11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List One

1. Acquiesce v. to give in and agree peaceably; to assent; comply

When Dad set 1 a.m. as our curfew, my sister Amy and I acquiesced because we knew he

meant business.

2. Chastisement n. severe scolding or punishment

Bowser, our 80 lb. Shepard, deserved chastisement for stealing the raw steak off the counter.

3. Augment v. to increase; to make something greater or bigger

Dad said, “Ted, I’ll augment your allowance for your senior year, in return for more help at home.”

4. Laudable adj. deserving of praise; commendable

Getting an “A” in Mrs. Dawson’s math class is a laudable achievement, as her class is the most

difficult.

5. Dispersion n. the act of spreading all over in a random manner

The dispersion of the new film was erratic, targeting specific audiences around the country.

6. Digress v. to wander off course in speaking or writing

I often digress into unrelated topics as I get into a speech, which frustrates and angers my teacher.

7. Concur v. to agree; assent; to approve; to coincide

After much discussion, our family concurred on a camping site for next summer.

8. Deleterious adj. causing harm or injury, maybe in a very subtle way

Doctors are beginning to worry about the deleterious effects of second hand smoke on children’s

lungs.

9. Guile n. trickery or deceit; deceptive cunning; duplicity

Children often use guile to manipulate their parents into giving them what they want.

10. Coalesce v. to mix together from separate elements

Thoughts from my last few articles came together to coalesce into one powerful editorial.

11. Clandestine adj. secretive; surreptitious

The FBI sent him on a clandestine mission to Russia, from which he mysteriously never returned.

12. Depravity n. state of corruption, perversion, or evil

Hearing our well-mannered father link himself to depravity made us hoot with laughter.

13. Efface v. to erase or obliterate; to wear away over time

I’m counting on time to efface the memories of when I’ve made a total idiot of myself.

14. Crass adj. utterly lacking in taste or discrimination

Coming from Mom that was a crass remark, but it was awfully funny.

15. Amass v. to accumulate, collect; to gather, to come together

I don’t need to amass a huge fortune, but a bit of extra money for life’s finer luxuries would be

nice.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Two

1. Banal adj. common place and stale, not fresh; trite; insipid

Banal, overused phrases and words are so numerous that it is hard to avoid them.

2. Terse adj. concise or succinct; stripped of all but the essentials

When you need encouragement, a terse response it very disappointing.

3. Raconteur n. gifted talker or storyteller

My English class read The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, a talented playwright,

poet and raconteur.

4. Euphemism n. the use of a “nice” word or phrase, instead of an offensive or terrible, honest one

The euphemism “ethnic cleansing” is a phrase used to disguise genocide, which is revolting.

5. Denounce v. to criticize, especially publicly; to accuse

She denounced her husband’s philandering ways at the party, much to his humiliation.

6. Succinct adj. brief, to the point; concise; terse

Some people prefer the taut, succinct writing style of Hemmingway, but I prefer a more colloquial

style, like Mark Twain’s.

7. Lampoon v. to verbally ridicule a person; satirize

The cast of Saturday Night Live loves to lampoon political figures, especially the president.

8. Laconic adj. using as few words as possible; concise

Sometimes a laconic response is preferable to a lengthy one, in particular when one is in a hurry.

9. Platitude n. a tired, trite old saying

He’s so boring because he just mouths off one platitude after another, and we’re all tired of them.

10. Bombast n. pompous, “windbag” language

Our principal is the king of bombast. Unfortunately, his speeches are often long, dry, and boring.

11. Cajole v. to beg earnestly;+ to wheedle or coax

Hoping to cajole her into helping, I gave her a sweet, puppy dog look before making my request.

12. Hyperbole n. wild exaggeration, often on purpose for effect

Many poets use hyperbole to emphasize certain points, which makes their poems more fun to read.

13. Carp v. to nag in a petty nitpicky way; to find fault

My mom is always carping at me to clean my room that she claims is always a pigsty.

14. Enervate v. to drain of energy and mental quickness

I was completely enervated after taking my college entrance exams, and all I wanted to do was

sleep afterwards.

15. Incipient adj. beginning to show; commencing

When the flowers began blooming and the birds started singing, I knew the incipient signs of

spring were in the air.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Three

1. Despot n. a ruler with total control; a tyrant; autocrat

Terror, our bulldog, sees himself as king of the house, a real despot, with all under his paw.

2. Sycophant n. a brownnoser; one who flatters others; a toady

Powerful people must enjoy that servile flattery, or they wouldn’t have so many sycophants.

3. Hedonistic adj. having the belief that pleasure or happiness is the chief good in life

In class, we contrasted the hedonistic doctrine of the Greek’s with the spiritual, work-oriented life

of the Puritan’s.

4. Revere v. to worship; to honor

In America, we have a tendency to revere athletes, actors and musicians, which speaks to the

superficiality of our culture.

