Pre-AP SAT Vocabulary Unit 1
1. Antithesis (an TI thuh sis) a direct opposite, a contrast
Antonyms: duplicate; same
Ex: Good is the antithesis of evil.
Synonyms:
2. Ascend (uh SEND) to move upward, to rise from a lower situation
Antonyms: to descend; to go down
Synonyms: to climb
Ex: The climbers ascended the mountain.
3. Austere (aw STEER) strict, stern; unadorned, ascetic
Antonyms: indulgent
Synonyms: severe
Ex: Pioneers usually led an austere existence because they had to be tough to survive the harshness
of the land.
4. Autonomous (aw TON uh muhs) independent, self-contained
Antonyms: dependent
Synonyms:
Ex: One who is autonomous needs no help from others.
5. Banal (BANE ul, buh NAL) common, ordinary, lacking freshness, hackneyed
Antonyms: fresh, unique, ordinary
Synonyms: inane, insipid, jejune, vapid
Ex: Because of his overused trite remarks, his speeches are banal.
6. Benign (buh NINE) not causing harm, of gentle disposition, beneficial
Antonyms: malignant, harmful
Synonyms:
Ex: The minister was loved because of his benign attitude toward all types of people.
7. Capricious (kuh PRISH us) changing suddenly, fickle
Antonyms: stable
Synonyms: inconstant, mercurial, unstable
Ex: Her capricious moods are difficult to anticipate; I never can tell if she will be irritable or easygoing.
8. Dawdle (DOD ul) to waste time, to spend time idly, to move in a lackadaisical manner
Antonyms: to rush
Synonyms: dally, loiter, procrastinate
Ex: Since we have a deadline, do not dawdle over your work.
9. Defamation (def uh MAY shun) act of harming or ruining another’s reputation
Antonyms: adulation
Synonyms:
Ex: The defamation of another’s character is a horrible thing; it could ruin a reputation forever.
10. Esoteric (es uh TER ik) understood only by a small group or a select few
Antonyms: obvious
Synonyms:
Ex: The English teachers were having an esoteric discussion about the correct usage of an obscure
word.
11. Exacerbate (ig ZAS ur bate) to aggravate, to irritate, to vex
Antonyms: to ameliorate; to soothe
Synonyms:
Ex: You will only exacerbate the situation if you try to call her; you have pushed her beyond her
limit of patience.
12. Extol (ik STOLE) to praise, to glorify
Antonyms: to defame
Synonyms:
Ex: The teacher would always extol students who tried to do their best.
13. Fastidious (fa STID ee us) reflecting a meticulous or demanding attitude, critical to an extreme
Antonyms: not meticulous
Synonyms: finicky
Ex: He considered her fastidious because she was offended by insignificant mistakes or errors.
14. Furtive (FUR tiv) secret in an underhanded way, stealthy
Antonyms: bold
Synonyms: clandestine, covert, surreptitious,
underhanded
Ex: During the test, he made some furtive glances at other classmates’ papers.
15. Gregarious (greh GAR ee us) sociable and outgoing
Antonyms: shy; reserved
Synonyms:
Ex: He became much more gregarious after he developed an interest in girls; he could not stop
talking to them and trying to impress them.
16. Hypocrite (HIP uh krit) one who is insincere or deceitful
Antonyms: sincere person
Synonyms:
Ex: Saying one thing and then doing the other is a mark of a hypocrite.
17. Innate (eh NATE) existing from birth, inborn
Antonyms: learned
Synonyms: natural
Ex: He has innate athletic talents that cannot be taught.
18. Lethargic (luh THAR jik) sluggish, languid
Antonyms: energetic
Synonyms: stuporous, torpid
Ex: Having had too much to drink, he was very lethargic the morning after the party.
19. Melancholy (MEL un kol ee) depression of spirits
Antonyms: happiness
Synonyms:
Ex: After Dad lost his job, he fell into a state of melancholy that could not be lifted.
20. Opaque (oh PAKE) not allowing the passage of light, not transparent; hard to understand
Antonyms: transparent
Synonyms: dark
Ex: I am going to place something opaque in the window so that no one will be able to see into this room.
21. Prolific (pro LIF ik) abundantly fruitful, marked by great productivity
Antonyms: barren, unfruitful
Synonyms: fecund, fertile
Ex: Since he has written a great number of books in a short period, Stephen King is known as a prolific
writer.
22. Reprove (reh PROOV) to scold or to rebuke for a misdeed usually with kindly intent
Antonyms: to approve; to applaud
Synonyms: admonish, castigate, chastise,
hide, rebuke, reproach
Ex: A teacher sometimes needs to reprove a student for talking during class.
23. Symmetry (SIM eh tree) balanced proportions
Antonyms: lack of balance
Synonyms:
Ex: The symmetry of the gardens of Versailles creates a beautiful and balanced atmosphere.
24. Tranquil (TRANG kwul) peaceful, calm
Antonyms: agitated
Synonyms: placid, serene
Ex: Weather in Texas can quickly change from tranquil to turbulent.
25. Venerate (VEN uh rate) to honor, to revere
Antonyms:
Synonyms: adore, worship
Ex: Although I did not always agree with President Kennedy, I venerate his memory.