Word list for the sat

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A lot of students immediately think of vocabulary when they hear the word SAT. But are SAT vocab words really that important for doing well on the test? Kind of. If you’re aiming for a high score, you’ll definitely want to spend some time learning key SAT words.

In this guide, we give you a comprehensive list of 262 of the most common SAT vocabulary words. We also explain how vocab is tested on the SAT, what types of questions you’ll see, and how to get the most out of your vocab prep.

How Is Vocabulary Tested on the SAT?

The SAT underwent a significant redesign in 2016, and since then vocabulary has become a far less important part of the test. This is because there are fewer vocabulary questions on the current SAT than there were on the old SAT. 

That said, it’ll still benefit you to study vocab, especially if you’re aiming for a high or perfect score.

All SAT words are about medium difficulty and are tested in the context of reading passages, so you’ll get not just a sentence but an entire paragraph or passage to work with.

Context clues make memorizing SAT vocab words less important on the current SAT than it was on the old SAT, back when you had to memorize dozens of obscure words and answer questions that dealt with isolated sentences (these were called Sentence Completion problems). This made vocab questions particularly hard since you were given minimal context with which to solve them.

What Do SAT Vocabulary Questions Look Like?

Purely vocabulary-based questions don’t make up a large part of the SAT. Based on our analysis of official SAT practice tests, 13% of the Reading section (or about seven questions) ask you to match a word with its correct meaning. We call these Words in Context questions. 

For these questions, you’ll need to know alternative meanings of relatively common words, such as “directly” and “hold.” While you might come across slightly more difficult SAT words, you generally shouldn’t see any as hard as those on the old SAT.

Here’s an example of a Reading vocabulary question (with the relevant part of the passage shown):

In addition to Words in Context questions, you’ll get questions that require you to pick a single word or phrase in order to paraphrase or clarify part of a passage. With these questions, you must understand what all the SAT vocab words mean so that you can choose the right answer.

Here are some examples of these questions: 

In these examples, you’ll need to know the definitions of a variety of SAT vocabulary words, such as “substantiated,” “freewheeling,” and “scandalous,” so that you can select the right answer choice.

Are There Any Vocab Questions on SAT Writing?

Aside from the Reading section, are there any SAT vocab questions on the Writing and Language section? The quick answer is yes—you will see vocab questions on Writing and Language.

While most questions in this section focus on grammar, transitions, and tense, you’ll also get some vocab questions that ask you to replace SAT words in a passage; we call these Precision questions. In total, you’ll get three Precision questions, making up about 7% of the SAT Writing section.

Here’s an example of a Precision question (with the relevant part of the passage shown):

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262 SAT Vocab Words You’re Bound to See on Test Day

Now that you know what kinds of vocab questions are on the SAT, let’s go over the 262 words and definitions we suggest memorizing if you want to get high scores on SAT Reading and Writing.

To compile this list, we dug through all official SAT practice tests, looking at both the Reading and Writing sections (and not just the questions but the answer choices and passages, too). We also looked at SAT words from other online vocab lists.

Though you don’t need to memorize all the words below, familiarizing yourself with most of them should help you better identify the tones of passages and make you more efficient at interpreting and answering questions correctly on SAT Reading and Writing.

Below, we give you each word, its part of speech, its definition, and an example sentence (or more if the word has multiple definitions/parts of speech). All words are listed in alphabetical order.

Word

Definition

Example Sentence

Abate

v. to become less active, less intense, or less in amount

As I began my speech, my feelings of nervousness quickly abated.

Abstract

adj. existing purely in the mind; not representing actual reality

Julie had trouble understanding the appeal of the abstract painting.

Abysmal

adj. extremely bad

I got an abysmal grade on my research paper!

Accordingly

adv. in accordance with

All students must behave accordingly.

Acquisition

n. the act of gaining a skill or possession of something

Language acquisition is easier for kids than it is for adults.

Adapt

v. to make suit a new purpose

v. to accommodate oneself to a new condition, setting, or situation

The US has adapted many foreign foods to better suit the tastes of Americans.

Dogs are known for their ability to quickly adapt to their environments.

Adept

adj. having knowledge or skill (usu. in a particular area)

Beth loves playing the piano, but she’s especially adept at the violin.

Adequate

adj. having sufficient qualifications to meet a specific task or purpose

Though his resume was adequate, the company doubted whether he’d be a good fit.

Advent

n. the arrival or creation of something (usu. historic)

The world has never been the same since the advent of the light bulb.

Adversarial

adj. relating to hostile opposition

An adversarial attitude will make you many enemies in life.

Advocate

n. someone who promotes or defends something

v. to defend or promote something (usu. a belief, theory, opinion, etc.)

I am an advocate for free higher education.

Environmental protesters often advocate for cleaner energy practices.

Aesthetic

adj. relating to beauty or refined taste

The aesthetic decorations at the wedding reception made you feel as if you were a character in a fairy tale.

Afford

v. to be able to buy

v. to be able to spare

He’s saving money so he can afford to buy a new car.

I can’t afford to lose any more pencils!

Agitate

v. to promote something (usu. a cause)

They’re agitating for better health care.

Allow

v. to permit or consent to

US law allows citizens to speak freely.

Allude

v. to make a secretive mention of something

She alluded to the problem at hand but didn’t say anything more about it.

Altercation

n. a noisy argument or confrontation

Greg got into an altercation with a stranger at the bar.

Ambiguous

adj. unclear or vague in meaning

Her ambiguous statement made me question whether she could be trusted.

Ambitious

adj. having a powerful desire for success or achievement

Penny is so ambitious, she wants to be president someday.

Ambivalence

n. the state of being uncertain or stuck between two or more options

His ambivalence prevented him from immediately signing the contract.

Analogous

adj. similar but not identical

Green onions are considered analogous to spring onions.

Annihilate

v. to destroy or cause devastating destruction

The dictator sent orders to annihilate the group of rebels.

Anomaly

n. something different from the norm

This result is an anomaly and very rarely happens.

Anticipate

v. assume to be likely to happen

The party was just as fun as I had anticipated it would be.

Antipathy

n. a strong feeling of dislike

Her antipathy toward the professor was obvious: she rolled her eyes whenever he entered the classroom.

Apex

n. the highest point of something

The spring play was the apex of our school year.

Apprehension

n. fearful expectation of something

Her apprehension to leave her house resulted in her missing the train.

Articulate

v. to clearly express in words

She articulated her opinion on the price of the house.

Artificial

adj. something made; not occurring naturally

Many candies use artificial flavors to make them taste fruity.

Assertion

n. a strong declaration

His assertion that sharks are mammals made everyone laugh.

Austere

adj. extremely plain

adj. stern and forbidding

adj. relating to self-denial

He lived in a small, austere cabin in the middle of the woods.

My boss had an austere expression on her face.

An austere lifestyle, like that of monks, isn’t for everybody.

Authenticity

n. the quality of being real and true instead of fake and contrived

The police officer doubted the authenticity of the suspect’s story.

Avenue

n. an intangible path or approach to something

The company has decided to pursue other avenues.

Avid

adj. actively interested in or enthusiastic about something

Gerald is an avid soccer fan.

Basic

adj. relating to the foundation or basis of something

You have to start with basic Russian before you can move on to the advanced level.

Bear

v. to have as a characteristic

v. to have (a child)

v. to bring forth

v. to put up with

She bears a strong resemblance to your mother.

Judy will bear her first child later this year.

My garden is going to bear pumpkins this year.

I can’t bear her complaining any longer!

Benevolent

adj. kind, generous

Many cultures believe in benevolent spirits.

Bias

n. a preconception that prevents objectivity

It’s important to avoid bias when investigating a crime.

Bittersweet

adj. tinged with a feeling of sadness

The ending of the romance movie was bittersweet.

Bolster

v. to support, strengthen, or fortify

If we work together, we should be able to lift and then bolster the couch.

Boost

n. an increase or growth

v. to increase or make grow

The boost in profits was a welcome change.

In order to boost profits, you need to cater to your customers.

Brawl

n. an intense, loud fight

v. to fight loudly and disruptively

A brawl broke out at school today after one student accused another of cheating.

The two students brawled for an hour.

Brevity

n. the quality of being brief or terse

The brevity of their time together made it all the more romantic.

Candid

adj. direct, blunt

Josh is candid about his desire to become an actor.

Candor

n. the trait of being honest and frank

I admire her candor, especially when nobody else bothers to speak up.

Capitalize

v. to use to your advantage

I’d like to capitalize on your math skills by having your work the cash register.

Capture

v. to trap or take possession of

v. to successfully represent or imitate

v. to captivate, mesmerize

v. to catch or seize

The spy was captured by the enemy.

Your painting beautifully captures the ephemerality of life.

I was captured by her beauty.

The cops captured the criminal three days after the incident.

Civic

adj. relating to the city or citizens

Voting is a civic duty.

Clinical

adj. emotionally unattached (usu. used in medical or scientific setting)

Her clinical approach to situations allows her to handle them more effectively.

Clout

n. special advantage or power

Children of rich and famous people often believe they have a lot of clout.

Coarse

adj. indicating a rough texture

adj. lacking refinement or sophistication

The horse’s mane was coarse, as if it had never been washed.

The queen’s coarse way of speaking surprised the other members of royalty.

Coincide

v. to happen at the same time

It wasn’t until after I booked my ticket that I realized the concert coincided with my finals.

Commission

n. the use of payment to request something (e.g., a service or product)

This painting was commissioned by a rich merchant in 1589.

Comparable

adj. able to be compared

This novel is comparable to Huckleberry Finn.

Competent

adj. sufficiently qualified

We need to hire a competent web developer to create a good website for our company.

Complacent

adj. satisfied, with no desire to change or improve

Though he had never won any awards or even been published, he was complacent with his life as a poet.

Complement

v. to make perfect or complete

This wine perfectly complements this platter of gourmet cheese.

Concede

v. to be forced to agree or surrender

v. to admit to a transgression

With no chance of winning the battle, the army at last conceded.

Dan conceded to pranking his sister.

Conceive

v. to imagine or come up with

The plan to build the city was originally conceived in the early 1900s.

Condone

v. to overlook, approve, or allow

She couldn’t condone her daughter’s rebellious behavior.

Conducive

adj. able to bring about or be suitable for

The noisy students hardly made the campus library conducive to studying.

Conduct

v. to control or manage

v. to behave a certain way

The group conducted their research abroad last year.

Be sure to conduct yourself accordingly.

Confide

v. to share something secretive with someone

She confided all of her biggest secrets in her best friend.

Confine

v. to put limits on; to restrict

We are going to confine the use of this drinking fountain.

Consensus

n. overall agreement

After weeks of debating, the panel finally came to a consensus.

Constitute

v. to form or compose (part of) something

The desire for equality constituted the civil rights movement.

Contemplate

v. to think deeply about

She contemplated telling her teacher about the cheating student.

Contend

v. to maintain or assert (an opinion)

The president contends that the US government will not negotiate with terrorists.

Contradict

v. to be in contrast with

The camera footage contradicts his alibi.

Controversial

adj. highly debatable and causing contention

Millions of viewers watched the controversial debate take place.

