Top 400 SAT words Flashcards
aesthetic
concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty
undermine
to damage or weaken the foundation; sabotage
profound
having great depth or insight
refute
to prove false; overthrow by argument
skeptical
doubtful; disbelieving
ambivalent
having mixed feelings
hostile
unfriendly; having ill will
condemn
to express strong disapproval of
assert
to confidently make a statement
nostalgia
a longing for the past
pretense
a false appearance or action intended to deceive
cynical
wary of people’s motives; believing people are selfish
obscure
unclear; hard to preceive
convention
accepted tradition or practice
contempt
a feeling that someone is inferior or worthless scorn
pragmatic
practical; concerned with usefulness in the real world
foster
to bring up; nurture
revere
to regard with respect and awe
anecdote
short personal story
disparage
to speak of someone in a disrespectful way; belittle
exemplary
perfect; worthy of following
substantiate
to support with proof; verify
depict
to represent in words; describe
trivial
of little significant or value; unimportant
indifferent
having no concern; uncaring
anthropology
the study of humans and society
futile
useless or ineffective; having no useful result
indignant
filled with anger and resentment
reconcile
to settle or resolve; to unite
abstract
theoretical; difficult to understand
advocate
to support a cause or position
ambiguous
unclear; open to interpretation
eccentric
weird or odd; having a wacky personality
implausible
hard to believe; unrealistic
intemperate
having no self-control; reckless and wasteful
plausible
believable; credible
rhetoric
the art of using language effectively and persuasively
rigorous
extremly thorough, exhaustive, or accurate
subtle
difficult to detect or describe
temperate
having self-control; exercising moderation
archaeological
related to the study of people and their hostory
arrogant
having a sense of superiority or self-importance
complacent
self-satisfied to the point of being unconcerned
embellish
to make beautiful; to decorate
evoke
to bring forth or call to mind, especially feelings
immodest
lacking humility or decency
modest
humble
prudent
wise in handling practical matters; having good judgment
suppress
to put an end to forcibly; bring under control
vindicate
to clear from accusation, blame or suspicion
deride
to treat with ridicule or contempt
diligent
hard working
disdain
to treat with contempt; despise
empathy
an understanding of another’s situation and feelings
erroneous
mistaken
fundamental
basic; elementary
mundane
everyday and dull; boring
naive
showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment
superficial
shallow; having no depth of character
eccentric
uncommon, strange
whimsical
playful and fanciful; childlike
alleviate
to relieve from pain
antagonize
to cause someone to become hostile or unfriendly
bolster
to support or build up something
capricious
impulsive and unpredictable
convoluted
complicated or confusing
digress
to stray from the main topic
diminish
to make smaller; to reduce
dispute
to argue about; debate
dubious
having doubts; undecided
eloquent
having persuasiveness and expressiveness as a communicator
indulge
to give in to desires excessively, esp. with food or drink
precedent
an earlier case or event that is now considered a guide for similar cases
reprehensible
blameworthy; terrible
resilient
able to withstand difficulty; felxible
underscore
to emphasize
vulnerable
lacking protection
amiable
friendly
astute
wise; shrewd
benevolent
kind; charitable
bewilder
to confuse or baffle someone
coherent
clear and logical; makes sense
commend
to praise someone
elite
considered to be superior or the best
generalization
a general statement based on specific cases
impetuous
acting or done quickly without thought or care; impulsive
negligent
failing to take proper care in doing something
presumption
having a particular attitude or assumption as a basis
reticent
quite and reserved
scorn
contempt; hatred; feeling that someone is worthless
scrutinize
to examine or inspect closely and throughly
somber
gloomy and sad
tyranny
cruel and oppressive government or rule
acquire
to buy or obtain for oneself
aspiration
a hope or ambition of achieving something
augment
to make something greater by adding to it
avid
having a deep interest in or enthusiasm for something, esp. a hobby
belie
to misrepresent
concise
clear and short in words; brief
discern
to perceive, recognize, or distinguish something
impartial
not supporting any of the sides involved in an argument
offhand
casually thoughtless or inconsiderate
persistent
continuing to do something or try to do something even though it is difficult or other people want you to stop
mandatory
obligatory
circumvents
find a way around
fabricate
construct
discernable
able to be recognized, identified or distinguished
inconlusive
without final result or outcome
unbiased
fair, impartial
repudiates
refuse to accept, deny the truth, reject
proclaim
indicate clearly
foretells
predict (the future or future events)
recants
to announce in public that your past beliefs or statements were wrong and that you no longer agree with them
convert
change the form, character, or function of something
distorted
missrepresented; giving a misleading or false account of impression
interminable
endless, without end
align
give support to (a person, organization or cause)
positing
put in position; place
prominent
very noticeable, important, or famous
disconcerting
makes you feel anxious, confused, or embarrassed
imperceptible
not noticeable
substantial
large in size, value, or importance
prevail
to get control or influence
succumb
fail to resist pressure, temptation or some other negative force
diverge
moving or extending in different directions from a common point
intersect
to meet and cross at a point, to share a common area, overlap
deceptive
misleading
unobtrusive
low profile, lowkey
concealed
kept secret, hidden
approximate
nearly correct or exact but nor precise
peripheral
on the edge, not the main part
unanimity
agreement by all people in a given situation
altruistically
in a way that involves caring about others and helping them despite not gaining anything by doing this
mundane
very ordinary and not at all interesting or unusual
profound
very great or intense, the deepest part of something
obfuscate
to make something less clear and harder to understand
contemplate
to view or consider with careful and thoughtful attention
elude
escape from or avoid
resolve
settle or find a solution to
gilds
to overlay with or as if with a thin covering of gold
swindle
to cheat or trick someone in order to get money from them
breach
a failure to do what is required by a law, an agreement, or a duty
defalcation
an act committed by professionals who are in charge of handling money or other resources
knave
a boy, a boy servant
halter
to hang (a person)
impair
weaken or damage (something, especially a faculty or function)
unilaterally
that something is done by only one person, group, or country involved in a situation, without the agreement of others; one-sidedly
abate
to reduce in amount, degree, intensity; lessen, diminish
exacerbated
make(a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse
burgeoning
grow or increase rapidly
purported
appearing or stated to be true
susceptible
easily influenced or likely to be hurt by something
contingent
depending on something else in the future in order to happen
saturated
completely filled with something so that no more can be added
depleted
to lesse markedly in quantity, content, power, or value
indigenous
occuring naturally in a particular place
secretive
reserved, silent
consolidated
make (something) physically stronger or more solid
elusive
difficult to find , catch, or achieve
imminent
about to happen
