To Kill a Mockingbird SAT Vocabulary Words Part 1
1. Contentious
kuhn TEN shuhs
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: "Ain't got no mother," was the answer, "and their paw's right contentious."
Sentence: Brothers and sisters often have contentious relationships in that they argue and fight a lot.
Your Sentence:
2. Tentative
TEN tuh tiv
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: Francis appeared at the kitchen door. "You still mad, Jean Louise?" he asked tentatively.
Sentence: We have tentative plans for Homecoming; however, the plans could still change if it begins to rain while we are
outside.
Your Sentence:
3. Dictum
DIK tum
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: So Simon, having forgotten his teacher's dictum on the possession of human chattels, bought three slaves . . .
Sentence: The dictum listed in Carmel High School’s student handbook asserts that students will have to participate in
community service if they are tardy to class too many times.
Your Sentence:
4. Taciturn
TAS eh turn
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: Their sister Alexandra was the Finch who remained at the Landing: she married a taciturn man
who spent most of his time lying in a hammock by the river wondering if his trot-lines were full.
Sentence: A shy person is usually taciturn.
Your Sentence:
5. Quaint
KWAYNT
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: Thus we came to know Dill as a pocket Merlin, whose head teemed with eccentric plans,
strange longings, and quaint fancies.
Sentence: 1. He had a quaint sense of humor which only his friends understood. 2. When my family visited the small town in
Maine, we chose to stay in a quaint inn with traditional New England décor rather than in a Radison Hotel.
Your Sentence:
To Kill a Mockingbird SAT Vocabulary Words Part 1
6. Malevolent
muh LEV uh lent
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom. People said he existed, but Jem and I had never seen him.
Sentence: Your parents may be fearful of you walking the streets alone at night due to malevolent strangers possibly lurking in
the shadows.
Your Sentence:
7. Predilection
pred uh LEK shun
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: The Radleys, welcome anywhere in town, kept to themselves, a predilection unforgivable in Maycomb.
Sentence: If you have a predilection for water skiing in the summer, you will want to visit the many lakes in Michigan.
Your Sentence:
8. Domicile
DOM eh sile
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: According to neighborhood legend, when the younger Radley boy was in his teens he became acquainted with some of
the Cunninghams from Old Sarum, an enormous and confusing tribe domiciled in the northern
part of the county, and they formed the nearest thing to a gang ever seen in Maycomb.
Sentence: For many students their domicile has been Carmel, Indiana since they were born.
Your Sentence:
9. Profane
pruh FANE
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: . . . so the boys came before the probate judge on charges of disorderly conduct, disturbing the
peace, assault and battery, and using abusive and profane language in the presence and hearing of a female.
Sentence: The principal made it clear that students who use profane language at the game will be asked to leave.
Your Sentence:
10. Auspicious
aw SPISH us
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: The remainder of my schooldays were no more auspicious than the first.
Sentence: After reading her horoscope in the paper, Mary felt it was an auspicious time to purchase a lottery ticket.
Your Sentence:
To Kill a Mockingbird SAT Vocabulary Words Part 1
11. Indigenous
In DIJ eh nus
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: “I am from North Alabama, from Winston County." The class murmured apprehensively, should she prove
to harbor her share of the peculiarities indigenous to that region.
Sentence: Gray squirrels are indigenous to the Midwest, and if you travel to California, you will see different species of
squirrels.
Your Sentence:
12. Diminutive
dih MIN yuh tiv
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: He was among the most diminutive of men, but when Burris Ewell turned toward him, Little Chuck's right hand went to
his pocket.
Sentence: The store which specialized in selling doll houses was filled with diminutive versions of the houses one will find on
Main Street.
Your Sentence:
13. Fractious
FRAK shus
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: She had always been too hard on me, she had at last seen the error of her fractious ways, she was sorry and too
stubborn to say so. I was weary from the day's crimes.
Sentence: During the pep-rally the fractious students began to push each other, and soon there was a big fight among them.
Your Sentence:
14. Disapprobation
dis ap ruh BAY shun
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: "I'm afraid our activities would be received with considerable disapprobation by the more learned authorities."
Sentence: The unruly child faced the disapprobation of his parents when they learned he scribbled all over his bedroom wall
with a Sharpie marker.
Your Sentence:
15. Furtive
FUR tiv
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: Atticus asked, "What on earth could Ewell do to me, sister?" "Something furtive," Aunt Alexandra said. "You may
count on that."
Sentence: During the test, Blaine made furtive glances at Greyson’s test answers.
Your Sentence:
To Kill a Mockingbird SAT Vocabulary Words Part 1
16. Impudent
IM pyuh dunt
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: "Are you being impudent to me, boy?," asked Mr. Gilmer.
Sentence: The student’s impudent act of swearing at his teacher and then skipping school lead to his expulsion.
Your Sentence:
17. Benevolence
Buh NEV uh lunz
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: Miss Maudie's benevolence extended to Jem and Dill, whenever they paused in their pursuits: we reaped the benefits of
a talent Miss Maudie had hitherto kept hidden from us.
Sentence: Donating to the poor or needy is an act of benevolence.
Your Sentence:
18. Irascible
ih RAS uh buhl
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: High above us in the darkness a solitary mocker poured out his repertoire in blissful unawareness of whose tree he sat
in, plunging from the shrill kee, kee of the sunflower bird to the irascible qua-ack of a bluejay, to the sad lament of Poor Will,
Poor Will, Poor Will.
Sentence: Just about anything could set off his irascible temper.
Your Sentence:
19. Caricature
KARE uh kuh chur
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: "You can't go around making caricatures of the neighbors," said Atticus to Scout and Jem.
Sentence: His caricature of the mayor in this morning's paper is the best he's ever drawn.
Your Sentence:
20. Inordinate
in OR duh nit
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: He wore a General Hood type beard of which he was inordinately vain.
Sentence: It is a sign of trouble when a student has an inordinate number of absences.
Your Sentence:
To Kill a Mockingbird SAT Vocabulary Words Part 1
21. Ingenuous
in JEN yoo uhs
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: He was a year older than I, and I avoided him on principle: he enjoyed everything I disapproved of, and
disliked my ingenuous diversions.
Sentence: Because of the ingenuous nature of young children, they most often tell the truth when questioned by an
adult. Zoey’s mother asked her, “Why did you hit your brother?” Zoey ingenuously replied, “Because he was
bothering me.”
Your Sentence:
22. Innate
ih NATE
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: Uncle Jack raised his eyebrows and said nothing. I was proceeding on the dim theory, aside from the innate
attractiveness of such words, that if Atticus discovered I had picked them up at school he wouldn't make me go.
Sentence: Many researchers believe that personality is an innate quality rather than a series of traits we learn from
our parents and society.
Your Sentence:
23. Guileless
GILE les
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: The internal arrangements of the Finch house were indicative of Simon's guilelessness and the absolute
trust with which he regarded his offspring.
Sentence: Is it possible to find a guileless politician in Washington D.C., or do they all have the potential for
dishonesty?
Your Sentence:
24. Fanatic
fuh NAT ik
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore
breeches;. . .
Sentence: Miss Maudie explained to Scout that Mr. Radley was a religious fanatic who took every word of the Bible
literally and who believed that it was best to leave happiness out of one’s life.
Your Sentence:
25. Piety
PIE eh tee
Synonyms:
Definition:
TKAM: All we had was Simon Finch, a fur-trapping apothecary from Cornwall whose piety was exceeded only by
his
stinginess.
Sentence: The reverend’s pious sermon motivated the congregation to pray with piety.