Conventional

adj. abiding by accepted standards

She lives a conventional life in the suburbs.

Convey

v. to pass on or transfer (information)

I have trouble conveying my thoughts in French.

Conviction

n. a firm belief in something

Her religious convictions prevent her from eating meat.

Corroborate

v. to provide evidence for; to back up (a claim)

The note signed by her father corroborates her claim that she was absent from class that day.

Counteract

v. to work in opposition to

This ingredient seems to counteract the other ones.

Counterargument

n. an argument used to criticize or dismantle another argument

Make sure to include a counterargument in your essay so that you can show you’ve considered the topic from all perspectives.

Counterproductive

adj. hindering the achievement of a goal

Bill’s idea to take a shortcut was ultimately counterproductive: it took us twice as long to get to the train station.

Culmination

n. the final act or climax

The culmination of the performance was unforgettable.

Cultivate

v. to foster the growth of

Teachers don’t just pass on new information to studentsthey cultivate their academic potential.

Decree

v. to declare formally and with authority

The president decreed that Halloween would henceforth be a national holiday.

Deference

n. respect; regard

Her deference to the elderly makes her the perfect candidate for an internship at the retirement center.

Deficient

adj. not enough in degree or amount

I feel as though the sources for my paper are deficient.

Demonstrate

v. to do as an example

v. gives evidence for

Could you demonstrate the dance move for me?

This book’s use of words such as “grim” and “bleak” demonstrates the author’s mournful tone.

Demur

v. to object to

She demurred at my request to transfer to a different department.

Deplete

v. to (over)use over time (usu. resources)

The lost campers quickly depleted their supply of food.

Desolate

adj. bare, barren, empty

The moon is one giant, desolate landscape.

Devise

v. to come up with (a plan)

Lana devised a plan to make herself famous.

Dilemma

n. a problem, usually requiring a choice between two options

The main dilemma is whether to pay for a commercial or not.

Diligence

n. conscientiousness; the quality of being committed to a task

Diligence and confidence will get you far in life.

Diminish

v. to become smaller in scope or degree

The itchiness of mosquito bites usually starts to diminish after a few days.

Dire

adj. hopeless and dangerous or fearful

When the police didn’t explain what was happening right away, Jane knew that the situation must be dire.

Discord

n. disagreement

Disputes over money caused intense discord in the family.

Disdain

n. a lack of respect and strong dislike (toward something or someone)

He looked at me with such disdain that I immediately knew the job wouldn’t work out.

Dismay

n. hopelessness, stress, or consternation

v. to fill with woe or apprehension

To Nick’s dismay, he got an F on the test.

Many were dismayed by the town’s implementation of metered parking.

Disparage

v. to belittle or speak down to

A good boss is stern but never disparages his or her employees.

Dispatch

v. to send off a message or messenger

The mother dispatched her daughter to their neighbor’s house.

Diversification

n. the act of becoming diverse

Lately, there’s been noticeable diversification of students at higher institutions.

Doctrine

n. a principle, theory, or position, usu. advocated by a religion or gov’t

Devoutly religious people often live their lives according to their doctrines.

Dominion

n. power and authority (usu. over a territory)

n. a legal territory

The country claimed to have dominion over parts of Russia.

Puerto Rico is a dominion of the US.

Dreary

adj. sad, gloomy, dull

The gray clouds in the sky made the day feel dreary.

Dubious

adj. doubtful, questionable

The man’s claims to the throne were dubious since nobody knew where he’d come from.

Eccentric

adj. peculiar or odd; deviating from the norm

She’s a little eccentric but still fun to be around.

Egregious

adj. extremely bad

After cheating on the exam, Emily began to feel as though she’d made an egregious mistake.

Eloquent

adj. having refined or expressive communication skills (in speaking or writing)

His speech was not only eloquent but also extremely compelling.

Eminent

adj. superior or distinguished; high in position or status

Our town made news when the eminent magician came to perform at our local theater.

Emit

v. to discharge, give forth, or release

Plants consume carbon dioxide and emit oxygen.

Emphatic

adj. very expressive; using emphasis

Her emphatic smile told me she was excited to ride the roller coaster.

Empirical

adj. derived from experience, observation, or an experiment

You need empirical evidence to support your claim.

Endow

v. to equip or bestow (usu. a quality or ability)

According to the myth, the gods endowed him with the gift of healing.

Endure

v. to withstand, sustain, or hold out against

I can’t endure this wait any longer. Will Stanford accept or reject me?

Entail

v. to involve or include

A doctoral program entails long nights and a heavy workload.

Entrenched

adj. firmly established

Her face will forever be entrenched in my memory.

Enumerate

v. to specify or count

I can’t enumerate how many times I’ve had to remind my students when their papers are due.

Envy

n. excessive jealousy

v. to admire and be jealous of

His envy of her is quite obvious.

She envies her coworker’s social skills.

Erratic

adj. having no fixed course; deviating from the norm

The car became erratic after slipping on ice.

Establish

v. to enact

v. to found (a business, group, school, etc.)

They established a law that made it illegal to drive after drinking any amount of alcohol.

Our group established a new branch in Chicago.

Evoke

v. to draw forth or call up

Horror movies are great at evoking fear.

Exacerbate

v. to make worse or increase the severity of

The doctor told me not to run as it can exacerbate my knee injury.

Excel

v. to do something extremely well or to be superior in

She was a well-rounded student but excelled especially in science.

Exert

v. to put into use (usu. as effort)

Don’t exert all of your energy at once.

Exhilarating

adj. invigorating, stimulating, or exciting

The music playing at the club was catchy and exhilarating.

Expend

v. to use up (as in energy or money)

Be careful not to expend all your energy in the first half of a marathon.

Exploit

v. to use selfishly or for profit

The shoddy company exploited its workers by paying them extremely low wages.

Facilitate

v. to aid the progress of

In grad school, advisors facilitate students’ research and offer constructive criticism.

Feasibility

n. the practicality or possibility of something

The feasibility of her project was doubtful; she’d have to go all the way to Antarctica and back before the school year ended.

Ferocity

n. viciousness, violence

The lion is just one wild animal known for its ferocity.

Fiscal

adj. related to (government) money

Fiscal policy is how the government uses money to influence the economy.

Flourish

v. to prosper, grow, or make fast progress

After one year, the tiny plants had flourished into a breathtaking garden.

Fluctuate

v. to be unstable; to rise and fall

Stocks can fluctuate on a daily basis, making it difficult to determine when to buy or sell one.

Foment

v. to stir up

The civilians accused their leader of fomenting political unrest.

Foreseeable

adj. capable of being predicted or anticipated

I can’t imagine aliens visiting us in the foreseeable future.

Frankly

adv. directly, clearly

I frankly don’t see the point in learning to drive.

Freewheeling

adj. carefree

His freewheeling attitude often got him in trouble at work.

Fundamental

adj. the most essential or most basic part

A thesis is arguably the most fundamental part of an essay.

Galvanizing

adj. thrilling, exciting, stimulating

The galvanizing performance left everyone spellbound.

Geriatric

adj. relating to old age

I became interested in geriatric medicine shortly after my grandfather passed away from cancer.

Hostile

adj. harmful, dangerous

The voices around the corner sounded angry, hostile even.

Hypothetical

adj. supposed; related to a hypothesis

For my physics homework, I must come up with a hypothetical situation.

Ignominious

adj. publicly shameful or humiliating

The politician’s expensive campaign ultimately ended in ignominious defeat.

Impart

v. to transmit, bestow, or disclose

Parents must impart common sense to their children.

Impartiality

n. the equal and objective treatment of opposing views

To ensure impartiality, we require everyone to follow these general guidelines.

Imposing

adj. impressive (esp. in size or appearance)

The old mansion was imposing in its huge size and gothic architecture.

Imposition

n. an unnecessary burden

If it’s not too much of an imposition, could you proofread my paper?

Imprudent

adj. not cautious or prudent; rash

Backpacking abroad can be fun, but don’t be imprudent about money.

Incite

v. to encourage or stir up

Her hateful words incited anger in the crowd.

Indifference

n. apathy, emotional detachment

The girl’s indifference toward her brother upset their parents.

Indiscriminately

adv. randomly; with little or no distinction

Lottery winners are chosen indiscriminately.

Indulge

v. to give into; to satisfy or gratify

My friend loves to indulge in cheesy romance movies.

Infer

v. to guess, conclude, or derive by reasoning

You can infer from this quotation that the writer didn’t care for “pretty” language.

Innovative

adj. novel or new (esp. as an idea or invention)

Her invention was incredibly innovative and won her multiple awards.

Insatiable

adj. can’t be satisfied

A vampire’s thirst for blood is said to be insatiable.

Inversion

n. a reversal

The culture’s norms were an inversion of our own.

Invoke

v. to call on; to appeal to (e.g., a higher power)

The shaman attempted to invoke a demon.

Irreconcilable

adj. incapable of being in harmony or agreed upon

The couple’s differences were ultimately irreconcilable, giving them no choice but to break up.

Lament

v. to feel sorrow for; to mourn

Susan lamented her missed chance at going to Europe with her high school class.

Locomotion

n. movement

Physics involves the study of locomotion.

Lucrative

adj. capable of making a lot of money; profitable

Writing books isn’t a particularly lucrative career, unless you’re J.K. Rowling.

Malicious

adj. harmful, spiteful

The malicious spirit drove out the inhabitants from their home.

Malleable

adj. capable of being molded or changed

Children’s minds are malleable but only for so long.

Materialistic

adj. superficial; focus on material possessions

Many people accuse Americans of being materialistic.

Melodramatic

adj. extravagant or exaggerated (as of a melodrama)

The melodramatic play was well liked by the audience.

Modest

adj. simple and humble

adj. small in size or amount

They moved into a modest house in the countryside.

I received a modest sum of money for my help at the company event.

Modify

v. to change, alter, or tweak

Dr. Nguyen modified the gene so that it wouldn’t carry the disease.

Momentous

adj. historically significant

Her win in the election was momentous.

Novel

adj. new, innovative

We are looking for novel ways to approach the project.

Nuance

n. a subtle difference in meaning

Body-language experts even understand the nuances of facial expressions.

Null

adj. legally void and ineffective

The government declared their marriage null.

Objectivity

n. judgment based on observations instead of emotions or opinions

In scientific research, objectivity is of utmost importance.

Obsolete

adj. no longer used; rare or uncommon

Historians assumed record players would be obsolete by now, but in fact they’re making a huge comeback.

Omnipotent

adj. almighty and all powerful

Gods are omnipotent beings who can control human destiny.

Onset

n. the beginning or early stages

At the onset of her career as a lawyer, things were looking up.

Opine

v. to openly express an opinion

The new employee opined at the company meeting.

Ornate

adj. highly detailed and decorated

That ornate silverware must be worth thousands of dollars!

Oust

v. to remove or force out of (usu. a position or office)

Sick and tired of putting up with his bad moods, the pirates ousted their captain.

Paramount

adj. predominant, superior, most important

Our paramount concern is the safety of our employees.

Peculiar

adj. strange, bizarre

Upon entering the abandoned house, Kate experienced a peculiar feeling, as if someone was watching her.