5. Insurgent n. a rebel; one who rises up in revolt

As an editor I need to study newspapers, so I am aware of insurgent forces in other countries.

6. Didactic adj. intended for the purpose of giving instruction

In this age of technology, computers have become a didactic learning tool, with many people taking

classes on line.

7. Desecrate v. to show disrespect or to deface something sacred

The gangsters desecrated the side of the cathedral with their colorful graffiti.

8. Charlatan n. a quack or fraud; a cheat, imposter

A slick charlatan, posing as a insurance man, cheated the elderly widow of her life’s savings.

9. Ephemeral adj. short-lived; fleeting

When one considers all the centuries gone by, one may conclude that life is quite ephemeral.

10. Prosaic adj. commonplace; uninspired; dull

The new housing tract was so prosaic, with every house being painted the same color and done in

the same style.

11. Zealot n. a fanatic; someone devoted beyond reason to a cause or belief

It was confirmed that a crazed zealot tried to bomb the abortion clinic, but fortunately he failed.

12. Discern v. to distinguish one thing from another

The wine connoisseur was unable to discern the hundred-dollar wine from the twenty-dollar wine.

13. Provincial adj. narrow-minded; unsophisticated

The dining room was furnished in a provincial style, with roughly, hand-carved tables and chairs.

14. Surreptitious adj. secretive; done stealthily

The cheating husband was very surreptitious about his whereabouts when out with his mistress.

15. Ameliorate v. to make or become better; improve

The school had big plans to ameliorate the campus, but had to wait for district funds to become

available.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Four

1. Aesthetic adj. concerning art or beauty

She paid great attention to the aesthetic qualities of her home décor.

2. Expedite v. to quicken

The invention of airplanes has expedited the way in which people travel.

3. Derision n. contempt

Johnny had intense derision for the teacher that failed him twice.

4. Drone v. to talk on and on in a dull way

The professor droned on and on about the wonders of modern science, putting some students to

sleep.

5. Languid adj. slow and listless

The languid presentation was so boring many people left early.

6. Philistine n. one who lacks culture or taste

The people from Philista, an ancient civilization of the 14th century, were labeled philistine because

they lacked intellectual and artistic values.

7. Virulent adj. harmful

The snake’s venom was extremely virulent; one bite could kill you.

8. Parsimony n. stinginess

Children’s parsimony, when it comes to candy and toys, is infamous.

9. Profuse adj. very abundant; overflowing

She has a profuse collection of designer shoes, having one pair to match every outfit in her closet.

10. Acuity n. sharpness of mind

The teacher exclaimed, “The acuity of that student is amazing; he never misses a test question!”

11. Dogmatic adj. stubbornly opinionated

It does not pay to argue with dogmatic people because you can never convince them of your point.

12. Enigma n. a mystery, riddle

It has been said that women are an enigma that men will never figure out.

13. Censure v. severely criticize; blame

Sue’s parents constantly censured her until she couldn’t stand it any longer and ran away.

14. Cacophonous adj. harsh sounding

His piano playing was so cacophonous that people held their hands over their ears during the

recital.

15. Conciliate v. make compatible; reconcile

A marriage counselor oftentimes must play the intermediary and conciliate angry spouses.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Five

1. Partisan adj. strongly in favor of; biased, prejudiced

In a country tired of partisan politics, the people hunger for representatives that will put the

good of the nation before their political party.

2. Altruism n. useful giving for the benefit of others

Most religions are based on the concept of altruism, believing that those that give will receive.

3. Nonchalant adj. casual, carefree, unconcerned

His attitude towards smoking was nonchalant until he developed lung cancer.

4. Brusquely adv. curtly, abruptly, bluntly

When I asked my mom if I could go to the Marilyn Manson concert, she brusquely answered “No

way!”

5. Austerity n. somberness of manner; graveness

As the police captain discussed the serial murder case, he spoke with great austerity.

6. Facilitate v. to make easier or simpler; to smooth the way

The geometry professor facilitated the complex formula until all the students understood it.

7. Precipitate v. to cause to happen suddenly or prematurely

The dark storm clouds and howling wind precipitated the severe storm that lasted all week.

8. Paradigm n. something serving a model or idea

For years, our class unknowingly acted as a paradigm for classes after us.

9. Iconoclast n. one who criticizes established ideas or traditions

The newspaper labeled the protesting students as iconoclasts that were trying to overrun the college.

10. Tacit adj. silent; implied through one’s actions

Her husband’s love was a tacit love, for he never said those three words: “I love you.”

11. Unimpeachable adj. blameless; irreproachable

The man on trial for embezzlement testified with such an air of credulity that he appeared

unimpeachable.

12. Ubiquitous adj. seemingly everywhere; widespread

MacDonald’s restaurants, ubiquitous today, were scarce just twenty-five years ago.

