SAT Reading & Writing
SAT Vocabulary List
A comprehensive list of all the vocabulary words tested so far on the SAT, along with concise, simple definitions to make your study easy. The 1,009 words are grouped into easy, medium and hard, so you can start with the basics and work up.
Easy words
538 words
A
- abrupt
- sudden and unexpected; curt
- accept
- to receive willingly; to agree to
- acceptable
- good enough; satisfactory
- accidental
- happening by chance, not on purpose
- accommodate
- to make room for; to adapt to someone's needs
- accuracy
- freedom from error; exactness
- acknowledged
- admitted or recognized as true
- acknowledges
- admits or recognizes as true
- acquired
- gained or obtained
- adapt
- to change in order to fit new conditions
- adjusted
- changed slightly to fit better
- admired
- regarded with respect or approval
- advances
- forward progress or improvements
- advertising
- promoting a product publicly
- advises
- offers counsel or recommendation
- affectionate
- showing warmth and fondness
- aggravate
- to make worse; to annoy
- agreements
- arrangements accepted by all parties
- alarmed
- frightened or made anxious
- amount
- a quantity of something
- amplify
- to make larger, louder, or stronger
- amusing
- entertaining; mildly funny
- analogous
- similar in a way that allows comparison
- announced
- made known publicly
- anticipate
- to expect or look forward to
- anticipated
- expected in advance
- apologize
- to express regret for a wrong
- application
- the act of putting something to use
- appreciated
- valued or recognized gratefully
- approved
- officially accepted or agreed to
- arbitrary
- based on personal whim rather than reason
- arriving
- reaching a destination or conclusion
- assemble
- to gather together; to put together
- assigned
- given as a task or allotted
- attached
- fastened or joined to; emotionally connected
- attractive
- pleasing to look at; appealing
- attributed
- credited to a particular source or cause
- available
- able to be obtained or used
- avoid
- to keep away from; to prevent
- avoided
- kept away from; prevented
B
- basic
- forming an essential foundation; simple
- beneficial
- producing a good result; helpful
- beneficially
- in a helpful or advantageous way
- bland
- lacking strong flavor or interest; dull
- blemish
- a small flaw that spoils appearance
- bold
- confident and daring; striking
- borrow
- to take temporarily with intent to return
- borrows
- takes temporarily; adopts from another source
- burdensome
- difficult to bear; onerous
- bypassed
- went around; avoided
C
- careful
- taking pains to avoid error or harm
- carelessly
- without proper attention
- carrying
- transporting or supporting
- case
- a particular instance or situation
- catalog
- to list systematically
- catastrophic
- causing great damage or disaster
- categorize
- to sort into groups by type
- celebrated
- widely praised; honored
- changed
- made or became different
- chaotic
- completely disordered
- characterization
- the way something or someone is described
- child
- a young person
- choose
- to select from options
- circumvents
- finds a way around; evades
- clinging
- holding on tightly; refusing to let go
- coated
- covered with a layer
- collaboration
- the act of working jointly with others
- collapse
- to fall down suddenly; to fail
- collected
- gathered together; calm and composed
- combined
- joined together
- comforting
- providing relief from distress
- command
- authority or mastery; an order
- commercialization
- the act of turning something into a business
- common
- occurring often; shared by many
- comparable
- similar enough to be compared
- complaining
- expressing dissatisfaction
- complaint
- a statement of dissatisfaction
- completed
- finished entirely
- complexity
- the state of having many interrelated parts
- compliance
- the act of conforming to a rule or request
- complicate
- to make more difficult or involved
- complicated
- involving many confusing parts
- complimented
- praised or expressed admiration for
- compose
- to create or make up; to calm oneself
- comprehend
- to understand fully
- conceptualize
- to form an idea or concept of
- concern
- a matter of interest or worry
- concerning
- causing worry; relating to
- concerns
- matters of interest or worry
- condition
- a state of being; a requirement
- conditions
- circumstances affecting something
- confident
- sure of oneself or an outcome
- confusing
- hard to understand; unclear
- consistent
- unchanging over time; free of contradiction
- constant
- occurring continuously; unchanging
- construct
- to build or form
- consulting
- seeking advice or information from
- contradicted
- asserted the opposite of; denied
- contributing
- helping to bring about
- contribution
- something given to help a cause
- controversial
- causing public disagreement
- converted
- changed in form or purpose
- convey
- to communicate; to carry
- correct
- free from error; to fix
- corrected
- made free from error
- costly
- expensive; involving great loss
- counting
- determining a total number
- create
- to bring into existence
- creating
- bringing into existence
- creative
- showing imagination and originality
- creativity
- the ability to produce original ideas
- criteria
- standards used for judging
- critical
- expressing disapproval; crucially important
- criticism
- expression of disapproval; careful analysis
- criticize
- to point out faults in
- critique
- a detailed evaluation
D
- dangerous
- likely to cause harm
- deciding
- reaching a choice or judgment
- decorate
- to make more attractive by adding things
- decorations
- ornaments added for beauty
- defended
- protected; argued in support of
- defends
- protects; argues in support of