Perish

v. to die; to pass away

According to the news, nobody perished in the fire.

Persecute

v. to cause suffering to

They will persecute anyone who doesn’t agree with their views of the world.

Petulant

adj. cranky, pouty, irritable

Petulant children are especially difficult to care for.

Pinnacle

n. highest level or degree

Many believe that composers such as Beethoven and Mozart represent the pinnacle of classical music.

Pitiable

adj. deserving pity

The frail-looking dog was pitiable, so I gave it some food and took it inside to care for it.

Plausible

adj. reasonable and possibly true

Her story is plausible, but that doesn’t mean she’s telling the truth.

Postulate

v. to assert

The literary critic postulates that romanticism and naturalism are actually interconnected.

Potent

adj. having great influence

adj. having a strong, chemical effect

The bald eagle is a potent symbol of the US.

The potion was definitely potentit healed my wounds immediately!

Pragmatic

adj. practical, useful

It’s not necessarily more pragmatic to study engineering than it is to study philosophy.

Precedent

n. an example or subject from earlier in time

This change in law is without historical precedent.

Predecessor

n.  someone who comes before you (usu. in position or office)

My predecessor gave me many tips for running the office.

Prescribe

v. to command orders

v. to issue authorization for medications

The directions for our essay prescribe a length of at least ten pages.

A doctor must prescribe you this medication before you can begin taking it.

Principle

n. basic truth, assumption, or rule

Remember the universal principle: treat others as you want them to treat you.

Prohibit

v. to command against, to outlaw

Alcohol was prohibited in the US in the 1920s.

Prompt

adj. punctual, on time

n. a cue to begin something; instructions

v. to incite, propel, or cause to act

She is always prompt when it comes to turning in her homework.

I had to write an essay based on a prompt.

The possibility of a scholarship prompted him to apply to Harvard.

Promulgate

v. to put into law or formally declare

The ruler will at last promulgate an amnesty with the neighboring countries.

Prosecute

v. to bring criminal action against someone (in a trial)

The suspect was prosecuted yesterday.

Provocative

adj. intending to provoke, inspire, or arouse

Her nude paintings are considered quite provocative.

Qualitative

adj. involving qualities of something (features and content)

I noticed a qualitative change in her paintings.

Quantitative

adj. involving quantities (numbers and amounts)

We must conduct a quantitative analysis.

Quirk

n. a strange habit

His biggest quirk is his love of old marbles.

Ramify

v. to split into two or more branches

Cars ramified throughout the world in the twentieth century.

Rash

adj. without attention to danger or risk

Her rash decision to pass the car nearly resulted in a crash.

Raw

adj. unrefined

adj. not processed; uncooked (as in food)

He’s got raw talent as a singer, but he needs to work on his performance skills.

In some countries, such as Japan, it is normal to eat raw fish.

Readily

adv. right away and without difficulty

Water was readily available at different points in the race.

Reconsideration

n. thinking again about a previously made choice

The judges’ reconsideration of her performance resulted in her victory.

Reform

n. a change for the better; improvement

v. to improve via change

The reform made it so that only those 18 and older can legally drive.

The government reformed its vague policies on marijuana use.

Refute

v. to prove to be untrue, unfounded, or incorrect

The student refuted the professor’s claim in class.

Reinforce

v. to strengthen or add support to

We can use these pipes to reinforce the structure.

Reluctantly

adv. somewhat unwillingly

Max reluctantly agreed to see the horror movie with his friends.

Renounce

v. to give up (usu. power or a position)

v. to cast off

Our CEO renounced her position yesterday.

He renounced his friend after he caught her stealing money from him.

Reproach

v. to criticize

The mother reproached her daughter’s school for making students come in during a blizzard.

Repudiate

v. to refuse to recognize as true

v. to cast off

The father repudiated his son’s marriage.

She repudiated her son once she found out he’d married someone without telling her.

Retention

n. the act of keeping something

Water retention can make you weigh more on certain days.

Satiated

adj. satisfied (usu. in hunger)

I felt satiated after eating a snack.

Savvy

adj. having practical intelligence or knowledge

My brother is not very savvy when it comes to using public transportation.

Scandalous

adj. morally offensive, often causing damage to one’s reputation

The scandalous politician decided it was best to resign from office.

Scorn

v. to look down on with disdain

It’s difficult for me not to scorn those who use improper grammar.

Scrupulous

adj. paying great attention to detail

I am a scrupulous proofreader and never miss an error.

Scrutinize

v. to examine carefully and critically

The teacher scrutinized her students’ essays.

Secrete

v. to produce or release (a substance)

Trees secrete a sticky substance called sap.

Sentiment

n. opinion

n. a tender or moving gesture

I am of the sentiment that you should never give out your passwords to anyone.

Even though I’m not a big fan of porcelain dolls, I appreciated the sentiment.

Sheer

adj. so thin that light can shine through

The curtains on the window were so sheer you could clearly see inside the house.

Simple

adj. easy; not complex

adj. undecorated

This math problem is so simple even a first grader can solve it.

The simple beauty of the ocean is what makes it memorable.

Sinister

adj. ominous, evil

Medieval peasants believed sinister demons could harm humans.

Solidarity

n. the joining of commonalities or common purposes among a group

I stood in solidarity with other female students by refusing to wear the school’s sexist uniform.

Sparingly

adv. insufficiently, meagerly, or in a restricted manner

Due to my condition, I must eat salt sparingly.

Spawn

v. to release eggs

v. to call forth or generate

Frogs typically spawn in ponds.

The topic spawned an ongoing debate among his family members.

Spur

v. to stimulate or incite

Her bravery spurred others to act.

Squalid

adj. run-down, sordid, or sleazy

The squalid cabin needed a new roof and an exterminator.

Stark

adj. very plain; devoid of any details or features

Looking out at the stark landscape, I felt a keen sense of isolation.

Static

adj. motionless

adj. changeless

The ball is static.

Her life has been static for the past three years.

Subordinate

adj. lower in rank

n. someone lower in rank

v. to make dependent on or put at a lower rank

The subordinate officers work every day.

My subordinate will check you in.

You aren’t my bossyou can’t subordinate me to the role of receptionist!

Subsequently

adv. happening later or after something

I subsequently went home.

Substantial

adj. very large in amount or degree

I was shocked to find a substantial amount of money beneath the park bench.

Substantiate

v. to strengthen with new evidence or facts

It is important for scientists to substantiate their theories whenever possible.

Subtle

adj. hard to detect or analyze

I detected in her expression a subtle hint of irritation.

Sufficient

adj. enough; just meeting a requirement

These boxes should be sufficient for our move.

Surly

adj. unfriendly; inclined to anger

The bartender was a surly fellow who wasn’t afraid to start a fight.

Surmount

v. to get on top of or overcome

They managed to surmount the language barrier by using a translation app.

Susceptible

adj. to be vulnerable (to something)

Children are more susceptible to certain illnesses than adults are.

Tactful

adj. skilled at dealing with people

Her tactful attitude toward our class made her one of my favorite teachers.

Taut

adj. pulled tight

The rubberband was taut and ready to be fired.

Teeming

adj. abundantly filled (usu. with living organisms)

Doorknobs are not as clean as they look and are often teeming with germs.

Temperament

n. usual mood or feelings

She had a hostile temperament, making her intimidating to most people.

Tentative

adj. not yet finalized

We haven’t made any official arrangements yet, but the tentative location for our wedding is Hawaii.

Transparent

adj. see-through; so thin that light can shine through

adj. truthful or easy to perceive

Stained window glass isn’t as transparent as regular window glass is.

She was transparent about her plans to end her marriage.

Treacherous

adj. dangerous and unstable

The journey was becoming treacherous, but they continued on regardless.

Tremendous

adj. very large, good, or bad in degree or size

Tremendous news! You don’t have to repay your loans!

Ubiquitous

adj. being everywhere at once

Cell phones are ubiquitous these days.

Unadorned

adj. undecorated, plain

Though the dress was cheap and unadorned, it was by far her favorite one on the rack.

Undermine

v. to weaken or subvert (usu. gradually or secretly)

Parents should take care not to constantly undermine their children.

Underscore

v. to emphasize or give additional weight to

This sentence seems to underscore the overall meaning of the passage.

Undulate

v. to move as ripples or in a wavy pattern

Belly dancers are known for their ability to skillfully undulate their stomachs.

Unilateral

adj. one-sided

The unilateral decision was deemed unfair by the other party involved.

Unjust

adj. unfair; not justified

The court’s decision is unjusthe should not go free.

Unmitigated

adj. downright, utter, total

My speech was an unmitigated disaster!

Unprecedented

adj. completely new and never having happened before; historic

The number of protestors was unprecedented.

Unveil

v. to make visible; to reveal

We plan to unveil our plans for the new company project on Sunday.

Urge

n. desire or impulse

v. to encourage or persuade

He had the urge to tell his parents about his acceptance to Columbia but decided against it.

She urged her sister to apply to Stanford.

Validate

v. to prove or declare valid

Your selfish actions do not validate your feelings for me.

Viability

n. ability to be done in a practical or useful way

The viability of the solution is questionable.

Vital

adj. urgently necessary

It is vital that you respond by the deadline.

Vow

v. to promise

My brother quickly broke his vow to never eat chocolate again.

Warrant

v. to prove to be reasonable

Wanting to look cool in front of your friends doesn’t warrant breaking the law.

Yield

n. production of an amount

v. to give way to or surrender to

v. to produce or supply

The farmer’s annual pumpkin yield exceeded 10,000.

Cars turning right on red must yield to oncoming traffic.

Our experiment yielded many unique-looking vegetables.

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How to Study SAT Words Effectively: 3 Essential Tips

Now that you’ve got a huge list of SAT vocabulary words you can work with, what’s the best way to study them? Here are three key tips to help you get the most out of your SAT vocab studies.

#1: Make Flashcards and Use the Waterfall Method

One of the absolute best ways to study SAT vocab words is to make flashcards. This lets you control which SAT words you study and even randomizes them so that you don’t accidentally memorize words in a predetermined order.

We recommend using the waterfall method to study your flashcards. With this method, you’ll get to see all the words in your deck, going over the most challenging words more often than the ones you already know or sort of know.

Here’s how to use the waterfall method:

body_vocab1.jpg

Once you’ve made your flashcards, split them up into decks (you can put whatever words you want in these decks) of about 30-50 cards each. Choose one deck to be your Starting Stack. 

Go through your Starting Stack, looking at each and every card. For the words you know, put them in a Know It pile. For the words you don’t know, put them in a separate Struggled pile as so:

body_vocab2.jpg

Now, pick up your Struggled pile and go through each card in it (leave your Know It pile where it is). Put the cards you know in a second Know It pile and the ones you don’t know in a Struggled pile.

You should now have two Know It piles and one Struggled pile:

body_vocab3.jpg

Repeat this process of picking up your Struggled pile and going through each card until you’re left with about one to five cards in your Struggled pile:

body_vocab4.jpg

By now you should know most, if not all, cards in your deck. But it isn’t enough to just go through them once—you also have to work back up your “waterfall” of cards. 

