field.

  24. Evanescent: quickly disappearing; temporary; ephemeral

  - The evanescent mist vanished as the morning sun rose.

  25. Frugal: cheap; thrifty; economical

  - Her frugal lifestyle allowed her to save a significant amount of money.

  26. Garrulous: talkative; verbose; chatty

  - The garrulous host kept the conversation lively throughout the evening.

  27. Haughty: arrogant; snobbish; conceited

  - His haughty demeanor made it difficult for others to approach him.

  28. Hedonistic: pleasure-seeking; self-indulgent

  - The hedonistic lifestyle of the rich and famous was depicted in the magazine.

  29. Ignominious: deserving shame; embarrassing; humiliating

  - The politician's ignominious exit from office shocked his supporters.

  30. Impecunious: poor; indigent; destitute

  - The impecunious artist struggled to afford his rent.

  31. Impetuous: impulsive; rash; careless

  - Her impetuous decision to quit her job left her without a plan.

  32. Impudent: disrespectful; impertinent; insolent

  - The impudent child was scolded for talking back to the teacher.

  33. Indifferent: unconcerned; uninterested; nonchalant

  - He remained indifferent to the criticism and continued with his work.

  34. Intrepid: fearless; adventurous; daring

  - The intrepid explorer ventured into uncharted territories.

  35. Intrinsic: inherent; essential; inborn

  - Curiosity is an intrinsic part of human nature.

  36. Magnanimous: generous; forgiving; charitable

  - The magnanimous gesture of the CEO was praised by the community.

  37. Meticulous: extremely careful; precise; thorough

  - Her meticulous attention to detail ensured the success of the event.

  38. Mundane: ordinary; commonplace; banal

  - He found his mundane office job unfulfilling and longed for excitement.

  39. Nonchalant: coolly unconcerned; indifferent; casual

  - She gave a nonchalant shrug when asked about her test results.

  40. Novice: a beginner; someone new to a field or activity

  - As a novice in martial arts, he was eager to learn and improve.

  41. Obsolete: out-of-date; no longer in use

  - With the advent of digital cameras, film rolls became obsolete.

  42. Ostentatious: showy; pretentious; displaying wealth or knowledge

  - The ostentatious display of luxury cars was meant to impress the guests.

  43. Paradox: a statement that seems contradictory but may be true

  - The paradox of her situation was that she had too many choices and yet none at all.

  44. Parched: dried out; thirsty

  - After the long hike, they were parched and desperate for water.

  45. Perfidious: deceitful; untrustworthy

  - The perfidious advisor betrayed the trust of everyone in the kingdom.

  46. Pragmatic: practical; dealing with things sensibly and realistically

  - His pragmatic approach to problem-solving made him an effective leader.

  47. Precocious: exhibiting mature qualities at an unusually early age

  - The precocious child was reading novels well above her grade level.

  48. Prosaic: dull; lacking in imagination; commonplace

  - The prosaic nature of the task made it unappealing to creative individuals.

  49. Querulous: complaining; grumbling; showing discontent

  - The querulous passenger made the flight unpleasant for those around him.

  50. Rancorous: bitter; hateful

  - The rancorous debate left the participants feeling angry and resentful.