Vocabulary for SAT
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Created by:
tetrisse Plus on June 21, 2009
Subjects:
english vocab, english, english vocabulary, SAT
Description:
Vocab from "Vocabulary Power Plus for the New SAT"
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484 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 licentious | morally unrestrained |
| numismatist | coin collector |
| paucity | a scarcity, lack |
| fatalistic | believing that all events in life are inevitable and determined by fate |
| obtrude | to force oneself into a situation uninvited |
| pensive | dreamily thoughtful |
| lackadaisical | uninterested, listless |
| alienate | to turn away feelings or affections |
| elated | in high spirits; exultantly proud and joyful |
| epigram | a witty saying expressing a single thought or observation |
| amalgamate | to combine |
| demented | mentally ill; insane |
| hone | to sharpen |
| beleaguer | to besiege by encircling (as with an army); to harass |
| gorge | to eat or swallow greedily |
| antiquated | no longer used or useful; very old |
| opiate | a narcotic used to cause sleep or bring relief from pain |
| caricature | an exaggerated portrayal of one's features |
| dally | to waste time; to dawdle |
| felonious | pertaining to or constituting a major crime |
| edifice | a large, elaborate structure; an imposing building |
| ambidextrous | equally skillful with either hand |
| belated | delayed |
| animate | to give life or motion to |
| knead | to work dough or clay into a uniform mixture |
| chauvinist | one having a fanatical devotion to a country, gender, or religion, with contempt for other countries, the opposite sex, or other beliefs |
| egalitarian | promoting equal rights for all people |
| berserk | in a state of violent or destructive rage |
| ostentatious | marked by a conspicuous, showy, or pretentious display |
| delude | to mislead; to fool |
| elude | to escape notice; to get away from |
| fallow | inactive; unproductive |
| blight | anything that destroys, prevents growth, or causes devaluation |
| obsequy | a funeral rite or ceremony |
| denizen | an occupant; inhabitant |
| fealty | obligated loyalty or faithfulness |
| entice | to attract by offering reward or pleasure |
| gratify | to please |
| laggard | a slow person, especially one who falls behind |
| gambit | maneuver or action used to gain an advantage |
| jaded | worn out; dulled, as from overindulgence |
| gist | the main point |
| advocate | to recommend; to speak in favor of |
| efface | to obliterate; to wipe out |
| charisma | personal appeal or attraction; magnetism |
| ogre | a brute; a large monster; a frightful giant |
| mesmerize | to hypnotize |
| entity | anything having existence, either physical or mystical |
| bandy | to exchange words; to discuss casually |
| dastardly | cowardly and treacherous |
| nepotism | favoritism shown to family by those in power, especially in business or hiring practices |
| begrudge | to resent another's success; to envy |
| mandarin | an influential person; a member of an elite group |
| glutinous | gluey; sticky |
| enmity | deep-seated hostility, often mutual |
| declaim | to speak in a dramatic, impassioned, or blustering manner |
| imbue | to inspire or influence; to saturate |
| gaff | a pole with a large hook on one end |
| quaff | to drink in large quantities; to gulp |
| bibliophile | a lover of books |
| gird | to prepare for an event or an action |
| daunt | to make afraid; to discourage |
| flux | a state of continual change or movement |
| hovel | a wretched living place; an open shed |
| cadaverous | of or like a corpse; pale, gaunt, thin |
| gothic | of the middle ages; of or relating to a mysterious, grotesque, and desolate style of fiction |
| penury | extreme poverty |
| egress | an exit; a means of going out |
| felicity | happiness; bliss |
| despot | a dictator with absolute power |
| beget | to produce; to make happen |
| educe | to draw or bring out |
| glean | to collect bit by bit; to gather with patient labor |
| chafe | to wear or irritate, often through rubbing or friction |
| effrontery | shameless boldness |
| imbibe | to drink (especially alcohol) |
| feign | to pretend |
| desist | to stop; discontinue |
| allude | to hint at, to refer to indirectly |
| elite | the choice members or best of a group |
| bilk | to cheat or swindle; to thwart |
| homily | a sermon |
| demise | death; a ceasing to exist |
| emit | to send out; to give forth, as in sound or light |