To do this, combine your Struggled pile with your last Know It pile (the pile closest to the Struggled pile). This will be your Working pile. Go through all the cards in this pile. If there are any words you forgot, go through the entire pile again and again until you’ve learned all the definitions in it.

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Continue this pattern by combining your current Working pile with the next Know It pile. Go through all these cards until you know each one.

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At the end, you should have made your way all the back to your original Starting Stack. You now know all the SAT words and their meanings in your deck! Repeat this waterfall method with the other decks you make so that you can learn even more critical SAT vocab words.

#2: Focus On Words You Don’t Know

If you don’t have time to study the entire list above or only want to learn some SAT words, use our list to make a new vocab list containing only the words you don’t know. So if you know a word or are fairly sure you’ll be able to recognize it on test day, skip it and instead focus on the words you’ll have the most trouble remembering. Once you have your list, use the waterfall method to study it.

If you’re not a fan of paper flashcards, you can opt for digital flashcards. Anki is a free software you can download and use to make your own flashcards. The program uses spaced-repetition software (SRS) to show you difficult cards more often than those you know (basically, a digital version of the waterfall method).

#3: Take Official SAT Practice Tests

Since the majority of the words in our list above come from official SAT practice tests, once you’ve studied these SAT words, you can put your knowledge to the test by taking a practice test. This lets you see whether you truly know the meanings of the words and whether you’ll be able to get the right answers in the context of a full-length, timed test—just like the real SAT.

If you miss any questions because you forgot the meaning of a word, go back over our SAT vocab words list using your flashcards and the waterfall method.

The Best SAT Vocab Flashcards

If you plan to make your own SAT vocab flashcards from our list, you’ll need at least 300 blank index cards and a system to keep them organized. These basic cards are an affordable option that are also available in fun colors. You can keep them organized with plastic baggies or rubber bands, or you can get an organizer. Alternatively, try these easy-flip flashcards that include binder clips. 

Though we strongly recommend making your own flashcards, you can also buy pre-made ones. There aren’t a lot of options for the new SAT. We’d recommend going with Barron’s 1100 Words You Need to Know, a series of exercises to master key words and idioms, or Manhattan’s GRE flashcards if you’re looking for a challenge. 

Conclusion: The Importance of Studying SAT Vocabulary

Overall, vocabulary words don’t play a huge part on the SAT. That said, you’ll definitely have some questions on both the Reading and Writing sections that test your knowledge of SAT words, so it’s important to study those most likely to appear on test day.

The best way to study SAT vocabulary is to make flashcards and use the waterfall method. This ensures you know all the words in your deck and aren’t glossing over any difficult ones.

If you don’t want to make flashcards or don’t have time to study the whole list, however, it’s a good idea to pick out the words you don’t know and study just those. With these, you can either make a smaller deck of paper flashcards or opt for digital flashcards.

No matter how you choose to study SAT vocab words, be sure to test out what you’ve learned in the context of full-length practice tests. Nearly all the words in our list above come from official SAT practice tests, so you’re guaranteed to come across them in some form!

What’s Next?

Want more tips on how to study SAT vocabulary words? Check out our expert tips for memorizing SAT words fast and learn why the waterfall method works so well.

Aiming for a high SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score? Take a peek at our in-depth guides to getting a perfect Reading score and learning how to read SAT passages.

Taking the ACT instead? Then you’ll need to know vocab for that test, too. Learn what words to expect on the ACT and how to study them.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?

Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don’t improve your SAT score by 160 points or more.

Our classes are entirely online, and they’re taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you’ll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you’ll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We’ll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you’ll never be confused about what to study next.

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 3000 Common SAT Vocabulary Words

1   Overview:

3000 Common SAT Vocabulary Words is a middle-level list for test-takers to warm up known words and learn new words. Usually, students need three or more months to finish it. If you aim to good-rank universities, the list is a solid start to challenge harder SAT vocabulary.

The vocabulary consists of 3000+ SAT words that high school students, especially in 12th grade, should master before SAT exam. These words are mainly from recent SAT papers and the College Board’s official practice materials.

In addition to definitions and explanations, the vocabulary includes interactive exercises, such as meaning matching and spelling. These exercises, available for each word, can be launched with a few clicks. For those who prefer to study SAT vocabulary offline or traditionally, the vocabulary offers printable flashcards and PDF files.

If you want a better SAT score, you must own a strong SAT vocabulary that impacts all test modules. It means that you will spend more time studying SAT words. This list is a good candidate if you schedule 3 months or more. Try some content quickly; you can know if it matches your current vocabulary level and helps to up vocabulary skills efficiently.

Does this SAT Vocabulary List meet your case? We divide the words into three levels; each consists of 4 groups. Want to view them quickly? Watch them here.

Last but not least, SAT Official Website is the right place to solve problems related to the SAT. If any doubts or questions about SAT vocabulary may impact your preparation and even your final score, don’t hesitate to get there and clarify them.

2   Alternative SAT vocabularies:

We know one words list cannot cover all SAT takers’ requirements. If you think the 3000 Common SAT Vocabulary List doesn’t match your circumstance, please try other lists on the website.

However, if you are serious about preparing for SAT, smaller or easier lists shouldn’t be an option unless you use them as a supplement. For example, we recommend the following two vocabularies to supplement 3000 common SAT vocabulary. They are very useful for enhancing reading and writing words, especially for high score hunters.

3   Words’ EBook, PDF, and Cards:

SAT Vocabulary EBook

We have published an ebook that matches the 3000 Common SAT Vocabulary List. Students can buy from leading ebook distributors.

Apple iBookKoboBarnes & NobleAmazon Kindle

SAT Vocabulary PDF List

Some students like using PDF lists to learn and review words. We do offer a handy feature to make SAT PDF word list for each group. Below are demos of Level 1’s first group, including nine non-English explanations.

If you have a VIP account, you can print all groups’ word list on the website; the details are in:

SAT Vocabulary Cards

Cards are helpful tools for some students to study new words. We offer two buttons to make SAT one-side and two-side flashcards for each group. Below are one-side cards for Level 1’s first group, including 9 non-English explanations.

If you have a VIP account, you can print all groups’ cards, either one-side or two-side; the details are in:

DIY — PDF files

Some students need PDF files to study English words. We did publish some SAT vocabulary lists in PDF. However, we encourage our visitors to create customized files based on our SAT vocabulary lists.

We have provided a web app to customize PDF through various vocabularies, which can be directly run from Print Vocabulary in PDF. It can load all vocabularies of this website; the 3000 Common SAT Vocabulary List is one of them.

If you need more flexible solutions, e.g., you plan to include non-English definitions, we suggest following Download SAT Vocabulary PDF. In addition to printing the whole group’s words, it tells you how to leverage other free Internet PDF tools to produce a PDF file based on this website’s vocabulary lists in a few minutes.

4   Manage Word Status:

There are two ways: the Note page or the Panel page to manage words’ statuses. To speed up your studying, you can manage the words by marking them as New, Known, and Review status. You can also save the statuses to the cloud and sync back if your device has trouble or want to switch to other devices.

Word status works for all vocabularies on the website, including 3000 SAT Words. It is a handy flag to skip known words and focus on new and half-familiar words.

By Note

Manage SAT Word by Note

By Panel

Manage SAT Word by Panel

5   View all words by groups:        

Go to Word List by Group:

Select Vocabulary Group:

Words of Group 1: (Part of words, select list to view all.)

abandon

abduction

abject

abrasive

absolute

absolve

absorb

abstinence

abstract

abusive

abyss

academic

accelerate

accessible

accessory

accommodate

accomplice

accord

acknowledge

acme

acquire

acquittal

acute

adage

adamant

adapt

addiction

address

adept

adhere

adjacent

administration

adolescence

adversary

adverse

adversity

6   Demonstrate word list style:

coincidence  
Pronounce
n. two or more things occurring at the same time by chance
Was it just a coincidence that she and John had chanced to meet at the market, or was he deliberately trying to seek her out?
Show examples and contexts  
Close

collateral  
Pronounce
n. security pledged for repayment of loan
The sum you wish to borrow is so large that it must be secured by collateral.
Show examples and contexts  
Close

comatose  
Pronounce
a. in coma; extremely sleepy; unconscious
We would expect a reasonable adult, if a kid is in comatose, to call an ambulance.
Show examples and contexts  
Close

communal  
Pronounce
a. held in common; of a group of people
When they were divorced, they had trouble dividing their communal property.
Show examples and contexts  
Close

compact  
Pronounce
n. small and economical car; small cosmetics case
I decide to buy a compact because a small car helps to save gas.
Show examples and contexts  
Close

compelling  
Pronounce
a. overpowering; drivingly forceful; urgently requiring attention
They had better not succeed in compelling anyone to work the proposed shift to midnight.
Show examples and contexts  
Close

7   Word meaning matching — Test words you know:

absolve  Speak
Exercise

declare or state with confidence; put oneself forward boldly

Exercise

pronounce clear of guilt or blame; grant remission of sin to; acquit

Exercise

randomly chosen; determined by chance or impulse, and not by reason or principle

Exercise

overpowering; drivingly forceful; urgently requiring attention

accelerate  Speak
Exercise

sudden, unexpected fancy; impulsive change of mind

Exercise

sudden downfall; complete disaster

Exercise

a group of parts that work together to perform a given function; appliance, or device for a particular purpose

Exercise

move faster; cause to develop or progress more quickly; occur sooner than expected

adage  Speak
Exercise

cause to become unfriendly or hostile; transfer property or ownership; isolate or dissociate emotionally

Exercise

sudden, unexpected fancy; impulsive change of mind

Exercise

covered passageway, usually lined with shops; simple arched opening in a wall; vault or vaulted place

Exercise

wise saying; brief familiar proverb;  expression of popular wisdom

adjacent  Speak
Exercise

adjoining; neighboring; close to; lying near

Exercise

of extraordinary size; huge; gigantic

Exercise

sudden, unexpected fancy; impulsive change of mind

Exercise

settlement or compromise of conflicting opinions; written agreement between two states

adverse  Speak
Exercise

randomly chosen; determined by chance or impulse, and not by reason or principle

Exercise

in opposing direction; harmful or unfavorable; acting or serving to oppose

Exercise

find out for certain; discover with certainty; make sure of

Exercise

disagreeably damp or humid; cold moisture; unpleasant humidity

anemia  Speak
Exercise

having no name; having an unknown or unacknowledged name

Exercise

the opponent in a contest; someone who offers opposition

Exercise

disagreeably damp or humid; cold moisture; unpleasant humidity

Exercise

condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; deficiency of red blood cells; lack of vitality

8   Interactive spelling — Check your spelling skill online:

Read [Esc]
n. the opponent in a contest; someone who offers opposition

Spelling Word: adversary

Read [Esc]
n. written statement made under oath

Spelling Word: affidavit

Read [Esc]
n. partnership; alliance; association in the same family or society

Spelling Word: affiliation

Read [Esc]
n. assumed name; another name; a name that has been assumed temporarily

Spelling Word: alias

Read [Esc]
n. condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; deficiency of red blood cells; lack of vitality

Spelling Word: anemia

Read [Esc]
a. arising from feeling or assumption of one’s superiority toward others

Spelling Word: arrogant

Many students relate the phrase “SAT” with vocabulary. But is good language important to pass the examination? In a way, yes. It can help the candidates get good marks in the SAT exam. Thus, investing some time in vocab learning is important for better academic communication. There are many vocabulary words in the dictionary. But here is a list of top SAT vocabulary words that candidates can refer to.

