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®

ESSENTIAL
VOCABULARY

®

ESSENTIAL
VOCABULARY

by David A. Herzog

Webster’s New World® Essential Vocabulary
Copyright © 2005 by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ
Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ
Published simultaneously in Canada
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Herzog, David Alan.
Webster’s New World essential vocabulary / by David A. Herzog.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-7645-7165-6 (pbk.)
1. Vocabulary. 2. Vocabulary—Problems, exercises, etc. 3. Vocabulary—Examinations—Study
guides. I.Title: Essential vocabulary. II.Title.
PE1449.H445 2005
428.1—dc22
2004022068
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank Willis, Gizmo, Lefty, and Archie for their furry invaluable assistance.

v

Dedication
This book is dedicated to the memories of Rose and George Herzog, Henry Smolinski,
and Allan Shaw, and to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren on four
continents.

vii

Contents
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Dedication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Pronunciation Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Parts of Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

PART I: SAT® Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
A ........
Quick
Quick
Quick
Quick
Quick
Quick
Quick
Quick
Quick
Quick
Quick

....................................................7
Review #1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Review #2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Review #3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Review #4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Review #5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Review #6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Review #7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Review #8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Review #9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Review #10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Review #11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Quick Review #12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Quick Review #13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
C .................
Quick Review #14
Quick Review #15
Quick Review #16
Quick Review #17
Quick Review #18
Quick Review #19
Quick Review #20
Quick Review #21
Quick Review #22
Quick Review #23

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. . . . . . .72

D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Quick Review #24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Quick Review #25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

ix

x

Essential Vocabulary
Quick
Quick
Quick
Quick
Quick

Review
Review
Review
Review
Review

#26
#27
#28
#29
#30

E .................
Quick Review #31
Quick Review #32
Quick Review #33
Quick Review #34
Quick Review #35
Quick Review #36
Quick Review #37
Quick Review #38

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
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F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Quick Review #39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Quick Review #40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
G–H ..............
Quick Review #41
Quick Review #42
Quick Review #43

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I ..................
Quick Review #44
Quick Review #45
Quick Review #46
Quick Review #47
Quick Review #48
Quick Review #49
Quick Review #50

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J – K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Quick Review #51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Quick Review #52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Quick Review #53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
M–N ..............
Quick Review #54
Quick Review #55
Quick Review #56
Quick Review #57
Quick Review #58

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. . . . . .166

Contents

xi

O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Quick Review #59 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
Quick Review #60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172
P–Q ..............
Quick Review #61
Quick Review #62
Quick Review #63
Quick Review #64
Quick Review #65
Quick Review #66
Quick Review #67
Quick Review #68
Quick Review #69

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R .................
Quick Review #70
Quick Review #71
Quick Review #72
Quick Review #73
Quick Review #74

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S..................
Quick Review #75
Quick Review #76
Quick Review #77
Quick Review #78
Quick Review #79

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T .................
Quick Review #80
Quick Review #81
Quick Review #82

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U–Z ..............
Quick Review #83
Quick Review #84
Quick Review #85
Quick Review #86

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PART II: GRE® Words
A .................
Quick Review #87
Quick Review #88
Quick Review #89
Quick Review #90

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xii

Essential Vocabulary

B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Quick Review #91 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255
C .................
Quick Review #92
Quick Review #93
Quick Review #94
Quick Review #95
Quick Review #96

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D .................
Quick Review #97
Quick Review #98
Quick Review #99

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E–F ................
Quick Review #100
Quick Review #101
Quick Review #102
Quick Review #103
Quick Review #104

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G – H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Quick Review #105 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291
Quick Review #106 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .293
I ...................
Quick Review #107
Quick Review #108
Quick Review #109

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J – L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Quick Review #110 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303
Quick Review #111 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305
M – N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Quick Review #112 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .308
Quick Review #113 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311
O–P ...............
Quick Review #114
Quick Review #115
Quick Review #116
Quick Review #117

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Q–R ...............
Quick Review #118
Quick Review #119
Quick Review #120

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. . . . . .329

Contents

xiii

S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Quick Review #121 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .332
Quick Review #122 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335
T – U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Quick Review #123 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .338
V – Z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Quick Review #124 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .341

PART III: Answers to Quick Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .343
Quick Review Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
SAT Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .345
GRE Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .362

PART IV: Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .371
Appendix A: Prefixes and Suffixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Appendix B: Foreign Phrases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381

Introduction
How’s your vocabulary? Is it okay, pretty good, or exceptional? Whatever your
answer to these questions, this is the book for you. For those whose vocabulary
ranges from okay to pretty good, here is the opportunity to improve it. The main
content is grouped into sets of words that have been taken from the SAT and GRE
examinations over the past 10 years. These approximately 1,500 words are expected
by the examiners to be familiar in one form or another to college and graduate
school applicants. They need to become familiar to you, too.
If your vocabulary is exceptional, this is the opportunity to see whether you really understand what the words you think you know mean and whether you can correctly use them in a sentence.
Each word comes complete with a label indicating its part of speech, at least one
definition (often more), and usually at least two sentences using the word. Most
entries also include synonyms and other forms of the word, such as past tense and
gerund forms (for verbs) and adverbial and noun forms (for adjectives). Following
each group of vocabulary words is a matching test so that you can check what
you’ve just studied.
Check Appendix A for some very useful prefixes and suffixes that often affect
the meanings of words. I also recommend you check Appendix B, which lists
some foreign words that have insinuated themselves into the English language.
These words are commonly used by the more literate among us — in addition to
everyday words like sandwich, which reminds the author that he’s getting hungry. Read on and have an enlightening and, hopefully, enjoyable experience.

PRONUNCIATION KEY
I’ve never much cared for the pronunciation keys used by most dictionaries because
they use a whole different alphabet and set of symbols, which one must either
memorize or keep referring to just to understand the sounds being represented. The
key used here makes use of standard alphabet characters used in familiar words.
The following is a list of the letters that are used and the sounds they make. These
pronunciations are based on phonetic sounds. You might want to put a bookmark
here so that you can get back to it quickly when needed. We indicate the stressed
syllable of each word by using capital (KAP i tl) letters.

1

2

Essential Vocabulary

Letter(s)

Makes a Sound Like . . .

In the Word . . .

a

a

hat

ae

ai

hair

ah

o

on

aw

aw

saw

ay

a

day

ch

ch

chip

e

e

bed

ea

ea

ear

ee

ee

bee

g

g

go

i

i

bid

ing

ing

sing

oe

o

work

oh

o

go

oo

oo

moon

ow

ow

cow

oy

oy

toy

s

s

kiss

th

th

think

TH

th

that

u

oo

took

uh

u

rug

y

y

my

zh

s

measure

Introduction

3

PARTS OF SPEECH
Parts of speech are indicated by italicized abbreviations: adj. (adjective), adv.
(adverb), conj. (conjunction), n. (noun), pn. (pronoun), pr. (preposition), vi. (intransitive verb), and vt. (transitive verb). To review a little grammar very briefly, a noun
is a person, place, or thing. An adjective modifies a noun. For example, a pretty girl
gets more attention than a plain girl. In the preceding sentence, both pretty and
plain are adjectives modifying two separate occurrences of the noun, girl.
A verb is an action word. If the verb is transitive, it carries the action to an object.
Consider the following sentence: Peter ate a grape. In that sentence, the grape
receives the action of the transitive verb, to eat (past tense, ate). The verb, to eat, can
also be intransitive, if nothing is receiving the action. For example, when I go to
dinner, I eat.
An adverb modifies a verb, another adverb, or an adjective. Look at the following sentence: The boat moved quickly. Quickly is an adverb modifying the verb,
moved.

Part I
SAT ® WORDS
Answers to Quick Review questions are found in Part III.
Words followed by an asterisk (*) also have appeared as vocabulary words on the
Graduate Record Examinations® (GRE® ).

A
abandon (uh BAN dn) vt. 1. to give up something forever; 2. to leave in a time
of danger
• Abandon all hope of seeing your family again.
• We must abandon the boathouse until the storm is over.
[-ed, -ing, abandonment n.] [Syn. quit, desert, forsake (Each of these has a slightly different emotion attached to it.)]

abbreviate (uh BREE vee ayt) vt. to shorten something by leaving a part, or
parts, out
• We might abbreviate this word abbrev.
• The student abbreviated most of the words in his or her class notes to keep
up with the teacher’s lecture.
[-d, abbreviating, abbreviation n.]

ability (uh BIL etee) n. 1. being able; having power to do something; 2. skill,
expertise, power
• You have the ability to succeed at what you attempt.
• Einstein had exceptional mathematical ability.
• An automobile lacks the ablility to pull a freight train.
abridge (uh BRIJ) vt. 1. to reduce in scope; 2. to shorten while maintaining the
essence
• Condensed books abridge the original to appeal to a less than scholarly
audience.
• The 9-hour Lord of the Rings trilogy was abridged to 1 1/2 hours for its television broadcast.
[-d, abridging]

abscond (ab SKAHND) vi. to run away and hide; especially to avoid capture by
law enforcers
• Jesse James absconded just ahead of the sheriff.
• To abscond often results in a false sense of security.
[-ed, -ing, absconder n.]

absolve (ab ZAHLV) vt. 1. to declare free from guilt; 2. to free from duty or a
promise
• The Lord absolved the sinner and forgave him.
• The jury absolved the accused of any wrongdoing.
• Dad absolved Junior of his promise to wash the car.
[-d, absolving, absolver n.] [Syn. pardon, forgive, acquit]

7

8

Essential Vocabulary

absorb (ab ZAWRB) vt. 1. to suck up; 2. to take up the full energy or attention
of; engross; 3. to take in and incorporate; 4. to assume the full cost
•
•
•
•

The sponge absorbed the entire spill.
Learning fractions absorbed Hailee’s full attention.
If we fail to absorb the lessons of history, we are doomed to repeat them.
I’ll absorb the charge for the window replacement.
[-ed, -ing, absorbant adj.]

abstain (ab STAYN) vi. to hold back (from); refrain from
• I shall abstain from smoking or drinking.
• Three voted for the bill, two against it, and one abstained.
[-ed, -ing, abstention n.]

abstract (ab STRAKT for adj., AB strakt for n., v.) adj. 1. not concrete; thought of
apart from any material object; 2. not easily understood —n. a brief statement of
the content of a book, court case, article, etc.; a summary —vt. to remove or take
away; to summarize
•
•
•
•

I had an abstract idea of what he meant, but nothing solid.
Frankie’s ideas were too abstract to fully comprehend.
We knew about the case from having read the abstract.
Abstract the story, stating only the relevant facts.
[-ed, -ing, abstraction n., abstractly adv.]

absurd (ab SOERD or ab ZOEHRD) adj. 1. so obviously untrue as to be laughable; 2. laughably different from what is reasonable
• The story that his arms were tired because he had just flown in from Los
Angeles was absurd.
• The outfit that Gino wore with the red and white striped shirt and the
green and yellow checked pants was absurd.
[absurdly adv., absurdity n.]

accentuate (ak SEN choo ayt) vt. 1. to pronounce or mark with a stress or
accent; 2. emphasize
• When you tell people about your vacation, accentuate the high points and
play down the low points.
• Wear clothing that accentuates your youthful looks.
[-d, accentuating, accentuation n.]

acceptable (ak SEPT ibl) adj. adequate; tolerable; bearable; okay
• Eating peas at a restaurant using only your knife is not considered acceptable manners.
• Dressing in a toga is considered acceptable at certain fraternity parties.

