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:
bolster   Speak
support or prop up with or as if with a long narrow pillow or cushion
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castigate   Speak
criticize severely; punish; revise or make corrections to publication
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depreciation   Speak
devaluation; decrease in price or value
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desecration   Speak
violate the sacredness of
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erudite   Speak
learned; scholarly, with emphasis on knowledge gained from books
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furtive   Speak
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
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This is 6 words quick view. View words of the list
4   Word meaning matching - Test words you know:
apathetic  Speak
Exercise
feeling or showing a lack of interest or concern; indifferent
Exercise
cheerful promptness or willingness; eagerness; speed or quickness
Exercise
leave to someone by a will; hand down
Exercise
difficult to describe; difficult to detect or grasp by mind
apt  Speak
Exercise
likely; exactly suitable; appropriate; quick to learn or understand
Exercise
stray from the subject at hand
Exercise
state of being despised or dishonored; disgrace; disobedience to, or open disrespect of
Exercise
refinement and delicacy of performance; skillful, subtle handling
censorious  Speak
Exercise
humiliation
Exercise
critical; addicted to censure; severe in making remarks on others, or on their writings or manners; implying or expressing censure
Exercise
emotionally hardened; unfeeling; toughened
Exercise
distribute; spread; scatter like seeds
cerebral  Speak
Exercise
relating to the brain or cerebrum; intellectual rather than emotional
Exercise
difficult to describe; difficult to detect or grasp by mind
Exercise
impressive; majestic; inspiring awe or admiration
Exercise
measure the depth; come to understand
deleterious  Speak
Exercise
diligent; responsible; reliable
Exercise
scold mildly so as to correct or improve; express disapproval
Exercise
detect; perceive
Exercise
having harmful effect; injurious; having quality of destroying life; noxious; poisonous
discern  Speak
Exercise
detect; perceive
Exercise
great excitement; public disorder or uproar
Exercise
make weak; enfeeble; impair the strength of
Exercise
make uneasy or anxious; trouble
This is 6 words matching. Try matching quizzes of the list
5   Interactive spelling - Check your spelling skill online:
Read [Esc]
strong feeling of aversion; dislike


Spelling Word: antipathy
Read [Esc]
wasting away; decrease in size; reduction in the functionality of an organ caused by disease


Spelling Word: atrophy
Read [Esc]
air, feeling


Spelling Word: aura
Read [Esc]
discordant; inharmonious; sounding harshly; ill-sounding


Spelling Word: cacophonous
Read [Esc]
scarcity; shortage of food; famine from failure or loss of crops


Spelling Word: dearth
Read [Esc]
stray from the subject at hand


Spelling Word: digress(ion)
This is 6 words spelling. Try spelling exercises of the list