sat essay vocabulary

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., sat vocabulary: sat words still matter.

It’s true that the SAT ® does not test as much vocabulary as it once did. But we know that students with a strong vocabulary tend to get better SAT scores.

The SAT contains at least 10–15 words that the average student may not know. Those words could be the difference between answering a question correctly and getting stuck!

How SAT Vocab Can Give You an Edge

You might already know that the SAT underwent a major change in March 2016 . Prior to the re-design, the SAT had questions (called Sentence Completions) that explicitly tested difficult vocabulary words.

And if you go back further in time to when your parents took the test, there were even more vocabulary-based questions, such as word analogies.

Sentence completions may be gone, but the truth is you still need a strong vocabulary (and a strong vocabulary strategy) in order to score well on the SAT. Tough words still appear in many SAT Reading passages, questions, and answer choices, and if you don’t know these words, you will probably struggle.

Easy Ways to Build Your SAT Vocabulary

Students may be more familiar with some of the vocabulary tested on the SAT than in past iterations of the test, but you will need to know multiple definitions of those words. Here’s are some simple ways to build up your vocabulary before your SAT test date .

1. Invest in a prep book

Prepping for the SAT may no longer mean memorizing long lists of “SAT words,” but an SAT prep book can help you focus on what's most important. Our own  SAT Premium Prep   gives you practical advice for understanding and remembering key vocabulary terms across all SAT sections.

2. Read, read, read

Read voraciously to build a solid, sophisticated vocabulary in the long term. Reading not only brings you into contact with new words, but it also forces you to figure out what those new words mean.

Read More: What's a Good SAT Score?

3. Use a dictionary

The natural way to learn a new word is by paying attention to how other people use it—that is, to see or hear the word in context. But be careful! You won’t know whether you’re right about the meaning of a new word until you’ve consulted a dictionary to check the definition. Read all of the definitions listed, not just the primary meaning of the word.

4. Make new SAT words your own

To understand a word completely and make it yours, try to define it in your own words. You’ll understand the meaning better, and you’ll be more likely to remember it.

5. Write it down

Many people find that they can learn new information more easily if they write it down. The physical act of writing can plant the information more firmly in your mind.

6. Practice with flashcards

You probably use flashcards to study for some of your high school classes already, like when you are tackling new words for Spanish class. Use index cards or to either practice independently or have a friend quiz you.

7. Use it or lose it

Think of your new word knowledge as a muscle that you have to keep working out. Use the word every chance you get, so you can keep your new knowledge in shape.

8. Don’t forget your Math vocabulary!

In order to do well on the SAT Math Test , you need to know what the questions are asking you––and that all begins with understanding key math terms. Take the time to brush up on math terminology, like the differences between integer and co-efficient , for example—before you tackle the SAT.

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Home » SAT® Test » Top 100 Digital SAT® Reading & Writing Vocabulary Words Every High Schooler Should Conquer

Top 100 Digital SAT® Reading & Writing Vocabulary Words Every High Schooler Should Conquer

• Last Updated: January 11, 2024

A robust vocabulary is indispensable for excelling in the Digital SAT ® Reading and Writing section. This section tests your ability to comprehend and analyze short passages that are under 150 words covering a variety of subjects, including literature, history, and social sciences. The passages contain vocabulary words students are likely to encounter in college and career reading, which could be challenging if you are unfamiliar with them. Building a strong vocabulary facilitates quicker and more accurate reading comprehension of the passages, which is crucial for achieving success in this section.

If you are stressed about Digital SAT vocab prep, then we’re here to help! We’ve curated a list of the top 100 vocabulary words specifically chosen for their frequency in SAT ® reading passages, ensuring you invest your time where it matters most. This Digital SAT vocabulary list also aligns with the updated Reading and Writing section of the Digital SAT, so keep it handy when you’re prepping for the digital test format. We’ve also explained how context clues, prefixes, and suffixes can help students infer the meaning of unfamiliar terms.

Understanding Vocabulary in the Digital SAT Reading and Writing Section

The Digital SAT Reading and Writing short passages are chosen to evaluate student comprehension and analytical skills. We’ve classified general SAT vocabulary tips into a few categories based on the types and frequency of words you may see on the test. Understanding these groups can help you understand what kinds of words may appear on the test and how to decipher the meaning of any words that are unfamiliar.

Common SAT vocabulary

Subject-specific vocabulary.

Passage: Although leprosy typically develops after a 5-year incubation period , it can take as long as 20 years to show symptoms. The disease’s impact is also progressive , meaning the symptoms get worse over time. Although curable, if left untreated, its later stages can be marked by large skin ulcerations , paralysis of the hands and feet, and facial disfigurement .

The passage above was selected from a medical case study on Leprosy. As you can see, words like “incubation” and “ulcerations” belong to the subject area from which the passage was chosen. To get familiar with advanced and specialized vocabulary, you should read texts from various subject areas and sources where these words are commonly used.

Context clues

Passage: Brain research suggests that new memories go through a period where the memory is likely to change (a labile state ) before becoming a lasting (consolidated) memory. Scientists previously believed that—once consolidated—a memory became resistant to change, but recent findings have strongly established that a consolidated memory can re-enter a labile state through a process called memory reactivation, a deliberate recalling of a long-term memory.

Many students can find the word “labile” difficult to understand. But, as you can analyze from the passage above, “a labile state” has been used as an antonym for “consolidated” memory. If you already know the meaning of “consolidate” (something solid and whole), you can guess that it is the opposite of something that is not “solid.” In the context of brain and memory, this word can refer to something dynamic and unstable. Therefore, even if you do not know the exact dictionary meaning of “labile,” you can still guess it.

Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

• Prefixes : Prefixes always occur before the root of a word. For example, in the word “uncommon,” “un” is a prefix. Some common prefixes are:
• “un-” (not)
• “re-” (again)
• “pre-” (before)
• “dis-” (not, opposite of)
• “Con-” (with)”post-” (after)

A thorough knowledge of standard English prefixes can help you understand unfamiliar words easily! For example, if you come across the term “conjoin” and are unsure of its meaning, remove the root word “join.” Now, if you use your knowledge of the prefix “con-,” which means “with,” you will understand that the word “conjoin” means “to join with,” which further points to describing a thing or things that are joined together.

• Suffixes : As opposed to prefixes, suffixes come after the root word. For example, “recital” uses the suffix “-al” after the root word “recite.” There are a few common suffixes used in standard English grammar, among others:
• “-acy” (state or quality)
• “-al” (act or process)
• “-dom” (place or state of being)
• “-ism” (belief system)
• “-ity” (quality of something)
• “-ment” (condition of something)

So, next time you encounter words like delicacy (delicate + acy), judgment (judge + ment), or endorsement (endorse + ment), be sure to memorize the list of suffixes and their meanings. Doing so will help you decipher the meaning of many tricky words. 

• Roots : Roots are the core building blocks that make up words and often carry each word’s primary meaning. Some common roots include:
• “Ambi” (both)
• “Aqua” (water)
• “Bio-” (life)
• “Multi” (many)
• “Port-” (carry)
• “Form” (shape)

You may encounter words like “conform,” “aquatic,” “multifarious,” and “portable,” which consist of root words. Use what you know to navigate the core meaning of any unfamiliar word, along with context clues to crack open the meaning of any tricky word you may encounter on your Digital SAT test.

Top 100 Common Digital SAT Vocabulary Words You Need to Know

Simple ways to build up your vocabulary before your Digital SAT test date

This “Digital SAT vocabulary list” includes words students will likely encounter on other college preparatory exams and later as they pursue their academic and career journey. Students can also benefit from building a robust vocabulary by reading widely and critically, encountering diverse texts, and practicing with Digital SAT-style questions to understand how words function in context. When you encounter words that are unfamiliar to you, look up the definition and make a note of this information. Creating flashcards can help you test your ability to recall the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Remember that a strong vocabulary could not only accelerate your comprehension of passages but also enhance your accuracy in answering questions. Our Top 100 Vocabulary Words list has been curated to align with the specific requirements of the Digital SAT in 2024. By investing your time in learning these frequently encountered words, you are strategically positioning yourself for improved performance.

