Based on my analysis of numerous College Board exams, these are the top couple of hundred SAT words that test-takers are unlikely to be familiar with. Most frequent words are marked with an asterisk.
Because the College Board has a number of favorite categories of words that they tend to mix and match from for each test, I've arranged the following in general sets of synonyms, beginning with the largest.
Common prefixes and roots are listed at the bottom of the page.
Common prefixes and roots are listed at the bottom of the page.
Words by Category
Unoriginal/Lacking in Substance: Prosaic, Pedestrian, Banal, Cliché, Trite, Hackneyed, Vapid, Vacuous, Quotidian, Mundane, Insipid, Derivative
Stubborn - Obstinate, Obdurate, Intransigent, Intractable, Tenacious
Brief - Fleeting, Ephemeral*, Transitory, Cursory, Transient
Beyond normal human understanding - Esoteric*, Recondite, Abstruse, Arcane
To Make Better/Relieve Pain - Ameliorate*, Alleviate*, Assuage, Palliate, Mitigate*
Varied, Diverse - Heterogenous, Eclectic, Motley, Multifarious
Varied, Diverse - Heterogenous, Eclectic, Motley, Multifarious
Talkative/Outgoing - Loquacious, Garrulous, Gregarious
Using few words - Laconic*, Terse, Perfunctory, Spare
To Insult - Impugn, Disparage, Deprecate, Malign, Censure (also means punish)*, Decry, Vilify, Vituperate
To Praise/Hold in high regard - Tout*, Extol, Revere, Laud*
Generosity - Munificence, Magnanimity* (Adj. = Magnanimous), Largess
Greed - Avarice, Cupidity
Greed - Avarice, Cupidity
Inclination toward - Penchant, Proclivity, Predilection, Affinity
Prevent - Forestall, Preclude, Thwart*
Highly decorated - Florid,* Ornate, Baroque
Poor - Indigent, Penurious, Impecunious
Poor - Indigent, Penurious, Impecunious
Shy - Reticent, Aloof, Diffident*, Reticent
Hardworking - Assiduous, Diligent, Sedulous
Cheerful - Jovial, Jocund, Mirthful
Overjoyed - Exultant, Elated, Jubilant, Ebulliant
Lazy - Indolent, Slothful
Arrogant - Condescending, Supercilious*
Complicated - Byzantine*, Convoluted*
Clear - Lucid*, Perspicuous
Harsh, Burning - Caustic*, Vitriolic*
Sickeningly Sweet - Cloying, Treacly, Maudlin, Mawkish
Mystery - Enigma, Conundrum
Unpredictable - Mercurial, Capricious*
Narrow-Minded - Provincial*, Insular, Parochial
Broad-Minded - Cosmopolitan*
Small Amount - Paucity, Dearth
Large Amount - Myriad, Copious, Plethora
Fake - Spurious, Specious
Suspicious of - Wary of*, Chary of
Fraud, Trickery - Charlatanism* (Person who is a fraud = Charlatan), Chicanery
Fraud, Trickery - Charlatanism* (Person who is a fraud = Charlatan), Chicanery
Naive - Ingenuous, Guileless
Calm - Phlegmatic, Placid (Verb: To Placate)
Easily Angered - Irascible, Cantankerous
Violent - Bellicose, Pugnacious*
Supplementary, not of central importance - Ancillary, Peripheral
Irrelevant, Unimportant - Picayune, Trivial
Free from blame, find innocent - Exonerate, Exculpate, Vindicate
Calm - Phlegmatic, Placid (Verb: To Placate)
Easily Angered - Irascible, Cantankerous
Violent - Bellicose, Pugnacious*
Supplementary, not of central importance - Ancillary, Peripheral
Irrelevant, Unimportant - Picayune, Trivial
Free from blame, find innocent - Exonerate, Exculpate, Vindicate
Other Top SAT Words
