SAT VOCABULARY
List #1
abet (v) to assist or encourage, especially in
wrongdoing; to promote or to incite
coerce (v) to force by using pressure,
intimidation, or threats; to compel
divulge (v) to tell; to reveal; to unveil; to
disclose
dogmatic (adj) arrogant and stubborn about
one’s (often unproven) beliefs;
dictatorial
extraneous (adj) inessential; not
constituting a vital part; irrelevant
gregarious (adj) sociable; fond of the
company of others; genial; friendly
insipid (adj) lacking flavor; dull; not at all
stimulating; flat; lifeless
jaundiced (adj) prejudiced; hostile;
skeptical; cynical
meticulous (adj) extremely, sometimes
excessively, careful about small
details; fastidious
temerity (n) recklessness; a foolish
disregard for danger; audacity
List #3
avarice (n) greed or a desire for wealth;
acquisitiveness
bacchanalian (adj) wild and drunken,
dionysian
bastion (n) a strong defense or fort (or one
likened to is); stronghold
copious (adj) numerous; large in quantity;
profuse
extradite (v) to turn over or deliver to the
legal jurisdiction of another
government or authority; deport
furtive (adj) stealthy; secretive;
surreptitious; sneaky
irascible (adj) easily angered; irritable; illtempered
jettison (v) to cast overboard; to discord, to
deploy; to throw away
mercenary (n) a professional soldier hired
by a foreign army
ostracize (v) to banish; to shut out from a
group or society by common
consent; exile
List #2
anathema (n) 1. A hated, repellant person
or thing; abhorration; detestation; 2.
A formal curse; condemnation
banter (n) teasing; playful conversation;
joshing; badinage; raillery
castigate (v) to criticize or to punish
severely; reprimand; chastise; scold
docile (adj) easy to teach or manage;
submissive; compliant
emaciated (adj) extremely thin; wasted
away; withered
gauche (adj) lacking social graces; tactless;
awkward
heresy (n) the crime of holding a belief that
goes against established doctrine
ignominy (n) public shame, disgrace, or
dishonor; infamy
libation (n) a drink, especially an alcoholic
one; intoxicant
motley (adj) made up of dissimilar parts;
being of many colors; varied
List #4
argot (n) special words or phrases used by a
specific group of people, jargon
appease (v) to calm; to make satisfied (often
only temporarily); mollify
augment (v) to enlarge; to increase in
amount or intensity; to expand; to
supplement
bigot (n) one who is intolerant of
differences in others; racist;
extremist
candid (adj) outspoken; blunt; frank, direct
expunge (v) to erase or eliminate; to
obliterate
strident (adj) harsh sounding; grating; shrill
negligence (n) careless neglect, often
resulting in injury; carelessness
jingoism (n) extreme, chauvinistic
patriotism, often favoring an
aggressive, warlike foreign policy
chaos (n) complete disorder; confusion;
jumble
List #5
adamant (adj) unyielding or firm in
opinion; stubborn
clement (adj) merciful; lenient; forbearing;
benign
cliché (n) a worn-out idea or overused
expression; platitude; banality
diffident (adj) lacking in self-confidence;
shy; timid
disparity (n) inequality; difference; gap
extol (v) to praise highly; exalt; laud
inexorable (adj) unrelenting; unavoidable;
relentless certain
opus (n) a creative work, especially a
numbered composition
ostensible (adj) professed but not
necessarily true; supposed
rancor (n) extreme hatred or ill will;
animosity; enmity
List #6
dilettante (n) one who merely dabbles in art
or science; amateur; trifler
enigma (n) a mystery; something seemingly
inexplicable; riddle; puzzle
jaunty (adj) having a buoyant, selfconfident air; brisk and crisp;
confident; poised
nuance (n) a slight or subtle degree or
difference; gradation; shade
officious (adj) excessively eager to deliver
unasked-for or unwanted help;
meddlesome; interfering
condone (v) to forgive or overlook an
offense; to pardon; to excuse
cult (n) an organized group of people with
an obsessive devotion to a person or
set of principles; sect
connoisseur (n) an expert in matters of
culture, food, or wine
apathy (n) lack of interest; state of not
caring; indifference
credence (n) belief or trust; faith;
confidence
List #7
demure (adj) quiet and modest; reserved;
prim
destitute (adj) extremely poor; lacking
necessities like food and shelter;
impoverished; penniless
dilemma (n) a choice between two
unpleasant or difficult options
erudite (adj) scholarly; learned; educated
intrepid (adj) without fear; bold; brave;
fearless
cynical (adj) doubtful or distrustful of the
goodness or sincerity of human
motives; skeptical
culmination (n) the highest point of
attainment; the end or climax; apex
demagogue (n) a leader who appeals to
citizens’ emotions to obtain power;
rabble-rouser
concur (v) to be of the same opinion; to
agree with; to support; to agree
ambivalent (adj) having opposing attitudes
or feelings toward a person, thing, or
idea; unable to decide; uncertain;
wavering
List #8
droll (adj) amusing in an odd or whimsical
way
duplicity (n) intentional deceit in speech or
conduct; deception
effigy (n) a crude dummy or image
representing a hated person or group
extrovert (n) one who is outgoing; one who
is energized rather than drained by
interactions with others
gamut (n) the whole range or extent
decorum (n) conformity to accepted
standards of conduct; proper
behavior; propriety
austere (adj) stern; severe; plain; strict;
unadorned
abate (v) to lesson in violence or intensity;
subside; decrease
abhor (v) to detest; to hate strongly;
despise; loathe
dole (v) to distribute; to give out sparingly
List #9
collaborate (v) to work with another toward
a goal; to cooperate
contrite (adj) feeling regret for having
committed some wrongdoing;
repentant; remorseful
emulate (v) to strive to be equal to; to
imitate; to copy
enhance (v) to increase the value or beauty
of something; to improve; to
heighten
enunciate (v) to state clearly and distinctly;
to pronounce; to articulate
evoke (v) so summon forth; to conjure up; to
elicit
expatriate (n) someone who chooses to live
outside of, or renounce, his or her
native country
frowzy (adj) unkept; slovenly
heinous (adj) hatefully or shockingly evil
impeccable (adj) faultless; without sin or
blemish; immaculate; irreproachable
impound (v) to confine; to retain in legal
custody; to confiscate
inane (adj) without sense or meaning; silly;
foolish; insipid
magnanimous (adj) noble; generous in
forgiving; free from petty feelings or
acts
sere (adj) dry and withered; desiccated; arid
unctuous (adj) exaggeratedly or insincerely
polite; oily
List #10
acrimony (n) ill-natured, bitter hostility;
animosity
balk (v) to refuse stubbornly or abruptly; to
stop short and refuse to go on; to
hesitate; to object
cajole (v) to persuade with false promises
and flattery; to coax; to wheedle
dour (adj) stern and ill-humored; forbidding
expound (v) to explain in detail; to clarify;
to elaborate
exult (v) to rejoice; to feel triumphant; to
celebrate
feasible (adj) reasonable; capable of being
carried out; possible; doable
fiasco (n) a complete, ridiculous failure; a
disaster
fluctuate (v) to rise and fall; to vary
irregularly; to waver; to vacillate
harry (v) to annoy; to harass; to bother; to
pester
incognito (adj) disguised; pretending not to
be oneself
inscrutable (adj) not easily understood;
hard to fathom; enigmatic
lethargy (n) lack of energy; sluggishness;
torpor; lassitude
métier (n) the work one is especially suited
for; one’s specialty; one’s
occupation; forte
omniscient (adj) having unlimited
knowledge; all-knowing