sat.vocab (1)

SAT Vocabulary Notes

Page 1

  • abase (v.): To humiliate, degrade Example: After being overthrown and abased, the deposed leader offered to bow down to his conqueror.

  • abate (v.): To reduce, lessen Example: The rain poured down for a while, then abated.

  • abdicate (v.): To give up a position, usually one of leadership Example: When he realized that the revolutionaries would surely win, the king abdicated his throne.

  • abduct (v.): To kidnap, take by force Example: The evildoers abducted the fairy princess from her happy home.

  • aberration (n.): Something that differs from the norm Example: In 1918, the Boston Red Sox won the World Series, but the success turned out to be an aberration.

  • abet (v.): To aid, help, encourage Example: The spy succeeded only because he had a friend on the inside to abet him.

Page 2

  • abhor (v.): To hate, detest Example: Oswald began to abhor soccer after always kicking himself in the head when he played.

  • abide (v.): 1. To put up with Example: Chuck decided to abide by the decision despite his disagreement.2. To remain Example: The mountains abide despite challenging conditions.

  • abject (adj.): Wretched, pitiful Example: Eloise was abject after several misfortunes.

  • abjure (v.): To reject, renounce Example: The President abjured the evil policies of his predecessor.

  • abnegation (n.): Denial of comfort to oneself Example: The holy man practiced abnegation through simple living.

  • abort (v.): To give up on a half-finished project Example: The men had to abort their jump rope project due to lack of food.

  • abridge (v.): To cut down, shorten Example: The publisher abridged the dictionary.

  • abrogate (v.): To abolish, usually by authority Example: The Bill of Rights prevents the government from abrogating our rights.

  • abscond (v.): To sneak away and hide Example: The super-spy absconded into the night.

  • absolution (n.): Freedom from blame, guilt, sin Example: The jury granted Angela absolution with a not guilty verdict.

  • abstain (v.): To freely choose not to commit an action Example: Angus abstained from wearing the kilt.

  • abstruse (adj.): Hard to comprehend Example: John found geometry abstruse.

  • accede (v.): To agree Example: The teacher acceded to the class's request to play baseball.

  • accentuate (v.): To stress, highlight Example: Happy people accentuate the positive.

Page 3

  • accessible (adj.): Obtainable, reachable Example: Marlena's goal of attending an Ivy-League college felt accessible after studying.

  • acclaim (n.): High praise Example: Greg's poem won acclaim from friends.

  • accolade (n.): High praise, special distinction Example: Sam received accolades for winning the Nobel Prize.

  • accommodating (adj.): Helpful, obliging, polite Example: Despite space issues, the friends were accommodating to each other.

  • accord (n.): An agreement Example: England and Iceland reached an accord on fishing rights.

  • accost (v.): To confront verbally Example: Antoinette accosted the waiter after repeated soup spills.

  • accretion (n.): Slow growth in size or amount Example: Stalactites form through the accretion of minerals.

  • acerbic (adj.): Biting, bitter in tone or taste Example: Jill became acerbic with her friends.

  • acquiesce (v.): To agree without protesting Example: Mr. Correlli acquiesced to his wife's dinner request.

  • acrimony (n.): Bitterness, discord Example: Biff and Trevor experienced acrimony over their shared feelings for Teresa.

  • acumen (n.): Keen insight Example: Larry's mathematical acumen helped him solve problems quickly.

  • acute (adj.): Sharp, severe Example: Arnold could not walk due to acute foot pain.

  • adamant (adj.): Impervious, immovable, unyielding Example: The President remained adamant on his proposal.

  • adept (adj.): Extremely skilled Example: Tarzan was adept at tree-jumping.

Page 4

  • adhere (v.): 1. To stick to something Example: The poster was adhered to the wall with tape. 2. To follow devoutly Example: He adhered to his religion's dictates.

  • admonish (v.): To caution, criticize Example: Joe's mother admonished him against ruining his appetite.

  • adorn (v.): To decorate Example: We adorned the tree with ornaments.

  • adroit (adj.): Skillful, dexterous Example: The adroit thief went unnoticed while pickpocketing.

  • adulation (n.): Extreme praise Example: Marcy felt the book did not deserve the adulation it received.

  • adumbrate (v.): To sketch out in a vague way Example: The coach adumbrated a game plan that wasn't clearly understood.

  • adverse (adj.): Antagonistic, unfavorable, dangerous Example: Adverse conditions led hikers to abandon their climb.

  • advocate (v.): 1. To argue in favor of something Example: Arnold advocated turning left at the stop sign.2. (n.) A person who argues in favor Example: Arnold is also a great advocate for national defense spending.

  • aerial (adj.): Related to the air Example: The fighter planes conducted aerial maneuvers.

  • aesthetic (adj.): Artistic, related to beauty appreciation Example: Susan became the interior decorator due to her aesthetic sense.

  • affable (adj.): Friendly, amiable Example: George is affable and well-liked.

  • affinity (n.): A spontaneous feeling of closeness Example: Jerry felt an affinity for Kramer upon meeting.

  • affluent (adj.): Rich, wealthy Example: Mrs. Grebelski owned a large home and an island near Maine.

  • affront (n.): An insult Example: Bernardo took every slight as an affront to his honor.

  • aggrandize (v.): To increase or make greater Example: Joseph dropped names to aggrandize himself.

Page 5

  • aggregate (n.): A whole or total Example: The three branches of government form a powerful aggregate. Example: To aggregate people into an army, the dictator acted.

  • aggrieved (adj.): Distressed, wronged, injured Example: The employees felt aggrieved after being overworked.

