Hot SAT Words
Lessons
21-30
LESSON # 30
More Tricky Twins & Triplets!
Words that Sound and Look Alike but Have Different Meanings
IMPRUDENTAdj. careless; rash
IMPRUDENTJogging at night without wearing
reflective clothing is IMPRUDENT.
IMPUDENT
Adj. rude; disrespectful
IMPUDENTAnswering my father in an
IMPUDENT manner is IMPRUDENT indeed!
INDIGENOUS
Adj. native
INDIGENOUSPineapples are INDIGENOUS to
Hawaii.
INDIGENT
Adj. poor; impoverished
INDIGENTAngela’s Ashes is the story of an
INDIGENT Irish family’s struggles.
INDIGNANT
Adj. angry
INDIGNANTI get INDIGNANT when someone
cuts ahead of me in line after I’ve been waiting a long tim.
INTIMATEv. To suggest; to hint at
INTIMATEThe principal INTIMATED that
school might be closed if heavy snow is predicted.
INTIMIDATE
V. To frighten; to hint at threateningly
INTIMIDATEMarcy is INTIMIDATED by
standardized tests, but she is learning to deal with her fears.
The bully INTIMIDATES the children into doing what he wants.
OBSCURE
Adj. hard to understand; abstract
OBSCURETom started as an OBSCURE actor
in the provinces, but now he’s world famous.
Maria found an allusion to an OBSCURE 14th century monk who invented what we call the pencil.
OBTUSEAdj. stupid; not clear or precise
OBTUSEAre you being deliberately
OBTUSE or are you just naturally stupid?
PONDERABLEAdj. important enough
to require a lot of thought
PONDERABLEWhether to skip class and take
the drivers’ test is a no-brainer for most, but for Cynthia it’s a PONDERABLE issue.
PONDEROUSAdj. very heavy or
bulky; dull or lifeless
PONDEROUSMany students find Willa
Cather’s style of writing PONDEROUS.