PSAT Prep Vocab

Question 1

Undermine

Answer 1

ˌən-dər-ˈmīn
V
to subvert or weaken insidiously or secretly
She tried to * my authority by complaining about me to my boss.

Question 2

Cynic

Answer 2

ˈsi-nik
N
a person who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest rather than acting for honorable or unselfish reasons
Some *s thought that the controversy was all a publicity stunt.
ow: cynical (adj), cynicism (n)

Question 3

Contempt

Answer 3

kən-ˈtem(p)t
N
the state of being despised
He feels that wealthy people view him with * because he is poor.
contemptible (adj), contemptuous (adj), contemptuously (adv)

Question 4

Divisive

Answer 4

diˈvīsiv
Adj
tending to cause disagreement or hostility between people
They discussed the highly * issue of abortion.
ow: divisiveness (n)

Question 5

Profound

Answer 5

prəˈfound
Adj
difficult to fathom or understand
There are * mysteries of outer space.
ow: profundity (n)

Question 6

Tenacity

Answer 6

tə-ˈna-sə-tē
N
persistence
You have to admire the * of certain myths within the historical record.
ow: tenacious (adj)

Question 7

Denounce

Answer 7

di-ˈnau̇n(t)s
V
to pronounce especially publicly to be blameworthy or evil
The government called on the group to * the use of violence.
ow: denunciation (n)

Question 8

Disparage

Answer 8

di-ˈsper-ij
V
regard or represent as being of little worth
He never missed an opportunity to * his competitors
ow: disparagement (n), disparager (n)

Question 9

Ambivalent

Answer 9

Am-bi-va-lent
Adj
To have mixed feelings about someone
Some loved her, some hated her, most were * about her
ow: ambivalence (n)

Question 10

Esoteric

Answer 10

ˌe-sə-ˈter-ik
Adj
requiring or exhibiting knowledge that is restricted to a small group
Metaphysics is such an * subject that most people are content to leave it to the philosophers

Question 11

Abstruse

Answer 11

əb-ˈstrüs
Adj
difficult to comprehend
you’re not the only one who finds Einstein’s theory of relativity to be *

Question 12

Bolster

Answer 12

ˈbōl-stər
Verb
to give a boost to
She came with me to * my confidence.

Question 13

Autonomy

Answer 13

ȯ-ˈtä-nə-mē
Noun
the quality or state of being self-governing
The Catalans take the matter of their language very seriously; it is an outward indication of their *, of their distinction from the rest of Spain
ow– Autonomus (Adj): having the right or power of self-government

Question 14

Elitism

Answer 14

ā-ˈlē-ˌti-zəm
Noun
leadership or rule by the best of a class
He accused her of racism and white *.
ow– Elitist(N):a person who believes that a system or society should be ruled or dominated by an elite(superior class).

Question 15

Forebear

Answer 15

four-bear
Noun
Ancestor or precursor 
His * fought in the American Civil War.
ow-- Forbearance(N): patient, lenient

Question 16

Complacency

Answer 16

Com_pla-sense-see
Noun
Self satisfaction accompanied by unawarness of actual danger

Question 17

Duplicitous

Answer 17

Dupe-plic-itous
Adj
Deceptive in words and action

Question 18

Erroneous

Answer 18

\i-ˈrō-nē-əs, e-
Adj
containing error, mistaken
When you’re done, the programs scour your return for potential problems and * data and let you correct them.

Question 19

Reticent

Answer 19

ˈre-tə-sənt
reserved, inclined to be silent or uncommunicative in speech
His friends and associates are conspicuously * to discuss him in public.
ow: reticence(N)-state of being reserved

Question 20

Penchant

Answer 20

‘pen-chənt
Noun
a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something
He has a penchant for adopting stray dogs.

Question 21

Theorem

Answer 21

ˈthir-əm
Noun
a general proposition not self-evident but proved by a chain of reasoning; a truth established by means of accepted truths
The * that the best defense is offense

Question 22

Magnanimous

Answer 22

mag-ˈna-nə-məs
Adj
very generous or forgiving, generosity of mind,
She was too * to resent all the things others had said to her.
ow: magnanimously(adverb)-something done generously

Question 23

Voracious

Answer 23

vȯ-ˈrā-shəs
Adj
having a huge appetite, eager
She was a * reader, as you can tell by her library of books.

Question 24

Incredulous

Answer 24

in-ˈkre-jə-ləs
Adj
unwilling or unable to believe something
Many people were * that such a small fire could have caused so much damage.
ow: incredulity(Noun)- state of disbelief

Question 25

Negate

Answer 25

ni-ˈgāt
Verb
nullify
The fact that she lied about her work experience * the contract.
ow: negation(Noun)- a negative statement, judgment, or doctrine

Question 26

Repute

Answer 26

ri-ˈpyüt
Noun
the opinion generally held of someone or something
Pollution could bring the authority’s name into bad *.
ow: reputable(adj)-held in esteem, reputed(adj)-having good opinion, reputedly(adv)- supposedly; according to what people say or believe, reputation(Noun)- overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general

Question 27

Stringent

Answer 27

ˈstrin-jənt
Adj
tight, strict, precise, and exacting
California’s air pollution guidelines are *.

Question 28

Volatile

Answer 28

ˈvä-lə-tə
Adj
difficult to capture, changing unpredictably
The stock market can be very *.