SAT Vocabulary Word List

abase (v.) - to lower, demean, degrade between two sides

abate (v.) - to lessen, to reduce in severity ascetic (n.) - one who practices restraint as a
abbreviate (v.) - to shorten, reduce means of self-discipline, usually religious
abduct (v.) - to kidnap assuage (v.) - to ease, pacify
aberration (n.) - a deviation from the expected atone (v.) - to apologize, make amends
course audacious (adj.) - excessively bold
abhor (v.) - to hate, loathe augment (v.) - to increase or make larger
abide (v.) - to put up with, tolerate austere (adj.) - very bare, bleak, simple
abject (adj.) - of the most miserable or baleful (adj.) - harmful, threatening
contemptible kind bard (n.) - a poet, often a singer as well
abort (v.) - to give up unfinished battery (n.) - an assault or an array of similar
abridge (v.) - to shorten, cut down things intended for use together
abrogate (v.) - to abolish, often by authority belligerent (adj.) - contentious, ready to fight
abscond (v.) - to sneak away and hide benevolent (adj.) - kind, good, caring
abundant (adj.) - in great numbers benign (adj.) - non-threatening, innocuous
accede (v.) - to agree berate (v.) - to scold severely
accentuate (v.) - to emphasize, to highlight bereft (adj.) - without, devoid of
accommodating (adj.) - obliging, helpful bide (v.) - to wait, or remain in a condition
accost (v.) - to approach or confront aggressively bilk (v.) - to cheat, to swindle
acumen (n.) - keen insight blandish (v.) - to coax through flattery
acute (adj.) - sharp, severe bloated (adj.) - swollen, bigger than desired
affable (adj.) - friendly, amiable boisterous (adj.) - loud, energetic
affluent (adj.) - rich, wealthy bourgeois (adj.) - middle class
aggrandize (v.) - to increase or make greater brash (adj.) - hasty or lacking in sensitivity
aggregate (v.) - to gather, amass brazen (adj.) - excessively bold, brash
aghast (adj.) - struck by amazement or terror brumal (adj.) - wintry, relating to winter
agoraphobia (n.) - an abnormal fear of open or brusque (adj.) - short, abrupt, dismissive
public places buffet (n.) - a spread of food involving choices
akimbo (adj.) - with hands on hips and elbows buffet (v.) - to hit or strike
extending outward burgeon (v.) - to come forth, blossom
alacrity (n.) - speed, readiness cacophony (n.) - noise, discordant sound
algid (adj.) - frigid, cold cadence (n.) - rhythm
allay (v.) - to sooth, assuage cajole (v.) - to urge, coax
alleviate (v.) - to relieve callous (adj.) - harsh, cold, unfeeling
aloof (adj.) - reserved, distant calumny (n.) - an attempt to defame another’s
altercation (n.) - an argument, dispute reputation
amalgamation (n.) - a union, a merger camaraderie (n.) - cheerful unity among a group
ambivalent (adj.) - having contradictory feelings canvas (n.) - a piece of cloth on which an artist
amble (v.) - to stroll, walk paints
ameliorate (v.) - to improve, to make better capricious (adj.) - impulsive, unpredictable, subject
amend (v.) - to change for the better, improve to whim
amiable (adj.) - friendly, affable captivate (v.) - to hold the interest of, to gain the
amorous (adj.) - relating to or showing love attention of
amorphous (adj.) - without shape or borders carouse (v.) - to revel, to party
anomaly (n.) - something that does not fit into the cavity (n.) - a hole
normal order cavort (v.) - to frolic, leap, prance
antechamber (n.) - a waiting room celestial (adj.) - relating to the sky or the heavens
anxiety (n.) - uneasiness chastise (v.) - to criticize, to scold
aphorism (n.) - a short saying choreographed (adj.) - arranged, as in dance
apocalypse (n.) - total devastation, the end of the circumlocution (n.) - indirect language
world circumspect (adj.) - cautious
apparitional (adj.) - ghostly, spectral clairvoyant (adj.) - able to see things that others
arbitrator (n.) - one who settles controversy cannot

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claustrophobia (n.) - an abnormal fear of closed or discreet (adj.) - prudent or inconspicuous
crowded spaces discrete (adj.) - separate, distinct, individual
cliché (n.) - a trite, overused expression disparage (v.) - to criticize, degrade, belittle
coalesce (v.) - to combine into one dissonance (n.) - lack of harmony or agreement
cogent (adj.) - intelligent, viable divergent (adj.) - different, deviating, contrary
