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SAT Vocab

Stolen from a great prep book, let me know if you want to borrow it.

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
laudatory
praiseful
vulnerable
unprotected
succulent
juicy; interesting
misnomer
an inappropiate or wrong name
magnanimous
noble; magnificently kind
submission
the act of yielding to the authority of another
precipice
cliff; steep overhang
proboscis
long, hollow snout (think probe)
cognizant
fully informed and aware; concious
adroit
skillful
stagnant
not moving or flowing
circumspect
prudent; cautious
saga
long adventure story
altercation
a violent dispute
labyrinth
complicated maze or winding series of corridors
pussilanimous
timid
palliate
to moderate the severity of; abate
uncouth
crude; unrefined; awkward (think uncool)
fluctuation
irregular variation
imminent
able to occur; impending
vindicate
to clear or blame or suspicion
blighted
ruined
flaunt
to show off something
erudite
scholarly
superlative
most; of the highest order; surpassing all others
pulverize
to grind to bits
morose
sullen; depressed
precursor
what came before
efface
to erase; rub out
appease
to sooth (a piece)
insensate
unconscious; lacking sensation
refractory
disobedient; stubborn
adverse
hostile; opposed; unfavorable
hierarchy
social order
cajole
to coax
sycophant
servile person who follows and flatters another person in the hope of winning favor
quail
to draw back in fear
discord
lack of harmony
putrid
decomposed; foul-smelling
insatiable
impossible to satisfy
wanton
immoral
impugn
to attack as false; criticize
ameliorate
to improve a bad situation
gainsay
to deny
placate
to appease, pacify, or calm
relevant
having significant importance
amity
peaceful relations; friendship
zeal
enthusiasm
malediction
a spoken curse
berate
to scold severely (think B-rated)
rampant
unrestrained
olfactory
pertaining to the sense of smell
grisly
gory
allay
to soothe
languor
languidness; sluggishness
pedestrian
commonplace; ordinary
crass
uncultured
froward
stubborn
garrulous
very talkative; loquacious
supersede
to take the place of
drastic
severe
epitaph
memorial text carved on a tombstone
celibate
without sex; unmarried
emulate
to imitate closely
quorum
minimal number of people that have to be at a meeting in order for the meeting to be official
politic
shrewd; clever (think politics)
petulant
unreasonably irritable or ill-tempered
cerebration
thought
effigy
dummy used for symbolic torturing
agape
open-mouthed (think gap)
vehement
with ardor; energetically or violently forceful
accolade
award; honor
covert
concealed; secret
ogle
to stare at (think goggles)
myriad
many
capitulate
to surrender
wily
crafty
neophyte
beginner
trepidation
fear; state of anxiety or fear that makes you tremble
quandary
state of uncertainty; dillema
sedate
to soothe, calm, or tranquilize
placid
calm
licentious
immoral; morally wild or sexually unrestrained
demure
reserved; modest
orifice
small hole, opening, or vent
officious
obnoxious and pushy in giving opinions (think *****)
oscillate
to swing back and forth
disparage
to belittle; to reduce in esteem
beatific
displaying or imparting joy
amorphous
shapeless
occult
pertaining to supernatural phenomena (think cult)
adulterate
to make impure
thwart
to prevent from taking place; challenge
concurrent
at the same time
ostracize
banish or exclude
melancholy
sadness
conjugal
pertaining to marriage
educe
to elicit
garbled
screwed up
zenith
peak
palatable
acceptable to the taste; sufficiently good to be edible (think palate)
imperious
domineering
mellifluous
sweet sounding; flowing with honey or sweetness
forte
strong point
averse
opposed; unwilling
profuse
abundant; overflowing
slovenly
messy; characteristic of a slob
nuance
subtle variation in color, meaning, or some other quality
esoteric
known only by a few people
adumbrate
to foreshadow partially
insidious
working or spreading stealthily; sneaking inside to do something bad
penurious
parsimonious; stingy; poor
frugal
sparing in expense; stingy
exhume
to remove from a grave; disinter
fallacious
false
incontrovertible
indisputable
obdurate
hardened against good influence
noisome
offensive; malodorous
dais
raised platform
arbitrary
chosen at random
pedant
boring person who knows a lot but has little practical experience; dweeb
novice
beginner; person new to something
accost
to approach and speak to
pillage
to rob violently
macabre
gross
lethal
deadly
comestible
food
prevalent
commonly occuring or existing
crux
main point (think cross)
askew
crooked
recondite
abstruse; concealed; profound; hidden from sight
stolid
showing little emotion or pain; emotionally solid
reticent
