SAT EXAM REVIEWHendy’s Top 50 Vocab Words

#1 Apparent or professed Syn: purported, alleged Ant: real, true, actual “The ____ reason for the

school closing was a need for asbestos mitigation.”

#1ostensible

#2 an excessive desire to acquire or

possess wealth Syn: covetousness, rapacity Ant: generosity, openhandedness “Ebenezer Scrooge’s personality

was marked by significant _____.”

#2avarice

#3 Not religious; worldly; pertaining to

the state Syn: civil Ant: sacred, divine Despite having a devoutly religious

population, Turkey enforces strict _____ laws in public.

#3secular

#4 Overly self-satisfied Syn: contented Ant: dissatisfied, malcontent “Just because we won the past

five games, this is no time to get _____.”

#4complacent

#5 Shameless boldness Syn: audacity, impertinence,

nerve Ant: timidity, modesty “Can you believe Cleetus had the

___ to high-five the Queen of England?!”

#5effrontery

#6 (verb) to speak or argue in favor of (noun) a person who pleads in the

interest or case of an individual Syn: champion, support, defender “The online hacker group

Anonymous is often an _____ for people who are bullied or persecuted.”

#6advocate

#7 Existing as a natural or essential

part of Syn: intrinsic, implicit, internal Ant: extrinsic, external “For generations, people in my

family have had an ____ tendency toward skin problems.”

#7inherent

#8 to pretend or give a false

appearance of Syn: fake, sham, simulate “Don’t ____ shock over their

elopement; you knew perfectly well that they were running off to Vegas.”

#8feign

#9 being or seeming to be everywhere Syn: omnipresent, pervasive,

universal Ant: rare, scarce “During the holiday season, holly

and tinsel are _____ at shopping malls.”

#9ubiquitous

#10 To make an accurate line drawing

or diagram of; to portray or describe in detail

Syn: depict, set forth “Why don’t you ____ all the

details of your campaign strategy to us?”

#10 delineate

#11 A hindrance or obstruction Syn: encumbrance, obstacle,

handicap Ant: aid, assistance “A lack of financial aid is a serious

____ to my dream of going away to school.”

#11impediment

#12 Immersed in deep, often

melancholy thought Syn: meditative, reflective, wistful Ant: lighthearted, blithe, jocund “Edgar Allan Poe’s protagonists

were often morose, ____ characters.”

#12pensive

#13 High in rank; distinguished;

outstanding; conspicuous Syn: prominent, notable,

remarkable Ant: obscure, undistinguished “Dr. Phil is the most ____

psychiatrist on TV.” (even though he’s a hack)

#13eminent

#14 Indirect or roundabout; long-winded Syn: winding, meandering,

rambling Ant: direct, unveering “Mapquest is unreliable and will

take you on the most ___ route to Baltimore.”

#14circuitous

#15 To regard with horror and

loathing; to hate intensely Syn: loathe, despise, detest Ant: relish, love, cherish “I ___ anyone who exploits

workers for his own gain.”

#15abhor

#16 High-minded but impractical Syn: idealistic, visionary, fanciful Ant: realistic, practical “We engaged on a ___ quest to

find Jack’s beanstalk.”

#16quixotic

#17 Inactive, as if in sleep; suspended

in use, growth, or development Syn: latent, passive, inert Ant: active, vibrant, thriving “The herpes virus, even when not

active, lies ____ in the body.”

#17dormant

#18 Subject to or determined by one’s

judgment; random Syn: judgmental, irrational, partial Ant: objective, fair, equitable “Why must I be subjected to your

___ rules about hats and sugar content?”

#18arbitrary

#19 To overlook or disregard an offense,

thereby implying forgiveness, acceptance, or approval of it

Syn: ignore, accept, tolerate Ant: condemn, denounce “The team’s lenient punishment of

Allen Iverson makes it seem like they ____ his actions.”

#19condone

#20 Deeply learned in a specialized

area Syn: scholarly, profound,

knowledgeable Ant: ignorant, uninformed “Neil deGrasse Tyson is ____ in

the area of astrophysics.”