13. Assuage v. to appease; pacify, to quiet

The best way to assuage your parents harping about a dirty room is to clean it.

14. Stagnate v. to stop the flow of; make inactive

All the hair stuck in the shower drain began to stagnate the flow of water.

15. Karma n. a life force that determines your fate or destiny in the next life

Whether you call it karma or something else, everyone would like to know why life unfolds as it

does.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Six

1. Fervent adj. full of strong emotion; impassioned

His fervent kisses made her so dizzy she almost swooned in her impassioned state.

2. Fortuitous adj. happening by chance, accidental

The married couple’s meeting was fortuitous, but they often felt as if God had united them.

3. Disparage v. to belittle or downgrade; depreciate, minimize

When I was a kid, the bully up the street disparaged me constantly, and I can still remember how

much it hurt me.

4. Condescend v. to come down in level; stoop

Buttons, my older cat, condescends to play hide and seek with my kitten Socks if she thinks no one

will see her acting like a kitten.

5. Virtuoso n. a highly skilled performer

At the peak of his career, Michael Jackson was thought to be a virtuoso.

6. Temerity n. unwise boldness; rash or reckless behavior

Many would argue that teens are full of temerity, but I have known many a sensible teens.

7. Supercilious adj. excessively proud; disdainfully superior

Frank’s supercilious attitude made him appear superior, but in reality he had an inferiority complex

he was trying to cover up.

8. Fastidious adj. meticulous; extremely fussy and particular

A healthy cat is fastidious about its appearance and grooms it’s fur meticulously.

9. Meander v. to wander casually with no set plan; to ramble

We meandered our way across Europe, ultimately ending up in Spain.

10. Nostalgia n. a sentimental longing for a past time or state

Nostalgia for the past and the way things used to be must be a natural part of growing older.

11. Raze v. to tear down completely

We were forced to raze the old barn because it was infested with termites.

12. Hackneyed adj. banal; overused; commonplace; trite

The teens talked in a hackneyed way, using lots of clichés, but they never tired of listening to

each other.

13. Disseminate v. to disperse or spread everywhere (knowledge or ideas)

Our pep rallies are designed to disseminate the spirit of Diamond Bar High to all students.

14. Eclectic adj. carefully selected from many good sources

I have a small, but eclectic assortment of CDs, ranging from the Dead to Beethoven.

15. Quixotic adj. Extravagantly idealistic; unrealistic or imaginary

Quixotic ideas are strange, a little crazy, but often wonderful.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Seven

1. Heretic n. one who differs from accepted belief or theory

Witches were hanged and burned as heretics by religious fanatics during the Puritan era.

2. Inexorable adj. inflexible; not movable by any means

Her inexorable religious convictions led her to live a life of chastity and self-sacrifice as a nun.

3. Aver v. to state firmly and convincingly

I averred my new year’s resolutions on January 1st, only to break them the next day.

4. Equivocal adj. open to two interpretations; evasive, unclear

His puzzling, equivocal answer left us all stunned and questioning his sanity.

5. Garrulous adj. extremely talkative; gabby, loquacious

The garrulous teenage girls never tired of gossiping and talking about their boyfriends.

6. Posit v. to propose; suggest

When he first posited his idea no one thought it would work, but as it turned out it has attributed to

the success of the company.

7. Proponent n. one who talks in favor of something; an advocate

John is hardly a proponent of sloth, he generally works sixty hours a week and sometimes more.

8. Respite n. rest, pause, lull; time of relief from activity

Winter break will be welcome respite from my busy school schedule.

9. Elucidate v. to explain fully and clearly

Mrs. Macintosh, our geometry teacher, is always willing to elucidate a problem if we don’t

understand it.

10. Sagacious adj. prudent; showing wisdom in one’s understanding of things

It is amazing how sagacious Joy is for a twelve-year-old; she has more sense than some thirty-

year-olds I know.

11. Atrophy v. to wither, degenerate; to waste away

When the doctor removed the cast from my arm, I found that my muscles had atrophied

considerably.

12. Burgeon v. to flourish, to grow and quickly expand; bloom

Ideas burgeon in people’s minds just as flowers and weeds burgeon in soil.

13. Affluent adj. wealthy in a material sense

In Haiti, there are few affluent people; most people are so indigent they live in small shacks.

14. Tawdry adj. cheap-looking; showy, gaudy

Her sequined gown was tawdry enough, but the cheap costume jewelry made her outfit look

even more ridiculous.

15. Rancor n. deep-seated bitterness; old enmity

The rancor in the family made it impossible to celebrate holidays together without a fight ensuing.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Eight

1. Scoff v. to make fun of; mock

It is unkind to scoff at a fellow classmate that is nervous giving a presentation.

2. Risible adj. laughable, funny; used for laughter

The Comedy Store is venue where you can enjoy a host of risible comedians.

3. Immutable adj. changeless; unalterable, eternal

Some things are immutable, like a mother’s undying love for her child.

4. Quandary n. a feeling of puzzlement or doubt

Choosing a college is a perplexing process which leaves many students in a state of quandary.

5. Archangel n. an angel of the highest rank

Before losing God’s favor and being flung from heaven, Lucifer was once God’s archangel.

6. Tenet n. a major belief, principle, of a doctrine or a group

A main tenet of a doctor is to save lives whenever possible.

7. Rue v. to regret exceedingly; feel remorse or sorrow

Grandma was always saying, “I rue the day I married your cantankerous grandfather!”

8. Sanction v. to confirm, authorize; endorse, approve, support

Although Senior Ditch Day is an old tradition, our principal has said, “I cannot sanction it.”

9. Copious adj. superabundant; in plentiful supply

The elegant Princess Diana was renown for her copious collection of gorgeous evening gowns.

10. Evanescent adj. fading or vanishing quickly, like vapor

Ghosts are a naturally evanescent phenomenon that many people don’t believe in.

11. Dearth n. scarcity or lack; paucity

Our class debated the poet Keat’s comment on “the inhuman dearth of noble natures” and

disagreed with him.

12. Whet v. to excite or stimulate (the mind or appetite); to hone or sharpen (a knife or mind)

All the decadent delicacies at the party whetted my appetite for more fabulous food.

13. Prodigal adj. wildly extravagant or lavish in spending

Many complain that our government is guilty of spending taxpayer dollars on prodigal programs

that are frivolous.

14. Vacillate v. to fluctuate; to change from one opinion to another

“Some people are unable to make a decision and stick by it; they vacillate instead and that drives

me crazy!”

15. Brevity n. briefness; conciseness of expression

In Hamlet, our class found the famous quotation; “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Nine

1. Irascible adj. easily angered; testy, touchy

His irascible disposition so angered the judge that he held him in contempt of court.

2. Venerate v. to revere, respect

No matter how he acted, King Henry VIII of Britain expected his subjects to venerate him.

3. Satiate v. to satisfy appetite fully

I told Mom to make plenty of turkey for Thanksgiving, because only three helpings will satiate me.

4. Repudiate v. to deny; to reject or disown utterly

My parents threatened to repudiate me if I went out with the guy with pierced nipples and tattoos.

5. Prodigious adj. awe inspiring; enormous in size or capacity

Dinosaurs were creatures of prodigious size and exotic appearance, which makes them so

fascinating to us.

6. Magnate n. someone of power, rank or influence

The rich and powerful oil magnate controlled over thirty-percent of the world’s oil supply.

7. Redundant adj. extra and unnecessary; superfluous; unneeded

Terms like “young kitten” and “young fowl” are redundant expressions because the words kitten

and fowl only refer to animals that are young.

8. Magnanimous adj. generously forgiving; big spirited

Our boss’ magnanimous nature made us admire him all the more.

9. Irony n. the opposite of what would be normal or expected

The irony of the situation was that she loved him despite his cheating ways.

10. Apocryphal adj. of doubtful authorship; fictitious

Most what the National Enquirer prints in apocryphal in nature, much to the chagrin of stars.

11. Predilection n. natural preference; positive feelings for

My brother has always had a predilection for rap music, while I prefer country and pop.

12. Negligible adj. of only minor importance, if any

The fact that the actors were not well known was negligible to the film’s success, as it was

a masterpiece.

13. Vitriolic adj. caustic, burning or corrosive like acid

John’s vitriolic sense of humor offended some, but he never meant any harm by his biting jokes.

14. Dubious adj. doubtful; of questionable truth or quality; suspicious

Her alibi was dubious and led police to further question her whereabouts on the night in question.

15. Pervade v. to go throughout; permeate

The rank odor of the dead skunk in the attic pervaded the entire household.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Ten

1. Delineate v. outline; describe

The guidance counselor delineated the various aspects of filling out college applications.

2. Criterion n. a standard used for making judgments

When selecting a puppy, temperament is usually an important criterion, especially if you

have children.

3. Scanty adj. meager; brief or short

I thought I liked scanty swimsuits until I saw my girlfriend in the scantiest bikini on earth.

4. Diatribe n. abusive criticism; a violent attack in words

Diatribes flourish in elections; candidates are always eager to criticize each other.

5. Querulous adj. complaining; fault-finding

Her repeated, querulous comments started to drive her husband crazy after awhile.

6. Rhetoric n. the art of using words impressively, especially in public speaking; insincere

high-flown writing or speech

The politician’s speech was analyzed and was determined to be pure rhetoric by most people.

7. Ambivalence n. fluctuation between one thing and another; uncertainty or indecision

Ambivalence is a quality of people who vacillate when making decisions.

