SSAT UL Vocabulary List 4 Flashcards
banal (adj.)
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
negative
parsimonious
excessively unwilling to spend
feisty
showing spirit and courage
mirage
optical illusion in which hot air distorts distant object
erratic
liable to sudden unpredictable change
paltry
contemptibly small in amount or size
negative
wily
marked by skill in deception
brittle
having little elasticity
ravenous
extremely hungry
adamant
very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem
barrage
the heavy fire of artillery to saturate an area
malodorous
having an unpleasant smell
superfluous
more than is needed, desired, or required
conundrum
a difficult problem
innate
present at birth but not necessarily hereditary
sully
make dirty or spotty
astute
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
aggrandize
embellish; increase the scope, power, or importance of
pungent
strong and sharp to the sense of taste or smell
ignoble
dishonorable in character or purpose
permeate
spread or diffuse through
esoteric
understandable only by an enlightened inner circle
replete
filled to satisfaction with food or drink
placate
cause to be more favorably inclined
auspicious
indicating favorable circumstances and good luck
rambunctious
noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline
arid
lacking sufficient water or rainfall
quandary
state of uncertainty in a choice between unfavorable options
virtuoso
someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
virulent
extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom
voluble
marked by a ready flow of speech
whimsical
determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity
willful
deliberate, stubborn
negative
zealot
a fervent and even militant proponent of something
usurp
seize and take control without authority
venerate
regard with feelings of respect and reverence
verbose
using or containing too many words
viable
capable of life or normal growth and development
elegy
a mournful poem; a lament for the dead
thwart
hinder or prevent, as an effort, plan, or desire
glib
artfully persuasive in speech
apartheid
a social policy of racial segregation
pathos
a quality that arouses emotions, especially pity or sorrow
parity
functional equality
disparate
fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
disparity
inequality or difference in some respect
dissuade
turn away from by persuasion
dissipate
cause to separate and go in different directions
deign
do something that one considers to be below one’s dignity
trifle
a detail that is considered insignificant
repugnant
offensive to the mind
mollify
cause to be more favorably inclined
incision
the cutting of or into body tissues or organs
meager
deficient in amount or quality or extent
timid
showing fear and lack of courage
iconoclast
someone who attacks cherished ideas or institutions
buttress
a support usually of stone or brick
indiscriminate
failing to make or recognize distinctions
misanthrope
someone who dislikes people in general
paradigm
a standard or typical example
preclude
make impossible, especially beforehand
receptive
able to absorb liquid (not repellent)
occlude
block passage through
seclusion
the act of isolating oneself from others
aberrant
markedly different from an accepted norm
cacophonous
having an unpleasant sound
curtail
terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end
dispel
cause to separate and go in different directions