#20erudite

#21 Arousing fear or admiration

because of the unusual size or superiority of the thing involved; difficult to do because of the scale involved

“Running 10 miles through mud and electrical wires is a ____ undertaking.”

#21formidable

#22 Wavering or uncertain because of an

inability to make a choice between two contradictory feelings or viewpoints

Syn: contradictory, conflicting, opposing Ant: definite, firm, unequivocal “I had ___ feelings about the Ravens

winning the AFC Championship; they beat the hated Patriots, but – well, they’re still the friggin’ Ravens.”

#22ambivalent

#23 To cancel or withdraw Syn: revoke, repeal, retract Ant: affirm, confirm, enforce “If you __ an invitation to a

vampire, does he have to leave your house?”

#23rescind

#24 Fair and impartial; frank or outspoken;

informal or unposed Syn: unbiased, spontaneous Ant: prejudiced, reserved, ambiguous “While the formal prom photos were

great, my favorites were the ___ shots that showed everyone genuinely enjoying themselves.”

#24candid

#25 Incapable of being penetrated or

affected Syn: impenetrable, unresponsive Ant: susceptible, permeable “My superpowers make me ___

to your evil magic, Lord Saruman!”

#25 impervious

#26 Foreshadowing evil; menacing or

threatening Syn: portentious, foreboding Ant: lucky, felicitous “The dark clouds rolling in were

an ____ indicator of how the weekend would go.”

#26ominous

#27 To analyze, explain, interpret, or

understand Syn: deduce, infer, translate Ant: misinterpret “The old hymn can also be ____

as a rallying song for slaves who longed for freedom.”

#27construe

#28 Highly injurious or harmful Syn: detrimental; malignant Ant: wholesome, beneficial “The oil company’s ____ plot to

cover up the effects of the oil spill will wreak untold havoc.”

#28pernicious

#29 A strong curse or denunciation;

the person or thing cursed; any object of intense dislike

Syn: abomination Ant: blessing “Plagiarists are ___ to academia.”

#29anathema

#30 Overly short or abrupt Syn: curt, blunt, terse Ant: civil, polite, cordial “Richard Nixon was notorious for

his ____ demeanor.”

#30brusque

#31 Profitable Syn: gainful, rewarding,

worthwhile Ant: unprofitable, unproductive,

barren “ I hear that derivatives trading is

a _____ field.”

#31lucrative

#32 To yield to; to agree to Syn: agree, assent, consent,

acquiesce Ant: dissent, demur, balk at “I will ____ to your demands if

you agree to cut taxes on the middle class.”

#33accede

#34 Inclined to doubt or deny the

virtuousness or honesty of human motives

Syn: skeptical, pessimistic Ant: optimistic, sanguine, naïve “Your ___ view of the world would

have us all believe that everyone is greedy and self-interested.”

#34cynical

#35 Understood by or only intended for

a select few; difficult to understand Syn: occult, private, mysterious Ant: popular, accessible, clear “Your __ references to an

astrological sign are useless in this situation.”

#35esoteric

#36 To get around or avoid, especially

by trickery or deception Syn: dodge, duck, dip, dive, &

dodge Ant: obey, observe, abide by “The Dude abides; the nihilists

____.”

#36circumvent

#37 Deeply religious, earnest, or

sincere Syn: pious, faithful, reverent Ant: unfaithful, irreverent,

lukewarm “I am descended from a ___

branch of Quakers.”

#37devout

#38 Extremely and deliberately

conspicuous; glaring Syn: shocking, gross, brazen Ant: insignificant, minor “After your ___ flouting of school

rules, you are expelled, mister!”

#38flagrant

#39 Keen of mind and judgement,

especially in practical matters; cunning Syn: shrewd, perceptive, sharp,

sagacious Ant: obtuse, undiscerning, empty-

headed “You are an ___ observer of the

human condition.”

#39astute

#40 Deliberate deception in

speech or conduct Syn: guile, deceit, trickery Ant: honesty, candor, integrity “The ___ of the carnie cost

many rednecks their savings.”

#40duplicity