collusion (n.) - a conspiracy, a secret agreement diverse (adj.) - varied
colossus (n.) - an enormous structure divisive (adj.) - causing conflict, opposition
comatose (adj.) - lethargic domicile (n.) - a residence, a home
commendable (adj.) - worthy of praise doppelganger (n.) - a ghostly double of a living
commodious (adj.) - spacious, roomy person
compel (v.) - to force douse (v.) - to drench, saturate
complicit (adj.) - being an accomplice in a wrongful dutiful (adj.) - careful to fulfill obligations
act dynamic (adj.) - characterized by continuous
compliment (n.) - an expression of esteem or change or activity
approval elocution (n.) - the art of public speaking
concede (v.) - to give in, to accept elucidate (v.) - to clarify
conciliatory (adj.) - agreeable, friendly empathetic (adj.) - feeling another’s pain as one’s
concoct (v.) - to make up or invent own
concord (n.) - agreement empathy (n.) - the experience of another’s feelings
conduit (n.) - a pipe, passage, channel as one’s own
confluence (n.) - a convergence, a coming enervate (v.) - to weaken, make weary
together enervated (adj.) - lacking energy, weakened,
confound (v.) - to frustrate exhausted
connotation (n.) - a meaning or association entity (n.) - something that exists as a discrete unit
suggested by a word beyond its definition entomology (n.) - the study of insects
contusion (n.) - bruise, injury envious (adj.) - jealous
convalescence (n.) - the gradual return to health erect (v.) - to construct, to raise
after illness erroneous (adj.) - mistaken, incorrect
copious (adj.) - abundant, plentiful espouse (v.) - to support, or to marry
corpulent (adj.) - very fat espy (v.)– - catch sight of, glimpse
cosmopolitan (adj.) - worldly, sophisticated ethereal (adj.) - heavenly, exceptionally delicate or
credulity (n.) - readiness to believe refined
cursory (adj.) - brief to the point of being euphoric (adj.) - elated, overjoyed
superficial exacerbate (v.) - to make more violent, intense
daft (adj.) - insane, foolish excursion (n.) - a trip, an outing
daunting (adj.) - intimidating exemplary (adj.) - serving as an example
dearth (n.) - a lack, scarcity exigent (adj.) - critical, urgent
defame (v.) - to destroy the reputation of existential (adj.) - relating to existence
deft (adj.) - skilled, adept exorbitant (adj.) - excessive
defunct (adj.) - no longer used or existing extol (v.) - to praise
deleterious (adj.) - harmful extravagant (adj.) - excessive, over-the-top
delude (v.) - to deceive, to mislead fabricate (v.) - to invent, make-up, concoct
deluge (n.) - a great flood or something that fabulist (n.) - a teller of fables; a liar
overwhelms like a flood facile (adj.) - easy
derelict (adj.) - run-down, abandoned fallacious (adj.) - incorrect, misleading
desolate (adj.) - deserted, lifeless familial (adj.) - relating to family
despondent (adj.) - discouraged, hopeless, fatuous (adj.) - silly, foolish
depressed fecund (adj.) - fertile, fruitful
destitute (adj.) - impoverished feign (v.) - to fake or pretend to
diaphanous (adj.) - transparent, light, airy feral (adj.) - savage, wild, untamed
dictate (v.) - to pronounce, command, prescribe fetter (v.) - to restrain, chain, tie
differentiate (v.) - to distinguish, to make different fey (adj.) - magical
dilapidated (adj.) - in a state of disrepair fickle (adj.) - characterized by changeableness,
diligent (adj.) - careful, showing care whimsical
diminish (v.) - to decrease or make smaller figurative (adj.) - symbolic
diminutive (adj.) - miniature, small firmament (n.) - the sky, the heavens

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flabbergasted (adj.) - astounded, stupefied inimical (adj.) - hostile, threatening
flaccid (adj.) - limp iniquity (n.) - a wicked act, a sin
flattery (n.) - compliments, sycophancy innate (adj.) - inborn, native, inherent
flout (v.) - to scorn, ignore, show contempt for innocuous (adj.) - harmless
fluctuate (v.) - to vary irregularly inquisitor (n.) - someone who asks questions or
flux (n.) - a state of constant change or a flow makes an inquiry
forage (v.) - to rummage, scavenge, graze for food inundate (v.) - to flood
forestall (v.) - to delay, impede invariable (adj.) - not susceptible to change
forlorn (adj.) - lonely, hopeless invective (n.) - a verbal attack
