262 SAT Vocab Words You Must Know

4/4/2019 262 SAT Vocab Words You Must Know
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200 262 SAT Vocab Words You Must Know
Posted by Hannah Muniz | Jan 25, 2018 12:00:00 PM

SAT WRITING, SAT READING
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 de nitely 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.
https://blog.prepscholar.com/sat-vocabulary-words 1/38
How Is Vocabulary Tested on the SAT?
The SAT underwent a signi cant redesign in 2016, and since then vocabulary has
become a far less important part of the test. This is because there are fewer vocabulary
459 questions on the current SAT than there were on the old SAT.
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That said, it'll still bene t you to study vocab, especially if you're aiming for a high or
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perfect score.
All SAT words are about medium di culty and are tested in the context of reading
200 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 o cial 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 di cult
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):
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Source: O cial SAT Practice Test #1
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:
A sample SAT question with single vocab words as answer choices. (Source: O cial SAT Practice Test
#1)
A sample SAT question with phrases as answer choices. (Source: O

cial SAT Practice Test #2)
In these examples, you'll need to know the de nitions of a variety of SAT

vocabulary words, such as “substantiated,” “freewheeling,” and “scandalous,” so that
you can select the right answer choice.
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Are There Any Vocab Questions on SAT Writing?

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Aside from the Reading section, are there any SAT vocab questions on the Writing and
200 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):

Source: O cial SAT Practice Test #2
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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 de nitions we suggest memorizing if you want to get high scores on SAT
Reading and Writing.
To compile this list, we dug through all o cial 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
e cient at interpreting and answering questions correctly on SAT Reading and Writing.
Below, we give you each word, its part of speech, its de nition, and an example sentence
(or more if the word has multiple de nitions/parts of speech). All words are listed in
alphabetical order.
Word De nition Example Sentence

v. to become less
As I began my speech, my feelings of
Abate active, less intense, or
nervousness quickly abated.
less in amount
Abstract adj. existing purely in Julie had trouble understanding the
the mind; not appeal of the abstract painting.
representing actual
reality
I got an abysmal grade on my
Abysmal adj. extremely bad
research paper!
adv. in accordance All students must behave
Accordingly
with accordingly.
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Language acquisition is easier for
Acquisition skill or possession of
kids than it is for adults.
something
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v. to make suit a new
The US has adapted many foreign
purpose
foods to better suit the tastes of
200 v. to accommodate
Adapt Americans.
oneself to a new
Dogs are known for their ability to
condition, setting, or
quickly adapt to their environments.
situation
adj. having knowledge
Beth loves playing the piano, but
Adept or skill (usu. in a
she’s especially adept at the violin.
particular area)
adj. having su cient
Though his resume was adequate,
quali cations to meet
Adequate the company doubted whether he’d
a speci c task or
be a good t.
purpose
n. the arrival or
The world has never been the same
Advent creation of something
since the advent of the light bulb.
(usu. historic)
adj. relating to hostile An adversarial attitude will make you
Adversarial
opposition many enemies in life.
n. someone who
promotes or defends I am an advocate for free higher
something education.
Advocate v. to defend or Environmental protesters often
promote something advocate for cleaner energy
(usu. a belief, theory, practices.
opinion, etc.)
The aesthetic decorations at the
adj. relating to beauty
Aesthetic wedding reception made you feel as if
or re ned taste
you were a character in a fairy tale.
A ord v. to be able to buy He’s saving money so he can a ord
v. to be able to spare to buy a new car.

I can’t a ord to lose any more
pencils!
v. to promote
They’re agitating for better health
Agitate something (usu. a
care.
cause)
459 v. to permit or
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consent to
v. to make a secretive
She alluded to the problem at hand
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Allude mention of
but didn’t say anything more about it.
something
200 n. a noisy argument Greg got into an altercation with a
Altercation
or confrontation stranger at the bar.
Her ambiguous statement made me
adj. unclear or vague
Ambiguous question whether she could be
in meaning
trusted.
adj. having a powerful
Penny is so ambitious, she wants to
Ambitious desire for success or
be president someday.
achievement
n. the state of being
uncertain or stuck His ambivalence prevented him from
Ambivalence
between two or more immediately signing the contract.
options
adj. similar but not Green onions are considered
Analogous
identical analogous to spring onions.
v. to destroy or cause
The dictator sent orders to
Annihilate devastating
annihilate the group of rebels.
destruction
n. something
This result is an anomaly and very
Anomaly di erent from the
rarely happens.
norm
v. assume to be likely The party was just as fun as I had
Anticipate
to happen anticipated it would be.
Her antipathy toward the professor
n. a strong feeling of
Antipathy was obvious: she rolled her eyes
dislike
whenever he entered the classroom.
n. the highest point of The spring play was the apex of our
Apex
something school year.
Apprehension n. fearful expectation Her apprehension to leave her house

