Word list 01
Group 1
Abhor
hate
Bigot
narrow-minded, prejudiced person
Counterfeit
fake; false
Enfranchise
give voting rights
Hamper
hinder; obstruct
Kindle
to start a fire
Noxious
harmful; poisonous; lethal
Placid
calm; peaceful
Remuneration
payment for work done
Talisman
lucky charm
Group 2
Abrasive
rough; coarse; harsh
Bilk
cheat; defraud
Covert
hidden; undercover
Engender
cause
Hangar
storage area (like garage) for a plane
Knotty
complex; difficult to solve
Nuance
something subtle; a fine shade of meaning
Plagiarism
taking credit for someone else's writing or ideas
Renown
fame
Tangent
going off the main subject
Group 3
Abasement
humiliation; degradation
Billowing
swelling; fluttering; waving
Cower
recoil in fear or servility; shrink away from
Enhance
improve; make better or clearer
Harangue
noisy, attacking speech
Labyrinth
a maze
Nullify
to counter; make unimportant
Plaintiff
petitioner (in court of law)
Replete
full
Tangible
can be touched
Group 4
Abrogate
cancel; deny; repeal
Blasphemy
speech which offends religious sentiments
Credible
believable
Enigma
puzzle; mystery
Harbingers
indicators; bringers of warnings
Labyrinthine
complicated; highly convoluted
Nuzzle
cuddle; snuggle
Plaudit
statement giving strong praise
Reprehensible
shameful; very bad
Tardy
slow; late; overdue; delayed
Group 5
Absolution
forgiveness; pardon; release
Blatant
obvious
Creditable
praiseworthy
Ensconce
establish firmly in a position
Hasten
hurry; accelerate; rush
Laceration
a cut
Obdurate
stubborn
Plausible
can be believed; reasonable
Reprieve
a respite; postponement of a sentence
Tawdry
of little value; gaudy
Group 6
Abstain
desist; go without; withdraw
Blighted
damaged; destroyed; ruined
Credulous
gullible; ready to believe anything
Enshroud
cover
Haughtiness
arrogance; pride
Lachrymose
tearful; sad
Obfuscate
deliberately make something difficult to understand
Plethora
an excess
Repudiate
shun; eschew
Tedium
boredom
Group 7
Abstemious
self denying; refraining from indulging
Blithe
free-spirited; carefree
Crepuscular
active at dawn and dusk
Enunciation
clear pronunciation; accent; articulation
Headstrong
stubborn; willful
Lackluster
dull; monotonous; bland
Objective
unbiased; not subjective
Pliable
flexible; not stubborn
Rescind
retract; repeal
Temper
to moderate; soften
Group 8
Abstruse
difficult to understand; obscure
Blunderbuss
1. ancient weapon (type of gun); 2. a clumsy person
Cringe
recoil; flinch; shy away
Envenom
to cause bitterness and bad feeling
Hedonism
self indulgence; pleasure-seeking
Laconic
using few words; brief; to the point
Oblique
indirect; slanting
Plumage
feathers of a bird
Resignation
acceptance of fate
Tenacious
stubborn; resolute; holding firm to a purpose
Group 9
Accolade
tribute; honor; praise
Bolster
support; prop up
Cryptic
puzzling; enigmatic
Ephemeral
short-lived
Hedonist
a pleasure seeker
Lamentation
expression of regret or sorrow
Obliterate
destroy; demolish; eradicate
Plummet
fall suddenly and steeply
Resolution
determination
Tentative
not certain
Group 10
Acquiesce
to agree to; give in to
Bombast
arrogant, pompous language
Curtail
cut short
Epicure
someone who appreciates good food and drink
Heed
listen to
Lampoon
ridicule; spoof
Oblivious
totally unaware
Podium
raised platform
Resonant
echoing
Tenuous
flimsy; not solid
Word list 02
Group 1
Acrid
sharp; pungent (used of smells and tastes)
Boorish
ill-mannered
Cynical
believing that people act only out of selfish motives
Epistle
a letter (form of communication)
Heresy
against orthodox opinion
Lance
spear; spike; javelin
Obscure
difficult to understand; partially hidden
Poignant
deeply moving; strongly affecting the emotions
Respite
a break; intermission
Terse
concise; to the point
Group 2
Acrophobia
fear of heights
Bourgeois
middle class
Debility
weakness; incapacity
Epistolary
concerned with letters; through correspondence
Hiatus
interruption; pause
Languid
tired; slow
Obscured
hidden; covered; buried
Poised
calm; collected; self-possessed
Resplendent
shining; glowing
Therapeutic
medicinal; curative
Group 3
Acuity
sharpness (mental or visual)
Braggart
someone who boasts
Debunking
exposing false claims or myths
Epitomized
typified; characterized; personified
Hidebound
rigid in opinions
Languish
decay; fade away; get weaker
Obsequious
servile; submissive
Polemical
causing debate or argument
Restorative
a tonic
Thwart
prevent; frustrate
Group 4
Adamant
forceful; inflexible
Brawny
muscular
Decathlon
an athletic competition with ten events
Equivocate
speak ambiguously; avoid telling the truth
Hieroglyphics
1. picture writing; 2. writing which is difficult to read or
enigmatic
Larceny
theft; robbery; stealing
Obsession
a dominating concern
Ponderous
weighty; slow and heavy
Retention
preservation; withholding
Timorous
cowardly; fearful
Group 5
Adroit
skilful
Brevity
being brief
Decorum
dignified, correct behavior [decorous (a)]
Err
make a mistake
Hinder
obstruct
Largess
generosity
Obsolete
no longer valid
Pontificate
speak pompously or dogmatically
Reticent
restrained; holding something back; uncommunicative
Tirade
stream of verbal abuse
Group 6
Adulation
strong admiration; worship
Bristle
to show irritation
Decoy
lure; trap; trick
Erratic
wandering; irregular
Histrionic
theatrical; exaggerated
Laud
praise
Obstreperous
noisy and boisterous
Portend
foretell
Retraction
withdrawal; cancellation of a statement
Titter
giggle quietly
Group 7
Adversity
hardship
Broach
start to discuss; approach
Deference
respect
Esoteric
obscure and difficult to understand
Hoary
old
Lavish
on a grand scale; wasteful
Obtuse
mentally dull
Portent
a warning sign; omen
Revere
worship
Tome
large book
Group 8
Advocate
support
Brusque
blunt; abrupt
Defoliate
cause leaves to fall off
Espouse
promote; take up; support
Hone
sharpen; increase; whet
Lax
careless; not strict
Obviate
avoid; make unnecessary
Poseur
someone who puts on an act
Riddled
full of (usually full of holes)
Torpid
inactive; lazy; stagnant
Group 9
Aesthetic
concerning art or beauty
Bulwark
fortification; barricade; wall
Defunct
no longer in existence
Etymology
the study of word origins
Hyperbole
grossly exaggerated speech
Legend
1. key to map; 2. myth or story
Odious
hateful
Posterity
future generations
Rife
common
Torpor
dormancy; sluggishness; inactivity
Group 10
Affable
friendly; social; easygoing
Bureaucracy
officialdom
Degradation
deprivation; poverty; debasement
Eulogy
praise
Hypochondriac
a person obsessed with health; having imaginary illnesses
Legion
in large numbers
Officious
domineering; intrusive; meddlesome
Posthumous
after death
Rigor
thoroughness
Totter
walk unsteadily
Word list 03
Group 1
Alacrity
eagerness; enthusiasm; quickness
Burgeon
grow; flourish; put forth new shoots
Deleterious
harmful
Euphemism
a polite phrase to cover something unpleasant