Abate - Subside
Abhor - Loathe
Abhor - Loathe
Acumen - Knowledge of, smarts*
Adroit - Skillful
Aesthetic - Having to do with beauty of appearance*
Amass - Assemble
Ambivalent - Having mixed feelings, uncertain
Anachronism - Out of harmony with the present*
Anomaly - Oddity
Aptitude - Ability
Ascetic - One who practice self-denial (e.g. a monk)*
Astute - Smart, "with it"
Benevolent - Kindly
Aesthetic - Having to do with beauty of appearance*
Amass - Assemble
Ambivalent - Having mixed feelings, uncertain
Anachronism - Out of harmony with the present*
Anomaly - Oddity
Aptitude - Ability
Ascetic - One who practice self-denial (e.g. a monk)*
Astute - Smart, "with it"
Benevolent - Kindly
Blithe - Carefree
Bombastic - Overblown, inflated
Bombastic - Overblown, inflated
Bucolic - Related to country living
Circuitous - Roundabout, indirect
Circuitous - Roundabout, indirect
Circumspect - Careful, Cautious*
Clamorous - Noisy
Condone - To overlook bad behavior
Diaphanous - Filmy, sheer
Decorous - Well-Mannered
Dichotomy - Division into two mutually exclusive groups
Didactic - Intended to teach*
Dilatory - Dragging one's feet, delaying
Dupe - Trick, fool
Effusive - Gushing
Clamorous - Noisy
Condone - To overlook bad behavior
Diaphanous - Filmy, sheer
Decorous - Well-Mannered
Dichotomy - Division into two mutually exclusive groups
Didactic - Intended to teach*
Dilatory - Dragging one's feet, delaying
Dupe - Trick, fool
Effusive - Gushing
Elated - Overjoyed
Eminent - Well-known, respected
Emollient - Balm, intended to soften or soothe
Eminent - Well-known, respected
Emollient - Balm, intended to soften or soothe
Enervate - Sap of energy, tire out
Epitome - Essence
Equivocal - Vague, Refusing to give a clear answer*
Feasible - Doable
Fortuitous - Occurring by (lucky) chance
Feasible - Doable
Fortuitous - Occurring by (lucky) chance
Germane - Relevant
Guile - Trickery
Harbinger - Warning
Hyperbole - Exaggeration
Iconoclast - Revolutionary*
Idiosyncratic - An (odd) characteristic particular to an individual
Indict - Formally accuse
Ineffable - Inexpressible
Idiosyncratic - An (odd) characteristic particular to an individual
Indict - Formally accuse
Ineffable - Inexpressible
Ingenious - Clever
Imminent - About to happen
Innocuous - Harmless
Intrepid - Brave
Irrevocable - Unable to be undone
Lackadaisical - Not caring, indifferent
Latent - Present but not visible
Malleable - Easy to mold, change shape
Irrevocable - Unable to be undone
Lackadaisical - Not caring, indifferent
Latent - Present but not visible
Malleable - Easy to mold, change shape
Mar - Stain or Ruin
Mellifluous - Sweet-Sounding
Mercenary - Soldier for hire
Meticulous - Precise, detail-oriented*
Mellifluous - Sweet-Sounding
Mercenary - Soldier for hire
Meticulous - Precise, detail-oriented*
Noxious - Foul, harmful
Obliterate - Destroy thoroughly
Obsequious - Servile, used to describe a sycophant*
Obtrude - Stick out
Onus - Burden
Ostentatious - Showy, over the top
Paradox - Apparent contradiction
Obliterate - Destroy thoroughly
Obsequious - Servile, used to describe a sycophant*
Obtrude - Stick out
Onus - Burden
Ostentatious - Showy, over the top
Paradox - Apparent contradiction
Paradigm - Model*
