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Barron's SAT high frequency list

364 words 17 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

  1. abridge
    lessen, diminish, or curtail
  2. abstemious
    marked by temperance in indulgence
  3. abstract
    existing only in the mind
  4. abstruse
    difficult to understand
  5. accessible
    capable of being reached
  6. acclaim
    enthusiastic approval
  7. acknowledge
    declare to be true or admit the existence or reality of
  8. adulation
    exaggerated flattery or praise
  9. adversary
    someone who offers opposition
  10. adversity
    a state of misfortune or affliction
  11. advocate
    a person who pleads for a person, cause, or idea
  12. aesthetic
    characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste
  13. affable
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
  14. affirmation
    the act of asserting or stating something
  15. alleviate
    provide physical relief, as from pain
  16. aloof
    distant, cold, or detached in manner
  17. altruistic
    showing unselfish concern for the welfare of others
  18. ambiguous
    having more than one possible meaning
  19. ambivalence
    mixed feelings or emotions
  20. analogous
    similar or equivalent in some respects
  21. anarchist
    an advocate of the abolition of governments
  22. anecdote
    short account of an incident
  23. animosity
    a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
  24. antagonism
    an actively expressed feeling of dislike and hostility
  25. antidote
    a remedy that stops or controls the effects of a poison
  26. antiquated
    so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
  27. apathy
    an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
  28. appease
    make peace with
  29. apprehension
    fearful expectation or anticipation
  30. arbitrary
    based on or subject to individual discretion or preference
  31. archaic
    so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
  32. arrogance
    overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner
  33. articulate
    express or state clearly
  34. artifact
    a man-made object
  35. artisan
    a skilled worker who practices some trade or handicraft
  36. ascendancy
    the state when one person or group has power over another
  37. ascetic
    someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
  38. aspire
    have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal
  39. astute
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
  40. attribute
    explain or regard as resulting from a particular cause
  41. augment
    enlarge or increase
  42. austere
    of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor
  43. authoritarian
    characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule
  44. autonomous
    existing as an independent entity
  45. aversion
    a feeling of intense dislike
  46. belie
    be in contradiction with
  47. benevolent
    showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding
  48. bolster
    support and strengthen
  49. braggart
    a very boastful and talkative person
  50. brevity
    the attribute of being short or fleeting
  51. cajole
    influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
  52. calculated
    carefully thought out in advance
  53. candor
    the quality of being honest and straightforward
  54. capricious
    determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity
  55. censorious
    harshly critical or expressing censure
  56. censure
    harsh criticism or disapproval
  57. coercion
    using force to cause something to occur
  58. commemorate
    call to remembrance
  59. compile
    get or gather together
  60. complacency
    the feeling you have when you are satisfied with yourself
  61. compliance
    the act of submitting, usually surrendering power to another
  62. composure
    steadiness of mind under stress
  63. comprehensive
    including all or everything
  64. concede
    give over
  65. conciliatory
    making or willing to make concessions
  66. concise
    expressing much in few words
  67. concur
    happen simultaneously
  68. condone
    excuse, overlook, or make allowances for
  69. conflagration
    a very intense and uncontrolled fire
  70. confound
    be confusing or perplexing to
  71. consensus
    agreement in the judgment reached by a group as a whole
  72. constraint
    the state of being physically limited
  73. contend
    compete for something
  74. contentious
    showing an inclination to disagree
  75. contract
    enter into a binding arrangement
  76. conviction
    an unshakable belief in something without need for proof
  77. cordial
    politely warm and friendly
  78. corroborate
    give evidence for
  79. credulity
    tendency to believe readily
  80. criterion
    the ideal in terms of which something can be judged
  81. cryptic
    having a secret or hidden meaning
  82. cursory
    hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
  83. curtail
    terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end
  84. decorum
    propriety in manners and conduct
  85. deference
    courteous regard for people's feelings
  86. degradation
    a change to a lower state
  87. delineate
    represented accurately or precisely
  88. denounce
    speak out against
  89. deplore
    express strong disapproval of
  90. depravity
    moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles
  91. deprecate
    express strong disapproval of; deplore
  92. deride
    treat or speak of with contempt
