SAT Vocab - Foundation Words Pt. 1
from a list of 150 essential words to know for the SAT
Terms
undefined, object
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- abstract
- adj. theoretical; not concrete; difficult to understand
- alleviate
- n. to relieve; improve somewhat
- coercion
- n. use of force
- contentious
- adj. causing quarrels
- ameliorate
- v. to improve
- chauvinism
- n. fanatical patriotism; prejudiced belief in the superiority of a group
- diffuse
- adj. wordy; rambling; spread out
- anarchy
- n. lawlessness
- discordant
- adj. not in tune
- dilemma
- n. situation requiring a choice between two unsatisfactory options
- ambiguous
- adj. doubtful or unclear
- anomaly
- n. irregularity
- condone
- v. to overlook; forgive
- conciliatory
- adj. overcoming distrust or hostility
- cathartic
- adj. purifying; cleansing
- abstruse
- adj. difficult to comprehend
- deride
- v. to mock
- aesthetic
- adj. pertaining to beauty or art
- arbitrary
- adj. unreasonable; selected randomly
- assuage
- v. to make less severe
- dichotomy
- n. division into two usually contradictory parts
- conjecture
- n. conclusion reached without proof
- corroborate
- v. to confirm
- contention
- n. assertion; controversy
- candor
- n. honesty of expression
- disparity
- n. difference
- deference
- n. respect; regard for another's wish
- banal
- adj. commonplace; unoriginal
- autonomous
- adj. self-governing
- decorum
- n. proper behavior
- deter
- v. to discourage; hinder
- ambivalent
- adj. having conflicting feelings
- advocate
- v. to recommend; plead for
- discerning
- adj. perceptive; exhibiting keen insight and good judgment
- charisma
- n. personal magnetism
- appease
- v. to calm; pacify
- austere
- adj. unadorned; stern
- disparage
- v. to belittle; to make someone/something to seem little or less
- convoluted
- adj. twisted; complicated
- compliant
- adj. yielding
- benevolent
- adj. generous; charitable
- analogous
- adj. comparable
- antipathy
- n. dislike
- altruistic
- adj. selfless; generous
- asceticism
- n. self-denial
- derivative
- adj. unoriginal
- aberration
- n. something different from the usual
- digress
- v. to stray from the main subject
- criteria
- n. standards used in judging
- apathy
- n. indifference