262 SAT words Flashcards
Abate
v. to become less active, less intense, or less in amount
As I began my speech, my feelings of nervousness quickly abated.
Abstract
adj. existing purely in the mind; not representing actual reality
Julie had trouble understanding the appeal of the abstract painting.
Abysmal
adj. extremely bad
I got an abysmal grade on my research paper!
Accordingly
adv. in accordance with
All students must behave accordingly.
Acquisition
n. the act of gaining a skill or possession of sth
Language acquisition is easier for kids than it is for adults.
Adapt (2)
v. to make suit a new purpose
The US has adapted many foreign foods to better suit the tastes of Americans.
v. to accommodate (fit in with the wishes or needs of.) oneself to a new condition, setting, or situation
Dogs are known for their ability to quickly adapt to their environments.
Adept
adj. having knowledge or skill (usu. in a particular area)
Beth loves playing the piano, but she’s especially adept at the violin.
Adequate
adj. having sufficient qualifications to meet a specific task or purpose
Though his resume was adequate, the company doubted whether he’d be a good fit.
Advent
n. the arrival or creation of sth (usu. historic)
The world has never been the same since the advent of the light bulb.
Adversarial
adj. relating to hostile (priešiškas, nedraugiškas) opposition
An adversarial attitude will make you many enemies in life.
Advocate
n. someone who promotes or defends something
I am an advocate for free higher education.
v. to defend or promote sth (usu. a belief, theory, opinion, etc.)
Environmental protesters often advocate for cleaner energy practices.
Aesthetic
adj. relating to beauty or refined taste
The aesthetic decorations at the wedding reception made you feel as if you were a character in a fairy tale.
Afford
v. to be able to buy
He’s saving money so he can afford to buy a new car.
v. to be able to spare (
give (something of which one has enough) to (someone))
I can’t afford to lose any more pencils!
Agitate
v. to promote sth (usu. a cause)
They’re agitating for better health care.
Allow
v. to permit or consent (pritarti, sutikti) to
US law allows citizens to speak freely.
Allude
v. to make a secretive (slaptas) mention of sth
She alluded to the problem at hand (~now) but didn’t say anything more about it.
Altercation
n. a noisy argument or confrontation (a hostile or argumentative meeting or situation between opposing parties., susidūrimas)
Greg got into an altercation with a stranger at the bar.
Ambiguous
adj. unclear or vague (of uncertain, indefinite, or unclear character or meaning.) in meaning
Her ambiguous statement made me question whether she could be trusted.
Ambitious
adj. having a powerful desire for success or achievement
Penny is so ambitious, she wants to be president someday.
Ambivalence
n. the state of being uncertain or stuck between two or more options
His ambivalence prevented him from immediately signing the contract.
Analogous
adj. similar but not identical
Green onions are considered analogous to spring onions.
Annihilate
v. to destroy or cause devastating (highly destructive or damaging.) destruction
The dictator sent orders to annihilate the group of rebels.
Anomaly
n. something different from the norm
This result is an anomaly and very rarely happens.
Anticipate
v. assume to be likely to happen
The party was just as fun as I had anticipated it would be.
Antipathy
n. a strong feeling of dislike
Her antipathy toward the professor was obvious: she rolled her eyes whenever he entered the classroom.
Apex
n. the highest point of sth
The spring play was the apex of our school year.
Apprehension
n. fearful expectation of sth
Her apprehension to leave her house resulted in her missing the train.
Articulate
v. to clearly express in words
She articulated her opinion on the price of the house.
Artificial
adj. something made; not occurring naturally
Many candies use artificial flavors to make them taste fruity.
Assertion
n. a strong declaration
His assertion that sharks are mammals made everyone laugh.
Austere
adj. extremely plain (paprastas)
He lived in a small, austere cabin in the middle of the woods.
adj. stern (firm, strict, or uncompromising) and forbidding (uždraudžiantis)
My boss had an austere expression on her face.
adj. relating to self-denial (the denial of one’s own interests and needs; self-sacrifice., atsidavimas)
An austere lifestyle, like that of monks, isn’t for everybody.
Authenticity
n. the quality of being real and true instead of fake and contrived (deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously., išgalvotas)
The police officer doubted the authenticity of the suspect’s story
Avenue
n. an intangible (unable to be touched or grasped; not having physical presence., neaiškus, neapibrėžtas) path or approach (a way of dealing with something.) to sth
The company has decided to pursue (ieškoti) other avenues.
Avid
adj. actively interested in or enthusiastic about sth
Gerald is an avid soccer fan.