- defied
- openly resisted or challenged
- definite
- clearly stated; certain
- delayed
- made late; postponed
- delegate
- to assign a task to another
- delicate
- fragile; requiring careful handling
- demanding
- requiring much effort or attention
- demands
- insistent requests; requires urgently
- demonstrate
- to show clearly; to prove
- demonstrating
- showing clearly; proving
- denied
- declared untrue; refused
- denying
- declaring untrue; refusing
- depended
- relied on; was determined by
- describe
- to give an account of in words
- described
- gave an account of in words
- destroying
- ruining completely
- determined
- firmly resolved; established definitively
- developed
- grown or advanced
- deviates
- departs from the usual course
- directed
- aimed or guided; instructed
- disagreed
- held a different opinion
- disagreement
- a difference of opinion
- disastrous
- causing great harm; ruinous
- disconcerting
- unsettling; causing uneasiness
- discover
- to find or learn for the first time
- discovery
- something found or learned for the first time
- discussed
- talked about in detail
- disguise
- to alter appearance to conceal identity
- dislike
- to regard with distaste
- dismiss
- to reject as unworthy of consideration
- disorganized
- lacking order or method
- displayed
- shown or exhibited
- dispute
- to argue against; a disagreement
- disregarded
- ignored; paid no attention to
- distant
- far away; reserved in manner
- distinct
- clearly different; easily perceived
- distracted
- having attention drawn away
- distressed
- suffering anxiety or pain
- distrusted
- regarded with suspicion
- dominance
- commanding power or influence
- doubts
- feelings of uncertainty
- drained
- emptied of liquid; exhausted
- drawn
- pulled; attracted; sketched
- dynamic
- full of energy and change; forceful
E
- easily
- without difficulty
- eclipses
- surpasses so as to overshadow
- effect
- a result; to bring about
- effective
- producing the intended result
- efficient
- achieving results without wasted effort
- elusive
- hard to find, catch, or define
- embraced
- accepted willingly; hugged
- empty
- containing nothing
- encountering
- meeting or coming upon, often unexpectedly
- encourage
- to give support or confidence to
- encouraged
- given support or confidence
- energetic
- showing great activity and vitality
- enhance
- to improve the quality or value of
- ensured
- made certain of
- ensuring
- making certain of
- entering
- going into
- enthusiasm
- eager interest and enjoyment
- establishes
- sets up firmly; proves
- evaluate
- to judge the value or quality of
- evidence
- facts supporting a conclusion
- exaggerate
- to represent as greater than reality
- examples
- instances that illustrate a rule or type
- excited
- aroused with eagerness; stimulated
- exemplifies
- serves as a typical example of
- expand
- to increase in size or scope
- expansions
- increases in size or scope
- expensive
- costing a lot of money
- experiment
- a controlled test to discover something
- explains
- makes clear by describing in detail
- exposure
- the condition of being subjected to something
- extend
- to make longer or larger; to offer
- extended
- made longer or larger; prolonged
- extensive
- covering a large area or scope
F
- fabricates
- invents falsely; manufactures
- factor
- one element contributing to a result
- faintly
- in a weak or barely perceptible way
- familiarize
- to make acquainted with
- featured
- given special prominence
- finishing
- bringing to an end
- followed
- came after; obeyed or tracked
- foolishly
- in a way that lacks good sense
- forfeiture
- the loss of something as a penalty
- forgetting
- failing to remember
- forgotten
- no longer remembered
- foundational
- serving as a basis for everything else
- fragile
- easily broken or damaged
- fulfills
- carries out or satisfies fully
- full
- containing all it can hold; complete
G
- gaining
- getting more of; catching up
- gathers
- collects together
- gentle
- mild and kind; not harsh
- genuine
- authentic; sincere
- get
- to obtain or receive
- guess
- to estimate without sufficient information
H
- habitual
- done regularly as a habit
- handmade
- made by hand rather than machine
- hard
- difficult; firm and solid
- harsh
- unpleasantly rough or severe
- hastily
- hurriedly, often without due care
- healthy
- in good physical condition; beneficial
- hearing
- perceiving sound; a formal proceeding
- held
- kept in the hand; maintained
- hibernation
- a dormant state through winter
- hidden
- kept out of sight
- hiding
- keeping out of sight
- hinder
- to create difficulties for; to delay
- hoard
- to accumulate and hide away a supply
I
- identified
- recognized or established the identity of
- ignore
- to deliberately pay no attention to
- ignored
- deliberately paid no attention to
- ignores
- deliberately pays no attention to
- illustrate
- to clarify with examples or pictures
- imaginable
- able to be conceived of
- imaginary
- existing only in the mind; not real
- imaginative
- showing creativity and inventiveness
- imagine
- to form a mental picture of
- imitated
- copied the manner or appearance of
- imitation
- a copy of something else
- imminent
- about to happen very soon
- immune
- protected from or unaffected by
- impartial
- not favoring one side; unbiased
- impede
- to obstruct or slow the progress of
- imperceptible
- too slight to be noticed
- implement
- to put into effect
- import
- to bring in from abroad; significance
- important
- of great significance or value
- impractical
- not sensible or workable in reality
- improved
- made or became better
- improvise
- to create without preparation
- inactive
- not doing anything; dormant
- inactivity
- the state of doing nothing
- inadequate
