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

Now that you know how vocabulary plays a role on the SAT, let's go over the 381 words and definitions we suggest knowing if you want to
get a high score on SAT Reading and Writing.

To compile this list, we dug through all of the official SAT practice tests, looking at both the Reading and Writing sections (and not just the
questions but the answer choices and passages, too).

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 efficient at interpreting and answering questions correctly on SAT Reading and Writing.

Below, we give you each word, its part of speech, its definition, and an example sentence (or more if the word has multiple definitions/parts of
speech). All words are listed in alphabetical order.

Word Definition Example Sentence

v. to become less active, less As I began my speech, my feelings of
Abate
intense, or less in amount nervousness quickly abated.
His abrupt departure surprised
Abrupt adj. Sudden and unexpected.
everyone.
adj. existing purely in the mind; not Julie had trouble understanding the
Abstract
representing actual reality appeal of the abstract painting.
I got an abysmal grade on my research
Abysmal adj. extremely bad
paper!
The teacher deemed Sara's late
Acceptable adj. Satisfactory or permissible.
assignment acceptable.
Accidental adj. Happening by chance. The oil spill was purely accidental.
v. To provide space or make The Grand Hotel can accommodate up
Accommodate
adjustments. to 500 guests.
n. The quality of being correct or The accuracy of the intern's report was
Accuracy
precise. impressive.
She refused to acknowledge her
Acknowledge v. To recognize or admit the truth.
mistake.
adj. Gained through effort or Edmund had acquired a taste for fine
Acquired
experience. wine.
 Newly-released animals
Adapt v. To adjust to new conditions. generally adapt to their environments
over time.
adj. having knowledge or skill (usu. Beth loves playing the piano, but she’s
Adept
in a particular area) especially adept at the violin.
Though his resume was adequate, the
adj. having sufficient qualifications to
Adequate company doubted whether he’d be a
meet a specific task or purpose
good fit.
You must adhere to the rules if you don't
Adhere v. To stick to or follow closely.
want to get in trouble.
Adjust v. To modify or change slightly. He had to adjust his seat for comfort.
I admire my mother's dedication to her
Admire v. To respect or look up to.
work.
Speaking multiple languages
Advantageous adj. Beneficial or useful.
is advantageous.
n. the arrival or creation of The world has never been the same
Advent
something since the advent of the light bulb.
Advise v. To recommend or give guidance. I advise you to study for the exam.
Scratching the rash will
Aggravate v. To worsen or intensify.
only aggravate it.
The man's aggressive tone made
Aggressive adj. Forceful or overly assertive.
everyone uneasy.
v. to make a secretive mention of She alluded to the problem at hand but
Allude
something didn’t say anything more about it.
n. Uncertainty or multiple The ambiguity in his vague statement
Ambiguity
interpretations. caused confusion.
Jessie felt ambivalence about moving to
Ambivalence n. Mixed or conflicting feelings.
a new city.
The new policy aims
Ameliorate v. To improve or make better. to ameliorate working conditions for all
employees.
Amplify v. To increase in size or effect. The microphone will amplify your voice.
Amusing adj. Entertaining or humorous. Jason's joke was quite amusing.
Analogous adj. similar but not identical Green onions are
 considered analogous to spring onions.
Please annotate the medical text with
Annotate v. To add notes or comments.
your observations.
The CEO will announce the new policy
Announce v. To make a public statement.
tomorrow.
This result is an anomaly and very rarely
Anomaly n. something different from the norm
happens.
His antagonistic behavior created
Antagonistic adj. Showing hostility or opposition.
tension at work.
The antecedent to the war was political
Antecedent n. A preceding event or condition.
unrest.
Does the weatherman anticipate a rise
Anticipate v. To expect or predict.
in temperatures next week?
Her antipathy toward the professor was
Antipathy n. a strong feeling of dislike obvious: she rolled her eyes whenever
he entered the classroom.
The spring play was the apex of our
Apex n. the highest point of something
school year.
Lily's velvet dress was appropriate for
Appropriate adj. Suitable for a specific situation.
the formal occasion.
Approximate adj. Nearly accurate or close to. The approximate cost is $50.
The ancient book
Arcane adj. Mysterious or known by few.
contained arcane knowledge.
The steep hike up the mountain
Arduous adj. Difficult and requiring effort.
was arduous.
We need to assemble the bed if we
Assemble v. To gather or put together.
want a place to sleep tonight.
