The Complete Digital SAT Vocabulary List

    A broad library of 1800 academic words for Digital SAT Words-in-Context practice, organized by difficulty. College Board does not publish a fixed official word list, so use this for contextual practice rather than trying to memorize every entry.

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    How to study SAT vocabulary without memorizing useless lists

    StepWhat to doSAT reason
    Learn in contextRead the sentence before the definition and predict the word's role.Words-in-Context tests meaning in a passage, not dictionary recall.
    Sort by difficultyMaster easy and medium words before spending time on rare hard words.Medium words appear more often and protect more score points.
    Apply immediatelyAfter flashcards, do a Words-in-Context question set.The real skill is choosing the meaning that fits the sentence logic.

    SAT Easy Vocabulary (713 words)

    More familiar academic words for building fast contextual recognition.

    • abandon— leave behind or give up
    • abate— lessen; make less active or intense
    • absorb— take in or soak up
    • abstain— say no; refrain from voting
    • absurdity— quality of being ridiculous
    • accelerate— speed up; move faster
    • accidental— happening without intention or planning
    • acclaim— approval; praise vociferously
    • accommodate— make room for; be agreeable or acceptable to
    • accompany— come with; be present or associated with an event or entity
    • accumulate— gather; get or gather together
    • acknowledge— recognize or admit something as true
    • acquittal— pardon; a judgment of not guilty
    • acronym— a word formed from initials
    • adapt— get used to; make fit for, or change to suit a new purpose
    • addiction— dependence; the state of relying on or being controlled by someone or something else
    • adequate— enough; having the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task
    • adjacent— next to; nearest in space or position
    • adjust— alter; alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard
    • adversary— opponent; someone who offers opposition
    • adverse— harmful; contrary to your interests or welfare
    • adversity— hardship; a state of misfortune or affliction
    • advocate— support or argue in favor
    • affirm— agree; establish or strengthen with new evidence
    • affix— attach; attach to
    • affluent— wealthy; an affluent person; a person who is financially well off
    • aggressive— forceful and actively hostile
    • agile— quick; moving quickly and lightly
    • alias— false name; a name that has been assumed temporarily
    • alleviate— relieve; provide physical relief, as from pain
    • alloy— blend; lower in value by increasing the base-metal content
    • ally— a partner or friendly nation
    • aloft— suggestion; at or on or to the masthead or upper rigging of a ship
    • aloof— distant; remote in manner
    • alter— change; cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
    • ambition— a strong desire to achieve
    • amiable— pleasant and friendly
    • ample— plentiful; more than enough in size or scope or capacity
    • amplify— expand; increase in size, volume or significance
    • amuse— entertain or provide enjoyment
    • analogy— similarity; an inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in others
    • anecdote— story; short account of an incident (especially a biographical one)
    • animate— bring to life; heighten or intensify
    • anticipate— expect or prepare for something
    • antidote— cure; a remedy that stops or controls the effects of a poison
    • antiquated— out-of-date; obsolete or old-fashioned
    • antiseptic— decontaminator; thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms
    • apathy— indifference; an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
    • apologetic— expressing regret
    • apparent— seeming; clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
    • append— add; add to the very end
    • applaud— show approval through praise
    • appreciate— value; recognize with gratitude; be grateful for
    • apprehension— dread; fearful expectation or anticipation
    • apprenticeship— instruction; the position of apprentice
    • aria— song; an elaborate song for solo voice
    • arrogant— excessively self important
    • artisan— skilled person; a skilled worker who practices some trade or handicraft
    • assemble— put together; create by putting components or members together
    • assert— declare; state categorically
    • assumption— supposition; a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn
    • assurance— sureness; freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
    • assure— guarantee; make certain of
    • attain— reach; to gain with effort
    • attitude— mindset; a complex mental state involving beliefs, feelings, and values
    • authentic— genuine and true to origin
    • autobiography— a written account of one's life
    • autopsy— death report; an examination and dissection of a dead body to determine cause of death
    • averse— opposing; (usually followed by 'to') strongly opposed
    • aversion— dislike; a feeling of intense dislike
    • avert— avoid; prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
    • awe— amaze; an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration
    • babble— chat; utter meaningless sounds, like a baby, or utter in an incoherent way
    • badger— bother; annoy persistently
    • balk— resist; refuse to comply
    • begrudge— resent; be envious of; set one's heart on
    • behalf— benefit; for someone's benefit
    • belittle— make seem unimportant
    • beneficial— useful; promoting or enhancing well-being
    • bestow— confer; present
    • betray— show; break the trust of; reveal unintentionally
    • bias— unfair opinion; a partiality preventing objective consideration
    • bland— tasteless; lacking taste or flavor or tang
    • blare— blast; make a strident sound
    • bloat— swell; become bloated or swollen or puff up
    • boon— blessing; a desirable state
    • boor— jerk; a crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking culture or refinement
    • boundless— endless; seemingly limitless in amount, number, degree, or especially extent
    • boycott— refuse to do business with; refuse to sponsor; refuse to do business with
    • brandish— flourish; move or swing back and forth
    • breach— break; act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises
    • brittle— fragile; having little elasticity; hence easily cracked or fractured or snapped
    • brochure— document; a small book usually having a paper cover
    • bulk— volume; the property resulting from being or relating to the greater in number of two parts
    • bungle— mistake; make a mess of, destroy or ruin
    • buoyant— floaty; tending to float on a liquid or rise in air or gas
    • bustle— activity; move or cause to move energetically or busily
    • calamity— disaster; an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
    • calligraphy— handwriting; beautiful handwriting
    • callous— emotionally insensitive
    • candid— honest and direct in speech
    • caption— heading; provide with a caption or title
    • captivate— fascinate; attract; cause to be enamored
    • carp— complain; raise trivial objections
    • cease— stop; put an end to a state or activity
    • censor— ban; forbid the public distribution of ( a movie or a newspaper)
    • cessation— stopping; a stopping
    • chaff— waste; be silly or tease one another
    • chaotic— mixed up; lacking a visible order or organization
    • chastise— scold; censure severely
    • chronicle— history; record in chronological order; make a historical record
    • circumstance— situation; a condition that accompanies or influences some event or activity
    • cite— quote; make reference to
    • clarify— clear up; make clear and (more) comprehensible
    • clause— section; (grammar) an expression including a subject and predicate
    • cliche— commonplace; a trite or obvious remark
    • climax— high point; the highest point of anything conceived of as growing or developing or unfolding
    • clique— exclusive group; an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
    • coherent— clear and logically connected
    • coincide— occur at the same time or in the same place; go with, fall together
    • collaborate— cooperate; work together on a common enterprise
    • collaborative— done through working together
    • collapse— fall apart; break down, literally or metaphorically
    • colleague— fellow worker; an associate that one works with
    • commemorate— preserve in memory; mark by some ceremony or observation
    • commence— begin; take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
    • commodity— goods; articles of commerce
    • communicate— inform; transmit information
    • comparable— similar; able to be compared or worthy of comparison
    • complacent— overly self satisfied
    • complement— well-matched pair; a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction
    • composure— calmness; steadiness of mind under stress
    • compound— combination; make more intense, stronger, or more marked
    • compress— pack together; make more compact by or as if by pressing
    • comprise— include; be composed of
    • compromise— a settlement reached by concession
    • conceal— hide or keep secret
    • concentrate— focus; make denser, stronger, or purer
    • concise— brief but clearly expressed
    • conclude— decide; decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion
    • concur— agree; be in accord; be in agreement
    • condemn— express strong disapproval
    • conditional— dependent on certain requirements
    • conform— adapt; be similar, be in line with
    • confound— confuse; be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly
    • confrontation— conflict; a bold challenge
    • confusion— disorder; disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably
    • consensus— general agreement among a group
    • consent— agreement; permission to do something
    • considerable— important; large or relatively large in number or amount or extent or degree
    • consistent— not varying; (sometimes followed by with?) in agreement or consistent or reliable
    • console— comfort; give moral or emotional strength to
    • consolidate— combine; unite into one
    • consolidation— combination; combining into a solid mass
    • constraint— restriction; the state of being physically constrained
    • construct— build; make by combining materials and parts
    • consume— use; eat or drink immoderately
    • contradict— differ; be in contradiction with
    • contrary— opposite to; very opposed in nature or character
    • controversy— a public disagreement or debate
    • convene— meet; meet formally
    • conventional— following traditional customs or norms
    • converse— opposite; carry on a conversation
    • convince— change someone's opinion or belief
    • coordinate— organize; bring order and organization to
    • cordial— warm and friendly
    • credible— believable and trustworthy
    • critic— a professional judge of works
    • crucial— essential; of extreme importance; vital to the resolution of a crisis
    • cull— gather; remove something that has been rejected
    • cumbersome— awkward; difficult to handle or use especially because of size or weight
    • curtail— cut back; place restrictions on
    • cynical— distrustful; believing the worst of human nature and motives
    • daunt— intimidate; cause to lose courage
    • dawdle— linger; take one's time; proceed slowly
    • decade— ten years; a period of 10 years
    • decipher— figure out; convert code into ordinary language
    • decline— drop; grow worse
    • deface— spoil the appearance; mar or spoil the appearance of
    • defer— delay or put off action
    • deficit— a shortage or lack of something
    • definite— exact; precise; explicit and clearly defined
    • defunct— no longer in use
    • demeanor— conduct; (behavioral attributes) the way a person behaves toward other people
    • demolition— destruction; an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys something
    • demonstrative— openly expressive
    • demure— shy; affectedly modest or shy especially in a playful or provocative way
    • denote— mean; be a sign or indication of
    • deny— refuse to admit or accept
    • dependent— needing support or relying on something
    • depict— picture; show in or as in a picture
    • deplete— use up; use up (resources or materials)
    • derive— come from; reason by deduction; establish by deduction
    • detach— disconnect; cause to become detached or separated; take off
    • detect— notice; discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
    • deter— discourage; try to prevent; show opposition to
    • determination— firmness of purpose; devoting full strength and concentrated attention to something
    • deterrent— restraint; something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress
    • deviate— stray; turn aside; turn away from
    • device— plan; come up with an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle after mental effort
    • devote— dedicate; give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause
    • diagnosis— identification; identifying the nature or cause of some phenomenon
    • diligent— hard working; quietly and steadily persevering especially in detail or exactness
    • diminish— reduce in size or importance
    • diminutive— very small
    • discipline— training that builds control and skill
    • disclose— reveal; make known to the public information previously private
    • discord— conflict; be different from one another
    • discredit— disgrace; cause to be distrusted or disbelieved
    • disdain— strong contempt
    • disembark— get off; go ashore
    • disgruntle— make dissatisfied
    • dishevel— tangle; disarrange or rumple
    • dispatch— speed; send away towards a designated goal
    • dispel— drive away; force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings
    • disperse— scatter; distribute loosely
    • distill— purify; remove impurities from, increase the concentration of, and separate
    • distinct— different; clearly distinguishable from others
    • distinction— recognition; a discrimination between things as different
    • distort— warp; make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or story
    • disturb— interrupt or unsettle emotionally
    • diverge— branch off; move or draw apart
    • diverse— many different kinds or types
    • docile— obedient and submissive
    • doctrine— belief; a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school
    • dominate— rule; be larger in number, quantity, power, or importance
    • downcast— depressed; directed downward