- not sufficient for the purpose
- incomplete
- not finished; lacking parts
- increases
- becomes or makes greater
- independent
- not controlled by others; self-reliant
- indicated
- pointed out; showed
- indications
- signs that suggest something
- indicator
- a sign that points to a condition
- indifference
- lack of interest or concern
- ineffective
- not producing the desired result
- inevitable
- certain to happen; unavoidable
- inexpensive
- not costing much
- inexperienced
- lacking knowledge gained from practice
- influence
- the power to affect something; to affect
- influenced
- affected the character or behavior of
- informal
- relaxed; not official
- infrequent
- not occurring often
- inherited
- received from a predecessor or ancestor
- insignificance
- the state of being too small to matter
- inspect
- to examine closely
- inspecting
- examining closely
- inspire
- to fill with the urge to do something
- inspired
- filled with the urge to do something
- instituting
- establishing or setting in motion
- intentional
- done on purpose
- interconnected
- linked together mutually
- interpret
- to explain the meaning of
- interpretation
- an explanation of meaning
- interrupt
- to break the continuity of
- interrupted
- broke the continuity of
- intriguing
- arousing curiosity or interest
- introduced
- brought in or presented for the first time
- invent
- to create something new
- invented
- created something new
- inventing
- creating something new
- investigated
- examined systematically
- investigations
- systematic inquiries
- inviting
- attractive; tempting
- involuntarily
- without conscious control
- involved
- taking part in; complicated
- isolate
- to set apart from others
J
- jarring
- causing an unpleasant shock; discordant
- joining
- connecting or becoming a member of
- judges
- forms an opinion about; evaluates
- justify
- to show to be right or reasonable
L
- liked
- regarded with favor
- limited
- restricted in extent or amount
M
- magnified
- made to appear larger; intensified
- makes
- creates or causes
- mandatory
- required by rule; compulsory
- match
- to correspond to; an equal
- measure
- to determine the size or amount of
- melodic
- pleasant-sounding; tuneful
- mimic
- to imitate closely
- mind
- the faculty of thought; to object to
- misinterpreted
- understood incorrectly
- mislead
- to cause to believe something false
- misrepresent
- to describe falsely
- moderation
- avoidance of excess
- mother
- a female parent
- motivation
- the reason or drive to act
- multifaceted
- having many aspects or sides
- multiplying
- increasing greatly in number
N
- neglect
- to fail to care for properly
- neglects
- fails to care for properly
- nervous
- anxious or apprehensive
- neutrality
- the state of not taking sides
- newfound
- recently discovered or acquired
O
- observable
- able to be noticed or perceived
- observant
- quick to notice things
- obstructed
- blocked or hindered
- obtain
- to get or acquire
- obtained
- got or acquired
- obvious
- easily seen or understood
- occupy
- to take up space or time; to inhabit
- occupying
- taking up space or time; inhabiting
- offended
- caused to feel hurt or resentful
- offered
- presented for acceptance
- offhand
- without previous thought; casual
- often
- frequently
- opinion
- a personal view not based on certainty
- opposed
- against; in conflict with
- optional
- left to choice; not required
- ordinary
- normal; with no special features
- organized
- arranged in an orderly way
- original
- existing from the start; new and inventive
- originate
- to begin or come into being
- originates
- begins or comes into being
- outgoing
- sociable; departing
- outmoded
- no longer in fashion or use
- overcome
- to succeed in dealing with; to defeat
- overlook
- to fail to notice; to disregard
- overlooked
- failed to notice; disregarded
- overreacts
- responds more strongly than warranted
- overwhelmed
- overpowered; buried under too much
P
- paradox
- a statement that seems self-contradictory yet may be true
- particular
- specific; hard to please
- partnership
- an association of people working jointly
- patterns
- regular, repeated arrangements
- perception
- the way something is understood or sensed
- persist
- to continue firmly despite difficulty
- persistent
- continuing firmly; lasting
- personal
- relating to one particular individual
- popularize
- to make widely known or liked
- possessions
- things that are owned
- postpone
- to delay to a later time
- pragmatic
- dealing with matters practically
- praise
- to express warm approval of
- praises
- expresses warm approval of
- predictable
- able to be foreseen; unsurprising
- predicted
- said what would happen in advance
- predicting
- saying what will happen in advance
- prediction
- a statement about what will happen
- prepared
- made ready in advance
- preserve
- to keep safe from harm or change
- preserving
- keeping safe from harm or change
- presume
- to suppose to be true without proof
- pretending
- acting as if something is true when it is not
- preventable
- able to be stopped from happening
- prevented
- stopped from happening
- priced
- assigned a cost to
- produced
- made or brought into existence
- produces
- makes or brings into existence
- promote
- to further the growth of; to advertise
- protect
- to keep safe from harm
- protective
- intended to keep safe from harm
- provide
- to supply or make available
- pulled
- drew toward oneself with force
Q
- quantities
- amounts or numbers of something
- question
- to ask about; to express doubt about
- questioned
- asked about; expressed doubt about
R
- ranked
- placed in order of importance
- rarely
- not often; seldom
- realistic
- representing things as they actually are
- rebellion