Hypocritical
insincere
Lethargic
tired; without energy
Ogle
stare at; observe in an obvious manner
Postulate
hypothesize; propose
Robust
strong; healthy; tough
Tractable
obedient; dutiful; polite
Group 2
Alchemy
medieval chemistry; attempt to change base metal into gold
Burnish
polish
Deliberate
to think over deeply
Euphony
pleasant sounds
Iconoclast
person who opposes orthodoxy
Levity
flippancy; joking about serious matters
Olfactory
concerned with the sense of smell
Potable
suitable for drinking
Rotund
round
Tranquil
peaceful
Group 3
Alibi
an excuse that shows someone was not at a crime scene
Buttress
strengthen; support
Delineation
demarcation; explanation; definition; outlining
Evacuate
vacate; empty; abandon
Idiosyncrasy
a personal peculiarity; something unique to an individual
Libertarian
someone who opposes tyranny
Ominous
threatening
Potent
powerful; compelling; strong
Ruminate
think over something; ponder
Transcribe
copy
Back to top
Group 4
Allay
to lessen
Byline
the line that tells you who wrote an article
Demur
hesitate; refuse
Exacerbate
make worse
Ignominious
shameful
Liniment
soothing lotion
Omnipotent
all-powerful
Pragmatic
practical
Ruse
trick; stratagem
Transgress
go astray; disobey; commit a sin
Group 5
Alleviate
make less severe
Cacophony
discordant loud noises
Denounce
condemn; speak out against
Exasperated
frustrated; annoyed
Ignominy
shame [ignominious (a) = shameful]
Lithe
flexible; supple
Omniscient
all-knowing
Pragmatist
practical person; one who is concerned with usefulness
Saccharin
falsely sweet
Transient
short-lived; ephemeral
Group 6
Aloof
distant; detached; cold
Cajole
coax
Deplete
use up; lessen
Exceptionable
very bad (something which we should object to)
Illuminate
to light up or make clear
Livid
very angry
Onerous
burdensome; hard to undertake
Preamble
introductory material
Sacrosanct
very holy; inviolable
Traverse
to move across
Group 7
Altruism
putting others first; being self-sacrificing
Caldron
huge cooking pot
Deplore
regret
Exculpate
free someone from blame; pardon; acquit
Illusory
deceptive; false; misleading
Lobbyist
person who tries to persuade someone to support a
particular cause
Onus
burden
Precarious
unstable; risky
Sagacious
wise
Trepidation
fear
Group 8
Amass
accumulate
Callow
immature
Depravity
moral corruption
Execrable
very, very bad
Immoderate
excessive; extreme
Lofty
snooty; arrogant; haughty
Opaque
does not let light through
Precedent
a previous occurrence used as a guide
Sage
a wise person
Trinket
something of little value; knick-knack
Group 9
Ambiguity
uncertainty; vagueness
Candid
frank; honest
Deprecate
criticize; denounce
Exegesis
scholarly explanation or interpretation
Immutable
unchanging; permanent
Longevity
long life
Opulent
wealthy; rich; magnificent
Precept
guiding principle
Salacious
lecherous; erotic
Trite
unoriginal; dull
Group 10
Ambiguous
unclear in meaning; can be interpreted in different ways
Candor
frankness; openness
Deride
ridicule; make fun of; mock
Exemplary
outstandingly good; setting a fine example
Impartial
unbiased; neutral
Loquacious
talkative
Ordain
1. destine; 2. confer holy orders on a priest
Precinct
district of a city
Sallow
yellowish
Trivial
unimportant
Word list 04
Group 1
Ambivalence
lack of clarity; wavering; being undecided
Cantankerous
bad-tempered; quarrelsome
Derogatory
uncomplimentary
Exemplify
to serve as a good example
Impecunious
having no money
Lucid
clear
Ornate
highly decorated
Precipice
steep slope
Salubrious
health-giving
Truant
shirker; someone absent without permission
Group 2
Ambulatory
able to walk around (used of hospital patients)
Capacious
spacious
Desecrate
to damage or pollute a holy place
Exhaustive
complete and thorough
Impious
wicked; profane
Ludicrous
ridiculous; silly
Orthodox
conventional
Precipitous
done in a hurry
Salutary
something which teaches you a lesson; beneficial
Truncate
cut short
Group 3
Ameliorate
make better
Capitulate
surrender; give in to
Desecration
spoiling something holy
Exonerates
acquits; absolves; removes blame
Impoverished
destitute; poor
Lukewarm
1. unenthusiastic; 2. neither hot nor cold
Ossify
1. turn to bone; 2. become fixed and rigid
Preclude
prevent or make impossible
Sanctimonious
hypocritically holy
Tumult
uproar; noise
Group 4
Amelioration
improvement
Carping
constant criticism
Desist
stop; discontinue; cease
Exorcism
getting free/rid of; eliminating (especially demons)
Impromptu
unrehearsed; spontaneous
Lummox
clumsy person
Ostentatious
showy
Precocious
developing early
Sanction
give approval to
Turpitude
depravity
Group 5
Amiable
friendly
Cartographer
person who makes maps
Despondent
having no hope; miserable
Expatriate
refugee; emigrant; someone living away from his own
country
Inadvertent
not intentional
Luscious
juicy; moist; succulent
Oust
push out of a position
Predecessor
one who came before
Sanguinary
bloodthirsty; bloody
Tyro
novice; beginner
Group 6
Amity
friendship
Castigate
scold strongly
Destitution
hardship; poverty; misery
Expedient
convenient; practical
Incantation
chant; invocation; prayer
Lynch
assassinate; kill; illegal hanging
Overt
obvious; not hidden
Predicament
dilemma; difficult situation
Sanguine
optimistic; cheerful
Ubiquitous
found everywhere; omnipresent
Group 7
Amorphous
lacking in shape
Catharsis
purging of pent-up emotions
Deter
put off; prevent
Expedite
make faster
Incarceration
putting in prison
Machinations
plots and plans
Overwrought
worked up; in an emotional state
Preeminent
famous; outstanding
Sardonic
mocking
Unalloyed
undiluted; total
Group 8
Analgesic
medicine to combat pain
Caucus
type of private political meeting
Deteriorate
worsen; decline
Exposition
clear explanation
Incessant
without stopping
Maelstrom
whirlpool; storm in the ocean
Palatable
good to eat; agreeable
Prerogative
right or privilege
Savant
person with knowledge
Unctuous
oily; using excessive flattery
Group 9
Analogous
comparable
Caustic
burning
Detrimental
harmful
Extol
praise
Incipient
just beginning
Magnanimous
generous; big-hearted
Palisade
fence made of posts
Prescient
having fore-knowledge
Scale
to climb
Undermined
damaged; attacked
Group 10
Anarchy
chaos; lack of government
Cavalcade
procession of vehicles
Devoured
greedily eaten/consumed
Extradite
deport from one country back to the home country
Inclination
tendency; a leaning toward
Magnate
powerful businessman
Palliative
a remedy that improves but doesn't cure
Presentiment
a feeling that something might happen
Scapegoat
person on whom blame is placed for faults of others
Underscore
emphasize
Word list 05
Group 1
Anecdote
a brief amusing story
Celerity
speed
Dexterous
skilful with hands
Extraneous
irrelevant
Incoherent
not clear
Maladroit
clumsy; unskillful
Pallid
pale
Presumptuous
assuming too much; arrogant
Scrupulous