of something resulted in her missing the train.
v. to clearly express in She articulated her opinion on the
Articulate
words price of the house.
adj. something made;
Many candies use arti cial avors to
Arti cial not occurring
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naturally
n. a strong His assertion that sharks are
Assertion
declaration mammals made everyone laugh.
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He lived in a small, austere cabin in
adj. extremely plain
the middle of the woods.
adj. stern and
200 My boss had an austere expression
Austere forbidding
on her face.
adj. relating to self-
An austere lifestyle, like that of
denial
monks, isn’t for everybody.
n. the quality of being
The police o cer doubted the
Authenticity real and true instead
authenticity of the suspect’s story.
of fake and contrived
n. an intangible path
The company has decided to pursue
Avenue or approach to
other avenues.
something
adj. actively
interested in or
Avid Gerald is an avid soccer fan.
enthusiastic about
something
adj. relating to the You have to start with basic Russian
Basic foundation or basis of before you can move on to the
something advanced level.
She bears a strong resemblance to
v. to have as a your mother.
characteristic Judy will bear her rst child last year.
Bear v. to have (a child) My garden is going to bear pumpkins
v. to bring forth this year.
v. to put up with I can’t bear her complaining any
longer!
Many cultures believe in benevolent
Benevolent adj. kind, generous
spirits.
Bias n. a preconception It’s important to avoid bias when
that prevents investigating a crime.

objectivity
adj. tinged with a The ending of the romance movie
Bittersweet
feeling of sadness was bittersweet.
If we work together, we should be
v. to support,
Bolster able to lift and then bolster the
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couch.
n. an increase or The boost in pro ts was a welcome
growth change.
Boost
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v. to increase or make In order to boost pro ts, you need to
grow cater to your customers.
200 A brawl broke out at school today
n. an intense, loud
after one student accused another of
ght
Brawl cheating.
v. to ght loudly and
The two students brawled for an
disruptively
hour.
n. the quality of being The brevity of their time together
Brevity
brief or terse made it all the more romantic.
Josh is candid about his desire to
Candid adj. direct, blunt
become an actor.
n. the trait of being I admire her candor, especially when
Candor
honest and frank nobody else bothers to speak up.
I’d like to capitalize on your math
v. to use to your
Capitalize skills by having your work the cash
advantage
register.
v. to trap or take
The spy was captured by the enemy.
possession of
Your painting beautifully captures
v. to successfully
the ephemerality of life.
Capture represent or imitate
I was captured by her beauty.
v. to captivate,
The cops captured the criminal three
mesmerize
days after the incident.
v. to catch or seize
adj. relating to the city
Civic Voting is a civic duty.
or citizens
adj. emotionally
Her clinical approach to situations
unattached (usu.
Clinical allows her to handle them more
used in medical or
e ectively.
scienti c setting)
Clout n. special advantage Children of rich and famous people

or power often believe they have a lot of clout.
adj. indicating a rough The horse’s mane was coarse, as if it
texture had never been washed.
Coarse adj. lacking The queen’s coarse way of speaking
re nement or surprised the other members of
459 sophistication royalty.
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It wasn’t until after I booked my ticket
v. to happen at the
Coincide that I realized the concert coincided
same time
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n. the use of payment
200 to request something This painting was commissioned by a
Commission
(e.g., a service or rich merchant in 1589.
product)
adj. able to be This novel is comparable to
Comparable
compared Huckleberry Finn.
We need to hire a competent web
adj. su ciently
Competent developer to create a good website
quali ed
for our company.
Though he had never won any
adj. satis ed, with no
awards or even been published, he
Complacent desire to change or
was complacent with his life as a
improve
poet.
v. to make perfect or This wine perfectly complements this
Complement
complete platter of gourmet cheese.
v. to be forced to
With no chance of winning the battle,
agree or surrender
Concede the army at last conceded.
v. to admit to a
Dan conceded to pranking his sister.
transgression
The plan to build the city was
v. to imagine or come
Conceive originally conceived in the early
up with
1900s.
v. to overlook, She couldn't condone her daughter's
Condone
approve, or allow rebellious behavior.
adj. able to bring The noisy students hardly made the
Conducive about or be suitable campus library conducive to
for studying.
Conduct v. to control or The group conducted their research
manage abroad last year.