He lived in a small, austere cabin in the
middle of the woods.
adj. extremely plain
My boss had an austere expression on
Austere adj. stern and forbidding
her face.
adj. relating to self-denial
An austere lifestyle, like that of monks,
isn’t for everybody.
Avoid v. To stay away from or prevent. Mara hates fighting, so she always tries
 to avoid conflict.
A balanced diet is beneficial to your
Beneficial adj. Producing good results.
health.
Many cultures believe
Benevolent adj. kind, generous
in benevolent spirits.
Elsie made a bold move by quitting her
Bold adj. Courageous or striking.
job.
Libraries will let you borrow books for
Borrow v. To take temporarily.
several weeks.
Buttress v. To support or strengthen. The evidence will buttress his argument.
Bypass v. To go around or avoid. We took a shortcut to bypass traffic.
The scientist had to calibrate the
Calibrate v. To adjust for precision. instrument to ensure his measurements
were accurate.
Josh is candid about his desire to
Candid adj. direct, blunt
become an actor.
Carelessly adv. Without caution. He carelessly left his keys on the bus.
adj. Disastrous or causing great The catastrophic hurricane destroyed
Catastrophic
damage. dozens of homes.
Cause n. A reason for an action or event. The fire's cause is still unknown.
The novel's characterization was deep
Characterization n. The way a character is described.
and complex.
They found a loophole
Circumvent v. To find a way around.
to circumvent the rule.
n. A surprising and unexpected Meeting my neighbor at the airport was
Coincidence
event. a coincidence.
The scientists' collaboration led to a
Collaboration n. Working together on a task.
breakthrough.
n. The process of making something The commercialization of the product
Commercialization
a business. increased sales.
Ava is committed to her studies and
Committed adj. Dedicated to a cause or task.
always wants top grades.
It's very common for students to feel
Common adj. Occurring frequently or shared.
stressed before exams.
 The debater gave
Compelling adj. Captivating or persuasive.
a compelling argument.
adj. Having the necessary ability or Noah has worked at this job for a long
Competent
skill. time and is a competent engineer.
adj. Enhancing or completing The artist and the engineer have skills
Complementary
another. that are complementary in the project.
n. The state of being intricate or The complexity of the 1,000 piece
Complexity
complicated. puzzle made it challenging.
Jordan plans to compose a new
Compose v. To create or write.
symphony.
The traffic was compounded by bad
Compound v. To intensify or combine.
weather.
Comprise v. To consist of or include. The book comprises ten chapters.
Luca tried to conceal his
Conceal v. To hide or keep secret.
disappointment.
She conceded that she was wrong
Concede v. To admit or yield.
during the argument.
In this lab, scientists conceptualize new
Conceptualize v. To form an idea or concept.
theories on viruses.
The news about the approaching
Concerning adj. Causing worry or distress.
hurricane is quite concerning.
The car I bought is in
Condition n. The state of something.
excellent condition.
Michael Jordan is confident in his
Confident adj. Feeling sure or self-assured.
abilities as a basketball player.
The two issues were conflated in the
Conflated adj. Combined in a misleading way.
argument.
v. To comply with rules or The alternative rocker refuses
Conform
expectations. to conform to societal norms.
The team finally reached
Consensus n. General agreement.
a consensus on the decision.
adj. Acting in the same way over My grandmother's knitting is
Consistent
time. always consistent in quality.
Conspicuous adj. Easily noticed or standing out. Veronica's red dress
 was conspicuous in the crowd.
The criminal lived in constant fear that
Constant adj. Occurring continuously.
he'd be found out.
adj. Causing disagreement or Politics are highly contentious these
Contentious
debate. days.
Our family ski trip is contingent on the
Contingent adj. Dependent on something else.
weather.
The camera footage contradicts his
Contradict v. to be in contrast with
alibi.
The movie's plot felt contrived and
Contrived adj. Artificial or overly planned.
unrealistic.
The judge's decision to free the criminal
Controversial adj. Causing public disagreement.
was highly controversial.
The two old friends greeted each
Cordially adv. In a warm or friendly manner.
other cordially.
The note signed by her
v. to provide evidence for; to back
Corroborate father corroborates her claim that she
up (a claim)
was absent from class that day.
The mistake was a costly one and
Costly adj. Expensive or requiring sacrifice.
caused the company to go bankrupt.
This ingredient seems to counteract the
Counteract v. to work in opposition to
other ones.
adj. Expressing analysis or
Critical The review was highly critical of the film.
judgment.
