MazoCardsTOEFL & IELTS Academic Vocabulary
Academic English words that appear often in essays, lectures, and reading passages.
Test Prep flashcards
SAT Vocabulary: Essential Words
SAT vocabulary flashcards for high-frequency academic words used in reading and exam prep.
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About this deck
This SAT vocabulary deck reviews high-frequency academic words that can appear in reading passages, answer choices, and college-level writing. It is a focused review set rather than a random massive word list.
Use it to build precision: do not only memorize a one-word definition, also notice tone, synonyms, and how the word behaves in context.
70cards
High school exam vocabularylevel
SAT, ACT, and college reading studentsaudience
What you will learn
- Essential SAT and ACT-style vocabulary words.
- Concise definitions for fast review.
- Academic reading words that help with passage comprehension.
- A foundation for larger vocabulary packs and reading practice later.
How to study this deck
- Say a short example sentence after each definition.
- Group similar words by tone, such as positive, negative, neutral, formal, or argumentative.
- Retest missed words the next day before adding a larger vocabulary pack.
Scope
This is a focused vocabulary deck for recall. A stronger SAT cluster can still add example sentences, synonyms, antonyms, and themed packs later.
All 70 cards in this deck
| Front | Back |
|---|---|
| Ambiguous | Open to more than one interpretation; unclear. |
| Candid | Truthful and straightforward. |
| Concise | Giving much information clearly in few words. |
| Diligent | Careful and persistent in work or effort. |
| Eloquent | Fluent, persuasive, and expressive in speech or writing. |
| Imminent | About to happen soon. |
| Inevitable | Certain to happen; unavoidable. |
| Meticulous | Showing great attention to detail. |
| Pragmatic | Practical and focused on real results. |
| Resilient | Able to recover quickly after difficulty. |
| Scrutinize | To examine closely and carefully. |
| Subtle | Delicate, indirect, or not obvious. |
| Austere | Plain, strict, or severe in style or manner. |
| Benevolent | Kind and generous; wishing to do good. |
| Mitigate | To make something less severe, harmful, or painful. |
| Tenuous | Weak, thin, or having little substance. |
| Ubiquitous | Present or found everywhere. |
| Viable | Capable of working successfully. |
| Vindicate | To clear from blame or suspicion. |
| Wary | Cautious because of possible danger or problems. |
| Arbitrary | Based on random choice or personal whim, not reason. |
| Coherent | Logical, clear, and consistent. |
| Empirical | Based on observation or experiment, not theory. |
| Frugal | Careful and economical with money or resources. |
| Nuance | A subtle difference in meaning, expression, or tone. |
| Prudent | Acting with care and good judgment about the future. |
| Superfluous | More than needed; unnecessary. |
| Tenacious | Persistent and not easily giving up. |
| Verbose | Using more words than necessary. |
| Zealous | Full of energetic and passionate commitment. |
| Abate | To become less intense or widespread. |
| Alleviate | To make suffering, difficulty, or a problem less severe. |
| Apathy | Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern. |
| Bolster | To support, strengthen, or improve something. |
| Capricious | Changing suddenly and unpredictably. |
| Cogent | Clear, logical, and convincing. |
| Concede | To admit something is true after resisting it. |
| Corroborate | To confirm or support a claim with evidence. |
| Debunk | To expose a claim or belief as false. |
| Deference | Respectful submission to someone else’s judgment or authority. |
| Disparage | To criticize or speak of someone in a belittling way. |
| Egregious | Outstandingly bad or shocking. |
| Elucidate | To make something clear; to explain. |
| Ephemeral | Lasting for a very short time. |
| Equivocal | Ambiguous or open to more than one interpretation. |
| Exacerbate | To make a problem or bad situation worse. |
| Fastidious | Very attentive to detail; hard to please. |
| Fortuitous | Happening by chance, often with a fortunate result. |
| Impartial | Fair and not favoring one side. |
| Inadvertent | Accidental or unintentional. |
| Indifferent | Having no particular interest or sympathy. |
| Inhibit | To hold back, limit, or prevent. |
| Lucid | Clear and easy to understand. |
| Novel | New, original, or unusual. |
| Obscure | Not well known; difficult to understand. |
| Ominous | Suggesting that something bad may happen. |
| Plausible | Seeming reasonable or likely to be true. |
| Precedent | An earlier example used as a guide for later cases. |
| Prolific | Producing a large amount of work or results. |
| Refute | To prove a statement or argument wrong. |
| Reiterate | To say something again for emphasis or clarity. |
| Renounce | To formally give up or reject a belief, claim, or habit. |
| Skeptical | Doubtful or not easily convinced. |
| Speculate | To form a theory without firm evidence. |
| Sporadic | Occurring occasionally or at irregular intervals. |
| Undermine | To weaken or damage gradually. |
| Unprecedented | Never done or known before. |
| Utilitarian | Designed to be useful or practical rather than decorative. |
| Warrant | To justify or make necessary. |
| Yield | To produce, give way, or surrender. |
Frequently asked questions
How many SAT vocabulary words are in this deck?
The current deck has 70 essential words for SAT, ACT, and academic reading review.
Are definitions enough for SAT vocabulary?
Definitions help, but example sentences and reading context are important because SAT questions often test nuance.
Can this also help with ACT vocabulary?
Yes. Many academic words overlap across SAT, ACT, and general college reading practice.
Is the SAT Vocabulary: Essential Words flashcard deck free?
Yes. You can study it free in your browser on MazoCards. Create a free account to save progress, track streaks, and sync across devices.
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