#8 The 1000 Most Common SAT Words

Question 1

oscillate

Answer 1

to sway from one side to the other

Question 2

ostensible

Answer 2

appearing as such, seemingly

Question 3

ostentatious

Answer 3

excessively showy glitzy

Question 4

ostracism

Answer 4

exclusion from a group

Question 5

pacific

Answer 5

soothing

Question 6

palatable

Answer 6

agreeable to the taste or sensibilities

Question 7

palette

Answer 7

a range of colors or qualities

Question 8

palliate

Answer 8

to reduce the severity of

Question 9

pallid

Answer 9

lacking color

Question 10

panacea

Answer 10

a remedy for all ills or difficulties

Question 11

paradigm

Answer 11

an example that is a perfect pattern or model

Question 12

paradox

Answer 12

an apparently contradictory statement that is perhaps true

Question 13

paragon

Answer 13

a model of excellence or perfection

Question 14

paramount

Answer 14

greatest in importance, rank, character

Question 15

pariah

Answer 15

an outcast

Question 16

parody

Answer 16

a satirical imitation

Question 17

parsimony

Answer 17

frugality, stinginess

Question 18

partisan

Answer 18

a follower, adherent

Question 19

patent

Answer 19

readily seen or understood, clear

Question 20

pathology

Answer 20

a deviation from the normal

Question 21

pathos

Answer 21

an emotion of sympathy

Question 22

paucity

Answer 22

small in quantity

Question 23

pejorative

Answer 23

derogatory, uncomplimentary

Question 24

pellucid

Answer 24

easily intelligible, clear

Question 25

penchant

Answer 25

a tendency, partiality, preferance

Question 26

penitent

Answer 26

remorseful, regretful

Question 27

penultimate

Answer 27

next to last

Question 28

penurious

Answer 28

miserly, stingy

Question 29

perfidious

Answer 29

disloyal, unfaithful

Question 30

perfunctory

Answer 30

showing little interest or enthusiasm

Question 31

permeate

Answer 31

to spread throughout, saturate

Question 32

pernicious

Answer 32

extremely destructive or harmful

Question 33

perplex

Answer 33

to confuse

Question 34

perspicacity

Answer 34

shrewdness, perceptiveness

Question 35

pert

Answer 35

flippant, bold

Question 36

pertinacious

Answer 36

stubbornly persistent

Question 37

perusal

Answer 37

a careful examination, review

Question 38

pervasive

Answer 38

having the tendency to spread throughout

Question 39

petulance

Answer 39

rudeness, irritability

Question 40

philanthropic

Answer 40

charitable, giving

Question 41

phlegmatic

Answer 41

uninterested, unresponsive

Question 42

pillage

Answer 42

to seize or plunder, especially in war

Question 43

pinnacle

Answer 43

the highest point

Question 44

pithy

Answer 44

concisely meaningful

Question 45

pittance

Answer 45

a very small amount, especially relating to money

Question 46

placate

Answer 46

to ease the anger of, soothe

Question 47

placid

Answer 47

calm, peaceful

Question 48

platitude

Answer 48

an uninspired remark, cliche

Question 49

plaudits

Answer 49

enthusiastic approval, applause

Question 50

plausible

Answer 50

believable, reasonable

Question 51

plenitude

Answer 51

an abundance

Question 52

plethora

Answer 52

an abundance, excess

Question 53

pliable

Answer 53

flexible

Question 54

poignant

Answer 54

deeply affecting, moving

Question 55

polemic

Answer 55

an aggressive argument against a specific opinion

Question 56

portent

Answer 56

an omen

Question 57

potable

Answer 57

suitable for drinking

Question 58

potentate

Answer 58

one who has greater power, a ruler

Question 59

pragmatic

Answer 59

practical

Question 60

precipice

Answer 60

the face of a cliff, a steep or overhanging place

Question 61

preclude

Answer 61

to prevent

Question 62

precocious

Answer 62

advanced, developing ahead of time

Question 63

predilection

Answer 63

a preference or inclination for something

Question 64

preponderance

Answer 64

superiority in importance or quantity

Question 65

prepossessing

Answer 65

occupying the mind to the exclusion of other thoughts or feelings

Question 66

presage

Answer 66

an omen

Question 67

prescient

Answer 67

to have foreknowledge of events

Question 68

prescribe

Answer 68

to lay down a rule

Question 69

presumptuous

Answer 69

disrespectfully bold

Question 70

pretense

Answer 70

an appearance or action intended to deceive

Question 71

primeval

Answer 71

original, ancient

Question 72

privation

Answer 72

lacking basic necessities

Question 73

probity

Answer 73

virtue, integrity

Question 74

proclivity

Answer 74

a strong inclination toward something

Question 75

procure

Answer 75

to obtain, acquire

Question 76

profane

Answer 76

lewd, indecent

Question 77

profligate

Answer 77

dissolute, extravagant

Question 78

profuse

Answer 78

plentiful, abundant

Question 79

promulgate

Answer 79

to proclaim, make known

Question 80

propagate

Answer 80

to multiply, spread out

Question 81

propensity

Answer 81

an inclination, preference

Question 82

propitious

Answer 82

favorable

Question 83

propriety

Answer 83

the quality or state of being proper, decent

Question 84

prosaic

Answer 84

plain, lacking liveliness

Question 85

proscribe

Answer 85

to condemn, outlaw

Question 86

protean

Answer 86

able to change shape; displaying great variety

Question 87

prowess

Answer 87

cautious, circumspect

Question 88

prurient

Answer 88

eliciting or possessing an extraordinary interest in sex

Question 89

puerile

Answer 89

juvenile, immature

Question 90

pugnacious

Answer 90

quarrelsome, combative

Question 91

pulchritude

Answer 91

physical beauty

Question 92

punctilious

Answer 92

eager to follow rules or conventions

Question 93

pungent

Answer 93

having a pointed, sharp quality - often used to describe smells

Question 94

punitive

Answer 94

involving punishment

Question 95

putrid

Answer 95

rotten, foul

Question 96

quagmire

Answer 96

a difficult situation

Question 97

quaint

Answer 97

charmingly old fashioned

Question 98

quandary

Answer 98

a perplexed, unresolvable state

Question 99

quell

Answer 99

to control or diffuse a potentially explosive situation

Question 100

querulous

Answer 100

whiny, complaining