- open resistance to authority
- rebuts
- argues against by offering contrary evidence
- receive
- to be given or take delivery of
- receptive
- willing to consider new ideas
- reciprocates
- responds in kind; returns a favor
- recognizable
- able to be identified as familiar
- recognize
- to identify as known; to acknowledge
- recommend
- to advise as worthy of choice
- recommended
- advised as worthy of choice
- reduce
- to make smaller or less
- reducing
- making smaller or less
- refer
- to mention or direct attention to
- reflect
- to throw back; to think carefully; to show
- reforms
- changes made to improve something
- refuse
- to decline to do or accept
- refusing
- declining to do or accept
- regret
- to feel sorrow over something done
- regulate
- to control by rule; to adjust
- rejecting
- refusing to accept
- rejection
- the refusal to accept something
- relate
- to connect; to tell
- released
- set free; made available
- relocate
- to move to a new place
- relying
- depending on with confidence
- remembered
- recalled to mind
- renounce
- to formally give up a claim or belief
- repetitive
- involving tiresome repetition
- replaced
- put something new in the place of
- replacing
- putting something new in the place of
- replenishes
- fills up again; restores a supply
- replicate
- to reproduce exactly
- reports
- accounts given of a matter
- representative
- typical of a group; a person acting for others
- represented
- stood for; depicted
- reproduction
- a copy; the act of producing offspring
- reputation
- the general opinion held about someone
- required
- needed; demanded as necessary
- requirement
- something that is needed or demanded
- requires
- needs; demands as necessary
- requiring
- needing; demanding as necessary
- reserve
- to keep back for later use; restraint
- reserved
- kept back for later; restrained in manner
- resilient
- able to recover quickly from difficulty
- resolved
- settled definitively; firmly determined
- respected
- regarded with admiration
- responsible
- accountable; trustworthy
- responsive
- reacting readily to influence
- restraint
- self-control; a limiting influence
- restricted
- limited in extent or access
- restrictive
- imposing limits; confining
- retaliates
- returns an injury or attack
- reunite
- to bring together again
- reveal
- to make known; to uncover
- reviewed
- examined or assessed formally
- rival
- a competitor; to equal or match
- rousing
- stirring; exciting enthusiasm
- running
- moving quickly on foot; operating
S
- satisfactory
- good enough to meet requirements
- scheduled
- planned for a particular time
- scholarly
- involving serious academic study
- scratchy
- rough or irritating to the touch or ear
- secretive
- inclined to conceal information
- seemed
- appeared to be
- selecting
- choosing from a range
- selects
- chooses from a range
- sensitive
- quick to detect or be affected by
- settled
- resolved; established in a place
- shapeless
- lacking a definite form
- shifting
- changing position or nature
- signaling
- indicating or communicating a message
- similar
- resembling but not identical
- similarities
- ways in which things resemble each other
- simple
- easily understood; not complex
- simply
- in a plain way; merely
- simulate
- to imitate the conditions of
- sitting
- resting on a seat; located
- skeptical
- inclined to doubt; questioning
- sketch
- a rough drawing or outline
- sketched
- made a rough drawing or outline of
- skilled
- having ability gained through training
- smoothly
- evenly and without difficulty
- sophisticated
- highly developed and complex; refined
- source
- the place something comes from
- spans
- extends across
- speculate
- to form a theory without firm evidence
- speculated
- formed a theory without firm evidence
- speculates
- forms a theory without firm evidence
- staged
- arranged for effect; put on a performance
- stained
- discolored by a mark; tarnished
- startle
- to cause sudden surprise or alarm
- still
- not moving; even now; nevertheless
- stimulated
- encouraged activity or interest in
- straightening
- making straight or orderly
- straightforward
- easy to understand; honest and direct
- strenuously
- with great effort or energy
- stretching
- extending; reaching out
- struggling
- making forceful efforts against difficulty
- sturdily
- in a strong and solid way
- substantial
- large in amount or importance; solid
- subtle
- delicate; not obvious
- successful
- achieving the desired result
- suggest
- to put forward for consideration; to imply
- suitable
- right for the purpose or occasion
- supplementary
- added to complete or enhance
- suppress
- to hold back or put an end to
- surpassed
- exceeded; went beyond
- surprise
- an unexpected event; to astonish
- surprising
- causing astonishment; unexpected
- surrendered
- gave up; yielded control
- suspect
- to believe something without proof
- suspicious
- distrustful; arousing distrust
- synchronization
- the act of making things occur together in time
T
- talk
- to speak; a discussion
- theory
- a reasoned explanation of facts
- time
- the ongoing passage of events; a period
- tolerate
- to allow or endure without objection
- trace
- to find by following evidence; a small amount
- traced
- found by following evidence; copied by outlining
- traditional
- following long-established custom
- tranquil
- calm and peaceful
- transformed
- changed completely in form or nature
- transparent
- able to be seen through; open and honest
U
- unbothered
- not troubled or concerned
- uncertain
- not known or reliable; hesitant
- uncertainty
- the state of being unsure
- undeniable
- impossible to dispute
- underestimated
- judged as smaller or less capable than reality
- underestimating