v. to behave a certain Be sure to conduct yourself
way accordingly.
v. to share something
She con ded all of her biggest
Con de secretive with
secrets in her best friend.
someone
459 v. to put limits on; to We are going to con ne the use of
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restrict this drinking fountain.
After weeks of debating, the panel
Consensus n. overall agreement
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nally came to a consensus.
v. to form or compose The desire for equality constituted
Constitute
200 (part of) something the civil rights movement.
v. to think deeply She contemplated telling her teacher
Contemplate
about about the cheating student.
The president contends that the US
v. to maintain or
Contend government will not negotiate with
assert (an opinion)
terrorists.
v. to be in contrast The camera footage contradicts his
Contradict
with alibi.
adj. highly debatable
Millions of viewers watched the
Controversial and causing
controversial debate take place.
contention
adj. abiding by She lives a conventional life in the
Conventional
accepted standards suburbs.
v. to pass on or I have trouble conveying my
Convey
transfer (information) thoughts in French.
n. a rm belief in Her religious convictions prevent her
Conviction
something from eating meat.
v. to provide evidence The note signed by her father
Corroborate for; to back up (a corroborates her claim that she was
claim) absent from class that day.
v. to work in This ingredient seems to counteract
Counteract
opposition to the other ones.
n. an argument used Make sure to include a
to criticize or counterargument in your essay so
Counterargument
dismantle another that you can show you’ve considered
argument the topic from all perspectives.
Counterproductive adj. hindering the Bill’s idea to take a shortcut was
achievement of a goal ultimately counterproductive: it took

us twice as long to get to the train
station.
n. the nal act or The culmination of the performance
Culmination
climax was unforgettable.
Teachers don’t just pass on new
459 v. to foster the growth
Cultivate information to students—they
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cultivate their academic potential.
The president decreed that
v. to declare formally
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Decree Halloween would henceforth be a
and with authority
national holiday.
200 Her deference to the elderly makes
Deference n. respect; regard her the perfect candidate for an
internship at the retirement center.
adj. not enough in I feel as though the sources for my
De cient
degree or amount paper are de cient.
Could you demonstrate the dance
v. to do as an move for me?
Demonstrate example This book’s use of words such as
v. gives evidence for “grim” and “bleak” demonstrates the
author’s mournful tone.
She demurred at my request to
Demur v. to object to
transfer to a di erent department.
v. to (over)use over The lost campers quickly depleted
Deplete
time (usu. resources) their supply of food.
adj. bare, barren, The moon is one giant, desolate
Desolate
empty landscape.
v. to come up with (a Lana devised a plan to make herself
Devise
plan) famous.
n. a problem, usually
The main dilemma is whether to pay
Dilemma requiring a choice
for a commercial or not.
between two options
n. conscientiousness;
Diligence and con dence will get you
Diligence the quality of being
far in life.
committed to a task
The itchiness of mosquito bites
v. to become smaller
Diminish usually starts to diminish after a few
in scope or degree
days.
Dire adj. hopeless and When the police didn’t explain what
dangerous or fearful was happening right away, Jane knew
that the situation must be dire.
Disputes over money caused
Discord n. disagreement
intense discord in the family.
n. a lack of respect
459 He looked at me with such disdain
and strong dislike
Shares Disdain that I immediately knew the job
(toward something or
wouldn’t work out.
someone)
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n. hopelessness,
To Nick’s dismay, he got an F on the
stress, or
test.
200 Dismay consternation
Many were dismayed by the town’s
v. to ll with woe or
implementation of metered parking.
apprehension
v. to belittle or speak A good boss is stern but never
Disparage
down to disparages his or her employees.
v. to send o a
The mother dispatched her daughter
Dispatch message or
to their neighbor’s house.
messenger
Lately, there’s been noticeable
n. the act of
Diversi cation diversi cation of students at higher
becoming diverse
institutions.
n. a principle, theory,
Devoutly religious people often live
or position, usu.
Doctrine their lives according to their
advocated by a
doctrines.
religion or gov’t
n. power and
The country claimed to have
authority (usu. over a
Dominion dominion over parts of Russia.
territory)
Puerto Rico is a dominion of the US.
n. a legal territory
The gray clouds in the sky made the
Dreary adj. sad, gloomy, dull
day feel dreary.
The man’s claims to the throne were
adj. doubtful,
Dubious dubious since nobody knew where
questionable
he’d come from.
adj. peculiar or odd;
She’s a little eccentric but still fun to
Eccentric deviating from the
be around.
norm
Egregious adj. extremely bad After cheating on the exam, Emily

began to feel as though she’d made
an egregious mistake.
adj. having re ned or
expressive
His speech was not only eloquent but
Eloquent communication skills
also extremely compelling.
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writing)
adj. superior or Our town made news when the
259 Eminent distinguished; high in eminent magician came to perform
position or status at our local theater.
200 v. to discharge, give Plants consume carbon dioxide and
Emit
forth, or release emit oxygen.
adj. very expressive; Her emphatic smile told me she was
Emphatic
using emphasis excited to ride the roller coaster.
adj. derived from
experience, You need empirical evidence to
Empirical
observation, or an support your claim.
experiment
v. to equip or bestow
According to the myth, the gods
Endow (usu. a quality or
endowed him with the gift of healing.
ability)
v. to withstand,
I can’t endure this wait any longer.
Endure sustain, or hold out
Will Stanford accept or reject me?
against
v. to involve or A doctoral program entails long
Entail
include nights and a heavy workload.
Her face will forever be entrenched
Entrenched adj. rmly established
in my memory.
I can’t enumerate how many times
Enumerate v. to specify or count I’ve had to remind my students when
their papers are due.
n. excessive jealousy His envy of her is quite obvious.
Envy v. to admire and be She envies her coworker's social
jealous of skills.
adj. having no xed
The car became erratic after slipping
Erratic course; deviating
on ice.
from the norm
Establish v. to enact They established a law that made it