A: SAT Words

9

QUICK REVIEW #1
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. abandon

a. condense

2. abbreviated

b. refrain

3. ability

c. engross

4. abridge

d. theoretical

5. abscond

e. forsake

6. absolve

f. ridiculous

7. absorb

g. acquit

8. abstain

h. tolerable

9. abstract

i. emphasize

10. absurd

j. expertise

11. accentuate

k. shortened

12. acceptable

l. flee

acceptance (ak SEP tins) n. 1. being accepted; 2. an approval
• Jack’s acceptance by Jill’s family made him very happy.
• Ian’s acceptance of full responsibility for the telephone charges got Kira off
the hook (so to speak).
access (AK ses) n. 1. the act of coming near to; approach; 2. a way of approaching something; 3. the right to enter or use something —vt. to gain or have use of a
database
• The access to the house was through the side door.
• Sebastian gained access to his car through the driver’s window.
[-ed, -ing]

accommodate (uh KOM uh dayt) vt. 1. to make fit; to adapt; adjust; 2. to reconcile; 3. to do a service or favor for; 4. to have room for
•
•
•
•

An adapter is needed for your sink to accommodate the dishwasher hose.
Even though I don’t want to do it, I’ll accommodate you.
The hotel accommodates its guests with room service.
The kitchen accommodates seating space for four.
[-d, accommodating]

10

Essential Vocabulary

accommodation (uh kom uh DAY shun) n. 1. adjustment; adaptation to a certain use; 2. reconciliation of differences; 3. a convenience; 4. living or traveling
space
• Myles made an accommodation to staying up all night and annoying his
parents by sleeping most of the day.
• The employee and his former boss reached an accommodation over the matter of severance pay.
• Having coffeemakers in each room was an accommodation for motel guests.
• The train’s compartment had sleeping accommodations for up to four
passengers.
accomplice (uh KOM plis) n. a person who knowingly assists in committing a
crime; partner in crime
• While Bob was robbing the bank, his accomplice, Louise, was behind the
wheel of the getaway car.
[Syn. associate]

accomplish (uh KOM plish) vt. 1. to do or succeed in doing; 2. to perfect; to
complete
• Rocio accomplished her task of bathing the dog.
• The human fly never failed to accomplish its mission.
[-ed, -ing, accomplishment n.] [Syn. perform, reach]

accord (uk AWRD) vt. 1. to make agree; to reconcile; 2. to grant or concede —vi.
mutual agreement —n. 1. an informal agreement, as between two states or countries; 2. consent; permission
• Our objectives are in accord.
• I intend to accord you every courtesy.
• Jakob had his dad’s accord to use the family car.
[-ed, -ing, (in) accordance n.]

accost (uh KAWST) vt. to approach and greet first (often in an intrusive way)
• I wouldn’t be so bold as to accost someone who did not greet me first.
• I was walking along, minding my own business, when I was accosted by a
street peddler.
[-ed, -ing]

account (uh KOWNT) vt. to tell, consider, or judge —vi. 1. to furnish a reckoning of money collected and/or payed out; 2. to make acceptable amends for; 3. to
give acceptible reasons for —n. 1. a counting or calculation; 2. a record of monetary
funds; 3. a bank account; 4. a record of transactions
•
•
•
•
•
•

The detective asked Jim to account for his time on Sunday.
The cashier had to account for her daily receipts.
The criminal must account for his or her evil action.
Karen accounts for her funds in her checkbook register.
There’s no accounting for people’s tastes.
Jason keeps track of what is due to him in his accounts receivable ledger.
[-ed, -ing, accountable n.]

A: SAT Words

11

accuracy (AK yur isee) n. the quality of being correct or exact; exactness,
preciseness
• Weather forecasts are not renowned for their accuracy.
• Robin Hood could shoot an arrow with great accuracy.
accurate (AK yur it) adj. 1. careful and precise; 2. free from errors; 3. sticking
closely to a standard (like a scale)
• Ian made an accurate drawing of his pet pug Willis.
• Sarah had to be accurate in math to get a grade of 100%.
• Making candy requires a very accurate thermometer.
[accurately adv.] [Syn. precise]

achieve (uh CHEEV) vt. 1. to succeed in doing; 2. to get somewhere; to attain;
to gain —vi. to succeed
• Franklin Roosevelt achieved election to the U.S. presidency four separate
times.
• It is difficult to achieve the lead in the Tour de France bicycle race.
• When Hillary tried to climb Everest, the goal was his to achieve.
[-d, achieving, achievement n.] [Syn. reach, perform]

QUICK REVIEW #2
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. acceptance

a. adjust

2. access

b. perform

3. accommodate

c. careful

4. accommodation

d. judge

5. accomplice

e. precision

6. accomplish

f. approach

7. accord

g. gain

8. accost

h. approval

9. account

i. associate

10. accuracy

j. consent

11. accurate

k. adaptation

12. achieve

l. intrude

12

Essential Vocabulary

acknowledge (ak NAH lidzh) vt. 1. to admit to be true; confess; 2. to recognize
the claims or authority of; 3. to answer a greeter, respond to an introduction, etc.;
4. to express thanks for; 5. to affirm the reception of something
•
•
•
•

Roxane acknowledged the charges against her.
The insuror acknowledged the claims of the victim.
The chair acknowledges the senator from Neverland.
I’d like to acknowledge both my parents for the gift of life.
[-d, acknowledging, acknowledgment n.]

acquire (ak WYR) vt. 1. to gain or get something; 2. to take possession of; obtain
• You would do well to acquire a good education.
• We all acquire some of our parents’ traits by heredity.
• The United States acquired the Louisiana Territory by purchasing it from
France.
• An appreciation for caviar is an acquired taste, unlike a love for creamed
corn, which is, of course, innate.
[-d, acquiring]

acquisition* (AK wuh zi shuhn) n. something or someone obtained
• A developer’s acquisition of the old Bethlehem Corp.’s property is seen as a
good thing for Easton.
• Tania’s acquisition of a new PDA made her very happy.
• Ali’s acquisition of a new chauffeur pleased her to no end.
[acquisitive adj., acquisitively adv., acquisitiveness n.]

acrimony (AK ruh moh nee) n. bitterness, sharpness, or harshness of speech,
manner, or temper
• The acrimony of the temper of a scorned woman is legendary both in literature and in life.
• Dylan greeted the news that his new DVD player did not work at all with
considerable acrimony in his oaths.
[acrimonious adj., acrimoniously adv.] [Syn. asperity]

acute (uh KYOOT) adj. 1. sharply pointed; 2. shrewd; quick of mind; 3. sensitive to
something (like acute hearing); 4. severe and sharp (like acute pain); 5. serious; severe
• An acute angle forms a sharp point.
• Geoffrey’s acute mind made short work of the crossword.
• The eagle’s acute eyesight can pick up a mouse on the ground from hundreds of meters in the air.
• Certain pains, like John, are acute but of short duration.
• There is an acute shortage of labor in some job categories.
[-ly adv., acuity n.] [Syn. sharp, keen, critical]

adapt* (uh DAPT) vt. 1. to make suitable or to make fit by changing; 2. to
change oneself to fit new or changed conditions
• Jim thought it perfectly sensible to adapt his gas stove’s IN line to connect
to the hot water line from his sink.
• When Mary travels between Miami and Juneau, she adapts her wardrobe—
especially outerwear—accordingly.
[-ed, -ing, -able adj., -ation, -er, adaptability n.]

A: SAT Words

13

adept (uh DEPT) adj. very skilled, expert —n. a person who is very skilled in
some field of endeavor or knowledge
• George Jetson will be a very adept widget maker.
• When it comes to guarding those Academy Award winners, the accounting
firm of Price Waterhouse has shown itself to be adept.
[adeptly adv., adeptness n.] [Syn. expert]

adhere* (ad HEER) vi. 1. to stick to something; stick to a plan; 2. to stay firm in
support of a leader or a plan
• Peanut butter will adhere to one’s teeth almost every time.
• The candidate adhered to her promise to support the health plan, even
after she was elected.
• The secretary adhered to his boss’s story, even after the latter had
changed it.
[-d, adhering, adherer, adherence n.] [Syn. stick]

adjudicate (uh JOO dik ayt) vt. to hear and decide a court case —vi. to serve as
a judge to decide some dispute or problem
• Judge Judy adjudicates cases on television five days a week.
• Melissa agreed to adjudicate a dispute between two of her neighbors on
how high to construct a fence between their backyards.
[-d, adjudicating]

admirable (AD muh ruh bl) adj. inspiring or deserving admiration or praise;
excellent; splendid
• Melissa’s success in totally renovating the house with limited available
resources is admirable.
• The varsity hockey team did an admirable job defending against their
opponent’s star shooter.
• The orchestra performed admirably at last night’s concert.
[admirably adv.]

admire (ad MYR) vt. 1. to look upon with approval, wonder, and delight; 2. to
have a high regard for
• Any basketball fan has to admire the effortlessness with which Jason Kidd
dishes the rock to his teammates.
• Students of the Korean police action of the 1950s admire General
MacArthur’s daring in landing his troops and equipment behind the
enemy lines at Inchon.
[-d, admiring, admiration n.]

adorn (uh DAWRN) vt. 1. to be ornamental to; add beauty or distinction to; 2.
put decorations on; ornament
• Many ornaments are hung on a Christmas tree to adorn it.
• Jewelry often adorns a woman’s arms and neck.
• In summer, a house’s lawn is often adorned by colorful flowers.
[-ed, -ing, adornment n.] [Syn. beautify, decorate, bedeck]

