By Xiggi (Xiggi) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 02:10 pm: Edit
Here is a list of the vast majority of the “difficult” words that show up on the 10 Real SAT Test. It may become helpful in reviewing the list after taking the 10 practice tests. If you do not feel like taking them all, it may be helpful to read to get a feel for the words that tend to show up. Please remember that few, if any, words get repeated in subsequent tests.
I apologize for the formatting. It looks a lot nicer in my Word file as the text is in tables. I lost that formatting when copying here. I recommend to cut and paste it in Word and add some formatting for a better use or printing.
10 Real SATs vocabulary
Test: 01 Saturday, March 1994
abash humiliate, humble, embarrass
abstinence self-denial, moderation
aesthetics visual/artistic impact; study of art/beauty
allege claim, assert
ambivalent unsure, undecided
anomaly irregularity, inconsistency
arbitrary random; for no definite reason
arid dry, parched
assiduous diligent, hard working
asylum refuge; place of safety
bourgeois middle class, capitalist
browse glance/look through
buttress support
candor frankness, honesty
capricious impulsive, unpredictable, whimsical
charlatan trickster
circuitous roundabout, indirect
cogent convincing, forceful
congregation gathering of people (esp. in a church)
diminutive very small
discursive talking at length about something
dupe deceive, trick, fool
empirical practical, observed, found by experiment
emulate imitate, copy
engendered caused, produced, stimulated
ephemeral short-lived, transient, temporary
euphoric overjoyed, excited
fervent eager, passionate
fortuitous accidental, fortunate coincidence
freight cargo, luggage
gargantuan huge, enormous
gregarious outgoing, sociable; liking to be in crowds
iconoclast person who opposes orthodoxy
impetuous impulsive
inconsequential unimportant, negligible
incontrovertible cannot be denied
incremental increasing in steps
jubilant thrilled, delighted
libertarian tolerant, open-minded, believer in liberty
longevity long life, permanence
mollify calm, soothe, pacify
mystify confuse
ominous threatening
plagiarism stealing someone’s ideas; taking credit for the work of another
ponderous slow and heavy
predatory greedy, voracious
procrastination postponing, delaying
pugnacious aggressive, belligerent
rancorous full of bitterness, unforgiving, revengeful
recuperate recover, get better (after illness)
repeal revoke, cancel
salve comfort, relieve
sedentary not moving far
simulated modeled, replicated
spurious false, fake
stevedores dock workers
touted flaunted, publicized
10 Real SATs vocabulary
Test: 02 - Saturday, November 1994
adulation adoration, admiration
algae seaweed-like simple plants
ambiguous unclear, vague
anachronistic in the wrong time, outdated, archaic
brusqueness unfriendliness, abruptness
carping complaining, finding fault
cogent convincing, forceful
curtail limit, shorten
decorous proper, appropriate in behavior
decried criticized, belittled
denigrated belittled, degraded, decried
disdain contempt
dogged stubborn, steadfast
dogmatic inflexible, rigid
effrontery daring, over-confidence, impudence
elliptical indirect, roundabout
embellish decorate, adorn
endorsed supported, approved
etymology study of word origins
exonerated pardoned, acquitted
florid flowery, fancy, extravagant, elaborate
forensics concerned with debate or legal argument
gauge measure, estimate, guess
grandiose flamboyant, pompous
idiosyncratic characteristic, personal; unique to an individual
impetuous spontaneous, impulsive
inarticulate unable to express well in words, unclear in speech
insurgency rebellion, revolt, riot
intransigent inflexible, unyielding
jurisprudence study of law
juror member of a jury
kernel most important part, core
lucid clear, logical
lure tempt, attract, entice
mentors advisors, teachers
mimicry imitation, impersonation
mural wall painting, fresco
patronizing condescending, talking down to someone
predilection liking, fondness
proficiency competence, skill
reclusive isolated, withdrawn
revered respected, honored
semaphore system of signaling using flags
smugness self-satisfaction, conceit
staid dull, unadventurous
tainted contaminated, stained
tenacity stubbornness, obstinacy
transience temporary, short-lived nature
trivial insignificant, petty
vilified spoken ill of, belittled
vindicated proved right, justified, correct
Test: 03 - Saturday, November 1995
abhorrence hatred
affable sociable, pleasant, friendly
ambivalence lack of certainty
amphitheater arena, auditorium
arable suitable for cultivation
archived kept in store
berate rebuke, criticize
byline the line giving the name of the author of an article
clientele customers, patrons
conundrum puzzle, riddle
dilatory slow, dragging, slack
discern distinguish, discriminate
disparate dissimilar, different
divisive discordant, disruptive
eccentric unconventional, unusual, odd
embellishment decoration
emollient something that soothes (esp. an ointment)
emulate copy, imitate
enfranchised given voting rights
espouses adopts, supports, takes up
expropriated confiscated, seized
extant in existence, present
feral wild, untamed
florid elaborate, fancy, ornate
flourish thrive, prosper
forum meeting, discussion, place for debate
goad urge, provoke, prod
impenitent unremorseful, unapologetic
inarticulate garbled, unintelligible
incumbent in office; current office holder
indignation offence, righteous anger
interlocutors people involved in a discussion
irreverence disrespect, cheek
obtrusive obvious
ostentatious flamboyant, pretentious
proliferated increased, flourished
promulgated spread, encouraged
prosaic ordinary, banal
refurbish renovate
scrupulous meticulous, conscientious
stoic able to withstand, having fortitude
suffice be enough/adequate
supplanted displaced, replaced
surreptitious secret, sly
surrogates substitutes
theatrical dramatic, exaggerated
thwarted dissatisfied, let down, prevented
trivialized made to seem unimportant
unfettered free, unregulated
untenable unsustainable, on shaky ground
utopia ideal, perfect world
vestige trace, sign, remnant