My father tends to criticize others
Criticize v. To express disapproval.
harshly.
The advertisement was deceptive in its
Deceptive adj. Misleading or dishonest.
claims of weight loss.
adj. Determining or influencing an The final goal was the deciding factor in
Deciding
outcome. the match.
My boss's decisive leadership helped
Decisive adj. Conclusive or firm.
solve our company's crisis.
I feel as though the sources for my paper
Deficient adj. not enough in degree or amount
are deficient.
 After people stopped using fax
Defunct adj. No longer existing or functional. machines, the fax company
became defunct.
v. To assign tasks or authority to A good leader knows how
Delegate
others. to delegate responsibilities.
n. Careful consideration or After much deliberation, they made their
Deliberation
discussion. decision.
adj. Fragile or requiring careful The delicate glass sculpture broke
Delicate
handling. easily.
The Tornio river demarcates the border
Demarcate v. To set boundaries or distinguish.
between Sweden and Finland.
adj. Obtained or developed from a
Derived The word "aqua" is derived from Latin.
source.
v. To strongly dislike or look down
Despise The judge despises dishonesty.
upon.
adj. Lacking a clear plan or The tired boy's desultory efforts did not
Desultory
enthusiasm. impress the coach.
The final exam will determine your
Determine v. To establish or decide.
grade.
When the new evidence was uncovered
v. To move away from a set path or
Deviate the lawyer deviated from the original
norm.
plan.
Lana devised a plan to make herself
Devise v. to come up with (a plan)
famous.
v. To decrease in size or The politician's influence
Diminish
importance. has diminished over time.
This new film was directed by a
Directed adj. Managed or guided.
renowned artist.
An intense disagreement arose over the
Disagreement n. A difference of opinion.
contract terms.
The earthquake
Disastrous adj. Causing great harm or failure. had disastrous consequences for the
island.
Disconcerting adj. Causing discomfort or My girlfriend's sudden change in
 confusion. behavior is disconcerting.
Disputes over money caused
Discord n. disagreement
intense discord in the family.
The teacher discounted his students'
Discount v. To disregard or reduce in value.
concerns.
Luna tried to discourage her brother
Discourage v. To dissuade or deter.
from moving out of the house.
n. The ability to make responsible The detective handled the matter with
Discretion
choices. great discretion.
I was exhausted, so I tried
Disengage v. To separate or withdraw.
to disengage from the argument.
The teacher dismissed the idea to end
Dismiss v. To reject or send away.
class early.
adj. Causing confusion or loss of
Disorienting The vast corn maze was disorienting.
direction.
v. To belittle or speak negatively The politician disparaged his opponent's
Disparage
about. ideas on tax cuts.
adj. Essentially different or Many European countries
Disparate
unconnected. have disparate Christmas traditions.
The neighbors had a dispute over the
Dispute n. A disagreement or argument.
new fence.
Distinct adj. Clearly different or separate. My twin sons have distinct personalities.
The rattling noise distracted Javi from
Distract v. To divert attention.
his work.
The woman looked distressed after the
Distressed adj. Suffering from anxiety or pain.
doctor's call.
My parents' opinions on politics began
Diverge v. To move apart or differ.
to diverge as they grew older.
Diverse adj. Showing variety or differences. New York City has a diverse population.
n. The state of being in control or The company's dominance in the
Dominance
superior. market is evident.
adj. Inactive but capable of The volcano beneath Mount Fuji has
Dormant
becoming active. been dormant for centuries.
Dynamic adj. Constantly changing or My coworker is a dynamic speaker who
 energetic. commands attention wherever she goes.
He felt terrible about breaking the mirror
Earnest adj. Serious and sincere.
and made an earnest apology.
The headliner's
Eclipse v. To overshadow or surpass. performance eclipsed all others in the
concert.
adj. having refined or expressive
His speech was not only eloquent but
Eloquent communication skills (in speaking or
also extremely compelling.
writing)
Nothing became clearer, and the answer
Elusive adj. Hard to find or understand.
remained elusive.
The project encompasses multiple
Encompass v. To include or surround.
disciplines.
She encountered an old friend at the
Encounter v. To meet or face unexpectedly.
store.
Teachers often encourage students to
Encourage v. To support or inspire.
ask questions.
Enduring adj. Lasting over time. Their 50-year friendship is enduring.
n. Information that supports a There is strong evidence to support the
Evidence
conclusion. theory.
