SAT vocabs

A few summers ago I analyzed over 60 past SATs and PSATs to find the top vocabulary words. We call them
"Repeat Offenders." Since I can't give you the website with the definitions, I decided to just post the words here.
They are too valuable not to share.
The numbers below show the percentage of tests that contained each individual word or a form of that word. For
example, 49% of tests had a form of aesthetic, such as aesthete, aesthetically, aesthetics, etc. I recommend
discarding any word you know and defining the ones that you do not. There are many, many more but obviously
they are less common---let me know if you want me to post them.
Happy Sunday!
49%
49%
45%
45%
45%
44%
44%
40%
38%
38%
38%
36%
36%
35%
33%
33%
33%
33%
31%
31%
31%
31%
31%
29%
29%
27%
27%
27%
27%
27%
25%
25%
25%
25%
25%
25%
25%

aesthetic
undermine
profound
refute
skeptical
ambivalent
hostile
condemn
assert
nostalgia
pretense
cynical
obscure
conventions
contempt
foster
pragmatic
revere
anecdote
disparage
exemplary
substantiate
trivial
depict
indifferent
anthropology
futile
indignant
reconcile
sarcasm
abstract
advocate
ambiguous
eccentric
implausible
intemperate
plausible

25%
25%
25%
25%
24%
24%
24%
24%
24%
24%
24%
24%
24%
24%
22%
22%
22%
22%
22%
22%
22%
22%
22%
22%
22%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
18%
18%
18%
18%
18%
18%
18%

rhetoric
rigorous
subtle
temperate
archaeological
arrogant
complacent
embellish
evoke
immodest
modest
prudent
suppress
vindicated
deride
diligent
disdain
empathy
erroneous
fundamental
improvise
mundane
nave
superficial
whimsical
alleviate
antagonize
bolster
capricious
convoluted
digress
diminish
dispute
dubious
eloquent
indulges
precedent
reprehensible
resilient
satire
underscore
vulnerable
amiable
astute
benevolent
bewilder
coherent
commend
elite

18%
18%
18%
18%
18%
18%
18%
18%
18%
18%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
16%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%

generalization
impetuous
negligent
phenomenon
presumption
reticent
scorn
scrutinize
somber
tyranny
acquire
aspirations
augment
avid
belie
concise
discern
disillusion
disingenuous
emphatic
endure
eradicate
exacerbate
exasperate
frugal
illuminate
ingenuous
lament
meticulous
orthodox
perpetuate
prevalent
provocative
spontaneous
subjective
supplant
analogous
articulate
autonomy
callous
camaraderie
candid
cantankerous
collaboration
conciliatory
condescending
credulity
dearth
disparate

15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
15%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%

dogmatic
elucidate
emulate
epitome
equivocal
exploit
flagrant
gullible
hierarchy
idiosyncratic
inarticulate
incompetent
incontrovertible
incredulous
inherent
irrelevant
liberated
notorious
obsolete
oppress
overwhelming
partisan
perplex
petty
prominent
propaganda
reiterate
scrupulous
smug
subsequent
superfluous
sustain
venerated
vigor
wary
zealous
abhor
adhere
alienate
animate
archaic
ardor
atypical
censure
commemorate
conscientious
console
conspire
cunning

13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
13%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%

deliberate
denounce
derivative
didactic
diplomatic
discreet
divert
eclectic
egotist
empirical
fabricated
glutton
inconsequential
inconsolable
indigenous
ingenious
innocuous
juxtapose
mar
mediocre
nonchalant
opportune
prosaic
provincial
quell
rebut
reclusive
sanguine
sentimental
serene
tacit
tenacious
transient
vigilant
weary
accessible
adept
adulation
agile
apathy
apt
austere
avert
awestruck
baffle
cajole
clarity
constrain
cordial