8. Defer v. to put off until another time; to yield to someone of greater authority or age

Many college students defer paying their student loans until they graduate.

9. Deduce v. to conclude or infer by reasoned thought

The detective was able to deduce by the evidence that she was murdered by her husband.

10. Satire n. a novel, film, play, etc. that ridicules peoples’ hypocrisy or foolishness

Mark Twain’s satire Huckleberry Finn ridicules the prejudice, stupidity and hypocrisy in America

during the mid-nineteenth century.

11. Undermine v. to weaken or destroy bit by bit

Nothing undermines your image like having a little brother tag along wherever you go.

12. Rescind v. repeal or call-back; to cancel or annul

I rescinded my decision to go to UCLA after USC won the championship.

13. Emulate v. imitate; to try to equal (or even exceed) an example

Many have tried to emulate Lucille Ball’s comic genius, but in my opinion no one has come close.

14. Jocular adj. jolly; fond of joking

Grandpa is a very jocular person; he is always joking amusingly with us grandkids.

15. Amity n. harmony; friendship and good-will

Mom insisted that an aura of amity pervade our home during the holidays, which meant that no

fighting was allowed.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Eleven

1. Autonomy n. self-rule; independence

Parents should grant their children autonomy once they get into high school.

2. Indolence n. laziness

Indolence is the worst disease a person can have; lazy people are rarely successful.

3. Ponderous adj. weighty; heavy

Big decisions in life, like what college to go to and who to marry, are very ponderous issues.

4. Coffer n. a strong box; a treasury

She kept her valuables in a locked coffer behind her dresser where no one would find it.

5. Surmount v. to overcome; conquer

He was able to surmount all the limitations of his handicap and function normally in life.

7. Resplendent adj. dazzling; brilliant

The cubic zirconia necklace was resplendent in its appearance; it shone like real diamonds.

7. Precocious adj. premature; unusually early development

The precocious child amazed us with his intelligence, making it hard to believe he was only eight.

8. Renounce v. to reject or disown; to give up

I renounced all forms of caffeine on New Years Day, including coffee and soda.

9. Synchronize v. to be simultaneous; to operate in unison

The synchronized swimmers were amazing; they kept perfect time with each other.

10. Inadvertent adj. not attentive; marked by lack of care

He was inadvertent in the feeding of his goldfish, which led them to die of starvation.

11. Pontificate v. to express opinions or judgments in a dogmatic (stubborn/arrogant) way

My dad has a tendency to pontificate when he lectures us on the subject of morality and values.

12. Ungainly adj. clumsy; lacking in grace of movement

Ballerinas are not ungainly creatures; they must be light on their toes and graceful by nature.

13. Disparity n. unlikeness; incongruity

There was a disparity in the color of their hair, even though they were twins and both red heads.

14. Urbane adj. polite, refined and often elegant in manner

Mother insisted that we be raised with urbane manners, so as not to embarrass her public.

15. Bastion n. fortress; a strong hold

It will take a bastion to keep that boy-crazy, teenage girl away from the opposite sex.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Twelve

1. Galvanize v. to stimulate into sudden activity; to arouse

Because I failed the test, I determined I would galvanize my new study skills plan into action.

2. Ebb v. to decline

Investors watched their fortunes ebb as the stock market plunged to a new low.

3. Nomenclature n. a system of names, such as those used in a particular science

A nomenclature can easily be mastered using a system of memory devices.

4. Garbled adj. confused; mixed up

The garbled message failed to expedite the ambulance’s arrival.

5. Immaterial adj. insignificant; unimportant

The prosecutor objected to the defense attorney’s argument, claiming it was ridiculous and immaterial.

6. Nonchalance n. carelessness; lack of interest or concern

Edward’s nonchalance about his studies showed in his poor semester grades.

7. Debilitate v. to weaken

The cruel jailer starved his prisoners in order to debilitate them.

8. Officious adj. meddling; giving unnecessary or unwanted advice or services

Mrs. Reeves, our neighbor, had an officious manner, so we were careful what we told her.

9. Abject adj. miserable; pitiful

When we found the abject creature lying on the floor, we took it inside and tended to its broken leg.

10. Abeyance n. temporary suppression or suspicion

The abeyance of information made her subject to a full investigation.

11. Protracted adj. drawn out; lengthy

The protracted funeral service left us all feeling drained and depressed.

12. Innovate v. to make changes; modernize

The new superintendent of the district decided to fully innovate our high school campus.

13. Euphonious adj. melodious; pleasant sounding

The euphonious music was a welcome treat after a hectic day at the office.

14. Dissonance n. lack of agreement or harmony

The newly married couple began to experience dissonance in their relationship early on, which led

to a divorce.