    • dregs— sediment; sediment that has settled at the bottom of a liquid
    • dupe— fool; fool or hoax
    • duration— length; the period of time during which something continues
    • dwindle— lessen; become smaller or lose substance
    • ebb— flow back, flow out; flow back or recede
    • egotistical— excessively self centered
    • elate— make happy; fill with high spirits; fill with optimism
    • eliminate— completely remove or get rid of
    • elitist— believing in superiority of few
    • emanate— come from; proceed or issue forth, as from a source
    • embarrassment— a feeling of shame or discomfort
    • embellish— decorate or add extra detail
    • embrace— accept willingly or include fully
    • emerge— come out; come out into view, as from concealment
    • empathetic— showing understanding of others
    • empathy— understanding others' feelings
    • emphasis— importance; special importance or significance
    • encounter— meeting; come together
    • endorse— support; be behind; approve of
    • energize— stimulate; cause to be alert and energetic
    • enforce— carry out; ensure observance of laws and rules
    • enormous— huge; extraordinarily large in size or extent
    • epic— heroic poem; a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds
    • epilogue— conclusion; a short speech addressed to the audience by an actor at the end of a play
    • equate— consider equal; consider or describe as similar, equal, or analogous
    • equip— make ready; provide with (something) usually for a specific purpose
    • erode— wear away; become ground down or deteriorate
    • ethic— moral principle; the principles of right and wrong
    • ethnic— cultural; distinctive of the ways of living of a particular group of people
    • eulogy— a speech praising the dead
    • eventual— expected; expected to follow in the indefinite future from causes already operating
    • evident— obvious; clearly revealed to the mind or senses
    • evolve— develop; work out
    • excerpt— short selection; take out of a literary work in order to cite or copy
    • execute— kill; kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment
    • exemplary— model; worthy of imitation
    • exemplify— be example; be characteristic of
    • exhaustive— thorough; performed comprehensively and completely
    • exotic— foreign; being or from or characteristic of another place or part of the world
    • explicit— expressed; precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable
    • exploit— use something for personal gain
    • expose— reveal; expose or make accessible to some action or influence
    • extract— pull out with effort or force
    • fabricate— construct; put together out of artificial or natural components or parts
    • facilitate— assist; make easier
    • fawn— flatter; a color or pigment varying around a light grey-brown color
    • feasible— possible; capable of being done with available means
    • fester— rot; ripen and generate pus
    • fiasco— catastrophe; a sudden and violent collapse
    • finesse— skillful handling
    • flattery— give insincere compliments; excessive or insincere praise
    • fledgling— beginner; any new participant in some activity
    • flippant— disrespectfully playful
    • fluctuate— change; cause to fluctuate or move in a wavelike pattern
    • fluency— command of language; powerful and effective language
    • foreshadow— presage; indicate by signs
    • forgo— give up; do without or cease to hold or adhere to
    • fragility— easily broken quality
    • frail— weak; physically weak
    • franchise— voting; an authorization to sell a company's goods or services in a particular place
    • frantic— distressed; excessively agitated; distraught with fear or other violent emotion
    • frivolous— silly; not serious in content or attitude or behavior
    • fugitive— fleeing; someone who flees from an uncongenial situation
    • fundamental— basic and essential in nature
    • furthermore— additionally; in addition
    • fusion— blending; an occurrence that involves the production of a union
    • futile— producing no useful result
    • garble— mix up; make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or story
    • gibberish— nonsense; unintelligible talking
    • giddy— excited and silly; having or causing a whirling sensation; liable to falling
    • glimmer— sparkle; a flash of light (especially reflected light)
    • globe— round figure; the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
    • glossy— polished; a magazine printed on good quality paper
    • glower— glare; look at with a fixed gaze
    • glutton— lover of food; a person who is devoted to eating and drinking to excess
    • goad— incite; give heart or courage to
    • gouge— dig or poke out; force with the thumb
    • grandeur— splendor; the quality of being magnificent or splendid or grand
    • gratify— satisfy; make happy or satisfied
    • gravity— seriousness; the force of attraction between all masses
    • gullible— easily deceived
    • harmful— causing damage or injury
    • haughty— arrogantly superior
    • headstrong— obstinate; habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition
    • heckle— interrupt a public speaker; comb with a heckle
    • heed— pay attention; pay close attention to; give heed to
    • hence— so; (used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
    • hesitant— uncertain and slow to act
    • humane— kind; pertaining to or concerned with the humanities
    • identical— same; exactly alike and incapable of being perceived as different
    • idiom— expression; a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language
    • illustrate— demonstrate; clarify by giving an example of
    • imbalance— difference; a lack of balance or state of disequilibrium
    • immigrate— enter; migrate to a new environment
    • immune— unaffected; a person who is immune to a particular infection
    • impair— harm; make worse or less effective
    • impart— give; transmit (knowledge or skills)
    • impassioned— filled with strong emotion
    • impede— hinder; be a hindrance or obstacle to
    • implication— meaning; something that is inferred (deduced or entailed or implied)
    • imply— suggest; express or state indirectly
    • impose— force something upon someone
    • impulsive— acting without thinking
    • inadvertent— accidental; happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally
    • inanimate— lifeless; belonging to the class of nouns denoting nonliving things
    • inaudible— unable to be heard
    • incentive— motive; a positive motivational influence
    • inclusive— including; including much or everything and stated limits
    • indifferent— uncaring; marked by a lack of interest
    • induce— cause; cause to arise
    • industrious— hardworking; characterized by hard work and perseverance
    • inept— lacking skill or ability
    • infer— conclude; reason by deduction; establish by deduction
    • inflexible— unwilling to change
    • infrequent— not occurring often
    • ingenious— clever; showing inventiveness and skill
    • initiate— start; bring into being
    • injure— hurt; cause injuries or bodily harm to
    • inkling— slight idea; a slight suggestion or vague understanding
    • innovate— create; bring something new to an environment
    • innovation— a new idea or creation
    • innovative— introducing new and creative ideas
    • insight— understanding; clear or deep perception of a situation
    • insist— declare firmly without backing down
    • insolent— rudely disrespectful
    • inspect— examine; look over carefully
    • instruct— teach; impart skills or knowledge to
    • integrity— complete honesty and moral strength
    • intelligible— easy to understand
    • intense— forceful; possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
    • interact— act together; act towards each other; act together or towards others or with others
    • intermediate— middle; lying between two extremes in time or space or state
    • intermittent— irregular; stopping and starting at irregular intervals
    • interpret— explain; make sense of; assign a meaning to
    • interval— period; a definite length of time marked off by two instants
    • intimidate— frighten; make timid or fearful
    • invert— reverse; make an inversion (in a musical composition)
    • investigate— examine; investigate scientifically
    • invoke— call forth; summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic
    • ironic— amusing; humorously sarcastic or mocking
    • isolate— keep apart; place or set apart
    • jabber— talk; talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
    • jargon— technical language; a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves)
    • jaunty— lighthearted; marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners
    • kindle— excite; catch fire
    • lament— complaint; express grief verbally
    • laud— praise; praise, glorify, or honor
    • lecture— speech; a speech that is open to the public
    • legitimate— lawful and recognized as valid
    • lethal— deadly; of an instrument of certain death
    • liberal— forward-thinking; a person who favors reform and the protection of civil liberties
    • likewise— similarly; in like or similar manner
    • linger— remain; remain present although waning or gradually dying
    • listless— lacking interest; lacking zest or vivacity
    • loathe— hate; find repugnant
    • lofty— elevated; of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
    • logic— reasoning; the branch of philosophy that analyzes inference
    • logical— based on reason and sound thinking
    • luminous— glowing; softly bright or radiant
    • lurk— hide; lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
    • malice— spitefulness; feeling a need to see others suffer
    • margin— edge; the boundary line or the area immediately inside the boundary
    • marshal— organize; a law officer having duties similar to those of a sheriff
    • maximize— make as great as possible; make as big as possible
    • meander— wander; to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
    • mediocre— average and unimpressive
    • meditation— profound thought; continuous contemplation on a deep subject
    • meek— mild; humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness
    • mesmerize— captivate; attract strongly, as if with a magnet
    • migratory— traveling; used of animals that move seasonally
    • minimal— littlest; the least possible
    • minimize— make seem unimportant; make small or insignificant
    • misconception— a false or incorrect idea
    • mishap— an unlucky accident
    • mock— make fun; treat with contempt
    • moderate— not extreme or excessive
    • monarchy— royalty; an autocracy governed by a monarch who usually inherits the authority
    • monotony— dullness; the quality of wearisome constancy, routine, and lack of variety
    • muddle— jumble; a confused multitude of things
    • mundane— ordinary and lacking excitement
    • mural— wall painting; a painting that is applied to a wall surface
    • muse— think over; reflect deeply on a subject
    • mute— not speaking or silent
    • mutual— shared; common to or shared by two or more parties
    • neglect— fail to give proper attention
    • negotiate— discuss terms to reach agreement
    • neutral— objective; having no personal preference
    • nevertheless— any way; despite anything to the contrary (usually following a concession)
    • nocturnal— active at night; belonging to or active during the night
    • norm— standard; a standard or model regarded as typical
    • nostalgia— fond remembrance of the past; longing for something past
    • notable— famous; worthy of notice
    • notion— idea; a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
    • novelty— something new and unusual
    • nurture— foster; help develop, help grow
    • nutrient— source of nourishment; any substance metabolized by an animal
    • obligation— a duty or responsibility to act
    • oblivious— unaware; (followed by 'to' or of?) lacking conscious awareness of
    • obnoxious— irritating; causing disapproval or protest
    • obsess— think about something constantly; haunt like a ghost; pursue
    • obstinate— stubbornly resistant
    • obtuse— lacking sharpness or intelligence
    • occasional— happening from time to time
    • occupy— fill; keep busy with
    • offensive— attacking; the action of attacking an enemy
    • offset— make up for; compensate for or counterbalance
    • ominous— threatening; threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    • omnivorous— eating all types of food; feeding on both plants and animals
    • ongoing— continuous; currently happening
    • opaque— not transparent or translucent; not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy
    • opponent— a person on the opposing side
    • opportunist— profit-seeker; a person who places expediency above principle
    • opt— choose one option over another
    • optimist— positive thinker; a person disposed to take a favorable view of things
    • ordeal— trouble; a severe or trying experience
    • orderly— neatly arranged and organized
    • orient— locate; be oriented
    • overlap— lie over; coincide partially or wholly
    • pacify— calm down; cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
    • parable— moral story; a short moral story (often with animal characters)
    • parallel— not intersecting; being everywhere equidistant and not intersecting
    • parch— dry; cause to wither or parch from exposure to heat
    • parody— humorous imitation; a composition that imitates somebody's style, usually in a humorous way
    • partial— incomplete; being or affecting only a part; not total
    • partition— divide; a vertical structure that divides rooms or spaces
    • passive— not active; lacking in energy or will
    • passport— legal identification; any authorization to pass or go somewhere
    • pastoral— rural; of or relating to a pastor
    • perceive— notice; to become aware of through the senses
    • perennial— enduring; lasting three seasons or more
    • peripheral— outside; on or near an edge or constituting an outer boundary; the outer area
    • perpetual— ageless; continuing forever or indefinitely
    • pervasive— far reaching; spreading or spread throughout
    • pessimism— having a negative outlook; the feeling that things will turn out badly
    • pioneer— one who leads or explores first
    • pique— annoy; tightly woven fabric with raised cords
    • pivot— swivel; turn on a pivot
    • plagiarize— steal; take without referencing from someone else's writing or speech
    • pliable— flexible; susceptible to being led or directed
    • plight— a difficult or unfortunate situation
    • plummet— fall; drop sharply
    • podium— pulpit; a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it