silent; restrained in behavior
audacity
boldness
posthumous
contunuing or done after one's death
harbringer
forerunner; omen
lacerate
to rip, maul, tear
triskaidekaphobia
fear of the number 13 :D
lethargy
sluggishness; indifference
compunction
strong uneasiness caused by guilt
onerous
burdensome
ostensible
apparent; seeming
ravage
plunder
opulent
rich (think oprah)
pithy
concise and meaningful (think pythagorean theorem)
edify
to enlighten; educate
biennial
every two years
effete
tired
austerity
severity; strictness
obtuse
stupid, thick headed
abate
to lessen
dexterous
adroitor skillful in the use of hands or body
fatuous
inane; foolish
flagrant
deliberately conspicuous; glaring
subvert
to overthrow or undermine the power of
pecuniary
relating to money
ciliated
having tiny hairs
burnish
to polish
parsimonious
stingy
knavery
dishonest, mischievous dealing
unscrupulous
unprincipled; lacking ethical values
facetious
joking or jesting
exigent
urgent; requiring immediate attention; demanding
kismet
fate
fictitious
false (think fiction)
cadaver
corpse
recumbent
lying down
alimentary
supplying nourishment
inchoate
incomplete
ebullient
bubbly; overflowing with excitement
boisterous
rowdy
homily
sermonlike speech
perfunctory
done routinely, carelessly, and listlessly
prevaricate
to avoid the truth
voluble
fluent in speech (but talks too much)
swindle
to cheat or defraud
comely
attractive; agreeable
rapacious
plundering (think velociraptor)
terse
concise; free of superfluous words
imbibe
to drink in; absorb
overt
open and obsevable, not hidden
surreptitious
done clandestinely or by stealth
depraved
morally corrupt
tenacity
persistence; tending to hold on firmly
equivocal
capable of two interpretations; ambiguous
terrestrial
of the earth
valor
courage; bravery
cathartic
cleansing; allowing for a release of tension or emotion
obstreperous
unruly
ken
range of knowledge
barrister
lawyer
proliferate
to increase or spread rapidly
somber
dark; dull; gloomy
reciprocal
mutual
blandishment
flattery
hackneyed
overused; trite
euphemism
nice way of saying something unpleasant
penchant
stong liking; inclination
prosaic
lacking excitement or imagination; dull
naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or experience
cantankerous
ill-natured; quarrelsome
ambulatory
able to walk
paucity
smallness in number; scarcity
insipid
lacking excitement; vapid
apex
tip; peak; summit
cull
to select; weed out
querulous
complaining; peevish
zest
gusto; happy and vivacious enjoyment
usurp
to illegally seize the power or rights from another
lambaste
to beat with big things; to scold sharply or rebuke
jingoism
extreme patriotism
deter
to prevent or discourage from happening
laconic
not saying much; brief; terse
braggadocio
cockiness (think brag)
elation
exhilaration; joy
voracious
eager to consume mounds of food
temerity
recklessness
sagacious
wise (think sage)
qualm
doubt; uneasiness; sudeen pang of sickness or faintness
captious
fault-finding
queasy
nauseated; uneasy
incessant
nonstop; ceaseless
nadir
absolutely lowest point
abash
to embarrass
permeate
to spread or flow through
impeccable
flawless and faultless; incapable of sin
malice
the desire to do bad to others; spite
lewd
indecent; obscene
omniscient
all-knowing
hallowed
holy; sacred
caustic
burning; bitterly witty
diaphanous
translucent; gossamer
laud
(to) praise
impasse
dead end
equipoise
equality
callous
unfeeling; unsympathetic
neologism
a newly coined word, phrase, or expression
maritime
near the sea; concerned with shipping or navigation
emaciated
excessively thin; weak
bucolic
pastoral
vainglorious
vain; boastful
gossaber
light, delicate, or insubstantial
epitome
embodiment
nexus
bond or link between things
burgeon
to grow
superfluous
beyond what's necessary; extra
treachery
betrayal of trust; traitorousness
pragmatic
practical
cogent
clear
deplete
to lessen the supply or content of
novel
new
invidious
making people angry; offensive
prolific
producing lots of offspring or fruit
calumny
slander
mendacious
untruthful; lying
static
having no motion
inept
incompetent
maneuver
a skillful or clever move
churlish
boorish; rude
irascible
easily provoked; irritable
salacious
lecherous; erotically stimulating
rant
to rave; to speak wildly
ignoble
not noble
abstruse
profound; difficult to understand
feasible
workable; plausible
filch
to steal
betroth
to become engaged
modicum
little bit
perfidious
dishonest
celerity
swiftness (think accelerate)
pensive
engaged in deep, often sad, thought
cavil
to raise unnecessary or trivial objections
quixotic
having the same foolish, impractical, romantic idealism as Don Quixote
odious
offensive; hateful
sloth
indolence; inactivity