15. Contrite adj. thoroughly sorry

Not even his contrite apology would make his wife forgive him for his cheating ways.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Thirteen

1. Parched adj. dried up

The aged woman’s skin was parched from spending too much time in the sun in her youth.

2. Circuitous adj. indirect, round about

She asked him to the Sadie’s dance in a circuitous manner, first asking if he had a date.

3. Clairvoyant n. a person said to be able to see the future

The woman who was a celebrated clairvoyant made many predictions that came true.

4. Exasperation n. frustration; irritation

The teacher threw up her hands in exasperation at the unruly class and screamed, “I quit!”

5. Substantiate v. to verify; confirm

The husband of the murdered woman was able to substantiate his whereabouts because he had

witnesses to confirm his story.

6. Spurious adj. phony; false

If you give a spurious testimony in court and the judge finds out, he will hold you in contempt.

7. Novice n. a beginner

Every great musician was once a novice, but talent, practice and determination made them famous.

8. Asylum n. sanctuary

At the end of a hard day, my bedroom becomes my asylum, a place of quiet and rest.

9. Wary adj. watchful; alert

All teenagers should be wary of people who offer them drugs and make every attempt to avoid them.

10. Impute v. to attribute to someone

She imputed the charges against her, claiming her husband was liable for the death of their child.

11. Unscrupulous adj. without morals or conscience

Hannibal Lechter, the infamous cannibal in the film Silence of the Lambs, is an unscrupulous

character.

12. Uniform adj. consistent; the same

Tract homes oftentimes are very uniform in their design, which makes them boring to look at.

13. Cache n. a hiding place; something hidden in a hiding place

Police searched in vain for the cache of stolen jewels, which the thieves successfully concealed.

14. Abnegate v. to deny; renounce

A monk must abnegate many of life’s comforts, as they dedicate themselves to a humble and

servile life.

15. Ablution n. the act of cleansing

Every morning I perform my daily ablutions; I start by taking a shower and then I brush my teeth.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Fourteen

1. Ascendancy n. controlling influence

Leaders of religious cults maintain ascendancy over their followers through the process of

brain washing.

2. Cordial adj. gracious; heartfelt

Our guests greeted us at the airport with a cordial welcome and a hearty hug.

3. Insuperable adj. unbeatable; insurmountable

After the car accident, Joan faced seemingly insuperable obstacles in her recovery.

4. Temper v. moderate; tone down or restrain

Not even her boss’ grumpiness could temper Susan’s enthusiasm for her new job.

5. Paragon n. model of perfection

The other students resented Frank because the teacher pointed him out as a paragon of virtue.

6. Episodic adj. divided into incidents; occurring at intervals

The novel had an episodic structure, therefore it was difficult to follow the overall plot.

7. Euphoria n. feeling of great happiness or well-being

After being asked to prom, Rebecca was filled with an overwhelming feeling of euphoria.

8. Quell v. extinguish; put down; quiet

The substitute teacher was unable to quell the unruly class and had to call security.

9. Prattle v. babble; talk incessantly

Teenage girls are known to prattle incessantly.

10. Ineffectual adj. weak; not effective

Because the candidate failed to get his message to the public, his campaign was ineffectual.

11. Engender v. to cause; produce

Praising children for their accomplishments engenders self-confidence in them.

12. Contagion n. infection

Fearing contagion, they took great steps to prevent the spread of the disease.

13. Abstruse adj. obscure; difficult to understand

The abstruse works of philosophy were difficult for the students to understand.

14. Grandiose adj. pretentious; high-flown; ridiculously exaggerated

The aged movie star still had grandiose notions of his supposed importance in the theatrical world.

15. Hiatus n. gap; interruption in duration; break

During the summer hiatus, many college students try to earn money to pay for their tuition.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Fifteen

1. Allay v. to lessen fear; to calm; to relieve

An SAT prep course can allay the anxiety of some students.

2. Quandary n. a dilemma; a confusing or puzzling situation

The new mother was faced with the quandary of going back to work or staying home.

3. Odious adj. loathsome; evil; revolting in a disgusting way

I can’t imagine a crime more odious than child abuse.

4. Debunk v. to prove wrong or false

Old wives tales are debunked by modern research.

5. Abridge v. shorten

In order to show the film within a two-hour time, it was abridged.

6. Pithy adj. concise; brief and full of meaning and substance

Jonathan’s poem ended with a pithy rhyming couplet.

7. Bellicose adj. of a quarrelsome nature; warlike; belligerent

The speech was full of bellicose threats, suggesting war was at hand.

8. Munificent adj. very generous

It’s easy to be munificent when you already have everything you’ll ever want or need.

9. Impugn v. to oppose or attack something or someone as false

The cheating husband was impugned by his wife and her family.

10. Circumlocution n. roundabout speech; act of speaking in circles

To avoid hurting anyone’s feelings, he resorted to circumlocution.