Basic
adj. relating to the foundation (pagrindas, pamatas) or basis (pagrindas, bazė, pamatas) of sth
You have to start with basic Russian before you can move on the advanced level.
Bear
v. to have as a characteristic
She bears a strong resemblance to your mother.
v. to have (a child)
Judy will bear her first child later this year.
v. to bring forth
My garden is going to bear pumpkins this year.
v. to put up with (taikstytis)
I can’t bear her complaining any longer!
Benevolent
adj. kind (malonus, draugiškas, dėmesingas), generous
Many cultures believe in benevolent spirits.
Bias
n. a preconception (išankstinis nusistatymas) that prevents objectivity
It’s important to avoid bias when investigating a crime.
Bittersweet
adj. tinged (colored slightly.) with a feeling of sadness
The ending of the romance movie was bittersweet
Bolster
v. to support, strengthen, or fortify (įtvirtinti, sutvirtinti)
If we work together, we should be able to lift and then bolster the couch.
Boost
n. an increase in growth
The boost in profits was a welcome change.
v. to increase or make grow
In order to boost profits, you need to cater (įtikti, aptarnauti) to your customers.
Brawl
n. an intense, loud fight
A brawl broke out at school today after one student accused another of cheating.
v. to fight loudly and disruptively
The two students brawled for an hour.
Brevity
n. the quality of being brief or terse (abu - glaustas, trumpas)
The brevity of their time together made it all the more romantic.
Candid
adj. direct, blunt (tiesmukas)
Josh is candid about his desire to become an actor.
Candor
n. the trait of being honest and frank (atviras, nuoširdus)
I admire her candor, especially when nobody else bothers to speak up.
Capitalize
v. to use to your advantage
I’d like to capitalize on your math skills by having your work the cash register.
Capture
v. to trap or take possession (the state of having, owning, or controlling something.) of
The spy was captured by the enemy.
v. to successfully represent or imitate
Your painting beautifully captures the ephemerality (trumpalaikiškumas) of life.
v. to captivate, mesmerize (užburti, žavėti)
I was captured by her beauty
v. to catch or seize (take hold of suddenly and forcibly.)
The cops captured the criminal three days after the incident
Civic
adj. relating to the city or citizens (pilietis, miesto gyventojas, civilis)
Voting is a civic duty.
Clinical
adj. emotionally unattached (usu. used in medical or scientific setting)
Her clinical approach to situations allows her to handle them more effectively.
Clout
n. special advantage or power
Children of rich and famous people often believe they have a lot of clout.
Coarse
adj. indicating a rough texture (the feel, appearance, or consistency of a surface or substance.)
The horse’s mane (a growth of long hair on the neck of a horse, lion, or other animal.) was coarse, as if it had never been washed.
adj. lacking refinement (rafinuotumas) or sophistication (rafinuotumas)
The queen’s coarse way of speaking surprised the other members of royalty.
Coincide
v. to happen at the same time
It wasn’t until after I booked my ticket that I realized the concert coincided with my finals.
Commission
n. the use of payment to request sth (e.g. a service or product)
This painting was comissioned by a rich merchant in 1589
Competent
adj. sufficiently qualified
We need to hire a competent web developer to create a good website for our company
Complement
v. to make perfect or complete
This wine perfectly complements this platter of gourmet cheese
Complacent
adj. satisfied, with no desire to change or improve
Though he had never won any awards or even been published, he was complacent with his life as a poet.
Concede
v. to be forced to agree or surrender
With no chance of winning the battle, the army at last conceded.
v. to admit to a transgression (an act that goes against a law, rule, or code of conduct; an offense.)
Dan conceded to pranking his sister
Conceive
v. to imagine or come up with
The plan to build the city was originally conceived in the early 1900s
Condone
v. to overlook, approve, or allow
She couldn’t condone her daughter’s rebellious behavior
Conducive
adj. able to bring about or be suitable for
The noisy students hardly made the campus library conducive to studying
Conduct
v. to control or manage
The group conducted their research abroad last year.
