Reviewed by:
Mary Banks
Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University
Reviewed: 4/26/24
Check out our list of the most common vocabulary words on the SAT.
It is no secret that studying for the SAT is a daunting task. Colleges take SAT scores into serious consideration when reviewing applicants, so you’ll want to make sure you do your best on the exam.
To help you prepare for the SAT, we’ve put together a list of the most common SAT vocab words and give you a few key tips on how to memorize and retain them. Get ready to tackle the SAT vocabulary section with confidence!
How Is Vocabulary Tested on the SAT?
The SAT will test your vocabulary skills by asking you to identify words in context and analyze how they are used in various passages. This assesses your understanding of the words’ meanings and your ability to use them accurately in various situations.
To excel, it’s important to be familiar with common college-level vocabulary words. This is why studying a comprehensive list of words is crucial. By doing so, you can increase your chances of correctly answering vocabulary questions on the SAT.
100 Common SAT Vocabulary Words
Just under 20% of your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score is determined by vocabulary, so it is crucial to familiarize yourself with SAT vocabulary.
Your vocabulary skills play a crucial role, contributing to nearly 20% of your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score on the SAT. That's why it's important to get comfortable with SAT vocabulary.
To help you do that, consider adding a SAT Word of the Day exercise to your study routine. This way, you can steadily grow your word knowledge and be better prepared for the SAT exam.
Here, we've compiled a list with definitions and sentence examples of common vocabulary words you'll encounter on the SAT. Feel free to use them as you dive into a SAT Word of the Day exercise.
| Word |
Definition |
Example Sentence |
| Abbreviate |
V. to shorten, abridge |
I need to abbreviate this article before submitting it to the editor. |
| Abstinence |
N. the act of refraining from pleasurable activity, e.g., eating or drinking |
He practiced abstinence from alcohol for a month. |
| Adulation |
N. high praise |
The audience gave the singer adulation after her performance. |
| Adversity |
N. misfortune, an unfavorable turn of events |
Despite adversity, they continued to work towards their goal. |
| Aesthetic |
Adj. Pertaining to beauty or the arts |
She has an aesthetic sense that makes her art stand out. |
| Amicable |
Adj. Friendly, agreeable |
The two friends had an amicable conversation. |
| Anachronistic |
Adj. out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period |
The use of a cell phone in a medieval movie is an anachronistic error. |
| Anecdote |
N. short, usually funny account of an event |
The old man told an anecdote about his childhood. |
| Anonymous |
Adj. nameless, without a disclosed identity |
The anonymous letter contained sensitive information. |
| Antagonist |
N. foe, opponent, adversary |
extremely dry or deathly boring |
| Arid |
Adj. extremely dry or deathly boring |
The desert was so arid that nothing could grow there. |
| Word |
Definition |
Example Sentence |
| Assiduous |
Adj. persistent, hard-working |
She was assiduous in her studies and always got good grades. |
| Asylum |
N. sanctuary, shelter, place of refuge |
The refugees sought asylum in the nearby country. |
| Benevolent |
Adj. friendly and helpful |
The charity organization was benevolent and helped those in need. |
| Camaraderie |
N. trust, sociability amongst friends |
There was a strong sense of camaraderie among the team members. |
| Censure |
V. to criticize harshly |
The teacher censured the student for not paying attention. |
| Circuitous |
Adj. indirect, taking the longest route |
The hike was so circuitous that it took us twice as long as expected to reach the summit. |
| Clairvoyant |
Adj. exceptionally insightful, able to foresee the future |
The psychic claimed to be clairvoyant and able to see into the future. |
| Collaborate |
V. to cooperate, work together |
The musicians collaborated to create an amazing performance. |
| Compassion |
N. sympathy, helpfulness or mercy |
His compassion for others made him a great leader. |
| Compromise |
V. to settle a dispute by terms agreeable to both sides |
The couple compromised on where to go for their vacation. |