careful; diligent; painstaking
Unequivocal
clear; obvious
Group 2
Animosity
hatred; antagonism
Censorious
disapproving; critical
Dichotomy
a division into two parts
Extrapolate
extend; predict on the basis of known data
Incongruous
not fitting in; out of place
Malady
illness
Palpable
easily felt; easily perceived
Pretentious
pompous; self-important
Scrutinize
examine carefully
Unfetter
set free
Group 3
Annex (n)
a building which is an addition to an existing building
Censure
blame
Didactic
intended to teach; instructive
Extrinsic
irrelevant; on the outside
Inconsequential
unimportant; insignificant; negligible
Malediction
a curse
Panacea
remedy for all ills
Prevaricate
speak misleadingly and evasively
Scuttle
sink
Unfrock
to remove a priest from his position
Group 4
Annex (v)
take possession of; seize; capture
Cerebral
intellectual
Diffident
lacking confidence
Fallacious
false
Inconspicuous
not easily seen; subtle; not noticeable
Malefactor
a wrong-doer
Paradigm
1. example; 2. model; 3. way of looking at things
Pristine
unspoiled
Seminary
an institution in which priests are trained
Unprecedented
never having happened before
Group 5
Anomaly
something which does not fit in a pattern; irregularity
Certitude
certainty
Digress
wander off the subject
Falter
hesitate; waver
Indelible
cannot be wiped out
Malinger
deliberately avoid work; shirk
Paradox
apparently contradictory statement
Proclivity
tendency towards
Sensuous
appealing to the senses
Unscathed
unharmed; intact; without a scratch
Group 6
Antagonism
hostility; strong opposition
Charlatan
trickster who claims knowledge he doesn't have
Dike
dam; embankment
Fanatical
obsessive; fixated
Indifferent
1. neutral; 2. not outstanding
Malingerer
person who deliberately tries to avoid work
Paragon
a perfect example
Procrastinate
delay; put off
Sentinel
guard; sentry
Unwitting
not deliberate; unconscious
Group 7
Antagonistic
opposed; hostile; aggressive
Chary
wary of; cautious about; reluctant to give
Dilatory
slow; falling behind with one's work
Fanaticism
passion; excessive devotion
Indigenous
native to a particular area
Malleable
flexible; can be shaped
Paramount
of supreme importance
Prodigal
wasteful; extravagant
Sequester
isolate
Upbraid
scold; tell off; reprimand
Group 8
Antediluvian
outdated; prehistoric; very old-fashioned
Chastises
punishes
Dilemma
puzzling situation
Fastidious
overly particular; finicky
Indolence
laziness
Mallet
1. wooden hammer; 2. stick used for polo
Parasite
1. scrounger; 2. animal which takes digested food from
another
Prodigious
very large
Serendipity
fortunate coincidence; unsought discovery
Uproarious
hilarious; hysterical; very funny
Group 9
Anthology
a book which is a collection of poems or stories
Chicanery
trickery
Dilettante
person who dabbles in a subject without serious study
Fatuous
silly; foolish
Inductee
novice; beginner
Manipulatable
influencable; controllable
Parched
dried up
Profane
unholy
Serene
calm; peaceful
Upshot
outcome
Group 10
Anthropocentrism
putting man at the center of one's philosophy
Chimerical
changeable; unstable
Diligent
hard-working
Feasible
possible and practicable
Indulgent
pampering; satisfying desires
Marred
damaged; spoiled
Pariah
an outcast from society
Profanity
swearing; cursing
Serrated
jagged; saw-like
Urbane
sophisticated; suave
Group 1
Antiquated
outdated; old fashioned
Choleric
easily angered
Diorama
model of a scene
Fecund
fertile
Inebriation
drunkenness; intoxication
Marshal
to gather together
Parity
equality
Profound
having deep meaning
Servile
overly submissive; groveling
Usurp
take someone's position (usually by force)
Group 2
Apathetic
indifferent; uninterested; lethargic
Chronicler
person who records historical information
Dirge
mournful song
Felicitous
apt
Ineffable
cannot be expressed in words
Marsupial
pouched mammal (like a kangaroo)
Parochial
narrow-minded; concerned only with local matters
Profundity
depth
Skeptical
doubting; not gullible
Utilitarian
useful
Group 3
Apathy
lack of interest or emotion
Circuitous
indirect
Disapprobation
disapproval
Fervor
passion; enthusiasm
Inept
incompetent; unskilled; useless
Martinet
person who believes in strict discipline
Parody
a mockery; imitation for ridicule; spoof
Proletarian
member of the working class
Skirmish
minor battle
Utopian
a believer in an ideal world
Group 4
Apocryphal
of doubtful origin
Circumlocution
using too many words; long-windedness
Discern
to distinguish one thing from another
Fickle
unpredictable; whimsical; easily swayed
Inertia
inactivity; lethargy
Masochist
person who intentionally inflicts pain on himself
Parry
ward off; avoid
Prolific
producing a lot
Sluggard
slow-moving; lethargic person
Vacillate
waver; hesitate
Group 5
Appease
pacify; soothe; calm down; make peace with
Circumscribe
limit
Discord
disagreement
Finesse
skill
Inevitable
cannot be avoided
Matriarchy
society governed by women
Parsimonious
economical; frugal; thrifty
Proponents
promoters; supporters
Smelt
refine an ore
Vacuous
empty; silly; meaningless
Group 6
Apprehensive
worried; fearful
Circumspect
cautious; considering all sides
Discordancy
cacophony; harshness; jarring
Fitful
not continuous; stopping and starting
Inexorable
relentless
Maverick
a loner
Parsimony
stinginess; frugality; cost-cutting
Prosaic
dull; boring; ordinary
Smorgasbord
a Swedish buffet of cold dishes
Vagrant
person wandering without a home
Group 7
Arable
can be cultivated
Circumvent
avoid
Discrepancy
something which does not match up; inconsistency
Flagrant
clearly wrong
Inexpedient
not advisable
Meager
in short supply
Partisan
biased; one-sided; committed to one group
Proscribe
forbid
Solace
comfort for grief
Vapid
dull; uninspiring
Group 8
Arbitrary
random; for no definite reason
Clairvoyant
psychic; mystic
Discriminate
to make a clear distinction; see the difference
Flamboyant
showy; ornate
Infallible
perfect; flawless; cannot make mistakes
Meander
wander from side to side
Pathos
evoking sadness or pity
Prosody
study of versification
Solicit
to ask for; seek
Variegated
multicolored; speckled
Group 9
Arcane
obscure; known only to a few people
Clamor
shout; scream
Discursiveness
long windedness; indirectness
Flaunt
show off; display in a showy manner
Infamous
famous for something bad
Mellow
soft; melodious; ripe
Patron
one who give support (usually financial)
Prostration
1. lying face down; 2. be overcome with extreme weakness
Somnambulist
sleepwalker
Vehemence
violence; fervor; forcefulness
Group 10
Archaic
ancient; outdated; old fashioned
Clandestine
secret; covert; stealthy
Disdain
contempt; strong dislike
Flippant
making jokes about serious matters
Infer
deduce; conclude
Menagerie
collection of animals
Patronize
condescend to; behave in an arrogant manner towards
Protagonist
main character in film, book, play etc.