Evoke v. to draw forth or call up Horror movies are great at evoking fear.
His rude comments
Exacerbate v. To make a problem worse.
only exacerbated the tense situation.
n. The quality of being precise or The scientist's exactitude ensured
Exactitude
accurate. reliable results.
v. To overstate or magnify beyond My cousin tends to exaggerate his
Exaggerate
the truth. achievements.
The driver exceeded the speed limit by
Exceed v. To go beyond a limit.
nearly 30 miles an hour.
v. To serve as a typical example of The woman's kindness to her
Exemplify
something. neighbors exemplifies true generosity.
The 300-page report provided
Exhaustive adj. Thorough and complete.
an exhaustive analysis.
Expansion n. The act of increasing in size or The company's expansion into
 international markets has been
scope.
successful so far.
My sister's diamond ring was
Expensive adj. Costing a lot of money.
extremely expensive.
The scientist conducted
Experiment n. A test to discover something new.
an experiment to test the theory.
Once I knew the full story, my boyfriend's
Explicable adj. Able to be explained. actions were explicable given the
circumstances.
v. To take advantage of something The mining company was accused
Exploit
unfairly. of exploiting workers.
The Art Institute of Chicago has
Extensive adj. Covering a large area or scope.
an extensive Impressionist collection.
The report contained too
Extraneous adj. Unrelated or unnecessary. much extraneous information that didn't
matter to the trial.
v. To invent or create, often The criminal fabricated evidence to
Fabricate
dishonestly. support his bogus claim.
Ancient prophecies foretold the end of
Foretell v. To predict or anticipate.
the world.
v. To encourage or promote Teachers should strive
Foster
development. to foster creativity in students.
Fragile adj. Easily broken or delicate. The glass vase is very fragile.
adj. Failing to achieve desired
Fruitless Their search for survivors was fruitless.
results.
Genuine adj. Authentic or real. His apology seemed genuine.
v. To struggle or wrestle with The country is grappling with economic
Grapple
something. issues.
His habitual lateness annoyed his
Habitual adj. Done regularly or repeatedly.
coworkers.
adj. Lacking organization or The project was completed in
Haphazard
planning. a haphazard manner.
n. A state of dormancy or deep Many bear species go
Hibernation
sleep. into hibernation during the winter.
 The article highlights key points of the
Highlight v. To emphasize or make noticeable.
debate.
Hinder v. To obstruct or slow progress. The heavy traffic hindered our journey.
v. To accumulate and store He hoarded food supplies and toilet
Hoard
excessively. paper during the pandemic.
The population of the village
Homogeneous adj. Uniform or similar throughout.
is homogeneous.
Scientists hypothesize about the origin
Hypothesize v. To form a theory or assumption.
of the universe.
Imaginative adj. Creative and full of new ideas. The artist's work is highly imaginative.
The purse was an imitation of a
Imitation n. A copy or replica of something.
designer brand.
A storm is imminent according to the
Imminent adj. About to happen soon.
forecast.
He's immune to the virus due to
Immune adj. Resistant to disease or harm.
vaccination.
Judges must always
Impartial adj. Fair and not biased.
remain impartial during a trial.
adj. Approaching or about to They prepared for the impending storm
Impending
happen. by boarding up windows.
The fortress was impenetrable to
Impenetrable adj. Impossible to pass through.
enemy attack.
Alex's reaction was imperceptible, so I
Imperceptible adj. Very slight or difficult to notice.
couldn't tell what he was thinking.
The business will implement new rules
Implement v. To put into effect or execute.
to comply with the change in laws.
n. A possible consequence or The policy change has
Implication
meaning. serious implications for lobbyists.
adj. Implied rather than stated
Implicit His approval was implicit in his silence.
directly.
The dress design was too impractical to
Impractical adj. Not sensible or realistic.
actually wear.
v. To create or perform The actor had to improvise when he
Improvise
spontaneously. forgot his lines.
 adj. Not engaged in movement or The volcano has been inactive for
Inactive
activity. decades.
I felt inadequate when I didn't make the
Inadequate adj. Insufficient or lacking.
final shot during the basketball game.
The new worker caused a ruckus when
Inadvertently adv. Unintentionally or by accident. he inadvertently deleted an important
file.
Her hateful words incited anger in the
Incite v. to encourage or stir up
crowd.
adj. Not being easily seen or The spy was inconspicuous as he
Inconspicuous
noticed. moved through the crowd.
adj. Impossible to understand or His messy handwriting
Indecipherable
read. was indecipherable.