Words Meaning
Abandon Give Up
Abate Less Intense
Abet Encourage 
Accede Agreeing On A Demand
Adapt Adjust
Adequate Enough
Ambivalence Uncertainty
Analogous Parallel
Anomaly Oddity
Expect Predict
Antipathy Hostility
Apex Tip
Apprehension Anxiety
Articulate Fluent
Artificial False
Assertion Declaration
Authenticity Genuine
Avenue Path
Basic Fundamental
Bear Support
Berate Scold
Bias Partiality
Bittersweet Partly bitter or sweet
Boost  Increase
Bovine Relating To Cattle
Braggart A Person Who Boasts About Achievements
Brawl Fight
Brevity Shortness
Burnish Polish
Cacophony Harsh Mixture Of Sounds
Candid Frank
Capture Catch
Catalyst Substance That Leads To Chemical Reaction Increase
Cache Collection Of Similar Items
Censorious Critical Of Others
Clout Smack
Coincide Occur
Commission An Offer
Comparable Similar
Competent Capable
Complacent Self-satisfied
Concede Admit
Conceive To Produce Something
Conduct Manage
Constitute Compose
Course Route
Culmination Climax
Dearth Lack
Deference Respect
Demagogue Rabble-rouser
Demur To Object To
Deplete Use Over Time
Desolate Empty
Devise To Come Up With
Dilemma Confusion
Diluvial Biblical Flood
Diminish To Become Small
Dire Hopeless
Disdain Lack Of Respect
Dispassionate No Strong Interest
Doctrine Belief
Effluvia Harmful Odor
Eloquent Expressive Communication Skills
Eminent High Position
Emulate Match
Endure To Withstand
Entail To Invoice
Specify State
Epochal Significant
Erratic Deviating From The Norm
Establish To Found
Excel To Top
Exploit To Use For-Profit
Expound Present
Ferocity Violence
Flourish Prosper
Forcible Forceful
Frankly Directly
Fundamental Basic
Galvanizing Shock
Geriatric Relating To Old People
Hostile Aggressive
Hubris Excessive Pride
Impart Spread
Impartiality Unfairness
Imposition Forcing
Indifference Lack Of Interest
Indulge Give Away To
Importunate Persistent
Innovative Original
Inversion Reverse
Lament Groan
Locomotion Movement
Malicious Bitter
Materialistic Worldly
Modest Humble
Mawkish Sentimental
Novel Book
Null Invalid
Objectify Degrade To A Status
Omnipotent Supreme
Onset Beginning
Opine Suggest
Oust Expel
Pandemic Widespread
Paramount Most Important
Patrician Aristocrat
Peculiar Strange
Potent Powerful
Perish Fall
Persecute Oppress
Petulant Peevish
Pinnacle Peak
Pitiable Deserving Pity
Plausible Credible
Prompt Give Rise To
Polyglot Writing Or Speaking In Many Languages
Provocative Infuriating
Prescribe Order 
Prestidigitation Sleight Of Hand
Prohibit Banning
Placid Tranquil
Prosecute Criminal Proceedings Against A Person
Quantitative Expressible Amount
Quirk Oddity
Quarry Mine For Stone
Ramify To Split Up Into Branches
Rancor Bitterness
Rarefy Become Less Solid
Rash Reckless
Raw Uncooked
Reapproach To approach anew
Reform Improve
Refute Disprove
Reinforce Strengthen
Resilient Strong
Revile Criticize
Rife Widespread
Sanctimonious Pious
Satiated To excess
Savvy Sharpness
Scandalous Disreputable
Scorn Contempt
Sagacious Wise
Scrupulous Careful
Sedition Agitation
Sacrosanct Very Holy
Sentiment Emotion
Sheer Utter
Sallow Yellowish
Simple Easy
Sinecure Soft Option
Spawn Offspring In Great Numbers
Spur Incentive
Subordinate Junior
Stroke Strengthen 
Significant Important
Subtle Fine
Ample Many
Surly Grumpy
Surmount Overcome
Sybarite Sensualist
Tactful Considerate
Taut Tight
Teeming Be full of
Temperament Nature
Tentative Approximate
Terse Abrupt
Transparent Clear
Tremendous Extreme
Trounce Beat Hollow
Ubiquitous Everywhere
Unadorned Undecorated
Undermine Wear Away
Unwitting Unconscious
Underscore Line Drawn Under A Word
Undulate Surge
Unilateral Involving Only One Group Or Community
Upbraid Scold
Unjust Unfair
Uproarious Very funny
Unmitigated Absolute
Unprecedented Unmatched
Unveil Reveal
Urge Desire
Upshot Outcome
Usury  Lending Money
Validate Prove
Viability State Of Being Viable
Vital Important
Venal Corrupt
Vow Oath
Vital Essential
Warrant Authorization
Winsome Appealing
Wry Ironic
Yeoman Attendant
Yield Surrender
Yowl Making A Loud Cry
Zenith High Point

How Is Vocabulary Accessed On The SAT?

The SAT question paper has undergone many changes. Before, many questions used to come from the vocabulary. Today, only fewer vocabulary questions appear in the examination. But, learning the SAT vocabulary word list PDF can help the candidate come out with good results.

parallel

All SAT terms are tricky and examiners access them in the context of reading passages. Thus, candidates will have to solve more sentences. It is not a compulsion to memorize all the SAT vocabulary words in the PDF. But students can learn from the SAT vocabulary word list PDF to get good results. They can get better results than other students by going through the list.

What Is The Format Of SAT Vocabulary Question?

Few questions will come from the Vocabulary Cartoons II SAT word power PDF. Yet, you can expect roughly seven questions from the Reading section. Candidates will have to match a word with its correct definition. To solve this section, students need to learn the synonyms of words such as “directly”, “hold”, etc. They might also have to pick a word or phrase to clarify the passage. So, read the synonyms of the words mentioned in the Vocabulary Cartoons II SAT word power PDF. This will make your SAT vocabulary words practice more efficient. Also, it will help you get good grades in the section.

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Is There Any Vocabulary on the SAT Writing?

Yes, some questions appear from vocabulary on the SAT writing. You will also find vocab questions in the Language and Writing section. This sub-section focuses on transitions, grammar, and tense. But you can also expect to get Precision questions. Only three precision questions appear in the paper. Here, you have to replace SAT vocabulary words with the words in the passage.

What are the 3 Essential Tips To Study SAT Words?

Now that you have a list, you must be wondering how to learn SAT vocabulary words in easy steps. We have mentioned three essential tips to help you understand the SAT vocabulary words.

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  • Study The Flash Cards Using The Waterfall Method

This is one of the best SAT vocabulary words practice. For this method, make flashcards, i.e., write each word on a card and create a deck. For example, you can write all the Vocabulary Cartoons II SAT word power PDF words and build a separate deck. Now split the deck into 30-50 cards each. Now choose a deck randomly and look at each card. You can create a different pile for “Know” and “Don’t Know” stacks.

Whichever SAT vocabulary words you learn in the process, put them in the “Know” file. Put the others in the “Don’t Know” pile. Repeat this process until all your cards in the “Don’t Know” pile shift to the “Know” pile. Then, repeat the same process before your examination. With this pattern, you will have the best SAT vocabulary words practice. Besides, you will beat the tough questions like a pro. 

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  • Pay More Attention To Unknown Words

Suppose you don’t have enough time to revise the complete Vocabulary Cartoons II SAT word power PDF. You can use our inventory to create a new vocab list with unknown words. You can skip the simpler terms. Concentrate on the ones you’ll have the most trouble remembering. Once you’ve compiled your list, review it using the waterfall approach.

If you don’t like paper flashcards, you can use digital flashcards instead. Several free programs use spaced-repetition software (SRS) to display more challenging cards. So, you can prepare these from online platforms. This will broaden your vocabulary. 

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  • Take SAT Practice Tests

The majority of the SAT vocabulary word list PDF words are from actual SAT practice exams. So, you may put your learning into practice by taking mock tests. After you have studied the SAT vocabulary word list PDF, take the mock test to prepare better. This allows you to check if you understand the meanings of the words. Besides, it will also help you know if you’ll answer the questions in the timed test setting. This way, you can prepare for the actual SAT examination.

How To Make The Best SAT Vocab Flashcards?

You can make your flashcards. For this, you will need 300 blank index cards. You can buy them in various colors at low prices. You can use elastic bands to keep them together. Besides, you can also use binder-clipped flash cards. These flashcards are available in ready-made versions on the market. 

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Conclusion

To sum up, these are some easy tips on learning SAT vocabulary words and memorizing them all. Vocabulary words don’t play a significant role in the SAT. Yet you’ll almost have some SAT word questions in the Reading and Writing sections. Thus, the SAT vocabulary word practice is essential to pass the exam with good results.

Making flashcards and the waterfall approach is the best SAT vocabulary word practice method. This ensures that you are familiar with the terms in your deck and not skipping any tough ones. But, if you don’t want to create flashcards, there is another way too. You can pick the difficult words and study them. No matter what method you choose, try to cover all the words. This is because all the words from the pdf come from SAT practice tests.

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Получить 1500 слов для экзаменов

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GMAT, GRE, SAT, ACT, SSAT

Посмотреть список слов

В заданиях экзаменов SAT и ACT встречаются незнакомые слова, которые  усложняют понимание текста или вопросов. Не зная значение проверяемых слов, выбрать правильный ответ практически невозможно. Не секрет, что даже носители языка специально учат редкие слова при подготовке к образовательным экзаменам. Мы предлагаем вам уникальный ресурс — список 1500 слов, знание которых поможет вам лучше подготовиться к экзаменам.

  • Повысьте ваши шансы сдать экзамен на высокий балл за счет хорошего знания продвинутой академической лексики
  • Не тратьте время на поиск нужных слов в разных учебниках и словарях — мы проделали эту работу за вас!
  • Узнайте произношение слова, его значение и перевод — наш список содержит всю нужную информацию
  • Не отвлекайтесь на слова, которые имеют аналоги в русском языке — в этом списке их нет!
Пример из экзамена SAT

The author’s attitude toward pharming is best described as one of
 

          (A) apprehension

          (B) ambivalence

          (C) appreciation

          (D) astonishment

(The Official SAT Study Book, page 638)

Vocabulary List

Как учить новые слова?

Традиционный способ заучивания слов – зубрежка – малоэффективен. Мы предлагаем другой подход, основанный на методе ассоциативного запоминания. При таком подходе вы представляете ситуацию с новым словом, стоите ассоциацию. Для того, чтобы добиться этого эффекта, предлагаем вам запоминать не отдельное слово, а фразу из двух слов. Например, слово venom (яд) гораздо легче запомнить в фразе deadly venom (смертельный яд). Узнайте подробнее о том, как работает эта методика.

