SAT Vocabulary

abbreviate -- (v) to shorten, abridge

abstinence -- (n) the act of refraining from pleasurable activity, e.g., eating or drinking

adulation -- (n) high praise

adversity -- (n) misfortune, an unfavorable turn of events

aesthetic -- (adj.) pertaining to beauty or the arts

amicable -- (adj.) friendly, agreeable

anachronistic -- (adj.) out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period

anecdote -- (n) short, usually funny account of an event

anonymous -- (adj.) nameless, without a disclosed identity

antagonist -- (n) foe, opponent, adversary

arid -- (adj.) extremely dry or deathly boring

assiduous -- (adj.) persistent, hard-working

asylum -- (n) sanctuary, shelter, place of refuge

benevolent -- (adj.) friendly and helpful

camaraderie -- (n) trust, sociability amongst friends

censure -- (v) to criticize harshly

circuitous -- (adj.) indirect, taking the longest route

clairvoyant -- (adj.) exceptionally insightful, able to foresee the future

collaborate -- (v) to cooperate, work together

compassion -- (n) sympathy, helpfulness or mercy

compromise -- (v) to settle a dispute by terms agreeable to both sides

condescending -- (adj.) possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing

conditional -- (adj.) depending on a condition, e.g., in a contract

conformist -- (n) person who complies with accepted rules and customs

congregation -- (n) a crowd of people, an assembly

convergence -- (n) the state of separate elements joining or coming together

deleterious -- (adj.) harmful, destructive, detrimental

demagogue -- (n) leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice

digression -- (n) the act of turning aside, straying from the main point, esp. in a speech or argument

diligent -- (adj.) careful and hard-working

discredit -- (v) to harm the reputation of, dishonor or disgrace

disdain -- (v) to regard with scorn or contempt

divergent -- (adj.) separating, moving in different directions from a particular point

empathy -- (n) identification with the feelings of others

emulate -- (v) to imitate, follow an example

enervating -- (adj.) weakening, tiring

enhance -- (v) to improve, bring to a greater level of intensity

ephemeral -- (adj.) momentary, transient, fleeting

evanescent -- (adj.) quickly fading, short-lived, esp. an image

exasperation -- (n) irritation, frustration

exemplary -- (adj.) outstanding, an example to others

extenuating -- (adj.) excusing, lessening the seriousness of guilt or crime, e.g., of mitigating factors

florid -- (adj.) red-colored, flushed; gaudy, ornate

fortuitous -- (adj.) happening by luck, fortunate

frugal -- (adj.) thrifty, cheap

hackneyed -- (adj.) cliched, worn out by overuse

haughty -- (adj.) arrogant and condescending

hedonist -- (n) person who pursues pleasure as a goal

hypothesis -- (n) assumption, theory requiring proof

impetuous -- (adj.) rash, impulsive, acting without thinking

impute -- (v) to attribute an action to particular person or group

incompatible -- (adj.) opposed in nature, not able to live or work together

inconsequential -- (adj.) unimportant, trivial

inevitable -- (adj.) certain, unavoidable

integrity -- (n) decency, honesty, wholeness

intrepid -- (adj.) fearless, adventurous

intuitive -- (adj.) instinctive, untaught

jubilation -- (n) joy, celebration, exultation

lobbyist -- (n) person who seeks to influence political events

longevity -- (n) long life

mundane -- (adj.) ordinary, commonplace

nonchalant -- (adj.) calm, casual, seeming unexcited

novice -- (n) apprentice, beginner

opulent -- (adj.) wealthy

orator -- (n) lecturer, speaker

ostentatious -- (adj.) showy, displaying wealth

parched -- (adj.) dried up, shriveled

perfidious -- (adj.) faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy

precocious -- (adj.) unusually advanced or talented at an early age

pretentious -- (adj.) pretending to be important, intelligent or cultured

procrastinate -- (v) to unnecessarily delay, postpone, put off

prosaic -- (adj.) relating to prose; dull, commonplace

prosperity -- (n) wealth or success

provocative -- (adj.) tending to provoke a response, e.g., anger or disagreement

prudent -- (adj.) careful, cautious

querulous -- (adj.) complaining, irritable

rancorous -- (adj.) bitter, hateful

reclusive -- (adj.) preferring to live in isolation

reconciliation -- (n) the act of agreement after a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute

renovation -- (n) repair, making something new again

resilient -- (adj.) quick to recover, bounce back

restrained -- (adj.) controlled, repressed, restricted

reverence -- (n) worship, profound respect

sagacity -- (n) wisdom

scrutinize -- (v) to observe carefully

spontaneity -- (n) impulsive action, unplanned events

spurious -- (adj.) lacking authenticity, false

submissive -- (adj.) tending to meekness, to submit to the will of others

substantiate -- (v) to verify, confirm, provide supporting evidence

subtle -- (adj.) hard to detect or describe; perceptive

superficial -- (adj.) shallow, lacking in depth

superfluous -- (adj.) extra, more than enough, redundant

suppress -- (v) to end an activity, e.g., to prevent the dissemination of information

surreptitious -- (adj.) secret, stealthy

tactful -- (adj.) considerate, skillful in acting to avoid offense to others

tenacious -- (adj.) determined, keeping a firm grip on

transient -- (adj.) temporary, short-lived, fleeting

venerable -- (adj.) respected because of age

vindicate -- (v) to clear from blame or suspicion

wary -- (adj.) careful, cautious