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(adj) out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period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