250+ SAT Vocabulary Words Every High School Student Should Know
The SAT is one of the most popular college-preparatory tests administered by the College Board. Millions of high school students decide between the equally popular ACT or the SAT (some even take both) to improve their chances of gaining admittance into their dream colleges. While both tests are designed to determine how ready a student is to take on college-level material and subjects, there are slight differences between the two. One of the primary differences between the SAT and ACT is that the latter seems to favor students who have strong writing and reading skills, leading many to incorrectly assume that the former doesn’t touch much on SAT vocabulary words.
When searching for study tools and resources, it can be difficult to know what areas on which to focus. AdmissionSight encourages students to break down their preparation into different areas. For example, since a good portion of the SAT focuses on your ability to recall the definition of words and/or pull meanings from context, it’s helpful to dedicate a portion of your preparation to vocab specifically. While it’s not plausible (one of the SAT vocabulary words!) to study EVERY word that might appear on the test, we’ve narrowed down more than 250 of the most common and popular SAT vocabulary words to better help you prepare.
How does the SAT test vocabulary?
In 2016, the SAT test underwent some significant changes. Ever since these modifications, vocabulary has been treated with less importance. The most obvious manifestation of this change is that the newer version of the SAT has fewer vocabulary-related questions than the older version.
While some students might be making a dramatic gesture of success with their fists, this lack of stress on vocabulary doesn’t mean you can go without preparing for vocabulary for the SAT. If you’re aiming for a high or even a perfect score, studying common vocab words will still be an important part of preparing for the SAT.
In general, most of the vocabulary words found on the SAT vocabulary words test are medium in difficulty. They’re tested within the context of passages, assessing the ability of students to pick out the meaning with a certain context. While this makes it easier to remember a meaning than just being prompted with a word, you’ll still have to harbor an understanding of the various nuances of a particular word to perform well.
Context clues are more common in the current SAT, making pure memorization not as important. In the past, you would have to remember more difficult words and remember definitions with only a short sentence as a prompt. This minimal context really made vocabulary a difficult portion of the SAT. Fortunately, the current version offers students much more context and clarity as to the use of the words.
What words should I study for the SAT?
While it’s impossible to know all of the words you’ll come across on the test, there have been enough iterations of the test for the public to get an accurate grasp on the types of words being used and the accompanying level of difficulty. Although students will undoubtedly find some words easier than others, the SAT vocabulary words don’t really jump around in terms of difficulty. While reading SAT-related material, practicing with official study guides, and taking previously administered tests is helpful for preparing for SAT vocabulary, the best practice is to simply read through common questions and their definitions. Below, we’ve provided you with over 250 SAT vocabulary words that every high school student should know.
| Term | Definition |
| Abate | to become less intense or widespread |
| Abstract | existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence |
| Abysmal | very bad |
| Accordingly | to be in accordance with |
| Acquisition | the process of gaining possession of something |
| Adapt | to make (something) suitable for a new use or purpose; modify |
| Adept | having skill in a particular area |
| Adequate | satisfactory or acceptable in quality or quantity. |
| Advent | the arrival of a notable person or thing. |
| Adversarial | involving or characterized by conflict or opposition. |
| Advocate | a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy. |
| Aesthetic | concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty. |
| Afford | have enough money to pay for. |
| Agitate | campaign to arouse public concern about an issue in the hope of prompting action. |
| Allow | let (someone) have or do something. |
| Allude | suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at. |
| Altercation | a noisy argument or disagreement, especially in public. |
| Ambiguous | open to more than one interpretation; not having one obvious meaning. |
| Ambitious | having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed. |
| Ambivalence | the state of having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone. |
| Analogous | comparable in certain respects, typically in a way that makes clearer the nature of the things compared. |
| Annihilate | destroy utterly; obliterate. |
| Anomaly | something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected. |
| Anticipate | regard as probable; expect or predict. |
| Antipathy | a deep-seated feeling of aversion. |
| Apex | the top or highest part of something, especially one forming a point |
| Apprehension | anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen. |
| Articulate | having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently. |