14

Essential Vocabulary

QUICK REVIEW #3
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. acknowledge

a. harshness

2. acquire

b. bedeck

3. acquisition

c. decide

4. acrimony

d. approve

5. acute

e. stick

6. adapt

f. confess

7. adept

g. splendid

8. adhere

h. gain

9. adjudicate

i. change

10. admirable

j. hire

11. admire

k. expert

12. adorn

l. serious

adulate (AD joo let) vt. 1. to praise too highly or flatter in a servile manner; 2.
to admire to an excessive degree
• In the king’s presence, his subjects often adulate him.
• Ali always adulates her husband Joe when she’s looking to get him to do
something for her.
[-d, adulating, adulation, adulator n., adulatory adj.]

advantageous (AD van TAY juhss) adj. resulting in having an advantage; profitable; favorable
• The outbreak of war in Europe was quite advantageous for American industry.
• Because they get to bat last, the home team in a baseball game is in an
advantageous position.
adversarial* (AD voer SER ee uhl) adj. of or characterized by disagreement,
opposition, hostility, etc. (as would be the case between adversaries)
• A prosecutor and a defense attorney have an adversarial relationship—at
least while they are in court.
• During the U.S. Civil War, the Union and the Confederacy were adversarial.
adversary (AD vuhr SER ee) n. a person who fights against another; one who is
in opposition to something
• Muhammad Ali was Joe Frasier’s adversary in the boxing ring on three separate occasions.
• The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox are legendary adversaries in
baseball’s American League.
• In World War II, the U.S.’s Pacific adversary was Japan.
[Syn. enemy, opponent]

A: SAT Words

15

adversity (ad VER si tee) n. a state of poverty and trouble; a condition of misfortune or wretchedness; an instance of calamity
• Those who lived through the Great Depression of the early 1930s learned
how to triumph over adversity.
• The only solution to the adversity of those living in the Dust Bowl of
Oklahoma in the 1930s was to move away.
• The Japanese automobile and electronics industries helped the country to
recover from the adversity of defeat.
aerate (AER ayt) vt. 1. to open to air or to cause air to circulate through; 2. to
get oxygen to the blood (as in respiration); 3. to charge a liquid with gas (such as
making soda pop)
• To improve the taste of drinking water, huge plants aerate it before it is
sent to your home.
• Your lungs aerate the blood that is brought there from your heart as part of
your pulmonary circulation.
• Soft drink makers aerate their drinks by forcing carbon dioxide to dissolve
under pressure.
[-d, aerating, aeration n.]

aesthetic* (es the tik) adj. 1. of beauty; 2. sensitive to art and beauty; demonstrating good taste; being artistic
• Van Gogh’s Starry Night has an aesthetic quality that defies being expressed
in words.
• Aaron was touched by the aesthetic arrangement of the flowers blooming
in the garden.
[aesthetically adv., aesthetical, aesthete n.]

affect (uh FEKT) vt. 1. to influence; to produce a change; 2. to move or cause an
emotional response; 3. to pretend to be, have, feel, or like —n. an emotional
response; an emotion or feeling attached to an idea
• Both crosswind and current affect our ability to row straight across to the
other side of the river.
• Seeing the photos of the liberated concentration camp inmates affects
many people.
• As the voice of Shrek, Mike Meyers affects the role of a lovable green ogre.
[-ed, -ing, affectable adj.] [Syn. assume (sense 3)]

affront (uhf RUHNT) vt. 1. to openly or purposefully insult; offend; slight; 2. to
confront in a defiant manner —n. an open or deliberate insult
• Don’t affront Bill’s mother by telling her the chicken she prepared tasted
like the take-out chicken’s bucket.
• When you tell your parents you’ll do anything you want regardless of
what they think, you affront them.
• Debbie’s not inviting Sally to her birthday party was a deliberate affront.
[-ed, -ing] [Syn. offend]

16

Essential Vocabulary

agenda* (uh JEN duh) n. a list of things to be done; especially, a program of
things to be done at a meeting
• Jason wanted to settle down and have children, but his brother Dylan had
a totally different agenda.
• “Old Business” was the second thing on the agenda for the meeting, just
after the reading of the minutes from the last meeting.
agile (A juhl) adj. 1. able to move quickly and easily; deft and active of body or
mind; 2. keen and lively (of mind)
• The ballerina showed how agile she was as she effortlessly danced and frolicked about the stage.
• The comedian was agile of mind as he moved from one quip seamlessly to
the next.
[agilely adv., agility n.]

agrarian (uhg RAR ee uhn) adj. 1. relating to land in general; 2. relating to
farms, farmers, and agriculture
• The agrarian laws of the late twentieth century had the government paying
farmers to not grow certain crops.
• Agrarian schools teach farmers about crop rotation and how alternating
certain crops replenishes soil nutrients.

QUICK REVIEW #4
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. adulate

a. hostile

2. advantageous

b. carbonate

3. adversarial

c. list

4. adversary

d. offend

5. adversity

e. fawn

6. aerate

f. agricultural

7. aesthetic

g. keen

8. affect

h. artistic

9. affront

i. profitable

10. agenda

j. calamity

11. agile

k. assume

12. agrarian

l. opponent

A: SAT Words

17

agreement (uh GREE mnt) n. 1. being in harmony or accord; 2. an understanding between two parties; 3. a contract
• Tania and Ali came to an agreement on who’d bring what to the Cinco de
Mayo party.
• Canada and the U.S. have an agreement concerning the openness of their
shared border.
• Calling a strike would violate the union’s agreement with the automaker.
ailment (AYL mnt) n. disease; illness; any mental or physical disorder, especially a mild but persistent one
• Marley walked with a limp as a result of a bout with rickets, an ailment
that had affected him as a puppy.
• Delusions of grandeur describes an ailment that afflicts many teenaged
boys.
alacrity (uh LAK ri tee) n. eager readiness or willingness, usually demonstrated
by quick and lively action
• Consuela ate her dinner with alacrity, eager to leave to go to the movie
theater.
• Willis wagged his tail rapidly indicating his alacrity to go for a walk when
he heard Jim getting his leash.
alchemy (AL ku mee) n. 1. an early combination of magic, chemistry, and
philosophy from the Middle Ages, the main purposes of which were to turn base
metals into gold and to find the elixir for eternal youth; 2. a process or power for
turning one thing into a better thing as if by miraculous means
• Four-year-old Francesco was positive that his grandfather could practice
alchemy to change his pennies into quarters.
• Anyone who believes that a cottage sitting on a quarter acre of land can be
turned into a mansion believes in the teachings of alchemy.
[alchemical adj., alchemically adv., alchemist n.]

alienate (AY lee en ayt) vt. 1. to transfer land ownership to another; 2. to
estrange; make unfriendly; 3. to cause to be detached or withdrawn; 4. to cause a
change of affection
• That to sell a piece of property to another is to alienate it is a rarely used
meaning of the word in the U.S.
• When you ask a friend’s former girlfriend for a date, you’re likely to alienate that friend. Ask a friend’s current boyfriend for a date and you’re certain to alienate her.
• Snatching a dog’s food from his mouth is likely to alienate the dog—especially if it’s not your own pet.
• Sally told Suzie stories about Cheryl’s past dealings with her friends that
were sure to alienate Suzie from Cheryl and, she hoped, gain Suzie’s friendship for herself.
[-d, alienation n.]

18

Essential Vocabulary

ally* (uh LY for vt., A ly for n.) vt. 1. to unite or join with for a certain purpose;
2. to relate by similarity of purpose, structure, or other character —n. 1. a country,
group, or individual joined with others for a common end; 2. plants or animals
closely related by some characteristic
• A marriage was often used to ally two royal European families during the
Middle Ages and beyond.
• The U.K. was our ally in both wars with Iraq.
• The lilly and the onion are two closely allied bulbs.
[allied, allying, allies pl., alliance n.] [Syn. associate]

alter (AWL ter) vt. 1. to cause to change in detail but not in substance; modify;
2. to take parts of a garment and resew them for a better fit; 3. to neuter (an
animal) —vi. to change; become different
•
•
•
•

Mike and Alice altered their plans for the evening.
The tailor had to alter the gown to make it fit Jan better.
Alter your pet to keep down an overpopulation of strays.
The Fab Five altered Al’s style of dress and his lifestyle.
[-ed, -ing, alteration n.] [Syn. change, vary]

although (awl THOH) conj. despite the fact that; granting that; though
• Mike sat down to dinner, although he had eaten less than a half hour
before.
• Although Mary claimed to not care for opera, she had to admit that the
music from Il Trovatore was exceptional.
altruism (AL troo i zm) n. unselfish concern for others’ well-being
• It had to be altruism as well as bravery that caused Maria to run into the
burning house to rescue the crying child.
• It is uncommon to see a case of pure altruism, where there is no thought of
personal gain.
[altruist n.] [Syn. selflessness]

ambiguous* (am BIG yoo uhs) adj. 1. having more than one possible meaning;
2. unclear; vague; indefinite
• The third base coach’s ambiguous signals left the batter not knowing
whether to swing away or bunt.
• Roxane was ambiguous in her instructions for feeding the cat while she was
away.
[-ly adv., -ness, ambiguity n., ambiguities pl.] [Syn. obscure]

ambivalence (am BIV uh lens) n. having conflicting feelings about a person or
thing at the same time, such as love and hate
• Karen had a real ambivalence about being invited to Uncle Bob’s cabin; she
loved visiting but hated the four-hour trip.
• David showed ambivalence about serving artichokes because, while they are
delicious, they’re a pain to prepare.

A: SAT Words

19

amenity (uh MEN i tee) n. 1. pleasing quality; attractiveness; 2. a pleasant or
desirable feature; something that adds to one’s comfort —pl. the courteous manners
and pleasant acts of polite social behavior
• The tropical scenery is only one amenity of Hawaii.
• Hawaii’s climate is an additional amenity of the place.
• The restaurant’s servers and hostesses demonstrated all the amenities one
would expect at those prices.
[amenities pl.]