| decadence | moral deterioration |
| aghast | feeling great dismay or horror |
| granary | a storehouse for grain |
| choleric | easily angered |
| impede | to hinder, obstruct |
| qualm | a feeling of uneasiness |
| lampoon | a written satire used to ridicule or attack someone |
| narcissistic | conceited; having excessive self-love or admiration |
| eradicate | to wipe out; to destroy |
| fabricate | to concoct; to make up a story in order to deceive |
| ghastly | horrible; frightful |
| fallible | capable of error |
| blatant | obvious; too conspicuous |
| dawdle | to waste time |
| affiliate | an associate; partner |
| fawn | to act slavishly submissive |
| calumny | a false and malicious accusation |
| berate | to scold or rebuke severely and at length |
| minion | a fawning, servile follower |
| desolate | lonely; forlorn; uninhabited; barren |
| bane | the cause of ruin, harm, distress, or death |
| pacify | to calm down |
| garble | to mix up or distort |
| prevaricate | to lie |
| filch | to steal |
| neophyte | a beginner |
| flagrant | glaringly bad; outrageous |
| patrician | an aristocrat |
| emissary | one sent on a special mission to represent others |
| kindred | having similar origin, nature, or character |
| fracas | a loud quarrel or fight |
| lacerate | to tear (flesh) jaggedly |
| futile | useless; pointless |
| immaculate | spotless; perfect |
| gait | manner of walking |
| carp | to complain or to find fault in a petty or nagging way |
| query | to ask; to inquire |
| queue | a line of people or vehicles |
| nefarious | very wicked; notorious |
| genesis | beginning; origin |
| facade | a deceptive outward appearance; a misrepresentation |
| deluge | a flood; an overwhelming rush |
| catholic | universal; wide-ranging |
| eerie | weird; mysterious; strange and frightening |
| martial | warlike; relating to the military |
| anthropomorphic | attributing human characteristics or qualities to objects, animals, or gods |
| beneficiary | one who receives benefits |
| careen | to swerve or lurch from side to side while in motion |
| aplomb | self-confidence |
| guile | slyness or cunning in dealing with others |
| modicum | a small amount |
| fester | to grow embittered over time; to rot |
| languish | to become weak or feeble; to lose strength |
| pall | something that covers or conceals |
| havoc | great destruction; chaos |
| rancid | having a bad taste or smell; spoiled |
| holocaust | a great or complete destruction of life |
| embroil | to draw into a conflict or fight |
| anachronism | something or someone existing outside of its proper time |
| denigrate | to attack the reputation of; to speak ill of |
| humane | kind; compassionate |
| effusive | emotionally excessive; overly demonstrative |
| defunct | no longer in existence |
| lackey | a slavish follower |
| envisage | to form a mental picture |
| lament | to mourn |
| gape | to stare with an open mouth |
| impertinent | rude and disrespectful |
| haughty | arrogant; proud |
| nemesis | someone or something a person cannot conquer or achieve; a hated enemy |
| lethal | deadly; fatal |
| catalyst | a person, thing, or agent that speeds up or stimulates a result, reaction, or change |
| jargon | vocabulary distinctive to a particular group of people |
| judicious | showing sound judgment |
| foible | a minor weakness in character |
| benediction | the act of blessing |
| frivolous | trivial; silly |
| alacrity | liveliness; willingness; eagerness |
| deify | to make a god of; to look upon or worship as a god |
| carnage | bloody or extensive slaughter |
| impel | push into motion |
| epitaph | an inscription on a tombstone; a brief comment about a deceased person |
| harp | to persist in talking continuously (on or about something) |
| lateral | of or relating to the side |
| pallid | pale; faint in color |
| impetuous | acting suddenly without thought |
| raconteur | a story-teller |
| winnow | to subject to some process of separating or distinguishing |
| collude | to act together secretly to achieve a fraudulent, illegal, or deceitful purpose |
| vicariously | felt or enjoyed through imagined participation in the experience of others |
| heretical | different from conventional beliefs and standards |
| unctuous | smooth and greasy in appearance; suave |
| precocious | unusually advanced or mature in development |
| apocryphal | of doubtful authorship or authenticity |
| spurious | not genuine, authentic, or true; counterfeit |
| bombastic | inflated; pretentious |