| Artificial | made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally, especially as a copy of something natural. |
| Assertion | a confident and forceful statement of fact or belief. |
| Austere | severe or strict in manner or attitude. |
| Authenticity | the quality of being authentic. |
| Avenue | a way of approaching a problem |
| Avid | having an eager desire for |
| Basic | forming an essential foundation or starting point; fundamental. |
| Bear | carry or conduct oneself in a specified manner |
| Benevolent | well-meaning and kindly. |
| Bias | inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair. |
| Bittersweet | arousing pleasure tinged with sadness or pain. |
| Bolster | support or strengthen. |
| Boost | encourage (something) to increase or improve |
| Brawl | a rough or noisy fight or quarrel. |
| Brevity | the concise and exact use of words in writing or speech. |
| Candid | truthful and straightforward; frank. |
| Candor | the characteristic of being honest |
| Capitalize | to take advantage of |
| Capture | to take possession of |
| Civic | relating to citizens or a city |
| Clinical | emotionally attached |
| Clout | special power or advantage |
| Coarse | lacking sophistication or refinement |
| Coincide | to occur simultaneously |
| Commission | an instruction, command, or role given to a person or group. |
| Comparable | ability to be compared |
| Competent | efficient and qualified |
| Complacent | satisfied; no desire to improve |
| Complement | to make complete or perfect |
| Concede | surrender or yield |
| Conceive | to come up with |
| Condone | to allow or overlook |
| Conducive | to be suitable to bring something about |
| Conduct | to manage or control; to behave in a particular way |
| Confide | to trust someone with secrets |
| Confine | to limit something |
| Consensus | a majority agreement |
| Constitute | to make up parts of something |
| Contemplate | think deeply and at length |
| Contend | to assert or maintain an opinion |
| Contradict | to be in contrast with |
| Controversial | giving rise or likely to give rise to controversy or public disagreement. |
| Conventional | following accepted standards |
| Convey | to transfer information |
| Conviction | believing firmly in something |
| Corroborate | to provide evidence for a claim |
| Counteract | to work against |
| Counterargument | an argument used to diminish another |
| Counterproductive | having the opposite of the desired effect. |
| Culmination | the climax |
| Cultivate | to foster |
| Decree | to declare something formally |
| Deference | regard; respect |
| Deficient | not a sufficient amount |
| Demonstrate | to provide evidence for something |
| Demur | raise objections or show reluctance. |
| Deplete | to use something over time |
| Desolate | empty, barren |
| Devise | to develop a plan |
| Dilemma | a problem |
| Diligence | careful and persistent work or effort. |
| Diminish | make or become less |
| Dire | extremely serious or urgent |
| Discord | disagreement |
| Disdain | strong dislike |
| Dismay | stress, hopelessness |
| Disparage | to talk down to |
| Dispatch | to send a messenger or message |
| Diversification | the process of becoming diverse |
| Doctrine | a position or theory |
| Dominion | authority and power |
| Dreary | dull, sad |
| Dubious | questionable, doubtful |
| Eccentric | odd or peculiar |
| Egregious | very bad |
| Eloquent | fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing. |
| Eminent | distinguished or superior |
| Emit | to release, discharge |
| Emphatic | using emphasis, expressive |
| Empirical | based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic |
| Endow | to bestow or equip |
| Endure | to sustain or withstand against |
| Entail | to include or involve |
| Entrenched | firmly established and difficult or unlikely to change |
| Enumerate | to count |
| Envy | jealousy to an excessive degree |
| Erratic | not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable. |
| Establish | to enact or to found |
| Evoke | bring or recall (a feeling, memory, or image) to the conscious mind. |
| Exacerbate | to make something worse |
| Excel | to be successful at something |
| Exert | to put something into use |
| Exhilarating | exciting, stimulating |
| Expend | to use up |
| Exploit | make full use of and derive benefit from |
| Facilitate | to make a process easier |
| Feasibility | the possibility of something |
| Ferocity | violence, viciousness |
| Fiscal | of or relating to money |
| Flourish | to grow, prosper (esp quickly) |
| Fluctuate | to rise and fall in an irregular pattern |
| Foment | to stir up or instigate |
| Foreseeable | capable of being anticipated |
| Frankly | clearly, directly |
| Freewheeling | carefree |
| Fundamental | the most basic component |
| Galvanizing | stimulating, exciting |
| Geriatric | relating to old people, especially with regard to their healthcare. |
| Hostile | dangerous, harmful |
| Hypothetical | supposed |
| Ignominious | deserving or causing public disgrace or shame. |
| Impart | to bestow or transmit |
| Impartiality | treating all rivals equally |
| Imposing | impressive in size or appearance |
| Imposition | an unwelcome and unfair burden |
| Imprudent | rash, not cautious |
| Incite | to stir up or excite |
| Indifference | emotional detachment |
| Indiscriminately | randomly |
| Indulge | to give into something |
| Infer | to guess through reasoning |
| Innovative | new or novel |
| Insatiable | unable to be satisfied |
| Inversion | the reversal of something |
| Invoke | to appeal to or call upon |