QUICK REVIEW #5
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. agreement

a. magic

2. ailment

b. vary

3. alacrity

c. selflessness

4. alchemy

d. despite

5. alienate

e. conflict

6. ally

f. contract

7. alter

g. unclear

8. although

h. pleasantness

9. altruism

i. estrange

10. ambiguous

j. illness

11. ambivalence

k. associate

12. amenity

l. eagerness

amicable (AM i kuh bl) adj. feeling friendly; demonstrating goodwill; peaceable
• Alice and her husband Ted had an amicable discussion about putting in a
flower garden in the spring.
• Bob and Carol separated on amicable terms.
[amicably adv., amicability n.]

among (uh MUHNG) prep. 1. In the midst of; surrounded by; included in a group
of; 2. from place to place in; 3. in the number or group of; 4. by or with a lot of
•
•
•
•

You are among friends.
He passed among the crowd.
Ralph is included among the supporters of the president.
Machiavelli’s work is popular among business executives.

20

Essential Vocabulary

amorphous (uh MAWR fuhs) adj. 1. lacking definite form; shapeless; 2. of no
specific type; anomolous; 3. indefinite; vague
• Sulfur is a yellow, nonmetallic element that is found in crystal and amorphous forms.
• To one unfamiliar with the game of rugby, the game appears to be governed by amorphous rules.
• When Gino tried to pin Hailee down to a specific time, all he could get
from her was an amorphous response.
[amorphously adv.]

amphibian (am FIB ee en) n. 1. any one of a class of cold-blooded vertebrates
without scales (including frogs, newts, salamanders, and toads) that starts life with
gills, living in the water, and later develops lungs; 2. any plant or animal that is at
home both on land and in water; 3. any aircraft or vehicle that can operate on land
and in water
• It is not unusual to find amphibians in and around a pond.
• The early Pan American Airways Clippers were amphibians that loaded
and unloaded their passengers on land but took off from and landed on
water.
[amphibious adj.]

amplify* (AMP li fy) vt. 1. to make bigger and stronger; increase or extend
(power, authority, etc.); 2. to strengthen by adding details, examples, etc.;
3. (electronics) to strengthen an audio signal or electrical current
• Caesar Augustus amplified the reach of the Roman Empire.
• The robbery victim amplified his story by providing the license plate number of the felon’s car and a thorough description of his height, build, and
clothing.
• The sound of the lead singer’s voice is almost inaudible, but the sound
engineer will amplify it to make it stand out.
[amplified, amplifying, amplification, amplifier n.]

amusement (uh MYOOZ mnt) n. 1. the condition of being entertained; 2. a
thing or activity that amuses or entertains; entertainment
• Randy’s amusement was Claire’s main occupation.
• Marcia played solitaire for her own amusement.
• The antics of the dancing bears was a source of great amusement for the
audience.
amusing (uh MYOOZ eeng) adj. 1. entertaining; diverting; 2. causing laughter
or merriment
• The comedian’s stand-up routine was very amusing.
• An amusing incident takes one’s mind off his or her woes.
• Jose’s amusing facial contortions made everyone laugh.
[Syn. funny]

A: SAT Words

21

anachronism (un AK ron i zm) n. 1. the putting forth of something as having
happened outside its appropriate time, especially earlier; 2. anything that seems to
be out of its proper time frame in history
• The depiction in some movies of people interacting with dinosaurs is an
often-portrayed anachronism.
• Anachronism is a frequently used tool of literature because it allows all sorts
of interactions that would be otherwise impossible.
• Having a conversation with the founding fathers or interviewing Abe
Lincoln or Marie Curie are but three literary uses for anachronism.
[anachronistic adj., anachronistically adv.]

analogy (uh NAL uh gee) n. 1. a likeness in some ways between things that are
otherwise not alike; 2. the likening of one thing to another based on some shared
similarity
• There is an analogy between polar bears and humans, in that both are
mammals and both live on earth.
• Mork’s analogy convinced Mindy that her problem closely resembled the
one Curtis had last month; the circumstances were the same although the
names and locations differed.
[analogous adj., analogously adv.] [Syn. likeness]

analysis* (uh NA lis is) n. 1. breaking up or separating a whole into its parts so
that they can be inspected to determine their nature, proportions, functions, etc.;
any detailed inspection; 2. a statement of the results of this process
• The statement is undergoing detailed analysis to determine its true meaning.
• The specimen was sent to the laboratory for analysis.
• The historian’s analysis of the spaghetti company’s battle for supremacy is
available in his latest book, Pasta for You.
analytical (an uh LIT ik uhl) adj. 1. something that separates into constituent
parts; 2. skilled at using analysis
• Greg’s analytical mind breaks each problem into tiny parts and carefully
examines each and every one.
• The more one practices analytical procedures, the more skilled at them he
or she is likely to become.
[analytic, analytically adv.] [Antonym: synthetic]

analyze (AN i LYZ) vt. 1. to separate into constituent parts so as to determine
their nature, proportion, interrelationship, etc.; 2. to examine in detail to find out
the nature, tendencies, etc. of something; 3. to psychoanalyze
• Heat is often very handy as a tool to help analyze the composition of substances, because once vaporized the substances’ unique light spectra can be
recorded.
• A microscope is a useful tool to analyze things that are invisible to the
naked eye.
• Some people need analyzing by a shrink.
[-d, analyzing, analyzer n.]

22

Essential Vocabulary

QUICK REVIEW #6
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. amicable

a. entertainment

2. among

b. examine

3. amorphous

c. likeness

4. amphibian

d. examination

5. amplify

e. vague

6. amusement

f. untimely

7. amusing

g. separating

8. anachronistic

h. friendly

9. analogy

i. funny

10. analysis

j. within

11. analytical

k. increase

12. analyze

l. caecilian

anarchy (AN er kee) n. 1. a complete lack of government; 2. characterized by
political disorder and violence; lawlessness; 3. disorder in any area of activity or
endeavor
• With no government in power, anarchy reigned supreme.
• In the current state of anarchy, looting and violence were the everyday
state of affairs.
• With no proven theory as to the mechanism of the Copelia virus, anarchy
prevailed in the field of viral research.
[anarchic, anarchical adj., anarchist n., anarchically adv.]

ancestor (AN ses toer) n. 1. someone from whom one is descended, especially
one earlier than a grandparent; forefather; forebear; 2. an earlier kind of animal
from which later types have evolved; 3. anything regarded as a forerunner of a
thing that developed later
• My neighbor Bryan claims that Davey Crockett was his ancestor.
• The sabertooth tiger is thought to be an ancestor of today’s big cats as well
as domesticated cats.
• The British Morris Mini is considered the ancestor of all modern compact
cars with sideways-mounted engines.
[ancestral adj.]

A: SAT Words

23

ancient (AYN shent) adj. 1. belonging to the distant past, especially prior to the
end of the Western Roman Empire (476 A.D.); 2. having been in existence a long
time; very, very old; 3. antiquated; old-fashioned —n. 1. a person who lived in
ancient times; 2. a very old person
• In ancient days, Athens and Sparta were great city-states.
• Baltimore’s Fort McHenry is an ancient structure.
• Barbara thinks her mom’s notions of proper behavior are totally ancient,
dude.
• Julius Caesar was an ancient; so is my grandfather.
[Syn. old]

ancillary (AN sil er ee) adj. 1. underling or subordinate, often used with to; 2.
that serves as an aid; auxiliary
• On the Minnow, Gilligan was ancillary to the Skipper.
• While the main body of a news article imparts primary information, sidebars usually contain ancillary or related facts.
anecdote (AN ik doht) n. 1. a short, entertaining account of something that
happened, usually personal or biographical; 2. (obsolete) a little-known amusing
fact
• Jonah related the anecdote about himself and the whale.
• Many are unaware of the fact that some social studies books once contained the anecdote that Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin that he’d
built with his own hands.
[anecdotal adj., anecdotally adv.] [Syn. story]

animate (AN i mayt) vt. 1. to bring to life; to give life to; 2. to cause to be energetic or spirited; 3. to move to action; inspire
• Skillful puppeteers are able to convincingly animate lifeless, wooden,
marionettes.
• You can rely on Harold to join in a dull discussion and, by so doing, to
immediately animate it.
• The group of soldiers sat around acting glum, until Sergeant Jones animated
them to take action.
[-d, animating, animation n.]

antagonist* (an TAG uh nisst) n. 1. a person who competes against or opposes
another; adversary; opponent; 2. a muscle, drug, etc. that acts to opppose another
• The Boston Red Sox baseball team is the chief antagonist of the New York
Yankees baseball team.
• For every muscle in your body that causes a body part to move in a certain
direction, an antagonist muscle exists to return the part to its original
position.
[-ic adj., -ically adv., antagonism n.] [Syn. opponent]

24

Essential Vocabulary

anthology (an THOL i jee) n. a collection of short stories, songs, poems,
excerpts, etc. compiled into a single book
• Every poetry collection is an anthology if more than a single poet’s works
are included.
• Almost every CD of popular music is an anthology of songs.
[-logies pl., -logize vt., -logizer, -logist n., -logistic adj.]

antiquated (an tik WAY tid) adj. 1. no longer useful or used; obsolete; out of
date; old fashioned; 2. very aged
• A very small part of this book was typed on an antiquated IBM Selectric
typewriter—a very small part.
• I usually drive an antiquated Toyota from the mid-1980s.
[antiquate vt.] [Syn. old]

antiseptic (AN ti SEP tik) adj. 1. disallowing infection, decay, etc. by slowing
the growth of microbes; 2. free from infectious agents or infection; 3. very clean;
sterile; 4. untouched by life’s problems, emotions, etc. —n. a cleaning agent meant
to prevent the growth of bacteria and viruses
• When you get a cut, it’s a good idea to use an antiseptic cream to prevent
its becoming infected.
• An operating room should be in antiseptic condition.
• You need not keep your room antiseptic; just neat will do.
• The hermit led an antiseptic life, locked away in his penthouse apartment
with no contact with the outside.
[-ally adv.]

anxiety (ang ZY i tee) n. 1. a state of uneasiness, apprehension, or worriedness
about what the future might hold; 2. feeling powerless and unprepared to deal with
threatening (usually imaginary) events; 3. an eager but often uneasy concern (to do
well)
• Karen always felt anxiety about her investments in the stock market and
was nervous about losing money.
• Lou’s biggest anxiety concerned earthquakes, which was especially unusual
because he lived in New York City.
• Anxiety hung heavily in the air of the SAT exam room.
[anxieties pl.] [Syn. care]

apathetic (AP uh THET ik) adj. 1. feeling emotionless; unmoved; 2. disinterested;
listless
• That most Americans were apathetic to the election was evidenced by the
very low turnout.
• Football fans are rarely apathetic to the fortunes of their home teams; they
yell and cheer for them, even on TV.
[-ally adv., apathy n.] [Syn. impassive]

