SAT Words Flashcards
Prevaricate (v.)
To speak or act in an evasive way
Obstruct (v.)
To prevent or hinder of someone or something in motion; to block
Dispel (v.)
To make (a doubt, feeling, or belief) disappear; to eliminate
Pacify (v.)
To quell the anger, agitation, or excitement of or to bring peace to; to appease
Procrastinate (v.)
To delay or postpone action; put off doing something
Dissemble (v.)
To disguise conceal one’s true motives, feelings, or beliefs
Bastion (n.)
An institution, place, or person strongly defending or upholding particular principles, attitudes, or activities; stronghold
Assail (v.)
To make a concerted or violent attack on, to criticize one strongly, or to come upon suddenly and strongly
Symbol (n.)
A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract; representation
Besiege (v.)
To surround (a place) with armed forces in order to capture it or force its surrender; lay siege to; to overwhelm
Citadel (n.)
A fortress, typically on high ground, protecting or dominating a city; fort,
Surmount (v.)
To overcome (a difficulty or obstacle) or to stand or be placed on
Hone (n.,v.)
v. To sharpen, refine, or perfect (sth or a blade) over a period of time
n. A whetstone, especially one used to sharpen razors
Dwelling (n.)
A house, apartment, or other place of residence
Stronghold (n.)
A place that has been fortified so as to protect it against attack or a place where a particular cause or belief is strongly defended or upheld; bastion
Whimsical (adj.)
Playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way or fickle
Irascible (adj.)
Having or showing a tendency to be easily angered; short-tempered
Gregarious (adj.)
Fond of company; sociable
Ineffectual (adj.)
Not producing any or the desired effect due to the lack of ability or qualities (of a person - in a role or a situation)
Benign (adj.)
Gentle; kindly or harmless in the sense of a disease
Tyrannical (adj.)
Exercising power in a cruel or arbitrary way; dictatorial
Abhor (v.)
Regard with disgust and hatred
Redundant (adj.)
Not or no longer needed or useful; superfluous or inessential
Despotic (adj.)
Of or typical of a despot; tyrannical or autocratic
Venerate (v.)
To regard with great respect; revere or honor
Jocular (adj.)
Fond of or characterized by joking; humorous or playful
Esteem (n.,v.)
n. Respect and admiration, typically for a person
v. To respect and admire
Peremptory (adj.)
(Especially of a person’s manner or actions) insisting on immediate attention or obedience, especially in a brusquely imperious way; authoritarian
Law - Not open to appeal or challenge; final
Invoke (v.)
To cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument, to call on in prayer, or to call earnestly for
Deify (v.)
To worship, regard, or treat (someone or something) as a god
Goad (n.,v.)
n. A spiked stick used for driving cattle, v. to drive them
v. To provoke or annoy (someone) so as to stimulate some action or reaction
Loathe (v.)
To feel intense dislike or disgust for; hate
Berate (v.)
To scold or criticize (someone) angrily
Disregard (v.)
n. The action or state of disregarding or ignoring something
v. To pay no attention to; ignore
Eulogize (v.)
To praise highly in speech or writing
Cherish (v.)
To protect and care for (someone) lovingly, hold something dear, or to keep a hope or ambition in one’s mind
Deride (v.)
To express contempt for; ridicule
Execrate (v.)
To feel or express great loathing for or to curse, swear or damn (archaic)
Laud (v.)
To praise (a person or their achievements) highly, especially in a public context
Nascent (adj.)
(Especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential; budding
Aberrant (adj.)
Departing from an accepted standard; abnormal
Disheveled (adj.)
(Of a person’s hair, clothes, or appearance) untidy; disordered
Exacting (adj.)
Making great demands on one’s skill, attention, or other resources; laborious or grueling
Disperse (v.)
To distribute or spread over a wide area; scatter
Decimate (v.)
To kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of (1/10 historically)
Protract (v.)
To prolong or to draw (a plan, etc.) to scale
Stymie (v.)
To prevent or hinder the progress of
