SAT EXAM REVIEWHendy’s Top 50 Vocab Words
#1 Apparent or professed Syn: purported, alleged Ant: real, true, actual “The ____ reason for the
school closing was a need for asbestos mitigation.”
#1ostensible
#2 an excessive desire to acquire or
possess wealth Syn: covetousness, rapacity Ant: generosity, openhandedness “Ebenezer Scrooge’s personality
was marked by significant _____.”
#2avarice
#3 Not religious; worldly; pertaining to
the state Syn: civil Ant: sacred, divine Despite having a devoutly religious
population, Turkey enforces strict _____ laws in public.
#3secular
#4 Overly self-satisfied Syn: contented Ant: dissatisfied, malcontent “Just because we won the past
five games, this is no time to get _____.”
#4complacent
#5 Shameless boldness Syn: audacity, impertinence,
nerve Ant: timidity, modesty “Can you believe Cleetus had the
___ to high-five the Queen of England?!”
#5effrontery
#6 (verb) to speak or argue in favor of (noun) a person who pleads in the
interest or case of an individual Syn: champion, support, defender “The online hacker group
Anonymous is often an _____ for people who are bullied or persecuted.”
#6advocate
#7 Existing as a natural or essential
part of Syn: intrinsic, implicit, internal Ant: extrinsic, external “For generations, people in my
family have had an ____ tendency toward skin problems.”
#7inherent
#8 to pretend or give a false
appearance of Syn: fake, sham, simulate “Don’t ____ shock over their
elopement; you knew perfectly well that they were running off to Vegas.”
#8feign
#9 being or seeming to be everywhere Syn: omnipresent, pervasive,
universal Ant: rare, scarce “During the holiday season, holly
and tinsel are _____ at shopping malls.”
#9ubiquitous
#10 To make an accurate line drawing
or diagram of; to portray or describe in detail
Syn: depict, set forth “Why don’t you ____ all the
details of your campaign strategy to us?”
#10 delineate
#11 A hindrance or obstruction Syn: encumbrance, obstacle,
handicap Ant: aid, assistance “A lack of financial aid is a serious
____ to my dream of going away to school.”
#11impediment
#12 Immersed in deep, often
melancholy thought Syn: meditative, reflective, wistful Ant: lighthearted, blithe, jocund “Edgar Allan Poe’s protagonists
were often morose, ____ characters.”
#12pensive
#13 High in rank; distinguished;
outstanding; conspicuous Syn: prominent, notable,
remarkable Ant: obscure, undistinguished “Dr. Phil is the most ____
psychiatrist on TV.” (even though he’s a hack)
#13eminent
#14 Indirect or roundabout; long-winded Syn: winding, meandering,
rambling Ant: direct, unveering “Mapquest is unreliable and will
take you on the most ___ route to Baltimore.”
#14circuitous
#15 To regard with horror and
loathing; to hate intensely Syn: loathe, despise, detest Ant: relish, love, cherish “I ___ anyone who exploits
workers for his own gain.”
#15abhor
#16 High-minded but impractical Syn: idealistic, visionary, fanciful Ant: realistic, practical “We engaged on a ___ quest to
find Jack’s beanstalk.”
#16quixotic
#17 Inactive, as if in sleep; suspended
in use, growth, or development Syn: latent, passive, inert Ant: active, vibrant, thriving “The herpes virus, even when not
active, lies ____ in the body.”
#17dormant
#18 Subject to or determined by one’s
judgment; random Syn: judgmental, irrational, partial Ant: objective, fair, equitable “Why must I be subjected to your
___ rules about hats and sugar content?”
#18arbitrary
#19 To overlook or disregard an offense,
thereby implying forgiveness, acceptance, or approval of it
Syn: ignore, accept, tolerate Ant: condemn, denounce “The team’s lenient punishment of
Allen Iverson makes it seem like they ____ his actions.”
#19condone
#20 Deeply learned in a specialized
area Syn: scholarly, profound,
knowledgeable Ant: ignorant, uninformed “Neil deGrasse Tyson is ____ in
the area of astrophysics.”