As you delve into your Digital SAT vocabulary preparation, don’t forget to leverage essential strategies such as utilizing context clues, prefixes, and suffixes to decipher the meaning of unfamiliar terms.

(2022, Summer). The Digital SAT ® Suite of Assessments Specifications Overview . College Board. https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/digital-sat-test-spec-overview.pdf

How to Self-Study for the SAT®

How To Interpret the Digital SAT® Score Report

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101 SAT Words | Vocabulary To Study

The SAT is notorious for testing students’ vocabulary. To make things easier, practice using these SAT words that are likely to show up on the test or in college later.

Here’s a vocabulary tip that will help you on the SAT Essay .

Vocabulary Still Counts On The SAT

Even though it doesn’t test vocabulary specifically, the SAT still requires you to have one.

The Reading and Writing sections, in particular, pushes test-takers with comprehending so-called “high-utility academic words and phrases”. In short, these are SAT words that you’ll come across in college readings later on.

To give you some extra help and not get caught on test day, we’ve pulled together a list of some high-utility SAT words to study. Even if you don’t come across them now, sooner or later, you will in college.

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The Best Way to Study SAT Vocab Words

SAT , SAT Reading

Studying SAT vocab is a confusing topic for most students. It's unclear how many words you should memorize, which words to learn, and how to actually memorize these words without wasting time. If you think you need to memorize a list of 2,000 SAT vocab words you found on the internet, stop right there. We're about to save you a lot of time while delivering the same results.

In this guide, we'll discuss which words you should memorize and go over a reliable way to commit these words to memory.

First, it's important to understand what impact SAT vocab can have on your score.  Test takers who ignore this tend to shoot way off course, wasting more time and lowering their scores.

Although vocabulary is much less important for doing well on the SAT now, this guide is still useful for you to learn how to study vocab effectively —for history class, for foreign languages, and for any time you'll need to use flashcards.

How Important Are SAT Vocab Words?

Vocabulary is a confusing subject on the SAT. On the old, pre-2016 format of the SAT, vocab was heavily tested on the Reading section, primarily through  Sentence Completion questions .

On the even older version of the SAT, analogies were the bane of high school SAT life . When I took the SAT back in 2004, more than half your Reading section score depended on vocab. Memorizing SAT vocabulary was absolutely necessary to do well on the exam.

But with the current form of the SAT,  there's far less emphasis on testing vocabulary .  Sentence Completion questions have been totally removed, and all vocab is now about medium difficulty, so you won't be seeing any super obscure words anymore.

There are two types of SAT questions that deal with vocabulary and definitions of words: Precision and Words in Context.

SAT Vocabulary Question Example

You'll find quite a few vocabulary questions on SAT Reading and Writing, typically in the same format. These questions will ask you to fill in the blank in a passage with the most accurate word or phrase. Here's an example of such a question:

This approach increases sales, but it also stands in _______ contrast to a time when goods were produced to be durable.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase? 

This is pretty tough— austere is not an easy word, but egregious and unmitigated might be even less familiar. When you get this type of question, you must know the definition of the words.  This is because there aren't any other clues that allow you to figure out what the word means. 

There are three to five of these questions on every Reading and Writing module. So while not a huge deal, they're still important if you're trying to get an  800 on SAT Reading and Writing .

SAT Vocabulary Word Examples

Here's are examples of other difficult words from official SAT practice tests :

• promulgated

Notice that the words are fairly common—you've likely heard of most of these before. Many of them have multiple meanings, though, so it's vital to be able to distinguish the word's meaning as used in the passage from the typical meaning you already know.

So ... How Important Is Vocab for Your SAT Score?

At the end of the day, there are only a handful of questions that feature difficult vocabulary. This means that we estimate vocab questions can have a 20-30 point impact on your Reading and Writing score (out of 800). This isn't that big.

If you're scoring in the 400-600 range (which means you're missing 1/3-2/3 of all questions), vocabulary is definitely not the best way to improve your score. Instead, it's much better to spend your time learning passage-reading strategies and key SAT grammar rules .

Only when you're breaking 600 on EBRW  and really trying to get that perfect Reading / Writing score  does studying vocabulary start to become a worthwhile endeavor.

Overall, you should be smart about analyzing your SAT practice tests and seeing if you're missing easy questions that test vocabulary, or whether you're only missing hard ones because you don't know the vocab.

Why Do So Many People Obsess Over SAT Vocabulary?

It's true that many students think vocab is a great way to spend their SAT study time, which might make you think it's a good idea, too. But if what I just told you is true, why do so many test takers waste time studying vocab? Here are a couple of major reasons:

#1: Test-Prep Companies Push Vocab to Appear Smarter

Vocab studying is a great way for SAT companies to seem  as if they're teaching you something. F or example, a test-prep company might claim to have an exclusive set of words, or it might boast a comprehensive 2,000 word collection, which is " definitely better than a 500-word collection!" This is more marketing speak than it is something actually useful for improving your SAT score.

In addition, some test-prep companies still haven't fully adjusted to the 2016 SAT change. As an example, some of the SAT prep books that are supposed to target the "new SAT" still use old SAT questions and material!

#2: Studying Vocab Often Feels Productive

Studying vocab can make you feel as though you're making a lot of progress in your prep. After all, you're learning a lot of words you never knew before! Just like collecting stamps, it feels great to have a complete set of words committed to memory.

Unfortunately, this might not lead to an increase in your score. Imagine you memorized 1,000 French words; this wouldn't actually increase your SAT score, right? Well, studying most SAT vocab lists is the same—m ost words on these will have a very low chance of appearing on the SAT.

How to Study SAT Vocab the Right Way: The Waterfall Method

As I mentioned above, if you are scoring above 600 on EBRW and are also aiming for a near-perfect score, it's appropriate for you to study vocabulary. In this section, we're going to cover the most effective method for memorizing SAT vocab. This is the same technique I myself used to memorize enough vocab to score a perfect 2400 on the old SAT (and a perfect 1600 on the very old SAT) .

First, you're going to need a set of SAT words. Luckily, we've prepared a  list of 262 SAT vocab words most likely to appear on the SAT . All of these words come from official SAT practice tests and other high-quality SAT vocab lists, so memorizing these is an excellent place to start!

Exclusive Free Bonus: Download a free guide containing 200 SAT vocabulary flashcards and instructions on how to print them. Use them with the strategy coming next to memorize them in the best way.

I call the way I study SAT vocab the Waterfall Method.  This method essentially forces you to focus on words you don't know while preventing you from wasting time on words you already know. It's based on a proven memorization technique called Spaced Repetition.

Start with a stack of 30-50 vocab words:

Review each card. If you know the definition right away, put it in a Know It pile. If you struggled to remember the definition, put it in a Struggled pile. You'll end up with two stacks of word cards:

Pick up the Struggled pile and repeat the process. The Struggled pile will have fewer words than your Starting Stack does. Put the words you know this time around into a second Know It pile and the words you're still struggling with in a new Struggled pile.

You should now have three separate stacks of cards:

Keep repeating this process until you have just one to five words left in your last Struggled pile:

I call this method the Waterfall Method because we essentially have a cascading waterfall, in which words that are really hard for you keep tumbling into farther and farther piles.

Theoretically, at this point you should know nearly all the words in the entire set. Now, we're going to go back up the waterfall.

Combine your last Struggled pile with your last Know It pile. This will become your Working Pile:

Now, review all the words in this pile. If you forget any words, go through all of them again. Yep—this is harsh, but it's the only way you're going to memorize all the words. You'll need to be strict about making sure you learn each and every word.

Once you've remembered all the words, combine this pile with the next highest pile:

At the very end, you should end up back with a Starting Stack. And you'll know every single word!

Why Does the Waterfall Method Work So Well?