    • pore— examine; any tiny hole admitting passage of a liquid (fluid or gas)
    • porous— permeable; able to absorb fluids
    • portly— stout; euphemisms for 'fat'
    • pose— position; introduce
    • practitioner— physician or performer; someone who practices a learned profession
    • precede— occur earlier; be earlier in time or go back further
    • precise— exact; sharply exact or accurate or delimited
    • predator— an organism that hunts others
    • predecessor— ancestor; one who precedes you in time (as in holding a position or office)
    • predict— declare something in advance
    • predictable— easy to foresee or expect
    • preliminary— prior; denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important
    • premise— basis; a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn
    • preposterous— ridiculous; incongruous; inviting ridicule
    • prey— victim; a person who is the aim of an attack
    • pristine— clean; completely free from dirt or contamination
    • problematic— presenting difficulty; open to doubt or debate
    • proceed— continue; continue talking
    • prodigy— very gifted young person; an unusually gifted or intelligent (young) person
    • prohibit— ban; command against
    • prohibitive— discouraging by high cost
    • prologue— introduction; an introduction to a play
    • prominent— well known or easily noticeable
    • prone— lying down; having a tendency (to); often used in combination
    • proportion— corresponding; the relation between things with respect to their quantity or degree
    • prospect— chance; the possibility of future success
    • prosper— achieve success or wealth
    • prudent— careful; careful and sensible; marked by sound judgment
    • psychology— mind study; the science of mental life
    • pummel— strike; strike, usually with the fist
    • purge— removal; oust politically
    • pursue— chase; carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in
    • qualification— a requirement or limiting condition
    • quell— put down forcefully
    • quip— witty comment; make jokes or quips
    • rally— excite; gather together for a common purpose
    • ramble— wander; continue talking or writing in a desultory manner
    • rampant— widespread; unrestrained and violent
    • rancid— ill smelling; corrupt
    • rant— scolding speech; talk in a noisy, excited manner
    • rational— logical; consistent with or based on reason
    • raucous— rowdy; unpleasantly loud and harsh
    • react— respond; show a response or reaction to something
    • rearrange— change order or position
    • rebel— someone who resists authority
    • receptive— open to ideas or influence
    • recession— decline; the state of the economy declines
    • recluse— hermit; one who lives in solitude
    • recount— tell; narrate or give a detailed account of
    • recover— find again; get or find back; recover the use of
    • rectify— correct; math: determine the length of
    • recuperate— recover; regain or make up for
    • recurrent— repeating; recurring again and again
    • refine— improve; improve or perfect by pruning or polishing
    • regulate— manage; fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of
    • reinforce— strengthen or support further
    • reiterate— repeat; to say, state, or perform again
    • reject— say no; refuse to accept or acknowledge
    • rejuvenate— make young again; cause (a stream or river) to erode, as by an uplift of the land
    • relax— be at ease; become less tense, rest, or take one's ease
    • relic— saved item; an antiquity that has survived from the distant past
    • relish— enjoy; derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
    • reluctance— unwillingness; (physics) opposition to magnetic flux (analogous to electric resistance)
    • rely— trust; have confidence or faith in
    • remedy— a solution that fixes a problem
    • remnant— saved item; a small part or portion that remains after the main part no longer exists
    • remorse— guilt; a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)
    • repel— force back; cause to move back by force or influence
    • replenish— refill; fill something that had previously been emptied
    • reprimand— criticize; rebuke formally
    • reputable— honorable; having a good reputation
    • reside— live in; make one's home in a particular place
    • resign— give up; leave a job, post, or position voluntarily
    • resist— refuse to accept or comply
    • resolve— firmness of purpose; bring to an end; settle conclusively
    • respiration— breathing technique; the metabolic processes whereby organisms obtain energy
    • restore— fix; return to its original or usable and functioning condition
    • restrain— hold back; keep under control; keep in check
    • restrict— limit; place restrictions on
    • resumption— beginning again; beginning again
    • retain— keep or hold onto
    • retract— take back; formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure
    • retrieve— get back; get or find back; recover the use of
    • reverse— turn; change to the contrary
    • revolution— major change; a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving
    • rift— gap; a gap between cloud masses
    • rigidity— stiffness or strictness
    • rigor— severity; something hard to endure
    • rile— agitate; cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
    • rouse— awaken or stir up
    • ruddy— flushed; inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
    • rummage— search; search haphazardly
    • ruthless— pitiless; without mercy or pity
    • salvage— save from damage or loss
    • sanction— approve; give sanction to
    • sarcasm— sharp ironic mockery
    • sate— satisfy; fill to satisfaction
    • satire— mockery; witty language used to convey insults or scorn
    • saturate— fill completely, soak; infuse or fill completely
    • saunter— stroll; walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
    • savor— enjoy; derive or receive pleasure from; get enjoyment from; take pleasure in
    • savory— delicious; morally wholesome or acceptable
    • scamp— rascal; perform hastily and carelessly
    • scanty— inadequate; lacking in amplitude or quantity
    • scapegoat— victim; someone who is punished for the errors of others
    • scavenge— seek; clean refuse from
    • scenario— situation; an outline or synopsis of a play (or, by extension, of a literary work)
    • scuffle— struggle; disorderly fighting
    • seclude— keep isolated from others
    • sect— religious order; a subdivision of a larger religious group
    • secular— worldly; someone who is not a clergyman or a professional person
    • seep— ooze; pass gradually or leak through or as if through small openings
    • sensational— causing strong excitement
    • sensitive— easily affected or responsive
    • serenity— calm; a disposition free from stress or emotion
    • sever— cut; set or keep apart
    • severe— difficult; intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality
    • severity— seriousness; used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather
    • shackle— bond; a restraint that confines or restricts freedom
    • shamble— shuffle; walk by dragging one's feet
    • shard— fragment; a broken piece of a brittle artifact
    • shimmer— gleam; shine with a weak or fitful light
    • simile— comparison; a figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds
    • simplicity— the state of being uncomplicated
    • simulate— copy; reproduce someone's behavior or looks
    • singular— unique; unusual or striking
    • sinister— threatening; threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    • skeptic— unbeliever; someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs
    • skeptical— nonbelieving; denying or questioning the tenets of especially a religion
    • slapdash— sloppy; in a careless or reckless manner
    • sloth— laziness; a disinclination to work or exert yourself
    • sluggish— slow moving; moving slowly
    • smolder— burn without flame; burn slowly and without a flame
    • sobriety— seriousness; the state of being sober and not intoxicated by alcohol
    • somber— serious and gloomy
    • somewhat— more or less; to a small degree or extent
    • spare— extra or refrain from harming
    • spat— quarrel; a quarrel about petty points
    • spectrum— range; an ordered array of the components of an emission or wave
    • speculate— form ideas without firm evidence
    • sphere— globe; a particular environment or walk of life
    • squabble— quarrel; a quarrel about petty points
    • squander— waste carelessly
    • stagnant— motionless; not circulating or flowing
    • stanza— verse; a fixed number of lines of verse forming a unit of a poem
    • statute— law; an act passed by a legislative body
    • stereotype— overly narrow representation; a conventional or formulaic conception or image
    • stifle— smother; conceal or hide
    • stigma— mark of disgrace; the apical end of the style where deposited pollen enters the pistil
    • stimulate— encourage activity or growth
    • stint— period, duration; subsist on a meager allowance
    • stodgy— uninteresting; heavy and starchy and hard to digest
    • strident— loud and harsh
    • strut— walk pompously; to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others
    • stymie— block progress
    • submissive— compliant; willing to submit to orders or wishes of others
    • subordinate— subsidiary; an assistant subject to the authority or control of another
    • subsequent— coming after in time or order
    • subside— decrease; wear off or die down
    • substantial— real; fairly large
    • substitute— replace; put in the place of another; switch seemingly equivalent items
    • succinct— concise; briefly giving the gist of something
    • succulent— juicy or fleshy
    • sufficient— enough; of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant
    • sullen— bad tempered and gloomy
    • superficial— seeming; concerned with or comprehending only what is apparent or obvious
    • superior— higher in quality or performance
    • surpass— exceed; distinguish oneself
    • survive— live on; continue to live through hardship or adversity
    • suspect— doubt or believe something uncertain
    • suspend— hang; hang freely
    • sustain— maintain or keep going
    • swill— drink; feed pigs
    • swindler— cheater; a person who swindles you by means of deception or fraud
    • tact— skill in handling situations politely
    • tarry— linger; be about
    • tedious— boring; so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
    • temperament— disposition; your usual mood
    • temporary— short-term; not permanent; not lasting
    • tense— tighten; a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time
    • tension— mental or emotional strain
    • terminate— end; bring to an end or halt
    • termination— end; a coming to an end of a contract period
    • terse— brief and blunt
    • threaten— express intent to cause harm
    • thrifty— economical; careful and diligent in the use of resources
    • tirade— outburst; a speech of violent denunciation
    • titanic— huge; of great force or power
    • toady— kiss-up; try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
    • totter— sway; move without being stable, as if threatening to fall
    • toxic— poisonous or extremely harmful
    • tradition— custom; an inherited pattern of thought or action
    • tranquil— peaceful; (of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves
    • transform— change; subject to a mathematical transformation
    • transit— transportation; passing from one place to another
    • transition— change; the act of passing from one state or place to the next
    • transmit— send; transfer to another
    • transparent— easy to see through or understand
    • trek— journey; journey on foot, especially in the mountains
    • tribute— an act showing respect or honor
    • trifle— toy; waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently
    • trigger— start; lever that activates the firing mechanism of a gun
    • trite— overused; repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
    • trivial— unimportant; (informal) small and of little importance
    • trough— feed box; a narrow depression (as in the earth or between ocean waves or in the ocean bed)
    • turbulence— disturbance; unstable flow of a liquid or gas
    • turbulent— troubled; characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination
    • turmoil— shaking; a violent disturbance
    • typhoon— storm; a tropical cyclone occurring in the western Pacific or Indian oceans
    • undaunted— not discouraged
    • undergo— experience; pass through
    • underscore— emphasize; give extra weight to (a communication)
    • undertake— attempt; enter upon an activity or enterprise
    • unearth— dig up; bring to light
    • uneven— not level or uniform
    • uniformity— sameness; a condition in which everything is regular and unvarying
    • unify— unite; become one
    • unprecedented— new; having no precedent; novel
    • unravel— figure out; become or cause to become undone by separating the fibers or threads of
    • unscathed— unharmed; not injured
    • unsightly— ugly; unpleasant to look at
    • utilize— use; put into service
    • utopia— Paradise; ideally perfect state, especially in its social and political and moral aspects
    • valid— true or real; well grounded in logic or truth or having legal force
    • validate— authorize; declare or make legally valid
    • vantage— point from which one sees; place or situation affording a comprehensive view
    • verbose— talkative; using or containing too many words
    • vertigo— dizziness; a reeling sensation; a feeling that you are about to fall
    • vex— annoy or irritate
    • viable— possible; capable of being done with available means
    • vie— compete; compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others
    • vigor— energy; forceful exertion
    • violate— go against; fail to agree with or be in violation of
    • vise— clasp; a holding device attached to a workbench
    • visible— possible to see; capable of being seen; or open to easy view
    • voluntary— optional; of your own free will or design; done by choice; not forced or compelled
    • vulnerable— easily harmed or attacked
    • wane— diminish; grow smaller
    • warrant— permit; show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for
    • wary— careful; marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
    • welfare— benefit; governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need
    • whiff— puff of air; a short light gust of air
    • whimsical— playful; determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason
    • whittle— pare; cut small bits or pare shavings from