v. to found (a illegal to drive after drinking any
business, group, amount of alcohol.
school, etc.) Our group established a new branch
in Chicago.
v. to draw forth or call Horror movies are great at evoking
Evoke
459 up fear.
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v. to make worse or
The doctor told me not to run as it
Exacerbate increase the severity
can exacerbate my knee injury.
259 of
v. to do something
She was a well-rounded student but
200 Excel extremely well or to
excelled especially in science.
be superior in
v. to put into use (usu.
Exert Don’t exert all of your energy at once.
as e ort)
adj. invigorating,
The music playing at the club was
Exhilarating stimulating, or
catchy and exhilarating.
exciting
v. to use up (as in Be careful not to expend all your
Expend
energy or money) energy in the rst half of a marathon.
The shoddy company exploited its
v. to use sel shly or
Exploit workers by paying them extremely
for pro t
low wages.
In grad school, advisors facilitate
v. to aid the progress
Facilitate students’ research and o er
of
constructive criticism.
The feasibility of her project was
n. the practicality or
doubtful; she’d have to go all the way
Feasibility possibility of
to Antarctica and back before the
something
school year ended.
n. viciousness, The lion is just one wild animal known
Ferocity
violence for its ferocity.
Fiscal policy is how the government
adj. related to
Fiscal uses money to in uence the
(government) money
economy.
After one year, the tiny plants had
v. to prosper, grow, or
Flourish ourished into a breathtaking
make fast progress
garden.
Fluctuate v. to be unstable; to Stocks can uctuate on a daily basis,

rise and fall making it di cult to determine when
to buy or sell one.
The civilians accused their leader
Foment v. to stir up
of fomenting political unrest.
adj. capable of being
459 I can't imagine aliens visiting us in the
Foreseeable predicted or
Shares foreseeable future.
anticipated
I frankly don’t see the point in
Frankly adv. directly, clearly
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learning to drive.
His freewheeling attitude often got
Freewheeling adj. carefree
200 him in trouble at work.
adj. the most
A thesis is arguably the most
Fundamental essential or most
fundamental part of an essay.
basic part
adj. thrilling, exciting, The galvanizing performance left
Galvanizing
stimulating everyone spellbound.
I became interested in geriatric
adj. relating to old
Geriatric medicine shortly after my grandfather
age
passed away from cancer.
adj. harmful, The voices around the corner
Hostile
dangerous sounded angry, hostile even.
For my physics homework, I must
adj. supposed; related
Hypothetical come up with a hypothetical
to a hypothesis
situation.
The politician's expensive campaign
adj. publicly shameful
Ignominious ultimately ended in ignominious
or humiliating
defeat.
v. to transmit, bestow, Parents must impart common sense
Impart
or disclose to their children.
n. the equal and To ensure impartiality, we require
Impartiality objective treatment everyone to follow these general
of opposing views guidelines.
adj. impressive (esp. The old mansion was imposing in its
Imposing
in size or appearance) huge size and gothic architecture.
n. an unnecessary If it’s not too much of an imposition,
Imposition
burden could you proofread my paper?
Imprudent adj. not cautious or Backpacking abroad can be fun, but
prudent; rash don’t be imprudent about money.

v. to encourage or stir Her hateful words incited anger in
Incite
up the crowd.
n. apathy, emotional The girl’s indi erence toward her
Indi erence
detachment brother upset their parents.
adv. randomly; with Lottery winners are chosen
459 Indiscriminately
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v. to give into; to My friend loves to indulge in cheesy
Indulge
satisfy or gratify romance movies.
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v. to guess, conclude, You can infer from this quotation
Infer or derive by that the writer didn’t care for “pretty”
200
reasoning language.
adj. novel or new Her invention was incredibly
Innovative (esp. as an idea or innovative and won her multiple
invention) awards.
A vampire’s thirst for blood is said to
Insatiable adj. can’t be satis ed
be insatiable.
The culture’s norms were an
Inversion n. a reversal
inversion of our own.
v. to call on; to appeal
The shaman attempted to invoke a
Invoke to (e.g., a higher
demon.
power)
adj. incapable of The couple’s di erences were
Irreconcilable being in harmony or ultimately irreconcilable, giving them
agreed upon no choice but to break up.
Susan lamented her missed chance
v. to feel sorrow for;
Lament at going to Europe with her high
to mourn
school class.
Physics involves the study of
Locomotion n. movement
locomotion.
adj. capable of Writing books isn’t a particularly
Lucrative making a lot of lucrative career, unless you’re J.K.
money; pro table Rowling.
The malicious spirit drove out the
Malicious adj. harmful, spiteful
inhabitants from their home.
adj. capable of being Children’s minds are malleable but
Malleable
molded or changed only for so long.
Materialistic adj. super cial; focus Many people accuse Americans of
on material being materialistic.