The reason that this method is so effective is that you'll review the hardest words for you more than 10 times more often than easy words.

Most students just go through vocab lists from front to back. They might already know half the list, but they spend equal time on words they know and words they don't know (but really,  really need to learn).

Now that you've learned how to use the Waterfall Method, you'll be a smarter SAT studier and can concentrate far more on getting down the hardest vocabulary words for you.

Where Can I Find More SAT Vocabulary Words?

Looking for more SAT words or other vocab lists to study with? You've come to the right place. At PrepScholar, we've created tons of relevant guides for you. Here are some of our best resources for SAT vocabulary practice:

• ACT Vocabulary | Words You Must Know :  Since the SAT's redesign in 2016 , the vocab you need to know for it has become extremely similar to that you need to know for the ACT. This article introduces 15 high-frequency ACT/SAT vocab words.
• The Best ACT Vocabulary Lists on the Web :  Once again, since the SAT is so similar to the ACT, it's a good idea to also look for (quality) ACT vocab lists. This guide goes over the very best online ACT/SAT vocab lists.
• The 200 SAT Words You Need to Know :  Although this list actually targets the old version of the SAT (back when vocab words on the SAT were a lot harder and more obscure), it's a good resource to use if you've already exhausted the materials above and are aiming for a perfect SAT Reading / Writing score . As a bonus, you also get free printable flashcards.
• The Vocabulary You Need for SAT Reading Passages : It's important to make sure you know the meanings of common reading-related words such as "allusion" and "simile." This way, you won't get stuck on a question that asks you to identify the "tone" of a passage!

These are our best, most comprehensive articles on SAT vocab. But what about other resources? Below are our picks for the top  additional resources you can use for SAT vocab prep:

• Official SAT practice tests and sample questions :  Perhaps the best resources (aside from our own!) for SAT vocab practice are those made by the College Board itself. Look for words in official practice tests and questions, and make flashcards for the ones you don't know.
• Khan Academy :  This free online SAT prep website offers tons of College Board-approved SAT Reading and Writing questions, which you can use to pinpoint new vocab words. You should also check out our guide on  how to effectively use Khan Academy in your SAT prep .
• Your Dictionary — 100 Most Common SAT Words :  Although this vocab list was written for the old version of the SAT, most of the words on it are still super relevant to the current SAT.

Finally, if you're interested in using  pre-made vocab flashcards,  I recommend browsing the SAT-labeled decks on Cram and  Quizlet . In general, stick with decks that were made in 2016 or later; this lets you ensure that the words in them are relevant to the current SAT. (Note that it's OK to use older decks, just as long as you're aware that they're going to have much harder words than you probably need to know.)

For more tips, read our in-depth guide o n how to find quality SAT vocab resources and use them effectively in your prep .

What's Next?

Vocab doesn't play a big part on the SAT, but it's still important to know if you're aiming for a high score. Learn how important vocab is on the SAT , and get info on how many vocab questions there are on the SAT and how to prepare for them .

Want more help studying SAT vocab? Check out our guide to learn the best resources you can use for quality SAT vocab practice .

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What Is the SAT Essay?

College Board

• February 28, 2024

The SAT Essay section is a lot like a typical writing assignment in which you’re asked to read and analyze a passage and then produce an essay in response to a single prompt about that passage. It gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your reading, analysis, and writing skills—which are critical to readiness for success in college and career—and the scores you’ll get back will give you insight into your strengths in these areas as well as indications of any areas that you may still need to work on.

The Essay section is only available in certain states where it’s required as part of SAT School Day administrations. If you’re going to be taking the SAT during school , ask your counselor if it will include the Essay section. If it’s included, the Essay section will come after the Reading and Writing and Math sections and will add an additional 50 minutes .

What You’ll Do

• Read a passage between 650 and 750 words in length.
• Explain how the author builds an argument to persuade an audience.
• Support your explanation with evidence from the passage.

You won’t be asked to agree or disagree with a position on a topic or to write about your personal experience.

The Essay section shows how well you understand the passage and are able to use it as the basis for a well-written, thought-out discussion. Your score will be based on three categories.

Reading: A successful essay shows that you understood the passage, including the interplay of central ideas and important details. It also shows an effective use of textual evidence.

Analysis: A successful essay shows your understanding of how the author builds an argument by:

• Examining the author’s use of evidence, reasoning, and other stylistic and persuasive techniques
• Supporting and developing claims with well-chosen evidence from the passage

Writing: A successful essay is focused, organized, and precise, with an appropriate style and tone that varies sentence structure and follows the conventions of standard written English.

Learn more about how the SAT Essay is scored.

Want to practice? Log in to the Bluebook™ testing application , go to the Practice and Prepare section, and choose full-length practice test . There are 3 practice Essay   tests. Once you submit your response, go to MyPractice.Collegeboard.org , where you’ll see your essay, a scoring guide and rubric so that you can score yourself, and student samples for various scores to compare your self-score with a student at the same level.

After the Test

You’ll get your Essay score the same way you’ll get your scores for the Reading and Writing and Math sections. If you choose to send your SAT scores to colleges, your Essay score will be reported along with your other section scores from that test day. Even though Score Choice™   allows you to choose which day’s scores you send to colleges, you can never send only some scores from a certain test day. For instance, you can’t choose to send Math scores but not SAT Essay scores.

Until 2021, the SAT Essay was also an optional section when taking the SAT on a weekend. That section was discontinued in 2021.

If you don’t have the opportunity to take the SAT Essay section as part of the SAT, don’t worry. There are other ways to show your writing skills as part of the work you’re already doing on your path to college. The SAT can help you stand out on college applications , as it continues to measure the writing and analytical skills that are essential to college and career readiness. And, if you want to demonstrate your writing skills even more, you can also consider taking an AP English course .

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250 SAT Vocabulary Words You Must Know in 2023

June 7, 2023

Calling all SAT preppers! If you’ve landed here, odds are you’re in the midst of studying for the big test, engrossing yourself in practice books galore. We here at College Transitions recommend you study often and early—a practice that will prove most advantageous to your score prospects. (For more information on when the SAT is offered and when we recommend taking it, see our guide here . Or if you’re interested in the ACT instead, we have that covered too !) Either way, you’ll need to brush up on those SAT vocabulary words. Have you heard of words like cacophony or loquacious ? Can you identify them in a sentence? In this article, we’ll cover the top 250 vocabulary words you should know for the SAT. For the complete vocabulary list, read on ahead. Or, as we might say, peruse the list below!

What Vocabulary Do I Need to Know for the SAT?

Perhaps you’ve heard your parents talk about the good old days of pulling late-night study sessions, reviewing the most esoteric vocabulary words they could find. Don’t worry, that won’t be you. Since 2016, the College Board has revamped the SAT, and the oft-lamented SAT Vocabulary section has drastically changed. Now, the SAT tests your vocabulary within the context of reading passages. Additionally, you will find some vocabulary questions embedded in the Writing and Language section of the SAT, where you’ll be asked to substitute one word for a more fitting one.

So, while you might not need to look for the most arcane words out there, we recommend hitting the books and studying vocabulary lists to guarantee that you achieve the highest score possible. If you’re wondering exactly how high that score needs to land you admission to the nation’s top college, check out our chart of admission rates and statistics. Once you’ve finished reviewing these vocabulary words—or, ideally, while studying them—check out our guide on the top math formulas for the SAT and ACT here .

How to Prepare for the SAT Vocab Section

• Make flashcards with the word on one side and the definition on another. Include a sentence or two, so you know how the term is used and what part of speech it occupies.
• Rather than reviewing every word, scan the list for unfamiliar ones and focus on those.
• The College Board offers free practice tests. Here’s one for you to try out .
• Review, review, review.

