KDC - Barron's SAT High-Frequency Words and Hot Prospect Words
Made by Kevin D Chen
abate
subside; decrease, lessen
abridge
condense or shorten
abstemious
sparing in eating and drinking.
abstract
theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational
abstruse
obscure; profound; difficult to understand
accessible
easy to approach; obtainable
acclaim
applaud; announce with great approval
acknowledge
recognize; admit
acquiesce
assent; agree without protesting
acrid
sharp; bitterly pungent
acrimonious
bitter in words or manner
adulation
flattery; admiration
adversity
unfavorable fortune, hardship
aesthetic
artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciation of the beautiful
affable
easily approachable; warmly friendly.
afirmation
positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge
aggregate
gather; accumulate
altruistic
unselfishly generous; concerned for others
ambiguous
unclear, or doubtful in meaning
ambivalence
the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
amorphous
formless; lacking shape or definition
anachronistic
having an error involving time in a story
anarchist
person who seeks to overturn the established government
anecdote
short account of an amusing or interesting event
antagonism
hostility; active resistance
antediluvian
antiquated. extremely ancient
antidote
medicine to counteract a poison or disease
antipathy
aversion, dislike
antiquated
old-fashioned; obsolete
apathy
lack of emotion; indifference
apocryphal
untrue; made up
appease
pacify or sooth; relieve
arable
fit for growing crops
arbitrary
capricious, randomly chosen
ardent
intense; passionate; zealous
arrogance
pride; haughtiness
articulate
effective; distinct
artifact
object mad by human beings, either hand-made or mass-produced
artisan
manually skilled worker; craftsman
ascendancy
controlling influence; domination
ascetic
practicing self-denial; austere
aspire
seek to attain; long for
assuage
ease or lessen; satisfy
astute
wise; shrewd; keen
attribute
ascribe; explain
austere
forbiddingly stern; severely simple and unornamented
authoritarian
subordinating the individual to the state; completely dominating over another's will
autonomous
self-governing
avarice
greediness for wealth
beguile
mislead or delude
belie
contradict; give a false impression.
benevolent
generous, charitable
bequeath
leave to someone by a will
bleak
cold or cheerless; unlikely to be favorable
blighted
suffering from a disease; destroyed
bolster
support; reinforce
brevity
conciseness; short and to the point
cacophonous
discordant; inharmonious
calculated
deliberately planned; likely
candor
frankness; open honesty
capricious
unpredictable; fickle; fanciful
charlatan
quack; pretender to knowledge
circumlocution
indirect or roundabout expression
cliche
phrase dulled in meaning by repetition
coercion
use of force to get someone to obey
colloquial
pertaining to conversational or common speech
combustible
easily burned
commemorate
honor the memory of
compile
assemble; gather; accumulate
complacency
self-satisfaction; smugness
complementary
serving to complete something
compliance
readiness to yield; conformity in fulfilling requirements
composure
mental calmness
comprehensive
thorough; inclusive
conciliatory
reconciling; soothing
concise
brief and compact
condone
overlook; forgive; give tacit approval
confluence
flowing together; crowd
conjecture
surmise; guess
consensus
general agreement
constraint
compulsion, repression of feelings
contend
struggle, compete, assert earnestly
contract
compress or shrink; make a pledge; catch a disease
converge
approach; tend to meet; come together
conviction
judgement that someone is guilty of a crime
cordial
gracious; heartfelt
corroborate
confirm; support.