| gregarious | fond of the company of others; sociable |
| taciturn | reserved, quiet |
| abstemious | characterized by abstinence; temperate in diet |
| descry | spot something difficult to see |
| irreverent | disrespectful; likely to offend, but having mass appeal |
| jocose | characterized by joking; humorous; playful |
| discomfiture | confusion; embarrassment; frustration of hopes or plans |
| concatenate | to link together; unite in a series or chain |
| confluence | a coming together of people or things |
| machiavellian | characterized by subtle or unscrupulous cunning, deception, expediency, or dishonesty |
| marginalize | to place in a position of little importance, influence, or power |
| titillate | to stimulate or excite pleasantly |
| pugnacious | aggressive, combative, war-like, belligerent |
| insurrection | an organized opposition to authority; a mutiny |
| fastidious | excessively particular, critical, or demanding |
| vernacular | the language of a people; everyday speech |
| histrionics | exaggerated, overemotional behaviour to elicit a response |
| treatise | a systematic, usually extensive written discourse on a subject |
| stoicism | indifference to pleasure or pain; impassiveness |
| sequitur | a logical conclusion or consequence of facts |
| byzantine | complex or intricate; characterized by elaborate scheming and intrigue |
| slipshod | careless; untidy; seedy |
| adroit | skillful |
| decedent | a deceased person |
| effigy | a representation or image, esp. of someone disliked |
| imperious | domineering; arrogant; overbearing |
| turpitude | vile, shameful, or base character |
| duplicity | deceitfulness in speech or conduct |
| mutiny | organized rebellion against an authority |
| munificent | extremely liberal in giving; very generous |
| sumptuous | magnificent; suggesting abundance and great cost |
| bequest | the act of giving or leaving personal property by a will; a legacy |
| debauchery | indulgence in sensual pleasures |
| hedonistic | pleasure-centered |
| picayune | having little value |
| base | low; inferior |
| superimpose | to project one image over another |
| cache | hide |
| expurgate | to remove words or content that is felt to be offensive |
| contrite | remorseful |
| contrived | unnatural; forced |
| adjunct | joined or associated, esp. in an auxiliary or subordinate relationship |
| macabre | horrible; grim |
| farcical | absurd; ridiculously clumsy |
| debonair | carefree and self-confident in manner; elegant and gracious |
| penchant | a strong liking |
| deplete | to use up gradually |
| chicanery | the use of tricks or clever talk to deceive or evade |
| feisty | aggressive; lively; energetic |
| mitigate | to make less severe; to become milder |
| gull | to cheat; to fool or hoax |
| nadir | lowest point |
| equivocal | ambiguous; intentionally vague |
| genealogy | family history |
| impervious | incapable of being affected |
| filial | of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter |
| salient | prominent, conspicuous; relevant; jumping |
| inveterate | deep-seated or firmly established |
| cursory | performed rapidly without attention to details; hasty |
| ludicrous | so ridiculous that it is laughable |
| mawkish | overly sentimental; disgusting |
| restitution | restoring something to its rightful owner, or compensating for a loss or damage |
| compatriot | one of the same country, or having similar interests or feelings |
| halcyon | calm; quiet; peaceful; undisturbed; happy |
| inchoate | formless; partially in existence or operation |
| redolent | fragrant; spreading sweet scent |
| colloquy | mutual discourse; conference; conversation |
| sagacity | wisdom |
| ursine | bear-like |
| recalcitrant | showing opposition |
| mores | customs; habits |
| gentrification | improvement; remodeling to make it more affluent |
| diffident | hesitant and timid; unassertive |
| probity | virtue; integrity; moral excellence |
| ribald | base; filthy; obscene |
| lugubrious | mournful; ridiculously sorrowful |
| locution | talk; speech |
| burgeon | grow vigorously; expand greatly |
| philistine | a person deficient in liberal culture and refinement |
| purvey | to supply, generally in a business context |
| disabuse | to free someone from false ideas |
| quotidian | commonplace, ordinary; daily |
| intractable | not easily governed, managed, or directed |
| assiduous | performed with constant diligence or attention; persistent |
| negotiable | able to be passed or transferred |