  93. derivative
    a compound obtained from another compound
  94. despondent
    without or almost without hope
  95. detached
    no longer connected or joined
  96. deterrent
    something immaterial that interferes with action or progress
  97. detrimental
    causing harm or injury
  98. devious
    turning away from a straight course
  99. devise
    arrange by systematic planning and united effort
  100. diffuse
    spread out; not concentrated in one place
  101. digression
    a message that departs from the main subject
  102. diligence
    conscientiousness in paying proper attention to a task
  103. diminution
    change toward something smaller or lower
  104. discerning
    having or revealing keen insight and good judgment
  105. disclose
    expose to view as by removing a cover
  106. discordant
    not in agreement or harmony
  107. discount
    bar from attention or consideration
  108. discrepancy
    a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions
  109. discriminating
    showing or indicating careful judgment and discernment
  110. disdain
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
  111. disinclination
    a certain degree of unwillingness
  112. dismiss
    stop associating with
  113. disparage
    express a negative opinion of
  114. disparity
    inequality or difference in some respect
  115. disperse
    move away from each other
  116. disputatious
    showing an inclination to disagree
  117. disseminate
    cause to become widely known
  118. dissent
    a difference of opinion
  119. divergent
    tending to move apart in different directions
  120. doctrine
    a belief accepted as authoritative by some group or school
  121. document
    support or supply with references
  122. dogmatic
    pertaining to a code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
  123. dubious
    fraught with uncertainty or doubt
  124. duplicity
    the act of deceiving or acting in bad faith
  125. eclectic
    selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
  126. egotism
    an exaggerated opinion of your own importance
  127. elated
    exultantly proud and joyful; in high spirits
  128. eloquence
    powerful and effective language
  129. elusive
    skillful at evading capture
  130. embellish
    make more attractive, as by adding ornament or color
  131. emulate
    strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
  132. endorse
    approve of
  133. enhance
    increase
  134. enigma
    something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
  135. enmity
    a state of deep-seated ill-will
  136. ephemeral
    anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day
  137. equivocal
    open to two or more interpretations
  138. erroneous
    containing or characterized by mistakes
  139. erudite
    having or showing profound knowledge
  140. esoteric
    understandable only by an enlightened inner circle
  141. eulogy
    a formal expression of praise for someone who has died
  142. euphemism
    an inoffensive expression substituted for an offensive one
  143. exacerbate
    make worse
  144. exalt
    praise, glorify, or honor
  145. execute
    put in effect
  146. exemplary
    worthy of imitation
  147. exemplify
    be characteristic of
  148. exhaustive
    performed comprehensively and completely
  149. exhilarating
    making lively and joyful
  150. exonerate
    pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
  151. expedient
    appropriate to a purpose
  152. expedite
    process fast and efficiently
  153. explicit
    precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable
  154. exploit
    draw from; make good use of
  155. extol
    praise, glorify, or honor
  156. extraneous
    not belonging to that in which it is contained
  157. extricate
    release from entanglement or difficulty
  158. exuberance
    joyful enthusiasm
  159. facilitate
    make easier
  160. fallacious
    containing or based on incorrect reasoning
  161. fanaticism
    excessive intolerance of opposing views
  162. fastidious
    giving careful attention to detail
  163. feasible
    capable of being done with means at hand
  164. fervor
    feelings of great warmth and intensity
  165. flagrant
    conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
  166. frivolous
    not serious in content, attitude, or behavior
  167. frugality
    prudence in avoiding waste
  168. furtive
    secret and sly
  169. garrulous
    full of trivial conversation
  170. glutton
    a person who is devoted to eating and drinking to excess
  171. gratify
    make happy or satisfied
  172. gratuitous
    unnecessary and unwarranted
  173. gravity
    the force of attraction between all masses in the universe
  174. gregarious
    temperamentally seeking and enjoying the company of others
  175. guile
    shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
  176. gullible
    naive and easily deceived or tricked
  177. hamper
    prevent the progress or free movement of
  178. hardy
    having rugged physical strength
  179. haughtiness
    overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner
  180. hedonist
    someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures
  181. heresy
    a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion
  182. hierarchy
    a series of ordered groupings within a system
  183. homogeneous
    all of the same or similar kind or nature
  184. hypocritical
    professing feelings or virtues one does not have
  185. hypothetical
    a conjectural possibility or circumstance