formidable (adj.) - arousing fear or alarm inveterate (adj.) - habitual, natural
forsake (v.) - to abandon, forget irascible (adj.) - easily angered
fortify (v.) - to strengthen jubilant (adj.) - joyful, happy
fortitude (n.) - strength, bravery judicious (adj.) - of sound judgment
fortuitous (adj.) - lucky, occurring by chance juvenile (adj.) - young or immature
foster (v.) - to stimulate, promote, encourage juxtapose (v.) - to put next to each other
frenetic (adj.) - frenzied, hectic, frantic labyrinthine (adj.) - intricate, maze-like
gape (v.) - to open the mouth and stare stupidly laceration (n.) - a cut, a rip
gay (adj.) - happy, cheery, or homosexual lachrymose (adj.) - tearful
gluttonous (adj.) - insatiable in appetite latent (adj.) - present but hidden
goad (v.) - to urge, to provoke into action laud (v.) - to applaud or praise
gourmand (n.) - one who likes eating and drinking laudatory (adj.) - admiring, praising
grandiose (adj.) - extraordinary, grand in scope lavish (adj.) - extravagant
gregarious (adj.) - sociable, outgoing lethargic (adj.) - sluggish, weary, apathetic
grotto (n.) - a small cave or cavern lewd (adj.) - vulgar, offensive, rude
guile (n.) - deceitful actions or behavior libel (n.) - a statement that gives an unjust or
hail (v.) - to come from unfavorable representation of a person or thing
hapless (adj.) - unlucky licentious (adj.) - amoral, lawless, lewd
harmony (n.) - agreement, often of sound limber (adj.) - bending or flexing readily, pliable
harrowing (adj.) - agonizing, distressing limpid (adj.) - clear, easily understood
hedonist (n.) - one whose primary pursuit is linchpin (n.) - something that holds separate things
pleasure together
henchman (n.) - a trusted follower, goon lithe (adj.) - graceful, flexible, supple
hiatus (n.) - an interruption in continuity, a break loquacious (adj.) - talkative
hiemal (adj.) - wintry, relating to winter lull (n.) - a relatively calm interval, as in a storm
hierarchy (n.) - a ranking system of groups or luminescence (n.) - light from non-thermal sources
individuals magnanimous (adj.) - generous, noble
histrionic (adj.) - excessively dramatic or emotional malaise (n.) - vague feeling of discomfort
idolatrous (adj.) - worshiping excessively an object malevolent (adj.) - having intent to harm others
or person malicious (adj.) - malevolent, harmful
illusory (adj.) - deceptive, produced by an illusion malign (v.) - to slander, to smear, to libel, to
immaculate (adj.) - impeccably clean, spotless, defame, to speak evil of
pure malleable (adj.) - easily shaped or formed
immutable (adj.) - not susceptible to change mandatory (adj.) - required, not optional
impecunious (adj.) - excessively poor manifest (v.) - to show clearly
impervious (adj.) - unable to be penetrated, manifold (adj.) - many
unaffected masticate (v.) - to chew
impudent (adj.) - rude, improper matrimony (n.) - marriage
incessant (adj.) - without interruption maudlin (adj.) - sentimental
incisive (adj.) - clear, sharp, direct maxim (n.) - a common saying of advice or virtue
inclement (adj.) - stormy, bad, severe meager (adj.) - lacking in quality stature
inclination (n.) - a tendency, propensity mediate (v.) - to intervene, to arbitrate, to sort out
indictment (n.) - accusation of wrongdoing melodramatic (adj.) - exaggeratedly emotional or
indignation (n.) - anger due to an unfair situation sentimental; histrionic
inextricable (adj.) - hopelessly confused or tangled mendacious (adj.) - inclined to lie or mislead
infuse (v.) - to inject mercurial (adj.) - quick and changeable in
ingenious (adj.) - marked by special intelligence temperament

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meritorious (adj.) - deserving of praise or merit physiognomy (n.) - the art of judging human
metamorphosis (n.) - a change of form, shape, character from facial features
substance pique (v.) - to provoke or to cause indignation
mimic (v.) - to imitate, to copy pithy (adj.) - succinctly meaningful
misogyny (n.) - hatred of women pittance (n.)– - very small amount
modicum (n.) - a small amount of something placate (v.) - to soothe, appease
mollify (v.) - to soften in temper placid (adj.) - calm, tranquil
monogamy (n.) - having only one spouse at a time plethora (n.) - a great number, an abundance