| proponent | one who makes a proposal or lays down a proposition |
| allegory | a work of art in which a secondary meaning underlies the obvious message |
| incidental | loosely associated; existing as a byproduct or accident |
| subsidiary | supplementary; subordinate or secondary |
| correspondent | consistent, similar, or analogous |
| immutable | unchangeable; changeless |
| cleave | to adhere closely; to stick; to hold fast; to cling |
| anterior | before in time; antecedent; before, or toward the front |
| unequivocal | not doubtful; not ambiguous; evident |
| trite | lacking in freshness or effectiveness because of constant use or excessive repetition |
| impetus | a moving force; impulse; stimulus |
| recalcitrant | showing opposition |
| wizened | dried; shriveled; withered |
| perfidious | Violating good faith or vows; false to trust; treacherous |
| urbane | Courteous in manners; polite; refined; elegant |
| vacillate | To waver in mind or opinion; to be unsteady |
| machinations | Complex dealings and schemes |
| expiation | Atonement, the making of amends |
| deference | An attitude of yielding one's opinion to another's wishes |
| viable | capable of living |
| assuage | to calm; to pacify |
| iconoclast | One who challenges and criticizes established beliefs |
| supplicant | One who entreats or asks submissively |
| inimical | Hostile, opposed. Acting against, adverse and damaging |
| empathic | Showing concern or shared feeling |
| proviso | Clause in a contract or agreement that introduces a condition |
| stalwart | strong in body and mind |
| effulgent | shining forth brilliantly; radiant |
| palliate | to relieve or lessen without curing; mitigate; alleviate |
| pithy | brief, forceful, and meaningful in expression; full of vigor, substance, or meaning; terse; forcible |
| Zeitgeist | the spirit of the time; general trend of thought or feeling characteristic of a particular period of time |
| pedestrian | lacking in vitality, imagination, distinction, etc.; commonplace; prosaic or dull |
| nuance | a subtle difference or distinction in expression, meaning, response, etc |
| sycophant | a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite |
| sedulous | diligent; persevering |
| ambivalence | uncertainty or fluctuation, esp. when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things |
| subvert | to overthrow; to cause the downfall of; to undermine |
| scruple | a moral or ethical consideration or standard that acts as a restraining force or inhibits certain actions |
| piebald | Mottled, having black and white spots |
| rhapsodize | to talk with extravagant enthusiasm |
| dilatory | tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; intended to cause delay |
| surreptitious | obtained, done, made, etc., by stealth; secret or unauthorized; clandestine |
| obstinate | stubbornly adhering to one's purpose, opinion, etc.; not easily controlled or overcome |
| impenitent | not feeling regret about one's sin or sins |
| discomfit | to confuse and deject; disconcert; to thwart plans of |
| obdurate | unmoved by persuasion, pity, or tender feelings; stubborn; unyielding |
| cerebral | characterized by the use of the intellect rather than intuition or instinct |
| enervate | to deprive of force or strength; destroy the vigor of; weaken |
| onerous | burdensome, oppressive, or troublesome; causing hardship |
| ineffable | incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible |
| incisive | penetrating; cutting; biting; remarkably clear and direct |
| castigate | to reprimand or punish severely as to correct |
| inexorable | unyielding; unalterable; not to be persuaded |
| cozen | to cheat, deceive, or swindle |
| peripatetic | walking or traveling about |
| consummate | flawless or perfect; to bring to a state of perfection; fulfill |
| cronyism | the practice of favoring personal friends, esp. in political appointments |
| cupidity | Eager or excessive desire, especially for wealth; greed of gain |
| acrimonious | caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature, speech, behavior |
| misanthropy | a general dislike, distrust, or hatred of the human species |
| indolent | disinclined to exert oneself; habitually lazy |
| indignant | expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting |
| exonerate | To free from blame; To free from a responsibility, obligation, or task |
| mercurial | unpredictably changeable |
| ephemeral | lasting one day only, or a very short time |
| insouciant | carefree |