aghast
horrified
inscrutable
engimatic; difficult to understand
demur
to object mildly
bacchanalian
orgiastic (think bacchus)
alarcity
cheerful promptness
abominate
to loathe; hate
avuncular
like an uncle
gruff
rough or stern in speech or action
unawares
by surprise; unexpectedly
fervor
passion
quip
snappy response
vex
to irritate or bother
fastidious
careful about details; impossible to satisfy
invective
abusive put-down
unruly
difficult to govern; impossible to discipline
vilify
to slander; defame (think vile)
bawdy
obscene (think body)
amass
to collect; to get a bunch of
fecund
fertile
sparse
thinly spread or distributed; not crowded
nonplussed
perplexed; baffled
paragon
model or example of perfection
incommodious
lacking space
lascivious
lusty; lewd
bombastic
grandiloquent (wordy, pompous) in speech or writing
impunity
immunity from punishment
quarantine
isolate because of a disease
usury
lending of money at outrageously high interest; loan sharking
accentuate
to stress; emphasize
ruminate
to think a lot about; cogiate
obsequious
fawning; too easily compliant
gesticulation
gesture; signal
affluent
rich
unwitting
unaware; not knowing
graphic
vivid; explicit
ostentatious
showy; pretentious
contrition
remorse
vacuity
emptiness; vacuum
adulate
to flatter and praise so much it's sickening
miasma
a poisonous atmosphere or cloud (think asthma)
precocious
characterized by unusually early development
plethora
superabundance; plenty; excess
kleptomaniac
compulsive stealer
concupiscence
sexual desire
alleviate
to make more bearable
philanthropy
improvement of the world through charity; love of humanity in general
eulogy
praiseful speech at a funeral
fabricate
to invent or make up something
contort
twist; bend
vivacious
animated; full of energy
verbose
excessively wordy
fetid
smelly
mitigate
to make less severe
anthropoid
humanlike
congenital
existing at birth
desultory
aimless
bland
not stimulating; dull (think blah)
noxious
harmful to health or morals
tribute
gift expressing gratitude or resoect
corporal
bodily
meticulous
extremely careful and precise
retrograde
moving backward to an earlier, usually inferior, position
choleric
hot tempered
astute
shrewd; wise; observing (think student)
redolent
fragrant
fulminate
to explode; roar
hedonism
the philosophy of trying to be happy all the time
lackadaisical
uncaring; lacking in interest or spirit (think lack a daisy)
tirade
long and vehement speech
capacious
spacious
credulity
gullibility
redress
to set right
germane
relevant; appropriate
impropriety
not proper
cauterize
to burn tissue
eschew
avoid; shun
whim
capricious, freakish idea
incubus
nightmare; mental burden
pedagogue
schoolteacher or educatior; boring, dry teacher
synthetic
not real
nonchalant
appearing casual, cool, indifferent, chilled out
malignancy
a malevolent and malicious act
countermand
to cancel a command
recapitulate
to state in a briefer form than the original
grandiose
extremely impressive; grand
hirsute
hairy
jaded
wearied, especially by too much of the good life
gibe
to heckle or mock
torrid
parched by the sun; passionate
lucubration
hard, scholarly studying
cogitate
to think about deeply and carefully
rapproachement
reconciliation
foible
weakness, flaw
ignominy
dishonor; disgrace
quantitative
capable of being expressed as, or having to do with a number
bumptious
self-assertive (think bump)
frenetic
frenzied
tempestuous
stormy
facet
side or aspect (think face)
mordant
bitingly sarcastic or nasty
foment
to stir up
palpable
capable of being touched or felt; real
obtrude
to force oneself or one's ideas on others
ruddy
having a healthy, reddish color
deranged
having a severe mental disorder; being insane
larceny
stealing
august
majestic; awe inspiring (think emperor augustus)
oblivion
state of being totally forgotten
taciturn
untalkative; uncommunicative
malign
to say bad things about; slander
pathos
quality in something that makes you pity it; feeling of sympathy or pity
comport
to behave in a particular way
penury
poverty; destitution
moo
low deep sound made by a cow
suffrage
right to vote; franchise
omnipotent
all-powerful
ravenous
hungry
summon
to call forth; call together
tedious
boring
devoid
completely lacking
castigate
to punish (think castrate)
disseminate
to dispense obects
unassuming
not pretentious; modest
forbearance
patience
bellicose
violent; warlike
vacillate
to waver from one side to the other; oscillate
descry
to discern; to catch sight of something that is difficult to catch sight of
assuage
to ease
tact
skill in dealing with people in difficult situtaitons
iconoclast
destroyer of tradition
cower
to quiver; shrink from fear
malevolent
wishing evil on others