possessions
adj. extravagant or
The melodramatic play was well
Melodramatic exaggerated (as of a
liked by the audience.
melodrama)
adj. simple and They moved into a modest house in
459 humble the countryside.
Shares Modest
adj. small in size or I received a modest sum of money
amount for my help at the company event.
259
v. to change, alter, or Dr. Nguyen modi ed the gene so
Modify
tweak that it wouldn’t carry the disease.
200 adj. historically Her win in the election was
Momentous
signi cant momentous.
We are looking for novel ways to
Novel adj. new, innovative
approach the project.
Body-language experts even
n. a subtle di erence
Nuance understand the nuances of facial
in meaning
expressions.
adj. legally void and The government declared their
Null
ine ective marriage null.
n. judgment based on
observations instead In scienti c research, objectivity is of
Objectivity
of emotions or utmost importance.
opinions
Historians assumed record players
adj. no longer used;
Obsolete would be obsolete by now, but in fact
rare or uncommon
they’re making a huge comeback.
adj. almighty and all Gods are omnipotent beings who
Omnipotent
powerful can control human destiny.
n. the beginning or At the onset of her career as a
Onset
early stages lawyer, things were looking up.
v. to openly express The new employee opined at the
Opine
an opinion company meeting.
adj. highly detailed That ornate silverware must be
Ornate
and decorated worth thousands of dollars!
v. to remove or force Sick and tired of putting up with his
Oust out of (usu. a position bad moods, the pirates ousted their
or o ce) captain.
Paramount adj. predominant, Our paramount concern is the safety

superior, most of our employees.
important
Upon entering the abandoned house,
Peculiar adj. strange, bizarre Kate experienced a peculiar feeling,
as if someone was watching her.
459 According to the news, nobody
Shares Perish v. to die; to pass away
perished in the re.
They will persecute anyone who
v. to cause su ering
259
Persecute doesn’t agree with their views of the
to
world.
200 adj. cranky, pouty, Petulant children are especially
Petulant
irritable di cult to care for.
Many believe that composers such as
n. highest level or
Pinnacle Beethoven and Mozart represent the
degree
pinnacle of classical music.
The frail-looking dog was pitiable, so
Pitiable adj. deserving pity I gave it some food and took it inside
to care for it.
adj. reasonable and Her story is plausible, but that
Plausible
possibly true doesn’t mean she’s telling the truth.
The literary critic postulates that
Postulate v. to assert romanticism and naturalism are
actually interconnected.
adj. having great The bald eagle is a potent symbol of
in uence the US.
Potent
adj. having a strong, The potion was de nitely potent—it
chemical e ect healed my wounds immediately!
It’s not necessarily more pragmatic
Pragmatic adj. practical, useful to study engineering than it is to
study philosophy.
n. an example or
This change in law is without
Precedent subject from earlier in
historical precedent.
time
n. someone who
comes before you My predecessor gave me many tips
Predecessor
(usu. in position or for running the o ce.
o ce)
Prescribe v. to command orders The directions for our essay

v. to issue prescribe a length of at least ten
authorization for pages.
medications A doctor must prescribe you this
medication before you can begin
taking it.
459 Remember the universal principle:
Shares n. basic truth,
Principle treat others as you want them to
assumption, or rule
treat you.
259 v. to command Alcohol was prohibited in the US in
Prohibit
against, to outlaw the 1920s.
200 adj. punctual, on time She is always prompt when it comes
n. a cue to begin to turning in her homework.
something; I had to write an essay based on
Prompt
instructions a prompt.
v. to incite, propel, or The possibility of a scholarship
cause to act prompted him to apply to Harvard.
The ruler will at last promulgate an
v. to put into law or
Promulgate amnesty with the neighboring
formally declare
countries.
v. to bring criminal
The suspect was prosecuted
Prosecute action against
yesterday.
someone (in a trial)
adj. intending to
Her nude paintings are considered
Provocative provoke, inspire, or
quite provocative.
arouse
adj. involving qualities
of something I noticed a qualitative change in her
Qualitative
(features and paintings.
content)
adj. involving
We must conduct a quantitative
Quantitative quantities (numbers
analysis.
and amounts)
His biggest quirk is his love of old
Quirk n. a strange habit
marbles.
v. to split into two or Cars rami ed throughout the world
Ramify
more branches in the twentieth century.
Rash adj. without attention Her rash decision to pass the car
to danger or risk nearly resulted in a crash.

