3000 Common SAT Vocabulary List 1

abase
v. Syn. lower; humiliate
humiliate; lower or depress in rank or esteem

abdicate
v. Syn. renounce
give up, renounce, abandon, lay down, or withdraw from, as a right or claim

abdomen
n.
belly, or that part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis

abduction
n. Syn. kidnap
criminal act of capturing and carrying away by force

abet
v. Syn. encourage
aid, usually in doing something wrong; encourage

abeyance
n. Syn. suspension
suspended action; temporary cessation or suspension

abject
a. Syn. wretched
being of the most miserable kind; wretched; lacking pride; brought low in condition or status

abjure
v. Syn. renounce; abandon
renounce upon oath; abandon forever

ablution
n.
washing or cleansing of the body, especially as part of religious rite

abnegate
v. Syn. renounce
give up or surrender; deny something to oneself

abnormal
a. Syn. anomalous; unusual
unusual; not typical; not normal
abominable
a. Syn. detestable
detestable; extremely unpleasant; very bad

aboriginal
a. Syn. primitive; native
being the first of its kind in a region; primitive; native

abrade
v. Syn. scrape; erode
wear away by friction; scrape; erode

abrasion
n. Syn. scratch; friction
scratch; friction

abridge
v. Syn. condense; shorten
condense; shorten; reduce length of written text

abrogate
a. Syn. abolish
abolish, do away with, or annul, especially by authority

abrupt
a. Syn. sudden; unforeseen
broken off; very steep; having sudden transitions from one subject to another

abscond
v.
leave quickly and secretly and hide oneself, often to avoid arrest or prosecution

absence
n.
state of being absent; state of being away

absolution
n.
act of absolving or the state of being absolved; formal remission of sin imparted by a priest

absolve
v. Syn. release; liberate; exempt
let off hook; relieve of requirement or obligation

absorb
v. Syn. monopolize; receive
assimilate or incorporate; suck or drink up; occupy full attention

absorption
n. Syn. assimilation; reception
process of absorbing nutrients into the body after digestion; state of mental concentration

abstain
v. Syn. refrain
refrain; hold oneself back voluntarily from an action or practice

abstemious
a. Syn. temperate
sparing or moderation in eating and drinking; temperate

abstinence
n.
restraint from eating or drinking; refraining from indulging appetite or desire

abstruse
a. Syn. obscure; profound
obscure; profound; difficult to understand.

absurd
a. Syn. preposterous; ridiculous; foolish
preposterous; ridiculously incongruous or unreasonable; foolish

abundant
a. Syn. plentiful
plentiful; possessing riches or resources

abusive
a. Syn. scurrilous
coarsely insulting; physically harmful; characterized by improper or wrongful use

abut
v. Syn. adjoin
border upon; adjoin; touch or end at one end or side; lie adjacent

abyss
n. Syn. chasm
enormous chasm; vast bottomless pit; any deep, immeasurable space; hell

academic
a. Syn. scholarly; collegiate; theoretical
related to school; not practical or directly useful; relating to scholarly organization; based on formal
education

academician
n.
a scholar who is skilled in academic disputation

academy
n.
school for special instruction; society of scholars, scientists, or artists

accede
v. Syn. agree; assent; concede
agree; give consent, often at insistence of another; concede

accelerate
v. Syn. speed; hasten
move faster; cause to develop or progress more quickly; occur sooner than expected

access
n. Syn. approach
approach; entry; entrance

accessible
a. Syn. obtainable; approachable
easily approached or entered; obtainable; easy to talk to or get along with

accessory
n. Syn. adjunct; appendage
additional object; useful but not essential thing; subordinate or supplementary item

acclaim
v. Syn. applaud
applaud; announce with great approval

accommodate
v. Syn. adapt; oblige
do a favor or service for; provide for; supply with; make suitable; adapt; allow for

accompaniment
n.
act of accompanying someone or something

accompany
v.
travel with; be associated with

accomplice
n. Syn. associate
partner in crime; associate in wrongdoing

accomplish
v. Syn. finish; achieve
succeed in doing; bring to pass; achieve; reach the end of; complete

accordion
n.
a portable box-shaped free-reed instrument; reeds that are made to vibrate by air from the bellows
controlled by the player

