SAT Essay Vocabulary

Stories of USA Today
Materials for Reading & Listening Practice
Quick Access Resources:
Print PDF Quiz/Test Online Study
Vocabulary Study Online by Level
Vocabulary Study Online
Vocabulary Study Online By Level (VSOBL) is a Fast, Reliable, and Handy tool to prepare English exam vocabulary. (Available for all VIP accounts: US$2/Month). It has built-in word lists: 6000 IELTS words, 6000 TOEFL words, 5000 GRE words, and 3000 SAT words. You can load them by level with one click.
 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:
affected   Speak
speaking or behaving in artificial way; emotionally stirred or moved; infected or attacked
Show examples and contexts    Close
contentious   Speak
quarrelsome; disagreeable; marked by heated arguments or controversy
Show examples and contexts    Close
degredation   Speak
humiliation
Show examples and contexts    Close
depose   Speak
force to leave; remove from office
Show examples and contexts    Close
equitable   Speak
marked by or having equity; just and impartial
Show examples and contexts    Close
futile   Speak
useless; having no useful result; vain
Show examples and contexts    Close
This is 6 words quick view. View words of the list
4   Word meaning matching - Test words you know:
adept  Speak
Exercise
deliberately deceptive
Exercise
influence or urge by gentle urging or flattering
Exercise
expert at; very skilled; having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
Exercise
rash; marked by unthinking boldness
apt  Speak
Exercise
likely; exactly suitable; appropriate; quick to learn or understand
Exercise
seek to attain; long for; strive toward an end
Exercise
distribute; spread; scatter like seeds
Exercise
punish, as by beating; criticize severely; rebuke
autocrat  Speak
Exercise
detect; perceive
Exercise
dictator; ruler having unlimited power
Exercise
blacken; defame; attack reputation of; degrade
Exercise
scatter; drive away; cause to vanish
bequeath  Speak
Exercise
leave to someone by a will; hand down
Exercise
assault; attack with or as if with violent blows
Exercise
difficult to work with; rude; unyielding; unmanageable
Exercise
scatter; drive away; cause to vanish
byzantine  Speak
Exercise
approach and speak to boldly or aggressively, as with demand or request
Exercise
convoluted, complex
Exercise
put at disadvantage; prevent progress or free movement of
Exercise
violate the sacredness of
castigate  Speak
Exercise
unselfishly generous; concerned for others
Exercise
criticize severely; punish; revise or make corrections to publication
Exercise
discordant; inharmonious; sounding harshly; ill-sounding
Exercise
difficult to please; having complicated requirements; excessively particular demanding about details
This is 6 words matching. Try matching quizzes of the list
5   Interactive spelling - Check your spelling skill online:
Read [Esc]
approach and speak to boldly or aggressively, as with demand or request


Spelling Word: accost
Read [Esc]
feeling or showing a lack of interest or concern; indifferent


Spelling Word: apathetic
Read [Esc]
air, feeling


Spelling Word: aura
Read [Esc]
diligent; responsible; reliable


Spelling Word: conscientious
Read [Esc]
quarrelsome; disagreeable; marked by heated arguments or controversy


Spelling Word: contentious
Read [Esc]
blacken; defame; attack reputation of; degrade


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