| Word |
Definition |
Example Sentence |
| Condescending |
Adj. possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing |
He spoke to her in a condescending tone, making her feel belittled. |
| Conditional |
Adj. depending on a condition, e.g., in a contract |
The offer was conditional upon passing a background check. |
| Conformist |
N. person who complies with accepted rules and customs |
She was a conformist, following the rules without question. |
| Congregation |
N. a crowd of people, an assembly |
The congregation was so large that they had to use loudspeakers outside. |
| Convergence |
N. the state of separate elements joining or coming together |
The convergence of technology and education is revolutionizing how we learn. |
| Deleterious |
Adj. harmful, destructive, detrimental |
Smoking is known to have deleterious effects on your health. |
| Demagogue |
N. leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice |
The demagogue stirred up the crowd with emotional speeches. |
| Digression |
N. the act of turning aside, straying from the main point, esp. in a speech or argument |
During his speech, he went on a digression about his childhood. |
| Diligent |
Adj. careful and hard-working |
The diligent student worked hard and got straight A's. |
| Discredit |
V. to harm the reputation of, dishonor or disgrace |
His unethical behavior discredited him in the eyes of the public. |
| Word |
Definition |
Example Sentence |
| Disdain |
V. to regard with scorn or contempt |
She looked at the dirty room with disdain. |
| Divergent |
Adj. separating, moving in different directions from a particular point |
Their opinions on the issue were divergent and they couldn't reach an agreement. |
| Empathy |
N. identification with the feelings of others |
She had great empathy for the homeless and volunteered regularly. |
| Emulate |
V. to imitate, follow an example |
He tried to emulate his hero by learning from their actions. |
| Enervating |
Adj. weakening, tiring |
The hot, humid weather was enervating and sapped all of his energy. |
| Enhance |
V. to improve, bring to a greater level of intensity |
The new software will enhance the performance of the computer. |
| Ephemeral |
Adj. momentary, transient, fleeting |
The fireworks display was an ephemeral moment of beauty. |
| Evanescent |
Adj. quickly fading, short-lived, esp. an image |
The evanescent image of the sunset disappeared as the sun dipped below the horizon. |
| Exasperation |
N. irritation, frustration |
His constant complaining caused exasperation among his coworkers. |
| Exemplary |
Adj. outstanding, an example to others |
Her exemplary behavior earned her the respect of her peers. |
| Word |
Definition |
Example Sentence |
| Extenuating |
Adj. excusing, lessening the seriousness of guilt or crime, e.g., of mitigating factors |
The extenuating circumstances of his illness led to a lenient sentence. |
| Florid |
Adj. red-colored, flushed; gaudy, ornate |
The girl's florid dress was gaudy and too ornate for the occasion. |
| Fortuitous |
Adj. happening by luck, fortunate |
It was fortuitous that I found my lost wallet in the park. |
| Frugal |
Adj. thrifty, cheap |
He was known for being frugal, always saving his money. |
| Hackneyed |
Adj. cliched, worn out by overuse |
The movie was filled with hackneyed ideas and predictable plot twists. |
| Haughty |
Adj. arrogant and condescending |
She was haughty and treated others with condescension. |
| Hedonist |
N. person who pursues pleasure as a goal |
As a hedonist, he believed in pursuing pleasure above all else. |
| Hypothesis |
N. assumption, theory requiring proof |
Scientists developed a hypothesis about the origin of the universe. |
| Impetuous |
Adj. rash, impulsive, acting without thinking |
His impetuous decision to quit his job was made without thinking. |
| Impute |
V. to attribute an action to particular person or group |
I imputed the mistake to my own carelessness. |
| Word |
Definition |
Example Sentence |
| Incompatible |
Adj. opposed in nature, not able to live or work together |
Cats and dogs are often seen as incompatible pets. |
| Inconsequential |
Adj. unimportant, trivial |
The results of the test were inconsequential and had no impact. |
| Inevitable |
Adj. certain, unavoidable |
Death is inevitable for all living beings. |
| Integrity |
N. decency, honesty, wholeness |
He was known for his integrity and honesty. |
| Intrepid |
Adj. fearless, adventurous |