Нужные слова для экзаменов в одном списке 

Получите один компактный удобный список нужных слов, а не несколько дорогих и громоздких учебников. Наш список составлен на основе лучших учебных пособий ведущих американских издательств (Kaplan, Barrons, Princeton Review, Manhattan Prep)

Зачем смотреть каждое слово в словаре? Теперь самые нужные слова для подготовки к экзаменам вместе с транскрипцией, значением на английском языке и переводом на русский язык. 

В нашем списке только действительно редкие и нужные слова для подготовки к экзаменам. Мы внимательно отсортировали список, удалив из него те слова, которые имеют аналоги в русском языке. Наш уникальный список специально адаптирован для русскоязычных студентов.

Список 1500 слов можно использовать вместе с методикой развития лексики, разработанной в TestVerbal. Знание редких слов даст вам уверенности на экзамене. Многие задания SAT и ACT содержат сложную лексику. Подготовьтесь к экзамену с сдайте его на высокий балл! 

Looking to build your vocabulary? Then practice this list of 100 «top words» — the kind that used to be tested on the SAT before 2016. If you’re a high school student prepping for the SAT, check out Vocabulary.com’s
Roadmap to the SAT, which focuses on the vocabulary you’ll need to ace today’s SAT test.

100 words

60,308 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Other learning activities

Full list of words from this list:

  1. abate

    become less in amount or intensity

  2. abdicate

    give up power, duties, or obligations

  3. aberration

    a state or condition markedly different from the norm

  4. abstain

    refrain from doing, consuming, or partaking in something

  5. adversity

    a state of misfortune or affliction

  6. aesthetic

    characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste

  7. amicable

    characterized by friendship and good will

  8. anachronistic

    chronologically misplaced

  9. arid

    lacking sufficient water or rainfall

  10. asylum

    a shelter from danger or hardship

  11. benevolent

    showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding

  12. bias

    a partiality preventing objective consideration of an issue

  13. boisterous

    marked by exuberance and high spirits

  14. brazen

    unrestrained by convention or propriety

  15. brusque

    rudely abrupt or blunt in speech or manner

  16. camaraderie

    the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability

  17. canny

    showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others

  18. capacious

    large in the amount that can be contained

  19. capitulate

    surrender under agreed conditions

  20. clairvoyant

    someone who can perceive things not present to the senses

  21. collaborate

    work together on a common enterprise or project

  22. compassion

    a deep awareness of and sympathy for another’s suffering

  23. compromise

    an accommodation in which both sides make concessions

  24. condescending

    characteristic of those who treat others with arrogance

  25. conditional

    imposing or depending on or containing an assumption

  26. conformist

    someone who follows established standards of conduct

  27. conundrum

    a difficult problem

  28. convergence

    the act of coming closer

  29. deleterious

    harmful to living things

  30. demagogue

    a leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions

  31. digression

    a message that departs from the main subject

  32. diligent

    quietly and steadily persevering in detail or exactness

  33. discredit

    the state of being held in low esteem

  34. disdain

    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

  35. divergent

    tending to move apart in different directions

  36. empathy

    understanding and entering into another’s feelings

  37. emulate

    strive to equal or match, especially by imitating

  38. enervating

    causing weakness or debilitation

  39. ephemeral

    anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day

  40. evanescent

    short-lived; tending to vanish or disappear

  41. exemplary

    worthy of imitation

  42. extenuating

    partially excusing or justifying

  43. florid

    elaborately or excessively ornamented

  44. forbearance

    a delay in enforcing rights or claims or privileges

  45. fortitude

    strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity

  46. fortuitous

    lucky; occurring by happy chance

  47. foster

    providing nurture though not related by blood or legal ties

  48. fraught

    filled with or attended with

  49. frugal

    avoiding waste

  50. hackneyed

    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse

  51. haughty

    having or showing arrogant superiority

  52. hedonist

    someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures

  53. hypothesis

    a tentative insight that is not yet verified or tested

  54. impetuous

    characterized by undue haste and lack of thought

  55. impute

    attribute or credit to

  56. inconsequential

    lacking worth or importance

  57. inevitable

    incapable of being avoided or prevented

  58. intrepid

    invulnerable to fear or intimidation

  59. intuitive

    spontaneously derived from or prompted by a natural tendency

  60. jubilation

    a feeling of extreme joy

  61. lobbyist

    someone who is employed to persuade how legislators vote

  62. longevity

    the property of having lived for a considerable time

  63. mundane

    found in the ordinary course of events

  64. nonchalant

    marked by casual unconcern or indifference

  65. opulent

    rich and superior in quality

  66. orator

    a person who delivers a speech

  67. ostentatious

    intended to attract notice and impress others

  68. parched

    extremely thirsty

  69. perfidious

    tending to betray

  70. pragmatic

    concerned with practical matters

  71. precocious

    characterized by exceptionally early development

  72. pretentious

    creating an appearance of importance or distinction

  73. procrastinate

    postpone doing what one should be doing

  74. prosaic

    lacking wit or imagination

  75. prosperity

    the condition of having good fortune

  76. provocative

    serving or tending to excite or stimulate

  77. prudent

    marked by sound judgment

  78. querulous

    habitually complaining

  79. rancorous

    showing deep-seated resentment

  80. reclusive

    withdrawn from society; seeking solitude

  81. reconciliation

    the reestablishment of cordial relations

  82. renovation

    the act of improving by renewing and restoring

  83. restrained

    under control

  84. reverence

    a feeling of profound respect for someone or something

  85. sagacity

    the trait of having wisdom and good judgment

  86. scrutinize

    examine carefully for accuracy

  87. spontaneous

    said or done without having been planned in advance

  88. spurious

    plausible but false

  89. submissive

    inclined or willing to give in to orders or wishes of others

  90. substantiate

    establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts

  91. subtle

    difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze

  92. superficial

    of, affecting, or being on or near the surface

  93. superfluous

    more than is needed, desired, or required

  94. surreptitious

    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy

  95. tactful

    having a sense of what is considerate in dealing with others

  96. tenacious

    stubbornly unyielding

  97. transient

    lasting a very short time

  98. venerable

    profoundly honored

  99. vindicate

    show to be right by providing justification or proof

  100. wary

    marked by keen caution and watchful prudence

Created on December 23, 2009
(updated August 18, 2021)

250+ SAT Vocabulary Words Every High School Student Should Know

The SAT is one of the most popular college-preparatory tests administered by the College Board. Millions of high school students decide between the equally popular ACT or the SAT (some even take both) to improve their chances of gaining admittance into their dream colleges. While both tests are designed to determine how ready a student is to take on college-level material and subjects, there are slight differences between the two. One of the primary differences between the SAT and ACT is that the latter seems to favor students who have strong writing and reading skills, leading many to incorrectly assume that the former doesn’t touch much on SAT vocabulary words.

Books piled in a table.

When searching for study tools and resources, it can be difficult to know what areas on which to focus. AdmissionSight encourages students to break down their preparation into different areas. For example, since a good portion of the SAT focuses on your ability to recall the definition of words and/or pull meanings from context, it’s helpful to dedicate a portion of your preparation to vocab specifically. While it’s not plausible (one of the SAT vocabulary words!) to study EVERY word that might appear on the test, we’ve narrowed down more than 250 of the most common and popular SAT vocabulary words to better help you prepare.

How does the SAT test vocabulary?

In 2016, the SAT test underwent some significant changes. Ever since these modifications, vocabulary has been treated with less importance. The most obvious manifestation of this change is that the newer version of the SAT has fewer vocabulary-related questions than the older version.

While some students might be making a dramatic gesture of success with their fists, this lack of stress on vocabulary doesn’t mean you can go without preparing for vocabulary for the SAT. If you’re aiming for a high or even a perfect score, studying common vocab words will still be an important part of preparing for the SAT.

an excerpt of a dictionary where "gap year" is focused

In general, most of the vocabulary words found on the SAT vocabulary words test are medium in difficulty. They’re tested within the context of passages, assessing the ability of students to pick out the meaning with a certain context. While this makes it easier to remember a meaning than just being prompted with a word, you’ll still have to harbor an understanding of the various nuances of a particular word to perform well.

Context clues are more common in the current SAT, making pure memorization not as important. In the past, you would have to remember more difficult words and remember definitions with only a short sentence as a prompt. This minimal context really made vocabulary a difficult portion of the SAT. Fortunately, the current version offers students much more context and clarity as to the use of the words.

What words should I study for the SAT?

While it’s impossible to know all of the words you’ll come across on the test, there have been enough iterations of the test for the public to get an accurate grasp on the types of words being used and the accompanying level of difficulty. Although students will undoubtedly find some words easier than others, the SAT vocabulary words don’t really jump around in terms of difficulty. While reading SAT-related material, practicing with official study guides, and taking previously administered tests is helpful for preparing for SAT vocabulary, the best practice is to simply read through common questions and their definitions. Below, we’ve provided you with over 250 SAT vocabulary words that every high school student should know.

