SAT Vocabulary: Advanced

• aberration

  (n.) a departure from what is normal or expected

  The warm December day was an aberration in an otherwise cold winter.

• brusque

  (adj.) abrupt or curt in manner

  His brusque reply made her feel unwelcome.

• capricious

  (adj.) given to sudden, unpredictable changes

  The capricious weather ruined our picnic plans.

• deference

  (n.) humble respect and submission to another's wishes

  Out of deference to her mentor, she revised the essay.

• ebullient

  (adj.) cheerful and full of energy

  The ebullient crowd celebrated long into the night.

• fastidious

  (adj.) very attentive to detail; hard to please

  The fastidious chef rejected any plate that looked imperfect.

• garrulous

  (adj.) excessively talkative

  The garrulous passenger talked for the entire flight.

• harangue

  (n.) a lengthy and aggressive speech

  The coach launched into a harangue about missed practices.

• iconoclast

  (n.) a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions

  As an iconoclast, she challenged every tradition in the field.

• juxtapose

  (v.) to place close together for contrasting effect

  The artist juxtaposed bright colors against a black background.

• laconic

  (adj.) using very few words

  His laconic 'Fine' ended the conversation abruptly.

• magnanimous

  (adj.) generous and forgiving, especially toward a rival

  The magnanimous champion praised her defeated opponent.

• nefarious

  (adj.) wicked or criminal

  The detective uncovered the villain's nefarious scheme.

• obstinate

  (adj.) stubbornly refusing to change one's mind

  He was too obstinate to admit he had taken a wrong turn.

• pernicious

  (adj.) having a harmful effect, especially gradually

  The pernicious rumor slowly damaged her reputation.

• quixotic

  (adj.) extremely idealistic and impractical

  His quixotic plan to end all traffic jams amused his colleagues.

• recalcitrant

  (adj.) stubbornly resistant to authority or control

  The recalcitrant student refused to follow the new rules.

• sycophant

  (n.) a person who flatters to gain advantage

  The manager was surrounded by sycophants who praised his every idea.

• taciturn

  (adj.) reserved; saying little

  The taciturn guard rarely responded to questions.

• ubiquitous

  (adj.) present everywhere at once

  Smartphones have become ubiquitous in modern life.

• venerate

  (v.) to regard with great respect

  Many cultures venerate their elders for their wisdom.

• wanton

  (adj.) deliberate and unprovoked; reckless

  The storm caused wanton destruction across the coast.

• zenith

  (n.) the highest point; the peak

  The artist reached the zenith of her career in her forties.

• acquiesce

  (v.) to accept reluctantly without protest

  She finally acquiesced to her parents' wishes.

• bombastic

  (adj.) high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated

  His bombastic speech promised much but offered no real plan.

• circumspect

  (adj.) cautious; considering all consequences

  A circumspect investor researches before buying any stock.

• diaphanous

  (adj.) light, delicate, and translucent

  The diaphanous curtains let the morning light filter through.

• effusive

  (adj.) expressing feelings in an unrestrained way

  She was effusive in her thanks for the surprise party.

• fortuitous

  (adj.) happening by chance, often luckily

  Their fortuitous meeting led to a lifelong friendship.

• hackneyed

  (adj.) overused and therefore unoriginal

  The film relied on hackneyed clichés about young love.

• insidious

  (adj.) proceeding in a gradual, harmful way

  The disease is insidious because symptoms appear late.

• loquacious

  (adj.) tending to talk a great deal

  The loquacious tour guide barely paused for breath.

• mercurial

  (adj.) subject to sudden and unpredictable mood changes

  His mercurial temper made him difficult to work with.

• nonchalant

  (adj.) casually calm and relaxed

  She remained nonchalant despite the looming deadline.

• ostentatious

  (adj.) designed to impress; showy

  The mansion's ostentatious decor overwhelmed every visitor.

• pragmatic

  (adj.) dealing with things sensibly and realistically

  She took a pragmatic approach to solving the budget crisis.

• querulous

  (adj.) complaining in a whining manner

  The querulous customer found fault with everything.

• reticent

  (adj.) not revealing one's thoughts readily

  He was reticent about discussing his past.

• spurious

  (adj.) false or fake; not genuine

  The article was based on spurious claims and bad data.

• trepidation

  (n.) a feeling of fear or anxiety about the future

  She approached the interview with trepidation.

• vehement

  (adj.) showing strong, forceful feeling

  He was vehement in his denial of the accusation.

• winsome

  (adj.) attractive or appealing in a charming way

  Her winsome smile won over the entire panel.

• auspicious

  (adj.) giving signs of future success; favorable

  The sunny morning seemed an auspicious start to the trip.

• cogent

  (adj.) clear, logical, and convincing

  She made a cogent argument for extending the deadline.

• surreptitious

  (adj.) kept secret because it would not be approved

  He took a surreptitious glance at his phone during class.

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