The intrepid explorer went on a dangerous journey to discover new lands. |
| Intuitive |
Adj. instinctive, untaught |
The artist relied on her intuitive sense to create a masterpiece, trusting her instincts over deliberate planning. |
| Jubilation |
N. joy, celebration, exultation |
The town was filled with jubilation on the day of the festival. |
| Lobbyist |
N. person who seeks to influence political events |
The lobbyist was hired to influence the government's decision. |
| Longevity |
N. long life |
Her longevity was attributed to her healthy lifestyle. |
| Mundane |
Adj. ordinary, commonplace |
The everyday tasks at the office were mundane. |
| Word |
Definition |
Example Sentence |
| Nonchalant |
Adj. calm, casual, seeming unexcited |
He remained nonchalant even when faced with a difficult challenge. |
| Novice |
N. apprentice, beginner |
She was a novice at cooking and was still learning the basics. |
| Opulent |
Adj. wealthy |
The opulent mansion was a symbol of the family's wealth. |
| Orator |
N. lecturer, speaker |
The orator captivated the audience with his powerful speeches. |
| Ostentatious |
Adj. showy, displaying wealth |
The diamond ring was ostentatious and showed off the couple's wealth. |
| Parched |
Adj. dried up, shriveled |
The crops in the drought-stricken area were parched and withered. |
| Perfidious |
Adj. faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy |
He was considered perfidious for breaking his promise. |
| Precocious |
Adj. unusually advanced or talented at an early age |
The young prodigy was precocious and showed great talent at a young age. |
| Pretentious |
Adj. pretending to be important, intelligent or cultured |
The book was filled with pretentious language and was difficult to understand. |
| Procrastinate |
V. to unnecessarily delay, postpone, put off |
He often procrastinated on his work, leading to missed deadlines. |
| Word |
Definition |
Example Sentence |
| Prosaic |
Adj. relating to prose; dull, commonplace |
The novel was prosaic and lacked excitement. |
| Prosperity |
N. wealth or success |
She enjoyed the prosperity that came with success. |
| Provocative |
Adj. tending to provoke a response, e.g., anger or disagreement |
The provocative art exhibit sparked intense debates among visitors. |
| Prudent |
Adj. careful, cautious |
She was known for being prudent in her financial decisions. |
| Querulous |
Adj. complaining, irritable |
He had a querulous tone and was constantly complaining. |
| Rancorous |
Adj. bitter, hateful |
The rancorous argument between the two political parties lasted for weeks. |
| Reclusive |
Adj. preferring to live in isolation |
The reclusive author lived a solitary life, rarely leaving her home. |
| Reconciliation |
N. the act of agreement after a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute |
The reconciliation between the former enemies was a long and difficult process. |
| Renovation |
N. repair, making something new |
The renovation of the old building took several months to complete. |
| Resilient |
Adj. quick to recover, bounce back |
The resilient athlete quickly bounced back from his injury and returned to the game. |
| Word |
Definition |
Example Sentence |
| Restrained |
Adj. controlled, repressed, restricted |
The restrained behavior of the crowd was admirable during the controversial speech. |
| Reverence |
N. worship, profound respect |
The reverence for the elderly is a common value in many cultures. |
| Sagacity |
N. wisdom |
The wise decision was made thanks to the leader's sagacity. |
| Scrutinize |
V. to observe carefully |
SThe detective scrutinized every detail of the crime scene. |
| Spontaneity |
N. impulsive action, unplanned events |
The spontaneity of the party made it a night to remember. |
| Spurious |
Adj. lacking authenticity, false |
The evidence showed that the claim was spurious and lacked authenticity. |
| Submissive |
Adj. tending to meekness, to submit to the will of others |
The submissive dog followed its owner's commands without question. |
| Substantiate |
V. to verify, confirm, provide supporting evidence |
The police need to substantiate the eyewitness testimony before making an arrest. |
| Subtle |
Adj. hard to detect or describe; perceptive |
The subtle changes in the economy are often hard to detect. |
| Superficial |
Adj. shallow, lacking in depth |
The superficial relationship was based on appearances and lacked depth. |
