English SAT/midterm Vocab

Atrophy

Noun: the wasting away, due to lack of use
Verb: to waste away due to lack of use

Flagrant

-blatant,obvious, brazen.

Fastidious

-difficult to please ; fussy ; particular demanding

Altruistic

-selfless ; humane ; philanthropic

Magnanimous

-generous ; high-minded ; noble ; forgiving

Tenuous

-lacking in stability or strength ; questionable

Ubiquitous

Ever-present ; appearing everywhere

Apathy

-lack of emotion or interest

Obscure

Unclear ; clouded ; partially hidden ; hard to understand

Ambiguous

Having more than one meaning : vague

Denounce

To speak out against

Candid

frank ; honest and open

Discern

To distinguish one thing from another ; to determine ; distinguish ; detect or recognize

Abstract

Theoretical, not concrete, intangible, conceptual

Apprehensive

Fearful, anxious, uneasy, nervous

Vulnerable

Weak, defenseless, helpless, susceptible

Benevolent

Kind ; good-hearted ; benign , munificent

Pious

Deep religious ; devout, reverent, religiously dutiful

Disdain

Intense dislike; scorn, contempt.

Servile

Submissive, groveling, subservient, sycophantic, obsequious, like a slave

Refute

To disprove, to contest, to counter, to repudiate, to negate

Virulent

Very harmful ; infectious , contagious, lethal

Discord

Disagreement, lack of harmony, argument

Diligent

Hardworking, industrious, assiduous, through

Perceptive

Clear, reasoned, sane

Contempt

Scorn, disrespect, disregard , disdain

Aesthetic

Pleasing in appearance: of an artistic quality, visual, appealing

Prodigal

Wasteful extravagant, reckless, uncontrolled

Articulate

Noun: Eloquently and clearly communicative
Verb: to put into words

Lucid

Noun: clear ; easy to understand/elucidate
Verb: to make clear; clarify

Censor

To delete, objectionable material, to cut, to gag to repress

Complacent

Smug, self-satisfied, overly confident, unworried, content

Eloquent

Expressive, fluent, articulate, orally powerful, well-expressed.

Monotonous

Dull, droning, repetitious, boring, tedious, unvaried, unchanging

Trivial

Insignificant, unimportant, small, minor.

Deter

To prevent, to stop, to avoid, to dissuade

Guile

N: Cunning, deceitfulness, beguile
V: to charm, to entice, to captivate

Enduring

Lasting, continuing, permanent, long-term.

Tentative

Hesitant, cautious, uncertain

Provocative

Tending to provoke, stimulate or excite, can mean insulting, challenging, confrontational

Depravity

Moral corruption ; wickedness ; evil

Adversary

Opponent, challenger, rival , foe

Gravity

Seriousness, solemnity

Extol

To praise, to exalt, to commend, to admire

Erratic

Unpredictable, inconsistent, uneven, irregular, without direction

Austere

Strict, stern, serious

Expedite

To make happen faster or easier, to accelerate, to speed up

Heresy

An opinion that is unconventional, unorthodox, or violently opposed to traditional beliefs

Censure

To criticize, to blame, to scold, to reprimand, to rebuke

Arbitrary

Random, by chance, capricious