11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%

corroborate
debilitate
debunk
defer
detract
dilatory
discord
discrepancies
dispel
disperse
disseminate
dissent
earnest
effusive
elicit
enigma
equanimity
esoteric
estrangement
eulogy
exonerate
exorbitant
extraneous
exuberant
facetious
fallacy
fallible
feasible
flippant
gregarious
idealism
illusory
induce
inhibit
inquisitive
insipid
insolence
invigorate
jaded
legitimate
malice
mandate
monarch
morose
opaque
opulent
ornate
paragon
parody

11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%

pristine
protagonist
rancorous
renown
repudiate
repugnant
resolute
solemn
sycophant
tactile
tranquil
transcend
treacherous
turmoil
vulgar
warrant
abstruse
acute
adversary
amateur
anachronistic
arbitrate
arid
assiduous
audible
authoritative
aversion
banal
caricature
catastrophic
caustic
charlatan
circumscribed
concord
conducive
conformity
confound
consensus
conspicuous
consummate
contrite
curative
decisive
deleterious
delineate
demeanor
denigrate
devoid
differentiate

9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%

disclose
discredit
disgruntled
docile
doctrine
domestic
ebullient
embroiled
encompassed
esteemed
expedient
explicit
extol
extravagant
florid
flourish
fortify
hackneyed
hedonism
humble
humility
imperceptible
implication
incongruity
inconspicuous
indictment
ineffable
innovative
interrogate
intransigent
intuitive
invocation
invoke
lavish
longevity
maverick
melodrama
mitigate
monotony
nuance
obstinate
oration
ornamentation
ostensible
pacify
paradox
parasite
patronizing
periphery

9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%
9%

perspicacity
pervasive
placid
pliant
popularize
precocious
proliferate
prolific
prolong
prophetic
quantitative
redundant
reminiscence
remiss
remorse
sanction
scarce
speculative
stifled
surreptitious
susceptible
tact
tedious
tenuous
therapeutic
thwart
truculence
tumultuous
vacillated
vanquished
vengeance
vicarious

Words 412-1304:
7% absurdity
7% adamant
7% adroit
7% affable
7% affected
7% allude
7% ameliorate
7% anarchic
7% antiquated
7% arbitrary
7% aristocrat
7% ascertain
7% ascetic
7% assimilate
7% attain

7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%

avarice
benefactor
bereave
bombast
bureaucratic
cerebral
chronicle
circumvent
clandestine
coerce
commonplace
concession
concur
conflagration
conjecture
constitute
convene
convergence
cosmopolitan
credible
crude
cryptic
cursory
curtail
daunt
decimate
defiant
deficit
defunct
demagogue
demonstrative
despondent
destitute
diminutive
disavow
discourse
discretion
diverse
elusive
embittered
embody
emergent
eminent
endeavor
enervated
enthrall
epilogue
erratic
espoused

7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%

formidable
formulaic
forthright
frivolous
furtive
garrulous
genial
gratuitous
guile
ideology
immersed
impede
impertinent
impugn
indeterminate
inept
inexplicable
infallible
inscrutable
insightful
insinuate
insular
intricate
intrigued
inundate
itinerant
jubilant
lauded
lofty
lucid
magnanimous
malleable
melancholy
metaphor
minute
misanthrope
miser
narcissistic
nefarious
novelty
obsequious
ominous
outmoded
overt
parch
parenthetical
penchant
penitent
peril

7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%
7%

pertinent
philanthropic
polarize
precipitate
precursor
predecessor
prestige
profusion
propensity
pseudonym
query
raucous
raze
rebuke
reciprocal
renounce
repressed
reproach
rouse
ruthless
salutary
scoff
shrewd
solicitous
spurious
squelch
stagnant
steadfast
stringent
stymie
subordinate
subversive
sully
supplement
synthesis
systematic
tangible
transitory
trite
unassuming
utopia
veiled
verbose
versatile
vex
viable
virtuoso
vitality
vociferous

