The 100 Most Common SAT Words 
 

We've all heard the phrase "SAT words," 
referring to the pesky vocabulary words that appear 
on Analogies and Sentence Completions. 
Where else in the world might you be required to figure 
out that LEGERDEMAIN is a skill required by CONJURERs? 

Extensive reading is the best way to develop your 
command of tough vocabulary. But getting familiar 
with the appropriate level of vocabulary can also 
be extremely helpful. To help you get a 
handle on those ten-cent words, Kaplan has analyzed 
the top 100 SAT vocabulary words of all time. 
Use this list to build your vocabulary and prepare for 
the challenge of test day. 


abbreviate 
-- (v) to shorten, abridge
abstinence 
-- (n) the act of refraining from pleasurable activity, e.g., eating or drinking
adulation 
-- (n) high praise
adversity 
-- (n) misfortune, an unfavorable turn of events
aesthetic 
-- (adj) pertaining to beauty or the arts
amicable 
-- (adj) friendly, agreeable
anachronistic 
-- (adj) out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period
anecdote 
-- (n) short, usually funny account of an event
anonymous 
-- (adj) nameless, without a disclosed identity
antagonist 
-- (n) foe, opponent, adversary
arid 
-- (adj) extremely dry or deathly boring
assiduous 
-- (adj) persistent, hard-working
asylum 
-- (n) sanctuary, shelter, place of refuge
benevolent 
-- (adj) friendly and helpful
camaraderie 
-- (n) trust, sociability amongst friends
censure 
-- (v) to criticize harshly
circuitous 
-- (adj) indirect, taking the longest route
clairvoyant 
-- (adj) exceptionally insightful, able to foresee the future 
collaborate 
-- (v) to cooperate, work together
compassion 
-- (n) sympathy, helpfulness or mercy
compromise 
-- (v) to settle a dispute by terms agreeable to both sides
condescending 
-- (adj) possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing
conditional 
-- (adj) depending on a condition, e.g., in a contract
conformist 
-- (n) person who complies with accepted rules and customs
congregation 
-- (n) a crowd of people, an assembly
convergence 
-- (n) the state of separate elements joining or coming together
deleterious 
-- (adj) harmful, destructive, detrimental
demagogue 
-- (n) leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice
digression 
-- (n) the act of turning aside, straying from the main point, esp. in a speech or argument
diligent 
-- (adj) careful and hard-working
discredit 
-- (v) to harm the reputation of, dishonor or disgrace
disdain 
-- (v) to regard with scorn or contempt
divergent 
-- (adj) separating, moving in different directions from a particular point
empathy 
-- (n) identification with the feelings of others
emulate 
-- (v) to imitate, follow an example
enervating 
-- (adj) weakening, tiring
enhance 
-- (v) to improve, bring to a greater level of intensity
ephemeral 
-- (adj) momentary, transient, fleeting
evanescent 
-- (adj) quickly fading, short-lived, esp. an image
exasperation 
-- (n) irritation, frustration
exemplary 
-- (adj) outstanding, an example to others
extenuating 
-- (adj) excusing, lessening the seriousness of guilt or crime, e.g., of mitigating factors 
florid 
-- (adj) red-colored, flushed; gaudy, ornate
fortuitous 
-- (adj) happening by luck, fortunate
frugal 
-- (adj) thrifty, cheap
hackneyed 
-- (adj) cliched, worn out by overuse
haughty 
-- (adj) arrogant and condescending
hedonist 
-- (n) person who pursues pleasure as a goal
hypothesis 
-- (n) assumption, theory requiring proof
impetuous 
-- (adj) rash, impulsive, acting without thinking
impute 
-- (v) to attribute an action to particular person or group
incompatible 
-- (adj) opposed in nature, not able to live or work together
inconsequential 
-- (adj) unimportant, trivial
inevitable 
-- (adj) certain, unavoidable
integrity 
-- (n) decency, honesty, wholeness
intrepid 
-- (adj) fearless, adventurous
intuitive 
-- (adj) instinctive, untaught
jubilation 
-- (n) joy, celebration, exultation
lobbyist 
-- (n) person who seeks to influence political events
longevity 
-- (n) long life
mundane 
-- (adj) ordinary, commonplace
nonchalant 
-- (adj) calm, casual, seeming unexcited
novice 
-- (n) apprentice, beginner
opulent 
-- (adj) wealthy
orator 
-- (n) lecturer, speaker
ostentatious 
-- (adj) showy, displaying wealth
parched 
-- (adj) dried up, shriveled
perfidious 
-- (adj) faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy
precocious 
-- (adj) unusually advanced or talented at an early age
pretentious 
-- (adj) pretending to be important, intelligent or cultured
procrastinate 
-- (v) to unnecessarily delay, postpone, put off
prosaic 
-- (adj) relating to prose; dull, commonplace
prosperity 
-- (n) wealth or success
provocative 
-- (adj) tending to provoke a response, e.g., anger or disagreement
prudent 
-- (adj) careful, cautious
querulous 
-- (adj) complaining, irritable
rancorous 
-- (adj) bitter, hateful
reclusive 
-- (adj) preferring to live in isolation
reconciliation 
-- (n) the act of agreement after a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute
renovation 
-- (n) repair, making something new again
resilient 
-- (adj) quick to recover, bounce back
restrained 
-- (adj) controlled, repressed, restricted
reverence 
-- (n) worship, profound respect
sagacity 
-- (n) wisdom
scrutinize 
-- (v) to observe carefully
spontaneity 
-- (n) impulsive action, unplanned events
spurious 
-- (adj) lacking authenticity, false
submissive 
-- (adj) tending to meekness, to submit to the will of others
substantiate 
-- (v) to verify, confirm, provide supporting evidence
subtle 
-- (adj) hard to detect or describe; perceptive
superficial 
-- (adj) shallow, lacking in depth
superfluous 
-- (adj) extra, more than enough, redundant
suppress 
-- (v) to end an activity, e.g., to prevent the dissemination of information
surreptitious 
-- (adj) secret, stealthy
tactful 
-- (adj) considerate, skillful in acting to avoid offense to others
tenacious 
-- (adj) determined, keeping a firm grip on
transient 
-- (adj) temporary, short-lived, fleeting
venerable 
-- (adj) respected because of age
vindicate 
-- (v) to clear from blame or suspicion
wary 
-- (adj) careful, cautious




