SAT Vocab 1 Flashcards
(200 cards)
1
Q
cynic (n.)
A
one who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions
2
Q
pragmatic (adj.)
A
practical, sensible, logical
3
Q
disparage (v.)
A
to speak of negatively; to belittle
4
Q
ambivalent (adj.)
A
simultaneously experiencing opposing feelings; uncertain
5
Q
esoteric (adj.)
A
intended for or understood by only a small group
6
Q
substantiate (v.)
A
to support with proof or evidence; to verify
7
Q
abstruse (adj.)
A
difficult to understand
8
Q
contend (v.)
A
to struggle; to compete
9
Q
forbear (v.)
A
to refrain from; to be patient or self-controlled
10
Q
frivolous (adj.)
A
characterized by lack of seriousness or sense; not worthy of serious notice, trivial
11
Q
negligent (adj.)
A
guilty of or characterized by neglect
12
Q
vindictive (adj.)
A
disposed to seek revenge; revengeful, spiteful
13
Q
complacency (n.)
A
a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of unpleasant possibilities
14
Q
anachronism (n.)
A
the representation of something as existing or happening in the wrong time period
15
Q
connoisseur (n.)
A
an expert judge in an art or matters of taste
16
Q
benign (adj.)
A
kind and gentle
17
Q
callous (adj.)
A
insensitive; emotionally hardened
18
Q
candid (adj.)
A
completely honest; straightforward
19
Q
duplicity (n.)
A
deceitful, dishonest, two-faced, deliberately deceptive
20
Q
erroneous (adj.)
A
full of errors; incorrect
21
Q
lament (v.)
A
to express grief or regret (for or over); a vocal expression of grief
22
Q
mitigate (v.)
A
to make or become less severe, intense, or painful
23
Q
alleviate (v.)
A
to make or become less severe, intense, or painful
24
Q
mollify (v.)
A
to reduce the severity of, soften; to appease
25
assuage (v.)
to make or become less severe, intense, or painful; to satisfy
26
reticence (n.)
the quality or state of keeping silent; reserve
27
penchant (n.)
a strong inclination or liking
28
debilitate (v.)
to impair the strength of; to weaken
29
steadfast (adj.)
fixed in place, position, or direction; firm in purpose, resolution, or direction; unwavering
30
admonish (v.)
to caution or advise against something
31
reverence
a high opinion or something; admiration
32
apathetic (adj.)
feeling or showing little emotion
33
capricious (adj.)
impulsive, unpredictable
34
magnanimous (adj.)
courageously or generously noble in mind and heart
35
ornate (adj.)
fancily decorated; beautiful, brilliant, flashy, showy
36
incredulous (adj.)
disinclined or indisposed to believe; indicating disbelief
37
edify (v.)
to instruct and improve, especially morally; to enlighten
38
voracious (adj.)
craving or consuming large quantities of food; exceedingly eager
39
idiosyncrasy (adj.)
peculiarity, oddity, quirk, characteristic, trait, singularity
40
lucid (adj.)
easily understood; clear
41
repute (v.)
to consider, believe
42
stringent (adj.)
rigorously binding or exact; strict
43
temperament (n.)
the combination of mental and emotional traits of a person; nature
44
insolent (adj.)
showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect
45
tact (n.)
skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations
46
volatile (adj.)
evaporating rapidly; tending or threatening to erupt in violence, explosive
47
adverse (adj.)
unfavorable; opposing one's interests or desires
48
personage (n.)
a person of distinction or importance
49
demagogue (n.)
an orator or political leader who gains power by arousing people's emotions and prejudices
50
congenial (adj.)
agreeable or suitable in nature, genial
51
prudent (adj.)
wisely careful, showing good judgment
52
indignation (n.)
strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or biased
53
equanimity (n.)
composure, especially under strain; evenness
54
dilettante (n.)
a person who takes up an art, activity, or subject for amusement, especially in a superficial way; dabbler
55
witty (adj.)