Indicate v. To point out or show. The results indicate a positive trend.
Natalia's indifference to the situation
Indifference n. Lack of interest or concern.
frustrated her sisters.
Because the evidence
adj. Unable to be challenged or
Indisputable was indisputable, the lawyer was
denied.
certain his client would go free.
The figure in the distance was blurry
Indistinct adj. Not clear or sharply defined.
and indistinct.
After a long day of work, Jane decided
Indulge v. To allow oneself to enjoy.
to indulge in a piece of cake.
The mayor's efforts to change the city's
Ineffectual adj. Not producing the desired effect.
parking rules were ineffectual.
You must accept that change
Inevitable adj. Certain to happen; unavoidable.
is inevitable in life.
The new Vietnamese restaurant down
Inexpensive adj. Not costly. the street serves inexpensive but
delicious meals.
My uncle's sudden departure from the
Inexplicable adj. Unable to be explained.
family reunion was inexplicable.
The pastor's speech had a
Influence n. The power to affect others.
strong influence on the audience.
 Rain is infrequent in the Atacama
Infrequent adj. Not occurring often.
Desert.
Inhibit v. To hinder or restrain. Fear of failure can inhibit creativity.
The comment seemed innocuous, but it
Innocuous adj. Harmless or inoffensive.
upset him.
The father was insensible to his
Insensible adj. Unaware or indifferent.
children's boredom.
adj. Too small or unimportant to The difference in price between the two
Insignificant
matter. ice creams was insignificant.
The contractor will inspect the building
Inspect v. To examine closely.
for safety.
adj. Providing motivation or Evan's story of recovering from a severe
Inspirational
encouragement. car accident was inspirational to many.
adj. Not able to be touched or
Intangible Love is an intangible concept.
measured.
By reading the evidence, I could tell the
Intentional adj. Done on purpose.
man's actions were intentional.
adj. Able to be substituted for each These parts are interchangeable so it
Interchangeable
other. doesn't matter which one you use.
My brother interjected with a sarcastic
Interject v. To insert a comment abruptly.
remark.
v. To explain the meaning of I don't understand this poem; can
Interpret
something. you interpret it for met?
Intersect v. To cross or meet at a point. The two streets intersect downtown.
The artist created an intricate design on
Intricate adj. Very detailed or complicated.
the fabric.
The mystery novel
Intriguing adj. Arousing curiosity or interest. was intriguing because I couldn't figure
out who the murderer was.
The new evidence invalidated his
Invalidate v. To make something void or null.
argument.
Thomas Edison invented the
Invent v. To create something new.
incandescent light bulb.
Investigation n. Systematic inquiries to uncover The police conducted a
 thorough investigation of the crime
facts.
scene.
Involuntarily adv. Done without conscious control. She involuntarily gasped in surprise.
His comment was irrelevant to the
Irrelevant adj. Not related or applicable.
discussion.
We need to isolate the patient with the
Isolate v. To separate from others.
very contagious disease.
adj. Not having enough of
Lacking The short essay was lacking in detail.
something.
Latent adj. Present but not active. He had a latent talent for music.
Because he was named in the will,
Legitimate adj. Lawful or valid. John's claim to the property
was legitimate.
The disease was localized to one
Localized adj. Restricted to a particular area.
region.
I'm lucky that my workload
Manageable adj. Able to be controlled or handled. is manageable today, so I'll be home in
time for dinner.
Attendance at the meeting
Mandatory adj. Required or obligatory.
is mandatory for all employees.
Mimic v. To imitate. Parrots can mimic human speech.
The old man was known for
Misanthropic adj. Disliking people or society.
his misanthropic views.
Misrepresent v. To give a false impression. The article misrepresented the facts.
He never has strong opinions, and most
Moderate adj. Not extreme; average.
of his views are moderate.
The housing problem
adj. Having many aspects or
Multifaceted is multifaceted and will take multiple
features.
solutions to solve.
He neglected his responsibilities when
Neglect v. To fail to care for properly. he decided to play video games instead
of clean the house.
Switzerland maintained neutrality during
Neutrality n. The state of not taking sides.
World War II.
 adj. Recently discovered or The recently-released prisoner enjoyed
Newfound
developed. his newfound freedom.
Because we hadn't started it, the plan
Notional adj. Existing only in theory.
was still notional.
The doctor introduced a novel approach
Novel adj. New or original.
to hip surgery.
