DSAT vocab (top 100 words) Flashcards
What does the term ‘abate’ mean?
To reduce in intensity; to lessen
Related forms include ‘abating’ and ‘abater’.
Define ‘abet’.
To support or encourage
Related forms include ‘abetment’ and ‘abettor’.
What does ‘abhor’ mean?
To hate something
Related form is ‘abhorrer’.
What is the meaning of ‘abnegate’?
To deny or to give up the right or privilege to something
Related form is ‘abnegation’.
What does ‘abscond’ refer to?
To escape, run away, or let go of something
Related form is ‘absconder’.
Define ‘advocate’.
To support or argue for a cause
Related forms include ‘advocation’, ‘advocative’, and ‘advocator’.
What does ‘allude’ mean?
To refer to something indirectly; commonly used in literature
Related form is ‘allusion’.
What is ‘ambiguity’?
Something that can be understood or interpreted in more than one manner
Related form is ‘ambiguous’.
What does ‘analogy’ mean?
A comparison of two otherwise unalike things based on resemblance of a particular aspect; widely used in literature
Related forms include ‘analogous’ and ‘analogousness’.
Define ‘apprehend’.
To arrest someone or recognize the meaning of an idea or a thing
Related forms include ‘apprehension’ and ‘apprehensibility’.
What does ‘articulate’ mean?
To explain something clearly
Related forms include ‘articulative’ and ‘articulator’.
What is a ‘bane’?
Something capable of causing destruction or ruin
Define ‘bereft’.
Lacking something needed, wanted, or expected; a person grieving the death of a loved one
What does ‘bias’ mean?
To possess an inclined outlook towards an object or an idea
Related form is ‘biasness’.
What does ‘berate’ mean?
To scold someone strongly
What is ‘brevity’?
Something or event that is short in length or duration
Related form is ‘brief’.
What does ‘cache’ refer to?
A secure place that is used to store objects secretly
Related form is ‘caching’.
Define ‘capitalize’.
To profit from a resource or an opportunity
Related form is ‘capitalization’.
What does ‘capitulate’ mean?
To surrender on terms agreed upon in advance
Related form is ‘capitulation’.
What is ‘credible’?
Something that can be trusted on the basis of logic or rationale
Related form is ‘credibility’.
What does ‘corroborate’ mean?
To support with evidence or authority
Related forms include ‘corroboration’, ‘corroboratory’, and ‘corroborative’.
Define ‘complacent’.
Accepting something after being self-satisfied
Related form is ‘complacency’.
What does ‘construe’ mean?
To construct or interpret meaning out of a sentence or words
What is ‘contentious’?
Inclined towards argument or dispute
Related form is ‘contentiousness’.
What does ‘covet’ mean?
Want or desire
Related forms include ‘covetable’ and ‘coveter’.
What does ‘dearth’ refer to?
Lack or absence of something
Define ‘debunk’.
To expose the falseness of a fact
Related form is ‘debunker’.
What does ‘defunct’ mean?
Extinct or no longer functioning
What is ‘didactic’?
Something that is intended to be taught
Related forms include ‘didactical’ and ‘didacticism’.
What does ‘delegate’ refer to?
A representative; to entrust work or responsibility to another person
Related forms include ‘delegation’, ‘delegatee’, and ‘delegator’.
What does ‘dispel’ mean?
To drive away something (can also be a belief system or a myth)
Define ‘doctrine’.
Principles or rules that create a belief system
Related form is ‘indoctrinate’.
What is ‘dogma’?
Something considered an established opinion (can be a belief or a set of moral codes)
Related form is ‘dogmatic’.
What does ‘eclectic’ mean?
Composed of elements drawn from various sources; can refer to a person who pursues an eclectic method or approach
Define ‘embezzle’.
To take something (usually money or property) dishonestly for one’s own use
Related forms include ‘embezzled’ and ‘embezzlement’.
What does ‘elicit’ mean?
To draw out an answer or explanation often by skillful questioning or discussion
Related forms include ‘elicitation’ and ‘elicitor’.
What is ‘empirical’?
Something capable of being derived, verified, or disproved by observation or experiment
What does ‘emulate’ mean?
To try to be like or better than something
Related form is ‘emulator’.
Define ‘espouse’.
To take up and support as a cause; to marry someone
Related form is ‘espouser’.
What does ‘extort’ mean?
To take something forcefully from a person
Related form is ‘extortion’.
What is the meaning of ‘expedite’?
To speed up the process or progress of an event
Related form is ‘expedition’.
What does ‘extraneous’ refer to?
Alien; something that exists or comes from outside
Related form is ‘extraneousness’.
What does ‘equivocal’ mean?
Something that is unclear or uncertain in its meaning
Related form is ‘equivocality’.
Define ‘foil’.
A very thin sheet of metal; something or someone that serves as a contrast to another
What is a ‘fallacy’?
A false or mistaken idea
Related form is ‘fallacious’.
What does ‘fortuitous’ mean?
Fortunate or lucky
Related form is ‘fortuitousness’.
What does ‘flagrant’ mean?