A: SAT Words

25

QUICK REVIEW #7
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. anarchy

a. auxiliary

2. ancestor

b. impassive

3. ancient

c. clean

4. ancillary

d. aged

5. anecdote

e. collection

6. animate

f. care

7. antagonist

g. lawlessness

8. anthology

h. inspire

9. antiquated

i. story

10. antiseptic

j. forebear

11. anxiety

k. opponent

12. apathetic

l. obsolete

appalling (uh PAWL ing) adj. creating horror, shock, or dismay
• The children’s lack of attention while crossing the busy street was absolutely appalling.
• An appallingly large number of the general public have no notion of what
March Madness means.
[-ly adv., appall vt. (appalled)] [Syn. dismaying]

apparent (uh PAR int) adj. 1. easily seen; visible; 2. readily understood or perceived; obvious; evident; 3. seeming (but not necessarily) true
• Your coat’s location is apparent; I can see it on the rack.
• It was clearly apparent that when the judge decided the case, she did not
have all the information.
• Ian has an apparent knowledge of the stock, but I don’t think you should
buy it until the research has been completed.
[-ly adv.] [Syn. evident]

appearance (uh PEER enss) n. 1. a coming forth or becoming visible; 2. the
outward look or aspect of a person or thing; 3. any thing or person seen; 4. an outward pretense; 5. how things seem to be (but are not necessarily)
• She made an appearance at the Oscar presentations.
• Gina’s appearance was one of calm and stateliness.
• The groundhog’s appearance was ever so brief, and it soon disappeared back
into its burrow.
• Though only of middling means, Genghis and Sylvia Kahn liked to keep
up an appearance of being well off.
• From all appearances, he’s innocent.

26

Essential Vocabulary

appreciate (uh PREE shee AYT) vt. 1. to think well of; to understand or enjoy;
esteem; 2. to recognize and be thankful for; 3. to estimate the quality or value of
(especially favorably); 4. to be sensitively aware of; 5. to increase the price or value of
• We all appreciate how well mannered Shewana is.
• Many of her students appreciate the educational experience Mrs. Sheridan
provides in her applied physics class.
• The connoisseur appreciated the fineness of the woodwork.
• The college entrance committee fully appreciates all the applicants’ concern
for its ethnic and racial blindness.
• The price of fine art continues to appreciate even as you are reading this
sentence.
[-d, appreciating, appreciation n.] [Syn. treasure, cherish, pride]

approach (uh PROHch) vt. 1. to come close or closer to; 2. to be similar to; to
approximate; 3. a proposal or request to; to make advances; 4. to start dealing with
• You may approach the rim of the Grand Canyon, but don’t approach it too
closely—for obvious reasons.
• Digital audiotape approaches the quality of CD sound.
• Do you have the nerve to approach your boss for a raise?
• It’s time to approach the matter of clearing the flood waters’ debris out of
the basement.
[-es pl., -ed, -ing, -able adj., -ability n. (also approach n.)]

appropriate (uh PROH pree AYT for v., uh PROH pree it for adj.) vt. 1. to take for
one’s exclusive use; 2. to take without permission or improperly; 3. to set aside for a
certain use or particular person —adj. right for the purpose; suitable; fit; proper
• The Duchess has been known to appropriate the entire seating area of a
town’s only restaurant when she desires to have tea.
• Jane’s mother overruled Jane’s attempt to appropriate her neighbor’s lawn
chair.
• Farmer Jack had to appropriate the horse to draw the sleigh—at least until
the snowmobile was fixed.
• A bathing suit is appropriate for the swimming pool but not at all appropriate for the igloo.
[-d, appropriating, -ness, appropriation n.] [Syn. fit]

aquarium (uh KWAER ee uhm) n. 1. a tank, usually having glass sides, or a
pool, bowl, etc. for keeping live water plants, fish, and/or aquatic mammals; 2. a
building used to put such collections on exhibit
• Margie had tropical fish in the 20-gallon aquarium that she kept against a
wall of the living room.
• The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, is a major tourist attraction in that city’s inner harbor.

A: SAT Words

27

arable (AR i bl) adj. appropriate for plowing and, therefore, for growing crops
—n. cultivatable land
• A farm is only as useful as its arable land.
• Thomas bought the field on the basis of its arability.
[arability n.]

arbitration (AHR bit RA shn) n. the act of settling a dispute by a person or
group picked to hear both sides and make a decision [arbitrator n. the person(s)
who so decide(s)]
• Jackie’s dispute with the cable company was settled by binding arbitration,
meaning that the arbitrator’s decision was final and had to be abided by.
• Nonbinding arbitration is more like advice after a fair hearing because neither party has to follow that advice.
arboreal (ahr BAWR ee uhl) adj. 1. having to do with trees; 2. living in trees or
adapted to living in trees
• A tropical rain forest is an arboreal habitat—full of trees.
• Certain monkeys and sloths are arboreal and spend their entire lives in the
trees, while squirrels are equally at home on the ground and out on a limb.
architect (AHRK i tekt) n. 1. a person whose job is to design and draw up plans
for buildings, bridges, etc.; 2. any similar designer in a specific field; 3. a planner or
creator
• Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture is impressively displayed in New York
City’s Guggenheim Museum of Art, where visitors begin at the top and
walk continuously downhill.
• Perhaps our most celebrated naval architect was Admiral Hyman Rickover,
the father of the nuclear submarine.
• The men who wrote the U.S. Constitution were the architects of American
democracy.
arena (uh REE nuh) n. 1. The central part of an ancient Roman amphitheater,
where gladators fought and shows were put on; 2. an area used for sporting and
other events, usually surrounded by rows of seats; the building containing same;
3. any area of struggle or conflict
• In the arenas of Rome, gladiators’ swords often clashed.
• Basketball is the most frequent conflict in today’s sports arenas, like the
Staples Center or Madison Square Garden.
• Both candidates rolled up their sleeves and joined combat in the political
arena, just two weeks before election day.

28

Essential Vocabulary

QUICK REVIEW #8
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. appalling

a. esteem

2. apparent

b. tank

3. appearance

c. creator

4. appreciate

d. plowable

5. approach

e. wooded

6. appropriate

f. shocking

7. aquarium

g. approximate

8. arable

h. evident

9. arbitration

i. theater

10. arboreal

j. look

11. architect

k. settlement

12. arena

l. fit

argument (AHR gyoo mint) n. 1. a reason or reasons offered for doing or not
doing something; 2. the putting forth of such reasons; 3. a discussion containing
disagreement; debate; dispute
• The argument for preserving our natural resources is that they are irreplaceable and in many cases unrenewable.
• Randi might make the argument that iced drinks, drunk too fast, make you
feel like they’re freezing your brain.
• The candidates had an argument about the pros and cons of trying to eat
French toast through a straw.
arid* (AR id) adj. 1. absent enough water for things to grow; dry; barren; 2. dull;
lifeless; of no interest
• Most of Nevada is arid desert, despite the Colorado River.
• Moesha’s social life is as arid as a mouthful of unsalted, fat-free tortilla chips.
[-ness, -ity n., -ly adv.] [Syn. dry]

aristocratic (uh RIS tuh KRAT ik) adj. 1. of, characteristic of, or favoring rule
by an elite group as a form of government; 2. of the upper class or nobility; 3. like
a member of the upper class or nobility in manner and/or taste or carrying oneself
(used favorably, as proud, distinguished, etc. or unfavorably as snobbish, haughty, etc.)
• During the French Revolution, aristocratic government was rejected by the
revolutionaries, but it wasn’t long until Napoleon changed all that.
• The aristocratic class in England sits in the House of Lords.
• William was much admired for his aristocratic demeanor.
• Elaine’s aristocratic manner was loathed by most, who felt she was looking
down her blue-blooded nose at them.
[aristocratically adv.]

A: SAT Words

29

arrogant (AR uh gnt) adj. full of or due to undeserved pride and selfimportance; overbearing; haughty
• The entertainer in the lounge seemed very arrogant for one who was not
even close to being a headliner.
• The arrogant bearing of the heavyweight champion was justly rewarded
when he was knocked out in round one.
[-ly adv., arrogance n.] [Syn. proud]

artist (AHRT ist) n. 1. a person who is skilled in or works in the techniques of
fine arts, especially in drawing, painting, sculpture, etc.; 2. someone who does anything very well, imaginatively, and with a feeling for form, effect, etc.; 3. one in
any of the performing arts (dance, theater, etc.)
• When asked how he’d managed to sculpt Muhammad Ali so realistically,
the artist replied, “I used Cassius clay.”
• Mark Twain was an artist with the spoken and written word.
• The Beatles were the most prolific recording artists of their day.
artistic (ahr TIS tik) adj. 1. of or by art or artist(s); 2. skillful and tasteful; aesthetically satisfying; 3. sensitive to artistic values
• Life in Tahiti was romanticized by the artistic touch of Paul Gaugin’s paintings of the islanders’ customs.
• Van Gogh’s Sunflowers is very artistic, with a balanced composition that is
very pleasing to the eye.
• Picasso’s revulsion by the Spanish Civil War comes through in his artistic
antiwar statement, Guernica.
[-ally adv.]

artwork (AHRT woerk) n. a single work of art, or works of art, collectively
• Leonardo daVinci’s Mona Lisa is an artwork that has withstood the test of
time.
• If you get to Paris, don’t miss the opportunity to check out the magnificent artwork that’s housed in the Louvre.
ascetic (uh SET ik) adj. self-denying; austere —n. 1. a person who lives a life of
rigorous self-denial for whatever purpose; 2. anyone living with strict self-discipline
and renouncing the usual comforts and pleasures
• Gandhi led an ascetic life, permitting himself few comforts.
• The ascetic refused to buy chairs with any kind of cushions or padding, lest
he be thought of as pampering himself.
[-ally adv., -ism n.] [Syn. severe]

ascribe (uhs KRYB) vt. 1. to credit to or blame something on a specific cause,
event, person, etc.; 2. to regard something as being the work of or belonging to
someone
• The falling of nuclear power plants into mistrust and disrepute is ascribed
to events at Chernobyl in the USSR.
• The Iliad and The Odyssey are epics that were passed down over the centuries as part of oral tradition, until they were finally written down and
ascribed to Homer.
[-d, ascribing]