Soothsayer
fortuneteller
Vehement
forceful
Word list 07
Group 1
Archetype
classic example of
Clemency
mercy
Disinterested
unbiased
Flout
defy; reject
Ingénue
naïve, unsophisticated person
Mendacious
given to lying
Paucity
shortage
Protean
changeable
Sophomoric
juvenile; immature
Venal
corrupt; can be bribed
Group 2
Archives
collections of old records; place of storage of old documents
Cliché
overused expression; something unoriginal
Disparage
criticize; belittle
Flustered
worked-up; not calm
Ingrate
ungrateful person
Mercenary
concerned only with money
Peccadillo
minor weakness; trivial offence
Protégé
person under protection of, or guided by another
Soporific
inducing sleep
Veneer
surface coating
Group 3
Articulate
clear; lucid; eloquent
Clientele
customers
Disparity
an inequality
Fly-by-night
unreliable; disreputable
Inimical
hostile
Mercurial
volatile; changeable
Pedant
person who insists on strict adherence to rules or narrow
learning
Protocol
procedure; code of behavior
Sparse
spare; bare; meager
Venerate
revere; worship
Group 4
Artifice
deception; trickery
Coalesce
come together; merge
Dispassionate
neutral; objective
Forensic
concerned with argument or debate (esp. for legal evidence)
Innate
inherited; inborn
Merge
come together
Pedestrian
common; mundane; banal
Provincial
unsophisticated; narrow-minded
Specious
false
Venial
minor; unimportant
Group 5
Artisan
craftsman
Coddle
pamper; fuss over; indulge
Disseminating
circulating; broadcasting; spreading (information)
Fortitude
bravery
Innocuous
harmless; inoffensive
Metaphorically
symbolically; figuratively
Peerless
without equal
Prudent
cautious; wise
Speckled
spotted; freckled; dotted
Veracity
truthfulness
Group 6
Ascetic
without luxuries; severely simple
Coercion
force
Diurnal
active in daytime
Fortuitous
happening by chance
Innovate
create; introduce something new
Meticulous
very careful; painstaking
Pejorative
derogatory
Puerile
childish
Sporadic
not continuous; intermittent
Verbose
talkative; long-winded; rambling
Group 7
Assiduous
thorough; diligent
Cogent
lucid; well argued
Divert
1. entertain; 2. distract; 3. cause a detour
Fractious
irritable; difficult to control
Inscrutable
mysterious; impenetrable
Mettle
courage; bravery; valor
Pellucid
transparently clear
Punctilious
paying attention to small details
Spurious
false
Verbosity
using too many words
Group 8
Assuage
to calm
Cogitate
think over something; ponder
Docile
gentle and easily lead
Fraudulent
fake; false
Insentient
unfeeling
Milieu
environment
Pensive
in a thoughtful mood; thinking deeply
Purloin
steal
Stagnant
still; not moving
Vertigo
dizziness
Group 9
Astute
perceptive; sharp-witted
Collage
picture made from fragments of other pictures
Dogmatic
having stubbornly held opinions
Frivolous
not serious
Insipid
dull; bland; boring
Mire
swamp; muddy ground
Penury
poverty
Pusillanimous
cowardly
Staid
dull; sober; serious
Vestigial
not developed
Group 10
Asylum
place of refuge or safety
Collate
arrange in order
Dolt
stupid person
Frugal
economical; not wasting anything
Instigate
to start; provoke
Misanthrope
hater of the rest of mankind
Perceptive
observant
Pyromania
compulsion to start fires
Stanza
section of a poem
Vignette
small sketch
Word list 08
Group 1
Atheist
person who does not believe in God
Colloquial
local and informal (used of language)
Dotard
foolish old man
Furrow
groove
Instigator
troublemaker; person who entices others to do something
Misnomer
wrong name
Percipient
perceptive; insightful
Quaff
drink down quickly
Staunch
loyal; faithful; dependable
Vilification
blackening someone's name
Group 2
Atrophy
waste away from lack of use
Collusion
plotting and planning
Drawl
speak slowly with words running together
Furtive
hidden and secret
Insurgent
a rebel
Misogynist
hater of women
Perdition
damnation
Quagmire
marsh; bog
Stereotype
fixed image
Vindicate
prove right; remove blame
Group 3
Attenuate
weaken
Commandeer
take possession of
Drivel
nonsense
Futile
useless; hopeless
Interminable
never-ending
Misrepresentation
deliberately deceiving
Peremptory
in a commanding manner
Quaint
picturesque
Stevedore
dockworker
Virtuoso
an accomplished musician
Group 4
Augment
increase; make bigger
Complacent
self-satisfied; smug
Droll
dryly amusing
Galleon
ancient type of sailing ship
Intermittent
sporadic; irregular
Mitigate
lessen; make less severe
Perfidy
treachery
Quandary
dilemma; puzzle
Stifle
suppress
Virulent
dangerous; harmful
Group 5
Auspicious
favorable; promising to turn out well
Compliant
easy to control; submissive
Drone
1. monotonous noise (n); 2. to speak with no emotion (v);
3.male bee
Gambol
frolic; leap; bound
Intransigence
stubbornness
Modicum
small amount
Perfunctory
superficial; cursory
Quarantine
isolation to prevent the spread of disease
Stoic
known for fortitude; indifferent to pleasure or pain
Vital
essential; alive; important
Group 6
Austere
severely plain
Concatenate
link together
Dubious
doubtful
Garble
distort; confuse; muddle
Intransigent
stubborn; unyielding
Momentous
very important
Peripatetic
nomadic; moving from place to place
Quarry
1. something that is hunted; 2. mine for stone
Stoke
add fuel to; strengthen
Vitriolic
corrosive; strongly attacking
Group 7
Aversion
a dislike of
Concatenation
linking into chains
Dupe
to fool someone
Garish
gaudy
Intrepid
brave
Monotonous
dull; unvarying
Peripheral
on the edge; not important
Querulous
always complaining
Stolid
impassive; dull; indifferent
Vivacity
liveliness; animation
Group 8
Balk
hinder and prevent; hesitate over
Conciliate
to bring together; end a dispute
Dynamic
lively; vibrant; energetic
Garner
gather; collect
Inveterate
habitual
Moratorium
temporary prohibition or halt to activity
Perjury
telling lies under oath
Quirk
oddity
Stratagem
plot; plan; trick
Vivify
enliven
Group 9
Banal
common; dull
Concise
stated in few words
Ebullient
very lively; cheerful; jovial; happy
Garrulous
talkative
Invidious
arousing envy
Moribund
on the point of death
Pernicious
destructive; harmful
Ramble
wander aimlessly
Strident
loud and harsh
Vociferous
noisy; loud in speech
Group 10
Banality
ordinariness; dullness
Condescend
talk down to
Eccentric
unusual; quirky; odd
Gaunt
emaciated; bony and angular
Inviolable
cannot be invaded
Morose
gloomy; bad tempered
Persnickety
fastidious; fussy
Ramifications
branches; subdivisions of a complex system; outcomes
Stringent
strict or severe
Volatile
dangerously unstable; evaporates easily
Word list 09
Group 1
Bane
troublesome influence
Condone
tacitly support; overlook
Eclectic
taking things from different sources
Genre
a category; type
Irascible
easily angered
Mundane
ordinary; worldly
Perpetuated
caused to continue
Rancor
resentment; animosity; bad feeling
Strut
swagger; show off
Voluble
talkative
Group 2
Bard
poet
Condoning
overlooking; disregarding; ignoring
Edifice
building; structure; construction
Germane
relevant
Ire
anger [irate (a) = very angry]
Munificent
generous; charitable
Perpetuity
eternity
Rant
use bombastic language
Stupefying
astonishing; shocking; stunning into silence
Voluminous
very large; spacious
Group 3
Bastion
fortress; stronghold
Conflagration
big fire
Efface
wipe out; remove all trace of
Germinal
just growing; not developed; immature
Irksome
annoying; infuriating
Mutinous
very rebellious
Personable
attractive
Ratify
approve; consent
Subpoena
summons to court
Voracious
ravenous
Group 4
Befuddle
confuse
Confound
confuse
Effigy
a model of a person
Gibbering
making meaningless noises
Ironic
satiric; unexpected
Myriad
in large numbers
Perspicacious
insightful; sharp; wise
Raucous
rough and unpleasant (of sounds)
Substantiate
give supporting evidence
Waive
surrender; give up
Group 5
Begrudge
resent
Congeal