  186. idiosyncrasy
    a behavioral attribute peculiar to an individual
  187. illusory
    having the nature of something unreal or deceptive
  188. immutable
    not subject or susceptible to change or variation
  189. impair
    make worse or less effective
  190. impeccable
    without error or flaw
  191. impede
    be a hindrance or obstacle to
  192. implausible
    highly imaginative but unlikely
  193. implement
    pursue to a conclusion or bring to a successful issue
  194. impudence
    the trait of being rude and impertinent
  195. inadvertent
    happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally
  196. inane
    devoid of intelligence
  197. incisive
    demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
  198. incite
    provoke or stir up
  199. inclusive
    encompassing much or everything
  200. incongruous
    lacking in harmony or compatibility or appropriateness
  201. inconsequential
    lacking worth or importance
  202. incorrigible
    impervious to correction by punishment
  203. indict
    accuse formally of a crime
  204. indifferent
    marked by a lack of interest
  205. indiscriminate
    failing to make or recognize distinctions
  206. induce
    cause to act in a specified manner
  207. inert
    unable to move or resist motion
  208. ingenious
    showing inventiveness and skill
  209. inherent
    existing as an essential constituent or characteristic
  210. innate
    present at birth but not necessarily hereditary
  211. innocuous
    not injurious to physical or mental health
  212. innovation
    the act of starting something for the first time
  213. insipid
    lacking interest or significance or impact
  214. instigate
    provoke or stir up
  215. insularity
    lack of openness to new ideas; narrow-mindedness
  216. integrity
    an undivided or unbroken completeness with nothing wanting
  217. intervene
    be placed or located between other things
  218. intimidate
    compel or deter by or as if by threats
  219. intrepid
    invulnerable to fear or intimidation
  220. inundate
    fill or cover completely, usually with water
  221. invert
    turn inside out or upside down
  222. ironic
    displaying incongruity between what is expected and what is
  223. lament
    a cry of sorrow and grief
  224. laud
    praise, glorify, or honor
  225. lavish
    characterized by extravagance and profusion
  226. lethargic
    deficient in alertness or activity
  227. levity
    a manner lacking seriousness
  228. linger
    remain present although waning or gradually dying
  229. listless
    lacking zest or vivacity
  230. lofty
    of imposing height; especially standing out above others
  231. malicious
    having the nature of threatening evil
  232. marred
    blemished by injury or rough wear
  233. materialism
    a desire for wealth and possessions
  234. methodical
    characterized by orderliness
  235. meticulous
    marked by precise accordance with details
  236. miserly
    characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity
  237. mitigate
    lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
  238. morose
    showing a brooding ill humor
  239. mundane
    found in the ordinary course of events
  240. negate
    make ineffective by counterbalancing the effect of
  241. nonchalance
    the trait of remaining calm and seeming not to care
  242. notoriety
    the state of being known for some unfavorable act or quality
  243. novelty
    originality by virtue of being refreshingly new
  244. nurture
    provide with nourishment
  245. obliterate
    remove completely from recognition or memory
  246. oblivion
    the state of being disregarded or forgotten
  247. obscure
    make unclear, indistinct, or blurred
  248. obstinate
    refusing to change one's mind or ways; difficult to convince
  249. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  250. opaque
    not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy
  251. opportunist
    a person who places expediency above principle
  252. optimist
    a person disposed to take a favorable view of things
  253. opulence
    wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living
  254. orator
    a person who delivers a speech
  255. ostentatious
    intended to attract notice and impress others
  256. pacifist
    someone opposed to violence as a means of settling disputes
  257. partisan
    a fervent and even militant proponent of something
  258. peripheral
    on or near an edge or constituting an outer boundary
  259. perpetuate
    cause to continue or prevail
  260. pervasive
    spreading or spread throughout
  261. pessimism
    a general disposition to expect the worst in all things
  262. philanthropist
    someone who makes charitable donations
  263. piety
    righteousness by virtue of being religiously devout
  264. placate
    cause to be more favorably inclined
  265. ponderous
    having great mass and weight and unwieldiness
  266. pragmatic
    concerned with practical matters
  267. preclude
    make impossible, especially beforehand
  268. precocious
    characterized by exceptionally early development
  269. predator
    any animal that lives by preying on other animals
  270. predecessor
    one who goes before you in time
  271. presumptuous
    going beyond what is appropriate, permitted, or courteous
  272. pretentious
    creating an appearance of importance or distinction
  273. prevalent
    most frequent or common
  274. prodigal
    recklessly wasteful
  275. profane
    grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred
  276. profound
    situated at or extending to great depth
  277. profusion
    the property of being extremely abundant
  278. proliferation
    a rapid increase in number
  279. prolific
    intellectually productive
  280. provincial
    associated with an administrative district of a nation
  281. proximity
    the property of being close together
  282. prudent
    marked by sound judgment
  283. qualified
    meeting the proper standards and requirements for a task
  284. quandary
    state of uncertainty in a choice between unfavorable options
  285. ramble
    move about aimlessly or without any destination
  286. rancor
    a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
  287. ratify
    approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation
  288. rebuttal
    the speech act of refuting by offering a contrary argument
  289. recluse
    one who lives in solitude
  290. recount
    narrate or give a detailed account of
  291. rectify
    make right or correct
  292. redundant
    more than is needed, desired, or required
  293. refute
    overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof
  294. relegate
    assign to a lower position
  295. remorse
    a feeling of deep regret, usually for some misdeed
  296. renounce
    turn away from; give up
  297. repel
    force or drive back
  298. reprehensible
    bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure
  299. reprimand
    an act or expression of criticism and censure
  300. reprove
    reprimand, scold, or express dissatisfaction with
  301. repudiate
    refuse to acknowledge, ratify, or recognize as valid
  302. reserve
    something kept back or saved for future use
  303. resign
    accept as inevitable
  304. resolution
    a decision to do something or to behave in a certain manner
  305. resolve
    the trait of being firm in purpose or belief
  306. restraint
    the act of controlling by holding someone or something back
  307. reticence
    the trait of being uncommunicative
  308. retract
    formally reject or disavow
  309. reverent
    feeling or showing profound respect or veneration
  310. rhetorical
    relating to using language effectively
  311. rigor
    excessive sternness
  312. robust
    sturdy and strong in form, constitution, or construction
  313. sage
    a mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics
  314. sanction
    approve or show acceptance of
  315. satirical
    exposing human folly to ridicule
  316. saturate
    infuse or fill completely
  317. scanty
    lacking in extent or quantity
  318. scrupulous
    characterized by extreme care and great effort
  319. scrutinize
    examine carefully for accuracy
  320. seclusion
    the act of isolating oneself from others
  321. servile
    submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior
  322. skeptic
    someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs
  323. sluggish
    moving slowly
  324. somber
    serious and gloomy in character
  325. sporadic
    recurring in scattered or unpredictable instances
  326. squander
    spend thoughtlessly; throw away
  327. stagnant
    not growing or changing; without force or vitality
  328. static
    showing little if any change
  329. submissive
    inclined or willing to give in to orders or wishes of others
  330. subordinate
    lower in rank or importance
  331. subside
    wear off or die down
  332. substantiate
    establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
  333. succinct
    briefly giving the gist of something
  334. superficial
    of, affecting, or being on or near the surface
  335. superfluous
    more than is needed, desired, or required
  336. surpass
    be or do something to a greater degree
  337. surreptitious
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
  338. susceptible
    yielding readily to or capable of undergoing a process
  339. sustain
    lengthen or extend in duration or space
  340. sycophant
    a person who tries to please someone to gain an advantage
  341. taciturn
    habitually reserved and uncommunicative
  342. temper
    restrain
  343. tentative
    hesitant or lacking confidence; unsettled in mind or opinion
  344. terse
    brief and to the point
  345. thrive
    make steady progress
  346. tranquillity
    an untroubled state, free from disturbances
  347. transient
    lasting a very short time
  348. trite
    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
  349. turbulence
    instability in the atmosphere
  350. turmoil
    a violent disturbance
  351. undermine
    weaken or impair, especially gradually
  352. uniformity
    the quality of lacking diversity or variation
  353. unwarranted
    incapable of being justified or explained
  354. usurp
    seize and take control without authority
  355. vacillate
    be undecided about something
  356. venerate
    regard with feelings of respect and reverence
  357. verbose
    using or containing too many words
  358. vigor
    forceful exertion
  359. vilify
    spread negative information about
  360. vindicate
    show to be right by providing justification or proof
  361. virtuoso
    someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
  362. volatile
    liable to lead to sudden change or violence
  363. whimsical
    determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity
  364. zealot
    a fervent and even militant proponent of something
Created on Sat Nov 09 14:46:55 EST 2013 (updated Wed Nov 20 21:00:33 EST 2013)

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