Term Definition
Abate to become less intense or widespread
Abstract existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence
Abysmal very bad
Accordingly to be in accordance with
Acquisition the process of gaining possession of something
Adapt to make (something) suitable for a new use or purpose; modify
Adept having skill in a particular area
Adequate satisfactory or acceptable in quality or quantity.
Advent the arrival of a notable person or thing.
Adversarial involving or characterized by conflict or opposition.
Advocate a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.
Aesthetic concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.
Afford have enough money to pay for.
Agitate campaign to arouse public concern about an issue in the hope of prompting action.
Allow let (someone) have or do something.
Allude suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at.
Altercation a noisy argument or disagreement, especially in public.
Ambiguous open to more than one interpretation; not having one obvious meaning.
Ambitious having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed.
Ambivalence the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.
Analogous comparable in certain respects, typically in a way that makes clearer the nature of the things compared.
Annihilate destroy utterly; obliterate.
Anomaly something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected.
Anticipate regard as probable; expect or predict.
Antipathy a deep-seated feeling of aversion.
Apex the top or highest part of something, especially one forming a point
Apprehension anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen.
Articulate having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently.
Artificial made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally, especially as a copy of something natural.
Assertion a confident and forceful statement of fact or belief.
Austere severe or strict in manner or attitude.
Authenticity the quality of being authentic.
Avenue a way of approaching a problem
Avid having an eager desire for
Basic forming an essential foundation or starting point; fundamental.
Bear carry or conduct oneself in a specified manner
Benevolent well-meaning and kindly.
Bias inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair.
Bittersweet arousing pleasure tinged with sadness or pain.
Bolster support or strengthen.
Boost encourage (something) to increase or improve
Brawl a rough or noisy fight or quarrel.
Brevity the concise and exact use of words in writing or speech.
Candid truthful and straightforward; frank.
Candor the characteristic of being honest
Capitalize to take advantage of
Capture to take possession of
Civic relating to citizens or a city
Clinical emotionally attached
Clout special power or advantage
Coarse lacking sophistication or refinement
Coincide to occur simultaneously
Commission an instruction, command, or role given to a person or group.
Comparable ability to be compared
Competent efficient and qualified
Complacent satisfied; no desire to improve
Complement to make complete or perfect
Concede surrender or yield
Conceive to come up with
Condone to allow or overlook
Conducive to be suitable to bring something about
Conduct to manage or control; to behave in a particular way
Confide to trust someone with secrets
Confine to limit something
Consensus a majority agreement
Constitute to make up parts of something
Contemplate think deeply and at length
Contend to assert or maintain an opinion
Contradict to be in contrast with
Controversial giving rise or likely to give rise to controversy or public disagreement.
Conventional following accepted standards
Convey to transfer information
Conviction believing firmly in something
Corroborate to provide evidence for a claim
Counteract to work against
Counterargument an argument used to diminish another
Counterproductive having the opposite of the desired effect.
Culmination the climax
Cultivate to foster
Decree to declare something formally
Deference regard; respect
Deficient not a sufficient amount
Demonstrate to provide evidence for something
Demur raise objections or show reluctance.
Deplete to use something over time
Desolate empty, barren
Devise to develop a plan
Dilemma a problem
Diligence careful and persistent work or effort.
Diminish make or become less
Dire extremely serious or urgent
Discord disagreement
Disdain strong dislike
Dismay stress, hopelessness
Disparage to talk down to
Dispatch to send a messenger or message
Diversification the process of becoming diverse
Doctrine a position or theory
Dominion authority and power
Dreary dull, sad
Dubious questionable, doubtful
Eccentric odd or peculiar
Egregious very bad
Eloquent fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing.
Eminent distinguished or superior
Emit to release, discharge
Emphatic using emphasis, expressive
Empirical based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic
Endow to bestow or equip
Endure to sustain or withstand against
Entail to include or involve
Entrenched firmly established and difficult or unlikely to change
Enumerate to count
Envy jealousy to an excessive degree
Erratic not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable.
Establish to enact or to found
Evoke bring or recall (a feeling, memory, or image) to the conscious mind.
Exacerbate to make something worse
Excel to be successful at something
Exert to put something into use
Exhilarating exciting, stimulating
Expend to use up
Exploit make full use of and derive benefit from
Facilitate to make a process easier
Feasibility the possibility of something
Ferocity violence, viciousness
Fiscal of or relating to money
Flourish to grow, prosper (esp quickly)
Fluctuate to rise and fall in an irregular pattern
Foment to stir up or instigate
Foreseeable capable of being anticipated
Frankly clearly, directly
Freewheeling carefree
Fundamental the most basic component
Galvanizing stimulating, exciting
Geriatric relating to old people, especially with regard to their healthcare.
Hostile dangerous, harmful
Hypothetical supposed
Ignominious deserving or causing public disgrace or shame.
Impart to bestow or transmit
Impartiality treating all rivals equally
Imposing impressive in size or appearance
Imposition an unwelcome and unfair burden
Imprudent rash, not cautious
Incite to stir up or excite
Indifference emotional detachment
Indiscriminately randomly
Indulge to give into something
Infer to guess through reasoning
Innovative new or novel
Insatiable unable to be satisfied
Inversion the reversal of something
Invoke to appeal to or call upon
Irreconcilable incapable of being resolved
Lament to mourn
Locomotion movement
Lucrative profitable
Malicious spiteful, harmful
Malleable capable of being changed
Materialistic superficial
Melodramatic exaggerated or extravagant
Modest humble and simple
Modify to alter, tweak, or change
Momentous significant in a historical context
Novel innovative, new
Nuance a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound.
Null ineffective, legally void
Objectivity the quality of being objective; impartial
Obsolete uncommon or rare
Omnipotent all-powerful
Onset the early stages of something
Opine to formally state an opinion
Ornate highly decorated
Oust to force out of
Paramount most important, superior
Peculiar bizarre, strange
Perish to pass away; to die
Persecute harass or annoy persistently.
Petulant irritable, pouty
Pinnacle highest degree
Pitiable arousing pity
Plausible possibly true
Postulate to assert
Potent having a strong influence
Pragmatic useful, practical
Precedent an example from the previous time
Predecessor a person or thing that comes before another
Prescribe to command orders
Principle n. basic truth, assumption, or rule
Prohibit to ban
Prompt punctual
Promulgate formally declare
Prosecute to put on trial
Provocative arouse, inspire
Qualitative measuring the quality of something
Quantitative measuring the amount of something
Quirk a strange trait or characteristic
Ramify to form branches
Rash done without regard to consequences
Raw unrefined
Readily without delay
Reconsideration thinking again
Reform an improvement
Refute to prove to be incorrect
Reinforce to support
Reluctantly somewhat unwillingly
Renounce to give up
Reproach to critique
Repudiate to refuse to acknowledge as true
Retention the continued control or possession of something
Satiated satisfied
Savvy practical knowledge
Scandalous morally offensive
Scorn a feeling of disdain
Scrupulous careful, thorough
Scrutinize to examine critically
Secrete to release or produce
Sentiment opinion
Sheer very thin
Simple not complex
Sinister evil, ominous
Solidarity common purpose amongst a group
Sparingly in a restricted manner
Spawn to generate
Spur to incite
Squalid sordid, run-down
Stark very plain
Static changeless; motionless
Subordinate to be lower in rank
Subsequently happening after something
Substantial very large in degree or amount
Substantiate to make stronger with evidence
Subtle difficult to detect
Sufficient enough
Surly unfriendly
Surmount to overcome
Susceptible to be vulnerable
Tactful capable of dealing with people
Taut pulled tight
Teeming to be full of
Temperament usual feelings or mood
Tentative not certain or fixed
Transparent easy to perceive; see-through
Treacherous unstable and dangerous
Tremendous very great in amount, scale, or intensity
Ubiquitous found everywhere
Unadorned plain, undecorated
Undermine to weaken gradually
Underscore to emphasize
Undulate to move in a wavy pattern
Unilateral one-sided
Unjust not justified
Unmitigated total, utter
Unprecedented entirely new
Unveil to reveal
Urge try earnestly or persistently to persuade (someone) to do something
Validate check or prove the validity or accuracy of
Viability ability to work successfully
Vital absolutely necessary; essential
Vow a solemn promise
Warrant justification or authority for an action, belief, or feeling
Yield produce or generate (a result, gain, or financial return).

Tips for studying and memorizing SAT vocabulary words

1. Rehearse with flashcards – Flashcards are an incredibly effective way of studying and memorizing vocabulary. Not only does this method make it easy to keep the material organized, but it’s also a convenient way to study on the go and for any length of time. While writing out your own flashcards could be a helpful exercise, many students will opt to use online resources like Quizlet to organize SAT vocabulary words. You can even download apps to study this content on your phone.

two flashcards piled on top of each other

2. Practice with friends – If practicing on your own gets too tedious, meet up with some friends or hop on the phone to quiz each other. You can help each other with new memorization techniques and encourage each other to study more. The extra competition will light a spark of enthusiasm too.

a woman holding a pencil checking the dictionary

3. Use SAT study guides – There are countless SAT study guides designed to help students prepare for the exam and learn SAT vocabulary words. These resources can be found both online and offline and for free or by payment. When using these guides, just make sure they’re up-to-date to reflect the most recent changes made to the SAT.

A male student studying intently

AdmissionSight is here to help

With an excellent track record of helping students get into some of the best colleges in the country, the AdmissionSight team knows what it takes to successfully prepare and score excellently on the SAT. We wouldn’t be admissions experts (which we are!) without a deep understanding of this college-prep exam. Feel free to connect with us today to learn about what we offer.

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Changes to the SAT in recent years have some students thinking they no longer need to study vocabulary in order to earn an impressive score. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. According to a Princeton Review article, the SAT contains around 10 to 15 words that are unfamiliar to the average student. Moreover, students with strong vocabularies tend to earn higher scores than those with average or middling skills in this area. Read on to discover why vocabulary remains an important factor in SAT prep, along with the 100 words you should know to raise your scores.

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Top 100 Vocabulary Words to Study for the SAT

Reading plenty of fiction and non-fiction is the best way to improve a lackluster vocabulary over time. However, if you’re looking to raise your SAT Reading score quickly, you might want to devote some time to studying vocab. Here is a list of the top 100 SAT vocabulary words of all time, courtesy of Kaplan and the Washington Post:

  1. abbreviate: (v) to shorten, abridge
  2. Abstinence: (n) the act of refraining from pleasurable activity, e.g., eating or drinking
  3. adulation: (n) high praise
  4. adversity: (n) misfortune, an unfavorable turn of events
  5. aesthetic: (adj) pertaining to beauty or the arts
  6. amicable: (adj) friendly, agreeable
  7. anachronistic: (adj) out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period
  8. anecdote: (n) short, usually funny account of an event
  9. anonymous: (adj) nameless, without a disclosed identity
  10. antagonist: (n) foe, opponent, adversary
  11. arid: (adj) extremely dry or deathly boring
  12. assiduous: (adj) persistent, hard-working
  13. asylum: (n) sanctuary, shelter, place of refuge
  14. benevolent: (adj) friendly and helpful
  15. camaraderie: (n) trust, sociability amongst friends
  16. censure: (v) to criticize harshly
  17. circuitous: (adj) indirect, taking the longest route
  18. clairvoyant: (adj) exceptionally insightful, able to foresee the future
  19. collaborate: (v) to cooperate, work together
  20. compassion: (n) sympathy, helpfulness or mercy
  21. compromise: (v) to settle a dispute by terms agreeable to both sides
  22. condescending: (adj) possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing
  23. conditional: (adj) depending on a condition, e.g., in a contract
  24. conformist: (n) person who complies with accepted rules and customs
  25. congregation: (n) a crowd of people, an assembly
  26. convergence: (n) the state of separate elements joining or coming together
  27. deleterious: (adj) harmful, destructive, detrimental
  28. demagogue: (n) leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice
  29. digression: (n) the act of turning aside, straying from the main point, esp. in a speech or argument
  30. diligent: (adj) careful and hard-working
  31. discredit: (v) to harm the reputation of, dishonor or disgrace
  32. disdain: (v) to regard with scorn or contempt
  33. divergent: (adj) separating, moving in different directions from a particular point
  34. empathy: (n) identification with the feelings of others
  35. emulate: (v) to imitate, follow an example
  36. enervating: (adj) weakening, tiring
  37. enhance: (v) to improve, bring to a greater level of intensity
  38. ephemeral: (adj) momentary, transient, fleeting
  39. evanescent: (adj) quickly fading, short-lived, esp. an image
  40. exasperation: (n) irritation, frustration
  41. exemplary: (adj) outstanding, an example to others
  42. extenuating: (adj) excusing, lessening the seriousness of guilt or crime, e.g., of mitigating factors
  43. florid: (adj) red-colored, flushed; gaudy, ornate
  44. fortuitous: (adj) happening by luck, fortunate
  45. frugal: (adj) thrifty, cheap
  46. hackneyed:(adj) cliched, worn out by overuse
  47. haughty: (adj) arrogant and condescending
  48. hedonist: (n) person who pursues pleasure as a goal
  49. hypothesis: (n) assumption, theory requiring proof
  50. impetuous: (adj) rash, impulsive, acting without thinking
  51. impute: (v) to attribute an action to particular person or group
  52. incompatible: (adj) opposed in nature, not able to live or work together
  53. inconsequential: (adj) unimportant, trivial
  54. inevitable: (adj) certain, unavoidable
  55. integrity: (n) decency, honesty, wholeness
  56. intrepid: (adj) fearless, adventurous
  57. intuitive: (adj) instinctive, untaught
  58. jubilation: (n) joy, celebration, exultation
  59. lobbyist: (n) person who seeks to influence political events
  60. longevity: (n) long life
  61. mundane: (adj) ordinary, commonplace
  62. nonchalant: (adj) calm, casual, seeming unexcited
  63. novice: (n) apprentice, beginner
  64. opulent: (adj) wealthy
  65. orator: (n) lecturer, speaker
  66. ostentatious: (adj) showy, displaying wealth
  67. parched: (adj) dried up, shriveled
  68. perfidious: (adj) faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy
  69. precocious: (adj) unusually advanced or talented at an early age
  70. pretentious: (adj) pretending to be important, intelligent or cultured
  71. procrastinate: (v) to unnecessarily delay, postpone, put off
  72. prosaic: (adj) relating to prose; dull, commonplace
  73. prosperity: (n) wealth or success
  74. provocative: (adj) tending to provoke a response, e.g., anger or disagreement
  75. prudent: (adj) careful, cautious
  76. querulous: (adj) complaining, irritable
  77. rancorous: (adj) bitter, hateful
  78. reclusive: (adj) preferring to live in isolation
  79. reconciliation: (n) the act of agreement after a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute
  80. renovation: (n) repair, making something new again
  81. resilient: (adj) quick to recover, bounce back
  82. restrained: (adj) controlled, repressed, restricted
  83. reverence: (n) worship, profound respect
  84. sagacity: (n) wisdom
  85. scrutinize: (v) to observe carefully
  86. spontaneity: (n) impulsive action, unplanned events
  87. spurious: (adj) lacking authenticity, false
  88. submissive: (adj) tending to meekness, to submit to the will of others
  89. substantiate: (v) to verify, confirm, provide supporting evidence
  90. subtle: (adj) hard to detect or describe; perceptive
  91. superficial: (adj) shallow, lacking in depth
  92. superfluous: (adj) extra, more than enough, redundant
  93. suppress: (v) to end an activity, e.g., to prevent the dissemination of information
  94. surreptitious: (adj) secret, stealthy
  95. tactful: (adj) considerate, skillful in acting to avoid offense to others
  96. tenacious: (adj) determined, keeping a firm grip on
  97. transient: (adj) temporary, short-lived, fleeting
  98. venerable: (adj) respected because of age
  99. vindicate: (v) to clear from blame or suspicion
  100. wary: (adj) careful, cautious