to solidify
Effusive
gushing; demonstrative
Glacial
hostile; unfriendly; cold; icy
Irrational
unreasonable; absurd
Navigable
suitable for sailing
Perspicacity
insight
Raze
destroy; demolish; tear down
Subterfuge
a trick
Wane
grow less
Group 6
Beguile
mislead; lure
Congenital
present from birth
Egalitarianism
belief in equality
Goad
prod; urge
Irreproachable
cannot be criticized; perfect
Nebulous
vague
Pertinent
relevant
Rebuttal
denial
Subtle
not obvious
Wary
hesitant; cautious
Group 7
Belabor
explain in unnecessary detail
Connoisseur
person with refined taste and good judgment
Egregious
outstandingly, obviously bad
Grate (v)
1. to annoy; aggravate; vex; 2. shred
Irrevocable
cannot be cancelled; unchangeable
Nefarious
wicked; immoral; disreputable
Peruse
read carefully
Recant
disclaim; retract statement
Subversive
rebellious; revolutionary
Wax
to increase; to grow
Group 8
Beleaguer
besiege; attack
Consecrate
dedicate
Egress
exit
Gratis
free of charge; without payment
Itinerant
nomadic; wandering from place to place
Negate
cancel; deny
Pervasive
spreading everywhere
Recapitulate
summarize
Succinct
concise
Waylay
accost; stop; approach; hinder
Group 9
Belie
contradict
Consensus
general agreement
Eloquent
fluent and persuasive in speech
Gratuitous
unwarranted
Jaded
tired; bored; worn out
Negligence
carelessness
Petrify
1. terrify; 2. turn to stone
Receptacle
container; vessel; holder
Suffragist
someone who campaigns for voting rights
Weighty
serious
Group 10
Belittle
to demean
Conspicuous
easily seen; prominent
Elucidate
make clear
Gravity
seriousness
Jargon
specialized language used by experts
Neologism
newly coined word
Petulant
sulky; peevish
Recluse
someone who cuts himself off from life
Supercilious
proud and haughty
Whelp
young dog
Word list 10
Group 1
Bellicose
war-like; aggressive
Consummate
complete; total; supremely good
Elusive
hard to pin down
Gregarious
extroverted; sociable; outgoing
Jaundiced
cynical; pessimistic
Nettle
annoy
Phenomenon
an event or happening (plural: phenomena)
Recuperate
get better after illness
Superlative
extremely good; the best
Whet
sharpen
Group 2
Belligerent
aggressive; ready to fight
Contemporary
living or happening at the same time
Emaciated
very thin; withered
Gritty
coarse; granular
Jaunt
short pleasure trip
Niggardly
miserly; stingy
Philanthropy
charity; love of mankind
Red tape
formalities; paperwork; official procedure
Surly
grumpy; rude
Whimsical
capricious; changeable
Group 3
Bemoan
complain about
Contrite
sorry
Emancipate
set free
Guffaw
sudden loud laughter
Jeopardize
put at risk; endanger
Nomadic
wandering from place to place
Philistine
uncultured person
Redolent
smelling of; giving off odors
Surreptitious
secret; sneaky; stealthy
Willful
stubborn
Group 4
Benevolent
kindly
Contrition
sorrow and repentance
Embezzle
defraud; steal
Guile
cunning; craftiness
Jingoistic
extremely patriotic; nationalistic
Nonchalance
an appearance of indifference; calm and composed
Phlegmatic
calm; imperturbable
Redress
put right something that was wrong
Surreptitiously
secretly; furtively; stealthily
Wily
cunning
Group 5
Benign
kindly; harmless
Contumacious
stubborn
Embroil
involve in hostility or argument
Guileless
frank; straightforward; honest
Jocular
in a joking manner
Nondescript
having no special features; dull and ordinary
Pillage
plunder
Redundant
unnecessary; superfluous
Susceptible
vulnerable
Wispy
flimsy; frail; delicate
Group 6
Benignity
compassion; gentleness; fondness
Contusion
a bruise
Emerge
come out; appear
Gullibility
unwariness; trustfulness; being easily fooled
Jollity
gaiety; happiness
Nonentity
a person of no importance; not famous
Pinnacle
topmost point
Referendum
public vote
Suspect
doubtful
Wistful
melancholy; pensive; expressing a longing for
Group 7
Bequeath
leave something in one's will to be given after one's death
Conundrum
a puzzle
Emulate
to imitate something admired
Gullible
easily fooled
Jubilant
ecstatic; delighted; rejoicing
Nostalgia
longing for the past
Pious
very religious
Refute
disprove
Sybarite
lover of luxury
Zany
crazy; wacky
Group 8
Berate
scold; criticize
Conventional
usual; customary; common
Endorse
give support or approval to
Gustatory
concerned with the sense of taste
Judicious
correct in judgment; wise
Notoriety
infamy; known for wrong doing
Pivotal
of central importance
Regale
entertain
Sycophant
bootlicker; flatterer
Zeal
enthusiasm
Group 9
Beret
type of cap
Corpulent
fat
Endurance
staying power; patience; stamina
Hackneyed
common and over-used
Jurisprudence
science or study of law
Novel
new; unusual
Placate
pacify; soothe; calm
Relegate
dismiss to a lower position
Taciturn
quiet; saying little
Zealot
fanatic
Group 10
Bestial
behaving like a beast; brutal
Corrugated
highly folded
Enduring
lasting
Hallowed
worshipped; consecrated
Juxtapose
place next to
Novice
a beginner; tyro
Placebo
harmless medicine with no effect; dummy medicine
Remorse
regret; sorrow; contrition
Tactile
concerned with the sense of touch
Zenith
summit
Words from Official SAT Study Guide Test 1
Accolade
praise
Allusion
indirect reference
Ambivalence
uncertainty; having 'mixed' feelings
Ambivalent
unable to decide
Analogy
comparison
Anecdote
short account of something interesting; story
Anomalous
odd; not fitting the pattern
Apparition
ghost; something that 'appears'
Aspersion
negative feeling; damaging remark
Belligerence
aggression
Bombastic
too elaborate; exaggerated
Candid
truthful
Capricious
changeable; fickle
Cherished
cared for; firmly-held
Cliche
over-used expression
Conception
1. idea; view. 2. beginning of pregnancy
Convoluted
complicated or long-winded
Credence
belief
Cryptic
hidden
Currency
1. widespread acceptance, 2. money
Decorous
good and correct (used of behavior)
Denunciation
act of speaking out against
Derailed
thrown off course
Derivative
unoriginal
Despotic
acting like a tyrant
Detritus
rubbish
Diaphanous
very thin and transparent
Dictum
often-used saying
Dilettante
person who dabbles in the arts
Disdained
showed contempt for
Dispassionate
unbiased; fair
Dowager
an elderly woman of elevate social status
Dubious
doubtful
Egalitarian
equal; believer in equality
Elicit
draw out (used mainly for information or feelings)
Elliptical
1. shaped like an ellipse, 2. indirect
Epitomizes
acts as a typical example of
Equivocate
speak ambiguously/vaguely
Evasiveness
trying to avoid something
Explicitly
very clear; nothing hidden
Foraging
searching for food
Hypothetical
based on guesswork; not proven
Iconoclast
person who goes against accepted authority
Idiosyncratic
quirky; unique to an individual
Imponderable
cannot be understood
Indecorous
not well-behaved; lacking in dignity
Indigence
extreme poverty
Inept
clumsy
Inherent
inbuilt; genetic
Intricate
complicated
Irrefutable
cannot be proved wrong
Jingoism
using words to stir up exaggerated patriotism
Jubilant
joyful
Judicious
fair and equal
Lament
express regret over something
Loquacious
talkative; using too many words
Mendicancy
begging
Metaphorical
not literal; figurative
Milieu
environment; surroundings
Mitigated
made less severe
Nascent
just begun; in an early stage of development
Nostalgia
longing for the past
Obtrusive
easily seen
Orthographical
concerned with writing and spelling
Ossified
become fixed and rigid
Ostentatious
showy
Palpable
can be felt
Pastoral
1. concerned with the countryside, 2. concerned with the
care a pastor gives to someone
Pedestrian
1. boring (adj), 2. person who walks (n)
Perfidy
treachery; betrayal
Profligacy
wasteful and immoral behavior
Prohibitive
very expensive
Prudence
wisdom; caution
Pugnacious
aggressive
Purveyor
one who sells something or causes something to spread
Resonance
echo
Respite
break (from work etc.)
