SAT Combo 26-30

negligible

(adj.) able or likely to be neglected or bypassed due to smallness or lack of importance (Explanation: When something is meaningless, marginal or insignificant because it is so little, it's .... The amount of interest you'll get on your savings is ..., so you might as well spend your money.) (Example: She refused the job offer because the increase in salary was negligible.)

discerning

(adj.) able to judge people and situations clearly (Explanation: This people pick up on subtle traits and are good judges of quality — they're the ones that can tell if your cupcakes are homemade from the finest ingredients or totally from a box mix.) (Example: He was very discerning collector, and always bought only the very best bluegrass recordings on the market.)

indignant

(adj.) angry; resentful; angered at something unjust or unfair (Explanation: When you're ..., you're angry about an unfair or wrong situation. If you discovered that a teacher gave ten extra points on a test to all students who sat in the front row, you'd be indignant.) (Example: What makes me most indignant is someone cutting in line ahead of me.)

acrid

(adj.) bitter, harsh (Explanation: The word is almost always used to describe a smell, and it ain't a pretty one. It is the nasty sting that you feel in your nose when you walk by a building that just burned down--it's sulfur mixed with smoke.) (Example: Acrid exhaust fumes from the traffic inside the tunnel made him cough.)

prudent

(adj.) careful, cautious and wise (Explanation: If you show good and careful judgment when handling practical matters, you can be described as ... Similarly, a wise and well-thought-through decision or action can be called ... The word comes from the Latin verb "to foresee.") (Example: Because he was tired and sleepy, Charlie made a prudent decision to stop for coffee.)

imprudent

(adj.) careless; rash (Explanation: To be ... means lacking self-restraint when it would be wise to have it. This adjective describes the opposite of being wise or shrewd. Careless, wild, ... behaviour can get you into big trouble!) (Example: Riding a bike at night on a highway, without wearing reflecting clothing is imprudent.)

incisive

(adj.) decisive, keen and directly to the point (Explanation: The adjective describes something that is sharp, decisive, and direct. A comment that cuts right to the bone can be just as ... as an actual knife. The word ... is rooted in a Latin word that literally means "to cut with a sharp edge." ) (Example: Then as now, Joe had one of the sharpest, most incisive minds I have ever encountered.)

ambiguous

(adj.) hard to understand; unclear; open to more than one interpretation (Explanation: The word means something that is confusing or has more than one meaning. It can be the ambiguous look your ex-girlfriend gives you as she leaves the library, or the end of a short story that leaves you scratching your head.) (Example: "The election law in New York is written in an ill-defined, ambiguous way," Goldfeder said, adding that he did not believe any laws were broken. )

ambivalent

(adj.) having conflicting feelings or opinions about smt; unsure (Explanation: This feeling is when you don't hate something, but you don't love it either. Since you feel two ways about it, you don't really care. It's often used to describe feelings, attitudes, and relationships: If you can't decide how you feel about something, declare yourself ... about it.) (Example: On the whole, Mrs. Johnson's attitude toward her father was ambivalent, but one aspect of him she had always respected—his fortitude.)

aesthetic

(adj.) having to do with artistic beauty (Explanation: The adjective comes in handy when the subject at hand is beauty or the arts. Greek word meaning "perception," comes to us from German philosophers who used it for a theory of the beautiful.) (Example: Part pop philosophy and part aesthetic, minimalism presents a cure-all for a certain sense of capitalist overindulgence.)

ponderable

(adj.) important enough to require a lot of thought (Explanation: The word means something that is important enough to be considered or thought about a lot.) (Example: Whether to skip classes to take a driving test is an easy question for some people, but for Sydney it's a ponderable dilemma.)

shrewd

(adj.) insightful; clever (Explanation: If you are ... in your spending, you can make a small salary go a long way. Use the adjective to describe a person or thing that is smart or clever in a practical sort of way.) (Example: Marion is a shrewd negotiator, always getting the deal she wants, but leaving the other side pleased with the outcome.)

inconsequential

(adj.) irrelevant; of not significance; unimportant (несущественный) (Explanation: If something is considered of little worth or importance, it is .... The word is commonly used to describe things that just don't matter or are of no relevance.) (Example: During the semester, Malcolm failed one quiz, but the impact on his final grade was inconsequential.)