| Irreconcilable | incapable of being resolved |
| Lament | to mourn |
| Locomotion | movement |
| Lucrative | profitable |
| Malicious | spiteful, harmful |
| Malleable | capable of being changed |
| Materialistic | superficial |
| Melodramatic | exaggerated or extravagant |
| Modest | humble and simple |
| Modify | to alter, tweak, or change |
| Momentous | significant in a historical context |
| Novel | innovative, new |
| Nuance | a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound. |
| Null | ineffective, legally void |
| Objectivity | the quality of being objective; impartial |
| Obsolete | uncommon or rare |
| Omnipotent | all-powerful |
| Onset | the early stages of something |
| Opine | to formally state an opinion |
| Ornate | highly decorated |
| Oust | to force out of |
| Paramount | most important, superior |
| Peculiar | bizarre, strange |
| Perish | to pass away; to die |
| Persecute | harass or annoy persistently. |
| Petulant | irritable, pouty |
| Pinnacle | highest degree |
| Pitiable | arousing pity |
| Plausible | possibly true |
| Postulate | to assert |
| Potent | having a strong influence |
| Pragmatic | useful, practical |
| Precedent | an example from the previous time |
| Predecessor | a person or thing that comes before another |
| Prescribe | to command orders |
| Principle | n. basic truth, assumption, or rule |
| Prohibit | to ban |
| Prompt | punctual |
| Promulgate | formally declare |
| Prosecute | to put on trial |
| Provocative | arouse, inspire |
| Qualitative | measuring the quality of something |
| Quantitative | measuring the amount of something |
| Quirk | a strange trait or characteristic |
| Ramify | to form branches |
| Rash | done without regard to consequences |
| Raw | unrefined |
| Readily | without delay |
| Reconsideration | thinking again |
| Reform | an improvement |
| Refute | to prove to be incorrect |
| Reinforce | to support |
| Reluctantly | somewhat unwillingly |
| Renounce | to give up |
| Reproach | to critique |
| Repudiate | to refuse to acknowledge as true |
| Retention | the continued control or possession of something |
| Satiated | satisfied |
| Savvy | practical knowledge |
| Scandalous | morally offensive |
| Scorn | a feeling of disdain |
| Scrupulous | careful, thorough |
| Scrutinize | to examine critically |
| Secrete | to release or produce |
| Sentiment | opinion |
| Sheer | very thin |
| Simple | not complex |
| Sinister | evil, ominous |
| Solidarity | common purpose amongst a group |
| Sparingly | in a restricted manner |
| Spawn | to generate |
| Spur | to incite |
| Squalid | sordid, run-down |
| Stark | very plain |
| Static | changeless; motionless |
| Subordinate | to be lower in rank |
| Subsequently | happening after something |
| Substantial | very large in degree or amount |
| Substantiate | to make stronger with evidence |
| Subtle | difficult to detect |
| Sufficient | enough |
| Surly | unfriendly |
| Surmount | to overcome |
| Susceptible | to be vulnerable |
| Tactful | capable of dealing with people |
| Taut | pulled tight |
| Teeming | to be full of |
| Temperament | usual feelings or mood |
| Tentative | not certain or fixed |
| Transparent | easy to perceive; see-through |
| Treacherous | unstable and dangerous |
| Tremendous | very great in amount, scale, or intensity |
| Ubiquitous | found everywhere |
| Unadorned | plain, undecorated |
| Undermine | to weaken gradually |
| Underscore | to emphasize |
| Undulate | to move in a wavy pattern |
| Unilateral | one-sided |
| Unjust | not justified |
| Unmitigated | total, utter |
| Unprecedented | entirely new |
| Unveil | to reveal |
| Urge | try earnestly or persistently to persuade (someone) to do something |
| Validate | check or prove the validity or accuracy of |
| Viability | ability to work successfully |
| Vital | absolutely necessary; essential |
| Vow | a solemn promise |
| Warrant | justification or authority for an action, belief, or feeling |
| Yield | produce or generate (a result, gain, or financial return). |
Tips for studying and memorizing SAT vocabulary words
1. Rehearse with flashcards – Flashcards are an incredibly effective way of studying and memorizing vocabulary. Not only does this method make it easy to keep the material organized, but it’s also a convenient way to study on the go and for any length of time. While writing out your own flashcards could be a helpful exercise, many students will opt to use online resources like Quizlet to organize SAT vocabulary words. You can even download apps to study this content on your phone.
2. Practice with friends – If practicing on your own gets too tedious, meet up with some friends or hop on the phone to quiz each other. You can help each other with new memorization techniques and encourage each other to study more. The extra competition will light a spark of enthusiasm too.
3. Use SAT study guides – There are countless SAT study guides designed to help students prepare for the exam and learn SAT vocabulary words. These resources can be found both online and offline and for free or by payment. When using these guides, just make sure they’re up-to-date to reflect the most recent changes made to the SAT.
AdmissionSight is here to help
With an excellent track record of helping students get into some of the best colleges in the country, the AdmissionSight team knows what it takes to successfully prepare and score excellently on the SAT. We wouldn’t be admissions experts (which we are!) without a deep understanding of this college-prep exam. Feel free to connect with us today to learn about what we offer.