    SAT Medium Vocabulary (736 words)

    Less familiar academic words that require stronger context clues.

    • aberrant— deviant; markedly different from an accepted norm
    • abet— assist; assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing
    • abrade— scrape; wear away
    • abridge— shorten; reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
    • abscond— run off; run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along
    • absolve— release from blame; grant remission of a sin to
    • accolade— award; a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
    • accost— approach aggressively
    • acrimony— bitterness; a rough and bitter manner
    • acumen— insight; a tapering point
    • adept— highly skilled or proficient
    • administrate— manage; work in an administrative capacity; supervise or be in charge of
    • admonish— warn; admonish or counsel in terms of someone's behavior
    • adroit— highly skillful
    • advantageous— providing benefit or gain
    • aesthetic— concerned with beauty or art
    • affable— genial; diffusing warmth and friendliness
    • affinity— attraction; a natural liking or attraction to something
    • affluence— wealth; abundant wealth
    • aggregate— collection; formed of separate units gathered into a mass or whole
    • alacrity— eager readiness
    • alienate— cause separation or hostility
    • allege— claim or accuse without proof
    • allocate— assign; distribute according to a plan or set apart for a special purpose
    • allude— indicate; make a more or less disguised reference to
    • allusion— suggestion; passing reference or indirect mention
    • altercation— fight; noisy quarrel
    • altruism— selflessness; the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others
    • altruistic— selfless; showing unselfish concern for the welfare of others
    • amass— gather a large amount
    • ambiguous— open to multiple interpretations
    • ambivalence— mixed or conflicting feelings
    • ambivalent— undecided; uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
    • ambulatory— able to walk; relating to or adapted for walking
    • amenable— willing; disposed or willing to comply
    • analogous— similar; similar or equivalent in some respects though otherwise dissimilar
    • anarchy— lawlessness; state of lawless disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government)
    • ancillary— supplementary; furnishing added support
    • animosity— hatred; a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
    • anomalous— abnormal; deviating from the general or common order or type
    • antagonism— hostility; a state of deep-seated ill-will
    • antecedent— predecessor; someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)
    • anticlimax— letdown; a disappointing decline after a previous rise
    • antithesis— opposition; exact opposite
    • appease— soothe; cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
    • apprise— inform; inform (somebody) of something
    • approbation— approval; official approval
    • arable— suitable for farming; (of farmland) capable of being farmed productively
    • arbiter— judge; someone with the power to settle matters at will
    • arbitrary— random; based on individual preference or impulse
    • arcane— known by very few
    • archaic— out of date; so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
    • arduous— requiring great effort; characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion
    • aristocracy— nobility; a privileged class holding hereditary titles
    • arrogance— pride; overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
    • articulate— express ideas clearly
    • artifact— saved item; a man-made object taken as a whole
    • ascendant— dominant; position or state of being dominant or in control
    • ascetic— practicing self denial
    • aspire— hope; have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal
    • astound— shock or greatly amaze
    • astute— sharp and perceptive
    • atrophy— wasting away; a decrease in size of an organ caused by disease or disuse
    • attrition— gradual reduction; erosion by friction
    • audacious— reckless; invulnerable to fear or intimidation
    • augment— add; increase; enlarge or increase
    • auspicious— encouraging; auguring favorable circumstances and good luck
    • authoritarian— absolutist; characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule; having absolute sovereignty
    • aver— declare; report or maintain
    • avid— eager; enthusiastic or passionate about something
    • banal— commonplace; repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
    • bastion— support; a group that defends a principle
    • beneficiary— recipient; the recipient of funds or other benefits
    • benevolent— kind and well meaning
    • benign— harmless and gentle
    • bereavement— the experience of loss and grief
    • blithe— happy; lacking or showing a lack of due concern
    • bolster— support or strengthen
    • bombastic— overly pompous
    • braggart— boastful person; a very boastful and talkative person
    • brevity— shortness in expression
    • brusque— abrupt; marked by rude or peremptory shortness
    • burnish— polish; polish and make shiny
    • buttress— support; reinforce with a buttress
    • cajole— coax; influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
    • camaraderie— friendship; the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability
    • candor— honesty; ability to make judgments free from discrimination or dishonesty
    • cant— meaningless talk; stock phrases that have become nonsense through repetition
    • caricature— exaggerated cartoon; represent in or produce a caricature of
    • castigation— chastisement; a severe scolding
    • catastrophe— a sudden disastrous event
    • cathartic— providing emotional release
    • caustic— bitter; any chemical substance that burns or destroys living tissue
    • cede— yield; give over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another
    • censure— express strong disapproval
    • charlatan— pretender; a flamboyant deceiver; one who attracts customers with tricks or jokes
    • chauvinist— bigot; a person with a prejudiced belief in the superiority of his or her own kind
    • clairvoyant— psychic; someone who has the power of clairvoyance
    • clandestine— secret; conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods
    • claustrophobia— fear of enclosed spaces; a morbid fear of being closed in a confined space
    • clemency— forgiveness; good weather with comfortable temperatures
    • cloy— become excessive
    • coalition— combination; an organization of people (or countries) involved in a pact or treaty
    • coda— concluding section; the closing section of a musical composition
    • coercion— force; the act of compelling by force of authority
    • cogitate— think about; consider carefully and deeply; reflect upon; turn over in one's mind
    • coincidence— a striking or unlikely combination of events or circumstances
    • colonial— related to foreign settlements; of or relating to a colony
    • colossal— huge; so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe
    • comely— attractive; according with custom or propriety
    • commendable— deserving praise
    • commiserate— sympathize; to feel or express sympathy or compassion
    • compendium— collection; a publication containing a variety of works
    • compensate— pay back; adjust for
    • complacency— contentedness; the feeling you have when you are satisfied with yourself
    • compliant— willing to follow rules or requests
    • concede— admit; admit to a wrongdoing
    • conceive— understand; have the idea for
    • conciliatory— seeking to appease
    • conclusive— decisive and ending doubt
    • concoct— combine; make a concoction (of) by mixing
    • concurrent— simultaneous; occurring or operating at the same time
    • condescend— lower oneself; behave in a patronizing and condescending manner
    • condole— comfort; express one's sympathetic grief, on the occasion of someone's death
    • condone— forgive or overlook wrongdoing
    • confer— discuss; have a conference in order to talk something over
    • confine— limit; place limits on extent or access
    • conformity— agreement with rules or norms
    • congeal— solidify; become gelatinous
    • congenial— friendly; suitable to your needs
    • conjoin— join together
    • conscientious— careful and thorough
    • consecrate— declare sacred
    • consequential— important; having important issues or results
    • conservationist— one who protects the environment
    • consign— hand over or assign
    • conspicuous— obvious; obvious to the eye or mind
    • constituent— component; one of the individual parts of a composite entity
    • constrain— hold back; hold back
    • contagion— infection; any disease easily transmitted by contact
    • contempt— strong disrespect or dislike
    • contemptuous— showing strong scorn
    • contend— argue or struggle against
    • contention— argument; a point asserted as part of an argument
    • contentious— quarrelsome; inclined to dispute, even to engage in law suits
    • contingent— depending on; a gathering of persons representative of some larger group
    • contortion— distortion; the act of twisting or deforming the shape of something (e.g., yourself)
    • contrite— remorseful; feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses
    • conundrum— riddle; a difficult problem
    • converge— move toward a meeting point; be adjacent or come together
    • conviction— strong belief; an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
    • convivial— friendly and sociable
    • cooperate— work together toward a goal
    • corrode— wear away; cause to deteriorate due to the action of water, air, or an acid
    • corrosive— hurtful; of a substance, especially a strong acid
    • counterproductive— having opposite effect
    • covert— secret; a flock of coots
    • crass— rude; (of persons) so unrefined as to be lacking in discrimination and sensibility
    • craven— coward; lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful
    • cryptic— mysterious; of an obscure nature
    • culinary— related to cooking; of or relating to or used in cooking
    • culmination— high point; a final climactic stage
    • curative— having healing properties
    • cursory— casual; hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
    • dazzle— impress or amaze greatly
    • dearth— a severe lack
    • debase— shame; corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
    • debilitate— weaken greatly
    • decorum— propriety; propriety in manners and conduct
    • deduce— infer; reason by deduction; establish by deduction
    • deducible— possible to infer; capable of being deduced
    • defeatist— pessimistic; someone who is resigned to defeat without offering positive suggestions
    • deference— respect; a courteous expression (by word or deed) of esteem or regard
    • definitive— authoritative and final
    • defy— resist openly or challenge authority
    • degenerate— worsen; grow worse
    • deign— patronize; do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
    • deliberate— done with careful thought
    • delineate— describe; outline; show the form or outline of
    • delirium— madness; state of violent mental agitation
    • delusion— illusion; (psychology) an incorrect belief that is held in spite of evidence to the contrary
    • demean— disgrace; reduce in worth or character, usually verbally
    • demur— object; take exception to
    • denigrate— criticize or belittle; cause to seem less serious; play down
    • denounce— publicly condemn or criticize
    • deplore— regret; express strong disapproval of
    • depress— push down; lower someone's spirits; make downhearted
    • derelict— deserted; a person without a home, job, or property
    • deride— ridicule or mock
    • derivative— produced from another source
    • desecrate— profane; violate the sacred character of a place or language
    • despondent— depressed; without or almost without hope
    • detrimental— harmful; (sometimes followed by to?) causing harm or injury
    • devious— scheming; indirect in departing from the accepted or proper way; misleading
    • devise— plan; come up with an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle after mental effort
    • didactic— instructional; instructive (especially excessively)
    • differentiate— distinguish; mark as different
    • diffidence— shyness; lack of self-confidence
    • diffuse— spread out widely
    • digress— wander; lose clarity or turn aside from the main subject in writing or speaking
    • diligence— careful and persistent effort
    • diminution— lessening; change toward something smaller or lower
    • diplomatic— careful to avoid offense
    • dirge— lament; a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person
    • discern— distinguish; detect with the senses
    • discernible— recognizable; perceptible by the senses or intellect
    • discernment— ability to judge wisely
    • disclaim— deny; renounce a legal claim or title to
    • disconcert— disturb; cause to feel embarrassment
    • discordant— conflicting; not in agreement or harmony
    • discriminate— recognize differences or show bias
    • disguise— conceal true identity or nature
    • disinclination— unwillingness; that toward which you are inclined to feel dislike
    • disingenuous— dishonest or insincere
    • disintegrate— break apart completely
    • disinterest— neutrality; tolerance attributable to a lack of involvement
    • disjoint— separate; part; cease or break association with
    • disparity— difference; inequality or difference in some respect
    • dispassionate— calm and impartial
    • dispense— distribute or give out
    • displace— move; cause to move, usually with force or pressure
    • dispose— throw away; give, sell, or transfer to another
    • disregard— ignore or pay no attention
    • dissent— disagree; withhold assent
    • dissident— protester; a person who dissents from some established policy
    • dissipate— disappear slowly; to cause to separate and go in different directions
    • dissuade— deter; turn away from by persuasion
    • distend— dilate; become wider
    • divergent— different; diverging from another or from a standard
    • divest— take away; take away possessions from someone
    • divisive— causing disagreement
    • divulge— reveal secret information
    • dogma— fixed belief; a religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof
    • dormant— inactive; in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation
    • dross— impurity; worthless or dangerous material that should be removed
    • dubious— uncertain or doubtful
    • ductile— flexible; easily influenced
    • eclectic— drawn from many different sources; selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
    • eclipse— cover; one celestial body obscures another
    • effervescence— enthusiasm; the process of bubbling as gas escapes
    • egotism— selfishness; an exaggerated opinion of your own importance
    • elaborate— add detail or complexity
    • elegy— lament; a mournful poem; a lament for the dead
    • elicit— evoke; call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)
