SAT "A" List Flashcards
(100 cards)
1
Q
abandon
A
total lack of inhibition
2
Q
abase
A
to lower in rank, prestige, or esteem
3
Q
abate
A
to decrease; to reduce
4
Q
aberration
A
the act of departing from the right, normal, or usual course
5
Q
abet
A
to aid; to act as an accomplice
6
Q
abjure
A
to renounce under oath; to abandon forever; to abstain from
7
Q
abnegate
A
to give up; to deny to oneself
8
Q
abortive
A
ending without results
9
Q
abridge
A
to make shorter in words, keeping the essential features, leaning out minor particles
10
Q
abrogate
A
to annul; to abolish by authoritative action
11
Q
abscond
A
to leave quickly in secret
12
Q
abstemious
A
done sparingly; consuming in moderation
13
Q
abstruse
A
difficult to understand
14
Q
accede
A
to express approval; to agree to
15
Q
acclivity
A
an incline or upward slope, the ascending side of a hill
16
Q
accretion
A
a growth in size, an increase in amount
17
Q
acme
A
the highest level or degree attainable; summit
18
Q
acrid
A
harshly pungent or bitter
19
Q
acrimony
A
sharpness or bitterness of speech or temper
20
Q
actuate
A
to put into motion, to activate; to motivate or influence to activity
21
Q
acuity
A
sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or hearing
22
Q
acumen
A
sharpness of insight, mind, and understanding; shrewd judgment
23
Q
adamant
A
stubbornly unyielding
24
Q
adept
A
extremely skilled
25
adjudicate
to hear and settle a matter; to act as a judge
26
adjure
to appeal to
27
admonish
to caution or warn gently in order to correct something
28
adroit
skillful; accomplished; highly competent
29
adulation
excessive flattery or admiration
30
adumbrate
to give a hint or indication of something to comee
31
aerie
a nest built high in the air; an elevated, often secluded, dwelling
32
aesthetic
having to do with the appreciation of beauty
33
affable
easygoing; friendly
34
affectation
a studied or ostentatious pretense or attempt
35
affected
phony, artificial
36
aggregate
a collective mass, the sum total
37
aghast
struck with terror and amazement
38
agnostic
one who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism
39
alacrity
cheerful willingness; eagerness
40
algorithm
an established procedure for solving a problem or equation
41
alimentary
pertaining to food, nutrition, or digestion
42
allay
to lessen, ease, reduce, in intensity
43
alleviate
to ease a pain or a burden
44
allocate
distribute (resources or duties) for a particular purpose
45
altruism
unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness
46
amalgam
a combination of diverse elements; a mixture
47
ambiguous
open to more than one interpretation
48
ambivalent
simultaneously feeling opposing feelings; uncertain
49
amiable
friendly and agreeable in disposition; good-natured and likable
50
amity
friendship, goodwill
51
amorphous
having no definite form
52
anachronism
anything occurring or existing out of its proper time
53
animus
a feeling of animosity or ill will
54
anodyne
a source of comfort; a medicine that relieves pain
55
anomaly
a deviation from the common rule, something that is difficult to classify
56
anthropomorphic
suggesting human characteristics for animals and inanimate things
57
antipathy
a deep-seated feeling of dislike; aversion
58
antiquated
too old to be fashionable or useful
59
antiseptic
anything that destroys or restrains the growth of putrefactive micro-organisms
60
antithesis
a contrast or opposition between two things
61
apathetic
feeling or showing little emotion
62
aphorism
a pithy (concise and forcefully expressive) observation that contains a general truth
63
aplomb
self-confident assurance; poise
64
apostate
one who renounces a religious faith
65
apportionment
to distribute or allocate proportionally; divide and assign according to some rule of proportional distribution
66
apposite
strikingly appropriate or well adapted
67
apprise
to give notice to, inform
68
approbation
sanction; a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule
69
appropriate
to assign to a particular purpose, allocate
70
apt
appropriate or suitable in the circumstances
71
arable
suitable for cultivation
72
arboreal
relating to or resembling a tree
73
arcane
known or understood by only a few
74
archaic
characteristic of an earlier period; old-fashioned
75
archipelago
a large group of islands
76
arid
very dry
77
arrears
unpaid, overdue debts or bills; neglected obligations
78
arrogate
to claim without justification; to claim for oneself without right
79
ascertain
to discover with certainty, as through examination or experimentation
80
ascetic
given to severe self-denial and practicing excessive abstinence and devotion
81
askance
with disapproval; with a skeptical sideways glance
82
aspersion
an attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something
83
assent
to agree, as to a proposal
84
assimilate
incorporated and absorbed into the mind; made similar; caused to resemble shrewd; clever
85
astute
shrewd; clever
86
atavistic
characteristic of a former era; ancient
87
atrophy
decrease in size or wasting away of a body part or tissue
88
attenuate
reduce the force, effect, or value of
89
audacious
fearless
90
augment
to make greater, as in size, extent, or quantity
91
aural
of, relating to, or perceived by the ear
92
austere
without decoration; strict
93
autocrat
a dictator
94
autonomy
independence; self-determination; self-government or the right of self-government
95
avant-garde
of or pertaining to the experimental treatment of artistic, musical, or literary material
96
avarice
passion for getting and keeping riches
97
aver
to declare to be true; to affirm; to assert as a fact
98
averse
strongly disinclined; having a strong dislike of or opposition to something
99
avuncular
like an uncle in behavior, especially in kindness and warmth
100
awry
crooked, askew, amiss; out of proper form, direction, and position
