PRINCETON REVIEW TOP 100 SAT WORDS

Most frequently occurring words on the SAT listed in order of decreasing importance
enigma

a mystery; hard to understand or explain

desecrate

to show disrespect or to deface

apathy
indifferent

lack of emotion or interest

having no preference

euphonious

something sacred
melodious; pleasant sounding

revere
candor

to worship; to honor
frankness; honesty

cacophonous
guile

harsh sounding
cunning; deceitfulness

reticent
aesthetic

restrained; uncommunicative
concerning art or beauty

immutable
incessant

unchanging; permanent
non-stop

ascetic
autonomy

without indulgence or luxuries

self-rule; independence

static
bastion

unchanging; not moving

a stronghold; a fort

disdain
innocuous

contempt
harmless; insignificant

benign
credulous

kindly; good-natured
gullible; ready to believe without proof

banal
ambiguous

commonplace; dull; ordinary

unclear; undecided

disparage
eccentric

to speak poorly of
odd; out of the ordinary; quirky

anarchy
ameliorate

lack of government; chaos

to improve

philanthropist
squander

someone who benefits mankind

to waste

atrophy
innovate

to waste away from lack of use

to make changes; to modernize

virulent
zeal

harmful
enthusiasm

servile
extol

overly submissive; cringing

to praise

acuity
affable

sharpness of perception or mind

friendly; agreeable

augment
benevolent

to add to; increase

kindly; to wish well

assuage
avarice

to reduce pain
greed

derision
disparity

contempt; ridicule
inequality

dissonance
listless

lack of agreement or harmony

without energy or enthusiasm

flagrant
indolence

glaringly wrong; conspicuously faulty

laziness

philistine
scrupulous

one who lacks culture or taste

concerned; conscientious; proper

acquiesce
prodigal

to give in; agree

extravagant; wasteful

tentative
adulation

not final; uncertain

adoration

capricious
prosaic

whimsical; unpredictable
commonplace; uninspired; dull

dogmatic
futile

stubbornly opinionated
hopeless; without effect

austere
complacent

severe; strict
smug; self-satisfied

languid
pious

slow and listless

religious; devout

compliance
dubious

conforming to a request or demand

doubtful

ponderous
protracted

weighty; heavy
drawn out; lengthy

ephemeral
inevitable

short-lived; fleeting
unavoidable; bound to happen

deference
heretic

a show of respect
someone who goes against

insipid
obscure

bland; boring
unclear; clouded; partially hidden

paucity

acceptable religious beliefs

scarcity

depravity
discern

corruption; wickedness
to distinguish one thing from another

profuse
conciliate

very abundant; flowing

to soothe anger

expedite
peripheral

to quicken
on the edge; unimportant

contrite
didactic

thoroughly sorry
intending to teach

taciturn
apprehensive

quiet; uncommunicative; silent

fearful; worried

diffident
digression

shy; lacking confidence

straying from a topic

expedient
fastidious

advantageous; convenient
finicky; overly critical

dissent
elucidate

disagreement
to explain; to make clear

novel
parsimony

new; interesting
stinginess

gullible
strut

overly trusting
a self-important walk

provincial
respite

narrow-minded; unsophisticated
a break; a rest

denounce
laud

to speak against publicly

to praise

anecdote
drone

a brief, humorous story

to talk on and on in a dull way

surreptitious
astute

secret
clever; shrewd; ready-witted

pedestrian

commonplace; ordinary

blasphemy
censure

irreverent talk about God

severely criticize; blame