250 of the Best SAT Vocab Words to Know in 2023

1) abandon – v. give up completely

2) abate – v. lessen

3) abject – adj. completely without pride or dignity

4) aberration – n. deviation from the norm

5) abjure – v. renounce a belief, cause, or claim

6) abnegation – n. renounce or reject something

7) abrogate – v. do away with (a law, right, or responsibility)

8) abscond – v. flee

9) abstruse – adj. dense or obscure

10) abysmal – adj. terrible

11) accede – v. agree to a demand

12) acumen – n. ability to make good judgments

13) adamant – adj. stubborn

14) adapt – v. modify

15) admonish – v. reprimand someone

16) affluent – adj. wealthy

17) alacrity – n. brisk eagerness

18) ambivalence – n. state of uncertainty

19) antipathy – n. strong dislike

20) antiseptic – adj. clean or pure

SAT Vocabulary Words (Continued)

21) assertion – n. statement

22) assiduous – adj. showing great care

23) beguile – v. charm or enchant

24) berate – v. scold or criticize

25) bereft – adj. deprived or lacking

26) blandishment – n. a flattering statement used to persuade someone

27) bias – n. prejudice

28) bombastic – adj. inflated

29) bovine – adj. cow-like

30) braggart – n. someone who boasts

31) brevity – n. concise

32) cacophony – n. a discordant mixture of sounds

33) cajole – v. persuade someone via flattery

34) callous – adj. cruel disregard for others

35) calumny – n. slander

36) camaraderie – n. friendship

37) candid – adj. truthful

38) candor – n. quality of being honest

39) carouse – v. drink and party in a lively way

40) carp – v. complain about trivial matters

41) cavort – v. dance around excitedly

42) censorious – adj. critical of others

43) circumlocution – n. using many words, particularly in an evasive way

44) circumscribe – v. restrict within limits

45) clamor – n. a loud and confused noise

46) clout – n. influence or power

47) cognizant – adj. having knowledge of

48) commensurate – adj. equal to

49) comparable – adj. similar to another thing

50) complement – v. add to or make complete

51) compunction – n. a feeling of guilt

52) concomitant – adj. naturally accompanying

53) conduit – n. a vessel or channel for transporting something

54) conflagration – n. a large fire

55) connive – v. trick; conspire

56) consign – v. assign or deliver something into someone else’s custody

57) constituent – adj. being part of a whole

58) construe – v. interpret

59) contend – v. reckon with; struggle against

60) contusion – n. a bruise

SAT Vocab Words (Continued)

61) contrite – adj. feeling of remorse or guilt

62) contentious – adj. likely to cause an argument

63) contravene– adj. violate the order of; conflict

64) convivial – adj. friendly and cheerful environment 

65) corpulence – n. obesity; fatness 

66) covet – v. want greatly

67) cupidity – n. greed for money

68) dearth – n. a lack of something

69) debacle – n. a fiasco or failure

70) debauch – v. ruin or debase, particularly in a moral sense

71) defunct – adj. no longer working

72) demagogue – n. a political leader who appeals to the prejudices of the common people

73) demur – v. show reluctance; raise objections

74) denigrate – v. disparage

75) despot – n. a tyrant

76) diaphanous – adj. light and translucent

77) dirge – n. song of lament for the dead

78) discomfit – v. make someone uncomfortable

79) disparate – adj. different from one another

80) disrepute – n. state of disgrace

81) duplicity – n. deceitfulness

82) duress – n. intimidation or coercion to force someone to perform an act

83) eclectic – adj. wide-ranging

84) edict – n. an official order

85) ebullient – adj. cheerful and lively

86) effluvia – n. unpleasant odor

87) egregious – adj. outstandingly bad

88) elegy – n. a poem of reflection, typically a lament for the dead

89) elicit – v. evoke or draw out

90) eloquent – adj. well-spoken

91) elude  – v. escape one’s grasp

92) emollient – adj. soothing  

93) empirical – adj. based on (as evidence)

94) emulate – v. imitate

95) enervate – v. weaken; drain of energy

96) engender – v. bring about

97) ephemeral – adj. short-lived

98) equanimity – n. mental calmness

99) equivocal – adj. ambiguous

100) evanescent – adj. fading quickly from sight

101) evince – v. reveal the presence of

102) exacerbate – v. make worse

103) exhort – v. strongly encourage someone to do something

104) execrable – adj. extremely bad or unpleasant

105) exigent – adj. pressing, demanding

106) expedient – adj. (of an action) convenient though possibly improper   

107) expiate – v. atone for guilt or sin

108) expunge – v. get rid of

109) extraneous – adj. irrelevant

110) extol – v. praise

111) fallacious – adj. false; based on mistaken belief

112) fatuous – adj. silly and pointless

113) flagrant – adj. obviously offensive

114) forbearance – n. restraint; self-control 

115) fortuitous – adj. happening by chance

116) fractious – adj. irritable and difficult to control

117) garrulous – adj. talkative

118) grandiloquent – adj. pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner

119) gratuitous – adj. uncalled for; unnecessary

120) hapless – adj. unfortunate

121) hegemony – n. leadership or dominance, particularly of one country over another

122) heterogenous – adj. not uniform; varied

123) iconoclast – n. a person who veers from the norm; a person who attacks cherished beliefs

124) impecunious – adj. having little money; penniless

125) impetuous – adj. acting without care

126) impinge – v. encroach on

127) impute – v. attribute to

128) inane – adj. ridiculous

129) inchoate – adj. just beginning; not fully formed

130) incontrovertible – adj. unable to be denied

131) inexorable – adj. impossible to prevent

132) inimical – adj. tending to obstruct or harm; unfriendly

133) injunction – n. an authoritative order

134) inoculate – v. immunize someone against

135) insidious – adj. harmful

136) instigate – v. bring about; incite

137) insurgent – n. rebel or revolutionary

138) interlocutor – n. someone engaged in conversation

139) inure – v. to be accustomed to something, particularly something unpleasant  

140) intransigent – adj. stubborn; unwilling to change one’s views

141) inveterate – adj. long-established and unlikely to change (of a habit)

