SAT Essay Vocabulary

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 SAT Essay Vocabulary
1   Overview:
SAT essay vocabulary consists of 500 moderately difficult words; many high school students may learn them somehow but cannot use them confidently. This SAT word list includes examples, contexts, and interactive spelling exercises to build a solid essay vocabulary and sharpen writing skills.

If an essay is only done in plain or simple words in SAT writing, the chance to shoot a high score is relatively low. As a general rule, better vocabulary rewards a higher score. Unlike big-size reading vocabulary, writing vocabulary relies on your choice. You can prepare a set of words, then just use them in the right place, in the right way, and with the right spelling.

Most students can study or review the 500 SAT essay vocabulary in 2 weeks; some can even finish in 1 week. Nevertheless, in a real writing test, several hard words are enough; you should avoid using too many difficult words in a short essay. For example, if you have 5-7 uncommon but proper words in your essay, it will definitely impress readers.

If your time is tight and you feel the vocabulary big or hard, you may shrink the list to 200-300 words by excluding some relatively rare words. Only a doable task can bring your future writing with both confidence and skill.
2   View all words by groups:        
Go to Word List by Group:
1  2 

Select Vocabulary Group:
1  2 

Words of Group 2 (Part of words, select list to view all.):
idiosyncrasy
idyllic
ignominy
illicit
impasse
imperious
impetuous
impudence
inane
incongruity
incredulous
incriminate
incubate
indeterminate
indictment
indigenuous
indignant
indiscriminate
indolent
indomitable
induce
indulgent
ineffable
ineptitude
inert
ingenuous
inherent
inhibit
innate
innocuous
innuendo
inscrutable
insipid
insolence
instigate
insular
intrepid
inundate
invoke
irate
irony
irreverent
jaded
jocular
jovial
judicious
lackadaisical
laconic
laggard
languid
latent
laud
listless
lithe
lucid
lucrative
lull
lurid
luxuriant
magnanimous
malleable
marred
maudlin
melancholy
mercenary
mercurial
miserly
mitigate
modicum
morose
motley
multifarious
nebulous
nefarious
neophyte
notoriety
noxious
nuance
obdurate
obstinate
officious
onerous
opportunist
oracle
orthodox
ostensible
oversight
pacifist
pacify
painstaking
palliate
paradigm
parch
parody
partisan
patronize
paucity
pedant
peevish
penchant
penurious
peremptory
perfunctory
peripheral
perquisite
petulant
philanthropist
piety
...
3   Demonstrate word list style:
berate   Speak
rebuke or scold angrily and at length
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buttress   Speak
support physically; prop up; support something or someone by supplying evidence
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callous   Speak
emotionally hardened; unfeeling; toughened
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consternation   Speak
intense state of fear or dismay; astonishment combined with terror
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deleterious   Speak
having harmful effect; injurious; having quality of destroying life; noxious; poisonous
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didactic   Speak
excessively morally instructive
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This is 6 words quick view. View words of the list
4   Word meaning matching - Test words you know:
atrophy  Speak
Exercise
make uneasy or anxious; trouble
Exercise
wasting away; decrease in size; reduction in the functionality of an organ caused by disease
Exercise
critical; addicted to censure; severe in making remarks on others, or on their writings or manners; implying or expressing censure
Exercise
alienate
banal  Speak
Exercise
obvious and dull; commonplace; lacking originality
Exercise
compassionate
Exercise
difficult to work with; rude; unyielding; unmanageable
Exercise
detect; perceive
belligerent  Speak
Exercise
disappointed, defeated
Exercise
limit narrowly; confine; draw a line around; encircle
Exercise
inclined or eager to fight; aggressive
Exercise
force to leave; remove from office
capricious  Speak
Exercise
spread out widely; scatter freely; pour out and cause to spread freely
Exercise
sophisticated; of worldwide scope
Exercise
list each one; mention one by one
Exercise
fickle; impulsive and unpredictable; apt to change opinions suddenly
churlish  Speak
Exercise
reddish; elaborately or excessively ornamented
Exercise
inclined or eager to fight; aggressive
Exercise
spread out widely; scatter freely; pour out and cause to spread freely
Exercise
difficult to work with; rude; unyielding; unmanageable
circuitous  Speak
Exercise
responsive to advice or suggestion; responsible to higher authority; willing to comply with; agreeable
Exercise
calmness of temperament; steadiness of mind under stress.
Exercise
disappointed, defeated
Exercise
being or taking a roundabout, lengthy course; going round in a circuit; not direct
This is 6 words matching. Try matching quizzes of the list
5   Interactive spelling - Check your spelling skill online:
Read [Esc]
leading a life of self-discipline and self-denial; austere


Spelling Word: ascetic
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fickle; impulsive and unpredictable; apt to change opinions suddenly


Spelling Word: capricious
Read [Esc]
limit narrowly; confine; draw a line around; encircle


Spelling Word: circumscribe
Read [Esc]
portray; depict; draw or trace outline of; sketch out


Spelling Word: delineate
Read [Esc]
openly emotional


Spelling Word: demonstrative
Read [Esc]
force to leave; remove from office


Spelling Word: depose
This is 6 words spelling. Try spelling exercises of the list