accost
v.
approach and speak to boldly or aggressively, as with demand or request

account
n. Syn. report; description
narrative or record of events; reason given for a particular action or event

accouter
v. Syn. equip
equip; provide with military equipment

accredit
v. Syn. authorize; commission
authorize; commission; give credit for

accumulate
v. Syn. collect
pile up; collect; mount up; increase

accuracy
n.
quality of nearness to the truth or the true value

accurate
a. Syn. precise; correct
capable of providing a correct reading or measurement; performing with care and precision

accusation
n. Syn. indictment; charge
indictment; charge of wrongdoing that is made against a person or other party

accuse
v. Syn. blame; condemn
blame; condemn

acerbity
n.
bitterness of speech and temper; sourness or acidness of taste, character, or tone

acetic
a. Syn. vinegary; sour
having properties of vinegar; sour

acid
n.
sour; water-soluble compounds having a sour taste; quality of being sarcastic, bitter, or scornful

acknowledge
v. Syn. recognize; admit
declare to be true or admit; express obligation, thanks

acme
n. Syn. apex; apogee; climax; summit
the highest point or level, as of achievement or development; maturity or perfection of animal

acquaint
v. Syn. Inform
inform about; cause to come to know personally; make familiar

acquiesce
v. Syn. assent
assent; agree without protesting

acquittal
n. Syn. exoneration
state of being found or proved not guilty; judgment of not guilty

acrid
a. Syn. sharp; bitter
unpleasantly sharp or bitter to taste or smell; bitterly pungent

acrimonious
a. Syn. rancorous
bitter and sharp in language, tone, or manner

actuate
v. Syn. motivate; activate
put into motion or action; activate

acumen
n. Syn. acuteness; insight
mental keenness; quickness of perception

acute
a. Syn. keen; sharp
quickly perceptive; keen; having a sharp point or tip; extremely sharp or severe

adamant
a. Syn. inflexible
extremely hard; inflexible; stubbornly unyielding

addendum
n. Syn. supplement
something added or to be added, especially a supplement to a book

addle
v. Syn. muddle; confuse
muddle; drive crazy; become confused

adhere
v. Syn. stick; bond
stick fast; stick to firmly; be compatible or in accordance with

adherent
n. Syn. supporter; follower
person who adheres; one who follows or upholds a leader, party, cause

adjacent
a. Syn. adjoining; neighboring
adjoining; neighboring; close to; lying near

adjunct
n. Syn. addition; accessory
something added on or attached generally nonessential or inferior

administrator
n.
one who manages a government agency or department

admonish
v. Syn. warn; reprove
warn; counsel someone against something to be avoided

admonition
n. Syn. warning
gentle or friendly reproof; cautionary advice or warning

ado
n.
doing; bother; troublesome business; fuss; bustle

adoration
n.
act of playing honor to a divine being; worship paid to God; act of addressing as a god

adroit
a. Syn. skillful; dexterous
skillful and adept under pressing conditions

adulterate
v.
make impure by adding inferior or tainted substances

adumbrate
v. Syn. overshadow; shade
give hint or indication of something; disclose partially or guardedly; overshadow; shade

advent
n. Syn. arrival
coming or arrival, especially of something extremely important

adverse
a. Syn. unfavorable; hostile
in opposing direction; harmful or unfavorable; acting or serving to oppose

adversity
n. Syn. poverty; misfortune
state of misfortune, hardship, or affliction; misfortune

advisory
a.
having power to advice; containing advice

advocacy
n.
support; active pleading on behalf of something

advocate
v. Syn. urge; support
speak, plead, or argue in favour of; plead for; push for something

aerial
a.
of the air or atmosphere; produced by or found in the air; performed in the air

affable
a.
easily approachable; warmly friendly

affect
v.
have an emotional or cognitive impact upon

affiliate
v. Syn. associate; incorporate
associate; incorporate

affirmative
a.
confirmative; ratifying; giving assent or approval; confirming

affix
v. Syn. fasten; attach
fasten; append; add on; secure to something

affluence
n. Syn. abundance; wealth
abundance; a plentiful supply of material goods; wealth

affront
n. Syn. insult; offense
insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect

aggrandize
v. Syn. increase; intensify
increase scope of; extend; intensify; make greater in power, influence, stature, or reputation