7%
7%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%

wane
wistful
abash
abridge
abstain
acrid
affinity
affluence
alacrity
allege
allegiance
altruism
amalgam
amenable
amorphous
animosity
annul
anomaly
anthology
apprehensive
arboreal
arcane
arduous
atrocity
attribute
auspicious
belabor
belligerent
benign
bequest
berate
blatant
boor
buttress
cacophony
castigate
cathartic
chicanery
circuitous
circumspect
clairvoyant
clientele
cloying
colleagues
colloquial
communal
compliant
comprehensive
condone

5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%

confection
consecrated
contradictory
conundrum
correlate
corrode
curriculum
dalliance
debacle
decorous
decry
deft
deject
delude
demise
deplete
deplore
depraved
deprecate
deterred
devious
dexterity
diffident
diffuse
dignitary
dilettante
dire
dissemble
dissipate
distill
diverge
divisive
divulge
doctrinaire
dour
drubbed
elated
emaciated
encumbrance
enumerate
ephemeral
equitable
equivocate
euphoric
exacting
exhilarated
expedite
expendable
explanatory

5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%

facile
farce
fastidious
fathom
felicities
fidelity
flamboyant
foreboding
foresight
forgo
fragility
frenetic
gaffe
galvanized
garish
grandeur
grandiose
grudging
heterogeneous
hindered
homogeneous
humdrum
hypocrisy
hypocrite
ignominious
illicit
immutable
impeccable
impenetrable
imperious
impromptu
inaudible
inception
incision
inclination
incoherent
incorrigible
indecorous
indiscriminate
inevitability
inexorable
infamous
inferred
infuse
innate
inoculate
insatiable
insidious
insoluble

5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%

insolvent
interminable
intrepid
jaunt
jocular
laconic
languid
latent
laypeople
lithe
machinations
malevolent
meager
mediate
menace
mercenary
mercurial
meritocracy
mimicry
mirth
modicum
monumental
morbid
mortality
multifaceted
multiplicity
multitude
munificent
novice
obliged
oblique
obliterate
obstreperous
obtrusive
obtuse
omnipresent
onerous
ostracize
paradigm
patron
pedantic
perennial
permeated
perseverance
petulant
phlegmatic
picayune
placate
pluralism

5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%

poignant
ponders
predominant
preeminent
prescient
prodigy
prohibitive
promulgated
proponent
proprietor
prosperity
provoke
pundit
pungent
quaint
querulous
quiescent
reciprocity
recount
rectify
refracted
refurbish
regressive
relic
relinquish
repeal
repetitious
replicate
resigned
revelry
rigidity
robust
romanticized
rustic
sagacious
scathing
scheme
scintillating
sensationalism
servile
shroud
skulk
soliciting
soluble
solvent
soporific
sporadic
squalid
squander

5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%

status quo
stoic
subterfuge
succinct
sullen
taint
tangential
terrestrial
terse
theoretical
tractable
travesty
understudy
unwitting
urbane
usurp
vague
valor
vapid
vehemence
vestige
vignettes
virtuous
vivacious
wayward
aberration
abrupt
absolve
acclaim
accord
accumulated
acquit
admonish
adorned
affiliate
afflicted
aggrandize
allocated
allure
aloof
amenities
ample
annex
antipathy
appease
approbation
appropriate
arable
archipelago

4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%

assail
asylum
atrophy
attuned
audacious
aura
authenticate
autocrat
avenge
avow
balm
bane
belittle
bemuse
beneficiary
blithe
boisterous
boon
bounty
bourgeois
brandish
bravado
brevity
brittle
brusque
bucolic
buoyancy
cadence
calamity
carnivore
carouse
carp
cartography
cataclysms
censorious
champion
charisma
chronic
chronological
clamorous
coalition
cogent
cognizant
collusion
colossus
combatants
combustible
commandeer
commerce

4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%

commodity
compatriot
compensate
compliance
compounded
compulsion
condensed
condolence
confer
conflated
congenial
congregate
connoisseur
connotation
constituents
continuity
coronation
crass
culminate
culpable
cultivate
cumulative
defector
definitive
degrade
demean
demure
demystify
denuded
denunciation
derelict
derogate
desolate
despoiled
differential
disenfranchised
dishearten
disheveled
dispassionate
dispatch
disrepute
divisible
dormant
drone
dupe
duplicitous
eclipsed
ecstatic
efface