corrode
destroy by chemical action
corrugated
wrinkled; ridged
credulity
belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivete
criterion
standard used in judging
cryptic
mysterious; hidden; secret
cursory
casual; hastily done
debilitate
weaken; enfeeble
debunk
expose as false, exaggerated, worthless, etc; ridicule
decorum
propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners
deference
courteous regard for another's wish
degradation
humiliation; debasement; degeneration
dehydrate
remove water from; dry out
delineate
portray; depict; sketch
denounce
condemn; criticize
deplore
regret; disapprove of
depose
dethrone; remove from office
depravity
extreme corruption
deprecate
express disapproval of; protest against; belittle
deride
ridicule; make fun of
derivative
unoriginal; derived from another source
despondent
depressed; gloomy
detached
emotionally removed; calm and objective; physically unconnected
deterrent
something that discourages; hindrance
detrimental
harmful; damaging
devious
roundabout; erratic; not straightforward
devise
think up; invent; plan
diffuse
wordy; rambling; spread out
digression
wandering away from the subject
diligence
steadiness of effort; persistent hard work
diminution
lessening; reduction in size
discerning
mentally quick and observant; having insight
discordant
not harmonious; coinflicting
discount
disregard; dismiss
discourse
formal discussion; conversation
discrepancy
lack of consistency; difference
discriminating
able to see differences; prejudiced
disdain
view with scorn or contempt
disinclination
unwillingness
dismiss
put away from consideration; reject
disparity
difference; condition of inequality
disputatious
argumentative; fond of arguing
disseminate
distribute; scatter; spread
distend
expand; swell out
divergent
differing; deviating
doctrine
teachings, in general; particular principle taught
document
provide written evidence
dogmatic
opinionated; arbitrary; doctrinal
dubious
questionable; filled with doubt
dupe
someone easily fooled
duplicity
double-dealing; hypocrisy
ebullient
showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm
eclectic
composed of elements drawn from disparate sources
edift
instruct; correct morally
effervescence
inner excitement or exuberance; bubbling from fermentation or carbonation
egotistical
excessively self-centered; self-important, conceited
elated
overjoyed; in high spirits
elegy
poem or song expressing lamentation
elicit
draw out by discussion
eloquence
expressiveness; persuasive speech
elucidate
explain; enlighten
elusive
evasive, baffling; hard to grasp
emaciated
thin and wasted
embellish
adorn; ornament
emend
correct; correct by a critic
enhance
increase; improve
ephemeral
short-lived; fleeting
equanimity
calmness of temperament; composure
equitable
fair; impartial
equivocal
ambiguous; intentionally misleading
erroneous
mistaken; wrong
erudite
learned; scholarly
esoteric
hard to understand; known only to the chosen few
eulogy
expression of praise, often on the occasion of someone's death
euphemism
mild expression in place of an unpleasant one
evanescent
fleeting; vanishing
exacerbate
worsen; embitter
exalt
raise in rank or dignity; praise
execute
put into effect; carry out
exemplary
serving as a model; outstanding
exemplify
serve as an example of; embody
exhaustive
thorough; comprehensive
exhilarating
invigorating and refreshing; cheering
exonerate
acquit; exculpate
expedient
suitable; practical; politic
explicit
totally clear; definite; outspoken
exploit
make use of, sometimes unjustly
extraneous
not essential, superfluous
extricate
free; disentangle
exuberance
overflowing abundance; joyful enthusiasm; flamboyance; lavishness
facilitate
help bring about; make less difficult
fallacious
false; misleading
fallow
plowed but now sowed; uncultivated
fanaticism
excessive zeal; extreme devotion to a belief or cause
fastidious
difficult to please; squeamish
fathom
comprehend; investigate
fell
cut or knock down; bring down
fervor
glowing ardor; intensity of feeling
fitful
spasmodic; intermittent
flagrant
conspicuously wicked; blatant; outrageous
florid
ruddy; reddish; flowery
frivolous
lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently care-free
frugality
thrift; economy
garrulous
loquacious; wordy; talkative
glacial
like a glacier; extremely cold
glutton
someone who eats too much
gratuitous
given freely; unwarranted;uncalled for
guile
deceit; duplicity; wiliness; cunning
hackneyed
commonplace; trite
hardy
sturdy; robust; able to stand inclement weather
haughtiness
pride; arrogance
hedonist
one who believes that pleasure is the sole aim in life
heresy
opinion contrary to popular belief
hierarchy
arrangement by rank or standing; authoritarian body divided into ranks
homogeneous
of the same kind
hypocritical
pretending to be virtuous; deceiving
hypothetical
based on assumptions or hypotheses; supposed
iconoclastic
attacking cherished traditions
idiosyncrasy
individual trait, usually odd in nature; eccentricity
ignominy
deep disgrace; shame or dishonor
illusory
deceptive; not real
impecunious
without money
impede
hinder; block; delay
implausible
unlikely; unbelievable
implement
put into effect; supply with tools
impudence
impertinence; insolence
inadvertently
unintentionally; by oversight; carelessly
incidental
not essential; minor
incite
arouse to action; goad; motivate; induce to exist
inclusive
tending to include all
incongruous
not fitting; absurd
inconsequential
insignificant; unimportant
incontrovertible
indisputable; not open to question.