142) irreverence – n. lack of respect for

143) largesse – n. generosity in bestowing money or gifts

144) licentious – adj. promiscuous

145) litigant – n. a person involved in a lawsuit

146) maelstrom – n. a powerful storm; turmoil

147) maudlin – adj. overly sentimental; self-pitying

148) maverick – n. independent-minded person; a nonconformist

149) mawkish – adj. sentimental in a sweet or sickly way

150) maxim – n. a short, pithy statement of truth

151) mendacious – adj. lying

152) meretricious – adj. appearing attractive but having little value

153) modicum – n. a small quantity of something

154) morass – n. a mess; a complicated situation

155) munificent – adj. generous

156) nadir – n. lowest point

157) negligent – adj. failing to do something; neglectful

158) neophyte – n. a person who is new to a subject, skill, or belief

159) noisome – adj. disagreeable; having an offensive smell

160) noxious – adj. poisonous; harmful

161) obdurate – adj. stubborn

162) obfuscate – v. render unclear; bewilder someone

163) obstreperous – adj. noisy and difficult to control; disorderly

164) officious – adj. self-assertive, overbearing

165) onerous – adj. involving many obligations or effort

166) ostensible – adj. seemingly so

167) ostracism –   n. exclusion from a group

168) palliate – v. make less severe

169) panacea –   n. a remedy for all diseases 

170) paradigm –   n. typical example or pattern of something; a model

171) pariah – n. an outcast

172) paucity – n. a lack of; scarcity

173) pejorative – adj. expressing contempt or disapproval

174) penchant – n. habitual liking for something; a tendency toward

175) penurious – adj. poverty-stricken

176) pert – adj. attractive; impudent or saucy

177) pernicious – adj. having a harmful effect on

178) pertinacious – adj. holding firmly to a course; determined

179) phlegmatic – adj. self-controlled; calm and stoic  

180) philanthropic – adj. generous, particularly in a monetary sense

181) pithy – adj. concise and expressive

182) plaudit – n. expression of praise

183) plenitude – n. an abundance; full or complete

184) plethora – n. an abundance of

185) potentate – n. monarch or ruler

186) preclude – v. prevent from taking place

187) predilection – n. preference or liking for something

188) probity – n. honesty; integrity 

189) proclivity – n. the tendency toward

190) profligate – adj. recklessly extravagant

191) promulgate – v. promote widely

192) proscribe – v. forbid by law

193) protean – adj. able to change easily

194) prurient – adj. overly sexual

195) puerile – adj. childishly silly

196) pugnacious – adj. quick to fight

197) punctilious – adj. paying attention to detail

198) quaint – adj. old-fashioned

199) quixotic – adj. idealistic

200) quandary – n. state of perplexity; a dilemma

201) recalcitrant – adj. uncooperative attitude

202) relegate – v. cast to a lower rank or role

203) remiss – adj. negligent

204) reprieve – n. a cancellation or postponement of a punishment

205) reprobate – n. unprincipled person

206) rescind – v. take back

207) ribald – adj. improper; lewd

208) rife – adj. filled with; widespread

209) sanctimonious – adj. being morally superior to others

210) sanguine – adj. optimistic

211) scurrilous – adj. spreading disparaging claims about someone; slanderous

212) serendipity – n. chance or good luck

213) solicitous – adj. attentive to

214) spurious – adj. statement that appears truthful but is false  

215) staid – adj. sedate, respectable

216) stolid – adj. calm and dependable

217) supercilious – adj. behaving in a haughty manner

218) surfeit – n. excessive amount

219) surreptitious – adj. keep secret

220) tangential – adj. peripheral to the central matter

221) terse – adj. brief

222) toady – n. a person who behaves in an obsequious way (a suck-up)  

223) torpid – adj. lethargic; inactive

224) travesty – n. a false representation of something

225) trenchant – adj. vigorous in expression; sharp

226) trounce – v. defeat heavily

227) truculent – adj. eager to argue or fight

228) turpitude – n. depravity, wickedness

229) ubiquitous – adj. present everywhere

230) umbrage – n. offense (i.e., to take umbrage at)

231) undulate – v. move in a wave-like pattern 

232) unmitigated – adj. not lessoned; absolute

233) unveil – v. reveal

234) upbraid – v. scold or find fault with someone

235) upshot – n. the outcome or result of an action 

236) usury – n. unethical money lending

237) veracity – n. truth or accuracy

238) vestige – n. trace or remnant of something gone

239) viability – n. ability to work successfully

240) vicissitude – n. a change of circumstances

241) vilify – v. speak about in a disparaging manner

242) virtuoso – n. highly-skilled person, particularly in the arts

243) vital – adj. necessary

244) vitriolic – adj. filled with hatred

245) vituperate – v. blame or insult someone strongly

246) vociferous – adj. vehement (of speech); outspoken

247) wanton – adj. deliberate and unprovoked; sexually unrestrained

248) winsome – adj. attractive or charming

249) yield – v. surrender, give way to pressure

250) yoke – v. tie two things together

251) zenith – n. the peak

Additional Resources:

If you enjoyed our list of the 250 SAT Words You Must Know, you may also wish to check out the following College Transitions blogs:

• 130 GRE Words You Must Know
• 30 Literary Devices High School Students Should Know
• 20 Rhetorical Devices High School Students Should Know
• Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken – Analysis and Meaning
• Themes in the Great Gatsby

Lauren Green

With a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, Lauren has been a professional writer for over a decade. She is the author of the chapbook  A Great Dark House  (Poetry Society of America, 2023) and a forthcoming novel (Viking/Penguin).

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The Reading and Writing Section

Download bluebook to start practicing for the digital sat..

The Reading and Writing section presents short reading passages (or passage pairs) followed by a single multiple-choice question. Questions on the Reading and Writing section represent one of four content domains—Craft and Structure, Information and Ideas, Standard English Conventions, and Expression of Ideas. To help you budget your time, questions that test similar skills and knowledge are grouped together and arranged from easiest to hardest.

The test is divided into 2 modules, each of which includes questions from all four different domains.

What the Reading and Writing Passages Are Like

The passages in the Reading and Writing section range from 25 to 150 words. Passages represent the subject areas of literature, history/social studies, the humanities, and science.

What the Reading and Writing Questions Are Like

The questions on the Reading and Writing section fall into four content domains:

• Information and Ideas Measures comprehension, analysis, and reasoning skills and knowledge and the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, and integrate information and ideas from texts and informational graphics (tables, bar graphs, and line graphs).
• Craft and Structure Measures the comprehension, vocabulary, analysis, synthesis, and reasoning skills and knowledge needed to understand and use high-utility words and phrases in context, evaluate texts rhetorically, and make connections between topically related texts.
• Expression of Ideas Measures the ability to revise texts to improve the effectiveness of written expression and to meet specific rhetorical goals.
• Standard English Conventions Measures the ability to edit text to conform to core conventions of Standard English sentence structure, usage, and punctuation.

Start Practicing

Start studying for the digital SAT today by downloading Bluebook™ and taking a full-length SAT test in the same application you will use on test day. Full-length digital SAT practice in Bluebook familiarizes students with the test application interface and supporting tools and features like formula sheets, digital accommodations, and calculators.

From the My Practice dashboard on the College Board website, you'll immediately see your adaptively scored practice test results and a practice test review of the test items, the correct answers, and a thorough explanation of the answer.

Armed with a baseline understanding of your performance on the digital SAT, you can use your score results and individual item responses to delve further into digital SAT preparation content on Khan Academy ® .

In partnership with College Board, Khan Academy has built a digital SAT course that includes videos, articles and worked examples designed to help you understand and experience what’s new and improved about the digital SAT.

If you're testing with paper-based accommodations on test day, prepare for the digital SAT with our linear (nonadaptive) practice tests 1–4 available for download.

Full-length Practice Tests in Bluebook

Practice with one of the full-length adaptive digital Practice Tests in Bluebook, then select "View your score" to access scores, correct answers, and rationales.

• Go to Bluebook

Build Your SAT Vocabulary_The Master Word List

The master word list.

The more you study actual SAT critical reading questions, the more you realize one thing: the key to doing well on the critical reading portions of the SAT is a strong working vocabulary of college-level words . And the key to building that strong working vocabulary can be summed up in one word: READ.

Read widely, read deeply, read daily. If you do, your vocabulary will grow. If you don’t, it won’t.

Reading widely, however, may not always help you remember the words you read. You may have the words in your passive vocabulary and be able to recognize them when you see them in a context and yet be unable to define them clearly or think of synonyms for them. In addition, unless you have already begun to upgrade your reading to the college level, reading widely also may not acquaint you most efficiently with college-level words.

What are college-level words? In going through the preceding chapter, you have examined dozens of questions modeled on those on the SAT. Some of the words in these questions have been familiar to you; others have not. Still others have looked familiar but have turned out to be defined in unexpected ways.

One of the major changes in the SAT involves vocabulary. The SAT has eliminated vocabulary questions involving esoteric words like, for example, “esoteric.” Instead, vocabulary questions on the SAT involve common words used in uncommon ways, as well as words with multiple meanings whose specific meaning you can uncover by examining the context in which they occur.

Here is what the test-makers say about the new vocabulary questions: “These words and phrases are neither highly obscure nor specific to any one domain. They are words and phrases whose specific meaning and rhetorical purpose are derived in large part through the context in which they are used.” In other words, they are not technical jargon. They are words whose basic meaning you are likely to know, high-utility words likely to appear in many types of reading.

For this reason, in revising our Master Word List, we have eliminated many college-level vocabulary words that are unlikely to appear as question words on the SAT and that are also unlikely to crop up in the reading passages you will find on the test. However, we have retained college-level vocabulary words that are likely to occur in the sorts of reading passages you will encounter. Even though these words will not be tested in the vocabulary-in-context questions on the test, they are important words, words you need to know on this SAT and in your future college career.

Use the vocabulary lists in this chapter to upgrade your vocabulary to a college level. They are all excellent vocabulary building tools.