His argument was well-developed
Nuanced adj. Having subtle differences.
and nuanced.
Obligate v. To compel or require. The contract obligates him to pay.
The meaning of the letter
Obscure adj. Not easily understood or seen. was obscure and I didn't know what to
make of it.
The rings of Saturn
Observable adj. Able to be seen or noticed.
were observable through the telescope.
The detective is very observant of small
Observant adj. Quick to notice things.
details.
Historians assumed record players
adj. no longer used; rare or
Obsolete would be obsolete by now, but in fact
uncommon
they’re making a huge comeback.
We couldn't leave town because the
Obstructed adj. Blocked or hindered.
road was obstructed by fallen trees.
The kids occupied themselves with
Occupy v. To take up space or time.
games.
The museum displayed an
Oddity n. Something unusual or strange.
interesting oddity.
adj. Done without preparation or
Offhand His offhand remark surprised everyone.
thought.
Gods are omnipotent beings who can
Omnipotent adj. almighty and all powerful
control human destiny.
At the onset of her career as a lawyer,
Onset n. the beginning or early stages
things were looking up.
The new policy is now operative so be
Operative adj. Functioning or having effect.
sure to follow it.
Ornamental adj. Decorative rather than The garden was filled
 with ornamental plants that helped
functional.
beautify the space.
v. to remove or force out of (usu. a Sick and tired of putting up with his bad
Oust
position or office) moods, the pirates ousted their captain.
Sales of my new novel outstripped all
Outstrip v. To surpass or exceed.
expectations.
She overcame her fear of public
v. To succeed in dealing with a
Overcome speaking and was able to deliver her
problem.
remarks.
The officer overlooked an important
Overlook v. To fail to notice or consider. detail that would have helped solve the
crime.
My sister overreacted to our parents'
Overreact v. To respond too strongly.
criticism of her outfit.
v. To be more important than His success overshadowed his past
Overshadow
something else. failures.
He overtly expressed his disapproval by
Overtly adv. Openly and clearly.
telling me what he thought.
Agatha felt overwhelmed by her
adj. Feeling excessive stress or
Overwhelmed workload and had no idea how she'd
emotion.
finish it all in time.
adj. predominant, superior, most Our paramount concern is the safety of
Paramount
important our employees.
The crime will be difficult to solve
Paucity n. A scarcity or lack.
because there is a paucity of evidence.
She perceived a hint of sadness in his
Perceive v. To become aware of something.
voice.
adj. On the edge or outer part of My involvement was peripheral to the
Peripheral
something. project because I didn't do much.
The marker left a permanent stain on
Permanent adj. Lasting indefinitely. my favorite shirt that I won't be able ot
get out.
adj. Continuing forever or The con artist lived in perpetual fear of
Perpetual
indefinitely. being arrested.
 After fifty years of buying lottery
Persistent adj. Continuing despite difficulty. tickets, persistent efforts paid off when
he won the jackpot.
The internet popularized online
Popularize v. To make widely known.
shopping.
Scientists postulated a new hypothesis
Postulate v. To assume or propose a theory.
for the origin of the universe.
Elliot put his emotions aside and took
Pragmatic adj. Practical and realistic. a pragmatic approach to problem-
solving.
v. To express approval or The teacher praised the students’ hard
Praise
admiration. work.
The goat was perched on
Precarious adj. Uncertain or unstable.
a precarious edge of the cliff.
Dylan's injury precluded him from
Preclude v. To prevent from happening.
playing in the soccer match.
adj. Exploiting others for personal The credit company engaged
Predatory
gain. in predatory lending practices.
The outcome
Predetermined adj. Decided in advance. seemed predetermined and that we
could do nothing to change it.
v. To say what will happen in the
Predict Meteorologists predict rain tomorrow.
future.
Because the man had planned the theft
Premeditated adj. Planned beforehand. for weeks, it was obvious the crime
was premeditated.
v. To recommend or order a The doctor prescribed antibiotics when I
Prescribe
treatment. had an ear infection.
v. To keep something in its original The builders worked to preserve the
Preserve
state. house's original decorations.
Presume v. To assume something to be true. I presume he will be late to the party.
Prevail v. To win or be more powerful. Justice will always prevail.
Many diseases are preventable with
Preventable adj. Able to be avoided.
vaccines.
 n. Likelihood of something When you live in the desert, there's
Probability
happening. almost always a low probability of rain.
Proclaim v. To announce officially. The king proclaimed a new law.