#20erudite
#21 Arousing fear or admiration
because of the unusual size or superiority of the thing involved; difficult to do because of the scale involved
“Running 10 miles through mud and electrical wires is a ____ undertaking.”
#21formidable
#22 Wavering or uncertain because of an
inability to make a choice between two contradictory feelings or viewpoints
Syn: contradictory, conflicting, opposing Ant: definite, firm, unequivocal “I had ___ feelings about the Ravens
winning the AFC Championship; they beat the hated Patriots, but – well, they’re still the friggin’ Ravens.”
#22ambivalent
#23 To cancel or withdraw Syn: revoke, repeal, retract Ant: affirm, confirm, enforce “If you __ an invitation to a
vampire, does he have to leave your house?”
#23rescind
#24 Fair and impartial; frank or outspoken;
informal or unposed Syn: unbiased, spontaneous Ant: prejudiced, reserved, ambiguous “While the formal prom photos were
great, my favorites were the ___ shots that showed everyone genuinely enjoying themselves.”
#24candid
#25 Incapable of being penetrated or
affected Syn: impenetrable, unresponsive Ant: susceptible, permeable “My superpowers make me ___
to your evil magic, Lord Saruman!”
#25 impervious
#26 Foreshadowing evil; menacing or
threatening Syn: portentious, foreboding Ant: lucky, felicitous “The dark clouds rolling in were
an ____ indicator of how the weekend would go.”
#26ominous
#27 To analyze, explain, interpret, or
understand Syn: deduce, infer, translate Ant: misinterpret “The old hymn can also be ____
as a rallying song for slaves who longed for freedom.”
#27construe
#28 Highly injurious or harmful Syn: detrimental; malignant Ant: wholesome, beneficial “The oil company’s ____ plot to
cover up the effects of the oil spill will wreak untold havoc.”
#28pernicious
#29 A strong curse or denunciation;
the person or thing cursed; any object of intense dislike
Syn: abomination Ant: blessing “Plagiarists are ___ to academia.”
#29anathema
#30 Overly short or abrupt Syn: curt, blunt, terse Ant: civil, polite, cordial “Richard Nixon was notorious for
his ____ demeanor.”
#30brusque
#31 Profitable Syn: gainful, rewarding,
worthwhile Ant: unprofitable, unproductive,
barren “ I hear that derivatives trading is
a _____ field.”
#31lucrative
#32 To yield to; to agree to Syn: agree, assent, consent,
acquiesce Ant: dissent, demur, balk at “I will ____ to your demands if
you agree to cut taxes on the middle class.”
#33accede
#34 Inclined to doubt or deny the
virtuousness or honesty of human motives
Syn: skeptical, pessimistic Ant: optimistic, sanguine, naïve “Your ___ view of the world would
have us all believe that everyone is greedy and self-interested.”
#34cynical
#35 Understood by or only intended for
a select few; difficult to understand Syn: occult, private, mysterious Ant: popular, accessible, clear “Your __ references to an
astrological sign are useless in this situation.”
#35esoteric
#36 To get around or avoid, especially
by trickery or deception Syn: dodge, duck, dip, dive, &
dodge Ant: obey, observe, abide by “The Dude abides; the nihilists
____.”
#36circumvent
#37 Deeply religious, earnest, or
sincere Syn: pious, faithful, reverent Ant: unfaithful, irreverent,
lukewarm “I am descended from a ___
branch of Quakers.”
#37devout
#38 Extremely and deliberately
conspicuous; glaring Syn: shocking, gross, brazen Ant: insignificant, minor “After your ___ flouting of school
rules, you are expelled, mister!”
#38flagrant
#39 Keen of mind and judgement,
especially in practical matters; cunning Syn: shrewd, perceptive, sharp,
sagacious Ant: obtuse, undiscerning, empty-
headed “You are an ___ observer of the
human condition.”
#39astute
#40 Deliberate deception in
speech or conduct Syn: guile, deceit, trickery Ant: honesty, candor, integrity “The ___ of the carnie cost
many rednecks their savings.”
#40duplicity