Select words from the word list to create flashcards of words you want to master. Work up memory tricks to help yourself remember them. Try using them on your parents and friends. Not only will going over these words reassure you that you do know some SAT-type words, but also it may well help you on the actual day of the test. These words have turned up on previous tests; some of them may well turn up on the test you take.

The Master Word List begins on the following page. Do not let this list overwhelm you . You do not need to memorize every word.

You can use this list as a sort of dictionary. When you come across an unfamiliar word in your reading and can’t figure out its meaning from the context, look it up in the word list. The illustrative sentence may help make the word’s meaning clear.

For each word, the following is provided:

1. The word (printed in heavy type).

2. Its part of speech (abbreviated).

3. A brief definition.

4. A sentence illustrating the word’s use.

5. Whenever appropriate, related words are provided, together with their parts of speech.

The word lists are arranged in strict alphabetical order.

A PLAN FOR MASTERING THE ENTIRE LIST

1.Allot a definite time each day for the study of a list.

2.Devote at least one hour to each list.

3.First go through the list looking at the short, simple-looking words (7 letters at most). Mark those you don’t know. In studying, pay particular attention to them.

4.Go through the list again looking at the longer words. Pay particular attention to words with more than one meaning and familiar-looking words that have unusual definitions that come as a surprise to you. Study these secondary definitions.

5.List unusual words on index cards that you can shuffle and review from time to time.

6.Use the illustrative sentences in the list as models and make up new sentences of your own.

SAT Word Lists

• SAT Word List 1: abate-acuity
• SAT Word List 2: acumen-allegory
• SAT Word List 3: alleviate-anomalous
• SAT Word List 4: anomaly-articulate
• SAT Word List 5: artifact-avalanche
• SAT Word List 6: avarice-blare
• SAT Word List 7: blasé-cacophonous
• SAT Word List 8: cajole-chary
• SAT Word List 9: chasten-comeuppance
• SAT Word List 10: commandeer-confound
• SAT Word List 11: confrontation-corrosive
• SAT Word List 12: cosmopolitan-defiance
• SAT Word List 13: definition-detrimental
• SAT Word List 14: deviate-disengage
• SAT Word List 15: disgruntle-dutiful
• SAT Word List 16: dwarf-engage
• SAT Word List 17: engaging-execrable
• SAT Word List 18: execute-falter
• SAT Word List 19: fanaticism-forensic
• SAT Word List 20: foreshadow-germinal
• SAT Word List 21: germinate-homage
• SAT Word List 22: homogeneous-implement
• SAT Word List 23: implicate-indices
• SAT Word List 24: indifferent-insolvent
• SAT Word List 25: instigate-jargon
• SAT Word List 26: jeopardize-magnanimous
• SAT Word List 27: magnate-misapprehension
• SAT Word List 28: miscellany-neophyte
• SAT Word List 29: nepotism-opus
• SAT Word List 30: oracular-pathetic
• SAT Word List 31: pathological-platitude
• SAT Word List 32: plausible-pretentious
• SAT Word List 33: pretext-prudent
• SAT Word List 34: prune-rebuke
• SAT Word List 35: rebuttal-renounce
• SAT Word List 36: renovate-retrograde
• SAT Word List 37: retrospective-sedentary
• SAT Word List 38: sedition-sporadic
• SAT Word List 39: spurious-succinct
• SAT Word List 40: succumb-terminology
• SAT Word List 41: terrestrial-ulterior
• SAT Word List 42: ultimate-verity
• SAT Word List 43: vernacular-zealot

More Information

SAT Essay Part III: Vocabulary and Sentence Structure

Yes, the graders: those mysterious and shadowy officials in suits, deciding your fate with slashes of a red pen in some windowless bunker deep underneath a top-secret military compound in Nevada.

Actually the graders aren't so mysterious or shadowy. They're normal people with professional experience writing and teaching, whom the College Board hires to grade your essays. They are not out to get you. In fact, they are encouraged to look for the virtues of your essay, rather than punish its flaws. They are also given pretty clear guidelines for what to look for and how to grade; guidelines that have, thankfully, been shared with us ordinary mortals.

I discussed some of the guidelines in my previous posts, and some of them are fairly obvious, such as keeping your essay mostly free of grammatical mistakes. But two of the guidelines are a little less obvious, while still being fairly easy to develop and achieve, and these are what I want to talk about in this post.

The first of these guidelines say that your essay should "exhibit skillful use of language, using a varied, apt, and accurate vocabulary."

What does this mean? Contrary to what you might think, it doesn't mean you should always spring for the five syllable word or flowery phrase, although the occasional fancy vocab word won't hurt if you've got one up your sleeve and it's appropriate. Driving a "combustion-engine-powered motor-coach" in your essay won't score you any more points than driving a car, and a “gent with nefarious malintent" is just as useful to your essay guy who is mean. What you really should be aiming for is to make your vocabulary specific and vivid, particularly the verbs. Did you just "go" to the store, or did you "stroll" there, or "drag yourself" there? Was it "hard" to read the book, or was it "tedious" and "exhausting", or was it "challenging"? Use words to specify your meaning as precisely as possible . And if you can avoid it, don't hide the action of the verb in the passive voice, as in "It was heartbreaking to see him". The main verb in that sentence is "was", which is, frankly, a boring word. Put the real action front and center where it has more punch: "It broke my heart to see him". "To break" will grab the readers' attention more than "to be", and will give your whole essay more personality. Basically, the point is: try to use words that really describe what's going on and make it more vivid, rather than just refer to what's going on and leave it at that. This is how you can tell the difference between fancy words that are helpful to the essay and fancy words that are unnecessary.

The other guideline is that your essay should "demonstrate meaningful variety in sentence structure."  This actually means something quite specific.

Unfortunately it's a bit dry to explain, but it's quite important, so bear with me. In short, this guideline means that your essay should exhibit three kinds of sentences: simple, complex, and compound. A simple sentence isn't just one that's small or uncomplicated, it means a sentence that has one subject and one verb: "My mom went to the store", "A dog is a man's best friend", "I didn't know that". A complex sentence is a sentence with two independent clauses connected by what's called a "coordinating conjunction" like "and" or "but." Examples are: "I wanted to go to the store, but I didn't know where it was"; "I always thought he was a mean guy, and I never liked him." A compound sentence is one that has two clauses that are complete clauses but are not of equal weight. In this kind of sentence the clauses are usually separated by what's called a "subordinating conjunction." Subordinating conjunctions can be words like "although" or "nevertheless", and an example of a compound sentence would be something like "I had never been to that store, although I had wanted to go for a long time." The second clause, the one that starts with "although," could technically stand on its own as a sentence. But you wouldn't really get the full force of the meaning without the first clause as well. The two clauses are not just related, they work together; one supports the other, defines it, colors it in.

The good people who grade the SAT essay want to see that you can use all three kinds of sentences. This is partly because they want to see that you have versatility, but also because using all three kinds of sentences gives your writing an air of maturity and sophistication that is valuable and that comes across well. Sometimes a short sentence is good. At other times, however, it's best to use a longer, more complicated sentence, because that's what the occasion really calls for. See what I mean? The last two sentences are a living example of varied sentence structure.

I know this seems like a lot of information. In fact, this blog post itself is about as long as your essay will end up being! But don't lose heart. With a little bit of practice you can make a big improvement, especially with an SAT tutor there to help point out where your sentence structure could be varied, or where your vocabulary could be made more vivid. Once you get the hang of it, then on test day, when the timer is ticking, you'll know just what to do. The essay will feel like a familiar and easy chore, and the graders will seem like old friends.

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Digital SAT Reading and Writing

Course: digital sat reading and writing   >   unit 3, words in context | lesson.

• Words in context — Worked example
• Words in Context — Quick example
• Words in context: foundations

What are "words in context" questions?

• (Choice A)   jarring A jarring
• (Choice B)   scholarly B scholarly
• (Choice C)   melodic C melodic
• (Choice D)   personal D personal

How should we determine the most "precise" word?