acute

(adj.) keen-minded; sharp (Explanation: Use the adjective for when you want to describe something as sharp or extremely serious.) (Example: Her acute intellect contrasts with the dull minds of her classmates.)

superficial

(adj.) lacking in depth or importance; on the surface (Explanation: Anything superficial has to do with the surface of something. If you're judging a book by its cover, you're being superficial. People who worry too much about their clothes and hair may also be considered superficial.) (Example: I hate the superficial conversations that I am forced into at my parents parties.)

trifling

(adj.) lacking significance; unimportant (пустяковый) (Explanation: If something is trifling it's really unimportant, of no consequence — "a trifling detail.") (Example: He called after midnight with some trifling news that could easily have waited until morning.)

arid

(adj.) lacking water (Explanation: The adjective means smt so dry that nothing will grow. Death Valley in California features an arid climate, which is why it's called Death Valley and not Life Valley.) (Example: On one side of the island it rains all the time, the other side is totally arid.)

incidental

(adj.) less important; minor (Explanation: The word means minor or subordinate in significance or consequence. When something is ..., it is never the main thing. It's okay to include incidental details as they can add depth to your storytelling, but they are never crucial to the story.) (Example: In college, tuition, room, and board make up the bulk of the cost, but there are numerous incidental expenses, too.)

petty

(adj.) minor or trivial; small in quantity; paltry (Explanation: The word is used to mean just "petite" or "small," but now it's used for things that are trivial and shouldn't matter much. If you host world leaders and spend more time picking napkins than memorizing names, you're focused on ... things.) (Example: The messenger was fired because of the petty complaints of his supervisor.)

indigenous

(adj.) native; originating in a specific country or region (Explanation: Use this word to describe a plant, animal or person that is native or original to an area. Though Switzerland is known for its chocolates, chocolate, which comes from the cocoa plant, is ... to South America. ..., aboriginal and native all mean the same thing.) (Example: Indigenous people in the United States are called Native Americans.)

frivolous

(adj.) not having substance, a sense of importance or seriousness; silly; trivial; trifling (Explanation: The word describes things that are unimportant, not serious or unnecessary in content attitude or behaviour. Also this word is pretty much the opposite of essential.) (Example: He sued the chef because there was a dead fly in his soup, but the judge threw out the complaint on the grounds that it was frivolous.)

extraneous

(adj.) not necessary; not an essential part; not relevant (посторонний) (Explanation: The word means coming from the outside, like the ... noise you hear when you're in a theater and a train passes by. The word can also mean not relevant or essential, like all the ... information in your long-winded science report.) (Example: Let's stick to the heart of the matter and put your extraneous concerns aside for the moment.)

irrelevant

(adj.) not relating to the matter at hand (Explanation: If you're talking about hockey and someone keeps trying to mention football, you might describe their comments as .... The word means not related to the subject at hand.) (Example: The teacher said that since the essay was awful, the amount of time I spent writing it is irrelevant to the grade.)

peripheral

(adj.) only marginally connected to what is truly important; minor or incidental; at the edge of one's field of vision (Explanation: Scanners, printers, and speakers are ... devices for a computer because they aren't central to the working of the computer itself. Anything ... is on the margin, or outside, while main things, like a computer's processor, are not ... .) (Example: What's important to me is salary. Benefits and everything else is peripheral.)

indigent

(adj.) poor; impoverished; needy (Explanation: An ... person is extremely poor, lacking the basic resources of a normal life. Often the indigent lack not only money but homes.) (Example: The movie is about middle-class girl who winds up indigent on the streets of Chicago.)

impudent

(adj.) rude; disrespectful (Explanation: An ... person is bold, sassy, and shameless. If you want to get into a fancy nightclub and you tell the bouncer, "Let me in, I'm much more beautiful than all these ugly losers in line," that's ... behaviour.) (Example: The group of kids sitting in the back of the movie theatre was so loud and impudent that the usher made them leave.)

astute

(adj.) sharp-minded; very clever (Explanation: Someone who is ... is clever and has good judgment. It differs from its synonym shrewd in placing less emphasis on hardheadedness than on sensitivity: we talk about a shrewd bargainer but an astute interpretation. Other synonyms are perceptive (emphasizing insight) and discerning (emphasizing an ability to distinguish).) (Example: He had inherited his mother's delicate, transparent skin, and was small, astute, Revenge and fleet-footed as a fox.)