affected
fake (a-fake-ted)
temperate
showing self-restraint by not doing things to excess; moderate
affinity
attraction
ratiocination
logical, methodical thinking (think rational)
heinous
grossly wicked
abase
lower; humiliate
crestfallen
dejected
parch
to make very dry, especially by heating
reiterate
to repeat
debase
to lower in quality or value; adulterate
gratuitous
unnecessary or unwarranted
lassitude
listlessness; a state of exhaustion or weakness
begrudge
to envy; resent
skeptical
doubting; disbelieving
hoary
gray or white from age
caluminate
to slander
latent
potential but not yet displayed (think talent)
loathe
to hate
commiserate
to sympathize; be miserable together
simultaneous
happening at the same time
raze
to tear down; demolish
wistful
yearning; wishful with a hint of sadness
futile
completely ineffective
recalcitrant
stubborn
corroborate
to testify in agreement
agile
able to move in a quick and easy fashion
charlatan
quack; someone who pretends to be someone he's not
perspicacious
perceptive; understanding (think perspective)
intangible
not perceptible to the touch; impalpable
quagmire
difficult situation that's hard to get out of
steadfast
fixed or unchanging; faithful
clemency
mildness of temper
infer
to conclude based on facts
redoubtable
frighteningly awe-inspiring; formidable
haughty
proud; vain
fawning
groveling; overly admiring
nefarious
evil
impassive
without emotion; expressionless
derogate
to detract; to take away
puissant
powerful, mighty
amok
freaked out and violently pissed off (think schmuck)
dynamic
energetic
commensurate
equal; proportionate
minuscule
very tiny (think mini)
ingenious
original; resourceful
convoke
to call together; to cause to assemble
obsolete
out of style; outdated
presage
to give an indication or warning of something that will happen in the future
jocund
merry; jolly (root joc- refers to jokes)
distraught
anxious
incognito
in disguise so as not to be recognized
shiftless
lazy; showing lack of motivation;incompetent
nemesis
vengeful enemy
impale
to pierce with a sharp stake or point
acclivity
sharp incline of a hill (think cliff)
rectify
to correct; set right
beguile
trick
indomitable
unconquerable; impossible to dominate
wrath
anger; rage
corpulent
obese; fat
dearth
scarcity
doleful
sad; mournful
brusque
brief
ardor
heat; passion; zeal
gestate
to transform and grow
censure
to criticize; blame
lecherous
lewd
vindictive
vengeful
capricious
unpredictable; following whim
daunt
to intimidate; frighten
remorse
bitter regret; guilt
rampage
course of wild behavior / to move wildly
ethereal
not of the material world (think is he real?)
tepid
lukewarm; somewhat warm
candor
frankness; candidness
sanguine
reddish, bloodcolored; optimistic
malaise
a feeling of illness or depression
ubiquitous
beeing or seeming to be everywhere at the same time; omnipresent
qualitative
having to do with a quality
impending
about to take place
soporific
sleep-inducing
servile
humbly yielding; submissive
antipathy
hatred
nascent
coming into being; emerging (think ascent)
malodorous
smelling bad; having a bad odor
tangible
existing materially
upshot
outcome; result
chagrin
embarrassment
sequester
to separate
chimerical
far out
harangue
mean, angry speech
sinister
foreboding of evil
zany
crazy; insane
refute
to disprove
gloaming
twilight
chicanery
trickery
rationalize
to make rational; justify
sedition
conduct or language inciting rebellion against authority
bereft
lacking something needed
discern
to detect by the use of the senses
meander
to wander around aimlessly
vociferous
obnoxiously loud
pallid
having an extremely pallid complexion
mendicant
a beggar
refulgent
shining; radiant
equestrian
pertaining to horsemanship; on horseback
delude
to deceive
ingenous
showing childlike simplicity; innocent
truncate
to shorten by chopping off the end
cupidity
greed; avarice
plunder
to rob (usually violently), to pillage
indolence
laziness
notorious
famous for something bad; infamous
chaste
pure
imbue
to make wet
lugubrious
mournful or sad (think go bury us)
erode
to diminish or destroy by small amounts
realm
kingdom
gregarious
friendly
redundant
repetitious
plaintive
sad; melancholy
supercilious
haughty; conceited; disdainful
renascent
coming into being again (think renaissance)
monotonous
always at the same pitch
innate
belonging to someone from birth; inherent
lithe
graceful
table
to remove from consideration
cacophonous
sounding discordant
tenet
principle or doctrine
scanty
insufficient; small
exact
to demand
affray
brawl
languish
to lose strength; waste away
incite
to arouse; instrigate
awry
twisted; wrong

Deck Info

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