humorous
56
pretension (n.)
a claim to something; an unwarranted or false claim, as to merit, importance, or wealth
57
rebuff (v.)
to repel or drive back, to reject
58
decry (v.)
to express strong disapproval
59
antipathy (n.)
strong dislike
60
animosity (n.)
strong dislike
61
incontrovertible (adj.)
indisputable, beyond doubt
62
aesthetic (adj.)
an appreciation of what is beautiful or attractive
63
boorish (adj.)
vulgar, crude
64
dearth (n.)
scarcity, shortage
65
paucity (n.)
scarcity, shortage
66
sycophant (n.)
a person behaving in a subservient manner, a toady
67
obsequious (adj.)
obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree
68
enigmatic (adj.)
mysterious; baffling
69
inscrutable (adj.)
mysterious; baffling
70
convoluted (adj.)
twisted; intricate
71
chimerical (adj.)
wildly fanciful, imaginative
72
auspicious (adj.)
very favorable
73
pundit (n.)
a professional commentator
74
stoic (n.)
a person who is impassive, emotionless
75
diatribe (n.)
a bitter denunciation
76
tirade (n.)
a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation; a bitter denunciation
77
laconic (adj.)
terse, succinct, brief, very concise
78
juggernaut (n.)
an irresistible force
79
fortuitous (adj.)
occurring accidentally but fortunately
80
dissembler (n.)
a liar, deceiver
81
prevaricator (n.)
a liar, deceiver
82
credulous (adj.)
unsophisticated, gullible
83
meticulous (adj.)
highly detailed
84
painstaking (adj.)
highly detailed
85
exacting (adj.)
highly detailed
86
boon (n.)
a timely benefit
87
amalgam (n.)
a mixture, combination of different elements
88
extricate (v.)
to get out of a difficult situation
89
expunge (v.)
to delete, remove
90
excise (v.)
to delete, remove
91
expurgate (v.)
to delete, remove, bowdlerize
92
bowdlerize (v.)
to remove objectionable/offensive parts from a book
93
forerunner (n.)
a preceding event
94
halcyon (adj.)
denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful; joyful, blissful
95
eccentric (adj.)
odd, unconventional
96
deride (v.)
to put down with contemptuous jeering
97
contempt (n.)
a feeling of disrespect, scorn, disdain
98
extol (v.)
to praise, applaud
99
tout (v.)
to praise, applaud; to solicit business
100
laud (v.)
to praise, applaud
101
diminutive (adj.)
very small
102
circumvent (v.)
to avoid by artful maneuvering
103
ascetic (adj.)
leading a life of self-denial, abstinence
104
aloof (adj.)
detached, reserve
105
confounded (adj.)
an amazement, confusion
106
acquiesce (v.)
to comply
107
anachronism (n.)
not in the proper time period
108
admonish (v.)
to earnestly caution
109
galvanize (v.)
to stir into action, to electrify
110
itinerant (adj.)
mobile, traveling from place to place
111
iconoclast (n.)
someone who attacks cherished ideas and institutions
112
impasse (n.)
failure to reach an agreement, a deadlock
113
reproach (v.)
to scold, rebuke
114
bucolic (adj.)
charmingly rural
115
pastoral (adj.)
charmingly rural, priestly
116
rustic (adj.)
charmingly rural
117
diffident (adj.)
lacking self-confidence, reticent
118
despondent (adj.)
depressed, feeling dejected
119
morose (adj.)
depressed, sullen
120
disparity (n.)
an imbalance, inequity
121
forlorn (adj.)
lonely, feeling dejected
122
charlatan (n.)
a fake, fraud, cheat
123
adroit (adj.)
skillful, adept in the hands or mind
124
deft (adj.)
skillful, especially in movement
125
dexterous (adj.)
adept, especially with the hands
126
acrimonious (adj.)
bitter, angry
127
circumspect (adj.)
wary, cautious
128
presumptuous (adj.)
overbearing, impertinently bold, overconfident
129
poignant (adj.)