judicious

(adj.) showing wisdom in judging people and situations (Explanation: If you're ... you've got a good head on your shoulders and make good decisions. Humpty Dumpty's decision to sit on a wall? NOT judicious.) (Example: By keeping to a budget, Marlene makes judicious use of her limited income.)

savvy

(adj.) smart; informed (Explanation: You are known as someone with a lot of business ..., but only because you've managed to keep your staggering debts a secret. Which is actually pretty .... Someone who is ... is shrewd and perceptive.) (Example: The salesman tried to hide the car's defects, but Will was savvy enough to find them.)

obtuse

(adj.) stupid; not clear or precise (Explanation: The adjective literally means "rounded" or "blunt," but when it's used for a person, it means "not quick or alert in perception" — in other words, not the sharpest tool in the shed. It's not just for dull people, but also dull angles: in geometry, an ... angle is one that is not acute; between 90 and 180 degrees.) (Example: Are you being deliberately obtuse or are you just naturally stupid?)

trivial

(adj.) unimportant; trifling; ordinary (Explanation: Something that is trivial is not important or significant, such as the trivial details you shared with me about your trip to the post office this morning.) (Example: Because rain is needed badly, the trivial mount that fell yesterday is not going to ease the drought.)

perspicacious

(adj.) using wise judgement; sharp-minded (Explanation: The adjective means mentally acute or penetratingly discerning. It is a long word for a short definition: "keen" or "shrewd." This word is descended from the Latin which meant "to look closely.") (Example: As a perspicacious observer of teenagers, Mrs.Brown knew instantly that Tom had a problem.)

ingenious

(adj.) very clever or inventive (Explanation: The word means something that shows creativity and inventiveness. It comes from the Latin words for inborn talent. It started off meaning someone who was talented or incredibly smart, but has come to mean inventive, or clever.) (Example: He kept his ingenious instrument in a slim leather case and carried it in his pocket wherever he went.)

ponderous

(adj.) very heavy or bulky; dull or lifeless (Explanation: The word means someone who is slow and clumsy because of great weight. Also describes a person's manner, or their manner of speaking. If it does, this is a person you will want to avoid. They're solemn and speak slowly about things that are so boring.) (Example: It's hard to believe how the filmmaker turned an exciting adventure story into a dark, ponderous tale of jealousy and betrayal.)

sagacious

(adj.) wise (Explanation: Use the formal adjective ... to describe someone who is wise and insightful.) (Example: Mr. Jones was a man of the world, and, moreover, was a wise and sagacious man of business.)

erudite

(adj.) wise due to much reading and studying; scholarly (Explanation: If you call someone ... that means they show great learning and have or show profound knowledge.) (Example: It's just that accountants are consulted more often and - very importantly - their erudite opinions carry a great deal of weight.)

atheistic

(adj.) without belief in any god (Explanation: If you are ..., you don't believe in God. Or in any gods for that matter. You're also probably not interested in praying or participating in religious rituals.) (Example: When I first heard the remark that the study of Nature tended to make men atheistic, I resented it with indignation, though but a child.)

obscure

(adj., vb.) hard to understand; vague; abstract (Explanation: If something is ..., it's vague and hard to see. Be careful if you're driving in heavy rain — the painted lines can be .... The word can also be used as a verb. If you get really nervous when you speak during a debate, your embarrassing twitches and shaking hands can ... your argument.) (Example: Maria found an allusion to an obscure monk in 14th-century Italy, who invented what we now call pen.)

charlatan

(n.) a fraud or imposter (Explanation: A charlatan is a quack, a person who is trying to deceive you with false claims. Beware of charlatans who try to sell you access to the fountain of youth or to a Ponzi scheme disguised as an exclusive investment fund.) (Example: Is the minister someone we can trust and believe in, or is he merely a charlatan?)

virtuoso

(n.) a highly skilled performer, usually a musical performer (Explanation: Usually, this word applies to music. It's very common for a talented pianist or guitarist to be called a virtuoso. Whatever your talent, it's a huge compliment to be called a virtuoso.) (Example: The moments that begin Cersei's ascension to the throne are virtuoso pieces of film-making.)

skeptic

(n.) a person who doubts (Explanation: Of a people who look at the world with a certain amount of doubt.) (Example: Many skeptics still don't accept the conclusions of the Warren Commission.)

