175 SAT Words To Know

Vocabulary from official practice tests.

Some SAT students don’t need to study vocabulary. But for those who are missing a high percentage of vocab-related questions, these words may be helpful. Thanks to my Grammarchops partner Dave Lynch (and chatGPT) for helping me compile this list! 

Here’s how the list was developed…Dave logged a lot of potentially-challenging words from College Board Bluebook’s answer choices. I went through and picked my 175 favorites. Then I had chatGPT write definitions with examples.

Here are the words:

Abrupt: Sudden and unexpected, often in a way that’s a bit surprising.

Accessory: Something extra that adds style or function, like jewelry or a phone case.

Accommodate: To make space or adjust to fit someone’s needs, like letting a friend borrow your notes.

Adhere To: To stick with or follow something, like a rule or a plan.

Affinity: A natural liking for something, like having an affinity for music if you love playing instruments.

Aggravate: To make a situation worse or to annoy someone, like aggravating a problem by ignoring it.

Ambiguous: Unclear or open to more than one interpretation, like a text that could mean a few different things.

Ambivalence Toward: Having mixed feelings about something, like being excited but also nervous about starting a new school.

Animosities Toward: Strong negative feelings or hostility toward someone or something, like a rivalry between two sports teams.

Anomaly: Something unusual or out of the ordinary, like a hot day in the middle of winter.

Arbitrary: Random or based on personal choice rather than reason, like picking a number without any special reason.

Asserted: Declared something confidently, like saying you’re sure you know the answer.

Atypical: Not normal or usual, like wearing a winter coat in the summer.

Beneficial: Helpful or good for you, like exercise being beneficial for your health.

Buttress: To support or strengthen something, like using evidence to buttress your argument in an essay.

Catastrophic: Extremely bad or disastrous, like a catastrophic flood that destroys homes.

Circumvents: To find a way around something, like using a shortcut to circumvent a long line.

Clarify: To make something clearer or easier to understand, like asking a teacher to clarify an assignment.

Collaboration: Working together with others to achieve something, like collaborating on a group project.

Commonplace: Ordinary or typical; something that happens so often it’s not surprising anymore, like rainy days in the spring.

Compelling: Really interesting or convincing, like a movie that you can’t stop watching.

Complementary: Two things that go well together, like peanut butter and jelly or two friends with different skills.

Comprises: Made up of or includes, like a basketball team comprises five players on the court.

Concealed: Hidden or kept out of sight, like a surprise party kept concealed from the guest of honor.

Concede: To admit something is true or let someone else win, like conceding in an argument when you know you’re wrong.

Confined To: Limited to a certain space or area, like being confined to your room when you’re grounded.

Conform To: To follow the rules or fit in, like conforming to a dress code at school.

Consequently: As a result of, or happening next. Note that this is not a negative word.

Construct: To build or create something, like constructing a project for school.

Contingent On: Dependent on something else, like your plans being contingent on the weather.

Contrived: Fake or forced; something that doesn’t feel natural, like a contrived excuse for being late.

Deceptive: Misleading or tricking someone, like a deceptive ad that makes a product look better than it is.

Decisive: Able to make decisions quickly and confidently, like being decisive when picking where to eat.

Defied: Went against or resisted something, like defying gravity in a crazy skateboard trick.

Depleted: Used up or running low, like feeling depleted after a long practice.

Derived From: Taken or developed from something else, like an idea derived from a book you read.

Deviates: Goes in a different direction from what’s expected, like a plot twist that deviates from the main storyline.

Discernible: Able to be seen or noticed, like a slight change in someone’s mood that’s just discernible.

Disconcerting: Disturbing or making you feel uneasy, like a disconcerting noise in a quiet room.

Disorienting: Confusing or making you lose your sense of direction, like a disorienting maze.

Disparate: Very different or not related, like disparate tastes in music.

Dispersed: Spread out over a large area, like students dispersed across a playground.

Diverge: To go in different directions, like friends who diverge after high school.

Diverse: Showing a variety or mix, like a diverse group of people with different backgrounds.

Dogmatic: Stubbornly sticking to beliefs or rules, like someone who’s dogmatic about their way of doing things.

Dormant: Inactive or not growing, but with the potential to wake up, like a dormant volcano.

Dynamic: Full of energy or constantly changing, like a dynamic class discussion.

Eclipses: To overshadow or make something seem less important, like a new song that eclipses all the old ones.

Elusive: Hard to catch or find, like an elusive idea that you can’t quite remember.

Engulfs: To completely surround or cover, like being engulfed by a big wave at the beach.

Entrenching: Firmly establishing something, like making a habit so strong it becomes hard to change.