mores (n.) - moral attitudes pliable (adj.) - flexible, bendable
morose (adj.) - gloomy or sullen poach (v.) - to hunt or fish illegally
munificent (adj.) - generous, benevolent poised (adj.) - balanced, readied
mutability (n.) - capability of change polygamy (n.) - having more than one spouse at a
myopic (adj.) - short-sighted time
myriad (adj.) - consisting of a very great number portentous (adj.) - foreboding or foreshadowing
narrate (v.) - to tell a story evil, ominous
nebulous (adj.) - indistinct, hazy portly (adj.) - fat, chubby, round
nefarious (adj.) - horribly villainous precarious (adj.) - dangerously lacking in security
neologism (n.) - the creation of new words, or a or stability
new word predestination (n.) - the concept of destiny or fate
neonate (n.) - a newborn baby premonition (n.) - a presentiment of the future
noisome (adj.) - foul, offensive, particularly to the preponderance (n.) - a great amount or frequency
sense of smell presage (n.) - an omen
notoriety (n.) - infamy, known in bad regard prestidigitation (n.) - a sleight of hand
novel (adj.) - strikingly new, unusual, or different presumptuous (adj.) - disrespectfully bold
noxious (adj.) - harmful, toxic profane (adj.) - indecent, blasphemous
obdurate (adj.) - unyielding to persuasion or moral profuse (adj.) - abundant, lavish, prolific
influences propensity (n.) - an inclination, preference
obfuscate (v.) - to render incomprehensible propriety (n.) - decency, state of being proper
obsequious (adj.) - excessively compliant or protean (adj.) - readily taking on various shapes or
submissive forms
odious (adj.) - meriting strong displeasure prudent (adj.) - cautious, careful
officious (adj.) - offering unwanted help or service puerile (adj.) - immature
olfactory (adj.) - relating to the sense of smell pugnacious (adj.) - belligerent
ominous (adj.) - foreboding or foreshadowing evil, pulchritude (n.) - physical beauty
portentous punctilious (adj.) - eager to follow rules
oration (n.) - a dignified and formal speech pungent (adj.) - having a sharp, strong quality
ostracize (v.) - to exclude from a community especially related to smell
pacify (v.) - to sooth, ease purport (v.) - to present an intention that is often
paragon (n.) - model of perfection FALSE
pariah (n.) - an outcast putrid (adj.) - rotten, rancid, foul
parody (n.) - a satirical imitation quaint (adj.) - old-fashioned
patent (adj.) - clear, apparent quid pro - (n., latin) – a mutually beneficial
pedagogue (n.) - a schoolteacher exchange
pellucid (adj.) - clear quotidian (adj.) - daily, everyday
penchant (n.) - a tendency, partiality, preference radiant (adj.) - bright, beaming
peregrinate (v.) - to travel from place to place on rancid (adj.) - rotten, spoiled, disgusting in smell or
foot taste
perfunctory (adj.) - showing little enthusiasm, done ratiocinate (v.) - to think, contemplate
as duty raze (v.) - to demolish
permeate (v.) - to spread out, to pervade recalcitrant (adj.) - defiant
persevere (v.) - to persist, remain constant recalibrate (v.) - to readjust or make corrections to
pertinacious (adj.) - stubbornly persistent, holding recapitulate (v.) - to repeat, reiterate
to a belief or position rectify (v.) - to set right, correct
peruse (v.) - to examine carefully redact (v.) - to revise, edit
pervasive (adj.) - to spread throughout redoubtable (adj.) - formidable, commanding
petulance (n.) - irritability, impoliteness respect

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redress (v.) - to set right or remedy static (adj.) - not moving, being at rest
reel (v.) - to be thrown off balance or feel dizzy steadfast (adj.) - fixed or unchanging
refrain (v.) - to hold oneself back, forbear strenuous (adj.) - requiring tremendous strength or
reiterate (v.) - to repeat energy
relish (v.) - to take zestful pleasure in, enjoy the strife (n.) - conflict
flavor of stupefy (v.) - to astound
remiss (adj.) - negligent, exhibiting carelessness submissive (adj.) - easily yielding to authority
render (v.) - to say, or to make subsist (v.) - to live, exist
renovate (v.) - to restore, return to original state succinct (adj.) - marked by compact precision
repose (n.) - rest, sleep suffice (v.) - to meet needs
reprehensible (adj.) - deserving criticism supplant (v.) - to displace and substitute for