Resurgence
revival
Sparse
thin; not thick
Stringent
strict
Succumbing
giving in to; falling under the influence of
Supercilious
arrogant
Tenacity
firmness of purpose
Transcend
go beyond a limit
Variegated
multicolored
Venerable
worthy of respect
Viable
workable; able to live or grow
Visceral
concerned with the 'guts'; physical rather than mental
Words from Official SAT Study Guide Test 2
Ambivalent
undecided; having 'mixed' feelings
Apathy
lack of energy or interest
Autonomy
self-government
Benevolent
kindly
Blanched
turned pale
Bolster
give support to
Bucolic
concerned with the countryside and farming
Callous
cruel and unfeeling
Cantankerous
bad tempered
Capricious
changeable; fickle
Chicanery
trickery; attempt to deceive
Churlish
ill-mannered
Cohesive
forming a whole; 'sticking' together
Concur
agree
Cryptic
hidden; obscure
Decimation
extensive destruction
Deft
skilful
Delinquency
wrong-doing
Depravity
moral corruption
Desolate
lonely; devoid of life; feeling very sad and hopeless
Devoid of
empty of
Didactic
intending to teach or give instructions
Disingenuous
crafty
Dispassionate
unbiased
Disposition
tendency; personality
Dissent
disagreement
Effusive
overly expressive of emotions; 'gushing'
Endorse
support
Enigma
puzzle
Enumerate
count out; list
Ephemeral
short-lived
Erroneous
wrong
Erudition
great knowledge or learning
Esoteric
obscure
Fabrication
something made up; untrue
Facetious
cheeky; not to be taken seriously
Factions
sides in a dispute; groups with common interests
Flotsam
floating rubbish
Fostered
encouraged
Hackneyed
stale and over-used
Harbored
held [as in 'harbored and idea']
Hodgepodge
strange mixture
Hypothetical
not proven; based on guesswork
Impetuous
impulsive
Implacable
cannot be appeased; relentless
Impugned
challenged; attacked in words
Incorrigible
cannot be corrected (of behavior)
Indigenous
native to a particular place
Ineffable
cannot be expressed in words
Irascible
easily angered
Ironic
unexpected
Lament
express regret
Languid
having no energy or interest
Lassitude
lack of energy
Lugubrious
mournful; very sad
Mercurial
rapidly changing
Misnomer
wrong name for something
Mollified
calmed; pacified
Multifaceted
having many aspects
Mundane
dull; ordinary
Nostalgic
longing for the past
Obtrusive
easily seen; 'sticking out'
Omnipotent
all powerful
Pedagogy
science of teaching
Phlegmatic
calm
Plausible
believable
Precursor
fore-runner; earlier version
Preeminence
fame; top position
Pretentious
putting on an act
Prognosis
outlook
Prolific
producing a lot
Provocative
provoking
Raiment
clothes; garments
Reciprocate
pay back
Reconcile
bring disputing side together again
Remiss
wrong
Remonstrance
criticism
Resilient
able to spring back; strong
Retrenchment
reducing staff or forces; conserving resources
Robust
firm and strong
Skeptical
doubtful
Skewed
distorted; bent
Stringent
strict
Subtle
not obvious
Succinct
clear, short and well-expressed
Sundry
miscellaneous
Sustenance
support; food
Tenable
can be held (of an opinion, for example)
Tenuous
shaky; not firm
Torrid
hot and steamy
Undermine
attempt to overthrow; weaken
Underscore
emphasize
Unequivocal
clear; cannot be misunderstood
Vector
carrier (of disease, for example)
Verbose
wordy
Whimsical
fickle; changeable
Wistful
full of sadness and longing
Abashed
ashamed or sorry
Allusion
indirect reference
Ambivalent
undecided; unclear
Analogy
comparison
Anecdote
short account/story
Annihilated
wiped out
Anomalies
oddities; things that don't fit the pattern
Antipodes
places on opposite sides of the globe
Apprehension
worry; nervousness
Arduous
hard and difficult
Articulate
(adj.) able to express something well in words
Assuage
to make less
Auspicious
fortunate; indicative of a successful outcome
Avuncular
acting like an uncle; kindly
Axiom
something that is taken to be true; basic idea that can't be
questioned
Banal
dull; unoriginal
Bellicose
aggressive
Benign
kindly
Bereft of
without; deprived of
Bifurcation
division into two
Blatantly
obviously
Cacophonous
very noisy; unpleasant sounding
Cantankerous
irritable and difficult to please
Captivating
fascinating
Chided
scolded
Clairvoyant
able to see into the future/another dimension
Coddled
over-protected; kept warm
Comely
attractive
Complacent
smug; over-confident
Conducive to
suitable for; leading to
Convivial
sociable and friendly
Cornucopia
literally a horn filled with fruits etc; symbol of plenty
Cosmopolitan
composed of varied nationalities
Counterfeiter
faker; someone who makes fake money, for example
Decipher
decode; work out meaning
Deferential
showing respect
Deterrent
something that puts one off; a preventive
Dichotomies
divisions into two parts
Diffident
shy; hesitant
Digression
going off the point
Discriminating
1. able to make fine distinctions between; having good taste,
2. favoring one side/group and acting against another
Docile
placid; easily lead
Elite
the upper levels in a society; the privileged ones
Equitable
fair and equal
Equivocal
ambiguous; something that can be interpreted in more than
one way
Exhilarating
exciting
Fathom
1. (v) work out; understand, 2. (n) measure of depth
Fervent
passionate
Filial
concerned with the relationship between child and parent
Foreboding
sense of doom
Funerary
concerned with funerals
Galvanized
1. stirred into action; stimulated, 2. coated with zinc
Grandiose
exaggerated; too great; on a grand scale
Haughty
arrogant
Hilarious
very funny
Hyperbole
over-exaggeration
Impetuous
impulsive
Indecipherable
cannot be decoded; cannot be worked out
Irresolute
lacking firmness; inability to decide or commit
Levity
lack of seriousness; humor
Loquacious
talkative
Mediocre
average
Mellifluous
pleasant-sounding
Metaphor
figurative speech; using implied comparisons
Miscreants
wrong-doers
Mitigated
made less severe
Naive
unsophisticated; simple and inexperienced
Nonchalant
assuming an appearance of not caring; indifferent
Obliterated
wiped out
Ousted
pushed out of a position
Pacifists
people who oppose war
Panacea
remedy for all ills
Paradoxically
counter to what one would think; contradictory
Personification
1. attributing human qualities to something non-human, 2.
