SAT words Flashcards
(320 cards)
1
Q
abase
A
to humiliate or degrade
1
Q
abhor
A
to hate/detest
1
Q
cajole
A
to urge/coax
1
Q
dearth
A
a lack/scarcity
2
Q
abate
A
to reduce or lessen
2
Q
abject
A
wretched/pitiful
2
Q
calamity
A
an event with disastrous consequences
2
Q
debacle
A
a disastrous failure/ disruption
3
Q
abdicate
A
to give up a position (usually one of leadership)
3
Q
abjure
A
to reject/renounce
3
Q
calumny
A
an attempt to spoil someone’s reputation by spreading lies
3
Q
debase
A
to lower the qulaity or esteme of something
4
Q
aberration
A
something that differs from the norm
4
Q
abnegation
A
denial of comfort to oneself
4
Q
candor
A
honesty/frankness
4
Q
debacuch
A
to corrupt by means of sensual pleasures
5
Q
abet
A
to aid/help/encourage
5
Q
abort
A
to give up on a half-finished project or effort
5
Q
canny
A
shrewd/careful
5
Q
debunk
A
to expose the falseness of something
6
Q
abrogate
A
to abolish (usually by authority)
6
Q
capacious
A
very spacious
6
Q
decorous
A
socially proper/appropriate
7
Q
abstruse
A
hard to comprehend
7
capitulate
to surrender
7
decry
to criticize openly
8
accede
to agree
8
capricious
subject to whim/fickle
8
defamatory
harmful toward another's reputation
9
acclaim
high praise
9
carouse
to party/celebrate
9
deferential
showing respect for another's authority
10
accolade
high praise/special distinction
10
catalyze
to charge/inspire
10
defile
make unclean/impure
11
accost
to confront verbally
11
caucus
a meeting usually held by people working toward the same goal
11
deft
skillful/capable
12
accretion
slow growth in size or amount
12
caustic
bitter/biting/acidic
12
defunct
no longer used or existing
13
acerbic
biting/bitter in tone or taste
13
cavort
to leap about/behave boisterously
13
deleterious
harmful
14
acquiesce
to agree without protesting
14
censure
harsh criticism
14
delineate
to describe/outline/shed light on
15
acrimony
bitterness/discord
15
cerebral
related to the intellect
15
demagogue
a leader who appeals to a people's prejudices
16
acumen
keen insight
16
chronicle
a written history
16
demarcation
the marking of boundaries or categories
17
acute
sharpe, severe
17
circuitous
roundabout
17
demean
to lower the status or stature of something
18
adamant
impervious/immovable/unyielding
18
circumlocution
indirect and wordy language
18
demure
quiet/modest/reserved
19
admonish
to coaution/criticize/reprove
19
circumscribed
marked off/bounded
19
denigrate
to belittle/diminish the opinion of
20
adroit
skillful/dexterous
20
circumspect
cautious
20
denounce
to criticize publicly
21
adulation
extreme praise
21
circumvent
to get around
21
deplore
to feel or express sorrow/disapproval
22
adumbrate
to sketch out in a vague way
22
clairvoyant
able to perceive things that normale people cannot
22
depravity
wickedness
23
adverse
antagonistic/unfavorable/dangerous
23
clamor
loud noise
23
deprecate
to belittle/depreciate
24
aerial
somehow related to the air
24
clandestine
secret
24
derelict
abandoned/rundown
25
affable
friendly/amiable
25
cleave
to divide into parts
25
deride
to laugh at mockingly/scorn
26
affluent
rich/wealthy
26
clemency
mercy
26
derivative
taken directly from a source/unoriginal
27
affront
an insult
27
cloying
sickeningly sweet
27
desecrate
to violate the sacredness of a thing or place
28
aggrandize
to increase or make greater
28
coagulate
to thicken/clot
28
desiccated
dried up/dehydrated
29
aggregate
a whole or total
29
coalesce
to fuse into a whole
29
desolate
deserted/dreary/lifeless
30
aggrieved
distressed/wronged/injured
30
cobbler
a person who makes or repares shoes
30
despondent
feeling depressed/discouraged/ hopeless
31
agile
quick/nimble
31
coerce
to make somebody do something by force or threat
31
despot
one who has total power and rules brutally
32
alacrity
eagerness/speed
32
cogent
intellectually convincing
32
destitute
impoverished/utterly lacking
33
allay
to soothe/ease
33
cognizant
aware/mindful
33
deter
to discourage/prevent from doing
34
allege
to assert (usually without proof)
34
collateral
secondary
34
devious
not straightforward/deceitful