    • eloquence— fluency; powerful and effective language
    • eloquent— expressive and persuasive in speech
    • elucidate— clarify; make clear and (more) comprehensible
    • elusive— difficult to capture or define
    • emancipate— liberate; give equal rights to; of women and minorities
    • emulate— adopt as a role model; strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
    • encrusted— coated; form a crust or a hard layer
    • encumber— burden; hold back
    • endure— suffer; put up with something or somebody unpleasant
    • engender— cause; call forth
    • enlighten— give knowledge or understanding
    • enmity— hostility; a state of deep-seated ill-will
    • enterprising— active and adventuresome; marked by initiative and readiness to undertake new projects
    • enthrall— captivate or fascinate
    • entrench— establish firmly
    • enumerate— count; specify individually
    • enunciate— articulate; speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way
    • erratic— unpredictable in behavior
    • erudite— scholarly; having or showing profound knowledge
    • eschew— avoid; avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of
    • espouse— adopt; choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans
    • esteem— respect; the condition of being honored, esteemed, or well regarded
    • estrange— alienate; remove from customary environment or associations
    • euphemism— substitution of a more polite expression
    • evocative— suggestive; serving to bring to mind
    • exalt— praise; praise, glorify, or honor
    • exhilarate— thrill; fill with sublime emotion
    • exonerate— acquit; pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
    • expedient— useful, practical; serving to promote your interest
    • expedite— rush; speed up the progress of; facilitate
    • experimentation— testing ideas through trials
    • extol— praise; praise, glorify, or honor
    • extraneous— inessential; not pertinent to the matter under consideration
    • extravagant— excessive and unrestrained
    • extremity— a farthest point or condition
    • exuberance— enthusiasm; joyful enthusiasm
    • exuberant— full of enthusiasm
    • facetious— kidding; cleverly amusing in tone
    • fanaticism— obsession; excessive intolerance of opposing views
    • feint— maneuver; deceive by a mock action
    • ferment— agitate; a state of agitation or turbulent change or development
    • fervor— passion; feelings of great warmth and intensity
    • fetid— stinking; offensively malodorous
    • fetter— shackle; restrain with fetters
    • finite— limited; bounded or limited in magnitude or extent
    • firebrand— troublemaker; a piece of wood that has been burned or is burning
    • fissure— crack; break into fissures or fine cracks
    • fitful— spasmodic; occurring in spells and often abruptly
    • flagrant— openly offensive
    • flourish— grow successfully or vigorously
    • flout— disregard; treat with contemptuous disregard
    • foible— weak point; a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual
    • foment— stir up; try to stir up public opinion
    • forbearance— patience; good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence
    • foresee— predict or know beforehand
    • foresight— insight into the future; providence by virtue of planning prudently for the future
    • forestall— prevent; keep from happening or arising; make impossible
    • forthcoming— expected; at ease in talking to others
    • forthright— candid; characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
    • fortuitous— lucky; having no cause or apparent cause
    • foster— encourage growth or development
    • fraudulent— fake; intended to deceive
    • frugality— reluctance to spend; prudence in avoiding waste
    • furtive— sneaky; marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
    • galvanize— stimulate; to stimulate to action
    • garish— gaudy; tastelessly showy
    • germane— relevant; relevant and appropriate
    • gingerly— carefully; in a gingerly manner
    • grandiose— pretentious; impressive because of unnecessary largeness or grandeur
    • gratuitous— unnecessary and unearned
    • guile— trickery; shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
    • hackneyed— overused; repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
    • hamper— restrain; prevent the progress or free movement of
    • hardy— strong; having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
    • hedonist— pleasure seeker; someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures
    • heresy— unorthodoxy; any opinions or doctrines at variance with the official or orthodox position
    • hermetic— isolated; completely sealed; completely airtight
    • hiatus— suspension; an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
    • hierarchy— order; a series of ordered groupings within a system
    • hindrance— obstacle; something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress
    • hostile— unfriendly or aggressive
    • humility— modesty without arrogance
    • hyperbole— exaggeration; extravagant exaggeration
    • hypocritical— deceitful; professing feelings or virtues one does not have
    • hypothesis— expectation; a proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations
    • hypothetical— based on assumption rather than fact
    • ignorant— lacking knowledge or awareness
    • illuminate— light up; make lighter or brighter
    • illusory— misleading or deceptive
    • imaginative— creative and inventive in thought
    • imbibe— drink; take in, also metaphorically
    • imitation— a copy of something original
    • immobility— stillness; remaining in place
    • impassable— impossible to pass; incapable of being passed
    • impassive— expressionless; having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
    • impeccable— faultless; without fault or error
    • impel— force; urge or force (a person) to an action; constrain or motivate
    • impertinent— disrespectful; characterized by a lightly pert and exuberant quality
    • implausible— unlikely to be true
    • implicate— involve, entangle; bring into intimate and incriminating connection
    • implode— collapse inward; burst inward
    • impotent— powerless; lacking power or ability
    • impressionable— easily influenced
    • impromptu— improvised; an extemporaneous speech or remark
    • impudence— disrespect; an impudent statement
    • inadequate— not sufficient or enough
    • inane— silly; devoid of intelligence
    • inarticulate— voiceless; without or deprived of the use of speech or words
    • incarcerate— imprison; lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
    • incessant— never-ending; uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
    • incidence— happening; the relative frequency of occurrence of something
    • incidental— minor and not essential
    • incite— prompt; give an incentive for action
    • incline— slope; have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined
    • incoherent— disconnected; without logical or meaningful connection
    • inconsequential— not important
    • inconsistency— difference; the relation between propositions that cannot both be true at the same time
    • incumbent— current holder of an office; the official who holds an office
    • indelible— permanent; cannot be removed or erased
    • indeterminate— not clearly defined
    • indict— accuse; accuse formally of a crime
    • indifference— lack of interest or concern
    • indigenous— native; originating where it is found
    • indiscriminate— random; failing to make or recognize distinctions
    • indulge— allow oneself pleasure
    • indulgent— overly generous or lenient
    • inert— motionless; unable to move or resist motion
    • inevitable— certain to happen and unavoidable
    • infallible— dependable; incapable of failure or error
    • infamous— well known for bad reasons
    • inferior— lower in quality or rank
    • infernal— related to hell; characteristic of or resembling Hell
    • infraction— offense; a crime less serious than a felony
    • ingrate— ungrateful person; a person who shows no gratitude
    • inherent— included; existing as an essential constituent or characteristic
    • inhibit— restrict; put down by force or authority
    • innate— inherent; not established by conditioning or learning
    • innocuous— harmless and safe
    • inopportune— unlucky; not opportune
    • inordinate— excessive; beyond normal limits
    • inquisitor— interrogator; a questioner who is excessively harsh
    • inscrutable— difficult to understand
    • insightful— showing deep understanding or perception
    • insinuate— imply; introduce or insert (oneself) in a subtle manner
    • insipid— tasteless; lacking taste or flavor or tang
    • insolvent— bankrupt; someone who has insufficient assets to cover their debts
    • instigate— provoke or start something
    • instrumental— important in achieving a result
    • insurrection— rebellion; organized opposition to authority
    • integral— included; existing as an essential constituent
    • interminable— endless; tiresomely long; seemingly without end
    • intervene— interrupt; get involved, so as to alter an action, or through force or threat of force
    • intrepid— fearless; invulnerable to fear or intimidation
    • intricate— complex and detailed
    • intuition— knowledge gained without reasoning
    • intuitive— understood instinctively without reasoning
    • inundate— flood; fill quickly beyond capacity; as with a liquid
    • invalidate— void; declare invalid
    • irascible— angry; quickly aroused to anger
    • irksome— annoying; so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
    • irrational— illogical; not consistent with or using reason
    • irrelevant— not related to the topic
    • irresolute— indecisive; uncertain how to act or proceed
    • irreverent— lacking respect
    • itinerary— travel plan; an established line of travel or access
    • jeopardize— endanger; pose a threat to; present a danger to
    • jocose— joking; characterized by jokes and good humor
    • jocular— joking; characterized by jokes and good humor
    • judicious— showing good judgment
    • justification— reason; something that shows an action to be reasonable or necessary
    • justify— support; show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for
    • juxtapose— place side by side
    • laborious— grueling; characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion; especially physical effort
    • laconic— using few words
    • laggard— lazy person; someone who takes more time than necessary; someone who lags behind
    • lampoon— ridicule; ridicule with satire
    • languid— lethargic; lacking spirit or liveliness
    • larceny— theft; the act of taking something from someone unlawfully
    • latent— inactive; potentially existing but not presently evident or realized
    • lavish— given generously or excessively
    • leaven— add yeast, cause to rise; cause to puff up with a leaven
    • legislate— make laws; make laws, bills, etc. or bring into effect by legislation
    • leniency— indulgence; mercifulness as a consequence of being lenient or tolerant
    • lethargic— lacking energy; deficient in alertness or activity
    • levy— impose; impose and collect
    • libel— false and malicious statement; print slanderous statements against
    • liberate— free from restriction or control
    • loath— unwilling; unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom
    • lucid— clear and easy to understand
    • lucrative— profitable; producing a sizeable profit
    • malicious— hateful; having the nature of or resulting from malice
    • malign— slander; evil or harmful in nature or influence
    • malingerer— slacker; someone shirking their duty by feigning illness or incapacity
    • malleable— flexible; easily influenced
    • manifest— obvious; provide evidence for
    • manipulate— influence; influence or control shrewdly or deviously
    • mawkish— maudlin; effusively or insincerely emotional
    • mediate— help settle a disagreement
    • mercenary— soldier of fortune; a person hired to fight for another country than their own
    • mercurial— highly unpredictable
    • metamorphosis— major change; the marked and rapid transformation of a larva into an adult
    • methodical— organized; characterized by method and orderliness
    • meticulous— very careful and precise
    • migrate— move; move from one country or region to another and settle there
    • misconstrue— misinterpret; interpret in the wrong way
    • miserly— stingy; (used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity
    • misrepresent— deceive; represent falsely
    • momentous— extremely important
    • monumental— impressive; relating or belonging to or serving as a monument
    • morbid— focused on unhealthy topics
    • mortality— death rate; the quality or state of being mortal
    • mortify— humiliate; practice self-denial of one's body and appetites
    • motive— reason; the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal
    • mutable— changeable; capable of or tending to change in form or quality or nature
    • mutinous— rebellious; disposed to or in a state of mutiny
    • mysterious— difficult to understand or explain
    • nadir— low-point; an extreme state of adversity; the lowest point of anything
    • narrative— story; a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events
    • navigable— travelable; able to be sailed on or through safely
    • negate— eliminate; be in contradiction with
    • neophyte— novice; a plant that is found in an area where it had not been recorded previously
    • nondescript— ordinary-looking; lacking distinct or individual characteristics; dull and uninteresting
    • nonentity— unimportant person; the state of not existing
    • nonetheless— however; despite anything to the contrary
    • noteworthy— deserving attention or notice
    • notoriety— infamy; the state of being known for some unfavorable act or quality
    • notorious— ill famed; known widely and usually unfavorably
    • nullify— invalidate; declare invalid
    • obfuscate— make obscure; make obscure or unclear
    • obligatory— required; morally or legally constraining or binding
    • obliterate— destroy; mark for deletion, rub off, or erase
    • oblivion— unconsciousness; the state of being disregarded or forgotten
    • obscure— not well known or unclear
    • obtrude— stick out; push to thrust outward
    • obviate— prevent; do away with
    • occlude— obstruct; occlude
    • optimistic— expecting positive outcomes
    • opulence— luxury; wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living
    • orator— speaker; a person who delivers a speech or oration
    • ornate— highly decorated or elaborate
    • orthodox— following traditional beliefs
    • oscillate— swing back and forth; be undecided about something
    • outlandish— bizarre; conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual
    • outmoded— no longer fashionable
    • outwit— to exceed in cleverness; beat through cleverness and wit
    • overbear— dominate; bear too much
    • oversight— a small mistake or omission
    • overt— obvious; open and observable; not secret or hidden
    • pacifist— peace lover; someone opposed to violence as a means of settling disputes