aggravate
v. Syn. worsen; exacerbate
worsen; make worse or more troublesome

aggregate
v. Syn. gather; accumulate
gather into a mass, sum, or whole; amount to

aghast
a. Syn. horrified
struck by shock, terror, or amazement

agile
a. Syn. nimble; brisk
moving quickly and lightly; mentally quick

agitate
v. Syn. disturb
cause to move with violence or sudden force; upset; disturb

agrarian
a.
pertaining to land or its cultivation; relating to agricultural or rural matters

ailment
n. Syn. sickness; illness; affliction
sickness; illness; affliction

akin
a. Syn. related; similar
of the same kin; related by blood

alacrity
n.
cheerful promptness or willingness; eagerness; speed or quickness

albeit
ad.
even though; although; notwithstanding

album
n.
a list of names; a register for visitors; a blank book, in which to insert autographs sketches,
memorial writing of friends, photographs

alchemy
n.
medieval chemistry; magical or mysterious power or process of transforming

alcove
n. Syn. nook
nook; small, recessed section of a room

alder
n.
north temperate shrubs or trees having toothed leaves and cone like fruit

alias
n.
assumed name; another name; name that has been assumed temporarily

alien
a. Syn. strange; unfamiliar; foreign
dissimilar, inconsistent, or opposed in nature; very different place, society, or person

alienate
v. Syn. estrange; transfer; separate
cause to become unfriendly or hostile; transfer property or ownership; isolate or dissociate
emotionally

alkali
n.
soda ash; caustic soda, caustic potash; one of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, potash, and
ammonia

allay
v. Syn. calm; pacify; relieve
calm; pacify; reduce the intensity of; relieve
allege
v. Syn. affirm
state without proof; assert to be true

allegory
n. Syn. fable
symbolic representation of abstract ideas or principles in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form

alleviate
v. Syn. relieve; moderate; reduce
provide physical relief, as from pain; make easier; remove in part

alley
n.
narrow passage, especially a walk or passage in a garden or park, bordered by rows of trees or
bushes

alliance
n.
state of being allied; act of allying or uniting; a union or connection of interests between families,
states, parties

allot
v. Syn. distribute
parcel out in parts or portions; distribute to each individual concerned; assign as a share or lot

allude
v. Syn. imply; refer
refer casually or indirectly, or by suggestion

allusion
n. Syn. metaphor
indirect reference; symbolical reference or comparison; metaphor

ally
n. Syn. confederate; partner; collaborator
confederate; partner; collaborator

aloof
a. Syn. apart; distant
apart; remote in manner; distant physically or emotionally; reserved and remote

altar
n.
raised structure on which sacrifices are offered or incense burned to a deity

alter
v. Syn. modify; change; convert
modify; cause to change; make different; convert
alteration
n. Syn. renovation; change
passage from one form or state to another; change

alternate
a. Syn. substitute
happening or following in turns; succeeding each other continuously; substitute

alternative
a.
one of two or more things, ideas or courses of action that may be used; option; choice

altitude
n. Syn. elevation; height
elevation especially above sea level; height

amalgamate
v. Syn. combine; mix
combine; unite in one body; mix or alloy a metal with mercury

amateur
a. Syn. nonprofessional; inexpert
nonprofessional; lacking the skill of a professional, as in an art

ambidextrous
a.
capable of using either hand with equal ease

ambiguous
a.
unclear or doubtful in meaning

ambitious
a. Syn. aspiring; enterprising
aspiring; having a strong desire for success or achievement

ambulance
n.
field hospital organized as to follow an army in its movements; wagon for conveying the wounded
to hospital

ambush
n.
disposition or arrangement of troops for attacking an enemy unexpectedly from a concealed station

ameliorate
v. Syn. improve
make or become better; improve; grow better
amenable
a. Syn. responsible; accountable
responsive to advice or suggestion; responsible to higher authority; willing to comply with;
agreeable

amicable
a. Syn. friendly
exhibiting friendliness or goodwill; not quarrelsome

amity
n. Syn. friendship
friendship; peaceful relations, as between nations

amorous
a.
moved by sexual love; loving

amorphous
a. Syn. formless
formless; lacking shape or definition