Parsimonious - Stingy, tight-fisted
Pedantic - Knowledgeable but exceedingly boring (think of the dullest teacher you ever had) *
Peruse - Inspect closely
Parsimonious - Stingy, tight-fisted
Pedantic - Knowledgeable but exceedingly boring (think of the dullest teacher you ever had) *
Peruse - Inspect closely
Pragmatic - Practical*
Prolific - Productive
Propagate - To spread
Protean - Capable of assuming many different forms
Prudent - Practical
Prurient - Titillating
Pulchritude - Beauty
Quandary - Dilemma, difficult situation
Propagate - To spread
Protean - Capable of assuming many different forms
Prudent - Practical
Prurient - Titillating
Pulchritude - Beauty
Quandary - Dilemma, difficult situation
Quell - Put a stop to
Quiescent - Quiet
Quixotic - Romantic and impractical *
Quiescent - Quiet
Quixotic - Romantic and impractical *
Rancor - Fury
Recidivism - Slipping back into crime or bad behavior/habits
Renege - Go back on one's word
Scrutinize - Examine very closely*
Sporadic - Occurring inconsistently
Recidivism - Slipping back into crime or bad behavior/habits
Renege - Go back on one's word
Scrutinize - Examine very closely*
Sporadic - Occurring inconsistently
Solicitous - Caring, Concerned
Superfluous - Excessive
Surreptitious - Secretive
Sybarite - One who loves luxury
Sycophant - Suck-up*
Tedious - Boring
Temporize - Procrastinate
Torpid - Inactive or sluggish
Unequivocal - Decisive
Unwieldy - Awkward, difficult to handle
Visceral - Instinctive, opp. of rational
Watershed - Tipping point
Zenith - High point, apex
Top SAT Roots
Surreptitious - Secretive
Sybarite - One who loves luxury
Sycophant - Suck-up*
Tedious - Boring
Temporize - Procrastinate
Torpid - Inactive or sluggish
Unequivocal - Decisive
Unwieldy - Awkward, difficult to handle
Visceral - Instinctive, opp. of rational
Watershed - Tipping point
Zenith - High point, apex
Top SAT Roots
A - Not, Without
Ama - Love
Ambi - Both
Ante - Before
Anti - Against
Auto - Self
Bell - War
Bene - Good
Bi - Two
Chron - Time
Circum - Around
Cog - Think
Co, Con - With
Corp - Body
Contra - Against
Culp - Guilt
Di - Two
Dia - Through
Dict - Say
Dis - Not
Dom - Mastery
Dur - Hard, Lasting
Dys - Difficult
Err - Wrong
E, Ex - From
Fac, Far - Do
Fall - False
Fid - Loyal
Gen - Knowledge OR Innate
Grav - Weight, Serious
Hetero - Different
Homo - Same
Hydro - Water
Hyper - Over
Im, In - Not
Intra - Within
Inter - Between
Lev - Light (weight)
Lib - Free OR Book
Luc, Lux - Light (absence of dark)
Loc, Loq - Words, Speech
Magna - Large
Macro - Large
Mal - Bad
Mater - Mother
Ment - Mind
Micro - Small
Moll - Soft
Morph - Change
Mort - Death
Multi - Many '
Mut - Change
Nom - Name
Ob - Against
Os - Bone
Pac, Plac - Peace
Para - Alongside, Contrary to
Pater - Father
Ped - Foot OR Child
Pej - Bad
Pend - Hang
Peri - Around
Port - Carry
Pot - Power
Pro - In favor of
Pug - Violent
Re - Again
Scrib - Write
Sens, Sent - Feel
Seq - Follow
Spec - Look
Stat - Stand
Sub - Below
Super - Above
Tac - Silence
Temp - Time
Ten - Hold
Terr - Earth
Tract - Move
Trans - Through
Vac - Empty OR Waver
Val - Value
Vap - Air, Steam
Ven - Come
Vener - Worship, Love
Ver - True
Vid - See
Vig - Energy
Vit - Life
Voc, Vox - Voice
Vol - Desire, Fly (v.), Volume