4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%

effervescent
efficacious
effrontery
elegy
elongate
elude
emollient
encroaching
endow
engrossed
enmity
entice
entity
entourage
entreat
entrenched
entrepreneurs
episodic
erudition
eschew
evanescent
exalt
excavated
excerpt
exerted
exhortation
exotic
expatriate
explication
expropriated
expunge
extant
extenuating
extrapolated
extricate
extrinsic
exultant
faade
faction
faculty
feign
fickle
fictitious
figurative
finagle
finesse
flabbergasted
flagging
fleeting

4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%

fluctuation
folly
foolhardy
forestall
forge
fraternize
fraudulent
gallant
gargantuan
gaudy
genre
gibe
gratification
grating
hail
hallowed
halting
harangue
harbinger
haughty
heretical
hilarity
hoard
hodgepodge
homogenized
hospitable
idyllic
illegible
imbued
immaterial
impassioned
impassive
impermanent
impervious
implement
implicit
impoverish
impropriety
imprudent
impunity
inadvertently
inane
incarcerated
incensed
incite
incomprehensible
increment
incriminating
indefatigable

4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%

indelible
indiscretion
indispensable
indisputable
indoctrinate
indomitable
induction
ineffectual
infelicity
infirmary
inflammatory
ingrate
inordinate
inquiry
instigate
insuperable
integrated
intermittent
intrinsically
introspective
invariable
invidious
inviolable
irate
irony
irrevocable
jovial
judicious
kin
kudos
laborious
lackadaisical
leniency
lethargic
litigious
lobbyist
lucrative
lugubrious
luminary
lush
lyrical
magnitude
manifest
matriarch
maxim
meandering
medium
medley
melodious

4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%

mendacious
merriment
methodology
miffed
missionaries
mollify
momentous
monetary
monologue
mosaic
multifarious
muse
myriad
mystics
nebulous
nemesis
nihilism
noble
nomad
nondescript
obdurate
oblivious
obstructed
officious
olfactory
painstaking
palate
palliative
pallid
pandering
paramount
pardon
parity
parochial
pathology
patriarch
paucity
pedagogical
peevishness
pensive
penurious
perfidious
pernicious
persona
perturbed
perused
perverse
pessimistic
pestilence

4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%

placebo
plaudits
pompously
populist
postulate
potentate
preamble
precarious
preclude
predilection
procurement
prodigious
profligate
propagate
proposition
prospectus
prototype
proximity
pugnacious
punctilious
punctual
qualitative
quandary
quarantine
quench
quizzical
ramshackle
rapport
ratify
rationalism
ravenous
reactionary
reap
rebuff
recessive
recurring
redolent
redoubled
redoubtable
reformation
regale
regenerate
regimented
reluctant
remote
remuneration
render
reparation
reprieve

4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%

reprimand
reputable
restitution
restrained
retraction
retrenchment
retroactive
reviling
revitalizes
risque
rudimentary
ruse
sacrosanct
sage
salient
salvage
sanctimonious
sated
savanna
savory
scapegoat
sedentary
sedulous
serendipity
serpentine
shortsighted
sinister
solace
solidarity
solidified
solitude
somnolent
sovereign
sparsely
specious
spurned
stamina
stature
stipulated
strenuous
strident
suave
submissive
subsidy
subvert
succumbs
suffice
summon
surfeit

4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%

surmises
sustenance
symbiosis
synergy
talisman
tawdry
teem
tenable
tenet
tentative
timid
timorous
toady
torpid
totalitarian
touted
transgress
transparent
treaty
tremulous
trepidation
turbulent
uncanny
unduly
unfetter
utilitarian
vacuous
vagary
vain
validity
veneer
verbatim
verifiable
vilified
virulence
viscous
vocation
volatile
voluminous
voracious
watershed
wily
witticism
wrath
zenith