100 words

According to The Washington Post, this list contains "the top 100 SAT vocabulary words of all time." Based on extensive analysis of Verbal sections across the entire history of the SAT, the words offered here are a very wise starting point for every student. By learning these words well enough to recall them with consistent accuracy and speed, a student gains an upper hand on words that are the most likely to appear on every SAT. Who wouldn't want that advantage? Wouldn't it be foolish not to take it?

You can too simply by setting aside a tiny amount of time each day to learn 3-5 words. Try 5 words per day! That's really not much. Many ambitious students do up to 20. Create flashcards for yours. Go through the whole pile several times per sitting, watching it grow. Your vocabulary will grow too! In less than three weeks, you can transform the headache of words into an easy score increase on your SAT.

GOAL: recall all these words from memory consistently and easily.

abbreviate — (v) to shorten, abridge
abstinence — (n) the act of refraining from pleasurable activity, e.g., eating or drinking
adulation — (n) high praise
adversity — (n) misfortune, an unfavorable turn of events
aesthetic — (adj) pertaining to beauty or the arts
amicable — (adj) friendly, agreeable
anachronistic — (adj) out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period
anecdote — (n) short, usually funny account of an event
anonymous — (adj) nameless, without a disclosed identity
antagonist — (n) foe, opponent, adversary
arid — (adj) extremely dry or deathly boring
assiduous — (adj) persistent, hard-working
asylum — (n) sanctuary, shelter, place of refuge
benevolent — (adj) friendly and helpful
camaraderie — (n) trust, sociability amongst friends
censure — (v) to criticize harshly
circuitous — (adj) indirect, taking the longest route
clairvoyant — (adj) exceptionally insightful, able to foresee the future
collaborate — (v) to cooperate, work together
compassion — (n) sympathy, helpfulness or mercy
compromise — (v) to settle a dispute by terms agreeable to both sides
condescending — (adj) possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing
conditional — (adj) depending on a condition, e.g., in a contract
conformist — (n) person who complies with accepted rules and customs
congregation — (n) a crowd of people, an assembly
convergence — (n) the state of separate elements joining or coming together
deleterious — (adj) harmful, destructive, detrimental
demagogue — (n) leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice
digression — (n) the act of turning aside, straying from the main point, esp. in a speech or argument
diligent — (adj) careful and hard-working
discredit — (v) to harm the reputation of, dishonor or disgrace
disdain — (v) to regard with scorn or contempt
divergent — (adj) separating, moving in different directions from a particular point
empathy — (n) identification with the feelings of others
emulate — (v) to imitate, follow an example
enervating — (adj) weakening, tiring
enhance — (v) to improve, bring to a greater level of intensity
ephemeral — (adj) momentary, transient, fleeting
evanescent — (adj) quickly fading, short-lived, esp. an image
exasperation — (n) irritation, frustration
exemplary — (adj) outstanding, an example to others
extenuating — (adj) excusing, lessening the seriousness of guilt or crime, e.g., of mitigating factors
florid — (adj) red-colored, flushed; gaudy, ornate
fortuitous — (adj) happening by luck, fortunate
frugal — (adj) thrifty, cheap
hackneyed — (adj) cliched, worn out by overuse
haughty — (adj) arrogant and condescending
hedonist — (n) person who pursues pleasure as a goal
hypothesis — (n) assumption, theory requiring proof
impetuous — (adj) rash, impulsive, acting without thinking
impute — (v) to attribute an action to particular person or group
incompatible — (adj) opposed in nature, not able to live or work together
inconsequential — (adj) unimportant, trivial
inevitable — (adj) certain, unavoidable
integrity — (n) decency, honesty, wholeness
intrepid — (adj) fearless, adventurous
intuitive — (adj) instinctive, untaught
jubilation — (n) joy, celebration, exultation
lobbyist — (n) person who seeks to influence political events
longevity — (n) long life
mundane — (adj) ordinary, commonplace
nonchalant — (adj) calm, casual, seeming unexcited
novice — (n) apprentice, beginner
opulent — (ad) wealthy
orator — (n) lecturer, speaker
ostentatious — (adj) showy, displaying wealth
parched — (adj) dried up, shriveled
perfidious — (adj) faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy
precocious — (adj) unusually advanced or talented at an early age
pretentious — (adj) pretending to be important, intelligent or cultured
procrastinate — (v) to unnecessarily delay, postpone, put off
prosaic — (adj) relating to prose; dull, commonplace
prosperity — (n) wealth or success
provocative — (adj) tending to provoke a response, e.g., anger or disagreement
prudent — (adj) careful, cautious
querulous — (adj) complaining, irritable
rancorous — (adj) bitter, hateful
reclusive — (adj) preferring to live in isolation
reconciliation — (n) the act of agreement after a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute
renovation — (n) repair, making something new again
resilient — (adj) quick to recover, bounce back
restrained — (adj) controlled, repressed, restricted
reverence — (n) worship, profound respect
sagacity — (n) wisdom
scrutinize — (v) to observe carefully
spontaneity — (n) impulsive action, unplanned events
spurious — (adj) lacking authenticity, false
submissive — (adj) tending to meekness, to submit to the will of others
substantiate — (v) to verify, confirm, provide supporting evidence
subtle — (adj) hard to detect or describe; perceptive
superficial — (adj) shallow, lacking in depth
superfluous — (adj) extra, more than enough, redundant
suppress — (v) to end an activity, e.g., to prevent the dissemination of information
surreptitious — (adj) secret, stealthy
tactful — (adj) considerate, skillful in acting to avoid offense to others
tenacious — (adj) determined, keeping a firm grip on
transient — (adj) temporary, short-lived, fleeting
venerable — (adj) respected because of age
vindicate — (v) to clear from blame or suspicion
wary — (adj) careful, cautious