He’s got raw talent as a singer, but he
adj. unre ned needs to work on his performance
Raw adj. not processed; skills.
uncooked (as in food) In some countries, such as Japan, it is
normal to eat raw sh.
459 adv. right away and Water was readily available at
Shares Readily
without di culty di erent points in the race.
n. thinking again
The judges’ reconsideration of her
259
Reconsideration about a previously
performance resulted in her victory.
made choice
200 n. a change for the The reform made it so that only
better; improvement those 18 and older can legally drive.
Reform
v. to improve via The government reformed its vague
change policies on marijuana use.
v. to prove to be
The student refuted the professor’s
Refute untrue, unfounded,
claim in class.
or incorrect
v. to strengthen or We can use these pipes to reinforce
Reinforce
add support to the structure.
adv. somewhat Max reluctantly agreed to see the
Reluctantly
unwillingly horror movie with his friends.
Our CEO renounced her position
v. to give up (usu.
yesterday.
Renounce power or a position)
He renounced his friend after he
v. to cast o
caught her stealing money from him.
The mother reproached her
Reproach v. to criticize daughter’s school for making
students come in during a blizzard.
The father repudiated his son’s
v. to refuse to marriage.
Repudiate recognize as true She repudiated her son once she
v. to cast o found out he’d married someone
without telling her.
n. the act of keeping Water retention can make you weigh
Retention
something more on certain days.
adj. satis ed (usu. in
Satiated I felt satiated after eating a snack.
hunger)
Savvy adj. having practical My brother is not very savvy when it

intelligence or comes to using public transportation.
knowledge
adj. morally o ensive,
The scandalous politician decided it
Scandalous often causing damage
was best to resign from o ce.
to one’s reputation
459 v. to look down on It’s di cult for me not to scorn those
Shares Scorn
with disdain who use improper grammar.
adj. paying great I am a scrupulous proofreader and
Scrupulous
259
attention to detail never miss an error.
v. to examine The teacher scrutinized her students’
Scrutinize
200 carefully and critically essays.
v. to produce or Trees secrete a sticky substance
Secrete
release (a substance) called sap.
I am of the sentiment that you
should never give out your passwords
n. opinion
to anyone.
Sentiment n. a tender or moving
Even though I’m not a big fan of
gesture
porcelain dolls, I appreciated the
sentiment.
The curtains on the window were so
adj. so thin that light
Sheer sheer you could clearly see inside the
can shine through
house.
This math problem is so simple even
adj. easy; not
a rst grader can solve it.
Simple complex
The simple beauty of the ocean is
adj. undecorated
what makes it memorable.
Medieval peasants believed sinister
Sinister adj. ominous, evil
demons could harm humans.
n. the joining of
I stood in solidarity with other
commonalities or
Solidarity female students by refusing to wear
common purposes
the school’s sexist uniform.
among a group
adv. insu ciently,
Due to my condition, I must eat salt
Sparingly meagerly, or in a
sparingly.
restricted manner
Spawn v. to release eggs Frogs typically spawn in ponds.
v. to call forth or The topic spawned an ongoing

