SAT Vocabulary Words: A Comprehensive Guide

ERRONEOUS

Incorrect; mistaken; wrong; filled with errors.

Ferdinand Magellan is credited with proving the earth is spherical in nature, thus dispelling the erroneous notion that the world is flat.

ADMONISH

To counsel against, to earnestly warn.

After reviewing a manuscript J.K. Rowling had submitted, one publisher admonished her by saying that children would not be able to identify with the characters. Needless to say, the publisher’s admonition proved to be erroneous.

DEMARCATE

To clearly set or mark the boundaries of a group or geographic area.

Even after schools were technically integrated, students would quickly demarcate their own boundary lines and sit at cafeteria tables that were either all black or all white.

FOSTER

To promote and encourage.

School administrators tried very hard to foster a climate of racial harmony, but promoting and encouraging racial tolerance proved to be difficult.

FLORID

Excessively ornamental; as in a very flowery style of writing.

The Italian city of Florence, the American state of Florida, and the SAT word florid all derive from the Old French word flor meaning flower.

CHURLISH

Characterized by surly and rude behavior; sullen and devoid of civility.

Serena Williams is known for her churlish behavior during tennis matches; she has called an official “a loser,” “a hater,” and “unattractive, on the inside.”

PROLIFIC

Characterized by great productivity.

Indian studios are now the world’s most prolific producers of feature films; in 2009, they produced 1,325 feature films.

PROVISIONAL

Temporary; not permanent.

SAT test writers focus on provisional theories of the universe that are not definitive and provisional governments that are not permanent.

PASTORAL

An idealized portrayal of country life; rustic; bucolic.

John Constable’s pastoral paintings feature lush green meadows, picturesque villages, and lazy streams flowing under old stone bridges.

CONVIVIAL

Characterized by being full of life and good company; joyful and festive.

For a party to be successful, the host has to be a convivial person who welcomes guests into a festive scene and makes sure everyone is having a good time.

BURGEON

To rapidly grow and multiply; to flourish.

Once on the brink of extinction, the bison population is now burgeoning with an estimated 350,000 on ranches and parks throughout the U.S.

CONFOUND

To perplex and confuse; to leave baffled and bewildered.

In 1950, Jackson Pollock stunned and confounded the art world with an Abstract Expressionist painting, which he created by hurling paint onto a canvas.

BEMOAN

To moan and groan; to express great regret; to lament.

Some veteran teachers love to bemoan the quality of new teachers, who they say are too lenient and fail to properly manage their classrooms.

VIGNETTE

A brief literary sketch.

In his book Oracle Bones, Peter Hessler uses a number of vignettes to provide the reader with vivid sketches to bring China’s complex history into sharp focus.

QUIESCENT

Marked by inactivity and quiet; a state of tranquility.

American college students have alternated between quiescent periods of inactivity and restless periods of protest.

ACRIMONIOUS

Marked by bitter and strong resentment; rancorous in tone.

Some cash-strapped school districts are now permitting advertisements on school property, which has sparked an acrimonious debate.

RANCID

Having a rotten taste or smell; sour.

Honey has special chemical properties that prevent it from spoiling or becoming rancid.

LARGESSE

Generous giving; liberal bestowing of gifts.

Largesse is normally associated with generous acts of philanthropy and selfless giving.

EPIPHANY

An unexpected moment of sudden inspiration.

As he drove home from school listening to the radio, the teacher had an epiphany: what if he used music to teach students SAT words? This moment of inspiration led him to write a successful SAT vocabulary book.

VINDICATE

To justify or prove something’s worth.

Some doubters questioned the teacher’s methods, but he was vindicated when his students reported dramatic increases in their critical reading scores.