SAT & GRE Vocabulary Words

A

acrimonious adjective

Bitter and sharp in manner or speech, especially in a dispute or disagreement. “The divorce proceedings were acrimonious, with both parties trading accusations in court.”

C

capricious adjective

Given to sudden and unpredictable changes of mood, mind, or behavior; governed by whim. “Her capricious decisions made it impossible for the team to plan more than a day ahead.”

circumspect adjective

Wary and careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences before acting or speaking. “A good financial adviser is circumspect before recommending high-risk investments to clients.”

D

diffident adjective

Modest or shy due to a lack of self-confidence, especially in social situations. “Despite her obvious talent, she remained diffident about sharing her paintings with the public.”

E

ephemeral adjective

Lasting for only a very short time; transitory. “Social-media trends are ephemeral, blazing brightly for a week before being completely forgotten.”

equivocate verb

To use ambiguous or vague language in order to avoid committing to a clear position or to mislead. “When asked about the missing funds, the treasurer began to equivocate, giving no direct answer.”

esoteric adjective

Intended for or understood by only a small, specially initiated group; requiring specialized or insider knowledge. “The journal article was so esoteric that even specialists in adjacent fields struggled to follow it.”

F

fastidious adjective

Very attentive to accuracy, detail, and cleanliness; difficult to please because of high or precise standards. “She was fastidious about her research, cross-checking every statistic before publishing.”

felicitous adjective

Well-chosen and apt, or pleasingly suited to the occasion; expressing something in a pleasingly appropriate way. “The speechwriter's felicitous choice of words perfectly captured the mood of the memorial ceremony.”

fractious adjective

Irritable, quarrelsome, and difficult to control or manage. “The fractious toddler refused to sit still and cried throughout the entire train journey.”

furtive adjective

Done in a stealthy, secretive way to avoid being noticed, suggesting guilt or dishonest intent. “He cast a furtive glance at his phone under the table during the meeting.”

G

garrulous adjective

Excessively talkative, especially about trivial matters. “The garrulous taxi driver recounted his entire life story before they had even left the airport.”

I

insipid adjective

Lacking in flavor, vigor, or interest; dull and uninspiring. “The insipid broth was barely distinguishable from hot water and offered little comfort to the patient.”

intrepid adjective

Fearless and adventurous, especially when facing danger or difficulty. “The intrepid mountaineer pressed on through the blizzard without hesitation.”

inveterate adjective

Having a habit, activity, or interest that is deeply established and unlikely to change. “An inveterate traveler, he had visited over ninety countries before turning fifty.”

L

laconic adjective

Using very few words; brief and to the point in speech or expression. “His laconic reply — just 'no' — ended the negotiation instantly.”

lethargic adjective

Affected by lethargy; sluggish, drowsy, and lacking energy or enthusiasm. “The heat made everyone in the office feel lethargic and unfocused all afternoon.”

loquacious adjective

Tending to talk a great deal; very chatty or fond of conversation. “Our loquacious neighbor could turn a ten-second greeting into a half-hour conversation.”

M

magnanimous adjective

Generously forgiving, noble, or fair-minded, especially toward a rival or someone who has done you wrong. “After winning the championship, she was magnanimous in victory, praising her opponent's skill and effort.”

mendacious adjective

Not telling the truth; habitually lying or given to deception. “The politician's mendacious campaign promises were exposed by journalists within months of his election.”

O

obfuscate verb

To make something unclear, confusing, or difficult to understand, often deliberately. “The politician's lengthy answer seemed designed to obfuscate rather than clarify the issue.”

obsequious adjective

Excessively eager to serve or please, in a way that feels fawning or servile. “The obsequious assistant laughed at every one of the boss's jokes, no matter how flat.”

P

pedantic adjective

Excessively concerned with minor details, rules, or formal correctness, often in a way that is tiresome or irritating to others. “Her pedantic insistence on correcting every grammatical slip made her exhausting to talk with at parties.”

pellucid adjective

Translucently clear, or (of writing or thought) easily understood; expressing ideas with perfect clarity. “The pellucid waters of the mountain lake revealed every stone on its bed.”

penurious adjective

Extremely poor, or unwilling to spend money; characterized by severe poverty or miserliness. “The penurious landlord refused to repair the heating system despite the freezing temperatures.”

perfidious adjective

Guilty of betraying trust or breaking faith; deceitfully disloyal. “The general was shocked when his most trusted advisor proved perfidious, leaking battle plans to the enemy.”

pragmatic adjective

Dealing with problems in a practical, sensible way rather than relying on theory or dogma. “A pragmatic approach to the budget crisis meant cutting costs before debating long-term strategy.”

profligate adjective

Recklessly extravagant or wasteful with money, resources, or behavior; having no moral restraint. “The profligate spending of the previous administration left the city deeply in debt.”

prolix adjective

Using far more words than necessary; tediously long-winded in speech or writing. “The senator's prolix speech tested the patience of everyone in the chamber.”

Q

querulous adjective

Habitually complaining, whining, or finding fault in a petulant, fretful way. “The querulous passenger complained about everything from the seat width to the cabin temperature.”

R

recalcitrant adjective

Stubbornly resistant to authority, control, or instruction; refusing to comply even when pressured. “The recalcitrant student refused to follow the new classroom rules despite repeated warnings.”

recondite adjective

Not known by many people; dealing with obscure or little-known subject matter. “His thesis explored the recondite field of Byzantine numismatics, surprising even his committee.”

S

soporific adjective

Tending to induce sleep or drowsiness, either literally (as a drug) or figuratively (as a dull speech or activity). “The professor's soporific monotone had half the lecture hall nodding off within minutes.”

sycophant noun

A person who flatters and agrees with those in power in order to gain personal advantage; a self-serving flatterer. “The boardroom was full of sycophants who applauded every idea the CEO proposed, no matter how flawed.”

T

terse adjective

Sparing in the use of words; brief and to the point, sometimes to the point of seeming abrupt or unfriendly. “His terse reply—'No.'—left no room for further discussion.”

truculent adjective

Eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant or hostile in manner. “The truculent teenager answered every question with a sneer, clearly looking for a confrontation.”

U

ubiquitous adjective

Seeming to appear everywhere at the same time; present or found in many places simultaneously. “Smartphones have become so ubiquitous that it is now unusual to see someone without one.”

V

vapid adjective

Offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging; empty of ideas or spirit; flat and unintelligent. “She struggled to endure the vapid small talk at the networking event and slipped out early.”

venerate verb

To regard someone or something with great respect, reverence, and deep honor, especially because of age, wisdom, or sacred status. “The community venerated the elderly monk, seeking his counsel on both spiritual and practical matters.”

vociferous adjective

Expressing opinions or complaints loudly and with great force and insistence. “Vociferous protesters gathered outside the courthouse demanding a retrial.”