Statement. Restatement.

In recommending Bao Phi’s collection Sông I Sing, a librarian noted that pieces by the spoken-word poet don’t lose their ______ nature when printed: the language has the same pleasant musical quality on the page as it does when performed by Phi.

• The poems keep their _____ nature when printed.
• The poems have the same pleasant musical quality when "on the page".

Connotation

• The basketball star's promising play this season suggests a bright future.
• The dark, ominous clouds on the horizon suggest a storm is coming.

How to approach words in context questions

Step 1: Summarize the text in your own words

Step 2: Identify the key word, phrase, or idea

Step 3: Select the word that matches

Charge it (+/-)

Avoid unknowns.

• Eliminate what you can from the words you do know
• Select an option from what remains.
• (Choice A)   Characteristic A Characteristic
• (Choice B)   Standard B Standard
• (Choice C)   Prestige C Prestige
• (Choice D)   Accomplishment D Accomplishment

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SAT Vocabulary List

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The SAT is designed to measure your knowledge and skills in reading and writing, and vocabulary has always been a crucial component in this assessment.

Vocabulary plays a crucial role in both the passages of the questions themselves and the answer choices given - if you do not understand both you'll have a hard time answering the question.

How does the digital SAT test vocabulary?

On the digital SAT, vocabulary isn't tested in isolation anymore - it's in the context of other sentences in the same passage.

Complex words and phrases often appear in the passages you are asked to interpret, and many questions will require you to infer meanings of these terms.

You will be asked to choose the most appropriate word or phrase in given sentences or passages, thereby assessing your word-choice skills and your understanding of tone and style. So, while learning word definitions is still vital, you also need to understanding how to use the words correctly in context.

How should I prepare?

Memorizing the definitions of the following list of 369 words is a good start. If you want an interactive experience, try our free Vocabulary Flashcard Tool to help you memorize these words.

Once you memorize at least 100 words, try tackling some Words in Context questions in our Practice Mode to measure your progress.

Memorize the Top 400 SAT Words Without Frustration

If you've read this previous post , you should know that the single most important thing required to do well on critical reading is to memorize vocabulary. It's also probably the single most painful thing to do when studying for the SAT's.

Why I Don't Like Physical Flash Cards and Lists

When you look at what some students go through to cram some vocab in their heads, it's no wonder most students don't bother.

Stacks of flash cards sprawled out across the desk. Not knowing which words to review. Wasting time flipping through words you already know. Forgetting the ones you did a week ago...

There are several things that make stacks of flash cards and gigantic lists extremely ineffective. First, you don't know when to stop. And when you do stop, you feel guilty for not studying more. There's nothing more intimidating than pages upon pages of SAT words and their definitions. In fact, it's so overwhelming that most students either give up after a certain point or don't start at all.

Then there's the problem of going over words you already know but you're not sure you know. Or thinking you know the definitions when you really don't.

Fortunately, there's a free program that solves all those problems and makes the whole process of memorizing things as painless as possible.

Anki is a spaced-repetition software that manages flashcards and presents them to you at the optimal time.

It's based on a complex algorithm that gets closer and closer to timing your brain's memory based on your responses. Numerous research studies have found that the best way to remember something is to regularly encounter it just as you're about to forget it.

Sorry, there just isn't a way to just look at a word once and remember it forever.

While it does takes repetition at regular intervals for our brains to fully process and store information, Anki makes this ridiculously easy. Words that you already know will show up the least often while words you struggle with will show up more frequently. That way, you're maximizing your time with unfamiliar words while still maintaining a connection with the ones you've done.

Anki sets the amount of words you review each day so you know when to stop and you won't feel guilty about it. If you're particularly ambitious, you can configure that setting to a higher amount or review more often than once per day.

Anki's flashcards force you to be honest with yourself. Either you can recite the definition or you can't. No peeking at the definition like you would on a wordlist.

Anki can be used and synced with any computer or phone, so you have easy access to your daily flashcards wherever you are.

Getting Started

First, download Anki for your computer at https://apps.ankiweb.net/

Install the program onto your computer. After you've installed it, open it up and you should have a blank slate with just the "Default" deck. A deck is a stack of flashcards.

The next step is to either import someone else's deck or write your own. Luckily for you, I have made a free deck for everyone containing the top 400 words (using an outside analysis of over 60 released exams). Definitions are as student-friendly as possible and each card also includes the part of speech and the percentage of times the word has shown up in past released exams. My students have used the other shared decks but they are either too overwhelming (with thousands of words) or riddled with typos and bad definitions.

400 SAT Words

Why 400 words? The SAT will test you on much more but I've found that 400 is the perfect dose to get the greatest score improvement with the least amount of effort. Students of mine have memorized all 400 (well, there's actually 405 in the deck) in as little as 2-3 weeks, 15 minutes per day. Sure, memorizing thousands of words is ultimately better, but the returns would be less and less. Your time is probably better spent reviewing concepts and doing practice exams. If you do find the need to learn more words, feel free to search for a shared deck that is more comprehensive.

So let's download the shared deck so that you can get started right away.

Click here to download the anki deck.

Now simply double click on the downloaded file and the entire deck will automatically be imported into Anki. That's it! You're now ready to start reviewing.

Now let's get our brains wet. Click on the deck and then click Study Now . The first word should pop up.

Try to recall the definition and then click Show Answer . After reviewing the answer, you will need to let Anki know whether you know the word or not.

Click Again if you had no idea and need to see the word again in the same session.

Click Good if you had some idea of the definition or had to take a while to recall it.

Click  Easy  if you knew the definition right away.

Tip: You can use the number keys #1-3 for your response and the space bar to show the answer. You can fly through flashcards using these shortcuts.

As long as you do Anki at least once per day, it's algorithm will space out old words at certain times and throw new words into the mix.

By default, Anki starts you off with 20 words each session, but you can easily adjust this number in the options. Anki also makes it ridiculously easy to edit or add cards.

I recommend placing Anki in your dock (Mac OS) or on your Desktop (Windows) to make it easy to review. Remember that Anki can also be done online through Ankiweb and on your smartphone; decks can be synced on all devices. The important thing is to make it a habit to review the words. Nothing happens unless you study.

100 Top "SAT" Words 

Looking to build your vocabulary? Then practice this list of 100 "top words" — the kind that used to be tested on the SAT before 2016. If you're a high school student prepping for the SAT, check out Vocabulary.com's Roadmap to the SAT , which focuses on the vocabulary you'll need to ace today's SAT test.

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Other learning activities, teaching tools, full list of words from this list:.

