SAT Words 2009-10
Visit the English Department webpage
Visit College Board for more information on the SAT
August 2009
24 saccharine (adj.) sickeningly sweet
Tom’s saccharine manner, although intended to make him popular, actually repelled his classmates.
25 salve (n.) a soothing balm
After Tony applied a salve to his brilliant red sunburn, he soon felt a little better.
26 sanctimonious (adj.) giving a hypocritical appearance of piety or goodness
The sanctimonious Bernard delivered stern lectures on the Ten Commandments to anyone who would listen, but thought nothing of stealing cars to make some cash on the side.
27 sanguine (adj.) optimistic, cheery
Patrice reacted to any bad news with a sanguine smile and the chirpy cry, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!”
28 sinuous (adj.) lithe, serpentine, flexible
With the sinuous movements of her arms, the dancer mimicked the motion of a snake.
31 emulate (v.) to imitate
I idolize Britney Spears so much that I emulate everything she does: I wear her outfits, sing along to her songs, and date a boy named Justin.
September 2009
1 enfranchise (v.) to grant the vote to
The Nineteenth Amendment enfranchised women.
2 enthrall (v.) to charm, hold spellbound
The sailor’s stories of fighting off sharks and finding ancient treasures enthralled his young son.
3 esoteric (adj.) understood by only a select few
Even the most advanced students cannot understand the physicist’s esoteric theories.
4 euphoric (adj.) elated, uplifted
Kristin was euphoric when she found out that her sister had given birth to twins.
8 nadir (n.) the lowest point of something
My day was boring, but the nadir came when I accidentally spilled a bowl of spaghetti on my lap.
9 neophyte (n.) someone who is young or inexperienced
As a neophyte in the literary world, Malik had trouble finding a publisher for his first novel.
10 noxious (adj.) harmful, unwholesome
Environmentalists showed that the noxious weeds were destroying the insects’ natural habitats.
11 nurture (v.) to assist the development of
Although Serena had never watered the plant, which was about to die, Jayden was able to nurture it back to life.
14 iconoclast (n.) one who attacks common beliefs or institutions
Jocelyn goes to one protest after another, but she seems to be an iconoclast rather than an activist with a progressive agenda.
15 idolatrous (adj.) excessively worshipping one object or person
Monica’s idolatrous fawning over the band—following them on tour, starting their fan club, filming their documentary—is really beginning to get on my nerves.
16 implacable (adj.) incapable of being appeased or mitigated
Watch out: once you shun Grandma’s cooking, she is totally implacable.
17 indefatigable (adj.) incapable of defeat, failure, decay
Even after traveling 62 miles, the indefatigable runner kept on moving.
18 inimical (adj.) hostile, enemy-like
I don’t see how I could ever work for a company that was so cold and inimical to me during my interviews.
21 obdurate (adj.) unyielding to persuasion or moral influences
The obdurate old man refused to take pity on the kittens.
22 oblique (adj.) diverging from a straight line or course, not straightforward
Martin’s oblique language confused those who listened to him.
23 odious (adj.) instilling hatred or intense displeasure
Mark was assigned the odious task of cleaning the cat’s litter box.
24 opulent (adj.) characterized by rich abundance verging on ostentation
The opulent furnishings of the dictator’s private compound contrasted harshly with the meager accommodations of her subjects.
29 recapitulate (v.) to sum up, repeat
Before the final exam, the teacher recapitulated the semester’s material.
30 refute (v.) to prove wrong
Maria refuted the president’s argument as she yelled and gesticulated at the TV.
October 2009
1 relegate- (v.) to assign to an inferior place
After spilling a drink on a customer’s shirt, the waiter found himself relegated to the least lucrative shift.
2 requisition (n.) a demand for goods, usually made by an authority
During the war, the government made a requisition of supplies.
5 jubilant (adj.) extremely joyful, happy
The crowd was jubilant when the firefighter carried the woman from the flaming building.
6 judicious (adj.) having or exercising sound judgment
When the judicious king decided to compromise rather than send his army to its certain death, he was applauded.
7 juxtaposition (n.) the act of placing two things next to each other for implicit comparison
The interior designer admired my juxtaposition of the yellow couch and green table.
8 jargon (n.) the special words used in many areas of work or study, often difficult for outsiders to understand
People who work with computers use jargon, such as "log on" and "on line."