35
aloof
reserved/distant
35
colloquial
characteristic of informal conversation
35
diaphanous
light/airy/transparent
36
ambivalent
having opposing feelings
36
collusion
secret agreement/conspiracy
36
didactic
intended to instruct
37
ameliorate
to improve
37
colossus
a gigantic statue or thing
37
diffident
shy/quiet/modest
38
amenable
willing/compliant
38
commensurate
corresponding in size or amount
38
dilatory
tending to delay/cause delay
39
amiable
disposed to please
39
commodious
roomy
39
diminutive
small/miniature
40
amicable
friendly
40
compelling
forceful/demanding attention
40
dirge
a mournful song (especially for a funeral)
41
amorphous
without definite shape or type
41
complacent
self-satisfied ignorance of danger
41
disaffected
rebellious/resentful of authority
42
anachronistic
being out of correct chronological order
42
complement
to complete/make perfect
42
disavow
to deny knowledge of or responsibility for
43
analgesic
something that reduces pain
43
complicit
being an accomplice in a wrongful act
43
discomfit
to thwart/baffle
44
analogous
similar to/so that an analogy can be drawn
44
compunction
distress caused by feeling guilty
44
discordant
not agreeing/not in harmony with
45
anathema
a cursed or detested person
45
concede
to accept as valid
45
discursive
rambloing/lacking order
46
antecedent
something that came before
46
conciliatory
friendly/agreeable
46
disdain
to scorn/hold in low esteem
47
antediluvian
ancient
47
concomitant
accompanying in a subordinate fashion
47
disheartened
feeling a loss of spirit or morale
48
anthology
a selected collection of writings/songs
48
concord
harmonious agreement
48
disparage
to criticize or speak ill of
49
antipathy
a strong dislike/repungance
49
condolence
an expression of sympathy in sorrow
49
disparate
sharply differing/containing sharply contrasting elements
50
antiquated
old/out of date
50
condone
to pardon/deliberately overlook
50
dispatch
to send off to accomplish a duty
51
antiseptic
clean/sterile
51
conduit
a pipe or channel through which something passes
51
disrepute
a state of being held in low regard
52
apocryphal
fictitious/false/wrong
52
confection
a sweet or fancy food
52
dissemble
to conceal/fake
53
apprehend
to seize/arrest
53
conflagration
great fire
53
disseminate
to spread widely
54
approbation
praise
54
confluence
a gathering together
54
dissent
to disagree
55
appropriate
to take/make use of
55
confound
to frustrate/confuse
55
dissuade
to persuade someone not to do something
56
arable
suitable for growing crops
56
congeal
to thicken into a solid
56
distend
to swell out
57
arbiter
one who can resolve a dispute or make a decision
57
congenial
pleasantly agreeable
57
dither
to be indecisive
58
arbitrary
based on factors that appear random
58
congruity
the quality of being in agreement
58
divulge
to reveal something secret
59
arbitration
the process or act of resolving a dispute
59
connive
to plot/scheme
59
dogmatic
aggressively and arrogantly certain about unproved principles
60
arboreal
of or relating to trees
60
consecrate
to dedicate something to a holy purpose
60
dour
stern/joyless
61
arcane
obscure, secret, known only by a few
61
consensus
an agreement of opinion
61
dubious
doubtful/of uncertain quality
62
archaic
of or relating to an earlier period of time/outdated
62
consign
to give something over to another's care
62
duplicitly
crafty dishonesty
63
archetypal
the most representative or typical example of something
63
consonant
in harmony
63
duress
hardship/thread
64
ardor
extreme vigor/energy/enthusiasm
64
constituent
an essential part
64
ebullient
extremely lively/enthusiastic
65
arid
excessively dry
65
constrain
to forcibly restrict
65
eclectic
consisting of a diverse variety of elements
66
arrogate
to take without justification
66
construe
to interpret
66
edict
an order/decree
67
artisan
a craftsman
67
consummate
to complete a deal/extremely skilled and accomplished
67
efface
to wipe out/obliterate/rub away
68
ascertain
to perceive/learn
68
contemporaneous
existing during the same time
68
effervescent