| rictus | the gaping or opening of the mouth; a gaping grimace |
| sardonic | mocking; cynical; sneering |
| supercilious | Feeling or showing haughty disdain |
| juggernaut | An overwhelming force or movement that overcomes all resistance |
| reactionary | One who favors reaction, or seeks to undo political progress or revolution |
| adjunct | connected or attached to in a dependent, subordinate, or auxiliary manner, but not a part of |
| macabre | horrible; grim |
| farcical | absurd; ridiculously clumsy |
| debonair | carefree and self-confident in manner; elegant and gracious |
| penchant | a strong liking |
| deplete | to use up gradually |
| chicanery | trickery; the use of tricks or clever talk to deceive or evade |
| feisty | aggressive; lively; energetic |
| mitigate | to make less severe; to become milder |
| gull | to cheat; to fool or hoax |
| nadir | lowest point |
| equivocal | ambiguous; intentionally vague |
| genealogy | family history |
| impervious | incapable of being affected |
| filial | of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter |
| daub | to paint coarsely or unskillfully |
| admonish | to warn; to caution in counsel; to advise |
| obeisance | a bow or similar gesture expressing deep respect |
| cache | a concealed store of goods or valuables |
| affliction | anything causing great suffering |
| mendicant | a beggar |
| aphorism | a saying; a concise statement of a truth or principle |
| oscillate | to swing or move back and forth like a pendulum |
| delete | to take out; to remove |
| oust | to drive out; expel; deprive |
| impermeable | not permitting passage (especially of fluids) |
| paean | a fervent expression, or song, of joy and praise |
| imperturbable | not easily excited, even under pressure |
| lax | careless or negligent |
| palpable | obvious; capable of being touched or felt |
| pariah | a social outcast |
| fluent | able to express oneself easily and clearly |
| cavort | to leap about in a sprightly manner; romp |
| pedagogue | a schoolteacher |
| melee | a noisy, confused fight |
| ensue | to follow as a result |
| desecrate | to damage a holy place; to treat with irreverence |
| personification | a person or thing that represents an idea |
| bias | a prejudiced view (either for or against); a preference |
| aloof | reserved, distant |
| gyrate | to rotate or revolve quickly; to spiral |
| fiat | an official order |
| fidelity | faithfulness |
| rambunctious | unruly; uncontrollable |
| hilarity | gaiety; joviality |
| harlequin | fancifully varied in color, decoration, etc.; having a diamond pattern |
| intrinsic | Of or relating to the essential nature of a thing; ingrained; inherent |
| genocide | the deliberate destruction of a group of people |
| zaftig | having a full, shapely figure |
| predilection | a preference toward someone or something |
| faux | artificial; false; not genuine |
| foray | a surprise attack |
| conjecture | a judgment or opinion based on little or questionable evidence |
| allocate | to distribute, to allot, or designate |
| gratis | free; without charge |
| materialistic | wanting material possessions |
| belabor | to work at something beyond practicality; to overstress |
| progeny | offspring; children |
| quintessential | the most typical ; ideal |
| rudimentary | basic; not refined or well developed |
| monolithic | massive, uniform, and solid |
| manifesto | a public declaration of policies or intentions |
| tantamount | of essentially equal value or significance |
| subversive | in opposition to authority or government |
| conducive | tending to cause or bring about |
| amenable | agreeable; responsive to suggestion or advice |
| stricture | a restraint or limit |
| sedentary | characterized by or requiring sitting; motionless |
| influx | an inward flow |
| rigorous | severe; relentless; harsh |
| patina | a sheen on a surface resulting from age and use |
| placebo | a fake drug used in the testing of medication |
| junta | a military group ruling a country after seizing power |
| pinnacle | a peak or climax |
| mollify | to reduce, soothe, or calm |
| perjury | the act of lying under oath |
| plaintive | expressing sorrow; mournful |
| impasse | a problem or predicament with no obvious resolution |
| wunderkind | one who excels in a difficult field at a young age |
| acumen | ability to discern or discriminate |
| nanotechnology | the use of single atoms and molecules to construct microscopic devices |
| notarize | to certify legally |