9 jaunty (adj.) feeling confident, happy
The well-dressed man gave a jaunty laugh.
12 utilitarian (adj.) relating to or aiming at usefulness
The beautiful, fragile vase couldn’t hold flowers or serve any other utilitarian purpose.
13 undulate (v.) to move in waves
As the storm began to brew, the placid ocean began to undulate to an increasing degree.
14 upbraid (v.) to criticize or scold severely
The last thing Lindsay wanted was for Lisa to upbraid her again about missing the rent payment.
15 uncanny (adj.) of supernatural character or origin
Laura had an uncanny ability to know exactly what other people were thinking. She also had an uncanny ability to shoot fireballs from her hands.
19 notorious (adj.) widely and unfavorably known
Jacob was notorious for always arriving late at parties.
20 nonchalant (adj.) having a lack of concern, indifference
Although deep down she was very angry, Regina acted in a nonchalant manner when she found out that her best friend had used her clothing without asking.
21 nebulous (adj.) vaguely defined, cloudy
The transition between governments meant that who was actually in charge was a nebulous matter.
22 nondescript (adj.) lacking a distinctive character
I was surprised when I saw the movie star in person because she looked nondescript.
23 novice (n.) a beginner, someone without training or experience
Because we were all novices at yoga, our instructor decided to begin with the basics.
26 iridescent (adj.) showing rainbow colors
The bride’s large diamond ring was iridescent in the afternoon sun.
27 irreverence (n.) disrespect
The irreverence displayed by the band that marched through the chapel disturbed many churchgoers.
28 invective (n.) an angry verbal attack
My mother’s irrational invective against the way I dress only made me decide to dye my hair green.
29 inure (v.) to cause someone or something to become accustomed to a situation
Twenty years in the salt mines inured the man to the discomforts of dirt and grime.
November
2 rail (v.) to scold, protest
The professor railed against the injustice of the college’s tenure policy.
3 raucous (adj.) loud, boisterous
Sarah’s neighbors called the cops when her house party got too raucous.
4 recalcitrant (adj.) defiant, unapologetic
Even when scolded, the recalcitrant young girl simply stomped her foot and refused to finish her lima beans.
5 redoubtable (adj.) formidable
The fortress looked redoubtable set against a stormy sky.
6 regurgitate (v.) to throw back exactly
Margaret rushed through the test, regurgitating all of the facts she’d memorized an hour earlier.
9 sacrosanct (adj.) holy, something that should not be criticized
In the United States, the Constitution is often thought of as a sacrosanct document.
10 sagacity (n.) shrewdness, soundness of perspective
With remarkable sagacity, the wise old man predicted and thwarted his children’s plan to ship him off to a nursing home.
12 salutation (n.) a greeting
Andrew regularly began letters with the bizarre salutation “Ahoy ahoy.”
13 satiate (v.) to satisfy excessively
Satiated after eating far too much turkey and stuffing, Liza lay on the couch watching football and suffering from stomach pains.
16 oblivious (adj.) lacking consciousness or awareness of something
Oblivious to the burning smell emanating from the kitchen, my father did not notice that the rolls in the oven were burned until much too late.
17 obsequious (adj.) excessively compliant or submissive
Mark acted like Janet’s servant, obeying her every request in an obsequious manner.
18 obstreperous (adj.) noisy, unruly
Billy’s obstreperous behavior prompted the librarian to ask him to leave the reading room.
19 onerous (adj.) burdensome
My parents lamented that the pleasures of living in a beautiful country estate no longer outweighed the onerous mortgage payments.
20 oration (n.) a speech delivered in a formal or ceremonious manner
The prime minister was visibly shaken when the unruly parliament interrupted his oration about failed domestic policies.
23 pacific (adj.) soothing
The chemistry professor’s pacific demeanor helped the class remain calm after the experiment exploded.
24 panacea (n.) a remedy for all ills or difficulties
Doctors wish there was a single panacea for every disease, but sadly there is not.
30 hackneyed (adj.) unoriginal, trite
A girl can only hear “I love you” so many times before it begins to sound hackneyed and meaningless.
December
- hallowed (adj.) revered, consecrated
In the hallowed corridors of the cathedral, the disturbed professor felt himself to be at peace.
2 hapless (adj.) unlucky
My poor, hapless family never seems to pick a sunny week to go on vacation.
3 harangue (n.) a ranting speech
Everyone had heard Ms. Harris’ harangue about gum chewing in class before.