| Word |
Definition |
Example Sentence |
| Superfluous |
Adj. extra, more than enough, redundant |
The addition of extra features was seen as superfluous by many users. |
| Suppress |
V. to end an activity, e.g., to prevent the dissemination of information |
The government decided to suppress the release of classified information. |
| Surreptitious |
Adj. secret, stealthy |
The surreptitious meeting was held in secret to avoid detection. |
| Tactful |
Adj. considerate, skillful in acting to avoid offense to others |
The tactful diplomat was able to negotiate a peace treaty without offending any of the parties involved. |
| Tenacious |
Adj. determined, keeping a firm grip on |
The tenacious detective never gave up on the case, even after years of investigation. |
| Transient |
Adj. temporary, short-lived, fleeting |
The transient fame of the pop star quickly faded after his latest album flop. |
| Venerable |
Adj. respected because of age |
The venerable institution has been serving the community for over a hundred years. |
| Vindicate |
V. to clear from blame or suspicion |
The innocent suspect was vindicated when the real culprit was caught. |
| Wary |
Adj, careful, cautious |
The wary traveler always takes precautions to stay safe while abroad. |
Source: Washington Post
By familiarizing yourself with these 100 vocab words, you’ll have a solid foundation to tackle any verbal question on the SAT, even if you need to make an educated guess.
How to Memorize Vocabulary Words for SAT Test
Everyone learns differently, so finding a study method that works for you is important for memorizing vocabulary words. Whether you prefer self-studying or working with a tutor, both can be effective ways to learn the words.
Writing down SAT vocabulary words, definitions, and example sentences on flashcards can be a helpful technique. You can also make studying fun by playing flashcard games with friends.
Focus on the words you struggle with and make sure to review them regularly, but don't neglect other words as well. Consistent study is key to memorizing vocabulary words for the SAT, so build a study plan that will help keep you on track.
FAQs: SAT Words
Still have questions about the SAT vocabulary? We’ve got you covered! We answer your frequently asked questions below.
1. How Many SAT Words Are There?
The SAT underwent a major redesign in 2016, and there is less vocabulary content in the revised version of the test. Ten questions out of the fifty-two reading and writing questions are vocabulary questions.
While this may not seem like a significant chunk of the test, doing poorly on the vocabulary portion can significantly impact your overall score. If you want a high, or even perfect score, you’ll need to ace all aspects of the test.
2. Is There an SAT Vocab List?
No, there is no official vocabulary list. However, feel free to review and use the list of SAT words we put together to give you a solid idea of common words you will need to know for the SAT.
You should also take practice tests to gauge what kind of vocabulary will appear on the SAT.
3. What Are the Most Common SAT Words?
This is a difficult question to answer as each SAT test is slightly different. However, you can memorize words that often appear on the SAT. There are tons of resources out there that gather and list the most common words on the SAT.
Our list also includes common vocabulary words you’ll find on the SAT!
4. How Can I Remember My SAT Vocabulary?
Starting early, giving yourself enough time, and consistent practice and studying are crucial to memorizing SAT vocabulary. It is highly recommended to use flashcards when studying vocabulary words, but you should do whatever works best for you.
Final Thoughts
The SAT is a challenging test, but getting a good SAT score can strengthen your application and maximize your chances of acceptance into colleges.
While the SAT has less of a focus on vocabulary than in past years, it can still mean the difference between scoring well and scoring poorly on the test.
Studying SAT vocabulary will also increase your performance on the entirety of the test. Knowing and understanding SAT vocabulary will give you a deeper understanding of words and concepts that appear throughout the test.
Begin early, review common SAT vocabulary words, practice consistently, and you should do well on the vocabulary section of the SAT.
Best of luck!
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