acting as an example of
Perusal
careful reading
Placid
calm and peaceful
Presumptuous
assuming too much; arrogant
Profiteer
someone who seeks to make unjustified profits
Propagandist
someone who spreads ideas
Proximity
closeness
Qualification
something added to modify an opinion
Reconcile
bring disputing sides together; overcome bad feeling
Respite
break from work etc.
Reticent
shy; unwilling to reveal information
Reverential
showing respect
Revisionists
people who revise; anti-revolutionaries
Sanctimonious
hypocritically holy; making a pretense of religious feeling
Stoic
brave; able to tolerate whatever life throws at you
Symbiotic
mutually advantageous; close relationship
Syncopated
with strongly accented rhythm
Tacit
unspoken; understood even thought not expressed in words
Taunted
teased; mocked
Temperate
mild; moderate
Understatement
making something seem less important than it is
Unqualified
without hesitation; complete and total
Unrelenting
never giving up; non-stop
Unwarranted
unjustified
Watershed
1. area between two river basins, 2. turning point
Words from Official SAT Study Guide Test 4
Advocate
support
Ambiguous
vague
Animosity
hostility; hatred
Boorishness
rudeness; ill-mannered behavior
Censure
blame; criticize
Concord
agreement
Conflagration
big fire
Consecrated
dedicated; made holy
Consummate
supremely good
Contagious
passed on through touch; infectious
Cursory
superficial
Dalliance
non-serious involvement; toying or playing with something
Deleterious
harmful
Disparaging
critical
Dubious
doubtful
Equitable
fair and equal
Eulogy
praise
Fastidious
very fussy; excessively concerned (esp. about cleanliness)
Fidelity
faithfulness; loyalty
Formidable
inspiring awe
Futile
useless; waste of time and effort
Futility
uselessness
Holistic
whole; entire (Holistic viewpoint = seeing things as a whole)
Idiosyncratic
quirky; eccentric; unique to an individual
Ineffable
can’t be expressed in words
Infelicity
unsuitability; inappropriateness
Integrity
honor; honesty
Intermittent
on and off; not continuous
Judicious
fair; wise
Legitimate
to make legal; give approval to
Mercenary
seeking money above all else
Meticulous
thorough; taking care of details
Petulant
sulky
Polarized
divided into two extremes
Pragmatism
practicality
Presumptive
presumed
Propensity
tendency; leaning’ predilection
Prosaic
ordinary
Quelled
suppressed
Regressive
moving backwards (literal or metaphoric)
Remiss
neglectful
Rhetoric
persuasive language
Sedulous
thorough; eager
Sermonized
gave moral lecture
Shroud
1. a cover for dead body, 2. to cover
Steadfastness
loyalty; firmness of purpose
Temporize
put off; procrastinate
Treacly
too sweet; over sentimental
Vacillated
wavered; hesitated
Vindication
proving right
Vindictive
seeking revenge
Words from Official SAT Study Guide Test 5
Abstruse
difficult to comprehend
Acumen
sharpness of mind
Adroit
skilful
Anachronistic
out of normal time range
Arcane
obscure; known only to few people
Autonomy
self-government
Belittlers
people who criticize/disparage
Byzantine
excessive; decadent
Consecration
dedication
Corollary
consequence; inference
Curtail
cut short
Debunkers
people who expose/throw out old ideas
Devious
cunning
Didactic
intending to preach or teach
Effacement
wiping out; (self-effacement = excessive modesty)
Egotistical
selfish
Embodiment
living example of
Epitome
essence; typical example or symbol of
Esoteric
obscure
Extrapolated
predicted on the basis of existing data; extended
Foster
encourage
Inane
silly
Incoherence
lack of clarity
Inconspicuous
not easily seen
Indiscriminate
without thought; random; careless
Ingenuous
naïve
Insolence
lack of respect; rudeness
Insurrectionists
rebels
Intemperance
lack of moderation
Irreverence
lack of respect
Jeopardize
put at risk
Lackadaisical
lazy; careless; lax
Lucid
clear
Magnanimity
generosity (of spirit)
Multifarious
having many aspects
Nefarious
infamous
Onerous
burdensome
Opportunism
grabbing opportunities; seeking unprincipled advantage
Ornate
highly decorated
Precursor
forerunner
Proponents
supporters
Resolute
firm of purpose
Sanctity
holiness
Seditious
causing division or rebellion
Slipshod
careless; untidy
Solicitousness
expressing care/concern
Sophistry
devious logic
Substantiate
give supporting evidence
Subversive
intending to overthrow
Sustain
support
Tenacious
holding firmly to idea or purpose
Volatile
1. evaporates easily, 2. easily angered; emotional
Words from Official SAT Study Guide Test 6
Adroit
skilful (Maladroit = clumsy)
Agnostic
unsure of the existence of god
Ameliorating
making better
Arboreal
living in trees
Ascertain
find out; make sure
Barrage
bombardment; stream (of abuse etc.)