incorrigible
not correctable
indifferent
unmoved or unconcerned by; mediocre
indiscriminate
choosing at random; confused
induce
persuade; bring about
ineffable
unutterable; cannot be expressed in speech
inert
inactive; lacking power to move
inexorable
relentless; unyielding; implacable
ingenious
clever; resourceful
inherent
firmly established by nature or habit
innovation
exchange; introduction of something new
insipid
lacking in flavor; dull.
insolvent
bankrupt unable to repay one's debts
instigate
urge; start; provoke
insularity
narrow-mindedness; isolation
insuperable
insurmountable; unbeatable
integrity
uprightness; wholeness
intractable
unruly; stubborn; unyielding
inundate
overwhelm; flood; submerge
invert
turn upside down or inside out
ironic
resulting in an unexpected and contrary outcome
irreproachable
blameless; impeccable
jocular
said or done in jest
laconic
brief and to the point
lament
grieve; express sorrow
lassitude
languor; weariness
lavish
generous; openhanded; extravagant; wasteful
levity
lack of seriousness; lightness
linger
loiter or dawdle; continue or persist
listless
lacking in spirit or energy
lurid
wild; sensational; graphic; gruesome
luxuriant
abundant; rich and splendid
malicious
hateful; spiteful
marred
damaged; disfigured
materialism
preoccupation with physical comforts and objects
meander
wind or turn in its course
mercenary
interested in money or gain
mercurial
capricious; changing; fickle
meticulous
excessively careful; painstaking; scrupulous
mirth
merriment; laughter
misanthrope
one who hates mankind
misnomer
wrong name; incorrect designation
mitigate
appease; moderate
morose
ill-humored; sullen; melancholy
mosaic
picture made of colorful small inlaid tiles
mundane
worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday
munificient
very generous
negate
cancel out; nullify; deny
nonchalance
indifference; lack of concern; composure
notoriety
ill fame; disrepute
novelty
something new; newness
nuance
shade of difference in meaning or color; subtle distinction
nurture
nourish; educate; foster
obliterate
destroy completely
oblivion
obscurity; forgetfulness
obscure
darken; make unclear
obstinate
stubborn; hard to control or treat
opaque
dark; not transparent
opportunist
individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances
optimist
person who looks on the good side
opulence
extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance
ornate
excessively or elaborately decorated.
ostentatious
showy; pretentious
pacifist
one opposed to force; antimilitarist
parody
humorous imitation; spoof; takeoff; travesty
parsimony
stinginess; excessive frugality
partisan
one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party
perfunctory
superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm
peripheral
marginal; outer
pernicious
very destructive
perpetuate
make something last; preserve from extinction
pervasive
pervading; spread throughout every part
pessimism
belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess
phenomena
observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation
philanthropist
lover of mankind; doer of good
piety
religious devotion; godliness
pitfall
hidden danger; concealed trap
pithy
concise; meaningful; substantial; meaty
placate
pacify; conciliate
polemical
aggressive in verbal attack
ponderous
weighty; unwieldy
pragmatic
practical; concerned with the practical worth or impact of something
precarious
uncertain; risky
preclude
make impossible; eliminate
precocious
advanced in development
predator
creature that seizes and devours another animal; person who robs or exploits others
predecessor
former occupant of a post
presumptuous
overconfident; impertinently bold; taking liberties
pretentious
ostentatious; pompous; making unjustified claims; overly ambitions
prevalent
widespread; generally accepted
prodigal
wasteful; reckless with money
profane
violate; desecrate; treat unworthily
profligate
dissipated; wasteful; wildly immoral
profound
deep; not superficial; complete
profusion
overabundance; lavish expenditure; excess
proliferation
rapid growth; spread; multiplication
prolific
abundantly fruitful
provincial
pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated
prudent
cautious; careful
quagmire
soft, wet, boggy land; complex or dangerous situation from which it is difficult to free oneself
qualified
limited; restricted