30

Essential Vocabulary

aspect (AS pekt) ) n. 1. how a person appears or looks; 2. how something looks
from a specific point of view; 3. any of the numerous ways in which a problem,
idea, etc. can be looked at; 4. a certain part or quality; element; 5. a side facing in a
certain direction
• Linda’s aspect is bright, cheery, and happy-go-lucky.
• As viewed from my aspect, the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer are rather oldfashioned and stilted.
• In deciding whether to build a new water main, the problem must be
viewed from the aspect of the contractor as well as that of the eventual
consumer.
• How well a chess player uses his or her knights is just one aspect of the
game.
• The northern aspect of Glenn’s house never got sunlight.
assert* (uh SOERT) vt. 1. to declare; affirm; to state positively; 2. to defend or
maintain (rights, claims, etc.); 3. to insist
• Harold had to assert that he was actually himself rather than the culprit
who had stolen his identity.
• You must assert your right to vote by registering and then by showing up
to cast your vote on election day.
• When summoned to court, Dolores asserted her right to be represented by
counsel.
• Rodrigo asserted his innocence.
[-ed, -ing, -ion n.]

assess (uh SES) vt. 1. to estimate the value of something (for example, property)
for the purpose of taxing it; 2. to set the amount of (a tax, a fine, damages, etc.); 3.
to impose a fine, tax, etc.; 4. to estimate or determine the significance, importance,
or worth of something; to evaluate
• The city assesses each lot and its improvements to determine what the
property owner must pay to city hall.
• For being late in paying her parking ticket, the judge assessed Eleanor a
penalty of $40.
• The town decided to assess a 1% sales tax on top of the 6% already charged
by the state.
• For purposes of insurance, the appraiser assessed the painting’s value at
$1,200 to $1,500.
[-ed, -ing, -ment n.]

A: SAT Words

31

QUICK REVIEW #9
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. argument

a. affirm

2. arid

b. painting

3. aristocratic

c. assign

4. arrogant

d. severe

5. artist

e. tasteful

6. artistic

f. evaluate

7. artwork

g. element

8. ascetic

h. debate

9. ascribe

i. proud

10. aspect

j. dry

11. assert

k. sculptor

12. assess

l. noble

assiduous (uh SID yoo uhss) adj. 1. gone about with constant and careful attention; 2. industrious; persevering
• Nuclear submarines must be built by assiduous workers.
• To learn algebra well, you must be assiduous in doing your homework
assignments.
• The difference between a mediocre potter and an exceptional craftsman is
that the latter is assiduous.
[-ly adv., -ness n.] [Syn. busy]

assist (uh SIST) vt. 1. to aid; give help to; 2. to work as a helper —n. helping
someone to do something
• Dawn likes to assist her parents with the laundry; she dirties it.
• Freddie assists at the school library by reshelving returns.
• May I give you an assist with starting your car?
[-ed, -ing] [Syn. help]

32

Essential Vocabulary

associate (uh SOH shee ayt for vt., uh soh SHEE it for n. and adj.) vt. 1. to connect; combine; join together; 2. to bring a person into a relationship (friendship,
partnership, etc.); 3. to connect mentally —n. 1. somebody with whom one is connected, such as a partner, friend, fellow worker, etc.; 2. a member of some group,
firm, society, etc. with less than full status; 3. anything joined to some other thing
—adj. 1. joined with others in some kind of work; 2. of less than full status; 3. connected; accompanying
• Barry and Bob have chosen to associate and form The Killer Bees—a company that will make buzzers.
• For their advertising needs, The Killer Bees have decided to associate with
Bell Star and Associates.
• I often associate peanut butter with jelly; don’t you?
• The non–chief justices of the U.S. Supreme Court are associate justices.
• Betty and Veronica are associates in a certain comic book.
• Jim earned an associate degree from County College.
• Barry is a sales associate at a major appliance store.
[-d, -ciating]

assume (uh SOOM or uh SYOOM) vt. 1. to put on or take on the appearance, job,
form, etc. of; 2. to grab; usurp; 3. to personally undertake; 4. to take for granted; 5.
to feign; pretend to have
• When Jodi put on the costume, she assumed the appearance of a humansized mouse.
• After a coup, Napoleon assumed the power to rule France.
• Marty will assume the task of providing refreshments.
• I assumed that Geri had bought tickets, and I was wrong.
• You may assume the role of the nuclear scientist, even though you failed to
pass arithmetic.
[-d, assuming]

assumption (uh SUHMP shn) n. 1. (religious) the taking up of a person into
heaven; a Roman Catholic holiday celebrating the Virgin Mary’s being taken up; 2.
a taking upon one’s self, taking over, or taking up; an assuming; 3. anything taken
for granted; a supposing
• The Feast of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic holiday.
• The First Bank just completed the assumption of Harry and Peter’s mortgage
loan, so from now on, the monthly checks should be made out to First Bank.
• Napoleon’s assumption of the title of emperor gave the rest of Europe something to be concerned about.
• The assumption that you were going to get a B or better in chemistry does
not appear to have been well founded.
astute (ast OOT, ast YOOT) adj. being clever or shrewd of mind; cunning;
crafty; wily
• Getting out of the dot.com stocks just before they crashed was an astute
move on Jerry’s part.
• A fox is a very astute animal, often referred to as cunning.
• If Hal were astute, he’d pick up on Lynn’s hint to call her.
[-ly adv., -ness n.] [Syn. shrewd]

A: SAT Words

33

athlete (ATH leet) n. someone trained in exercises, games, or contests requiring
physical strength, speed, skill, stamina, etc.
• It takes a trained athlete to perform on the parallel bars.
• Tammy proved her ability as an athlete when she ran the 100-meter sprint
in less than 11 seconds.
[athletic adj., athletically adv.]

attain (uh TAYN) vt. 1. to gain; accomplish; achieve; 2. to reach or come to;
arrive at
• Sherry worked very hard to attain a B+ average.
• It took Lillian and Bob the better part of two days’ worth of climbing to
attain the peak of Mount Hood.
[-ed, -ing, -able adj., -ability n.] [Syn. reach]

attention (uh TEN shn) n. 1. the act of keeping one’s mind on something or
the ability to do that; concentration; mental readiness for such concentration;
2. observation or notice; 3. care or consideration; 4. thoughtfulness for the needs
of others; courtesy; 5. the military command to come to erect posture
•
•
•
•
•

Debbie had to pay attention to navigate the treacherous winding road.
Mike’s attention wasn’t always on his work.
Farah’s smile caught Todd’s attention.
This matter will receive our immediate attention.
Smart congressmen always pay careful attention to the needs of their
constituents.
• The sergeant barked the order to come to attention.

attitude (AT i tood) n. 1. the position or posture assumed by the body in connection with an action, feeling, mood, etc.; 2. a manner of acting, thinking, or feeling that shows one’s disposition, opinion, etc.; 3. one’s disposition, opinion, mental set, etc.; 4. the position of an air- or spacecraft with respect to a given line or
plane, such as the horizon
• Victor assumed a humble attitude as he prayed.
• Phyllis made it clear that she was not impressed by Wilma’s haughty attitude of self-righteousness.
• The coach was impressed by Joe’s positive attitude.
• The plane’s attitude changed as it banked 45° to port.
[attitudinal adj.] [Syn. posture]

attribute (at TRIB yoot for vt., AT rib YOOT for n.) vt. 1. to think of as belonging to, produced by, resulting from, or originating in; assign; ascribe to; 2. assign as
a characteristic or quality —n. 1. a characteristic or quality of a person or thing; 2. a
thing in art or literature used as a symbol for a person, office, etc.
• Scholars attribute many sonnets to Shakespeare without having any real
evidence that he wrote them.
• The motion picture Gentle Ben attributes the quality of gentleness to a bear.
• The attribute of winged sandals is often used to represent the Greek god
Hermes, or Roman Mercury.
[-d, attributing, attributable adj., attribution n.] [Syn. ascribe, quality]

34

Essential Vocabulary

atypical (ay TIP i kl) adj. not usual; not characteristic; abnormal
• Failing to run away when people came near was atypical behavior on the
part of the raccoon.
• It was atypical for Ryan to display poor manners.
[(also atypic), -ly adv.]

QUICK REVIEW #10
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. assiduous

a. feign

2. assist

b. posture

3. associate

c. crafty

4. assume

d. reach

5. assumption

e. quality

6. astute

f. combine

7. athlete

g. courtesy

8. attain

h. unusual

9. attention

i. attentive

10. attitude

j. supposition

11. attribute

k. skilled one

12. atypical

l. aid

audacious* (aw DAY shuhs) adj. 1. bold or daring; fearless; 2. not restrained by
a feeling of shame or impropriety; rudely bold; brazen
• Severely outnumbered, the platoon’s audacious attack caught the enemy by
surprise.
• After Sonya had had one drink too many, her audacious behavior toward
the host got her ejected from the party.
[-ness n., -ly adv.] [Syn. bold]

audience (AW dee ens) n. 1. a group of people assembled to see and hear a
speaker, play, concert, etc.; 2. everybody who is tuned in to a particular TV or radio
show; 3. everybody who hears what one says or who reads what one writes; one’s
public; 4. a chance to have one’s ideas heard; 5. a formal interview with a person in
a high position
•
•
•
•

The audience completely filled the theater to see Aida.
The Superbowl always draws a large TV audience.
Stephen King has a ready audience for whatever he writes.
The TV networks all gave the candidates an audience so that the public
might hear their positions.
• Very few are fortunate enough to get an audience with the president of the
United States.