Belabor
over-emphasizing
Brevity
briefness
Cacophony
noise; din
Censured
blamed
Circumvent
avoid
Coerced
forced
Condoning
tolerating
Congenial
friendly; sociable; suitable
Demagogues
mob leaders; agitators
Disparaged
criticized
Docile
tame; subservient
Eclectic
taking things from different sources
Elitist
favoring top group; snob
Elusive
difficult to pin down
Empiric
found by experiment/practice
Endorsed
supported
Envisioning
imagining, predicting
Extolled
praised
Foster
support; encourage
Furtiveness
secretiveness
Gluttonous
greedy
Indictment
charge; legal accusation
Indigenous
native to a locality
Irreproachable
cannot be criticized. (Reproach = criticize)
Knack
trick; skill
Libelous
open to prosecution for libel (Libel = written slander)
Naiveté
innocence; lack of worldliness
Nihilism
belief in nothing; anarchy
Paucity
shortage
Penchant
tendency; leaning toward
Perquisites
‘perks’
Phobic
fearful
Pilfer
steal
Pliant
flexible
Predilection
liking for; penchant
Presumption
assuming too much
Profundity
depth (of ideas)
Quixotic
idealistic; impractical
Reclusive
avoiding other people; solitary
Rehash
revamp hurriedly/carelessly
Repertoire
range; set of skills
Repertory
story; stock; repertoire
Reprehensible
very bad
Sarcasm
sneering, bitter remarks; ironic or taunting
Supple
flexible; pliant; lithe
Temperamental
volatile; changeable
Transitory
shot-lived
Tribulations
troubles
Unwitting
not deliberate
Venality
corruption
Vulnerable
open to attack; susceptible
Words from Official SAT Study Guide Test 7
Aberration
deviation; abnormality
Abstruse
difficult to comprehend
Affability
friendliness; cordiality
Affluence
wealth and status
Alleviation
making less severe
Amalgamation
mixture or joining of different components
Amassed
accumulated
Arcane
esoteric
Augmenting
increasing in size or number
Belied
contradicted
Benevolent
kindly
Callous
cruel and unfeeling
Candid
truthful; honest
Coalition
a union of two parts
Concordance
agreement
Conflagration
big fire
Copious
in large amounts
Dearth
shortage
Debacle
disaster
Disarming
charming; unthreatening
Disillusioned
freed from wrong ideas
Disparaging
criticizing
Embellished
decorated
Empathetic
understanding in an insightful way
Encompassed
included; surrounded
Endorsement
support; approval
Entourage
group of followers; retinue
Equanimity
peace of mind; balance; calm
Eradicating
wiping out; destroying
Esoteric
obscure
Exacerbated
made worse
Excised
cut out
Exotic
strange; foreign
Faction
section; group with common interests
Finagle
wheedle; wangle; trick
Grating
harsh; rasping
Gratuitous
free; unwarranted
Hackneyed
commonplace; over-used
Insightful
perceptive
Insolence
rudeness
Intrigued
interested and curious
Intuition
sixth sense; ‘gut feeling’
Languid
lacking energy; weak
Lobby
1. to try to persuade, 2. entrance hall
Lucid
clear
Marred
spoiled; ruined
Meager
small; scanty
Monotonous
dull; repetitive
Motley
varied; miscellaneous
Opting
choosing
Overhaul
renovate
Preclude
prevent
Precursors
forerunners
Purportedly
apparently claiming
Ratify
give official approval to
Resilience
strength; ability to withstand
Retraction
removal; ‘taking back’
Sporadic
intermittent; on and off
Spurned
shunned; rejected
Substantiated
backed up; given supporting evidence
Supplant
replace
Truculence
stubbornness
Unequivocal
certain; cannot be disputed
Voluminous
large; bulky; extensive
Winnow
sift; separate good from bad
Words from Official SAT Study Guide Test 8
Alacrity
speed and eagerness
Amiable
friendly; lovable
Apathetic
lacking energy or interest
Bypasses
avoids; finds a way around
Capricious
whimsical; changeable
Censures
blames
Conciliatory
seeking compromise
Convergence
coming together
Cumulative
building up
Deferment
putting off
Deliberation
careful thought
Delineates
outlines
Derelict
rundown; abandoned
Discrepancy
inconsistency
Embittered
full of bitter feelings
Encroaching
trespassing
Eradicate
wipe out
Exacerbates
makes worse
Exasperation
frustration and annoyance
Exorbitant
excessive
Flabbergasted
shocked; speechless
Foil for
person that shows another to advantage
Frugal
economical
Glacial
icy; unfriendly
Grimy
dirty
Inconsequential
unimportant
Indiscernible
not easy to see
Infusion
influx
Integrity
honesty
Jaded
tired; bored
Juxtaposition
placing two thing nest to each other
Lithe
flexible
Miffed
annoyed
Mitigator
moderator
Modicum
tiny amount
Negate
wipe out
Nondescript
having no special qualities; ordinary
Penurious
miserly
Phlegmatic
calm; imperturbable
Razing
cutting down
Recrimination
blame
Reprieve
let off (at least temporarily)
Rousing
stirring
Salvageable
can be saved
Scouring
cleaning thoroughly; thorough searching
Secluded
lonely; isolated
Solace
comfort
Squelch
suppress; crush
Stifling
suppressing
Surfeit
excess
Tangential
off the point; irrelevant
Temper
moderate
Tremulous
hesitant
Unyielding
not giving up
Vigilant
wary; watchful
Waning
declining
Warped
twisted; distorted
Wary
cautious
Wrath
anger
Words from Official SAT Study Guide Test 9
Alleviate
make less severe
Amalgam
mixture
Astute
wise; mentally sharp
Autonomous
self-governing
Belied
contradicted
Callousness
cruelty; unfeeling behavior
Circumstantial
accidental; indirect (as in circumstantial evidence)
Corroborated
supported; given supporting evidence
Credulity
belief
Debilitated
weakened
Deliberation
careful thought
Denuded
stripped
Derided
mocked
Despoiled
spoiled
Dilatory
slow; sluggish
Dispatch
speed and eagerness
Empathetic
exhibiting deep emotional understanding
Eradicate
wipe out
Estrangement
separation
Expeditious
speedy
Extant
still in existence
Flag
1. to lose energy, 2. to signal
Foundered
sank
Fraudulent
crooked; intending to cheat
Hubris
excessive pride
Idiosyncratic
eccentric
Impetuosity
impulsiveness
Impudent
cheeky
Indomitable
unshakeable; fearless
Innocuous
harmless
Insolvent
bankrupt
Irresolute
lacking firmness of purpose; hesitant
Irreverent
lacking respect
Manipulative
deceptive; skilful at handling people
Morbidity
concern with death and disease
Myopic
short-sighted (literal or metaphoric)
Occlusion
shutting out
Officious
interfering
Peevishness
childish sullenness; irritability
Placid
peaceful
Prudent
wise; cautious
Punctilious
meticulous
Rambunctious
boisterous
Rancor
bitterness and bad feeling
Scrutinize
examine carefully
Scuttled
sunk
Sedate
calm; placid
Serene
peaceful
Squander
waste
Validated
proved right
Valor
bravery
Vulnerable
open to attack; susceptible
Words from Official SAT Study Guide Test 10
Adroitness
skill
Altruism
self-sacrifice
Arbitration
mediating between disputing sides
Archaic
old-fashioned
Aural
through the sense of hearing
Cognitions
mental knowledge
Discernment
judgment;
Disingenuous
crafty
Distension
swelling
Egotists
selfish people
Emancipators
those who set others free
Enigmas
puzzles
Erudition
learning; scholarly knowledge
Exemplars
excellent examples of
Exonerated
proved not guilty
Extirpation
destruction
Fawning
groveling; ‘sucking up’ to people
Finesse
skill
Fitful
intermittent; on and off; not continuous
Gestures
signals
Hilarity
great laughter
Husbandry
careful management of resources
Ignominy
shame
Ineptitude
lack of ability
Insipid
flavorless; bland
Intuitions
gut feelings
Invocation
prayer
Irony
something unexpected; use of words to convey opposite
meaning
Lackadaisical
lazy
Lamentable
regrettable
Mandate
permission
Manifesto
statement of values
Modicum
tiny amount
Notoriety
infamy
Obsequious
groveling
Opulence
lavish display of wealth
Pathos
sadness; stirring the emotions
Plaudits
praise
Prospectus
brochure
Raze
knock down
Rectitude
uprightness
Reprimanded
scolded
Rudimentary
elementary; basic
Sarcasm
mockery
Soporific
sleep-inducing
Stipulated
insisted
Tactile
through the sense of touch
Tenacity
firmness of purpose
Versatility
ability to do many things
Vicarious
experienced indirectly; at secondhand