artisan

(n.) a person who is skillful with his hands (ремесленник) (Explanation: A person who has both the creativity and the skill to make a product. Wandering around a local craft fair, you will often see ... selling handicrafts like pot holders or beaded jewelry.) (Example: A group of artisans was hired to build a charming stone wall around the property.)

hedonist

(n.) a person who lives for pleasure (Explanation: A someone who is motivated by desires for sensual pleasures above all else.) (Example: After years in which he gave the impression of being a hedonist, Prince said he had a spiritual rebirth.)

ascetic

(n.) a person who refrains from indulging in earthly pleasures (Explanation: The word derived from Greek, meaning, "monk" or "hermit", thus someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline.) (Example: The ascetic gave away all his possessions and went to Central Africa, where he worked as a missionary.)

raconteur

(n.) a skillful storyteller (Explanation: The word means a gifted storytellers, able to spin amusing tales from everyday life.) (Example: The Irish are this world's finest raconteurs as they are its finest fighters, riders and gentlemen.)

advocate

(n.) a supporter; proponent (защитник) (Explanation: As a noun, the word means a person who represents another person's interests, like a lawyer does. In fact, the word comes from the courtroom - it's from Latin, to "add" a "voice.") (Example: My best friend is my eternal advocate; she will support me vociferously for the rest of my life.)

allusion

(n.) an indirect reference, often to a character or theme found in some work or literature (Explanation: A quick reference to something that is well-known in order to "get." An ... often references a famous work of art or literature, or to something from your own life.) (Example: There is an allusion to this singular superstition in Macbeth, which it will be interesting to reproduce.)

adversary

(n.) an opponent (противник) (Explanation: The word means an "enemy" or "opponent". It is related to the words adversarial, or hostile, or adverse, meaning against or contrary.) (Example: Off the court they are pals, but on the court they play tennis like the fiercest adversaries.)

delusion

(n.) false opinion or belief (Explanation: The word means a belief that has no evidence in fact — a complete illusion. The cook at the hot dog stand who thinks he is the best chef in the world? That opinion is definitely a ...) (Example: The cheers from across the gym were like volleys of arrows piercing our grand delusion.)

orator

(n.) skillful public speaker (Explanation: The noun depicts a person giving a speech, like the gifted ... who raised excellent points, making everyone in the audience want to join his party.) (Example: Martin Luther King's speech, "I have a Dream," established him as one of the best orators of all time.)

pariah

(n.) social outcast (Explanation: The word means someone that has been soundly rejected by their community. ... are not just unliked, they are avoided at all costs. Imagine how a once popular restaurant could gain pariah status if it fails health inspections three times in a row.) (Example: He read about the history of the Korean Peninsula, the reputation of the Kim family dictatorship, and his country's status as an international pariah.)

illusion

(n.) something unreal that gives the appearance of being real; a misconception (Explanation: The word means something that isn't real. It may look real, but it's actually fake — just a crafty construction or fantasy. An ... is an act of deception. Some optical ... are pretty cool to watch.) (Example: But like the augmented reality the game is based on, many of the game's health benefits are nothing but an illusion.)

intimidate

(vb.) to frighten; to coerce into action (Explanation: When you ..., you frighten or make someone afraid (or timid). An animal might ... a smaller animal by bearing its teeth; or a person can ... another by threatening to do something harmful. ) (Example: His size, his deftness with the weapon, his scarred and dusty appearance—they are all supposed to intimidate me.)

coalesce

(vb.) to have different opinions join together; fuse; converge (Explanation: The meaning is when different elements of something join together and become one. In this word, you see co-, which should tell you the word means "together." The other comes from Latin 'alescere', a verb meaning "to grow up.") (Example: By the end of the meeting, the various viewpoints somehow coalesced into a coherent policy.)

convalesce

(vb.) to recover from illness or shock (Explanation: When someone is ..., you can be sure something bad happened to them. Maybe they were hit by a car, had a heart attack, or got a bad case of the flu. People ... in hospitals, or, if things are a little less serious, at home.) (Example: "But I will take the necessary time to convalesce so I can be fully there for the team and the country again.")

intimate

(vb.) to suggest; to hint at (Explanation: As the verb ... means to hint or suggest. The adjective can mean very friendly, or very personal or private.) (Example: The principal intimated that school might be closed if heavy snow is predicted.)