4 hardy (adj.) robust, capable of surviving through adverse conditions
I would have expected the plants to be dead by mid-November, but apparently they’re very hardy.
7 obfuscate (v.) to render incomprehensible
The detective did want to answer the newspaperman’s questions, so he obfuscated the truth.)
8 obsolete (adj.) no longer used, out of date
With the inventions of tape decks and CDs, which both have better sound and are easier to use, eight-track players are now entirely obsolete.
9 maelstrom (n.) a destructive whirlpool which rapidly sucks in objects
Little did the explorers know that as they turned the next bend of the calm river a vicious maelstrom would catch their boat.
10 magnanimous (adj.) noble, generous
Although I had already broken most of her dishes, Jacqueline was magnanimous enough to continue letting me use them.
11 malediction (n.) a curse
When I was arrested for speeding, I screamed maledictions against the policeman and the entire police department.
14 malevolent (adj.) wanting harm to befall others
The malevolent old man sat in the park all day, tripping unsuspecting passersby with his cane.
15 malleable (adj.) capable of being shaped or transformed
Maximillian’s political opinions were so malleable that anyone he talked to was able to change his mind instantly.
16 ornate (adj.) highly elaborate, excessively decorated
The ornate styling of the new model of luxury car could not compensate for the poor quality of its motor.
17 orthodox (adj.) conventional, conforming to established protocol
The company’s profits dwindled because the management pursued orthodox business policies that were incompatible with new industrial trends.
18 oscillate (v.) to sway from one side to the other
My uncle oscillated between buying a station wagon to transport his family and buying a sports car to satisfy his boyhood fantasies.
21 renown (n.) honor, acclaim
The young writer earned international renown by winning the Pulitzer Prize.
22 reprieve (n.) a temporary delay of punishment
Because the governor woke up in a particularly good mood, he granted hundreds of reprieves to prisoners.
23 ephemeral (adj.) short-lived, fleeting
She promised she’d love me forever, but her “forever” was only ephemeral: she left me after one week.
January
4 fabricate (v.) to make up, invent
When Khloe’ arrived an hour late to class, she fabricated some excuse about her car breaking down on the way to school.
5 facile (adj.) easy, requiring little effort
This game is so facile that even a four-year old can master it.
6 façade (n.) a deceptive appearance or attitude
Despite my smiling façade, I am feeling melancholy.
7 fallacious (adj.) incorrect, misleading
Emily offered me cigarettes on the fallacious assumption that I smoked.
8 fathom (v.) to understand, comprehend
Janay cannot fathom why her neighbors are crabby and mean-spirited.
11 reprobate (adj.) evil, unprincipled
The reprobate criminal sat sneering in the cell.
12 reservoir (n.) reserves, large supply
Igor the Indomitable had quite a reservoir of strength and could lift ten tons, even after running 700 miles, jumping over three mountains, and swimming across an ocean.
13 restive (adj.) resistant, stubborn, impatient
The restive audience pelted the band with mud and yelled nasty comments.
14 ribald (adj.) coarsely, crudely humorous
While some giggled at the ribald joke involving a preacher’s daughter, most sighed and rolled their eyes.
15 rife (adj.) abundant
Surprisingly, the famous novelist’s writing was rife with spelling errors.
19 extol (v.) to praise, revere (Violet extolled the virtues of a vegetarian diet to her meat loving brother.
20 extant (adj.) existing, not destroyed or lost
My mother’s extant love letters to my father are in the attic trunk)
21 extraneous (adj.) irrelevant, extra, not necessary
Personal political ambitions should always remain extraneous to legislative policy, but, unfortunately, they rarely are.
22 extricate (v.) to disentangle
Instead of trying to mediate between her brother and sister, Shanita extricated herself from the family tension entirely and left the house for the day.
26 scathing (adj.) sharp, critical, hurtful
Two hours after breaking up with Brandon, Octavia thought of the perfect scathing retort to his accusations.
27 scintillating (adj.) sparkling
The ice skater’s scintillating rhinestone costume nearly blinded the judges.
28 scurrilous (adj.) vulgar, coarse
When Bruno heard the scurrilous accusation being made about him, he could not believe it because he always tried to be nice to everyone.
29 seminal (adj.) original, important, creating a field
Stephen Greenblatt’s essays on Shakespeare proved to be seminal, because they initiated the critical school of New Historicism.