• abate become less in amount or intensity
• abdicate give up power, duties, or obligations
• aberration a state or condition markedly different from the norm
• abstain refrain from doing, consuming, or partaking in something
• adversity a state of misfortune or affliction
• aesthetic characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste
• amicable characterized by friendship and good will
• anachronistic chronologically misplaced
• arid lacking sufficient water or rainfall
• asylum a shelter from danger or hardship
• benevolent showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding
• bias a partiality preventing objective consideration of an issue
• boisterous marked by exuberance and high spirits
• brazen unrestrained by convention or propriety
• brusque rudely abrupt or blunt in speech or manner
• camaraderie the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability
• canny showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
• capacious large in the amount that can be contained
• capitulate surrender under agreed conditions
• clairvoyant someone who can perceive things not present to the senses
• collaborate work together on a common enterprise or project
• compassion a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering
• compromise an accommodation in which both sides make concessions
• condescending characteristic of those who treat others with arrogance
• conditional imposing or depending on or containing an assumption
• conformist someone who follows established standards of conduct
• conundrum a difficult problem
• convergence the act of coming closer
• deleterious harmful to living things
• demagogue a leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions
• digression a message that departs from the main subject
• diligent quietly and steadily persevering in detail or exactness
• discredit the state of being held in low esteem
• disdain lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
• divergent tending to move apart in different directions
• empathy understanding and entering into another's feelings
• emulate strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
• enervating causing weakness or debilitation
• ephemeral anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day
• evanescent short-lived; tending to vanish or disappear
• exemplary worthy of imitation
• extenuating partially excusing or justifying
• florid elaborately or excessively ornamented
• forbearance a delay in enforcing rights or claims or privileges
• fortitude strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity
• fortuitous lucky; occurring by happy chance
• foster providing nurture though not related by blood or legal ties
• fraught filled with or attended with
• frugal avoiding waste
• hackneyed repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
• haughty having or showing arrogant superiority
• hedonist someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures
• hypothesis a tentative insight that is not yet verified or tested
• impetuous characterized by undue haste and lack of thought
• impute attribute or credit to
• inconsequential lacking worth or importance
• inevitable incapable of being avoided or prevented
• intrepid invulnerable to fear or intimidation
• intuitive spontaneously derived from or prompted by a natural tendency
• jubilation a feeling of extreme joy
• lobbyist someone who is employed to persuade how legislators vote
• longevity the property of having lived for a considerable time
• mundane found in the ordinary course of events
• nonchalant marked by casual unconcern or indifference
• opulent rich and superior in quality
• orator a person who delivers a speech
• ostentatious intended to attract notice and impress others
• parched extremely thirsty
• perfidious tending to betray
• pragmatic concerned with practical matters
• precocious characterized by exceptionally early development
• pretentious creating an appearance of importance or distinction
• procrastinate waste time or postpone doing what one should be doing
• prosaic lacking wit or imagination
• prosperity the condition of having good fortune
• provocative serving or tending to excite or stimulate
• prudent marked by sound judgment
• querulous habitually complaining
• rancorous showing deep-seated resentment
• reclusive withdrawn from society; seeking solitude
• reconciliation the reestablishment of cordial relations
• renovation the act of improving by renewing and restoring
• restrained under control
• reverence a feeling of profound respect for someone or something
• sagacity the trait of having wisdom and good judgment
• scrutinize examine carefully for accuracy
• spontaneous said or done without having been planned in advance
• spurious plausible but false
• submissive inclined or willing to give in to orders or wishes of others
• substantiate establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
• subtle difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze
• superficial of, affecting, or being on or near the surface
• superfluous more than is needed, desired, or required
• surreptitious marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
• tactful having a sense of what is considerate in dealing with others
• tenacious stubbornly unyielding
• transient lasting a very short time
• venerable profoundly honored
• vindicate show to be right by providing justification or proof
• wary marked by keen caution and watchful prudence

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Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.

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Is the SAT Hard? Overcoming the Test’s Challenges

Is the SAT Hard?

Is SAT or ACT Harder?

Is PSAT Easier?

Preparing To Make It Easier

With so many colleges reinstating the SAT as a requirement, taking the test is becoming just as crucial as it used to be.

For high schoolers eyeing college admissions in the US, the SAT might seem intimidating. But how hard is the SAT? And is the SAT harder than other standardized tests like the PSAT or ACT?

The SAT is a challenging test; that’s what helps it distinguish between different students.

With that said, difficulty is subjective. The best way to gauge its difficulty is by taking practice exams. These simulated tests not only help you get acquainted with the format and types of questions but also reveal your strengths and areas needing improvement for a good SAT score .

What’s interesting about the SAT is that it adjusts its difficulty based on your performance. Every section is split into two back-to-back modules, and how well you do on the first module determines the difficulty of the second one.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the most difficult aspects of the SATs, and the best ways to overcome them.

Length and Time Constraints

One of the biggest challenges of the SAT is the strict time limits for each section. Managing time effectively is crucial to completing all questions within the allotted time.

This pressure can sometimes make the test feel more difficult than it actually is, especially if time management skills are not well-honed.

What is on the SAT?

How to overcome it:

• Work on your time management ! Practice with timed tests; take full-length practice tests to get used to the pacing of the actual exam. This will help you become more comfortable working under time constraints.
• During practice sessions, use a timer to mimic the real test environment. This will help you gauge how long you spend on each question and improve your pacing.
• A critical time management tip: learn to quickly identify and tackle easier questions first, leaving more time for the difficult ones. Don’t linger on questions you can’t solve! This strategy ensures you secure the points you can get most easily.

Wide Range of Math Concepts

The SAT covers a broad but specific range of math topics, from algebra to advanced math. Some questions are straightforward, but others can be quite tricky, requiring a deep understanding of concepts and problem-solving skills.

The SAT also has a strong focus on algebra questions, which many students struggle with if not adequately prepared.

• Since the SAT covers a specific range of topics in its math section , determine the range of topics when taking practice tests, then study them until you’re an expert.
• Since algebra is a frequent topic on the SAT, refine your algebra skills until you master them.
• If you’re particularly weak in algebra, it might be worth switching to the ACT instead.

Complex Reading Passages 

The reading section of the SAT includes passages from a variety of genres, each with its own style and level of complexity.

Understanding these passages and answering the related questions accurately can be daunting, especially under time pressure.

How to overcome it:  

• Practice active reading techniques, such as underlining key points, summarizing paragraphs, and noting the main ideas. This helps in retaining information and quickly referring back to the passage.
• A strong vocabulary can make it easier to understand complex texts and answer vocabulary-in-context questions. Read widely and use vocabulary-building tools to enhance your word knowledge.
• Regularly read articles from diverse sources like science journals, historical documents, and literature to improve your reading comprehension skills. Practice summarizing what you read to ensure understanding.

Is the SAT or ACT Harder?

Neither the SAT nor the ACT is inherently more difficult than the other, and each exam has its pros and cons. For example, the SAT is shorter and gives you more time per question, but it has a higher reading level than the ACT .

It's tempting to just point at one of the tests and say “this is the easy one.” There's a lot riding on a good score! But the truth is, "easy" depends on your individual strengths and weaknesses, not some universal definition. While both tests are the same in terms of difficulty, it’s your own skill set that determines which test you’re better suited for.

Read our blog comparing the SAT vs ACT for a full breakdown of the two tests.

Is the PSAT Easier Than the SAT?

The PSAT has a similar level of difficulty to the SAT, but adapted to students in 10th grade. Because of this, the PSAT is slightly easier than the SAT. In fact, the PSAT could be used as a practice test for the SAT.

The PSAT is also 15 minutes shorter than the SAT, and has about 15 questions less. Read our full comparison of the SAT vs PSAT for a full explanation of all the differences between the two tests.

How Preparing for the SAT Can Make it Easier

If you prepare and study for the SAT the right way, you’re likely to find the SAT much easier. Taking the necessary steps before the exam is critical to overcome the exam’s most difficult aspects.

Here’s how studying for the SAT helps you prepare for the test:

1. Familiarizing Yourself with the Format & Scoring

By knowing the format and scoring system of the SAT , you can allocate your time and energy more efficiently during the test, reducing stress and increasing your chances of answering questions correctly.

2. Understanding the Content of Each Section

Knowing the specific content areas allows you to focus your study efforts where they are most needed, building confidence and competence in those areas, which leads to better performance on test day.

3. Taking Practice Tests

Practice tests reduce surprises on test day by familiarizing you with the test format and timing. They help you build test-taking stamina and refine strategies, making the actual exam feel more like a familiar routine.

4. Taking Multiple Tests

Each time you attempt the SAT provides additional experience and familiarity with the SAT, reducing anxiety and improving performance. The superscoring policy of many colleges, which combines your highest section scores across multiple test dates, can significantly boost your overall score.

5. Working With Expert Tutors

Tutors provide personalized guidance and insights, helping you understand difficult concepts, develop effective test-taking strategies, and stay motivated. Their expertise can make your study process more efficient and targeted.

Final Thoughts

Whether the SAT is a hard or easy exam depends on you and how you study for it. Preparing for the SAT can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. With strategic preparation, understanding the test format, and focusing on specific content areas, you can make the SAT significantly easier. 

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