  • agile (adj.): Quick, nimble Example: The dogs were too slow to catch the agile rabbit.

  • agnostic (adj.): Believing that God's existence cannot be proven Example: Joey's faith differs from his religious parents; he's agnostic.

  • agriculture (n.): Farming Example: The transition to agriculture marked a significant civilization step.

  • aisle (n.): A passageway between seats Example: We walked down the aisle to our seats in the stadium.

  • alacrity (n.): Eagerness, speed Example: Chuck helped his mother with alacrity.

  • alias (n.): A false name or identity Example: He sneaked past guards using an alias.

  • allay (v.): To soothe, ease Example: The chairman gave a speech to allay investors' fears.

  • allege (v.): To assert without proof Example: The policeman alleged Marshall committed a crime.

  • alleviate (v.): To relieve, make bearable Example: The drug alleviates symptoms temporarily.

  • allocate (v.): To distribute, set aside Example: The Mayor allocated funds for improving schools.

  • aloof (adj.): Reserved, distant Example: The scientist seemed aloof due to his focus on work.

  • altercation (n.): A dispute, fight Example: Jason and Lionel had an altercation post-accident.

Page 6

  • amalgamate (v.): To bring together, unite Example: The candidate amalgamated Democrats and Republicans.

  • ambiguous (adj.): Uncertain, variably interpretable Example: Caesar's motives for marriage are viewed as ambiguous.

  • ambivalent (adj.): Having opposing feelings Example: Calvin's friendliness is ambivalent due to his actions.

  • ameliorate (v.): To improve Example: Sam proposed amendments to ameliorate the situation.

  • amenable (adj.): Willing, compliant Example: Father was amenable to driving to the farm.

  • amenity (n.): An item that increases comfort Example: Bill Gates's house is filled with amenities.

  • amiable (adj.): Friendly Example: Harry is known for being amiable.

  • amicable (adj.): Friendly Example: Claudia and Jimmy's divorce was amicable.

  • amorous (adj.): Showing love, particularly sexual Example: Albert felt amorous in Mariah's presence.

  • amorphous (adj.): Without definite shape Example: The reasons for the effort were amorphous.

  • anachronistic (adj.): Out of correct chronological order Example: The book presents an anachronistic timeline.

  • analgesic (n.): Something that reduces pain Example: Use this analgesic for pain relief.

  • analogous (adj.): Similar so that an analogy can be drawn Example: Whale and fish bone structures are analogous.

  • anarchist (n.): One wanting to eliminate all government Example: Carmine's goal as an anarchist is to dissolve government.

  • anathema (n.): A cursed, detested person Example: The murderer is anathema to me.

Page 7

  • anecdote (n.): A short, humorous account Example: Marlon told an anecdote about a toaster incident.

  • anesthesia (n.): Loss of sensation Example: Mr. Hollins experienced anesthesia due to spinal damage.

  • anguish (n.): Extreme sadness, torment Example: Angelos felt anguish over Buffy's death.

  • animated (adj.): Lively Example: He was animated discussing his passion for drama.

  • annex (v.): To incorporate territory Example: Post-battle, Russians annexed Poland. Example: A study room is an annex to the library.

  • annul (v.): To make void or invalid Example: Congress sought to annul the harmful law.

  • anomaly (n.): Something that does not fit the normal order Example: The rip in the space-time continuum is an anomaly.

  • anonymous (adj.): Being unknown, unrecognized Example: Mary got a love poem from an anonymous admirer.

  • antagonism (n.): Hostility Example: Superman and Bizarro shared an antagonism.

  • antecedent (n.): Something that came before Example: Western culture's tradition had its antecedent in Ancient Greece.

  • antediluvian (adj.): Ancient Example: The antediluvian man held outdated beliefs.

  • anthology (n.): A collection of writings Example: The new anthology features Bob Dylan's greatest hits.

  • antipathy (n.): A strong dislike, repugnance Example: Despite love, the liar inspired antipathy.

  • antiquated (adj.): Old, out of date Example: The antiquated car lacks modern features.

  • antiseptic (adj.): Clean, sterile Example: The antiseptic hospital promotes patient health.

Page 8

  • antithesis (n.): The absolute opposite Example: Your values are the antithesis of my pacifism.

  • anxiety (n.): Intense uneasiness Example: He felt anxiety upon hearing about the car crash.

  • apathetic (adj.): Lacking concern, emotion Example: Bruno was apathetic about political regimes.

  • apocryphal (adj.): Fictitious, false Example: The rumors of my demise were apocryphal.

  • appalling (adj.): Inspiring shock, horror, disgust Example: The judge found the murderer's lack of remorse appalling.

  • appease (v.): To calm, satisfy Example: Candy is used by parents to appease crying children.

  • appraise (v.): To assess the worth or value Example: A realtor appraises houses.

  • apprehend (v.): 1. To seize, arrest Example: The criminal was apprehended.2. To comprehendExample: The student struggles to apprehend math concepts.

  • approbation (n.): Praise Example: The heroes were welcomed with approbation.

  • appropriate (v.): To take, make use of Example: The government appropriated land unjustly.

  • aquatic (adj.): Related to water Example: Aquatic creatures are studied by marine biologists.

  • arable (adj.): Suitable for growing crops Example: The farmer purchased arable land.

  • arbiter (n.): One who resolves disputes Example: The judge serves as the arbiter in a divorce.

  • arbitrary (adj.): Based on random factors Example: The boy's college choice seemed arbitrary.

  • arbitration (n.): The act of resolving a dispute Example: Arbitration was sought by the employee for a disagreement.