| piquant | a strong, stimulating taste |
| malodorous | having an offensive odor |
| pungent | a sharp taste; acrid |
| erroneous | incorrect; mistaken |
| concurrent | happening at the same time |
| negligible | of little importance; insignificant |
| renege | to break a promise or obligation; revoke |
| precept | a rule of action; a principle to live by |
| visage | a face or facial expression |
| irrevocable | impossible to retract or revoke; irreversible |
| countenance | appearance, esp. the look or expression of the face |
| magnate | a person of great influence, importance, or standing in a particular enterprise, field of business, etc. |
| confute | to argue or point out error |
| meritorious | deserving of an award or honor |
| mezzanine | the lowest balcony in a theater; a partial story between main stories in a building |
| tribulation | an affliction, trouble, or difficult experience |
| recumbent | resting or lying down |
| dynasty | a succession of rulers from the same family or group |
| purport | to claim; to have or to give the false impression of being |
| forte | an area of expertise or strength |
| kleptomania | a continual urge to steal regardless of economic motive |
| renown | state of being well known and honored; fame |
| ineffable | too sacred or great to be described; indescribable |
| fortitude | strength in adversity |
| botch | to ruin through clumsiness; to bungle |
| perennial | lasting indefinitely |
| brinkmanship | pushing dangerous situations to the edge of disaster rather than conceding |
| concede | to acknowledge as true, just, or proper; admit |
| incorrigible | not corrigible; bad beyond correction or reform |
| exigency | the state or quality of requiring much effort or immediate action; a pressing or urgent situation |
| beatific | bestowing bliss, blessings, happiness, or the like; blissful; saintly |
| indelible | Impossible to remove, erase, or wash away; permanent; memorable |
| mercenary | working or acting merely for money or other reward |
| venal | open to bribery; able to be purchased, as by a bribe |
| commensurate | having the same measure; of equal extent or duration; corresponding in amount, magnitude, or degree |
| peremptory | leaving no opportunity for denial or refusal; imperious or dictatorial |
| provisional | temporary; tentative |
| stolid | not easily stirred or moved mentally; unemotional; impassive |
| diaphanous | very sheer and light; almost completely transparent |
| oblique | Not straightforward; indirect; obscure; disingenuous |
| inexorable | unyielding; unalterable; not to be persuaded or moved |
| suffuse | To spread through or over, as with liquid, color, or light |
| sepulchral | # Of or relating to a burial vault or a receptacle for sacred relics; suggestive of the grave |
| magnanimous | generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness or vindictiveness; noble |
| utilitarian | having regard to utility or usefulness rather than beauty, ornamentation, etc. |
| insidious | intended to entrap or beguile; stealthily treacherous or deceitful |
| laconic | using few words; concise |
| voluble | characterized by a ready and continuous flow of words |
| plebeian | common, commonplace, or vulgar; pertaining to the common people |
| injunction | a command; order; admonition |
| collusion | a secret agreement, esp. for fraudulent or treacherous purposes; conspiracy |
| hubris | excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance |
| indomitable | Incapable of being overcome, subdued, or vanquished; unconquerable |
| indeterminate | not precisely fixed in extent; indefinite; uncertain |
| fortuitous | lucky; happening or produced by chance; accidental |
| elucidate | to make lucid or clear; throw light upon; explain |
| bloviate | to speak pompously |
| comportment | personal bearing or conduct; demeanor; behavior |
| decorous | Satisfying the demands of polite society; proper, correct |
| altruism | Regard for others, both natural and moral; devotion to the interests of others; human kindness |
| traduce | to speak maliciously and falsely of; slander; defame |
| anathema | a person or thing detested or loathed |
| syncretic | the attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles, practices, or parties, as in philosophy or religion |
| perspicacity | keenness of mental perception and understanding |
| perspicuity | clearness or lucidity, as of a statement |
| irascible | easily provoked to anger; very irritable |
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