11. Antidote n. a remedy that counteract the effects of poison; something that relieves

Advil is an effective antidote for a headache.

12. Subordinate adj. inferior; lower in rank or status

A private is a subordinate officer to a captain.

13. Derivative adj. unoriginal; taken from something already existing

English is a derivative language; it is made up of words from many other languages.

14. Discrepancy n. a difference

A discrepancy in the suspects story let the detectives to infer that he was lying.

15. Vaporize v. to turn to vapor, foam or mist

As the dry ice vaporized, the actors on stage disappeared into clouds of smoke.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Sixteen

1. Antediluvian adj. very, very old; antiquated

The shop contains antediluvian machines that ought to be replaced with up-to-date equipment.

2. Extraneous adj. not necessary; not an essential part

Let’s stick to the heart of the matter and put your extraneous concerns aside for the moment.

3. Misanthrope n. someone who dislikes all people

Hal is a misanthrope; he hates just about everyone.

4. Skeptic n. a person who doubts

Mary is a skeptic; she doesn’t believe in UFOs for a minute.

5. Extol v. to praise highly; laud

The choir teacher extolled Johnny’s performance in the musical.

6. Pariah n. a social outcast

Jenny is known as a pariah on campus because of her strange wardrobe and unkempt hair.

7. Ebullient adj. filled with bubbly excitement

After making a hole in one, the golfer screamed out an ebullient “Yeah”!

8. Nomadic adj. wandering

Bobby is nomadic; he can’t settle in one place and is always on the move.

9. Rebuke v. to reprimand or scold sharply

Sarah continued to bite her nails in spite of being rebuked time and again.

10. Lassitude n. a tired feeling resulting from overwork or depression

Myra felt an overwhelming lassitude after completing her last final exam of the semester.

11. Stoical adj. lacking or not showing emotion

Despite that the entire class laughed at the Mr. Grant’s foible, he carried on in a stoical manner.

12. Eulogize v. to praise, as in a eulogy; to say good things about

Loretta knew Mike well and eulogized the good deeds for which he’ll be remembered.

13. Imprudent adj. careless; rash

Jogging at night without wearing reflective gear is imprudent.

14. Artisan n. one who is skillful with his/her hands

Every weekend, artisans display and sell their crafts on the village green.

15. Dogged adj. stubborn; determined

The runner displayed a dogged determination to finish the marathon despite his exhaustion.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Seventeen

1. Ardently adv. with passion and emotion

The young lovers kissed ardently on the park bench, not caring that others were watching.

2. Cliché n. an expression or idea that has become stale due to overuse

Good writers avoid clichés in their writing like the plague.

3. Phlegmatic adj. calm; lacking excitement or emotion

He recited the speech in a phlegmatic tone and put much of the audience to sleep.

4. Penurious adj. stingy; relating to great poverty or destitution

My father’s penurious upbringing taught him to value every penny.

5. Bowdlerize v. to remove material that is considered offensive or objectionable

The drama teacher bowdlerized the bawdy play so that it was appropriate for students to perform.

6. Acumen n. quickness and keenness of judgment or insight

The state prosecutor had a natural acumen, but he was no match for a Harvard educated

defense attorney.

7. Specious adj. false; appearing to be valid or true, but not so in reality

The argument seemed valid, but since it was based on specious logic, it was proved wrong.

8. Exonerate v. to free from blame or guilt

Elsie was accused of stealing Ana’s cell phone, but she was exonerated when it was found in

Lee’s locker.

9. Ambidextrous adj. two-handed; able to use both hands equally well

Unless you are ambidextrous, you can’t juggle oranges with one hand and type with the other.

10. Jaunty adj. stylish; fashionable

Amanda’s jaunty new hair-style makes her look like a fashion model.

11. Brink n. edge; border; threshold

On the brink of bankruptcy, Jerry’s business was saved by a generous investment from Ben.

12. Adulterate v. to make impure by adding an improper substance or quality

Try not to adulterate the quality of your formal writing with clichés or slang words.

13. Delectable adj. delicious

My mom makes a delectable lasagna that is absolutely mouthwatering.

14. Incidental adj. less important; minor

In contrast to murder, burglary is an incidental offense.

15. Arduously adv. with extreme difficulty

He arduously climbed the mountain and proudly placed his flag on its peak.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Eighteen

1. Thrifty adj. miserly; cheap; careful with money

Be thrifty for the next few months, and you’ll save enough for a new stereo.

2. Confounding adj. baffling; puzzling

The world was fascinated by the confounding disappearance of Amelia Earhart.

3. Diva n. a highly skilled singer, usually an opera singer

The divas auditioned, but their singing voices did not fit the role we had in mind.

4. Convivially adv. sociably

The party guests mingled convivially late into the evening.