The Ford factory produces thousands of
Produce v. To create or generate something.
cars each year.
The garden had a profusion of flowers
Profusion n. A large quantity of something.
every spring.
He tried to prolong the meeting from
Prolong v. To extend in duration.
one hour to two.
Marie Curie was a prominent scientist
Prominent adj. Important or well-known.
who won many awards.
The environmentalist was
Proponent n. A supporter of a cause or idea.
a proponent of renewable energy.
Miriam's rude words provoked an
Provoke v. To stir up or incite.
argument.
My grandmother
Prudently adv. In a wise or careful manner. always prudently saved money for
emergencies.
The pudding recipe requires a
Quantity n. An amount or number.
small quantity of sugar.
The couple had a loud quarrel over
Quarrel n. An angry argument or dispute.
money.
Despite claiming to want to help people,
Questionable adj. Doubtful or uncertain. the politician's motives
were questionable.
Cars ramified throughout the world in
Ramify v. to split into two or more branches
the twentieth century.
Rarely adv. Infrequently or seldom. My sister rarely eats fast food.
v. To justify an action with He tried to rationalize his mistake by
Rationalize
reasoning. explaining his thought process.
n. An act of resistance against The peasants led a rebellion against the
Rebellion
authority. king.
The recalcitrant student refused to
Recalcitrant adj. Stubbornly resistant to authority.
obey.
 v. To take back a previous
Recant He was forced to recant his confession.
statement.
The new dancer was receptive to
Receptive adj. Open to new ideas.
feedback.
I reciprocated my brother's kindness by
Reciprocate v. To give in return.
buying him dinner.
Recognizable adj. Easily identified. The Nike logo is instantly recognizable.
She tried to rectify her mistake with an
Rectify v. To correct or fix something.
apology.
v. To change the meaning of
Redefine The company redefined its mission.
something.
Redress v. To set right or remedy. They sought to redress past injustices.
The government promised to reform the
Reform v. To improve by making changes.
healthcare system.
Refuse v. To decline or reject. Emilia refused the job offer.
The scientist refuted the claim that the
Refute v. To prove false or incorrect.
Earth was flat.
adj. Causing sorrow or Forgetting my boyfriend's birthday was
Regrettable
disappointment. a regrettable mistake.
The government regulates nuclear
Regulate v. To control or manage.
energy facilities.
Reject v. To dismiss or refuse to accept. She rejected her boyfriend's proposal.
Relocate v. To move to a new place. The dentist relocated to a bigger office.
He renounced his citizenship after
Renounce v. To give up or reject formally.
moving to a new country.
After we finished the lemonade, the
Replenish v. To refill or restore.
hostess replenished the pitcher.
The experiment's results
Replicable adj. Able to be copied or repeated.
were replicable.
n. A person acting on behalf of The company's representative spoke at
Representative
others. the meeting.
Although devastated,
Repress v. To suppress or hold back.
Jalen repressed his emotions.
Reprieve n. A temporary relief or delay. Because the defendant needed surgery,
 the judge granted a reprieve.
She repudiated the accusation that
Repudiate v. To reject or disown.
she'd stolen money from the company.
Even after setbacks, the patient is
Resilient adj. Able to recover quickly.
very resilient.
The warring siblings
Resolve v. To find a solution.
eventually resolved their differences.
The team wanted to improve and was
Responsive adj. Reacting quickly or positively.
very responsive to feedback.
The architecture team
Restore v. To bring back to original condition.
carefully restored the old house.
Even though Tom was furious,
Restrain v. To hold back or limit.
he restrained his anger.
I use this pitcher to retain water for my
Retain v. To keep or hold onto.
herb garden.
After Celia yelled at Dom,
Retaliate v. To respond to an attack.
he retaliated with a counterattack.
The speaker gave a rousing speech that
Rousing adj. Exciting or stirring.
brought the audience to its feet.
The little boy only has
Rudimentary adj. Basic or simple.
a rudimentary understanding of math.
The government sanctioned the project
Sanction v. To authorize or approve.
so construction will start soon.
He remained sanguine despite repeated
Sanguine adj. Optimistic or hopeful.
setbacks.
Saturate v. To soak or fill completely. The sponge was saturated with water.
It’s difficult for me not to scorn those
Scorn v. to look down on with disdain
who use improper grammar.
I'm going to have my
Scrutinize v. To examine closely.
lawyer scrutinize the contract.
He was secretive about his plans for
Secretive adj. Keeping things hidden.