generate debate among his family members.
v. to stimulate or
Spur Her bravery spurred others to act.
incite
adj. run-down, sordid, The squalid cabin needed a new roof
Squalid
or sleazy and an exterminator.
459
Shares adj. very plain; devoid
Looking out at the stark landscape, I
Stark of any details or
felt a keen sense of isolation.
features
259
The ball is static.
adj. motionless
Static Her life has been static for the past
adj. changeless
200 three years.
adj. lower in rank The subordinate o cers work every
n. someone lower in day.
rank My subordinate will check you in.
Subordinate
v. to make dependent You aren’t my boss—you can’t
on or put at a lower subordinate me to the role of
rank receptionist!
adv. happening later
Subsequently I subsequently went home.
or after something
I was shocked to nd a substantial
adj. very large in
Substantial amount of money beneath the park
amount or degree
bench.
It is important for scientists to
v. to strengthen with
Substantiate substantiate their theories whenever
new evidence or facts
possible.
adj. hard to detect or I detected in her expression a subtle
Subtle
analyze hint of irritation.
adj. enough; just
These boxes should be su cient for
Su cient meeting a
our move.
requirement
adj. unfriendly; The bartender was a surly fellow who
Surly
inclined to anger wasn’t afraid to start a ght.
They managed to surmount the
v. to get on top of or
Surmount language barrier by using a
overcome
translation app.
adj. to be vulnerable Children are more susceptible to
Susceptible
(to something) certain illnesses than adults are.
Tactful adj. skilled at dealing Her tactful attitude toward our class
with people made her one of my favorite
teachers.
The rubberband was taut and ready
Taut adj. pulled tight
to be red.
adj. abundantly lled Doorknobs are not as clean as they
459 Teeming (usu. with living look and are often teeming with
Shares
organisms) germs.
She had a hostile temperament,
n. usual mood or
259
Temperament making her intimidating to most
feelings
people.
200 We haven’t made any o cial
Tentative adj. not yet nalized arrangements yet, but the tentative
location for our wedding is Hawaii.
adj. see-through; so Stained window glass isn’t as
thin that light can transparent as regular window glass
Transparent shine through is.
adj. truthful or easy to She was transparent about her plans
perceive to end her marriage.
The journey was becoming
adj. dangerous and
Treacherous treacherous, but they continued on
unstable
regardless.
adj. very large, good,
Tremendous news! You don’t have to
Tremendous or bad in degree or
repay your loans!
size
adj. being everywhere Cell phones are ubiquitous these
Ubiquitous
at once days.
Though the dress was cheap and
adj. undecorated,
Unadorned unadorned, it was by far her favorite
plain
one on the rack.
v. to weaken or
Parents should take care not to
Undermine subvert (usu.
constantly undermine their children.
gradually or secretly)
v. to emphasize or
This sentence seems to underscore
Underscore give additional weight
the overall meaning of the passage.
to
Undulate v. to move as ripples Belly dancers are known for their
or in a wavy pattern ability to skillfully undulate their
stomachs.
The unilateral decision was deemed
Unilateral adj. one-sided
unfair by the other party involved.
adj. unfair; not The court’s decision is unjust—he
Unjust
justi ed should not go free.
adj. downright, utter, My speech was an unmitigated
459 Unmitigated
Shares total disaster!
adj. completely new
and never having The number of protestors was
259 Unprecedented
happened before; unprecedented.
historic
200
v. to make visible; to We plan to unveil our plans for the
Unveil
reveal new company project on Sunday.
He had the urge to tell his parents
n. desire or impulse about his acceptance to Columbia but
Urge v. to encourage or decided against it.
persuade She urged her sister to apply to
Stanford.
v. to prove or declare Your sel sh actions do not validate
Validate
valid your feelings for me.
n. ability to be done in
The viability of the solution is
Viability a practical or useful
questionable.
way
adj. urgently It is vital that you respond by the
Vital
necessary deadline.
My brother quickly broke his vow to
Vow v. to promise
never eat chocolate again.
Wanting to look cool in front of your
v. to prove to be
Warrant friends doesn’t warrant breaking the
reasonable
law.
n. production of an The farmer’s annual
amount pumpkin yield exceeded 10,000.
v. to give way to or Cars turning right on red must yield
Yield
surrender to to oncoming tra c.
v. to produce or Our experiment yielded many
supply unique-looking vegetables.

459
Shares
259
200
How to Study SAT Words E ectively: 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 ashcards. 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 ashcards. 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:
459
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259 Once you’ve made your ashcards, 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
200 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:
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:
Repeat this process of picking up your Struggled pile and going through each card until
you’re left with about one to ve cards in your Struggled pile:
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259
200
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 de nitions in it.
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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259
200
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 ashcards, you can opt for digital ashcards. Anki is a free
software you can download and use to make your own ashcards. The program uses
spaced-repetition software (SRS) to show you di cult cards more often than those you
know (basically, a digital version of the waterfall method).
#3: Take O cial SAT Practice Tests
Since the majority of the words in our list above come from o cial 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 ashcards and the waterfall method.
The Best SAT Vocab Flashcards

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If you plan to make your own SAT vocab ashcards from our list, you'll need at least 300
blank index cards and a system to keep them organized. These basic cards are an
259
a ordable 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- ip ashcards that include binder clips.
200
Though we strongly recommend making your own ashcards, 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 ashcards 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 de nitely
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 ashcards and use the waterfall
method. This ensures you know all the words in your deck and aren’t glossing over any
di cult ones.
If you don’t want to make ashcards 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 ashcards or opt for digital ashcards.
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 o cial 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
459 in-depth guides to getting a perfect Reading score and learning how to read SAT
Shares
passages.
259
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.
200
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
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About the Author

