SAT Vocabulary: Core

• abate

  (v.) to lessen in intensity or degree

  The storm finally began to abate after midnight.

• benevolent

  (adj.) kind and generous

  The benevolent donor funded scholarships for hundreds of students.

• candid

  (adj.) honest and direct; frank

  She gave a candid assessment of the team's weaknesses.

• diligent

  (adj.) showing careful and persistent effort

  His diligent research paid off when he aced the final exam.

• eloquent

  (adj.) fluent and persuasive in speech or writing

  Her eloquent speech moved the entire audience to tears.

• frugal

  (adj.) careful and economical with money or resources

  Being frugal in college helped him graduate debt-free.

• gregarious

  (adj.) sociable; fond of company

  The gregarious host made every guest feel welcome.

• hostile

  (adj.) unfriendly; antagonistic

  The negotiations collapsed amid an increasingly hostile atmosphere.

• impartial

  (adj.) fair and unbiased

  A judge must remain impartial when weighing the evidence.

• jovial

  (adj.) cheerful and friendly

  His jovial mood lifted the spirits of the whole office.

• lucid

  (adj.) clear and easy to understand

  The professor gave a lucid explanation of the difficult theory.

• meticulous

  (adj.) showing great attention to detail

  The accountant was meticulous about checking every figure.

• novice

  (n.) a person new to or inexperienced in a field

  As a novice climber, she stuck to the easier trails.

• obsolete

  (adj.) no longer in use; outdated

  Floppy disks became obsolete once flash drives appeared.

• prudent

  (adj.) acting with care and good judgment

  It was prudent to save part of his paycheck each month.

• quell

  (v.) to put an end to; to suppress

  The officers worked quickly to quell the disturbance.

• resilient

  (adj.) able to recover quickly from difficulties

  The resilient community rebuilt its homes after the flood.

• scrutinize

  (v.) to examine closely and critically

  Editors scrutinize each article before it is published.

• tedious

  (adj.) tiresome because of length or dullness

  Filling out the long form was a tedious task.

• vivid

  (adj.) producing strong, clear images in the mind

  She wrote a vivid description of the bustling market.

• wary

  (adj.) cautious about possible dangers or problems

  Travelers should be wary of deals that seem too good to be true.

• zealous

  (adj.) showing great energy or enthusiasm for a cause

  The zealous volunteers spent every weekend cleaning the park.

• adept

  (adj.) very skilled or proficient

  She is adept at solving complex math problems quickly.

• concise

  (adj.) brief but comprehensive in expression

  The summary was concise yet covered every key point.

• deter

  (v.) to discourage someone from doing something

  High fences are meant to deter trespassers.

• elated

  (adj.) extremely happy and excited

  She was elated when she received her acceptance letter.

• feasible

  (adj.) possible and practical to do easily

  Building the bridge in one year did not seem feasible.

• hinder

  (v.) to create difficulties; to slow progress

  Heavy rain hindered the rescue operation.

• indifferent

  (adj.) having no particular interest or concern

  He seemed indifferent to whether the team won or lost.

• lethargic

  (adj.) sluggish and lacking energy

  The heat left everyone feeling lethargic by noon.

• mundane

  (adj.) ordinary and dull; lacking excitement

  She longed to escape the mundane routine of office life.

• naive

  (adj.) showing a lack of experience or judgment

  It was naive to assume the project would finish on time.

• ominous

  (adj.) suggesting that something bad is about to happen

  Dark, ominous clouds gathered over the valley.

• placid

  (adj.) calm and peaceful

  The placid lake reflected the mountains perfectly.

• rampant

  (adj.) spreading unchecked; widespread

  Rumors were rampant after the surprise announcement.

• spontaneous

  (adj.) done without planning; impulsive

  They took a spontaneous road trip over the weekend.

• trivial

  (adj.) of little value or importance

  Don't waste time arguing over trivial details.

• validate

  (v.) to confirm or prove the truth or value of

  The experiment helped validate her hypothesis.

• abundant

  (adj.) existing in large quantities; plentiful

  The region has abundant rainfall throughout the year.

• coerce

  (v.) to force someone to do something through pressure

  No one should be coerced into signing a contract.

• evoke

  (v.) to bring a feeling or memory to mind

  The old song evoked memories of her childhood.

• inevitable

  (adj.) certain to happen; unavoidable

  Change is inevitable as technology advances.

• negligent

  (adj.) failing to take proper care

  The driver was negligent in ignoring the stop sign.

• profound

  (adj.) very great or intense; deeply thoughtful

  The book had a profound impact on how she viewed the world.

• reluctant

  (adj.) unwilling and hesitant

  He was reluctant to speak in front of the large crowd.

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