5. Erudite adj. scholarly; wise due to much reading and study

Morris pretends to be erudite, but he’s really an airhead.

6. Plethora n. excess; abundance

There used to be a plethora of teachers, but now there is a shortage.

7. Iniquity n. shameless injustice; wickedness

Iniquity has no place in the courtroom.

8. Upbraid v. to chide; scold bitterly

Mr. Judd upbraided the class for throwing paperclips and pencils around the room.

9. Captious adj. made for the sake of quarreling

His captious comments towards his wife spurned a massive argument.

10. Heed v. to pay careful attention to

It’s smart to heed instructions before beginning.

11. Pitfall n. an unseen danger, risk, or drawback

The pitfall in Doug’s plan was that it cost too much.

12. Swagger v. to walk around in a proud, showy manner; to boast loudly

Robert’s swagger reveals that he has an ego as big as a house.

13. Mellifluous adj. sweet and smooth sounding

Because of his mellifluous voice, Grant was hired as a radio announcer.

14. Warily adv. with caution

Act warily in the presence of strangers, especially when you are walking alone at night.

15. Servility n. slave-like behavior; the act of being humble and submissive

Susan’s servility caused her to cater to everyone’s desires but her own.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Nineteen

1. Quiescent adj. still; inactive

Teenagers are not known for being quiescent; they are irrepressible and full of life.

2. Incisively adv. keenly; sharply

Brian incisively made a comment that went directly to the heart of the matter.

3. Abstemious adj. holding back of eating or drinking too much

I need the willpower to be abstemious if I am going to lose ten pounds by June.

4. Antagonism n. hatred; ill-will

Stan’s mocking and teasing incited antagonism among his teammates.

5. Linger v. to hang around; to stay

Mary lingered after class to talk with the instructor in private.

6. Precedent n. something done or said that may serve as an example

It is an older brother’s responsibility to set a precedent for his younger siblings.

7. Itinerant adj. wandering about; tending to move around, travel

I rarely see my uncle; he is itinerant, constantly on the move and traveling the globe.

8. Culinary adj. having to do with cooking, preparing meals

Airline food is anything but a culinary delight.

9. Austerity n. the quality of being stern or cold in appearance

The austerity of the substitute teacher scared the students into compliance.

10. Verbiage n. words having little or obscure content

The two-year-old child’s verbiage was undecipherable to everyone but his mother.

11. Gregarious adj. sociable

As a child, Tommy was quiet, but as a teenager he was gregarious.

12. Mercenary adj. greedy for self-gain; thinking only of making money

The mercenary owner of the shoe store was too money-hungry to ever have a sale.

13. Relegate v. to remove or dismiss to a less important or prominent place

He was relegated to a lesser position when they cut back on managers due to budget cuts.

14. Standoffish adj. lacking cordiality; somewhat cold and reserved

She was standoffish when he asked her out because she thought he was a jerk.

15. Desist v. to cease to proceed or act

He desisted in his negative behavior in Mrs. Johnson’s class after he got in trouble.

11th Grade SAT Vocabulary List Twenty

1. Chary adj. cautious; wary

Chary of burglars, we set our alarm whenever we went out.

2. Ample adj. abundant

For turning in the wallet, Heather was given an ample reward of $200.

3. Innovation n. something new or different

The innovation in televisions was plasma, but now the technology is becoming more prevalent.

4. Castigation n. severe punishment or criticism

Fearing castigation, John lied about being responsible for the car accident.

5. Goad v. to urge; spur

The unscrupulous woman goaded her lover to kill her husband so that they could be together.

6. Vilify v. to slander or defame someone’s name

Jay Leno and other late night hosts vilified the president for a slip of the tongue.

7. Virtuoso n. a highly skilled performer, usually a musical performer

Ted was considered as a virtuoso amongst trumpeters at his school.

8. Enfranchise v. to endow with the rights of citizenship, especially the right to vote

Prior to 1920, women were not enfranchised; the 19th amendment granted them that right.

9. Epiphany n. a sudden revelation

At church, I experienced an epiphany, a spiritual awakening that would change the way I viewed

God forever.

10. Nadir n. the lowest point; the very bottom

Losing the election was the nadir of his political career.

11. Auspicious adj. marked by success; prosperous

The auspicious fundraiser allowed the charity to donate hundreds of toys to the orphanage.

12. Abrogate v. to abolish; to do away with, especially by authority

The laws of the land could not be abrogated or denied by the government.

13. Antebellum adj. belonging to the period before the war, especially the American civil war

While visiting in Georgia, we took a tour of stately antebellum homes.

14. Purloin v. to steal; to take wrongfully

When she wasn’t looking, the kitten purloined the ball of yarn from the basket.

15. Panacea n. a cure for anything that causes illness or trouble; remedy

The new road will divert some cars, but will not be a panacea for all our traffic problems.