A: SAT Words

35

augment* (awg MENT) vt. to increase in quantity, strength, size, etc.; enlarge
—vi. to become larger; increase
• Sam worked nights to augment his income.
• The chili’s heat was augmented by adding canned jalapenos.
[-ed, -ing, -ation n.]

authentic (awth EN tik) adj. 1. trustworthy; believable; reliable; 2. real; in fact;
genuine; 3. legally executed, as a deed
• The news report from the Middle East seemed authentic.
• That is an authentic diamond ring that Jill is wearing.
• The raised seal on the document proves that it’s authentic.
[-ally adv.]

authenticate (awth EN tik AYT) vt. 1. to valididate or make authentic; 2. to
verify; establish the truth of; 3. to prove to be real, genuine, or as represented or
advertised
• The immigration agent authenticated the passport with a raised seal.
• The painting was authenticated by the art expert to be an actual work of
Lambrou Mourioti.
• The maker’s hallmark on the silver vase was used to authenticate it as having been made around 1870.
[-d, authenticating, authentication n.] [Syn. confirm]

avarice (A voer is) n. greed; too great a desire for wealth
• Many pirates were driven by avarice.
• Avarice drives certain CEOs to cheat their stockholders.
[avaricious adj., avariciously adv., avariciousness n.]

aversion (uh VER zhin) n. 1. an intense or decided dislike; repugnance; 2. whatever is causing that dislike
• Many children have an aversion to seeing a doctor for shots.
• Barry, who had a fear of heights, was made to go to high places as a form
of aversion therapy.
avoid (uh VOYD) vt. 1. to stay away from; evade; shun; 2. to not let happen; 3.
to turn away from
• As part of her weight-loss diet, Maria tries to avoid people who are eating as
well as commercials for food.
• Driving carefully helps to avoid accidents.
• Being shy, Vance tries to avoid the eyes of others.
[-able adj., -ably adv.] [Syn. escape]

aware (uh WAER) adj. realizing or knowing; informed; conscious
• Fran was well aware of the No Parking sign.
• Bill was not aware that he kept clicking his teeth together.
• Maribel was made aware of the restriction on eating peas by picking them
up with one’s knife.
[-ness n.]

36

Essential Vocabulary

awe (AW) n. a mixed feeling of fear, respect, and wonder brought on by something majestic, sacred, sublime, etc.
• The first time Ron saw Mt. Kilamanjaro, he was filled with awe.
• Ruth stood in awe of her older brother David, the rocket scientist.

QUICK REVIEW #11
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. audacious

a. confirm

2. audience

b. wonder

3. augment

c. shun

4. authentic

d. antipathy

5. authenticate

e. conscious

6. avarice

f. enlarge

7. aversion

g. bold

8. avoid

h. greed

9. aware

i. public

10. awe

j. reliable

B
barricade (BAR I kayd) n. 1. a defense barrier hastily thrown up, as in street fighting; 2. any obstacle or barrier —vt. to keep out or in by use of a barrier; to obstruct
• Police put up barricades to keep the crowd off the parade route.
• Barricades consisting of piled-up rubble were used for defense by soldiers in
the cities of post–D-day Europe during World War II.
• The people of Stalingrad barricaded the streets to keep out the invading
Germans.
[-d, barricading]

barter (BAHR toer) vi. to trade goods or services without the use of money —vt.
to swap goods or services in return for other goods and services; trade —n. 1. the
act of swapping; 2. anything swapped
• In colonial days it was common for settlers to barter knives and hatchets to
Native Americans for beaver pelts.
• Barter that hat for two pairs of socks and a Hershey bar.
• Al and Frank often do business by barter.
• This hat cost me nothing; I got it from Alice by barter.
[-ed, -ing, -er n.]

basic (BAY sik) adj. 1. of or at the beginning; fundamental; essential; 2. making
or being a support or introduction; elementary
• A basic course in weaving might be helpful to rug makers.
• A knowledge of mathematics is basic to learning physics.
• Honesty is a basic principle to live by.
basis (BAY sis) n. 1. the start, foundation, or main support of anything; 2. the
main ingredient of anything; 3. the underlying philosophy; 4. a timed plan or procedure; 5. a certain attitude
• “What is the basis for your accusing me of eating on the job?” Gail asked,
quickly swallowing what was in her mouth.
• That all men are created equal is the basis of the U.S. Constitution.
• We pay for cable TV on a monthly basis.
• Mark and Louise are on a friendly basis these days.
battle (BA tl) n. 1. a fight—as that between armed units on the sea, land, or in
the air; 2. war or armed combat; fighting; 3. any conflict or fight —vt. to oppose;
fight —vi. 1. to participate in a fight or struggle; 2. to fight
• One of the most intense battles in the Pacific during WWII was for the
island of Iwo Jima.
• There was a street battle between two rival gangs.
• The landlord and tenant had an ongoing battle over upkeep.
• Nemo’s father battled the move to expel him from school.
• Geoffrey was in the battle for human rights in El Salvador.
• Oscar de la Hoya and Ray Mancini were in a real ring battle.
[-d, battling]

37

38

Essential Vocabulary

behalf (be HAF) n. on (or in) behalf of; in the interest of; speaking for;
representing
• Harriet spoke in behalf of the truth’s being known.
• The lawyer appeared on behalf of his client, Mr. Jones.
behavior (be HAYV yoer) n. 1. how anybody acts; conduct; deportment; 2. any
organism’s reaction to stimulus—especially a recordable response; 3. noticeable
actions or responses of any person, animal, or machine
• Nora’s behavior seemed perfectly normal to Dennis.
• Juanita thought Ted’s behavior to be rather strange when she saw him hit
his finger with a hammer and laugh.
• Amy was disturbed by her car engine’s rough behavior.
being (BEE eeng) n. 1. existing or living; life; existence; 2. basic or essential
nature; 3. someone or thing that is alive or exists; 4. all the qualities, physical and
mental, that make up a person; personality
•
•
•
•

Any living thing is in a state of being.
Any plant or animal can be thought of as a being.
Very few people acknowedge a fly as a being, but it is one.
Most religions believe in the existence of a Higher Being.

belie (bee LY) vt. 1. to disguise; misrepresent; 2. to disappoint or leave unfulfilled; 3. to prove false or show to be untrue
• Al’s good-natured smile belies his evil intentions.
• Sally hated to belie her customer by telling her the cake she had ordered
was not yet ready.
• It is a debunker’s job to belie the tricks of charlatans.
[-d, belying]

belief (bee LEEF) n. 1. a conviction that some things are true or real; 2. faith,
especially in a religious sense; 3. confidence in; trust in; 4. something accepted as
true; 5. an opinion; an expectation; a judgment
• Geoffrey’s belief that there is a tooth fairy is based on a chapter from his
book of bedtime stories.
• Maribel’s beliefs are between her and her pastor—and are none of our
business.
• Valerie had complete belief in Harper’s honesty.
• It was her belief that Santa would show up later.
• Your accomplishments are totally beyond belief.
belligerent* (bel IDG oer ent) adj. 1. at war; 2. relating to war; of fighting; 3.
showing an eagerness to fight; spoiling for a fight
•

During World War I, the belligerents engaged in four years of unmoving
trench warfare.
• The belligerent adversaries duked it out in the ring.
• Veronica’s attitude was always belligerent, as if she were seeking to get into
an argument.
[belligerently adv.] [Syn. bellicose]

B: SAT Words

39

beneficial (BEN e FISH uhl) adj. 1. to the advantage of; helpful; 2. getting benefit; 3. in one’s best interest
• Mary’s friendship turned out to be beneficial to Evelyn around holiday
time.
• Having auto insurance proved quite beneficial for Tania when a reckless
driver ignored the stop sign and hit her car.
• It is beneficial for you to have an individual retirement plan.
[-ly adv.]

benefit (BEN e fit) n. 1. a helpful, charitable act; 2. an advantage; a gain —vt. to
help; aid —vi. to gain; to profit from
• The singer sang at a benefit to raise money for the group.
• The cab waited an additional 10 minutes for Bob’s benefit.
• My singing publicly benefited the business of all ear doctors in the
neighborhood.
• A playwright benefits from each performance of her play.
[-ed, -ing]

berate (be RAYT) vt. to scold or strongly rebuke (with wagging finger)
• Don’t berate me for acting the way you act.
• Audrey berated Robert for driving after having had a drink.
[-d, berating] [Syn. scold]

QUICK REVIEW #12
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. barricade

a. disguise

2. barter

b. conduct

3. basic

c. opinion

4. basis

d. profit

5. battle

e. quarrelsome

6. behalf

f. helpful

7. behavior

g. conflict

8. being

h. existence

9. belie

i. scold

10. belief

j. elementary

11. belligerent

k. representing

12. beneficial

l. procedure

13. benefit

m. trade

14. berate

n. obstruct

40

Essential Vocabulary

bereft (bi REFT) adj. 1. without; devoid (of); deprived; 2. bereaved
• For his crime, the criminal was bereft of his freedom.
• The crime victim was bereft of her feeling of security.
• The bereft twins mourned the death of their uncle.
betray (bit RAY) vt. 1. to aid the enemy, or make vulnerable to the enemy in a
traitorous way; 2. to break faith with; to not act up to expectations; 3. to deceive;
4. to give away secret information
• Benedict Arnold betrayed his defenses to the British.
• Bill went to the broker so as not to betray Anne’s faith in his ability to get
tickets for Cats.
• Nan got Sue to join the team, convincing her that they’d have fun together; then she betrayed her by quitting.
• During the game, Sue betrayed Hal’s hiding place to Jim.
[-d, -ing, -al, -er n.] [Syn. deceive, reveal]

between (bit WEEN) prep. 1. in or through the area separating two things; 2. in
the time separating two things; 3. along a path that connects two things —adv. 1.
in a middle location, time, space, or function; 2. in the midst of; 3. in confidence
•
•
•
•
•
•

The gate is between the third and fourth fence posts.
Lunchtime comes between breakfast and dinner times.
That color is between blue and green.
Second gear is between first and third gears.
In between jobs, Hannah and her sisters took a vacation.
Let’s keep this between you and me.

bewilder (bee WIL der) vt. to thoroughly confuse, as by something very
involved and complicated; befuddle; puzzle
• Jose was bewildered by the Times’ crossword puzzle.
• Alice’s disappearing coin trick served to bewilder Francine.
• On Ian’s visit to the art supply store, he was faced with a bewildering selection of brushes and palette knives.
[-ed, -ing] [Syn. puzzle]

bias (BY uhs) n. 1. a line cut or sewn on the diagonal to the weave of a cloth; 2.
a mental partiality or slant; bent; partiality; inclination —vt. to have a prejudice; to
influence
• The seamstress sewed the hem on a bias.
• As Jason aged, his childhood bias in favor of dark-meat chicken had
changed to one for white meat; go figure.
• The attorney feared that the judge might be unduly biased by his client’s
unsavory reputation.
• Kira’s wallpaper choice is biased by her love of earth tones.
[-ed, -ing]

B: SAT Words

41

bicker (BI kuhr) vi. 1. to quarrel in a petty manner; to squabble; 2. (rare) to
move with quick, rippling noises —n. 1. a little quarrel; 2. a rippling or a pattering
sound
•
•
•
•