bubbly/lively
69
ascetic
practicing restraint as a means of self-discipline (usually religious)
69
contentious
having a tendency to quarrel or dispute
69
efficacious
effective
70
ascribe
to assign/credit/attribute to
70
contravene
to contradict/oppose/violate
70
effrontery
impudence/nerve/insolence
71
aspersion
a curse/expression of ill-will
71
contrite
penitent/eager to be forgiven
71
effulgent
radiant/splendorous
72
assail
to attack
72
contusion
bruise/injury
72
egregarious
extremely bad
73
assiduous
hard-working/diligent
73
conundrum
puzzle or problem
73
elegy
a speech given in honor of a dead person
74
assuage
to ease/pacify
74
convene
to call together
74
elicit
to bring forth/draw out/evoke
75
astute
very clever/crafty
75
convivial
characterized by feasting/drinking/merriment
75
elucidate
to clarify/explain
76
asylum
a place of refuge/protection/a sanctuary
76
convoluted
intricate/complicated
76
elude
to evade/escape
77
atrophy
to wither away/decay
77
copious
profuse/abundant
77
embezzle
to seteal mony by falsifying records
78
audacious
excessively bold
78
corpulence
extreme fatness
78
emend
to correct or revise a written text
79
augment
to add to/expand
79
corroborate
to support with evidence
79
eminent
distinguished/prominent/famous
80
auspicious
favorable/indicative of good things
80
cosmoplitan
sophisticated/worldly
80
emollient
soothing
81
austere
very bare/bleak
81
coup
a brilliant/unexpected act
81
emote
to express emotion
82
avarice
excessive greed
82
covert
secretly engaged in
82
empirical
based on observation or experience
83
avenge
to seek revenge
83
covet
to desire enviously
83
emulate
to imitate
84
balk
to stop/block abruptly
84
culmination
the climax toward which something progresses
84
enamor
to fill with love/fascinate
85
banal
dull/commonplace
85
culpable
deserving blame
85
encumber
to weigh down/burden
86
bane
a burden
86
cultivate
to nurture/improve/refine
86
enervate
to weaken/exhaust
87
bard
a poet (often a singer as well)
87
cunning
sly/clever at being deceitful
87
enfranchise
to grant the vote to
88
beguile
to trick/deceive
88
cupidity
gered/strong desire
88
engender
to bring about/create/generate
89
behemoth
something of tremendous power or size
89
cursory
brief to the point of being superficial
89
enigmatic
mystifying/cryptic
90
benign
favorable/not threatening/mild
90
curt
abruptly and rudely short
90
enmity
ill will/hatred/hostility
91
bequeath
to pass on/give
91
curtail
to lessen/reduce
91
ennui
boredom/weariness
92
berate
to scold vehemently
92
enthrall
to charm/hold spellbound
93
bereft
devoid of/without
93
ephemeral
short-lived/fleeting
94
beseech
to beg/plead/implore
94
epistolary
relating to or contained in latters
95
bilk
cheat/defraud
95
epitome
a perfect example/embodiment
96
blandish
to coax by using flattery
96
equanimity
composure
97
blight
a plague/disease
97
equivocal
ambiguous/uncertain/undecided
98
bombastic
exxcessively confident/pompous
98
erudite
learned
99
boon
a gift or blessing
99
eschew
to shun/avoid
100
bourgeois
a middle-class person/capitalist
100
esoteric
understood by only a select few
101
brazen
excessively bold/brash
101
espouse
to take up as a cause/support
102
brusque
short/abrupt/dismissive
102
ethereal
heavenly/exceptionally delicate or refined
103
buffet
to strike with force
103
etymology
the history of words (their origin and development)
104
burnish
to polish/shine
104
evanescent
fleeting/momentary
105
buttress
to support/hold up
105
evince
to show/reveal
106
exacerbate
to make more violent/intense
107
exculpate
to free from guilt or blame/exonerate
108
execrable
loathsome/detestable
109
exhort
to urge/prod/spur
110
exigent
urgent/critical
111
exonerate
to free from guilt or blame/exculpate
112
expedient
advisable/advantageous/serving one's self-interest
113
expiate
to make amends for/atone
114
expunge
to obliterate/eradicate
115
expurgate
to remove offensive or incorrect parts (usually of a book)
116
extant
existing/not destroyed or lost
117
extraneous
irrelevant/extra/not necessary
118
extricate
to disentangle
119
exult
rejoice