- judging as smaller or less capable than reality
- understandable
- able to be comprehended; reasonable
- uniform
- the same throughout; unvarying
- unintended
- not planned or meant
- uninterrupted
- continuing without a break
- universal
- applying to all cases or people
- unknown
- not known or identified
- unmistakable
- impossible to confuse with anything else
- unpredictable
- not able to be foreseen
- unsympathetic
- not showing compassion
- useless
- serving no purpose
V
- vague
- not clearly expressed or defined
- validate
- to confirm the accuracy or worth of
- verifying
- checking the truth or accuracy of
- vivid
- strikingly bright or clear
W
- warned
- told of a possible danger
- waste
- to use carelessly; discarded material
- watched
- observed attentively
- weaken
- to make or become less strong
- well
- in a good manner; healthy
- widespread
- found or distributed over a large area
- worried
- anxious or troubled
Medium words
230 words
A
- acceptable
- good enough; satisfactory
- accessory
- an additional item that supplements something else
- accomplishment
- something achieved through effort
- account
- a report or explanation of events
- acquire
- to get or obtain
- acquired
- gained or obtained
- adhere
- to stick fast to; to follow closely
- admire
- to regard with respect or approval
- advantageous
- providing a benefit; favorable
- affinity
- a natural liking or close connection
- aggressive
- forceful; ready to attack or confront
- ambivalence
- having mixed or conflicting feelings
- analogous
- similar in a way that allows comparison
- analogy
- a comparison highlighting similar features
- animosities
- strong feelings of hostility
- anomaly
- something that deviates from what is normal
- anticipating
- expecting or preparing for
- antithetical
- directly opposed; incompatible
- apprised
- informed or notified
- asserted
- stated firmly and confidently
- attract
- to draw toward; to arouse interest
- atypical
- not representative of a type; unusual
- awkward
- clumsy; causing discomfort
B
- beneficiary
- one who receives a benefit
C
- calculation
- the process of working something out mathematically
- calibrations
- precise adjustments to a measuring standard
- catalyst
- something that triggers or speeds a change
- cause
- to make something happen; a reason
- challenged
- questioned or disputed; tested
- characteristic
- a typical feature or quality
- cited
- quoted or referred to as evidence
- coincidence
- a striking co-occurrence without apparent cause
- collaboration
- the act of working jointly with others
- come
- to move toward or arrive
- commonalities
- features shared in common
- compelling
- strongly persuasive; captivating
- competent
- having adequate skill or ability
- complementary
- completing or enhancing each other
- comprises
- consists of; is made up of
- conceal
- to hide or keep secret
- concede
- to admit as true; to yield
- confined
- restricted within limits
- confirm
- to establish as true
- conform
- to comply with rules or norms
- consensus
- general agreement among a group
- constraint
- a limitation or restriction
- contingent
- dependent on something else
- contradiction
- a statement opposing another; an inconsistency
- controversy
- prolonged public disagreement
- cordially
- in a warm and friendly way
- corroboration
- supporting evidence that confirms
- courtesy
- polite and considerate behavior
- created
- brought into existence
- criticize
- to point out faults in
D
- decision
- a conclusion reached after consideration
- decisive
- settling an issue; able to decide quickly
- deference
- respectful yielding to another's judgment
- deliberation
- careful and lengthy consideration
- denigrate
- to criticize unfairly; to belittle
- depleted
- used up; reduced greatly
- derived
- obtained from a source
- despise
- to regard with contempt
- determined
- firmly resolved; established definitively
- develop
- to grow or cause to grow; to work out
- developments
- new events or stages of growth
- diminish
- to make or become smaller
- disagreeable
- unpleasant; bad-tempered
- discovered
- found or learned for the first time
- dispute
- to argue against; a disagreement
- distort
- to twist out of true shape or meaning
- distraction
- something that draws attention away
- diversion
- something that turns attention aside
- dormant
- temporarily inactive
- doubted
- felt uncertain about
E
- enact
- to make into law; to act out
- encompass
- to include comprehensively; to surround
- encourages
- gives support or confidence to
- engulfs
- swallows up completely
- entrenching
- establishing so firmly that change is hard
- epitomize
- to be a perfect example of
- epitomizing
- being a perfect example of
- esteem
- high regard; respect
- evaluated
- judged the value or quality of
- evolving
- developing gradually
- exactitude
- precision; strict accuracy
- examination
- a careful inspection or study
- exceed
- to go beyond a limit
- exhaustive
- thorough and complete; covering everything
- existence
- the state of being real
- experiment
- a controlled test to discover something
- explicable
- able to be accounted for
- exploited
- used to advantage; taken unfair advantage of
- exposed
- left uncovered; revealed
- extol
- to praise highly
- extraordinary
- far beyond what is usual or expected
F
- feasible
- capable of being done successfully
- fluctuations
- irregular rises and falls
- follow
- to come after; to obey or track
- fruitful
- producing good results; productive
- fruitless
- producing no useful result
G
- grapple
- to struggle with; to try hard to deal with
H
- hampered
- hindered; held back
- haphazard
- lacking plan or order; random
- highlight
- to draw attention to
- homogeneous
- uniform in composition throughout
- hypothesis