quell
extinguish; put down; quiet
querulous
fretful; whining
quiecent
at rest; dormant; temporarily inactive
rancor
bitterness; hatred
rant
rave; talk excitedly; scold
ratify
approve formally; confirm; verify
raucous
harsh and shrill; disoirderly and boisterous
ravenous
extremely hungry
rebuttal
refutation; response with contrary evidence
recant
disclaim or disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess error
recount
narrate or tell; count over again
rectify
set right; correct
redundant
superfluous; repetitious; excessively wordy
relegate
banish to an inferior position; delegate; assign
remission
temporary moderation of disease symptoms; cancellation of debt; forgiveness or pardon
remorse
guilt; self-reproach
renounce
abandon; disown; repudiate
repel
drive away; disgust
replete
filled to the brim or to the point of being stuffed; abundantly supplied
reprehensible
deserving blame
reprimand
reprove severely; rebuke
repudiate
disown; disavow
repugnant
loathsome; hateful
reserve
self-control; formal but distant manner
resigned
accepting one's fate; unresisting; patiently submissive
resolution
determination; resolve
resolve
determination; firmness of purpose
respite
interval of relief; time for rest; delay in punishment
resplendent
dazzling; glorious; brilliant
restraint
moderation or self-control; controlling force; restriction
reticence
reserve; uncommunicativeness; inclination to silence
retract
withdraw; take back
reverent
respectful; worshipful
rhetorical
pertaining to effective communication; insincere in language
sage
person celebrated for wisdom
savory
tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable
scanty
meager; insufficient
scrupulous
conscientious; extremely thorough
scrutinize
examine closely and critically
seclusion
isolation; solitude
sedentary
requiring sitting
servile
slavish; cringing
skeptic
doubter; person who suspends judgment until the evidence supporting a point of view has been examined
sluggish
slow; lazy; lethargic
somber
gloomy; depressing; dark; drab
soporific
sleep-causing; marked by sleepiness
sporadic
occurring irregularly
spurious
false; counterfeit; forged; illogical
stagnant
motionless; stale; dull
static
unchanging; lacking development
steadfast
loyal; unswerving
stolid
unruffled; impassive; dull
strident
loud and harsh; insistent
stupefy
make numb; stun; amaze
submissive
yielding; timid
subordinate
occupying a lower rank; inferior; submissive
subside
settle down; descend; grow quiet
substantiate
establish by evidence; verify; support
succinct
brief; tense; compact
superficial
trivial; shallow
superfluous
unnecessary; excessive; overabundant
surfeit
satiate; stuff; indulge to excess in anything
surreptitious
secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden
susceptible
impressionable; easily influenced; having little resistance, as to a disease; receptive to
sustain
experience; support; nourish
sycophant
servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man
taciturn
habitually silent; talking little
tantamount
equivalent in effect or value
temper
moderate; tone down or restrain toughen
tenacity
firmness; persistence
tentative
hesitant; not fully worked out or developed
terrestrial
earthly; pertaining to the land
terse
concise; abrupt; pithy
threadbare
worn through till the threads show; shabby and poor
tirade
extended scolding; denunciation; harangue
torpor
lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy
tranquility
calmness; peace
transient
momentary; temporary; staying for a short time
trepidation
fear; nervous apprehension
trifling
trivial; unimportant
trite
hackneyed; commonplace
turbulence
state of violent agitation
turmoil
great commotion and confusion
uniformity
sameness; monotony
unkempt
disheleveld; uncared for in appearance
unprecedented
novel; unparalleled
unwarranted
unjustified; groundless; undeserved
usurp
seize another power or rank
vacillate
waver; fluctuate
viable
practical or workable; capable of maintaing life
vindicate
clear from blame; exonerate; justify or support
virtuoso
highly skilled artist
virulent
extremely poisonous; hostile; bitter
volatile
changeable; explosive; evaporating rapidly
voluble
fluent; glib; talkative
whimsical
capricious; fanciful
witticism
witty saying; wisecrack
zealot
fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal
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