    • painstaking— meticulous; characterized by extreme care and great effort
    • pallid— pale; abnormally deficient in color as suggesting physical or emotional distress
    • panacea— cure all; (Greek mythology) the goddess of healing
    • paradox— apparent contradiction; (logic) a statement that contradicts itself
    • partisan— strongly supporting one side
    • patronize— support; assume sponsorship of
    • pedantic— bookish; marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects
    • peerless— unique; eminent beyond or above comparison
    • penchant— a strong liking
    • perfectionism— having extremely high standards; a feeling that anything less than perfect is unacceptable
    • perjury— lying while under oath; criminal offense of making false statements under oath
    • permeable— possible to fill or pass through; allowing fluids or gases to pass or diffuse through
    • perpetrate— commit; perform an act, usually with a negative connotation
    • perpetuate— extend; cause to continue or prevail
    • persist— continue; continue to exist
    • persistent— continuing firmly despite difficulty
    • pertinent— relevant to the matter
    • peruse— examine; examine or consider with attention and in detail
    • perverse— stubbornly resistant; marked by a disposition to oppose and contradict
    • petulant— sulky; easily irritated or annoyed
    • phenomenon— an observable event or occurrence
    • philanthropist— humanitarian; someone who makes charitable donations intended to increase human well-being
    • piety— devotion; righteousness by virtue of being pious
    • placate— appease; cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
    • placid— calm and peaceful
    • platitude— overused phrase; a trite or obvious remark
    • plethora— abundance; extreme excess
    • ponderous— heavy; slow and laborious because of weight
    • posterity— future generations; all of the offspring of a given progenitor
    • potency— effectiveness; the power or right to give orders or make decisions
    • pragmatic— focused on practical results
    • prate— chatter; speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
    • prattle— chatter; speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
    • preamble— introduction; a preliminary introduction to a statute (usually explaining its purpose)
    • precarious— unstable; affording no ease or reassurance
    • precedent— prior example; an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
    • precipitate— speed; bring about abruptly
    • precipitous— done too quickly
    • precocious— early; characterized by very early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude)
    • predetermine— establish in advance; determine beforehand
    • predominant— common; most frequent or common
    • preeminent— leading; greatest in importance or degree or significance or achievement
    • preempt— seize precedence; acquire for oneself before others can do so
    • premonition— forewarning; a feeling of evil to come
    • prestige— respect earned through success
    • presume— assume; take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof
    • presumptuous— assuming; excessively forward
    • pretentious— arrogant; intended to attract notice and impress others
    • prevail— succeed or dominate in the end
    • prevalent— widely existing or common
    • prodigal— wasteful; a recklessly extravagant consumer
    • profane— irreligious; characterized by profanity or cursing
    • profusion— abundance; the property of being extremely abundant
    • progenitor— predecessor; an ancestor in the direct line
    • proliferate— increase; grow rapidly
    • prolific— highly productive
    • prolong— extend; lengthen in time; cause to be or last longer
    • promontory— high ground; a natural elevation (especially a rocky one that juts out into the sea)
    • propagate— breed; transmit from one generation to the next
    • proponent— advocate; a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea
    • propriety— suitableness; correct or appropriate behavior
    • proscribe— prohibit; command against
    • prosperity— wealth and economic success
    • prototype— early model; a standard or typical example
    • provident— looking ahead wisely; providing carefully for the future
    • provincial— rural person; of or associated with a province
    • provocative— stimulating; serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate
    • proximity— nearness; the property of being close together
    • puerile— immature; of or characteristic of a child
    • pulverize— crush; make into a powder by breaking up or cause to become dust
    • quagmire— swamp; a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
    • quandary— dilemma; a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant one
    • querulous— complaining; habitually complaining
    • questionable— doubtful or suspicious
    • quibble— objection; evade the truth of a point or question by raising irrelevant objections
    • radical— extreme; far beyond the norm in opinions or actions
    • ramshackle— falling apart; in deplorable condition
    • rancor— bitter resentment
    • ratify— authorize; approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation
    • reactionary— opposed to change or progress; an extreme conservative; an opponent of progress or liberalism
    • rebuff— repel; reject outright and bluntly
    • rebut— disprove or contradict; overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof
    • recant— retract; formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure
    • recapitulate— go over; summarize briefly
    • recessive— tending to withdraw
    • reciprocate— give or act in return; act, feel, or give mutually or in return
    • reconcile— restore harmony or agreement
    • recumbent— lying down; lying down; in a position of comfort or rest
    • redundant— unnecessary repetition or excess
    • refuge— a safe place for shelter
    • refute— prove something false
    • regime— government; the organization that is the governing authority
    • relegate— banish; refer to another person for decision or judgment
    • relinquish— give up; part with a possession or right
    • reminiscence— recall of past memories
    • renegade— rebel; break with established customs
    • renounce— give up; give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations
    • renovate— fix up; restore to a previous or better condition
    • repeal— officially cancel a law
    • repertoire— collection; a collection of works that an artist or company can perform
    • repetitive— done again and again
    • repress— keep back; put down by force or intimidation
    • reproach— criticism; a mild rebuke or criticism
    • reprove— rebuke; take to task
    • repudiate— renounce; cast off
    • repulsion— horror; the force by which bodies repel one another
    • rescind— revoke; cancel officially
    • resilient— enduring; recovering readily from adversity, depression, or the like
    • resolute— firmly determined
    • resonant— echoing; characterized by resonance
    • restive— jittery; being in a tense state
    • restraint— limitation; the act of controlling by restraining someone or something
    • retaliation— revenge; action taken in return for an injury or offense
    • retraction— withdrawal of a statement
    • reverent— respectful; feeling or showing profound respect or veneration
    • revitalize— restore energy or strength
    • revoke— take back; fail to follow suit when able and required to do so
    • revolutionary— involving dramatic and radical change
    • rhetoric— sophistication in speaking; using language effectively to please or persuade
    • rigid— stiff and inflexible
    • rivulet— stream; a small stream
    • robust— strong and able to withstand stress
    • ruse— trick; a deceptive maneuver (especially to avoid capture)
    • saccharine— sickly sweet; overly sweet
    • salubrious— healthy; promoting health; healthful
    • satiate— satisfy; fill to satisfaction
    • satirical— mocking; exposing human folly to ridicule
    • satirize— ridicule; ridicule with satire
    • savant— learned person; someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
    • scintillate— sparkle or shine
    • scrupulous— conscientious; having scruples; arising from a sense of right and wrong; principled
    • scrutinize— examine very carefully
    • seclusion— isolation; the quality of being secluded from the presence or view of others
    • secrete— give off; generate and separate from cells or bodily fluids
    • sedition— rebellion; an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority
    • sequester— isolate; requisition forcibly, as of enemy property
    • serendipity— good fortune; good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries
    • servile— meek; submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior
    • skulk— slink; lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
    • slag— residue; convert into slag
    • smelt— melt or fuse; extract (metals) by heating
    • sodden— soaked; wet through and through; thoroughly wet
    • solicitous— showing concern
    • soliloquy— monologue; speech you make to yourself
    • somnolent— sleepy; inclined to or marked by drowsiness
    • sordid— filthy; morally degraded
    • Spartan— unembellished; a resident of Sparta
    • spendthrift— wasteful; someone who spends money prodigally
    • spontaneous— happening without planning
    • sporadic— intermittent; recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances
    • spurious— false; plausible but false
    • staid— calm; characterized by dignity and propriety
    • stalwart— sturdy, tough; a person who is loyal to their allegiance (especially in times of revolt)
    • stark— plain and harshly clear
    • stature— level of respect or status
    • steadfast— firm and dependable
    • stimulus— something that triggers response
    • stipulate— specify; specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement
    • stoic— disinterested; seeming unaffected by pleasure or pain; impassive
    • straightforward— honest; free from ambiguity
    • stringent— rigorous; demanding strict attention to rules and procedures
    • stupor— daze; the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens
    • subdue— keep down; put down by force or intimidation
    • subjective— personal; taking place within the mind and modified by individual bias
    • sublime— grand; inspiring awe
    • subpoena— legal summons; serve or summon with a subpoena
    • subsidiary— secondary; an assistant subject to the control of another
    • subtle— hard to notice or detect
    • subtlety— nuance; a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude
    • subvert— overturn; cause the downfall of; of rulers
    • successor— replacement; a person who follows next in order
    • superfluous— unnecessary; serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being
    • supersede— replace; take the place or move into the position of
    • supplant— replace something else
    • supposition— guess; a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence
    • suppress— forcibly put an end to
    • surrender— give up control or power
    • susceptible— available; (often followed by of or to) yielding readily to or capable of
    • suspicious— distrustful and cautious
    • sycophant— kiss-up; a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
    • symmetry— exact matching of forms; an attribute of a shape or relation
    • systematic— done according to a plan
    • tacit— silent; implied by or inferred from actions or statements
    • tactile— related to the sense of touch; of or relating to or proceeding from the sense of touch
    • tangential— only slightly relevant
    • tedium— boredom; the feeling of being bored by something tedious
    • tempestuous— stormy; characterized by violent emotions or behavior
    • tenacity— firm persistence
    • tenet— a core belief or principle
    • tentative— experimental; under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon
    • tenuous— weak and flimsy
    • terrestrial— earthly; of or relating to or inhabiting the land as opposed to the sea or air
    • therapeutic— healing; tending to cure or restore to health
    • thrive— grow or succeed vigorously
    • thwart— hinder; hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
    • tiller— steering mechanism; grow shoots in the form of stools or tillers
    • timidity— shyness; fear of the unknown or unfamiliar or fear of making decisions
    • tractable— cooperative; easily managed (controlled or taught or molded)
    • transgression— violation; the act of transgressing; the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle
    • transient— temporary; one who stays for only a short time
    • transitory— lasting briefly
    • translucent— transmitting light; allowing light to pass through diffusely
    • travail— labor; use of physical or mental energy; hard work
    • trepidation— fear; a feeling of alarm or dread
    • truism— overused phrase; an obvious truth
    • turbid— cloudy; (of liquids) clouded as with sediment
    • tyrannical— cruelly oppressive
    • ubiquitous— ever present; being present everywhere at once
    • unanimity— agreement; everyone being of one mind
    • unassuming— modest and not pretentious
    • underlie— influence; be or form the base for
    • undermine— weaken gradually or secretly
    • undulate— rise and fall; stir up (water) so as to form ripples
    • ungainly— awkward; lacking grace in movement or posture
    • unorthodox— not following traditions
    • unrequited— unreturned; not returned in kind
    • unseemly— improper; not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society
    • unwarranted— groundless; incapable of being justified or explained
    • upbraid— reproach; express criticism towards
    • uproarious— hilarious; uncontrollably noisy
    • usurp— seize power unlawfully
    • vagabond— wanderer; anything that resembles a vagabond in having no fixed place
    • vanguard— leading position; the leading units moving at the head of an army
    • veneer— covering; cover with veneer
    • venerate— revere; regard with feelings of respect and reverence
    • venturesome— daring; disposed to venture or take risks
    • veracity— truth; unwillingness to tell lies
    • verdant— green; characterized by abundance of verdure
    • versatile— able to adapt to many uses
    • vigilant— alert and watchful
    • vilify— criticize; spread negative information about
    • vindicate— prove right or justified
    • vindication— proof of correctness
    • vindictive— cruel; disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge
    • virtuoso— superstar; someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
    • viscous— jelly-like; having a relatively high resistance to flow
    • voluminous— ample; large in volume or bulk
    • voracious— ravening; excessively greedy and grasping
    • waive— give up; do without or cease to hold or adhere to
    • warble— sing; sing or play with trills, alternating with the half note above or below
    • wheedle— coax; influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
    • whet— sharpen; make keen or more acute
    • widespread— occurring over a large area