touching, heartrending
130
mercurial (adj.)
fickle, constantly shifting in mood
131
draconian (adj.)
very strict (in law and rules)
132
affable (adj.)
friendly, agreeable
133
amiable (adj.)
friendly, agreeable
134
amicable (adj.)
having a spirited relationship (two amiable people can have an amicable relationship)
135
genial (adj.)
friendly, cheerful
136
gregarious (adj.)
friendly, sociable
137
evocation (n.)
an imaginative recreation; a summoning
138
deleterious (adj.)
harmful, injurious
139
martinet (n.)
a strict disciplinarian
140
nebulous (adj.)
vague, lacking in a fully developed form
141
quixotic (adj.)
foolishly impractical
142
abstemious (adj.)
moderate in eating or drinking
143
exhort (v.)
to strongly encourage
144
prodigious (adj.)
enormous, massive
145
austere (adj.)
simple, plain, frugal
146
spartan (adj.)
simple, plain
147
impetus (n.)
a stimulus or an encouragement; propulsion
148
maudlin (adj.)
excessively sentimental
149
irreverent (adj.)
disrespectful, rude
150
innocuous (adj.)
harmless
151
bungler (n.)
a clumsy or inept person
152
reprobate (n.)
a morally unprincipled person
153
inexorable (adj.)
relentless, unstoppable
154
implacable (adj.)
not capable of being appeased, unforgiving
155
recalcitrant (adj.)
defiant, stubborn
156
obdurate (adj.)
stubborn, defiant
157
pompous (adj.)
ostensibly arrogant, pretentious, filled with excessive self-importance
158
prognosticator (n.)
a person who makes predictions based upon data
159
sophistry (n.)
a deliberately misleading argument
160
exorbitant (adj.)
unreasonably expensive
161
momentous (adj.)
of great importance
162
audacious (adj.)
very bold; daring
163
indulgent (adj.)
overly tolerant
164
intrepid (adj.)
fearless, courageous
165
fortitude (n.)
the strength of mind, especially in adversity
166
nonchalant (adj.)
casual indifference, phlegmatic
167
panache (n.)
dash or flamboyance
168
verve (adj.)
vigor, enthusiasm, flamboyant
169
neophyte (n.)
a beginner
170
greenhorn (n.)
a beginner
171
tyro (n.)
a beginner
172
placid (adj.)
very calm, quiet
173
resilient (adj.)
able to spring back, strong
174
raconteur (n.)
a person who excels in telling anecdotes
175
prattle (v.)
to babble incessantly
176
endemic (adj.)
native to an area
177
mellifluous (adj.)
smooth and sweet-flowing (esp. with sounds)
178
fiasco/debacle (n.)
a complete failure
179
misanthrope (n.)
someone who hates mankind
180
stymie (v.)
to stop; frustrate
181
serendipity (n.)
an accidental but fortunate discovery
182
maverick (n.)
an independent/unorthodox person
183
impecunious (adj.)
penniless, poor
184
recant (v.)
to take back, disavow
185
hedonist (n.)
a seeker of pleasure
186
jocular (adj.)
good-humored, cheerful
187
sardonic (adj.)
grimly mocking, cynical
188
intemperate (adj.)
lacking restraint, excessive
189
bane (n.)
a source of harm
190
trite (adj.)
overused, commonplace
191
platitudinous (adj.)
too overused to be thoughtful, commonplace
192
hackneyed (adj.)
unoriginal, commonplace, overused
193
banal (adj.)
lacking in originality to be boring, commonplace
194
pedestrian (adj.)
dull, boring, commonplace
195
antipodal (adj.)
related to the direct opposite of something (usually the earth)
196
belie (v.)
to give a false impression
197
dirge (n.)
mournful music, funeral hymn
198
clandestine (adj.)
surreptitious, covert, secretive
199
clairvoyant (adj./n.)
a person who uses intuition to see into the future
200
tenacious (adj.)
showing great determination