Valentine's Day.
Sensitive adj. Easily affected or aware. She is very sensitive to criticism.
Simulate v. To imitate or replicate. The pilot simulated an emergency
 landing.
Sincerity n. The quality of being genuine. His sincerity was evident in his speech.
The teacher was skeptical of the
Skeptical adj. Doubtful or questioning. student's claim that the dog ate her
homework.
The building's design was intricate
Sophisticated adj. Complex or refined.
and sophisticated.
The Golden Gate Bridge has a
Span n. The extent or length of something.
long span.
adv. insufficiently, meagerly, or in a Due to my blood pressure, I must eat
Sparingly
restricted manner salt sparingly.
He speculated about the outcome of the
Speculate v. To guess or theorize.
soccer match.
The claims were spurious and therefore
Spurious adj. False or deceptive.
thrown out in court.
adj. Very plain; devoid of any details Looking out at the stark landscape, I felt
Stark
or features a keen sense of isolation.
She strenuously denied the accusations
Strenuously adv. With great effort.
against her.
The chair was sturdily built and had no
Sturdily adv. Strongly or solidly.
chance of breaking.
The restoration project was stymied by
Stymie v. To hinder or block.
a lack of funds.
Jackie made a substantial donation to
Substantial adj. Large or important.
her alma mater.
The author gave a subtle hint as to who
Subtle adj. Hard to detect or analyze
the murderer was.
He succumbed to the temptation to eat
Succumb v. To give in or surrender.
the entire bag of gummy bears.
The candidate struggled to answer
Superficial adj. Shallow or lacking depth. questions about policy because his
knowledge was superficial.
She supplemented her income by
Supplement v. To add to something.
starting a side hustle.
 He surmised the answer based on
Surmise v. To infer or guess.
context clues.
She surpassed expectations by winning
Surpass v. To exceed or go beyond.
the national spelling bee.
The weakened army surrendered to the
Surrender v. To give up or yield.
enemy.
With his weakened immune system,
Susceptible adj. Easily influenced or affected.
Marcelo is susceptible to illness.
n. The process of coordinating The synchronization of lights helped
Synchronization
events. traffic flow.
Our plans are tentative and may
Tentative adj. Uncertain or not fully decided.
change.
Tenuous adj. Weak or insubstantial. His argument was tenuous at best.
adj. Based on theory rather than The idea remains theoretical until
Theoretical
practice. tested.
n. A system of ideas intended to Einstein's theory of relativity changed
Theory
explain something. physics.
Her thoughtfulness made her a great
Thoughtfulness n. Consideration for others.
friend.
Tranquil adj. Peaceful and calm. The lake was tranquil at sunset.
The caterpillar transformed into a
Transform v. To change in form or appearance.
butterfly.
Smartphones have
Ubiquitous adj. Present everywhere.
become ubiquitous in society.
adj. Not likely to cause The decision was uncontroversial and
Uncontroversial
disagreement. widely accepted.
Simone Biles' talent as a gymnast
Undeniable adj. Cannot be disputed.
is undeniable.
The report underscored the importance
Underscore v. To emphasize.
of safety.
The details were unimportant to the
Unimportant adj. Not significant.
main issue.
The side effects of the medication
Unintended adj. Not planned or meant.
were unintended.
Universal adj. Common to all. The desire for love is universal.
Morgan Freeman's voice
Unmistakable adj. Clearly recognizable.
is unmistakable.
The waitress did her best to
Unobtrusive adj. Not attracting attention.
be unobtrusive while clearing the table.
His speech was unoriginal and
Unoriginal adj. Lacking originality.
predictable.
The weather in winter can often
Unpredictable adj. Difficult to foresee.
be unpredictable.
v. To confirm the accuracy of The test results validated his
Validate
something. hypothesis.
Variable adj. Likely to change. The weather is highly variable in spring.
n. The appearance of being true or The novel’s verisimilitude made it
Verisimilitude
real. compelling.
Veritable adj. Used to emphasize truth. Einstein was a veritable genius.
n. The action of keeping careful Constant vigilance is needed for
Vigilance
watch. security.
It is vital that you respond by the
Vital adj. Urgently necessary
deadline.
v. To give up a right or claim
Waive He waived his right to an attorney.
voluntarily.
The decision was warranted by the
Warranted adj. Justified or necessary.
evidence.
adj. Found or occurring over a large
Widespread The disease became widespread.
area.
Withdraw v. To remove or retreat. She withdrew from the competition