Carl and Violet bicker all the time about everything.
The brook bickers in the breeze.
Carl and Violet just had another minor bicker.
One can barely hear the bicker of a snake coming down the path.
[-ed, -ing]

bilk (BILK) vt. 1. to thwart; 2. to swindle; cheat; defraud; 3. to escape or flee
leaving unpaid debts; 4. to elude
•
•
•
•

The raccoon bilked all attempts to catch him.
The investors were bilked out of millions by crooked management.
Nate bilked the bank by his failure to make payments.
The crook bilked the police.
[-ed, -ing]

biological (BY uh LAH gzhi kl) adj. 1. of or connected to living things; 2. related genetically, in contrast to by adoption
• A botanist is only interested in the plant part of the biological sciences.
• Mark’s scientific interests are purely biological.
• Your biological parents are your real mother and father.
[-ly adv. (also biologic)]

blueprint (BLOO print) n. 1. a plan drawn in white on a blue background and
used by architects or engineers; 2. any exact or detailed plan
• The contractor checked the blueprint of the house to see what materials he
would need to order.
• With its adoption in 1789, the U.S. Constitution became the blueprint for
American democracy.
bog (BAHG) n. wet, spongy area of ground, noted for smelly decaying mosses
that form peat —vi., vt. to get stuck in; mired (usually with down)
• For organic matter, Martha used peat from the nearby bog to enrich her
garden soil.
• The Medicare revisions got bogged down in committee.
[-ged, -ging]

bore (BAWR) vt. 1. to make a hole with a drill; 2. to dig a well, tunnel, etc. with
a turning helical tool; 3. to push one’s way (through) —vi. to tire of or lose interest
in —n. 1. a hole made by a drill; 2. the interior of a hollow tube
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Before hanging the door, I must bore holes for the hinges.
Gino bored holes for the deck’s concrete footings.
Gracie bored through the rush-hour crowd.
Go away; you bore me.
The plot was very predictable, and therefore very boring.
The hole in the wall was a very shallow bore.
Shotgun barrels come in various bores.
[-d, boring, -dom n.]

42

Essential Vocabulary

brain (BRAYN) n. 1. the mass of tissue inside the skull of vertebrates; the organ
that is the destination for the spinal cord, the main center of reasoning and interpreter of senses, as well as the director of motor functions; 2. a comparable organ in
an invertebrate; 3. (often pl.) mental capacity; intelligence; 4. (usually pl.) the chief
organizer or planner of a group event; head director —vt. to hit hard on the head
•
•
•
•
•

No computer can yet equal the human brain.
A flea’s brain is not very complex.
You don’t need instructions; just use your brains.
When it comes to planning, Kevin’s the brains of this outfit.
Roger got brained by the baseball bat.
[-ed, -ing]

brandish (BRAEN dish) vt. to wave about or shake, in a threatening or challenging way; flourish
• When you brandish that saber, everyone ducks for cover.
• Helen brandished the fireplace poker as if she wanted to strike someone
with it.
[-ed, -ing]

burden (BOER din) n. 1. a load; anything carried; 2. something one has to put
up with; a heavy load; hard work; sorrow or responsibility —vt. to weigh down; to
oppress
• The drywall was a heavy burden for the roof of the car.
• When Jill sat on the jury, she had the burden of deciding the guilt or innocence of the defendant.
• Certain trucks are classified by the burden they can carry.
• I hate to burden you with the job of deciding what to wear.
[-ed, -ing]

burrow (BOER o) n. 1. a hole dug by an animal or a tunnel in the ground; 2.
any hole or passage serving as a shelter, refuge, etc. —vi. 1. to dig (into, under, etc.);
2. search as if by digging —vt. to make burrows in the ground
•
•
•
•

Groundhogs live in burrows of their own making.
Some animals often find shelter in burrows dug by others.
Burrowing through old files led to finding the real murderer.
Construction crews burrowed beneath the English Channel to build the
Chunnel, connecting the U.K. and France.
[-ed, -ing]

buttress* (BUH tris) n. a brace, usually of brick or stone, built against a wall to
support or reinforce it; a prop —vt. 1. to support or reinforce with such a structure;
2. to prop up; bolster
• Many Gothic buildings sport buttresses to reinforce them.
• Flash cards can be thought of as buttresses for rote learning of facts.
• Buttress your argument against the tax hike by having the documentation
concerning the results of previous hikes.
[-ed, -ing]

B: SAT Words

QUICK REVIEW #13
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. bereft

a. influence

2. betray

b. elude

3. between

c. planner

4. bewilder

d. related

5. bias

e. plan

6. bicker

f. mire

7. bilk

g. devoid

8. biological

h. drill

9. blueprint

i. deceive

10. bog

j. puzzle

11. bore

k. squabble

12. brain

l. amidst

13. brandish

m. threaten

14. burden

n. search

15. burrow

o. oppress

16. buttress

p. reinforce

43

C
cajole (kuh JOHL) vt. to coax with insincere talk; to flatter in hopes of getting
one’s way; to wheedle
• Maxine tried to cajole her husband into going to the movies.
• Barney cajoled Lois to accompany him to the book sale.
[-d, cajoling, -ry n., cajolingly adv.] [Syn. coax]

calamity (kuh LAM i tee) n. 1. deep trouble; misery; 2. any great misfortune
entailing sorrow and loss; disaster
• The loss of a loved one is always a calamity.
• The attack on the World Trade Center ranks with Pearl Harbor among the
U.S.A.’s greatest calamities.
[calamitous adj., calamitously adv.] [Syn. disaster]

camaraderie (kam uh RAD oer ee) n. warm, friendly feelings of loyalty among
comrades; comradeship
• Camaraderie is most likely to develop among military comrades who have
been through some combat together.
• A general feeling of camaraderie pervaded the air as the business associates
gathered in the tavern to relax and share their tales on a Friday afternoon.
campaign (kam PAYN) n. 1. a sequence of military operations aimed at a certain objective; 2. a series of organized actions for some specific purpose —vi. to be
involved in a campaign
• The Second World War’s European campaign was fought to liberate the captive nations and to defeat Germany.
• Andrea was involved in the presidential election campaign.
• She campaigned enthusiastically for (then) Senator Kerry.
[-ed, -ing, -er n.] [Syn. battle]

canvass (KAV vuhs) vt. 1. to look over carefully; 2. to go to or among (people)
to seek votes, orders, etc. —vi. to try to get votes, orders, etc.; solicit —n. the act of
asking a targeted group of people questions such as who they voted for, what
brands they use, etc., especially in an attempt to estimate the outcome of an election, sales campaign, etc.
• Charlie canvassed the canvas with the art appraiser to determine the insurance value of the painting.
• Samantha canvassed the mothers at the soccer game, trying to get some
orders for Daryl’s school fund-raiser.
• Canvassing potential voters was how the paper was able to predict the outcome of the election.
[**Alert** Do not confuse with canvas, the cloth.] [-ed, -ing, -er n.]

44

C: SAT Words

45

captive (KAP tiv) n. 1. one captured and held prisoner; 2. a person enthralled,
as by love or beauty —adj. 1. taken or held prisoner; 2. unable to act independently;
3. made to watch/listen (as in a captive audience)
•
•
•
•
•

The captive was behind bars.
The first time Iris saw San Francisco, she became captive to its charm.
A babysitter is captive to his or her charge.
For many years, Poland was a captive nation of the USSR.
Ian loves to play his guitar before a captive audience.

career (kuh RIR) n. 1. one’s way of earning a living; lifework; 2. a profession or
occupation for which one trains and which one pursues for life —adj. adapting a
normally temporary activity as a lifework
• One’s career is not always the one prepared for.
• Some veterinarians pursue that career deliberately, while for others it is a
booby prize for failing medical school.
• Herbert decided to become a career soldier.
carnivore* (KAHR ni VAWR) n. 1. any of a number of fanged, flesh-eating
mammals, like lions and tigers and bears; 2. an animal that eats other animals; 3. a
plant that eats small animals—especially insects.
• Unlike herbivores, who eat plants, and omnivores, who eat both plants
and animals, a carnivore prefers a diet of meat.
• The Venus flytrap is a plant that can be categorized a carnivore.
[carnivorous adj., carnivorously adv.]

QUICK REVIEW #14
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
1. cajole

a. solicit

2. calamity

b. wheedle

3. camaraderie

c. battle

4. campaign

d. friendliness

5. canvass

e. lifework

6. captive

f. dependent

7. career

g. flesh eater

8. carnivore

h. disaster

46

Essential Vocabulary

carnivorous (kahr NIV oer uhs) adj. 1. flesh eating (as opposed to herbivorous);
2. insect eating (applying to some plants); 3. of the carnivores
• Wolves hunt mostly mammalian prey because they are carnivorous.
• The sundew represents a class of carnivorous plants.
• Having canine teeth, or fangs, is a carnivorous trait.
cartographer (kahr TOG ruh fuhr) n. a person who designs and makes maps
or charts
• Mercator is the name of the man who is probably the best-known cartographer who ever lived.
• Robinson is another well-known cartographer.
castigate* (KAS ti gayt) vt. to punish or bawl out, especially by using harsh
public criticism
• The police chief proceeded to castigate the officers for showing poor
judgment dealing with the demonstrators.
• The nine-year-old castigated the president for not being able to pronounce
“nuclear.”
[-d, castigating, castigation, castigator n., castigatory adj.] [Syn. punish]

catalyst* (KAT uh list) n. 1. an agent in a chemical reaction that causes the
reaction to speed up, but does not itself undergo any permanent change; 2. a person or thing that speeds up a result
• During the process of photosynthesis, chlorophyll is the catalyst for plants
combining water and carbon dioxide to manufacture sugar and oxygen in
the presence of light.
• The catalyst for Karen and David giving their realtor an immediate deposit
on the house was another couple’s interest in it.
catnap (KAT nap) n. a doze; a short, light sleep —vi. to take a snooze
• The watchman often takes two- or three-minute catnaps.
• Karen often catnaps while watching TV at night.
[-ped, -ping]

cautious (KAW shus) adj. very careful; trying to avoid danger; wary; circumspect
• The bomb-squad member was very cautious in his approach to the mysterious package.
• Cautious people regret less later.
[-ness n., -ly adv.] [Syn. careful]

celebrate (SEL eb RAYT) vt. 1. to perform some kind of public and formal ritual;
2. to mark an anniversary, a holiday, etc. with ceremony or festiveness; 3. to praise
or honor publicly; 4. to perform cheerful activity to mark an occasion
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Melissa and Gino invited 200