v. to behave a certain way
Be sure to conduct yourself accordingly
Confide
v. to share sth secretive with someone
She confided all of her biggest secrets in her best friend
Confine
v. to put limits on; to restrict
We are going to confine the use of this drinking fountain
Consensus
n. overall agreement
After weeks of debating, the panel finally came to consensus
Constitute
v. to form or compose (part of) sth
The desire for equality constituted the civil rights movement
Contemplate
v. to think deeply about
She contemplated telling her teacher about the cheating student
Contend
to maintain or assert (an opinion)
The president contends that the US government will not negotiate with terrorists
Contradict
v. to be in contrast with
The camera footage contradicts his alibi
Controversial
adj. highly debatable and causing contention (heated disagreement)
Millions of viewers watched the controversial debate take place
Conventional
adj. abiding (accept or act in accordance with (a rule, decision, or recommendation) by accepted standards
She lives a conventional life in the suburbs
Convey
v. to pass on or transfer (information)
I have trouble conveying my thoughts in French
Conviction
n. a firm belief in sth
Her religious convictions prevent her from eating meat
Corroborate
v. to provide evidence for; to back up (a claim)
The note signed by her father corroborates her claim that she was absent from class that day
Counteract
v. to work in opposition to
This ingredient seems to counteract the other ones
Counterargument
n. an argument used to criticize or dismantle another argument
Make sure to include a counterargument in your essay so that you can show you’ve considered the topic from all perspectives
Counterproductive
adj. hindering (create difficulties for (someone or something), resulting in delay or obstruction.) the achievement of a goal
Bill’s idea to take a shortcut was ultimately counterproductive: it tooks us twice as long to get to the train station
Culmination
n. the final act or climax
The culmination of the performance was unforgettable
Cultivate
v. to foster (encourage or promote the development of) the growth of
Teachers don’t just pass on new information to students - they cultivate their academic potential
Decree
v. to declare formally and with authority
The president decreed that Halloween would henceforth be a national holiday
Deference
n. respect; regard
Her deference to the elderly makes her the perfect candidate for an internship at the retirement center
Deficient
adj. not enough in degree or amount
I feel as though the sources for my paper are deficient
Demonstrate
v. to do as an example
Could you demonstrate the dance move for me?
v. gives evidence for
This book’s use of words such as “grim” and “bleak” demonstrates the author’s mournful tone
Demur
v. to object (prieštarauti) to
She demurred at my request to transfer to a different department
Deplete
v. to (over)use over time (usu. resources)
The lost camper quickly depleted their supply of food.
Desolate
adj. bare (plikas), barren(
(of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation.), empty
The moon is one giant, desolate landscape
Devise
v. to come up with (a plan)
Lana devised a plan to make herself famous
Dilemma
n. a problem, usually requiring a choice between two options
The main dilemma is whether to pay for a commercial or not.
Diligence
n. conscientiousness; the quality of being committed to a task
Diligence and confidence will get you far in life.
Diminish
v. to become smaller in scope or degree
The itchiness of mosquito bites usually starts to diminish after a few days.
Dire
adj. hopeless and dangerous or fearful
When the police didn’t explain what was happening right away, Jane knew that the situation must be dire.
Discord
n. disagreement
Disputes over money caused intense discord in the family
Disdain
n. lack of respect and strong dislike (toward sth or someone)
He looked at me with such disdain that I immediately knew the job wouldn’t work out
Dismay
n. hopelessness, stress, or consternation (nerimas, pasibaisėjimas)
To Nick’s dismay, he got an F on the test.
v. to fill with woe (vargas, nelaimė, graudulys) or apprehension
Many were dismayed by the town’s implementation of metered parking
Disparage
to belittle (menkinti) or speak down (To speak in an insultingly condescending manner to one) to
A good boss is stern but never disparages his or her employees
Dispatch
v. to send off a message or messenger
The mother dispatched her daughter to their neighbor’s house.
Diversification
n. the act of becoming diverse
Lately, there’s been noticeable diversification of students at higher institutions
Doctrine
n. a principle, theory, or position, usu. advocated by a religion or government
Devoutly religious people often live their lives according to their doctrines
Dominion
n. power and authority (usu. over a territory)
The country claimted to have dominion over parts of Russia.
n. a legal territory
Puerto Rico is a dominion of the US
Dreary
adj. sad, gloomy (niūrus), dull
The gray clouds in the sky made the day feel dreary
Dubious
adj. doubtful, questionable
The man’s claims to the throne were dubious since nobody knew where he’d come from
Eccentric
adj. peculiar (savotiškas) or odd (keistas); deviating from the norm
She’s a little eccentric but still fun to be around
Egregious
adj. extremely bad
After cheating on the exam, Emily began to feel as though she’d made an egregious mistake.
Eloquent
adj. having refined or expressive communication skills (in speaking or writing)
His speech was not only eloquent but also extremely compelling
Eminent
adj. superior or distuinguished (successful, authoritative, and commanding great respect.); high in position or status
Our town made news when the eminent magician came to perform at our local theather