Epitomizing: Perfectly representing or symbolizing something, like a song that epitomizes summer vibes.

Exacerbate: To make something worse, like exacerbating a fight by adding rude comments.

Expand On: To add more details or explain further, like expanding on a story by giving more background.

Fabricates: To make up or invent, often referring to something fake, like fabricating an excuse for being late.

Fleeting: Very short-lasting, like a fleeting moment of happiness that passes quickly.

Foretells: Predicts or hints at something that will happen, like dark clouds that foretell rain.

Forfeiture Of: Losing something as a penalty, like the forfeiture of a prize for breaking the rules.

Foster: To encourage or support something’s growth, like fostering a positive attitude in a team.

Frivolous: Not serious or unimportant, like spending money on frivolous things you don’t really need.

Fruitless: Useless or without results, like a fruitless search that didn’t find anything.

Grapple With: To struggle with a difficult issue, like grappling with a tough math problem.

Haphazard: Random and without organization, like throwing clothes in a drawer in a haphazard way.

Hastily: Done too quickly and without care, like hastily finishing homework just to be done with it.

Hence: Kind of like ‘therefore’.

Hibernation: A deep rest or pause, like a bear sleeping all winter in hibernation.

Hinder: To slow down or block progress, like being hindered by distractions when trying to study.

Homogeneous: Made up of similar parts, like a homogeneous group of friends with the same interests.

Imminent: About to happen very soon, like an imminent storm on the horizon.

Impartial: Fair and not biased, like an impartial judge in a contest.

Impede: To get in the way of progress, like a fallen tree impeding traffic on the road.

Impenetrable: Impossible to get through or understand, like an impenetrable wall or a super complicated book.

Imperceptible: So small or subtle that it’s hard to notice, like an imperceptible change in tone.

Implement: To put into action or start using, like implementing a new rule at school.

Impractical: Not realistic or useful, like wearing sandals in the snow.

Improvise: To make something up on the spot, like improvising a speech without preparation.

Indecipherable: Impossible to understand, like handwriting that’s too messy to read.

Inexplicable: Hard to explain or understand, like an inexplicable feeling of déjà vu.

Infallible: Incapable of making mistakes, like an infallible system that never fails.

Innocuous: Harmless or not offensive, like an innocuous joke that doesn’t hurt anyone.

Innovative: Creative and introducing new ideas, like an innovative app that changes the way people communicate.

Interjected: To interrupt or insert something, like interjecting a comment during a conversation.

Intricate: Very detailed or complex, like an intricate design with lots of patterns.

Intriguing: Very interesting and makes you want to know more, like an intriguing mystery novel.

Invalidate: To make something no longer valid or acceptable, like invalidating a ticket by tearing it.

Inviolable: Safe from being broken or harmed, like an inviolable rule that everyone respects.

Latent: Hidden or not yet developed, like a latent talent you didn’t know you had.

Lucrative: Very profitable or making a lot of money, like a lucrative job that pays well.

Mandatory: Required or necessary, like mandatory homework that you must complete.

Mimic: To copy or imitate, like mimicking someone’s accent for fun.

Moderation: Doing something in balanced amounts, like eating sweets in moderation.

Multifaceted: Having many different parts or aspects, like a multifaceted problem with no easy solution.

Mundane: Ordinary or boring, like a mundane task of doing the dishes every day.

Mystifying: Confusing or puzzling, like a mystifying riddle that’s hard to solve.

Negating: Making something ineffective or canceling it out, like negating the effects of a good workout by eating too much junk food.

Neglects: Fails to take care of or pay attention to, like neglecting to water your plants.

Negligible: So small it doesn’t really matter, like a negligible amount of extra work.

Neutrality: Staying out of taking sides, like maintaining neutrality in a debate between friends.

Novel: New and different, like a novel idea that no one has thought of before.

Nuanced: Having subtle or slight differences, like a nuanced opinion that isn’t black and white.

Obscure: Hard to see or understand, like an obscure reference in an old movie.

Obtained From: Gotten or received from somewhere, like information obtained from a reliable source.

Offered: Presented or given to someone, like being offered help with homework.

Operative: Functioning or in effect, like an operative plan that’s actively being followed.

Ornamental: Decorative and meant to look nice, like ornamental lights on a Christmas tree.

Paucity Of: A small amount or shortage, like a paucity of options in a small store.

Perceive: To notice or understand something, like perceiving someone’s mood through their body language.

Peripheral: Not the main focus, like a peripheral character in a story.

Persistent: Sticking with something and not giving up, like being persistent in practicing a skill.

Pragmatic: Practical and realistic, like a pragmatic approach to solving a problem.