- a proposed explanation to be tested
I
- imaginative
- showing creativity and inventiveness
- imitated
- copied the manner or appearance of
- imitation
- a copy of something else
- impenetrable
- impossible to pass through or understand
- implication
- something suggested but not stated outright
- implicit
- implied though not directly expressed
- improve
- to make or become better
- inadvertently
- without intention; accidentally
- incensed
- made very angry
- incentives
- things that motivate or encourage action
- incident
- an event, often notable or troubling
- inconspicuousness
- the quality of not attracting attention
- indecipherable
- impossible to read or interpret
- indecision
- inability to make a choice
- indisputable
- impossible to doubt or deny
- indistinct
- not clearly seen or heard
- individualistic
- marked by independence from the group
- indulge
- to allow oneself a pleasure; to give in to
- infallible
- incapable of making mistakes
- inhibited
- restrained; held back
- inspirational
- providing encouragement or stimulating ideas
- insurmountable
- too great to be overcome
- intangible
- unable to be touched; hard to define
- integral
- essential to completeness
- interchangeable
- able to be substituted for one another
- interest
- curiosity or concern; a stake in something
- intricate
- having many small, complex parts
- intriguing
- arousing curiosity or interest
- invalidate
- to show to be untrue or void
- invulnerable
- impossible to harm
- irrelevant
- not connected to the matter at hand
L
- lacking
- missing or deficient in
- legitimate
- conforming to rules; genuine
- lonely
- sad from being alone; isolated
- lucrative
- producing a great deal of profit
M
- manageable
- able to be controlled or handled
- marginalize
- to push to the edge of importance
- mastery
- comprehensive skill or command
- misconstrue
- to interpret wrongly
- misleading
- giving a false impression
- moderate
- average in degree; to make less extreme
N
- negating
- nullifying; making ineffective
- neglect
- to fail to care for properly
- neglected
- failed to care for properly
- nullify
- to make legally void; to cancel out
O
- obligated
- morally or legally bound
- obscure
- unclear or little known; to hide
- oddity
- a strange or unusual thing
- ongoing
- continuing; still in progress
- opinion
- a personal view not based on certainty
- ornamental
- serving as decoration
- overtly
- openly; not secretly
P
- perceive
- to become aware of through the senses
- praise
- to express warm approval of
- precariousness
- the state of being unstable or insecure
- precursors
- things that come before and lead to others
- prefiguring
- foreshadowing; representing beforehand
- premeditated
- planned in advance
- prestige
- widespread respect based on achievement
- prolong
- to extend the duration of
- proponent
- a person who argues in favor of something
- provokes
- stirs up a reaction; incites
- prudently
- with careful good judgment
Q
- quantified
- expressed as a measurable amount
- question
- to ask about; to express doubt about
R
- react
- to respond to something
- receptive
- willing to consider new ideas
- recognizable
- able to be identified as familiar
- recognized
- identified as known; acknowledged
- rectify
- to correct or put right
- reduced
- made smaller or less
- redundant
- unnecessary because it repeats something
- refinements
- small improvements that increase quality
- reflected
- threw back; thought carefully; showed
- refute
- to prove to be false
- regrettable
- giving cause for regret; unfortunate
- reinforcing
- strengthening or supporting
- renunciation
- the formal giving up of something
- repeatable
- able to be done again the same way
- repressed
- held back or suppressed
- reprieve
- a temporary relief from trouble
- require
- to need; to demand as necessary
- reserved
- kept back for later; restrained in manner
- resigned
- accepting something unpleasant; gave up a post
- resilience
- the ability to recover quickly from difficulty
- responsiveness
- readiness to react to influence
- restored
- brought back to a former condition
- retain
- to continue to hold or keep
- reuse
- to use again
- risky
- involving danger or the chance of loss
- rudimentary
- basic and undeveloped
S
- saturated
- thoroughly soaked; filled to capacity
- scale
- relative size or extent; to climb
- significant
- important enough to have an effect
- sincerity
- freedom from pretense; genuineness
- sponsor
- to fund or support an activity
- standard
- an accepted level of quality; usual
- steadily
- in a regular, unwavering way
- subsequent
- coming after in time or order
- substantial
- large in amount or importance; solid
- substantiate
- to support with evidence
- substantiating
- supporting with evidence
- supplement
- to add to in order to improve
- supply
- to provide what is needed; a stock
- susceptible
- easily influenced or harmed by
T
- take
- to seize, accept, or carry
- tangential
- only slightly connected; off the main point
- tedious
- tiresomely long or dull
- theoretical
- based on ideas rather than practice
- thoughtfulness
- careful consideration; consideration for others
- transcending
- going beyond the limits of
U
- unassailable
- impossible to attack or dispute
- uncontroversial
- not causing disagreement
- underestimate
- to judge as smaller or less capable than reality
- underscore
- to emphasize
- uniform
- the same throughout; unvarying
- unnecessary
- not needed
- unremarkable
- ordinary; not worth noticing
- useful
- able to be used for a purpose; helpful
V
- validated
- confirmed the accuracy or worth of
- variable
- likely to change; a changing quantity
- vigilance
- watchful attention to possible danger
W
- waive
- to give up a right or claim voluntarily
- withdraw
- to remove or take back; to retreat
Hard words
241 words
A
- abrasive
- harsh or irritating in manner; rough enough to scrape
- accessible
- easy to reach, enter, or understand
- adorn
- to decorate or add beauty to
- affection
- fond or tender feeling
- ambiguity
- the state of having more than one possible meaning
- ambiguous
- open to more than one interpretation; unclear
- ambivalent
- having mixed or contradictory feelings
- analogical
- based on comparison between similar things
- annotate
- to add explanatory notes to a text
- antagonistic
- actively hostile or opposed
- antecedent
- a thing that came before another
- appeasement
- giving in to demands to avoid conflict
- appraising
- assessing the value or quality of
- appropriate
- suitable for the situation
- approximate
- close to but not exactly correct
- arcane
- understood by only a few; mysterious
- arduous
- requiring great effort; difficult
- arguing
- presenting reasons for or against; disputing
- asserting
- stating firmly; claiming
- authenticated
- proven to be genuine
- authoritative
- reliable and commanding respect
B
- buttress
- to support or strengthen
C
- catalysts
- things that trigger or speed change
- categorize
- to sort into groups by type
- circumvent
- to find a way around; to evade
- cohesion
- the state of sticking together as a unit
- committed
- dedicated; pledged to a course
- commonplace
- ordinary; not unusual
- complementary
- completing or enhancing each other
- complicated
- involving many confusing parts
- composure
- calm self-control
- compound
- to combine; to make worse by adding to
- concealed
- hidden from view
- concentrated
- gathered densely in one place; focused
- conclude
- to decide after reasoning; to end
- conclusions
- judgments reached by reasoning
- conflated
- wrongly merged two distinct things
- conjectures
- guesses based on incomplete evidence
- consistent
- unchanging over time; free of contradiction
- constraint
- a limitation or restriction
- contemporary
- belonging to the present time
- contentious
- causing or likely to cause argument
- contrivances
- artificial devices or schemes
- contrived
- artificially planned; not natural
- controversial
- causing public disagreement
- corroborate
- to confirm with supporting evidence
- counteract
- to act against so as to reduce an effect
- counterfactual
- contrary to the facts; hypothetical
- curtailed
- cut short; reduced
D
- deceptive
- misleading; giving a false impression
- decisiveness
- the quality of deciding firmly and quickly
- decoupled
- separated things previously linked
- defunct
- no longer existing or functioning
- demarcated
- marked the boundaries of
- depleted
- used up; reduced greatly
- derived
- obtained from a source
- desultory
- lacking plan or purpose; aimless
- deterrents
- things that discourage an action
- dictate
- to state authoritatively; to determine
- disapproving
- expressing an unfavorable opinion
- discern
- to perceive or recognize clearly
- discernible
- able to be perceived or recognized
- discounted
- reduced in price; dismissed as unimportant
- discourage
- to deter; to dishearten
- discretion
- good judgment; freedom to decide
- disengage
- to detach or withdraw from
- disingenuously
- in a way that is insincere or falsely candid
- disorienting
- causing confusion about place or direction
- disparage
- to speak of slightingly; to belittle
- disparate
- essentially different; not comparable
- dispassionately
- without emotion or bias
- dispersed
- scattered widely
- disseminate
- to spread widely
- diverge
- to move or differ in different directions
- diverse
- varied; showing much difference
- dogmatic
- asserting opinions as if unquestionable
- dwindling
- steadily growing smaller
E
- earnest
- sincere and serious in intention
- elasticity
- the ability to stretch and return to shape
- empirical
- based on observation or experiment
- endorse
- to publicly express support for
- engendering
- giving rise to; producing
- evaluate
- to judge the value or quality of
- evasion
- the act of avoiding something, often deceptively
- exclusive
- restricted to a select group; not shared
- exemplifications
- instances serving as examples
- exhaustive
- thorough and complete; covering everything
- expediency
- usefulness for a purpose, over what is right
- exploit
- to use to full advantage; to take unfair advantage of
- exploited
- used to advantage; taken unfair advantage of
- exploiting
- using to advantage; taking unfair advantage of
- extraneous
- irrelevant; coming from outside
F
- facile
- easy in a superficial way; glib
- fecundity
- fertility; the capacity to produce abundantly
- foretells
- predicts a future event
- foster
- to encourage the growth of
H
- habituated
- made accustomed through repetition
- haphazard
- lacking plan or order; random
- heterogeneity
- the quality of being diverse in content
- homogeneous
- uniform in composition throughout
- hypothesized
- proposed as an explanation to be tested
I
- illustrated
- clarified with examples or pictures
- imaginative
- showing creativity and inventiveness
- imitated
- copied the manner or appearance of
- immature
- not fully developed
- impending
- about to occur, often ominously
- implement
- to put into effect
- impractical
- not sensible or workable in reality
- inconclusive
- not leading to a firm conclusion
- incongruous
- out of place; not in harmony
- inconsequential
- unimportant; trivial
- inconspicuousness
- the quality of not attracting attention
- independent
- not controlled by others; self-reliant
- inducement
- something offered to persuade; an incentive
- ineffectual
- failing to produce any effect; futile
- inertia
- a tendency to remain unchanged or inactive
- inevitable
- certain to happen; unavoidable
- inexplicable
- impossible to explain
- innocuous
- harmless; unlikely to offend
- innovative
- introducing new methods or ideas
- insensible
- unaware; unresponsive to feeling
- interchangeable
- able to be substituted for one another
- interjected
- inserted a remark abruptly
- intersect
- to cross or overlap
- inventive
- able to create original things
- irrelevant
- not connected to the matter at hand
L
- latent
- present but not yet visible or active
- localized
- confined to a particular place
M
- manifest
- clear and obvious; to display plainly
- mediated
- brought about through an intermediary
- misanthropic
- disliking humankind
- misgiving
- a feeling of doubt or unease
- mitigate
- to make less severe
- modest
- not boastful; limited in size
- modesty
- the quality of being unassuming
- monetizing
- converting into a source of income
- musical
- relating to music; melodious
- mystifying
- bewildering; hard to explain
N
- negligible
- so small as to be not worth considering
- notional
- existing only as an idea; speculative
- novel
- new and original
- nuanced
- marked by subtle distinctions
O
- obscure
- unclear or little known; to hide
- obviated
- made unnecessary; prevented
- opaque
- not able to be seen through; hard to understand
- operative
- in effect; a key word or factor
- optimistic
- hopeful about the future
- optimize
- to make as effective as possible
- outspoken
- frank in stating opinions
- outstrip
- to surpass or exceed
- overlooked
- failed to notice; disregarded
- overshadowed
- made to seem less important
P
- paradigm
- a typical model or pattern of something
- paucity
- a scarcity; a very small amount
- perceptible
- able to be noticed
- peripheral
- of secondary importance; on the edge
- perpetual
- never ending; continuous
- possession
- ownership; a thing owned
- powerful
- having great strength or influence
- predatory
- preying on others; exploitative
- predetermined
- decided in advance
- predictive
- useful for forecasting outcomes
- prescribed
- officially laid down as a rule
- presuppose
- to assume beforehand as a basis
- pretentious
- trying to seem more important than one is
- prevail
- to prove superior; to be widespread
- prioritize
- to rank in order of importance
- probability
- the likelihood that something will occur
- proclaims
- announces publicly and emphatically
- proficient
- skilled and competent
- profound
- very deep in meaning or intensity
- profusion
- an abundant quantity
- propensity
- a natural inclination toward something
- protracted
- lasting longer than expected
- providing
- supplying or making available
- proxies
- substitutes that stand in for something else
- prudent
- showing careful good judgment
Q
- quarrel
- an angry dispute
- questionable
- of doubtful truth or honesty
- questioned
- asked about; expressed doubt about
R
- realized
- became fully aware of; achieved
- recalcitrant
- stubbornly resistant to authority
- recants
- publicly withdraws a former statement
- reciprocate
- to respond in kind; to return a favor
- reciprocity
- mutual exchange for mutual benefit
- recognition
- identification as known; acknowledgment
- reconstituted
- restored to an original form
- redefined
- given a new meaning or scope
- regretted
- felt sorrow over something done
- remember
- to recall to mind
- replicable
- able to be reproduced with the same result
- representative
- typical of a group; a person acting for others
- repudiates
- rejects or disowns firmly
- require
- to need; to demand as necessary
- resistance
- opposition to something; refusal to yield
- restrained
- held back; showing self-control
- retrospective
- looking back on the past
- routine
- a regular course of action; ordinary
S
- sanguine
- cheerfully optimistic
- satisfactory
- good enough to meet requirements
- satisfying
- giving fulfillment or contentment
- scheme
- a systematic plan; a secret plot
- scrutinized
- examined closely and critically
- select
- to choose; carefully chosen
- shrewd
- showing sharp practical judgment
- situated
- located in a particular place
- spurious
- not genuine; based on false reasoning
- straightforward
- easy to understand; honest and direct
- stymie
- to block or thwart
- substantial
- large in amount or importance; solid
- subsumed
- absorbed into a larger category
- subversive
- seeking to undermine an established system
- succinctly
- briefly and clearly expressed
- succumb
- to yield to a force or illness
- summations
- summaries of what has been said
- superficial
- on the surface only; lacking depth
- superseded
- replaced by something newer
- supplemental
- added to complete or enhance
- supposition
- an assumption made without proof
- surmised
- guessed from slight evidence
- surreptitiously
- in a secretive, stealthy way
- synopsis
- a brief summary of a work
T
- tenuous
- very weak or slight; flimsy
- transposed
- reversed the order or position of
- turnover
- the rate at which things are replaced
U
- ubiquitous
- present everywhere at once
- ubiquity
- the state of being everywhere at once
- unassuming
- modest; not seeking attention
- unbiased
- free from prejudice; impartial
- unimportant
- lacking significance
- unknown
- not known or identified
- unobtrusive
- not conspicuous; not drawing attention
- unoriginal
- not new; derived from others
- unpretentious
- modest; without false display
- unvarying
- constant; never changing
- unworkable
- not practical; unable to succeed
V
- validate
- to confirm the accuracy or worth of
- variable
- likely to change; a changing quantity
- verisimilitude
- the appearance of being true or real
- veritable
- genuine; rightly so called
Y
- yield
- to produce; to give way
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