SAT Vocabulary Mini-Quiz
Quick check: Test your skills on 3 high-frequency SAT academic words before browsing the list
High-Yield SAT Word Database
Mastering these high-frequency terms will build the precise verbal intuition needed for the Digital SAT. Use the controls below to dynamically search and filter the list.
Showing 50 of 50 words
Reset Filters
| Word | POS | Definition & Example |
|---|---|---|
| advocate | verb | to publicly recommend or support “She advocates for academic reforms.” |
| aesthetic | adj | concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty “The building has great aesthetic appeal.” |
| ambivalent | adj | having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something “He felt ambivalent about his promotion.” |
| arbitrary | adj | based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system “The decision seemed completely arbitrary.” |
| austere | adj | severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance “The monastery was famously austere.” |
| benevolent | adj | well-meaning and kindly “A benevolent neighbor helped us move.” |
| bias | noun | prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group “The editor insisted the story had no bias.” |
| captivate | verb | to attract and hold the interest and attention of “She was captivated by the beautiful music.” |
| collaborate | verb | to work jointly on an activity or project “The two scientists collaborated on the research.” |
| complacent | adj | showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself “We cannot afford to become complacent about safety.” |
| conducive | adj | making a certain situation or outcome likely or possible “Quiet rooms are conducive to deep study.” |
| consensus | noun | a general agreement “The committee reached a consensus after hours of debate.” |
| contradict | verb | to deny the truth of a statement by asserting the opposite “His actions contradict his words.” |
| corroborate | verb | to confirm or give support to a statement or theory “Multiple witnesses corroborated his story.” |
| deference | noun | polite submission and respect “He bowed in deference to the king.” |
| depict | verb | to show or represent by a drawing, painting, or other art form “The painting depicts a quiet country scene.” |
| diligent | adj | having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work “She is a highly diligent student.” |
| disparity | noun | a great difference or inequality “The disparity between rich and poor continues to grow.” |
| diversify | verb | to make or become more diverse or varied “The company plans to diversify its product line.” |
| eloquent | adj | fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing “The president gave an eloquent speech.” |
| empathy | noun | the ability to understand and share the feelings of another “She felt great empathy for the refugees.” |
| empirical | adj | based on observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic “They collected empirical data to prove the theory.” |
| equivocal | adj | open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous “The test results were highly equivocal.” |
| exacerbate | verb | to make a problem or bad situation worse “Running will only exacerbate your knee injury.” |
| exemplary | adj | serving as a desirable model; very good “Her behavior was exemplary.” |
| feasibility | noun | the state or degree of being easily or conveniently done “We must study the feasibility of the project first.” |
| foster | verb | to encourage or promote the development of “The teacher sought to foster a love of reading.” |
| garrulous | adj | excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters “A garrulous host kept us entertained.” |
| hostile | adj | showing or feeling opposition or dislike; unfriendly “The audience gave a hostile reaction.” |
| hypothetical | adj | serving as a hypothesis; proposed or assumed “Let us look at a hypothetical situation.” |
| indifferent | adj | having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned “He was completely indifferent to their complaints.” |
| ingenuous | adj | innocent and unsuspecting “She gave an ingenuous explanation for the mistake.” |
| inherent | adj | existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute “Risk is inherent in any business venture.” |
| innovative | adj | featuring new methods; advanced and original “The company is famous for its innovative designs.” |
| lament | verb | to express passionate regret or grief “He lamented the loss of his old friend.” |
| loquacious | adj | tending to talk a great deal; talkative “A loquacious student was told to be quiet.” |
| lucid | adj | expressed clearly; easy to understand “She wrote a highly lucid summary.” |
| malleable | adj | easily influenced; pliable “Young minds are highly malleable.” |
| mitigate | verb | to make less severe, serious, or painful “Good planning can mitigate natural disasters.” |
| novel | adj | new or unusual in an interesting way “She proposed a highly novel approach to the problem.” |
| objective | adj | not influenced by personal feelings or opinions “We need an objective assessment of the situation.” |
| obsolete | adj | no longer produced or used; out of date “Typewriters are now completely obsolete.” |
| plausible | adj | seeming reasonable or probable “His explanation sounded highly plausible.” |
| pragmatic | adj | dealing with things sensibly and realistically “We need a pragmatic solution to the budget crisis.” |
| profound | adj | very great or intense; showing deep knowledge “The discovery had a profound impact on physics.” |
| prudent | adj | acting with or showing care and thought for the future “It would be prudent to save some money.” |
| skeptical | adj | not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations “The public was skeptical of the politician's promises.” |
| substantiate | verb | to provide evidence to support or prove the truth of “She could not substantiate her claims.” |
| tactful | adj | having or showing skill and sensitivity in dealing with others “The manager gave a highly tactful response.” |
| tenacious | adj | tending to keep a firm hold of something; clinging or determined “He had a tenacious grip on the rope.” |
No SAT words found matching your active filters. Try resetting the filters.
Benchmark Your Verbal Score
Adaptive receptive-vocabulary practice · Result and review · 8 minutes
Take the SAT Vocab Test →