Precarious: Unstable or risky, like a precarious ladder that could fall.

Precursors Of: Things that come before something else, like early signs that are precursors of a storm.

Predatory: Acting aggressively toward others to gain an advantage, like a predatory animal hunting prey.

Prefiguring: Hinting at something that will happen, like a clue in a movie that prefigures the ending.

Premeditated: Planned in advance, like a premeditated prank.

Prescribed: Recommended or assigned, usually by an expert, like prescribed medicine from a doctor.

Prestige: High status or respect, like a college with a lot of prestige.

Presume: To assume something is true without proof, like presuming someone’s okay if they don’t respond.

Pretentious: Trying to seem more important or impressive than you are, like a pretentious person bragging a lot.

Prevail: To win or succeed, especially after a struggle, like prevailing in a tough game.

Proclaims: Publicly announces something, like a leader proclaiming a new policy.

Proficient: Skilled or good at something, like being proficient at playing an instrument.

Profound: Deep and meaningful, like a profound quote that makes you think.

Profusion Of: A large amount of something, like a profusion of flowers in a garden.

Proponent Of: A supporter of something, like being a proponent of environmental protection.

Rebuts: Argues against or disproves something, like rebuts an accusation.

Recants: Takes back something said before, like recanting a statement in court.

Reciprocate: To respond in kind, like reciprocating a friend’s kindness.

Redundant: Unnecessary or repetitive, like saying the same thing twice in a redundant way.

Refute: To prove something is wrong, like refuting a rumor with evidence.

Regret: Feeling sorry or disappointed about something, like regretting a mistake.

Regulate: To control or manage, like regulating temperature with a thermostat.

Renounce: To give up or reject something, like renouncing a bad habit.

Replenishes: Refills or restores, like replenishing water in a bottle.

Repressed By: Held back or controlled by, like emotions repressed by fear.

Repudiates: Refuses to accept or reject, like repudiating a false claim.

Resilient: Able to bounce back after a setback, like a resilient person who doesn’t give up.

Resolved: Determined to do something, like being resolved to finish a project.

Restrained: Controlled or held back, like restrained emotions.

Retaliates: Strikes back or responds to harm with harm, like retaliating in an argument.

Revered: Highly respected, like a revered teacher everyone admires.

Rigid: Stiff or inflexible, like a rigid schedule that has no room for change.

Rousing: Exciting or inspiring, like a rousing speech that motivates people.

Rudimentary: Basic and simple, like rudimentary math skills.

Saturated With: Filled or soaked with something, like a sponge saturated with water.

Signaling: Showing or indicating something, like signaling a turn with your blinker.

Simulate: To imitate or recreate, like simulating a real-life situation in a game.

Spans: Covers a range or period, like a career that spans decades.

Speculates: Guesses or thinks about possibilities, like speculating about the future.

Still: When used as a transition, it lets you know that the writer is about to change directions.

Staged: Planned or arranged, like a staged scene for a play.

Strenuously: With a lot of effort, like strenuously lifting heavy weights.

Sturdily: Strongly or solidly, like a sturdily built table.

Subsumed In: Included or absorbed into something bigger, like a small group subsumed in a larger one.

Subversive: Trying to undermine or challenge authority, like subversive music with rebellious lyrics.

Succumb: To give in to something, like succumbing to temptation.

Supplementary: Extra or added on, like supplementary materials for studying.

Surmised: Guessed or assumed, like surmising the answer based on clues.

Surpassed By: Outdone or exceeded, like being surpassed by a faster runner.

Susceptible To: Likely to be affected by something, like being susceptible to colds.

Synchronization: Matching timing or rhythm, like synchronization in a dance performance.

Tedious: Boring and repetitive, like a tedious task of organizing papers.

Tenuous: Weak or fragile, like a tenuous connection that could break.

Transcending: Rising above or going beyond, like transcending limits.

Ubiquitous: Found everywhere, like smartphones being ubiquitous today.

Unanimous: Completely in agreement, like a unanimous vote where everyone agrees.

Underscore: To emphasize something, like underscoring a point in a speech.

Undifferentiated: Not distinct or separate, like undifferentiated parts of a large group.

Uniform: Consistent and the same, like a uniform appearance in a team.

Unobtrusive: Not noticeable or attracting attention, like an unobtrusive security camera.

Unpretentious: Simple and not trying to impress, like an unpretentious style of dress.

Validate: To confirm or prove something, like validating a parking ticket.

Verisimilitude In: The appearance of being real or true, like verisimilitude in a realistic movie.

Vivid: Bright and full of detail, like a vivid memory that feels very real.

If you’d like to find more words (and learn more about them), check out these two subtacks: