SAT Verbal sections terms & vocabulary

Terms and definitions useful for answer questions on the Digital SAT Reading and Writing sections, including a list of difficult or unfamiliar terms used in vocabulary questions.

These lists are mostly taken from the College Board Digital SAT practice tests 1-10 (linear versions), but are also informed by prior SAT paper tests.

Here for Digital SAT Reading/Writing skills and strategies

Key SAT vocabulary and terms to know

Effective test-taking requires full comprehension of the questions themselves.

Some key terms that will show up in test questions or passages include:

agency (n)

• a medium, method, or abilty to do something

ambiguous (adj.)

• unclear, no distinction between things, options or alternatives
• from ambi- for "both", "two or more", "wandering"
  • "ambiguity" is a state of indecision, lack of clarity

ambivalence (n.)

• unconcern with a situation or choice
• state of not caring between options
• ambivalent (adj)

ameliorate (v)

• to make better

analysis (n.)

• detailed examination to determine the features or parts of something or some idea
• analysis separates the whole into the components (parts)
  • analysis wants to know "how" something works, etc., whereas, "evaluation" seeks its overall worth or value

anomaly (n)

• not normal, a deviation from what is usual or expected
• note, the adverb anomalously (with deviation) is not to be confused with "anonymously" (without being identified)

antecedent

• what comes before, as a prior event or condition (not necessarily a cause)

assert / assertion

• assert (v): to make a claim
• assertion (n): a claim

augment (v)

• to make larger, to add to or build up

autonomous (adj)

• subject to its own law (according to its own rules, not subject to other rules/ rule)
• autonomy (n)

bias (n), biased/ unbiased (adj)

• bias= prejudicial, opiniated, having a prior opinion
• unbaised = not having or not from an opinion

catalyst (n)

• a trigger or causal event that makes something else happen

characterize (v.)

• to generalize regarding the distinctive nature or key features of someone/something
• to state in a general sense, categorize according to core features

complementary (adj)

• com- = with + plere "to fill"
  • so fulfilling, coming together
• a "complement" goes with the other
• "complementary" agrees, aligns, or goes with

control (n.)

• an element in an experiment that does not change
• as opposed to the "variable," which does change
  • note that in the SAT these words will be used to evaluate experiments or studies

some of which have faults because of faulty "controls" or unclear or multiple "variables"

concede (v.)

• to admit, yield, or accept
  • used on SAT as in "to accept for the sake of the argument"

contend (v)

• to hold an opinion or to make a claim
• (note: "contend" can also mean to oppose, but the SAT will usually refer to it in the sense of "scientists contend" meaning they argue...)

context, contextual(n, adj)

• in relation to a situation or place
• literally "with" (con-) "what is woven together" (text)
• "text" comes from the Latin texere for "to weave, what is woven"
• words and situations have "context"

convention (n), conventional (adj)

• that which is common, or expected (from "convene" for together)
• conventional wisdom = what is commonly thought of as true

correlate (v.)

• to connect, to relate
• correlated means "related to but not directly"
• correlation (n)

corollary (n.)

• a parallel or connected proposition or situation
• such as the "Roosevelt corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine, which added a new angle to it

credulous

• to believe too readily
• as opposed to incredulous

critical (adj.)

• important, of an emergency situation
• analytical, investigated thoughtfully
• also, negative, inclined to judgement

derogatory (adj)

• negative in aspect
• putting down or diminishing of
• syn: disparaging

discount (n or v)

• v: to lessen in worth, value or importance
• n: below or less than normal price;
• n: in finance, a fee taken as interest or other transaction charges

disparate (adj)

• dis- (not) pare (each, other)
  • i.e. not the same, distinct

diverge (v)

• to move in a different direction, usually in terms of two or more things separating from one another

• divergent (adj) = going in different directions; away from one another

earnest (adj)

• sincere or serious in intent or belief
• honestly trying hard

epitomize (v)

• to make the ultimate or best example of

evaluate

• to measure, assess, determine value or significance of
• "evaluate" deals with holistic (overall) understanding, whereas "analysis" deals with detailed, dissected understanding

hierarchy, hierarchical (n., adv.)

• an organization or system of ranking
• levels of importance, authority or significance
• classification

hypothetical, hypothetically (n., adv.)

• = an estimate, theory
• or, an idea or situation that is not real but could be
• used to test a "hypothesis" or theoretical prediction or observation that has not been tested in reality
• SAT Reading section uses it frequently for inference questions
• i.e., "Given the hypothetical condition, then..." = "if this were true, then..."

incongruent (adj), incongruence (n), incongruity (n)

• incompatible, not in union, not going together

innocuous (adj)

• not harmful, not injurious (causing harm)

irony (n)

• the opposite of what it seems or means on the surface/literally;

ironic (adj)

• something that is or appears to be the opposite of what would be expected or appears as

mandatory (adj)

• required

merely (adj.)

• = "only"
• the SAT frequently measures student comprehension of this word
• note that "merely" is different from "a little," "a few" or "few"

methodology

• the means or procedures by which something is done
• in the SAT, usually refers to the way an experiment or study is set up and conducted (as opposed to the hypothesis, goals or results of the study)

mitigate (v)

• to make less severe, or to lessen (an impact or problem)

nevertheless (adv.)

• = "yes, but..."
• used to accept a prior argument or statement, then deflect, negate, or contradict it.
• for Reading section, transition words mark important statements an author wants to make or emphasize

novel (adj.)

• new, unusual
• different from what is common
• note that as a noun, "a novel" is a popular genre (form) of fiction
• novels are called "novel" because the genre was "novel" (new) when it was introduced in the 19th century)

nuance (n.)

• small or subtle difference(s); fine distinction
  • implies careful, close understanding, as opposed to broad generalizations or unspecific distinctions
• "nuanced" (past participle adjective) means a carefully considered, thoughtful distinction

obscure (v, adj)

• v: to make unclear, to conceal
• adj: unclear, uncertain, dark, remote

positing

• present participle adjective used in the SAT to create participle a phrase indicating

postulate (v or n)

• verb: to theorize or hypothesize' to put forth a proposition, usually based on logic
• noun: a hypothesis or proposal, usually based on logic

preclude (v)

• to make not possible; to prevent from happening;

proponent (n)

• one who supports or favors something; an advocate

relevant (adj)

• related, in context to
• "associated with", "connected to", "important for"
• "matters" (as in, "what matters" = "what is relevant")
• antonym: irrelevant (not related, not in context)

sanction (v or n)

• verb: 1) to require or give approval to; or 2) to impose a penalty upon

• noun: a rule or decree, usually in the form of a penalty

satirical (adj)

• making fun of, ridiculing

skeptical, skeptic (adj., noun)

• = doubtful, uncertain of, seeing as unproven
• a "skeptic" is one who doubts or questions the veracity of something
• on the SAT, the word "skeptical" may be used to indicate a perspective of doubt
• ex., if the question asks, "Scholars are skeptical of the idea that people would behave that way"
• = scholars doubt people would behave that way
  • i.e., use "backwards thought" or "inversion" to make sense of the question

succinct (adj)

• concise, short

standard (n.)

• a baseline measurement
• what is common or commonly accepted

structure (n.)

• the arrangement of an organization or object
  • esp. in terms of the inter-relationship of its parts and underlying elements

synopsis (n)

• a brief summary of a written work

tenuous (adj)

• not firm, weak, "drawn out" & thus weakened

tone (n.) as in "author tone"

• "author's tone" or "passage's tone'" refers to the "feeling" or "atmosphere" of a passage
• different "tones" may include:
  • academic, authoritative, definitive
  • character study, psychological
  • detailed, descriptive
  • informal, conversational
  • journalistic, reporting
  • light-hearted, amusing, cheerful
  • narrative (story-telling)
  • satirical, comedic, ironic

undermine

• to make weaker, less capable, or lessened
• to subvert, or to subvert intentionally

Inversion phrases

• it is by no means
• would not agree with
• skeptical about
• have mixed feelings
• inversely correlates with

Other terms to know

Historical terms

• see SAT Reading section historical timeline & themes

Transition words (conjunctive adverbs)

• see:Transition words translations

Homophones

ad, add

affect v effect

assure v. ensure

bare, bear

cite, site, sight

complement, compliment

ensure, insure

it's, its

past, passed

principal, principle

prey, pray

their, there, they're

to, too, two

waist, waste

weather, whether

whose, who's

your, you're

Digital SAT Vocabulary terms from official practice tests 1-4 (2023)

Words taken from Vocabulary questions (selected not inclusive of all):

abrupt

adhere

ambivalence

antagonistic

atypical

biased / unbiased

buttress

catastrophic

characterization

circumvent

collaboration

commercialization

coincidental

concede

conceptualize

conform

connive

contrive

conviction

critical

delegate

discern / discernable

disconcerting

disengage

disorienting

disparate

diverge

diverse

dynamic

eclipse

elusive

empirical

evaluate

exemplify

fabricate

foretell

grapple

haphazard

imminent

impartial / impartiality

imperceptible

improvise

inadequate

inconclusive

incongruity

indecipherable

indifference

inexplicable

infallible

innocuous

interjected

intricate

intriguing

invalidate

inventive

irrelevant

latent

localized

lucrative

mandatory

mimic

moderate / moderation

mystifying

neglect

negligible

novel

nuanced

obscure

off-hand

operative

ornamental

overshadowed

paucity

peripheral

persistent

predatory

predetermined

prescribed

presume

profusion (of)

proponent

quarrel

recant

reciprocate

refute

renounce

renunciation

replicable

repudiate

repudiate

resilient

restrained

satisfactory

secretive

skeptical

speculate

strenuously

substantial

substantial

succumb

surmise

synchronize

synchronize

tedious

tenuous

underestimate

underscore

unobtrusive

validated

verisimilitude

waive

zealous

Digital SAT Vocabulary terms from official practice tests 5-6 (2024-2025)

* note: 7-10 todo

Words taken from Vocabulary questions (selected not inclusive of all):

acquired

adjust

accidental / accidentally

ameliorate

antagonistic

antecedent

common

compliment

controversial

cordial / cordially

determine /-ed

discounted

epitomize

evaluate /-ed

exacerbate

exploited

fragile

hoard

hypothesize/-ed

impending

inadvertent / inadvertenly

inconsequential

indicate / indication

innocuous

insensible

intriguing

manifest (verb or adj)

obtain

observable

occupy

overt / overtly

perpetual

postulate

preclude

prominent

prudent / prudently

rationalize

recognizable

redefined

redress

reserve

sanction

scrutinize

sketch

sophisticated

summarize

tentative

trace

warranted

Digital SAT Vocabulary terms from official practice tests 7-8 (2024-2025)

interim

Digital SAT Vocabulary terms used in passages or questions (general vocab)

ablation (in science)

adaptation

ambient

analysis

annotate

apparatus

artifact

artifact

artificial

assess / assessment

assume

attribute (noun and verb)

bias / biased

capitalize

clinch

collaborate/ collaboration

concede/ concession

conceptual

confer

conflicted

conformed / conforming

conjecture

contaminate

contemporary

contend

contrived

convention/s

conventional

contentious

conversely

correlate

corrugation(s)

criteria

cultivate

cultivate / cultivation

curator

deference

depleted

disparage / disparagement

disparate

disparity / disparities

disperse

disposed/ disposition

diverge / divergence

diverse

diverse

divert

domestic / domesticated

dormant

downplay / downplaying

elaborate

ensured

equivalent

evocative

exacerbate

exasperate / exasperated

excerpt (n or v)

factors

fallible

fanciful

fluctuate / fluctuation

foliage

foreground (as a literary technique)

forge / forged

fragile

fragment

genre

germinate / germination

implement (verb)

incorporate

indiscriminate

indigenous

inexplicable

infrequent

inordinate

institution

languish

legitimate / legitimacy / legitimately

macro-/ micro-

memoir

memoir(s)

methodology

miniscule

mitigate

momentous

monitor

narrative (usually "historical narrative)

nominal

obstinate

obtuse

orientation (usually, "political orientation")

percolate

precarious

prevalent

profuse

quilt (verb)

reciprocate

redress

relevant

replicable

revelation

revenue

saturated

standard

sturdy/ sturdily

stylistic

substantial

substantially

substantiate / substantiated

subtle

subtle

susceptible

symbolic

synchronized

synthesis / synthesize

tender

unprecedented

unsympathetic

validate / validated

volition

Tests 4-8

outstrip

stymie

tentative

warranted

Other words

arbitrary / arbitrariness

conspicuous

contempt

derivative

disparate

disparity

elicit

ends

exigence/ exigency

grievance

ingratiating

patronize/ patronizing

predator

putative / putatively

readily

remedy

statistically

• statistically significant

syndrome

thread

traits