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Short Bio

A graduate of the Master of Professional Writing program at USC, April Maguire taught freshman composition while earning her degree. Over the years, she has worked as a writer, editor, tutor, and content manager. Currently, she operates a freelance writing business and lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their three rowdy cats.

Abandon give up completely “We had to abandon the car.” Abate become less intense or widespread “Gains in oil prices are unlikely to abate within the next few months.” Abet encourage or assist “In these circumstances, physicians can play a crucial role if they choose to abet draft evasion.” Accede accent or agree to a demand «He graciously acceded to our request.» Berate scold or criticize «As he left the meeting, he was berated by angry demonstrators.» Bovine of or relating to cattle “a bovine virus” Braggart a person who boasts about achievements «They carried themselves offhandedly, like connoisseurs and braggartsBurnish polish by rubbing «The company is currently trying to burnish its socially responsible image.» Cache a collection of similar items stored in a secret place «a cache of weapons» Cacophony harsh discordant mixture of sounds «What a cacophonyCatalyst  substance the increases the rate of chemical reaction «The high suicide rate acted as a catalyst for change in the prison system.» Censorious severely critical of others «his censorious attitude to those who do not share his opinions» Dearth scarcity or lack of something «a dearth of new homes in the region» Demagogue a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires rather than reason “Twenty-six years ago it was my privilege to fight the greatest and most able demagogue this country has yet produced.” Diluvial of or relating to a flood «He made no mention of fossils, but inspired other diluvial theories that did.» Dispassionate not influenced by strong emotion “He spoke in the flat, dispassionate tone of a lecturer.” Effluvia an unpleasant or harmful odor “The ravioli without their pustular effluvia are rather nice.” Emulate match or surpass “Sons are traditionally expected to emulate their fathers.” Epochal extremely significant “It took on an epochal importance, which is worthy of more detailed investigation.” Expound explain or present “Schmidt continued to expound his views on economics and politics.” Facile appearing comprehensive by ignoring the complexities of the situation “This subject is admittedly too complex for facile summarization.” Fictive created by imagination “She has developed two fictive female characters” Flippant not showing serious attitude «Don’t be flippant! This is serious!» Gauche lacking grace “We’re all a bit gauche when we’re young.” Gregarious outgoing or social “She is such a gregarious and outgoing person.” Grotto small cave or cave-like structure «Water trickles through an underground grottoHedonist person who believes the pursuit of pleasure is the most important aspect of life «He gets bored with his hedonist lifestyle, but can’t escape from it either.» Heretical practicing religious heresy «The Church regards spirit mediums and people claiming to speak to the dead as hereticalHubris excessive pride «Commissioning one seems an act of hubrisHypocrite a person who says one thing and does another «The magazine wrongly suggested he was a liar and a hypocriteIgnoble not honorable in character «A monster consists of brutal, ignoble and vile thought forces.» Imbibe drink alcohol “They were used to imbibing enormous quantities of alcohol.” Imperious assuming power without justification «Her attitude is imperious at times.» Importunate persistant «His secretary shielded him from importunate visitors.» Jettison throw or drop for an airplane or ship «The crew jettisoned excess fuel and made an emergency landing.» Jocular humorous or playful «He was in a less jocular mood than usual.» Junta military group that rules after taking by force «The one good result was that the military junta could not hope to stay in power much longer.» Kismet destiny «Adan and I were meant for each other. It was kismetLexicon vocabulary of a person «I suspect that there is a new phrase entering the lexicon as well.» Licentious immoral “…licentious dancing on the dance floor..” Limber flexible «I need to limber my fingers before playing the piano.» Loquacious talkative «She was, after all, an American woman summarizing the views of the loquacious French, mostly men.» Malapropism mistaken use of a word in place of a similar sounding word «He has a tendency to use malapropisms and misinterpret figures of speech.» Malfeasance wrongdoing «The criminal charges are obstruction of justice and malfeasance in office.» Mawkish sentimental in a sickening way «The stories are so silly and sentimental and mawkish anyway.» Misnomer wrong or inaccurate name in designation «Herbal ‘tea’ is something of a misnomer because these drinks contain no tea at all.» Modicum small or minimal portion «I’d like to think I’ve had a modicum of success.» Mote tiny piece of a substance «Bolls at the middle and top parts of the plant had lower mote frequencies than bolls at the bottom of the plant.» Necromancy practice of communicating with the dead “Practices such as these, varying from the mundane to the grotesque, were commonly associated with necromancy.” Nihilism rejection of religion «Why should a great community like a university be afraid of nihilismNomenclature the choosing of names for things «…the internationally agreed rules of chemical nomenclatureNovel fictitious prose narrative “…historical novels set in the time of the Pharaohs.” Obfuscate to confuse «They are obfuscating the issue, as only insurance companies can.» Olfactory of or relating to the sense of smell “This olfactory sense develops in the womb.” Opprobrious compressing scorn «We denied the opprobrious charges published against us.» Ostracize exclude from a society or group «His colleagues ostracized him after he criticized the company in public.» Palatial resembling a palace «They lived in a palatial apartment.» Pandemic disease prevalent over an entire country or multiple countries «In some parts of the world malaria is still pandemicParamount more important than anything else «There are many priorities, but reducing the budget deficit is of paramount importance.» Patrician an aristocrat «He nodded firmly, acknowledging the presence of a fellow patricianPolyglot knowing or using several languages “He was reading a polyglot bible, with the text in English, Latin and Greek.” Prestidigitation magic tricks performed for entertainment “Blaine’s feats of prestidigitation mesmerize audiences.” Provincial of or concerning a province or country «Jeremy, was the house manager for a provincial theatre for ten years.» Rancor bitterness or resentfulness “They cheated me, but I feel no rancor against them.” Rarefy to make or become more dense or solid “…the rarefied mountain air” recapitulate summarize and state again the main points “Let’s just recapitulate the essential points.” Refute prove to be wrong or false “It was the kind of rumour that it is impossible to refute.” Repose a state of rest «He had a still, almost blank face in reposeResilient able to withstand “They had to demonstrate resilience.” Revile criticize in an abusive manner “He was just as feared and reviled as his tyrannical parents.” Rife of common occurrence “Dysentery and malaria are rife in the refugee camps.” Sanctimonious making a show of being morally superior “To people outside, some of us may appear to be sanctimonious. ” Scrupulous diligent attention to details “The nurse told him to be scrupulous about keeping the wound clean.” Sedition conduct or speech inciting people to rebel «He himself was tried for sedition and sentenced to ten years in jail.» Sinecure position requiring little or no work «I never thought of my job as a sinecureStint supply inadequate amount of something “He has just finished a stint of compulsory military service.” Sybarite self indulgent person «Morocco is a haven for backpackers and sybarites alike.» Tawdry showy but cheap “…tawdry jewellery.” Tenacious keep a firm hold on something «The baby took my finger in its tenacious little fist.» Terse sparing in use of words «»No!» was the terse reply.» Tout attempt to sell something by aggressively pestering «The minister has been touting these ideas for some time.» Trounce defeat heavily in a contest “He trounced his rivals in the election.” Tutelage authority over someone or something “Under the tutelage of Professor Roberts, the 900 delegates assessed and discussed the social market economy.” Unconscionable not right or reasonable “To make people feel shame or guilt for being ill is unconscionable.” Untoward unexpected «Unless anything untoward happens we should arrive just before midday.» Usury lending money at unlawful rates «The payday loans, exempt from usury laws, carry an annual interest rate of 390%. « Vehemently showing strong feeling «The president has vehemently denied having an extra-marital affair.» Veritable using as an intensifier “My garden had become a veritable jungle by the time I came back from holiday.” Vilify write or speak in an abusively disparaging way «He was vilified by the press as a monster.» Vociferous vehement «A vociferous opponent of gay rights, he is well-known for his right-wing views.» Wan pale with appearance of illness «All she could manage was a thin, wan smile.» Wield hold and use typically a weapon or tool “..a lone assailant wielding a kitchen knife.” Winsome attractive appearance or character “She gave him her best winsome smile.” Wry using dry or mocking humor “A wry sense of humor.” Xenophobe fear or dislike for people of different countries «He has been denounced as a xenophobe and an extreme nationalist.» Yeoman a man holding and cultivating a field “As a result, the number of yeomen was halved.” Yen Japanese monetary unit “She earns 400,000 yen a month as an English teacher in Tokyo.” Yowl loud waining cry «On the hills, the foxes yowled and yelped.» Zenith peak «The summer sun was at its zenith in a cloudless sky.» Zephyr soft gentle breeze «So far it has only been a gentle zephyr

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