    SAT Hard Vocabulary (351 words)

    Rare or nuanced academic words for advanced contextual practice.

    • abasement— humiliation or degradation
    • abeyance— pause; temporary cessation or suspension
    • abject— wretched; of the most contemptible kind
    • abstemious— restraining; sparing in consumption of especially food and drink
    • abstruse— difficult to understand
    • acrimonious— bitter; marked by strong resentment or cynicism
    • adulation— praise; servile flattery; exaggerated and hypocritical praise
    • adulterate— pollute; corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance
    • amalgamate— combine; to bring or combine together or with something else
    • ameliorate— improve; to make better
    • anachronism— something out of its time
    • anomaly— odd item; deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule
    • antipathy— hatred; a feeling of intense dislike
    • aplomb— poise; great coolness and composure under strain
    • apocryphal— of doubtful authenticity; being of questionable authenticity
    • apostate— unorthodox; a disloyal person who deserts his cause or religion or political party
    • archipelago— a group of many islands
    • ascertain— find out with certainty
    • assiduous— diligent; marked by care and persistent effort
    • assuage— soothe; cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
    • asylum— hiding place; a shelter from danger or hardship
    • attenuate— weaken; weaken the consistency of (a chemical substance)
    • austere— stark; severely simple
    • authenticate— validate; establish the authenticity of something
    • autonomous— self governing; not controlled by outside forces
    • autonomy— self governing independence
    • avarice— greed; reprehensible acquisitiveness
    • baneful— extremely harmful
    • belie— give a false impression
    • beneficent— benevolent; doing or producing good
    • bestial— brutal; resembling a beast; showing lack of human sensibility
    • blandishment— flattery; flattery intended to persuade
    • blasphemy— swearing; blasphemous language (expressing disrespect for God or for something sacred)
    • bombast— pretentious language
    • bourgeois— middle-class; a capitalist who engages in industrial commercial enterprise
    • burgeon— grow; grow and flourish
    • cantankerous— bad tempered and stubborn
    • capricious— impulsive and unpredictable
    • castigate— chasten; censure severely
    • censorious— critical; harshly critical or expressing censure
    • cerebral— focused on intellect rather than emotion
    • chary— cautious; characterized by great caution and wariness
    • chicanery— deceptive trickery
    • circumscribe— enclose; draw a line around
    • circumspect— careful and cautious
    • coagulate— clot; change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state
    • coalesce— blend; mix together different elements
    • cogent— convincing; powerfully persuasive
    • commensurate— equivalent; corresponding in size or degree or extent
    • complaisant— agreeable; showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others
    • concord— harmony or agreement
    • conflagration— a large destructive fire
    • connoisseur— a person with expert taste
    • connotation— suggestion; what you must know in order to determine the reference of an expression
    • consequent— following; following or accompanying as a consequence
    • contiguous— sharing a common border
    • convoluted— very complex and confusing
    • corroborate— confirm; establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
    • cosmic— related to the universe; pertaining to the cosmos or universe
    • cosmopolitan— worldly and culturally diverse
    • covetous— greedy; showing extreme cupidity; painfully desirous of another's advantages
    • credulity— gullibility; tendency to believe readily
    • culpable— blameful; deserving blame or censure as being wrong or evil or injurious
    • debacle— a complete and sudden failure
    • decadence— degeneration; the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities
    • decorous— polite and proper
    • decry— publicly criticize
    • defame— slander; charge falsely or with malicious intent
    • degradation— shame; changing to a lower state, a less respected state
    • deleterious— hurtful; harmful to living things
    • demagogue— a manipulative political leader
    • depravity— corruption; moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles
    • deprecate— blame; express strong disapproval of; deplore
    • desiccate— dry out; preserve by removing all water and liquids from
    • desultory— goalless; marked by lack of definite plan or regularity or purpose
    • dichotomy— division; being twofold; a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
    • dilettante— amateur without seriousness
    • disabuse— rid; free somebody (from an erroneous belief)
    • disavowal— repudiation; denial of any connection with or knowledge of
    • discrepancy— difference; a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions
    • discrete— separate; constituting a separate entity or part
    • disparage— speak of with contempt
    • disparate— not alike; fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
    • disputation— formal argument
    • disputatious— argumentative; inclined to disagree, even to engage in law suits
    • dissemble— feign; make believe with the intent to deceive
    • disseminate— broadcast; cause to become widely known
    • dissertation— thesis; a treatise advancing a new point of view resulting from research
    • dissolution— separation; separation into component parts
    • dissonance— lack of harmony; a conflict of people's opinions or actions or characters
    • draconian— harsh; unusually or unreasonably harsh or severe
    • duplicitous— deceptively two faced
    • duplicity— misrepresentation; a fraudulent or duplicitous representation
    • ebullient— enthusiastic; joyously unrestrained
    • efficacy— effectiveness; capacity or power to produce a desired effect
    • effrontery— shameless boldness
    • effusive— overly enthusiastic
    • egregious— very bad; conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
    • empirical— practical; derived from experiment and observation rather than theory
    • encumbrance— a burden or hindrance
    • endemic— local; a disease that is constantly present to a greater or lesser degree
    • enervate— weaken; weaken mentally or morally
    • enigma— something mysterious or puzzling
    • ephemeral— fleeing; lasting a very short time
    • equanimity— calmness; steadiness of mind under stress
    • equivocal— conflicting; open to two or more interpretations
    • equivocate— use ambiguous language; be deliberately unclear in order to mislead
    • eradicate— completely destroy or eliminate
    • erroneous— containing mistakes or errors
    • erudition— deep scholarly knowledge
    • esoteric— understood by a small group
    • ethereal— delicate; characterized by lightness and insubstantiality
    • exacerbate— make a problem worse
    • exculpate— exonerate; pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
    • exigency— urgent situation; a pressing or urgent situation
    • expeditious— done quickly and efficiently
    • explicate— explain; make plain and comprehensible
    • expurgate— cleanse; edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
    • extrapolation— prediction; an inference about the future based on known facts and observations
    • extricate— disentangle; release from entanglement of difficulty
    • fabrication— a false or invented story
    • fallacious— false; containing or based on a fallacy
    • fastidious— careful; giving careful attention to detail
    • fatuous— stupid; devoid of intelligence
    • felicitous— fortunate; exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style
    • flamboyance— showy extravagance
    • forebode— foretell; make a prediction about; tell in advance
    • founder— fail completely or collapse
    • gainsay— contradict; take exception to
    • gale— storm; a strong wind moving 45-90 knots; force 7 to 10 on Beaufort scale
    • garrulous— talkative; full of trivial conversation
    • genealogy— family tree; successive generations of kin
    • genteel— cultured; marked by refinement in taste and manners
    • grandiloquent— excessively heightened speech; lofty in style
    • gregarious— talkative; (of animals) tending to form a group with others of the same species
    • harangue— criticism; deliver a harangue to; address forcefully
    • hedonistic— focused on pleasure
    • hermitage— the residence of a recluse; the abode of a hermit
    • heterogeneous— composed of different elements
    • homogeneous— alike; all of the same or similar kind or nature
    • iconoclastic— rebellious; characterized by attack on established beliefs or institutions
    • ideology— value system; an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation
    • idiosyncrasy— peculiarity; a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual
    • idiosyncratic— unique to an individual
    • idolatry— worship; religious zeal; the willingness to serve God
    • ignoble— shameful; completely lacking nobility in character or quality or purpose
    • immutable— changeless; not subject or susceptible to change or variation in form or quality or nature
    • impecunious— penniless; not having enough money to pay for necessities
    • imperceptible— unnoticeable; impossible or difficult to perceive by the mind or senses
    • impermeable— extremely dense; preventing especially liquids to pass or diffuse through
    • imperturbable— calm; not easily perturbed or excited or upset; marked by extreme calm and composure
    • impervious— unaffected; not admitting of passage or capable of being affected
    • impetuous— acting without thought
    • impiety— unrighteousness; unrighteousness by virtue of lacking respect for a god
    • implacable— impossible to please; incapable of being placated
    • implicit— hinted; implied though not directly expressed; inherent in the nature of something
    • importune— plead; beg persistently and urgently
    • impugn— attack as false
    • incapacitate— disable; make unable to perform a certain action
    • inchoate— not yet organized; only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
    • incipient— beginning; only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
    • incisive— penetrating; having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
    • incongruity— incompatibility; the quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and inappropriate
    • incongruous— absurd; lacking in harmony or compatibility or appropriateness
    • incorporeal— bodiless; without material form or substance
    • incorrigible— impossible to correct; impervious to correction by punishment
    • indefatigable— tireless; showing sustained enthusiastic action with unflagging vitality
    • indictment— a formal criminal accusation
    • indigence— extreme poverty
    • indispensable— absolutely necessary or essential
    • indisputable— undeniable; not open to question; obviously true
    • indolent— slothful; disinclined to work or exertion
    • indomitable— persevering; impossible to subdue
    • indubitable— certain; too obvious to be doubted
    • ineffable— impossible to describe
    • infinitesimal— tiny; (mathematics) a variable that has zero as its limit
    • ingenuous— innocent; characterized by an inability to mask your feelings; not devious
    • ingratiate— gain others' favor for; gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts
    • insensible— unfeeling; incapable of physical sensation
    • insidious— sneaky; beguiling but harmful
    • insolence— rude disrespect
    • instantaneous— occurring immediately
    • insubordination— disobedience; defiance of authority
    • insubstantial— unreal; lacking material form or substance; unreal
    • insularity— isolation; the state of being isolated or detached
    • intangible— abstract; impossible to feel or touch
    • intemperate— excessive and uncontrolled
    • interloper— an unwelcome intruder
    • intractable— hard to manage; not tractable; difficult to manage or mold
    • intransigence— stubbornness; the trait of being intransigent; stubbornly refusing to compromise
    • intrinsic— essential; belonging to a thing by its very nature
    • introspective— thoughtful; given to examining own sensory and perceptual experiences
    • inure— accustom to hardship; cause to accept or become hardened to; habituate
    • invective— vilification; abusive language used to express blame or bitter deep-seated ill will
    • inviolable— invulnerable; incapable of being transgressed or dishonored
    • itinerant— wanderer; a laborer who moves from place to place as demanded by employment
    • jade— to tire or wear out
    • lackadaisical— lacking energy
    • lassitude— sluggishness; a state of comatose torpor (as found in sleeping sickness)
    • levee— landing place; a formal reception of visitors or guests (as at a royal court)
    • levity— lack of seriousness
    • Lilliputian— tiny; a very small person (resembling a Lilliputian)
    • loquacious— very talkative
    • lugubrious— excessively gloomy
    • luxuriant— abundant; marked by complexity and richness of detail
    • machination— a secretive scheme
    • maelstrom— whirlpool; a powerful circular current of water (usually the result of conflicting tides)
    • magnanimity— largess; liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit
    • magnanimous— generous and forgiving
    • martinet— tyrant; someone who demands exact conformity to rules and forms
    • maverick— independent thinker who resists norms
    • maxim— saying; a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits
    • mellifluous— smooth and sweet sounding; pleasing to the ear
    • melodious— pleasant sounding
    • mendacious— untruthful; given to lying
    • misanthrope— people-hater; someone who dislikes people in general
    • mitigate— reduce severity or seriousness
    • modicum— a small amount
    • mollify— calm or appease
    • moratorium— suspension; a legally authorized postponement before some obligation must be discharged
    • morose— gloomy; showing a brooding ill humor
    • myriad— a very large number
    • mystical— related to spiritual mystery
    • nebulous— vague and unclear
    • negligence— carelessness; failure to act with the prudence that a reasonable person would exercise
    • negligible— too small to matter
    • neologism— invented word; a newly invented word or phrase
    • nonchalance— casual indifference
    • obdurate— stubborn; stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
    • oblique— indirect; slanting or inclined in direction or course or position
    • obsequious— excessively obedient
    • obtrusive— annoyingly noticeable
    • officious— intrusive; intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
    • onerous— burdensome and difficult
    • opprobrium— disgrace; state of disgrace resulting from public abuse
    • ossify— become rigid or fixed
    • ostentatious— showy and pretentious
    • palliative— relieving pain without curing
    • paradigm— model; systematic arrangement of all the inflected forms of a word
    • paragon— perfection; an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment of a concept
    • paramount— essential; having superior power and influence
    • pathological— diseased; of or relating to the practice of pathology
    • paucity— shortage; an insufficient quantity or number
    • penitent— showing remorse
    • penury— poverty; a state of extreme poverty or destitution
    • perdition— damnation; (Christianity) the abode of Satan and the forces of evil
    • peremptory— imperious; offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power
    • perfidious— treacherous; tending to betray
    • perfunctory— inattentive; hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
    • pernicious— extremely harmful
    • perspicacious— keenly insightful
    • phlegmatic— emotionally unresponsive
    • plasticity— ability to be molded
    • pliant— easily bent or influenced
    • polemical— controversial; of or involving dispute or controversy
    • portend— foreshadow; indicate by signs
    • potentate— a powerful ruler
    • preclude— prevent something from happening
    • precursor— something that comes before another
    • predilection— a strong preference
    • prelate— high priest; a senior clergyman and dignitary
    • prescience— foresight; the power to foresee the future
    • presumptive— based on reasonable assumption
    • prevaricate— equivocate; be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
    • privation— lack; a state of extreme poverty
    • probity— truthfulness; complete and confirmed integrity; having strong moral principles
    • prodigious— extraordinary; so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe
    • profligate— extravagant; a dissolute man in fashionable society
    • profound— deep; showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth
    • profundity— deep wisdom
    • proliferation— expansion; growth by the rapid multiplication of parts
    • promulgate— make known; state or announce
    • propensity— a natural tendency or inclination
    • propitiate— appease; make peace with
    • prosaic— ordinary and dull
    • prospectus— a formal written proposal
    • protract— extend; lengthen in time; cause to be or last longer
    • protuberance— bulge; something that bulges out or is protuberant or projects from its surroundings
    • provisional— conditional; under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon
    • prurient— lustful; characterized by lust
    • pugnacity— belligerence; a natural disposition to be hostile
    • punctilious— precise; marked by precise accordance with details
    • pungency— sharpness; wit having a sharp and caustic quality
    • quiescent— dormant; not active or activated
    • quixotic— fanciful; not sensible about practical matters; idealistic and unrealistic
    • raconteur— narrator; a person skilled in telling anecdotes
    • rarefy— refine; lessen the density or solidity of
    • raze— completely destroy
    • recalcitrant— obstinate; stubbornly resistant to authority or control
    • reclusive— avoiding social contact
    • recondite— mysterious; difficult to penetrate
    • rectitude— righteousness; righteousness as a consequence of being honorable and honest
    • redolent— strongly suggestive
    • refractory— stubborn; lining consisting of material with a high melting point
    • rejoinder— comeback; a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)
    • remiss— delinquent; failing in what duty requires
    • remonstrance— complaint; the act of expressing earnest opposition or protest
    • remunerative— lucrative; for which money is paid
    • reprehensible— deplorable; bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure
    • reprobate— disgraceful person; reject (documents) as invalid
    • reticence— reserve; the trait of being uncommunicative; not volunteering anything more than necessary
    • reticent— quiet and reserved
    • retroactive— applying to past events
    • revulsion— disgust; intense aversion
    • rue— regret; feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about
    • sagacious— wise and perceptive
    • sage— wise; a mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics who is renowned for profound wisdom
    • salutary— healthful; tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health
    • sanctimonious— hypocritically pious in manner; excessively or hypocritically pious
    • servitude— servanthood; state of subjection to an owner or master or forced labor imposed as punishment
    • sesquipedalian— characterized by long words; long-winded
    • sinuous— winding; curved or curving in and out
    • solemnity— seriousness; a trait of dignified seriousness
    • soporific— causing sleep; a drug that induces sleep
    • sovereign— a supreme ruler or authority
    • specious— false; plausible but false
    • stalemate— standstill; subject to a stalemate
    • stolid— placid; having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited
    • stratagem— scheme; a maneuver in a game or conversation
    • striated— striped; mark with stripes or striations
    • subsidy— financial aid; a grant paid by a government to an enterprise that benefits the public
    • substantiate— prove with evidence
    • supercilious— arrogantly superior
    • surreptitious— sneaky; marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
    • synoptic— inclusive or general; presenting a summary or general view of a whole
    • synthesis— combination; the process of producing a chemical compound
    • taciturn— silent; habitually reserved and uncommunicative
    • tenacious— holding firmly and persistently
    • thesis— theory; an unproved statement put forward as a premise in an argument
    • torpor— lethargy; a state of motor and mental inactivity with a partial suspension of sensibility
    • tortuous— convoluted; highly complex or intricate and occasionally devious
    • totalitarian— exercising absolute political control
    • traduce— slander; speak unfavorably about
    • transcendent— extraordinary; exceeding or surpassing usual limits especially in excellence
    • trenchant— sharp and forceful
    • truculence— belligerence; obstreperous and defiant aggressiveness
    • turgid— pompous; ostentatiously lofty in style
    • unequivocal— clear and unambiguous
    • urbane— refined; showing refinement and the assurance that comes from wide social experience
    • vacillate— fluctuate; be undecided about something
    • vapid— lacking substance
    • venerable— respected because of age
    • veracious— true; habitually speaking the truth
    • verisimilitude— lifelikeness; the appearance of truth; the quality of seeming to be true
    • vicarious— experienced through another
    • vicissitude— fluctuation; a variation in circumstances or fortune in the development of something
    • vituperative— hateful; marked by harshly abusive criticism
    • volatile— capable of exploding; liable to lead to sudden change or violence
    • voluble— talkative; marked by a ready flow of speech
    • welter— rolling or tumbling; a confused multitude of things
    • whimsicality— playful unpredictability

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How many vocabulary words are on the Digital SAT?

    College Board does not publish a fixed vocabulary list or word count. This 1800-word library is a broad study collection, not a claim that every word will appear on the SAT.

    What is the best way to study SAT vocabulary?

    The most effective method is contextual study. Read each SAT vocabulary word with an example sentence, practice retrieving its meaning, and then apply it to a real SAT Words-in-Context question.

    Are flashcards good for SAT vocabulary?

    Yes, spaced-repetition flashcards work well for SAT vocabulary because Words-in-Context questions reward fast recognition of a word's primary meaning in an academic passage.

    SAT® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this product.

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