repudiate (v.) - to reject, turn down another
repulse (v.) - to cause disgust or distaste, or to surfeit (n.) - an excess, a surplus, an
drive back, repel overabundance
requisition (n.) - a demand for goods, often by an surmise (v.) - to guess, infer, suppose
authority surreptitious (adj.) - done in a secret, or stealthy
restitution (n.) - compensation, reimbursement way
retaliation (n.) - revenge, punishment swarthy (adj.) - of dark color or complexion
retract (v.) - withdraw sybarite (n.) - someone devoted to pleasure and
retribution (n.) - vengeance, revenge, payback luxury, a voluptuary
revel (v.) - to enjoy sycophant (n.) - a self-serving flatterer
rife (adj.) - abundant sympathetic (adj.) - compassionate
ruddy (adj.) - having a healthy, reddish color sympathy (n.) - an expression of pity for another,
ruse (n.) - a trick compassion
rustic (adj.) - relating to country life synopsis (n.) - a summary
saccharine (adj.) - overly sweet taciturn (adj.) - not inclined to talk
sacrosanct (adj.) - sacred, holy tantamount (adj.) - equivalent in value or
sagacious (adj.) - shrewd, showing sound significance
judgment tedious (adj.) - boring, dull
salient (adj.) - significant, conspicuous telepathic (adj.) - capable of reading minds
salutation (n.) - a greeting tenuous (adj.) - having little substance or strength
sanguine (adj.) - cheery, optimistic, hopeful terrestrial (adj.) - relating to the land
sate (v.) - to satisfy (an appetite) fully. terse (adj.) - abrupt, short, brief
satiate (v.) - to satisfy excessively timorous (adj.) - fearful, timid
savor (v.) - to appreciate fully, enjoy tome (n.) - a large book
scathing (adj.) - hurtful, critical toothsome (adj.) - delicious, luscious
scourge (n.) - a plague torpid (adj.) - lazy, lethargic, moving slowly
scurrilous (adj.) - crude, vulgar torrid (adj.) - giving off intense heat, passionate
sedate (v.) - to calm, soothe tortuous (adj.) - winding, twisted
sedentary (adj.) - sitting tragedy (n.) - a disastrous event, or a work of art in
seer (n.) - a fortune teller which the hero meets a terrible fate
seminal (adj.) - original, ground-breaking tranquil (adj.) - calm, serene, peaceful
serendipity (n.) - the act of finding things not travesty (n.) - a grossly inferior imitation
sought, luck trek (v.) - to walk, travel by foot
slander (n.) - a FALSE statement to damage the trite (adj.) - overused, hackneyed
reputation of another truculent (adj.) - eager to fight, violent
sobriety (n.) - moderation from excess, calm, ubiquitous (adj.) - existing everywhere,
tranquility widespread
somnolent (adj.) - sleepy ultimate (n.) - the last part, or a fundamental
soothsayer (n.) - a fortune teller element
sordid (adj.) - dirty umbrage (n.) - anger, offense, resentment
spectral (adj.) - ghostly uncanny (adj.) - of supernatural character or origin
spurious (adj.) - FALSE but intended to seem undulate (v.) - to move in a smooth wavelike
believable or possible motion
stagnant (adj.) - still, not flowing uniform (adj.) - unvarying, conforming to one
stagnate (v.) - to be idle, to be still principle

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unilateral (adj.) - having only one side
unique (adj.) - being the only one of its kind
upbraid (v.) - to criticize, scold, reproach
vacillate (v.) - to sway from one side to another
variance (n.) - a difference between what is
expected and what actually occurs
variegate (v.) - to diversify
vast (adj.) - enormous, immense
veneer (n.) - a superficial or deceptively attractive
appearance, façade
veracious (adj.) - honest, truthful
verbose (adj.) - wordy
vicarious (adj.) - experienced through another’s
actions
vicissitudes (n.) - the unexpected changes and
shifts often encountered in one’s life
vigor (n.) - vitality and energy, vim.
vim (n.) - and energy, vigor.
vivacious (adj.) - lively, spirited, full of life
vocation (n.) - one’s work or professional calling
volition (n.) - a conscious choice or decision
voluminous (adj.) - large, ample
voluptuary (n.) - someone devoted to sensory
pleasure and luxury, a sybarite
wane (v.) - to decrease gradually in size or degree
wax (v.) - to increase gradually in size or degree
weather (v.) - to withstand or survive a situation
whet (v.) - to make more keen, stimulate
winsome (adj.) - charming, attractive
Zeitgeist (n.) - the spirit of the time