Hannah graduated summa cum laude from the
University of Southern California with a bachelor’s
degree in English and East Asian languages and
cultures. After graduation, she taught English in
Japan for two years via the JET Program. She is
459
passionate about education, writing, and travel.
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Hannah Muniz
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Ask a Question Below
Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!
Dana M 7/16/2018, 6:27:08 PM
Do u recommend that I memorize this list instead of memorizing the 2000 word list (i
have about a month to nish my vocab)
Reply to Dana M
Hannah Muniz 8/26/2018, 4:54:08 AM
Hi Dana,
Thanks for your question, and sorry for the late response.
I de nitely recommend reading this list instead of a 2,000-word list. The reason is
that these days the SAT does not test vocab as intensely as it used to (prior to 2016).
As a result, you really shouldn't need to study thousands and thousands of words in
order to do well on it.
459 My biggest piece of advice: familiarize yourself with most of the words here and
Shares
make sure that you know any alternate meanings of "simple" words, too, since the
SAT loves to test these.
259
Hope this helps!
Hannah
200
Reply to Hannah Muniz
John Wright Stanly 7/25/2018, 4:18:48 AM
If anyone wants a Quizlet for these terms, I made one

https://quizlet.com/_51zw9x
Reply to John Wright Stanly
Barbara Justus 9/17/2018, 11:29:12 PM
Thanks so much
Reply to Barbara Justus
Katie S. 10/6/2018, 2:17:49 PM
I have my PSAT on wednesday next week but how is the best way to prep for it?
Reply to Katie S.
Hannah Muniz 12/3/2018, 7:30:01 AM
Hi Katie,
I apologize for the late response. Thank you for your question.
We actually have a separate guide on how to prepare for the PSAT.
459 https://blog.prepscholar.com/psat-prep-tips
Shares
Hope this helps!

259
Hannah

200
Lisa Tsai 10/19/2018, 10:28:23 PM
Thanks for sharing
Reply to Lisa Tsai
Seon 11/13/2018, 10:41:16 PM
I downloaded 200 most important words in prepscholar web. Some words are
overlapped and some are not. Which one is more recent or more important?? What are
the di erences in a important point of view??
Reply to Seon
Hannah Muniz 12/3/2018, 7:37:22 AM
Hi Seon,
Thanks for your question! Our ebook of the 200 most important SAT vocab words
was originally made for the old (pre-2016) SAT, whereas this article's 262 vocab
words are all based on the current format of the test.
While you can certainly use both lists for your studies, the list on this page should be
a little more relevant, so I'd stick with this one if you want to use just one in your
test prep.
Hope this helps!

Hannah
459
Shares Kate Ng 1/26/2019, 5:50:35 AM
Wow! Thanks a lot! You are good! Well done! It sure helped me in my studies!
259
Reply to Kate Ng
200
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200 262 SAT Vocab Words You Must Know

Posted by Hannah Muniz | Jan 25, 2018 12:00:00 PM

How Is Vocabulary Tested on the SAT?

What Do SAT Vocabulary Questions Look Like?

Here are some examples of these questions:

A sample SAT question with phrases as answer choices. (Source: O

In these examples, you'll need to know the de nitions of a variety of SAT

Are There Any Vocab Questions on SAT Writing?

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

Word De nition Example Sentence

v. to be able to spare to buy a new car.

Apprehension n. fearful expectation Her apprehension to leave her house

that prevents investigating a crime.

Clout n. special advantage Children of rich and famous people

manage abroad last year.

achievement of a goal ultimately counterproductive: it took

Egregious adj. extremely bad After cheating on the exam, Emily

Establish v. to enact They established a law that made it

Fluctuate v. to be unstable; to Stocks can uctuate on a daily basis,

prudent; rash don’t be imprudent about money.

on material being materialistic.

Paramount adj. predominant, Our paramount concern is the safety

Prescribe v. to command orders The directions for our essay

to danger or risk nearly resulted in a crash.

Savvy adj. having practical My brother is not very savvy when it

v. to call forth or The topic spawned an ongoing

How to Study SAT Words E ectively: 3 Essential Tips

#1: Make Flashcards and Use the Waterfall Method

Here's how to use the waterfall method:

#2: Focus On Words You Don’t Know

#3: Take O cial SAT Practice Tests

The Best SAT Vocab Flashcards

Conclusion: The Importance of Studying SAT

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?

Try it risk-free today:

Improve Your SAT Score by 160+ Points,

Tweet Share Like 259 Share

About the Author

Guides Your email

Ask a Question Below

Dana M 7/16/2018, 6:27:08 PM

Reply to Hannah Muniz

John Wright Stanly 7/25/2018, 4:18:48 AM

If anyone wants a Quizlet for these terms, I made one

Reply to John Wright Stanly

Barbara Justus 9/17/2018, 11:29:12 PM

Reply to Barbara Justus

Katie S. 10/6/2018, 2:17:49 PM

We actually have a separate guide on how to prepare for the PSAT.

Hope this helps!

Reply to Hannah Muniz

Lisa Tsai 10/19/2018, 10:28:23 PM

Thanks for sharing

Reply to Lisa Tsai

Seon 11/13/2018, 10:41:16 PM

Hope this helps!

Reply to Hannah Muniz

Custom Search Search

Improve With Our Famous Guides

The 23 SAT Tricks You Must Be Using

How To Cram for the SAT