So bad as to be impossible to overlook
Define ‘grandiloquent’.
A lofty, extravagant, or bombastic style, especially used in literature
Related form is ‘grandiloquence’.
What does ‘gratuitous’ refer to?
Something that is required by the circumstance but done or provided freely
Related form is ‘gratuitousness’.
What does ‘hapless’ mean?
Unfortunate
Related form is ‘haplessness’.
Define ‘hegemony’.
The social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group
Related form is ‘hegemonic’.
What does ‘heterogeneous’ mean?
Something originating from an outside source; something consisting of different elements from various sources
Related form is ‘heterogeneity’.
What is ‘hubris’?
A heightened sense of self-pride or overconfidence
Define ‘idiosyncrasy’.
A way of behaving or thinking that is characteristic of a person
Related form is ‘idiosyncratic’.
What does ‘impetuous’ mean?
Impulsive
Related form is ‘impetuousness’.
What does ‘impute’ mean?
To blame someone unjustly
Related forms include ‘imputable’ and ‘imputability’.
Define ‘incumbent’.
Someone who occupies a particular position or place
Related form is ‘incumbency’.
What does ‘incite’ mean?
To move to action; to make something happen
What is an ‘insurgent’?
Someone who revolts against civil authority or an established government; a rebel
Related form is ‘insurgency’.
Define ‘licentious’.
Someone who disregards moral, ethical or legal restraints
Related form is ‘licentiousness’.
What does ‘linchpin’ refer to?
Someone or something that holds together multiple pieces or people together
What does ‘litigate’ mean?
To decide and settle in a court of law
Related forms include ‘litigation’ and ‘litigancy’.
What is a ‘maxim’?
Universal truth, fundamental principle, or rule of conduct, or proverb
Define ‘multifarious’.
Something or an event that has multiple variety
What does ‘nadir’ mean?
The lowest point of something
What is ‘noxious’?
Something that is harmful or destructive
Related form is ‘noxiousness’.
What does ‘opine’ mean?
To put forth one’s point-of-view about something
Related form is ‘opinion’.
What does ‘ostensible’ mean?
To demonstrate or exhibit
Related form is ‘ostensibility’.
Define ‘ostracism’.
The state of being outcasted or barred from a community or group
Related form is ‘ostracize’.
What is a ‘paradigm’?
An example showing how something is to be done; a model
Related form is ‘paradigmatic’.
What does ‘partisan’ mean?
A person who is strongly devoted to a particular cause or group
Related form is ‘partisanship’.
What is a ‘pejorative’?
A word or phrase that has negative connotations
Define ‘penchant’.
Having persistent knack or interest in something
What does ‘placid’ mean?
Free of disturbance; calm
Related form is ‘placidity’.
What is a ‘prerogative’?
An exclusive or special right, power, or privilege
What does ‘prompt’ mean?
Something that asks someone to do or operate; being ready and quick to act
Define ‘prosecute’.
To carry on a legal action against an accused person to prove his or her guilt; to follow up to the end
Related form is ‘prosecution’.
What does ‘quaint’ mean?
Something marked by beauty, skillful design or being strikingly old-fashioned
What is ‘quixotic’?
Impractical especially in the foolish pursuit of ideals
What does ‘refute’ mean?
To deny or disregard
Define ‘relegate’.
To banish or send into exile; to carry out a decision
Related form is ‘relegation’.
What does ‘requisition’ mean?
To require or demand something, especially by an authority
Related form is ‘requisite’.
What is ‘sanctity’?
The quality of being holy or sacred
Related form is ‘sanctum’.
What does ‘sanctuary’ mean?
A safe or a sacred place
What does ‘sanguine’ mean?
To be sure and certain of something; something that has the color of blood
Define ‘serendipity’.
The gift of finding valuable things not looked for
Related form is ‘serendipitous’.
What does ‘solicit’ mean?
To approach with a request or plea, to make a petition to, especially a judicial body
Related forms include ‘solicitous’ and ‘solicitation’.
What does ‘spur’ mean?
Impulsive; to move to action
Define ‘surreptitious’.
Done, made, or acquired by stealth and secrecy
What is a ‘tirade’?
A long violent angry speech
What does ‘torpid’ mean?
Someone lacking in energy or enthusiasm
Related form is ‘torpidity’.
What is ‘torrent’?
A violent or forceful flow of wind or water
Related form is ‘torrential’.
Define ‘travesty’.
An inferior imitation of something
What does ‘ubiquitous’ mean?
Existing or being everywhere at the same time
What does ‘undermine’ mean?
To weaken or ruin secretly or gradually
Define ‘utilitarian’.
Someone who believes that the value of something lies in its usefulness
Related form is ‘utilitarianism’.
What does ‘veracity’ mean?
Being true
Related forms include ‘veracious’ and ‘veraciousness’.
What is a ‘vestige’?
A trace or mark left by something
Related form is ‘vestigial’.
What does ‘vilify’ mean?
To utter slanderous and abusive statements against
What does ‘warrant’ mean?
To give proof of the authenticity or truth of something
Related form is ‘warranty’.
